Ye Olde Witches Brew Magazine - Embracing the Vintage Witch

Merry Meet and Welcome to the Preimere Issue of Ye Olde Witches Brew Magazine! We are excited about this new venture and we have gathered articles, artwork, poetry and more to give you a most unique magazine experience. Learn about the Beauty and Splendor of Litha, also know as Midsummer as well as the warmth of Lammas. Our Featured Artists this Issue are Ron and Sherry Byrum. Their Magickal World of Fantasy, Witch, and Fairy Art will transport you into another Realm...You just might not want to come back. You will also find seasonal crafts to compliment the Sabbats along with delicious menus to give you the most delectable meal that will also compliment the Ritual included inthis Issue as well.

Our Pagan Parenting Column, "Spiritual Journeys" has a great article about Walking with your children through the Path of the Goddess, and don't forget to check out all of our other regular Columns filled with more Seasonal articles and information. Have a Wonderful Litha/Lammas! Blessed Be!

Gaia:Greek Goddess of Earth

By Ailia Athena Sun, Jun 01, 2008

Gaia, more frequently spelled Ge, was the Earth. She is rarely even referred to as a deity, she is more a power. What is. She was one of the firsts. Well, one of the firsts in some versions. There are actually a couple of different Creation myths, and not all of them include Gaia (I know, it shocked me, too). The original Greek Mythology (ie, pre-Classical) was was Pelasgian myth (the Pelasgians came to Greece from the Asia Minor 3,000 years before Hesiod). The Pelasgian creation story focuses on Eurynome, the Goddess of All Things. But you can go to the Myth Page onEurynome's Creation Story if you want to learn more about that. Here, we will focus on Gaia. There are two parts:

"First in my prayer, before all other deities,
I call upon Gaia, Primeval Prophetess . . .
The Greek great earth mother."
~Aeschylus~

There are two accepted versions of Classical creation: Hesiod's and Ovid's. Both versions begin with Gaia's emergence from Chaos. She has a parthenogenic birth (ie, only one parent needed). According to Ovid, Gaia pretty much just appeared (similar to the Judeo-Christian creation story). After her birth, Ovid continued to see the hand of a Creator at work (an un-named Creator), who populated Gaia with the necessary mountains, seas, flora, and fauna. I much prefer Hesiod's version.

Before I tell you about what Hesiod had to say, I'm going to give you this wonderful quote from his creation story:

Gaia, the beautiful, rose up,
Broad blossomed, she that is the steadfast base
Of all things. And fair Gaia first bore
The starry Heaven, equal to herself,
To cover her on all sides and to be
A home forever for the blessed Gods.

And now back to the story. According to Hesiod, the first beings sprang into existance without cause or explanation. After Gaia came Tartarus (the lowest level of the Underworld, also viewed as a sort of huge cave or pit) and then came Eros: Erotic Love. Chaos continues her parthenogenic streak, giving birth to Erebus and Nyx.. In her sleep, Gaia gives parthenogenic birth to Uranus (the Universe, who emerges as big and powerful as Gaia) and Pontus (the Sea, and the God of the Sea). Uranus, bursting (literally) with love for Gaia (possible only by the creation of Eros, you see), showers her with fertile rain and this is how Gaia gives birth to the rest of creation (you remember, seas, mountains, etc. - we already covered this with Ovid). Gaia and Uranus also gave birth to the Titans, the three Cyclopes and the three Hundred-Armed Giants.

There aren't tons of stories about Gaia. She's important, yes, and she shows up a lot, but not so much as an active participant in the story so much as a default womb and mother. She has LOTS of kids. And what really makes her special is that she can have these kids without active participation by a father. In many ways the Universe was created by her alone (okay, not really - but she did give birth to her son Uranus who then became her partner in the whole populating space thing). Once, Zeus had a wet dream at night that got Gaia pregnant, too (the child of that union was Agdistis).

There's a bunch of other mentions of her giving birth to people (especially men) - one of the most important was Erichthonius, who founded Athens.

Gaia's Children Include:

Uranus (yes I know he was her "husband" - but he was also her son - very Oedipal isn't it?...)

50-Headed, 100-Armed Giants: Cottus, Briareus, and Gyges

The Cyclopes: Brontes, Steropes, and Arges (Cyclope means Wheel-Eyed

The Titans: Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Hyperion, Iapetus, Cronus, Theis, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phobe, and Thethys

The Erinyes: Alecto, Tisiphone, and Megara

Giants: born full-grown with armor and spears, ouchies for Gaia

Meliads: otherwise known as the Ash Tree Nymphs

Aetna, Eurybia, Nereus, Phorcys, Ceto, Thaumas, Atlas, Acheron, Antaeus, Agdistis, Erichthonius, Hyllus, Dreams, Python, the list goes on.

Forgive me for ripping off Mary Renault's title, but if there's any goddess the idea really relates to, I think it would be Gaia. The theory is that every year the king was ritually sacrificed (killed by a rival, sacrificed in public, or only metaphorically murdered) to renew the land and the fertility of the kingdom. I'm not really gonna get any further into that because it's not actually from any Greek myth in particular, but it does seem like at least a decent introduction to the myth in which Gaia took her most active role.

So, Gaia and Uranus had a whole bunch of babies, as described above. Uranus, like many men, did his part in creating the children, but wasn't ready to be a daddy and tried to stuff the new life back into Gaia's womb. Then he tried to keep the kids inside her by blocking the entrance. With his own genitals. Can you imagine? Well, Gaia turned around (inside?) and gave her youngest son, Cronos (the Titan) a scythe to cut off his papa's penis and free the children. As a consequence, Cronos also took over as the Big God In Charge - a role previously held by Uranus, despite the appearance that it was Gaia with the real power.

Unfortunately, despite getting how he was put into power, Cronos only repeated the cycle. He put the Giants and the Cyclopes into Tartarus (deep pit type of jail) and whenever his wife, Rhea, gave birth, he swallowed the baby. He was threatened, it appears by this whole biological process that was beyond his control. After five pregnancies and five births and five babies devoured, Rhea went to Gaia and the two conspired to keep her youngest son -Zeus- from being swallowed and then got Cronos to vomit up the other ingested gods. With the promise from Zeus that he would free the other children of Earth, Gaia supported him in overthrowing Cronos and the rule of the Titans.

Will it surprise you to learn that Zeus did not remain true to the women who made him and put him in power? Almost immediately he stuck Gaia's monstrous children back in Tartarus. And when his woman, Metis, became pregnant, he started getting worried that like father like child. But he had learned more from his mothers than they intended. Rather than try to force his mate into submission or to steal her progeny, he skipped that altogether by swallowing her! When she gave birth, it was inside his body, and the child, Athena, had to be born of HIS body. By co-opting the labor and the birth, he kept Athena from any allegiance to a mother and broke the cycle of Kings dying to maintain the proper balance of Earth. The power of fertility was usurped by the patriarchy and Gaia stopped, for the most part, involving herself in the lives of her children.

Oh Goddess, Source of Gods and Mortals,
All-Fertile, All-Destroying Gaia,
Mother of All, Who brings forth the bounteous fruits and flowers,
All variety, Maiden who anchors the eternal world in our own,
Immortal, Blessed, crowned with every grace,
Deep bosomed Earth, sweet plains and fields fragrant grasses in the nurturing rains,
Around you fly the beauteous stars, eternal and divine,
Come, Blessed Goddess, and hear the prayers of Your children,
And make the increase of the fruits and grains your constant care, with the fertile seasons Your handmaidens,
Draw near, and bless your supplicants.

~Orphic Hymn to Gaia~ translated and interpreted by Virginia Stewart M.Ed

Artwork by Edith Egger

Lughnassadh Ritual

By Sun, Jun 01, 2008

Use a yellow or yellow-orange altar cloth, and green, yellow, or orange candles. Decorate with bunches of herbs, sheaves of grain, ears of corn, and small baskets of fruit and vegetables. Burn Lammas Incense (see below).

Cast the Circle using the athamé.

Lammas Circle Ideas:

Kindle a Lammas fire of herbs and wood to commemorate the Sun's passing. Say goodbye to the Sun by saying:"We thank You God of Sun and Light, for warming us from dawn 'til night. For fertilizing all on Earth, for bringing us Your cheer and mirth. For laughter, joy, and shining ray, for guiding us along our way. And as You go, we hold You dear, until the winter brings You near. And with the Yule You're born anew. Goodbye, dear Sun, we shall miss You."

Thank the Mother for Her bountiful gifts by blessing the onions, garlic, and grain stables in your kitchen (flour, cornmeal, oatmeal, and so on). Line them up on the altar or counter, place your hands over them, and say: "We thank You, Mother, for these gifts, for meal and bulbs and that which sifts. Please bless these items with Your grace, and hold them dear within their space. So as we eat, Your blessings flow, within, without - from head to toe."

Bake magickal bread in celebration of the harvest. This doesn't have to be difficult or take all day. Just use frozen bread dough, and knead in a tablespoon or two of fresh herbs when it thaws (basil, oregano, dill, parsley, and chives are all good choices). As you eat the bread, say:"Cycle of Life contained herein, Birth and Death and Birth again. Help me to understand my role, in life, and help me cleanse my soul. So I may walk this path with ease, as I will so mote it be."

Make the corn dolly for next year's Imbolc. Just acquire three ears of corn and tie them together as directed in the Imbolc celebration ideas. Bless the dolly by saying:"Seeds of Life that burn and thrive, seeds of plenty come alive. By Sun and Earth this spell fulfill, become now Brigid, who melts the chill."

Put the dolly in a safe place to await the Imbolc celebration.

Perform prosperity magick for the coming months by making a Witches' Bottle. Just gather together a small bottle with a tight-fitting cork, a fish hook, some clover, a bit of cinnamon, and a few coins. As you place the materials in the bottle, visualize money coming to you from all directions. Cork the bottle and seal it with a bit of wax from the altar candles, then enchant it by saying:"Money come alive and grow, pour down on me both high and low. By herb and hook and glass and coin, prosperity and I now join. Paper money and coins that shine, come to me, for you are mine."

Lughnasadh Incense

Recipe by Scott Cunningham

2 parts Frankincense
1 part Heather
1 part Apple blossoms
1 pinch Blackberry leaves
a few drops Ambergris oil

Burn Lughnasadh Incense during Wiccan rituals on August 1st or 2nd, or at that time to attune with the coming harvest.

Lammas Ritual Potpourri

Recipe by Gerina Dunwich

20 drops clove bud oil
25 drops sandalwood oil
1 cup oak moss
2 cups dried pink rosebuds
2 cups dried red peony petals
1 cup dried amaranth flowers
1 cup dried heather flowers

Mix the clove bud and sandalwood oils with the oak moss and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.

(The above recipe for "Lammas Ritual Potpourri" is quoted directly from Gerina Dunwich's book "The Wicca Spellbook: A Witch's Collection of Wiccan Spells, Potions and Recipes", page 163, A Citadel Press Book, Carol Publishing Group, 1994/1995)

Invocation to Sun and Moon

by Olwen Fferyllt

Lord Sun, life of day!
In your fire-boat gliding through golden rays!
Extend yourself, with hands of light,
To us who worship in your sight,
And in your ancient names rejoice,
And hear the mystery of your voice.

Lady Moon, cloud bound,
Of liquid light and pale hounds,
Course among us --- Your light diffuse!
Shed your blessings on us who choose
The evening worship by silver flame,
Singing your thousand living names.

~Witch-CRAFT-Cottage~,

Litha Crafts

By Nadia Romanov Sun, Jun 01, 2008

This summertime Sabbat honors the Goddess as the Mother, the God as the Father, and us, Their children, as well as the child in all of us. These crafts are simple, yet traditional, and simple enough to share with children as well.

Materials: Wax Paper

Crayon shavings

Colored string, yarn, or thread, lace

Leaves and Flower petals Iron

1)To begin, have the child empty crayon shavings from their sharpener, or (adults only!) use a paring knife to create shavings. A cheese grater works great for large crayons.

Arrange shavings, and any of the accessory items the child chooses and sandwich between two sheets of wax paper.

Iron (adults ONLY) the whole package on low setting, until the shavings melt.

Cut the "stained glass" into shapes and hang them with string, in a sunny window. 2) Midsummer focuses on the Sun God and the sun itself. God's Eyes are probably the most well known craft associated with Midsummer. South American in origin, they were made by the natives for both protection and decoration. They are actually decorative amulets made of two sticks placed to form an equilateral cross. Colored yarn or twin is wound around the cross, in alternating colors, to form an ‘eye’, and its four points symbolize the two solstices (summer and winter) and equinoxes (spring and fall). To make the God's Eyes, you will need:

Supplies:

2 - ¼ inch dowels of equal length - as long as you desire them to be
Yarn or Twin in assorted colors
Scissors
Glue Step 1: Cross the sticks at the center. Tie them together with the end of a piece of yarn, making an X, but don't cut the yarn off its skein (Figure 2). Tie the yarn IN BACK of the 2 crossed sticks (Figure 1)

Step 2: With the pencil, number the sticks at the ends, in the center. (Figure 3) Step 3 : Bring the yarn to the front between sticks 3 and 4. Pull the yarn over stick 3 and the next one too (stick 2), and bring it to the back between sticks 2 and 1. Wrap it behind stick 2 and bring it to the front again between sticks 2 and 3. Pull it over stick 2 and the next one too (stick 1), and wrap it behind stick 1 (Figure 3).

Step 4: Pull the yarn over stick 1 and the next one too (stick 4) and wrap it behind stick 4. Pull it over stick 4 and the next one too (stick 3) and wrap it behind stick 3. This is one complete round. Always lay the yarn next to, NOT on top of the yarn already in place. Step 5: Keep on wrapping the yarn behind each stick, over that stick and the next, and around behind that one, then over that stick and the next and behind that one. (Figure 4)As you continue making the rounds, always be sure that the yarn lies next to, but never on top of the yarn in the previous round. After the first few rounds, you will see the woven pattern of the "eye" beginning to form.

Step 6 : When you have an "eye" in one color of yarn, you can cut the yarn and tie on another color, and continue weaving. Make sure that the knot that you joined the 2 colors with, stays in the back (Figure 5).

Step 7: Keep weaving the "God's Eye" until you are about 1/2 inch from the ends of the sticks. Cut the yarn, leaving approximately a 7-8" tail. Tie the tail in a knot in back .If you have bells for decoration, attach one to each of the 4 ends.

Don’t forget – Summertime is for reveling pleasurably in the beautiful gifts of nature around us. Pick flowers and decorate with them fresh, or dry them. Collect twigs, stones, feathers, and other such natural treasures for use in later craft projects.

Keep Crafting!

Nadia

~Garden Witchery~,

Getting Back to Basics

Sun, Jun 01, 2008

Getting Back to Basics

By Brandy Floyd

Gardens are an uplifting way to feel closer to the earth and the Mother Goddess. Each season wiccans , witches, and other pagans plant them for health wealth harmony and some to even help in spell casting. The spring garden can be used for both herb planting by kitchen witches and to bring the more playful magical creatures of the world to your home. He focus of this article will be the mini fairy garden.

The first thing you need is something to actually do the planting in . My personal preference is a half barrel outdoor planter.Spring gardens are extremely easy to grow and attract birds bees and fairies. While bulb flowers are always lovely, they need to be planted late fall to mid winter. If this has not been done you wont get the yield and blooming you may be wishing to achieve. For this garden your going to want to stay with the small to medium flowers. Lavender, Mini Rose, Thyme, and Pansies.

Pansies can be used in love spells. Peony is good for making a necklace to be worn for protection especially for children. Lavender should be dried if possible and can and is used commonly as a sleep aid and for calming stress. Mini Rose like the larger one bring love through your home and garden. While the later blooming Poppy and Thyme aid in clairvoyant dreaming and tend to bring fairies to communicate with during sleep.

Remember no matter what you plant or when always take the time to enjoy it. Meditate, and find your own little piece of the goddess inside you.

~Walking the Solitary Path~,

Daring to Be Silent

Sun, Jun 01, 2008

I believe that for many of us, there is something special about having a secret – at least the good kind. You know what I mean: the one that makes you smile and fills you with excitement whenever you think about it. Having a secret that is completely yours can be a fun and singular experience that we don’t often have the pleasure of experiencing in today’s world of "reality shows", talk shows, YouTube, tabloids, etc., where everything imaginable is exposed. More and more, our privacy seems to be limited to our unspoken thoughts.

It’s no secret (pun intended) that many who call themselves Wiccan, or a Witch, practice their Craft in secret. And for a lot of practitioners, unfortunately, it is something they must do to protect their jobs, their families, or even for their own physical safety. Recently a message appeared on my blog from someone complimenting my online store. He or she mentioned that when they had their own home, they would be "free" to practice. The message was quite sobering. Forcing one’s Spirit into silence can be devastating

Yet, there is another kind of silence that can be embraced when practicing your Craft. This is a positive form of silence, the joyful secret that we carry with us. And it isn’t merely silencing your tongue before you babble out a story about a spell you’ve cast. It isn’t just about zipping it shut before blurting out: I’m a Witch! The silence I am describing is when you actively choose to practice your Craft quietly, unnoticed. It’s when you choose to concentrate on your relationship with Divinity, instead of proclaiming that you worship a Goddess in a predominantly male deity-oriented Western culture. It is when you choose to sit at a table with people who practice a different faith, and acknowledge their legitimacy without launching into a defense of your own Spiritual practices.

Daring to be silent is certainly not limited to Wicca, or limited to any other particular religion for that matter. For example, in the Christian Bible, Jesus instructs his followers to not stand out in the open and pray for show, but to do so unseen from any other human eyes, and to connect truly with God in private (Matthew Chapter 6, verses 5-6) While "My Goddess Gave Birth to Your God" bumper stickers are certainly yours for the posting, entering into a "one-on-one" with the Goddess some evening when you are all alone sitting outside watching fireflies and keeping those moments private in your heart are probably worth more.

Of course sharing your chosen Path with others to educate them on your Spiritual practices or standing up for yourself is certainly very important. I am able to write this article and submit it for publication because of courageous men and women who actively lived their Spiritual Path and Craft out in the open, and those who went even further and fought for the legal right to worship in the way that many of us do.

Yet I return to the message that if you choose to make the journey quietly and without fanfare, that’s ok too. You are not required to announce your beliefs when you enter the coffee shop or your office. Daring to be silent allows you to listen – to listen and learn about the world around you, the people who share this planet with you, and how your own practice melds and molds along with everyone else. It allows you to further learn about yourself, and how you want to live your Craft. After all, once you share a secret, you no longer have control over who will hear it.

Daring to be silent allows you to have something that is completely your own, untouched by all but the Divine that resides within you. And in this world, your own personal unknown is most precious.

Respectfully submitted.

Tracy Brown is the former owner of the online metaphysical store Witch Basket. The website can still be found at www.witchbasket.com and is now a place where Witch Basket friends and family can gather and learn. Tracy enjoys celebrating the Feminine Divine, claims no expertise, and invites all to read, ponder, and enjoy. It's a beautiful world, one just needs to know where to look.

~Earthwalk~,

Christians vs. Pagans~The Debate Goes On

Sun, Jun 01, 2008

Christians vs. Pagans

The Debate Goes On

By: Heather Douglas©

1/16/2008

I came across an article in the New York Times a few months ago about a Wiccan living in upstate New York who hides in the religious shadows because of suburban life and so her kids can comfortably go to school. I am often abused on various blog sites for answering religious questions posed by monotheistic religious followers. I asked a question the other day regarding a movie with a pagan theme that in the end suggests that maybe the Virgin Mary is a modern day reincarnation of the Goddess. I asked what the other members of the community thought about the possibility that the Mother Goddess has indeed transformed her self in order adapt. I added that making offerings to the Virgin Mary was a bit like pagan libation. You should have seen the way I was ripped apart verbally when this question was posted. You would have thought I murdered an animal ritualistically right in front of these people! I was told that my thoughts and ideals were wrong based solely on the fact that their Bible and priest told them so. These judgments were not based upon some holy grail of factual evidence. There was no higher being, expect the one within, telling them at that moment that I was wrong and they were right. There gut opinion and slanders were based wholly on the fact that I was saying something different from what they believed to be true in their own lives and experiences.

It got me to thinking about the rules that society has placed on us as pagan worshippers. A lot of the things the Bible presents are mystical and magical in context, and to the average Christian is totally plausible. A whale eating a man, a burning bush that speaks and a man parting the red sea with a swish of his hands. All these things, as pagans, we acknowledge and for the most part the only problem with has with the Christian religion is the way in which its followers treat us. Not the religion itself. Why wouldn't a God want you to worship only him and totally disregard the others? Wouldn't it be funny if we found out in the end that Christianity is nothing more than some pellucid joke a couple of men made up one night in the Middle East while drunk off wine? A running bet to see who could uniform a society and keep people "in-line" with rigid rules that make the slightest error in judgment inexcusable.

As a pagan, I quite like a lot of things the Bible has to say about how we should treat one another and the morals it presents in the context of right and wrong, action and reaction. I like the fact that Jesus seemed to be a down-to-earth healer who traveled around offering healing and spiritual guidance to the lost. I find it interesting in the fact that several other religions parallel this message with their own version of "Jesus". What I do not like are the judgments that are wrongly cast upon my religion and what it stands for. Ignorance is not only a monster lacking self-control, but a disease that easily convinces its victims that the more they chastise non conforming individuals the closer they are to a seat next to their king! What all this boils down to is the fact that most Christians have a plan laid in their minds of what and whom their maker is and what he expects from them. Their religion is kind of like what Karl Marx was saying about man being a "God in their minds". Man creates these Gods in their minds. You have one book, a slew of religious leader fanatics that interpret all the things, you as a human, are capable of in a lifetime. And when that lifetime is over, and if you have lived according to the doctrine, you will be rewarded by finally being free of all the modern day burdens living cast upon you. Any slight deviation outside that plan is considered dangerous.

They believe this to be a truth: "I can accept that fact that in the end times, horses, angels and death will ride from the sky above and cast judgment upon the way I've lived my life on earth". They believe that Jesus turned water into wine and placed a man’s ear back on his head after being shaved with another man’s sword in anger. They believe the man who hung from a cross, resurrected from a tomb several days later. He then, in sprit form, chatted with his followers before he ascended into heaven. Then try to explain to them that the world is made up of energy, and that all things posses this energy and the ability to shape it...and well you have just blown their minds! I think that is the thing that amazes me the most when it comes to explaining my beliefs to others. You expect me to justify my spiritual choices and rationalize the fact that I believe that there is potential in energy (that is scientifically proven to exist), and yet you do not owe me the same respect when it comes to the radical ideals that your maker and interpreters set forth and encourage you, his followers, to uphold. As I take all this in and hold it within myself to be just my interpretation of the way things are, I know that there are some Christians out there capable of religious tolerance and restraint. I know that I am a flawed creation and understand that not everyone will always see things the way I sometimes do. I understand that all this is just my opinion and is subject to occasional scrutiny. So as another day passes I come home from work, just another working pagan stiff that had to go to college, suck up, and get a white collared job. I take off my trouser socks and glance over at my modest altar and roll my eyes on another days passing, another day lived as a content pagan, no this witch has not melted...or sacrificed any small animals or children...all I can say is

Blessed Be!

Midsummer Fare~

By Sun, Jun 01, 2008

Ahhh, summertime! It is upon us once again! This is a joyous time of year when the flowers are blooming, the trees are green and the earth's rebirth is still fresh. This is the time of year when the wild blackberries and many other late Spring/early Summer fruits are coming in. It marks the beginning of the canning season and the fresh, delicious, sweet handcrafted desserts that accompany the weeks around Midsummer.

Lets look first at some of the things many kitchen/hearth/garden/folk witches will focus on. Traditionally, many magickal herbs are harvested at this time, by scythe and boline, during moonlit nights. The herbs are dried and tinctures, oils, rubs, teas, and many other magickal and medicinal combinations are prepared.

The sun is entering Cancer at Midsummer, so remember to collect rainwater, spring water, or sea water for use in the next few months. I tend to collect water when it is needed or use what resources I havon hand in a pinch. However, many witches like to collect their water when the sun enters Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. This is also a wonderful time for water divinations. Litha marks another time of the year when the veil is thinner; the time when the "fields we know" open to other worlds.

Other magickal activities this time of year include collecting honey – it is the Honey Moon after all! It's easy enough this time of year to drive out into the country and find "fresh honey for sale" signs dotted around. Honey harvested around this time of year is perfect for your "cakes and wine" during your Litha festivals and rituals and for the preparation of mead for the upcoming harvest.

Litha bonfires were considered incredibly magickal during ancient times. Jumping over a Litha fire is a promise of prosperity and protection in the upcoming year. Beltane is not the only sabbat with a very powerful, "jump-able" fire! Coals left from your Litha fire are helpful when scattered around your gardens. They are talismans against injury and inclement weather during your upcoming harvests. Scatter the embers in your own fireplace or hearth fire to promote protection.

Making flower wreaths, headbands, and bouquets for ritual are also common. And, of course, it is that also a common personal and domestic adornment this time of year along with white lilies and fennel and many other botanicals of magickal importance.

Other magickal herbs this time of year include: Yarrow, wormwood (and absinthe is a potent ritual drink this time of year), fern, heartsease, mugwort, anise, rose, lavender, vervain, thyme, chamomile, cinquefoil, nettle, larkspur, wisteria, and elder.

Now, I could write pages and pages of Litha lore and magick, but let's dig our heals into some Midsummer recipes!

Momma's Blackberry Cobbler

This delicious, fresh dessert was something I always looked forward to as a child. Mom and I would go out in the woods picking blackberries and all the cuts and scrapes on my hands were worth it after one bite of my Mother's warm, fresh blackberry cobbler!

4 cups blackberries (fresh is best, but frozen will do!) 1 ½ cups of granulated white sugar

1/3 cup water (omit if using frozen berries)

~~~~~~~~~

1/3 cup of solid shortening

2 ½ cups of all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

5-6 Tablespoons buttermilk (or regular milk, if desired)

Granulated white sugar

Butter or Margarine

In large saucepan, over medium heat, cook blackberries, 1 ½ cups sugar, and water until blackberries are soft and tender and the juice is thick and syrupy. Lightly butter (or use non stick spray) a small square casserole dish (1 – 2 qts) For the crust, combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening until mixture resembles course bread crumbs. Add in the milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough clings together and can be formed into a ball. Divide into thirds. Roll out the dough into a square the size of the casserole dish. Spoon 1/3 of the berry mixture into the bottom of the casserole dish. Place first layer of dough on top of the berries. Brush lightly with butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Slide under your oven's broiler until dough brown and sugar is caramelized (watch carefully to avoid burning). Remove from oven. Repeat with dough and berries until all is used. The top crust of the cobbler should be brown, sugar caramelized, and nice and crispy! This cobbler is delicious all on it's on, warm or cold. You may top with freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy

Fresh Fruited Pavlova

This delicious "down under" dessert is a favorite of mine. I learned to make it when I lived in New Zealand and my Kiwi husband expects it several times over the course of the summer! The basic pavlova recipe is from Edmond's Cookbook (a New Zealand cooks must-have!) and the toppings and sauce are as variable as you choose. Any fruit maybe used to adorn this beautiful, fresh, and delicious dessert.

Important TIP: Do not open the oven door while the pavlova is baking! It's a temperamental little dessert and call fall just like a souffle.

3 egg whites

3 Tablespoons of cold water

1 cup of fine sugar (granulated works too)

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 teaspoons of cornstarch

~~~~~~~~~

1 cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup of granulated sugar

1/8 tsp vanilla

Fresh Strawberries, Raspberries, and Kiwi Fruit

~~~~~~~~

2/3 cup passionfruit flesh

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 ¼ tsp water

Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C). Line an oven tray with wax paper or parchment paper. Beat egg white until stiff peaks form. Add water and beat stiff. Add sugar, gradually, while still beating. Slow beater and add vinegar, vanilla, and cornstarch. Spread pavlova onto wax paper in a 9" circle. Keep the shape as round and uniform as possible. Smooth top. Bake for 45 minutes, turn oven off, and leave pavlova to cool in oven with door ajar. When pavlova is completely cool, carefully lift onto a service plate. To prepare pavlova for serving, whip heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla together until stiff. Spread over the top of the pavlova. Add sliced strawberries, kiwi fruit, and whole raspberries. Drizzle with *cold* Passion fruit Sauce, if desired.To make sauce: in small saucepan, place passion fruit, sugar, water, and cornstarch , well mixed. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally until sauce comes to a boil. Cover sauce and chill 1 – 2 hours.

Fresh Cucumber and Avocado Salad

This fresh and delicious salad makes use of easy to find veggies. It's a delicious accompaniment to any meal and can be eaten as a meal itself! I have added cold chicken pieces to this salad for a cool and delicious lunch.

3 Ripe Avocados, chopped into medium sized pieces

2 chopped tomatoes (medium)

1 large cucumber, sliced

1 ½ cups romaine lettuce

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro (optional)

2 finely chopped fresh banana peppers

1 finely chopped fresh jalapeño

2 green onions, chopped very fine

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and Pepper, if desired

(note, instead of the lemon vinegar, a creamy Caesar is also good with this salad)

Fresh Asian Chicken Wraps

I actually concocted this recipe last year when I discovered a Toasted Sesame Salad Dressing. This is how I make it, but any somewhat delicious fresh vegetable may be used in addition or to replace my ingredients. This is a recipe to experiment and have fun with. Not to mention, it's fresh and delicious!

2 large sun dried tomato wrap tortillas (plain works fine)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and chopped

½ cup bok choy

½ cup romaine lettuce

¼ cup alfalfa sprouts

1 large avocado, sliced

¼ cup red onion, chopped fine

¼ cup red grapes, sliced in half

¼ cup chow mein noodles

Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing, to taste

4 deli slices of provolone cheese

Lay the wrap tortillas out flat. Place two slices of cheese on each wrap. In a medium bowl combinethe chicken, greens, sprouts, avocado, onion, and grapes. Add dressing to taste. Toss in noodles. Place half of the mixture (or desired amount) onto each wrap. Roll up tightly. Cut each wrap in half and secure with large toothpick. Serve with salad or baked chips.

From my hearth and heart to yours, have a blessed Midsummer!

~Spiritual Journeys~The Path of Parenting with the God and Goddess~,

Beginning the Journey

Sun, Jun 01, 2008

Beginning the Journey

Barb Tonkovich(Dragonfly

Hummingbird)

Merry Meet to All! Welcome to the first Pagan Parenting column of "Ye Olde Witches Brew". My name is Barb, but you will come to know me as Dragonfly Hummingbird. This column is written in the hopes of establishing a relationship with you, beloved reader, and myself. Let's visualize that we are walking in a park and sitting on a bench with one another, or we are on the phone as I share advice and stories about topics that concern us today in regards to our children in the present and future. I will focus on how to walk this spiritual journey with our children to make sure we have done all we can possibly do, think of everything that we can think, to make their life lessons ones that they will remember and hopefully pass onto their children as they get older. Feel free to contact me anytime for questions, ideas for future issues, or just to let me know how you think I am doing at any time. For questions, comments or suggestions email me at dragonflyhummingbird@gmail.com Please be sure to put in the subject line "Ye Olde Witches Brew Parenting" so I know it is from one of our dedicated readers and I can get back to you immediately.
Most of the articles presented here will be of a Spiritual Nature in regards to our children. In walking the spiritual path with our children we must remember to teach them love and respect for all things living, including those who aren't always so kind. This is not to say that we allow them to be doormats for verbal taunts or physical attacks on their beings. I am simply saying that we need to make sure that we teach them to be open-minded and know that because someone taunts them, even if it's not due to their spirituality, that they must remember that the person doing the verbal lashing probably has not had the security of a loving family or the education of knowing that it is NOT acceptable to attack people because they are different. I constantly ingrain in my children's head that we "harm none". They can play with whatever they choose to play with, they may do whatever they want to do when they are older, but not while hurting other people. I have also taught my boys it is NEVER okay to hit a girl…EVER.

We need to set an example. If we tell them harm none, and turn around yell at someone because they cut in front of us at the grocery store checkout, what lesson do we give them? If we throw trash out the car window, what example of respecting Mother Earth are we sharing? We cannot just share the lessons, we have to live them as well. When you walk through the park, pick up that litter that lies on the grass and throw it in the garbage. I always tell my kids not to throw their garbage on the ground when we are outside because it makes Mother Earth very sad. They are learning. They see me throw my trash where it belongs.

We also must do our best to keep our children centered, and for them to know that if they remain calm, and listen to their "inner self" that they will always do right by others as well as themselves. Teach love, and they will learn it. This is not some magical guarantee that they will be perfect, but who really wants a perfect child anyway? I do not mind the occasional bout with my son over curfew, or telling him no when asked to drive him to a friend's house later in the day when he has school work to do. I know my teenage son loves me, and he knows I love him. There will be small bumps in our children's life journey, but we are there to guide them , love them, and teach them.

A lot of us have not had the luxury of being taught our respective paths/traditions by our own parents. Perhaps we found our paths in our teens or quite possibly way into our twenties or thirties. I was 32 and did not have a teacher. I learned all I could over the past six years on my path from books, and the Internet and most importantly the networking and friendships I have made in Pagan groups that I have joined. So how do we start a Spiritual Journey for our children? What tools do we need to guide them along?

I had the most enjoyable moment of my life with my children last week as we planted our seeds for our garden. I had been looking forward to this moment as I enjoy this time of the year with the new beginnings. There is fresh life all around, the air even smells different. Birds are chirping, flowers are budding and kids play outside. We shed the winter cloak we wear that keeps us indoors and even makes us somewhat melancholy as we long for Mother Earth to give birth to Father Sun and the life they bring to all living things. It was so much fun sharing this new life ritual with my three youngest children. I had purchased a variety of vegetable, flower, and even some basil seeds. The sun was warm and inviting. Mother Earth was calling us out her home to frolic and play among the birds and bugs and all life around. We went to the side of the house where a ten pound bag of soil we purchased last year for landscaping awaited it's job of providing my children and I a very special moment in welcoming new plant life. Each of the children was allowed to pick one pack of seeds at a time. As they waited anxiously to open their packet, we talked about what each seed would grow into and whether it was a vegetable or flower. Peter, one of the four year old twins, opened his pack of seeds and I poured them into his hand. Hecarefully put his finger into the soil and dug a little hole. The seeds were the size of poppy seeds. He sat there and picked each seed out of his hand one by one. I couldn't help but chuckle. He was very diligent in his planting When the children were done planting their seeds, they took turns watering. When we were done, I had each of the children hold onto the planter container with me, and we said a little blessing over the seeds:

"Mother Earth and Father Sun"

Bless this garden we have

begun."

They all enjoyed our time together and it was a spiritual building block as they learned about how the God and Goddess provide us with new life. Sharing rituals with children can be a time for family bonding and a learning tool as well. You do not have to cast a circle, and make it all fancy. Making it fun for them allows them to retain a lot more information without even knowing that you are teaching them lessons that will last their entire life. Lessons that teach humanity, compassion and respect for themselves and Mother Earth. This is a perfect opportunity to teach children around the age of seven or eight about the Wheel of the Year. At this point in their lives they understand seasons and the calendar and you can choose any point in the wheel to explain which Sabbat is approaching and how they can honor it. Older children can be "helpers" or actually lead the activities you choose to do for each particular Sabbat depending on their level of knowledge and their ability to follow through and be responsible. You do not want the opportunity for them to flake out in the middle of the ritual due to "boredom" or just sheer lack of interest in the activity at hand. It's important that we make our children's spiritual paths as engaging as possible so they are constantly asking questions or at least remembering what wehave taught them for future reference.

Our spiritual journey with our children are one that will be long, and sometimes filled with many questions. If you do not know the answers, look them up…together. Not only will you be teaching your children but teaching yourself as well.

~The Cauldron~, ~Garden Witchery~,

~Midsummer Flower Fare~

Sun, Jun 01, 2008

Welcome to the Garden Witch's Cookery! This section will teach you how to bring fresh flowers and herbs from your garden into your kitchen! Many of us readily use herbs in cooking, but what about flowers? Did you know that for thousands of years, folks have been cooking with flowers?! The last 100 – 200 years have found that art fading fast. Let's look at a few recipes utilizing some of the flowers and herbs important around Midsummer.

I love rosewater. It's one of the most versatile flower uses in cooking. You can purchase rosewater at high end grocers, gourmet food stores, and on line. Rose water, however, is a very simple thing to make! It requires only water and rose petals. To make your own rosewater, follow this recipe:

A few very important tips on making your own Rosewater.

1. Make sure your roses are freshly picked and free of pesticides and chemicals.

2. It's best to pick your flowers in the morning, 2-4 hours after sunrise or just after the dew has evaporated

3. It's best to not buy your flowers, but if you must, make absolutely sure you buy certified organic

Roses and double check that they have no chemicals on them whatsoever. Remember, sometimes

Organic flowers are sprayed with natural fertilizers that can make you sick.

4. Use only the petals!! Do not use stems or leaves!

5. Wash your petals first to remove any insects or dirt that may be on them.

6. Always store your rosewater in a sterilized jar in the fridge.

3 – 4 quarts of washed rose petals

Distilled Water

Ice Cubes

Canning (enamel) pot or stock pot (w/ lid)

Large enamel, heatproof bowl

Cooling rack or Pyrex loaf pan

Sterilized Jar

Place a cooling rack or Pyrex loaf pan (inverted) in the bottom of the pot. Place rose petals in the pot round the loaf pan or rack. Pour distilled water over the petals until just covered. Place the large enamel bowl in the middle of the pot ensuring the top rim of the bowl is a couple of inches higher than the water. Invert the pot lid (handle side down and so it is concave) onto pot. Cook on medium heat until petals and water come to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add ice cubes to the top of the inverted lid. Simmer for about 2 hours, topping up the ice cubes as needed. Keep a close eye on your petals and make sure they don't boil dry! This process uses steam evaporation. The inverted pot lid allows the evaporated water drip back down into bowl. The water in the bowl is your rosewater. Cool rosewater at room temperature. Pour into sterilized jar, cap, and store in the fridge.

The possibilities for rosewater are endless. I have taken a simple Indian Fry Bread recipe and added a bit of honey and rosewater for a delicious “fairy bread”. Rose cakes were common in Victorian times and adding 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (according to taste) to a white cake batter renders a delicious result. A small amount of rosewater added to the frosting completes it. Also, one of my favorite candies is Turkish Delight. It's most common flavoring is rosewater

Lavender Meringue Cookies

Folks have used lavender in recipes for centuries. Culinary lavender is easily purchased either in health food stores or online. You can also grow culinary lavender. This recipe is borrowed from whatscookingamerica.com.. Enjoy.

1 cup sugar

½ cup confectioner's sugar

2 Tbsp dried culinary lavender flowers

4 egg whites, room temperature

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Line non-stick baking sheets with parchment paper or use the Silpat sheets to prevent the cookies from sticking. Using your food processor, place the sugar, powdered sugar, and lavender in the work bowl: process until ground to a fine dust. In a large bowl using your electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. While beating, add salt, cream of tartar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Still beating, very gradually (1 tablespoons at a time) add sugar/lavender mixture to egg whites. Continue to beat until sugar has dissolved and stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto prepared non-stick baking sheets, spacing about 1-inch apart. Also may use a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip Bake, switching baking sheets halfway through, until meringues are dry and firm, about 2 hours. Remove from oven and cool completely on baking sheets.

NOTE: Don't bake on a humid day, or your meringues may not dry. Meringues can be stored in an airtight container for up to five days.

Yields 36 cookies.

Chamomile Cooler

I found this recipe in one of my Martha Stewart books. It's a fabulous alternative to chamomile tea and perfect for summer!

5 tablespoonfuls of dried chamomile (or 3 chamomile tea bags)

2 sprigs fresh lemon balm

2 cups boiling water

½ cup orange juice

1 cup pineapple juice

¼ cup lime juice

1 cup white grape juice

2 ½ cups chilled sparkling water

In a bowl, pour boiling water over tea and lemon balm. Cover and steep for 15 minutes. Strain the tea into a glass pitcher. Stir in orange, pineapple, lime, and grape juices and chill. To serve, pour the tea into glasses to 2/3 full then add sparkling water, and ice.

Yield: 6 servings

Lemon – Thyme Tea Bread

2 cups cake flour, sifted

2 tsp lemon zest

¼ tsp salt

2 tsp dried thyme

5 large eggs

8 oz butter (no substitutes)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups sugar

½ tsp almond extract

Combine flour and salt in bowl. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs to creamed butter and sugar. Add zest, thyme and extracts. Add flour 1/3 cup at a time to creamed mixture. When well mixed pour into loaf pan and bake at 350 for 45-50 min or until done.

Creative combinations with herbs and flowers take little more than an imagination and sense of adventure. Enjoy your midsummer and cook up something fresh from your garden (or local organic flower shop!)

~Garden Witchery~,

Making a Solstice Wreath

Sun, Jun 01, 2008

Making a

Solstice

Wreath

Article Compliments of

www.new-age.co.uk/solsticecelebrations.

htm

Wear a solstice wreath and commune with nature as you celebrate this special time of the year - Summer or Winter solstice - they look well too!

It doesn't take long or cost much to put a beautiful wreath together. Any wreath first needs a secure base as this is the framework for any decorative material, such as flowers, berries, ribbons and ivy. If you plan on making a delicate, ethereal, faery type of solstice wreath you need to use a fine base to get the best effect - thin gauge wire is very effective.

The main materials used for bases in wreath making are: wire, straw or vines. If you want to make a fast wreath you can buy ready-made bases in wire, foam or straw.

The wreath was originally worn during religious rites in ancient Persia. The Greeks called them a 'diadem', meaning bound around. Wreath comes from the old English 'writhen', meaning to twist or writhe. Wreathes were first made by twisting evergreen branches into a circlets, and the Greeks and Romans placed laurel leaf wreathes on the heads of Olympic athletes, and olive branches on brave warriors.

In Germany wreathes were lit with candles during the dark winter days as a symbol of hope for the sunny days of Spring. In Scandinavia lighted candles were placed around a wheel, to ask the god of light to turn the circle of nature back towards the sun so the days would lengthen and bring warmth back to earth. A holly wreath was considered a protection from the winter spirits and if you received a wreath of birch it held the message that somebody loved you.

Wreath making materials

Wire - thin florist's wire is generally the best option as it's not too heavy to wear and can be covered up easily with flowers, leaves and ribbons.
It is also easy to shape by hand without using special tools. Florist's green or brown tape, or coloured pipe cleaners can be useful for securing and attaching purposes.
You can use the florist's wire to attach your materials to the wire base, then further secure and cover up any sharp ends with tape. It is best to attach your flowers and foliage in small clusters, working your way along your wire circle, wrapping the fine wire round your wreath as you progress. If you are covering the whole wreath in order to make a complete circlet of flowers (I think this looks the best) you will need to carefully tuck your final bunch's stems under the first cluster. If you cannot manage to cover all the wire, it can be easily disguised with ribbons and bows which should be in a colour and thickness to compliment your chosen flowers. Gaps can also be conveniently covered with bunches of berries!

Straw - make a natural wreath by shaping straw into a circle and then tying it along sections with string or long flexible pieces of straw
(try damping it to make it easier). Or if you want an easier wreath you can buy ready-made straw wreaths at many craft shops. You can make an attractive straw wreath by plaiting three long sections of straw, but this is more difficult for the novice wreath maker (I failed miserably with this technique first time, and ended up with a wreath more suitable for Worzel Gummidge than a fair faery! ) Straw does has an advantage over wire in that you can push the stems right into the base. You can also glue them in for added strength.

Vines -a really natural looking wreath can be made by making a circlet with honeysuckle,ivy or grapevines, but you need to plan ahead with this wreath, as it makes it much easier to shape if you soak the woody stems overnight in water. Entwine the damp vines into a circle and then leave to dry. If you have made the wreath dense enough, then you should be able to just push your flowers and foliage into the gaps of the vines. To secure the materials further you can carefully tie the materials onto the vines with a fine green twine and then further secure with green tape. I find big flower heads or secured bunches will generally stay in the vines by themselves.

With all the wreaths you will need to keep them sprayed with water for as long as possible before the solstice celebrations, otherwise you risk a wilted wreath! As part of the celebration it is traditional to cast your wreath upon a solstice bonfire for good luck, however, it is not advisable with the wire based one. Happy Solstice!

Making a solstice wreath

If you want a light ethereal solstice wreath - Titania, Queen of the Fairies style - get some narrow gauge wire (22) - from a florist or hardware store. Measure a circlet on your head and then just keep winding the wire round into further circles, finishing by winding the wire in and around the circles. Tuck any sharp ends into the base.

Take long lengths of ivy (previously soaked in water -makes them more malleable) and wind them in and out of the wire circlet, covering as much of the base as possible, tucking ends in between the wire strands.

If there are any obvious gaps you can push smaller pieces of ivy into the base and secure with wire.

Secure the bunches of flowers with wire, tags or tape.

Attach the flower bunches with green tape along the wreath.

The tape won't be visible if you secure it underneath the ivy leaves.

As you progress cover the previous bunch of flowers' stems with the heads of the new ones.

Any gaps can easily be filled by adding extra flowers or by winding ribbon around.

Once your flowers are all in place give your solstice wreath a spray of water to make sure it stays fresh and doesn't wilt on you!

To finish off wind a length of ribbon around, curling the
ends to complete the effect.

Place on head and then you can celebrate the summer
solstice in style - a Midsummer night's dream!

Ye Olde Witches Brew Magazine
Embracing the Vintage Witch

Litha/Lammas 2008

Gaia:Greek Goddess of Earth