Honoring the Dead - The Witches Book of the Dead Giveaway

So as you know there are many many giveaways going on right now. I have one that I'll be doing later in the year. I went over to Kallan's page and saw she was sponsoring a giveaway with Lyn over at Witch Blog. If you'd like to participate in this giveaway head over to Witch Blog for all the details!

This blog post is about my cousin Tony, who passed too young.

This year has been a lot of growing for me. I've been working on my divination and have learned that the spirits that haunt my house, may not be the people that lived here before, but instead my cousin.

I've printed out a picture of he and I together and have it on my altar now. I've started to feel a bit more happiness around him now. It's probably best that I start at the beginning....

I'm the little one... Tony is holding my hand

Photo Credit - Renee Olson

Tony and I were raised together by my grandmother. We spent our early years together at my grandmother's house and were much like brother and sister. He taught me to catch frogs and even one time said "Put your thumb right here", I still have the scar when he ended up hitting my finger with the brick. Not a violent person but things I guess little kids do sometimes. I always looked up to Tony.

Photo Credit - Renee Olson

He was my big brother after all.

Photo Credit - Renee Olson

I remembered as he got older and started hanging out with my older cousins, I was left out and I felt so alone with out him.

Photo Credit - Renee Olson

As we grew into adults we drifted apart. He got married, had kids, I did the same. After moving to San Diego, my sister was talking with me on the phone one day and told me that he had passed. I was so confused and saddened that not only had I missed talking to him when he was alive, I missed his passing as well.

The years rolled on and my hubby and I moved to NC. As we were riding past this house I saw it and said, that's the one. That's where we have to live. We moved in and lived here for a few months and then I found out that not 500 yards down the road was a lonely stop sign. That sign was where Tony spent his final hours. See, he was drinking and hanging out with his 1/2 brother who lives just around the corner from that stop sign. He passed out at their house and they decided that it would be terribly funny to strip him naked and use suran wrap to strap him to the stop sign. He never woke up.

Today I can see that stop sign from my house. Sometimes I feel like Tony is here. Walking around the house. Trying to get my attention. Poking me in the side and saying.. come on Let's go chase some frogs.

This year, my altar has a picture of he and I together. This year, on Samhain my honoring of the dead will be dedicated to Tony.