vegas painted rocks

Pagan festivals hold great significance in the practice of Wiccan spirituality. These festivals, also known as Sabbats, are celebrated throughout the year to honor the changing seasons and the interconnectedness of nature and life. Wiccans view these festivals as opportunities to connect with the divine forces of the universe and to attune themselves with the natural cycles of energy. The eight sabbats are divided into two main groups: the Wheel of the Year and the Great Wheel. The Wheel of the Year represents the solstices and equinoxes, which mark the changing seasons. The Great Wheel encompasses the four agricultural festivals that occur between the solstices and equinoxes.

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Although there is a possibility that this one tale has actually happened in real life, as the witch was documented on Journal 3 As the Palm Reader , and the hand that Stan had in his shop was seen moving on their own after he dropped it. This story, however, appears to be fake and created by Stan to sell merchandise, with the Witch seemingly just being someone who sells watches in reality.

The Great Wheel encompasses the four agricultural festivals that occur between the solstices and equinoxes. Each Sabbat has its own unique rituals, traditions, and symbols, which vary among different Wiccan traditions. The first Sabbat is called Samhain, which takes place on October 31st.

Gravity Talks: “Little Gift Shop of Horror” [Review]

Welcome back to Gravity Talks, our review series for Gravity Falls with a release schedule that’s just as sporadic as the show. Apparently this premiered on Friday instead of on a Monday like they said this season would. The real mystery of Gravity Falls is when does this show even air.

This week, “Little Gift Shop of Horrors” gives us some short stories, claymation, and the second best guest star in animation history. Probably. I didn’t research that last part too much, if we’re going to be honest. As always, we’re going to have plenty of mild spoilers, even though this episode is allegedly non-canon.

In the vein of The Simpsons‘s “Treehouse of Horror” and last season’s “Bottomless Pit!”, “Little Gift Shop of Horrors” is an anthology episode as told by Grunkle Stan pitching products to a faceless customer whose point of view gives a slightly disturbing perspective on the Pines family we’d rather not see again.

We’re once again taking a detour from the main mystery of the show and at this point I should just accept that season two of Gravity Falls isn’t going to be as consistenly ruthless as I had anticipated with “Into the Bunker” and “Sock Opera”. Still, “Little Gift Shop of Horrors” proves to be as entertaining an episode as any other one, if only because it simply goes all out.

The first short, ‘Hands Off’ follows the time-tested formula of following Stan around and letting him be his terrible amoral self. After stealing a wrist watch from a Hand Witch, Stan loses his hands and is pretty annoyed, eventually caring enough about the situation to go find the Hand Witch and get his digits back. Again, just letting Grunkle Stan wander around and be his morally bankrupt self is enough for any episode so scenes like Stan asking for his hand back so he can flip off the witch or getting Mabel to build him new hands so he doesn’t have to talk to the witch are just delightful.

Also of note is the Hand Witch herself who earns her place as the breakout character of the episode. Note: I love how the Gravity Falls team is so skilled at crafting compelling characters that you can actually have a “Breakout Character of the Week” award and actually award one for each episode. In the Witch’s case, she’s an instantly likable old crone by Stan who’s following rules of magic that she basically makes up on the spot, like how the only way to break the curse is to make out with her, please make out with her.

Even though this episode and its stories are allegedly noncanon, we’ve reached the point in Gravity Falls where these might as well have happened. Isn’t the Hand Witch as credible as Soos’s yandere waifu? We like to think so, and as such we’re kind of dying to see Hand Witch in future episodes, hopefully with her hunky mountain climber she acquired at her story’s end.

Speaking of characters who are unfortunately relegated to never showing up in another episode again, “Abaconings” featured Waddles the pig having his intelligence boosted to the point where he’s voiced by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

This was a thing that happened and it went precisely as spectacular as you’d expect. Tyson’s not the best voice actor (not to diss him, he has a thousand other achievements more important than being good at making cartoon pig voices) but his natural charm and personality are so unnaturally perfect for Waddles and his lazily adorable persona. The story itself feels a little rushed, with a nice emotional ending that concludes everything just a bit too soon and without much discussion, but at the very least the best supporting character on Gravity Falls got his time in the spotlight and, I cannot reiterate this enough, was voiced by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

The final short of the episode is no less impressive, as “Clay Day” gives tribute to the claymation of Ray Harryhausen by delving into Mabel’s fear of claymation monsters like those seen in Jason and the Argonauts. The relatively simple premise swiftly takes off as the Pines family and Soos find Harry Claymore, the creator of the claymation films, who reveals that he actually use black magic to bring his monsters to life.

Claymore’s monsters then predictably attack the Pines which results in a remarkably impressive show of animation. Gravity Falls has always had some excellent animation but the integration of the claymation, done by Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, is flawless. The monsters feel like they belong in Gravity Falls, like they’re not just green screened onto the show. And it’s made all the more impressive when Mabel climbs on top of the Cyclops and mushes his face up. Though it’s writing wise the most simple of the stories, technically it’s an artistic milestone for Gravity Falls in terms of animation.

“Little Shop of Horrors” proves just how flexible Gravity Falls can be as a series. Though it stumbles at moments, it’s an excellent demonstration of the imagination that fuels the adventures of the Pines family, even if they’re just showing off their expensive claymation segments.

Final Verdict: 8.4 – Neil deGrasse Tyson voiced Waddles. What more do you want?

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James Johnston is a grizzled post-millenial. Follow him on Twitter to challenge him to a fight.

In the episode "Little Gift Shop of Horrors", Stanley Pines tells a story about his encounter with the witch. He saw her selling watches at a carnival, and stole one. As punishment, the Hand Witch cursed him so that his hands vanished. Wanting to remove the curse, Stan took Dipper and Mabel to the Hand Witch's lair and asked forgiveness by returning the watch. The Hand Witch demanded a kiss as an apology, but Stan refused. However, the Pines learn that lifting the curse has nothing to do with a kiss, and that the witch was just lonely. Dipper and Mabel offer to help her search for love by decorating her cave lair, and the satisfied witch returns Stan's hands. After the Pines leave, a hiker stumbles upon the cave and seems instantly taken with the witch. This story, however, appears to be fake and created by Stan to sell merchandise, with the Witch seemingly just being someone who sells watches in reality.

Samhain is a time to honor the ancestors and the veil between the living and the dead is believed to be the thinnest during this time of year. Wiccans create altars and may hold ceremonies to communicate with their ancestors or leave offerings for them. Next is Yule, also known as the Winter Solstice, which occurs around December 21st. Yule celebrates the rebirth of the sun and the beginning of the lengthening days. It is a time of joy, gratitude, and reflection. Wiccans often have feasts and light candles to symbolize the return of the sun. Imbolc, celebrated on February 1st or 2nd, marks the first signs of spring and the return of life to the earth. It is a time for purification, healing, and new beginnings. Wiccans may perform candle rituals or create small altars with symbols of spring and growth. The Spring Equinox, also called Ostara, occurs around March 21st. Ostara celebrates the arrival of spring and the balance between light and darkness. It is a time of fertility, growth, and balance. Wiccans may decorate eggs, plant seeds, or perform rituals to honor the returning life force. Then comes Beltane, celebrated on May 1st. Beltane marks the beginning of summer and is associated with fertility and passion. Wiccans often hold outdoor celebrations, may dance around a Maypole, and perform rituals to honor the union of the divine feminine and masculine energies. Midsummer, also known as Litha, takes place around June 21st, the Summer Solstice. Litha celebrates the peak of the sun's power and the abundance of nature. It is a time of celebration, gratitude, and spiritual growth. Wiccans may have bonfires and perform rituals to harness the energy of the sun. Lughnasadh, or Lammas, is celebrated on August 1st and marks the beginning of the harvest season. Lughnasadh is a time to give thanks for the abundance of the earth and to make sacrifices for the greater good. Wiccans may hold feasts and perform rituals to honor the cycle of life and the sacrifices made. Lastly, the Fall Equinox, also called Mabon, takes place around September 21st. Mabon celebrates the balance between light and darkness and the beginning of the harvest season. It is a time of gratitude, reflection, and abundance. Wiccans may create altars with symbols of the harvest and perform rituals to give thanks for the blessings in their lives. Overall, pagan festivals of Wiccan spirituality hold deep meaning for adherents and serve as opportunities to connect with nature, celebrate the cycles of life, and honor the divine forces present in the universe..

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vegas painted rocks