The Witchcraft of FreeDragon
Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween!
I'm still here, I had a relapse of pink eye this weekend. When I am better, and not so busy, I'll talk about those cards, my dreams, Mr. Eyes, and Halloween. I see every one in the blog world has been busy posting, so I also have some reading to catch up on. I'll do a real post as soon as I can look at the computer screen without scrunching up my eyeball in pain.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Hot on the Trail
Last night I drew this card:
I am taking this to mean a new man is headed my way, since this is the Jack of Hearts, and the card shows a dragon hatching, symbolizing new beginnings. And I hope since this is a dragon, and not a unicorn, that he's hot!
I am taking this to mean a new man is headed my way, since this is the Jack of Hearts, and the card shows a dragon hatching, symbolizing new beginnings. And I hope since this is a dragon, and not a unicorn, that he's hot!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Tuesday Edition of Monday Menu
I didn't have time to post yesterday. Today I think I am allergic to everything. Okay, I'm not, it just feels that way. I think that's how I got pink eye- things are falling out of trees again. Thus my nose is stuffy. So I probably touched my face too much and got pink eye. After I came back to work, I found out three other people on the line had it before me. None of them were sent home because the team leader didn't think it was a big deal. My eye was gushing tears so I taped gauze to my face and when people saw me, they freaked out. Naturally this drew the attention of the production manager who sent me home quick. He probably didn't know about the other people because no one else came to work looking like they lost an eyeball.
Since I don't feel well, this week's menu consists of simple fare- scrambled eggs and steak for breakfast, hamburgers for lunch, and burritos for supper. I realize most people don't consider steak simple fare, but it was on sale and it's just skillet steak, not a t-bone or anything. And I'm frying it in the pan, not grilling it. I'm not keen on grilling. It seems like far too much work. Kevin loved to grill. Grilling is an art and until I met Kevin I never had a perfectly grilled steak. Please, people, do not set the meat on fire. I realize being outside with friends gathered around a fire and drinking is fun, but if you don't know how to control the temperature of that fire, just give everyone a stick and let them roast hot dogs. It will be just as much fun, less expensive, and the food will actually taste right.
As long as we're on the subject of meat, the most important kitchen tool I own is a meat thermometer. I'm a bit absent-minded so I rarely remember what time I started cooking or when I flipped the meat. Just because it looks done on the outside doesn't mean it's ready. The thermometer takes care of the guess work. Mine cost about $9 at Kroger. The left side has the temperature and the right side has a chart listing the correct temperatures for various meats. I used to like my steak medium well, but with all the food recalls in the last few years, I don't think it's safe to eat anything other than well done. Used to, salmonella was only found on meats. Now it's on the fruit and vegetables too.
It would be easy to blame the FDA for not doing a good job, but I think that's only part of the problem. People don't seem to know food needs careful handling. They don't seem to understand how germs are transferred- like with the pink eye I mentioned earlier. We seem to have a lack of understanding about hygiene and good health. And it doesn't help if a fruit company unknowingly washes produce with contaminated water. I think we all just assume that because we live in America we have clean water. Do you know where your water comes from? My water company sends me an annual report about the cleanliness of the water, what chemicals or minerals it may contain, how often they test it, and what they test for. Does your water authority do that? Do you know how far the water has to travel before it reaches your home? If your water source is a lake or river, is it open to the public? Can people fish there? Do they dump litter in the water? Do you want to drink from the same water people have been swimming in?
Of course, our food is also touched by soil and air. Is there smog in your city? What's in the dirt? What was in that location before someone turned it into farmland? Was it woods or houses? Is there a factory nearby? What if there's a busy highway bordering the farm and all the gas fumes, oil, and tar washes down to the tomatoes? Do you think that stuff can be easily washed off?
It's not feasible for everyone to grow their own food. Most people don't have the time or space or knowledge. And you can't grow it all. Like bread- are you going to grow your own wheat? What about coffee? Would you be willing to tend a cow for milk? What I would like to see is a greater understanding about food, where it comes from, and how it was prepared. Maybe we need placement labels- something that tells us who grew it, where it grown, who picked it, who processed it, and how many miles it traveled to the store. And then when we got home, we could all wash our hands before we sat down to eat.
Since I don't feel well, this week's menu consists of simple fare- scrambled eggs and steak for breakfast, hamburgers for lunch, and burritos for supper. I realize most people don't consider steak simple fare, but it was on sale and it's just skillet steak, not a t-bone or anything. And I'm frying it in the pan, not grilling it. I'm not keen on grilling. It seems like far too much work. Kevin loved to grill. Grilling is an art and until I met Kevin I never had a perfectly grilled steak. Please, people, do not set the meat on fire. I realize being outside with friends gathered around a fire and drinking is fun, but if you don't know how to control the temperature of that fire, just give everyone a stick and let them roast hot dogs. It will be just as much fun, less expensive, and the food will actually taste right.
As long as we're on the subject of meat, the most important kitchen tool I own is a meat thermometer. I'm a bit absent-minded so I rarely remember what time I started cooking or when I flipped the meat. Just because it looks done on the outside doesn't mean it's ready. The thermometer takes care of the guess work. Mine cost about $9 at Kroger. The left side has the temperature and the right side has a chart listing the correct temperatures for various meats. I used to like my steak medium well, but with all the food recalls in the last few years, I don't think it's safe to eat anything other than well done. Used to, salmonella was only found on meats. Now it's on the fruit and vegetables too.
It would be easy to blame the FDA for not doing a good job, but I think that's only part of the problem. People don't seem to know food needs careful handling. They don't seem to understand how germs are transferred- like with the pink eye I mentioned earlier. We seem to have a lack of understanding about hygiene and good health. And it doesn't help if a fruit company unknowingly washes produce with contaminated water. I think we all just assume that because we live in America we have clean water. Do you know where your water comes from? My water company sends me an annual report about the cleanliness of the water, what chemicals or minerals it may contain, how often they test it, and what they test for. Does your water authority do that? Do you know how far the water has to travel before it reaches your home? If your water source is a lake or river, is it open to the public? Can people fish there? Do they dump litter in the water? Do you want to drink from the same water people have been swimming in?
Of course, our food is also touched by soil and air. Is there smog in your city? What's in the dirt? What was in that location before someone turned it into farmland? Was it woods or houses? Is there a factory nearby? What if there's a busy highway bordering the farm and all the gas fumes, oil, and tar washes down to the tomatoes? Do you think that stuff can be easily washed off?
It's not feasible for everyone to grow their own food. Most people don't have the time or space or knowledge. And you can't grow it all. Like bread- are you going to grow your own wheat? What about coffee? Would you be willing to tend a cow for milk? What I would like to see is a greater understanding about food, where it comes from, and how it was prepared. Maybe we need placement labels- something that tells us who grew it, where it grown, who picked it, who processed it, and how many miles it traveled to the store. And then when we got home, we could all wash our hands before we sat down to eat.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
My Next Design Will Be a Buffalo
The Big Sleep
Halloween draws closer and closer. Some people believe the whole world ends on Halloween and is reborn the next day. I find this to be a fascinating concept, and I would like to be reborn just a bit better then when I ended.
Others say the veil between the worlds is thin, the thinnest it can be, and so more things are possible. I like that idea too, of being able to do the impossible.
And some Witches say Halloween is the New Year. Again, this is an idea I like. Most people like the traditional New Year because it's shiny and full of promise. I like the Halloween New Year because it's dark. Beginnings are usually hard. Often there's a lot of work ahead. Sometimes there's nothing to do but trudge forward and suddenly the hard part is over and you're amazed by the shiny success.
To me Halloween is a transition. I'm preparing for the Dreaming Time of the year. I spend a lot of time thinking about what needs to leave my life, then I dream over the winter months, planning for what I would like to invite in. On Halloween I banish. I make a list of every single thing that bothers me, both large and small, issues and ideas, people and problems. I burn the paper in my cauldron. I LET GO. Often, I see results the next day. Once, I was in a hostile working environment. I ran a machine in a lab. Several gossiping women were also in the lab because there wasn't any other place for them to work. They were just there, they weren't doing any kind of lab tests. The lab tech and I suffered mightily. We had no space, our tests often went awry because some careless soul shoved vials out of place, and all day we heard about everyone's business- who was cheating, who was on drugs, who was in debt, etc. That Halloween I banished the women and the next day when I went to work, they were gone. The manager thought the women needed a larger working space, so he set up cubicle walls on the over side of the building and took the whole troop as far away from the lab as they could go. It was heaven and the lab tech and I were finally at peace. This is why I work on issues that seem impossible- you never know what will happen until you try. At the top of my banishing list this year will be diabetes. Maybe before 2012 is over there'll be a cure.
This is the time of the year when the wheel seems to turn much slower. The days, though short in light, seem to last longer. The long winter afternoons are when I can hear every tick of the clock and long eternities linger between each single of the pendulum. There is nothing to do but reflect, to ponder what kind of person I am and if I like myself.
I think this is why I hate the holidays. I want to move slowly. Everyone around me wants to rush. I want to be alone, everyone else wants to gather. We need some festivities in winter, otherwise we would all be depressed. But the holidays to me are always too much- too much food and drink, too many people, too much money spent. Sometimes I feel like I am the only one looking inward.
I'm more tired this year. I've had so many changes I've lost count of all the things that have happened to me. I won't be banishing much because mo many things have already gone from me and some of those things/people I didn't want to leave. This might be the Big Sleep where I actually rest instead of dream.
One change I know I must make is how I live in Nature. Just about every day now, I go outside to sit in the ley line in my backyard. I must connect with the Earth. I feel a difference if I don't. Sometimes I wish I lived in a tent and slept on the bare ground so that I could feel the elements all the time. This is an insane thought for me. I do all my camping at Holiday Inn. If I want to 'rough it', I go to Motel 6. I remember watching 'Two Fat Ladies' with AJ and one, Clarissa, I think, said her aunt was rather eccentric so she kept a tent in her parlor and in Clarissa's mind that was the only proper place for one. I totally agree. I can't live without hot water. If I did live in a tent it would have a bath tub. And a toilet. Okay, I can't live in a tent.
But I do want to experience Nature more directly. I don't own an umbrella. I just get wet and people think I'm crazy for walking in the rain. Do you remember the show 'Eastwick'? My favorite Witch was Eleanor. I LOVED her house! The inside melded so well with the outside it was hard to tell where the walls ended. She had plants every where. The first time she appeared on the show, she was cooking and singing to a nesting hen. I want my house to be like that, but with Roxy's kitchen. Being in touch with the land has become very important to me, possibly one of the most important things I can do as a Witch and I don't think I can touch anything from the couch.
Maybe when I wake from the Dreaming Time I'll be entangled with Nature. I'm not ready for a tent, but I should be able to tend a few more houseplants.
Others say the veil between the worlds is thin, the thinnest it can be, and so more things are possible. I like that idea too, of being able to do the impossible.
And some Witches say Halloween is the New Year. Again, this is an idea I like. Most people like the traditional New Year because it's shiny and full of promise. I like the Halloween New Year because it's dark. Beginnings are usually hard. Often there's a lot of work ahead. Sometimes there's nothing to do but trudge forward and suddenly the hard part is over and you're amazed by the shiny success.
To me Halloween is a transition. I'm preparing for the Dreaming Time of the year. I spend a lot of time thinking about what needs to leave my life, then I dream over the winter months, planning for what I would like to invite in. On Halloween I banish. I make a list of every single thing that bothers me, both large and small, issues and ideas, people and problems. I burn the paper in my cauldron. I LET GO. Often, I see results the next day. Once, I was in a hostile working environment. I ran a machine in a lab. Several gossiping women were also in the lab because there wasn't any other place for them to work. They were just there, they weren't doing any kind of lab tests. The lab tech and I suffered mightily. We had no space, our tests often went awry because some careless soul shoved vials out of place, and all day we heard about everyone's business- who was cheating, who was on drugs, who was in debt, etc. That Halloween I banished the women and the next day when I went to work, they were gone. The manager thought the women needed a larger working space, so he set up cubicle walls on the over side of the building and took the whole troop as far away from the lab as they could go. It was heaven and the lab tech and I were finally at peace. This is why I work on issues that seem impossible- you never know what will happen until you try. At the top of my banishing list this year will be diabetes. Maybe before 2012 is over there'll be a cure.
This is the time of the year when the wheel seems to turn much slower. The days, though short in light, seem to last longer. The long winter afternoons are when I can hear every tick of the clock and long eternities linger between each single of the pendulum. There is nothing to do but reflect, to ponder what kind of person I am and if I like myself.
I think this is why I hate the holidays. I want to move slowly. Everyone around me wants to rush. I want to be alone, everyone else wants to gather. We need some festivities in winter, otherwise we would all be depressed. But the holidays to me are always too much- too much food and drink, too many people, too much money spent. Sometimes I feel like I am the only one looking inward.
I'm more tired this year. I've had so many changes I've lost count of all the things that have happened to me. I won't be banishing much because mo many things have already gone from me and some of those things/people I didn't want to leave. This might be the Big Sleep where I actually rest instead of dream.
One change I know I must make is how I live in Nature. Just about every day now, I go outside to sit in the ley line in my backyard. I must connect with the Earth. I feel a difference if I don't. Sometimes I wish I lived in a tent and slept on the bare ground so that I could feel the elements all the time. This is an insane thought for me. I do all my camping at Holiday Inn. If I want to 'rough it', I go to Motel 6. I remember watching 'Two Fat Ladies' with AJ and one, Clarissa, I think, said her aunt was rather eccentric so she kept a tent in her parlor and in Clarissa's mind that was the only proper place for one. I totally agree. I can't live without hot water. If I did live in a tent it would have a bath tub. And a toilet. Okay, I can't live in a tent.
But I do want to experience Nature more directly. I don't own an umbrella. I just get wet and people think I'm crazy for walking in the rain. Do you remember the show 'Eastwick'? My favorite Witch was Eleanor. I LOVED her house! The inside melded so well with the outside it was hard to tell where the walls ended. She had plants every where. The first time she appeared on the show, she was cooking and singing to a nesting hen. I want my house to be like that, but with Roxy's kitchen. Being in touch with the land has become very important to me, possibly one of the most important things I can do as a Witch and I don't think I can touch anything from the couch.
Maybe when I wake from the Dreaming Time I'll be entangled with Nature. I'm not ready for a tent, but I should be able to tend a few more houseplants.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Pink Eye
Yesterday, I woke up with pink eye. I used to get it all the time when I was about 11 to 13 years old. The doctor told my mother to put Neosporin in my eye. Yes, I KNOW it clearly says on the tube not to put in eye. The doctor said that warning was for the fool who would scratch their eye with the metal tube. Now you know how old I am, since I remember when Neosporin came in metal tubes.
It DOES work. I don't have pink eye today.
I feel fine. I'm just scared to put my contact in.
I was sent home from work last night b/c pink eye is contagious. They might not believe I am well now so I may be sent home again tonight. I hope not because I can't afford to miss too many days.
It DOES work. I don't have pink eye today.
I was sent home from work last night b/c pink eye is contagious. They might not believe I am well now so I may be sent home again tonight. I hope not because I can't afford to miss too many days.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
New Banner? I Haz It Done!
At last, I can move on with the rest of my plan to improve my shop. The patch I listed yesterday still hasn't sold, but I did get more traffic to the shop. Thank you for that. Now if I could just get some feedback...
I am still planning on buying an embroidery machine. I was about 90% sure I would buy a Brother. Then yesterday I stopped at Kroger to buy a sandwich for lunch and I also picked up the latest issue of Threads magazine. Oh my! so many ads for machines more complex than the space shuttle! I have more research to do. One ad made me rethink a brand I dismissed and another ad was for a brand I had never heard of, but the results looked great. I still think I should buy a machine that is just for embroidery and not a combination of embroidery and sewing machine. I have three sewing machines. I don't even use one, it just sits in the shadow of my Singer looking dejected. Poor, little machine.
I have a lot of work to do- designs to draw and items to make, so I guess I'll get off this computer and get busy!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Heck, This Ought to Have Sold By Now
I just renewed this item in my Etsy shop. Everyone seems to like it, so why hasn't it sold? I'm trying to stir up business here- if you like it, say so! Want to buy it? Great! I am open to haggling, I'll adjust the price, give you a coupon code for free shipping, or I'll make another one in a different color. Talk to me!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Powders
Magickal powders are fairly useful. You can sprinkle them around your house or on an item, pour them in gris-gris bags or bottles, stuff them in poppets, or roll candles in the powder. They're fairly easy to make and generally have a long shelf life.
These are all powders of my own creation- I didn't follow a recipe from another source. I came up with all of these when I first started studying Wicca. I would think about my problem, classify it as a love, health, protection, etc issue, then I got my Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs and using a pendulum, I determined which herbs would work for my spell. My 'herbs' were spices I bought at Big Lots. Don't laugh. They have a wide variety of spices for cheap. I could afford to experiment.
One note of caution- while spices make up the bulk of my powders, sometimes I add things that are not to be ingested, like glitter. I never eat my powders, even if every thing in it is food safe. You could easily make a food safe mixture for cooking spells, but that is not what I'm presenting here. I also keep magickal tools separate from cooking tools. I have two mortar and pedestals, a black one for magick and a white one for cooking. I would feel horrid if I ever poisoned anyone. I generally don't mess with poisonous things in my magick, but still, better safe than sorry.
I will also post these recipes on my book of shadows pages. I'm posting them here so you'll get all of them without have to hunt through four separate pages.
Banishing Creeps Powder
¼ teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Garlic salt
Sage
Cinnamon
Make on Saturday, during the dark of the moon, or in the hour of Saturn
Chant once:
Be gone, be gone, be gone
Move away, move on.
I separate you from me.
From this day on I am free.
Be gone, be gone, be gone.
Love Powder
1 teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Dill weed
Allspice
Nutmeg
Poppy seed
Cinnamon
Rosemary
Sage
1 drop each:
Rose oil
Gardenia oil
Grind together very well. Store without a lid until mixture is completely dry.
Make on a Monday, Thursday, or Friday during a new or full moon.
Burn a white, red, pink, or green candle.
Chant 3 times:
Midnight blooms with passion’s embrace,
Lust encircles the lovers’ haste.
Hearts beat as one, pulsing with fire,
Rising strong, fulfilling desire.
Enchantment brings a throbbing delight.
Magick’s afoot as our bodies unite.
Good Health Powder
5 teaspoons each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Garlic
Sage
Thyme
Black pepper
Allspice
Make on any day, any moon phase but in the hour of the moon
Chant once:
By the powers of the moon,
Grant me this healing boon.
Psychic Powder
4 teaspoons each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Thyme
Mace
Cinnamon
Parsley
White glitter
Make on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday on a new moon
Candle- white, blue, or purple
Chant twice:
By the powers of night,
Grant me second sight.
Money Cleansing Powder
1/8 teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Chamomile
Ginger
Mint
Dragon’s blood
1 crystal
Make on a Saturday
(Money cleansing powder is helpful if you have negative association with money or if you want to cleanse away other people's psychic energy, whereas Money Powder is used for drawing money to you)
Money Powder
1 teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Ginger
Dill weed
Basil
Allspice
Nutmeg
Make on Wednesday or Thursday during any moon phase
Chant 5 times:
Trinka 5, Trinka 5
Ancient Spirits come alive
Money grow and money thrive,
Spirits of the Trinka 5.
God Protection Powder
1 quartz placed in a jar
½ teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Red glitter
Garlic
Sage
Thyme
Grind ingredients together
Make on a Sunday, at noon, or in the hour of the sun
Chant twice:
Father Sun, of strength and might,
Aid this spell in taking flight
To its target, now please guide-
Increase its power as it flies.
These are all powders of my own creation- I didn't follow a recipe from another source. I came up with all of these when I first started studying Wicca. I would think about my problem, classify it as a love, health, protection, etc issue, then I got my Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs and using a pendulum, I determined which herbs would work for my spell. My 'herbs' were spices I bought at Big Lots. Don't laugh. They have a wide variety of spices for cheap. I could afford to experiment.
One note of caution- while spices make up the bulk of my powders, sometimes I add things that are not to be ingested, like glitter. I never eat my powders, even if every thing in it is food safe. You could easily make a food safe mixture for cooking spells, but that is not what I'm presenting here. I also keep magickal tools separate from cooking tools. I have two mortar and pedestals, a black one for magick and a white one for cooking. I would feel horrid if I ever poisoned anyone. I generally don't mess with poisonous things in my magick, but still, better safe than sorry.
I will also post these recipes on my book of shadows pages. I'm posting them here so you'll get all of them without have to hunt through four separate pages.
Banishing Creeps Powder
¼ teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Garlic salt
Sage
Cinnamon
Make on Saturday, during the dark of the moon, or in the hour of Saturn
Chant once:
Be gone, be gone, be gone
Move away, move on.
I separate you from me.
From this day on I am free.
Be gone, be gone, be gone.
Love Powder
1 teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Dill weed
Allspice
Nutmeg
Poppy seed
Cinnamon
Rosemary
Sage
1 drop each:
Rose oil
Gardenia oil
Grind together very well. Store without a lid until mixture is completely dry.
Make on a Monday, Thursday, or Friday during a new or full moon.
Burn a white, red, pink, or green candle.
Chant 3 times:
Midnight blooms with passion’s embrace,
Lust encircles the lovers’ haste.
Hearts beat as one, pulsing with fire,
Rising strong, fulfilling desire.
Enchantment brings a throbbing delight.
Magick’s afoot as our bodies unite.
Good Health Powder
5 teaspoons each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Garlic
Sage
Thyme
Black pepper
Allspice
Make on any day, any moon phase but in the hour of the moon
Chant once:
By the powers of the moon,
Grant me this healing boon.
Psychic Powder
4 teaspoons each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Thyme
Mace
Cinnamon
Parsley
White glitter
Make on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday on a new moon
Candle- white, blue, or purple
Chant twice:
By the powers of night,
Grant me second sight.
Money Cleansing Powder
1/8 teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Chamomile
Ginger
Mint
Dragon’s blood
1 crystal
Make on a Saturday
(Money cleansing powder is helpful if you have negative association with money or if you want to cleanse away other people's psychic energy, whereas Money Powder is used for drawing money to you)
Money Powder
1 teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Ginger
Dill weed
Basil
Allspice
Nutmeg
Make on Wednesday or Thursday during any moon phase
Chant 5 times:
Trinka 5, Trinka 5
Ancient Spirits come alive
Money grow and money thrive,
Spirits of the Trinka 5.
God Protection Powder
1 quartz placed in a jar
½ teaspoon each:
Signature ingredient (something you always add to your powders to make them ‘yours’)
Red glitter
Garlic
Sage
Thyme
Grind ingredients together
Make on a Sunday, at noon, or in the hour of the sun
Chant twice:
Father Sun, of strength and might,
Aid this spell in taking flight
To its target, now please guide-
Increase its power as it flies.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Monday Menu
This was in my inbox today-
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Coffin-Pumpkin-Cake?pmcode=ILJDV02T&_mid=2300725&_rid=2300725.558202.206107
yeah, it's cake in the shape of a coffin.
My cookbook has found a new home-
This is my shortest bookcase. It originally held encyclopedias. Both my father and my Grandaddy read encyclopedias for fun. My father has all the books now, and he won't let anyone touch them. I still want to get a stand for my cookbook. I am torn between a wooden one I found on Etsy (which you can see in my favorites) and a cast iron one I found online at Bed, Bath & Beyond. I think I'll have to write my own book blessing. I found a few good book of shadows blessings and a few kitchen witch blessings, but no kitchen witch cookbook blessing which I think is odd because surely every kitchen witch has a collection of recipes. I still haven't decided on cover art. I did find this cool pic of a raven stealing the moon, but that doesn't have much to do with food or cooking:
Today's recipe is one of AJ's. Here are two versions of Russian Tea:
Russian Tea
1 gal. of water
2 cups of sugar (or Splenda for us diabetics)
2 sticks cinnamon
6 whole cloves
5 tea bags
16 ox. orange juice concentrate
16 oz. lemonade concentrate
Boil cinnamon, cloves, sugar and tea in water for 2 minutes. Remove tea bags, cinnamon, and cloves. Add juices, mix, and serve hot.
This smells wonderful when you boil it. We kept it in the fridge and heated up a cup in the microwave. It's very soothing when you're sick. It also goes well with just a touch of Jack Daniel's Whiskey.
Here's a way to keep Russian Tea for months:
Russian Tea, Instant
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of Tang
1/2 cup instant tea
1 small pkg sweetened lemonade mix (about 1/2 cup)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
Mix all ingredients and store in sealed container. To serve, dissolve 1 heaping tablespoon in a cup of boiling water.
When I remade my cookbook, I found my powder recipes. I'll post these on the book of shadows pages over the next few days. That is Draco in the picture. Draco is normally elusive, so I'm a little surprised he wanted his picture taken. Maybe he has some magick in store for us. I thought Draco would like to hang out on my purse. I bought a keyring and a ball chain. The first problem was the chain wouldn't fit around his neck. Funny, I used the chain off the ceiling fan to see if it would work (same size) and it fit. Instead of looping the chain around his neck, I had to loop it around his hand. In the bathroom at work I heard a metallic ping. Draco was on the floor. Both chain and keyring were still intact, so I assume he just jumped off. He's rather sneaky. He went back to the bottom of my purse. So he may or may not have anything to tell us. We'll have to wait and see.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Coffin-Pumpkin-Cake?pmcode=ILJDV02T&_mid=2300725&_rid=2300725.558202.206107
yeah, it's cake in the shape of a coffin.
My cookbook has found a new home-
Russian Tea
1 gal. of water
2 cups of sugar (or Splenda for us diabetics)
2 sticks cinnamon
6 whole cloves
5 tea bags
16 ox. orange juice concentrate
16 oz. lemonade concentrate
Boil cinnamon, cloves, sugar and tea in water for 2 minutes. Remove tea bags, cinnamon, and cloves. Add juices, mix, and serve hot.
This smells wonderful when you boil it. We kept it in the fridge and heated up a cup in the microwave. It's very soothing when you're sick. It also goes well with just a touch of Jack Daniel's Whiskey.
Here's a way to keep Russian Tea for months:
Russian Tea, Instant
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of Tang
1/2 cup instant tea
1 small pkg sweetened lemonade mix (about 1/2 cup)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
Mix all ingredients and store in sealed container. To serve, dissolve 1 heaping tablespoon in a cup of boiling water.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
A Kitchen Witch's Cookbook
The old cookbook lived on the bookshelves, but I think this one needs a special place. I'm thinking about getting some kind of stand for it, maybe leave it open all the time like a book of shadows because really, that's what it is. I need to decorate the cover, but I haven't settled on a good image yet. I also need a book blessing. A long time ago, I had a purple binder for a book of shadows. I kept a book blessing on the front cover and I read it aloud each time I opened the book. It was a fun rite to do. Maybe I can find something about cooking and kitchen witchery.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
But Mama! We'll MELT!
It has been a rainy October. Just about every day, I let the dogs out. Labradors, mind you, a breed speffically designed to jump into icy cold water to retrive fishing nets.
As I walk towards the door, Halona and Sophie begin bouncing around excitedly. They bark and growl, with tails wagging faster than airplane propellers.
Before I really get the door open, they have bounded out. And they come to an immediate halt at the edge of the porch.
RAIN!
Both dogs stare in dismay. Evil water is falling from the sky. "Go find a spot." I'll tell them. They look at me like I'm stupid. But we don't want to get wet!
I can't coax the dogs off the porch unless their bladders are so full they're about to burst.
When the rain stops, I'll let them out and both dogs splash through every mud puddle in the yard.
As I walk towards the door, Halona and Sophie begin bouncing around excitedly. They bark and growl, with tails wagging faster than airplane propellers.
Before I really get the door open, they have bounded out. And they come to an immediate halt at the edge of the porch.
RAIN!
Both dogs stare in dismay. Evil water is falling from the sky. "Go find a spot." I'll tell them. They look at me like I'm stupid. But we don't want to get wet!
I can't coax the dogs off the porch unless their bladders are so full they're about to burst.
When the rain stops, I'll let them out and both dogs splash through every mud puddle in the yard.
Crossroad
I've come to a point where I need to make a decision about Mr. Dragon. Wait or let him go? He doesn't seem to want to let me go. But he won't fully commit either. I checked the cards. For the first time, they've left me confused. Apparently, if I do nothing it works out. Okay, good to know. But if I move on it works out, too. What? That doesn't tell me which direction to take. I'm still at the crossroad. Every single time I try to move away something pulls us back together. Each time I try to move towards him, something comes between us. I think I'll just be still and see what comes. Or goes. I wonder how many villages started that way.
"Which way?"
"I don't know."
"Let's just settle here."
"Okay."
Can you imagine? It's a whole town of indecision.
"Which way?"
"I don't know."
"Let's just settle here."
"Okay."
Can you imagine? It's a whole town of indecision.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday Menu- Why I Love This Site
http://www.tasteofhome.com/
AJ used to have the little Taste of Home cookbooks all over her house. She mainly had the holiday ones because at Thanksgiving each guest was allowed to pick out a dessert. It was standard to have pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, lemon pie, pecan pie, chocolate cake, marble squares, and pound cake along with all the other foods- turkey, ham, roasted chicken, corn bread, rolls, casserole, deviled eggs, potato salad, steamed veggies, and I don't remember what all else. I do remember there was so much food we barely had room to eat. Everyone would take food home with them and it was still a challenge getting the leftovers in the fridge. AJ spent months planning her Thanksgiving menu. She probably spent thousands of dollars because she would clean out the cabinets in the summer time then start restocking. She spent nearly a whole week cooking and I had to help- I washed dishes, peeled potatoes, and cut bread into cubes. I emptied the trash and ran to the store for forgotten items. I did laundry and vacuumed while AJ stirred and simmered. She was a far better kitchen witch than I can ever hope to be.
I have a few of the cookbooks. They seem to run the same ones over and over, so I would think after a while you'd easily have the whole set, but I remember AJ grabbing whatever current issue was at the checkout and tossing it into the buggy with a barely a glance. I guess there were a few she didn't have, and she must have thought they were a necessity because she bought those books like I buy coffee- got to have it, don't dicker about price.
Seeing those little books bring back waves of nostalgia. I think I am actually a great cook when I read the recipes and I feel confident I can make anything Taste of Home publishes. I could easily con Kevin into buying a book for me, because he knew he would reap the benefits. He would sit beside me, point to a picture, and ask me to cook it. He didn't have much interest in any of my other cookbooks. There's something special about Taste of Home.
AJ kept her books in pristine condition. I tear pages out of mine. I staple the recipe cards into my journal so I can make notes. I've discovered sometimes the recipes are just a bit off. I think maybe the staff doesn't test every single recipe, or maybe they have some printing errors. Overall, I've had great success. Most of the recipes I like enough to start cooking on a regular basis.
I like the website because they have like a gazillion recipes. If I don't know what to cook, I visit the website and soon it's food overload- more than I can possibly cook in two years. They also have a How To Cook section which not only has videos, pictures, and instructions for recipes, but also has instructions for making decorations, measuring, and how to read labels. Currently, since it is nearly Halloween, they have 'how to carve a pumpkin.' You could plan, decorate, and prepare food for a lavish party and have it go off with out a hitch even if you're uneasy about stepping in the kitchen.
Under the 'Special Diets' section, I discovered a recipe for sugar-free cocoa mix. I have been dying for a cup of hot chocolate. It's been damp and chilly here. I've been trying to make do with coffee and tea, but it's just not the same. This is 17 grams of carbs per serving which isn't bad for hot chocolate. 'Diabetic' is the first section under 'Special Diets.' I intend to explore this more later. There is nothing more frustrating than finding a great recipe only to realize I can't eat it.
I have to go plan some menus. I hear the call of my magick spoons. Next week I'll show you my cookbook.
AJ used to have the little Taste of Home cookbooks all over her house. She mainly had the holiday ones because at Thanksgiving each guest was allowed to pick out a dessert. It was standard to have pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, lemon pie, pecan pie, chocolate cake, marble squares, and pound cake along with all the other foods- turkey, ham, roasted chicken, corn bread, rolls, casserole, deviled eggs, potato salad, steamed veggies, and I don't remember what all else. I do remember there was so much food we barely had room to eat. Everyone would take food home with them and it was still a challenge getting the leftovers in the fridge. AJ spent months planning her Thanksgiving menu. She probably spent thousands of dollars because she would clean out the cabinets in the summer time then start restocking. She spent nearly a whole week cooking and I had to help- I washed dishes, peeled potatoes, and cut bread into cubes. I emptied the trash and ran to the store for forgotten items. I did laundry and vacuumed while AJ stirred and simmered. She was a far better kitchen witch than I can ever hope to be.
I have a few of the cookbooks. They seem to run the same ones over and over, so I would think after a while you'd easily have the whole set, but I remember AJ grabbing whatever current issue was at the checkout and tossing it into the buggy with a barely a glance. I guess there were a few she didn't have, and she must have thought they were a necessity because she bought those books like I buy coffee- got to have it, don't dicker about price.
Seeing those little books bring back waves of nostalgia. I think I am actually a great cook when I read the recipes and I feel confident I can make anything Taste of Home publishes. I could easily con Kevin into buying a book for me, because he knew he would reap the benefits. He would sit beside me, point to a picture, and ask me to cook it. He didn't have much interest in any of my other cookbooks. There's something special about Taste of Home.
AJ kept her books in pristine condition. I tear pages out of mine. I staple the recipe cards into my journal so I can make notes. I've discovered sometimes the recipes are just a bit off. I think maybe the staff doesn't test every single recipe, or maybe they have some printing errors. Overall, I've had great success. Most of the recipes I like enough to start cooking on a regular basis.
I like the website because they have like a gazillion recipes. If I don't know what to cook, I visit the website and soon it's food overload- more than I can possibly cook in two years. They also have a How To Cook section which not only has videos, pictures, and instructions for recipes, but also has instructions for making decorations, measuring, and how to read labels. Currently, since it is nearly Halloween, they have 'how to carve a pumpkin.' You could plan, decorate, and prepare food for a lavish party and have it go off with out a hitch even if you're uneasy about stepping in the kitchen.
Under the 'Special Diets' section, I discovered a recipe for sugar-free cocoa mix. I have been dying for a cup of hot chocolate. It's been damp and chilly here. I've been trying to make do with coffee and tea, but it's just not the same. This is 17 grams of carbs per serving which isn't bad for hot chocolate. 'Diabetic' is the first section under 'Special Diets.' I intend to explore this more later. There is nothing more frustrating than finding a great recipe only to realize I can't eat it.
I have to go plan some menus. I hear the call of my magick spoons. Next week I'll show you my cookbook.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
How I Spent the Weekend
I only had Sunday off. I used today to tie up loose ends.
I also added pictures to my family tree project.
I want to add more pictures, but this is a good start. The photos are held up by the paper leaves which are held by regular sewing pins. I pinned the leaves up, then slid the picture behind the leaves. I ended up using maple leaves I found on the porch as a pattern instead of sweet gum leaves. Did I mention I was lazy?
I also worked on my Etsy banner. Thank you EmKat! The site you suggested made things much easier! I'm not struggling with the size anymore. Now I'm being picky about color. But that's not anyone's fault but mine.
I cleaning the sewing room, but I didn't take any pictures because I don't want anyone to know what kind of chaos I work in. I think when I get my tax refund, I will buy an embroidery machine. It has been a long time since I purchased any kind of sewing equipment. I already checked the price and was surprised to discover it's not as expensive as I thought. I think I can afford something really nice so now I have something to look forward to.
I still have some cleaning to do. My floors are in a rather sad condition. I also have to cook for the week ahead. I think tomorrow, instead of doing a menu, I'll post a link to my favorite cooking site.
I cleaned the book selves. This is something I try to do three or four times a year. My bookshelves are my library, my magickal cabinet, my curio case, my archive, and my house altar. So things get a bit out of hand with incense ashes, dust, and miscellaneous items. If it is important, but I don't know what to do with it, I put it on the bookcase. My suggestion for clearing a bookcase is this: ONLY DO ONE SHELF AT A TIME! Do not, under any circumstances, take every thing off with the intention of organizing at all as you put it back because I assure you, it can't easily be done. Pick one shelf and before you touch anything, decide what you can get rid of. If you want to donate, remove that book first and take it to your car. Start a pile for books you borrowed and need to return. After you get the stragglers out of the way, then you can take everything off the one shelf, dust, then reorganize. That is the only way to make more space and keep track of all the piles. When you get tired, STOP. Cleaning the bookcase is an all day job. I used to take all the books down, pile them up, wipe down shelves, trip over books, get annoyed, decide to rest, then discover I couldn't sit down because all my chairs had books on them. It was madness and I am far too lazy to do so much work.
I also worked on my Etsy banner. Thank you EmKat! The site you suggested made things much easier! I'm not struggling with the size anymore. Now I'm being picky about color. But that's not anyone's fault but mine.
I cleaning the sewing room, but I didn't take any pictures because I don't want anyone to know what kind of chaos I work in. I think when I get my tax refund, I will buy an embroidery machine. It has been a long time since I purchased any kind of sewing equipment. I already checked the price and was surprised to discover it's not as expensive as I thought. I think I can afford something really nice so now I have something to look forward to.
I still have some cleaning to do. My floors are in a rather sad condition. I also have to cook for the week ahead. I think tomorrow, instead of doing a menu, I'll post a link to my favorite cooking site.
Friday, October 7, 2011
I Want to Be Rachel Morgan
I'm not saying we should throw out our moral code. What I value about Rachel is when life throws a curve she adapts. She reevaluates her code to survive. if her rules aren't working, she changes them. Along the way, she discovers she didn't have life figured out after all.
Rachel starts off fearing demons. But by the last book
she demands the coven acknowledge her as a demon. Rachel became what she most feared. And guess what? She's still Rachel!
Some other things I like about her is the fact that she uses magic as a last resort. She always looks for a practical solution first. She takes care of the mundane business before breaking out the potion bottles. In the opening of Pale Demon Rachel is relaxing in her garden when she is attacked. She chases the bad guy down the street in her bikini! I don't think I could run down my road barefoot and nearly naked just to tackle a guy and haul him back for questioning. Not with any serious credibility anyway.
I also like the splat gun loaded with sleeping potion, the boots and leather, her living in a church, and her mix of wildly different friends which include pixies, vampires, werewolves, elves, and a ghost. I've always attracted a wide range of people but my problem is I can't keep them all in close proximity without fighting.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Really, That's What They Said
These are some actual comments said to me after I've told people I'm a witch.
1. "I don't believe you're a witch. I think you believe you are, but witches don't exist." (There is nothing more patronizing than being told to my face that I'm not real. Screw you.) Said by an ex-boyfriend. He said lots of things along this line which is why I dumped him. I wasn't a person to him, just a piece of ass.
2. "I can't talk to you anymore because you're going to Hell." Said by a college classmate who dropped me like a hot potato. She stopped speaking to me, stopped sitting beside me, and stopped studying with me. I ceased to exist for her.
3. "Are you into Wicca? That's my sister's hobby." Excuse me, last time I checked, religion wasn't a hobby. Said by a rather dingy secretary at my old job. She started the conversation, tried to out me, and just generally made a pest of herself. Annoyed, I told her I was High Priestess of the Chicken Worshipper Cult. I think she thought I was serious.
4. "I think the whole witchcraft thing is cool as hell. Can you teach me how to hex people?" Said by a former boss who was eventually fired for embezzlement.
5. "If you really have powers, why are you working for a living?" Suppressed co-worker and psychic vampire. We called her The Dark Cloud.
6. "I'll pray for you. You're just on the wrong path. Jesus can..." Creepy church lady ease dropping on a conversation with a fellow witch. She said some more stuff about Hell, fire, angels, and she shouted bible verses as we got away as fast as we could.
7. "So, like, can you take a shower?" Drunk guy at a party. I guess his only frame of reference was The Wizard of Oz.
8. "How do you know you're a witch?" I've heard this one so many times I've lost count. The same way I know I'm straight. I just know.
9. "There's a ghost in my house. Can you get rid of it?" And yes, I did.
1. "I don't believe you're a witch. I think you believe you are, but witches don't exist." (There is nothing more patronizing than being told to my face that I'm not real. Screw you.) Said by an ex-boyfriend. He said lots of things along this line which is why I dumped him. I wasn't a person to him, just a piece of ass.
2. "I can't talk to you anymore because you're going to Hell." Said by a college classmate who dropped me like a hot potato. She stopped speaking to me, stopped sitting beside me, and stopped studying with me. I ceased to exist for her.
3. "Are you into Wicca? That's my sister's hobby." Excuse me, last time I checked, religion wasn't a hobby. Said by a rather dingy secretary at my old job. She started the conversation, tried to out me, and just generally made a pest of herself. Annoyed, I told her I was High Priestess of the Chicken Worshipper Cult. I think she thought I was serious.
4. "I think the whole witchcraft thing is cool as hell. Can you teach me how to hex people?" Said by a former boss who was eventually fired for embezzlement.
5. "If you really have powers, why are you working for a living?" Suppressed co-worker and psychic vampire. We called her The Dark Cloud.
6. "I'll pray for you. You're just on the wrong path. Jesus can..." Creepy church lady ease dropping on a conversation with a fellow witch. She said some more stuff about Hell, fire, angels, and she shouted bible verses as we got away as fast as we could.
7. "So, like, can you take a shower?" Drunk guy at a party. I guess his only frame of reference was The Wizard of Oz.
8. "How do you know you're a witch?" I've heard this one so many times I've lost count. The same way I know I'm straight. I just know.
9. "There's a ghost in my house. Can you get rid of it?" And yes, I did.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
How to Be a Closeted Witch
I say I became a witch around the age of 21. I was already a witch because I was born one, I just didn't know there was a name for it.
Being born a witch is hard because all my life I didn't exactly fit in and I didn't know why. My thoughts, opinions, and views were contrary to everyone else's and I didn't see why that would be so offensive to people. It was not until I began studying Wicca that I realized people are overly defensive about religion because it is the not so strong bond holding life together.
People are usually born into a religion. Like it or not, that first religion we are exposed to shapes us. I can still quote the bible and I still remember a lot of hymns. I stopped going to church when I was 17. But what most people find comforting about Christianity is no matter how long you've been gone, why you left, or what you've done, you can come home again. Most of us have been told over and over Jesus died for us and as long as we accept him in our hearts we will be saved.
So when a sassy twenty-something chick can clearly articulate why paganism works for her, and heck, even sound logical and reasonable about it, people get nervous. There might, just maybe, possibly, be the small chance that I am right.
And if I am right about one small thing, then some other things could be wrong.
How could you decide? How would you know which parts were okay and which were fantasy? What if you had to throw out your favorite thing? And if religion doesn't have things exactly right, what about the rest of the world? Are things really as they appear to be? What if EVERYTHING is wrong? Now what? How do you define yourself? Are you still the same person?
I like these sort of questions. I like having my perceptions flipped around. I like walking around a mental corner and finding something new. This is something witches do and it is just one reason why we are considered subversive and detrimental.
Most people don't want to be uncomfortable.
So most people, when you tell them you are witch, will make fun of you. They are trying to make you uncomfortable so you'll leave and they can feel smug and secure.
Here's another reason witches usually live outside or on the edges of society- we got to do our thing. If we don't fit in we just go off on our own, unlike the Christians, we don't try to convert. I've always thought the conversion thing was not out of concern for my spiritual well-being, but rather so the group wouldn't be reminded or faced with discomfort. Sort of an if-everybody-thinks-like-us-we-won't-have-to-worry-about-disagreements attitude.
I'm not completely out of the broom closet. I'm not sure I ever can be. I really admire the public Pagans. I just don't think I can be defined by one thing. Maybe it's cowardly of me, but I don't want to fight an uphill battle every day. I like keeping to myself and minding my own business. I wish more people would do it.
I like to say I have the closet door open. I'm not coming out, but you can come in here and talk to me if you like.
For a long time, I had the door shut and locked. Every single aspect was a secret. It was a lot of stress, but it also made me excel at visualization because all my rites were mostly mental. I couldn't speak aloud and sometimes I couldn't light candles either.
I started finding lots of little ways to slip magick in.
1. Charged jewelry. This was the easiest and my favorite. Each night I would pick out a piece to wear the next day. I kept a crystal on my dresser and I would place my jewelry on it to charge. I noticed charged items drew more attention. When I worked at a daycare, I noticed the children always grabbed a charged necklace. Children are far more perceptive than most people realize.
2. Potted plants. I used houseplants for all kinds of things. I could charge the seeds and have a spell that slowly grew in power. I could draw symbols on the flower pot (on the inside, hidden from prying eyes). I could bury offerings in the soil. I could harvest parts of the plant for spells. If I needed to burn something in a fire-safe pot, I could use a Terra cotta pot. If I couldn't get outside, I could at least communicate with Nature via my plants. I also learned a lot of practical information about gardening.
3. Music. I used music to drown out background sounds, to mask the sounds of what I was doing, and to help me meditate.
4. Scent. Everyone thought I was experimenting with perfume. If I couldn't get the herb I needed, I usually wore the essential oil. Charge oil, dab on wrists, all day long I was a walking spell.
5. Art. I drew magickal symbols and runes in countless notebooks. I tried to make them as decorative as possible. I'd open my notebook, touch my symbol, and visualize my intent. People thought I was brainstorming.
6. Long walks. Every day I'd go for a very long walk. I'd chant along the way. Sometimes I'd ask for omens. I talked to trees. Sometimes I'd walk to the creek so I could banish something.
7. Sleeping in circles. I'd cast a circle around my bed before I went to sleep. This allowed me to practice ritual magick without drawing attention to myself. Sometimes I would do dream magick. I stopped casting circles around my bed because eventually I stopped sleeping. I would close my eyes and the alarm would go off. The whole night passed in a minute. I wasn't resting at all. As I went through my day, bits of bizarre dreams would come to me.
8. Reading. I read every single book I could find about witches, even works of fiction. I discovered a good many novels about magick had basis in fact. I am especially fond of John Bellairs' books.
9. Intent is everything. There's a spell for everything and most anything can be used in a spell. I can make a spell out of brushing my hair and in fact, when I read the cards I make sure my hair is loose because I think having my hair in a braid would be a sign of constricted energy. If I couldn't burn a candle, I tried to wear the right color shirt. I learned numerology so I would know how many times to chant my desire. I learned which direction to face and when to cast. I paid attention to the world around me, always looking for signs. And I did it all in my head so I wouldn't have to utter a word.
Turn off the closet light, would you? I don't want people to know I'm in here.
Being born a witch is hard because all my life I didn't exactly fit in and I didn't know why. My thoughts, opinions, and views were contrary to everyone else's and I didn't see why that would be so offensive to people. It was not until I began studying Wicca that I realized people are overly defensive about religion because it is the not so strong bond holding life together.
People are usually born into a religion. Like it or not, that first religion we are exposed to shapes us. I can still quote the bible and I still remember a lot of hymns. I stopped going to church when I was 17. But what most people find comforting about Christianity is no matter how long you've been gone, why you left, or what you've done, you can come home again. Most of us have been told over and over Jesus died for us and as long as we accept him in our hearts we will be saved.
So when a sassy twenty-something chick can clearly articulate why paganism works for her, and heck, even sound logical and reasonable about it, people get nervous. There might, just maybe, possibly, be the small chance that I am right.
And if I am right about one small thing, then some other things could be wrong.
How could you decide? How would you know which parts were okay and which were fantasy? What if you had to throw out your favorite thing? And if religion doesn't have things exactly right, what about the rest of the world? Are things really as they appear to be? What if EVERYTHING is wrong? Now what? How do you define yourself? Are you still the same person?
I like these sort of questions. I like having my perceptions flipped around. I like walking around a mental corner and finding something new. This is something witches do and it is just one reason why we are considered subversive and detrimental.
Most people don't want to be uncomfortable.
So most people, when you tell them you are witch, will make fun of you. They are trying to make you uncomfortable so you'll leave and they can feel smug and secure.
Here's another reason witches usually live outside or on the edges of society- we got to do our thing. If we don't fit in we just go off on our own, unlike the Christians, we don't try to convert. I've always thought the conversion thing was not out of concern for my spiritual well-being, but rather so the group wouldn't be reminded or faced with discomfort. Sort of an if-everybody-thinks-like-us-we-won't-have-to-worry-about-disagreements attitude.
I'm not completely out of the broom closet. I'm not sure I ever can be. I really admire the public Pagans. I just don't think I can be defined by one thing. Maybe it's cowardly of me, but I don't want to fight an uphill battle every day. I like keeping to myself and minding my own business. I wish more people would do it.
I like to say I have the closet door open. I'm not coming out, but you can come in here and talk to me if you like.
For a long time, I had the door shut and locked. Every single aspect was a secret. It was a lot of stress, but it also made me excel at visualization because all my rites were mostly mental. I couldn't speak aloud and sometimes I couldn't light candles either.
I started finding lots of little ways to slip magick in.
1. Charged jewelry. This was the easiest and my favorite. Each night I would pick out a piece to wear the next day. I kept a crystal on my dresser and I would place my jewelry on it to charge. I noticed charged items drew more attention. When I worked at a daycare, I noticed the children always grabbed a charged necklace. Children are far more perceptive than most people realize.
2. Potted plants. I used houseplants for all kinds of things. I could charge the seeds and have a spell that slowly grew in power. I could draw symbols on the flower pot (on the inside, hidden from prying eyes). I could bury offerings in the soil. I could harvest parts of the plant for spells. If I needed to burn something in a fire-safe pot, I could use a Terra cotta pot. If I couldn't get outside, I could at least communicate with Nature via my plants. I also learned a lot of practical information about gardening.
3. Music. I used music to drown out background sounds, to mask the sounds of what I was doing, and to help me meditate.
4. Scent. Everyone thought I was experimenting with perfume. If I couldn't get the herb I needed, I usually wore the essential oil. Charge oil, dab on wrists, all day long I was a walking spell.
5. Art. I drew magickal symbols and runes in countless notebooks. I tried to make them as decorative as possible. I'd open my notebook, touch my symbol, and visualize my intent. People thought I was brainstorming.
6. Long walks. Every day I'd go for a very long walk. I'd chant along the way. Sometimes I'd ask for omens. I talked to trees. Sometimes I'd walk to the creek so I could banish something.
7. Sleeping in circles. I'd cast a circle around my bed before I went to sleep. This allowed me to practice ritual magick without drawing attention to myself. Sometimes I would do dream magick. I stopped casting circles around my bed because eventually I stopped sleeping. I would close my eyes and the alarm would go off. The whole night passed in a minute. I wasn't resting at all. As I went through my day, bits of bizarre dreams would come to me.
8. Reading. I read every single book I could find about witches, even works of fiction. I discovered a good many novels about magick had basis in fact. I am especially fond of John Bellairs' books.
9. Intent is everything. There's a spell for everything and most anything can be used in a spell. I can make a spell out of brushing my hair and in fact, when I read the cards I make sure my hair is loose because I think having my hair in a braid would be a sign of constricted energy. If I couldn't burn a candle, I tried to wear the right color shirt. I learned numerology so I would know how many times to chant my desire. I learned which direction to face and when to cast. I paid attention to the world around me, always looking for signs. And I did it all in my head so I wouldn't have to utter a word.
Turn off the closet light, would you? I don't want people to know I'm in here.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
This Week's Menu- Short & Witchy Style
Okay, okay, I am already falling off the weekly menu post wagon. I suck, I know. This is a week of low sugars. Whenever the weather changes, so does my glucose level. These last two weeks have seen much cooler temperatures. Colder weather means my body burns more sugar to keep warm, thus I need more carbs. This would be a good time to make a big pan of biscuits.
Since my sugar has been dropping at least twice a night, I don't feel well. I really want to curl up in bed and sleep. Then I could roll over and sleep some more. I'm craving gooey chocolate and actually, right now that would be good for me.
So this week's menu is rather non-existent because I haven't cooked anything. I went to my parents' house Sunday and my mother sent home a bunch of food because she still thinks I haven't grown up enough to fend for myself. She gave me half a meatloaf, some hard boiled eggs, a baked sweet potato, and snow peas. She was about to start handing me canned goods so I left because I feel guilty about taking all the food. She also tried to give me bacon, cheese, and coffee. Sometimes I bring a cooler and ice with me because I get tired of refusing.
The only food I have really prepared is sandwiches for my lunch. Just for fun, I drew pentacles on the bread with mustard. Don't laugh, it's really helpful. What kind of energy do you want in your life? Love? Draw hearts. Money? Dollar signs. Maybe circles for healing energy. I must warn you, drawing with mustard is a little tricky. It might be easier to spread the condiment on with a knife then draw the symbol with a toothpick. I call this sort of thing secret witchcraft because no one else will ever know about it.
Since my sugar has been dropping at least twice a night, I don't feel well. I really want to curl up in bed and sleep. Then I could roll over and sleep some more. I'm craving gooey chocolate and actually, right now that would be good for me.
So this week's menu is rather non-existent because I haven't cooked anything. I went to my parents' house Sunday and my mother sent home a bunch of food because she still thinks I haven't grown up enough to fend for myself. She gave me half a meatloaf, some hard boiled eggs, a baked sweet potato, and snow peas. She was about to start handing me canned goods so I left because I feel guilty about taking all the food. She also tried to give me bacon, cheese, and coffee. Sometimes I bring a cooler and ice with me because I get tired of refusing.
The only food I have really prepared is sandwiches for my lunch. Just for fun, I drew pentacles on the bread with mustard. Don't laugh, it's really helpful. What kind of energy do you want in your life? Love? Draw hearts. Money? Dollar signs. Maybe circles for healing energy. I must warn you, drawing with mustard is a little tricky. It might be easier to spread the condiment on with a knife then draw the symbol with a toothpick. I call this sort of thing secret witchcraft because no one else will ever know about it.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Etsy Banner Work in Progress
Since the new banner wouldn't fit, I looked over it again. Maybe I need more. I must have a dragon. Obviously, I need something related to sewing. And I picked Hecate's Wheel as my magickal symbol because every witch and her coven sisters use a pentagram. But it looks like I randomly tossed things together. I need something more unified. Maybe I need a nice border. Maybe my dragon could be stitching something. I think I need more color.
A little help here. Suggestions would be nice. A kind person who could actually design a banner for me would be great!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Too Much to Say to be Silent Sunday
First- I've started drawing again. Sorta. I've been doodling in my new sketchbook and I'm working my way up to actually drawing. I dedicated my book to my Goddesses and I would show you the list, but my name and phone number is right beside it, so here's my doodles-
Second- I've decided my Etsy shop needs a make-over. I need a more unified shop, a new banner, and probably a new picture of me. I'm going to try (I said TRY) to list new items every two weeks or so. I would do it every week but I don't think my schedule will allow it. The shop (not me) will start appearing on more social networks like flickr. I'm still debating facebook. Yes, it's very popular and would help my shop, but I hate facebook! I'm torn.
Third- a biology lesson. It always amazes me that people do not know this. Ladies, your most fertile time of the month is two weeks after the first day of your period. Gentlemen, if you want to get lucky, your woman is MOST LIKELY to sleep with you two weeks from the first day of her period. Just remember this is the most fertile time of the month, so if you don't want to be a daddy take precautions. Witches, if you begin tracking this information you will see a pattern in moon phases and astrological signs.
Third- a biology lesson. It always amazes me that people do not know this. Ladies, your most fertile time of the month is two weeks after the first day of your period. Gentlemen, if you want to get lucky, your woman is MOST LIKELY to sleep with you two weeks from the first day of her period. Just remember this is the most fertile time of the month, so if you don't want to be a daddy take precautions. Witches, if you begin tracking this information you will see a pattern in moon phases and astrological signs.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
26
I had a low sugar at work tonight. I don't know how low, I just felt it drop. Our team leader (who I can't stand), kept saying we would leave soon, so I was trying to wait, but I felt my sugar going lower so I finally gave up and ate Oeros while the production supervisor glared at me for eating. I glared back. Please write me up. Sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen. I wonder what it would be like to retire before the age of 35.
After the cookies, I felt a little better, but still not quite right. The team leader kept promising we could go, then she's find more work. I started feeling angry, not just because I was being treated like a doormat, but angry about EVERYTHING. That should have been a clue.
Finally, my team leader and I had a discussion about my sugar and I left. All the way home my stomach rolled. I wanted to burst into tears. My head pounded as waves of anger washed over me.
It was hard to see. I couldn't decide if I was too hot or too cold. I thought maybe my sugar was too low. Maybe I shouldn't drive. Who will come get me? No one loves me. I wanted to cry again.
Finally I got home. I sat down and cried. Then I tested my sugar.
26. If my sugar falls below 70 I am not supposed to drive.
I have eaten a brownie, milk, and crackers. I no longer feel like crying, I decided I am too cold, and I think maybe somebody does love me. I hope so.
After the cookies, I felt a little better, but still not quite right. The team leader kept promising we could go, then she's find more work. I started feeling angry, not just because I was being treated like a doormat, but angry about EVERYTHING. That should have been a clue.
Finally, my team leader and I had a discussion about my sugar and I left. All the way home my stomach rolled. I wanted to burst into tears. My head pounded as waves of anger washed over me.
It was hard to see. I couldn't decide if I was too hot or too cold. I thought maybe my sugar was too low. Maybe I shouldn't drive. Who will come get me? No one loves me. I wanted to cry again.
Finally I got home. I sat down and cried. Then I tested my sugar.
26. If my sugar falls below 70 I am not supposed to drive.
I have eaten a brownie, milk, and crackers. I no longer feel like crying, I decided I am too cold, and I think maybe somebody does love me. I hope so.
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