Generally when Hubby and I do our House Blessing we dedicate an entire day and night to the ritual of the Blessing. We do the Blessing on the November1. starting first thing in the morning, we clean the house from top to bottom, making especially sure that we have checked for any areas that may be holding stagnant energy. Closets are good hiding places for stagnant energy, so this is a good time to get rid of old clothes and air out blankets. We start our ritual at sundown. Our Cakes and Ale during this ritual of house blessing is a meal. We invite the three Goddesses of Hearth and Home to our meal, Brighid, Vesta and Hestia. We ask them to look after us and our home and Family. We invite the God Cernunnos to our meal as well, he brings passion and enthusiasm to our home and family. The ritual usually lasts all night and we set out a new welcome mat in the morning. I have included two recipes that we enjoy during our House Blessing, hope you enjoy them too!!
40 Cloves and a Chicken
* 1 whole chicken (broiler/fryer) cut into 8 pieces
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 10 sprigs fresh thyme
* 40 peeled cloves garlic
* Salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with a 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide fry pan or skillet over high heat. Remove from heat, add oil, thyme, and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove chicken from the oven, let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, carve, and serve.
Crock Pot Mud Cake
RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons butter
2 ounces semisweet chocolate (or 1/3 cup chocolate chips)
1 cup sugar (2/3 cup & 1/3 cup, added separately)
3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup brown sugar
11/2 cups hot water
Whipped cream or ice cream
1. Coat the inside of a 2 1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. (Note: the cake's cooking time and final appearance will vary depending on your crock's size.)
2. Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water and mix well. 3. Whisk in the 2/3 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa, vanilla extract, salt, milk, and egg yolk. Add the flour mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed.
4. Pour the batter into the slow cooker and spread it evenly. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining sugar, cocoa, and hot water until the sugar is dissolved.
5. Pour the mixture over the batter in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the crock pot.
6. Even when done, the cake will be very moist and floating on a layer of molten chocolate, but you'll know it's ready when nearly all of the cake is set and the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pot. (As you check, try not to let the condensed steam from the lid drip onto the cake.)
7. When it's done, turn off the power and remove the lid. Let it cool for 25 minutes, then serve it in bowls topped with whipped cream or ice cream. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Ashlee side note: This stuff is seriously to die for. You can use milk chocolate or even dark chocolate if you prefer the flavor over semi sweet. And, if you've got a bigger crock pot, this recipe can be doubled. And...not peeking at this until the time is over. Even if the smells are really tempting. It takes about 20 minutes for a slow cooker to regain the lost heat, so it may not cook as it should. :0)
Friday, October 29, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
New Year House Blessing
House Cleansing
This is the routine that I have been using for a while and it seems to be quite effective. When I moved in with my husband we needed to get rid of a lot of old energy. It was pretty intense. We generally repeat this every year during the Full Moon closest to Halloween. Halloween is the time when the veils between the worlds are considered to be thinnest. It is a time of retrospection before entering the "dark" of the year. In pre-Christian cultures it was considered "New Year's Eve". The crops were all gathered in and whatever food you had was going to have to last until the next harvest. It was also a time to honor and remember ancestors and to thank them for their contributions to your life. New Year's Day was the Winter Solstice, when the days start getting longer again and we finally have hope of Spring. So, Halloween or Samhain as we call it was a very important and major festival, and the Full Moon associated with it is just as important.
What you need: A candle in your choice of color. You are going to let it burn out. I usually use a 7 day candle and let it burn out. There is always someone here since we have the store, but pick whatever size would be appropriate for your life-style.
Rosemary oil, a sage wand or sage incense, a lavender wand or lavender incense, a white candle ( a tea light is fine)
First. Go into the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home, it is where meals are prepared and the family is nourished. This is always your starting place and try to move in a clockwise direction through the house.. Light a candle in any color you are drawn to. I use red, to honor the Goddesses Brigid, Vesta and Hestia. These are Goddesses of Hearth and Home in pre-Christian cultures. Place the candle on the stove (our modern-day hearth) When you light the candle, invite your Ancestors to help you to cleanse your home and to help you remove all negative energy from your family and from your home. If you are so inclined, you can also ask the 3 Goddesses to help you as well.
Next. Open the front and back doors (negative energy needs a way to get out) Sweep, vacuum, dust, wipe down everything. Use a cleansing solution of your choice, but add a couple of drops of Rosemary essential oil. Rosemary is used as an energy booster and a spiritual cleansing will always benefit from the addition of Rosemary Oil. Make sure to vacuum the tops of the closets and all of the corners, even if your house is spotless. You're not really looking for dust, you're trying to stir up any dead energy areas and any places that bad energy can hide. Don't forget attics and basements!
Next. Light a white candle (a tea light is perfect). Take the candle and go to every room. Hold the candle so that it lights every corner. Go into the closets and light every corner there too. The top of the shelves and the bottom on the floor and every where in between. Every inch of every room. Repeat something to the effect "I use this candle to light every corner of every place where negative energy can hide. Negative energy is exposed by this light and can no longer remain hidden"
After you have lit every corner, go back into the kitchen, leave the candle on the stove and let it burn out by itself. It will continue to expose the negative energy for as long as it burns.
Now light the sage. A sage wand feels more effective to me but many people just use incense. Starting in the kitchen again. Use a sweeping motion as you go back through the entire house, closets and all just like you did with the candle. Repeat something to the effect "Sage is cleansing. With this sage I cleanse this home and this family of all negative energy. Negative energy doses not survive in the presence of sage"
When you are finished, take the sage back to the kitchen and leave it in a heat proof dish. It will go out on it's on. It may be helpful, if you're using a sage wand to carry it with you to catch ashes as you go. You could just pick up a new ashtray at the dollar store to use for this. I usually carry a lighter with me in case the sage goes out, I can relight it quickly.
The Lavender is next. Lavender is used to draw in positive energy. Whenever you remove anything you create a void. Nature abhors a vacuum so we need to fill the vacuum with positive energy in order to prevent the negative energy from sneaking back in. Do the same with the lavender as you have done with the candle and the sage. Use a sweeping motion just like you did with the sage. Repeat something to the effect "Lavender is an herb of peace. I invite positive energy into this home and into the lives of this family."
Go back into the kitchen after you have finished. Thank the Ancestors and the Goddesses, if you called them. Ask them to continue to protect you, your home and your family. Let the candle burn out by itself. If you goes out before it runs out of wax, that's fine. Just don't put it out yourself. We like to think that the Goddesses and Ancestors have finished their work. Of course, it wouldn't be a good time to make a turkey dinner. haha!
After the Ancestor candle burns out, your home should be free of negative energy, but sometimes these energies are so very embedded into the fabric of our homes that it could be possible that it may need to be done more than once. In which case, there is no harm in doing another cleansing if you feel it necessary.
Last of all. We buy a new welcome mat each year, since they start looking bad any way by then. And since the house is cleansed it is now ready to accept guests, so we end this Cleansing by opening the door and putting out the welcome mat.
This is the routine that I have been using for a while and it seems to be quite effective. When I moved in with my husband we needed to get rid of a lot of old energy. It was pretty intense. We generally repeat this every year during the Full Moon closest to Halloween. Halloween is the time when the veils between the worlds are considered to be thinnest. It is a time of retrospection before entering the "dark" of the year. In pre-Christian cultures it was considered "New Year's Eve". The crops were all gathered in and whatever food you had was going to have to last until the next harvest. It was also a time to honor and remember ancestors and to thank them for their contributions to your life. New Year's Day was the Winter Solstice, when the days start getting longer again and we finally have hope of Spring. So, Halloween or Samhain as we call it was a very important and major festival, and the Full Moon associated with it is just as important.
What you need: A candle in your choice of color. You are going to let it burn out. I usually use a 7 day candle and let it burn out. There is always someone here since we have the store, but pick whatever size would be appropriate for your life-style.
Rosemary oil, a sage wand or sage incense, a lavender wand or lavender incense, a white candle ( a tea light is fine)
First. Go into the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home, it is where meals are prepared and the family is nourished. This is always your starting place and try to move in a clockwise direction through the house.. Light a candle in any color you are drawn to. I use red, to honor the Goddesses Brigid, Vesta and Hestia. These are Goddesses of Hearth and Home in pre-Christian cultures. Place the candle on the stove (our modern-day hearth) When you light the candle, invite your Ancestors to help you to cleanse your home and to help you remove all negative energy from your family and from your home. If you are so inclined, you can also ask the 3 Goddesses to help you as well.
Next. Open the front and back doors (negative energy needs a way to get out) Sweep, vacuum, dust, wipe down everything. Use a cleansing solution of your choice, but add a couple of drops of Rosemary essential oil. Rosemary is used as an energy booster and a spiritual cleansing will always benefit from the addition of Rosemary Oil. Make sure to vacuum the tops of the closets and all of the corners, even if your house is spotless. You're not really looking for dust, you're trying to stir up any dead energy areas and any places that bad energy can hide. Don't forget attics and basements!
Next. Light a white candle (a tea light is perfect). Take the candle and go to every room. Hold the candle so that it lights every corner. Go into the closets and light every corner there too. The top of the shelves and the bottom on the floor and every where in between. Every inch of every room. Repeat something to the effect "I use this candle to light every corner of every place where negative energy can hide. Negative energy is exposed by this light and can no longer remain hidden"
After you have lit every corner, go back into the kitchen, leave the candle on the stove and let it burn out by itself. It will continue to expose the negative energy for as long as it burns.
Now light the sage. A sage wand feels more effective to me but many people just use incense. Starting in the kitchen again. Use a sweeping motion as you go back through the entire house, closets and all just like you did with the candle. Repeat something to the effect "Sage is cleansing. With this sage I cleanse this home and this family of all negative energy. Negative energy doses not survive in the presence of sage"
When you are finished, take the sage back to the kitchen and leave it in a heat proof dish. It will go out on it's on. It may be helpful, if you're using a sage wand to carry it with you to catch ashes as you go. You could just pick up a new ashtray at the dollar store to use for this. I usually carry a lighter with me in case the sage goes out, I can relight it quickly.
The Lavender is next. Lavender is used to draw in positive energy. Whenever you remove anything you create a void. Nature abhors a vacuum so we need to fill the vacuum with positive energy in order to prevent the negative energy from sneaking back in. Do the same with the lavender as you have done with the candle and the sage. Use a sweeping motion just like you did with the sage. Repeat something to the effect "Lavender is an herb of peace. I invite positive energy into this home and into the lives of this family."
Go back into the kitchen after you have finished. Thank the Ancestors and the Goddesses, if you called them. Ask them to continue to protect you, your home and your family. Let the candle burn out by itself. If you goes out before it runs out of wax, that's fine. Just don't put it out yourself. We like to think that the Goddesses and Ancestors have finished their work. Of course, it wouldn't be a good time to make a turkey dinner. haha!
After the Ancestor candle burns out, your home should be free of negative energy, but sometimes these energies are so very embedded into the fabric of our homes that it could be possible that it may need to be done more than once. In which case, there is no harm in doing another cleansing if you feel it necessary.
Last of all. We buy a new welcome mat each year, since they start looking bad any way by then. And since the house is cleansed it is now ready to accept guests, so we end this Cleansing by opening the door and putting out the welcome mat.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Countdown to Samhain
Over the next month I'm going to try to post a few different things that we do during our Samhain celebration. Our Samhain is Halloween in the secular world. Samhain, pronounced sow-in or sow-en, means "end of summer"and is Irish-Gaelic for the month of November. November was the official start of the winter season according to the old Celtic calendar. It is the time when the veils between the worlds are thin. It is a time of retrospection before entering the "dark" of the year. In pre-Christian cultures it was considered "New Year's Eve". The crops were all gathered in and whatever food you had was going to have to last until the next harvest. It was also a time to honor and remember ancestors and to thank them for their contributions to your life. New Year's Day was the Winter Solstice, when the days start getting longer again and we finally have hope of Spring. But the time is between is the dark time. The days are getting shorter and shorter. People didn't venture out as much and there were plenty of preparations to be made before the weather turned cold.
Samhain is a time of heightened magic abilities and opportunities for introspection. This is also the time when we look at our lives and decide what things need to change in order to have a productive and happy new year.
During this time of year Hubby and I do a few different things that help us prepare for the winter and that time when we're stuck in the house. We're both outdoors/nature people so it is really important to us that we make our home as comfortable as possible to get us through the winter.
The very first thing we do, and tomorrow in fact, is to clean out the craft room and turn it into a greenhouse. All of our temperature sensitive plants need to come in this weekend. I've lost count of how many thee are but the craft room is out of service now until Spring! Before we even start bringing the plants in they have to be checked for bugs and bug nests, especially with the stink bug problem we're having this year... then of course there are the usual spiders and box elder bugs! Some of the plants have to come into the store, there a few that prefer the light in the store to the light in the house.
I've already started decorating with fall leaves, pumpkins, gourds and my collection of witches, scarecrows and crows. We've scrubbed the house and cleaned off the altars and redone them. We shined up the picture frames of loved ones who have passed over, checking for structural damage to the frames. We want everything to be in order prior to the House Blessing we'll be doing on Samhain. We have a broom with a black pointy witch hat and a scarf that sits beside the door during the season to keep unwanted visitors out. We have a scarecrow who guards the Meditation Garden and one to guard the vegetable gardens. We also have a mini scarecrow hung on the door to encourage prosperity. We'll decorate the balcony on the front of the house this weekend as well. I still need to get mums, indian corn, corn stocks, hay bales and such to finish decorating the porch and yard. Guess I need to get back to it! So much to do!!
Samhain is a time of heightened magic abilities and opportunities for introspection. This is also the time when we look at our lives and decide what things need to change in order to have a productive and happy new year.
During this time of year Hubby and I do a few different things that help us prepare for the winter and that time when we're stuck in the house. We're both outdoors/nature people so it is really important to us that we make our home as comfortable as possible to get us through the winter.
The very first thing we do, and tomorrow in fact, is to clean out the craft room and turn it into a greenhouse. All of our temperature sensitive plants need to come in this weekend. I've lost count of how many thee are but the craft room is out of service now until Spring! Before we even start bringing the plants in they have to be checked for bugs and bug nests, especially with the stink bug problem we're having this year... then of course there are the usual spiders and box elder bugs! Some of the plants have to come into the store, there a few that prefer the light in the store to the light in the house.
I've already started decorating with fall leaves, pumpkins, gourds and my collection of witches, scarecrows and crows. We've scrubbed the house and cleaned off the altars and redone them. We shined up the picture frames of loved ones who have passed over, checking for structural damage to the frames. We want everything to be in order prior to the House Blessing we'll be doing on Samhain. We have a broom with a black pointy witch hat and a scarf that sits beside the door during the season to keep unwanted visitors out. We have a scarecrow who guards the Meditation Garden and one to guard the vegetable gardens. We also have a mini scarecrow hung on the door to encourage prosperity. We'll decorate the balcony on the front of the house this weekend as well. I still need to get mums, indian corn, corn stocks, hay bales and such to finish decorating the porch and yard. Guess I need to get back to it! So much to do!!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Scattered Thoughts
We bought a new computer. My computer and then hubby downloaded a virus into his computer. We haven't gotten the other computer fixed yet so we're back to sharing a computer. *sigh* So, that's the reason the blogs don't get updated as often as I'd like. Of course I have plenty to say, I am female after all!
It's been a great summer so far. We had our biggest group ever for Beltane and the ritual was wonderful. The fellowship was even better! Our congregation is ever growing slowly. Of course, we understand that everyone is busy with work and families. Spiritual fellowship isn't as important as it used to be when I was a kid.
We've started a SpiralScouts group with the Sanctuary as sponsor. So far, we have 2 Fireflies and 1 Spiral Scout in the group. Being at this end of the county seems to restrict the number of people we draw to our events sometimes. And have you noticed how busy kids are?? Soccer, school, play dates, homework, dance, I could go on, you get the idea!
We've finally gotten the pool to clear, the algae was winning for a while, but it looks like tomorrow afternoon I will be able to try out the new float I bought and start swimming every day again!
We're dieting. I'm having trouble understanding some of the recommendations in these (millions) of diet plans. For example: eat more... eat this miracle food... keep your calories up... don't miss a meal... Isn't that what got me in trouble in the first place? And since when is anorexia a disease of obesity? I'm a Certified Sports Nutritionist and a retired Body Builder, so I certainly understand the nutritional aspects of dieting! Where in all of these diets does it say,"get up off your butt and go DO something"?
Next up, Litha or Summer Solstice, one of my favorites! I'm addicted to summer, i suppose. I can't think of enough reasons to stay in the house. The gardens look great, the inside... well we'll get to that one day when it's raining! haha. We have a party planned for the Solstice. A pot luck- pool party! I'm so excited, we've been planning to have a pool party since we got married, and we're finally going to have one. The invitations were sent out through facebook. (Isn't everything through facebook any more?)
I worked last night and woke up tho the smell of sunshine. Yes, I really can smell sunshine! Started a load of wash before heading out to the hammock to finish my nap and realized there was a puddle on the carpet in the Art room. The puddle is Way to big to blame the dog (and besides, he was in the bedroom with me). It seems there is something wrong with the Hot Water Heater. Hubby is in working on it now, while I watch the store. I think I'm really glad I've only got one more night this week....
Maybe I've finally gotten everything caught up to date now...
It's been a great summer so far. We had our biggest group ever for Beltane and the ritual was wonderful. The fellowship was even better! Our congregation is ever growing slowly. Of course, we understand that everyone is busy with work and families. Spiritual fellowship isn't as important as it used to be when I was a kid.
We've started a SpiralScouts group with the Sanctuary as sponsor. So far, we have 2 Fireflies and 1 Spiral Scout in the group. Being at this end of the county seems to restrict the number of people we draw to our events sometimes. And have you noticed how busy kids are?? Soccer, school, play dates, homework, dance, I could go on, you get the idea!
We've finally gotten the pool to clear, the algae was winning for a while, but it looks like tomorrow afternoon I will be able to try out the new float I bought and start swimming every day again!
We're dieting. I'm having trouble understanding some of the recommendations in these (millions) of diet plans. For example: eat more... eat this miracle food... keep your calories up... don't miss a meal... Isn't that what got me in trouble in the first place? And since when is anorexia a disease of obesity? I'm a Certified Sports Nutritionist and a retired Body Builder, so I certainly understand the nutritional aspects of dieting! Where in all of these diets does it say,"get up off your butt and go DO something"?
Next up, Litha or Summer Solstice, one of my favorites! I'm addicted to summer, i suppose. I can't think of enough reasons to stay in the house. The gardens look great, the inside... well we'll get to that one day when it's raining! haha. We have a party planned for the Solstice. A pot luck- pool party! I'm so excited, we've been planning to have a pool party since we got married, and we're finally going to have one. The invitations were sent out through facebook. (Isn't everything through facebook any more?)
I worked last night and woke up tho the smell of sunshine. Yes, I really can smell sunshine! Started a load of wash before heading out to the hammock to finish my nap and realized there was a puddle on the carpet in the Art room. The puddle is Way to big to blame the dog (and besides, he was in the bedroom with me). It seems there is something wrong with the Hot Water Heater. Hubby is in working on it now, while I watch the store. I think I'm really glad I've only got one more night this week....
Maybe I've finally gotten everything caught up to date now...
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Green Living in the Real World
We're in the process of closing some of our web sites and consolidating our links, and in honor of Earth week I thought I'd re-post some of the Green Living articles here. Enjoy!
An Earth Day Challenge
I am an old hippie and a life time pagan (with brief periods of adulthood!). I was raised in Southern NJ and had no idea that the rest of the country was not as pro active as we were in the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle). This Challenge is and invitation to find ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. It will run for as long as it takes to get everyone into a mind-set of environmental activism.
This is the Challenge:
We make a lot of routine purchases all of which cost of extra money. These are marketed for the convenience. Many of them we've grow up with, but have you ever stopped to consider the fact that before these items were mass produced and mass marketed, our grandparents did just fine without them?
Re-evaluate all of your routine purchases of disposable products (this is harder than it sounds!). Which of these items really need to be disposable and which can you substitute for a reusable?
How many of your routine purchases include more packaging than product? Can you buy that item in bulk and reduce the amount of waste? Can you reuse the packaging, such as butter containers?
Do you compost organic waste? This is much more efficient and cheaper than chemical based fertilizers, and it's free!
Have you considered a rain barrel? Recycled rain water is much better for your plants than the chemical laden water provided by your municipality, and this is also free!
Do you donate items that you no longer need rather than send them to the landfill?
Going Green
I thought I'd start a list of the things we've changed in our lives in order to cut down on the amount of trash going into the landfills and save money at the same time. Maybe you can add to this list. I'm certain that there are still many things I haven't thought of that can be added!
Cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.
Rags instead of paper towels.
Hankies instead of tissues (except when there is a respiratory infection)
Bread wrappers and other "clean" plastic bags instead of "zip lock"
Butter and plastic ice cream containers instead of store bought plastic containers.
No disposable plates, cups, forks, etc.
Reusable cloth shopping bags, even Walmart has these now but you'll have to look around to find them.
Aluminum foil , which can reused and recycled, instead of plastic wrap.
We buy our drinking water from a local spring for 20c a gallon and refill travel mugs, instead of buying bottled water.
Reusable coffee filter screen instead of paper coffee filters.
We also compost all of our organic waste and use it on the garden.
We have a rain barrel and water the garden and indoor plants from that.
We freeze leftovers and reheat them at a later time instead of buying "microwave meals"
We bring our own place settings to pot luck dinners, complete with cloth napkin!
Also. They now make form fitted cloth baby diapers. These are also water proof and very cute. A great option instead of disposable diapers that will be in the landfill for 500 years!
Six Principles for Green Living
by Dr J Mercola www.mercola.com
Living by “green” principles can be extremely satisfying, but how do you do it? Surely, it’s not by purchasing more “green” products, because buying and using more “things” is all part of the problem.
1. Strive for Simplicity: More stuff means more complexity; more upkeep, more keeping track, more things to do. In global terms, it means more wasted resources.
2. Fairness: Much of our consumption-driven market is based on unfairness. If everyone along the chain, from a Bolivian granny making hand-woven grocery bags to the Wal-Mart worker, actually were paid what you’d expect, that hand-woven grocery bag would be out of most people’s price range.
3. Community: If you’ve ever had the pleasure of attending a local farmer’s market, you’ve experienced something few of us do these days: an encounter with a part of your community, an actual living and breathing person, who made that which you’re about to buy.
4. Sustainability: A system is sustainable when the negative outputs of that system are accommodated and turned into positive outputs. However, most of our global production is not sustainable.
5. Planning: Planning means looking ahead toward a desired outcome. It also means thinking a little bit about the community that isn’t here yet and dealing fairly with them. The decisions we make now will create the conditions our grandchildren and their grandchildren will have to deal with.
6. Transparency: Planning, community, fairness, and ultimately sustainability require transparency, but most decisions these days are made behind closed doors
The Hemp Revolution
Does it make sense to ban a crop in the United States that can have a large, positive economic and environmental impact and is completely harmless? That is exactly the position of the hemp advocates.
Because hemp is a relative of marijuana it is lumped by law into the illegal drug category. It is against the law to grow it, although some products made from it can be imported from other countries. And most importantly, industrial hemp is not marijuana. It contains just 0.3 to 1.5 percent of THC, the chemical that gives marijuana its drug-like effects. By comparison, marijuana contains 5 percent to 10 percent THC. Smoking hemp is not going to make anyone high.
But what are some of the benefits of this harmless crop?
*For starters, Hemp can make take-out containers, and save our landfills from styrofoam.
* The fiber from the hemp plant possesses strength and durability, resists rotting and is easier to bleach than wood pulp, which means whiter paper at lower cost. That would be a boon to the book-publishing industry, to cite one example.
* Hemp oil was used to lubricate the engines of Navy fighter planes in World War II, and hemp activist Woody Harelson used it to power a diesel vehicle to demonstrate the benefits of it. It can also be fermented into an alcohol-based fuel, offering a potent and truly renewable energy source.
* Hemp won't put an end to the logging industry, but it would spare some forests from being cut down for paper products.
* Unlike trees, which take years to grow to the point at which they can be harvested, hemp plants can reach a harvest-able state within four months. For paper manufacturers and users it could provide a cheaper source of pulp than trees, which take too long to renew.
Happy Earth Day!!
An Earth Day Challenge
I am an old hippie and a life time pagan (with brief periods of adulthood!). I was raised in Southern NJ and had no idea that the rest of the country was not as pro active as we were in the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle). This Challenge is and invitation to find ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. It will run for as long as it takes to get everyone into a mind-set of environmental activism.
This is the Challenge:
We make a lot of routine purchases all of which cost of extra money. These are marketed for the convenience. Many of them we've grow up with, but have you ever stopped to consider the fact that before these items were mass produced and mass marketed, our grandparents did just fine without them?
Re-evaluate all of your routine purchases of disposable products (this is harder than it sounds!). Which of these items really need to be disposable and which can you substitute for a reusable?
How many of your routine purchases include more packaging than product? Can you buy that item in bulk and reduce the amount of waste? Can you reuse the packaging, such as butter containers?
Do you compost organic waste? This is much more efficient and cheaper than chemical based fertilizers, and it's free!
Have you considered a rain barrel? Recycled rain water is much better for your plants than the chemical laden water provided by your municipality, and this is also free!
Do you donate items that you no longer need rather than send them to the landfill?
Going Green
I thought I'd start a list of the things we've changed in our lives in order to cut down on the amount of trash going into the landfills and save money at the same time. Maybe you can add to this list. I'm certain that there are still many things I haven't thought of that can be added!
Cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.
Rags instead of paper towels.
Hankies instead of tissues (except when there is a respiratory infection)
Bread wrappers and other "clean" plastic bags instead of "zip lock"
Butter and plastic ice cream containers instead of store bought plastic containers.
No disposable plates, cups, forks, etc.
Reusable cloth shopping bags, even Walmart has these now but you'll have to look around to find them.
Aluminum foil , which can reused and recycled, instead of plastic wrap.
We buy our drinking water from a local spring for 20c a gallon and refill travel mugs, instead of buying bottled water.
Reusable coffee filter screen instead of paper coffee filters.
We also compost all of our organic waste and use it on the garden.
We have a rain barrel and water the garden and indoor plants from that.
We freeze leftovers and reheat them at a later time instead of buying "microwave meals"
We bring our own place settings to pot luck dinners, complete with cloth napkin!
Also. They now make form fitted cloth baby diapers. These are also water proof and very cute. A great option instead of disposable diapers that will be in the landfill for 500 years!
Six Principles for Green Living
by Dr J Mercola www.mercola.com
Living by “green” principles can be extremely satisfying, but how do you do it? Surely, it’s not by purchasing more “green” products, because buying and using more “things” is all part of the problem.
1. Strive for Simplicity: More stuff means more complexity; more upkeep, more keeping track, more things to do. In global terms, it means more wasted resources.
2. Fairness: Much of our consumption-driven market is based on unfairness. If everyone along the chain, from a Bolivian granny making hand-woven grocery bags to the Wal-Mart worker, actually were paid what you’d expect, that hand-woven grocery bag would be out of most people’s price range.
3. Community: If you’ve ever had the pleasure of attending a local farmer’s market, you’ve experienced something few of us do these days: an encounter with a part of your community, an actual living and breathing person, who made that which you’re about to buy.
4. Sustainability: A system is sustainable when the negative outputs of that system are accommodated and turned into positive outputs. However, most of our global production is not sustainable.
5. Planning: Planning means looking ahead toward a desired outcome. It also means thinking a little bit about the community that isn’t here yet and dealing fairly with them. The decisions we make now will create the conditions our grandchildren and their grandchildren will have to deal with.
6. Transparency: Planning, community, fairness, and ultimately sustainability require transparency, but most decisions these days are made behind closed doors
The Hemp Revolution
Does it make sense to ban a crop in the United States that can have a large, positive economic and environmental impact and is completely harmless? That is exactly the position of the hemp advocates.
Because hemp is a relative of marijuana it is lumped by law into the illegal drug category. It is against the law to grow it, although some products made from it can be imported from other countries. And most importantly, industrial hemp is not marijuana. It contains just 0.3 to 1.5 percent of THC, the chemical that gives marijuana its drug-like effects. By comparison, marijuana contains 5 percent to 10 percent THC. Smoking hemp is not going to make anyone high.
But what are some of the benefits of this harmless crop?
*For starters, Hemp can make take-out containers, and save our landfills from styrofoam.
* The fiber from the hemp plant possesses strength and durability, resists rotting and is easier to bleach than wood pulp, which means whiter paper at lower cost. That would be a boon to the book-publishing industry, to cite one example.
* Hemp oil was used to lubricate the engines of Navy fighter planes in World War II, and hemp activist Woody Harelson used it to power a diesel vehicle to demonstrate the benefits of it. It can also be fermented into an alcohol-based fuel, offering a potent and truly renewable energy source.
* Hemp won't put an end to the logging industry, but it would spare some forests from being cut down for paper products.
* Unlike trees, which take years to grow to the point at which they can be harvested, hemp plants can reach a harvest-able state within four months. For paper manufacturers and users it could provide a cheaper source of pulp than trees, which take too long to renew.
Happy Earth Day!!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Us And The Church
I’ve often thought of all the stories I could tell if I ever had grandchildren, but since I don‘t have any children, I decided to start a blog. There are so many things I remember growing up that I can’t share with anyone any more. My brother and I were buddies. We lived in a neighborhood were we were the only kids, so we had each other as playmates. Sonny died in 1995 from complications of Diabetes, specifically kidney failure. I am an avid supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I don’t have anyone to annoy with these stories… But there are so many stories…
My Father’s family was Catholic and my Mother tried really hard to be a good Catholic even though she was raised Methodist. We went to Catholic school and took the Sacraments and did everything we were supposed to do. When I was in the fourth grade, our class had to go to confession on the first Thursday of every month because we had to go to Mass with the school on the first Friday. I remember this incident as if it were yesterday. I went into the hall and our make-shift confessional and started “Bless me Father for I have sinned” and then I stopped. I really couldn’t recall anything that I needed to be forgiven for… so I said “ I missed Mass twice since my last confession” The Priest asked why and I told him, my Mom didn’t to Mass either. and I didn’t have a ride. He didn’t seem to think that was enough of a confession so he started asking questions. Did I argue with my brother “well, no. I don’t have anyone else to play with in our neighborhood, so I wouldn’t do that” Did I steal a cookie from the cookie jar, “well no. of course not, if I ask my Mom for a cookie, she’ll give me one”. The Priest seemed frustrated at that point and excused me from the Confessional with a few Hail Mary’s. At lunch time, the Priest called my Mom and told her that I wasn’t taking confession seriously enough and she needed to make sure we understood that it was serious business. We finished out the marking period in that school and then Mom transferred us back to public school. We also started going to a Methodist church soon after our transfer.
Now the Methodist Church was an entirely different world than what we’d been used to. There was singing! And hymns and a choir and a children’s choir and Sunday School! We had stepped into another world! I’ve always loved to sing and as soon as my Mother realized that I was pretty good at it, she started sending me to choir practices and I started singing solos in the church. Music kept me in the Protestant churches for a long time! Of course, like any good child of the 70’s, I questioned everything, especially church doctrine and Bible stories. I remember the first time I read the story of Cain and Abel, I was mortified! How could a loving God not love the idea of a gift of fresh fruits and vegetables, grown with love? Why would a loving God require a blood sacrifice? I could never even kill a fly, let alone an animal! (btw: I still can’t kill a fly. I try to chase them back outdoors). I also questioned the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. After Lot and his daughters left and went into the mountains, the daughters got their Daddy drunk and had their way with him. First; how could he have been that drunk and still been able to “perform” and second; isn’t that incest? Is the Bible saying that incest is ok? I had a lot of questions! No one had the answers. The Sunday School teachers just kind of answered around my questions, but no one seemed to know… We didn’t stay in one church for very long, we changed churches when we moved or when my Mother heard about a great new preacher at another church. That was ok with me, I was still looking for the answers to my questions.
When I was around 13 or 14 I started to hear about some kind of nature religion. I started reading everything I could find about it, without bringing any attention to myself. If you remember, back in those days, everyone knew everyone else’s Mom, so I had to be careful with my transactions at the library. There really wasn’t much information, a few magazine articles here and there and an occasional opportunity to listen in on someone else’s conversation. So, without teachers or a peer group where do you go from there? I learned what I could and realized that I loved the Earth and I loved the idea of a peaceful coexistence with all of creation. I secretly studied and followed this path until I was in my 20’s. When I was a Senior in High School, my then Sunday School teacher asked a very simple question, “do you believe in reincarnation?” “yes” I said, “absolutely”. My reasoning was simple; regardless of how big this heaven is supposed to be and that everyone gets to go there if they ask, shouldn’t it be pretty crowded by now? Think of how many people have died since time began. Are they all there fighting for space to sit at God’s feet and praise Him? I’m really not one for big crowds, can I at least request reincarnation? The Sunday School teacher just gave me the “look” I had grown accustomed to…
Now, when one reaches their 20’s, life happens. School is done and it’s time to be a grown up. Work hard, pay bills. Go to church if you can. I stopped going to church when I started working. Everyone gets to work on Sunday when they first start a new job and I fell out of the habit pretty easily. As I got older and more established in my career, I tried church again. Catholic church first and then back to the Protestant churches. I was invited to sing again. Choir and as soloist! But I still had a million questions that no one could answer. The standard answer was always “Faith is believing without proof”. But that never answered my questions about the Bible stories. And who was this great King James who commissioned the Bible? Who told him what God wanted included? And aren’t the Children of Israel His chosen people? Not personally being of Jewish decent, how is this my God? In summary, I can only assume that the Gentiles are and will always remain second class citizens in His eyes….?
I spent many years in Bible study while attending various churches. I have read and studied the book of Revelation, as well as both the old and new testaments, I can quote Bible verses and know what they mean. Many of the Bible verses that I've memorized over the years are simply proverbs for life in general. Direction for your life and how to get along with others. But, with all of my study, I now have even more questions about inconsistencies and confusing doctrine. I have left the church. I am a Witch.
Now, being a Witch isn’t anything like the Wizard of Oz. I probably won’t melt if it rains and I don’t have any flying monkeys. Being a Witch is about taking care of and respecting the creation, rather than simply praising the creator. My best analogy is this: Imagine that you bought your child the number one, top of the line bicycle. This bicycle is the envy of the neighborhood. You are standing beside the car when you give it to him. Now. Which would you prefer to happen next? Would you prefer that your child follow you around, kissing your toes and thanking you for the bicycle, which by the way is still sitting in the street next to the car? Or would you like to see your child ride the bicycle, take care of it and enjoy it? I have decided that the Creator would, like me, prefer to see the Creation respected, cared for, and enjoyed.
My Father’s family was Catholic and my Mother tried really hard to be a good Catholic even though she was raised Methodist. We went to Catholic school and took the Sacraments and did everything we were supposed to do. When I was in the fourth grade, our class had to go to confession on the first Thursday of every month because we had to go to Mass with the school on the first Friday. I remember this incident as if it were yesterday. I went into the hall and our make-shift confessional and started “Bless me Father for I have sinned” and then I stopped. I really couldn’t recall anything that I needed to be forgiven for… so I said “ I missed Mass twice since my last confession” The Priest asked why and I told him, my Mom didn’t to Mass either. and I didn’t have a ride. He didn’t seem to think that was enough of a confession so he started asking questions. Did I argue with my brother “well, no. I don’t have anyone else to play with in our neighborhood, so I wouldn’t do that” Did I steal a cookie from the cookie jar, “well no. of course not, if I ask my Mom for a cookie, she’ll give me one”. The Priest seemed frustrated at that point and excused me from the Confessional with a few Hail Mary’s. At lunch time, the Priest called my Mom and told her that I wasn’t taking confession seriously enough and she needed to make sure we understood that it was serious business. We finished out the marking period in that school and then Mom transferred us back to public school. We also started going to a Methodist church soon after our transfer.
Now the Methodist Church was an entirely different world than what we’d been used to. There was singing! And hymns and a choir and a children’s choir and Sunday School! We had stepped into another world! I’ve always loved to sing and as soon as my Mother realized that I was pretty good at it, she started sending me to choir practices and I started singing solos in the church. Music kept me in the Protestant churches for a long time! Of course, like any good child of the 70’s, I questioned everything, especially church doctrine and Bible stories. I remember the first time I read the story of Cain and Abel, I was mortified! How could a loving God not love the idea of a gift of fresh fruits and vegetables, grown with love? Why would a loving God require a blood sacrifice? I could never even kill a fly, let alone an animal! (btw: I still can’t kill a fly. I try to chase them back outdoors). I also questioned the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. After Lot and his daughters left and went into the mountains, the daughters got their Daddy drunk and had their way with him. First; how could he have been that drunk and still been able to “perform” and second; isn’t that incest? Is the Bible saying that incest is ok? I had a lot of questions! No one had the answers. The Sunday School teachers just kind of answered around my questions, but no one seemed to know… We didn’t stay in one church for very long, we changed churches when we moved or when my Mother heard about a great new preacher at another church. That was ok with me, I was still looking for the answers to my questions.
When I was around 13 or 14 I started to hear about some kind of nature religion. I started reading everything I could find about it, without bringing any attention to myself. If you remember, back in those days, everyone knew everyone else’s Mom, so I had to be careful with my transactions at the library. There really wasn’t much information, a few magazine articles here and there and an occasional opportunity to listen in on someone else’s conversation. So, without teachers or a peer group where do you go from there? I learned what I could and realized that I loved the Earth and I loved the idea of a peaceful coexistence with all of creation. I secretly studied and followed this path until I was in my 20’s. When I was a Senior in High School, my then Sunday School teacher asked a very simple question, “do you believe in reincarnation?” “yes” I said, “absolutely”. My reasoning was simple; regardless of how big this heaven is supposed to be and that everyone gets to go there if they ask, shouldn’t it be pretty crowded by now? Think of how many people have died since time began. Are they all there fighting for space to sit at God’s feet and praise Him? I’m really not one for big crowds, can I at least request reincarnation? The Sunday School teacher just gave me the “look” I had grown accustomed to…
Now, when one reaches their 20’s, life happens. School is done and it’s time to be a grown up. Work hard, pay bills. Go to church if you can. I stopped going to church when I started working. Everyone gets to work on Sunday when they first start a new job and I fell out of the habit pretty easily. As I got older and more established in my career, I tried church again. Catholic church first and then back to the Protestant churches. I was invited to sing again. Choir and as soloist! But I still had a million questions that no one could answer. The standard answer was always “Faith is believing without proof”. But that never answered my questions about the Bible stories. And who was this great King James who commissioned the Bible? Who told him what God wanted included? And aren’t the Children of Israel His chosen people? Not personally being of Jewish decent, how is this my God? In summary, I can only assume that the Gentiles are and will always remain second class citizens in His eyes….?
I spent many years in Bible study while attending various churches. I have read and studied the book of Revelation, as well as both the old and new testaments, I can quote Bible verses and know what they mean. Many of the Bible verses that I've memorized over the years are simply proverbs for life in general. Direction for your life and how to get along with others. But, with all of my study, I now have even more questions about inconsistencies and confusing doctrine. I have left the church. I am a Witch.
Now, being a Witch isn’t anything like the Wizard of Oz. I probably won’t melt if it rains and I don’t have any flying monkeys. Being a Witch is about taking care of and respecting the creation, rather than simply praising the creator. My best analogy is this: Imagine that you bought your child the number one, top of the line bicycle. This bicycle is the envy of the neighborhood. You are standing beside the car when you give it to him. Now. Which would you prefer to happen next? Would you prefer that your child follow you around, kissing your toes and thanking you for the bicycle, which by the way is still sitting in the street next to the car? Or would you like to see your child ride the bicycle, take care of it and enjoy it? I have decided that the Creator would, like me, prefer to see the Creation respected, cared for, and enjoyed.
Monday, March 29, 2010
May Faire 2010 at Mystik Dove
When: May. 1st. 2010
Where: McGaheysville, Virginia
A Grand Celebration!
Event Details: We will be holding our Third Annual May Faire on May 1, 2010. Activities will begin at 10 am. There will be a Craft Show, Game Booths, Food, and Music. The store will be open and we have many items on sale. The Meditation Garden will be open for anyone who wishes to use this beautiful space.
At 4pm we will dance the May Pole in celebration of Beltane.
Beltane Ritual will begin at 8pm, followed by a time of fellowship, relaxation and supper.
Please join us!
Everyone is welcome!
If you are under age 14 we ask that a parent or guardian accompany you to this event.
If you are under age 18, you must have a parental permission form on file in order to participate in Ritual. You are welcome to join us for all other event activities.
Please keep pets and familiars at home. There will be too much excitement for them to feel comfortable.
Event Location: 11268 Piano Lane in McGaheysville
Event TIME Details: 10am to 4pm
Directions: From I81: take exit 247A (toward Elkton) onto Rt33 East. Follow for approximately 11 miles. Turn Right at the Thunderbird Diner (Island Ford Rd) . At the very first cross road turn Left onto McGaheysville Rd. Follow to the end. Pandora's Box will be on the right. This event is being held at Pandora's Box.
Where: McGaheysville, Virginia
A Grand Celebration!
Event Details: We will be holding our Third Annual May Faire on May 1, 2010. Activities will begin at 10 am. There will be a Craft Show, Game Booths, Food, and Music. The store will be open and we have many items on sale. The Meditation Garden will be open for anyone who wishes to use this beautiful space.
At 4pm we will dance the May Pole in celebration of Beltane.
Beltane Ritual will begin at 8pm, followed by a time of fellowship, relaxation and supper.
Please join us!
Everyone is welcome!
If you are under age 14 we ask that a parent or guardian accompany you to this event.
If you are under age 18, you must have a parental permission form on file in order to participate in Ritual. You are welcome to join us for all other event activities.
Please keep pets and familiars at home. There will be too much excitement for them to feel comfortable.
Event Location: 11268 Piano Lane in McGaheysville
Event TIME Details: 10am to 4pm
Directions: From I81: take exit 247A (toward Elkton) onto Rt33 East. Follow for approximately 11 miles. Turn Right at the Thunderbird Diner (Island Ford Rd) . At the very first cross road turn Left onto McGaheysville Rd. Follow to the end. Pandora's Box will be on the right. This event is being held at Pandora's Box.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
My New Computer
I think I’m in love with technology! Does that make me a geek? The new lap top was ordered on Monday and arrived on Thursday. Now, keep in mind that the last time I bought a computer was in 1999 when my old windows 3.1 finally needed to be replaced. It was windows 98, which of course went to blue screen soon after. Circuit City ended up replacing it for me with a windows 98se, which worked great until around 2006 when I finally replaced the hard drive and installed windows xp. Well, as of last year, the computer itself had gotten to slow for the programs on the internet, I could only hook up with dial up, it had no Ethernet card, and I decided it wasn’t worth buying one for that computer. So, Rick and I shared his computer, which he bought around 2000. His computer has Ethernet and was already windows xp so it started out a little fasted than mine. Sharing a computer is fine, but now his computer is too slow to play games on facebook. Yes, I moved out of Yoville and Farmville because of my computer! It was a good habit to break in the long run (have you heard about all of the viruses being blamed on Farmville attachments??). So we finally decided it was time. We had to get a new computer! We found a nice Toshiba on walmart.com in our price range and ordered it. Now the fun part. All of my files for the store were written on Microsoft word processor version 2000, now we have version 2007 and the two programs are not compatible. So, I have now begun re-entering all of my store information, all of my Sanctuary information, and all of my previously saved recipes manually. But on the plus side, this computer is so fast, I don’t have time to run to the bathroom while I’m waiting for the page to load! I had gotten in the habit of turning on the computer in the morning when I get home from work, getting changed, emptying the dishwasher and making a bowl of oatmeal while I waited for the computer to boot up and the internet to load, and I still had time to eat my breakfast before it was finished loading! Now, I don’t even have time to fix breakfast before the internet is up and running! I can switch between my facebook page and Rick’s without waiting, and the games load! I’m currently hooked on Mahjong Dimensions, but that’s another story… But I am having so much fun! I have been clicking on icons on this computer to see what they do. I love the sticky notes! I’m a Virgo, I have to have a list… I’ve been using the sticky notes to remind myself of things I need to search and websites I need to go back too. I love it! I don’t have access to the internet connection at work but I can write blogs on the word processor and copy and paste when I get home or when I finish writing. I have also started re-entering all of my store and Sanctuary information. So, I imagine it will be a while before needing an internet connection at work is even an issue. Of course, on the nights that the baby isn’t feeling well or had a late nap I won’t get much done, but as a chronic multi-tasker, I am in my element! It’s always bothered me that I am at work with work to do at home and I can’t do both at once. The lap top is definitely a good choice. Maybe I’m not quite ready for geek-dom, but I have certainly enjoyed the adventure of learning a new computer! I’m thinking about uploading some novels…. Any suggestions?
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Ostara
I love summer. There is nothing else that I can say about it. This has probably been the longest, coldest winter that I can remember, which made our Ostara celebration even more special than ever before. We celebrated Ostara on Sunday evening, March 21. It was just Rick and I, a new friend and her 9 year old daughter and a neighbor’s daughter, who is 10. It was a very relaxing and wonderful evening. We celebrated ritual, of course. I had completely forgotten that we would be changing the clocks this early in the season, so it was still quite light out when we started the ritual. After ritual we had snacks and then we got out the Monopoly game! Our neighbor called for her daughter to come home around 9. We had completely lost track of time! Our friends stayed until around 10. Now as we all know, Monopoly can’t be played on a time schedule! We had a great evening!
Ostara is a celebration of the spring. Things are beginning to grow and bloom, the trees are beginning to bud and everything is fresh and new. We had dyed eggs on Saturday, and we were able to use them in our ritual too. The legend behind Ostara is something like this: In the Spring the bunnies come back to the woods to play. One bunny found a beautifully colored egg and he loved eggs. He really wanted to eat the egg, but he loved the Goddess so very much that he decided to give the egg to her instead. He made the Goddess very happy and she loved the bunny very much for his gift of selflessness. Now every year at Ostara we decorate eggs and share them with one another in honor of the gift of the bunny to the Goddess.
The full moon is this Monday. It’s time to make “Granny Clampett’s Spring Tonic”, which is also called Honegar. To make it use equal parts of apple cider vinegar and raw honey. Using a single cupful at a time, place equal parts of honey and apple cider vinegar in a sauce pan. Over medium heat, stir the mixture almost constantly in a clockwise motion with a wooden spoon. Do not allow it to boil. Keep stirring until you feel the heaviness of the mixture break up. Keep stirring until all of the heaviness is gone and the color is consistent, remove it from heat. Keep stirring occasionally while the Honegar cools. When it is cool enough, pour it into a clean, sterile jar and cap it tightly. Store the jars in the refrigerator. It is also traditional to take the jars outside and charge them under the light of the full moon. Hold them up to the light and ask the Mother Goddess to infuse the brew with strength and vitality, imparting the blessings of vigorous good health to all who drink. Dose the Honegar once or twice a day, using 4 to 6 tablespoons to an 8 oz glass of drinking water.
Now, assuming that warm weather is finally on it’s way, I’ll be outside this weekend planting lettuce, peas and carrots! I noticed today that in spite of all of the snow we had this year my pansies are blooming again! I planted them last fall. I walked the property last week and was able to cut back the pampas grass and the butterfly bush. There is plenty of trimming to be done, the apple tree and the peach trees need to be pruned. We bought a bunch of trees from the Arbor Day Foundation, that need to be planted somewhere. We planted them in a vacant garden bed temporarily and it’s time to find them a space of their own, The County came by last week and trimmed some of our trees that were getting to close to the power lines. We needed to have some of them trimmed any way, so they saved us a bunch of money. They’re even going to bring us back the mulch when they have a truck load! I’ve got so many plans for the gardens this year, I can’t wait to get started!
Ostara is a celebration of the spring. Things are beginning to grow and bloom, the trees are beginning to bud and everything is fresh and new. We had dyed eggs on Saturday, and we were able to use them in our ritual too. The legend behind Ostara is something like this: In the Spring the bunnies come back to the woods to play. One bunny found a beautifully colored egg and he loved eggs. He really wanted to eat the egg, but he loved the Goddess so very much that he decided to give the egg to her instead. He made the Goddess very happy and she loved the bunny very much for his gift of selflessness. Now every year at Ostara we decorate eggs and share them with one another in honor of the gift of the bunny to the Goddess.
The full moon is this Monday. It’s time to make “Granny Clampett’s Spring Tonic”, which is also called Honegar. To make it use equal parts of apple cider vinegar and raw honey. Using a single cupful at a time, place equal parts of honey and apple cider vinegar in a sauce pan. Over medium heat, stir the mixture almost constantly in a clockwise motion with a wooden spoon. Do not allow it to boil. Keep stirring until you feel the heaviness of the mixture break up. Keep stirring until all of the heaviness is gone and the color is consistent, remove it from heat. Keep stirring occasionally while the Honegar cools. When it is cool enough, pour it into a clean, sterile jar and cap it tightly. Store the jars in the refrigerator. It is also traditional to take the jars outside and charge them under the light of the full moon. Hold them up to the light and ask the Mother Goddess to infuse the brew with strength and vitality, imparting the blessings of vigorous good health to all who drink. Dose the Honegar once or twice a day, using 4 to 6 tablespoons to an 8 oz glass of drinking water.
Now, assuming that warm weather is finally on it’s way, I’ll be outside this weekend planting lettuce, peas and carrots! I noticed today that in spite of all of the snow we had this year my pansies are blooming again! I planted them last fall. I walked the property last week and was able to cut back the pampas grass and the butterfly bush. There is plenty of trimming to be done, the apple tree and the peach trees need to be pruned. We bought a bunch of trees from the Arbor Day Foundation, that need to be planted somewhere. We planted them in a vacant garden bed temporarily and it’s time to find them a space of their own, The County came by last week and trimmed some of our trees that were getting to close to the power lines. We needed to have some of them trimmed any way, so they saved us a bunch of money. They’re even going to bring us back the mulch when they have a truck load! I’ve got so many plans for the gardens this year, I can’t wait to get started!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Charlie
Charlie is 12 years old now. I got him from the Pound in 1999, he was about a year old then. He is a German Sheppard / Collie mix. Charlie was terrified of everything when I brought him home. Every sound, every person, just everything. He wouldn’t eat anything but table scraps, and he certainly wouldn’t eat if anyone was around. He wouldn’t bark, and he didn’t know how to play “fetch”. I took him to a trainer to have him evaluated. I had decided that if there was no chance of improvement, I wanted to take him back to the Pound before I had a chance to get attached. The trainer explained that he had obviously been mistreated. She said that the way the fur was matted around his neck, even after a few baths, showed that he had been left out on a chain. He was also, in her opinion, left alone most of the time. He was very timid around people. He was terrified of sticks, she thought that this may have indicated that he had been teased, maybe even poked at. But, she also said to give him plenty of time and he would come around. Of course, this was not what I had in mind when I went to get a dog. I’ve always been envious of those folks who can leave their dog off leash and the dog stays with them and never creates a problem… Charlie is still timid around some people, not all, and we’re not sure how he would react if someone tried to hurt me, but what a difference! He loves to be the center of attention, and if the neighborhood kids are outside playing he barks and barks and barks. He wants the kids to come and play or at least talk to him! If he hears one of the kids crying he gets upset and barks and cries until they stop or are out of his hearing range. He loves doggie ice cream (Frosty Paws) and this year during the holiday’s I made home made dog biscuits for him. (no, he’s not spoiled, just well loved!). I’ve always had this vision of the perfect dog for me. This is a dog that can be off leash and stay there beside me. And my “perfect” dog is supposed to “stay” when he’s told, and “come” when he’s told, and not beg at the dinner table… Well. Let me tell you about Charlie… One day last week, Rick and I were sitting at the dining room table working on packaging for Wildflower’s Organics. Charlie must have thought we were eating something. He came dancing into the room, tail wagging, ears up and just as pretty as he could be. He sat pretty, begging for a treat. Rick reached across the table to the bag of dog treats just as Casey, our cat, came flying in through the doggie door. Charlie stopped mid-beg, he had to sniff and nuzzle Casey. By the time he was finished, he had completely forgotten that he was begging for a treat!
Charlie and I usually go for a walk when the weather is nice. Just to the end of our street. He’s still afraid of the traffic and there is almost no traffic on our street. The trainer said teaching him to walk on a leash wouldn’t be too hard. She said start with a longer leash and progress down to a shorter leash. We tried it. It looked like I was skiing on asphalt! He could not remember to stay beside me. If he sees a butterfly, he tries to follow it. If he sees a cat, he tries to follow it, if he sees another dog, he wants to follow him too! We ended up getting a retractable leash! Sometimes, I’ve said that we don’t go for a walk we go for a “sniff-n-pee/stop-n-bark” because that’s what we do! Every blade of grass, every clump of dirt, every mailbox needs to be watered by him! He barks at every dog, and every neighbor he sees., more in greeting than anything else. But if a car comes down the street. He sits exactly where he is. It’s like trying to move a brick wall with kite string!
I said Charlie isn’t spoiled, he’s just well loved and that’s the truth. Rick and I were married in 2007 and Charlie liked Rick from the very beginning (which had a lot to do with marrying him…). Charlie now has a doggie door and a patio completely enclosed by a privacy fence. He has plenty of room to meander and play. He’s even learned to play fetch and sometimes we play “fetch it yourself”! He can see the neighbors through the fence and he loves to bark at whatever it is he thinks he sees in the night. On the days that I help out in our store, Mystik Dove, he spends the day with Rick and I in the store. He doesn’t spend a lot of time alone, and he likes it that way!
Charlie is starting to show his age now. His muzzle is turning gray, we’re not sure how good his vision or hearing are sometimes, he sleeps more than he used to, and some days he seems to have more trouble getting starting in the morning, but if Rick lights the grill, Charlie is like a puppy, all revved up and ready to beg!
Charlie and I usually go for a walk when the weather is nice. Just to the end of our street. He’s still afraid of the traffic and there is almost no traffic on our street. The trainer said teaching him to walk on a leash wouldn’t be too hard. She said start with a longer leash and progress down to a shorter leash. We tried it. It looked like I was skiing on asphalt! He could not remember to stay beside me. If he sees a butterfly, he tries to follow it. If he sees a cat, he tries to follow it, if he sees another dog, he wants to follow him too! We ended up getting a retractable leash! Sometimes, I’ve said that we don’t go for a walk we go for a “sniff-n-pee/stop-n-bark” because that’s what we do! Every blade of grass, every clump of dirt, every mailbox needs to be watered by him! He barks at every dog, and every neighbor he sees., more in greeting than anything else. But if a car comes down the street. He sits exactly where he is. It’s like trying to move a brick wall with kite string!
I said Charlie isn’t spoiled, he’s just well loved and that’s the truth. Rick and I were married in 2007 and Charlie liked Rick from the very beginning (which had a lot to do with marrying him…). Charlie now has a doggie door and a patio completely enclosed by a privacy fence. He has plenty of room to meander and play. He’s even learned to play fetch and sometimes we play “fetch it yourself”! He can see the neighbors through the fence and he loves to bark at whatever it is he thinks he sees in the night. On the days that I help out in our store, Mystik Dove, he spends the day with Rick and I in the store. He doesn’t spend a lot of time alone, and he likes it that way!
Charlie is starting to show his age now. His muzzle is turning gray, we’re not sure how good his vision or hearing are sometimes, he sleeps more than he used to, and some days he seems to have more trouble getting starting in the morning, but if Rick lights the grill, Charlie is like a puppy, all revved up and ready to beg!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Valentine's Day 2010
Lupercalia is an ancient Roman Festival and the origin of Valentines Day. Lupercalia is composed of several holy days linked together beginning on February 13th with Parentalia. During Parentalia, alltemples and businesses were closed and the people honored their Ancestors by visiting their graves with offerings of honey,... wine, oils, and water. Vestal Virgins celebrated Parentalia by paying homage to the first Vestal.
http://www.examiner.com/x-8847-Detroit-Paganism-Examiner~y2010m2d12-Lupercalia?cid=examiner-email
Well, that's where it started. I love Valentine's Day! This is my first marriage and having worked as a nurse in an institution housing only women and primarily employing women, I didn't meet many men and most of them were happily married. I meet my husband on match,com in 2005. So, I've missed out on Valentine's Day until recently. We had an absolutely fabulous Valentine's Day! It lasted 3 days (another advantage to working night shift). We lit red candles (for lust), burned Nag Champa incense, and invited the God Cernunnos into our celebration. (The God of Lust, among other things). Part of my original plan was to put rose petals on the dish with the candles, but I had already used up my stash from last summer... I made dinner. Cornish hens, curried rice, broccoli in cheese sauce, garden salad and for dessert I made chocolate lava cake and brownies. We turned off facebook and spent the evening in quality time. There is nothing better than spending uninterrupted quality time with the person you love! It was wonderful. Hubby bought me pink tulips. I love pink tulips, pink roses, pink carnations... you get the idea!
So now it's back to work and back to the laundry.... would it be presumptuous of me to suggest to Hubby that we join a nudist colony, just so that I don't have to do any more laundry???
The History of Lent
I know for me it seems like my days of Catholicism are long ago and far away, but I always enjoyed the ambiance of the Lenten season. It's a moment to pause and take note of your life. I found this article to be interesting and thought I would share. Enjoy!
The Pagan History of Lent
The word lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten which means spring, which was derived from the Anglo-Saxon word lenctentid (pronounced LENG-ten-teed), which means the time of lengthening and flowering. The entire spring season was called Lenctentid. The ancient Anglo-Saxons (and other pagans) celebrated the return of spring with rioteous fertility festivals commemorating their goddess of fertility and of springtime, Eastre. In fact, the word Easter is derived from the Scandinavian Ostara and the Teutonic Ostern or Eastre, both pagan goddesses. The complete month of April was called Eostur-monath with the entire month was dedicated to Eostre. The pagan religion taught that Eostre was one responsible for changing a bird into a rabbit, this then is how the rabbit became an Easter symbol. Rabbits symbolize the fertility of springtime. It should be noted that the rabbit's capacity of abundant production of young is especially great at this time of year. I should also tell you that most ancient races, including the Anglo-Saxons, included spring festivals to celebrate the rebirth life, using the Egg was a symbol of fertility, life and re-birth. This is old Latin proverb catches this idea -- Omne vivum ex ovo. This means "all life comes from an egg".
So, how did such pagan things as Lent and Easter (I am not referring to the blessed Resurrection of Jesus Christ) come into the church? Alexander Hislop gives us the answer -- "To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity—now far sunk in idolatry—in this as in so many other things, to shake hands" (The Two Babylons).
Blessings of the coming Spring!
The Pagan History of Lent
The word lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word lencten which means spring, which was derived from the Anglo-Saxon word lenctentid (pronounced LENG-ten-teed), which means the time of lengthening and flowering. The entire spring season was called Lenctentid. The ancient Anglo-Saxons (and other pagans) celebrated the return of spring with rioteous fertility festivals commemorating their goddess of fertility and of springtime, Eastre. In fact, the word Easter is derived from the Scandinavian Ostara and the Teutonic Ostern or Eastre, both pagan goddesses. The complete month of April was called Eostur-monath with the entire month was dedicated to Eostre. The pagan religion taught that Eostre was one responsible for changing a bird into a rabbit, this then is how the rabbit became an Easter symbol. Rabbits symbolize the fertility of springtime. It should be noted that the rabbit's capacity of abundant production of young is especially great at this time of year. I should also tell you that most ancient races, including the Anglo-Saxons, included spring festivals to celebrate the rebirth life, using the Egg was a symbol of fertility, life and re-birth. This is old Latin proverb catches this idea -- Omne vivum ex ovo. This means "all life comes from an egg".
So, how did such pagan things as Lent and Easter (I am not referring to the blessed Resurrection of Jesus Christ) come into the church? Alexander Hislop gives us the answer -- "To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity—now far sunk in idolatry—in this as in so many other things, to shake hands" (The Two Babylons).
Blessings of the coming Spring!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Greetings!
My name is Deb, my husband is Rick we follow a Pre-Christian Spiritual path, generally known as Pagan or Wiccan. We are Witches. Our Spiritual beliefs center around respect and protection of the Earth. We believe in a higher power, whatever you may call Her/Him. We believe in "harm none" and we understand that what you send out comes back to you in triplicate.
We own The Mystik Dove Shop in McGaheysville, Va. We sell New Age, and Spiritual items as well as Gifts, and Adult Novelties. We are situated in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. We sit at the foot of Massanutten Mountain and Massanutten Resort, with fabulous views of the mountains all around us!
I was raised in South Jersey and moved to Virginia in 1998. The cost of living in NJ was getting out of hand and I was ready for a change of pace. This was the logical place to settle, since I'd been vacationing here for nearly 10 years already. I couldn't think of any where else I'd rather be!
Rick was raised in the Shenandoah Valley, but I'll have to get him to tell you his story sometime!
We have a black cat named Cody. Cody is what I call a "black cat with attitude". Very independent and definitely makes up his own mind! We also have one dog, a collie/german shepard mix named Charlie. Charlie is 12 yrs old, Cody is 5 yrs old. We also keep goldfish in our rain barrel (they make great fertilizer for my potted plants!)!
We are avid gardeners (mostly me). We appreciate fresh, home grown fruits and vegetables and do our best to keep those on hand before we buy food grown in other countries. We are not vegetarians, but maybe we could be considered part-time vegetarians... Meat is more of a necessity than a choice. I'm one of those people who can gain weight looking at bread, and I love bread! I need to eat more protein and the easiest way for me to do that is to eat meat. We don't eat a lot of beef though, mostly chicken and fish. We try to avoid "instant" foods, which is fun for me because I love to cook!
We are environmentalists and we live a "Green" lifestyle everyday. Not the Green-living fad, but a real Green lifestyle. We love the earth and want to do our part to keep it healthy. It needs to support us for a long time yet!
We own The Mystik Dove Shop in McGaheysville, Va. We sell New Age, and Spiritual items as well as Gifts, and Adult Novelties. We are situated in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. We sit at the foot of Massanutten Mountain and Massanutten Resort, with fabulous views of the mountains all around us!
I was raised in South Jersey and moved to Virginia in 1998. The cost of living in NJ was getting out of hand and I was ready for a change of pace. This was the logical place to settle, since I'd been vacationing here for nearly 10 years already. I couldn't think of any where else I'd rather be!
Rick was raised in the Shenandoah Valley, but I'll have to get him to tell you his story sometime!
We have a black cat named Cody. Cody is what I call a "black cat with attitude". Very independent and definitely makes up his own mind! We also have one dog, a collie/german shepard mix named Charlie. Charlie is 12 yrs old, Cody is 5 yrs old. We also keep goldfish in our rain barrel (they make great fertilizer for my potted plants!)!
We are avid gardeners (mostly me). We appreciate fresh, home grown fruits and vegetables and do our best to keep those on hand before we buy food grown in other countries. We are not vegetarians, but maybe we could be considered part-time vegetarians... Meat is more of a necessity than a choice. I'm one of those people who can gain weight looking at bread, and I love bread! I need to eat more protein and the easiest way for me to do that is to eat meat. We don't eat a lot of beef though, mostly chicken and fish. We try to avoid "instant" foods, which is fun for me because I love to cook!
We are environmentalists and we live a "Green" lifestyle everyday. Not the Green-living fad, but a real Green lifestyle. We love the earth and want to do our part to keep it healthy. It needs to support us for a long time yet!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Imbolc 2010
It snowed this weekend and we're expecting more... Last week it was 55 degrees. I saw the little green shoots of the crocus' stating to come up under the leaves in the back garden.
Today is February 1. It is the eve of Imbolc. Imbolc is probably my favorite holiday. I've been celebrating Groundhog's Day for as long as I can remember. The very first signs of spring are starting. The birds are coming back, the crocus' are starting to come up and the seed catalogs are starting to come in the mail. What could possibly give a person more hope for warm weather than a seed catalog?
To celebrate Imbolc today we had a big dinner and decorated the house with dried flowers and red & white ribbons. The table was set with red napkins and white place mats. For dinner we had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn on the cob, broccoli mix, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
We set up our Spirit Plate as our center piece. I filled the goblet with lavender and a tea light candle. I used a red and white napkin on the plate and a bunch of lavender on the plate. We set up Brigid's Bed after dinner and asked her to protect us and bring prosperity to our home. We set Brigid in her bed on the plate with the lavender and goblet. We lit candles in the room and the (electric) candle in the widow. The candles will stay lit through the night in honor of Brigid.
Alright, I have to admit that the big dinner for Imbolc was started out of necessity. Every year at Thanksgiving my Dad waits until the last minute to tell me he bought a turkey. Of course by that time I've already gotten one. So we started making it at Imbolc or in my Dad's world, Groundhog's Day. And of course, Dad comes dinner! It's also the last chance to use the kitchen before the weather starts to warm up. And if it stays cold for a while, we've got soup meat too.
Now we need to get to bed. We need to get up at 7:15 to watch Punxatawney Phil come out of his house. We're hoping for a quick end to all this cold weather!
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