Happy Yule!!

Here is the Yule Log I made. I had the witches over and we all made ours together and had our Yule ritual. I do not have the picture of the candles with the log, but what I do is use tea lights and I put 12 of them in front of the Yule Log and I light one every hour to symbolize the 12 hours of dark and 12 hours of light for the equinox. I also leave my tree lights, other holiday lights that are inside and my outdoor holiday lights on all night. I do love this time of year.

Happy Yule!!

Halo around the Moon

For the first time in my life I say the Halo around the moon. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life. It was early in the morning 2 weeks ago on Monday. It was around 6am and I was outside with my dog. It was cool morning and the sky was totally covered in clouds except for a huge circle around the moon. That was totally clear. I called my mom and she went outside to see it too. I couldn't stop staring at it. I tried to take a picture, but it didn't turn out. Here is one above from the internet.

I looked it up and this is what I found... The ring around the Moon is caused by the refraction of Moonlight (which of course is reflected sunlight) from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. The shape of the ice crystals results in a focusing of the light into a ring. Since the ice crystals typically have the same shape, namely a hexagonal shape, the Moon ring is almost always the same size. Less typical are the halos that may be produced by different angles in the crystals. They can create halos with an angle of 46 degrees.

The Folklore says that a ring around the moon signifies bad weather is coming, and in many cases this may be true. So how can rings around the moon be a predictor of weather to come? The ice crystals that cover the halo signify high altitude, thin cirrus clouds that normally precede a warm front by one or two days. Typically, a warm front will be associated with a low pressure system which is commonly referred to as a storm.

It is believed that the number of stars within a moon halo indicate the number days before bad weather will arrive. I don't remember how many stars I saw, but I know that Jupiter was right on the ring. We have some cold weather coming next week, so we will see.

I also try to keep a watch on the skies and trees, but another good indicator is the animals. I watch the birds, my horses and closest to me are my cats. My one cat would go into the bathroom when a storm was coming. If it was going to be real bad she would get into the bathtub. I never really thought anything of it, but I really pay attention now. I only wish she was still here in her cat form with me now. I do miss her and all of my animals that have passed on. My horses point there butts in the direction of the eye of the storm. The birds either don't fly at all or fly very high.

This Halo was a beautiful sight and I would love to see it again. Keep an eye out early in the mornings because you wouldn't want to miss this.

Fall Trip

We went to Sleepy Hollow, NY to see the Headless Horsemen. We went to the Jack O'Lantern Blaze. That was amazing. All the hand carved pumpkins and funkins. The Headless Horsemen and his horse looked great. It was so much fun.

This is the sign saying Welcome to Sleepy Hollow.

This is Ichabod Crane being chased by the Headless Horsemen.

This is one of the many many crypts that are in the Sleep Hollow Cemetery. This cemetery is so big. I have never see so many crypts in one place before. They were amazing. We saw the sight of were the original bridge was from the story. The cemetery added another bridge that sounds like horse hoofs are chasing you. Be sure to put your window down and drive slow so you get to hear it.

The Headless Horsemen and his Horse. It was so cool he would make the horse rear up and he would come up out of the dark. All you could see is the pumpkin glowing. I would go back anytime to see this again.

After spending the weekend in Sleep Hollow, NY we headed to Salem, MA. I was there 10 years ago and I loved it and wanted to go back every Halloween since. This year, however was a little different. I am not sure if people think Halloween is Gothic or what, but we did not have a great time. Some of the stores we went into were great while others gave us the creeps. Whenever I am around bad energy it is like walking through glue. A lot of heavy metal rock in some of the store and others just seemed like they were there to cash in on Halloween. Almost like no one had the true meaning of Halloween.

This is the Primitive Village located about 10 minutes outside of Salem. Hocus Pocus was filmed here for the beginning of the movie.

After that we traveled south to VA. We visited family and had a great time shopping at our favorite little area. We met up with my Aunt and had a wonderful time. I would highly recommend going to Sleepy Hollow, NY for some good Fall fun.

Natural Pest Control

Here are a few ideas for keeping unpleasant insects away:

Bird vs. bug:
Besides being beautiful to look at and listen to, birds will keep insects at bay, so why not put up a birdhouse, birdbath, or bird feeder?

Many birds (such as chickadees, house wrens, gray catbirds, bluebirds, warblers, orioles, some sparrows, and more) control bugs like mosquitoes and wasps by turning them into snacks.

Birds won’t eat enough solve your problem completely, but having a bird-friendly yard will surely create a dent in your airborne pest numbers.

Bat them off:
A lot of people are spooked by bats. So are mosquitoes, and for good reason. Bats are nature’s mosquito chowing machines. Some bats can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes per hour.

Installing a bat house will attract bats to your property and keep the mosquito population down. Put it somewhere nearby—it doesn’t have to be right next to your house. Bats come out after sunset and naturally try to avoid humans while hunting bugs.

Not all bats live in caves, and they love having a cool, dark place to “hang” out. Learn all about bat houses and how you can get one from Bat Conservation International.

Praying for prey:
Praying mantises are hungry, carnivorous creatures that will rapidly and ravenously eat ticks, mosquitoes, flies, beetles, and other insect pests.

You can purchase praying mantis pods that birth up to 300 for about $3-$9.00 per pod from online sources or garden shops. Just 3 pods planted in your yard will protect up to 5,000 sq feet.

This bug-on-bug defense might just be the answer to your prayers.

Water solutions:
If you are lucky enough to have a pond or marsh on your property, consider planting cattails or bulrushes to attract dragonflies, which also eat mosquitoes (and are usually killed by the same chemicals used to attack mosquitoes).

Certain fish, including one called the mosquitofish (no brainer), love to munch on mosquitoes.

Introduce these and guppies to your pond and let them feast on up to 168 mosquito larvae every eight hours.

There’s something beautiful about all this. Biological pest control is a holistic way of fighting insects through an understanding of the innate interactions of the many organisms that inhabit our yards and gardens.

Insect control is complex and no one method is sure to be effective, but these all-natural and educational techniques are certainly worth a shot. By taking full advantage of the natural processes in our local ecosystems, we can create much more comfortable summer surroundings that will let spend as many hours outside as possible.

Making Popcorn

My husband bought me this popcorn popper for Christmas last year and I just love it.

I also found the best Organic popcorn kernels.

It takes no time at all. I use about 3 Tbs of vegetable oil and then toss a few kernels in and when they pop I dump 1/3 cup of the kernels in. Start turning the handle as soon as you hear the rest start popping and within a few minutes you have fresh organic popcorn. Top it off with sea salt. The best treat!!

Non-Toxic Cleaning

I stumbled upon this while reading through one of my other blogs. I think it is great.

When I was pregnant I was lucky to be working at a bookstore, my breaks were spent devouring books of every subject with particular attention to pregnancy, parenting, healthy living and eating. I was carrying a miracle child and I intended to do the very best I could for her. I have always been very sensitive to chemicals and perfumes, how I discovered tending a household with natural cleaners I cannot recall but we’ve never turned back. Over the last eight years my love of the Earth and the environment has increased and with it a need to not poison it, after becoming a mother I became more aware of my actions and how they affected everything around me. I began holding myself accountable for my role as a child of the Earth. I started with some of the cleaners of my youth, spending so much time with my grandmother had it’s advantages, I began with the basics-vinegar, baking soda and borax. Now people often are wooed by the convenience that store bought toxic cleaners promise, no need to scrub, just spray and go. I find I get an ample workout from scrubbing, it’s a good way to work out stress and frustrations and why bother going to the gym when you can work those arms and stretch those muscles at home?

I’ll begin with the triad of the cleaners and follow up with other favorites that play a supporting role….

Vinegar is the most wonderful liquid on Earth, it disinfects, cleans, cuts grease and deodorizes. I use it for health and house, (apple cider and white respectively). It’s non-toxic and while the smell isn’t the greatest it does go away, vinegar is the mainstay of my cleaning supplies. My favorite tip? I add a cup of white vinegar to the final rinse of the laundry cycle, it removes soap residue and keeps line dried clothing soft. A natural fabric softener!

Borax is my second most used cleaner, for scrubbing the sinks, showers and tubs it is brilliant at keeping mold and mildew at bay and it leaves a clean fresh scent after rinsing. Scrub out the tub, rinse with vinegar and the borax will actually help slow mold and mildew growth. I also use this dissolved in water to wash out my refrigerator.

Baking Soda is another useful cleaning item. It deodorizes, makes a good scrubbing paste when mixed with some water. I make a carpet deodorizer using baking soda and pulverized herbs or spices. (my favorite is a rosemary, clove and lavender blend) To help unstop a drain (or to freshen a smelly drain) pour down some baking soda and follow up with a vinegar chaser. Let a stopped drain sit overnight and pour boiling water down the drain in the morning, more often than not the drain is cleared. Another use for baking soda is to pair it up with borax (a TB of each) into the dishwasher soap compartment. Add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle and you have beautifully cleaned dish ware (and a clean dishwasher to boot!).

As for other cleaners in my cabinets I use Bon Ami for those hard to scrub out stains, a little bit on the cooker range helps to get the cooked on food bits off. Murphy’s Oil Soap is wonderful for anything wood-based, if I am cleaning woodwork I add a few drops of citrus or lavender essential oil to the water. Lemons are another favorite though much of the time I’ll forgo fresh lemons and go to my bottle of Lemon essential oil. I have a collection of essential oils (”EOs”) for cleaning and general home health-The top five must haves include: lemon, orange, eucalyptus, tea tree and lavender. I also like to have thyme, grapefruit, rosemary and clove on hand as well. Many of these kill viruses, bacteria, you name it. Tea Tree is not recommended for use in or around pets eating or sleeping areas, however as it can be toxic to them. Here’s a few ideas of how I use each "EO":

Tea Tree: is used in a blend (along with lemon, grapefruit, lavender) for my kitchen and bath spray. I add a few drops to the water reservoirs in my humidifier and vaporisor (when in use).

Lavender: excellent moth repellent, I add a few drops to the final rinse of the wash. Lavender is also antiviral and antiseptic with a gentle, pleasing aroma.

Eucalyptus: Used in the wash (10-15 drops) to kill dust mites in bedding. I make a spray with 8 drops of the oil with water or vodka and spray down pillows and stuffed animals (which I then seal in bags for several hours) and spray carpeting to kill dust mites. I also add Eucalyptus to the bath, vaporisors or blend with a few drops of thyme and vodka to spray the air and surfaces whenever anyone gets sick. The kitchen and bath blend mentioned above works well for this too.

Rosemary, Clove-mixed with baking soda and sprinkled on carpeting to freshen. I also soak cotton balls with a few drops of either oil and tuck them in hidden spots to lightly scent the house.

Mints: Spearmint or Peppermint work beautifully to keep mice away. Spearmint also does double duty as a base in a relaxing bedtime spray for the wee ones. I blend a little lavender, sweet orange and spearmint (with water or vodka) to relax my daughter at bedtime.

There are so many other non-toxic alternatives for cleaners. With the increasing amount of birth defects, illnesses and such it is only logical to look to our environment and diets for answers. The world today, our homes, places of work and play are all toxically overloaded. Something has got to give and usually it’s our health or that of our children’s. Toxin-free cleaners are a good start to healthier living.

Copyright © 2006 Stephanie Lowell-Libby

Fall in Coming

Fall is definitely in the air. The weather has been so wonderful this past week here in south west Ohio. I must say that I do absolutely love this time of year. I almost want to start decorating for Halloween right now. Well my house has witches and brooms up all year, but at Halloween time there is so much more. We have started looking in the stores for ideas and items for Halloween. We usually host a large Halloween party every year at my Mom's house, but this year it will be at our house. I always hate to wish time away, but I can't wait. Following the Halloween party the witches and myself all gather for the Sabbat, Samhain. So excited for this is a time when we get to reunite with the ones that have passed on. It is always bitter sweet.

I was sitting outside today and all last week and started to notice that the leaves are starting to turn colors. The sun is also setting earlier. That means more hours of dark are coming and less hours of light. Now is when our ancestors would be making sure they had all the food and items they would need to make it through the winter. For there is only one more harvest left and it is only 8 weeks away. What I want to do for this winter, since we will now have the room, is try to gather as much fruits and vegetables as I can and either can or freeze them. I already have 6 jars of peaches. I will make peach and strawberry jam. Those will be nice on toast, biscuits or with pancakes, mmmm. Then we will buy all the flour and baking needs we will need for the winter and store them all away. That way we can try to be prepared for winter. I know that we do get ours from the store, but I am getting some from my local friends and family. We will also stock up on our meats and put them in our freezer. I am going to try to make a loaf of bread once a week and am going to try my hand at making butter again. It turned out great, but needed a little more salt I think.

The Full Moon is tomorrow. The witches and I will blog during our Full Moon Esbat. Till then.

New Moon

Today is the New Moon. The Moon is in Virgo today as of 10am this morning. The moon did go void of course today at 6:02am and then went into Virgo at 10am. When the moon is in Virgo this is a good time to take care of issues that require great detail. While the moon is void of course (v/c) it is wise to avoid making important decisions. Judgement at this time is probably faulty. Decisions tend to be unrealistic, subject to factors unknown at the time. New paths are likely to be plagued with false starts, errors and unexpected hassles. Don't make any major purchases or sign any contracts at this time. Wait until after it passes.
The new moon is also called the Dark of the Moon cause there is no moon in the sky. Sometimes also called the blood moon because this was the time way back when, when women have there menstrual cycle or blood moon. The day after the new moon is a good time for starting new projects, spells or ideas. Also, this is called the Waxing moon. You want to make sure your project, spell or idea is complete by the Full Moon.

Lotion/Oil for your body

One of the greatest things oils is Safflower Oil.

We use it as our lotion. I do not put it on my face daily, but if I have a sun burn or just really dry that day I will add some to my face. It has wonderful vitamins in it especially when you put it on your feet. Yes you will feel oily, but it is an oil. However, you don't have to worry about the Sodium Laurel Sulfate. We follow a simple rule... If you can't eat it don't put it on your skin. Your skin absorbs everything that you put on your skin into your system. You can even add essential oils to the Safflower oil to make it smell anyway you want it. My favorite scent is almond. I make another one for my son which has lavendar in it to help sleep easier at night.

Wheel of the Year

Some beliefs and Guidelines

When it is our time, the Witches enter the Summerland. The summer land is the wiccan version of heaven. This is where souls go after the physical death to celebrate the afterlife and continue our spiritual education. From the Spirit that moves and flows through the Lord and Lady, we continue to learn the mysticism of the universe so that we may return, life after life, to serve our brothers and sisters. In each lifetime, Spirit guides us through learning experiences, preparing us along the way for our individual missions. Sometimes we are born among our own kind, and in other instances we must seek out our spiritual family. We are the Witches, the representatives of wisdom’s growth on our planet. We are the Hidden Children, back from the dead. We are the People, the power, the change, and we have incarnated in every race and every culture. We are the angels of Earth.

We also believe in reincarnation. When Witches die we believe that we go to the Summerland. In this realm of joy and learning we reunite with those we love and begin to reassess our life on earth. When we are ready, we return to the earthy plane to continue to work out our karma. Memories of former lives often surface when one studies the Craft, though we must keep in mind that who we were isn’t as important as who we are now. Our task is to complete our personal missions so that we can become better people and enrich our souls. Witches universally believe that we are responsible for our actions, and we must accept that responsibility with clear thinking and an honest heart. If we become lost in following what once was, we can’t complete what we can be.

We do daily devotions. We take at least 5 to 10 minutes each day to connect with Spirit. You can talk to Spirit, hum, chant, or even sing.

The Magick Circle is one of the greatest gifts given to us by Spirit. Conjuring a magick circle represents a mental art of the Witches, a technique learned early in our training. The magick circle functions as our church, our holy ground, and a place to hold the power that we will raise until we are ready to release it. This circle also keeps out negative energies while we are working, so that we may be pure in our intentions.

Esbats are the 13 full moons that happen each year. These are working nights when the Goddess is at her full power. It gives the Witch personal time to link with Spirit. It is a good time to do spells and empower all your tools.

Sabbats are festivals. They are broken into 2 categories. The Greater Sabbats also called Fire Sabbats are Samhain in October, Imbolgc in February, Betaine in May, and Lammas in August. Then the lesser Sabbats also known as cross quarter Sabbats are Winter Solstice or Yule in December, Spring Equinox or Ostara in March, Summer Solstice in June, and Fall Equinox or Mabon in September. These are days to just celebrate, not for doing any kind of magick. Party have fun with friends and family. However you can still say prayers and of course give thanks to Spirit, the Lord , the Lady and for everything that you have in your life. A time to be grateful.

~Silver Ravenwolf

Wicca in America

Recent studies show that Wicca is the fastest growing religion in the US. They come from all walks of life, from teachers, doctors, police, etc. You just don’t know who is because of the various persecutions that Witches have experienced in the past. You’ll find Witches everywhere, quietly going about their business and practicing their faith in private.

Anyone can be a witch. The only requirements entering the faith of the Craft is your willingness to work hard to learn the many many facets of the system, and your dedication to Spirit.

First Post

Hello everyone... this is my blog about my journey through the craft that entails living an everyday normal life to hiding my religion to worshiping out in the open. My journey will include how we used to eat regular food and clean with chemicals to eating organic foods and cleaning with organic non toxic materials.  Our goal is to live in this technological world, but at the same time become closer to nature.  This is my first go around with blogging, but please be patient I hope to learn as I go. Hope you all enjoy the ride