The Family Cookbook

January 8, 2012 at 6:33 am (Food, spirituality)
Tags: , ,

I never really realized I love cooking so much until I started scrap-booking my recipes. It all started when I got the idea a few years ago to make copies of all my favorite recipes and compile them into a homemade cookbook to give to my oldest daughter as a birthday present. In order to do that, I made copies from my favorite cookbooks (sometimes re-writing a lot for the changes I made to them through the years), and I also wrote out a lot from memory, and even found some recipes that my own late mother had hand written for me.

I arranged these recipes on regular sheets of computer paper, along with illustrations from old books and magazines, and also my own little doodles and embellishments. And of course I didn’t stop at recipes for food, I also included herb charts, home remedies, helpful hints, formulas for making one’s own natural cleaning products, and menu suggestions for holidays… Then I took them all to a copy machine, made a copy of each to go into my daughter’s cookbook, and saved the originals for my original master copy. For both sets, I used a large three ring notebook and a whole lot of page protectors- that way the pages can be taken out, rearranged and updated, and there’s always room to add more.

So I’ve added to and altered my copy occasionally over the past few years, looking forward to the days when I will be giving copies to each of my other children when they grown. I have a feeling all four copies will be different, because who knows when I’m going to finish altering it?! Actually I have been working a great deal on it lately and I think I may be reaching a tentative finishing point soon- the point where I think very little changes will be made from there on (at least by me)… This project is one that I am very proud of. Sometimes I just like to open up the book when I’m not even going to cook anything- just to look at the pages.

Then the other day I had a funny thought; handing down this recipe book, for me, is akin to handing down a family “book of rituals”. So many of the recipes are tied in with pagan/heathen holidays and traditions! A lot of our favorites were a result of my interest in trying dishes from Irish and German culture to honor our ancestors, not to mention a rich thick mix of Ozark recipes that honors our more recent ancestors. So many of the meals I prepare seems to be symbolic in some way; in honor of this or that holiday, or a particular deity or ancestor. And yes, I have made note of that significance, where practical, in the book itself.

I hope this family cookbook continues to be passed down through the generations, and I hope that those meanings never get lost. For I’m sure each generation will have something to add of their own.

 

1 Comment

Frey and Freya Nightlight

January 1, 2012 at 6:53 am (Arts & Crafts)
Tags: ,

This is one of the neatest crafty ideas I’ve seen in a long time. I got the idea from a craft book I picked up from the library: the Big Ass Book of Crafts.
It’s basically a nightlight with an extension cord, two cheap identical frames, some dismantled wooden clothespins, and a picture of Frey and Freya I found from an internet image search. Oh yeah, and some hot glue, tape, and a bit of craft paint to paint the clothespins to match the frame.

My version of this craft project only differs a little from the instructions in the book. The instructions in the book said to discard the glass in the second frame (or use in a different project), but instead I used it to back the image instead of using the frame back. That way, more light shines through.

Also, the instructions said to secure the nightlight so that the bulb doesn’t touch the cardboard backing, but it didn’t give details on how. I found that the best way to do this is to cut the opening in the frame back to an exact fit for the inlet end of the extension cord. (Attaching it flush with the back of the frame turned out to be more stable and space sufficient than putting the entire inlet end of the extension cord on the inside of the box.) Then I taped it in place, first with electrical tape, then with wide clear packing tape. (The electrical tape wouldn’t stick to the frame back, and I tried duct tape and it didn’t stick to any of it very well.) To further protect the back of the frame from the bulb, I turned the plastic shield of the nightlight to face it.

Leave a Comment

My Modranecht

December 18, 2011 at 6:06 am (Holidays, spirituality)
Tags: , ,

This is my first Yuletide season as a follower of Ásatrú. Before (as a UU Pagan and as a Celtic Reconstructionist), I celebrated Yule in a very basic or general way, concentrating mainly on the solar symbolism for rituals. I’ve always loved all the customs of the holiday- the songs, decorations, food, etc., and I knew (and reveled in the fact) that those things were pagan in origin. What I didn’t really think about was that those customs were specifically from Norse culture. They were not just pagan, but specifically heathen, and the symbolism is deeper than I ever knew. (And after being Pagan 25 years, I thought I knew everything!)

Something that I guess still amazes me is that Ásatrúar celebrate Yule for 12 nights. Each night is sacred for a different reason, with different deities, spirits, or ancestors to honor, things to meditate upon, and (on some of them) traditions to enact. That’s a lot of celebrating! I’m still soaking in the knowledge of all these traditions, but one of the 12 days that appeals to me especially is Mothers’ Night.

Mothers’ Night (Modranecht) is sacred to Frigga, and the Dísir (holy ancestral mothers of the family). It is held on *December 20th or on the eve of the Winter Solstice and begins the twelve night celebration of Yule. It kind of reminds me of Samhain in purpose , but the Modranecht tradition is specifically for female ancestors, guardians of the home and family. I am so glad I found this tradition. I feel it will have special meaning to me. Frigga has become my patron goddess over the last few months, and I’m exited to be doing this special ritual in honor of her, and also I find it wonderful that I will be honoring my dearly departed mother in the same ritual. I hope my daughters will want to share in this with me, but who knows, they’re teenagers.

My altar set-up is with decorated Yule log in middle (I don’t have a fireplace so I put candles in drilled out holes of a mini log), framed pictures of mom and grandma along the side, Matronae statue (represents the Dísir), image of Frigga, ale or cider & blessing bowl, blót-tine (an evergreen twig used to sprinkle/asperge the ale from the blessing bowl over the area to bless it), bread offerings, candles, and decorations.

Thus begins my informal ritual/blót:

~Light the candles of the Yule log.

~Toast to the Mothers. (Adapted from one I found on Ravencast.)

Hail mother Nerthus, Sacred Earth, you who nurture us. May you continue to uphold us.
Hail mother Frigga, beloved Great Mother of hearth and home.
May you keep our household whole and safe.
Hail mother Freyja, Lady of the Vanir. May we receive prosperity in the coming year.
To our family’s Mothers, our Dísir, going back in a line to Elmbla,
You who have watched over us and loved us always. Bless us in the coming year!
We remember you with love and honor you this night.

~Pour libations. (Asperge with twig.)

~Sing “Song for Mothers’ Night”. (A beautiful song by the very talented Michaela Macha.)

~Share a special meal. This won’t be a big feast, but a simple meal of Golden Cream Soup and sun-shaped bread. (I don’t plan on having a big feast 12 nights in a row!) I chose this soup for several reasons… It’s a milk based soup (obvious symbolism there), also a homey comfort food… and the color of the soup is golden like the sun with little carrot sun discs in it. So it has both solar and homey symbolism. And oh it tastes so good, a real family favorite!

*The Solstice is a changing date, and some Ásatrúar choose to commemorate Modranecht on the 20th even when it doesn’t fall on the eve of the Solstice. This is because when you are celebrating Yuletide as a 12 night event, starting on the 20th means the last night of your celebration ends up being on our modern culture’s New Year’s Eve. This holds special significance because the 12th night is Oath Night.

Golden Cream Soup

3 c. chopped potatoes
1 c. chicken broth
½ c. chopped celery
½ c. carrot slices
¼ c. onion, chopped
1 tsp. parsley flakes
½ tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 ½ c. milk
2 T. flour
½ lb. American cheese, cubed

Cook vegetables, bullion and seasonings in broth until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes or more. Mix flour with small amount of milk. Stir to get lumps out, then add remaining milk until blended. Add to veggies, cook until thick. Stir in cheese until melted. Do not boil.

Leave a Comment

Yule Treats

December 11, 2011 at 6:58 am (Food, Holidays)
Tags: ,

I’ve been making this exact list of Yule treats for probably more than a decade. For a few years, I made extra and gave to my siblings in a cookie tin for their Yule gifts. I don’t usually make them all at once, but a couple batches a week, starting at the beginning of December, putting some of each batch in the freezer to enjoy during the Yule festivities. [I use the old-style recipe abbreviations: T = tablespoon, tsp. = teaspoon, c. = cup, oz. = ounce]

Lemon Sunshine Squares
1 c. flour
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
3 T. fresh lemon juice and grated rind

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine flour, butter and powdered sugar until they have the consistency of cornmeal. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 8 in. square baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. While the crust is baking, beat eggs, gradually adding sugar until lemony colored. Add lemon juice, baking powder and the finely grated lemon rind, mixing well. When crust is done, remove from oven; pour lemon mixture over it evenly and return it to the oven. Continue to bake for another 25 minutes or longer – when your finger makes no imprint, it’s done. The lemon squares must set. Allow to cool completely before cutting. While still in the pan, cut into 16 squares.

Nutcracker Sweets
1 inner pack graham crackers (or enough to line jelly roll pan)
2 sticks butter (1c.)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. ground walnuts

Break graham crackers on the lines and place on jelly roll pan. Boil butter and sugar in a saucepan 2 minutes. Remove quickly. Pour over crackers and spread out evenly. Sprinkle on the nuts. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.

Gingerbread Cookies
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. molasses
1 egg yolk
2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Cream together butter, sugar, and molasses. Add egg yolk, mix well. In a seperate bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture, mix well. Chill. Between sheets of wax paper, roll out dough1/4 in. or a little thicker (Thin dough will make crunchy instead of moist cookies.) Cut out with cookie cutters. Decorate with raisins, nuts, candy sprinkles, and red hots, if desired. Bake in a 350°F oven 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool and decorate with frosting, if desired.

Chocolate Truffles
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 c. sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 c. powdered sugar or cocoa

Over low heat, melt chocolate chips in a saucepan. Stir in milk, vanilla, and salt until well mixed. Refrigerate mixture about 45 minutes or until easy to shape. With buttered hands, shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in powdered sugar or cocoa.

Rocky Road
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. chunky peanut butter
3 c. mini marshmallows
1/4 c. chopped nuts

Microwave chocolate chips and peanut butter on high 2 to 3 minutes until melted, stirring after each minute. Fold in marshmallows and chopped nuts. Spoon into greased 9-in. square pan. Chill until firm and cut into squares.

Magic Cookie Bars
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
6 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
3 1/2 ounces coconut flakes
1 c. chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 F. (325 F. for glass dish.) In 13×9-inch baking pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle crumbs over butter; pour condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Top evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
Makes 24 bars.

Peanut Butter Blossoms
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (10 oz. pkg.) chocolate Kisses (unwrapped)
1/2 c. brown sugar or 1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda

Mix all ingredients above except Kisses. Shape in medium size balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Press 1 kiss onto each cookie.

Leave a Comment

My Yule Playlist

December 4, 2011 at 6:22 am (Chants & Songs, Holidays)
Tags: ,

For several years in a row I downloaded Yule music and made CD’s to listen to in the car and during Yule festivities. The first year I did it, my kids didn’t like a lot of the songs I put on it. So I improved my playlist in subsequent years and accumulated (what I think is) a really good mix. Here it is, in all it’s glory, with links to the song on youtube or if there is no youtube link available, links to further info.

1. Deck the Halls – Smithfield Fair

2. Santa Claus is Pagan Too – Emerald Rose

3. Winter Wonderland – Jason Mraz

4. Carol of the Bells – MotherTongue

5. Sun Queen – Silver on the Tree

6. Solstice Evergreen – Spiral Dance

7. Firedance – Jaiya

8. Frosty Solstice Morn – The Dolmen

9. Abbots Bromley Horn Dance – MotherTongue

10. Stag Lord & Queen – The Dolmen

11. Holly Lord – Spiral Dance

12. The Fairest Maid – MotherTongue

13. Solstice Song – Finley & Pagdon

14. Patapan - Damh the Bard

15. Solstice Carol – Ravens

16. Holly & Mistletoe – The Dolmen

17. The Christians and the Pagans – Dar Williams

18. Solstice Carole - The Wyrd Sisters

19. The Holly and the Ivy – Tingstad and Rumbel [instrumental- we sing Pagan/Heathen lyrics with it]

20. Light is Returning – Charlie Murphy & Jami Sieber

21. Ring Out Solstice Bells – Jethro Tull

1 Comment

A Frugal Yule

November 27, 2011 at 6:17 am (Holidays, Pagan Parenting, spirituality)
Tags: ,

In today’s economy, there is a real need to keep the Yule holiday frugal. Going into debt is not a heathen value, in part because it hinders one’s independence. Yet, heathens, especially followers of the Vanir,  seek abundance and prosperity. Frugality can be a means to later prosperity, yet I believe one can have abundance in the here and now while still on a frugal path. The key is to have simple abundance.

Something that I have found to make a difference is to not set up big expectations. I’ve bought gifts at flea markets and thrift stores for several years… I start earlier than most shoppers so that I can treasure hunt over a long period of time. Sometimes I even find time to give homemade gifts. Everyone knows that the gifts they get for me will be of the non-returnable variety, but this also takes the pressure off others to give me expensive gifts. All in all, this paradigm makes the holiday a lot less stressful. None of us make “wish lists”, but rather we just keep in mind the themes of each family member; their favorite colors, items they collect, etc. Absence of a wish list takes the pressure off for getting a specific gift, allowing for serendipity finds, and also makes the gifts true surprises.

It can be easy to get carried away with spending on things like stocking stuffers too. If making (or buying) Yule stockings for the first time, you might want to go for a smaller size, if you think you may have problems filling it. A lot of people fill stockings with toys and gadgets, but in earlier times, stockings were more often filled with candy, fruit, and nuts. Filling stockings with home made food items is not only a cheaper alternative, but also a more homey and loving touch. Some good ideas are rice crispy treats and popcorn balls for larger items, and nuts in the shell for smaller items, interspersed with classic Yule treats; sugarplums and peppermints.

Incidentally, according to Phyllis Siefker’s book “Santa Claus, Last of the Wild Men”, the real origin of the Yule stocking was from heathen times when children would fill their boots with carrots, straw, or sugar, near the chimney for Odin’s flying horse, Sleipnir, to eat. Odin would reward those children for their kindness by replacing Sleipnir’s food with gifts or candy.

Yule decorations need not be expensive either. If you’re like me, you’ve collected a few decorations every year and carefully pack them away to be used every year. But if you’re just starting out, you may feel tempted to go out and buy a bunch of stuff to decorate your home. I suggest that instead, start out with homemade simple decorations like paper snowflakes, salt dough ornaments, popcorn strings, pine cones rolled in glitter, and sprigs of trimmed greenery brought in from outside. (Find more ideas here.) You may also find a few treasured items at after-holiday sales and thrift stores, if your budget allows.

Consider wrapping your gifts in re-usable decorative boxes and drawstring bags. If you’re going the wrapping paper route, dollar stores are usually cheaper than larger department stores. I like to get a few rolls of just solid colored paper if I can find it, to use for wrapping birthday (or other occasion) presents during the rest of the year.
Finally, the best way to have a great Yule without going into debt is to focus more on activities with family and friends more than on things. Go potluck for your tree decorating party. Go caroling, or just have a get-together with Pagan/Heathen friends to sing (and teach each other) Yule songs. Light a homemade Yule log (or candles on a Yule log.) Decorate a tree in the woods with treats for the wildlife. Awake early to see the Solstice sun rise and ring solstice bells!

1 Comment

My Family’s Thanksgiving Traditions – A Work in Progress

November 20, 2011 at 6:47 am (Food, Holidays, spirituality)
Tags: ,

Thanksgiving used to be one of those holidays I didn’t care much for. After all, it’s a feast-based holiday that doesn’t even fall close to a harvest time. It’s completely culture based; a celebration of our European ancestors‘ survival in the new world. Thanksgiving may seem redundant to us Pagans/Heathens who celebrate the themes of thanks-giving on other harvest holidays like Lughnasadh/Loaf-tide, the Autumn Equinox, and Samhain/Winter Nights.

But lately I’ve kind of gotten into the Thanksgiving spirit. What meaning can Pagans/Heathens derive from Thanksgiving?  First in my thoughts are that it links us to our American culture (as opposed to ancient/ancestral culture) and our to our immediate family. It can also be a time to reflect on the other harvest holidays. But most of all, I agree with my daughter Manda when she says, “I like it because it’s a thing. We eat these certain foods just on this day, not any other time of the year.”

But I want to make this Thanksgiving more than just the food. For those of us not interested in football, Thanksgiving can turn out to be a rather boring holiday if we don’t strive to do something about it. So this year, I’ve decided to pep up our celebration a little.

The way I was raised, Thanksgiving was just about the feast, there was no praying or saying what you were thankful for. Now, not to knock other people’s traditions, but I always hated being a guest at someone else’s Thanksgiving and being trapped into saying what I was thankful for. Being put on the spot like that really ruined a few holidays for me. I was trying to think of what a suitable alternative to this would be that would give the feast a bit more ceremony but not put anyone on the spot. So I came up with making toasts! I’m going to get out the goblets for our drinks and anyone who wants to can make a toast; to something/someone they like (or are thankful for), or a hail to a deity or ancestor, etc. I think it’s a great alternative to a formal prayer or statement of thanks, and will be lots of fun. And it’s not going to be a go-around-the-table-it’s-your-turn-you-have-to-do-it thing. Besides, it’s a good way to “heathen it up”;  the International Handbook on Alcohol and Culture says toasting “is probably a secular vestige of ancient sacrificial libations in which a sacred liquid was offered to the gods…”

After the toasting, I thought it would be nice to have some good Thanksgiving themed music to listen to while we eat. But there’s a serious lack of descent Thanksgiving songs (compared to Xmas) except for Christian hymns (forget that!). However, I did a little searching for pop songs with a thankfulness or harvest theme, or just songs that seemed to have a Thanksgiving mood attached to them. Here is the play list I came up with:

The Thanksgiving Song – Adam Sandler (so silly, maybe a little inappropriate, but had to include it)
What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Thank You – Led Zeppelin
Corn Rigs – Paul Giovanni (The Wicker Man)
Turn!Turn!Turn! – The Byrds (I know its Biblical, but I like it anyway)
Thanksgiving Theme – Nince Guaraldi Trio (Peanuts Thanksgiving)
Kind and Generous – Natalie Merchant
Lovely Love my Family – The Roots
In My Life – The Beatles
John Barleycorn – Steeleye Span
Be Thankful for What You’ve Got – William DeVaughn
Thank U – Alanis Morissette
The Scythe – Gaia Consort
Meadowlarks – Fleet Foxes

Oh and the food! You know, I’ve seen a lot of recipes that try to take the usual Thanksgiving fare and “fancy it up”, or combine two or more dishes (pecan pumpkin pie, chocolate chip pecan pie, etc.), but we usually like to have the classics… roasted turkey (not ham, that’s for Ostara!), crock-pot cornbread dressing, green bean casserole with French fried onions, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, and of course pumpkin pie (never forget the cool whip!) and pecan pie. The only thing I’m fancying up this year is the sweet potatoes; instead of making our usual candied sweet potatoes (never mashed, never marshmallows!), I’m going to make roasted sweet potatoes with cinnamon meringue topping. I’m also reviving my old recipe for a fresh (uncooked) cranberry sauce; it’s basically fresh cranberries ground up with an orange, maybe an apple, and some sugar.

I found out the hard way years ago that I hate having all the food on the table and having to pass it around. When I was a kid I was impressed by the iconic image of all the food dishes on the table- we had every meal “buffet style”. Now I know why. Also, when I was growing up, we always had our Thanksgiving meal at noon (dinner), then the leftovers for Supper. We still do. Maybe it’s a Southern thing. Recently I heard that some people save the whole thing for the evening?! I don’t know how anybody can wait that long.

And of course there are other things that make the holiday more to our liking… its fun to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV while the food is cooking. It wouldn’t quite be the same without it. We never used to snack before the big meal on Thanksgiving, but I saw a snack mix recipe I thought would be neat to have between dinner and supper that includes bugles and candy corn.
Then later, if the weather is nice and if we’re not all zonked out on tryptophan, we could go outside and  take pictures in the fall foliage, or play Pokean, a Zuni shuttlecock game that’s kind of a cross between hackey-sack and badminton.
More likely though, we’ll want to veg in front of the TV. I’d like to see “Leif Ericson: The Boy Who Discovered America”. If its good maybe it will become one of our Thanksgiving traditions. Another idea is starting a collection of Thanksgiving episodes of favorite TV shows. I thought of this after watching the Thanksgiving episode from season four of Buffy the vampire Slayer. Classic.

Leave a Comment

a miscellany of thrifty craft formulas

November 13, 2011 at 6:14 am (Arts & Crafts)
Tags:

make your own sidewalk chalk
6 eggshells, washed and dried
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon very hot tap water
Grind eggshells with a rock on concrete or with a heavy-duty mortar and pestle, into powder.  Combine flour and water in a separate container.  Add one tablespoon of the eggshell powder and mix until it sticks together.  Press into a stick shape.  Wrap up tight in a paper towel and let dry three days or until hard.

gelatin jewels
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons water
food coloring
plastic lid
Cook gelatin, water, and a few drop of food coloring in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir until dissolved and remove from heat.  Pour mixture into a plastic lid, pushing any bubbles that may form to the edge.  Let dry one or two days until hard and edges are firm.  Use scissors to cut into desired shapes.  You can make jewelry, sequins, tiddlywinks, or decorate with markers to make sun-catchers.

lint modeling
3 cups dryer lint
2 cups cold or warm water
2/3 cup flour
3 drops clove oil
Stir lint and water in a saucepan.  Add flour, stir.  Add clove oil.  Cook over low heat and stir until mixture forms peaks.  Pour out and cool on newspapers.  Mold as you would for papier-mâché pulp.  Dries to a very hard durable shape in 3 to 5 days.  Recipe makes 4 cups.

basic salt dough
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 ¾ cup warm water
Mix together ingredients and knead 10 minutes.  Use as you would any clay.  Bake at 300 degrees F to harden, or let air dry a few days.

salt and alum dough
1 cup flour
1 cup salt
1 teaspoon powdered alum
½ cup water (approximately)
Mix first three ingredients in a bowl.  Slowly add in water.  Knead until clay-like.  Use as you would any clay.  This dough is extremely hard when dry. (If you’ve been following along on this blog, you’ll know I use this one a lot.)

thin paste
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon alum
1 2/3 cup water
¼ teaspoon cinnamon oil (optional)
Mix sugar, flour, and alum in a pan. Gradually add 1 cup water, stirring constantly.  Stir and boil util clear and smooth.  Add remaining water and cinnamon oil, stir.  This paste is great for papier-mâché and can be stored for several months without refrigeration.  Makes 1 pint.

Leave a Comment

Favorite Bedtime Picture Books

November 6, 2011 at 6:27 am (Pagan Parenting)
Tags: ,

These are a few of my favorites to read to my lil’ preschooler before bed. He has a bit of a short attention span- bedtime is about the only time he’ll let me read to him. These stories are big on pictures, few on words, and brimming with magic.

Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Berger
I recommend anything by Barbara Berger. Her books are so beautifully illustrated. This story follows Grandfather Twilight along in his evening ritual of journeying to the ocean to put the moon in the sky, then back home again and going to bed.

Midnight Farm by Reeve Lindberg
This is simple narrative in which a mother takes a night-time walk with her son to see all the animals of their farm. The wording is beautiful and rhythmic. I think this is my son’s favorite.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
This one has been around quite a while and I have to admit, it wasn’t instant an favorite with me; I think I just didn’t like the colors used. But my little boy loves it, and I guess it’s kind of grown on me. He likes the rhyming words of brush, hush, mush and repeats them when the story is read. The story has a kind of magical and comforting lulling quality.

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson
The words are few and mystical, so simple and so profound. The artwork really grabs you; scratchboard black and white with touches of gold. This wondrous and comforting book is sure to become a classic.

The Sandman by Ralph J. Fletcher
If there’s ever been a better story of the Sandman, I’d like to hear it. This miniature sized sandman (whose name is Tor) makes his sleep inducing sand from dragon scales. Kids love pointing out all the little details of the Sandman’s miniature world; a ladle for a bathtub, a thread spool table, postage stamp wall art, etc.

Rise the Moon by Eileen Spinelli
This one is another beautiful picture book that’s perfect for bedtime. It has a dreamlike quality. It’s more of a lullaby than a story, and shows the magical effect the moon has on different people and animals around the world.

Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori
Beautiful rhyming story of animal mothers lovingly putting their babes to bed. The words are so loving, it almost makes me tear up! The pictures are as beautiful and the story. You’ll want to linger on each page to absorb the details of the watercolor and ink illustrations.
It’s my favorite of the bedtime stories I read to my son.

1 Comment

A SAMHAIN RITE

October 30, 2011 at 6:49 am (Holidays, spirituality)
Tags: , , ,

(A part of my “little ritual” series.  Materials from, and adapted from; ADF, the Carmia Gadelica, and other sources.)  Bring an apple, cooked pork, and hazelnuts in addition to usual “little ritual” supplies.

*(Edited to note: I wrote this ritual when I was a Celtic Reconstructionist and scheduled it for this later date. For info on how to convert this ritual to an ADF format, see the “little rituals” article highlighted above.)

Purification: Smudge with Juniper smoke

Circumambulation (circle ritual area three times. Skip this if ritual is at home.)

Purpose
“I am here to keep the old ways
and honor the Kindred at the time of Samhain.”

Three Realms Blessing
“As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be —
I stand at the Center of Earth, Sky and Sea.”

Fire Lighting
“I kindle the sacred fire in wisdom, love, and power.” 
(light fire)  “Sacred fire, burn within me.” 

Hail to the Spirits
“Hail, Earth Mother, whole and holy, honor unto thee!” 
(touch the earth if outside, give offering)
“I offer now as the ancients did to the Kindreds Three!”
“To the Fair Folk, I give offering and welcome.”  (place offering in bowl or fire)
“To the Ancestors, I give offering and welcome.”  (place offering in bowl or fire)
“To my Deities, I give offering and welcome.”  (place offering in bowl or fire)
“Grandmother Cailleach, Grandfather Cernunnos,
I honor you this day (night).”
(place offering in bowl or fire)

Symbolism
*“Behold the apple, fruit of the Otherworld,
fruit of life and death.”
(Cut in half horizontally.)
“Sacred unto my people and to the Three Kindred,
I offer and I partake. 
In so doing, may I receive communion
with the Spirits, the Beloved Dead.” 
(Place half on offering plate/bowl and eat other half.)
*“Behold pork, meat that nourished the ancestors
and was given as holy sacrifice to the Shining Ones. 
Sacred unto the Three Kindred,
I offer and I partake. 
In so doing, may I receive communion
with the Shining Ones, the Deities of my Ancestors.” 
(Place a portion on offering plate and eat a portion.)
*“Behold hazelnuts, nut of wisdom and revelation,
prized by the Celtic peoples.
Sacred unto the Kindred, I offer and I partake. 
In so doing, may I receive wisdom
and blessings from, and communion with,
the Spirits of Nature.” 
(Place a portion on offering plate/bowl and eat a portion.)

Blessing Cup
“Ancient Ones, a Child of the Earth calls out for your blessing.
Hallow these waters, O holy powers. 
Grant me the blessing I seek.
May the Wisdom, Love and Power of the Deities,
Ancestors and Sidhe flow into this Cup of Blessing.”
(Hold cup out with both hands
and feel the energy flow into the cup.)
“This cup now holds the waters of life!
I drink this in the name of the Kindred.”  (drink deeply)
“May these waters I have received
flow through my body and through my spirit,
and may they pour out into the rest of my life.” 

Parting Blessing
“I offer my thanks to the Mother of All. 
I offer my thanks to the Deities, Ancestors and Fair-Folk.
May the Three Sacred Kins bring joy to all beings,
and renew the ancient wisdom.
As it was, as it is, as it evermore shall be.”

Leave a Comment

« Older entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.