Tag Archives: Herbs

February 16, 2011 · 5:22 pm

Countdown to Ostara……..

Merry Meet everyone!  I hope you all had a LOVE-ly Valentine’s Day.  Mine was very nice..hubby spoiled me and I spoiled everybody else!  I am having Spring fever big time for some reason.  I normally love Winter..as I’ve written here before…but something about this year has put me in the mood for Spring earlier then I usually am.  It might be that we are having some balmy weather right now for Ohio.  We have hit 50* today and 60* then next two days.  It rained this morning a bit, melting all that dirty snow, and the Sun just came out.  I actually just put my rosemary tree and my new gerbera daisy plant outside to enjoy the sun a bit….it’s warm enough to do so.  I also am seeing all the seed packages and pots and garden tools coming out at the local garden centers and I have already been looking to see what I want to plant this year.  So Spring is coming..hold on to that thought!

Along with Spring, comes the next Sabbat on the Wheel of the Year….Ostara.  Ostara is also the Spring Equinox…when Night and Day are again balanced  and the Earth swells with new life.  In ancient times, people celebrated the arrival of spring, and the Goddess Eostar, or Eostre, whose symbols were the egg and the hare, both representations of the Great Mother. “Ostara is a festival of fertility and resurrection, the union of sun and soil, a time of planting, mothering, and tending to young children and animals.  At the Spring Equinox, the God and the Goddess are now equals, and they dance together across the Earth.  Wherever they step, flowers appear and bloom beneath their feet, and sorrow turns to delight as the world is reborn.” *

This is the time of re-birth.  Animals are bearing their young, shoots are growing up from the ground, grass is greening, trees are sprouting leaves and our hearts feel lighter with more daylight and warm breezes and the smell of the rich earth as  Mother Earth wakes up.  Ostara is a wonderful time of year and celebrations are light and centered around the outdoors.  The Correspondences of Ostara are:

*Element/Gender-Air/Male

*Threshold-Dawn

*Symbolism-Greening, sprouting, balance of light and dark, The God comes of age, union of the Lord and Lady, fertility, birthing, beginning,

*Symbols/Tools/Decorations-Colored eggs, baskets, rabbits, lamb, shamrock, butterfly, cocoons, sprouting plants, violets, lily, spring flowers, new clothes.

*Herbs-Daffodil, jonquils, woodruff, violet, iris, narcissus, peony, acorns, tansy, cinquefoil, crocus,  dogwood, irish moss, ginger, honeysuckle, jasmine, rose, strawberry.

*Incense/Oils-Jamine, rose, strawberry, african violet, sage lavender, ginger, magnolia, broom.

*Colors-Gold, light green, grass green, robin’s egg blue, lemon yellow, pale pink, anything pastel.

*Crystals/Stones-Red jasper, rose quartz, moonstone, amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone

*Customs/Activities-Planting seeds or starting a Magickal herb garden, taking a long walk in  nature, coloring eggs, bird watching, egg hunts,  starting new projects, wearing green or pastels

*Foods-Leafy green vegetables, pumpkin, sunflower and pine nuts, dairy,  fish, hot crossed buns, sweet breads, hard boiled eggs, honey cakes, seasonal fruits.

*Gods-Green Man, Youthful Gods, Warrior Gods, Dagda, Cernunnos,  Pan, Adonis

*Goddesses-Eostre, Ostara, Maiden, Isis, Astarte, Ishtar, Minerva, Youthful Goddesses,  Faerie Queen, Lady of the Lake, the Green Goddess

*Spellworking/Rituals-Spellcrafting, invention, new growth, new projects, seed blessing, herb  garden, herb blessings

An ancient Ostara custom was to dye eggs red, the color of life-force and regenerations. Make “oracle eggs.”  Draw magickal symbols on hard-boiled eggs with paraffin or white crayon.  These can include astrological signs, runes, and symbological signs such as the pentacle, or a moon or a sun.  Fun to do with a grandchild 🙂  You can  celebrate Ostara with fresh spring flowers, bouquets of freesia, daffodils, lilac, and tulips, and herbs such as clover, lemongrass, and mint.  Collect rainwater  and steep it  overnight in the light of a full Moon.  Use it for your holy water or water your houseplants with it.  Play favorite childhood games.  Blow bubbles, play hopscotch and jacks, and jump rope.  Bring out your inner child and let her play.   Bless the seeds for your garden, and envision health, happiness, and prosperity growing for you in the warmth of the Sun.

I will be posting Ostara recipes, rituals, pics of my altar etc in the coming days.  A book  I highly recommend you read is written by Edain McCoy…its a plethora of information about Ostara..I really enjoyed it.

So my friends, Spring and Ostara are coming.  Soon the days will be longer, the rains will come, and Mother Earth will wake up and start spreading growth and warmth all around us.  We have almost made it thru another Winter!  Think about shopping for some new lighter clothes, get out your seed catalogs, go buy a bouquet of tulips, take a walk, gaze at the Moon…Watch Spring unfold before your eyes.  That is what I’ll be doing…right along with you!

I come, I come! ye have called me long, I come o’er the mountain with light and song: Ye may trace my step o’er the wakening earth, By the winds which tell of the violet’s birth, By the primrose-stars in the shadowy grass, By the green leaves, opening as I pass.
Mrs. Felicia D. Hemans

Blessings and Love, Autumn

*References…..Simple Wicca by Michelle Morgan and my own BOS.  All pics on this post are from the internet.

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October 17, 2010 · 6:08 pm

Samhain incense recipe……

Merry Meet friends…thought I’d post a quick post on a Samhain loose incense recipe and a “how to” make loose incense.  I really enjoy making and using loose incense.  I feel so witchy choosing my herbs, grinding them using my stone mortar & pestle,  lighting the charcoal and placing it red hot in my cauldron, and carefully  placing the incense on the charcoal, a bit at a time,  and watching it smoke.  The smell is incredible..more potent then the sticks or cones.  Its great for smudging your home, blessing your altar, or for meditation and time spent at your altar.

First the recipe….

2 parts Cinnamon

1 part ground cloves

1 part Dragon’s Blood resin

1 part Hyssop

1 part Patchouli

2 parts Rosemary

1 part Sage

A dash of sea salt

Loose incense recipes are most often written as parts…parts can be a tsp, a Tb, a 1/4 cup…just depends on how much you want to make.  When I’m trying a new recipe I will just use a tsp..enough to see how it smells, see if I like it or want to make adjustments, such as more of one herb, or leaving one out totally, or adding something different.  This recipe is just a guide..you most certainly can adjust this to your liking..you are the maker..make it as you like it!!   Once I get the recipe the way I like it..I may make up the 1/4 cup size and store it in a tightly closed jar..well labeled. 

Now for the how to….

—You want to find the best ingredients to use in your incense. Start with scents you find intriguing on their own to use in your incense. The best mixtures make use of either a wood or resin as a base.  Herbs alone  will  burn way too fast  and smoke a bit too much.

—To make the best smelling incense, use fresh ingredients and  grind them yourself with your mortar and pestle.   You can buy ground herbs and powdered resins if you wish of course.   Woods and resins are take some elbow grease to grind.  Some witches use electric coffee grinders to do this…if you do, I would have a coffee grinder just for this purpose..you don’t want the scent of coffee in your incense or pathouli in your coffee! 🙂  I worry the grinding this way can release some of the scent..but it does save on alot of work.  If you have an antique coffee grinder..hand cranked..that would be an even better way to go! 

—Grind the woods, then the herbs, and lastly, the resins.   The resins are sticky and will absorb the woods and herbs from the mortar. Grind each ingredient separately and place in a bowl for mixing. 

                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

—Once everything has been well ground, you can start to mix everything together. Mix the dry ingredients together (woods and herbs)  and the resins together if you are using more than one.  After both are well mixed, you can add the dry ingredients to the resin

—Now for the fun part..burning your incense!   To evenly distibute and disperse the heat, fill your incense burner with sand.  I know some who do this and some who don’t..your choice.  Then light your charcoal.  To light it, you may need to hold it with tweezers til it is well lit.  I actually use a pair of cheap scissors…works just as well.  Light it and hold it with the scissors/tweezers until the brick is well lit and turns blue.   After it is lit well, place in your cauldron or fireproof dish.  Then,  simply sprinkle your incense on top. Put about a tsp at a time on the charcoal..don’t put all of it at once on the charcoal…it’ll smoke nice that way and last longer!

—Storage for loose incense is best done in a glass jar with a tight-fitting  lid.  Store it in a dark, cool, dry place.  Label it well!

Making loose incense is easy, really.  It takes a bit more time than just lighting a cone or stick.  But the rewards are well worth it.  Play around with recipes….find a list of woods, resins, herbs in your witchy books or online…choose something from each list..then add more herbs..and you have a mix!  Do you love spicy scents like clove and cinnamon?  Woodsy like pine and cedar, Earthy like patchouli and sandalwood, Floral?  Sweet?  ..so many choices and 100’s of mixtures!

I hope you’ll give it a try if you don’t already make your own….you won’t be sorry.  I grow my own herbs which make it even more fun.  Planting, growing, harvesting, and grinding my own homegrown herbs….makes for a very happy Witch!

Blessings and good scents to you all, Autumn

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September 5, 2010 · 8:54 pm

Herbal remedies and sisters in spirit…….

Merry Meet again friends…Hope this finds you all well and happy.  Here in Ohio we are enjoying a few days of gorgeous Autumn-like weather…its been really cool at night..around 70 during the day…windows are open airing out the house..perfect weather to me!  But it is only a glimpse as it is going to warm up again starting tomorrow.  But the nights are staying cool so it is a promising sign that Fall..my favorite time of year..is almost here!  I just come alive in the Fall..I love the crispness of the air and crunching leaves and the beautiful colorful trees.  I love the smell of woodsmoke, good food cooking in the slow cooker, apples, pumpkins, mums, the harvest moon..just magick! 

While pot roast was cooking in the crockpot today I decided to either make or finish up some herbal remedies I had been wanting to make.  I had brewed olive oil with calendula for several days and wanted to make it into a salve.  This works like a do’all skin ointment.  Put it on cuts, bruises, reddened or dry skin, callouses, hives, rashes, bug bites, mild burns…just about anything.  I also made a lavender toner a couple of weeks ago.  I just needed to strain off the lavender buds and bottle it.  I also  made a germ fighting spray that was posted online by Granny’s Hearth.  I feel so “witchy” when I’m making them and putting a spell on them!

After I get the remedies jarred and bottled..I light a candle and put a spell on them to make them work as they should.  This is what I say:

“In my kitchen, I toil and brew

Making potions with love and magick true

May they soothe and heal and lessen pain

Until all is well and right again

By herbs and oils and with harm to none

By my will and power, this spell is done.”

I have really just started making homemade herbal remedies for medicinal purposes.  I have made homemade cleaning supplies, homemade soaps, essential oil sprays for home or perfume, but had never really made homemade salves etc.  I have enjoyed it immensely and find that they work fabulously..even better then the over the counter stuff you buy at Walmart and Krogers.   To increase my knowledge, I am going to take an online herbal course thru Susun Weed who came highly recommended by several of my facebook friends.  I can’t wait to really get some help on the subject and to become more learned in it.  I have bought many books and find it pretty simple to follow but I want to learn from an expert! 🙂  I have a lovely sister in spirit who will be taking the class with me…it’ll be great to compare notes and discuss the classes together.

Speaking of facebook, I just have to say that I have got the best facebook friends ever.  So many wonderful, kind, funny, caring people.  I have a habit of asking a question of the day..and everyday I get people who come and share themselves with me…if there is disagreement it is done kindly and respectfully…there has yet to be any rudeness on my page which I’m grateful for..as I have seen it and don’ t like it.  I believe in live and let live and telling someone their beliefs are wrong goes against my grain.  I am so grateful for all of my fb friends because they have made my world bigger and lovelier, they have expanded my knowledge, and I feel a true spirit connection with people all over the world.  Thank you so much to each of you!!

  I also am part of a wonderful online “coven” for want of a better word…my sisters in spirit…my closest fb friends…and they are pure joy to me…They open their hearts everyday to each other…whoever needs comforting, support, someone to listen, candles lit, prayers sent up, questions about anything..we are all there for each other!  We share our lives quite openly..we are true sisters in every sense of the word.  I am incredibly blessed to have them and I love each and every one of them…Thank you from the bottom of my heart my sisters! 

The New Moon is coming soon..for me,  this New Moon means a good cleansing and blessing of my home…renewing the protection I have set around my house, starting my  “Fall cleaning”..getting the house ready for the cool weather..such as getting the fireplace cleaned and wood ordered, stocking up on baking supplies, and having a list of indoor projects to keep me busy in the lazy months!

May you all have a blessed Labor Day tomorrow and I believe today was Father’s Day in the Southern Hemisphere!  Remember to be kind, live in each moment, spend time each day reflecting on gratitude for what you have been blessed with in your life, and send out love to those around you and you’ll get it back.

Merry Part and Merry Meet again,

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July 25, 2010 · 1:14 pm

Blessing Full Moon…….

Merry Meet friends…tonight is a witch’s favorite night…a Full Moon!  This moon is the Blessing Moon..This is a time for divination, dreams, focusing on goals, and expanding spiritual consciousness.  For me, the weather, though hot and humid (UGH)..it should be clear and beautiful to commune with Her tonight.  Last night she was also amazing  as I sat and watched Her, surrounded by clouds but shining between them brightly, low and close.  Her energy is incredible and I know tonight will be even more electric!

My full moon rituals always include re-charging in the moonlight my magickal jewelry, crystals, and athame and wand…I also make new Blessed water about every other full moon.  Tonight I chose to do a Witches Bottle…a protection spell for my home and everyone in it.  I got this spell from Ellen Dugan’s book “Book of Witchery”  which I have and will again recommend ..it’s really a great book!  I’m going to post her spell her..I hope she doesn’t mind….don’t think she will as it’s published! 🙂

Witch’s Protection Bottle

You will be burying this bottle in the ground at your front door.

Gather items needed:                                                   

-A Sturdy, clean, wide-mouthed bottle or jar with a tight lid.
-Soil or sand from the area surrounding your home.
-Something sparkly or shining like small tumbled crystals, beads, sea glass

-A rusty bent nail.
-A piece of broken glass
-Dried herbs

*Mint, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme
-A new penny or other coin
-Some loose hair from any pets in your home
-A piece of hair from all living in the home

-A magickal spell candle
   

Find the appropriate spot in your yard to bury the bottle. Work on the night of a
 Full Moon at the height of the Full Moon,  or on the Full Moon right before Summer Solstice. Have all your items with you and a shovel. Use salt to purify the space.

         Create and open sacred space. Light your working candle while you do your work. Dig the hole in the earth, try to keep the top sod in good shape to replace over the hole. Sprinkle with salt. Ground and Center.   When ready, say these words:

With the Goddess and God working for and through me
according to free will and for the good of all.
I now fill this bottle.
Earth anchors this magick in the ground.
This rusty nail, bent, now repels anything and anyone negative or life-denying.
The sparkling, shiny small pieces of crystals hold the light for me and my deities.
A broken piece of glass to deflect harm to anyone it is intended for.
These herbs infuse the bottle with their living properties;
 

 

Mint for money and protection
Parsley for protection
Sage for wisdom and protection
Rosemary for love, healing, and health
Thyme for health, love, and courage.
This new penny manifests abundance in my home.
 Hair from my beloved pets to protect them.
Hair from my loved ones who dwell here, to protect and draw away negativity.
This home is divinely protected and effectively safe.
Nothing and no one can enter without my permission
Only those people and beings through whom the Goddess and God work
Can stay here, can visit, can touch this place.
Only Positive Magick lives in this place
In safety, protection, abundance, love, and joy
According to free will and for the good of all!

Start to bury the bottle, and replace the sod you dug up before hand and then say:

I now bury this bottle
It is invisible to all but me
And its magick continues
And so mote it be!

     By the time you have finished this spell, the bottle should be buried. Cover with leaves or something appropriate to make it truly invisible. Under the ground, it will continue to work until you choose to remove it. If you leave that area, it is best to dig up the bottle. Then perform this again at your next residence.

In Perfect Love and Perfect Trust!

 I also spent a bit of time this morning harvesting more herbs..which are doing fabulous!!  I have found I had much better luck planting them in pots this year than in the ground..

Lughnasadh or Lammas is coming up next week..August 1.  I’m gearing up for it now.  It’s one of my favorite Sabbats as it is the first Harvest festival…and I absolutely love Autumn!  (as you may be able to tell from my name!) 🙂  I will post more info on that later this week.  

My family had a rough week this week when my daughter had a miscarriage at 6 weeks of pregnancy.  However, she is doing very well considering.  She is an optimistic, strong girl and is looking to the future, as his her husband and those of us who love them.  They of course, have their darling Lily, who turned 20 months yesterday, to help them thru as well! 

May the Goddess shine her moonlight on each of you and bring you joy, peace, comfort and healing.

Blessed Be, Autumn

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June 27, 2010 · 3:08 pm

A Full Moon, herbs and Lily…….

Merry Meet friends….I hope you are all staying cool in the hot muggy weather…feels like August instead of June!  We have had alot of rain and storms but it’s  a good thing as our grass remains green and lush, the gardens are well watered, the birds and critters have plenty of water…and it cools things down a bit after the rain.

I had a wonderful Full Moon on saturday..Strong Sun Moon…She was big, bright, and beautiful!  Yellowish orange until She rose higher in the sky.  Fate would have it that we didn’t have storms that night and I was able to attend to Her and see Her very well!  I always recharge my jewelry, crystals, ritual tools etc when I can see Her moonlight and it can fall on my witchy stuff! 🙂  I also made up a fresh batch of Blessed Water and did a personal ritual.  The best part though is just sitting and drawing in Her energy..to feel the power coming into me, grounding me, filling me with magick, calm, peace.  There is nothing like it.

I also spent some time today harvesting some of my herbs.  Some I will dry and some I have put in a jar of fresh water to use fresh, namely cilantro for salsa and chives for numerous reasons!  My cats will be very happy when the catnip is dried and ready and I will be very happy when my dill, basil, mint, marjoram, rosemary, and lemon balm is ready…both for cooking and for my witchy needs!

I am also busy working on an online class I signed up for thru Ellen Dugan called “The Harvest Sabbats.”  The harvest sabbats are Lammas or Lughnassad which is Aug 1, Mabon which is in September, and Samhain which of course is Oct. 31.  These are my favorite sabbats of the year because they are all about fall..which as you can tell by my name..is  my favorite time of year!  Ellen Dugan is amazing and this class is based on her book “The Autumn Equinox”…which I’ve already read and highly recommend.  Her books are so great!!

My grandaughter Lily loves to help me in my garden too…She is so adorable, loves to be outside..a real nature girl!! 

Now tell me that isn’t just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen!  LOL…I love being a Nana and I love my little nature girl!

I wish you all a lovely summer, with ladybugs and dragonflies, with flowers and their perfume, with warm starry nights and time with your loved ones to have fun in the sun!

Blessed Be, Autumn

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June 12, 2010 · 11:52 am

New Moon, antiques and granola……

Merry Meet again friends..today is the New Moon or dark of the moon.  Use this time to start a new project, change something about yourself, change the way you look at things,  and start anything new in your life.  It’s also a great time to re-consecrate your altar and tools.    Thats what I plan on doing tonight. 

My gardens and herbs are looking great, growing fast and smell wonderful!  Except for my purple salvias…:(  a baby groundhog has been visiting and has eaten the flowers off the tops of all of the plants.  The green leaves still are alive and growing but now flower heads…dang critter.  However, it is kind of cute so we’ll deal.  Hubby is going to put some fertilizer to it to help the flowers bloom and we haven’t seen the groundhog for several days now..hopefully it moved on. 

This past week, my sister, daughters, grandbaby and I went shopping for antiques at a local antique mall.  We found some amazing things of course and our witchy hearts were very pleased with some of our inexpensive finds.  I found a very large cast iron cauldron with three feet in perfect condition..several inexpensive jars with thick heavy metal lids for storing my herbs, and a beautiful old, leather bound book of poetry from Tennyson, who I love.  The Lady of Shallotte is one of my favorite poems.  Here’s a pic of my finds:

I love antiquing and I often think about where it came from, who used it before me, what was their story.  I find old things to have a soul…they carry the energy of the people who came before me and used them in their everyday lives. 

I made my homemade granola this week too.  I’d like to share the recipe with you 🙂

Ingredients

4 cups of quick oats

2 cups of rice krispies cereal

2 cups of nuts (I use 1 cup slivered almonds and one cup pecan pieces)

2 Tb cinnamon

2 cups brown sugar, packed

2/3 cup of butter (the real thing)

1/2 cup honey

2 cups dried fruit (I use 1 cup raisins and 1 cup dried cherries)

Mix oatmeal, cereal, nuts and cinnamon in an extra large mixing bowl.  set aside.  In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and honey and stir in brown sugar.  Heat til butter melted and brown sugar smooth.  Pour over oatmeal mixture and mix well.

Put into a foil lined jelly roll pan and even it out.  Bake at 350* for 10 minutes…give it a stir…bake for 10 more minutes.  Take it out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour into a large covered storage bowl, stir in the dried fruit..let it completely cool before covering.  Enjoy!  Great as cereal and on yogurt and ice cream!!  This is not a healthy granola but really really good! 

Please continue to pray and send healing to our Mother Earth..until this oil gusher is stopped and the damage is repaired.  Hope you are all enjoying your Summer (or Winter) and making the most of each day.  Find joy in your life everyday and hug your family and friends close.  Being a witch is something I’m very proud of and I strive everyday to honor Mother Earth and God/Goddess.  May you all follow your chosen path everyday with pride and a full heart.

Blessed Be, Autumn

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May 24, 2010 · 8:28 pm

Herbs, gardening and stones…….

After about 10 days of rain and dark gray skies, the sun has finally come out, the ground is drying up and it feels like summer!….

This weekend my hubby and I were finally able to start planting, weeding, mulching etc.  I love going to the garden centers and walking thru the aisles looking for just the right thing!  So far we chose marigolds, red and blue salvia, dianthus, speedwell, shasta daisys, impatience and of course, more lavender!  These are in various beds around the house.  This year I planted my herbs early from seed, in little pots I kept in a sunny window.  I planted about 15 different herbs.  Some grew, some didn’t.  So for the ones that didn’t sprout from seed, I went and bought them at the garden center.  For my herbs I planted, lavender, catnip, oregano, chives, cilantro, basil, sage, lemon balm, parsley, marjoram and mint.  I just realized tonight though that I forgot thyme so I’m gonna have to go back and get some, got to have that! 

We also bought seeds for sunflowers so we have free feed for the birds in the late summer, early fall..plus we get to enjoy them all summer!  We bought a new bird feeder that is supposed to be squirrel proof but I’m not sure its working! LOL..I don’t mind feeding the squirrels and chipmunks either!  We have plans to remove some ugly bushes I hate and put in peonies and hydrangeas!  I love mapping out the improvements along with the yearly stuff we always do! 

Lets see, what else is going on..I am reading “the Craft of the Wild Witch” by Poppy Palin and love it so far.  She writes very well and I’m learning alot.  I just finished reading the first 7 books of the House of Night series..so good!  Now, I know these books are aimed at teens and at 52 years old I’m most definitely not a teen..but they are good books and I read all 7 in about a week..I just couldn’t put them down! LOL..now, alas, I have to wait for the 8th which doesn’t come out until January of next year I think!  :(….I have been encouraged by some witchy friends of mine (you all know who you are! )  to read the Sweep series so I’ve got the first two and will be starting them…I love to read and will read just about anything! LOL! 

I’ve also been working on my BOS..that is alot of work and always in progress but I really love working on it..its coming out just like I pictured it would!  I have so much fun going thru my witchy books and planning out the pages I want to keep in my book and finding pics to put with it..very creative!

Thursday is the Full Moon..I love the full moon every month.  Its really a special time for me.  This one I think is going to be extra bright..it already is a bright light moon and its not full yet!  I plan on doing a Full ritual this month.  I usually keep it simple, light a candle, and re-cleanse and energize my crystals, tools and jewelry in the moonlight.  This month I’m going to take advantage of the warmer weather and spend some time, outside, really communing with my Goddess. 

This has been a bad week too in that I lost an Aunt and am now losing an old friend who is too young to die.  At these times I realize even more how we are put here to love each other, to love life, and live it to the fullest!!  Blessings to both of them and their families as they start a new journey.  May their path be lit by Moonlight as is mine…..

Blessed Be, Autumn

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May 1, 2010 · 4:11 pm

Blessed Beltane….

Just a brief post to wish all of you a very Blessed Beltane…Light your fires and be joyful that the May Queen has come and the Sun God is young and strong in the sky!  Trees, shrubs, flowers, herbs are blooming, animals are birthing their young, The faeries are busy and afoot, and Love and lust is in the air!!

Light a bonfire and dance around it joyfully, leave a gift to the faeries, plant flowers and herbs, have a feast, and Thank the Lord and Lady for the turning of the Wheel!  I am grateful too for all my witchy friends and embrace you all.

Blessed Be, Autumn

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April 26, 2010 · 4:58 pm

Beltane altar……

It’s Beltane time my witchy friends..saturday May 1!  This Sabbat is all about Spring, fire, passion, fertility, the Union between the God and Goddess, and faeries!  It is the celebration of Spring being here, flowers, trees and shrubs blooming, young animals being born,  Father Sun burning bright and bringing warmth and longer days, and the faeries coming out to help our gardens bloom! 

I set up my altar a couple of days ago.  I used a white base cloth for light, bright days of summer, with a grass green over cloth to represent Spring and everything greening up in nature.  I place a red taper candle to represent Goddess and a white taper candle to represent God.  I used my Gaia and Greenman statues to represent the Earth waking up and greening also.  I have a faery, rose quartz, and a small potted blooming flower.  I still need to make my mini Maypole yet.  I also have the usual elements of my Athame and wand, and the 4 items representing the Elements which is my incense burner, a small green candle, a bowl of water and a bowl of salt.  It looks lovely and a very good representation of Spring.

I’m hoping if the weather is good to have a bonfire in our outdoor fireplace, to plant my herbs into their outdoor pots and I’ll do my Beltane ritual in the morning..to represent the coming of the Sun King as the Sun is climbing in the sky.  I will leave a crystal point and a bit of bread with honey as a gift to the faeries and ask them to help me with my gardening and herb growing.  They also will help to attract the butterflies, birds, insects, ground critters etc to my yard and care for them.  

I hope to find time to make oatmeal cookies or granola as grains are a good thing to eat for Beltane..along with dairy foods.  Homemade granola on yummy yogurt would be perfect!  I’m not going to have time to do May baskets but that is a lovely way to welcome Spring and to show your neighbors or friends appreciation for being in your life.  How nice would it be to find a May basket hanging on your front door on May Day!  I think I will though get a bouquet of spring flowers..daisies are my favorite!…for my own home.  Open windows and let the fresh air in and the negative old air out!  Start fresh  on anything you want to change in your life..now is the time!

I hope to spend the day with both of my daughters and my grandaughter having lunch and spending some time together. I hope that you have someone to share this wonderful Sabbat with…

with much Love and Blessings…Autumn

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April 20, 2010 · 4:30 pm

Spring is here…..

Here in Ohio we have just had such a beautiful couple of weeks..the weather has warmed, the sun has been shining and plants and trees are blooming.  I have purple phlox all bloomed out and gorgeous, my dogwood and crabapple trees are covered in white flowers, my lilac bush is bloomed and smelling wonderful, and even plants like coralbells, sedum and hosta are blooming!

There are yellow finches, cardinals, blue jays and other small birds on the feeders.  The chipmunks and squirrels are everywhere…I just love this time of year.  Of course, my allergies are acting up too which is not a good thing but thanks to allergy meds I’m hanging in there.  I planted small pots indoors of herbs and veggies and some of them are doing well and some haven’t done a thing!  I’ll transplant the healthy ones to outdoor pots around Beltane..the ones that aren’t growing I’ll replace with plants from the garden center.  We are hoping to build a garden shed/storage shed soon too.  We had to take out some dead trees this year and trying to decide what we are going to do with the empty space they left behind.  I hate losing trees but I’m hoping to plant flowering bushes or ornamental trees in their place.  I’m anxious to get my flowers planted too but here in Ohio its best to wait until around Mother’s Day to do it..we can get frost pretty late in the year..for instance, it was only 32 degrees night before last!

Beltane is coming up fast..I’ve got to buy a white tablecloth for my altar then I’ll top it with a grass green scarf to represent the color of spring and things blooming.  I’ll decorate it then for Beltane which I’ll discuss in the next post after I’ve done it!  We are hoping to celebrate with a fire in the woods, planting my herbs outside, offering a gift to the faeries, and fixing a feast!

Here’s hoping you all are having a beautiful Spring too…remember, You can make it so..just go outside and embrace the Earth waking up around you!  Thursday is Earth day so do something good for you Mother Earth..at least take a walk and maybe pick up some trash while you’re walking or drop some wildflower seeds along the way, or plant a tree or two!  Say a prayer to the Goddess and God for the Earth and her gifts.

Blessed Be, Autumn

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