Drone wedding photography is a kind of taking photos and videos by a remotely-operated aerial vehicle, also known as a drone. Photographers use drone for wedding photography to capture the aerial views and bird's eye view of a couple or ceremony. It will allow you to use completely new angles for taking event photos and realize the craziest ideas for a photo session. More and more couples order drone for wedding photography services and are ready to pay the additional cost for it. So, it means if you provide drone photography wedding services, the number of your customers will significantly grow. Let's find out how to add wedding drone photography to your services' list.
Drone wedding photography is one of the most popular services nowadays. It is better to use the drones after the main photo session, as they give you a chance to get impressive shots from non-standard angles. Such photos can't be taken if you hold the camera in hands or place it on a tripod. The first question the shooters try to answer when they start using drones is "What is the best drone for wedding photography?" You have to understand that this device isn't cheap. The drone wedding videographer may cost approximately $300, but the wedding photography drone will cost about $700 if you really want to get great pictures. It may be trite, but the leaders in this industry are DJI, regarding the quality of the image and the drones. So, you'd better choose these models.
This is probably the most popular drone in the world and it isn't strange. It provides great quality and lots of extra features that will help make your shooting easier. The first reason why you should choose the Pro line is that it produces wonderful 24-megapixel photos in RAW format. Each photo is about 20MB, which means that the quality of the pictures is excellent, which is very important for the photo editing. It's not cheap, but for this price, you get a full set of the case for transportation, 8 extra screws, screw pads, two 16 and 32 GB memory cards, a control panel and of course the drone for wedding photography. It also has a built-in protection against accidental bumps, so you do not have to worry about it either. The tracking system is just awesome. You can just focus on the couple and the drone will follow them, which significantly simplifies the drone wedding photography.
You will probably like this variant if you think that the Phantom is too large and bulky for the drone photography wedding. Besides, this wedding drone price is significantly lower, which attracts many shooters. It has a 12MP camera shooting in 4K. With the Pro version similar to Phantom you will get the RAW files for the image editing.
The main advantage of Mavic is that it is more compact because it can be folded into a small rectangle. Thanks to its small size, you can fit it even in a small backpack. This drone for wedding photography has a slightly shorter flight time than the Phantom – 27 minutes instead of 35, but it's more than enough for everything you want to shoot. The kit consists of a control panel, 4 spare screws, two memory cards (16 and 32GB), protection for the camera and the drone itself. You will get all the additional features of the Phantom but in a smaller package.
If this is your first drone photography experience, I recommend buying a simple and inexpensive drone (for less than $400) to practice flying and shooting. These drones will take not professional photos, because they have a built-in camera, a short time work (about 10 minutes) and do not have additional functions (return home or GPS pursuit modes).
In terms of design Upair is like a DJI Phantom's copy. BUT twice cheaper - a low price means some limitations. If you talk about the pros, it's a 2K camera with a really great quality of shooting, and for an additional $50 you'll get a 4K camera. There are many similar functions as DJI has, even a planned flight using GPS. The flight is 16 minutes. If we talk about the cons, the flight distance is no more than 300-400 meters, as well as the quality of assembly isn't good too.
The only model without the build-in camera, it can be replaced. Nevertheless, it has a good quality for its money - their H109S comes with a 1080p HD camera that supports real-time video transmission, remote control on Android with built-in screen. GPS, automatic return are included. The flight time is about 25 minutes. Flight range is 800-1000 meters. Speaking about its weak points, these are a breakable assembly and no information about battery charge.
I recommend buying your first drone together with everything that you might need for the first try. Typically, these kits are not very expensive - $100 higher than a body drone, but you will not need to waste your time after buying a drone for buying memory cards, carrying bags, cleaning kit, propellers, etc.
This is probably the best drone for wedding photography you can find among all the models available. Inside this drone there is a huge variety of different systems - barometers, motion sensors, two processors and even an additional built-in camera for a second shooter. The drone has a very high-quality assembly, so don't worry about falling. A camera - 5.2K, 30 fps or 4K - 60 fps. You can change lenses from 18 to 90 mm. Unlike other drones, the Inspire 2 can move its camera. The visual tracking mode is as accurate as possible. This drone is used in filming and is 100% professional.
Yuneec H520 is a universal drone, it is known as the best drone for commercial photography since it meets all standards. There are 6 screws, which means better maneuverability, as well as a choice of 3 cameras. It has the best system for preventing obstacles and scheduled flight by points. In the kit there is a remote control for the Android with its own screen. Whatever set of camera you would choose - it is a professional equipment.
You can use the cheaper drones, or the earlier versions of the above mentioned models. But you won't be able to get that wonderful image quality which made me choose these drones. It's important to remember that you need a smartphone to control these drones, so I recommend having a spare smartphone or the one, which is fully charged and needed just for the drone wedding photography. Moreover, you'd better have several power banks.
If you have seriously decided to engage in the drone photography business, it is important to do everything legally, abiding all the laws. Moreover, you must always remember about the safety. The first thing to do is to register your drone at Federal Aviation Administration. What is the reason? If you live in the US and want to shoot in the country using your drone, and your drone weighs more than 0.55 pounds (even a small Mavic weighs 1.6) then you need to have a special identification number for the device. The registration takes about 5 minutes and will cost only $5. Then you'll get the number, which you need to write on your drone. The number will be identical for all the drones. You can write this on the bottom of the drone with a permanent marker.
Be very careful! If you are caught using a drone without the number, you'll be fined of $27,500. It costs more than a standard drone wedding photography price.
Most experienced people will ask you to provide the insurance for the drone use, so it would be nice to have it issued before doing the drone wedding photography.
Today it's easy to get the affordable insurance for the drone. The insurance companies started treating such issues seriously since the drones have become so popular.
Drones have many breakable parts – screws, camera and even the case of the drone are very sensitive to damage. While the replacement of screws will cost you no more than $10, the purchase of a new camera, if you break it, will be almost half the price of the drone. Damage insurance can save you the cost of repair or the spares replacement if a drone falls. Besides, your customers will feel more confident about your professionalism and responsibility if you have the insurance for the drones.
People realize that they need to pay extra money for the drone wedding photography and there are usually no problems because they will get really wonderful pictures in the end. But how a photographer can set the drone wedding photography cost?
The first thing you need to take into account is the experience of using the drones. The customers want to know that you are not a simple amateur. The best choice is to visit the courses where you'll learn how to control a drone. The duration of these courses is usually not more than a month, but you will get the invaluable experience under the supervision of real experts. The certificates of passing these courses will be an excellent proof of your experience, and, accordingly, will affect your drone photography cost.
The second factor is the quality of your drone. No one will pay a photographer, who takes pictures with a drone that costs $200. Even the most experienced photographer cannot take high-quality pictures controlling a cheap and low-quality drone. So remember that a good drone means high drone wedding photography price.
Third – additional services. If you provide drone videography and subsequent photo editing, you may charge more for the work. I suggest using drones to maximum and take not only the photos but also film celebrations to create an excellent video clip.
In 2018 the average price for the drone wedding photography is about $600-900 depending on the additional services.
When you think about the wedding photoshoot ideas for the first time, you will probably have to check dozens of videos and photo sessions, read wedding photography tips which may give you new ideas or you'll just want to repeat those ones. In any case, you will have to spend lots of time to prepare a really beautiful photo session for your clients.
For you to save your time and energy, we have picked up 10 interesting drone photography ideas.
One of the most popular types of drone wedding photography is an amazing photo session against the natural background. The style is the following – the focus is on the couple, and the particular attention is paid to the fascinating views. If you want to recreate this idea, try to raise the drone as high as possible, but remember to keep the newlyweds clearly visible in the frame. You can also try to take the pictures of them lying in the water or on the shore, if they do not mind, of course.
Immediately after the ceremony, it will be an excellent idea for drone wedding photography to gather all the guests near the church. It will also be very interesting to take a photo while leaving from the church when the guests will strew the newlyweds with petals. However, you should be careful and move away from people so as not to interfere with the noise from a drone. It is better to zoom in the image rather than to scare people. Also, try to take the pictures vertically over the heads of people.
Another wedding drone photography idea is shooting the couple in the water. It looks great BUT be careful while shooting and mind its flight time.
Probably one of the most popular drone photography wedding ideas. You can't take this kind of photo without a drone, it will be difficult and you need a place and additional equipment.
What is the drone wedding photography without the group photos? It has already become the classics. However, there is a significant difference between the photos taken with the usual camera and the drone. The last one will give you an opportunity to capture absolutely all the guests, and even the back rows, so you can forget about the problem when only the first two rows are visible in the photo.
The evening wedding shots always have a special atmosphere, and they' better be taken with the help of the wedding photography drone. As for the time, you should choose it according to the camera of your drone. It is better not to postpone it until late at night. The excellent time is half an hour after the sunset when the light is not so direct, but it is still not too dark outside.
Professional wedding photo retouching, color correction and artistic photo manipulations from $5 per photo.
This drone photography wedding idea is just wonderful and absolutely any customer will like it. All you need is a beautiful nature background and rocks.
The meaning of this photo is to convey the beauty of the nature background. The newlyweds should be visible only as silhouettes, but not merge with the surrounding colors. The white bride's dress will not let you do it.
What a bride would miss a personal photo session? Moreover, if you can use the most interesting angles, no one will ever refuse you! It looks very beautiful when the bride in a snow-white dress is photographed against the contrasting color backgrounds, for example on the dark green grass or in the forest. Thus, she is very highlighted in the picture.
This kind of wedding photo on the grass looks particularly great. I recommend knowing a few places that perfectly fit this type of photography, preferably it's a golf course.
Here are 10 basic drone photography tips that will help you not to screw the drone wedding photography up for the first time.
Beautiful aerial wedding photos in your portfolio is a must for a beginning drone photographer. Who will order your services without drone wedding photographs?
This rarely happens, but it will be useful to check whether there is permission to shoot on the ceremony venue. This is necessary only in some places, but it will take time to get the license, so you should take care of it in advance. There are even some cities that do not allow you to fly the drone over the private territory. You can find the list of prohibited places for shooting on official websites.
If you have little experience in controlling the drone, you should not experiment right during the photo shooting, because in the worst case you can ruin not only the photo session, but also the ceremony itself, hurting the newlyweds or damaging their outfit.
If you want to take photos both with the camera and the drone, then I recommend you to choose the time when you won't try to be everywhere at once. It's better to shoot with the drone before or after the pre-wedding photo session. In such a way, you'll be able to realize all your ideas without worrying about losing a good shot at the ceremony.
There is no sense to shoot with the drone holding it in your hands. There are a lot of people who use a drone in order to take usual portrait photos, and it's ridiculous because it takes much more time to take such shots. Besides, it can be dangerous as well, as if you lose control the drone can hurt the faces of the newlyweds.
Drone is not a camera, which allows you to move silently in a crowd. If you've never heard the noise of a drone, just believe me, that no one can feel relaxed and behave naturally when there is noise as from a vacuum cleaner near you. Therefore, avoid shooting important moments with the drone for wedding photography, unless the newlyweds ask you about it.
You should not start working without preparation. First, examine the location to detect the dangerous areas for the drone, such as trees, power lines, buildings, and so on. You will be completely concentrated on the picture during the shooting and will forget about the safety, so be sure there is nothing that can distract you.
The secret of a good photo shoot is that you have to keep the movement smooth. Even if you have the best drone for wedding photography with an excellent camera focus control, you should remember that it is constantly vibrating, and if you make quick movements while the shutter is closed, the results can be awful.
In any case, you can't control the nature, so if it rains outside, then, unfortunately, it's a verdict for your drone photography. The moisture will simply "kill" the drone. You can take pictures indoors as well, but it won't be that level. So don't forget to mention this point in your wedding photography contract.
It's quite difficult to catch a windless day, and if it's about shooting near the sea or the ocean, then it's absolutely impossible. If a small breeze is good for flights, then the stronger wind can carry your drone away. Of course, the heavier the drone is, the more unlikely it will b carried away, but I do not recommend you taking risks.
You should avoid shooting indoors a lot, unless it is dine in the really large and high rooms. You will spend a lot of time taking pictures inside, as you need to take into account all the walls and concentrate half of your attention on avoiding inappropriate angles. Get prepared that such photos will take much more time than shooting outside.
The main thing for you to remember is to stay invisible. Shooting with the camera, it is very difficult to get into the frame, but many photographers forget about it while taking photos with the drone and are captured in the shot standing with the remote control in their hands. Follow all these tips, and you will definitely achieve success.
Even if the photography still remains one of the most popular wedding photography services, you should not forget about the drone videography. Hardly any couple would refuse a high-quality video about their Big Day. Do not forget that you are a photographer, but having a drone, you can provide additional video services as well. Impartially, the video that is recorded with the same camera can look boring, as it lacks variety of unusual shooting angles and positions. Watch the movies to see how it's done – something is shot from a bird's eye view and sometimes the camera just hangs over the people. Previously, you needed the expensive equipment for this, now drones are used for such purposes, so why not try it?
In fact, it's not so difficult to make a really high-quality drone wedding video, but you should remember the basic rules of good filming.
Similar to the drone photography, the sharp frames spoil the picture, but if everything freezes in the photo, then the video should remain smooth throughout the entire recording process. All this pulling, braking, and sudden turns look very amateurish. You should see how it is done in the cinema - the camera is held in one position, and the drone flies more often straight, down or at a slight angle. Think the entire recording over, the direction of the flight and various angles in advance, and then you will not freeze with the remote control in your hands while working.
One of the most annoying things I've seen in the drone camera wedding video are screws or pieces of the camera protection that get into the frame. This happens because the camera is directed too high towards the drone and the screws blur the picture in the upper corners because of their rapid movements. But the most irritating thing is the black spot on the left side. It is the protection of the drone and many people forget to place it in such a way that it won't be seen in the process of work.
DJI drones and many other models support the gesture management, and not many photographers use it in the drone wedding videography. After using the gestures, drones can both fly away from you to a certain height or follow the person. Watch some videos to see how it works. Such videos are very popular, and allow the newlyweds to participate in the creation of their own wedding clip.
If you still think that somehow you will be able to shoot a conversation, live music or anything else, just forget about it! Even with the best microphone, you cannot eliminate the noise that your drone creates. Noise-reducing tools and software can not cope with this, as well as external microphones, so if you want a video with sound, record it separately without a drone and then add to the video, although it is better not to do it.
Many drones, even not the most expensive ones, support the mode of flight along the predetermined trajectory in the form of the imaginary line. This will help you perform an excellent and smooth recording. You can make the drone fly around the couple. It's also a great way to control a drone if you do not have access to GPS navigation in the place you plan to work.
After buying a drone, getting a flight permit, and insurance, I really recommend visiting several courses that will help you make an excellent start. Of course, for the first time, the free lessons on YouTube will be enough for you, but this is all about theory. Everything is much harder in practice.
Drone Pilot Training is one of the best schools that specializes on the drone pilotage. You will get a chance to attend the personal classes with instructors who will show and tell you about the basic mistakes the newcomers make, and also teach you a couple of tricks. It's not quite cheap, but it will help you avoid the most frequent mistakes and quickly increase your level of drone proficiency.
Online Aerial Photography Course. These are really necessary courses that will provide you with the essential knowledge from the photographers who shoot with the drone. Here they will tell how to choose the right angle, how to make your photos as clear as possible, what camera settings to use, and much more useful things about the drone shooting.
Starting a Drone Business Under Part. If you want to do everything right and open the legal drone shooting business, then it's better to address the professionals who will explain all the nuances, what you can and cannot do, as well as where you can shoot. They will also register your drone and give some advice on drone photography business management.
Now you know everything you need to start your drone wedding photography business and be sure that all your photo sessions will be successful.


The purpose of the Community Liaison Group (CLG) is to provide a forum for discussion and the exchange of information and to create and maintain channels of communication between the community, South Wairarapa District Council (SWDC), and Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) on any issues or developments arising from the operation of the Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTP) in the district.
The groups meet together currently for Greytown WWTP and Martinborough WWTP. Featherston will form once the consent has been granted.
You can view the 2016/17 Annual reports for Martinborough here and Greytown here.
Information is available and can be seen about Aerator's here and Advanced Microbial Digestion (AMD) here.


This Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting is indulgent, I know. But it's a perfect treat for Valentine's Day! Now you and I both know, really good vegan chocolate cake is hard to come by. And that is precisely why I wanted to do this recipe.
You can make the frosting as loose or thick as you'd like. It's made with vegan margarine, powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, vegan chocolate chips (melted), vanilla and almond (or coconut) milk. If you prefer a thicker frosting, just add more powdered sugar.
For the cake, we used traditional ingredients but substituted some of the moisture that eggs would have added using applesauce. It's one of my favorite baking secrets for cakes, muffins, etc. We also created our own "buttermilk" using non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Another vegan trick that I cannot live without.
This cake is so simple to make and with a few fresh strawberries, it looks like a million bucks!
Today, it's all about the chocolate, but this cake would be really amazing with a cream cheese frosting as well. I did one on my Gingerbread Cake that would work great if you wanted to try that instead.
Cut parchment to fit the bottom of two 8" round cake pans. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. You can also sift if there appear to be any lumps that whisking won't break up.
Create the buttermilk mixture by combining the almond (or coconut) milk and apple cider vinegar. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the buttermilk mixture, vanilla, oil and applesauce. Beat until well combined.
Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, allowing each addition to blend before proceeding. Beat for 2 minutes on high speed to incorporate some air.
Distribute mixture between the prepared pans and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes clean.
Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
Using a knife, run the tip around the edge of the pan to loosen and assure that the cake will come out without sticking.
Invert onto a baking rack to continue cooling. Remove parchment.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine all of the ingredients for the frosting and beat until incorporated.
On a cake stand, place the first layer with the rounder side down. Frost the top of this layer.
Place the second layer on and frost just the top of this layer as well. A few swirls with a knife to make it look fancy never hurts.
Add a fanned out sliced strawberry to the top and serve alone, or with your favorite vegan vanilla bean ice cream.
Sorry, but where are the instructions for the frosting?


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Bath Bed and Breakfast, Cheap Hotel and Guest House Accommodation
Bath Bed and Breakfasts. Compare latest rates and Live availability for all your favourite places and places you have always wanted to go using our new My Shortlist feature. Click + to add to your Shortlist.
Bed and Breakfasts in Bath, Somerset for 1 night from Sat Jan 29, 2022 to Sun Jan 30, 2022 within 10 miles, in an Average Nightly price range of £1 to £200.
Month Week
Saturday, 29 January 2022 Jan 2022
Week Month
Apex City of Bath Hotel
Bath 0.21 0.34 4 29303101020304 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £ 75.00
The Z Hotel Bath
Bath 0.31 0.5 N/A 29303101020304 £45.00 £45.00 £45.00 £45.00 £45.00 £45.00 £45.00 £ 45.00
Holiday Inn Express Bath, an IHG Hotel
Francis Hotel Bath - MGallery
Bath 0.36 0.57 4 29303101020304 £126.80 £126.80 £126.80 £126.80 £126.80 £126.80 £126.80 £ 126.80
St Christopher's Inn Bath
Bath 0.46 0.74 N/A 29303101020304 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £ 75.00
Marlborough House
Bath YMCA Hostel
Henrietta House, a member of Radisson Individuals
The Queensberry Hotel
The Windsor Town House
The Bird, Bath
Lansdown Grove Hotel
YHA Bath
OYO Bailbrook Lodge
Bailbrook House Hotel, Bath
Old Mill Hotel & Lodge
Best Western Limpley Stoke Hotel
Toghill House Farm
Wick 5.12 8.23 4 29303101020304 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £ 75.00
The Swan Hotel - Bradford-on-Avon
Bradford on Avon 5.43 8.74 4 29303101020304 £60.00 £60.00 £60.00 £60.00 £60.00 £60.00 £60.00 £ 60.00
Best Western Leigh Park Hotel
The Barge Inn
The George Inn & Plaine
Norton Saint Philip 5.65 9.09 N/A 29303101020304 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £ 75.00
Widbrook Grange
Bradford on Avon 6.37 10.26 3 29303101020304 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £ 75.00
Widbrook Barns
Bradford-on-Avon 6.49 10.45 N/A 29303101020304 £65.00 £65.00 £65.00 £65.00 £65.00 £65.00 £65.00 £ 65.00
The Fromeway
Radstock 6.81 10.95 N/A 29303101020304 £92.00 £92.00 £92.00 £92.00 £92.00 £92.00 £92.00 £ 92.00
Radstock Hotel near Bath
Radstock 6.84 11.01 3 29303101020304 £38.00 £38.00 £38.00 £38.00 £38.00 £38.00 £38.00 £ 38.00
The Moonraker Hotel
The Old Ham Tree
Holt 7.23 11.64 N/A 29303101020304 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £ 75.00
The Cross Keys
Frome 7.51 12.09 N/A 29303101020304 £40.00 £40.00 £40.00 £40.00 £40.00 £40.00 £40.00 £ 40.00
Guyers House Hotel and Restaurant
Rudloe 7.85 12.64 4 29303101020304 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £75.00 £ 75.00
1 James Street West, Bath, BA1 2DA
Distance:0.21 miles | Star Rating:
Apex City of Bath Hotel is located on the corner of James Street West in Bath City Centre, a 5-minute walk from the Thermae Bath Spa and 700 metres fr...more
Apex City of Bath Hotel is located on the corner of James Street West in Bath City Centre, a 5-minute walk from the Thermae Bath Spa and 700 metres from Bath Spa railway station. The bedrooms feature air conditioning as well as en suite facilities with a bath and walk-in shower. The Apex City of Bath Hotel features complimentary WiFi throughout the property. You will find a 24-hour front desk at the property. Apex City of Bath Hotel has conference facilities to host up to 400 people and is suitable for exhibitions. It also features six meeting rooms. The Roman Baths are 350 metres from Apex City of Bath Hotel, while Bath Abbey is 450 metres from the property. Bristol Airport is 29 km away.
Saturday, 29 January 2022Jan 2022
Dates:Jan 29, 2022 - Jan 30, 2022 Sat Jan 29, 2022 - Sun Jan 30, 2022 Nights:1
Total cost: £ 75.00
In Shortlist
7 Saw Close, Bath, BA1 1EY
Distance:0.31 miles | Star Rating: N/A
The Z Hotel Bath is in a prime location in Bath, opposite the Bath Theatre Royal and provides a bar and free WiFi. The property is around 200 metres f...more
The Z Hotel Bath is in a prime location in Bath, opposite the Bath Theatre Royal and provides a bar and free WiFi. The property is around 200 metres from The Circus Bath and 200 metres from The Roman Baths. Bath Abbey is a 3-minute walk from the hotel. At the hotel, the rooms include a desk and a flat-screen TV with access to Sky and BT Sports channels. Each room has a private bathroom with free toiletries and a hair dryer. Staff are available to help at the 24-hour front desk. Royal Crescent is 700 metres from The Z Hotel Bath. The nearest airport is Bristol Airport, 24 km from the accommodation. The nearest rail station is Bath Spa rail station, a 5-minute walk away.
Lower Bristol Road, Brougham Hayes, North East Somerset, Bath, BA2 3QU
Holiday Inn Express Bath is a 10-minute walk from the magnificent Roman centre of Bath, a World Heritage city. Free WiFi is available throughout. The ...more
Holiday Inn Express Bath is a 10-minute walk from the magnificent Roman centre of Bath, a World Heritage city. Free WiFi is available throughout. The Great Room is a spacious guest lounge which is home to a licensed bar and also where guests can enjoy the inclusive Express Start buffet breakfast, which includes continental items such as pastries, fruit and cereal. Bacon and sausage baps are available. Guests can order from the hotel's snack menu, and pizzas are available. The lounge bar is open throughout the day with beers, craft beers, wines, spirits, soft drinks as well as teas and coffees. All rooms feature air conditioning, en suite facilities and a flat-screen TV. Rooms also have tea and coffee-making facilities for guests to enjoy. Bath is home to a range of fine architecture, museums, gardens and attractions. The Roman Baths, the Pump Room, Bath Abbey and the Jane Austen Centre are all within 15 minutes' walk. Bath Spa train station is 1 miles from the hotel.
Queen Square, Bath, BA1 2HH
Francis Hotel Bath - MGallery is located in the heart of the historic city of Bath. This Regency-style townhouse hotel features individually designed ...more
Francis Hotel Bath - MGallery is located in the heart of the historic city of Bath. This Regency-style townhouse hotel features individually designed bedrooms, many with four-poster beds and views over the city. Well equipped bedrooms each feature a Plasma HD TV, tea/coffee-making facilities and a work area. A full private bathroom in every room includes a hairdryer and bathrobes. Francis Hotel Bath - MGallery features a bar/lounge which serves light snacks all day. There is also a restaurant, the Boho Marché, which has a Moroccan theme celebrating Marrakech in the 60s and 70s. Breakfast is also available and includes a range of international and traditional English classic options. The Francis Hotel is about 1 mile from Bath Spa Rail Station and a short distance from the Georgian buildings on The Circus. Bath's shops, galleries and antique markets are easy to get to on foot. With an additional fee, parking operates on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be reserved. All children under the age of 13 can stay free of charge when booking with 2 adults.
Total cost: £ 126.80
9 Green Street, Bath, BA1 2JY
Situated in Bath's lively city centre, the St Christopher's Inn Bath boasts a bar and café, with a diverse food menu. The hostel is ideally situated f...more
Situated in Bath's lively city centre, the St Christopher's Inn Bath boasts a bar and café, with a diverse food menu. The hostel is ideally situated for visiting the Roman Baths and Bath Abbey. The hostel features a common room with sofas, a TV, books and board games. Towels and hair dryers can be hired from reception, where guests are also able to buy padlocks and plug adapters. The property offers free WiFi and a lounge, with facilities including a microwave, fridge and kettle. Belushi's bar and café serves an extensive breakfast selection, along with a diverse food menu. The bar is well stocked with local ales, fine wines, and spirits. St Christopher's Inn guests benefit from discounts and offers at the on-site bar and café. Themed nights regularly feature and include quizzes and live music. Bath is home to the Jane Austen Centre, just 4 minutes' walk from St Christopher's Inn. The city is an ideal base for visiting Stonehenge, less than 1 hours' drive away.
1 Marlborough Lane, Bath, BA1 2NQ
Enchanting Victorian 4 star Guesthouse in Bath city centre. Spacious &ampampamp elegantly furnished,air-conditioned en-suite rooms with superking size...more
Enchanting Victorian 4 star Guesthouse in Bath city centre. Spacious &ampampamp elegantly furnished,air-conditioned en-suite rooms with superking size beds. Twin/family rooms available. Visit Britain breakfast award for our generous, healthy &ampampamp organic breakfasts.
International House Broad St Place, Bath, BA1 5LH
Featuring a shared lounge, garden and views of city, Bath YMCA Hostel is located in Bath, 300 metres from The Circus Bath. This property is situated a...more
Featuring a shared lounge, garden and views of city, Bath YMCA Hostel is located in Bath, 300 metres from The Circus Bath. This property is situated a short distance from attractions such as The Jane Austen Centre, Bath Assembly Rooms, and Pulteney Bridge. Free WiFi and a 24-hour front desk are provided. At the hostel, each room includes a wardrobe. Guest rooms include bed linen. Popular points of interest near Bath YMCA Hostel include Bath Abbey, The Roman Baths and Royal Crescent. The nearest airport is Bristol Airport, 24 km from the accommodation.
27-29 Henrietta Street, Bath, BA2 6LR
Originating from the 1780s, Henrietta House Hotel is a Georgian period townhouse set in the heart of Bath. It is a 10-minute walk from Bath Spa railwa...more
Originating from the 1780s, Henrietta House Hotel is a Georgian period townhouse set in the heart of Bath. It is a 10-minute walk from Bath Spa railway station. Free Wi-Fi is available to all guests. All rooms are modern in design and individually styled with numerous antiques, furnishings and original artwork. Each has an en suite bathroom. In the mornings, the Henrietta House Hotel provides a full breakfast, cooked to order. The bread and croissants are baked daily, and vegetarian options are available. Henrietta House Hotel is within 5 minutes' walk of Bath Abbey, the Roman Baths, Thermae Bath Spa, The Jane Austen Centre and The Holburne Museum of Art. Although Henrietta Street is mostly a residential area, shops and restaurants can be found within a short walk.
Russel Street, Bath, BA1 2QF
A boutique townhouse hotel in the centre of Georgian Bath, The Queensberry mixes modern style with historic architecture, offering a quiet courtyard g...more
A boutique townhouse hotel in the centre of Georgian Bath, The Queensberry mixes modern style with historic architecture, offering a quiet courtyard garden and an award-winning restaurant. The hotel offers free WiFi in all areas. Welcoming, interesting bedrooms and cosy reception rooms give The Queensberry Hotel a feeling of casual luxury. Valet parking is available to all hotel guests at a surcharge. All rooms are equipped with a flat-screen TV, digital radio with Bluetooth connection and all the luxury touches you would expect from a hotel with AA Red Star status. Free tea and coffee is served in the hotel's drawing room between 08:00 and 20:00 daily, room service is available until 22:00. The Michelin Star Olive Tree Restaurant has 3 AA Rosettes and serves modern British food in a relaxed, yet stylish setting. The menus use the finest local and seasonal produce. Guests can also enjoy a range of drinks in the traditional bar.
69 Great Pulteney Street, Bath, BA2 4DL
In a quiet location, close to the heart of the historic city, this stunning 5-star Georgian townhouse is just a 2-minute level walk from Bath's shops,...more
In a quiet location, close to the heart of the historic city, this stunning 5-star Georgian townhouse is just a 2-minute level walk from Bath's shops, the abbey and the Thermae Spa. The Windsor occupies a Grade I listed building on Great Pulteney Street, a charming Georgian boulevard. Each en suite room is individually decorated, with its own unique charm. Most rooms are air-conditioned, and all have a TV with Freeview digital channels, free Wi-Fi, and a hairdryer. The city's shops, museums and restaurants are within easy walking distance, as are the Roman Baths and the Abbey. You can discover the streets walked by Jane Austen and relax in the Thermae Bath Spa. For those wishing to travel further, Bath also provides an ideal base from which to visit Stonehenge, Cheddar Gorge, Salisbury Cathedral, and the Cotswolds.
18-19 Pulteney Road, Bath, BA2 4EZ
Situated in central Bath, The Bird offers views over the city's famous Recreation Ground, towards Bath Abbey. Offering free WiFi, this property is ide...more
Situated in central Bath, The Bird offers views over the city's famous Recreation Ground, towards Bath Abbey. Offering free WiFi, this property is ideal for exploring Bath's 'World Heritage Site' attractions. This boutique townhouse hotel offers exquisite guest accommodation with a flat-screen TV and tea and coffee making facilities. Each room benefits from an en suite bath or shower room. In the mornings, The Bird serves full English breakfast. Guests can enjoy drinks in the well-stocked bar. The on-site restaurant, The Plate, offers authentic British dishes with fresh and seasonal produce. The city centre of Bath is home to numerous restaurants, pubs, and shops, and the Bath Spa Railway Station is only 12 minutes' stroll from the hotel. The Bird is surrounded by beautiful countryside, museums, and attractions. The famous Roman Baths are just 10 minutes' walk away. Bath Spa Railway Station is also just a 10-minute stroll from the hotel. The nearby bus station has direct links to Bristol International Airport, which is just 15 miles away.
Lansdown Road Lansdown Grove, Bath, BA1 5EL
Located in Bath, up Lansdown Hill, less than 1 km from Royal Crescent, Lansdown Grove Hotel provides accommodation with a restaurant, private parking,...more
Located in Bath, up Lansdown Hill, less than 1 km from Royal Crescent, Lansdown Grove Hotel provides accommodation with a restaurant, private parking, a bar and a garden. This 4-star hotel offers a concierge service and luggage storage space. The accommodation offers a 24-hour front desk, airport transfers, room service and free WiFi throughout the property. All units are equipped with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a kettle, a shower, a hairdryer and a desk. At the hotel every room comes with a wardrobe and a private bathroom. We offer an Al a Carte breakfast menu daily at Lansdown Grove Hotel. The accommodation offers a terrace. Popular points of interest near Lansdown Grove Hotel include The Circus Bath, Bath Abbey and The Roman Baths. The nearest airport is Bristol Airport, 24 km from the hotel.
Bathwick Hill, Bath, BA2 6LA
With large private gardens, YHA Bath is set in a stunning Italian-style mansion, 10 minutes' walk from Bath city centre. It offers affordable accommod...more
With large private gardens, YHA Bath is set in a stunning Italian-style mansion, 10 minutes' walk from Bath city centre. It offers affordable accommodation, laundry facilities and a restaurant. There are 2 buildings, one of which is listed. Each morning hearty cooked breakfasts are served in the dining areas, which also offers home-cooked meals in the evenings. Guests can also use the large shared kitchen facilities. The TV lounge has lovely garden views, comfortable sofas and a TV. The bar serves a variety of drinks including local ales, and Wi-Fi access is available in public areas of the property. Bath is a World Heritage City and boasts Roman Baths and stunning Georgian architecture. Bath's Spa Train Station and the Bath Golf Club are around 20-30 minutes' walk away. The majority of rooms contain bunk beds.
35-37 London Road West, Bath, BA1 7HZ
In a tranquil location, this Georgian Grade II Listed house has free parking, good service and free Wi-Fi. Bath city centre is a 5-minute drive away a...more
In a tranquil location, this Georgian Grade II Listed house has free parking, good service and free Wi-Fi. Bath city centre is a 5-minute drive away and Bath Spa Railway Station is 7 minutes' drive away. The elegant rooms overlook the gardens, grounds, and the Avon Valley and guests can relax and enjoy a drink on the garden terrace. Each room at OYO Bailbrook Lodge is individually decorated and features goose feather and down pillows, a flat-screen TV with DVD player, while some rooms have four-poster beds. Guest rooms feature tea and coffee making facilities, along with biscuits and mineral water.
London Road West, Bath, BA1 7JD
Bailbrook House is a Grade II listed property, set within 20 acres of private grounds, with commanding views towards central Bath and the countryside....more
Bailbrook House is a Grade II listed property, set within 20 acres of private grounds, with commanding views towards central Bath and the countryside. The GBP 10 million refurbishment project has created 75 stylish classic and executive bedrooms, situated in Bailbrook Court, which is adjacent to the Mansion House. Bailbrook Court is also home to the Lansdown Restaurant, which serves a traditional breakfast. The sympathetically restored Mansion House boasts prestigious feature bedrooms. The building is also home to Cloisters, a fine dining restaurant which is situated in the basement of the restored Mansion House. Cloisters takes advantage of the stunning architectural features of the historic building and the seating in the loggia provides views over the hotel's front lawn. The Mansion House also offers 3 lounges and a conservatory bar, serving afternoon tea and meals. With landscaped gardens, these areas boast views of the Avon Valley, Bath's city centre, and beyond. Guests can enjoy air conditioning and free Wi-Fi throughout, along with free onsite parking. Bath is just 1 and half miles away.
Toll Bridge Rd, Batheaston, Bath, BA1 7DE
Set on the banks of the River Avon, Old Mill Hotel & Lodge has lovely gardens and stunning views over the countryside surrounding Bath. It is located ...more
Set on the banks of the River Avon, Old Mill Hotel & Lodge has lovely gardens and stunning views over the countryside surrounding Bath. It is located on a site that housed a flour mill until 1907. Since then it has been developed into an attractive hotel with a bar and lounge. The rooms offer free tea and coffee facilities and quality toiletries. Guests can also enjoy a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, and an ISDN telephone link.
Woods Hill, Lower Limpley Stoke, Bath, BA2 7FZ
With stunning views of the valley and 3 acres of private grounds, this traditional Georgian country house has a delightful village setting, in an area...more
With stunning views of the valley and 3 acres of private grounds, this traditional Georgian country house has a delightful village setting, in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Originally founded during the reign of King James I, the Limpley Stoke Hotel today offers individually designed en suite rooms, well equipped with modern comforts and facilities. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel and many of the rooms have magnificent views over the valley. The hotel offer a number of dining options, including anything from a simple bar snack to the full à la carte menu available in the recently refurbished restaurant. The chefs offer mouth-watering dishes, freshly prepared using locally sourced produce wherever possible. Most dietary requirements can be accommodated. Free on-site parking is available for guests.
Freezing Hill, Wick, Wick, BS30 5RT
Less than 7 miles from historic Bath, the 17th-century guest house at Toghill House Farm provides inviting accommodation and full English breakfasts. ...more
Less than 7 miles from historic Bath, the 17th-century guest house at Toghill House Farm provides inviting accommodation and full English breakfasts. Around 17 miles from central Bristol, this working farm offers free parking and free Wi-Fi. This family-run bed and breakfast is a 4-minute drive from Wick village, where there is a pub, restaurant, shops and post office. The guest house is surrounded by farmland with sheep and horses and friendly cats and dogs. Each room has en suite facilities with bath or shower and hairdryer, and a flat-screen TV and tea and coffee facilities. Guests can enjoy a full English breakfast in the attractive dining room with views of the gardens. Chippenham and Malmesbury are 20-25 minutes' drive and Cirencester, in the picturesque Cotswolds, is around 40 minutes away. Stonehenge and Salisbury are both a little over 1 hour from Toghill House Farm.
1 Church Street, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1LN
Adjacent to the medieval bridge crossing the River Avon, The Swan Hotel - Bradford-on-Avon is an enchanting 15th-century coaching inn, located in the ...more
Adjacent to the medieval bridge crossing the River Avon, The Swan Hotel - Bradford-on-Avon is an enchanting 15th-century coaching inn, located in the heart of historic Bradford on Avon. Situated 7 miles from Bath, it also offers easy access to Longleat Safari Park, 12 miles away. Free private parking is available. The individually decorated rooms feature an en suite bathroom, a flat-screen TV, tea/coffee making facilities and free WiFi. The Swan Hotel - Bradford-on-Avon features a terrace, as well as private function and meeting rooms. There is a secure bicycle storage available. Guests can enjoy a breakfast offering, cereals, juices, fruit, yoghurts and a selection of jams, including homemade choices. Cooked options include a traditional full English, smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, Eggs Benedict and kippers. The Restaurant serves authentic Thai food, as well as a more traditional pub meals. St Laurence Church, which dates back to 10th century, is 200 metres away. The charming town of Lacock, which appeared in BBC productions and Harry Potter's films, is only 9 miles away. Bradford-on-Avon railway station is 5 minutes' walk from the hotel, offering train connections to Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, the South Coast and London.
Leigh Road West, Bradford on Avon, BA15 2RA
With stunning views over the Wiltshire Downs, this attractive 3-star (AA) country house hotel is set within 5 acres of grounds, with its own walled ga...more
With stunning views over the Wiltshire Downs, this attractive 3-star (AA) country house hotel is set within 5 acres of grounds, with its own walled garden and vineyard. The Best Western Leigh Park Hotel has a restaurant serving food mainly sourced from the hotel gardens and local suppliers. All rooms have been individually designed to offer charm and character, with all modern facilities, including free Wi-Fi access. This relaxing, informal hotel is located 11.2 km from the Georgian city of Bath, close to Stonehenge, Longleat Safari Park and The Kennet and Avon Canal. At the Leigh Park Hotel you will always receive a warm welcome.
17 Frome Road, Bradford on Avon, BA15 2EA
Situated in Bradford on Avon, The Barge Inn has a restaurant, bar, garden, and free WiFi. The inn features family rooms. At the inn, rooms include a d...more
Situated in Bradford on Avon, The Barge Inn has a restaurant, bar, garden, and free WiFi. The inn features family rooms. At the inn, rooms include a desk, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom, bed linen and towels. The rooms will provide guests with a wardrobe and a kettle. Guests at The Barge Inn can enjoy a à la carte breakfast. Bristol is 38 km from the accommodation, while Bath is 14 km from the property. The nearest airport is Bristol Airport, 48 km from The Barge Inn.
High Street, Norton Saint Philip, BA2 7LH
The George Inn is a 14th century inn and Plaine is a 16th century building located immediately opposite The George, situated in Norton Saint Philip. A...more
The George Inn is a 14th century inn and Plaine is a 16th century building located immediately opposite The George, situated in Norton Saint Philip. Among the various facilities of this property are free WiFi, a bar and on-site dining. Guest rooms will provide guests with private bathrooms. A Full English or continental breakfast is served daily at the property. Bath is 22 km from The George Inn & Plaine. The nearest airport is Bristol Airport, 28 km from the property.
Trowbridge Road, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1UH
Situated just outside Bradford on Avon, Widbrook Grange is an 18th century Georgian country house nestled in 11 acres of Wiltshire countryside and off...more
Situated just outside Bradford on Avon, Widbrook Grange is an 18th century Georgian country house nestled in 11 acres of Wiltshire countryside and offers an indoor heated pool, mini gym and Kitchen restaurant, just 20 minutes' drive from Bath. All 19 boutique bedrooms at Widbrook Grange feature tea/coffee making facilities, biscuits, flat-screen TV, Egyptian cotton sheets, private bathrooms and complimentary WiFi. Rooms are located in the Main House, Stable Block, Hay Barn and Piggery. Some rooms located in the Main House include a free-standing bathtub, extra living space and bespoke furniture. The Kitchen restaurant serves traditional farmhouse cuisine with a gastro twist cooked by chef Sandor Szucs. Sunday lunch and afternoon tea is also available. Guests can also relax in our cosy log-fire lounges and choose from over 150 craft and award winning gins at the Gin Bar and 14 different tonics. The historic market town of Bradford on Avon is just a short walk from Widbrook Grange with many restaurants, old English pubs, independent cafes and shops. Bradford on Avon train station is 1.4 miles away, providing easy access to nearby Bath. Bristol Airport is 26 miles away, while London Heathrow Airport is 90 miles away.
Widbrook House, Widbrook, Bradford-on-Avon, BA15 1UD
Welcome to Widbrook Barns Luxury accommodation on the edge of the market town of Bradford on Avon nr Bath Located within the beautiful Wiltshire count...more
Welcome to Widbrook Barns Luxury accommodation on the edge of the market town of Bradford on Avon nr Bath Located within the beautiful Wiltshire countryside and within walking distance of the market town of Bradford-on-Avon with its many quality cafe's bars restaurants & historic buildings Widbrook Barns is ideally located for walking cycling canoeing or exploring Wiltshire's many visitor attractions Stonehenge Longleat and many National Trust houses and gardens are on our doorstep
Frome Road The Fromeway, Radstock, BA3 3LG
Located in Radstock, 44 km from Weston-super-Mare, The Fromeway provides a restaurant and free WiFi. The bed and breakfast offers a continental or Ful...more
Located in Radstock, 44 km from Weston-super-Mare, The Fromeway provides a restaurant and free WiFi. The bed and breakfast offers a continental or Full English/Irish breakfast. Guests can also relax in the garden. Bristol is 26 km from The Fromeway, while Bath is 16 km away. The nearest airport is Bristol Airport, 29 km from the accommodation.
Market Place, Radstock, Radstock, BA3 3AD
Built in the 18th century, The Radstock Hotel is a traditional coaching inn close to Bath and Bristol Airport. It offers comfortable accommodation wit...more
Built in the 18th century, The Radstock Hotel is a traditional coaching inn close to Bath and Bristol Airport. It offers comfortable accommodation with home-cooked meals and friendly staff. Each bedroom comes fully equipped with a TV, hairdryer and ironing facilities. There is a seating area in each room, as well as a private bathroom. Guests can dine in the lounge bar and restaurant, which offers traditional meals and Sunday carverys. The bar also has free Wi-Fi access, a pool table and a Skittle alley. The Radstock Hotel has a large car park and is close to the M4. Nearby Radstock is a market and mining town, just a 20-minute drive from historic Bath.
Trowle Common, Bradford on Avon, BA14 9BL
The Moonraker Hotel is in the countryside looking out over the historic Cotswold market town of Bradford on Avon. It has free Wi-Fi, free parking and ...more
The Moonraker Hotel is in the countryside looking out over the historic Cotswold market town of Bradford on Avon. It has free Wi-Fi, free parking and individually decorated luxury rooms. The Moonraker Hotel consists of an original Georgian Manor House and several converted farm buildings. It mixes original character with modern comfort. The en suite rooms are furnished in a Victorian style with old paintings, antique beds and modern mattresses. The rooms have views of The Moonraker's quiet surroundings. The restaurant is the farm's old converted milking parlour and has a huge stone fireplace. The traditional pub-style bar serves local real ales. Food is freshly made, using local, seasonal produce, and where possible from the kitchen garden and on-site smokery. Cumberwell Park Golf course is 3.7 miles from The Moonraker Hotel. The property is 9.6 miles to Bath city centre, and 19.5 miles to Stourhead landscape garden.
The Old Ham Tree, Ham Green, Holt, BA14 6PY
The Old Ham Tree in Holt is a traditional village pub offering bed and breakfast on the Wiltshire/Somerset border. Just 25 minutes' drive from Bath, i...more
The Old Ham Tree in Holt is a traditional village pub offering bed and breakfast on the Wiltshire/Somerset border. Just 25 minutes' drive from Bath, it's also only 6 minutes from Bradford-on-Avon, another historic town popular with visitors. A former coaching inn, the pub has a large beer garden and on-site parking. All areas have free Wi-Fi access, and there is a large bar and restaurant. There are 2 double rooms and 1 twin room, all rooms have sinks and shared shower facilities with an additional toilet. The Old Ham Tree has a breakfast room for guests with self-serve basic breakfast buffet, TV and tea and coffee facilities. It's a short walk into the village, and a 9-minute drive to the nearest train station, in Melksham. Please note that the pub is currently closed Mondays and Tuesday.
20 High Street, Rode, Frome, BA11 6NZ
Welcome to the Cross Keys Rode.
Guyers Lane Pickwick, Corsham, Rudloe, SN13 0PS
Guyers House Hotel and Restaurant has a restaurant, bar, a shared lounge and garden in Rudloe. Among the facilities at this property are a 24-hour fro...more
Guyers House Hotel and Restaurant has a restaurant, bar, a shared lounge and garden in Rudloe. Among the facilities at this property are a 24-hour front desk and room service, along with free WiFi throughout the property. The hotel features family rooms. At the hotel, rooms are equipped with a wardrobe, a flat-screen TV, a private bathroom, bed linen and towels. Guests at Guyers House Hotel and Restaurant can enjoy a à la carte or a Full English/Irish breakfast. The accommodation offers a terrace. You can play tennis at Guyers House Hotel and Restaurant. Bristol is 27 km from the hotel, while Bath is 12 km from the property. The nearest airport is Bristol Airport, 35 km from Guyers House Hotel and Restaurant.
Bath Hotel, Bath Bed and Breakfast, Bath Cheap Hotel accommodation suitable for a Bath Weekend Break, a Bath City Break, Bath Wedding Accommodation, Bath Guys Night out, Bath Girls Night out or even a Bath Stag Night or a Bath Hen Night

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Live the life of a ninja at the action-packed Monastery of Spinjitzu!
Prepare for ninja battles at the LEGO® NINJAGO® Legacy 70670 Monastery of Spinjitzu and stop Wyplash stealing a Golden Weapon. The buildable monastery model opens out for easy play and features an opening gate, tea room with knife trap function, rotating ninja training station, chicken trap function and NINJAGO history mural wall stickers. Practice Spinjitzu in the courtyard with 2 handheld ninja minfigure battle platforms, a sword-spinning training station and 'fruit-cuttting' training station. This action-packed ninja playset includes all 4 collectible Golden Weapons—The Sword of Fire, The Nunchucks of Lightning, The Scythe of Quakes and The Shurikens of Ice—plus 8 minifigures to role-play and reimagine classic action from the NINJAGO Masters of Spinjitzu TV show.
So why not buy the Monastery of Spinjitzu set today ?


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Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving lead Nets past Pistons, 124-121
Dec 18, 2022, 3:39 AM | Updated: 6:42 pm
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving (11) goes to the basket against Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) and guard Killian Hayes (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Detroit. The Nets defeated the Pistons 124-121. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
(AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
DETROIT (AP) — Kevin Durant scored a career-high 26 of his 43 points in the third quarter, helping the Brooklyn Nets overcome a 17-point halftime deficit in a 124-121 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night.
Kyrie Irving added 38 points in Brooklyn's seventh straight victory over Detroit. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 26 points.
Durant was 8 of 10 from the floor, going 3 of 3 on 3-pointers and 7 of 7 from the free-throw line as he outscored the Pistons 26-25 in the third.
"I got a few free throws, and then I got some really good looks off of screens," he said. "I wanted to stay locked in on defense, because that usually gets me going on offense."
However, his turnover led to a Bogdanovic 3-pointer that cut Brooklyn's lead to 120-119 with 40 seconds left.
"We've been talking all day about the World Cup fnal — what a game that was," Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. "Our mission tonight was to be even more exciting."
Irving missed a 3-pointer at the other end, but Killian Hayes was called for a foul. Pistons coach Dwane Casey unsuccessfully challenged the call, and Irving hit two free throws before missing the third to make it 122-119 with 29 seconds left.
Bogdanovic missed, but Alec Burks hit a layup before fouling Durant, who made both free throws to keep it a three-point game.
Bogadanovic's last attempt was tipped by Nic Claxton and Durant grabbed the rebound as time expired.
"We almost take Nic for granted, but he's a unique player," Durant said. "His ability to guard guys on the perimeter with his length adds a new dimension to our team."
Durant has scored at least 40 points in his last three games against Detroit — the first player to do that since Rick Barry in 1966-67 — including an arena-record 51 in Brooklyn's 116-104 win in Detroit on Dec. 21, 2021.
"They are a long, athletic team that plays us hard, so we're always in tight games with them," Durant said. "I just keep trying to get downhill."
The Pistons led 71-54 at halftime, but Durant's third-quarter run ended with a 3-pointer with three seconds left to give the Nets a 98-96 lead.
"We talked about it before the game and again at halftime – that's a great team and you know they are going to come guns blazing," Casey said.
Durant scored 20 of his 26 points in the final 3:18 of the period.
"The scoring was coming back in our favor a little bit, and we're thinking about how we're going to climb the rest of the way back into it," Vaughn said. "Then he started to string possessions together and we suddenly had the lead."
With Durant getting a rest, Irving scored eight points in the first 4:20 of the fourth, helping Brooklyn to a 109-104 advantage.
TIP INS
Nets: Durant passed John Havilcek (26,395) and Paul Pierce (26,397) on the NBA scoring list in the first quarter. He is currently at 26,437 — 61 behind Tim Duncan. … Durant has scored at least 25 points in his last 12 visits to Detroit, the second-longest streak behind Wilt Chamberlain's 23.
Pistons: Jalen Duren finished with 11 rebounds, his sixth straight game with at least 11, the longest streak by a teenager since Dwight Howard had seven straight for Orlando in 2005.
STRUGGLING STARTERS
Detroit's starters were outscored 102-72 against Brooklyn after trailing Sacramento's starters 99-66 in a 122-113 loss on Friday night.
"I don't know if it is having two rookies in the starting lineup, but they have to understand it's going to be a street fight," Casey said.
Nets: Host Golden State on Wednesday night.
Pistons: Host Utah on Tuesday night.
COURCHEVEL, France (AP) — Canadian skier James Crawford edged Aleksander Aamodt Kilde by one-hundredth of a second to win the gold medal in the men's super-G at the world championships on Thursday. Alexis Pinturault finished 0.26 seconds behind to take bronze, two days after the Frenchman won the combined race at the worlds in his […]
NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant's time in Brooklyn ended early Thursday when the Nets agreed to trade him to the Phoenix Suns, a person with knowledge of the details said. The Suns will send Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and additional draft compensation to the Nets for the 13-time All-Star. […]


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Looking for a condo on the beach as a second home?
The new Madeira Beach Condo-Hotel Resort is on our list of new construction opportunities. This luxury development is the ticket to owning a condo in a popular beach resort destination with a return on your investment. The purchaser receives a fee simple deed to the property along with tax and real estate appreciation benefits. When the unit owners or their guests want to use the unit, they schedule their stay with the hotel. While there, they enjoy all the conveniences and amenities of the hotel including concierge, spa, room service and maid service upon request. When not in use, it can be rented through the well established rental program with no worries about maintenance and upkeep. It's the best of both worlds!
Madeira Bay Resort, located just steps from the white sands of Madeira Beach. It is a mixed use development consisting of townhouses, Condo-Hotels, restaurant and a marina. The totally redone, 44 slip marina with deep water boat slips has a direct outlet to the Gulf of Mexico past the famous "John's Pass Village". John's Pass Village is considered one of our most popular tourist destinations offering shopping, restaurants, music, water sports, boating, deep-sea fishing, sightseeing and of course our famous Gulf sunsets.
The Madeira Bay Condo-Hotel Resort buildings feature Mediterranean architecture, lush tropical landscaping, a heated swimming pool , Ocean's West Spa and the Mad Beach Fish House Restaurant with waterfront dining and cocktails. The 44 furnished luxury suites in the final phase contain 1 or 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Several feature an additional den or sitting area. All suites will include a washer and dryer, full kitchens with granite counters and balconies with Intracoastal Waterway or bay views.
The building has a secure lobby with 24/7 attended desk and amenities including a fitness room, conference/meeting room, restaurant, marina and heated pool and spa.
Pre-construction prices start at $239,900, but there are only 44 suites available. The initial townhouses as well as the first phase of the 68-suite condo resort hotel quickly sold out pre-construction so now is the time to take advantage of the opportunity to be a part of Madeira beach's largest and most successful all-suite hotel.


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Weathering HPC ch...
Weathering HPC challenges
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Tied together within the same community, the fields of weather forecasting and climate modelling may differ in both focus and approach, but the fundamental goal of developing more accurate predictions through the use of higher fidelity modelling and simulation tools remains the same. And critical to this goal is high-performance computing (HPC).
Dr Paul Selwood, manager of HPC optimisation at The Met Office, one of the world's leading weather forecasting and climate research organisations, emphasised the impact of HPC: 'Over the past 30 years, we have been able to improve the accuracy of our forecasts by roughly one day per decade. This means that every 10 years, a forecast will have the same level of reliability at three days out that it previously did at two days out,' he said. 'HPC provides the means to actually do the complex calculations that our science has enabled, and so every forecast and prediction is reliant on those resources. It's absolutely central to what we do.'
HPC in weather forecasting is not without its own set of challenges, however, as accurate modelling is dependent on the handling of significant amounts of data and fluctuating variables. According to Mike Hawkins, head of the High Performance Computing and Storage Section at the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts, the main computing issue in this field has been the scalability of the codes. In order to increase the accuracy of forecasts, higher resolutions and more accurate simulations of physical processes are required. This needs more computing power and the only practical way to achieve this is through the use of more processors, as Hawkins explained: 'There hasn't been a dramatic increase in the speed of processors and so we have to make use of an increasing number of them. There has also been a definite trend on the hardware side of HPC to use different types of processor in a system, so GPGPUs and Intel Xeon Phi processors are both becoming more popular.
'This presents us with a real challenge because we then have to put a forecast system that's been developed over a long time and that we know produces very good results, into a new architecture. Not only that, but we have to ensure it will work for the next decade at least.' Hawkins added that with each new architecture the Centre has to look at the scalability and portability of the codes, and how they can be maintained for long periods of time. This represents a major and long-term development programme for the centre.
Honing in on the hardware
Consistency and reliability are more than buzzwords within weather forecasting, where unique demands are placed on the HPC systems. At The Met Office, based in the UK, two separate systems operate in unison in order to provide operational resilience as data from more than 10 million weather observations per day are used alongside an advanced atmospheric model to create 3,000 tailored forecasts on a daily basis.
'Most high-performance computers exist in academia where the set-up essentially consists of one large machine being used to run the most expansive leading-edge science possible. And if that one machine goes offline for a week, the impact is often minimal,' commented Dr Paul Selwood. 'At The Met Office, however, we need to get multiple forecasts out on time every single day and if any one of those forecasts is late, it's instantly of no use.' Selwood continued by saying that forecasting remains an unusual field within HPC in that the machine's primary function is as an operational system rather than a research system.
In the latter half of 2014, The Met Office announced that it had awarded a contract to Cray for the provision of multiple Cray XC supercomputers and Cray Sonexion storage systems. These systems will replace the current pair of IBM Power7 supercomputers that are currently coming to the end of their operational lives at the centre. The £97 million ($128 million) contract will consist of three phases over several years and will expand Cray's presence in the global weather and climate community.
The European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) has also recently deployed two new Cray systems. Following a competitive tendering exercise, ECMWF selected two Cray XC30 systems which arrived on site at the end of 2013. The systems came into production last year and have been running the Centre's operational forecast since September 2014. 'Changing from one supercomputing system to another is an incredibly large job – each machine needs 1.2 megawatts of power, enough to run 6,000 UK homes and a water cooling system delivering 40 litres per second, the equivalent of 150 domestic showers. So even getting to the point of turning it on requires months of work,' ECMWF's Mike Hawkins explained.
'We have to produce an operational weather forecast, to a tight timescale, several times a day so before switching systems we need to ensure that the forecasts run reliably on the new machine offer the same standard of results as those run on the previous system. This is quite a time-consuming process that contributes to fairly long periods of parallel running between the old and new systems,' he added.
The two Cray XC30 systems at ECMWF offer about 3,500 nodes of parallel processing based on two 12-core Intel processors, with a theoretical peak performance of about 1.8 Petaflops per machine. The Centre has a benchmark for measuring the performance of the systems based on a stripped down version of its code that is easier for both the Centre and vendors to run and test. Based on that measure, the two systems have a combined sustained performance of 200 Teraflops – a boost of three times the overall processing power compared to the previous machines deployed at the Centre.
Ensuring code fidelity
Hardware is only part of the puzzle, and as mentioned earlier in this article, the reliability of the code can be of paramount importance, operational runs at the centre must produce results to very tight timeframes and ensuring that all bugs are removed from the system is critical. With this in mind, both The Met Office and ECMWF chose to deploy a powerful debugger, Allinea DDT. 'The best recommendation we received for Allinea DDT from the developers using it is that it does what good debugger is supposed to do, it does it fast and it does it in a very intuitive way,' said Mike Hawkins at ECMWF. 'We needed a solution that could not only handle our very complicated code, but that could be used in a wide range of scales. These scales range from people who are developing pieces of code on their desktop machines – or perhaps even on one or two nodes on the supercomputer – right up to a full configuration, which takes up to 100 nodes of our machine. Having the same tool work across that entire spectrum is of definite benefit to us.'
Likewise, the demands at The Met Office meant that any chosen debugger needed to be able to handle complex code development and porting work. 'Allinea DDT was one of the very few parallel debuggers that could fit in well with the types of workflows we have,' said Dr Paul Selwood. 'The right debugger can save everyone quite a bit of time, and that's what we're really trying to do with Allinea DDT – improve the time to solution for a development or investigation of a scientific problem.' He added that within the new system, Allinea DDT has found a number of problems relatively quickly, which in turn has enabled those bugs to be fixed equally as fast.
Allinea DDT ensures that even the most complex multi-threaded or multi-process software problems can be solved quickly and easily. Supercomputers can be debugged from a laptop with native Mac, Windows and Linux clients, and OpenGL array visualisation displays are now performed on the user's local graphics card, removing the need for laggy X-forwarding or poor-quality VNC displays. In addition to facilitating collaborative debugging, Allinea DDT maintains an automatic, always-on log of debugging activity so that users can easily go back and review the evidence for things you might have missed at the time. Furthermore, users can see process and thread anomalies instantly with the parallel stack display – the scalable view that narrows down problems for any level of concurrency: from a handful of processes and threads to hundreds of thousands.
Allinea DDT also plays a part in code development and revision as a single command in Allinea DDT will automatically log the values of variables across all processes at each changed section of code. This enables users to track down exactly how and why a particular change introduced problems to the code. This is particularly useful for The Met Office which is taking the rather unusual step of utterly rewriting its codes with new algorithms. 'It's a different approach to programming compared to what we have traditionally used,' Selwood explained. 'It's a long-term project and it's going to take a while before we really see the benefit, but given the direction HPC architectures are heading in with ever increasing demands on parallelism and scalability, it's something we need to do. Our current codes are 30 years old and showing their age.'
Much like weather forecasting, climate modelling is fundamentally tied to high-performance computing. According to Thomas Ludwig, director of the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ), climate modelling is not a single batch job issue, and the workflows are becoming increasingly complex. Chain jobs exist with these complex relationships, and programs are being composed of several binaries (e.g. atmosphere, ocean and coupler) that work at the same time. The demands are high as relevant computations need millions of core hours and produce hundreds of terabytes.
At DKRZ, the mission is to provide advanced compute power, storage capacity, and service to users, and to that end the Center assists users with their parallel programs (e.g. debugging, performance analysis, etc.) and then later supports them with data handling (e.g. quality management, long-term archival). The ultimate goal is to maximise the amount of scientific insight that can be gained by using DKRZ's services.
'The main challenges are the scalability of codes for an increasing number of cores and a rising amount of data that needs to be stored,' Ludwig explained. 'These are challenges we are yet to overcome. Scalability is a severe problem that perhaps has no solution – we simply have to continually work on it by analysing and improving code sections, and improving the load balance. As for the amount of data, we are looking into compression and re-computation.'
DKRZ currently has an IBM Power6 with 150 Tflops peak and 6 PB disk and 130 PB tape, out of which 40+ is used. Installation of a new machine will begin in the first quarter of 2015, and it will eventually have in the region of 3 Pflops peak, 50 PB disk, ½ EB tape. The Center will go from 8PB/year added to tape to approximately 75 PB/year that goes to tape. In terms of software tools, DKRZ has also deployed Allinea DDT as the debugger of choice. Through Allinea DDT, DKRZ staff can save time finding bugs and problems in applications, in particular for complicated user cases. And as HPC architectures evolve, Allinea DDT will continue to be the world's most scalable and sought-after debugger.
For more information, please visit www.allinea.com


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Tarot Deck Progress Report and Giveaway!
Of course, since I was busy traveling and then finishing up the tarot project, I hadn't gotten around to doing much promo for the book yet. Oops. So I'm going to do this groovy giveaway (as well as one over on Goodreads, which should go live later today or tomorrow), and hoping that y'all will help me to spread the word. Pretty please?
Can I get a "woot"!?
Don't forget to go to Goodreads and add the book to your "To be read" list, and if you DO read it, I'd love it if you could put up a review as soon as you can, so everyone else knows how fab the book is.
And now...the GIVEAWAY! This one is open to everyone (no matter what country), so all of my lovely distant readers can have a chance too. As usual, you get points for leaving a comment here and extra extra points for buying the book, but you don't have to do either. I'm giving away a signed copy of the book (and whatever other goodies I feel like throwing in when I get ready to mail it). The giveaway ends at midnight on 3/2/15, so enter right away! Thanks in advance for helping me to spread the word.
As some of you know, I have been working on a tarot deck for Llewellyn, along with illustrator Elisabeth Alba. (Who rocks. Seriously.) And I am happy to say that I just finished my part of the project, which included coming up with the theme, descriptions for Elisabeth to work from, and writing the book that will go with the actual deck. BOOYAH! Of course, Elisabeth's part will take a lot longer, since she has to do 78 cards in multiple stages. So don't expect to see this deck any time before next year, late-ish. In the meanwhile, though, this seemed like a perfect time to give you an update on our progress, and a sneak peek into how the process works.
Plus, of course, a giveaway, to celebrate my finishing the book!
Deborah: Elisabeth and I have been hard at work on the tarot deck for Llewellyn – me writing the descriptions and book that goes along with the deck, and Elisabeth illustrating. We thought it would be fun to make some blog posts dedicated to the process, showing how I begin by writing a description, to Elisabeth's final painted result. It's taken us a while to get to writing this, because we've just been so busy working on the deck! We begin with the final painting for the Six of Swords.
Picture: A black-haired witch is getting ready to fly off on her broom, two hooded shapes perched on the broom in front of her. A blue backpack with silver swirls on it sits on her back with six swords sticking out of it, a small black cat is perched on top. The full moon shines overhead. She is making an arcane gesture to summon up the wind. The mood is urgent, and a little dark, but also hopeful.
Deborah: Here's how I arrive at the picture descriptions, in case you were wondering (and of course you were). I have been reading tarot using the Rider-Waite deck for many years, and this deck is based on the 78 cards that are in that classic. So for each card, I would look at the original (as well as a few variations, including Barbara Moore's fabulous Steampunk Tarot, to see how other people had done theirs). Then I'd consider how I usually interpret the cards when I do a reading, which often varies from the traditional definitions. After that, I'd consider how my interpretation would look in the retro witch style we were using, which includes lots of witches in black hats, with brooms, black cats, and some fairy tale elements. From that I would "visualize" the card, and then try my best to translate that vision into instructions for Elisabeth.
Elisabeth: After reading over the descriptions, I begin drawing small 'thumbnail' sketches to work out the composition with all the needed elements. I usually do them in pencil first.
Elisabeth: Then I scan then and put them in the card template on Photoshop and make a better, but still rough, sketch there. This is what I first show Deborah; the art director, Lynne Menturweck; and the acquisitions editor, Barbara Moore.
Deborah: Sometimes (usually, in fact) the sketch was perfect from the very first. Other times, there might be small details that didn't match up with what I'd had in mind, and Elisabeth and I would email back and forth until we'd gotten the changes ironed out to both of our satisfaction. Thankfully, our visions for the deck line up very well, and we've never had a problem coming to an agreement on the best possible arrangement.
Elisabeth: If all is well in the sketch, I take photo reference! My husband Scott (he's also an illustrator) and I have accumulated a lot of costumes that are great for posing in, though the only costume part visible in this photo is the white skirt. For other cards, I've used tunics, leather armor, medieval leather belts, cloaks, and even a sharp battle-ready sword.
Then I work on the finished drawing, using the reference. Sometimes I draw the figures with pencil and scan them and place them in the sketch digitally. Other times I just draw them entirely digitally with my tablet. This one was drawn digitally. I also do a rough digital color version at this point, so I can figure out how I'd like to paint it.
I sent the drawing in for approval and everyone agreed that the figures in front of the witch were too blob-like (the color version above shows their unedited appearance), so I made a hand visible and the tips of their boots, which helped immensely.
I then print the drawing lightly on watercolor paper. I ink the drawing with a dip pen and black ink (Dr. Ph. Martin's Black Star matte ink - super waterproof, strong black, flows nicely). Then I start painting! I paint with Dr. Ph. Martin's Hydrus watercolor inks. Very saturated colors, and I can get darker than I would with tube watercolor. They are a little harder to work with though because they are not reworkable. Once it's on the paper, you can't take it off. I also used gouache to get more opaque in the moon and stars.
Here it is, inked, paint started, next to the Ten of Swords which I was painting at the same time.
Base colors down... Note - the colors are off from the original because I was using my phone camera and didn't bother to color correct!
Sometimes you just have to get gone. Try not to take your troubles with you.
This witch isn't going to spend one more minute where she is. She's already on her way, with only a few necessities, because time is of the essence and sometimes it is better to get out with nothing than to hang on to things or people that are weighing you down. But she's not traveling alone. It isn't clear if she is helping her traveling companions or if they are helping her, but either way, they are in this together. An arcane gesture to summon the wind, and they're off into an unknown future. All she knows is that anyplace will be better than whatever it is she's leaving behind.
And now for the giveaway!!!!
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment. Tell me if you have ever used tarot cards either for fun or for serious fortune telling, or if you just like the pretty pictures. Are you looking forward to this deck? Planning to buy it when it comes out? Want more progress reports on other cards? Inquiring minds want to know.
This contest is open to everyone and will run until Friday 27th at noon EST. The lucky winner will have until the following Friday to contact me, and let me know where to send the prize. No purchase is necessary.
Greetings from the depths of cold and snowy upstate New York! I hope that those of you in colder climes are managing to make it through this unrelenting winter. Hopefully my news will brighten up your day a little (it sure brightened up mine!).
I know that many have you been waiting to hear whether or not Berkley was going to give me a contract for the next Baba Yaga book. It took them quite a while to decide and I'm sorry to tell you that after looking at all the numbers, they have decided not to do book 3.
In, fact, they have contracted for THREE MORE BOOKS IN THE SERIES—books 3, 4, and 5!!
Plus another novella, which will be out before the next book. [Insert author happy dance here.] I hope this news makes you as happy as it does me. Which is pretty darned happy, I gotta tell you.
The bad news is that since it took them so long to decide to contract for the next three books (did I say YAY?), the third Baba book won't be out until sometime around February of 2016. The novella (which will revisit our first Baba Yaga, Barbara, so we can see how things are going for her and Liam and little Babs) would be out around January, but that still means that all my faithful readers will have to wait a year or so for more Baba Yaga stories. I know; it's a bummer.
But wait—there's MORE good news! Yes, really.
Luckily, my editor Leis knew that my readers would want something to tide them over until the next Baba Yaga book comes out, so I am also getting a contract to publish Pentacles and Pentimentos at last! They're only going to put it out as an eBook to begin with, but if it does well enough, they'll put it out in print too. (No pressure, eBook buyers!) AND, if it does really well, they'll put out more books in that series too.
I'm getting a THREE BOOK CONTRACT for the next three Baba Yaga books, plus a novella, and an additional smaller contract for Pentacles and Pentimentos. [They'll be changing the name, but I don't know what to yet.] And you all are getting a lot of new books over the next couple of years!
I guess I'm going to have to come up with some way to celebrate, aren't I? Any suggestions? Maybe another big giveaway?
And, of course, I am still working on the tarot deck project for Llewellyn, and my next nonfiction book is coming out from Llewellyn on March 8th, which is only a couple of weeks away!
I hope you'll join me in doing the happy dance for this great news—because it would never have happened if it wasn't for all the wonderful readers.
Yes, the sky really was that color.
Yes, that handsome guy is my dad.
My fabulous parents. Sand. Shorts. Beach. In short, heaven.
Any guesses which one of these arms belongs to the woman from upstate NY?
Now that's a good-looking family.
I hadn't seen my nephew in two and a half years. He got TALL.
We had a great time--two days in a row at the ocean (which is my idea of heaven), my mom's homemade lasagna and apple pie, and laughing hysterically over a game of Apples to Apples.
Then I got on yet another plane to San Jose, where I spent three and a half days attending Pantheacon, one of the largest Pagan conventions in the country. Which would be fabulous enough all by itself, but I also got to spend time with my beloved step-daughter Jenn, my incredible Llewellyn editor Elysia Gallo, and my insanely wonderful critique partner/all-around-great pal Lisa. Plus all sorts of cool Llewellyn authors and Pagan friends. Plus I got to finally meet the top dude at Llewellyn, Bill, who was a sweetie.
That's Bill on the left.
Posters on the wall of the Llewellyn suite. Gee, those two to the right look familiar.
It was pretty tough to leave all that sun and warmth (and my kid) behind and come back to the chilly Northeast. Although of course, I was pretty darned happy to get back to my cats and my own bed.
Did you miss me while I was gone? Maybe just a little?
Don't wander off too far, because tomorrow (Wednesday) I'm going to have a Big Big Announcement. No, really, I mean it. BIG. HUGE BIG.
In the meanwhile, I'm going to go to bed, because I have no idea what day it is or what time zone I'm in.
Imbolc is a holiday full of contradictions. It celebrates the first stirrings of spring growth deep beneath the surface of the earth at a time when for many of us, winter is still in full force. And it celebrates the returning of the light when the dark still holds us firmly in its grip. But that is the point, really. Imbolc reminds us to look forward with hope, to look for the small signs that spring really is coming, slowly but surely, just as the light grows a tiny bit every day.
If you go outside at night, you will notice that the sky seems different. The day dawns a few moments earlier and the sun sets a few moments later. There may be snow on the ground in many places, but deep below us, the earth IS stirring.
For us, it is still the time of the darkness; time to plan, and set plans in motion, but not yet act on them. In short, it is time our to dream. Imbolc is the perfect day on which to create a dream pillow to hold those dreams safe as we take slow, careful steps to reach our goals.
If you want, you can start by casting a ritual circle. Or if you don't feel like being that formal, simply find a comfortable spot, settle in with your materials close at hand, and focus on your dreams and goals for the year.
You will need: Either a piece of cloth or two pieces that can be sewn together to make a square about 2 inches on each side (the size can vary) or if you really don't like to sew, you can use a drawstring bag. But the act of sewing is a good way to help focus the energy you put into the pillow. Bright colors are good, if they remind you of spring. A needle and thread (if you are doing this where the light will be dim, it is a good idea to thread the needle ahead of time). Small slips of paper and a pen. Something to stuff the pillow with. Optional—herbs that remind you of spring and/or help with dreaming, such as lavender. A white or yellow candle. You can start with the pillow already closed on three sides, so you only have to sew the last side shut after you've stuffed it.
Light the candle and greet the gods in whichever way suits you. Take a few moments to think about what your dreams and goals are for the year, then write them down on the slips of paper. All your actions should be slow and thoughtful—don't rush through this. Stuff the pillow with whatever else you are putting inside, then add the pieces of paper. You may want to say each goal out loud as you place it inside. Then tie a knot in the end of your thread, to cement your intentions. As you sew the last side of the pillow closed (or pull the string closed on your bag), you may want to say "to mote it be" as you place each stitch. Remember that the stronger your focus is, the more powerful the spell. When you have completed your pillow, you can say the following (from my book, Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook, Llewellyn).
If you want, you can sit for a while, envisioning your dreams coming true. Then thank the gods (open your circle if you have done a formal ritual) and tuck your pillow someplace safe, like your altar or inside your bed pillow.
Magic the Cat living up to her name as she inspects our altar set-up for the ritual.