A Witch in Time...Wandering The Path of Life

Wednesday What Herb Is This - Male Fern

2009-06-03T08:34:00.001-04:00

Male Fern
The Male Fern is also called by the names Male Shield Fern - Dryopteris Filix-mas; Bracken Fern - Pteris Aquilina; and Moonwort - Botrychium lunaria. The male fern is also known as the ‘bear’s paw’ and it probably earned this nickname owing to the look of its rhizomes or tubers that are hairy and dark brown. Scientifically, the male fern is called Dryopteris meaning ‘oak fern’ in Greek. It acquired this name because the male fern is habitually found to grow in oak woods. On the other hand, botanists call this species ‘filix-mas’ meaning the ‘male fern’. Interestingly, another species called the Athyriumfilix-femina or the ‘lady fern’ has been named so owing to its fragile appearance. Significantly, till the middle of 1800 botanists were in the dark regarding the fact that the ferns do not have any gender and there is nothing like "male" or "lady" fern in reality. In fact, the spores found in the underneath of the fern leaves or fronds produce both male as well as female cells. These spores are not visible to the naked eyes and the strange renewal of ferns, at times, has given rise to an antique faith that the spores found in the underneath of the fern leaves or fronds bestows invisibility to people on whom it is showered. Even Shakespeare refers to this belief indirectly in his play Henry IV, where he writes “We have the receipt of fern seed, we walk invisible.”

Planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Part Used: Leaves and stems

This fern appears to have some qualities in common with the Bracken. The ashes of both have been used in soap and glassmaking, and the young curled fronds have been boiled and eaten like Asparagus. The inhabitants of Palmaand Gomera (islands of the Canary Group) use it as food, grinding the rhizome to powder and mixing it with a small quantity of barley, and the young fronds are eaten in Japan. In Siberia and in Norway, the uncoiled fronds have been used for brewing a kind of beer. In times of great scarcity the Norwegians (over a century ago) used the fronds to mix with bread and also made them into beer. The leaves, cut green and dried, make an excellent bitter, and when infused in hot water make good fodder for sheep and goats.

The male fern is one of the most powerful medications for tapeworm ever documented in the records of medicine - the root can be used in a powdered form. Right from the days of the ancient Greek civilization to the present day, male fern has been recommended by most physicians to expel worms from the body. The root powder can also be added to salve for wounds and burns, and over the centuries people have been making use of oil taken out from the tuber or rhizome of the herb to cure problems arising from liver flukes or barbs. Despite its medical utility, the U.S. Pharmacopeia listed the male fern for medical use quite late - 1965. It is interesting to note that even Louis XVI of France coughed up a hefty sum to obtain a remedy containing the male fern.

*****Here is a word of caution. It must always be borne in mind that excessive dosage of the male fern is highly noxious and one should never use the herb without consulting qualified physicians. If taken in high doses, medicines prepared from the male fern may prove to be fatal too.

Father Kunzle's Oil

5 fern fronds, well dried
4/5 (200 ml) cup olive oil

Detach the dried leaflets from the stems and macerate in the oil for 1 month. Carefully strain. This oil can be kept for 6 months away from light. This is an ideal massage oil for muscular pain.

Normally this useful herb grows up to two to four feet in height and bears insipid green leaves also known as fronds. These fronds are narrow and tasseled and grow closely packed all the way up to the fleshy stem. On the underside of the fronds, there are two rows of dark brown spores. The rhizome or tuber of the male fern is reddish brown in color and is usually small, bulky and scaled. As mentioned earlier, the spores found underneath the fern leaves or fronds produce both male and female cells. Thus, the ferns reproduce from these spores.

In many cultures across the globe, people think that the ferns have the capability to transform poor people rich. For instance, a Russian myth says that if a person finds a fern blossoming on Midsummer Eve and throws the fern in the air, he will find a fortune where the fern lands. On the other hand, a fable in Syria says that collecting fern spores on Christmas night will compel the devil to part with his money.

Moonwort/Fern is an herb of immortality and must be gathered by moonlight if it is to work. Fern should be kept in a room where studying is done to help concentration, and you should burn a sprig of fern before an exam. It can also be used in sachets and amulets for powerful auric protection. You can mix fern leaves with black snake root chips and carry them in a mojo bag for protection from harm and to ward off unnatural illness.

The Fern is an extremely powerful protective plant. Grow them in and around the house for protection from evil and negativity. It aids in gaining mental clarity, and is also used for cleansing, purification, and dispelling negativity. Fern has a reputation for preventing evil from entering the home. Some folks sprinkle crushed fern leaves along the inside window sills in every room of the house to keep out burglars and other intruders. You can also brew fern leaves and black snake root together and add it to your regular floor wash to get rid of jinxes and enemy tricks laid on your doorstep. Freshly crushed fern leaves can also be used as a floor sweep by sprinkling them onto the floor and then sweeping them out the front door.

Fern can be used to bring luck and prosperity. If it is carried, it will attract women to the carrier and if it is burned outdoors it will attract rain. If the Fern is dried over a balefire on the day of the Summer Solstice, it can then be used as a protective amulet. The 'seeds' from a Fern are said to render one invisible - but only if the seeds are gathered on Mid-Summer's Eve. It is claimed to aid in opening locks and was also said to have been used by the Alchemists, who thought it had power to condensate or to convert quicksilver into pure silver.

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Tuesday Try A New Taste - Midsummer Feast

2009-06-02T08:22:00.000-04:00

As I did for Beltane, I now do for Midsummer - but further in the future, so if you see something you like, you actually have time to make it…LOL I am going to do a non-vegetarian meal today, and a vegetarian menu next Tuesday.

So…Eat, Drink & Be Merry!

Easy Mead
from Llewellyn's Witches' Calendar 2000; written by Breid Foxsong

Ingredients:

1 quart dry cider (hard or alcohol-free)
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sliced citrus fruits
3 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

Combine in a container just large enough to hold everything. Seal and refrigerate, shaking or stirring daily for five days. Strain before drinking.

Old Fashioned Root Beer
From Excellent Recipes for Baking Raised Bread, from the Fleishman Company, 1912.

Ingredients:

1 cake, compressed yeast
5 lbs, sugar
2 oz, sassafras root
1 oz, hops or ginger root
2 oz, juniper berries
4 gallons, water
1 oz, dandelion root
2 oz, wintergreen

Wash roots well in cold water. Add juniper berries (crushed) and hops. Pour 8 quarts boiling water over root mixture and boil slowly 20 minutes. Strain through flannel bag. Add sugar and remaining 8 quarts water. Allow to stand until lukewarm. Dissolve yeast in a little cool water. Add to root liquid. Stir well. Let settle then strain again and bottle. Cork tightly. Keep in a warm room 5 to 6 hours, then store in a cool place. Put on ice as required for use.

Summer Salsa
Source Unknown

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon basil
1 1/2 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 small Serrano peppers
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 small purple onion, diced small
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped small

Stir together the thyme, marjoram, basil, and olive oil. Stir in the lemon and lime juice. Remove the seeds from the Serrano peppers, and mince the remainder. Stir in the minced Serrano peppers, purple onion, red pepper, and cilantro. Allow to sit for at least half an hour before serving to blend flavors.

Chilled Cucumber Soup
by Anna Franklin and Sue Phillips
found at White Wicca

Ingredients:

1 large cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 pt plain yogurt
Pinch cayenne pepper
Salt
Chopped fresh mint
Dash olive oil

Place the cucumber and yogurt in a liquidizer and blend until smooth. Add the oil and seasoning and blend a little more. Chill in the fridge. Garnish with the fresh mint to serve.

Green Nations Herb Bread
Source Unknown

Ingredients:

1 c white or wheat flour
2-2 1/2 cups assorted grain flours of your choice (or more white/wheat flour if you wish)
1/2 to 1 cup assorted herbs
2 T sugar
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/4 oz yeast (1 pkg.)
1 1/4 c milk
2 T vegetable oil
1 egg

In a large bowl combine 1 c flour, sugar, salt and yeast and set aside. In small saucepan heat milk and vegetable oil until lukewarm. Be careful not to get your milk and oil too hot or it will kill the yeast. Add egg and warm liquid to flour mixture and mix well. Allow to sit for 3-5 minutes. With wooden spoon stir in herbs and remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding more flour if needed. Dough should be elastic without being overly sticky or stiff. Place dough in warm greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise in warm place, free from draft, until doubled in bulk, 45-60 min. Punch down dough, knead and place on a pizza pan or cookie sheet, cover with a tea towel and allow to rise again to double it's size. If you feel fancy sprinkle sesame, poppy or dill seed on top before baking. Heat oven to 400 ° and bake for 35-40 minutes or until done. Serve this bread warm with butter and honey.

What herbs you use depends totally on your personal tastes. Some suggestions: powdered rosemary, parsley, basil, cumin, coarse cracked black pepper, fennel, dill, dried and powdered radish tops, flaked dried carrot tops, nettle greens, calendula petals, finely ground dandelion greens, and thyme.

Orange Honey Butter
Found at Pagan Poet

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Grated Orange Rind
3 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
1 Tablespoon honey

Combine the orange rind, powdered sugar, butter and honey in a small bowl and blend until well mixed. Chill slightly and serve with Green Nations Herb Bread, scones or biscuits.

Herb Roast Chicken
From Red Deer & Elenya @ University of North Carolina

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Dry white wine
1 Lemon (juice of)
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano
4 pounds Chicken, quartered
1/2 cup Olive oil
1/2 cup Tomato sauce
1 Onion, minced
1 Green pepper, minced
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin

In a shallow dish combine wine, lemon juice, garlic, 1 /4 teaspoon oregano and pinch of salt. Add chicken, turning to coat well and marinate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a saucepan combine remaining ingredients and 1/4 teaspoon oregano and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Put chicken in a baking dish and top with sauce. Bake for 1-1/2 hours, or until done.

Litha Mushrooms in Cream
Source Unknown

Ingredients:

1 lb. Mushrooms
2 T. Butter, melted
1 C. Cream
Fresh thyme, parsley, garlic, rosemary, or other herbs of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste

Clean but do not peel the mushrooms. Pat dry with a paper towel. Place them in a single layer in a buttered baking dish and dribble the melted butter over them. Bake at 400° until soft (about three minutes). Pour the cream over the mushrooms and turn the oven to 250° so the cream does not boil. Sprinkle with your choice of fresh, chopped herbs and a dash of salt and pepper before serving,
Serves 4.

The sudden appearance of wild mushrooms and their rapid growth were once believed to be a sign of magic. Campestri Agaricus (meadow mushrooms, those white caps commonly purchased in the produce section of the grocery store) growing in a circle were thought to be faerie circles where those wonderful, immortal creatures danced. Mortals were warned not to enter such a place or to fall asleep in a faerie circle because they were believed to be gateways to Faerie. Mushrooms in Cream honors the Fey Folk. Unless you are an experienced mushroom hunter, it is best to use mushrooms purchased through your green grocer. I like to use crimini mushrooms, who are in reality, portabellos picked before they reach mature growth stage, large cap size. When picking through the mushroom bin on the produce aisle, always look at the under side of the caps and choose mushrooms whose gills have not yet opened.

Frosty Strawberry Pie
Submitted to All Recipes by: Jill D

Ingredients:

1 (3-oz) package strawberry flavored gelatin
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1-1/4 cups boiling water
1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust
whipped cream
walnut halves (optional)

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water and gradually add ice cream, stirring until melted.Note:If pie is to be chilled 3-4 hours before serving, increase to 1-1/2 cups water. Chill until thick but NOT set (15-25 minutes), and then fold in strawberries and pour into pie crust. Chill until firm; garnish with whipped cream and walnut halves. A very yummy summer treat....and you can substitute sugar-free gelatin. Be sure to keep it refrigerated! Garnish with whipped cream and walnut halves.
Makes 1 - 8 or 9 inch pie.

Monday Make A - Midsummer/Litha Witchlets Craft Ideas

2009-06-01T10:26:00.000-04:00

Litha Spiral Candles: Litha Craft for Witchlings
by WindSeeker; Cauldrons and Broomsticks

Materials:

Decorating wax strips or preprinted wax logs
plain ball or short pillar candle(s)
craft or butter knife

Have your child choose a couple of colored wax strip combinations. Cut each strip into 2 pieces 2 ¾ “ long and on piece that is 2" long. Lay a short length of one color over a longer length of another color and roll them into a tight spiral log, ½ “ in diameter by 1 ½ " long. When you've got eight logs use the knife (adults or older children) to cut each log into as many slices as you can. Firmly press the wax slices all around the outside of the candle, starting at the base and working up. Continue placing the slices as close together as possible until the whole candle is covered.

Making Sand Candles
By Karyn Finnell

Needed:

A bucket
Sand – damp
Stick
Wick
Wax
Double boiler or old coffee can & pot of water
Crayons (for colors)

Fill bucket with damp sand or, if at the beach, dig a hole in the sand until you reach sand that is damp enough so that in no longer caves in. Poke a few holes in the sand with a stick (3 for a cauldron style base or 4, one in each corner). These will become the "legs" of the candle. Wrap a wick around a stick and dangle the wick into the hole with the stick resting on the outside of the hole.

Carefully melt the wax over a fire or stove using double boiler or coffee can /pot of water – this serves just as well as a double boiler and it saves your good pans from becoming ruined and covered with wax. Using the crayons, you can color the wax. (Warning: Use only crayons without asbestos!!!!!) Peel the paper completely off the crayon and gently drop it into the melted wax. The more crayon you put in the wax the darker the color will become. Stir gently to make sure the color is well blended in the wax. Once the wax is melted and the crayon is blended, slowly, so as not to cave in the sand, pour the wax into your sand hole. Let the wax completely harden in the sand. When the wax is fully hardened, dig around the candle and ease

it out of the bucket or ground. Lightly dust off excess loose sand, leaving the outer part of the wax covered with sand. If you made legs on your candle it should stand on its own (if the legs are uneven, you can even them out by sitting the candle in a hot frying pan).

Other shapes can be made with a child's hand or foot pressed into the sand, or any other object that makes an interesting indentation. For more advanced candle-making, you can press sea shells into the sides of your sand hole before you pour the wax in. They will stick to the wax as it hardens.

Warning! When the wax melts it is Very, Very HOT. Never leave it unattended on a fire or stovetop. Wax also has a tendency to splatter, much like grease, so be careful. You do not have to bring the wax to a rolling boil in order to get it to melt. Take your time and be careful. You will have much more fun if you are safe : )

Happy candle making!

Pagan Candle Craft for Kids
posted by Aradiann

You will need:

2 foil cupcake baking cups for each candle
1/3 to ½ C wax per candle
Wicking

Children should have their own candles to which they can whisper their wishes for the coming season. Remove the paper inserts from two foil cups and put one cup in the other. Two layers give the mold enough stability to hold the wax. Using your thumbs and index fingers, pull and push the foil to form sun rays. Be sure that the sides are level with each other. If they're not, when you pour the wax, it will spill out. Pour the wax and insert the wick when the wax has just firmed. After the candle has cooled, remove the layers of foil. Float in water bowls and light.

Stained Glass Sun Catchers: Litha Craft for Witchlings
by WindSeeker; Cauldrons and Broomsticks

Materials:

Wax paper
Crayon shavings
Colored string
Yarn or thread
Lace
Leaves
Flower petals

To begin, have the child empty crayon shavings from their sharpener, or (adults only!) use a paring knife to create shavings. A cheese grater works great for large crayons. Arrange shavings, and any of the accessory items the child chooses and sandwich between two sheets of wax paper. Iron (adults, of course) the whole package on low setting, just until the shavings melt. Cut the "stained glass" into shapes and hang them with string, in a sunny window.

And here are some color correspondences for candles: Candle Color Meanings (remember, these are SOMEONE’S correspondences – yours may be very different – and that is perfectly acceptable!

Red - energy, strength, passion
Blue - wisdom, protection, creativity, communication, water, healing
Purple - spiritual power, psychic ability and energy, hidden knowledge
Silver - dreams, the goddess, intuition, telepathy, feminine power
Pink - love, peace, romantic, emotions,
Gold - wealth, god, happiness
Black - binding, protection, banishing negativity
Copper - money, growth
Yellow - sun, intelligence, memory
Green - fertility, money, tree magick, growth,
Brown - friendships, favors
White - the goddess, purity, spiritualism, peace

I am including one last craft idea - no wax involved - for those of you who may not be comfortable with the idea of children and hot wax. It's been my experience that children are much more capable than adults want to give them credit for, but each person has their own comfort level. With that in mind, here is a repost from May of 2008 - a last craft idea for today that involves no *hot* anything : )

Mud Cast
Inspired by: 'Magical Gardens' by Patricia Monighan.

Needed:

Gather a bucket of dirt (from your own property if possible)
A small screen (the kind you find on your windows)
a serving platter lined with paper
a soil testing kit (optional - see below)
instant concrete
a carving tool of some sort
and a pitcher of water

Find a place you don't mind messing up...this can be pretty sloppy. Take several handfuls of soil and put them on the serving dish and make a mound of it in the center. Pour some water around your soil. Then use the soil testing kit (this step can be skipped if you either don't want to know the quality of your dirt, or if you took the dirt from somewhere other than your own garden). Add the instant concrete and mix it together as fast as you can. Shape it into a disk, then use your carving tool to form a spiral sun symbol, or some other representation of the sun.

Sunday Surprise - Midsummer's Eve or St. John's Eve

2009-05-31T11:30:00.001-04:00

Midsummer's Eve or St. John's Eve

Taken in it's entirety from The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft by Judika Illes.

Midsummer's Eve was originally intended to coincide with the summer solstice, the day when the Sun enters the sign of Cancer, the astrological sign that belongs to the moon, and Earth's magical forces are at their height. Midsummer's Eve is a major holiday for witches and those who love them. Because fixed calendars came into existence, Midsummer's Eve, especially in its guise as the Feast of John the Baptist, does not necessarily correspond exactly with the solstice. (The solstice moves; the Feast doesn't.) Modern Neo-Pagans, however, frequently coordinate Midsummer's Eve with the solstice and so this festival may be celebrated anytime, depending upon place, traditions, and participants, from approximately June 20 through the 24th. A wild anarchic joyous festival, the ancients would have had no objection to it lingering for three or four days.

Midsummer's Eve is a fire and a water festival characterized by ritual baths and bonfires. Bonfires are built upon carefully selected magical wood with special aromatic herbs thrown into the fires. The ashes are later preserved as amulets. Bonfires are built on the shores of lakes, rivers, streams, and oceans. Just as livestock is driven between or around bonfires, so the were once driven into the sea to be buffeted by spiritually cleansing and magically empowering waves.

Midsummer's marks the convergence of Sun and Moon. The sun is at its zenith but the zodiac has entered the watery sign of Cancer, the only sign ruled by the Moon. Children born during this 30-day period are known as Moon Children. Lunar deities like Artemis, Diana, and Hecate have powerful associations with fire and water as well as botanical magic.

Midsummer's Eve is considered the absolute optimal moment for harvesting magical and medicinal plants. Plants are ideally picked at midnight or when the first dew forms. (Rolling in the dew is believed beneficial for people, too.) Special, unique plants such as the fern seed that provides invisibility are available only on the night. Witch-hunters claimed that this was the night witches rode off to join Satan; witches, on the other hand, claimed that this was the night they congregated to celebrate the Earth and to harvest botanicals for the coming year's spells. According to the tenets of Russian witchcraft, the most powerful botanicals in the world are ritually harvested on Midsummer's Eve atop Bald Mountain.

This is the time to stay out all night reveling and then gather plants before calling it a night. It is a magical time for divination, communing with the spirits, and finding true love - or at the very least romance, flirtation, and fun.

Although Midsummer's Eve was Christianized as St John's Eve, this is perhaps the church holiday with the thinnest veneer. In Siberia a popular name for St John's Day id Ivan Travnik (John the Herbalist) or Ivan Koldovnik (John the Magician.)

In Denmark, Midsummer's Eve has been celebrated since at least the time of the Vikings and is associated with Odin. Healers gathered their botanical supplies for the year on this night. Bonfires were lit, a tradition that survives today, however, visits to the healing springs were once incorporated into the festival as well. Bonfires are still sometimes built on beaches, In Scandinavia, "maypoles" are sometimes erected at Midsummer's instead.

Midsummer's Eve bonfires and water celebrations were particularly beloved in Mediterranean regions. Midsummer's Eve pre-dates Christianity and Islam, and although the later associations have diverged from each other (on the Mediterranean's southern shore, in Muslim Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, the festival is identified with Fatima, the Prophet's daughter rather than with John the Baptist,) the rituals and associated botanicals are virtually identical on either side of the sea.

John the Baptist is much venerated by Freemasons. There is a tremendous Masonic component in Vodoun. In Haiti, John the Baptist is considered among the Iwa; his feast day is celebrated with bonfires, ritual bathing and ceremonial. Whether these celebrations arrived in Louisiana from Haiti, directly from France or even perhaps directly from Africa are unknown.

The most important annual New Orleans ceremonial during Marie Laveau's time was held on St John's Eve at the Bayou St John, the natural waterway which once connected Lake Pontchartrain, popularly known as St John's Lake, with the Mississippi River ant the heart of the Vieux Carre. When these ceremonials began is unknown. Marie Laveau presided over St John's Eve ceremonials at the Bayou St John for years. (See Hall of Fame: Marie Laveau) Celebrations included bonfires, ritual bathing, ancient snake rites, drumming, dancing, singing, and a communal meal. Once secret and forbidden, the festival's reputation (and remember, ostensibly at least this is an official Church-sanctioned feast, although certain practices - those snakes! - were consistently condemned) spread and by 1831, the Pontchartrain Railroad began running special cars to the lake for the festivities for tourists and spectators, not for the participants.

Eventually St John's Eve Voodoo celebrations became a tourist attraction. Tourists, non-practitioners, and observers came to watch, not to participate. Eventually tourist shows began to be staged for which fees were charged. Once again, it became necessary to hold true ceremonials in private. Post Civil War, the tourist fascination with Voodoo culture waned, resulting in periods of great oppression. By the late 1890s, private ceremonies as well as St John's Eve celebrations at Lake Pontchartrain were routinely broken up by the police.

Food For Thought

2009-05-30T23:40:00.001-04:00

Is this the world we are allowing to be created for ourselves..? The legacy we will leave for our children and grandchildren..? Is it really so far from incorrect..?

Saturday Something - Litha / Midsummer, Correspondences / Associations

2009-05-30T17:45:00.001-04:00

Litha Correspondences / Associations
from The Sacred Grove

Date: June 20-23 (varies according to the position of the Sun).
Names: Summer Solstice; Midsummer; Litha (Wiccan); Alban Hefin (Druidic); nti Raymi (Incan); Feast of the Sun (Aztec); Celtic New Year, according to some; St. John's Day/Festival of Saint John the Baptist (Christian).

Sacred To:

Gods: Horned Gods; Oak Kings; Sun Gods; Baldur; Mars; Nergal
Goddesses: the Midsummer Bride, the lion-guarded Queen of the Year; Aine of Knockaine; Kupala; Mother Nature; Aphrodite Erycina, Aphrodite of the Heather, the nymph-goddess of Midsummer; Astarte/Anatha, the Love and Death, Goddess of Midsummer; Vesta, for whom fires were lit at Midsummer.

Foods: fresh vegetables, summer fruits, pumpernickel bread, ale and mead.
Incense: frankincense, lemon, myrrh, pine, rose and wisteria.
Candles: blue, green, gold, red, yellow, bright colors, pastels.
Gemstones: all green stones (emerald and jade).
Celebrating: abundance, fertility, virility, the beauty and bounty of Nature. It is a good time for empowerment, for strong magic and male rituals, for handfastings and communing with Nature Spirits, for workings of consummation or culmination. The door to the Faery Realm is said to open on Midsummer Night, and twilight to be the best time for faery magic. Celebrate Mid-Summer with fire and singing and feasting, with all-night vigils and torch lit processions. Weave green boughs and crowns of flowers. Dance around a bonfire. Decorate your altar with candles and flowers. Perform the Great Rite in the fields. Erect a Midsummer Tree. Set a fire wheel ablaze (being mindful of fire safety, of course). Walk naked or ride a broomstick through fields as a fertility charm. Draw down the Sun. Drink mead or use it for offerings. Make honey cakes or cornbread with honey butter for the feast.
Tools: wand, athame, sword, spear, staff ... all the phallic ones.
Plants: all flowers, roses, heather, oak, St. John's Wort, MugWort, St. John's Flower. St. John's Wort symbolizes the Wiccan festival of Summer Solstice. A plant was hung up in the house for each member of the family. The remaining plants were bundled, tied to a pole, and set up where grain would be brought at the next harvest. Farmers prayed to the goddess Kupole for a good harvest. The bundle of herbs, called the Kupole, represented her. Heather is the Midsummer Tree of the Summer Solstice. Aphrodite Erycina, Aphrodite of the Heather, mated with the sacred king atop a mountain then killed him by tearing out his genitals. St. John's Flower/St. John's Blood/Mouse-eared Hawkweed (Hieracium pilsoella) was uprooted with gold coins on Midsummer Eve in Germany and Bohemia. Celts, Druids and Scandinavians gathered mistletoe at Midsummer. White elder flowers are sacred to the White Goddess at Midsummer. Orpane/Midsummer Men (Sempervivum telephium, a variety of houseleek) was gathered on Midsummer Eve along with sprigs of red sage and used to divine the fate of lovers.
Fire: Midsummer fire was considered the fire of heaven.
Bonfires:: Bonfires are kindled for health, fertility, love, sacrifice or purification. There is a long European tradition of lighting bonfires at Midsummer, especially of oak wood and in high places. Twin bonfires were common. Smoke of the green oak, burned on Midsummer Eve fires, is painful and gives inspiration to those who dance between the twin sacrificial fires. In some places a Midsummer Tree was used to kindle the bonfire.
Health: The Midsummer bonfire was thought to drive away the dragon that causes disease.
Fertility: The ashes of the bonfire were scattered as a fertility charm. Moroccans and Algerians threw incense and spices on their Midsummer bonfires all night, invoking divine blessings on the fruit trees. In parts of England the Midsummer fires were lit in the fields to bless the apples. Midsummer bonfires were jumped over to make flax grow as high as the people could jump. In some parts of Germany young people jumped over Midsummer bonfires to make the flax or hemp grow tall.
Sacrifice: Basques burned vipers in wickerwork panniers on Midsummer Day. Firewheels: Firewheels symbolize the sun at its highest point. They were usually rolled down a hill into water, simulating the course of the sun. Midsummer Charms: The charred embers from a Midsummer bonfire are potent magic, charms against injury and bad weather. They are placed in fields or around trees for agricultural fertility, placed in meadows and atop houses to protect them. People in some parts of France held branches of nut trees when they jumped the Midsummer bonfire. These branches were then hung over the doors of cattle stalls. On the Isle of Man blazing gorse was carried several times around folded cattle on Midsummer Eve. St. John's Wort, gathered on Midsummer Eve, is worn as an amulet or hung up over doors or windows as a charm. Gathered naked that night, it is used for fertility. Mugwort has magical powers when gathered on Midsummer Eve. A Mugwort garland woven at Midsummer, worn as a crown or used for viewing the bonfire through, was a charm to ensure that you would have no headaches or eye pain that year. Mugwort was sometimes thrown on the Midsummer bonfire. The French wove garlands of it at Midsummer for protection against ghosts, magic, bad luck and disease for that year. In Bohemia, fir cones gathered before sunrise on Midsummer Day were believed to confer invulnerability. Wild thyme collected on Midsummer Day in Bohemia was used to fumigate trees as Solstice as a fertility charm, to make them grow well. Fennel was hung on doors on Midsummer Eve in medieval times to ward off evil spirits. Ferns generally reproduce via spores, but it was believed that fern seed was magical at Midsummer. Gathered on Midsummer Eve by spreading a white cloth below it, so as not to touch it with the hands, fern seed was believed to confer invisibility and the ability to understand the language of animals. Bohemians believed that fern seed bloomed with fiery golden blossoms on Midsummer Eve, and that the person who climbed a mountain holding it would find a vein of gold and see the treasures of the earth shining with a bluish light. Oil of St. John was a decoction of mistletoe that had been gathered on Midsummer Eve. It was believed to heal all wounds made with cutting instruments. In Sweden the Midsummer mistletoe was attached to the ceiling of the house, horse stall or manger to render the Troll powerless to inflict harm on people or animals. In Italy young singles gathered around a standing stone at Midsummer, the boys wearing green ears of grain and the girls wearing flax flowers, to leave plants on the stone. The affections of a couple were believed to last as long as the plants stayed fresh upon the dolmen.
Divination: Nettles were planted or put into water on Midsummer Eve in Sicily. The way they were found on Midsummer Day, blooming or fading, was an omen, especially as to fortune in love. In Moselle, France a good vintage was expected if the Midsummer Eve fire wheel was still aflame when it rolled into the river. In Italy wheat and barley were sown in small pots a few days before Midsummer. Each pot represented a specific person. Fortune and good luck were believed to come to those whose grain had sprouted well by Midsummer Day, bad luck to those whose grain had not.
Midsummer Trees: Maj Stanger, Swedish Midsummer trees, were made from tall, straight spruces with their branches stripped off. Wood was sometimes attached so that the trees represented a man with his hands on his hips. The Midsummer tree was decorated by village maidens with leaves, flowers, strips of cloth and gilt eggshells. A large vane or flag was placed on top. Bohemian Midsummer trees were made of fir or pine and decorated by girls with flowers, garlands and red ribbons. The bonfire was kindled of the tree that night, the garlands tossed back and forth across the blaze by boys and girls. Couples held hands and jumped over the embers three times. Singed garlands were saved to burn in the hearth during thunderstorms, or fed to sick or calving cows.
Death of The Sacred King: We have evolved and no longer practice blood sacrifice of any sort, but the ritual murder of the sacred king was once a solemn European vegetation rite of Midsummer. He was not a king as we understand that term in modern times but rather the embodiment of male virility, a Hercules figure. He was crowned with roses and wreathed with myrtle, enjoyed the favors of the queen/priestess, but Midsummer was when he felt the stab of the thorns and his rule came to an end. The sacred king's sacrificial death ensured the fertility of the crops and the survival of the tribe. The ekingi was symbolically beheaded as a part of the Bohemian Midsummer vegetation ceremonies. He wore a tree bark robe decorated with flowers, a bark crown bedecked with branches and flowers, a mask, and had ferns on his feet. He carried a hawthorn switch for a scepter and was accompanied by young people wearing bark girdles who carried wooden swords and willow bark trumpets. There was a chase through the village followed by a mock trial. If the king was found guilty, several hats would be placed atop his head so that they could be chopped off when he knelt down.
Global Rites:

Incan: Inti Raymi, the Feast of the Sun, marked Winter Solstice in the southern hemisphere. To celebrate make libations of chicha (maize beer). Make offerings to the Sun. Kindle new fire from the sun, with a mirror.
Egyptian: In some parts of ancient Egypt the somber rites of the presentation of the first sheaf of harvest wheat to Min took place at Midsummer.
Phoenician: Dirges were sung for the child Linus at Midsummer during the flax harvest.
Native American: Sun Dances
German: Latzman, the Lazy Man of Midsummer Day festivities, was a conical or pyramidal wickerwork frame covered with fir sprigs.
Irish: Torches made of bundled reeds were carried on Midsummer Eve.
Serbian: Birch bark torches were lit on Midsummer Eve and carried around the sheepfolds and cattle stalls. The people then climbed up into the hills, where the torches were allowed to go out.
Austrian/Bavarian: Boys decked out in green fir branches went from house to house with a group of young people to collect wood for the Midsummer bonfire.

Friday Form A Circle - The Omen Quest Divination Ritual

2009-05-29T09:10:00.001-04:00

The Omen Quest
Divination Ritual
Source Unknown

The Omen Quest is based on the folk traditions of Scotland and other Celtic countries and is described and detailed in some of Tom Cowan's books on shamanism and Celtic shamanism. To the Celts, the places that were betwixt and between were doorways into the unseen world and the careful observer could tap into the magic of such places and receive information. Omens are observations of the everyday world around you. The positioning of a tree branch or the reflection of the sun on a puddle, suddenly take on new significance.

To do the omen quest, form a question that you would like answered. This is not the time for yes or no questions, something more complicated. The Summer Solstice is the time when our planting and planning of Imbolc, Ostara, and Beltane should becoming manifest. Once you have your question, go outside. Being in a natural place is always better, but there's no reason not to do it in a city. Spirit is everywhere. When your outside, find a betwixt and between place. Betwixt and Between is a border where you are neither in one place or another. Here are some examples:

The Solstice - We are on the border of the growing light and the growing dark time of the year.
Dawn/Dusk - The border of day and night - more importantly, not day or night.
In A Doorway - neither in the house nor out of the house
With Clothes On But No Shoes - neither dressed nor undressed
In A Gate - neither in nor out
On The Curb - neither in the street nor on the sidewalk
In The Shadow Of A Tree - not beneath the tree but under the tree
Shadows Of Any Kind - in the sun, not in the sun
Edge Of The Water/In The Surf - neither on land nor in the water

Find your betwixt and between place. The more betwixt and between, the better. Take some deep breaths and ground and center. The reports in folklore ask you to "say your prayers and charms." So call on the help of the powers that are important to you, spirit guides, guardian angels, Gods, Goddesses, ancestors etc...

Think of your question. With that in mind turn to the East, close your eyes and ask - Where am I? Wait with your eyes closed until you feel a signal or an urge to open them. What is the first thing you see/experience? This is your omen. Now, the omens are simple every day things like:

oak tree
bird flying
bird flying south
sound of a hammer banging
golden glow on the horizon
woman in red dress approaching

Write down your first impressions with appropriate adjectives:

dying oak tree
knobby oak tree
young oak tree
oak tree with two trunks

If you write down an omen that sounds like: yellow 1954 Volkswagen beetle with flat tire. Crying woman with bleached blond hair sitting inside. Child on skateboard passing car on sidewalk heading S-SW on boulevard as hot dog man shouts, "Get 'em while their hot!" You missed it. Probably only one of those things is the first thing you saw. So keep that in mind. Write it down and move into the other three directions doing the same.

Turn to the South, close your eyes and ask - What is my strength?

Turn to the West, close your eyes and ask - Where am I going?

Turn to the North, close your eyes and ask - What is my power?

These are questions about your main question, what is my power in this situation/problem/change of life? Thank the powers and guardians you asked to help you.

Now is the time to interpret your omens. Some will be obvious to you. Remember, these were given to you and were chosen, because you would be able to know what they mean. So if you see lavender waving in the breeze, don't grab every herb lore book to find out what lavender means, what does it mean to you? Some will not be so obvious. I was once given an omen of a young oak waving in the breeze for my strength. To interpret it, I did a meditation and saw myself becoming the young oak. By shape-shifting into the oak, I saw the world through its eyes and its relationship to the rest of the forest. I realized that the message it was trying to give me was about living in community. My strength was community. Some other things may be confusing because you can't tell what you're seeing. I spotted a rock at the base of a tree as an omen. I went closer to the rock and it had painted on it "Believe". So, I think the omen in this case was not the rock, but the message "believe". Tom Cowan gives the example of the "golden glow." On further investigation, it turned out to be the sun reflecting on a yellow pool cover. Based on the person he was questing for and their discussions, they decided the omen had to do with the golden glow and not a pool cover. So, think on your omens. Journal and meditate on them. In the end, they will give you answers.

Thursday This Is Your Spell - Summertime Magical Spells For Witchlings

2009-05-28T08:16:00.001-04:00

Summertime Magickal Spells For Witchlings
From Baby Magic by Vidar Andrewson - Mind Fire

Decide what rituals are suitable for your child's age and which ones are too much for them. I have tried to make them as simplistic as possible.

Bubblemagic: Have you ever blown bubbles when you were a child? This rite is quite simple but will work if the right mindset is in order. First go out into nature, on a hill, in a field etc on a windy day if possible. Tell your child to make a wish and blow the bubbles. When they blow the bubbles their wishes are put inside the bubbles and carried up to the Gods & Goddesses. There the bubbles pop and the Gods & Goddesses will see their wishes and grant them. Explain to them that sometimes the bubbles will pop before getting there, due to being attacked by Loki's forces who take the form of bugs, birds, crosswinds, people and other things. If they say a little prayer before the bubbles are blown to ensure a safe journey of the bubbles to the Gods & Goddesses then that will help them do beginning invocations.
Kite Magic: Hand make a kite with your child(ren) doing most of the work. On the kite write messages of what they want, wishes. The message can be anything they want the Gods(desses) to hear. It can have a poem written on it, or a request or a simple happy birthday to the God during Yuletide for the beginning of our year. The thought being that the higher the kite goes it gets closer to the realm of the Gods and they can read it easier. If the kite string ever breaks and the kite is lost maybe the Gods have decided to keep the kite? Don't lie to them but let their imagination decide what happened to the kite. If you lie to them they'll never believe you again or will have doubts about what you say in the future.
Balloon Magic: Write on a piece of paper your wishes, a song, poem or whatever you want the Gods(desses) to see. Roll up the paper and insert it into a balloon. Inflate the balloon with helium and let it fly on the end of a string <but don't let it fly away because balloons are not environmentally friendly>. A good variation to this would be to put a handful of birdseed inside the balloon so that when it pops the seed will feed the Goddesses children, the birds.
Water Magic: Work together to make a boat made of wood or out of scraps of wood. Fill the boat with fish food and a leaf that your kid has written his/her wishes onto. Before your child sends the boat into the water have them say a prayer of what they wish and that in exchange for granting their wish they have fed the Goddesses children, the fish.
Magic with Fire: You will need to supervise your kids with this one. Have them write down everything that makes them mad onto a piece of paper and then have them toss it into a fire. If they want wishes to be granted by the Gods(desses) have them write, or draw a picture or what they want on a piece of paper and toss it into the fire. Tell them that as the paper gets burned up it turns into smoke and is carried up to the Gods and then magically turns back into a piece of paper and lands on their alter where they read it.
Home For the Faeryfolk: If you have access to a forest this one is cool. Go out to the forest and assist your child in building a home for the faeryfolk there. Don't use two-by-fours but branches instead. Make it as elaborate as you wish. Tell your children that sometimes the faeryfolk take on the form of animals and will move into the home you've built for them. To lure them into the home put a variety of fruits and vegetables inside and a note to them stating that you've built this home for them and if they wish they can grant you your wishes. When the winter snows start piling up they will be very happy you've built them a home and stocked it with food. They may feel grateful enough to grant you your wishes. There is also a post on making Faery Furniture here.)

These are only a few of the spells I am working on. feel free to use these and pass them around. Permission is granted to put these in publications as long as credit is given to me

Wednesday What Herb Is This - Makes An Appearance!!!! Fairy Flora

2009-05-27T10:19:00.000-04:00

Fairy Flora
by Eileen Holland, © Eileen Holland, Open Sesame

Alder - Alder is a charm against malevolent fairies. Water sprites are said to protect alder trees, so be cautious of cutting one down. Clethrad is an alder fairy known to us from mythology.

Apple - Fragrant apple bark can be added to incense that is burned as an offering to the fae on Midsummer Eve. The fruit or bark of apple trees can be used in fairy magic, especially for love spells. Apples are suitable offerings to the fae.

Ash - Ash trees are believed to provide protection from fairies, who are said to be unable to harm anyone standing in the shadow of an ash tree. Placing ash berries in a cradle is said prevent fairies from taking the baby and trading a changeling for it. (Also see Hawthorn)

Birch - Ghillie Dhu, a Scottish fairy who wears moss and leaves, is said to live in birch thickets. According to the Hanes Taliesin, from the 13th century Red Book of Hergest: "On a switch of birch was written the first Ogham inscription in Ireland, namely seven B's, as a warning to Lug son of Ethliu, to wit, 'Thy wife will be seven times carried away from you into fairyland or elsewhere, unless birch be her overseer."

Blackberry - It was taboo to eat blackberries in Celtic countries - a cause des feés - because of the fairies.

Blackthorn - Blackthorn trees and shrubs are said to be held sacred by fairies. The Luantishees are blackthorn fairies, who guard the trees. November 11 is their festival.

Bluebell - Some consider bluebells the most potent plant for fairy magic. Fields of bluebells are said to be so dangerously enchanted by fairies that a child who wanders into one may be held captive there by the fae. Adults who enter bluebell patches may become so enchanted that they are unable to leave until other humans come to lead them out. Plant bluebells to attract fairies to your garden. They are said to be called to their midnight revels by the sound of bluebells chiming. If you hear a bluebell ringing, this indicates the presence of a malicious fairy.

Clover - Fields of clover are believed to attract fairies. A four-leaf clover is said to provide protection against the fae, and to be able to break fairy spells and glamours. Wearing a four-leaf clover in your hat supposedly grants you the power to see invisible fairies, as does anointing yourself with an ointment made from four-leaf clover, or carrying a charm made of seven grains of wheat and a four-leaf clover.

Cowslip - Cowslip blossoms are said to be loved by fairies, who use them for umbrellas, and protect the plants. Shakespeare had a fairy say of cowslips:

"And I serve the Fairy Queen,
To draw her orbs upon the green.
The cowslips tall her pensioners be,
In their gold coats spots you see:
Those be rubies, fairy favors:
In those freckles live their savors.
I must go to seek some dewdrops here,
And hang a pearl in every cowslips' ear."

"That they do dwell within the cowslips hollow is truth for I have seen them fly out in intoxicated abandon."

Edmund Canterbell

Cowslips are used in fairy magic. They are considered helpful in finding fairy treasures, and keys to unlocking the secret location of hidden fairy gold.

Daffodil - Daffodils are useful for evoking fairies and elves.

Dogwood - Pixy Pears is one name for the tree's fruit.

Daisy - Daisies are used in fairy magic, for working with elves or fairies. Putting a daisy chain on a child is said to prevent fairies from beguiling the child and carrying her or him away.

Elecampane - Elfwort and Elf Dock are folk names for elecampane, an herb whose roots are used in fairy magic. Scattering the root about is said to attract fairies to your home, and growing elecampane is said to attract them to your garden.

Elder - Elder trees and bushes are said to protect fairies, especially at night, from negative energy and from people and entities who would do them harm. It was a British belief that placing a child in an elder wood cradle could cause it to be pinched black and blue by fairies. Elderberry wine is considered fairy wine. Drinking it is said to enable you to see fairies. Add dried elderberries to an incense mixture that you burn to attract fairies to a gathering.

Fairy Wand - Fairy Wands (Dierama pulcherrima) are associated with Titania, Shakespeare's fairy queen. They are used magically to call upon the fae for help.

Fern - Ferns are favored by pixies, who are said to sometimes be found near them.

Fig Tree - The Apsaras, also called Sky Dancers, are fig tree fairies (devas) ho are known to us from Hindu mythology. They bless humans at important stages of our lives. They also sometimes seduce scholars and scientists, and sexually exhaust them so that they will not discover things which are better left alone. Evoke the Apsaras for blessings, sex magic, and for good luck and protection for gamblers.

Flax - Purging Flax (Linum catharticum) is also called Fairy Flax.

Forget-Me-Not - Forget-Me-Not flowers provide protection from fairies. They are said to help to unlock the secrets of the fae, and pave the way to fairy treasures.

Foxglove (*Poison) - Folk names for foxglove include Fairy Thimbles, Fairy Glove, Little Folks' Glove, Fairy Fingers, Fairy Petticoats, Fairy's Cap, and Fairy Weed.. Foxglove is strongly associated with fairies, who are said to wear the tiny flowers as hats and gloves, and to leave their fingerprints upon the flowers. Foxglove is used in fairy magic, and for the evocation of elves or earth elementals. The leaves are said to grant release from fairy enchantment. Planting foxglove is an invitation to fairies to enter your garden. Wearing foxglove is a charm to attract fairy energy. The juice of the plant is said to be effective in breaking fairy enchantments.

Grass - Small fairies are said to ride bundles of grass as horses.

Hawthorn- Hawthorn, also called Whitethorn and Fairy Thorn, is the thorn in Oak, Ash, and Thorn. A grove comprised of those three trees was believed to be the perfect habitat for fairies, and an excellent place to catch sight of them. Pixie Pears is another name for hawthorn berries.

Heather- Heather stalks are said to provide food for fairies. A field of heather may contain a portal to the Fairy Kingdom.

Holly - Holly berries are said to be a fairy favorite.

Hollyhock - Fairies are said to love hollyhocks, especially pink ones.

Lavender - Elf Leaf is another name for lavender, which is used in elfin magic.

Lilac - The scent of lilacs is said to attract fairies to a garden.

Mistletoe - Adding mistletoe to a fairy spell on Midsummer Night's Eve makes the spell more powerful.

Morning Glory - Plant morning glories in your garden to keep away hostile fairies, especially nocturnal ones.

Mushrooms & Toadstools - Mushrooms and toadstools with knobbed caps are said to be used as stools and umbrellas by small fairies. Some of the folk names for various types of fungi reflect this belief: Fairy Club, Elf Cap, Pixie Hood, Dryad's Saddle, Elf's Stool, etc. A circle of mushrooms on a lawn is called a Fairy Ring, Fairy Circle, Fairy Dance, or Fairy Court. Fairy rings were believed to be places of dangerous enchantment that formed where fairies danced.

Nut Trees - Nut trees provide homes for the Caryatids, who are nut tree nymphs or fairies.

Oak - In British folklore ancient, hollow oak trees that stood in old sacred groves were often believed to be the homes of elves or fairies. Such trees were called bull oaks in England, and bell oaks in Scotland and Ireland. You were supposed to turn your coat or cloak inside out to neutralize their magic:

"Turn your clokes
For fairy folks
Are in old oaks."

Any oak tree may provide a home to fairies, elves, or other such beings. Dryads are oak tree nymphs. (Also see Hawthorn)

Orchid - Hammarbya paludosa is called Green Fairy Orchid.

Pansy - Plant pansies to attract fairies to your garden. Oberon, the fairy king, used pansies in his love potion

"Yet marked I where the bolt of Cupid fell.
It fell upon a little western flower;
Before, milk-white; now purple with love's wound-
And maidens call it Love-in-idleness.
Fetch me that flower, the herb I showed thee once.
The juice of it, on sleeping eyelids laid,
Will make a man or woman madly dote
Upon the next live creature that it sees."

"A Midsummer Night's Dream"

Peach - Some consider peaches to be fairy fruit.

Pear - Japanese pears were called Fairies' Fire in the old Language of Flowers.

Pearlwort - Placing a spring of pearlwort above the front door is said to prevent fairies from stealing any member of the household away.

Peony - Peonies are a charm to bring dreams of fairies.

Primrose - Primroses were considered fairy flowers in Ireland and Wales, where they were believed to grant fairies the power of invisibility. Eating primroses is supposed to enable you to see fairies. Hanging a spray of primroses on your door is said to be an invitation to the fae to enter your home, and to draw fairy blessings; but scattering primroses outside your door is said to keep fairies away by making a barrier that they cannot cross. Touching a fairy rock with a primrose posy that contains the right number of blossoms (try five) is said to open the way to Fairyland and fairy gifts. Be cautious though, for using a bouquet with the wrong number of flowers is said to bring certain doom. Use primroses for fairy magic. Plant primroses in your garden to attract fairies to it. Be sure to take good care of them though, for allowing primroses to languish or die is said to earn you the enmity of fairies.

Ragwort - Ragwort stems are said to be used as horses by tiny fairies.

Rose - Cultivate roses to attract fairies to your garden. Rose petals can be used in fairy magic, especially for love spells.

Rosemary - Grow rosemary, or place fresh sprigs of it about, to keep malicious fairies away. Burn dried rosemary as incense to attract the fae.

Rowan - The presence of a rowan tree in the yard or garden is said to provide the home and family with fairy blessings, and the protection of the fae. Rowan is also believed to provide protection from fairy spells. Rowan was once used as a charm to prevent fairies from spoiling butter as it was churned. In Scotland, the smoke from fires kindled of rowan wood was used to protect cattle from malicious fairies.

St. John's Wort - St. John's Wort is said to offer protection from the fae, and from fairy spells.

Thistles - Thistles are also called Pixies' Gloves, because the fae are said to use the tiny flowers as gloves.

Thorn Trees - All thorny trees, such as blackthorn and hawthorn, are said to serve as meeting places for fairies. Kindling a fire of thornwood atop a fairy mound is said to force the fae to return a stolen child.

Thyme - Thyme is associated with fairies. Wearing a sprig of wild thyme, or essential oil of thyme, is said to help one to see fairies. If you place springs of thyme on your closed eyes and sleep upon a fairy mound, this will supposedly guarantee your seeing fairies. Dried, powdered thyme, sprinkled on doorsteps and windowsills, is an invitation to the fae into your home. Wild thyme, gathered from the side of a fairy mound, is especially potent for use in fairy magic.

Violet - Violets are sacred to the Fairy Queen, and may be used in fairy spells.

Willow - The wind in the willows is said to be the whisperings of a fairy in the ear of a poet. Heliconian is a willow fairy who is known to us from mythology.

Wood Sorrel - Wood sorrel is used in fairy magic, and for the evocation of elves.

Tuesday Try A New Taste -

2009-05-26T09:50:00.001-04:00

Summertime Marinated Grilled Vegetables
Recipe courtesy of Rocco Dispirito

Ingredients:

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 red bell peppers, halved and seeded
2 yellow bell peppers, halved and seeded
3 zucchini, halved length-wise
3 yellow squash, halved length-wise
3 red onions, cut into 1-inch rings crosswise
2 bunches scallions, roots trimmed and greens trimmed one inch

In a very large bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, parsley, vinegar and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside 1/2 cup of the marinade. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and toss well to combine. Let the vegetables marinate about 1 hour. Preheat the grill. When it is too hot to hold your hand six inches above the grill for more than 5 seconds, it's ready. Grill the vegetables until charred and tender, about 8 minutes for zucchini, squash and scallions, 10 minutes for peppers and 15 minutes for the red onions. Transfer the vegetables to a large serving platter and drizzle with the reserved marinade. Serve at warm or room temperature.

Vegetables On The Grill
by BabooKyra

This is easy as pie.

1/4 inch slices of:
green, red and yellow sweet peppers (skin on, seeded)
eggplant (salted and drained, then rinsed -- you don't have to dry)
summer squash (patty pan, yellow crookneck, zucchini, etc.)
large carrots
stalks of celery, threads removed
and anything else that can be sliced wide enough to not fall through the grill

I've picked up several tabletop grills at garage sales (won't pay over $5, usually pay $2). These are immensely handy, since things aren't hidden in the broiler, and you have little cleanup. I just put the grill and catch pan in the dishwasher. Spray everything with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (if you like, I don't), and just spread on the grill. I grill these in batches until striped on both sides, putting them into a plastic bowl in layers. After they're cooked, you can store them for up to a week.

They are yummy hot or cold, in sandwiches, as a side dish, lasagna, in a casserole, in quiche, in salads. I think they taste better after a couple of days, and are awesome reheated in a hot, dry non-stick skillet. It's so handy and healthy. The best sandwich is slices of veggies, raw spinach leaves, and muenster cheese, on whole wheat bread, grilled until the cheese melts.

Monday Make A - Treasure Boxes

2009-05-25T09:33:00.001-04:00

Treasure Boxes: Litha Craft for Witchlings
by WindSeeker; Cauldrons and Broomsticks

Materials:

Sturdy cardboard box (shoe boxes are the best choice)
natural items for decoration
white glue
med-size paint brush

This little box is for the youngster to collect "treasured" memories from summer. Start with a large shoe box and lid. Let the child collect some items from the yard, the park, and/or the beach. Glue flat items to the box, and place the non-flat items inside. To give the box a more durable finish, brush on a coat of white glue diluted with water. Encourage the child to tell stories of where the different items came from, or make up stories about the contents.

Sunday Surprise - The Tongue…

2009-05-24T16:36:00.001-04:00

The Tongue Can Be Your Worst Enemy!
Source Unknown
Your words, your dreams, and your thoughts have power to create conditions in your life.
What you speak about, you can bring about.
If you keep saying you can't stand your job, you might lose your job.
If you keep saying you can't stand your body, your body can become sick.
If you keep saying you can't stand your car, your car could be stolen or just stop operating.
If you keep saying you're broke, guess what? You'll always be broke.
If you keep saying you can't trust people, you'll always have someone in your life to hurt and betray you.
If you keep saying you can't find a job, you will remain unemployed.
If you keep saying you can't find someone to love you or believe in you,
You will attract more experiences to confirm your beliefs.
If you keep talking about a divorce or breaking up then you might just end up with it.
Turn your thoughts and conversations around to be more positive and power packed with faith, hope, love and action.
Don't be afraid to believe that you can have what you want and deserve.
Watch your Thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your Habits, they become character.
Watch your Character, it becomes your Destiny.
The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settle for.
Thought I would share this with you.
Watch how your circumstances and situations begin to change when you change the way you speak.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Saturday Something - Midsummer Hail and Farewell

2009-05-23T07:35:00.001-04:00

Midsummer Hail and Farewell
by Ahneke Greystone, Midsummer 2000;
excerpt from: Cauldrons & Broomsticks
A newsletter for and by the Pagan/Wiccan Internet Community,

That I am mortal I know and do confess my span of day:
But when I gaze upon the thousandfold circling gyre of the stars,
No longer do I walk on earth, but rise
The peer of God himself
To take my fill at the ambrosial banquet of the undying.

-Claudius Ptolemaeus,
Greek-Egyptian, 2nd Century

Such a wonder, this season of paradox! A vibrant moment of existence, warm caresses from the Sun, long days to share with family and friends. It is a time for first harvest and second sowing. For some there is more to do than a day's time allows; for others it is a time of sweet pause and respite. We are poised between increase and decline. Balanced on the Mystery.

Gathered around the fires of Midsummer Eve, we reflect on the turn of the Wheel and the symbolism of fire as a sign of our consciousness. The awakening we experience, as did the God, when times of frivolity and independence turn to times of responsibility and community. It is a time of maturity and reflection. On Midsummer Day our focus will be on celebration; a time for living in the moment and making merry. A Dance of Life, with our minds and bodies attuned to the awesome possibility and promise of existence. Tonight we are comforted knowing that as fire burns it cleanses and purifies, clearing the land and our psyche for the time of repose ahead. Providing the fertile source from which the cycle turns again in Winter.

This holiday transcends all time and culture. The heritage of the celebration is sometimes unacknowledged, and sometimes celebrated much as it has been for hundreds of years. Modern pagans recognize several names; it was called Litha or Vestalia in ancient Rome, Gathering Day in Wales, Feill-Sheathain in Scotland, Alban Heflin in the Anglo-Saxon tradition, Thing-Tideln in Scandinavia and All Couple's Day in Greece, and it is the Celtic Feast of Epona. It was and often still is celebrated throughout Russia, Europe, the East, Africa and the Americas, and other places throughout the world honoring the season of ripeness and the advent of the harvesting.

In ancient times Midsummer was as well a time for celebration and reflection. Rites were ecstatic, celebrating fecundity and harvest, placating the gods for gentle rather than destructive weather. We knew that Divine whim could destroy the crops we needed to harvest in order for human and animal to survive the upcoming Winter. This was the most powerful fire festival of our solar holidays.

Summer was a time of war, a time of invasion and defense. Our ancient family connected the death of their compatriots with the peak and passing of Summer. The symbolism of the burgeoning land, cut into harvest, and the strong men who died in war was a powerful and integral part of the holiday. Even in ancient times, the paradox prevailed. Life and death.

The wedding month of June traces to our pagan roots. Courting traditionally began at the Winter Solstice, when days were not as filled with tasks, and there was time to focus on familial matters. Towards Spring, pregnancies became obvious. Marrying in May was considered unlucky, as that was the time of the Sacred Marriage. Thus, marriage became common after Beltane. Mead was traditionally drunk for the month following the bonding to guarantee fertility and the health of children conceived. The Full Moon in June is known as the Mead Moon, and we honor this today in our reference to a wedding holiday as a honeymoon.

Midsummer, especially the Eve, is a time when the Fairie become visible to our human eyes. The boundaries between the worlds are thin. Even those of us who rarely experience fey moments can be caught up in the mischief and mayhem brought to us this evening. We will be reminded that our world is a quixotic one. If we have become too staid, that will be remedied this evening! The fairies delight in revealing our human foibles and turning our world on end.

Midsummer in some traditions was the time the Ivy King was seen as battling and overcoming the Oak King. He ruled for the next six months, until the Winter Solstice when the fated battle began again, with the Oak King then victor. In other traditions, the Sun King was seen as born on the Winter Solstice, reaching his peak at Midsummer, to decline and pass either into the Underworld as reigning King there or into repose until his rebirth in Winter. The myth of Demeter and Persephone gave inspiration to a yearly cycle of the Feminine Divine, who at Midsummer is seen as the Daughter who has just begun her journey to the Underworld and the Mother who has not yet realized that her beloved daughter has gone. She will shortly understand this, and she will send the Earth into decline and mourning.

The Goddess at Midsummer is the Lover-Mother. She is pregnant and aware of the life within. This is a bittersweet time. The mature God is her husband and the father of her child. He is more her partner at this time than at any other. Emotionally and intellectually they are equals. She is enjoying this time of mundane connection. It is as though her tasks are done and she finds the time to relax and enjoy life. She who always leads and inspires can briefly lay her head upon the shoulder of her consort and let someone else take charge. Shadowing her joy is the knowledge of what will come. Her lover will pass over and she will evolve once again separate from him. The child within is her connection to this Earthly time and the wonders of physical existence. It is also her connection to Eternity. What agony she will suffer, though, to see all that she loves pass. Even as her wiser self knows the purpose.

Goddesses for Midsummer include Earth Mothers and Goddesses of beauty and mature sexuality, fire goddesses and goddesses of the animals and the hunt. They include: Aine, Ameaterasu, Anahita, Aphrodite, Artemis, Asherah, Brighid, Cardea, Coaltique, Corn Mother, Danu, Erzulie, Esmeralda, Freya, Flora, Gaia, Hera, Hestia, Iamanja, Inanna, Ishtar, Li, Litha, Mawu, Oraea, Oshun, Oya, Pele, Rhea, Rhiannon, Spider Woman, The Corn Mothers, Tiamat, Tonantzin, Vesta, Yellow Land Earth Queen, Yemaya.

The God has matured from the free and independent young man to the wise elder, the King who has learned of commitment and responsibility to his Queen, his family and his community. He is the counselor and the person others turn to for leadership and guidance. The Lord of the Greenwood is now the Sun King. He wears his crown with dignity and with some sorrow. For he remembers how at Beltane he envisioned the blood upon the corn. He knows his time is about to end. He reflects on a life of joy and abandon, of peace and contentment, of accomplishment and triumph. It is the time when he looks back on his life, rather than forward. The time remaining is short. With age and maturity comes the wisdom in him that accepts his life, is aware of the contributions he has made and acknowledges his fate. He looks to the end with peace now, fearless and aware of his role in the theater of life.

The Gods of Midsummer are the Gods of the hunt, Gods of the Sun, Father Gods and the Gods of the Arts. They include: Apollo, Arthur, Balder, Balin, Cernunnos, Faunus, Gwynn ap Nudd, Hades, Heimdul, Helios, Herne, Hugh, Lugh, Pan, Perkunis, Phol, Ra, Taliesin, Woden.

Midsummer Correspondences-

Verdant and growing shades, colors of light and fire - gold, green, hazel, orange, peridot, pink, red, yellow.
Trees: The most powerful being the oak, ivy and mistletoe, but also including evergreen and fruit-bearing trees - fir, holly, mistletoe, pine, hawthorne, maple, oak, peach, palm, rowan.
Crystals/Stones: Amber, carnelian, cat's eye, citrine, clear quartz crystal, copper, emerald, garnet, peridot, ruby, sulfur, yellow topaz.
Flowers: Red flowers, carnations (red), honeysuckle, iris, lily, marigolds, nasturtiums, rose, sunflowers, trefoil, wisteria, witches' broom.
Creatures: Cardinal, dove, lizard, magpie, parrot.
Herbs: Basil, chive, chervil, dragon's blood, fennel, lavender, mint, parsley, Rosemary, rue, sage, St. John's Wort, tarragon, thyme, vervain, violet.
Incense: Carnation, cedar, cinnamon, copal, fir, frangipani, frankincense, myrrh, pine, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, tangerine, thyme, vervain, violet, wisteria.
Oils: Carnation, citronella, geranium, lime, musk, orange, tangerine, ylang-ylang.
Foods: Hot and spicy foods, corn, dark breads, tomato and red vegetable juices.

And now it is Midsummer! May you cherish the special moments of your life, honoring them as Divine gifts. May the love you have for family and community be paramount today, and may you see in the eyes of your mates, children, family and friends that spark of eternity that is a part of each of us. Celebrate!

Blessings of the Sun King and the Queen of Summer to you!
The night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet the light of the bright world dies
With the dying sun.

-William Bourdillon

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Friday Form A Circle - Kathleen Anderson's Summer Solstice Ritual

2009-05-22T11:18:00.001-04:00

Kathleen Anderson's Summer Solstice Ritual (link is dead)
by Kathleen Anderson

This ritual is about coming into fullness. The climax. The time on the wheel represents maturity, the stage of the mother. Flowers should be in full bloom. The element associated here is fire, and passion and ecstasy are part of the ritual.

Supplies:

Ø red for the altar

Ø a red candle for each person present

Ø red flowers

Ø a basin filled with water and fragrance (we used scented oil and flower petals)

Ø Tools for calling the directions

Ø a cauldron filled almost to the top with sand (to seat the candles)

Ø smudge for cleansing (pass it around)

Ø incense

Ø drums and instruments

Ø and light for fire

Casting the circle:

Air: Turn to the East, arms raised, fingers spread. Say:

"Breath of Goddess, Blow.
Be wind in our sails.
Be divine mind in ours.
Be here in this hour.
Blessed Be!"

Fire: Turn to the South, arms raised, hands making fists, say:

"Energy of Goddess, Empower!
Be hot within us.
Be passion in our hearts.
Be here in this hour.
Blessed Be!"

Water: Turn to the west, arms outstretched, hands cupped, say:

"Living Waters, blood of Goddess, Flow!
Your heartbeat pulses within us.
Be dreams and feelings flowing forth.
Be here in this hour.
Blessed be!"

Earth: Turn to the North, arms outstretched, palms down, say:

"Body of Goddess, Standing stones-dancing bones!
Be our strength.
Be sacred ground firm under our feet.
Be here in this hour.
Blessed Be!"

Spirit: Turn to the center, hand in hand, thumbs pointing left, say:

"From the ground, from the stone,
From the windswept sky
From the flaming fire's cone,
From the flowing water's sigh,
Our spirits call, our voices sing
Of Elemental Power.
Come, Aid us in our circle
Be here in this hour.
The Circle is cast,
We are between the worlds
At the Goddess' feet.
Where magic is real,
All becomes 0ne
And beginnings and endings meet.
Blessed Be!"

Anointing with oil: Stand before the altar.

Anoint foreheads and say,

"Open my mind and inner eyes to greater truths."

Anoint hearts and say:

"Cleanse my heart from all impurity."

Anoint hands, and say:

"Let our hands be lifted up in praise, and set to the work of the Goddess."

Anoint feet, and say:

"Guide our feet on the paths of growth and enlightenment."

This will not be a quiet circle. This is an exuberant season and it's PARTY TIME! Invoke your wild woman! We will have a power ritual, to remind us that this season's emphasis is on fulfillment, but we will also do a banishing as a first reminder of the coming dark season. Think carefully of what you will ask of the Mother tonight; she is at her highest point of giving.

Invocation: Charge of the Goddess. Soft drumming accompanies. Say:

"This is the fullness of summer, the reign of the Mother Goddess. Tonight all wants are fulfilled, all wishes come true, and love reaches full passion. Women everywhere are gathered together to invoke the Goddess. Our many voices embrace her, to awaken her from the long sleep of patriarchy. Listen to her words: (Solstice Poem - with respect to Z. Budapest) I have slept for ten thousand years. Now I stretch and waken. They are calling, calling me, and my heart leaps to greet them. My forests my hair, the grasses my heavy eyelashes. They call me, and I waken. My body bedecked with a million flowers, And these many breasts of mine, the mountains joyfully rear their tips. I long to suckle my young. They are calling. They will know me! I want to embrace all the sad and lost. All the wrongs that have been done, to me and to my children. My hands shall doom them to death, and make them right I am the defender of every mother, as I am the defender of my holy self. Earth, Mother am I, the only one; life springs from me. I carry the seed of creation. And I awake!"

Chant:

"Gaia, Carry Us Home"

Drumming: This should start out as heartbeat and quicken slightly with each change in the meditation.

Meditation: We are going to do a color and fullness meditation. As soon as it ends I will take a hand near me and we will do a spiral dance. As we unwind it we'll gather in a circle. All women not drumming should take a posture of the five-pointed star. Keep eyes open and visualize or close them. Breathe! Feel the movement and heartbeat of the earth at Solstice, feel the rich black earth. Draw black into your body, through your feet, legs, vagina, abdomen, heart, chest, throat, and head. Feel it enter through your feet, travel through your body; feel its vastness and depth, let it exit through the crown. Feel the richness of the Mother Earth. Feel the color shift to red, see the pulsing of your blood, the movements of energy and passionate life. Feel your strength, the length of your muscles, the marrow and hardness of your bones. Now let the color lighten to a bright warm orange. Feel yourself bathed in energy and power. Feel your body rise in passion, in yearning, in ecstatic union with all that is. Now let the color brighten more to an active, vibrant yellow. This is the color of knowledge and power, of oomph, the bright understanding of things happening, and making them happen. Know yourself to be the cause, the agent of changes. Wash in yellow! Now let your mind's eye cool a bit and let the green grow and spread out from your heart. This is the color of sympathy and emotion, of growing and helping things to grow. Green is the color of healing. Feel the fertile green, where love takes root. Green shifts cooler now, to blue. Blue is the color of the sky, the water. It is the color of will, and peace, and the natural order. Let your will be in harmony, let your throat be filled with songs, and the words you need to say. Know that yours is the power to make real that which you imagine. Feel the color purple now, the color of psychic knowing. Let the winds whisper, the fire burn within, the waters of intuition flow, and the secrets be known to you. Know what you know, and be unafraid. Let all the colors swirl faster and faster about you and through you until they make a swirling white light, around you and in you. This is the color of the Goddess, of the great Divine one. You are part of Her, of all of it. Feel the patterns moving, the wheel is turning, turning, see the light of it, be en-light-en-ment.

Spiral Dance: Chanting:

"We are the music in everyone
We are the dance of the moon and the sun
We are the power in everyone
And we are the hope that will not die
And we are the turning of the tide.
Air I am,
Fire I am,
Water, Earth and Spirit I am."

(in counterpoint) This is a good time to raise a cone, if you are so inclined, but use/ground the energy before going on with the ritual or it will get very heavy, and everyone will start sitting down and feeling sluggish.

As you move back into one big circle each person should take a candle from the altar. Start by lighting the first candle. State your wish. Light candles from each other, going deosil (clockwise), one at a time. Now go around again, widdershins (counter-clockwise), and this time state a banishing, and blow your candle out.

When all candles are out, go back and light candles at the altar, saying,

"On this night, the Goddess grants all wishes.
Blessed be!"

Place candles in the cauldron sand and let them burn until it is time to go.

Feast, Dance, Talk, Make Things!

To Open circle: Turn to each direction in reverse order:

North say:

"Great Spirits of the North,
Spirits of Earth,
We thank you for your presence.
It is done.
Go if you wish, stay if you will.
Blessed Be!"

West say:

"Great Spirits of the West,
Spirits of Water,
We thank you for your presence.
It is done.
Go if you wish, stay if you will.

Blessed Be!"

South say:

"Great Spirits of the South,
Spirits of Fire,
We thank you for your presence.
It is done.
Go if you wish, stay if you will.
Blessed Be!"

East say:

"Great Spirits of the East,
Spirits of Air,
We thank you for your presence.
It is done.
Go if you wish, stay if you will.
Blessed Be!"

Turn to the center, join hands, say:

"By the Earth that is Her body,
The Air that is her breath,
By the Fire of Her bright spirit,
And the Waters of her living womb,
The Circle is open but unbroken.

(Drop hands.)

May the peace of the Goddess go in our hearts,
As we merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.
Blessed Be!"

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Thursday This Is Your Spell - A Smattering of Midsummer Spells

2009-05-21T12:04:00.001-04:00

A Smattering of Midsummer Spells
Melanie Fire Salamander, at Widdershins

As a pagan, you may well light a bonfire Midsummer night and jump it, for Litha is a fire festival. Likewise, you may stay up to greet the Midsummer dawn. If you do, keep a pair of garden shears handy. Midsummer's Eve at midnight, Midsummer's Day at dawn and Midsummer noon are prime times to collect plants sacred to the sun or special to the fey. In fact, any magical herb plucked at Midsummer is said to prove doubly effective and keep better. Divining rods cut on Midsummer's Eve are said to be more infallible, too. You can charge your charms, depending on their purpose, at midnight, noon or in dawn's first light.

Charms traditional at Litha include those for courage, dream divination, fertility, invisibility, love, luck, protection, wealth, the restoration of sight and the ability to see the fey. Midsummer is a fey time, both by tradition and observation. The scent of the air is thick, green and juicy; it's lost its spring astringency and is simply lush. The whole world is stretching its limbs and frolicking. The fey are big on that. Especially for charms of love, gardening and magical abilities, the fey are a great help in herb collecting. In exchange, they like gifts of milk and honey, cookies, sweet liqueurs, or any sweet food, drink or liquor. They also like baubles, particularly pretty or shiny. Or cold hard cash - but in coin, not paper, and it's best if shiny. To stay in good with the fey and the herbs you collect from, leave enough of the plant or other plants of the type that the herb survives in the spot collected from. Remember too to always ask the plant before taking a cutting, and to wait for an answer. A quid pro quo usually works: a shiny dime, some fertilizer, or a bit of your hair or clothing - whatever you think the plant most wants.

Courage: Tuscans use erba della paura (stachys) collected on Midsummer's Day as a wash against fear. Steep the herb in hot but not boiling water, then rinse the limbs with long strokes moving outward from the torso. You might substitute wood betony, a relative more common in North America.

Dream Divination: Litha is a good time for foretelling things in dreams. Specifically, to induce dreams of love and ensure them coming true, lay a bunch of flowers under your pillow on Midsummer Eve. That's what the girls of old Scandinavia did. For effective dream divination, remember to keep a notebook beside your bed. At bedtime, relax, ground and center, then clearly define your question. Meditate on that question until it's firm in your mind, and assure yourself you will remember your dream on waking. Then go to sleep. As soon as you wake, record your dream. One trick is to set an alarm clock so you're wakened artificially, which can help dream recollection. Dreams dreamed on Midsummer's Eve are said to be more likely to come true.

Fertility For Your Garden: For a lush garden, mix ashes from the Midsummer bonfire with any seeds yet to plant. (You still have time to plant cosmos and a handful of fall-blooming flowers.) Likewise, for fertility sprinkle bonfire ashes on any flowers or vegetables you have growing.

Fey Charms: To see the fey, pick flowers from a patch of wild thyme where the little folk live and place the flowers on your eyes. A four-leafed clover not only grants you a wish but also, carried in your pocket or a charm, gives you the power to see fairies dancing in rings. A good place to look is by oaks, said in Germany to be a favorite place for fey dances. To penetrate fey glamour, make and wear an ointment including four leaved clovers. St. John's Wort, also known as ragwort, has a strong connection to the fey and transportation. You might add it to charms to travel quickly. The Irish call the plant the fairy's horse, and the fey are said to ride it through the air. But beware: The Manx say if you step on a ragwort plant on Midsummer's Eve after sunset, a fairy horse springs out of the earth and carries you off till sunrise, leaving you wherever you happen to be when the sun comes up.

Invisibility: Collect fern seed on Midsummer's Eve for use in charms of invisibility. To become invisible, wear or swallow the seed (that is, the spores) you have collected. Such spores also put you under the protection of spirits. The fern is said to bloom at midnight on Midsummer's Eve, either a sapphire blue or golden yellow depending on your source.

Love: Plant two orpine starts (Sedum telephium) together on Midsummer Eve, one to represent yourself, one to represent your lover. If one withers, the person represented will die. But if both flourish and grow leaning together, you and your lover will marry.

Luck and Human Fertility: As at Beltaine, leap the Midsummer bonfire for fertility and luck.

Protection: Herbs traditional to Litha (also know as St. John's Day) in England include St. John's Wort, Hawkweed, Orpine, Vervain, Mullein, Wormwood and Mistletoe. Plucked either at Midsummer's Eve on midnight or noon Midsummer Day and hung in the house, they protect it from fire and lightning. Worn in a charm on your body, they protect you from disease, disaster and the workings of your enemies.

Sight: Dew gathered Midsummer Eve is said to restore sight.

Wealth: The fern also has a connection with wealth. Sprinkle fern seed in your savings to keep them from decreasing. The alleged golden-yellow fern flower, plucked on Midsummer's Eve at midnight, can be used as a dowsing tool to lead to golden treasure. Alternatively (the Russian version), you throw the flower in the air, and it lands on buried treasure. Or, if you're Bohemian, you pluck the flower and on the same Midsummer Night climb a mountain with blossom in hand. On the mountain, you'll find gold or have it revealed in a vision. If you wait patiently till midnight on Midsummer Eve and see no such golden fern flower, perhaps invisibility will have to do.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.

Wednesday Whatever - Ceromancy or How To Tell Fortunes With Wax

2009-05-20T10:32:00.001-04:00

Ceromancy or How To Tell Fortunes With Wax
From The Realm Of White Magic

To know the future by a candle's flame is covered quite adequately in this little poem from an unknown poet:

Touch a light to the little wick,
Watch it burn to the candlestick.
Study with care the little blaze;
Fortunes are told in its tiny rays.
If an unseen power makes it weak and low,
For you it foretells a tale of woe.
If that same power makes a blaze bright and healthy,
You'll be happy and wise, be good and wealthy.

For those who wish to pursue ceromancy, which is divination from forms produced by dropping melted wax in water, it is simple enough for anyone to try. Use any color candle, though the darker hues will show up best. It

takes only a bit of imagination on the part of the magician to "see" the images which emerge from a bit of hot wax allowed to drop into a bowl of cold water.

Airplane - a trip of a disappointment
Anchor - your loved one is true
Baby - troubles are coming
Ball or balloon - your problem will not last very long
Beans - money difficulties
Bed - a vacation would be good for you
Bells - a wedding
Bird - news will reach you soon
Bridge - take a chance
Broom - make a change
Candle - spiritual growth
Cat - a friend is untrue
Chain - go ahead with your plans
Circle - reconciliation
Cloud - something or someone threatens you
Cross - do not fear for you are protected
Crown - sickness
Cup - bitter quarrel with a friend
Dog - your self-esteem is too low
Ear - be alert for an opportunity to advance in your work
Egg - new developments soon
Fan - a surprise is in store for you
Feather - the problem will be solved
Fish - someone will betray you
Ghost - someone from the past is looking for you
Grass - good fortune is approaching
Hat - a change of location is indicated
Heart - a friendship will turn into love
House - better times are coming
Key - a setback in plans should be expected
Kite - your wish will come to naught
Ladder - take steps to change your attitude toward an old friend
Leaf or leaves - things will be changing soon
Lion - an unpleasant situation is developing
Moon - indicates more money
Mountain - good friends are willing to help you
Pants - you will be tempted
Pen - expect a letter from a relative
Pin - your lover may be attracted to another
Pipe - peace and comfort
Ring - marriage may be possible in the near future
Scissors - separation
Shoe - be suspicious of a new acquaintance
Snake - be on guard against an enemy
Spider web - pleasant happenings
Star - happiness
Sun - good fortune
Table - an abundance of blessings
Tree - a good time for new undertakings
Umbrella - trouble is coming
Walking stick - get out of the house and visit friends
Wheel - one who has been away will return soon
Witch - danger will pass you by
Worm - business troubles ahead if you are not careful

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Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Tuesday Try A New Taste – Midsummer Feast

2009-05-12T10:40:00.002-04:00

Today I am going to post the makings of a full Midsummer meal or feast – appetizer, main course, breads, dessert & beverage : ) This way, if you decide to use them, it’s all in one place *grin*

Appetizer

Ginger-Scented Tomato and Cabbage Soup with Fresh Mint
Source unknown

Ingredients:

4 ounces small pasta, such as alphabets
2 onions, coarsely chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 small carrot, diced
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth
10-15 fresh mint leaves
salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

Cook the pasta, drain and set aside. Lightly sauté the onion and garlic in butter until softened. Stir in the ginger and carrot and cook for a few moments; add tomatoes, broth and cabbage. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are tender (15-20 minutes). Adjust seasoning. Ladle the soup over several spoonfuls of pasta per person. Season each portion with a sprinkling of fresh mint and serve immediately.

Main Dish:

Summertime's Bounty Pie
found at Recipe Source

Ingredients:

1 Envelope Soup Mix (Choose one of the following soup mixes to use in the recipe: Onion, Onion-Mushroom or Beefy Onion)
1 1/2 lb Lean Ground Beef
2 c Fresh Bread Crumbs
8 oz Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt
1 Large Egg
1/4 t Thyme or Basil Leaves
1 T Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
6 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
3 1/2 c Hot Cooked Assorted Veggies

Conventional Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, combine soup mix, ground beef, bread crumbs, sour cream or yogurt, egg and thyme or basil. Sprinkle flour into 9-inch pie pan. Press ground beef mixture onto bottom and sides of prepared pan, shaping edges 3/4 inch above pan and forming a center "well." Bake 40 minutes, drain. Fill with 3/4 cup cheese, then vegetables and remaining cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Microwave Directions:

In 9-inch glass pie plate, prepare ground beef mixture as above. Heat, uncovered at HIGH (Full Power) 9 minutes, turning plate every 3 minutes; drain. Fill as above and heat 3 minutes on HIGH (Full Power) 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand covered 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 Servings.

With Bread : )

Solstice Herb Bread
Found at Ashling’s Enchanted Forest

Ingredients:

3 C. flour
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. dry active yeast
2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 1/4 C. hot water
2 tbsp. Crisco

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix 2 cups of the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl. Add herbs, water, and Crisco. Beat slowly, stirring in remaining cup of flour until smooth. Scrape batter from sides of bowl and let rise in a warm place for 35 minutes or until it doubles in bulk. Punch down and beat with a spoon for about 15 seconds. Place dough in a greased loaf pan, patting down and forming a loaf shape with your hands. Cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes or until it again doubles in bulk. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Brush top with butter or margarine and remove from pan to cool.

Dessert:

* Mocha Cream Icebox Pie *
Found at CD Kitchen

It's summertime - when everyone looks forward to the season's festive, holiday, outdoor picnics and barbecues. There's no better way to prepare for summer celebrations than with an array of simple desserts guaranteed to dazzle and delight. If you're looking for something really different, try a delicious Mocha Cream Icebox Pie. It makes a spectacular treat that is sure to have them asking for seconds.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup strong coffee, espresso, or coffee liqueur
1 half-gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
2 chocolate premade cookie crusts
whipped topping
liquid chocolate topping

Blend strong coffee with softened ice cream. Divide ice-cream mixture into two premade cookie crusts. Top with whipped topping, cover with plastic lid and pop into the freezer. When guests arrive, cut out a wedge and drizzle with liquid chocolate topping.

And every good meal needs an accompanying beverage:

Iced Apple Jasmine Tea
unknown source for recipe, Sarah the SwampWitch added the magical attributes from her BoS

Magical attributes of Jasmine: Love, prosperity, meditation, psychism, Moon.
Magical attributes of raspberries: Protection; love.
Magical attributes of Apples: Love, good luck, Wise choices, Health, Insight.
Magical attributes of honey: attraction, solar magic. (Additional Honey uses can be found here, here & here.)
Magical attributes of lemons: Longevity, Purification, Marriage, Joy, Faithfulness.

Ingredients:

8 oz. cold Jasmine tea
1/2 c. fresh raspberries
1/2 c. apple juice
1 c. ice
1 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

In a blender, combine all ingredients.Blend until smooth and serve over ice in a tall glass.
Makes four 6-ounce servings.

And as an after dinner relaxer – ok, it probably won’t relax you, but you know what I mean lol:

Capaleeno
From Cook’s Recipes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup malt or frappe powder
1/4 cup milk
1 cup ice
1/4 cup espresso
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

Place ingredients into blender, blend until smooth and serve.
Makes 1 serving.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Monday Make A- Witchlet Crafts Puppets & Bird Feeders

2009-05-11T09:55:00.001-04:00

Earth Puppets: Litha/Midsummer Craft for Witchlings
by WindSeeker; Cauldron & Broomsticks

Summer Solstice, Litha, Midsummer, Gathering Day, Feill-Sheathain: longest day of the year, and the shortest night; when the sun reaches his apex in the sky, and the days will now grow shorter as the light begins to wane. To celebrate the Summer Solstice with your young ones, try making Earth Puppets.

Materials:

Use natural items found in the yard
tape
glue

The easiest kind of puppets can be made from a twig. Select a twig that forks. You now have 2 arms and a handle to hold the puppet with. Find a fallen flower, and tape the stem to the handle for the head. You can also tape the stem of a fallen leaf to the handle for the head. For clothing, wrap a leaf around the handle, and your puppet has natural summer wear. Another puppet can be made with a pine cone. Glue the pine cone to the forked twig, for the head. Dried and fresh grass make loads of hair styles, beards, and mustaches. Use seeds or small rocks for eyes, nose, and mouth. Make clothing out of leaves and bonnets out of flower petals or acorn caps. Use a large box or table for the stage, and enjoy the show.

Fairies' Feathered Friend Feeder: Litha Craft for Witchlings
by WindSeeker; Cauldron & Broomsticks

Making this craft is a good way to tell child how fairies, brownies, and sprites ride on the backs of birds to get from one place to another if it is too far to walk.

Materials:

An empty milk carton
nontoxic paint
glitter
white glue
Popsicle sticks
10" wooden dowel w/ 1/4" diameter
wire hanger (cut bottom of hanger for inserting into milk carton)
birdseed.

Rinse out milk carton thoroughly. Do not completely open top, rather glue open spout back together. Cut 3" wide by 4" long arched openings on "spout" side and opposite side of carton, with base of opening approx. 3" from bottom of carton. Let the child paint the outside of the carton in Litha colors of red, yellow, orange, white, green. Before the paint dries let child sprinkle colored glitter all over the carton, (birds are attracted to shiny objects). Let carton dry. Glue painted or non-painted Popsicle stick shingles onto the top of the carton as a roof. For the perches, poke holes in the carton just below the openings, and slip the wooden dowel through the holes. Poke two holes in the top of the carton just under the roof, insert one end of the cut hanger into each hole. Fill the bottom of the carton with wild birdseed. Hang in a spot that is easy to view, but far enough away from fences or other objects to thwart predators.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Saturday Something - Summertime Moon and Astrology Gardening

2009-05-09T07:28:00.002-04:00

Summertime Moon and Astrology Gardening
by Ravenna Morgan

The Moon's magnetic force pulls all that contains water: the tides of our oceans, the blood and fluids of our bodies, and all plant life - it lets you know when to sow, when to gather, and when to weed. By learning to flow with the rhythm of the Goddess we are ensuring the best crops, herbs and flowers and this in turn will resonate within us to create a connection with Mother Earth such as we have never known before, it will enrich us spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally.

The Moon travels through each one of the Zodiac signs about once a month - she stays in one sign about 2 1/2 days before moving on to the next one. It's never wise to plant on the day of the New Moon or Full Moon. The waxing and waning process of the moon can be divided into the four phases of new moon, first quarter moon, full moon, and last quarter moon. In each phase, certain plants have the best chances for growth.

A moon that is waxing increases in light from a new moon to a full moon. A waxing moon, which is increasing in light, will be beneficial for plants growing above the ground. The first week is especially good for crops that have their seeds on the outside, such as asparagus, broccoli, celery, cabbage and spinach. The second week (between the 1st quarter and the Full Moon) is best for crops that produce seeds on the inside, like peppers, tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers and melons.

A moon that is waning decreases in light from a full moon until the next new moon. Plant root crops such as potatoes, peanuts, carrots and onions, bulbs, perennials, and biennial plants during a waning moon. Harvesting also should be done during a waning moon. To encourage your lawn to grow fast, cut it during new or first quarter moon. To encourage it to grow more slowly, cut it during a full or last quarter moon.

Charts are available that tell you what phase and what Zodiac sign the Moon is in at any given time. The following is a guide. Planting & Garden Care by the Zodiac:

Aries is a dry & barren time; plant onions, hot peppers & garlic, kill weeds deter unwanted insects.

Taurus is a moist and productive time; plant root crops such as turnips, potatoes, carrots.

Gemini is a dry and barren time - a good time to pinch tips from plants to stop unwanted growth, fork up and aerate the soil, pull weeds.

Cancer is the most moist and fertile time of all. Watch those seeds germinate! Time to irrigate, to graft, and to transplant new seedlings.

Leo is the driest and most barren time. No planting, pruning of vines or trees should be done. This is the best time to kill weeds and deter unwanted insects.

Virgo is a moist, but barren time, a time to weed, tie up vines, clean your garden tools and do all the garden maintenance jobs that have been waiting.

Libra is a moist and reasonably productive time, good for planting ornamental flowers or sowing flower seeds.

Scorpio is a very moist and productive time. This is the best time for fertilizing your garden; good for planting too - especially vines.

Sagittarius is a dry and barren time - this is not the time to plant or prune.

Capricorn is a reasonably productive time and is good for planting root crops such as carrots and potatoes.

Aquarius is a dry & barren time, no good for planting, but take the time to rake the soil and get rid of weeds.

Pisces is a moist and very productive time, excellent for the growth of fruits and berries, and to fertilize the garden. Good for short, quick growth and deep roots, and for planting bulbs.

Copyright Ó Nerys Purchon (AKA Ravenna Morgan). Permission is granted to share this article with others, provided you do so in it's entirety and include this copyright statement.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Friday Form A Circle – Solitary Faery Queen & The Green Man Summer Solstice Ritual

2009-05-08T10:41:00.001-04:00

Faery Queen & The Green Man Summer Solstice Ritual
From the Aurora Lights Circle (I included the link, ‘cuz I had one, but it’s dead )

Litha - June 21. Litha or Summer Solstice or Midsummer is the longest day of the year and celebrates the Sun at the height of his power. It includes the elements of Fire and Water for the sacred marriage of the God and Goddess and to acknowledge the need for the Sun and the rain to help the crops grow.

Activities for Litha:

Play under a lawn sprinkler
Have a picnic in a park
Bless some water and then water the plants you planted on Ostara
Decorate your front door with birch boughs, fennel, and roses
Make a bird feeder*

Introduction to the ritual: In Ireland, the summer solstice was dedicated to the faery goddess Aine of Knockaine. In Wales & Britain, this was a time of Cerridwen and her magical cauldron. However, it was said in a great many places that this was a powerful time for faeries, elves & other supernatural beings. Today, Pagans believe that all the Little People are abroad in great numbers during this balance of Light & Dark. If you are on good terms with them, it's said that standing within a faery ring will help you see them.

It's an excellent time of the year to become friends with faeries and other such beings June & the Summer Solstice was considered the time of the Green Man and the Faery Queen in Northern Europe in particular. It's certainly a powerful Moon month for you to work on & strengthen your psychic abilities & contact with other realms of being. In the Mediterranean areas, this was a time of Pan & the Forest Goddess. Pan, with his pipes, enticed nymphs & maidens to rendezvous with him in the green woods for love & pleasures. The Green Man and the horned god Cernunnos may well be the Celtic version of the very ancient Pan.

The ritual: If possible, hold this ceremony outside at night. If you don't have a secure place, or have nosey neighbors, hold it inside a darkened room lit only by candles. Have ready fruit & flowers as offerings. You'll also need a green cord long enough to go comfortably around your waist. Have a few cookies to share with the faeries & elves. Dress in a comfortable robe. A garland of flowers is nice to wear on your head. At least have a vase of flowers near by. Either play a tape of flute or pan-pipe music or make the music yourself. Have beside you a chalice to Pan & the Lady of the Greenwood. Be happy & enjoy yourself, for Pan & the Lady don't like long faces & negative vibrations. Raise the chalice in offering, then take a drink. Chant:

"Strange music floats within the glade,
From reedy pipes that Pan made
The woodland god of Nature old
Has come back as the tales foretold.
With horned head and tapping feet,
I shall not fear him when we meet.
Great Pan is Nature at her best.
His soaring notes can give us rest
From care and worries, synchronized us with
the water, Earth, and skies."

Take some fruit & flowers to an eastern point. Lay them there & say:

"Great Pan and Lady of the Greenwood,
Release your pleasant breezes
To blow sweet and fresh upon the land."

Take fruit & flowers to the South. Lay them there & say:

"Great Pan and Lady of the Greenwood,
Let the tender sunbeams warm the Earth
And bring continued life."

Do the same in the West:

"Great Pan and Lady of the Greenwood,
Bless us with refreshing, renewing rains."

Finish by laying fruit & flowers in the North:

"Great Pan and Lady of the Greenwood,
Let the seasons come in the proper times,
Both on the Earth and in my life.
Bless me with good things.
Let life's lessons not be harsh and cruel.
All hail Pan and the Lady of the Greenwood!"

Raise one end of the green cord and kiss it. Say:

"The Lady of the Greenwood is love and happiness.
Her consort bows to her will this night.
Great Lady, bless me with all good things
And make my life fulfilled and bright."

(Save the green cord to wear on other occasions when you contact Pan and the Lady.) Lay an offering of cookies at each circle-point beside the flowers,
always moving clockwise, and saying at each point:

"All you Nature spirits and faeries,
I welcome your presence and aid."

Relax and let yourself be open to communication with the Little Ones and the woodland deities. If you do a meditation, invite them to make an appearance during your quiet time. Ask their aid in protecting your property, home & pets. Some of the Nature spirits and faeries will stay in your home year round if they are made welcome. End your ritual by thanking them for joining your celebration.

*Nest Building – For the Birds
From Tori’s Mom - She does come up with some good stuff. (Per Mom "Once in a while)

Wash the bag that onions come in. Collect dryer lint (you know, the crap off the screen you hafta clean with each load) in it. When it is full weave a string thru the top. You can then hang it in a tree for the birds, for their nest building.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Thursday This Is Your Spell Swap – Monday Make A Child’s Book of Shadows

2009-05-07T10:09:00.001-04:00

Children's Book of Shadows
By Baboo Kyra Finch (permission given – you can find more work from this wonderful lady at A Witch’s Teat)

A Book of Shadows can be a Pagan equivalent of a Baby Book. It's a record of your children's growth and development into strong, creative, and psychic individuals. Keep a copy for yourself for as long as they will allow you to do so. I recently found some stories and drawings by my older daughter from her
grammar school days. One is a picture of Morgana Le Fay, her namesake. The story is about a magick necklace lost by a Witch and found by a young girl. Her birthright is clearly shining through the pages. I prefer using a loose leaf notebook with page holes reinforced. This way you can keep sections organized
according to topic. If this is too anal for you, do whatever works.

Have your child decorate the binder. It will create a sense of ownership from the very beginning. Book should contain stories, crafts, pressed plants, spells, drawings, chants, and so on. Just remember whose Book it is. You can make your own! Include your kid's favorite folk stories and faerie tales and their
illustrations. I have some wonderful drawings of Baba Yaga's dancing house done by my camp kids. Put in all the stories they create, preferably dictated and transcribed in their own words. Read these together, often, from the Book, adding to them, making changes. Keep the originals intact. I like to leave several blank pages between each entry for this purpose. Date everything. The beauty of this is in watching the changes take place.

Learning how to create poetry is especially important. Poetry turns into spells and chants. Rhyming words have a great deal of power. A person who can think in rhyme can harness their Will efficiently. Start with simple rhyming words. Progress to couplets and limericks. Use a drum to teach rhythm. Put everything
into the book. Date the pictures from all the Sabbats. Take pictures of all altars. Have your child describe ritual robes, items on the altars, and the purpose of the ritual as they see it. Write it down. date it! As you have probably guessed, I am very bad at dating things. Learn from my mistakes. It's hard to brag about what an amazing Witchlet your child is if you can't remember whether he drew the picture when he was three or nine years old. Oh, if you can't remember, say three. It sounds better.

Keep a separate section on herb lore and healing. You can get plastic covers to protect pages of glued on, pressed plants. Otherwise, you're likely to find a fine powder and some fat silverfish instead of a plant sample in a few years. It's a good idea to have only one or two plants on each page. Date it. Note the names (Latin and common) of the plant, where it was found, what it is used for and any myths or folk lore attached to the plant. On the back of the page, you can write down recipes, cautions, and the results of personal use. Does it taste good? Does it sting? Did it work? What's the best way to use it: tea, tincture, salve, or poultice?

You should be merely a secretary. All information should be in your child's own words. It's also interesting to have samples of the same plant taken at different times of the year. Note when it flowers, fruits, and goes dormant. Plants can look remarkably different from location to location, and in different seasons. It's a good idea to learn to identify plants from one or two consistent characteristics. Write these down and keep track of the usefulness of the information. For example: poison hemlock smells like a dirty mouse den – wild celery smells like celery, wild carrot (Queen Anne's Lace) smells like carrots; comfrey smells like cucumbers - Foxglove does not; Nettles' leaves look like they were cut with pinking shears and they sting. Plantain has veins that come from the center of the stem, rather than branching from a central vein; it has concave stems and grows from a central cluster. Learning to look at plants gives a real sense of how the wheel of the year turns, the Goddess Changes, and the Green Man is born, grows old, seeds and dies and is once again born in the spring.

You can make similar entries for feathers, noting the bird it came from, when you found it, and what it represents. Owl feathers are striped and denote wisdom. Raven feathers are longer and more blade shaped than Crow feathers. The Red Breasted Flicker has bright orange feathers. Find special rocks. Try to identify them and enter the information along with the date and circumstances under which you found them. Ask about the deities and the Sabbats and transcribe what your child tells you. Take pictures of your child dressed as Gods and Goddesses.

This is a good place to start teaching your child the runes and other secret alphabets. I've found that children who start learning to read and write before four absorb the ability as a language rather than a skill. They stash it in a different part of the brain, a deeper part, and never remember not knowing how to do these things. I think that children with several languages, including American Sign Language and the scribing languages, perceive the world in a broader and more varied manner. They don't just think in terms of sound, but with their eyes and bodies as well. When you have added the non-spoken languages to their repertoire, you have people who think and communicate in many different dimensions. This increases psychic abilities.

This book is a journal, not of the mundane world but the world of Spirit. Treasure the pages you've copied. You can share it until the day the book's owner tells you that it is private. At that time, go in your bathroom and have a good cry. Your baby just took another snip out of the umbilical cord. My grandfather read to me daily. My mother and grandmother told me stories, took me to the ballet and other forms of theater. This is how I learned about the deities, and how I taught my children.

For more ideas on creating a book of shadows, you can go here, here, and here.

bb,

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Wednesday Whatever – Dreams & Animals

2009-05-06T10:52:00.001-04:00

Animals

When animals appear in dreams they deserve special attention because dreams enjoy employing animals as stand-ins for some aspect of one's self. Animals symbolize the untamed and uncivilized aspects of who you are. Thus, to dream that you are fighting with an animal signifies a hidden part of yourself that you are trying to reject and push back into your subconscious. Many cultures assign specific symbolism or meaning to animals. For example, birds may be viewed as messengers or harbingers of something about to enter the waking life or the consciousness. Some Native American cultures believe that the animal will leave neither the dream or waking life until its message has been delivered and understood. To see animals in your dream represents your own physical characteristics, primitive desires, and sexual nature, depending on the qualities of the particular animal. In everyday life we use animal traits as behavior comparisons such as:

Sly as a fox
Quiet as a mouse
Hungry as a bear
Proud as a rooster...and so on.

Or, how about when a group of human females get together to chat..."They sound like a bunch of chickens" :-) We also use animal traits as desirable qualities to aspire to, for instance:

The gracefulness of a cat
The loyalty of a dog
Thriftiness of a squirrel

On the flip side, we also use animals to portray negative aspects:

Dirty dog
Fat pig (or cow)
Mean as a snake

These are sayings and beliefs that we are all brought up with. Every culture has their own and these will carry over into your dreams. When an animal does appear in your dream, take note of whatever quality it is displaying and think about some of our everyday sayings like the ones above. This would be the first consideration when interpreting what a particular animal represents.

The fantasy or mythical animal is just as real as any other animal as far as symbols are concerned. We grow up with wondrous stories of these creatures and they live in our consciousness. Many people (and not just children) do in fact dream of dragons or unicorns and such. So, if you are lucky enough to be one of them, be sure to take it as a powerful message! When dreaming of birds pay attention to the type, as they all have distinctive behaviors. If you dream about a particular type of bird then you'll know that you need to look into their specific qualities. If you are lucky enough to dream of some kind of reptile, look for coming changes and opportunities in your life. Some dream of beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers and of course...spiders. Seemingly, everyone seems to dream about spiders at some point. For many, they simply represent fear. However, others have a different view on spiders and other types of insects that commonly appear in dreams. Many of us dream of animals - mammals that is - more frequently than birds, insects, or reptiles probably because we relate to them on a more intimate level. Cats, dogs and farm animals show up in dreams all the time and that makes perfect sense since these are the animals that we care for in our daily lives. However, wild animals such as lions, tigers and bears (Oh my!) also show up in dreams quite a bit because they portray such powerful aspects that you can't help but pay attention to and wonder about it. So, when you do get a wild animal in your dream...take the time to explore the meaning, or even try to go back into the dream to get more information from these animals.

To dream that animals can talk, represents superior knowledge. Its message is often some form of wisdom. Alternatively, a talking animal denotes your potential to be all that you can be. To dream that you are saving the life of an animal, suggests that you are successfully acknowledging certain emotions and characteristics represented by the animal. The dream may also stem from feelings of inadequacy or being overwhelmed. To see lab animals in your dream, suggests that an aspect of yourself is being repressed. You feel that you are not able to fully express your desires and emotions. Alternatively, it may suggest that you need to experiment with your fears, choices, and beliefs. Try not to limit yourself.

Animals are one of the most frequent of symbols that appear in dreams. Because we see them in so many ways, such as the cunning or trickery of the fox or coyote, the strength and mystery of the elephant, the loving fierceness of a lioness with her cubs, and the almost unconditional love dogs give us, the animal in our dream can express a very wide spectrum of meaning or feelings. Refer to the specific animal in your dream. Animals, like most dreams symbols may have different meanings. Always go with the meaning you feel has the most resonance to your particular situation and most accurately reflects your association with the animal in question. Also, try to examine the animal in context with and in relation to the other symbols in your dream. If, for example you are dreaming about your dog, look to see where she is, what her environment is like, what activity she is engaged in, etc., as this will help give you a complete picture of the dream landscape.

Sources:

Dream Interpretation Made Easy
Bella Online
Dream Moods

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Tuesday Try A New Taste – Midsummer Chicken Stuffs

2009-05-05T11:04:00.001-04:00

Honey Mustard Barbecued Chicken
From Elspeth’s Pagan Cottage

Foods for Midsummer are much the same as those for Beltane: anything spicy, fiery, or grilled is good. Make a fruit flambé by pouring brandy over a fruit salad and lighting it. Honey lemonade is a wonderful midsummer drink; mix 1 ½ tbs lemon juice and 3 tbs honey per cup of warm water; chill, and serve. Feast on spicy Mexican food, barbecued chicken and pork, strawberries and watermelon, and the veggies from your garden. This simple recipe is one of our favorite summer meals. Serve with a fresh green salad and warm bread.

Ingredients:

1 cut-up chicken
1/2 cup honey
3 tbs mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup cooking sherry
2 tbs fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup olive oil

Wash and pat dry the chicken. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Brush the chicken with the mixture, cover, and refrigerate for an hour. Grill over a low flame, brushing frequently with the sauce. Try experimenting with different flavor mustards; I have a raspberry mustard that gives the chicken a wonderful flavor!

Herb Roasted Chicken
From Red Deer’s & Elenya’s

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Dry white wine
1 Lemon (juice of)
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano
4 pounds Chicken, quartered
1/2 cup Olive oil
1/2 cup Tomato sauce
1 Onion, minced
1 Green pepper, minced
1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Cumin

In a shallow dish combine wine, lemon juice, garlic, 1 /4 teaspoon oregano and pinch of salt. Add chicken, turning to coat well and marinate for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a saucepan combine remaining ingredients and 1/4 teaspoon oregano and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. Put chicken in a baking dish and top with sauce. Bake for 1-1/2 hours, or until done

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Monday Make A-Interrupted Mercury going retro Again Soon!!!!

2009-05-04T10:44:00.001-04:00

Since Mercury is fixin’ to go retro again (May 7 – Friday - fasten your seatbelts), and I have already encountered several people with computer issues – myself included : ( instead of doing the usual Monday Make A – today I am going to post some computer protection type spells today, and post Monday’s craft on Thursday This Is Your Spell -

Spell to Keep Computer Working
By Mary H

Cut out 7 stars from colored paper. Monday - white; Tuesday - red; Wednesday - green; Thursday - Purple; Friday - pink; Saturday - black; and Sunday - Orange. Chant over the stars:

"Magic stars so bright and true,
Protect my monitor and CPU
May my keyboard and mouse always work for me
By the Techno-Goddess.... so mote it be."

Place all the stars in a bag or box with sage, thyme, or rosemary. Each day of the week place the star on top of your monitor or computer that is the right color for the day. If after a week your computer still has problems, you can continue the spell for another week or two. In desperate situations, pick up the phone book and call your local computer wizard... LOL

* Computer Blessing *
by Zhahai Stewart

"Blessings on this fine machine,
May its data all be clean.
Let the files stay where they're put,
Away from disk drives keep all soot.
From its screen shall come no whines,
Let in no spikes on power lines.
As oaks were sacred to the Druids,
Let not the keyboard suffer fluids.
Disk Full shall be nor more than rarity,
The memory shall not miss its parity.
From the modem shall come wonders,
Without line noise making blunders.
May it never catch a virus,
And all its software stay desirous.
Oh let the printer never jam,
And turn my output into spam.
I ask of Eris, noble queen,
Keep Murphy far from this machine. "

Computer Possession?
Unknown author

Computer acting up and your virus scanner says your bug-free? Consider that you may have an infestation of another kind. I had this very same problem and couldn't figure out why installs were going bad with random errors and the top-of-the-line equipment was glitching as if it were 20 year old scrap. No viruses and everything hooked up properly, too. I was stumped until I came into my office in the dark one night to get something. I saw this large, amorphous black thing zoom past my face and vanish into the area surrounding the computer. It was then that I realized that we had a ghost in the machine so to speak. I thought about that with some skepticism at first. A few days later, a friend of mine mentioned the fact that the Internet, to which I am connected on a daily basis, is a very powerful source of innovative, diverse energies. Therefore, it makes the perfect feeding ground for discriminating negative spirit and curious positive spirit alike. So in order to solve all of our magazine's computer problems, my Assistant Editor and I decided to perform a banishing/protection ritual before attempting to set the system straight for the 5th time. We mixed every oil we had with protection, cleansing and/or banishing powers into one rather potent batch of blended oil (with jojoba as a base). We smudged the machine and all of its accessories and asked the Lord and Lady to aid us in clearing all negative forces from the tools we use to spread their wisdom. We also invoked the spirit of Armadillo (Protection) to guard the equipment and offered some tobacco. We used the oil to inscribe a pentacle on each component of the setup (careful to keep it away from the open vents and crevices). Next, we taped two pieces of parchment with warding sigils and a brief written spell to each side of the computer's tower (the parchment and sides of the tower were also anointed with oil pentacles). We offered some sandalwood incense for all other spirits who wished to aid us in our task. As a final precaution, we sealed all entries to the room and the machine (including the plate where the phone lines come in and the air conditioner) with a pentacle inscribed with the oil. So far, the plague of problems seems to have ceased and all systems are operational. Sure, it looks a little odd to visitors to have the runes and sigils hanging on the tower, but I think it adds a unique flair to our office.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Saturday – Starting Midsummer Stuffs :)

2009-05-02T14:19:00.001-04:00

Goddess of The Week For Midsummer: Goddesses of Beauty and Love
By Anita

Suggested Mantra: Magic Wishes

The wheel turns, and Midsummer, or Summer Solstice, celebrates the longest day of the year. The earth is juicy, rich, fertile and magic - the perfect time to empower wishes with Goddess Energy.

Suggested Affirmation:

I have a healthy life rich with high purpose
I have wealth to give others as it is given to me
At my center there is a incandescent fire
My creativity is energized
Today is my chance to be healthy
My vital energy resurfaces naturally
I embrace life in its absolute fullness

Related Essences:

Honeysuckle
Cypress
Frankincense
Lemon
Myrrh
Pine
Rose

Related Gemstones:

all green stones especially emerald and jade

Midsummer, the Summer Solstice, arrives when the earth has reached the midpoint on her journey around the sun. The earth is awash with fertility at this time, her energy is peaking as she prepares to give us away to the journey into Autumn - from this time on, the daylight hours will begin to shorten again. In the past, bonfires were leapt to encourage fertility, purification, health, and love. Goddesses of abundance and fertility, power and order, love and beauty are typically invoked to increase midsummer magic. Goddess energy celebrated at this time include Aphrodite, Freya, Hathor, Ishtar, Venus, and others.

Tonight is a magical time for wishes, especially those of the heart...traditionally it is a time to lie with your lover, or: Seeing as the earth is at her ripest and most fertile, this is a good time to conceive your divine child you have been waiting for. If you are single, it is a good time to cast a love spell. If you are broken-hearted or experiencing unrequited love, write your feelings down with red ink on white paper. Smear it with honey, fold it gently and burn it in the flames, saying:

"I give my sorrow to the flames,
The Goddess of Fire consumes my pain.
It is done."

For protection in the coming year, jump over a campfire or a candle anchored in the earth. Or, if you live near the sea or a river, bay, brook or lake, practice sand and water magic (water being the source of life). Draw a symbol in the sand describing what you hope to achieve, then let the tide carry it to the Goddess for an answer. Alternatively, float a flower with your kiss on it - traditionally a rose - into the waves to carry your wish home. Decorate your home with summertime flowers, love amulets, seashells and summer fruits. Sprinkle aromatic potpourri along window sills, and use green, blue and yellow candles as you bless each morning with:

I open my ears
That I may hear the wisdom of my ancestors.
I open my eyes
That I may see with vision and clarity.
I open my mouth
That I may speak with gentle intelligence and compassion.
I open my heart
That I may love and be loved.
I open my arms
To receive the bountiful gifts of the Lady.
Blessed be this day.

-source unknown

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Wednesday Whatever – Dream Images, Houses & Rooms

2009-04-29T10:59:00.001-04:00

A House

Dream houses are a perfect example of the way dreams speak the language of the symbol rather than the language of the literal. Unless you are involved in some form of home construction that is weighing heavily on your mind, that house that you dream about isn't really a house. Dreams about a house often refer to various aspects of the Self. The upstairs represents your conscious mind and the lower floors and cellar your hidden self.

When trying to analyze the house in your dream, consider also how the house is kept and the condition of it. Decayed dirty or crumbling buildings probably indicate that your self-image has suffered. They may indicate feelings of exhaustion or health issues which need addressing. They most certainly point to a need to pay more attention to the physical body. Houses that are falling apart may indicate emotional stress. Similarly, dilapidated houses may indicate old, outdated modes of being. If you recognize the need for a psychological spring clean then get to work straight away. Get your hair done, buy a new outfit and treat yourself to a few activities that make you feel good about yourself.

A new house may indicate moving on, of shifting ways of being. As a symbol, a new house may indicate radical transformation. However, despite the stress of change, this symbol is overwhelmingly positive. Another common dream is that of finding a new room in our current house. The rooms in the house relate to facets of your personality, and may symbolize different times. Dreams of unknown room are dreams of aspects of ourselves which are coming up from the unconscious. They can be dreams of new creativity, especially if the room is furnished. If the room is unused, this can point to an aspect of yourself which you've not recognized or aren't utilizing. Alternately, your parental/childhood home, your hometown, or a home that you previously lived in, may symbolize your childhood feelings or indicate your own desires for building a family. To dream that you cannot find your way home, indicates that you have lost faith and belief in yourself. It may also signify a major transition in your life.

Ask yourself what personal associations the buildings & rooms of your dream have for you, as they symbolize a larger aspect of your Self, and the aspects of Self which make the whole. Each room is said to symbolize a different aspect of your Self; for example:

An attic points to hidden memories or repressed thoughts that are being revealed. It also symbolize your mind, spirituality, and your spiritual development & progress. The attic is the last thing built. Consider the details of the dream and try to figure out what your unconscious is trying to tell you. Being an upper room, it indicates you have lofty aspirations that you may have much difficulty with. Fear not, you should reach your goals with persistence, after an extended period of time. It also represents secret or hidden thoughts or memories, and/or the discovery of knowledge that is special and is being unveiled. If you're playing in the attic, it may indicate a time of contemplation. Look at other symbols in the attic of your dream, and try to evaluate what they mean. To see a cluttered attic, is a sign to organize your mind and thoughts. Perhaps you need to rid yourself of the past and let go of the past emotions that are holding you back. Also pay attention to the feeling you experience in your dream...is it pensive, enlightening or what, exactly? All these things are clues for you.

A bathroom would symbolize something in your life that isn't quite working or that has served its purpose - now it's time to move on. To dream that you are in the bathroom, relates to your instinctual urges. You may be experiencing some burdens/feelings you need to "relieve yourself" of - purification and self-renewal, both emotionally and psychologically. A public restroom with no stalls, signifies your frustrations about getting enough privacy. It may also indicate that you are having difficulties letting go of old emotions. a bathroom meant for the opposite sex, then it suggests that you are overstepping your boundaries. You have crossed the line in some situation. To dream that you can not find the bathroom, signifies that you are have difficulties in releasing and expressing your emotions. A messy bathroom may suggest an area of your life that requires attention or cleansing - it is difficult to be carefree and happy when old issues keep bringing you down. The image of a bath or bathroom tends to occur particularly before decisive turning-points in the dreamer's life.

The kitchen is the heart of the house. For most families, the kitchen is a place of warmth and nourishment (emotional as well as physical). A place of transformation where you can change parts of your nature. It also links with how well you provide for yourself or neglect your body’s needs. This room symbolizes the need or act of supplying nourishment or food for the body, mind, and soul...whatever is currently "cooking" or developing in your life. It may also be symbolic of the nurturing mother or the way that you are caring for your loved ones. Alternatively the kitchen, represents a transformation. Consider the atmosphere and physical surroundings of the kitchen. If it is lavish, modern and/or attractive and well kept, it predicts good news or happy social events; if it was messy, run down or bare, it indicates that your health may be a bit under par and a medical checkup might be in order. If the food is plentiful, you have what you need. If the cupboard is bare, time to go shopping for new nourishment, and you need to figure out what is needed for that "shopping list." It may also forewarns that you will be met with some depressing news.

A dining room is similar to the kitchen, but has more to do with immediate needs for supplying & utilizing nourishment, and less with the preparation or taking stock of those needs. It represents your quest for knowledge and understanding, and is symbolic of your needs and appetites, including sexual ones. You may be reaching an important decision in your life. Soiled napkins placed on the dining table indicate that you may have some major marital or relationship problems that may be 'soiling' your home life.

To dream that you are in the living room, represents the image that you portray to others and the way which you go about your life. It is representative of your basic beliefs about yourself and who you are as well as symbolizing your daily interactions with others. Often you will have other people appearing in your dreams in this room. Remember, they represent aspects of yourself, and not themselves. Pay attention to how it is organized, furnished and how much space you have there. If the living room is crowded, it means you cannot relax and be yourself there.Do you hear the steady tick-tock of a grandfather clock as you sit in a living room? That could mean that you are comfortable with how life is going, with the things you are experiencing.

Normally, dreaming of the bedroom symbolizes pretty much everything that goes on in the bedroom: things which are private, which can mean things we want kept private, things that are done in private, that which is hidden. It may also refer to sex and sexuality. Bedrooms symbolize the unconscious mind aspect of your self - you lie in the bed you made for yourself by your past choices and actions. It can symbolize rest, dreams, and sometimes sexuality issues in your life. This room may also indicate a need to contact those inner feelings and emotions that will lead to a better understanding of who you really are.

The upstairs symbolizes your spiritual awareness aspect of self, or the Higher Self that holds all the keys or knowledge to this life's role you are acting out, and always has your higher good looked after, no matter how it might seem otherwise. To dream that you are walking up a flight of stairs, indicates that you are achieving a higher level of understanding. You are making progress into your spiritual/emotional/material journey. To dream that you are walking down a flight of stairs, suggests that you are going into your unconscious. It also refers to setbacks that you will experience in your lie

The appearance of the basement is an indication of your unconscious state of mind and level of satisfaction. It is something which is typically underground, or 'beneath the surface' - the basement is built first. In this capacity, the basement may serve as an apt symbol of the subconscious and its inner workings. It may also symbol something that's at the 'base' of things or that which is at the heart of a matter. To dream that the basement is in disarray and messy, signifies some confusion in which you need to sort out. It may also represent your perceived faults and shortcomings. This is usually the part of ourselves that makes us feel "torn" between knowing we should do one thing, and inexplicably ending up doing the opposite. Old belief patterns & fears have to be corrected, if that is the case. Tackle & overcome it, and you will feel much more peaceful about your life. Conversely, a basement can also be seen as a place of refuge or retreat.

Revisiting old houses from childhood or earlier times: This points to issues that probably are resurfacing in your current life, and need to be looked at, analyzed, and healed so you can move forward and not look back. If you find yourself repeating the same old tired mistakes, or dealing with the same old tired fears, chances are you will have this dream.

A hallway symbolizes self exploration and the beginning of a path that you are taking in life - that you have reached an area that is necessary to journey through in order to get to the other side. Corridors, hallways and passages with doors and rooms along them characterize free choices and options arranged in your own mind. It may be a narrow path that has to be traversed with care and awareness. If you have that "closed in, claustrophobic feeling" then you need to expand your awareness/ open your mind to more possibilities for completing this phase of your journey. Hallways signal spiritual enlightenment, emotional growth physical prowess, new opportunities and mental passages in your life. It may also represent your ability to share and get along with others. Consider the activity that is taking place in the hall and the people that were there.

A porch represents your personality, your social self, your facade and how you portray yourself to others. Consider the condition and size of the porch. In particular to dream of an enclosed porch, suggests of your tendency to distance yourself from others and your desires for privacy. To dream of an opened porch, signifies your outgoing nature and welcoming attitude. It could also symbolize a metaphor of being undecided, such as the saying, "I'm still on the porch on that decision." It could be symbolic of additional areas of yourself, which can be seen by your neighbors (other people) but perhaps not yourself..? Porches are indicative of your being contemplative, or uncommitted or withdrawn. Occasionally, it can be something entirely different such as being on the threshold of a new sense or an extension of self.

To see a roof in your dream, symbolizes a barrier between two states of consciousness. It represents a protection of your consciousness, mentality, and beliefs. The dream is an overview of how you see yourself and who you think you are. A roof is the last part finished when a house is built, so it may denote you need to look at a “last step” or “finishing touch,” or that you are approaching this phase in something. To dream that you are on a roof, symbolizes boundless success. If you fall off the roof, then it suggests that you do not have a firm grip and solid foundation on your advanced position. If you are re-roofing in your dream, then it suggests that you need to raise your goals. You need to set your sights higher. To dream that the roof is leaking, indicates new information may be trying to get into your conscious awareness, causing distractions and annoyances. It may also indicate that new information will slowly dawn on you. Something is finally getting through to you. Alternatively, perhaps someone is imposing and intruding their thoughts and opinions on you. These could be unwanted influences in your life. A hole in the roof would suggest something that has attacked your sense of security. To dream that the roof is falling in, indicates that you high ideals are crashing down on you. Perhaps you are unable to live up to your own high expectations. To hear hail beating on your roof or windows shows you will be having some trying times very soon. To see icicles forming is an ill omen and portends that you have troubles or problems that will shortly manifest themselves. Those icicles seen to be melting off the roof of your home means your marital problems will end.

Sources:

Mimi.hu
Dream Moods
Bella Online
Mystical Blaze
Brilliant Dreams

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Tuesday Try A New Taste - Dandelions

2009-04-28T11:29:00.002-04:00

Dandelions – they’re everywhere these days! Largely considered a weed by homeowners, this much maligned plant has remarkable nutritional value and is safe for consumption from root to flower. Dandelions can be gathered and cooked like any other green, such as turnip for a tasty, healthy addition to meals. Medicinally effective both internally and externally for a variety of ailments. Dandelions can be used for salads, wine, teas, as a remedy for many things. They are associated with divination, wishes, and calling spirits. A tea of the roots was drunk for heartburn by the Pillager Ojibwas. Mohegans drank a tea of the leaves for a tonic. Magically, they can be sewn tightly in a red flannel bag and worn around the neck to make wishes come true.

Pretty good for a “damned ole weed,” huh..? :) For today’s Try A New Taste, I present a couple of recipes made using dandelions…

Dandelion Salad
Found at Mountain Breeze

Ingredients:

4 c chopped dandelion leaves
3 Strips of bacon
3 Eggs, hard boiled

Dressing:

2 Tbsp Sugar
1½ Tbsp Flour
1 Egg
1 tsp Salt
1/4 c Vinegar
2 c Water

Wash, drain, and cut up tender dandelion leaves. Brown bacon; remove drippings and crumble

For dressing, mix together flour and salt. Add the egg, vinegar & water, stirring until blended. Add to the bacon drippings in the pan and cook until thickened. Cool slightly and pour over the dandelion leaves, mixing lightly. Garnish with hard-boiled eggs & bacon pieces. Serve immediately.

Dandelion Jelly
Found at Mountain Breeze

Ingredients:

1 qt dandelion flowers
1 qt water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 box Sure-Jell
4½ c. sugar

Cook the flowers & water together for three minutes, then strain & put the juice aside. Follow the directions on the Sure-Jell box, using the dandelion water you had put aside. Bring to a boil then add 4½ cups sugar & lemon-juice.

Dandelion Greens with Sausage
Found at Mountain Breeze

Ingredients:

1 gal dandelions greens
1 lb smoked sausage
3 small potatoes, cut & diced
2 Tbsp rice
4 Tbsp vinegar
1 to 1½ qt water
1 tsp salt

Wash & cut the dandelion greens and put in the bottom of a medium sized pot. Cut the sausage into pieces and add. Put more dandelion greens on top of the sausage, then put the potatoes on top of this layer of greens. Sprinkle rice over the potatoes. Boil 40 min* adding vinegar before serving.

*if starts to boil dry, add more water

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Monday Make A – May Pole &/or Mosaic Flower Pot

2009-04-27T11:07:00.001-04:00

Both of these were found on The Goddess Within – A Pagan Place For Women

Make Your Own May Pole

You can make your own small tabletop version of the May Pole, this apparently ancient pagan agricultural symbol around which much festivity and dancing ensues. Most agricultural cultures seem to have similar institutions.

Needed:

Paper Towel Roll
Paint
Cardboard
Ribbon or streamers
Tape
Scissors
Flowers (optional)

Paint the paper towel roll a bright color and let it dry. Tape one end of the painted roll onto a small piece of cardboard so it stands up straight. Wrap colorful ribbon around the roll and secure with tape. Cut lengths of ribbon or streamer to hang on the outside of your May Pole. The ribbon pieces should be just a little longer than the roll. Going around the roll, tape one end of each ribbon length to the inside top edge of the roll. If you like, decorate the top of your May Pole with flowers.

Hand Mosaiced Flower Pots

You will need...

mosaic tiles purchased from hobby store OR
colorful plates carefully broken into mosaic-sized pieces
4 oz. bottle of tile Adhesive (purchased from hobby store)
8 oz. jar premixed grout (purchased from hobby store)
Tile nippers (purchased from hobby store)
Plastic Grout Spreading Tool (purchased from hobby store)
Grout Sponge (purchased from hobby store)

Directions:
Dab a little glue on each of the four corners of each tile and carefully place tile on rim of flowerpot. Center the tile along the rim, a little below the top edge. Continue gluing down the tiles until the rim is covered. The last tile may need to be nipped to fit. Continue gluing tiles onto the base of the pot so that they fit neatly together and the colors are evenly distributed. Continue working until the whole pot is covered in an attractive "crazy quilt" design. While the adhesive is still wet, tiles can be shifted with a craft stick until you are satisfied with the positioning. The adhesive will begin to dry within 5 to 7 minutes. Do not attempt to reposition the tile after the adhesive begins to set. The adhesive dries clear and can be peeled off, so don't worry if you get a little on the visible side of the tile. Make sure to keep your hands clean and free of adhesive while applying tile. Wash hands as needed. Allow the tiles to dry for at least 12 hours (overnight is better).

Grouting
Fill a container with water and have handy plenty of paper towels. Run strips of masking tape along the inner sides of the pot to keep off the grout. Using a plastic Grout Spreader Tool, scoop out grout and spread it over the tiles and into the 'crevices' between the tiles. Work the grout into the crevices until it becomes smooth and level with the tile surface. The best way to do this is by spreading the grout in one direction and then spreading it in the opposite direction. When you have finished applying grout, wait about 15 minutes for it to harden slightly. Dampen Grout Sponge with cool water and squeeze it. The sponge should be damp, but not soaking wet. Gently wipe the dampened sponge across the tile surface, removing excess grout from all surfaces. Wash out the sponge periodically while cleaning tile, as it really soaks up the grout. Allow to dry overnight. Gently loosen any remaining excess grout from tile with a wooden craft stick. Gently polish tiles with a paper towel or cloth. For extra shiny tiles, polish with a small amount of vegetable or olive oil. Give your pot as a gift or plant in it yourself!

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Friday Form A Circle – Beltane Fertility Ritual To Have a Child

2009-04-24T10:40:00.001-04:00

Fertility A Child Born To Us
This ritual requires both parents participation

Materials Needed:

a small apple shaped bowl
A starfish
Soil from Mother Earth
Milk (preferably fresh, unprocessed.. but store bought will do if you can't obtain fresh milk)
A seed (any kind)
Wooden Matches
A pink candle if you wish for a girl, a light blue candle if you wish for a boy

Cast your circle and invite Goddess to join you.
The woman say aloud: (add each thing to the apple as you speak it)

To the image of the sacred apple I add the following:
A starfish from the waters of life
Soil from Mother Earth
Milk to symbolize the nectar of a mother's breast
A seed for growth, new life and fertility
(light a match and touch it to the contents)
A flame for the fire that burns within and the spark of creation

Place the pink/blue candle in your cauldron, as you light it say aloud:

Within my cauldron I light this (pink/blue) candle
To represent the Maiden, the Mother, the Crone
And the (daughter/son) of my heart.
Goddess, I ask of thee
Grant to us fertility
Sperm join egg and blessed it be
(man's name)'s babe to be born from me
With harm to none
New love to many
So mote it be

Allow the candle to burn, gaze into the flame and visualize yourself holding your child in your arms as long as possible. If the candle goes out, the man should relight it, if not, allow it to continue burning on its own. When you are ready, have the man take the apple bowl & matches in his hands. Open a doorway in your circle and proceed outside. Both the man and woman should kneel in a private place on the property as the woman digs a small hole into the ground. The man then says aloud: (as he places the contents of the apple into the hole)

Goddess please join us here in this place
From the image of the sacred apple,
I place the following within Mother Earth:
A starfish from the waters of life
Soil returning to Mother Earth
Milk to symbolize the nectar of a mother's breast – May it also feed the land
A seed for growth, new life and fertility
(he lights a match and places it in the hole)
A flame for the fire that burns within and the spark of creation
Within the cauldron burns this (pink/blue) candle
To represent the Maiden, the Mother, the Crone and the (daughter/son) of my heart.
Goddess, I ask of thee
Grant to us fertility
Sperm join egg and blessed it be
(woman's name)'s babe to be fathered by me
With harm to none
New love to many So mote it be

(the man then replaces the removed soil to refill the hole)

He should now thank Goddess. Return to your circle, both of you again giving thanks to the Goddess. Allow the candle to burn out. Close the circle and make love.

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from `this blog.

Thursday This is Your Spell – Has Been Interrupted for Beltane Associations

2009-04-23T11:08:00.001-04:00

Beltane Associations
Unknown source

Herbs: Honeysuckle, St. John's Wort, Hawthorn, All flowers
Incense: Frankincense, Lilac, Rose
Colors: Green, Soft pink, Blue and Yellow
Decorations: Maypole, Strings of beads or flowers, Ribbons, Spring flowers
Foods: Dairy, Oatmeal Cakes, Cherries, Strawberries, Wine Punches, Green Salads

Tools and Ritual Components:

Incense – Frankincense, Rose and Bluebells make a lovely scent to appease the Fey and bring trust and purification to your gathering.
Ritual Soap - Thyme and Rose for balance and beauty, and to tempt the faerie folk into joining your celebration.
Anointing Oil - Lily of the Valley, a traditional May Day flower.
Ritual Cup - Woodruff Wine to banish negativity, or Red Clover Tea, a Victorian favorite for spring.
Altar Decorations - Ivy, Rose, and Hawthorn adorn the altar, while fresh Marigold petals form the outer circle. Garnet is a symbol of union and may be placed central to the altar for fidelity, and friendship.
Clothing - Crown yourself with a wreath of Ivy. Wear bright, lively colors, especially the green of the forest to honor life and vitality.
Cakes - By May, strawberries have come into season. Why not enjoy them with Victorian popovers and a little cream? It's one way of thanking the Earth for her bounty. Candied Violets are also a traditional Victorian treat for this holiday.

* Nine Woods Used in The Belfire *

Birch - (Attributes: Protection of children, purification, creativity) Add to the fire to represent the Goddess or female principle.
Oak - (Attributes: All positive purposes, magic for men, fidelity) Add to the fire symbolizing the God or male principle.
Rowan, or mountain ash - (Attributes: Divination, healing, astral work, protection) Add to the fire as the Tree of Life. .
Willow - (Attributes: - Romantic love, healing, protection, fertility, magic for women) Sacred to Hecate, add willow to the fire as a celebration of death.
Hawthorn - (Attributes: Fertility, peace, prosperity, binding) As Tree of Purification and a Sacred faeries tree, add hawthorn to the Belfire for purity.
Hazel - (Attributes: Manifestation, spirit contact, protection, fertility) As Tree of wisdom, add hazel to the fire to gain wisdom.
Apple - (Attributes: Fertility. Tree of love) Add apple wood to the fire for the magic of love.
Vine - (Attributes: Faerie work, Joy, Exhilaration, Wrath, Rebirth) This is the Tree of joy so add vine to the fire for joy.
Fir - (Attributes: Strength, life and immortality, rejuvenation) As the Tree of Immortality, add fir to your Beltane fire for rebirth.

Sources:

A Victorian Grimoire by Patricia Telesco

Celtic Myth and Magick by Edain McCoy (link to the book online)

Disclaimer: No one involved in this blog or its contents may be held responsible for any adverse reactions arising from following any of the instructions/recipes on this list. It is the reader's personal responsibility to exercise all precautions and use his or her own discretion if following any instructions or advice from this blog.