tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87537633446730843232024-03-05T00:03:53.102-06:00Hestiadigital diary of a domestic goddessKaren Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-18039961879764252542013-11-08T10:09:00.001-06:002013-11-08T10:09:15.480-06:00My Little Chickadee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV61RdBHwoxQcrXaZTdy-jHqAyGDlA_wfm-CEhhuJxY2y3HfBYowbNQ5kNuG-kBVXR3Dxf55v9wpfTn_la8FbnCEDq4W8kA5n4m67yhVLpHViy5CVKslboB_ZmR6XhRVlAoRTgNQ4eQT9p/s1600/chickadee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV61RdBHwoxQcrXaZTdy-jHqAyGDlA_wfm-CEhhuJxY2y3HfBYowbNQ5kNuG-kBVXR3Dxf55v9wpfTn_la8FbnCEDq4W8kA5n4m67yhVLpHViy5CVKslboB_ZmR6XhRVlAoRTgNQ4eQT9p/s200/chickadee.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
I see these little guys on the bird feeder outside my kitchen window everyday now!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
Happy Fall.</div>
Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-76923635522699706042013-11-01T10:00:00.000-05:002013-11-01T10:00:00.680-05:00Apple Cake ... and Avalon<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWUQtUoE0RGRQUwaJUsE6hySo6n00_rPVVTn0Dqvyoh9nSugDJIPfg4ikNsXZfI2cMngFooGvIFJFWscC4f-M0jQ7nwRSOiNlfAu0oIRlKgXvimKUHLvUgx4v5-UpfTIZk006KLVFswi0/s1600/apples2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWUQtUoE0RGRQUwaJUsE6hySo6n00_rPVVTn0Dqvyoh9nSugDJIPfg4ikNsXZfI2cMngFooGvIFJFWscC4f-M0jQ7nwRSOiNlfAu0oIRlKgXvimKUHLvUgx4v5-UpfTIZk006KLVFswi0/s200/apples2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
This time of year there are always apples in my kitchen, and the cooler weather makes me want to bake... here's an easy recipe for an apple cake! Not sure where I got this recipe, but it's always quick and yummy.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
1.5 cups sugar<br />
.5 cup vegetable oil<br />
.5 applesauce (natural unsweetened)<br />
3 eggs<br />
2 cups flour (white or whole wheat or a mix)<br />
2 teaspoons cinnamon<br />
.5 teaspoon ground cloves<br />
.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
.5 teaspoon salt<br />
3 cups chopped apples -- 3-5 medium apples<br />
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts or other nuts, toasted<br />
<br />
Notes on ingredients:<br />
<ul>
<li>The nuts are optional but delish! Toasting them is also optional but really does make them more flavorful in any recipe: Spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast in 350 degree oven 8-10 minutes or until wonderfully fragrant. </li>
<li><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsjxZ438mauR2UHUw1lvDHmyFrkleHucn__C7ffiSrihIOKdri3iXaTv5ooWCTcL26pZLq09n1CJWBfkztCrMmjZ5HhyphenhyphentzRCJJ1Z13lw7Qy97NHTqc6x7Dc4lFFpPyZrtffb1W_uvnV37/s1600/cinnamonsticks.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicsjxZ438mauR2UHUw1lvDHmyFrkleHucn__C7ffiSrihIOKdri3iXaTv5ooWCTcL26pZLq09n1CJWBfkztCrMmjZ5HhyphenhyphentzRCJJ1Z13lw7Qy97NHTqc6x7Dc4lFFpPyZrtffb1W_uvnV37/s200/cinnamonsticks.jpg" width="200" /></a>I like lots of spice -- I am heavy-handed with the cinnamon and cloves and probably put even more than listed here -- adjust to your own preferences.</li>
<li>You can use all applesauce (1 cup) and no oil -- it will work and reduces the calories.</li>
<li>You can also substitute a "Splenda"type baking blend for part of the sugar to reduce calories and sugar, but if you use only Splenda your cake will be dry.</li>
<li>What type of apples? I use Fuji or Gala for most things, but any that would be good in a pie would be good for a cake, in my experience! (Red Delicious, not so much).</li>
</ul>
<br />
OK, recipe is easy: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 baking pan/dish.<br />
<br />
Mix the sugar, oil/applesauce, and eggs, and beat until very smooth, about one minute. Stir in all the other ingredients except the apples and nuts. Stir until well blended. Then fold in the apples and nuts. Pour into pan and bake about 40 minutes (more or less depending on your oven).<br />
<br />
You know to poke a cake with a toothpick to see if it's done, right? If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is done. Start checking a few minutes before the time is up, b/c you don't want to overbake and dry it out!<br />
<br />
This cake is delicious and moist without frosting, but if you want you can frost it with cream cheese or caramel frosting, or just dust it with powdered sugar. Ummm, the little chunks of apple in it are wonderful!<br />
<br />
This cake freezes well, but the way, to warm up for another day for snacks or even put in lunch boxes. Happy baking!<br />
<br />
<b>AVALON AND APPLE LORE</b><br />
While we're thinking of apples... did you know that Avalon means Apple Isle? The magical land where ExCalibur was forged was the blessed island of souls in the far western sea, Innis Afallon, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun. The west was the realm of magic to the ancient British -- the direction where the sun descended into darkness and there was nothing but miles of sea.<br />
<br />
The apple is a talisman. Why is the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden an apple in our minds? Europeans imagined their magical apple, the fruit of the blessed Avalon, although peaches and oranges were more likely in the Fertile Crescent! (In the Middle East they do have quince, a relative of our apple that is sometimes called a "golden apple.") In old Europe, chopping down an apple tree was a crime punishable by death.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5Jfci18bFZhFQ_VE4q37_eM29OJS2GEFwqySpU4azhuruk9cXnSOyMfGqLbH5cZVnUiCmaljzRjldMDehoY_4H8apEsEltKMXHC_G518pbJJyOQb82FGlpw88wP96megKkwiytilR5qS/s1600/Garden_of_the_Hesperides-SummertownSun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5Jfci18bFZhFQ_VE4q37_eM29OJS2GEFwqySpU4azhuruk9cXnSOyMfGqLbH5cZVnUiCmaljzRjldMDehoY_4H8apEsEltKMXHC_G518pbJJyOQb82FGlpw88wP96megKkwiytilR5qS/s400/Garden_of_the_Hesperides-SummertownSun.jpg" width="396" /></a></div>
In Greek mythology, The Garden of the Hesperides was the goddess Hera's
orchard in the far western corner of the world, where trees bearing immortality-giving golden apples grew. A guardian serpent twined around the tree... hold that thought...<br />
<br />
In Norse mythology, the goddess Idunna (IĆ°unn)<i> </i>guards a grove of golden apples that are the source of the eternal youthfulness and immortality of the Norse deities. Many other mythologies reflect this image of a guardian goddess, a giver of life or immortality, beside her fruit tree in a garden. She is the distant version of Eve, beside the Tree of Knowledge, offering the apple that grants knowledge/consciousness... Apples are a symbol not only of fertility, but also of knowledge... and the serpent was to most cultures a symbol of wisdom and eternity, not deceit... <br />
<br />
Long ago, when I was taking my first mythology class at Millsaps College, I was walking with my teacher in late afternoon, as an autumn sunset approached. As we crossed a high place, she looked out over the campus bathed in golden slanted light, and remarked that this light always made her think of Avalon, the golden isle far to the west -- that this slanting autumnal sunshine is why Avalon's apples are golden. Thank you, Catherine Freis, for that image I carry with me and for so many other gifts!<br />
<br />
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<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">I went out to the hazel wood,</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">Because a fire was in my head,</span> </i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">And cut and peeled a hazel wand,</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">And hooked a berry to a thread;</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">And when white moths were on the wing,</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">And moth-like stars were flickering out,</span> </i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">I dropped the berry in a stream</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">And caught a little silver trout.</span></i>
</div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">When I had laid it on the floor</span> </i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">I went to blow the fire a-flame,</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">But something rustled on the floor,</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">And someone called me by my name:</span><span class="pagenum"></span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="pagenum"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" id="Page_16" name="Page_16"></a></span><span class="i0">It had become a glimmering girl</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">With apple blossom in her hair</span> </i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">Who called me by my name and ran</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i></div>
<div class="stanza">
<i><span class="i0">And faded through the brightening air.</span></i>
</div>
<i><span class="i0">Though I am old with wandering</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i><br />
<i><span class="i0">Through hollow lands and hilly lands,</span> </i><br />
<i><span class="i0">I will find out where she has gone,</span> </i><br />
<i><span class="i0">And kiss her lips and take her hands;</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i><br />
<i><span class="i0">And walk among long dappled grass,</span> </i><br />
<i><span class="i0">And pluck till time and times are done,</span> </i><br />
<i><span class="i0">The silver apples of the moon,</span>
<span class="i0"> </span></i><br />
<i><span class="i0">The golden apples of the sun.</span></i><br />
<span class="i0"><i>-- W. B. Yeats </i></span>Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-65430170296655407632013-11-01T09:29:00.001-05:002013-11-01T18:08:26.591-05:00What to Do on November 1: Roasting Pumpkin Seeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.Lunagirl.com" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRlD-9O5PtGiUDltKK5O-YEjyNNc1Ny9simYnWtpndhjK-Pl0TCSNJ0WoKRnaoEEYZbfej6tJVPE4YFcfjUWLuPjeKq75K85fTXQu5LopTWZHtrxPDSE5HOr6qPLnLVeEHzSr6OMpueYo/s320/pumpkin+shadow+-+Copy.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
So, it's the day after Halloween and what are we doing today? (besides eating candy)... roasting pumpkin seeds!<br />
<br />
Maybe you've had those snack pumpkin seeds they sell in the grocery store... they're kind of pricey, and it's easy to roast your own... since you have a pumpkin around anyway!<br />
<br />
1 - Scoop and separate: After we scooped out all the pumpkin guts last night and carved our jack-o-lantern to protect our house from evil spirits :-) I saved all the seeds and guts in a big bowl. Then when I got a chance I separated all the seeds from the gooey stuff. That's not as hard as it sounds. Even though it's all slippery, it's pretty easy to separate out the seeds just by scooping up the stuff and sort of rubbing and straining it through your fingers.<br />
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2 - Soak: I put the seeds in a smaller bowl and covered them with a couple inches of water to sit overnight. The seeds float to the top, so in the morning you can clean them further by gently stirring and straining with your fingers.<br />
<br />
3 - Dry: Then I drained the seeds in a colander and rinsed them one more time, then spread them out on a tray to dry a bit. They don't have to get completely dry, but it helps to let them dry out mostly.<br />
<br />
4 - Roast: Finally just roast them! Which means coat them lightly in oil -- you need only a spoonful or so -- rubbing the seeds to coat them all. Then sprinkle with salt or whatever seasonings you want. Spread them in a thin layer (single layer if possible) on a baking sheet and roast at 325 for 10-20 minutes, stirring about halfway through.<br />
<br />
The time can be tricky, because it depends on your oven... the outsides don't need to totally brown but they will get crispy! The trick is not to burn the inside seed -- test one to see if they're done. The outside should be just starting to brown, crispy and easy to crunch. The insides stay green, not brown.<br />
<br />
5 - Snack!: Sprinkle with a little more salt or seasoning, and munch! Instead of salt, you can try other spices: cardamom, garlic salt, chili powder, cumin, even sugar and cinnamon, are all good to try.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEcA712J3VVU6tVnUPMlUa6i3IFF5BPkzM-vXexi-wvQV_DkRnUWSx4fIepv9VHVftnf9mjukP45JgrsQV-nkrMHa8p39vnELymDfnrDkXjCqlLFPJA36j6EjWt0k509nRipBfGdToFvQ/s1600/pumpkinseedsafter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEcA712J3VVU6tVnUPMlUa6i3IFF5BPkzM-vXexi-wvQV_DkRnUWSx4fIepv9VHVftnf9mjukP45JgrsQV-nkrMHa8p39vnELymDfnrDkXjCqlLFPJA36j6EjWt0k509nRipBfGdToFvQ/s320/pumpkinseedsafter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Pumpkin seeds are VERY good for you, BTW. They have protein and healthy fats and lots of minerals including zinc and potassium. I've heard they are especially good for men's sexual health because of the zinc :-)<br />
<br />
Ever tried roasting the pumpkin seeds? or cooking a fresh pumpkin?Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-38602596464688091912013-10-29T11:10:00.000-05:002013-10-29T11:10:00.741-05:00Between the Worlds: The Origins of Halloween Final Part: Witch's Wisdom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWCBXN1AFGM0JJT9LtLTvYE96OpGhwg2cYXptNSJ8bslxydQcwhmLKv873CfuMXskm4xpbWhdyHbdX-coKcqQRONA_6olpabhr2lJ0u5JnE_ajIkBOi23tI_sg3VGSJVFZPR7EcCMlD8J/s200/H_Halloween105_SummertownSun.JPG" width="130" /></a></div>
The figure of the witch is now an integral part of Halloween in our minds, but she may be a relatively late arrival. How
she got there is a story extremely long and complex.<br />
<br />
I suspect that
originally witches were just another of the various supernatural beings
thought to walk or fly about the earth on Halloween. Witches tended to
get confused with sorcerers, who, since they may supposedly used evil
spirits to carry out their work, would be particularly active on this
night.<br />
<br />
<b>The Real Witches - Wise Old Ladies in the Woods?</b><br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_Y-WNAebVt2GSs0jtuVBZPRQrU14YhBPdoN1I3m46DdfXPdNx2bsc021MBoQdrz0CRoqvqk0bjDYC3fclImnvXMVKa7cmGevSfTpT_B55Wp2clnKMfiWNH8vblsd5rZD2glQYwywO_HB/s200/0050+H_Halloween1-050_Lunagirl.jpg" width="128" /></a>Some
today regard the so-called witches of old Europe as simply survivors
from the pre-Christian, nature-focused religions of the ancients; in
other words, pagans who revered nature and Her cycles. The
idea of older, traditional folks living off in the woods, continuing
their seasonal celebrations, magical beliefs, and herbal medicine, is
not far from our image of the witch: The old lady off in the woods, talking to her cats and working her magic spells (recipes and healing potions?)<br />
<br />
As
Christianity gained ascendancy in Europe, witches were reinterpreted
through Church dogma of the time and came to be viewed (incorrectly) as
Satan-worshippers. Many of the popular (and often incorrect) notions
about witchcraft derived from supposed "confessions" extracted by torture from
the accused "witches" of earlier centuries. Most who
were executed as witches during the "burning times" were most likely
"strange" old ladies living alone in the woods, the mentally ill,
midwives and herbalists, people who followed the "old ways" of the
Celts, women whose remarkable ugliness or beauty brought
attention.....those whose "difference" aroused suspicion in a fearful,
ignorant, and tumultuous age.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig1kfBUCZIT6RfbDuc6PmSSeA1_i0s7FjWQIPfnYVChtnJ5FrlKPaIysPukfMoWR6x9R1PE8b2sY8-tpCBNdzRXiam7y6yVwJ-ht2AamI8Rg9M9sAwbAYEVvhml13T5SRlGLszOivAPI4N/s200/0014+H_Halloween1-014_Lunagirl.jpg" width="121" /></a></div>
<b>The Witch's Cauldron</b><br />
The witch's cauldron
represents the "cauldron of Cerridwen" of Celtic myth, source of
wisdom and rebirth -- and the direct symbolic predecessor of the Holy
Grail. In myth often the seeker was cut up and boiled in the cauldron, to
emerge again reborn in wholeness, health & wisdom. (But thanks to Shakespeare for the line, "Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble!")<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The
cauldron and later the Grail were believed to be guarded by a hideous
woman-beast. In many Celtic stories it is through this terrifying
creature that the magic vessel is finally encountered, and only the
person who can accept and kiss her can gain access to the wisdom and
renewal she guards. <br />
<br />
This image of the old witch hovering over her cauldron embodies
beautifully the original symbolic meaning of Halloween (and doesn't she remind you a bit of Hestia at her eternal hearth-fire?). </div>
<br />
<i>Here we confront perhaps the ultimate riddle: By embracing the pain and struggle of life we gain wisdom and greater strength. Embrace the dark to find the light. At Halloween, as winter
approaches, the world comes face to face with the power of death and
darkness, which holds within it the promise of rebirth. On the wheel of
the year, the cold stillness of the coming winter will take us around
again to the warmth and renewal of spring.</i><br />
<br />
Behind our holiday called Halloween lies the eerie, magical mood of the ancient festival of Samhain and All Hallow's Eve. Perhaps we would do well to remember some of its original meaning --
not to conjure up real fears again, but rather to rekindle a feeling of
wonder toward the great cycle of death and rebirth in nature and in our
lives.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bUzjLlApIFaT51apKipxkvSZob13aF8GJLF0Iq4NAkojYqja1WWLYObTgwlUTVfLDxTrUfCuRgREXhRmxqKYYm3lSDwnjZyb84-4Mgb9X1pWOIpntjtJTD2uKPKW85S1SIXqO3xUXNUK/s400/H_Halloween133_SummertownSun.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Have a JOLLY HALLOWEEN! May fortune smile on you! </div>
Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-22198142487963325222013-10-28T10:27:00.000-05:002013-10-28T10:27:02.786-05:00Halloween Customs Part Eight: Cats and Bats and Owls, Oh My!<div style="text-align: center;">
If you are a cat lover like me, a favorite symbol of Halloween is a Black Cat!</div>
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<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-uedrzQg9iVOxUHbi5PMaa5ozOVioO8KP1L84a4BqzDEq1vmXIOK3N6F6rBG-nWMvB_a8T_2y5l4h61fl_VmVCHZ2nmADR4AtmDsbY6OsQ26pdoVNsOHgDIYgUmrlQ93nYeIPdJYmY6dJ/s200/H_Halloween111_SummertownSun.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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Cats have long been the
objects of much superstition, and they are frequently associated with
Halloween. Cats were sacred to the Druids of ancient Ireland and Britain. It was believed that they
had once been human beings. A person who was truly noble and blessed might deserve the honor of being reincarnated as a cat! And of course cats themselves have nine lives...<br />
<br />
Perhaps the cat had magical power because
it was supposedly the most common "familiar" of witches (probably just
the favorite companion of old ladies living alone). Talking to cats and birds was one sign of being a witch -- I would be in trouble!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNbpJbCuzKxxgxa4_YZKs3ATmytXXUc2D_MmxbcXP5fENpUjE1-RCF1fWZbdXw-uDPdVg1pRzt55DHtJzBYapXv6mVtc0pxjrPqzxzZWTyKNHZh0B-6DtDRQ4VcKfWHws9oj9kn4Gr-4ws/s200/0041+H_Halloween1-041_Lunagirl.jpg" width="125" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
Feline behavior towards
a person on Halloween was taken as an omen. For example, if a
cat jumps into your lap on this night, good luck is foretold. Probably
more prevalent is the belief that cats, particularly black cats, can be
ill omens. Everyone in the U.S. has heard that a black cat crossing
your path means bad luck ahead. Did you know a white cat brings good luck? As the owner of several black cats in my life, I consider them lucky too.</div>
<br />
The bad reputation of the cat may have been a medieval Christian reaction against the honor given them by the pre-Christian Druids. Medieval Christians burned cats along with
accused "witches" ... leading to an overpopulation of rats, which bred
fleas, which carried the bubonic plague that killed a third of the population of Europe...now that's bad luck.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpcUwVw90fvvMe3D4jUOmnBXPq_-XTviMsjNDy-sVrHX3hYRuILWygd6NV51BHovUi2wwMDOqh5Pi233nU5WJ6bFvcd16Y4Sol5YHkQEWsg355uxxmp49VYknXND8oDJ0zCnQgVOMQPVz/s200/0023+H_Halloween1-023_Lunagirl.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Bats and owls are associated with Halloween probably because they are nocturnal --
active only at night. Perhaps they join the spirits to fly about the
night sky. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi02ECAlFbO8muAqBK7E9bEB_4X8cT-iuwrCaju5g1fDGAMu53asjvmNLUVOZEI0g6f75TDqq3NIsVuGw_7ey_mURaTOCGcj6qhGRkmWQarGUBGV1pCk6UMnTKmcv8xDb-2eURG610OKcWg/s200/0033+H_Halloween1-033_Lunagirl.jpg" width="123" /></a>Owls were for thousands of years associated with knowledge
and wisdom, especially feminine wisdom. Owls were a symbol for Athena, the
Greek goddess of wisdom,
and of many goddesses before her. So they are a fitting companion
for the witch, the Old Wise Woman.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBKkm_S5wIJlpKb6dAkQzOL3qJlGfic_JcOzSC_7l0P8rPqa9EAzevzIF7nBqu4oMVTFdxRnWVf97FVfI72BL2iYenAqT1jIYQNjUN9vy1ypjeY1JbQdsnajwpkXDhiSENOavXu8OsHzM/s200/H_Halloween150_SummertownSun.JPG" width="123" /></a>And she will be our last topic in our Halloween feature series: Between the Worlds Origins of Halloween and Its Customs ...</div>
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<br />Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-1322066125051971402013-10-25T09:32:00.001-05:002013-10-25T09:35:11.218-05:00Origins of Halloween Part Seven: Pumpkins and Jack O' Lanterns<b>PUMPKINS </b><br />
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<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXarVjFeM42u1HbhM_6oHAX5STUn1QGmFYMO6bHOYzYQXV4g9B_SLSnVhKS5JhAE8Pa-MRhOzfqZehWCG8QAYMQvEvzfopQqoD7pH2_DbN85xIArbGa2H0rsef2fRWzhrsvu_peo4ItMq/s200/0097+H_Halloween2-023_Lunagirl.jpg" width="123" /></a></div>
Pumpkins are of course another agricultural product always associated with Halloween. Like apples, they are plentiful in October. Also like apples, they were sometimes used for divination. Some ladies put pumpkins on their heads at midnight on Halloween, to see their future husbands! Having seen the inside of a pumpkin, I don't think this is worth it!<br />
<br />
<b>JACK O' LANTERNS & HALLOWEEN PRANKS</b><br />
There is an Irish story explaining the origin of jack-o-lanterns:
It seems a man named Jack was barred from heaven because he was so
stingy and forbidden to enter hell because of his practical jokes on the
devil.
The devil, angered by Jack's practical jokes, threw a live coal at
him. It landed in a half-eaten turnip in Jack's hand, creating the
first jack-o-lantern. (Early jack-o-lanterns were turnips as well as
pumpkins and other gourds.) Jack is condemned to walk the earth with his lantern until Judgment Day! Closed out of hell as well as heaven, he is suspended between life and death, and thus his jack-o-lantern is particularly appropriate to Halloween, the night when we're "Between the Worlds."<br />
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<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi87ftapSEQmWy5IpuHQrBS3m4JliTczOVDHf9EIUiBuKPcOGnnpmZiis9V4JRZBwuGLlgW0l3yv6oQVxxFYfa7fjS4uRiAZ6EtDehFeUc6XP-Gcyr5ZT7vROMZZS109rNDv42gmbmYdLve/s200/H_Halloween121_SummertownSun.JPG" width="123" /></a></div>
As a child
in the southern U.S. I was told (teasingly) that the grinning pumpkin
face in the window helped frighten evil spirits away from the house.
Although this may keep away the spirits of the dead, it seems to have
little effect on the pranksters -- young people who become demons for a
night and roam the neighborhoods making mischief. Halloween provides an
irresistible opportunity for the practical joker. If the farmer's
outhouse ends up in the creek, or your trees end up full of toilet
paper, it was the evil spirits who did it -- a perfect alibi for
the real culprits. <br />
<br />
Again, the limits placed on day-to-day behavior were
weakened for a night -- sort of a social stress-relief valve. Some
once-common Halloween pranks, such as window-tapping, gathering
vegetables (now eggs) to bombard house fronts and drop down chimneys, and removing
carts and other belongings to faraway fields, were practiced in altered
form in the United States when I was growing up (with the variation, of
course, that we took things from the garage and left them in other
neighbors' yards). Soaping windows (especially car windows), stealing
jack-o-lanterns, and "rolling" yards (adorning the trees and shrubs in
toilet paper) are still popular. Today, most of it is of course harmless,
although I do wish people wouldn't smash jack-o-lanterns!<br />
<br />
Were you ever a Halloween prankster?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><i><b>To be continued..... </b>more to come about Halloween and Halloween customs and traditions: <br />Black Cats, Witches, Bats & Owls!</i></i> </div>
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<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KEnmqcFSjIWb7dZ8UhnQeFGuFJpvwg7caiNsSBDGnARxnkGeFEJHf5uyufSJKfnF-n0rd7R_Op5MfoXkpu33tDozJ-ODhZQ1P30jA09UmhXwuGUkkE7aK6ooW6SKukpObCqDAXQskjlc/s320/H_Halloween162_SummertownSun.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></i></span></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The <a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank">vintage Halloween images</a> in this article are courtesy<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" target="_blank"> Lunagirl Images</a>!</i></span> </i></span></i></span></span> </div>
Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-17790113876224175682013-10-22T10:43:00.000-05:002013-10-28T10:35:22.045-05:00Origins of Halloween Customs Part Six: Seeing the Future<a href="http://lunagirl.com/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGebq0ckza-toi-XJjfl4kbnv7uUNubMDKlzRtblw7MkWCPAbZg4-QTvoOX3TJy1ekgAibo_Yh-Kjx7-Cm-jMpnr-yCfRobqgvXhBRBsTSfRiakzmdPdrOf3YVWgD0pKsBQci1owvKf_b/s200/H_Halloween042_SummertownSun.jpg" width="123" /></a>Because it was the beginning of the Celtic new year and a time when the everyday and
the supernatural were believed to be in such close contact....Halloween
was considered the perfect time for divining the future. The divination traditions associated with Halloween are numerous and fascinating!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHak34jsTtVp9fiRuuB-Y4WgAJts7VgaPeRcJqQO40cMy9fkJ-FgqoxiTEXcgNO5qN6P7DaMRDvfUASAXjFcUGGv6VRWQAZloW8ffC7zCfAqgcWuAFZnKJlZtolMbdpSrmPE3R6JNydps/s200/0115+H_Halloween2-041_Lunagirl.jpg" width="125" /></a>MIRRORS: There were many superstitions involving mirrors. Some believed that if a young woman looked into a mirror at midnight on
Halloween, she would see the face of her future husband or true love. A
smooth pond surface or wishing well reflection would also work! There
were similar beliefs about looking into a pond or well at dawn on May
Day (Beltane). Others might gaze into the mirror at midnight on
Halloween and see their future revealed.<br />
<br />
Mirrors
and reflections were long considered magical and mysterious, because
the reflection was associated with the soul of the person reflected; a
mirror could capture or reveal one's soul. Some of us are still a
little superstitious about breaking a mirror!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8v0JH8Bm5Lb6H8L8OKVq55lA_5MA43E5ziyzIs3ok_A-yd2yQpn1FcGmTZGiXyylGSS1wsWI6dPLUibVQGcjtiLEjtToL4rCRIngzil-3QXbUCH9-f4-dbcLGeVm2DXrh29pwKFtFFq9f/s200/H_Halloween120_SummertownSun.jpg" width="124" /></a>APPLES: Halloween divination usually involved apples, nuts, grain, or other
agricultural products, combining the harvest aspect of the holiday with
its magical nature. When bobbing for apples, some believed that the first person to get an apple would be the first to marry.<br />
Apples were particularly popular, and the apple rites seem to be the customs most often found in the United States. To the Celts, a perfect apple was the charm by which one might be admitted to the Otherworld and gain "second sight."<br />
<br />
Many customs involve apple
peels. For example, people would peel apples trying to keep the peel
all in one piece; whoever had the longest peel would have the longest
life. Young girls would peel
an apple and then throw the long peel over their left shoulder,
believing that it would form the initial of their future husband's
name!
(Have you ever heard that one?)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHak34jsTtVp9fiRuuB-Y4WgAJts7VgaPeRcJqQO40cMy9fkJ-FgqoxiTEXcgNO5qN6P7DaMRDvfUASAXjFcUGGv6VRWQAZloW8ffC7zCfAqgcWuAFZnKJlZtolMbdpSrmPE3R6JNydps/s1600/0115+H_Halloween2-041_Lunagirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik08kFkzVs94Y5FpYkS3tPMMc8nZPmG2dIGCKKgB0a_rS2iMaW8Ovt3eEunwxYyccFIlZhkGloJ6l_AQw0HkwKeB5JBnDQ18JBsY2LW4dzuvy9oLhcyk9q2piPI7c9sWfiGey01jbREFdD/s320/H_Halloween070_SummertownSun.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFFNw-8w6Ta0ZzRflZAW-qnq_ysdMol1Fnzrdu36Ar6WAXvbH70sxjNTqADOyk10vPHgD8EveoifqWaG5gQ82Z41_3UW4Ig3SNTeaRS00DczJYcnMqZJ_baz6asrCB9KW-P_eyu4dybUT2/s320/H_Halloween005_SummertownSun.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>What Halloween customs and superstitions did you have at your house? </b></div>
<br />
<i><i><b>To be continued..... </b>more to come about Halloween and Halloween customs and traditions!</i></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i>Still to come:</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i>Pumpkins & Jack-o_Lanterns</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i>Black Cats</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i>Witches</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Bats & Owls! </i></span></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTVLsuP9vmYd2VOXMaMzQTdD51Z6w5cpTzAhxcSXksHvtlyQ-OKQF2gGC_sN_fRi7gaTBwAU07j4sQ4tomHqo0oFANcg_tG9yZ16DArhXPdyN44_8iEyaPEuJtgUnel9JX4hFDMkTuYSH/s320/H_Halloween144_SummertownSun.JPG" width="320" /><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The <a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank">vintage Halloween images</a> in this article are courtesy<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" target="_blank"> Lunagirl Images</a>!</i></span></div>
Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-15148009844068503992013-10-21T10:32:00.000-05:002013-10-21T10:32:21.870-05:00Origins of Halloween Customs Part Five: BonfiresHalloween bonfires are direct descendants of
Samhain/All Hallow's fires of the Celts, lit in honor of the weakening
sun at summer's end. The
fires helped ward off the growing power of darkness and cold. Perhaps
they were meant to strengthen the fire of the sun by means of
sympathetic magic. They were also a means of purification.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/autumn-collage-sheets" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVNBiICnXBv4fk4OD7mT1Bxwmp3H2JDJHO3g1I3BJ1h5fURWziGN3U1g8Zpoq9iW6EkcpoAmtedOt6GlOazgPFZ2309MuNDnyANborjiKj0yJsjq-Wz7AwV8iHD5aFgdbGBr2t0spOWGH/s320/H_Halloween066_SummertownSun.JPG" width="209" /></a>Even
in recent times the ashes of the Halloween (and New Years) bonfires were
scattered throughout the community to protect against evil powers and
fertilize the fields. Every hearth fire was first lit for the new year from the Samhain or new years bonfire.In ancient times it was considered an act of great impiety to kindle winter fires from any other source.<br />
<br />
In parts
of England, a large bunch of wood was gathered, dressed as a person,
then burned under the name Le Vieux Bout de l'An, "the old end of the
year." Here again we see a similarity to Yule customs -- the
traditional Yule log that burnt all night was originally also dressed as
a person.In
Scotland we find the custom called "Burning the Witch," which involved
burning an effigy and continued well into modern times.<br />
<br />
Guy Fawkes Day,
named for a rebel who tried to blow up Parliament around the turn of
the seventeenth century and celebrated in England on November 5, also
involves the burning of a human effigy and is sometimes combined with
the Halloween celebration.<br />
<br />
These mock
sacrifices represented the death of the old year. Probably such
sacrifices were intended to appease the spirits of the dead, for it was
believed that the spirits might continue to disrupt human affairs
throughout the year if not properly honored. People often left food out
on the table for the returning dead on Halloween.(Another ancestor of
our trick-or-treating custom.)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/autumn-collage-sheets" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-kRKjmIOm_MPKSCXpfQxmhRbfv4QFmdOMQpTraKrO1MhQiN2M2HzA8NKdPzKIbxegXjkqfXxr8z59f7Ab7NYisqViOGNhBb1L3AAfFOJB64SSYwdTEDkBjQsmCmKZh7H7ZNzmXNAVDrx/s200/H_Halloween053_SummertownSun.JPG" width="127" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i><b>To be continued..... </b>more to come about Halloween and Halloween customs and traditions!</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i>Still to come:</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i>Superstitions & Divination Customs</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i>Pumpkins & Jack-o_Lanterns</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i>Black Cats</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><i>Witches</i></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Bats & Owls! </i></span><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The <a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank">vintage Halloween images</a> in this article are courtesy<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" target="_blank"> Lunagirl Images</a>! </i></span>Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-57684452476581451882013-10-17T09:53:00.000-05:002013-10-17T10:17:11.949-05:00Origins of Halloween, Part Four: Trick-or-Treat<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0sBASecFbA6_hfA89hR9zXphgqYhquB0Bzkt7S1eozUYlDW27bXoZsBAY3F59vbekUVkmJKkyupaj6OYUvkmfimVdAlKIJ1gQ-wN9etPGD6B5LH3vc1QXcpCvdIRbxYCgAMyKQBDwfyy/s320/H_Halloween046_SummertownSun.JPG" width="204" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The most
popular way of celebrating Halloween in the United States seems to be
playing the part of the supernatural beings supposed to walk the earth
on this night -- by dressing as spooks who go from house to house
demanding sacrificial treats, and by playing pranks! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">There are
numerous explanations as to how "trick-or-treating" originated. The
Druids (priests of the Celts) wore masks at their Samhain rituals to
represent the spirits of the dead.
Masks and
costumes today are sometimes interpreted as a means of avoiding
recognition by the spirits rather than a means of imitating them. In
Scotland, some "guisers," as they were called, blackened their faces
instead of wearing masks. This recalls the customs of blackening one's
face with the ashes of the All Hallow's fires for protection and good
fortune. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why Masks?</span> Masks are part of sacred and magical rituals the world over.
Psychologically, masks and disguises can lessen inhibitions and give
the wearer a sense of freedom and relaxation from usual social
restrictions -- often a healthy and harmless break from our day-to-day
lives.
Perhaps
wearing costumes serves the purpose of letting us defy temporarily the
boundaries of our everyday lives and "be someone else," perhaps act out
parts of ourselves that we normally keep hidden.
And so normally mild-mannered moms dress as
exotic gypsy girls and ethereal mermaids and sexy witches -- or scary
ones -- and children for a night are princesses and superheroes. Why then do some of us dress as werewolves and vampires and big scary monsters? One wonders what Freud would say..........but it's probably all in fun! </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQxRENOYOFB370kWh6DMRjfEoYWN2qGd_b7xYZCw4up8FiDue9KPa9xVT9UzXKLWoqTvtajjW8_KG_qiIeW21iOU3n1kGXPv2rpSa-24xDWC2zxyKR5AwOREBp-xtw7FBITsRt0hIzaMI/s400/0082+H_Halloween2-008_Lunagirl.jpg" width="400" /><span id="goog_808299765"></span></a><span id="goog_808299766"></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Some
say the original purpose of trick-or-treating was to gather food and
money for the All Hallow's feast. It has been linked with
"mumming," a custom practiced on other seasonal holidays as well,
especially Yule (later Christmas), another ancient new year's
celebration. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Mumming"</span> was a seasonal
tradition in England and other parts of Europe, in which men donned
fearful or comical magical masks and went from house to house demanding or begging for food.
Although often fun and humorous, it was surrounded by a mystical and
magical air, and performed at seasonal holidays such as Yuletide. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-one-christmas-new-years-1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipQzdqxs0DeDwH41YtvJq84GIiIv15Gqai0OpTAZQj6en5M1mvxAuALPV21NQqyMe9N0EMBQqBbQOJxiCz5if0SFYOTJk_hZC51dw_ovuGw1j-Wm0RJ_hVdrPlmOkbXydnOXzT9_FOgc-b/s200/0784+H_ChristmasMisc-003_Lunagirl.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yule, the Winter Solstice
and longest night of the year, is the new year festival of the solar
seasonal calendar, based on the solar equinoxes and solstices, while Samhain is the new year of the "lunar" calendar. The two
calendars were eventually combined, and it is easy to see how some Yule
customs could have become associated also with Halloween. Burning the Yule Log represented burning the old year and kindling the new; Halloween bonfires (where a figure representing the Oldy Year was sometimes burned) served a similar purpose. Hearth fires were rekindled from the community bonfire.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Belsnickling?</span> An interesting account
from West Virginia reports that trick-or-treating originated from
"Belsnickling," a Christmas custom brought to the area by Pennsylvania
Germans in the 1700s. On Christmas Eve groups went about in disguise
from house to house. They knocked on the door, and when asked, "Who is
it?" the leader replied, "Old Belsnickle." After being invited in,
anyone correctly identified behind their disguise had to do a "trick" --
sing a song, perform a dance, etc. If no one was identified, the whole
bunch was treated with food and drink. (Of course, they were all
treated anyway, no matter what happened!) This custom sounds very much like a
survival of mumming. According to this account, Belsnickling was later
adapted to Halloween and soon spread all over the country; the meaning
of the world "trick," however, came to be a prank rather than some
clever act. <i>(source: Witches, Ghosts, and Signs: Folklore of the Southern Appalachians, by Patrick W. Gainer, Seneca Books, 1975)</i></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpwitxm0gqgxhRYPAJ_ii9LURoyuoDXCQhgInWAv3E2gace5pn9nSpPZbqWgrQ9OwMpoGJfOjLG2DtXW0yn1w_jU-nIBbSAX3JRdxPa4N-lks6fThoU3w5f1hr8UpIbXdkIz6FHHjmF2J/s320/0021+H_Halloween1-021_Lunagirl.jpg" width="204" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><i><b>To be continued..... </b>more to come about Halloween and Halloween customs and traditions!</i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><i>Still to come:</i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><i>Bonfires</i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><i>Superstitions & Divination Customs</i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><i>Pumpkins & Jack-o_Lanterns</i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><i>Black Cats</i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><i>Witches</i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><i>Bats & Owls! </i><br />
</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i>The <a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank">vintage Halloween images</a> in this article are courtesy<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" target="_blank"> Lunagirl Images</a>!
</i></span>Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-82082521226468235802013-10-16T12:09:00.000-05:002013-10-28T10:58:36.559-05:00The Origins of Halloween, Part Three: Spirits and Faeries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1DADjKx0hc0m8qKNt9NEu5BS398Tlf-fprz97NHjR680X98-GnrijKvmrcMDoeD1YAgrCxLL8uyj7MmaZ1oG9IbnBip6vho1LMm_lY-mboNzGJLJucoqFH-r9vCH-GQESJc2rqOPoABx/s1600/H_Halloween094_SummertownSun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHCSAfv6in-f85RWeJ0pppkEvbrd9nEUorjLwHDDBFUkrEu4zygObKtn2xi6LkvugsNsC9sw1GqaYm-_Qe3DASZMstnWHuoXNQHeC9AKpfH4etTzzlfMcBTqhwhepQ2of8NB1vCUn9m812/s200/H_Halloween039_SummertownSun.JPG" width="145" /></a>Everyone knows that
Halloween is the night when ghosts and skeletons and all sorts of
mischievous spirits and terrifying creatures come out to roam freely for
a night in the world of humans!
</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
The ancient Celts, and
some of our not-so-ancient Victorian ancestors, believed that
on Halloween the spirits of the dead roamed the land of the living. The
prehistoric burial mounds, the sidhs in Ireland, opened up and their
inhabitants tried to lure the living to join them. According to some
accounts, the spirits came out of the Cave of Cruachan in Connaught, accompanied by copper-colored birds who stole babies and brides!</div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<b>This was also the night on which the faeries were most powerful. </b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif1DADjKx0hc0m8qKNt9NEu5BS398Tlf-fprz97NHjR680X98-GnrijKvmrcMDoeD1YAgrCxLL8uyj7MmaZ1oG9IbnBip6vho1LMm_lY-mboNzGJLJucoqFH-r9vCH-GQESJc2rqOPoABx/s320/H_Halloween094_SummertownSun.JPG" width="210" /></a></div>
In
Irish folktales Halloween seems to be by far the most popular time for
the abduction and bewitching of humans by these "little people." Those who had been
taken away to fairyland could be rescued on the next Halloween by
reciting a special spell or prayer as the fairies made their
procession.<br />
<br />
Sir Walter Scott
reported the belief that if a person circles a fairy hill nine times,
counterclockwise, alone on Halloween, a door will open by which he can
enter the fairy's abode. Are you brave enough to try it?<br />
<br />
The Victorian vision of
fairies was sometimes a bit darker than ours tends to be, and they were
often associated with Halloween. In addition to sweet flower fairies,
the Victorian Faeries or Fae included mischievous, impish creatures as
well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: small;"><b>To be continued..... </b>more to come about Halloween and Halloween customs and traditions!</span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/fairies-angels-fairy-tales/products/angels-fairies-fairy-tale-art-cd" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9p6akpwDP4N8HRFtO8gbVB8bbSPfQWp1oe646VBChMT69vPl_UoLntEEHjPKvsJe0p8yrssFavzBfRLFvRWKnyiCspgsWzFkh2wkHzxniPFE-yZ5JyaG1tu7TjhziTJZdhn1JDTPgv8iI/s320/Lunagirl-darkfairies+(8)+-+Copy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" target="_blank"></a> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The <a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank">vintage Halloween images</a> and <a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/fairies-angels-fairy-tales/products/angels-fairies-fairy-tale-art-cd" target="_blank">Victorian fairy images </a>in this article are courtesy<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" target="_blank"> Lunagirl Images</a>! </div>
Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-6055144452177437822013-10-15T11:13:00.000-05:002013-10-15T11:13:00.548-05:00The Origins of Halloween, Part Two: Thanks to the Irish!<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The celebration of Halloween was not widespread in the United States until the 1840s, when great waves of Irish immigrants arrived in the States, bringing their ancient Halloween traditions with them. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aI06s8_q7rD5SA0R4LezjUP3Fx2GH1RF7oTBnc1vMHdzKb6ypJD1CQxSzg37tnEq2CRL0nIWT9LPKOQQgyiU1qfUhIt6kHEgHJ6H9ayPcV9c-Y13XxuCzXAGVQf4G-KEqb5X3GECI6VQ/s320/H_Halloween009_SummertownSun.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The beliefs and customs that surround Halloween today, and the images associated with it in our minds, have their roots in the old
Irish/Scottish Celtic festival of Samhain (see my previous post). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Celtic people of ancient Ireland experienced the natural and supernatural as existing in very close proximity to each other, and
it can be said that on the eve of Samhain -- a potent juncture or break
in normal time -- they existed within each other. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Indeed, it was long
believed that a child born on this night will have "double sight"; that
is, he or she will be able to perceive and communicate with the
Otherworld. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It was believed that at each of the seasonal transitional festivals, the
Otherworld was temporarily upset. Because it was the juncture between the old and
new year, Halloween brought a complete upheaval, and all the inhabitants
of the other world were free for the night to work "weal or woe" on any
humans they encountered! </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03UrspFHM_5UJCim-ZGw-iIwzA6lXDjOWJg_LpXjWEdWc39_MqLCdnT7hTzoU1XAmvryeQVJSdUd6c-me92y14YHCYmg6K3sEzG8cT98NKgnZ9-zhh5Xl_lTj8TuwrDaPtOLKowCnfWlI/s320/H_Halloween158_SummertownSun.jpg" width="198" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This was
the night when the usual boundaries between the dead and the living, the
dark and the light, the spiritual realm and the natural world, were
transcended. "The dead" in this case were not entirely frightening; they were simply the Ancestors.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As
Christianity moved into the British Isles and Ireland, it continued its
time-honored policy of incorporating pagan holidays into the Christian
calendar, and Samhain, the "festival of the dead," was re-designated All
Saint's Day, in memory of the blessed dead. All Saint's Day is still celebrated on November 1.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Although filtered through
Christianity, the traditional customs and beliefs survived in the
celebration of All Hallow's Eve, or Hallowe'en. (The word "hallow"
derives from the Middle English <span style="text-decoration: underline;">halve</span>, meaning "saint.")</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><b>To be continued..... </b>more to come about Halloween and Halloween customs and traditions!</span></i><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTGfy6aZu9ihc-M2Kc2Mm8NJhBioyj-bAxsyOyYlZpv8MLpq4ZBrbDhosQk1IL6uHqy3BlEYoz-00cdf6tYiBaMaJR2FWSEd2W68IN1m22XOfmNlML4vapYM95MNZ2Q5SbQXiQebRhduD/s320/H_Halloween127_SummertownSun.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" target="_blank"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03UrspFHM_5UJCim-ZGw-iIwzA6lXDjOWJg_LpXjWEdWc39_MqLCdnT7hTzoU1XAmvryeQVJSdUd6c-me92y14YHCYmg6K3sEzG8cT98NKgnZ9-zhh5Xl_lTj8TuwrDaPtOLKowCnfWlI/s1600/H_Halloween158_SummertownSun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj36Lul0FWZXJ0U2p9K9KoE_xsH4Qb9iUf52HXLr4l1xYQ4Mn3-HNB-oM0ziu2cyKeu7tODHtxmTkgVNlmt320usWyR7B7uWUUzGcLhKxHVyMr1Nl-ufm20iON42CCJR0FVJnjqw4qiXL/s1600/H_Halloween145_SummertownSun.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The <a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank">vintage Halloween images</a> in this article are courtesy</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" target="_blank">Lunagirl Images</a>! </div>
Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-91180886312021244582013-10-14T13:53:00.001-05:002013-10-14T13:55:55.094-05:00Drying and Freezing the Basil... Herb Garden<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAVvoDMoT8OhU3ZjeKyU1ddo1Ok0mTlrxhUx7TWR3yoXQGQ6C6f7w4KdQ-SRAg5msYGCu-Kuj09yR-yFtaR7BzIMRDpr_hAsH_yWRD_GIV9Czwz-h6UJFzkwxCkKnAfs69DWbfDtKVm26/s1600/basil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAVvoDMoT8OhU3ZjeKyU1ddo1Ok0mTlrxhUx7TWR3yoXQGQ6C6f7w4KdQ-SRAg5msYGCu-Kuj09yR-yFtaR7BzIMRDpr_hAsH_yWRD_GIV9Czwz-h6UJFzkwxCkKnAfs69DWbfDtKVm26/s200/basil.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basil </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's getting late in the season, so today I decided to go ahead and cut most of my basil. How to preserve it for winter? I've always hung up all my herbs to dry, but this year after doing some research I'm trying a couple different methods. Instead of hanging it up, I snipped off all the leaves...<br />
<br />
I recommend that you carefully and thoroughly wash the basil leaves, and then of course get them thoroughly dry before proceeding. Yes, washing them makes them harder to dry! But at least four garden spiders of various sizes came in with my basil bunches, so again... unless you want to season your soups with dried critters, wash your herbs!<br />
<br />
Anway, once the leaves are all clean and dry, I'm going to dry some and freeze some. The leaves for drying I spread out in a single layer on paper towels and after a few days when they are dried out I will put them in freezer bags and suck the air out with a straw to "vacuum pack" them.<br />
<br />
The others I will freeze. You can freeze basil? Accordingly to my research you can! Some people say you have to coat the basil in olive oil first, but others claim that in Italy it is common to just freeze the leaves, so I'm going to try it!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyxe8hFDUC8S1hNwq_sAaTpc7ROnoXTv8IlU9Ro63YpHTQJt6b-6s7TaxFlRd2S9cdpEwdOpFRu7QRKIgwZu2YcYkhaAvCcam7bMJvyZ_V6fecTbkXMkv52khbsDwl0GtttLYCvWZanhx/s1600/rosemary2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyxe8hFDUC8S1hNwq_sAaTpc7ROnoXTv8IlU9Ro63YpHTQJt6b-6s7TaxFlRd2S9cdpEwdOpFRu7QRKIgwZu2YcYkhaAvCcam7bMJvyZ_V6fecTbkXMkv52khbsDwl0GtttLYCvWZanhx/s200/rosemary2.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosemary</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My rosemary, which is so much like an evergreen anyway, survives the winters just fine here in middle Tennessee. It's in a pot, but the pot sits on my West-facing front porch, where it gets plenty of direct sun, next to a brick wall that absorbs and radiates lots of warmth. So it does well there.<br />
<br />
My thyme usually survives as well, but even if the frost kills it, the plant comes back in the spring. But thyme, with its tiny leaves, dries so easily that will dry some of it, too.<br />
<br />
The last thing I have is my mint patch -- six flourishing bunches of lovely-smelling mint! Mint is apparently a native plant here, it grows so well, spreading and always coming back stronger the next year. I think I'll dry and freeze some it just like my basil, and leave the rest happy in its place.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpifTsm_qVhypgCnYlm5xT9awZOw_46ypueBOXDPSj7Fywi1adDcP84fbb0Hogv80sR3vPIcnFNB0JNrHvSi5vOOqHrCBWGrke2TTnFFhW2MvyGckRnAnogg7vx2Fn4DYwVnVhpte0C4v/s1600/mint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpifTsm_qVhypgCnYlm5xT9awZOw_46ypueBOXDPSj7Fywi1adDcP84fbb0Hogv80sR3vPIcnFNB0JNrHvSi5vOOqHrCBWGrke2TTnFFhW2MvyGckRnAnogg7vx2Fn4DYwVnVhpte0C4v/s200/mint.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I need to grow more herbs next year! In addition to my usual rosemary, basil, and thyme, and my beloved mint patch, I want to add maybe some dill and chives and plenty of parsley plants. And garlic!<br />
<br />
Herbs are so easy to grow, you really should try it if you never have. Mediterranean herbs like thyme and rosemary and oregano need plenty of warmth and sun but aren't actually too fussy about water or even great soil. Basil does need to be watered more often, but it's an easy (and attractive) plant and it's so satisfying to snip a few leaves for your pasta or soup! <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUSE5kHJH0Yz6Crx3qdxDMFeZWu1ovgtsp2a3RcsQ2r2eGfFSWYxGAGXRFfS55k7QLqmRJZO-mxKPghEsKkcStN6KZj9Fx_FrhP5PXcDbXDtPlDyVQRFxVKpzebvNgDW2bY_zp-Tuja-y/s1600/thyme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDUSE5kHJH0Yz6Crx3qdxDMFeZWu1ovgtsp2a3RcsQ2r2eGfFSWYxGAGXRFfS55k7QLqmRJZO-mxKPghEsKkcStN6KZj9Fx_FrhP5PXcDbXDtPlDyVQRFxVKpzebvNgDW2bY_zp-Tuja-y/s200/thyme.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thyme</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Do you have any tips for preserving herbs for the winter? What grows in YOUR herb garden?Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-31080564541461782532013-10-14T10:57:00.000-05:002013-10-28T16:27:36.121-05:00Between the Worlds: The Origins of Halloween<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Halloween is a holiday
familiar to all Americans. Children disguised as ghosts and goblins
(and superheroes and princesses) roam the streets trick-or-treating;
teenagers play pranks and try to frighten themselves with trips to the
graveyard and scary movies; young girls may attempt by various means of
divination to learn of their future husbands; and generally everyone has
a good time drinking cider (or something harder), bobbing for apples,
wearing costumes, and waiting for "the witching hour." But....</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">it seems few people know of the origins of Halloween and its wonderful mood of magic and fright.</span></b></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76mQFG9alK2rmNkvsu2z5yYpwzAdtyKjSuoHsysSXyAGNRielYI8K41ITAp9H0f3VY8041cBMe5b2KrQusVy4EXQKs5tFP8BA8Q0HJpFMFGDdxNy1rLQSdRieXb38sAA4rlTTtebnK7Wp/s200/H_Halloween083_SummertownSun.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Among the ancient Celtic peoples of Europe, the end of October was marked by the festival of
Samhain. The Celts were a very large group of related tribes who lived throughout much of ancient Europe. (Very many of us have Celts among our ancestors!) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Samhain (sometimes translated hesitantly as "summer's end")
was one of four major yearly festivals of the Celtic calendar. </b> As the
life of these people was embedded in and dependant upon the cycles of
nature, their calendar was based on the movement of the seasons. The
festivals can be seen as recognizing and celebrating important
transition point in the seasonal year.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Ancient Holiday Festivals</b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoPx3S3ZfGQgyd0pGwrk2StdmuDoVBr8R5xt2A8dQdHw9psb0B2ls1YrsbPV2HLjpB8LeBvEbKD0ctaOuJ1QyTySokvGUitlkaoZDX4oh6burDAKzYKGmB-n8KlWkLdTRwZ5TOlDIYXyQ/s200/H_Halloween124_SummertownSun.JPG" width="121" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The four "solar" festivals, corresponding to the major seasonal transitions, were the Winter Solstice (Yule), the Spring Equinox (Eoster), the Summer Solstice, and the Autumn Equinox. But there were also four "lunar" festivals: Imbolc or Candlemas around February 1, Beltane on May 1, Lugnasad or Lammas on August 1, and Samhain or All-Soul's on November 1. The Celts measured time primarily by the moon, and these four festivals
may be compared to the lunar stages. Candlemas recognized the waxing
(growth) of the year, Beltane the fullness, and Lammas the waning, while
Samhain celebrated the new or dark moon, both the end and the beginning
of the cycle.
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>In the
Celtic calendar (as many other ancient calendars) a "day" began at
sunset the day before, and holiday observations began on the "eve." </b>As
a survival of this world view, we celebrate All Hallow's Eve and
Christmas Eve! Jewish holidays similarly begin at sunset. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Imbolc,
later Christianized as Candlemas, was thought to be the
best time for predicting the weather of the coming spring -- a belief
that survives today in Groundhog Day. Beltane or May Day signified the
beginning of summer, a time of warmth, abundance, and fertility.
Lughnasa, later known as Lammas, was the harvest festival in these
northern lands, a time of gathering in -- of enjoying the fruits of
summer and beginning preparations for the long winter ahead.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ztiMbHzTBOy5hF6xEpczNlalhA1f0i9ojaA-hAkLAL8MxEaC2r569i9J6iWylGazbQ9T8bbrDxG2Y5ZgDdc3OcOKCrfDbmMm484ybgOurSrnIkqpwg738KCJqONeE7wMlFBPJSGS28VP/s200/LUNAGIRL-flowersample+(7).jpg" width="152" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Samhain (beginning at sundown on October 31) was the Celtic new year festival, and the most powerful transition of the year.
</b>It marked the end of one year and the beginning of another, and the
entry of winter. The waning light and warmth of the sun gives way to
darkness and cold. The harvest was completed and crops were put away
for the winter. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As the time of the death of the old year, Samhain was
the appropriate time to remember the dead; their spirits were believed
to return to earth on this night. So Samhain symbolized death -- death which is not final but rather a dark incubation necessary before rebirth in the spring. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Samhain was a pagan celebration, and although early Christian missionaries to northern Europe identified their saints and holy days with the gods and holy days of the Celts, they also portrayed the earlier religion's deities as evil and devilish. </span><br />
<br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">
Although it has come to us altered by time, by Christianity and eventually by
modern commercialism, the essential character and wisdom of the ancient
festival is reflected in the imagery & celebrations of Halloween. </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></b><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>To be continued..... </b>more to come about Halloween and Halloween customs and traditions!</span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthday" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj36Lul0FWZXJ0U2p9K9KoE_xsH4Qb9iUf52HXLr4l1xYQ4Mn3-HNB-oM0ziu2cyKeu7tODHtxmTkgVNlmt320usWyR7B7uWUUzGcLhKxHVyMr1Nl-ufm20iON42CCJR0FVJnjqw4qiXL/s200/H_Halloween145_SummertownSun.JPG" width="200" /></a> </div>
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The <a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/holidays/products/victorian-holidays-cd-volume-three-halloween-thanksgiving-patriotic-birthdays" target="_blank">vintage Halloween images</a> in this article are courtesy</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" target="_blank">Lunagirl Images</a>! </div>
Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-85162165424537619272013-10-09T10:57:00.000-05:002013-10-09T11:00:05.360-05:00Autumn Song<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi999S9X-bfK6F40t_R8ZVt6_FbnfcTJBoZCFXQ4lIVrseKpWD3nj8tXqJNLEIfILWwjAscGKC8rm_cXu0UfSJJe138jZu6pimnyLDlBHMpQSdzt175o_ZdB1EKau16WVNsGFJvXZsKrOkc/s320/Classical-006_SummertownSun.jpg" width="196" /></a>Could any time be more beautiful than early Autumn, before the frosts come? Yes, I say the same thing about flowery springtime and the first warm days, and still winter days with hungry birds and bare tree branches. But there IS something about the bright blue skies and barely cool breezes of October here in the South. I know elsewhere you must have frost and even snow by now, but here it stays just bright and cool until Halloween. The locusts and crickets sing all day, and the sun has that autumnal slant.<br />
<br />
Here is a poem for autumn. <i>The poem below was written around 500 AD, by an Indian poet named
Kalidasa. The English translation is by Arthur W. Ryder (1877-1938).</i><br />
<i><br /></i>AUTUMN<br />
The autumn comes, a maiden fair<br />
In slenderness and grace,<br />
With nodding rice-stems in her hair<br />
And lilies in her face.<br />
In flowers of grasses she is clad;<br />
And as she moves along,<br />
Birds greet her with their cooing glad<br />
Like bracelets' tinkling song.Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-19418418227756714142013-09-27T09:53:00.000-05:002013-10-16T09:30:55.545-05:00Vocation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEI12TYZg1y-Jf6CZCnAiUcU6h1MIxe0Mpgk28KWEbUkM4qHTUrtLMwVujbvo8w-NruY_3lRkyaIfYB7vm3zhb3ews0O1JOZe04LkMT_4eQXHvkk9luBugQy9pUN8-g0uuerUf3a_Kg4da/s1600/Copy+of+blueknot+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEI12TYZg1y-Jf6CZCnAiUcU6h1MIxe0Mpgk28KWEbUkM4qHTUrtLMwVujbvo8w-NruY_3lRkyaIfYB7vm3zhb3ews0O1JOZe04LkMT_4eQXHvkk9luBugQy9pUN8-g0uuerUf3a_Kg4da/s1600/Copy+of+blueknot+-+Copy.jpg" /></a></div>
Random thought for the day:<br />
Your most important work is not always what you get paid for. Money isn't the only measure of the importance of work. The word <b><i>vocation</i></b> means "calling," not "job." :-)Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-12704878234164872742013-09-26T09:43:00.000-05:002013-09-26T09:56:04.860-05:00SpinningThis time of year the garden spiders weave webs everywhere. It was misty this morning, and my son noticed dew-covered webs on the way to school. I have been seeing them on the bushes out front. We wondered: why don't the spiders make these webs during the summer? We only notice them in spring and fall. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.lunagirl.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmOD9CekXtWY8ywGIF-PRx_2bbOhX3WJQoRpI8oUsoeVRATKOirsGjJ4ZXqBmfxXlOHEXzLXm8RUbf5K86Zh5HImbFHbWt2tYUCLlozIfRs99mHybAL6ooCDK4AJuXj_1Lx3JI2kAtMIgH/s200/rackham02.JPG" width="193" /></a></div>
Inspired by the spiders, some thoughts about spinning. Spinning is a
magical act -- think how often it appears in fairy tales, like Sleeping
Beauty and Rumpelstiltskin. Fairy tales are remnants of old mythologies, often girls' initiation
stories whose roots are lost in the mists of time. Spinning -- which occupied much of women's time for thousands of years -- was
connected with coming of age for young women, and you can see that in
the old stories if you look. You'll find girls and goddesses at their spinning wheels, beauties and brides spinning straw into gold. Penelope weaving her tapestry waiting for Odysseus to come home.<br />
<br />
In European mythology spinning and weaving were tasks nearly always performed by women and girls. Twenty thousand years ago, women were spinning fibers and weaving cloth
to create the first fabrics. Right up until the Industrial Revolution,
spinning and weaving and sewing were women's work, sometimes for pay, always a tremendous contribution to the family economy and the larger economy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPL0qUe0xg5J4N3i0Tkbh5tNQt05RFptac8mKG4m8wSJ_Bt_EVGAmrnK5XfLYdP8y99ezi7MvsvIiTSVKBS5Lu9odlt8VdeVxKIZCNRxMkaNJE8WdGf_A53LWAwHCoXTEBJ3KZUrOfo7Qy/s1600/womensworkbook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPL0qUe0xg5J4N3i0Tkbh5tNQt05RFptac8mKG4m8wSJ_Bt_EVGAmrnK5XfLYdP8y99ezi7MvsvIiTSVKBS5Lu9odlt8VdeVxKIZCNRxMkaNJE8WdGf_A53LWAwHCoXTEBJ3KZUrOfo7Qy/s200/womensworkbook.jpg" width="127" /></a></div>
A really fascinating book about "women, cloth, and society in early times" is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Womens-Work-First-Years-Society/dp/0393313484/ref=la_B000APA87K_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380206477&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber</a>. I bought it years ago and just got around to reading it recently. Couldn't put it down! Yes, I'm a big-ole history nerd.<br />
<br />
Spinning and weaving (like baking and gardening) are transformative, turning one thing
into another. Spinning is sometimes associated with
the moon, which measures the months and pulls the tides. Weaving is associated with dreaming and memory and the creation of a new reality. <br />
<br />
In Greek mythology, the Three Fates spin our lives and our fates.Clotho spins the thread, Lachesis measures it out, and Atropos cuts it!
In Greek mythology even Zeus feared the Fates (usually called the
Moirai). In Norse mythology the Norns are very similar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBj7NKq38TVrqPrxohmlVaEw8Py2YOq4o9YNdrR1a3Yow3ZXE2_hPjJKFH91AnHhgsbZfk6_STmjLOIo2zyqX13x2Nt24EuohBxFN55YtC3Le-o6cUQyG0O2zm7DhvdfFuPYAY4J3J0ev/s1600/494px-The_Triumph_of_Death%252C_or_The_Three_Fates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Greek myth Three Fates Norns Moirai tapestry art" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBj7NKq38TVrqPrxohmlVaEw8Py2YOq4o9YNdrR1a3Yow3ZXE2_hPjJKFH91AnHhgsbZfk6_STmjLOIo2zyqX13x2Nt24EuohBxFN55YtC3Le-o6cUQyG0O2zm7DhvdfFuPYAY4J3J0ev/s320/494px-The_Triumph_of_Death%252C_or_The_Three_Fates.jpg" title="The Three Fates " width="262" /></a></div>
<br />
On the third night of a child's life, the Fates were supposed to come
and determine a child's destiny. Sound familiar from The Sleeping
Beauty? Three fairy godmothers?<br />
<br />
Spinning stories, spinning lies, spinning thoughts into words,
measuring our time and destinies. <br />
<br />
One more spinner who often shows up in mythology and folklore all over the world:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLur3tAcaj0gqTIp8Uq9QUUVrDHhSKkgOnRRlPLpk8A1h5t6XfS14jgSzDRVaa5szwQFVw3fmYvJKCFjgTm7wODeosN54mVeg8LbbJwubfmDbrF17FhNGWZwr16KFZTPqetr2EREpvpZY/s1600/spiderweaver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="vintage spider from Lunagirl Images" border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLur3tAcaj0gqTIp8Uq9QUUVrDHhSKkgOnRRlPLpk8A1h5t6XfS14jgSzDRVaa5szwQFVw3fmYvJKCFjgTm7wODeosN54mVeg8LbbJwubfmDbrF17FhNGWZwr16KFZTPqetr2EREpvpZY/s320/spiderweaver.jpg" title="vintage spider image" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Neith, the spinner of destiny, to the Egyptians. Arachne, whose weaving
rivaled that of the goddess Athena, to the ancient Greeks. Anansi the
trickster in West African stories, who is also the bringer of rain, the
king of stories and the giver of gifts such as agriculture.<br />
<br />
From the
Native Americans, Iktomi the wise/foolish god of the Lakota and Ojibwa
dreamcatchers (ever notice that they are like spiderwebs?) Spider Woman
or Spider Grandmother in Hopi mythology is the creator of all life. The spinner/weaver is a very old goddess, and cultures all over the world seem to recognize her.<b></b><br />
<br />
In
the Southern U.S. it is good luck when a spider weaves her web in your
house or garden (not the poisonous kind of course!) So I guess the garden spinners are bringing us good fortune.Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-7540253496201564822013-09-25T16:27:00.001-05:002013-10-09T11:05:57.021-05:00Today is a Good Day for Pie: How to Make a Pie CrustIsn't every day a good day for pie? I don't know if rainy days are good for pie baking or not (need to look that up), but today I'm in the mood. I'm making a good veggie supper tonight -- roasted potatoes and onions, squash casserole, lentils, and broccoli -- and it just screams out for a peach pie for dessert. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEufBKfd80VfJoP9nAtPHTI7RuLOQuxn4NOCl5qoWascDyOJlb95M0W-luJbabM6RFEbHSyED5_roEthgIMGrZLgVXQmuj8hFdaEhoNw6ADzSq1ZuoLsJRpdYDLA7dEcrZprhah0327NVP/s1600/vintage+pic+apple+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="how to make pie crust, baking a pie tips" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEufBKfd80VfJoP9nAtPHTI7RuLOQuxn4NOCl5qoWascDyOJlb95M0W-luJbabM6RFEbHSyED5_roEthgIMGrZLgVXQmuj8hFdaEhoNw6ADzSq1ZuoLsJRpdYDLA7dEcrZprhah0327NVP/s200/vintage+pic+apple+pie.jpg" title="vintage image pie crust baking" width="191" /></a>I'm using some of the organic peaches I froze a few weeks ago. I usually use fresh, but one reason I froze some is so we could have the luxury of peach pie during the "off-season."<br />
<br />
Some people are intimidated by the idea of making their own pie crust, but it's not really all that hard. True, it is one of those things that gets easier with experience, but that's not because it's difficult; it's only because there is some degree of intuition involved. A feel for how much water is enough, how much flour to use when rolling it out, mixing enough but not handling it too much...<br />
<br />
I'll give you my simple four-ingredient recipe (one of them is water!) and the few little tips I've learned over the years. People rave about my pie crusts (even people not related to me, with no reason to lie) so maybe the tips help.<br />
<br />
<b>For a two-crust 9-inch pie you will need:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>2 cups flour + extra for rolling out the dough</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2/3 cup shortening (or 2/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut up into cubes, or mix of both)</li>
<li>6-7 tablespoons cold water (I always put it in the freezer while I'm mixing the flour and butter.)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>Sift (or just mix well) the 2 cups flour and the salt</b>. For years I have used bread flour. Recently I read NOT to use bread flour, rather to use all-purpose, so I guess take your choice!<br />
<br />
<b>Next "cut in" the shortening and/or butter</b> (more on "cutting in" in a moment). I often use all shortening. Sometimes I use all butter. I think half butter and half shortening is good. IMPORTANT: If you use butter, use cold butter! Do NOT melt or soften the butter, and do NOT use margarine.<br />
<br />
To "cut in" the shortening/margarine, you use either a pastry blender if you have one, or two knives: With the blades almost touching, move the knives sideways back and forth in opposite directions in a parallel cutting motion. <a href="http://allrecipes.com/video/70/how-to-cut-in-butter/detail.aspx" target="_blank">Here's a video</a>. You don't want to stir, you want to "cut in" the fat until it is in tiny pieces like little peas. <br />
<br />
<b>Now add your cold water</b> ONE OR TWO TABLESPOONS AT A TIME. You add it gradually and gently "fluff" with a fork in between, until the dough starts to hold together. Again, with experience you get a feel for when it's enough. The amount of moisture in the air, the weather, the temperature, stuff like that, can make it vary!<br />
<br />
<b>Gather the dough together</b>, firmly but gently. (You don't want to handle dough more than necessary; that makes a tough crust.) Cut it in half. For best results, let the halves rest in the refrigerator for at least a few minutes. This will re-chill the butter and give you a nice, non-sticky, easier-to-work-with dough.<br />
<br />
<b>Get your rolling pin and roll it out!</b> Take out one half of your dough. On a floured surface, flatten the ball a little and begin to roll it out with a flour-rubbed rolling pin. Start at the center and roll outwards, changing your angle each time to keep the dough roughly circular. You want to get a round that is slightly larger than your pie plate.<br />
<br />
(Regarding pie plates: Glass is fine. Ceramic with an unglazed bottom is excellent. I have never tried metal.)<br />
<br />
When the first crust is ready, fold the circle in half (gently!) and then half again (in other words, into quarter). Move the folded crust gently to the pie plate and (gently) unfold it. Did I mention, gently? Press it gently into the plate, and trim the overhang to the edge of the pie plate.<br />
<br />
<b>Now you can add your filling!</b> I'm using 4 cups peaches, sliced. Since they were frozen with a little sugar, I'm not adding any sugar. With fresh fruit, add 1/4-1/2 cup sugar, to your preference and depending on how sweet the fruit is. I added a pinch of allspice. (Barely enough to taste, just so everyone will say, Hmm what is that?!) You can of course use apples or blueberries or blackberries or ... About 4-6 cups of fruit. With apples, I add cinnamon, because I love it so. With berries, I always cook them in a pot on the stove with about 1/2 cup sugar and then remove from heat and add a little cornstarch dissolved in a little water. You can do that with peaches or apples, too; the cornstarch will help your pie be less "runny" when it's cooled off (if you can wait until it's cooled off to eat it!)<br />
<br />
<b>Okay, take your second dough ball out of the fridge and roll like the other one.</b> Fold like the other one, and this time when you trim it leave about half an inch of overhang. Save the trimmings to decorate with! Tuck the top overhang over underneath the bottom crust, and gently pinch them together to create a seal. There's your pie!<br />
<br />
There are many ways you can <b>decorate/embellish the edge of your pie</b>. The easiest is to press all around with the tines of a fork. You can also use your knuckles or fingers to make a wavy edge. Here is a very helpful page that shows <a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/bake/make-a-special-edge-on-a-piecrust/" target="_blank">how to make fancy pie crust edges</a>. (If you prefer, here is a <a href="http://www.countryliving.com/videos/decorative-pie-edges-video-9097032860" target="_blank">video showing some techniques</a>.)<br />
<br />
Now if you saved your trimmings, you can roll them back out and cut out shapes to decorate the top of your pie. I like to cut out leaves and/or flowers, but you can do anything. Rubbing a tiny bit of cold water on the back of your shapes will help them stick to the pie top. <br />
<br />
<b>Finally, remember to cut a few "vents"</b> -- just little cuts into the top crust to let steam out! You can make these part of the decoration. If you like, you can brush your pie top with a little melted butter (which will brown nice and shiny) and/or sprinkle with a little white sugar. Or not.<br />
<br />
<b>Bake in preheated oven</b>, 425 degrees F, for about 40 minutes or until nicely browned. It's best to let the pie cool awhile before eating it -- so the filling will firm up and also so you don't burn the heck out of your mouth! (Hot fruit is like lava.) <br />
<br />
Wow, no wonder people think pie baking is complicated! Writing that took so long that my pie is ready... <br />
<br />
Great things about baking fruit pies:<br />
<ul>
<li>They are delicious. Duh.</li>
<li>They contain fruit (OK, and butter and flour and sugar, but still there is fruit!) </li>
<li>They are good for breakfast as well as dessert! </li>
<li>They are a great excuse to eat ice cream. </li>
<li>They make the people you serve them to very, very happy.</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGW-DMdvZ5fuJ8j5dh_8gx8gYAgZrtpKoS0pJ00-qRWx4GSZ1F9VkSQ6qh_DxOuzBE7MCo4Ij0Pi_qvCv9KUUWPNr9zcS8ywgSIK5XE4B5uha5CM7O_-2wWwWJRmn9uPNd-t-1GYdKRMd/s1600/1954WomanPresentingHoldingFreshlyBakedPie_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjxQT_UggkhUK2GCqv1j_ZeVjaoYId_x5Ao4qXnWkZR46YQeTxy5yPG0guIy5bpWj8YC1DzX90ePSg90K27Ch1do8f6aLcjozslDKmupO38rk4MLtsvPUC_XGt17vSnpf5NP8owQBmEgj/s1600/1954WomanPresentingHoldingFreshlyBakedPie_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjxQT_UggkhUK2GCqv1j_ZeVjaoYId_x5Ao4qXnWkZR46YQeTxy5yPG0guIy5bpWj8YC1DzX90ePSg90K27Ch1do8f6aLcjozslDKmupO38rk4MLtsvPUC_XGt17vSnpf5NP8owQBmEgj/s200/1954WomanPresentingHoldingFreshlyBakedPie_thumb.jpg" title="retro housewife with pie" width="200" /></a>
<li>And you know what... baking a pie impresses people. At least the ones who don't bake pies! Remember, they think it's difficult... my, you're such a domestic goddess.</li>
<li>Finally, baking is a good excuse to wear one of my cute vintage-style aprons (which some significant others, including my husband, seem to find oddly enticing). Just for fun, here is a link to my favorite source for really cute, well-made, vintage-style aprons <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/momomadeit" target="_blank">MOMOMADEIT on etsy</a>.</li>
</ul>
<br />
Here is a book (on Amazon) all about baking pies, called appropriately enough "PIE." Ummmm, pie.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pie-Tried---True-Delicious-Homemade/dp/155832254X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380142378&sr=1-3&keywords=pie" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOZ7LRa1Eln_8Y0Rxqv1t8_DpSzpmeacK6-vVB6DbZ5DEmLVOWKbOJOyj3ZWvshNZNFn1ZL7UvLcxV8DW2CrrIQC7vJkP95QUtJOw5VgHWU-_4QNw-kl3yF15inAHBkG7uHTt0jnwMNyyl/s1600/Pie+Book+Ken+Haedrich+Amazon.com.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="a-size-large a-spacing-none" id="title">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pie-Tried---True-Delicious-Homemade/dp/155832254X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1380142378&sr=1-3&keywords=pie" target="_blank"><b>Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie</b></a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-36673517370456842852013-09-18T17:00:00.000-05:002013-10-14T14:04:26.286-05:00Diary: Lemons and Garlic = Hummus<div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
</div>
<br />
Started the laundry<br />
Loaded the dishwasher<br />
Feeling unwell, so took to bed for an hour to watch Criminal Minds (a guilty pleasure show!)<br />
Feeling better, went out and picked a bunch of mint to make tabouleh later<br />
Wrote for awhile, which gave me some energy motivation<br />
Made tabouleh (yum!)<br />
Made hummus (yum!)<br />
Cleaned the downstairs bathrooms(the boys have to clean their own upstairs -- they have to learn!)<br />
Planned meals for next week<br />
Cooked squash/zucchini casserole (yum again!)<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYVwupcPvkmBbwEno4tZAC49m2a1DEgc8moUJ62hWyd-Y4rIsTbtwCHBzGbsbxX5q9OVYJ8gdzWrHsqmVw2qHarJEJ0XkVRswgWWtHDT8xIsjwaSnLZr_cMgcylZQHkdjErdGwBXgGYJM/s1600/1882TradeCardsFoodMeds052_SummertownSun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="126" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRYVwupcPvkmBbwEno4tZAC49m2a1DEgc8moUJ62hWyd-Y4rIsTbtwCHBzGbsbxX5q9OVYJ8gdzWrHsqmVw2qHarJEJ0XkVRswgWWtHDT8xIsjwaSnLZr_cMgcylZQHkdjErdGwBXgGYJM/s200/1882TradeCardsFoodMeds052_SummertownSun.jpg" width="200" /></a>Lots of lemons and garlic, so I'm making Middle Eastern food. Hummus is
so easy to make, full of protein and fiber, and great for those nights
when you don't know who'll be eating dinner when!<br />
<br />
<b>SPICY HUMMUS:</b><br />
Throw all this in the food processor or blender/Ninja:<br />
2 cans garbanzo beans (or 3 cups cooked)<br />
<i>Drain beans but save the liquid to thin the hummus to desired consistency. </i><br />
4 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)<br />
Juice of one lemon<br />
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed<br />
3 tablespoons olive oil<br />
2 teaspoons ground coriander<br />
3 teaspoons ground cumin<br />
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper<br />
.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes<br />
salt to taste<br />
<br />
Makes about 32 oz. Serve with pita bread or raw vegetables, spread on sandwiches. <br />
<br />
<br />Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-76138950782896199832013-09-18T11:35:00.000-05:002013-10-14T14:18:14.291-05:00Harvest Moon ... and Celebrations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/digital-collage-sheets-fantasy-magic/products/celestial-collage-sheet" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Harvest Moon mythology folklore" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg63ffxKMA_9eYhh2lKPx7etnqYHkAxKnwpPqjkaoJfM9r2nsLk3aHR4a6DSXnXfdVuGZYULnIBnT3m1VHJ9YKfOE9iZYJVOS2E9U3RsdNNL4gzLy4nHwkfFtjD9MVoqwsvYeTgH2nBheuV/s1600/moon.jpg" title="full moon" /></a></div>
Tonight is the Harvest Moon: an old name for the full moon that falls nearest the Autumn Equinox, which is usually in September. The Harvest Moon appears larger and
brighter to some people, but they're really not. This time of year there
is no long period of darkness between sunset and moonrise of the full
moon, so the night seems brighter than usual. This allowed farmers to
stay out and work in their fields by moonlight under the Harvest Moon,
and later, under the Hunter's Moon (the next full moon, in October), allowed hunters to see the deer and
other animals that came out to browse in the then-harvested fields.<br />
<br />
Apparently (allegedly?) each full moon had a name in certain cultures. I've seen lists of moon names attributed to the ancient Celtic people of Europe, the Chinese, the Algonquin people of what is now New England, among others. Sometimes the September full moon was called the Corn Moon by Native Americans.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tonight, go out and dance under the big bright moon!</span> Or celebrate it in some other way: Bake "moon cakes" (round sugar cookies). Sing moon songs. Just go out with someone you love and look at it for a few minutes.<br />
<br />
Why celebrate the full moon? Well, doing so makes us feel just a little closer to nature. It connects us a little to the nighttime and the world of magic and imagination. It helps us appreciate cycles, since the full moon comes around again every month -- the moon is ever changing, but in a cycle, so ever constant as well. Predictably changeable, which is comforting.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99G_1EwwazuVawoucucmPPR_8e4DNk7_8bDqpoUJ0c0ktgsKa7OvR2jSWZXf5_j1XQJbY7tsHSWIS2drMkEWpCfdftU3jkavKGQMqm1IJpknJHatyDSKgDa6DtKpG01pCxwBnFUUvPbde/s1600/candle-hand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi99G_1EwwazuVawoucucmPPR_8e4DNk7_8bDqpoUJ0c0ktgsKa7OvR2jSWZXf5_j1XQJbY7tsHSWIS2drMkEWpCfdftU3jkavKGQMqm1IJpknJHatyDSKgDa6DtKpG01pCxwBnFUUvPbde/s200/candle-hand.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
And why celebrate at all? Celebrations bring us together -- "us" being families, friends, communities, even whole cultures. One thing I love about Christmas (which I do love!) is knowing that it has been celebrated with many of the same traditions for hundreds of years as Christmas, and as who knows how many thousands of years as Yule and the Winter Solstice!<br />
<br />
My mother was great at celebrations -- at making a day feel special. Not just the major holidays, but more private special days like birthdays, the first day of school, the first day of Spring. Snow days (I grew up in the American South, so snow was a special event that closed all the schools!). Cookie day (December 23). She honored the cycles and the passing of time and the extra-ordinary -- or maybe she just knew an excuse for a party when she saw one! She found meaning in these days, and shared meanings become shared experiences, which become little rituals, and rituals become traditions, which connect us with the past and with each other. My mother has passed on, but these traditions large and small help to keep her spirit with me and with my children.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/digital-collage-sheets-fantasy-magic/products/wind-roses-compasses-collage-sheet" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="vintage altered art wheel of the year green" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNLEf2v-N-zCoFAOpINRPXXSJDD2ZcivNpoPgaYYqldUtRVY9JX4wI7w7KNiloQtD7KS54vTweljZl8SaxHe7r4qNYxsG3rjHrr-n4TbMWss0NsS9iHxJ0enwhPxEpw8OMm-bnn65DM5W/s200/libr0008.jpg" title="circle of season by Lunagirl Images" width="200" /></a>Here are some books with useful ideas about Celebrations, particularly geared toward parenting:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-Traditions-Redefining-Celebrations-Todays/" target="_blank">New Traditions: Redefining Celebrations for Today's Family</a> by Susan Abel Lieberman<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dance-God-Family-Community-Celebration/" target="_blank">To Dance With God: Family Ritual and Community Celebration</a> by Gretrud Mueller Nelson<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Celebrating-Seasons-Life-Samhain-Ostara/" target="_blank">Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Samhain to Ostara</a> by Ashleen O'Gaea<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Celebrating-Seasons-Life-Beltane-Mabon/" target="_blank">Celebrating the Seasons of Life: Beltane to Mabon</a> by Ashleen O'Gaea Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-60411120861123202672013-09-16T12:32:00.001-05:002013-09-26T09:59:10.559-05:00Transformation: GardenI wasn't sure what to do with myself this Monday morning, feeling in a funk, so I walked out early to water my vegetable garden. Thinking this morning of transformation.<br />
<br />
Plants perform an amazing feat of transformation ~ they take sunlight, water, and the nutrients in the dirt, and transform them into vegetables and fruit and nuts and flowers ~ food for our body and our soul. Then we take the sugars and proteins and other magical chemicals in the food and turn them into our bodies, which somehow create consciousness and creativity and all the things we do each day.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/flowers-plants/products/vintage-can-crate-labels-cd" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Victorian vintage image lady in garden by Lunagirl" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgBe05NVVgN3iF2hB8TbExogvxnZ9ZtOAy1cVJqv-cU4q00T5stDFrExLV-sKxJcCTGfVVDY-5wEDx-YJS5uL22vCoVCTkM03nq-kyZd9AvOuLqqE2EhTttDlp4-dzzfUvGANRyXZDg9P/s320/Joseph+Breck+&+Sons.+(Back+Cover)+1867..jpg" title="vintage garden art" width="242" /></a></div>
The beauty of the flowers feeds the soul (we all need both "bread and roses" to survive), convincing us to replant their seeds and seducing the bees into spreading their pollen (which the bees transform into honey!) Birds eat seeds and bugs and worms and transform them into feathers and flight. Their beauty feeds my soul and imagination.<br />
<br />
Today my garden held several jalapenos ready to pick, dozens of baby bell peppers not ready to pick, and a couple red tomatoes. There are now TEN tomatoes on my windowsill, and I think it's time to make salsa. I've never made homemade salsa before, but it seems a good way to use all these tomatoes and jalapenos!<br />
<br />
SALSA RECIPE:<br />
6 medium tomatoes, chopped<br />
4 garlic cloves, minced<br />
2 jalapenos, minced<br />
2 roasted jalapenos, minced<br />
1 bell pepper, red or green, chopped fine<br />
1 small onion, chopped fine<br />
1 tablespoon olive oil<br />
juice of one lime<br />
salt and black pepper to taste<br />
optional: cilantro or parsley, scallions<br />
optional: chili powder, oregano<br />
<br />
Blend it all in a bowl and refrigerate for several hours. I hope it's good... we'll see. <br />
<br />
<br />Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-85176669081924532232013-09-13T15:00:00.000-05:002013-10-14T14:04:37.447-05:00Diary: Chili!Sorted and washed piles of laundry<br />
Reading and writing about fairy tales<br />
Sat down and folded towels, sorted socks <br />
Sort out my desk drawer<br />
Cook oatmeal for breakfast<br />
Read Michael Pollan about fermentation <br />
Chop onions and peppers <br />
Cook chili for supper<br />
Pick jalapenos to make cornbread<br />
Water vegetable garden, herbs, and flowers<br />
Save some tomato seeds for Pop<br />
Tried to fix the ice maker<br />
Made a note to buy some ice trays<br />
Made a grocery list for tomorrow<br />
Find a source to order miso <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lunagirl.com/collections/flowers-plants/products/antique-seed-packet-lithographs-cd" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="altered art image from vintage seedpack by Lunagirl " border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wVIOImaft2GVvCpivmisKVyV_tkLOwlKXMp-ylImKcw_S3Ghyw59kBdnGY9MwDT8KS5jTItI5ijUi4S8NALRNCkg0_zRv9JXUo25YtZxwjH6-dh7TkvjR0X48rWCrq2fCqyU8CNwczdI/s200/PEPPER+-+Long+Red+Cayenne+Peperone+crnc.jpg" title="red chili peppers" width="166" /></a>EASY VEGETARIAN CHILI:<br />
2 medium onions, chopped<br />
2 green bell peppers (or 1 green and 1 red), chopped<br />
2-3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2-3 tablespoons chili powder<br />
1 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
6-12 oz soy veggie crumbles, thawed (optional) <br />
.5 teaspoon salt<br />
.25 teaspoon black pepper<br />
.5 teaspoon sugar<br />
3 small cans (or 2 large cans) tomato sauce<br />
2 cans (15 oz each) diced whole tomatoes, undrained<br />
3 cups cooked kidney beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)<br />
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Saute onions in a little oil under tender, about 10 minutes, over low-medium heat. Add peppers and saute until tender. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, and saute a couple minutes more. Add other ingredients. Simmer at least 30 minutes, preferably a few hours as it will get better with time. Better the second day! <br />
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We like this vegetarian, but of course you could use ground meat. If so, brown it first of all, then proceed to add the onions and peppers, etc. I've been making my vegetarian chili for many years, and it is "approved" by non-vegetarians as delicious! <br />
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JALAPENO CORNBREAD:<br />
1 large egg, slightly beaten<br />
1 cup yellow cornmeal mix, self-rising<br />
1 8.5 oz can creamed corn<br />
.5 cup milk<br />
1 tablespoon canola oil <br />
.5 cup shredded cheese <br />
2-4 jalapeno peppers, minced<br />
Bake at 450 degrees F for about 30 minutes. <br />
Use more or less jalapenos depending on how hot you like it! I often use two with the seeds and two chopped without the seeds ~ the seeds and white inner membrane are where most of the heat is! <br />
<br />Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-88066703820076322002013-09-13T09:19:00.001-05:002013-09-26T10:00:30.798-05:00Friday the 13thFriday the 13th is a special day! Fridays are named for Freya, the Norse goddess of love and fertility ~ a lot like Aphrodite and Venus ~ who are a lot like Ishtar ~ all the Morning Star, the Star of the Sea (Stella Maris), the bright light rising in the East (Venus). Which happens to also be Mary. Visions of the Virgin Mary, Mother Mary, often appear on Fridays. It is traditional to eat fish on Friday ~ fish which comes from the sea, sacred to Venus, born of the sea.<br />
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When I lived in Georgia, a vision of the Virgin Mary appeared on the 13th of every month in a town nearby. (Visitors said they smelled the scent of roses shortly before she would appear.)<br />
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Why the number 13? There are 13 full moons in a year. Thirteen is a magic witchy number! Have a lucky day!Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-71382153917273839552013-09-12T09:08:00.000-05:002013-09-13T10:45:51.213-05:00SortingThis may seem a little silly, but while sorting the laundry this morning, I thought of sorting seeds as a theme in mythology and fairy tales. The "impossible task" of sorting reoccurs in many stories. "By nightfall they must all be sorted!"<br />
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Cinderella's stepmother tells her to sort a pile of seeds and grains "or else!" In the Russian tale of Vassilisa, the cruel stepmother sends the girl to face the fearsome forest witch Baba Yaga, who tells Vassilisa she must sort a pile of seeds by taking out all the black ones. In the Greek mythical tale of Cupid and Psyche, Cupid's mother Aphrodite gives Psyche the impossible task of sorting a heap of seeds as well. In every story, the young girl is helped in her "impossible task" by birds or ants ~ the little spirits of earth and air and forest come to her aid. Is this because she is a goddess in disguise?<br />
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Sorting things out. It's a practical task ~ separating needs from wants, dark from light, things to keep from things no longer useful. It can be a social task ~ help the kids "sort it out" ~ talk through their differences, calm down, analyze the situation, solve the problem. It's a psychological task we all face sometimes ~ sort things out. In therapy we sift through memories and emotions and thoughts to find meaning and direction. In difficult times in life we can either freak out and give up, or we can sit down, start sorting, face the task in front of us one little piece at a time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNEqCe8DW_ybuq0XSjvSixaRsgvpCdCjCqcUV_3EkU5ZDfOdRPjlStDKqHGalQ3VZPV6qGwrClFi2KZqyfKtI-oob2gafHgwdev6v7Zq1fSdr23RFVnIrAcB0wBI226PxRT5fcuQkhGbo/s1600/Vassilisa_belle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheNEqCe8DW_ybuq0XSjvSixaRsgvpCdCjCqcUV_3EkU5ZDfOdRPjlStDKqHGalQ3VZPV6qGwrClFi2KZqyfKtI-oob2gafHgwdev6v7Zq1fSdr23RFVnIrAcB0wBI226PxRT5fcuQkhGbo/s200/Vassilisa_belle.jpg" width="107" /></a>Faced with an overwhelming situation, a chaos of emotions, an impossible task, that giant pile of tiny mixed up seeds that no one could ever sort out, the stories tell us to calm down, take it slowly, and call upon spirit to help us! Sorting through is a practical, down-to-earth task, of going through things, putting them in piles, deciding where each little thing goes. When in the midst of tragedy or stress or just a giant pile of laundry (!), it's best to just take one thing at a time, put one foot in front of the other, and calmly sort the seeds in front of you. And don't forget to hum a tune to call up your spirit helpers!<br />
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Sometimes writing can help us sort it out: Write a list, sort by priorities. Write a list of pros and cons. Write a letter to sort things out with a friend. Spill out all your thoughts and feelings onto paper, so you go back and sift through them to find some order in the chaos. <br />
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Psyche of course means Soul, and the story of Psyche challenges us to do the daily mundane tasks that make up the day, to calmly accept the challenges of practical life, while waiting for love ~ or more profoundly, while waiting to discover our own souls. I like this connection of the practical with the transcendent.<br />
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Well, this is what I get for blogging so early in the morning, before I've had all my caffeine ~ a long post wandering off into the psychology of fairy tales. <br />
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Cinderella and Psyche often remind me of the sign of Virgo, which the Sun will enter in just a few days. "Virgin" originally meant something more like complete and whole unto oneself, just fine on my own, thank you very much ~ Psyche had to discover herself before she could truly find Love.<br />
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You may not be familiar with the story of Beautiful Vassilisa, so here is a link to a great version!<a href="http://www.artrusse.ca/fairytales/vassilisa.htm"> http://www.artrusse.ca/fairytales/vassilisa.htm</a> . Note that although the old witch Baba Yaga is frightening, it is through working with her that Vassilisa grows and triumphs. Facing one's darkness leads to the discovery of self and strength and love ... that's a theme to explore another morning.<br />
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<br />Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-27885768408070159682013-09-11T17:19:00.000-05:002013-10-14T14:04:07.803-05:00Diary: PeachesWore my purple bali gypsy earrings for inspiration<br />
Worked online<br />
Created digital image of Hestia<br />
Vacuumed the dining room, den, and family room<br />
Talked to the cats<br />
Picked basil, thyme, and rosemary<br />
Made herb bread and spaghetti for supper<br />
Checked on the bell peppers and tomatoes<br />
Used seashells to create a border for my mint patch<br />
Laundry for the boys and Michael<br />
Read Michael Pollan about cooking and baking <br />
Planned meals for next week<br />
Froze some more organic peaches<br />
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Freezing peaches:</h2>
Crush a vitamin C tablet in a bowl, and add a little water to dissolve. Peel and slice peaches. Gently stir them into the water to coat. Measure into freezer bags, press out air, and freeze them flat.<br />
The vitamin C helps preserve the color and flavor of the peaches ~ I learned this from Alton Brown's site. I can attest that they work great for cobbler or pie! You can add a couple spoonfuls of sugar to the water if you want, in which case you should reduce the amount of sugar in your recipes by a bit when you use the peaches. Have a peachy day!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrX8FaNlOpT3cf5IajbrRa7Ly-koJO0FGLic2lqqBWF9dngpPlvjrKvpEDJN5U5P9aOAbTG6hfShABbdFZMKKlZwkdjhKpQd99ihzA0y4oPho8fVsSTIV1dVOJO2ParhyphenhyphenE_qqx4YtI2de/s1600/hestia-peaches.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwrX8FaNlOpT3cf5IajbrRa7Ly-koJO0FGLic2lqqBWF9dngpPlvjrKvpEDJN5U5P9aOAbTG6hfShABbdFZMKKlZwkdjhKpQd99ihzA0y4oPho8fVsSTIV1dVOJO2ParhyphenhyphenE_qqx4YtI2de/s200/hestia-peaches.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Peaches</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8753763344673084323.post-18597060624594776482013-09-11T13:31:00.002-05:002013-09-11T19:25:29.881-05:00Hestia: First and LastIf you ever studied Greek mythology, you may remember Hestia as the goddess of the hearth. Or you may not, as she is not as well-known as fierce Athena or sexy Aphrodite or lovely Artemis of the Moon. Hestia was the oldest and most revered of the Greek goddesses, but one now largely ignored!<br />
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Hestia was first: the first-born of her Titan parents Rhea and Cronos, the eldest sister of Zeus. After Cronos swallowed his children, Hestia was the last to re-emerge, rescued by Zeus. <br />
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Hestia is the the hearth, the campfire, the center, the focus (this word actually means hearth or fireplace in Latin). She is home, and she watches over everything that feeds and comforts and nourishes us. She is behind the scenes, behind closed doors, away from the arena of "achievement" and glory, "just" a housewife and homemaker. She is first, essential, and she is last, often taken for granted!<br />
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In ancient Greece, every home had a hearth, and each day began and ended with a prayer to Hestia to
protect and nurture the family within. Hestia, first and last.<br />
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Hestia's colors are purple, silver, white, and black. Her symbols are the circle and the controlled flame.<br />
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<br />Karen Lunagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04834852578167798962noreply@blogger.com0