Beautiful Sunset

I have to say there is nothing more lovely than a good sunset and you can see why. I took this picture about 5:30pm as the sun was slowly disappearing over the horizon. It had this magical pink tinge to it that looked so wonderful and I just had to take a picture. This was taken to the south west, and the colours are just phenomenal. I love dusk, it's the best time of day!



Here are some gathering storm clouds in the east, they were coming in about the same time I was taking the picture of the sunset. As you can see, over the top of our shed, it was just beginning to darken. We've been have some wild rainy weather lately, it's fab, my foxgloves are starting to grow really well. The rain is the gardener's best friend!

My Yule Altar

I'm of the firm belief that Sabbat Altars don't need to be so serious and absolutely decorated to represent every little detail of a holiday. I take the more fun approach I have to admit. This year I chose to have a little fun and so as you can see above, I have one of those little troll toys to represent the magical creature aspect of Yule. I also added:

Pinecone
Chunk of Frankincense Resin
Chunk of Myrrh Resin
My Bast Statue
Yule Fairy Ring
My Bell
Myrrh incense stick
Bloodstone
Carnelian
Emerald
Shiny Gold Xmas ornament
A fun plastic holly/ivy pot I bought last year at Xmas
Metallic Silver, Red and Green Candle

I have to say I think it looks great, it represents what Yule means to me, wintery fun and excitement. I haven't done the family altar yet, I usually do that closer to the holiday. We live in a small country cottage so space is limited.

If you haven't created your Yule or Litha Altar (for our northern hemisphere counterparts), I would advise to have a little fun, after all, your altar should represent how you celebrate the holiday.

Here is my family Yule altar, in respect for tradition, I thought why not give it a Xmasy feel. I think it looks fun and fab and captures the mood of Yule!

Soft Mead

1 quart water, preferably spring water
1 cup honey
1 sliced lemon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Boil together all ingredients in a non-metallic pot. While boiling, scrape off the rising "scum" with a wooden spoon. When no more rises add the following:

pinch salt
juice of 1/2 lemon

Strain and cool. Drink in place of alcoholic mead or wine during the Simple Feast.

Eggnog

12 eggs - separated
1 cup sugar
2 cups bourbon
1 cup brandy
1/2 tsp salt
1 qt milk
1 pt heavy cream
(nutmeg)

Beat the yolks with the sugar. Add bourbon and brandy and chill. Beat the salt and egg whites until stiff. Stir the milk into the yolk/liquor mixture, fold in the egg whites and cream. Chill. Serve cold, optionally top with nutmeg.

Wassail

6 bottles ale
12 small apples
3 whole cloves
3 whole allspice
3 broken cardamom seeds
1 broken 3" cinnamon stick
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1 fifth dry sherry (1 750 ml bottle)

Bake the apples at 350 for 20 minutes, or until tender. Tie the cloves, allspice, cinnamon, and cardamom into a cheesecloth bag, place it with 1 bottle of ale, the ginger and nutmeg, into a kettle and heat gently for 10 minutes. Remove the bag, pour in the rest of the ale, the sugar, and the sherry. Heat for 20 minutes. Pour into a large bowl and float the apples on top. Serve hot.

http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/recipes

Crescent Cakes

1 cup firmly ground almonds
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2 drops almond extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg yolk

Combine almonds, flour, sugar and extract until thoroughly mixed. With the hands, work in butter and egg yolk until well-blended. Chill dough. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Pinch off pieces of dough about the size of walnuts and shape into crescents. Place on greased sheets and bake for about 20 minutes. Serve during Simple Feast, especially at Esbats

http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/recipes

Yule Ritual

The altar is adorned with evergreens such as pine, rosemary, bay, juniper and cedar, and the same can be laid to mark the Circle of Stones. Dried leaves can also be placed on the altar.

The cauldron, resting on the altar on a heat-proof surface (or placed before it if too large), should be filled with ignitable spirit (alcohol), or a red candle can be placed within it. At outdoor rites, lay a fire within the cauldron to be lit during ritual.

Arrange the altar, light the candles and incense, and cast the Circle of Stones.
Recite the Blessing Chant.
Invoke the Goddess and God.
Stand before the cauldron and gaze within it. Say these or similar words:

I sorrow not,
though the world is wrapped in sleep.
I sorrow not,
though the icy winds blast.
I sorrow not,
though the snow falls hard and deep.
I sorrow not,
this too shall soon be past.

Ignite the cauldron (or candle),using long matches or a taper. As the flame(s)
leap up say:

I light this fire in Your honor,
Mother Goddess
You have created life from death;
warmth from cold;
The Sun lives once again;
the time of light is waxing.
Welcome,
ever-returning God of the Sun!
Hail Mother of All!

Circle the altar and cauldron slowly, clockwise, watching the flames. Say the
following chant for some time:

The wheel turns; the power burns.

Meditate upon the Sun, on the hidden energies lying dormant in winter, not only
in the Earth but within ourselves. Think of birth not as the start of life but
as its continuance. Welcome the return of the God. After a time cease and
stand once again before the altar and flaming caldron. Say:

Great God of the Sun,
I welcome Your return.
May You shine brightly upon the Goddess;
may You shine brightly upon the Earth,
scattering seeds and fertilizing the land.
All blessings upon You,
reborn One of the Sun!

Works of magick, if necessary, may follow. Celebrate the Simple Feast. The circle is released.

Yule Lore

One traditional Yuletide practice is the creation of a Yule tree. This can be a living, potted tree which can later be planter in the ground, or a cut one. The choice is yours.

Appropriate Pagan decorations are fun to make, from strings of dried rosebuds and cinnamon sticks (or popcorn and cranberries) for garlands, to bags of fragrant spices which are hung from boughs. Quartz crystals can be wrapped with shiny wire and suspended from sturdy branches to resemble icicles. Apples, oranges and lemons hanging from boughs are strikingly beautiful, natural decorations, and were customary in ancient times.

Many enjoy the custom of lighting the Yule log. This is a graphic representation of the rebirth of the God within the sacred fire of the Mother Goddess. If you choose to burn one, select a proper log (traditionally of oak or pine). Carve or chalk a figure of the Sun (such as a rayed disc) or the God (a horned circle or a figure of a man) upon it, with the Boline, and set it alight in the fireplace at dusk on Yule. As the log burns, visualize the Sun shining within it and think of the coming warmer days.

As to food, nuts, fruits such as apples and pears, cakes of caraways soaked in cider, and (for non-vegetarians) pork are traditional fare. Wassail, lambswool, hibiscus or ginger tea and fine drinks for the Simple Feast or Yule Meals.

From: http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/sabbats

Pagan symbols for Yule Tree

Holly berries and leaves, apples, winter birds, fairies, lights, snowflakes, candles, stags, suns, moons, gingerbreadmen, mistletoe, acorns, bayberry and cranberry garlands, wreaths, Winters, Santas, Mirrored Glass Globes to Amaterasu, Balls etched with Holly leaves,candles, wreaths and birds abound in the stores.

From: http://www.ladyoftheearth.com/sabbats

Yuletide

Yule is nearly upon us, I'm very excited about the Winter Soltice, or that may be I'm just plain excited it's winter (I may be a fire sign but summer is not my season), June brings to us the Sabbat of Yule, in the top end, this is Christmas, here down south it is the 21st June. I can't wait, I'm already picturing the pork roast I am going to cook and it's making me salivate. There will be potatoes and soup, golden rolls and pumpkin, egg nog (never had it before - should be interesting) and all manner of other wonderful wintery treats!

Garden Witch’s Herbal by Ellen Dugan

“Enrich your Craft—and your spirit—by working with the awesome energies of nature. In this follow-up to Garden Witchery, Ellen Dugan takes us further down the path of green magick, revealing the secret splendors of the plant kingdom.

From common herbs and flowers to enchanted shrubs and trees, Dugan digs up the magickal dirt on a wide variety of plant life. Encouraging Witches to think outside the window box, she shares ideas for incorporating your garden's bounty into spellwork, sabbat celebrations, and more. Tips for container gardening ensure that city Witches can get in on the green action, too.

This stimulating guide to green Witchery—featuring botanical illustrations of nearly fifty fascinating specimens—will inspire you to personalize your Craft and fortify your connection to the earth.”

I have just finished reading this fantastic book. I am a fan of Ellen Dugan; I find her writing interesting, fun and conversational. This book is quite possibly one of the best I have read on Garden Witchery, how to create a garden for magick and enjoyment. It is divided into sections called: Conjuring a Garden with Heart, Green Witchery in the City, Wildflowers and Witchery, Magick of the Hedgerows, The Magick and Folklore of Trees, Gothic Herbs and Forbidden Plants, Herbs and Plants of the Sabbats, Herbs of the Stars and Magicakl Herbalism.

Each chapter delves into the different areas of creating, maintaining and using a magickal garden, my favourite chapter was on the Magick and Folklore of Trees, it inspires a sense of wanting to create that perfect little outdoor sanctuary with the Oak, Ash and Thorn, a sacred circle to invite in the Fae folk. The section on forbidden plants was a fun and interesting read, it takes a look at the historical “Witch’s Plants” such as Hellebore, Black Nightshade, Belladonna and Yew, she doesn’t advocate using these plants by any stretch but it is an insight into the days of old when Witches were thought to use these herbs for baneful magicks. Perhaps the most helpful part was how to create a container garden and what plants are best used for this. Now I have to admit I have the luxury of living in the country so I have the space but it has inspired me to create some larger pot gardens to place around my yard.

I’m an avid Witchy Gardener, I like to grow things and it seems that quite often I have great success growing things – except for Basil, they keep dying on me. I think they are very fussy herbs, they either like it where you put them or don’t, but I have found that putting them in pots has a greater success. Oh well, maybe one day I will get lucky with Basil.