TBT: To Kiki, with Love ...

Last night one of my dearest girlfriends, Kiki Love ... (yes you heard it right, her middle name is actually 'Love') and I finally had a chance to meet for our monthly girlfriend dinner. This time we attended Taco Night at a local fire company hall we belong to.

I was also able to give her the handmade macrame plant hanger she asked for two months ago ...

While we were catching up, I noticed they were selling veteran's poppies from the American Legion for donations so I brought home a few ...

I even gave one of the poppies to Kiki who hung it up on her door at home ...

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HAPPY FIRST HARVEST EVERYONE!

Blessed Lughnasadh!

🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

(Tamed Wild)

Celebrating Lugh Solitary Style

Although lately I have been celebrating the sabbats with either other solitaries or with my dear friend, Lady Sabrina Rhiannon and her group, "The Coven of the Silver Moon Circle," I still consider myself a solitary witch at heart. Since I first began practicing my Pagan faith so many years ago, I had always chosen to honor our holy days in a more private way in which only the solitary path can provide.

As time went by, I began to meet other Wiccans/Pagans with whom I could share my beliefs and celebrate with from time to time. And, once in a while, I will join Lady Sabrina Rhiannon's coven in their sabbat and esbat rituals. I feel very comfortable with them and they are a wondferful group of gals who have generously accepted me into their group at any time, and for that, I have been indeed blessed! Afterall,  sometimes it is just really nice to be with your peers ~ solitary or not.

Still, I must admit that is has been quite a little while since I have performed a sabbat ritual as an actual "solitary" per se.  Today, I decided to celebrate Lughnasadh in the quiet solitude of my Altar Room. It had been so long, I had almost forgotten how completely exhilarating it is. The feeling of "oneness" with our Goddess and God which one experiences in that type of setting and the feeling of total peace I still get both during and after ritual.

That being said; however, this is not to say that I will choose to forgo any opportunity to gather in a group celebration in the good company of my close friends and Wiccan family whom I love so very dearly. It simply means that I now realize how much I really do enjoy celebrating as a Solitary from time to time and doing so reminds me of why I enjoyed being one in the first place. I suppose you might say that being a Solitary Practitioner is who I am and have truly always been deep down.

Wishing a very Blessed Lughnasadh to all!!

Throwback Thursday: Lughnasadh

 

Lughnasadh/Lammas Recipes

Garlic Lughnasadh Nut Bread

12 oz. malted brown flour

5 oz. white flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. chopped nuts and sunflower seeds

1 packet yeast (7g)

1 1/4 cups warm water

 Sesame or poppy seeds

1 egg, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 2 oz. milk beaten together lightly

1 small chopped clove garlic (or to taste)

Before you begin, bless the flour by holding your palms above it and drawing a pentagram of Earth across it. Then, bless the flour, wheat and bread in the same way. Mix all of the ingredients together with the warm water and place onto a clean surface. Knead the dough for atleast 10 minutes then form into the shape of a man. Brush on a little of the egg and milk.

Keep the shape simple and thinner than you want the finished bread to be as it will grow while baking. Now, cover with cling/plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm, draft-free area until it doubles in size.

Prior to cooking, re-apply more of the egg and milk mixture and sprinkle with the sesame or poppy seeds. Bake at 450 degrees F. in a pre-heated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

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Beef Barley Soup

2 quarts water
Beef, chopped
1/2 cup celery tops
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 cup uncooked barley
3 cups coarsely chopped cabbage (optional)
1 cup sliced celery
2 cups sliced parsnips
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 can 12 oz. tomato paste

Combine water and celery tops. Bring to a boil and cover lightly. Simmer for 2 hours and then stir in barley and chopped meat. Cook for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 more minutes or until veggies are tender.

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This last recipe is one which I used to make many years ago as a teenager. It is very easy to make and it is still definitely one of my favs ... I hope you all enjoy!

Peanut Butter 'n' Jelly Cake

(Total time: Preparation 15 min., Bake 35 min. & cooling. Makes 12 servings)

1/2 cup softened butter

1/4 cup peanut butter (Reduced-fat peanut butter not recommended for this recipe)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

Frosting

1/4 cup softened butter

1/2 cup plus tbsp. peanut butter

1 3/4 tbsp. vanilla extract

3 cups confectioners' sugar

4 to 6 tbsp. milk

3/4 cup grape jelly

In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add the peanut butter mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each additon. 

Pour into two greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, in a small bowl beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add the vanilla, confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve speading consistency. 

Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with jelly. Top with the remaining cake layer; frost top and sides of cake with frosting. 

Throwback Thursday: Looking forward to Lugh!

...Upon a singing Summer day,

At dawn on Lammastide

I saw the Craftsman smiling

On sunbeams he did ride

He brings us light and knowledge,

To help our fellow men

He sang, “Blessed Be and Blessed Be

And Blessed Be again!”

~ John Bethancourt

One of the reasons I love the sabbat of Lughnasadh so much is because it marks the downslope of summer and the very beginnng of my favorite season ~ fall! Lughnasadh, also known to some as Lammas, is essentially the first harvest of the year, followed by Mabon/Autumn Equinox the second harvest, and then finally Samhain which is the third and last harvest of the year.  Samhain, by the way, is my favorite sabbat celebration!

While the word Lammas translates to "loaf mass," Lughnasadh literally means, "the chase of Lugh." Lugh is a Celtic sun deity whose name means "shinning one" and is a god of the hunt. He was a master of the spear and a skilled craftsman who was known as a legend in battle. It is also worth noting that his name, Lugh, is old Irish/Gaelic for the month of August.

With this year's summer being by far the most hot and humid we have had in a long time, the start of fall will be a most welcome change indeed!

Solitary Lughnasadh Ritual

Items needed:

One tall Gold God Candle

One tall Silver Goddess candle

Sandalwood incense

Cauldron

loaf of bread

Chalice of wine or juice

cup of water

bowl of salt

athame and/or wand

4 corner candles

sunflowers

orange, yellow and green decorative votive candles

___________________________________

(Cast circle and call the corners in your usual manner and then light the incense. Invoke God and Goddess) -

INVOCATION OF THE GOD: (light the tall GOLD candle)

"I now do call upon the eternal God in the ancient way, as God of the Grain,. You whom I call Father, Lord, Lover and Consort to the Lady, but above all the vital half within that brings completeness. May I carry your light always within me. As it is willed, so mote it be."

INVOCATION OF THE GODDESS: (light the tall SILVER candle)

"I now do call upon the eternal Goddess in the ancient way, as Corn Mother. You whom I call Mother Earth, Lady, Lover and Consort to the Lord, but most of all the vital half of life within that brings completeness. May I feel your love always within me. As it is willed, so mote it be."

___________________________________

Lugh is a Celtic Sun God and the word, "Lughnasadh" simply means, "the chase of Lugh." Lammas is a more Christianized version of this sabbat and its' translation is "loaf mass."

"Tonight I honor our deities in Their aspects as the Grain God and the Corn Mother,

Blessed be this season of Lughnasadh and the bounty of the First Harvest,

Fruit of the womb of the Mother -

Blessed be Mother Earth,

Blessed be Father God!"

(Place one hand on your heart and say) -

"I am grateful for so many things which our gracious Lord and Lady have bestowed upon me. Our Father has generously given us His light and protection at Midsummer so that our loving Mother could bless us with Her essence once again."

(The Symbolic Great Rite) -

Pick up your athame and slowly dip it into the chalice of wine or juice while repeating:

"Chalice to athame

As Goddess is to God,

Father is to Mother

As man is to woman -

Behold the sacred union of The One!"

(Pick up the loaf of bread and say):

"I will count my many blessings on this sabbat of bounty."

(Break off a piece of the bread and then recite all the many things that you are thankful for. When finished, take a drink from the chalice. Then place the items back on the altar while saying) -

"Blessed be the fruitful Mother,

 Blessed be the God of the Harvest!"

(Set a piece of bread on a plate aside to give back to the Earth after ritual, then say) -

"I give this bounty of the land back to our Mother Earth and Her consort and ask that it be shared with the Faeries of the Fields and the animals of the woodland -

Offerings given in love return three-fold,

Blessed be this gift."

"I am a child of deity,

 I am part of the creative life force which moves the Universe;

 I am part of all that is.

Though we are apart, we are ever together -

For we are one in the spirit of the Goddess and God,

Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again -

Blessed be!"

(Close ritual, thank the deities and open the circle - remembering to give back to the Earth)

To Kiki, with Love ...

Last night one of my dearest girlfriends, Kiki Love ... (yes you heard it right, her middle name is actually 'Love') and I finally had a chance to meet for our monthly girlfriend dinner. This time we attended Taco Night at a local fire company hall we belong to.

I was also able to give her the handmade macrame plant hanger she asked for two months ago ...

While we were catching up, I noticed they were selling veteran's poppies from the American Legion for donations so I brought home a few ...

I even gave one of the poppies to Kiki who hung it up on her door at home ...

***************************************

HAPPY FIRST HARVEST EVERYONE!

Throwback Thursday: Looking Forward to Lugh!

(Originally posted on July 28, 2012)

...Upon a singing Summer day,

At dawn on Lammastide

I saw the Craftsman smiling

On sunbeams he did ride

He brings us light and knowledge,

To help our fellow men

He sang, “Blessed Be and Blessed Be

And Blessed Be again!”

~ Joe Bethancourt

One of the reasons I love the sabbat of Lughnasadh so much is because it marks the downslope of summer and the very beginnng of my favorite season ~ fall! Lughnasadh, also known to some as Lammas, is essentially the first harvest of the year, followed by Mabon/Autumn Equinox the second harvest, and then finally Samhain which is the third and last harvest of the year.  Samhain, by the way, is my favorite sabbat celebration!

While the word Lammas translates to "loaf mass," Lughnasadh literally means, "the chase of Lugh." Lugh is a Celtic sun deity whose name means "shinning one" and is a god of the hunt. He was a master of the spear and a skilled craftsman who was known as a legend in battle. It is also worth noting that his name, Lugh, is old Irish/Gaelic for the month of August.

With this year's summer being by far the most hot and humid we have had in a long time, the start of fall will be a most welcome change indeed!

(My sister Rhiannon and I - Lughnasadh 1998)

Fun Friday!

Happy "Fun Friday" everyone!!

My friend, Deb enjoying the beauty of the sunflower fields at Sunrise Flower Farm located in Elverson, PA.

Wishing all a fantastic weekend!

Brightest Blessings ~

Lughnasadh

Wiccans use the names "Lughnasadh" or "Lammas" for the first of their autumn harvest festivals. It is one of the eight yearly "Sabbats" of their Wheel of the Year, following Midsummer and preceding Mabon. It is seen as one of the two most auspicious times for handfasting, the other being at Beltane. Some Wiccans mark the holiday by baking a figure of the "corn god" in bread, and then symbolically sacrificing and eating it.

Lughnasadh and Lughnasadh-based festivals are held by some Neopagans, especially Celtic Neopagans. However, their Lughnasadh celebrations can be very different despite the shared name. Some try to emulate the historic festival as much as possible, while others base their celebrations on many sources, the Gaelic festival being only one of them.

Neopagans usually celebrate Lughnasadh on 31 July – 1 August in the Northern Hemisphere and 31 January – 1 February in the Southern Hemisphere, beginning and ending at sunset. Some Neopagans celebrate it at the astronomical midpoint between the summer solstice and autumn equinox (or the full moon nearest this point). In 2017, this is on 7 August in the Northern Hemisphere.

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Sunflower

In the field she blooms,

But once a year

This luscious sunflower ~

So sweet and so dear

The love she shows,

With kindness she cares

Our Mother's fruit ~

The seeds she bears

Both yellow and bright,

This sunflower grows

Then leaves us again ~

When winter's wind blows

~ Lady Caer Morganna

Lughnasadh Blessings!

 

Here's Wishing All a Very Blessed Lughnasadh and Happy First Harvest!!

A Shopping We Did Go



 

Once in a while, you just need a girl's day out and yesterday was one of those days for my sister Robin (a.k.a. Aurora Skye) and I. We had a lovely lunch at the local mall and then spent the rest of the day having fun doing a bit of shopping and catching up.

Since fall will soon be here, I picked up a couple of more little items for Lughnasadh and Mabon at "A.C. Moore Arts and Crafts Store."

"You're the Best"

 

"Angel of Autumn"

 

And, since I am finally able to get into a size medium again(well, sometimes), I bought a nice dress and a crochet sweater at "Charming Charlie's" ...

I plan to spend today cleaning the house and perhaps even begin getting out my fall decorations, and if weather permits it I will go for one of my late afternoon walks.

Until next time, my friends, Happy Sunday!!!!

More of This and That ...

  

 

Brightest Blessings all! Just another little update on Leo's progress since we began his medication. As our vet warned us, it may take up to a couple of weeks before we see any change in his temperament. So far, we have noticed somewhat of a difference as he seems to have become a bit calmer when dealing with us and the rest of the cats. At any rate, only time will tell whether or not we continue using this medication.

 

Yesterday while having lunch with my sister Rhiannon, I received a very nice surprise ... these lovely inspirational blocks which currently adorn my living room along with our large collage pic.

 

 

 

Also, I have two new additions ~ one for my portable altar ... 

A set of mermaid candle holders

 

 

And, a beautiful Willow Tree Angel holding sunflowers. The figurine is called, "Sunshine" and because it reminds me so of autumn, I plan to add it to my Lughnasadh altar this year ...

 

 Here's wishing everyone a wonderful rest of the week!!!