Autumn Cooking - Late Mabon Feast

I am back from my honeymoon in Maine. My wife and I had a wonderful time, and enjoyed our stay in one of my favorite places on earth... but now we are back and getting back into reality.
Anyway, Mabon came and went while we were on our honeymoon, and I didn't really do much to celebrate the day, so I vowed to celebrate when I came home and that is what I did today.

While we were on our honeymoon, my wife and I went Apple Picking, and we brought home a bag of apples to enjoy... I have been eating several apples a day... (They are sooooo goood!!!!)
Anyway, I woke up this morning with the urge to bake something with some of the apples, so I decided to surprise my wife with freshly baked Apple Crisp for breakfast!

Apple Crisp (Gluten Free, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free)

Filling:

• 6 Medium Apples (cored and sliced) (I used McIntosh because those are my favorite)
• 2 Tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 5 Tsp Pure Maple Syrup

1. Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees F.
2. Spray a Square Baking dish with Non-stick Cooking Spray.
3. Toss apples with lemon juice and place into baking dish.
4. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and maple syrup over the apples and stir to coat well.

 Topping:

• 1/2 Cup Gluten Free Oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/2 Cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (I used Bob's Red Mill)
• 2 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg
• 1/4 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 5 Tsp Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 Packet Stevia
• 1 Tbsp Vegan Butter Spread (I used Smart Balance. You can use semi solid Coconut Oil i f you prefer)

1. In a medium bowl mix the flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and stevia.
2. Drizzle in the maple syrup and stir well to combine.
3. Cut in the butter spread one tsp at a time until it becomes a crumbly topping.
4. Sprinkle topping over the apples and bake for 30-40 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

YUM! It was delicious.

While the apple crisp was baking I prepared a whole chicken and put it in the crock pot to roast. I added cracked pepper, pink salt, and garlic, and set the crock pot for 7 hours. MMM, by this tine the house was smelling like Fall with the Cinnamon Apples and the Garlic Chicken... YUM YUM YUM.

Later in the day I went grocery shopping and picked up a Sugar Pumpkin, and with the help of my wife we chopped it up and peeled the skin, and I popped the cubed pumpkin in the oven with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

While the pumpkin was roasting I sorted through the guts and put the seeds aside to roast (My wife has been begging me to make pumpkin seeds lately, so I was going to surprise her with them when she got home from work.)

When the pumpkin was done we enjoyed a delicious dinner of Roast Chicken and Pumpkin, as well as Green Beans (I was going to roast Brussels Sprouts, but I didn't have enough time). And Apple Crisp for dessert.











I placed the chicken carcass back into the crock pot with the leftover meat and juices, and I added 5 cups of water, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and some herbs, and I am cooking that on low overnight to make chicken stock (later to become chicken/vegetable soup).


While my wife was at work I tossed the pumpkin seeds with some cooking spray and some salt, and I roasted them at 400 Degrees until they were brown and crispy. YUM!

Then, while I was trying to figure out what to bring for my work lunch tomorrow, I decided to make Pumpkin Soup with some of the leftover roasted pumpkin. I tossed 2 cups of pumpkin into the blender with some of the chicken stock and some unsweetened almond milk, and I also added minced garlic, cracked pepper, pink salt, onion powder, celery salt, and celery flakes. I blended it until smooth and creamy and now I have a delicious soup to enjoy at work tomorrow along with some crispy pumpkin seeds and a fresh apple.

What a glorious day. I hope you all had a wonderful Mabon, and I hope my cooking has given you all some ideas for delicious Fall meals.
Blessed Be!

My little helper 'Sage' loves being in the kitchen with me when I cook. No matter where he is in the house, once I start cooking he comes and lays on the floor behind me. He likes to follow me around the house when I clean too. :)

Carpe Diem

How I turned a potentially bad day into a great day.

I woke up early this morning from a very bad nightmare. You know the ones where you are screaming and screaming in the dream but in reality you can’t move or make a sound? Yes, I woke up from one of those and my fiancé wasn’t in the bed next to me. I was stricken with panic, but luckily she was just getting dressed at the foot of the bed and was able to come help me calm down. I told her about the nightmare (She said it was a night terror) and I cried in her arms. Then I realized that she had to go to work (a 14 hour shift, so I would be alone all day) and I curled up in the bed and tried to fall back to sleep while I was still creeped out by the dream. I was able to get back to sleep, but I woke up feeling off and not in the best mood. I could just tell it was going to be a bad day for me.

I stumbled out of bed and made my way to the bathroom to brush my teeth and get ready for the day, but I was hit with a thought. Why did I decide to have a bad day? That’s Right, by resigning myself to having a bad day I was making a choice to go along with whatever the day had in store for me. I was not going to just sit by and let negative things happen to me all day long, I was going to take the fate of my day into my own hands and make it a good day. No, a Great Day!

With my new positive attitude I thought of things I’d like to do with my free time today. Besides the few chores I had to do such as washing and folding laundry, cleaning the litter box, and washing dishes, I had a nice chunk of free time to work with.

The first thing I did was call my fiancé and talk to her while she was at work. It’s always a great pick me up being able to talk to her, so I called and we talked for a few minutes. Feeling slightly invigorated, I looked around the room I was in and realized I hadn’t been wearing my wedding heals for a while. I am supposed to wear them a few times a week so I can get used to them before the wedding. Well, I pulled the box over to me and I put on my shoes and admired them. I love the way these heals make my legs and bum look sexy, and they make me so tall. Putting these on instantly changed my perspective by not only making me physically see everything from a different angle, but also because they make me feel attractive, and when you feel attractive you look attractive, and that helps improve your mood and your outlook on life.

With my heals on, I decided I’d make myself a special breakfast as a treat, so I clicked over to the stove and started making my new recipe for Peaches & Cream Oatmeal. It’s the much Healthier, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Vegan version of the peaches & cream oatmeal that comes in those variety boxes of instant oatmeal. With my yummy and healthy breakfast in hand I sat outside on the back porch and enjoyed the peaceful morning. I don’t often get to relax and eat a leisurely breakfast because usually I have work or errands to do, so today I sat back and relaxed while enjoying the beautiful Autum-y weather we have been having recently.

Being outside made me want to go for a long walk since I have been too busy or too tired to go for a long walk this year, so I cleaned up my morning dishes and I changed into my workout clothes. I used to walk from our house to Horn Pond and walk around it and back. It’s about a 3-4 mile walk, but I haven’t had a chance to do it at all this year because of my new job and planning the wedding. So I got excited for the chance to go. ‘This was going to be fun!’ And after I said that to myself I realized, I have already changed my outlook on the whole day, just by doing a few simple things I had already turned a negative thought into a positive one!

It was getting close to lunchtime so I packed a picnic bento (a few of my favorite things, picnics and making bentos) and I went out for a 2 hour and 45 minute walk. While I was out I took my time to look at my surroundings and enjoy being in nature. I ended up taking a lot of pictures and taking a lot of paths/trails I have not taken before. It was amazing. The weather was warm and there was a wonderful breeze that just washed away all my cares and concerns.

 As I was heading home I noticed my brain/body urging me to move faster and get home sooner so I could get things done, but I stopped myself and took a few deep breaths. I ignored the urging to hurry up and I took my time. I kept telling myself ‘this is my time, and I do not need to rush home because I have plenty of time to get things done. They are not important at this very moment’. And instead of taking the quickest route home I took a path that was slightly longer but was more woodsy and away from the street. On the path I saw a small bunny with a white diamond on its forehead. I felt so blessed to have seen such a beautiful sight. I would have missed it if I had rushed home.

When I did get home I was getting hungry for dinner so I decided I’d make myself a big healthy dinner to round out my day. I wanted to try making an alternative bun/less burger, so I grabbed the eggplant that has been sitting in the refrigerator and I sliced it into thick pieces. I tossed them and my veggie burger on the grill and ended up making a super delicious, satisfying, and very filling dinner.

Anyway, I am now sitting and relaxing while writing this out because I wanted to share how my potentially bad day was turned into a wonderful day. All I did was change my attitude and slow down. It’s that easy. Instead of getting frustrated over my camera not working properly, I took my time to figure out how to fix the issue. Instead of stressing out over the unfinished chores, I took my time and I got to the chores when it was time for them (Right after I finish writing this.). Instead of complaining about being in pain from my long walk I did some stretches, took a Tylenol and I sat down to relax.

Now I realize that you cannot take a whole day off from life every time you feel stressed out. That is impractical and improbable. But what you can learn from this is to slow down and things will get done. If you are rushing to get things done they will not be done properly, and end up taking longer to fix it. Also, don’t resign yourself to having a bad day. If you expect bad things to happen, then they will happen. But if you start your day off expecting great things then great things are more likely to happen.

I hope my story inspires you to Seize the Day, and to be more Positive. :) Blessed Be!

10 Tips to Change Your Life

These tips are from CharmingPixieFlora, (You may remember I posted a video of hers a while back). Anyway, she has been an inspiration to me, and watching her videos has helped me change my life for the better. I have also learned a lot about Paganism from her, and she inspires me and reminds me to connect with the earth more as well as connect with the Goddess and the God more often.

These tips were on her website/blog M. Flora Peterson and I thought I'd share them with you in hopes that it could help you change your life for the better as well.

1. Appreciate all that you have in life – The more you look at what you do have in life; your health, friends, a paying job, etc.. .it is easier to see how much you truly do have to be appreciative of.  It can make your problems seem not so big.
2. Be very clear about what you want in life – Do you want more free time, more money, to travel, etc…?  Once you get clear about what you want in life it is easier to achieve it.
3. Write down your goals – Only 8% of the population has goals and only 3% write them down. That 3% are the most successful people in the world.
4. Commit to your goals – Once you realize where you are in life, what you want, and have goals, commit to making them happen by taking baby steps towards them.
5. Give yourself a break – No one is perfect, we are all Spiritual beings having a human experience.  Allow yourselves to make mistakes or “discoveries” every now and then.
6. Aim for Harmony instead of Balance in your life – Balance can be nearly impossible to find in modern society and most experts agree that it can’t be achieved.  Aiming for harmony is as simple as allowing things to ebb and flow of the lime light of your life knowing when to put things center stage or have them waiting in the wings.
7. Create a Spiritual Practice in your life – Whether it is sitting in a temple for an hour of meditation, reading a great book, or walking outside looking up at the stars; create a time in your day to connect with your Spirit and the Divine source in your life.  Doing so will help to bring a sense of 'centeredness' in your day and in your mind.
8. Find some “Spiritual Running Buddies” - When you have people in your life that support your goals and dreams, you will all benefit!  Allow yourself to open up to the few individuals that will support your Spirit!   
9. Expect Great Things - When you begin your day Expecting great things, that is when you can create miracles every day. Try this for a few weeks and see how your life changes for the better.
10. Perform Random Acts of Kindness – This is the quickest way I have found to shift your life, your thoughts,  your energy and your outlook. Hands down!  If you are having a bad day or just want to see things differently, give someone all the cash you have in your wallet and see the look on their face.  Walk into a restaurant and pay for someone’s meal.  When you experience that shift in energy your entire perspective about your day shifts! It truly is a blessing! 

 I hope you are able to get some inspiration or some clarity from these tips. Change is good, and being afraid of changing will only leave you stuck in the same rut for the rest of your life. If you are unhappy with something in your life, you have the power to change it. Don't wait for someone else to do it for you because that may never happen. And if you rely on other people to do the work for you, you most likely will not like the outcome.  

Blessed Be!

Martian Triangle & the Magic of Wishes

I took a long walk tonight, and just as I was getting home (at 9pm) I happened to be looking at the night sky and saw a beautiful and bright triangle. I could tell part of the triangle was the planet Mars, but I did not know what the other two were.
I made a wish (like I always do when I see bright stars and planets in the night sky) and I went inside to look up what it was I saw.

Apparently this is called the Martian Triangle, and it is made up of the Planets Mars and Saturn, and Spica the Brightest Star of Virgo's Constellation. I wish I had known more about this because I would have done research and figured out what kind of magic could be preformed.

One thing I like to do when I see a bright star or a planet in the night sky is make a wish.
You might know the childhood rhyme:

I have said this rhyme since my mother taught me many many years ago. I have found that many of the wishes I made on stars have come true, so I continue to say the rhyme and make my wish to this very day.

Although in more recent years I have turned my wish into more of a prayer, and I thank the Goddess and the God after I make my wish.

Wishes are a type of magic that has to do with intent. When you make a wish you are sending out the energy into the universe, and that energy starts a domino effect that can help make your wish come true.

Although, what you wished for might not come to you in the form you expect. You need to be open with your wishes because if you are too specific about what you are wishing for, you will be expecting only one outcome. Then when your wish doesn't come true you think it didn't work. But what really happened was that you expected a certain outcome and were not open the other ways your wish could have been granted.

Also, you need to be careful with what you wish for. If you wish something with negative intent, that negative energy will come back to you times three.

I apologize if this post seems rambling or jumbled, it wasn't thought out because it was last minute.

Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh (LOO-nə-sə,/LOO-na-saad/Loo-nus-uh) takes place from July 31^st - August 1^st.  

Also known as Lammas, Loaf Mass, Festival of Lugh, Lugh-mass, First Fruits, First Harvest Festival, August Eve, Lammastide, Harvest Home, Lughnasad, Lughnassad, Lughnasa, Lunasa, Ceresalia, Feast of Bread, Sabbat of First Fruits, Festival of Green Corn, Feast of Cardenas, Cornucopia, Thingtide and Elembiuos, Lughnassadh is the first of the harvest festivals. The early Christians called this holiday Lammas “loaf-mass” because the first grains were cut and made into bread at this time of the year. It is a time of giving thanks to the land for all its sacrifices. And to give thanks for all the talents and skills we have been given, and all that we have achieved over the year. This is the time when the God starts to get weaker as the Sun rises farther in the South and the days grow shorter. The Goddess watches in sorrow as well as hope because she sees that the God is dying, but he also lives on inside her as their child. 

Lughnasadh is a time of personal reflection and harvest, of our actions and deeds, events and experiences, our gains and losses. A time when we begin the cycle of reflection of that which is our life. A period for personal fertility magic to ensure the bountiful harvest of life's gifts and experiences, that which we have reaped though trial, tribulation, enjoyment, joy, love and loss.

At Lughnasadh many grains, seeds, herbs and fruits can be harvested and dried for later use through the remaining year. Corn is one of the vital crops harvested at this time. Corn dollies are fashioned in the shape of Goddess and God. In some areas the sacrifice of the corn king (corn dolly) is performed. Death and rebirth are a vital part of the cycle Lugh journeys in his mating with the Earth Goddess, during the waning year.

Songs: Lughnasadh, Corn Rigs, Scarborough Fair, John Barleycorn, Harvest Moon, The Scythe, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Shine On Harvest Moon, Harvest Home, King Harvest (Has Surely Come)

Activities: Bonfires, Processions through the fields, Gathering the first fruits of the harvest, All-night vigil, Singing, Feasting, Studing Astrology, Celebrating, Herb gathering, Handfasting,  Leaping between two fires, Throwing pieces of bread into a bonfire, Women walking naked through gardens to ensure continued fertility, Honoring Mother Nature's richness and abundance, Relaxing, Sacrificing corn dollys, Saving/planting the seeds from the fruits consumed during the feast or ritual, Taking a walk through the woods/forests/fields/orchards/by a river/pond/etc. and reflecting on the generosity and bounty of the Lord and Lady, Holding Sport contests/races, Dancing jigs, Going to craft festivals 

 Homemade Blueberry Toaster Pastries

Foods: Loaves of homemade bread, Grains, Blackberries, Wheat, Oats, Lamb, Corn bread, Grapes, Barley cakes, Corn, Potatoes, Summer squash/Zucchini, Nuts, Acorns, Wild berries, Apples, Rice, Pears, Berry pies, Elderberry wine, Crab apples, Turnips, Mead, Crab, Meadowsweet tea, Cider, Hard cider, Beer, Colcannon, Ale, Berry jams/preserves 

Crafts: Bake bread, Cut/make dowsing rods and wands, Wheat weaving, Put garlands of St. John’s Wort over doors/windows and a sprig in the car for protection, Make corn dolls, Make smudge sticks. Make a necklace out of Indian corn

Colors: Red, Orange, Gold, Golden Yellow, Bronze, Green, Light Brown, Gray

 Symbols: Sun, Red/maize/yellow/gold flower, Full Moon, Love amulets, Seashells, Summer fruits & flowers, Feather/flower wreaths, Sun wheel, Fire, Circles of stone, Sun dials, Swords/blades, Feathers, Witches' ladder, Sickles, Scythes, Symbols of  the harvest, Grapes, Vines, Dried grains, Sheafs of wheat/bowls of oats, Corn dolls

Stones: Yellow Diamonds, Aventurine, Citrine, Sardonyx, Peridot

Herbs: Grain, Ginseng, Acacia, Heather, Wheat, Sloe, Cornstalks, Aloe, Cyclamen, Oak leaf, Fenugreek, Frankincense, Hollyhock, Myrtle

Flowers: Sunflowers, Lilies, Oak, Birch, Fir, Rose

Incense: Wood aloes, Rose, Passionflower, Sandalwood , Rose hips, Safflower, Frankincense Rosemary, Chamomile, Eucalyptus

Gods: Lugh, Johnny Barleycorn, Lleu, The Waning God, Crom Dubh

Goddesses: Dana, Demeter, Ceres, The Waxing Goddess, Tailtiu, Persephone, Renenutet, Vesta, Hestia, Brigid

Journey through Lughnasadh in Gratitude:

Find a comfortable seat, close your eyes, put your feet on the floor and breathe into the bottom of your feet, gently calling it into your legs and pelvis. Let the breath pool in the pelvic floor, filling it up with air and then releasing it on the exhale.

Now feel the Earth energy moving up from its core into your feet chakras as you inhale, into the bubbling springs of life, moving through your legs into your Root Chakra and back down into the Earth.

Witness the Earth energy carving and defining its channels, streaming from the bottom of your feet, through your legs, passing the ankle, knee and hip joints; through the Root Chakra and into the Earth again.

Observe and notice how the Earth energy clears stagnant energy from your lower body, taking all things foreign or past-time as it moves out and back into the center of the Earth.

As you exhale, send the unwanted energy down deep into the Mother with great gratitude. She will transmute your dross to gold, giving birth to new and blessed forms, the fruits of your essence. Continue to offer her your dried and dead stalks, slashing and burning, fertilizing and making room for new seedlings of growth.

Breathe in and breathe out, sending gratitude for each cycle of nourishing inspiration and the die-off with expiration.

Friday the 13th Part 3

Today is the Third Friday the 13th this year. If it was 2013 I'd just have to laugh.
What makes these Friday the 13ths even more special is that each of them are 13 weeks apart. Isn't that odd?
Anyway, In case you didn't have a chance to read them yet, here are my posts
Friday the 13th Part 1
and
Friday the 13th Part 2

This picture is for my fiance... a huge Elvira fan!

I think I have pretty much covered all I can think of for Friday the 13th, so instead I'd like to ask you what you feel about Friday the 13th? Are you afraid of it? Do you think it's bad luck? Or good Luck? Did you realize it was Friday the 13th at all? Tell me your experiences with the day.

Personally I don't think Friday the 13th's are any more special than Saturday the 14th is. But it is fun to do a little celebration because it has become a sort of holiday in recent years.

Though today I did walk under a ladder right before work because some people were doing something to the building ad their ladder was over the door to my workplace. Also a black cat has crossed my path several times today... because I have a cat that is black... So far nothing out of the ordinary has happened, and I don't expect it to. I am not very superstitious about unlucky things. But if you are superstitious then you might want to check out my huge list of Lucky Charms/Symbols.

Have a great day, and enjoy this basket full of kittens!

Planting an Elemental Garden

If you haven't already planted an Elemental Garden, Summer is a great time to do it.

An Elemental Garden is a garden devoted to the Four (sometimes 5 if you include Spirit. This blog will be talking about only 4 elements though) Elements, and having an elemental garden is useful to anyone who works with the elements, or to anyone who likes the beauty and spirituality of them. By connecting different parts of your garden with the four elements, you can add a little bit of magic into your life each year.
It's a great place for you to go out and spend some time communing with the Gods and Goddesses, or doing some spellwork that may need an extra elemental boost.

Some people may prefer to plant their elemental garden in the early spring because that is the traditional time to start gardening, but summer is also a great time because the earth is warm and fertile, and it's easier to dig. The plants are already in full bloom so you can plant something and not have to wait for it to grow in order to start using your elemental garden. Also, it is a nice activity to do outdoors during summer vacation.

First:

You need to figure out where you want your elemental garden to go. Look around the space you have and determine where you want it to be and how big. Ideally, the Elemental Garden should be a circle, but I think you should go with whatever feels right for you. This is your garden, and you should make it with your needs in mind.

Second:

Mark off the space (and shape) you want your garden to be in and start tilling the soil until you have a nice soft space to work with.

Third:

Using a compass, figure out what direction is North, then start dividing your garden in fourths (so that each direction has it's own section) marking the cross sections with rocks or decorative garden tiles.

Fourth:

The next thing you need to do is figure out what plants or herbs you want to plant to represent each element. Each direction is associated with an element. Earth/North, Air/East, Fire/South, Water/West.
You should go with your heart with what you want to grow in each section, but here are some Examples I found online: Earth is associated with stability and security. Why not plant some herbs there that carry the same associations? Bryony, Cinquefoil, Honeysuckle, and Pennyroyal are all related to earth.

For the east section of your garden, which is tied into the themes of air, use plants connected with inspiration, wisdom and knowledge. Sage, Marjoram, Mugwort and members of the Mint family are perfect for this quarter of the circle. In the south, select plants related to the passionate qualities of fire, such as Basil, Betony, Rosemary, and Rue. Finally, the west quadrant is where your water-related plants should go -- Hyssop, Yarrow, Chamomile and Ivy will do well in this section.

Again, you should go with what feels right for you to grow since it is your garden and you will be the one working in it.
Also, leaving a space in the center of your garden that you can stand or sit inside may be a good idea if you want to use this garden to help you with your spell-work or if you want to be able to sit and reflect or relax or speak to your deities...

Fifth:

While you plant your garden you may what to offer a blessing or a prayer to each plant. Or thank the earth and mother nature as you plant your garden. After all, planting a garden is a magical act in itself. When you are all done planting, you may want to burn some sage and smudge the space to help purify it.

Sixth:

Now that your garden is planted, you may want to add some decorations to help personalize it. A few ideas include:

• Statues of the gods of your tradition
• A gazing ball
• A fountain or other water feature
• A fire bowl
• A small altar
• A bench or chair for meditation
• Wind chimes or bells
• A prayer pole or decorative flag

Decorating your garden is entirely up to you, but it may be a good idea to add a symbol or something to represent each element.

 Earth

 Air

 Fire

 Water

If you do not have the space for a garden, you can still do something similar using potted plants. Even in limited space apartments you could have a small potted plant and a symbol for each element, and when you want to sit in your Elemental Garden you could set up the plants in the correct direction and sit in the middle of it. It may not be ideal, but it's a great idea for someone in a temporary housing situation or someone living in an apartment and can not plant a garden.

Now that you have some ideas I hope you go out and enjoy your own Elemental Garden!