The Life and Times of the Happy Hippie Witch: Happy Birthday to My Niece and My Beloved Stevie Nicks

Today is a special day. Two beloved females in my life turn another year older. The first is my amazing, beautiful niece who turns three today and the second is the one and only Stevie Nicks.

Three years ago my only niece (for now) was born at nearly 5:30 p.m. She was tiny like me and not a monster like her father had been which I was glad for because I rather like my sister in law. hahaha It was an emotional day. My baby brother (he is only twenty-two months younger than me but because he is the only brother I had he will always be my 'baby' brother) became a daddy. That is a very grown-up thing for a guy I still see as a kid. But he and his wonderful woman have done an amazing job with my amazing niece and I know that no matter how many children they go on to have in the future, she will always hold a special spot in my heart.

Today the little family came up to see us and in honor of Cadence turning three I broke out the fake tattoos and I got her properly sleeved out like her father. A sign of things to come in the distant future? Perhaps. She was mighty giddy about those tattoos. She seemed especially pleased because they were suns and moons. Now that she gets from me. ;) We listened to Elmo and The Beatles sing Happy Birthday thanks to youtube and she blew out all three of her candles in one clean swipe. I see great things for her future of course. She loves to play pretend and she is really good at it so perhaps she will be an actress. She always asks for paper so she can write so maybe she will be the next writer in the family. She colors in the lines quite well so an artist isn't far fetched. And she loves music so maybe, just maybe, she will be a rock star. What do you think?

And when you consider who she shares a birthday with, that would be just perfect, wouldn't it?

Yes, today the one and only Stephanie Lynn Nicks turns sixty four years young. Anyone who has read my happy birthday posts in the past knows that I usually add what that person and their work has meant to my life and Stevie is certainly no exception to that. The woman is one of my idols, after all. She has taken her lumps in life, she has loved and lost and loved and continued loving from afar, and still, after almost forty years in the spot light she remains a force to be reckoned with. She lives her life her way and she never apologies for that. She also lives it alone, more or less, without having some twenty-three year old stud on her arm even though she would certainly have no trouble getting one. When I am alone well beyond the age of sixty-four and I have people telling me that I "need" someone in my life (as they do now) I will think back on Stevie with a smile and continue to do as I please. I would be honored to be half as amazing as she is at any point in my life. And don't even get me started on her wardrobe!

The first time I clearly remember seeing or hearing Stevie, I was ten years old. My mom, my grandma, and I were in grandma's room and we were watching Fleetwood Mac's The Dance as it premiered on VH1. I was playing with my little sister who was a wee one then and I heard my mom say to grandma, "You know she's a witch." I was still transitioning between Junior Bible Thumper and being a witch myself though I had not yet entertained the notion of the latter and I looked up to see who this person was that mom was talking about. There she was singing in a voice unlike anything I had ever heard in my life with her long black dress, her big boots, and her pretty shawl and I thought, 'Wow!' I watched the whole thing and I absolutely loved her. At thirteen I got her greatest hits, Time Space, and at fourteen I had Belladonna and Trouble in Shangri La. I was in love with her music, her image, and her story. Within six months of seeing her for the first time I made the choice to join the Craft (No, Stevie had absolutely nothing to do with that choice) and here was this beautiful, strong, woman that looked and acted nothing like the Wicked Witch of the West but when people saw her more than one was inclined to say or think, 'She's a witch'. Now, Stevie denied in the mid to late 80's that she is a witch. However, when you consider that time period and the fact that IF she is, she would have come into it at a time when you did not speak about such a thing, I am still inclined to think she just might be. It isn't just the way she dresses or her very open views on reincarnation, it is certain lyrics in her songs. Let's not forget Gypsy ("She was just a witch...) or Rhiannon which is an entire song to the Welsh Goddess. And of course there is Stevie's own label for her publishing rights. Welsh Witch Music. But either way, she seems to be a favorite amongst us Witchy folk. What can we say? We worship the ground she walks on. lol

Her music has gotten me through hard times in love and in life but mostly in love. Most recently it gave me the strength I needed to finally stop playing my ex's game last year. I listened to her music almost every single day last summer and it got me through the whole damned mess. Because when I listen to her, the music gives me strength. Songs like Crystal, Silver Springs and Beauty and the Beast were given to that first love of mine I've mentioned once or twice, Beautiful Child still belongs to my first 'real' boyfriend in honor of our fun, highly tumultuous year together one hundred years ago (he and I are still friends), and songs like Storms, Dreams, and the demo version of Smile at You are for when the love is over. Doing the Best I Can (Escape from Berlin) is the song I sing when I'm at rock bottom and all I am doing is the best that I can to make it to tomorrow. Gold Dust Woman is a song I listen to when I'm feeling tough, Rhiannon and The Three Birds of Rhiannon are for when I'm feeling 'witchy', and in my opinion Joan of Arc is one of the most beautiful songs of all time. Those are just some examples of how I have a Stevie song for every occasion. She has been a major influence in my life and, like all of the musicians I love, her music is always there when I need it to see me through a shitty day of one kind or another. I owe her a great deal. And that is why, if I ever have children and I happen to have two daughters the first will be Janis Pearl and the second will be...you guessed it...Stevie Lynn.

So happy birthday, Stevie! You are a beautiful soul and your fans adore you unconditionally. Your music is untouched, unparalleled, and completely unique just like you. We love you!