Turmoil Thursday

Posted Thursday, September 30, 2010 by Kally83
Phew, I finally made it on here! It's been a ridiculously busy day and I'm very much looking forward to it being over!! I'm so exhausted, I think I could crawl into my bed and sleep for 3 days straight! But tomorrow is October 1st and that means we're 30 days until Samhain!! I still don't have the whole month planned out but I'm working on it and really looking forward to what everyone else is posting!

In the meantime, here's today's random post. I'm quite proud of this one actually because this is the first "rit" I've put together (ok so I got the idea elsewhere but I put the ideas into one ritual and wrote the words LOL)


I’ve mentioned before that I really enjoy listening to podcasts. One that I’ve been working through is called A Witch’s Primer. In the first episode, he speaks about daily elemental purification and this was something I really took to heart.

PhotobucketJust as it sounds, the idea is to purify yourself daily using the four elements: earth, air, fire and water. I took this idea and made it into a complete daily ritual. In creating it, I took his idea that yoga could be used as the “earth” element at face value. I haven’t done any research on it to know exactly why yoga represents earth but I bring it down to the idea that intent is the most important thing in ritual.

You’ll need:
Yoga mat or something similar
Candle/Matches
Bottle of water
Music (optional)

I begin by laying out my yoga mat and lighting a candle nearby. It needs to be where you can see it, but ensure it’s not likely to be knocked by you or anything else. I then sit cross-legged and on my mat and say the following:
Lord and Lady, I come before you today in perfect love and perfect trust. As another day begins (or ends), I purify myself using the four sacred elements with the intention of also purifying my spirit.

Spend some time looking at the flame. Empty your mind and just observe how the flame burns. Do this for as much time or little time as you’re able (I recommend between 5-10 minutes).

Once you’re ready, begin a yoga routine. It doesn’t have to be long (mine is about 20 minutes). You could even just sit in child’s pose for a few minutes. As you perform your routine, breathe deeply and feel the oxygen filling your lungs and spreading through your whole body.

Once you’re finished, take your water, close your eyes and drink, feeling the water cool your mouth and then going down your throat. Feel the refreshment.

Thank the gods in your own way for another day and blow out the candle. All done!

Web Wednesday

Posted Wednesday, September 29, 2010 by Kally83
I can't believe September is almost over!! October 1st is on Friday and I'm so excited for The Domestic Witch's 2010 Halloween Blog Party! I was originally only going to participate on Saturday's but I liked the idea so much, I decided to try and make all of my posts (minus Tuesday's of course) somehow related to Samhain.
That being said, today's post is a little shorter because I've been so busy trying to get stuff together for October that I neglected today (yep, totally slipped my mind that we had one more Wednesday in September).


PhotobucketPick Your Own is a great website to find pick-your-own farms in your state (and even your province!!). Considering it’s predominantly an American website, I was really impressed at the amount of farms that were listed for my city in Ontario!! In fact, that’s how we found the orchard we attended. It also has loads of great articles about canning and freezing your produce. It’s not just limited to apples either...you can find just about any berry, vegetable, honey and of course, a Christmas tree. Plus, if you’re looking for organic, they have those listings as well (I finally figured out where to get an organic turkey nearby!) The season is coming to an end but this may help out come Yule when you’re looking for a tree!

Tuesday Talk

Posted Tuesday, September 28, 2010 by Kally83
PhotobucketI hope everyone's enjoying their week so far! It's going to feel long for me this week since Boo is on call at work and doesn't get home until after the boys are in bed! This is the first week he's done this since just before Bean was born so we're all going through yet another re-adjustment! But, we will persevere! :)

PhotobucketWe had a ridiculously busy weekend. We celebrated Munchkin's birthday on Saturday with not one, but two birthday parties (now I have to find room for a whole stockpile of new toys!) I have to brag a little, I made Munchkin's cupcakes and I was quite proud of them! As you can tell, the theme was Elmo from Sesame Street....or should I say Melmo (as Munchkin refers to him). But a good time was had by all and I now have enough leftovers in my fridge that I likely won't need to cook for the rest of the week!

Sunday we attended church as per usual and Munchkin attended his first RE class. Boo went with him and apparently they had a great time and are getting to know some of the other little tikes in his class. Sunday evening was our Mabon celebration. I had these lovely ideas in my head of a massive feast....we were going to try duck for the first time, I was going to make squash and sweet potatoes and a lovely dessert of apple and blueberry crisp and pumpkin pie. Well, with all the preparations for Munchkin's birthday, I never got around to buying the duck...or the squash..sweet potatoes or pumpkin. I made the crisp but offered it as an alternative to cupcakes on Saturday and apparently it was really good...so that was the end of that. So, in lieu of our big feast, I made homemade carrot soup and served it with bean salad and leftover pasta salad. We drank apple cider (thank the gods, we saved that from the Saturday pillagers!) and had an incredible meal! We used our rather large coffee table as the dinner table, placing pillows on the floor for each of us to sit on and then once dinner was over, set up our altar on the table and did the Apple Harvest Rite. One of the greatest moments I've ever had happened during that rit. I was trying to get Munchkin involved so after I cut the apple in half, I handed him half to hold for me...well as I continued speaking Munchkin started taking huge bites out of that juicy apple LOL. Boo and I were nearly killing ourselves laughing...I'm so glad the gods have a sense of humour! He enjoyed his half of the apple and then he helped me bring the offering outside. All in all, it was a wonderful celebration, simple yet very meaningful.

Check This Out!!

Posted Monday, September 27, 2010 by Kally83
 Dancing With a Spatula WandI don’t usually post on Mondays but I was reading through my usual blogs and as soon as I saw this giveaway, I knew I had to share it.

The Blue Faerie over at Dancing with a Spatula Wand is giving away the sweetest handmade jewellery frog in honour of the Practical Magic Blog Party that happened over the weekend AND the fact that she now has 50 followers!! She has an awesome blog with yummy recipes, great belly-dancing tracks and a few funnies to make your week! Quick, get over there!!

Saturday Sabbats

Posted Saturday, September 25, 2010 by Kally83
As promised, I have two Mabon suggestions for today since I missed last week. It's a little late for this year's celebrations, but hopefully you can make use of them for next year.

Firstly, I'd like to suggest our annual tradition of apple-picking. It kind of goes without saying that visiting an orchard is well-known for autumn but I wanted to put it out there anyway, along with some photos of our trip this year. We actually went the day after Mabon because that was when we had time! Here's a little info that you might find useful:

PhotobucketApples are one of the easiest fruit to pick and use. They're big and easy to pick, they can be eaten fresh, cooked, canned, frozen and made into many tasty and healthy dishes. Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free. A medium apple has about 80 calories. Apples originated in the Middle East more than 4000 years ago! They were the favourite fruit of ancient Greeks and Romans. Apples arrived in England at around the time of the Norman conquest and English settlers brought them to America in the 1600 and 1700's.

When selecting apples, they should be firm and bruise-free. The color can be anything from dark green, to yellow, pink, orange, bright red, dark red or even a combination. It all depends on the variety. And color is not really how you tell when an apple is ripe. Apples should be crisp and firm.

PhotobucketThe key will be to ask the farmer which ones are ripe. He will know because it is calculated from the number of days since the trees flowered. And he will track that date carefully, if he's a good apple grower! The farmer will also know what characteristics to look for in the particular varieties that he is growing.

Apples ripen from the outside of the tree towards the center, so the apples on the outside of the tree will ripen first. Picking apples directly from a tree is easy. Roll the apple upwards off the branch and give a little twist; don't pull straight away from the tree. Don't shake the trees or branches. If the apple you are trying to pick drops, go ahead and pick it up. They’re still good!

You really need to choose the type of apple that is best suited for your purpose. Apples can be suited for eating fresh, cooking, baking, applesauce, storing, etc.

PhotobucketOnce picked, don't throw the apples into the baskets, place them in gently, or they will bruise and go bad more quickly.
Don't wash apples until just before using to prevent spoilage.
Keep apples cool after picking to increase shelf life. A cool basement is ideal, but the fruit/vegetable drawer of a refrigerator will work, too. Kept cool, fresh-picked apples will generally keep weeks, but it DOES depend on the variety. Red and Yellow Delicious apples do not keep well, for example; but Rome, do! High humidity helps to to keep the apples from shriveling, but don't let them get actually wet. A wet towel placed nearby helps to keep the humidity up. A refrigerator is fine for small quantities of apples.
Source-pickyourown.org


Then, after picking all those yummy apples, here's a recipe to include with your Mabon feast (with just a little magick thrown in for good measure!)

As a time of celebrating hearth and home, I believe that Mabon is a great time to work protection magick for ourselves, our families and our homes. The following recipe contains blueberries which are perfect for this purpose. I love this crisp because it’s seasonal and the tartness of the apples balance out the sweetness of the blueberries. Ensure you’re focusing your intent of protection for your family into the recipe as you prepare it.

Green Apple and Blueberry Crisp

6 cups sliced, peeled apples
300g blueberries
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp cinnamon
Topping:
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup rolled oats
½ tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp butter, melted

PhotobucketIn large bowl toss together apples, blueberries, granulated sugar, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon; spread in 8-inch square baking dish.

Topping: In bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, rolled oats and cinnamon. Pour in maple syrup and butter; toss until moistened. Sprinkle over fruit.
Bake in 350F (180C) oven for 45 minutes or until golden and fruit is fork-tender. Let cool on rack for 15 minutes.

Photobucket
Have a great weekend!

Friday's Fare

Posted Friday, September 24, 2010 by Kally83
PhotobucketWell, the Harvest Moon brought me a special little something. I won the giveaway over at Mother Moon's blog and I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to her! She writes an incredible blog and I encourage everyone to pop over for a visit! She's definitely doing something right with over 300 followers!! Thank you again Mother Moon!




Well, I wasn't able to do my rit last night but I was able to do the children's one with Munchkin. He really enjoyed participating...almost too much as he was really upset with me once we blew out the candle because I wouldn't re-light it!
We have a pretty busy weekend with having people over tomorrow in celebration of Munchkin's second birthday and then our Mabon celebration on Sunday. I have so much to do today, I barely know where to start!! Most of it's laundry unfortunately. Both boys are being particularly bratty challenging today so it's gonna be a long one.
With that, I'll leave you with today's fare.

This is another family favourite, and is practically the only way I can get my Munchkin to eat fish.

Ranch Breaded Fish Fillets

¾ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 pkg dry ranch-style dressing mix
2 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
4 small tilapia fillets

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Place the bread crumbs in a bowl. In a shallow dish, mix the dressing mix and oil to form a paste. Coat the tilapia fillets with the paste, then dredge in the bread crumbs to lightly coat.

Place the fillets on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy your Friday!

Turmoil Thursday

Posted Thursday, September 23, 2010 by Kally83
PhotobucketI hope everyone enjoyed Mabon yesterday. We didn't really observe it (I was busy making cupcake toppers) but we're looking forward to our Mabon feast on Sunday evening. Today marks the Harvest Moon. I'm hoping to do my full moon ritual tonight at some point. I'm also hoping to go through Pooka's Bedtime Full Moon Ritual from the Mabon magazine with Munchkin. He's still learning how to talk but I think getting him accustomed to something like this would be great for beginning to teach him Mommy's beliefs. I'm sure everyone's heard about the Pooka Pages but in case you haven't, definitely check them out here. They have incredible ideas for little witches!


On a completely un-related note, here's today's random posting:

PhotobucketToday, I wanted to recommend the book Itsy Bitsy Yoga by Helen Garabedian.
This book was recommended to me by my yoga instructor just after I had Munchkin. I didn’t buy it right away so I didn’t start doing yoga with him until he was about 6-7 months old but I’ve been able to start from the newborn stage with Bean.
If you check out the Itsy Bitsy Yoga website, there are classes offered throughout North America. Unfortunately, for me, we have no qualified instructors where I live so this book has been great for us!
This book gives detailed instructions for different poses and then presents a few series of poses that you can do with baby (Good Morning Series, Developmental Play Series, Happy Baby Series, Daddy Series and Sleep Well Series). Each chapter (stage of development) builds on the next. Unfortunately, I’ve rarely been able to go through a full series with my boys, although often when we’re just sitting around, I’ll do a pose with them. Munchkin is almost 2 and I can now say to him “Down dog” or “Tree pose” and he’ll go into the pose. It’s very sweet! There’s also a second book Itsy Bitsy Yoga for Toddlers and Preschoolers but I haven’t picked it up yet. Hopefully this one is as great as the original.

Web Wednesday

Posted Wednesday, September 22, 2010 by Kally83
Photobucket
Merry Mabon to one and all! Today we celebrate the autumn equinox, a time of balance and gratitude. We're going to have our celebration on Sunday because with Bean and I both sick, plus all of the things I need to do to get ready for Munchkin's birthday party on Saturday, a feast just wasn't happening tonight. I will try to put together an appropriate meal though. Wishing you the merriest of Mabon's, whenever and however you choose to celebrate!

Now for today's website!
Organized Home is a site I came across looking for freezer recipes (sometimes known as once a month cooking – OAMC). It has tons of other useful articles and loads of free, printable sheets that range in use from every day phone numbers to shopping comparison charts. I use their charts for my freezer inventory and Christmas card checklist mainly but there are a few recipe ones I’d like to start using.
It’s this website that also gave me the incredible idea of a household notebook. I keep all of our important information (bill payments with account numbers, passwords for Internet sites etc) in it. I used to keep a lot of my recipe information in it as well (family favourites etc) but I’ve moved that to its own section in my Book of Shadows.
In looking at the site recently, they’ve actually made their Christmas/Holiday stuff into its own section on the website. I’ll have a lookie around and get back closer to Yule.
If you’re looking to get yourself a little more organized, definitely check out this website. Lots of great ideas and instructions to execute them!

Tuesday Talk

Posted Tuesday, September 21, 2010 by Kally83
PhotobucketHere comes another week. My apologies for not posting Saturday (or Sunday). We had a great weekend but it was just so busy and I was so exhausted, I went to bed early! I'll post a double Sabbat on Saturday (although I guess they'll be a little late for Mabon this year unless you've decided to celebrate on the weekend instead!)

So Bean and I both have colds. Munchkin had his first (and so far, only) cold around the same age (3 months) and let me tell you, no fun! It would be great if babies were born knowing how to blow their noses, but they don't so I have to rely on saline solution and those useless aspirators (if anyone knows of a brand that actually works well, let me know!) About 90% of the time, Boo or I end up aspirating them ourselves (gross I know but it gets the job done).

This week commences "season premiere" week! I don't watch a lot of TV but I'm eagerly anticipating How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory. We're recording HIMYM because we're still a few seasons behind, so once we catch up, we'll watch this season. I'm in love with Neil Patrick Harris!

Well, I'm going to keep it short today because with a sick baby, hyper toddler and sick mommy, I'm pooped! Enjoy your Tuesday!

Friday's Fare

Posted Friday, September 17, 2010 by Kally83
Well we've made it to Friday! We're off to my aunt's wedding reception out of town this weekend so I'll be posting next on Sunday rather than Saturday.
Today is produce delivery day! Every other Friday we receive a bin full of (mostly) local, organic produce. There's nothing more wonderful than having a fridge full of fresh, organic fruits and veggies!! Now if I could just find somewhere to buy organic meat that doesn't cost a small fortune, we'd be set

Speaking of fresh produce, I have 2 recipes today although I usually serve them both as an entree with some mashed potatoes or rice.
I got these recipes from Kraft. It’s become something of a family favourite. Super easy and super yummy!

Crispy Salsa Chicken

4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pouch chicken coating mix (sometimes known as Shake’n Bake)
½ cup salsa
½ cup shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. Coat chicken with coating mix as directed on package. Place on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Top each chicken breast with 2 tbsp salsa. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Yields: 4 servings

Fresh Peppers and Green Beans

2 onions, cut in thin slices
½ cup dressing, divided (anything oil-based will do)
1 lb green beans, trimmed
¼ cup water
1 red pepper, cut in thin slices

Cook onions in ¼ cup dressing in large skillet on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

Add beans and water, stir. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in peppers; cook covered for 5-8 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Remove from heat and stir in remaining dressing.

TGIF everyone!

Turmoil Thursday

Posted Thursday, September 16, 2010 by Kally83
Coffee's on this morning. Both boys were awake before 6am so Boo brought Munchkin downstairs to play and I nursed Bean in bed in the hopes he'd go back to sleep. He did for a little while, though not nearly as long as I would have liked. Keeping my fingers crossed for naps all around although I'm not holding much to it...in the past three months, I've only managed to nap for half an hour while both boys were down at the same time!!
I'm also super excited because the city finally delivered our green bin which means all of my organic waste can now go in there and be made into compost (and I don't have to do any of the work!) I was actually really impressed at all of the things that can go in there...my garbage pile is going to be practically non-existent now! Next step, getting Munchkin into cloth diapers (we've always had him in disposables but since he'll be potty-training soon we held off...but it looks like he's not ready yet and Bean will be able to wear whatever we buy Munchkin so it's a definite investment anyway!) Now, onto today's blog:

In keeping with last week’s theme of using natural products, today’s posting is a book recommendation for Pure Baking Soda For Baking, Cleaning & Deodorizing by Christine Halvorson.
I know there’s quite a few of these types of books around (I think there’s a salt one amongst others), however the only one I currently own is this one so that’s all I feel qualified to talk about.
I LOVE this book. It has so many great ideas. There were a few that I already knew but for the most part they were all new. It’s broken down into 10 sections with my favourites being ‘Dogs, Cats, and Other Critters’,’ Baby Care’ and ‘Baking Soda Throughout the House’.
I use baking soda mostly to clean and deodorize my carpets. With two little boys, two cats and a dog, my carpets taking a real beating but I don’t want to use commercially-made products in case one of my little charges ends up ingesting it. It’s also fantastic for keeping down odours which is great since both of my boys are still in diapers and my dog probably should be!

Happy Thursday everyone!

Web Wednesday

Posted Wednesday, September 15, 2010 by Kally83
Well, I've made it to mid-week. I've gotten no housework done although I did get a few other things done that I've been putting off (namely sending out invites for Munchkin's birthday and FINALLY ordering birth announcements for Bean!) Both boys have been really needy this week which has been challenging but I'm a mommy over a housekeeper so the chores will wait.
On that note, today's website is more on the domestic side than witchy. Happy hump day!

I came across Motivated Moms a couple of years ago when I first became a homemaker. Essentially, it’s a yearly chore list broken down into manageable daily chunks. I really love the set-up and it covers almost every household chore you can think of (and some that you may not!) It costs $8 to download the PDF but to me, it’s well worth the investment.
I use the “two weeks per page” version which includes a section for the regular daily chores (making beds, loading the dishwasher etc) and then a checklist for each day of that week with the cleaning/organizing to do that specific day (ie cleaning toilet, changing towels etc). You can also order it with daily Bible reading if you're into that kind of thing (hey, even now I enjoy reading it from time to time).
So if you’re looking for a way to get just a little more organized and don’t mind investing $8 a year, (I always like supporting mompreneurs!) definitely check out this website!

Tuesday Talk

Posted Tuesday, September 14, 2010 by Kally83
PhotobucketPhew! Can you say "busy day"? Bean was quite a handful today and I've never been so happy to see Boo come home! But here I am!

Dealing with a cranky baby today got me thinking a lot about what kind of mother I am. Now that I've experienced it first hand, I'm realizing that the preconceived notions I had of "what kind of mother I'd be" are nothing like the "kind of mother I am". I'm NOT a patient person. As a child and teenager I had a temper that could rival Poseidon.
I always assumed that when I had children, all of these bad traits would be magically taken away and I'd be patient and loving 24/7. After Munchkin was born, the nasty truth hit....I was exactly the same person after birth as I was before!

That was two years ago and today, I still often find myself tensing up to the point of having to put Bean in his bed and walk away for a few moments. For the longest time I hated myself for it, but over the past few weeks, I realized that this is what makes me a good mom. I know my limits and how to deal with them. Of course I'm consumed with mommy guilt when I let him cry for a few minutes but I know that's so much better than trying to push myself to limits that I can't handle. I love my babies more than anything in this world and I may not be a perfect mom, but I'm THEIR perfect mom, despite my inadequacies.

Saturday Sabbats

Posted Saturday, September 11, 2010 by Kally83
Mabon Corn Doll

I got this idea from Patti Wigington over at about.com. Traditionally, these dolls are made at Imbolc (as a symbol of the Goddess Brighid) or Lughnasadh as the Harvest Mother but I prefer to make mine to put on my Mabon altar because although fresh corn is supposed to be available here starting in July, I don’t find it really hits the markets until after August 1st.

I just winged it but about.com has excellent instructions here.
Sabbat Saturday
Sabbat Saturday
Have a great weekend!

Friday's Fare

Posted Friday, September 10, 2010 by Kally83
Nothing fancy today, but this is a recipe for chicken salad that Boo pulled out of his butt (ok, obviously not literally but I can't tell you much it irritates me that he can just throw stuff together and make an amazing meal when I can barely follow a recipe! Sometimes I wonder who the witch in our house really is!!) So without further adieu:

Chicken Salad à la Boo

2 ½ cups roasted chicken, diced
2 tbsp mayo (adjust to your creaminess preference)
2 baby leeks, diced
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
¼ tsp pepper
splash hot sauce
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and serve.

Serving suggestion: We made sandwiches and added half a pickle in each.
Substitution suggestions: Canned flaked chicken instead of roasted chicken, 1 large leek instead of baby leeks.

Please forgive my awful photo...it only dawned on me just as we were finishing eating that I should probably include a picture. I promise I'll take nicer ones in future!!

Friday's Fare

Turmoil Thursday

Posted Thursday, September 9, 2010 by Kally83
Today's random topic is natural cleaning.

For me, part of being a witch means trying every day to live a greener life. We need to start showing Mother Earth the respect we’ve been lacking. Also, as a homemaker with small children, I want to know that the cleaning products I’m using are safe for my family. Green America Today has lots of great information. I copied the following information into my Book of Shadows along with the link to some great recipes for making your own cleaning products.

The Basic 10

White Vinegar – an antifungal that also kills germs and bacteria

Baking Soda – eliminates odours and works as a gentle scouring powder

Borax – borax, the common name for the natural mineral compound sodium borate, eliminates odours, removes dirt and acts as an antifungal and possible disinfectant. Use with care around children and pets, as it can be toxic if swallowed

Hydrogen Peroxide (3% concentration) – a great non-toxic bleach and stain remover, as well as a proven disinfectant

Club Soda (Fresh) – a stain remover and polisher

Lemon Juice – a pleasant smelling non-toxic bleach, grease-cutter and stain remover

Liquid Castile Soap – an all-purpose cleaner, grease-cutter and disinfectant. “Castile” means the soap is vegetable-based, not animal fat-based

Corn Meal – great at picking up carpet spills

Olive Oil – makes a wonderful furniture polish

Pure Essential Oils – adding all-natural, organic essential oils to your cleaning concoctions can add wonderful scents to your housekeeping endeavours. Some – such as lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and tea tree oils – also may have antibacterial, antifungal, or insect-repelling properties.



Go here to read the rest of this article and get the cleaning recipes!!

If I may be so bold, I’d also add The Sun to this list as a stain remover. Nothing beats putting your freshly washed clothes outside for a few hours. Not only will the sun remove stains and disinfect your clothing, you’re saving energy by not using your dryer!! (Being in Canada, I know putting your clothing out in the winter just doesn’t work, however if you have stains, put those items out anyway and then put them in the dryer once the stain is gone)

Web Wednesday

Posted Wednesday, September 8, 2010 by Kally83
Web WednesdayBrighid is probably one of the most well known Celtic deities. She is a classic triple goddess, representing maiden, mother and crone. Throughout history, there have been priestesses maintaining Her flame. Like many pagan deities, She was transformed into a Saint when the Church began converting the early Celts. Today, Her flame is maintained by an order of nuns at Her sanctuary in Kildare, Ireland.

I stumbled upon this website in one of my many random searches. The Ord Brighideach International was created as a way of encouraging followers of Brighid (in both Her forms as Goddess and Saint) to tend Her flame and spend time in prayer or meditation to Her. The site consists of a number of cills where you register to take a 24 hour shift. There are 20 shifts total, however only 19 need to be taken by users as it is said that on the 20th day, Brighid herself tends the flame.

I signed up for two shifts with two different cills (one all female and one co-ed). So far, I’ve done two shifts and am finding it a really positive experience for my spiritual path. Much like my full moon Esbats, it forces me to spend time getting to know my patron Goddess and contemplating my spiritual path which is something I don’t always find a lot of time for. The site has forums although currently, they aren’t very busy.

If you are a follower of Brighid, I highly recommend joining the Ord.

Tuesday Talk

Posted Tuesday, September 7, 2010 by Kally83
PhotobucketWell here we are.  The beginning of September, a new school year  (although we're not at that point yet), and a revamped blog. 

This past weekend was a good one.  Saturday, we all went to my friend's wedding.  We had a wonderful time and got home at midnight!!  We went for our weekly breakfast on Sunday morning although we opted out of church because we were all pretty exhausted still, plus the summer series really isn't that exciting.  Next Sunday is the beginning of the church year so we'll be going for sure so that we can register Munchkin for his RE class.  Monday was, of course, Labour Day but was super rainy so we just kinda hung around the house and relaxed before getting back to our regular schedules today.  Actually, since neither of the boys are near school-age yet, we're trying to figure out a new schedule that works for the three of us. 

I had contemplated doing an Esbat for the New Moon tomorrow but as it turns out, it's also my wedding anniversary so Boo and I are going out for dinner.  This will be a big day for me because it's the first time Bean will be away from me for longer than about half an hour!

Other than that, I'm working on plans for Mabon and Munchkin's birthday...both of which are coming up faster and faster!  Don't forget Grandparent's Day this Sunday!!  Send a card, make a phonecall or if they're no longer with you, light a candle in remembrance.
Posted Friday, September 3, 2010 by Kally83
Well, it's time I revamped this blog.  Starting Tuesday, the big plan in my head is to have weekly posts.  Here's the thoughts so far:
Tuesday will be my Monday Mutterings (since I'll be taking Sunday and Monday "off")
Wednesday will be Web Wednesdays where I'll review a random (hopefully useful) website
Turmoil Thursdays will be a mish mash of whatever comes to mind for that week (maybe Tarot, stones, a book review...whatever sounds good)
Friday's Fare will be a recipe...likely one written by my Boo, who is a far more creative cook than I'll ever be
Saturday Sabbats will have recipe, craft or rit ideas for celebrating the 8 Sabbats, based on whichever Sabbat is coming up next.

I'm really looking forward to getting this started!

Pagan Podcasts

Posted Thursday, September 2, 2010 by Kally83
I've been reading blogs for awhile but, recently, I've really gotten into podcasts.  Specifically, Pagan podcasts.  Being something of a newbie to Paganism, I enjoy hearing other's thoughts and opinions and often apply those things to my own practice.  Even if the podcaster is a newbie themselves, fresh ideas are always great!  Apparently, there's a whole community of knowledge that I had no idea existed.  A few of my favourites:
WitchesBrewHaHa
Inciting a Riot
Pagan Hooligans Podcast

There are literally dozens of others, but these are the three that I'm trying to get current on.