Category Archives: Paranormal and Witchy Fiction

November 10, 2023 · 9:53 pm

Garlic and autumn roots )O(

Merry meet all,

Today I want to talk about planting garlic. I planted organic garlic today in my garden. Garlic and other root veggies are very beneficial for your health. It is a good idea to stock up on root veggies to protect our health during fall and winter. 

I planted garlic in the big wooden box because the soil is deep in the box. I hope this ensures the garlic will grow bigger and better. Garlic is not a perennial because I live in Atlantic Canada. We get cold here but garlic does benefit from a cold dormant season. 

I had no soil so I used soil from the other pots in my garden. The garden and grassy yard is so strewn with colourful leaves. I emptied two pots of soil into the wooden box. I used the shovel to break up and loosen up the big chunks of soil and mix it in with the rest of the soil in the box. Unfortunately, I had to put the soil in over the straw but I guess the straw will compost in the soil anyway. The soil that was in the smaller planters had plants growing in it such as nasturtiums, the tomatoes, beans and chamomile. The plants are dead and withered but the soil that they grew in was full of nutrients. Earthworms have tunneled through it. I think using that soil was better than buying sterile soil from a store. Using soil already full of nutrients and had the benefit of beneficial insects working the soil is going to pass on those nutrients to the garlic and the soil the garlic grows in. I don’t have to work too hard to make any nutrients as it has already been done for me by the little unseen heroes: beneficial insects, the weather, birds, and the plants themselves. True, there is the other plant box now woefully short of soil but next spring, I will add fresh soil then. 

It is so important to have soil full of natural organic ingredients. Our ancestors knew that. Back in the day, and all the way back to ancient times, famers practiced organic gardening methods. The garlic will sit there in the box all fall, winter to spring. The soil needs food to sustain the garlic during the cold season. The soil is now full of the nutrients it needs such as the straw, the Gaia Green organic fertilizer, compost, the leaves, and the garlic skins. Wow that is such a potent mix not to mention the insects that are likely nesting in the box all winter, fed by the straw, leaves and compost. What a potent combination. I will add fresh fertilizer and compost next spring and summer. For now, that will do the trick. This is making me so eager to see how the garlic turns out. Pesticides and other chemicals never offer a good enough benefit. I have a thriving garden because I never use any of those chemicals. 

It felt magical to use the soil I already had and break up the chunks. It felt good to plant the garlic. We turn inward during the winter. Also today the moon is in a waning phase. It is the ideal time to plant garlic during the waning moon phase because the garlic is planted deep in the soil. During a waxing moon, we can plant things that grow above the soil. 

I added fertilizer to the soil like Gaia Green organics and other fertilizers. I added the compost soil from my compost box to the box. I planted the garlic, cloves separated and pointing up. I watered the soil and tamped the soil down. I planted each clove of garlic a few inches apart from each other. I also added large rocks to the box. Squirrels and bluejays are fierce thieves. I don’t want them to uproot my garlic and dig their own holes in the soil, thereby ruining my efforts. I will harvest the garlic next summer. I am so excited about growing garlic. I just hope that this time I get the satisfaction of large bulbs. I was offered a mix of soft neck and hard neck garlic. I guess I won’t know which is which in the box till next summer. 

I am very happy too that I have been patient enough to grow compost soil in my garden. I added it to the soil where I was growing the garlic. I believe that the key to growing a great garden is having your own compost available. I believe that will greatly benefit the garlic and hopefully grow better and bigger.

Garlic is extremely good for your health. I will now list a few health benefits that garlic has. 

Garlic is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, and is a hardy perennial belonging to the Liliaceae family. Other members of this family include onions, leeks, chives and shallots. They are distinguished by their pungent aroma and distinctive flavour.

1. Contains a compound called allicin, which has medicinal properties

2. Acts like an anticoagulant, so reduces the risk of heart attacks

3. May inhibit the growth of cancerous cells

4. Has been known for its antibacterial properties

5. May relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-garlic

Does this make you want to plant garlic in your own garden? What are your plans for fall? Let me know in the comments below. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

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November 6, 2023 · 10:16 pm

Root tinctures & weird fiction )O(

 

Merry meet all,

I was out foraging for dandelion roots this morning. The earth is carpeted by beautiful autumn leaves, colouring the earth in a resplendent mix of browns, golds, yellows, oranges and fiery reds. I just love it and the weather was warm enough for foraging. I look forward to drying the roots in my dehydrator. 

I enrolled in the Business course at the Herbal Academy. The workbook is on its way to me. I am sure I will learn a lot from the course. I have to decide what I plan to do with my herbalism training. This course will help me with that. I still have a long way to go. The Business course teaches everything on how to manage a herbal-based business. Good thing too, as I don’t have the first clue. 

My bound book is so beautiful and cool. I ordered book corner protectors from Etsy. The corner protectors have an octopus on them to represent a character from Lovecraftian fiction. Here is the link: https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/1253357176/the-bookworms-from-shaggai-lovecraftian?ref=yr_purchases. I can’t wait to see how amazing my book cover will look. I have plenty to look forward to here. Now I have to write more poems to fill the pages of the bound book. 

I received the copies of Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird and the Halloweenthology anthology my story is published in. Both books are designed beautifully. I have to stock up on coffee because I shall spend many happy hours perusing the fascinating pages of Weird Tales. Yes and I have those three past issues of Weird Tales magazine to read too. I love to read, I am addicted to the written word. I will invest in a nice bookmark to accompany the huge book, 100 Years of Weird Tales. That is quite the book. 

That is a lot to keep me busy reading during the dark half of the year. I attended a psychic fair yesterday. I can’t recall the last time I was at a fair. It was so good to be at a fair and even better to be around real mediums. I hung out with the wannabe toxic queen bee drama witches for so long. I really enjoyed the fair. I bought a Harry Potter wand. 

I’m brewing a jar of apple slices in rum. I hope to conjure a brew of Apple Spiced Liquor. The potion has to brew for a few more days then I can strain out the apples. I cannot wait to sample the potion. The apple slices look beautiful steeping in the rum. It will taste amazing. I added cinnamon and cloves to the mixture. The apple slices have an amber color and the rum looks like a deep deep red/ burgundy color. I can’t wait to taste it. 

I am also making a skullcap and ashwagandha tincture. I am blending the herbs in two separate jars but I will eventually blend them into one. The intention is to use the tincture  to calm myself, ease stress and help me sleep. The calendula oil is still steeping, as well as the lavender oil is still steeping and the echinacea root tincture. 

I have dried the dandelion roots and the plantain leaves and seeds. I stored the seeds, roots and leaves in jars but I left the lids off. I want the herbal goods to have a chance to fully dry to avoid mold. I waited hours for it all to dry. It takes that long. If you don’t wait that long from morning to night, everything will be moldy and ruined. It takes patience and I have to stay home all day but I enjoy drying herbs – leaves, roots, seeds, bark in my dehydrator. I do not know how I ever managed to live without it. 

Before the frost hit my garden, I spread the last of the straw mulch over the garden. The leaves now cover the garden like a thick beautiful blanket. My soil, the beneficial insects and the roots of my herbs and other plants are now well protected. I harvested the echinacea seed heads. The frost has hit my garden but I know that even though the snow falls and the garden is laid to rest, in the spring it will be born anew. 

I would love to hear about your garden preparations for winter and tincture making. The Herbal Academy is offering a course in tinctures currently. https://theherbalacademy.com/product/tincture-making-101-mini-course/ 

Blessings Spiderwitch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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November 5, 2023 · 12:35 am

Spooky Interview!! )O(

Merry meet all,

Today I had the good fortune of interviewing Elliott Van Dusen, the director of the Paranormal Phenomena Research and Investigation. I’m sharing our lively discussion in today’s post. So sit down with a cup of spooky coffee and join us!

Elliott Van Dusen has (always) been fascinated with the paranormal from a young age. He has been involved in paranormal investigations for 25 years. He had an uncanny experience with an Ouija board that had initially been blessed by his mother when he was a child. Elliott and his siblings were searching for the missing TV remote {that had gone missing.} They consulted the Ouija board which spelt out the letters UTS. The next day, after consulting the board multiple times, the remote was finally found in the wine cellar. The letters UTS were in the wine cellar on a package.  That is hard to discount. It is possible the spirit/ s were having fun with his family because those letters did appear.

Elliott can link his passion for the paranormal back to watching the show Unsolved Mysteries and he worked as a police officer. He originally intended to be a homicide detective. The show X-Files, about ghosts and UFOs caught his attention. He uses {his} skills he gleaned while working as a police officer to interview clients in {the} paranormal investigations. His skills has helped draw out information from clients. He has a great structure and a talented team to work with in his investigations. One person is responsible for the audio, another for capturing evidence of ghosts in photos and another person who analyzes the gathered evidence. This helps the investigations run smoothly and why his PPRI has had so much success. 

He defines the paranormal and parapsychology as two different things. Parapsychology is the scientific study of ESP, or extra sensory perception including telepathy, precognition, retrocognition and the sixth sense. It is about the mind matter interaction, for example, if someone has the ability to move a pen across a desk with their mind. It is also the study of survival, the study of the spirit after death. Elliott always studies and builds upon his knowledge and expertise about the paranormal and parapsychology. 

Spirits can trick or deceive. They can’t fool Elliott Van Dusen but when {you are} using an Ouija board, he is quick to point out that they are deceiving divination tools. You can never be sure who you are talking to. You may believe you are contacting the spirit of your great aunt but it could be an entity like ZOZO. Some spirits are cunning and love to fool you. Caution is best. 

The paranormal is everything outside the realm of ESP. Parapsychology takes a cool scientific rational approach to the paranormal. The two are related yet separate. Since forming the PPRI, Elliott has had many eerie encounters in his investigations. He points out though that an investigation is mostly like watching paint dry on the walls but {that} there are the few times that it is genuine. He shared a few of his experiences that range from calm and explainable to eerie. He also believes that not all spirits are malicious or malevolent. It is true, they are not all evil. He and his team investigatedwith his team at one  house where a man had suffered a massive heart attack. The spirit of the man may have been trying to get the familys’ attention. They brought a medium with them who sensed that the grandfather had owned a tape measure and the family was worried that the spirit was malicious. They may have found peace when the medium named Jodi was able to accurately detect the man’s spirit who suffered the heart attack. This helped bring closure to the grieving family members. There was nothing evil in their home, just the spirit of their beloved family member trying to communicate. 

Elliott and his team investigated a home in Kentville, Nova Scotia where pennies were materializing. The residents left the house and let them perform their investigation. The way the PPRI investigators had set up the camera, it would be hard to walk by the camera in a particular room without the person entering the room being noticed or making a sound since the whole investigation was being recorded. So, when a few pennies had indeed materialized at the base of the camera near the tripod, that was viewed as a genuine apport. Wikipedia defines apports as this: In parapsychologyand spiritualism, an apport is the alleged paranormal transference of an article from one place to another, or an appearance of an article from an unknown source that is often associated with poltergeist activity or séances.[ 

Elliott believes in eliminating every believable common mundane explanation for a paranormal occurrence and only when the family has left the house, when the power has been shut off and the electricity is off, and they begin their investigation for x amount of time, do they then determine if the house is haunted and if anything genuinely paranormal is truly occurring. They take a steadfast scientific approach to their investigations and have earned respect in that way. 

They had another encounter with a family whose beloved Basset Hound had passed. The owners were preparing to go to bed {for the night.} As they were brushing their teeth, they believed that their other dog, who was alive, had curled up on the bed and then left the room. But when they entered their bedroom, the dog wasn’t in bed anymore. The dog couldn’t have walked down the stairs without being seen. The owners found the dog downstairs. So was it the spirit of their beloved pet that appeared to them that night saying goodbye? I would love to think so. Animals are more sensitive to their environment than humans are. 

Poltergeists are an interesting topic to the PPRI. In North America, we perceive poltergeists as just that: noisy spirits. In the UK, they are viewed as a collective term for any kind of spirit or entity. However the PPRI  explains poltergeists as psychokinesis. Here is a general definition of psychokinesis: “psychokinesis, also called telekinesis, in parapsychology, the action of mind on matter, in which objects are supposedly caused to move or change as a result of mental concentration upon them. The physical nature of psychokinetic effects contrasts with the cognitivequality of extrasensory perception (ESP), the other major grouping of parapsychological phenomena. Claimed effects of psychokinesis include levitation and metal bending; such displays are common, though fraudulent, in theatrical magic.” (https://www.britannica.com/topic/psychokinesis). Here we see the emphasis on a scientific approach, which is a solid {grounded} approach to take.

I would far prefer the scientific way to view parapsychology and the paranormal. My herbalism studies are very scientific. The study is long and hard and dry and yet fascinating.  Speaking from {my own} experience, I grew up in a {haunted} Victorian home that was haunted by an elderly lady waiting for her love to come home who never would. The house had French doors, the servant staircase, the servant room in the attic, and large windows, the mantle. I never encountered anything demonic, not once. People today may be quick to blame every encounter or sliding door or cold gust of air as demonic but that is a hasty conclusion to arrive at. The rate of everyone who goes on investigations blaming it all on a demon or assuming everything must be haunted almost makes you pity the nonexistent entity. Or maybe it did exist and haunt them, but tired of their haphazardness. 

A common haunting can last forever. The most common hauntings are very mundane: residual hauntings that are like a video recording playing over and over again and the ghost is barely aware of your presence. A poltergeist haunting can last from a week to a year and a half. It can be connected to psychokinesis. If objects are moving on their own, it could be the energy level or low vibrational frequency of the individual, usually someone younger. Most people don’t know this,but your vibrational levels will affect an individual and make him/her vulnerable to an unpleasant entity. People who struggle with abuse, addiction issues or crime are operating on a lower level vibrational frequency and continue in that way, then wondering why there is so much negative in their lives. If they raised and improved their vibration, the quality of their lives would improve. The PPRI finds near death experiences as fascinating as the other topics mentioned above. 

The PPRI are also interested in survival, or the ability of the brain to still function after the person has passed away. The brain is the most amazing system in the human body. The following link below will give you more information on this fascinating topic. Jeffrey Long is a radiation oncologist in Kentucky in the United States. He is also the founder of the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation. The PPRI finds NDEs very interesting and are pursuing this. And no wonder. It challenges long held beliefs about life and death where it was believed there was no scientific measurable in between realm. The following paragraphs describe what changed Jeffrey Long’s life forever. 

“Thirty-seven years ago I was an oncologist resident, learning about how best to treat cancer using radiation. These were the pre-internet days, so I did my research in the library. One day, I was flipping through a large volume of the Journal of the American Medical Association when I came across an article describing near-death experiences. 

It stopped me in my tracks. All my medical training told me you were either alive or dead. There was no in-between. But suddenly, I was reading from a cardiologist describing patients who had died and then came back to life, reporting very distinct, almost unbelievable experiences. 

From that moment, I was fascinated with near-death experiences or NDEs. I define a near-death experience as someone who is either comatose or clinically dead, without a heartbeat, having a lucid experience where they see, hear, feel emotions, and interact with other beings. Learning more about these experiences has fundamentally changed my view of the universe.” (https://www.insider.com/near-death-experiences-research-doctor-life-after-death-afterlife-2023-8.https://www.insider.com/near-death-experiences-research-doctor-life-after-death-afterlife-2023-8

The PPRI’s fascination with near death experiences is certainly understandable. I reviewed my lesson about how the brain and the central nervous system functions from my studies at the Herbal Academy. The lessons state that “If we were to view the brain under magnification, we would see trillions of cells called neurons. A neuron is the smallest functional unit of the brain and nervous system(Costanzo, 2010). It’s a specialized cell with long appendages that stick out from the center (the cell body). The cell body contains the nucleus and other organelles common to animal cells.” “One cell can have over 150,000 synapses so there can be a lot of communication going on in one tiny area (Silverthorn, 2004.)” So if the brain can still function for twenty minutes after the person has passed. Wow, that is amazing. 

Let’s now get to know the PPRI and how they manage their organization: 

The purpose of the Canadian Association of Parapsychological Research & Investigation, is:

  1. To pursue and promote studies in the field of parapsychology which is the investigation into extrasensory perception, mind-matter interaction, and survival of human consciousness after bodily death.
  2. To publish and make available to the public any such reports of research findings.
  3. To organize and sponsor educational opportunities on topics relevant to parapsychology through lectures, discussion groups, and demonstrations.
  4. To liaise and cooperate with other parapsychological researchers.
  5. To study definitions of extrasensory perception, mind-matter interaction including macro-psychokinesis, micro-psychokinesis, and bio-psychokinesis, theories of survival, and related phenomena and practices.
  6. To conduct and participate in classical and contemporary studies of psychical research in Canada.
  7. To develop, conduct, or participate in scientific experiments to determine whether evidence providing proof of psi and survival is possible, utilizing the scientific methods quantitative and qualitative research techniques, hypothesis testing, experimental design, and peer-review evaluation processes.
  8. To document accounts, anecdotes, and reminiscences of death-bed visions, near-death experiences, spontaneous apparitions, post-mortem spirit communication via mediumship, recurrent spontaneous psychokinesis, psychokinesis, extrasensory perception, and other phenomena suggestive of a continued existence of some aspect of the human consciousness after physical death.
  9. To establish and maintain a library of publications relevant to parapsychology, including books on parapsychology, psychical research, and survival after bodily death, and other related topics.
  10. To facilitate the transfer of documentation relating to parapsychological research and related studies to an appropriate archival repository.
  11. To create and publish research aids relevant to parapsychology, including bibliographies, directories, and other access tools.
  12. To obtain and disburse funding to carry out the purpose of the Association/Incorporation. (https://www.ppri.net/purpose/)

 To keep current, Elliott also regularly researches parapsychology and the paranormal. { to keep current about parapsychology. He says that there are many sites that offer current news about parapsychology. Google Scholar is the best place to start. However he emphasizes that it is dry scholarly reading- but interesting for sure! It is recommended to subscribe to the Society of Psychical Research who publish academic papers and journals and that most of the publications are free. Most of the journal papers are not too boring and stiff. The PDF journals are mostly free and accessible. https://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=society+for+psychical+research&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart

The PPRI steadfastly adheres to a code of ethics. He is quick to point out that there are unruly mediums who charge a high fee for their services of ridding a home of unwanted sprits. I would never do that and I would never give a querent a negative message either. Some of those unethical mediums will tell a person they are reading for that they will die soon or be doomed to spinsterhood. This is so soul crushing and negative and should not be shared to anyone. That is what separates the bad mediums from the PPRI. They do have an ethics code and this has helped them earn a lot of respect. The PPRI just hosted a successful symposium at the Halifax Tower Hotel. It demonstrates that the public is curious about the paranormal and appreciated a safe space to share their questions and concerns. 

To show their support for the public’s love for things that go bump in the night, the PPRI now offers courses to those who would like to learn more. They are currently offering two courses this month on Demonology and Parapsychology. https://www.ppri.net/capri-pec/ They will be also offering more related courses in the near future about the history of UFOs, an introduction to EVP, how to perform a paranormal investigation, how EVPs work, and how to capture it in audio format. The medium, Jodi Russell, will be a guest speaker during that course. Elliott Van Dusen’s wife Sarah, who has a background in Human Resources, is offering a 14- week course to interview recruits, show people how to be a strong leader and be qualified enough to perform their own investigations in the future. 

He has a talented team for the PPRI and they all bring their skills and expertise to each investigation they perform. https://www.ppri.net/about/team/  

Darryll Walsh, the Chief Research Officer, has a background in Doctor of Philosophy – Parapsychology, a Master of Arts – Counselling Psychology, a Bachelor of Arts – Psychology Executive Director of the Centre for Parapsychological Studies in Canada, President of Ghost Project Canada & Hypnosis Certification Member of the Society for Psychical Research. Elliott Van Dusen has a strong background in 

The PPRI was founded in Sydney, Nova Scotia, in 1997.

“We were among the first organizations in Nova Scotia dedicated to examining claims of paranormal phenomena. Later that same year, PPRI relocated to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In its early days, PPRI consisted of two investigators who conducted parapsychological research and investigations in Nova Scotia. By June 1998, the organization had expanded significantly, conducting multiple field investigations, gaining over 100 memberships worldwide, and establishing connections with various experts and investigative organizations.

In June 2002, PPRI merged with the New England Unidentified Flying Object Investigative Group (NESUFOIG) from the United States and the Paranormal Research Investigation group from London, Ontario. At that time, PPRI operated under a “Chapter” model, with Provincial/State Directors located in Nova Scotia, Ontario, British Columbia, Massachusetts, and Australia. The organization was incorporated under the Nova Scotia Societies Act on July 29, 2004. In April 2006, PPRI decided to abandon the chapter model, leading to its current organizational structure.

On June 21, 2019, Paranormal Phenomena Research & Investigation Incorporated was registered under the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 180.

On May 1, 2021, the Canadian Association for Parapsychological Research & Investigation operating as PPRI was incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act.

On August 25, 2022, PPRI relocated its office back to Sydney, Nova Scotia.

Today, PPRI comprises a small team of subject matter experts specializing in parapsychological investigations, research, and education. Our members have diverse academic and professional backgrounds, which, when combined, become an invaluable resource for our organization.

PPRI operates in the Atlantic Canadian Provinces and the New England area of the United States. Our team is willing to travel to other locations, keeping in mind that we are a not-for-profit organization with limited funding.” (https://www.ppri.net/about/). 

For anyone who is worried about things that go bump in the night, we can all rest better knowing that the fearless Elliott Van Dusen stands with his colleagues at the helm of the PPRI, Paranormal Phenomena Research and Investigation, awaiting your call. 

 
 

 

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November 1, 2023 · 5:55 pm

November Blues

 

 

Merry meet all,

Snow falls on the cold streets of Halifax. I am looking forward to continuing my studies at the Herbal Academy. I can’t believe how fast the year has gone.

I finished the book. I love how it turned out. I stapled the signatures and trimmed the pages at Staples copy and print centre. I glued the pages in and the finished book looks great. I am very happy with how it turned out. I now have the task of filling the pages with new poems. I want to add in the completed poems, not drafts. I learned a lot during the project and it may be a long while before I make another one, but I do feel it was worthwhile.

I tea stained the pages. I had dyed the fabric with goldenrod and I used the cloths to separate the pages from each other. I am glad I did that now. It made it much easier for me to form the signatures, which were eight sheets to a set, and I was able to create 12 signatures. There were 12 folios in total, which meant there were 96 pages in total. By separating each page and letting them dry for 48 hours, and being that patient. I was able to have a good set of papers to bind. I arranged the pages in the way I wanted, knowing that how I arrange the pages and then glue them into the book will be permanent. I repaired any tears or frayed edges gently and used glue. I used white glue, a lot of glue. I stacked them just to see how it would look with the covers. 

When I was sure, I went to the local print and copy centre, Staples, where I stapled each page twice using a long arm stapler. I trimmed the edges of the pages there too. My Mom carefully helped me fold the pages because if they are all relatively even, then they are easier to glue to the spine. So you can see a lot of thought went into this. I took real care and handled the pages carefully, carrying them in a special plastic folder and putting the folder in a plastic bag home from her house and to Staples. I bound the pages in, checking and rechecking that it was all the way I wanted it to be. I glued a strip of white cardboard to the front and back covers of the book on the inside to reinforce the spine section. I glued a strip of green cardboard to that. When I was satisfied, I glued a strip of the fabric I dyed with acorns to the spine of the book. I then glued another strip on top of that to help me know where to place the pages. So the spine had four layers, the green cardboard being the thinnest layer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I set a clamp over the outer edges of the tea stained pages arranged into the sets. I made sure each inner edge of the pages was touching the glue on the spine. I used a LOT of glue on the spine. I kept the clamp on the pages and let the paper and spine dry overnight. The pages were now set in the book permanently. In the morning, I was happy because the pages dried from being tea stained properly. They had now dried properly from the glue and adhered properly to the book spine. 

I love how it turned out. All those tiny and big steps all made a difference in how the book turned out. I glued my poem into the page and then I set about making the front cover fancy. Once the brown velvet was adhered with mitered corners, I could not tell the front cover from the back so I used my intuition. I could not feel the Celtic knot work I had etched in onto the davyboard on the front cover. I had to guess since once the velvet was on, it was no longer as obvious. 

I printed out a black frame border and coloured it all in black. I glued it to a piece of the print cardboard with a halloween orange pumpkin print. I like how it looked. I glued a felt witch to that. Then I tried embossing the front cover with gold foil, and I like how that turned out. I think the gold folio gives the front cover a rustic but more mystical appeal. Yup I am in love with it. In fact, I want to add a little more gold folio as it is missing in some spots. I have to paint the spots where the gold foil is on where I don’t want it to be. I won’t do that till I have the gold paint. 

I included a black and white photo tucked in a small envelope which I glued into the book, and I also added a note on the outside of the envelope. I had taken acorns from a grave and I wanted to show acknowledgement of that. I included a black and white photo of a scene in Mount Ollivet cemetery here in Halifax. I have to write more poems! 

Well I tried the gold foil adhesive. I think I need to get a better adhesive for the gold foil to stick. I just googled to apply gold foil to paper and got twenty different results but I will be right back to tell you about the method that worked best for me. Ok so gold foil does NOT work for me. Since Halifax went from spooky October to white winder wonderland in 24 hours, I’m going to paint the frame gold tomorrow with gold acrylic paint. I have to buy the paint but yeah I am sure that will work better. After taking all this care to make the book, I don’t want to mess up now. I will wait and I am sure the gold paint will work. 

Stay tuned to find out how that worked for me. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

 

 

 

 

 

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October 25, 2023 · 11:53 am

A Dark Inspiration

Merry meet all,

This post will focus on Samhain and my dyeing fabric project using acorns. Are you all excited? I am.

I foraged for a very big mullein stalk yesterday morning. The stalk was about six feet in length. I plan to use the mullein stalk to make hag tapers or torches with. I hope and hope the weather on October 31st will cooperate. I want to have the traditional bonfire. I always have my traditional bonfire. I will  prepare the mullein pieces, cut to size in a double boiler pot with melted beeswax. I will add herbs and oils. I want the beeswax to look black so I will add charcoal. An additive to make beeswax black can affect the way it burns. The charcoal is purely for aesthetic purposes. The popular herbs for Samhain can be used to enhance the beeswax and hag tapers. I would use aromatic herbs like sage, rosemary, wormwood, mugwort and rose. I can’t wait to make the hag tapers.

I’m making the dye bath with the acorns I foraged for earlier. I have treated the muslin cloth in a pot of water with the powdered album. I use the album to make the fabric take to the dye. I used a very large stainless steel pot and added the acorns. I have to ensure the water covers the acorns. I will continue to simmer the acorns for till late tonight and let the acorns soak in the water all night until about midday tomorrow. The longer that the acorns steep, hopefully the darker the color will be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I will strain the acorns and pour the dye bath back into the pot. The acorn dye bath has steeped overnight and I’m boiling it on the stove again. The dye has become a lovely dark brown colour. I know the dye will be three times lighter when rinsed and dried. That’s why I am steeping the acorns for so long, to achieve the darkest color possible. I will attempt to dye the fabric tonight and I may do a test patch too. I am excited to see how this turns out. The tannins in the acorns are what make the dye possible. Acorns are rich in tannins. It makes me feel so witchy, stirring a pot of acorns! The scent from the acorns is musky and earthy. 

Now I have to prepare for Samhain! I am sure I am not the only one. I pureed the pumpkin to brew pumpkin bread, perhaps some barmbrack bread and pumpkin soup. I may even try making powdered pumpkin and use my dehydrator. I want to harvest dandelion roots and dry them in my dehydrator. 

Fall is the season of abundance! I am sure the book I am binding will be beautiful. Last night, I worked on it some more. I watched a few videos about people who know how to bind books professionally. They sure knew their stuff. Some of it was a little over the top. I am binding the book to create a book for my horror poetry. I want to write another poetry book. I have a pdf of the Writing in the dark poetry workbook. I am not writing my rough drafts of the poems in that book. Of course the first poem I will put in the book will be the one I wrote and had published, about the cemetery, Encounter with Death. I want to stain the pages with coffee or tea and maybe other herbal infusions. Or dilute essential oils and add that to the pages. I want herbs to have a big role in the creation of this book. The acorns are already adding that energy. I did make three pages of paper. I added a few herbs to the pages too. I will tea stain those pages and add them to the front and back of the book. The covers and spine are cut to size. I cut a small rectangle on the back book cover so I can emboss that section. 

I also plan to include a photo of the headstone where I gathered the acorns by accident. I want to include a small note that I appreciate and respect the spirit for letting me gather the acorns. I’m putting the note in an envelope and storing at the front of the book. I thought of buying a taper logy set ( the decorative paper for making a junk journal) and dyeing the paper and adding it to the book. 

The fabric I’m binding the book with is muslin. I hope the colour will be a deep enough colour of brown for this to work. I want to attach a black velveteen strip to go over the front edges of the book. I also want to add 4 corner protectors. Most of the supplies are available at Michaels. I love that store. I want to also add an adhesive to the muslin once dyed to make the fabric stiffer and more durable. 

I considered making the paper for the book by hand. But I don’t have the fine art of making paper with a mold and deckle down enough. I plan to buy a pack of coloured paper at Staples and then tea staining it and trimming the outer front edges of the paper to add texture. I have a lot of plans with this project. Maybe this will finally make me write that book already! 

Golds, brown and black tones and shades will obviously work here. I originally wanted to use the davy board up. I had some remaining from my other project. I want to decorate the pages with crows, spiders and bats. This is supposed to be about horror after all. I will post more when the book is complete. I can’t wait and I can’t wait for Samhain. 

Blessed be, Spiderwitch

 

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October 19, 2023 · 11:51 pm

Magical advice )O(

Merry meet all,

Samhain is coming! Get on your broomsticks and dust off those cauldrons. Samhain is the third of the harvest Sabbats. I have had a great October month so far. Two stories published, two courses in Demonology and Parapsychology, a Paranormal Symposium and the Writer Digest Virtual horror writing conference. I can hardly ask for more. 

I want to harvest dandelion roots, brew elderberry syrup, hawthorn cordial and puree pumpkins to make delicious pumpkin bread and soups. I am so itching to harvest dandelion roots that I think I will get up early tomorrow morning and do just that. I don’t care if it is raining. The rain will loosen the soil for me. The dandelions have a more concentrated amount of valuable nutrients in them in the fall. Now is the right time. After that, I will dry them in my dehydrator. 

I was on a walk on the nature trail. It was raining so I could not take any photos. The nature trail was resplendent in autumn colours of red, gold, brown and green. Fall is the most beautiful season of all the seasons. I strolled slowly through the trail, admiring the colourful leaves. It was so invigorating! October is a magical month and every single minute of it should be enjoyed. 

Here a few pointers for you while you are casting your spells:

  • If you insist on wearing a robe with long billowing sleeves and you are burning candles at your altar, please at least pin the sleeves up and out of the way to avoid a fire. 
  • Don’t singe your hair. 
  • Shelters often don’t adopt out black cats and kittens during October. They are all too familiar with the horror stories of abuse or see cats returned to the shelter. This has a damaging effect on a cat as the cat will never know what was wrong or why it is returned. Donate to an animal shelter or if you see any sort of animal abuse, be sure to report it. Always have your phone charged!
  • Compost your pumpkins once done. Fill the pumpkins with peanut butter and leave them in the garden for the neighbourhood critters. Don’t use bleach to preserve your pumpkin.
  • Use organic gardening methods to help the pollinators in your garden. Practice bioregional herbalism. Join a community garden. 
  • Light a candle at the window on Samhain eve to aid the lost spirits. 
  • Honour your ancestors with a sincere, open heart. Hold an ancestral supper and leave a spot for them at the table.
  • Don’t feel that you have to spend a fortune to enjoy Samhain. I don’t. I usually use what I have over and over again. I take good care of my magical items. That helps me get more money out of what I spent. 
  • If you truly are weary of some of your magical books, gift them to a coven mate or to the local library. 
  • Don’t rake the leaves! I keep the leaves all year on my garden. They help the soil retain moisture and can be a nesting spot for pollinators. 
  • You can still make it rock if you are celebrating Samhain solo. Or hang out with fellow solo practitioners. They are out there. Just have to find them and you may find you have lots in common!
  • Do try to give out good quality candy to the kiddies who are trick or treating. Compliment them on their costumes. Be patient. They want to enjoy the night too. 
  • Learn a new skill. I borrowed a book from the library on innovative ways to craft smudge sticks and tried it. They are beautiful!
  • Mostly, enjoy yourself. The next October is a long way away. Enjoy it now. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

 

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October 5, 2023 · 2:52 pm

Spooky reads, horror movies and lollipops oh my!

Merry meet all,

October is the most magical month! Today’s post is all about how to enjoy this insanely magickal month! Whether that be which movie to watch, which horror novel to read and more!

I am a member of the Horror Writers Association as most of my darkling readers know, and that means that I sometimes get sent free PDFs to read from them. If I like it, then I nominate them for a Bram Stoker Award. That is a great reason right there to become a member of the awesome organization. I get to read the honking’ huge October issue newsletter and with that, are many goodies. So let’s dive in to the good gory horror stuff, shall we? You will only get the best of the best here!

First up, books!

Come on, reading won’t kill you. Sit down with a hot cup of cider or coffee and enjoy!

London native C.C. Adams is the horror/dark fiction author behind books such as But Worse Will Come, Misery And Other Lines, and Downwind, Alice. A member of the HWA, he still lives in the capital. This is where he lifts weights, cooks—and looks for the perfect quote to set off the next dark delicacy.

Adams has a story in The Black Beacon Book of Horror anthology releasing Friday, October 13, 2023 (yes, you read that right, Friday the 13th). The anthology features dark and disturbing tales of psychological, supernatural, folk, gothic, and cosmic horror that you might want to read with the lights on (or off). It’s big horror fun! You can read interviews with the authors at https://blackbeaconbooks.blogspot.com/.

Lydia Peever

September brings a full semester of reading to our desks, with a little nonfiction on the reading list, too! Short stories abound, so our backpacks and brains won’t get too overloaded with page count; though there are many new authors’ names to learn. Worth studying up in case there is a quiz!

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Midnight Masquerade
Greg Chapman
IFWG Publishing
2023-10-31
https://ifwgpublishing.com/title-midnight-masquerade/
Midnight Masquerade, a collection of Greg Chapman’s acclaimed and original fiction. In these stories, you’ll discover how the masks we all wear hide our innermost fears, and how our choices can expose true horrors. Also included are Chapman’s acclaimed novellas, The Last Night of October and Vaudeville, and the short stories, “Octoberville” and “Left on October Lane.”

Christmas and Other Horrors
Ellen Datlow, editor
New York Chapter
Titan Books
2023-10-24
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/727016/christmas-and-other-horrors-by-ellen-datlow/
Hugo Award-winning editor and horror legend, Ellen Datlow presents a terrifying and chilling horror anthology of original short stories exploring the endless terrors of winter solstice traditions across the globe, featuring chillers by Tananarive Due, Stephen Graham Jones, Alma Katsu, and many more.

Abject Fear
Paul Carro
Tether Falls Press
2023-10-20
https://paulcarrohorror.com
Dr. Mitch Trager, a brilliant but tormented scientist, is haunted by an unspeakable tragedy that shatters his world. In a desperate bid to save humanity from the shackles of terror, Trager assembles an eclectic team of scientists, each burdened with their own agonizing phobias. Together, they plunge into the abyss of the human mind seeking a cure for the most elusive disease of all. Fear.

The Weird Cat
Katherine Kerestman and S.T. Joshi
WordCrafts Press
2023-10-18
http://www.creepycatlair.com
A well-told horror story has much in common with your own cherished puss. Kitty jumps upon your lap and purrs, and you turn the page of your book. You are mindful that cats dwell in a larger world than our own, the gulfs and abysses of which we can obtain but a shadowy glimpse, through their eyes. In The Weird Cat you delve into that larger realm through more than three dozen classic and contemporary short stories, poems, and essays by masters of the craft.

Deathrealm: Spirits
Stephen Mark Rainey, editor
Virginia Chapter
Shortwave Publishing
2023-10-17
https://shortwavepublishing.com/catalog/deathrealm-spirits-horror-anthology
Editor Stephen Mark Rainey is thrilled to announce the release of Deathrealm: Spirits, a new horror anthology from Shortwave Publishing. This volume includes fiction and verse by authors such as Linda D. Addison, Meghan Arcuri, Larry Blamire, Maurice Broaddus, Brian Keene, Ronald Kelly, Joe R. Lansdale, Elizabeth Massie, Jeff Oliver, and many others.

Tomorrow & Tomorrow
Lillah Lawson and Lauren Emily Whalen
Sword & Silk Publishing
2023-10-17
https://www.swordandsilkbooks.com/post/cover-reveal-tomorrow-and-tomorrow-by-lauren-emily-whalen-lillah-lawson
A dark and twisted retelling of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, featuring an all-girl rock band straight out of Athens, Georgia; witches; ghosts; and murder most foul.

Along About Midnight
Dorian J. Sinnott
Raven’s Hollow Books
2023-10-16
Like every small town, Oakridge has its secrets. When October falls, Peter Harlow and his friends seek to uncover them at the Chapel Hill Cemetery—surrounded by jack-o’-lanterns at midnight. But what starts off as a fun scare for the season, an attempt to wake the Devil, turns into something far more than they bargained for.

We Used to Be Different: a collection of stories and miniatures
Elle Mitchell
Oregon Chapter
Little Key Press
2023-10-13
https://emitchellwrites.com
Sixty-two eclectic stories and flash fiction pieces with sixty-two miniatures to match. Take a journey through the unexpected in We Used to Be Different, the latest mixed-media collection from the creative and twisted mind of dark fiction and crip-fic author and multi-disciplinary artist Elle Mitchell.

The Devil Thinks I’m Pretty
Charlene Elsby
Ontario Chapter
Apocalypse Party
2023-10-13
https://www.apocalypse-party.com/devil.html
A teenage girl can sense the devil in the trailer park. A devil’s threesome allows him to fully possess her. She can see her boyfriend’s mind is wandering. The new girl will suffer enough for everyone.

Chasing Shadows: Convocation
Zachariah Jones
Water Sign Books
2023-10-10
http://www.thezachariahjones.com
The second installment of the Chasing Shadows trilogy. The story follows Jarek Videni, a young intuitive whose next step in his journey has brought him to Deadwood, South Dakota circa 1924. Nearly 50 young women have gone missing, and it is up to Jarek to try and uncover the sinister darkness tied to the missing women … and himself.

Foxfire
Rowan Hill
Bayou Wolf Press
Virginia Chapter
2023-10-10
http://www.writerrowanhill.com
Eight potential investors and acquaintances gather at the site of a future hotel in remote Lapland. It is polar midnight in the cold ancient forest, the sky is full of the flaming aurora, and the guests begin dying at an alarming rate. As the dwindling survivors rally against the spectre stalking the forest, an ancient force connected to the land wants them off and will leave only one alive.

Let Me Tell You a Story
Tim Waggoner
OH Chapter
Raw Dog Screaming Press
2023-10-05
https://rawdogscreaming.com/books/let-me-tell-you-a-story
Partly autobiographical, partly tutorial and diagnostic, each chapter in this book features one of Waggoner’s stories followed by reflection on the historical context of publication, insightful commentary, and exercises for writers who are just learning their craft as well as those who have already made a name for themselves.

Songs in the Key of Death
JG Faherty
New York Chapter
LVP Publications
2023-10-03
http://www.lycanvalley.com/2023/05/new-release-songs-in-key-of-death-by-jg.html
JG Faherty‘s first poetry collection explores a wide range of subjects, including technology, love, fear, death, the afterlife, and insanity. There are evil dentists and surgeons, parasites, cryptids, monsters, mad scientists, maniacs, aliens, evil plants, sentient tumors, ghosts, prisoners, serial killers, and more.

Spirits of the Dead
Keith Gilman
Severn House
2023-10-03
http://www.keithgilman.com
Spirits of the Dead is a masterpiece of supernatural horror, a tightly woven tale of possession held together with fraying threads of human emotion. Readers will be scared. They will also be moved.

The Devil’s Promise
Celso Hurtado
Inkshares
2023-10-03
https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Promise-Ghost-Tracks/dp/195030163X
San Antonio is full of secrets, and seventeen-year-old Erasmo Cruz investigates the strangest of them. After gaining renown for surviving the city’s legendary Ghost Tracks, he has set up shop as a paranormal investigator. But helping exorcize other people’s demons doesn’t seem to relieve his own; his best friend has abandoned him, his grandmother is nearing death, and his own health has taken a sudden decline. A new case hurls Erasmo into a dark web of cults, bargains, and broken pasts. Only one thing is certain: the Devil keeps his promises.

Thin Places
Barbara Cottrell
Vanishing Edge Press
2023-10-02
http://www.barbaracottrell.com
Bodies falling from the sky, a serial killer on the loose, and endless bureaucracy. Winter quarter has begun at Miskatonic University.

Blood in the Holler
David Sangiao-Parga
Woodhall Press/Penguin Random House
2023-10-02
http://www.davidsangiao-parga.com
A group of pro wrestlers run afoul of some meth dealers in West Virginia on their way to a show. Their only hope for survival lies in the hands of current company champion and former U.S. Marine Brick Lamar, who’s in a race against time to find them before it’s too late.

Impulses of a Necrotic Heart: and Other Afflictions
Red Lagoe
Virginia Chapter
Death Knell Press
2023-09-29
https://redlagoe.com/impulses-of-a-necrotic-heart
The heart rots with every trauma and every wrongdoing, and if we’re not careful the necrosis invades. It has spread across these fifteen tales of horror, ranging from sci-fi to supernatural, psychological to body horror. None of which are for the faint of heart.

Cold, Black & Infinite: Stories of the Horrific & Strange
Todd Keisling
PA Chapter
Cemetery Dance Publications
2023-09-26
https://www.cemeterydance.com/coldblackinfiniteKeisling
Down here in the dark lies a vast and twisted landscape where the wicked, wistful, and profane coalesce. This is where the lonely and lost face their demons, where anxious paranoias are made manifest, and where mundane evil wears a human face. For readers, the sixteen stories found within Cold, Black, & Infinite serve as a harrowing glimpse into the nightmarish imagination of Todd Keisling, Bram Stoker Award®-nominated author of Devil’s Creek and Scanlines.

Pre-Approved for Haunting
Patrick Barb
Keylight Books
2023-09-26
https://turnerbookstore.com/products/pre-approved-for-haunting
In this new collection, Patrick Barb explores themes of family found and lost, media consumption and the dangers of runaway nostalgia, the supernatural in our lives, and the impact of violence in both the long- and short-term.

Crawling: A Horror Anthology
Cat Benstead, editor
New South Wales Chapter
Hear Us Scream Press
2023-09-23
https://www.hearusscream.com/store/p/physical-preorder-crawling-a-horror-anthology
Prepare to witness grotesque metamorphoses that distort the human form, blurring the lines between flesh and monstrosity. This anthology dares to push the boundaries of the body-horror genre, immersing you in a world of dread and dreadfulness, delivering an unparalleled reading experience that will linger in your nightmares. With: Elecia Page, Danny Shaw, A.E. Santana, Elou Carroll, E.J. Bramble, Chloe Spencer, Caroline Barnard-Smith, A.R.C Mitra, Katharine Pollock, Tinamarie Cox, Kourtnea Hogan, Samantha Arthurs, August Blaine, Centauri.

Ascent of a Vengeful Woman
Ashon Ruffins
Dreadful Times Press
2023-09-22
http://www.DreadfulTimesPress.com
The town of Dalyville’s history of wickedness is catching up with its residents as an evil force that simmers beneath the surface boils over with blood-thirsty intent. The past never dies. It festers. It cultivates in pain, waiting to rear its ugly head and inflict suffering, terror, and vengeance, bringing everyone around it to their knees.

On the Subject of Blackberries
Stephanie M. Wytovich
PA Chapter
Raw Dog Screaming Press
2023-09-21
https://rawdogscreaming.com/books/on-the-subject-of-blackberries
On the Subject of Blackberries is a poetry collection that meditates on female rage, postpartum depression, compulsion, and intrusive thinking. Inspired by Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and under the influence of found poetry and bibliomancy, Wytovich harnesses the occult power of her imagery and words and aligns it with a new, more vulnerable, darkness.

October Screams: A Halloween Anthology
Kenneth W. Cain, editor
Maryland Chapter
Kangas Kahn Publishing
2023-09-19
https://kkpublish.com/
October Screams brings you twenty-seven tales of the greatest holiday of all, Halloween! Featuring stories from authors like Brian Keene and Richard Chizmar, Kealan Patrick Burke, Steve Rasnic Tem, and many others.

Hollow
Davide Tarsitano
DT Author
2023-09-19
https://www.dtarsitano.com/
The world of Peter Hanson, emerging true crime writer, is about to fall apart. His parents have been found dead in their bed. The case is quickly closed as an accident, despite the doubts of the homicide investigator in charge of the case. Peter realizes that sanity and logic have very little to do with the events unfolding. A dark force is at play: an ancient and insatiable evil that feeds off negative human emotion is on the hunt for a new prey.

Never Whistle at Night
Shane Hawk Theodore C. Van Alst Jr.
Penguin Random House
2023-09-19
http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/707468/never-whistle-at-night-by-shane-hawk-and-theodore-c-van-alst-jr-editors/
Many Indigenous people believe that one should never whistle at night: it can cause evil spirits to appear—and even follow you home. These wholly original and shiver-inducing tales introduce readers to ghosts, curses, hauntings, monstrous creatures, complex family legacies, desperate deeds, and chilling acts of revenge.

A Thin Veil of the Cosmos
Thomas Michael Thomas
Florida South West Chapter
Insomniac Cat Publications
2023-09-16
http://www.thomasmichaelthomas.com
An occult curious, small-town goth teen, Abagail Gibson, stumbles upon an obscure book that enables her to send her voice across the universe and connect with intelligent life.

The Caretaker
Cass Clarke
Hear Us Scream Press
2023-09-15
https://www.hearusscream.com/store/p/physical-preorder-the-caretaker-by-cass-clarke
Cara, an exhausted ICU nurse, reluctantly finds herself sifting through her deceased mother’s house, a task she never anticipated. While doing so, she unexpectedly uncovers her mother’s hidden secrets, including a mysterious haunted hospice bed. In a bid to confront these eerie revelations, she enlists the help of her loyal cousin Dylan and her enigmatic ex-girlfriend Beth, unwittingly leading them all into a nightmarish ordeal.

Darkest Days and Haunted Ways
Ashley Dioses
Los Angeles Chapter
Jackanapes Press
2023-09-13
https://www.jackanapespress.com/product/darkest-days-and-haunted-ways
Darkest Days and Haunted Ways is a collection of horror poetry that focuses on psychological horrors and terrors of the mind.

Girl, Incorrupted: a love-horror story
Megan Bledsoe
Arched Brow Books
2023-09-12
https://meganbledsoe.com/girl-incorrupted/
While trying to become the kind of girl her boyfriend says he’d marry, college senior Daphne James entangles herself with the local vaudeville star, an incorrupt corpse who thinks that Daphne can help reanimate her body. A love-horror story.

Never Wake: An Anthology of Dream Horror
Kenneth W. Cain and Tim Meyer, editors
PA Chapter
Crystal Lake Publishing
2023-09-08
https://www.crystallakepub.com/product/never-wake-an-anthology-of-dream-horror/
Where do we go when we dream? Since the beginning of time, people have argued the meaning of dreams. Are they symbolic visions that hold great meaning and personal significance? Are they portals into other worlds? Or are they just a series of random events our mind shows us when we fall asleep? Whatever the case, this much is true—the mind can be a scary place to venture, even for a few hours.

There’s No Way I’d Die First
Lisa Springer
New York Chapter
Delacorte Press
2023-09-05
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714580/theres-no-way-id-die-first-by-lisa-springer
A spine-tingling contemporary horror-comedy novel that follows a scary-movie buff as she hosts an elaborate Halloween bash but soon finds the festivities upended when she and her guests are forced to test their survival skills in a deadly game.

The Eerie Brothers and The Witches of Autumn
Sheldon Higdon
Pittsburgh Chapter
Scary Dairy Press, LLC
2023-09-04
http://www.sheldonhigdon.com
Twin brothers, Horace and Edgar Eerie, must travel back to 1692, Salem, to stop Hex, a judge and powerful witch, from entering the present world. He’s after the Four Seasons, totems that hold the seeds to the seasons, and once obtained, he’ll control all magic, the Hidden Ones, humans, and Mother Nature. However, dark family secrets are revealed, and they could destroy the brothers’ family, friends, and their future before they make it back home.

Who Haunts You
Mark Wheaton
Off Limits Press
2023-09-02
https://www.offlimitspress.com/mark-wheaton
High school senior Rebecca “Bex” Koeltl is just trying to make it to graduation. But when her fellow seniors begin dying in seemingly unrelated incidents, Bex uncovers disturbing connections between their deaths, including that the teens believed they were haunted by long-dead relatives their own family members swear never existed. After Bex is visited by a malevolent specter of her own, she realizes she has to get the bottom of this horror before she’s its next victim.

Vampire Dentist
Christine J. Whitlock
Ontario Chapter
The Elite Lizzard Publishing Co.
2023-09-01
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH3Q5HWK
Meet Dr. Moe Lars, a struggling young dentist with dreams as vast as the night sky, confined to a dilapidated warehouse as a last-ditch effort by his devoted Auntie Mae Lars. His unconventional journey from the bottom of his class to the heart of dental darkness results in a clinic quite unlike any other; one bustling with fanged patients and unconventional procedures.

Nightmares
Sandra Becerril, editor
Gauntlet Press
2023-08-31
https://www.gauntletpress.com/product/nightmares-an-anthology/
Sandra Becerril, the most renowned horror writer out of Mexico, brings together for the first time three Hollywood masters and legends of the genre, with thought-provoking introductions each author wrote to their stories.

The Foot Doctor
A.J. Spencer
Psychotoxin Press
2023-08-29
https://www.amazon.com/Foot-Doctor-J-Spencer/dp/B0CGL9T5VB
Gambling addict and criminal Chris Hawthorne gets injured on a job gone wrong and crosses paths with a doctor that has a grotesque hobby.

The Dead Shall Rise: Zombie Zombie Zombie
Jay Wilburn, Armand Rosamilia, and Erin Louis
Crystal Lake Publishing
2023-08-25
https://getbook.at/DarkTide10
They’re coming to get you, Brave Reader. Crystal Lake’s Dark Tide series will continue soon with more tales after this installment spotlighting three authors’ tales of the undead.

A Shadow of Your Former Self
Amy Grech
NY Chapter
Alien Buddha Press
2023-08-20
https://www.crimsonscreams.com
A collection of poetry and prose that “… takes us on an excursion of life through the eyes of a New Yorker, from 2020’s forced isolation and displacement, through facets of personal loss, to the devastating impact of guns on our lives …” – Linda D. Addison

Shallow Waters, Vol. 9
Joe Mynhardt, editor
Crystal Lake Publishing
2023-08-17
https://getbook.at/SWaters9
With 19 dark fiction and horror tales diving beneath the surface of life, death, and the mystery that lies beneath.

Bride of the Tornado
James Kennedy
Chicago Chapter
Quirk Books
2023-08-15
https://jameskennedy.com/books/
Every generation, a small midwestern town comes under attack by sentient tornadoes, and the only defense is a strange boy known only as the tornado killer. A high school girl finds herself drawn to the tornado killer, and she discovers the unnatural connections between them. But the adults are hiding a secret about the origin of the tornadoes and the true nature of the tornado killer—and our heroine must outrun the primeval power that binds them all before it can claim her.

Curse Of The Barrens: An Ameri-Scares Novel
David Simms
VA Chapter
Crossroad Press
2023-08-01
https://www.amazon.com/Ameri-Scares-New-Jersey-Curse-Barrens/dp/1951510143
The legend of the Jersey Devil takes a wild turn in the newest installment of HWA legend Elizabeth Massie‘s AMERI-SCARES series. Dominic Riley moves to the outskirts of the Pine Barrens where he meets a friend whose family harbors dark secrets, ones that could have monstrous, devastating effects on the town. This tale tackles bullying, acceptance, and dysfunctional families in a frightening story for middle grade and teen readers.

Shadows on Glass and Other Stories
Jamie Lackey
Pittsburgh Chapter
2023-07-28
https://www.jamielackey.com/shadows-on-glass-and-other-stories/
Shadows on Glass and Other Stories collects 45 fantasy stories, including three previously unpublished tales. Set in worlds only a few steps removed from our own, pushing at the border between the real and the imaginary, Jamie Lackeydeftly leads readers down paths just twisted enough to get lost on. From sentient stuffed animals to haunted terpsitones to friendly toasts, this whimsical and unsettling collection of weird little stories contains something for everyone.

Monsters Are Real
V.L. Jones
2023-06-28
https://www.amazon.com/Monsters-Are-Real-Collection-Jones/dp/B0C9SNDRLM
You will love these stories if you love cryptids, monsters, and urban legends. Monsters Are Real is a collection of stories about things that lurk in the darkness, waiting.

Bloofer
Cathleen Allyn Conway
London Chapter
Broken Sleep Books
2023-05-31
https://www.brokensleepbooks.com/product-page/cathleen-allyn-conway-bloofer
Bloofer is an intoxicating mix of the playful macabre and elements of dark academia. Conway’s illicit obsessions creep through like the full moon on a cloudy night: Bram Stoker, Plath in thrall to the occult, dark alleyways and haunted libraries. Bloofer hides razorblades between the pages that give a keen edge to this thrilling and mischievous collection of poems that disarm you with humour before they bite you.

Now on to other forms of spooky entertaining media!!! So grab your popcorn and cider/soda and sit here with the latest and scariest!

DVD

BOOGEYMAN—Tuesday, October 10. Rated PG-13. This film, based on the Stephen King story, concerns a grieving father, his two teenage daughters, and the monster his new patient has brought into their lives. Produced by Shawn Levy (STRANGER THINGS), it stars Sophie Thatcher and Vivien Lyra Blair.

The Exorcist movie is out and this looks to be a good one! Following that is Saw X & the Nun 2, A Haunting in Venice, Talk to me. You have a lot to choose from. The above selections were from the Horror Writers Association October newsletter. For those who are brave enough, then feel free to peruse those titles and/ or catch a horror flick or two! 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

P.S.  Have a sweet tooth? Of course you do. It’s October. I have already been through a package of candy corn myself. Read on how to make your own herbal goodness candy.

This recipe is two-fold, a little aromatic coffee brewing and a little candy boiling. Combined, they come together to form a delicious and unique herbal lollipop treat! 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ground coffee
½ teaspoon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) bark
½ teaspoon fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed
½ teaspoon cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) flower bud
8-12 ounces hot water
1 cup sugar
½ cup raw organic honey

Directions

  • Using a french press, add 2 tablespoons of ground coffee
  • Add in the cinnamon, fennel, and cloves; you can use either ground or whole dried spices for this recipe since they are going to be filtered out. However, do give your fennel seeds a little crush to release those volatile oils for an extra kick!
  • Add in 8 – 12 ounces of hot water to your french press, water amount depends on how strong you’d like your brew to be. 
  • Brew coffee mixture for about 5 minutes. Plunge and pour your coffee into a cup. 
  • Reserve this coffee liquid for the lollipops.
  • The next step is creating the herbal lollipop mixture.
  • Using a large pot, (this is important because your liquid is going to bubble and rise quite a bit) clip a candy thermometer to the inside of the pot. 
  • Place the sugar, coffee liquid, and honey into the pot and cook on medium heat to watch your candy creation form.
  • Stir and watch your mixture boil until it reaches 300 degrees, which is considered a hard crack. This takes about 20 minutes. 
  • Once the desired temperature is reached, carefully pour the hot liquid into a large measuring cup. This will allow you to pour with more precision into the silicone lollipop molds. 
  • Working as quickly as possible, fill the silicone molds before the candy hardens. 
  • This next step is more of a housekeeping tip, but it’s an important one. Quickly clean your pots and supplies. HOT, hot, soapy water works well. Sometimes I have to boil water on the stove to get out some of the remaining candy that gets stuck to my supplies. It’s a little bit of a messy clean-up, but nothing a little soap and hot water can’t fix. 
  • The lollipops will harden in the silicone molds. When they are no longer warm to the touch, they are ready! 
  • Gently peel them out of the molds to reveal delicious Halloween herbal lollipops.

To Use:

These would be perfect for a Halloween carving party. A unique treat that you typically are not going to find in the candy aisle at the stores. If you’re not serving them at a function, store any leftover lollipops in an airtight container in the fridge. These get pretty sticky, use parchment paper to keep them from touching and sticking together. 

 

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October 4, 2023 · 12:00 am

Preparations

Merry meet all,

Pumpkin season is here. The Paranormal Symposium is a few days away. I have been busy preparing for it. I can’t wait to attend. 

The beautiful black plush blanket that I ordered from Killstar arrives tomorrow! I can’t wait for that either. The blanket has a spiderweb print and will keep me warm. I want to download lots of photos of my ancestors for Samhain. I also want to make them a beautiful offering of golden flowers this year. I decided on goldenrod and marigolds, and maybe asters. I am sure they will appreciate the offering. 

The host of the Paranormal Symposium, Elliott Van Dusen, wants to interview me about my blog, The Paranormal Quill after the Symposium. I am happy about that. It is nice to get some recognition after all my hard work. I have had a long go of it. I will have to prepare for that too. It should be interesting. 

I bought a cool black glossy nail polish the other day. The brand is Opi and the color is black onyx. I love the color and the quality of the nail polish. I am almost all set for the Paranormal Symposium. I just have to decide what to wear. I washed two gothy witchy dresses and they will be clean in time for the big day. I bought a beautiful black handbag today on Spring Garden near the Public Gardens. It is so lovely. I hand washed that too, as it had a strong scent. I want to use that bag the day of the event. Yes this has taken a lot of thought. I need spending money for lunch and maybe cabfare. It is a day long event so that is why I have been thinking everything through. The black boots I wanted to wear aren’t ready. I have an alternate pair. The clothes are clean. Yup I do believe I just have to enjoy myself and relax. I even asked my Mom to give me a wake up call early in the morning. I take the bus so I have to get up early early in the morning. I have to be ready by 8 am to leave or be there at the time. I know where the event is to be held and I know which bus to take. Now the old me would have scrambled at the last minute. This time I have prepared well in advance. Yeah being this organized sure feels better. 

I even checked out hairstyle options. Maybe not that necessary but you never know. I mean we would seriously prepare for a job interview right? Right. I really want to make an impact with my appearance.

Penny will be groomed later in the month. I needed the money today to buy groceries and to pay for duties and taxes for the quilt to be shipped to me. I hate that but I had to do it. The blanket was 60% off. I wouldn’t have bought it otherwise, considering it is mailed from the States. 

I harvested roses, yarrow, black horehound, asters, lavender, apples and red clover. I dried them save for the apples in my dehydrator. Now they are stored in jars. The herbs look beautiful even when dried. I ground up a large quantity of black pepper and I ground up a loaf of white bread. I stored the black pepper in the same jar and stored the bread crumbs in a ziplock bag in the freezer. I want to use up the food that I have because it is so expensive these days. Yup times are tough right now. I am not buying a new outfit for the big day. I intend to use what I already have. That is what the happiest people do. They make the most and best of what they have. I have nice things and I try to make them last me as long as I can. 

I will have to get to know black horehound. I am not too acquainted with that herb but it is not that accepted amongst herbalists. One more herb to learn! 

I am a student of life! 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch )O(

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October 3, 2023 · 10:50 am

Canadian Hauntings )O(

Merry meet all,

This collection of true eerie tales is sure to put you in a spooky mood! Read on to get scared! Remember to stay spooky…

5 ghost tour guides share their favourite haunting tales from across Canada

Haunted hotels, back-alley apparitions and more terrifying local lore.

Blurry hands and body figure abstraction that looks like a ghost standing behind a glass pane with with her hands on it
(Credit: iStock/Getty Images)

Just as pumpkin spice lattes pair perfectly with leaf peeping, there’s perhaps no better way to get in the Halloween spirit than with a good old-fashioned fright night.

In fact, Canada has plenty of its own nightmare-inducing campfire tales to keep you lying awake in terror — take it from some of the nation’s top tour guides who specialize in spinning cobweb-covered yarns from the crypt.

To celebrate spooky season, we asked five of these pros to share their favourite sinister stories with us — many of which are associated with regular, real-life ghost sightings. So, read on, if you dare.

These stories have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Apparitions in Blood Alley

As told by Lydia Williams, owner and guide, Ghostly Vancouver Tours

I love all my ghosts equally, but what I love to talk about is the Woman in Black and the Man in Black of Gaoler’s Mews. 

The Alhambra Hotel was completed in 1887, the year after the Great Vancouver Fire. It was an opulent hotel and it also had a reputation for being a full-service hotel — meaning, you could get any kind of room service you might desire (wink, wink). I’m sure the building has its fair share of ghosts, as do many old hotels, but its most prolific ghost makes her appearance on the back stairs in Gaoler’s Mews. She seems to have a preference for dark, rainy nights, however, that is not absolute. She materializes as a stunning woman in long black dress with long black hair, and is often seen clutching her waist. Then, she straightens, glides down Gaoler’s Mews and disappears into Blood Alley. People theorize that she is a widow walking toward the hangman’s noose that once stood in Blood Alley. But was there ever really one there? I have doubts.

But what of the ghost that follows? The Man in Black? He is a well-dressed gentleman in a long black coat and bowler hat. He usually makes his entrance via the front door of the restaurant that backs onto this alley — now known as L’Abattoir. He’s so solid that the host or hostess will try to give him a menu but he simply walks forward, through the restaurant, often disappearing in the alley behind the atrium. So what’s his story? Since he is often seen seconds after the Woman in Black, one can reason the two had a relationship, but we can only speculate on the nature of it. Is he watching out for her? Or is he a customer still hoping to visit his favourite mistress? 

Back in April of this year, I had a mother and young daughter from Calgary on the tour with me. Once we got to Gaoler’s Mews, even before I began telling any ghost stories, the young teen looked up at the window above the Twisted Fork, and said, “there’s a man in an old top hat looking down at us.” I couldn’t see anyone so I asked her, could he be wearing a bowler hat? She didn’t know what that was, but it was an old-fashioned black hat. Apparently, he watched us the entire time we stood in that spot. The Man in Black often disappears into that very building, and the second floor was once a brothel.

Experience it in person: Ghostly Gastown Tour, 90 minutes, $27

The tale of the headless nun

As told by Shawn McCarthy, co-founder, Character Matters Miramichi

The legend of the ghost in French Fort Cove proceeds in this way: one night, around 1758, after having helped a woman through a difficult childbirth, Sister Marie Inconnue was returning to the settlement at the cove — at the time home to a battery of 16 cannons and a small detachment of soldiers. As she crossed the footbridge over Crow Brook, she was set upon. 

Some say it was a pair of leprous sailors from L’Indienne de Morlaix, out for revenge on those who had imprisoned them. Others insist that it was a mad trapper, wild and desperate from years living in the woods. Whoever he was, he was looking to extort the location of a buried treasure from the young nun. Sister Marie adamantly refused to divulge the whereabouts of the treasure, uttering only prayers for the redemption of the poor wretch’s soul. 

In a fit of rage, the maniac severed her head with a violent blow. Some say he severed the head so he could dig into her throat, thinking she had swallowed the map as she saw him approach. The head was thrown into the waters of the cove, and her body was left on the bridge. 

The settlers mourned the loss of Sister Marie for months. The militia attempted to find the man who had perpetrated this terrible crime, but were unsuccessful. Sister Marie’s death could not be avenged. Her body was sent to France for burial, but her head was never recovered. Since that day, it is said that the ghost of Sister Marie still roams the cove, still diligently protecting the treasure — and searching for the head that will make her whole again. 

Experience it in person: The Headless Nun Tour, 60-75 minutes, $15 Email CharacterMattersMiramichi@gmail.com to book.

Winnipeg’s ghost bride

As told by Kristen Treusch, owner and guide, SquarePeg Tours

This story takes place at the Fort Garry Hotel in Room 202. The urban legend is that the spirit of a woman haunts this room. She looks like a bride and lets people know she’s in the room in several ways. People have reported hearing footsteps in the room, feeling someone sitting on the foot of the bed, and occasionally, lying beside them when they were half asleep. She has also been known to leave wet footprints in the bathroom, turn the light on in the closet and mess with the TV and phone. If you are fortunate enough to actually see her, she’ll chat and then exit the room through the window.

It is said that this bride was either murdered by her new husband or witnessed him being struck down by a trolley car on Broadway when he went across the street to get something. When she saw this, she was torn apart with grief and guilt and [died by] suicide in the room.

I carry a K2 meter on my tours and it lights up whenever I talk about her; that’s how she lets me know she’s around.

Experience it in person: Broadway Ghost Walk, 90 minutes, $15

The ghost ships of Lake Ontario

As told by A.A., storyteller, Haunted Walk of Toronto

One of the most intriguing ghost stories I tell is honestly one of my favourites. It also happens to be tied closely to our history. While the Canadas were still colonies of the United Kingdom, we became the front line for the War of 1812. Lake Ontario was frequently populated by both American and British warships — with more than a few battles fought on the water.

One fateful day, the wind had died down. Unable to move their ships without the aid of the air, both sides were forced to wait on the peaceful water. The winds returned as a violent storm in the early hours of the morning. Two American schooners, the Scourge and the Hamilton, sank under the weight of their top-heavy guns. Over 50 sailors were sent to the bottom of the lake with them. The intense storm, filled with rain and lightning, only lasted a few minutes.

Today, the ships still lie at the bottom of the lake, their wrecks officially considered a national historic site — but that’s not where their stories end. A local legend has since emerged among some older mariners. This tale suggests the ships continue to set sail from time to time. One might see two ghostly ships emerging from the mist on dark nights with thick fog. The sailors who died that day, still on board, are forever trapped in their final moments on deck. Some even say that to see these ships may lead to a death on your own crew.

Experience it in person: Original Haunted Walk of Toronto, 75 minutes, $24.99

The haunting of Room 207

As told by Ghost Guide Daniel, overseer, Ghost Walks

I love to tell the story of Molly McGuire at the Prince of Wales Hotel. The legend talks about the house, which once stood on that land. During the War of 1812, as the American soldiers marched in, one soldier was sent into the house to check it for the British. It was dusk and there were no electric lights. Upon entering a second-floor bedroom, he mistook a shadow for a British soldier. He rushed in and ran the person through with his bayonet — only then realizing it was an innocent woman.

The woman was Molly McGuire, and the bedroom is said to be where Room 207 at the Prince of Wales Hotel exists today. Room 207 is considered the most haunted room in the hotel. 

A manager told us the story of a couple who stayed in the room. In the middle of the night, they awoke as something fell in the bathroom. Getting up together to investigate — neither wanted to do it alone — the wife opened the bathroom door, flipped on the light and saw a woman with long, dark hair staring at her from inside the bathroom mirror. 

One of our guides had a similarly spooky experience. While telling Molly’s story, she noticed a swing across the street in Simcoe Park. One seat was swinging violently back and forth. There was no wind. It was nighttime, so also no kids. 

She ran into the park to check it. The swing continued swinging, until a guest took a photo. After the flash, it slowed, then stopped on its own. The best part: in the photo, there was a big, bright orb on the swing seat.

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch )O(

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October 2, 2023 · 12:03 pm

Samhain Celebrations

Samhain is almost here. The energy of autumn crackles in the air. Today’s post is from another fellow Witch and she shares many ways to celebrate Samhain. Dust off your cauldrons!

Write a Samhain Journal Entry

Take a few minutes from your day and write down the changes you would like to see moving forward. What things are you ready to let go of and what goals are you ready to really tackle?

Many consider this the Witches New Year and it’s a perfect time for planning new beginnings.

Make a Witchy Bucket List

Make a list of all of the things you would like to accomplish in your spiritual practice in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Perhaps you want to learn more about herbs, kitchen magick, start a Grimoire/BOS, or begin connecting with a deity. Maybe all of those things!

Write them down and check them off throughout the year as you accomplish them. I don’t know about you but checking things off a list always makes me feel accomplished.

Have a Nature Walk

A wonderful way to celebrate Samhain, and any other Sabbat really. Take a few minutes from your day, go outside, and connect with nature.

Autumn is such a glorious season. As you are walking clear your mind and really take in your surroundings,the trees, the colours, the scents of fall, the way the air feels on your face. And during your walk give thanks to mother earth for all that she does for us.

Do a Meditation to Honour Your Ancestors

A meditation doesn’t need to be an hour long. Even if you can only spare 10 minutes from your day for this you will feel good that you took the time to make it happen. 

Sit somewhere quiet and take these few minutes to remember your loved ones who have passed on, think of happy memories, their smile, their favourite things and let them know they are in your heart and with you always.

Honouring those who have passed on is an integral part of Samhain and shouldn’t be forgotten.

Do a Quick Tarot Reading for Yourself

Even just a little three card reading can be beneficial to see a glimmer of what may be in store this year and give you a bit to think about in terms of you path and the directions and changes you will make moving forward.

Celebrate Samhain & Halloween with Decorations!

Embrace the symbols and colours of the season.

Surround yourself with pumpkins, skulls, ghosty things, and maybe carve a pumpkin. Decorating is a hugely fun part of the holiday, and a fun activity to do with the little ones if you happen to have any running around.

Bake a Halloween Treat Symbolizing New Beginnings

There is always some baking going on in my house for Samhain and Halloween. No reason not to infuse a little magick into your  treats this year.

Enjoying some special goodies is also a staple part of the season. Most holidays have food involved and Samhain is no different.

Light Candles for Your Loved Ones

Light candles for your loved ones as a sign of remembrance. 

You can place them in the window to help guide them on their journey this night where the veil is thinned and spirits roam.

Light a Candle for Yourself

Light a candle and recite affirmations for yourself.

Things you would like to see yourself accomplish in the coming weeks and months. Candle work is a mini fire ritual on its own, no huge bonfire required.

Have a Ritual Bath

A peaceful bath with some candles, maybe some oils and salts, to release negativity is a timely activity to perform on Samhain.

Releasing any negative energies that you have built up in order to enter this new year feeling cleansed and refreshed.

Cleanse Your Space

We don’t want to forget about our homes as well!

Simply burning appropriate herbs and walking through each room of your house will do the trick. Walk throughout your home slowly, focusing your energies and visualizing any negativity lifting away out into the aether.

It’s Not Halloween Without Costumes!

We usually have a party at our place and costumes are required lol. Alas, this year there will be no gathering of friends but that’s no excuse to not really have some fun and get into costume!

And it’ll be fun for the trick or treaters, if trick or treating is still happening in your area. And if not, just get dressed up and have a photoshoot, because let’s be honest that is always a good time!

Tell Ghost Stories

Samhain is steeped in lore about ghosts, ghouls, demons, and the like. All of these otherworldly creatures are said to walk the earth during Samhain when the veil between worlds is at it’s thinnest.

Embrace the spookier side of the season, make a hot bevvy and tell some stories. If you’re brave enough that is!

And you can check out this article from Reader’s Digest to get you started: The 13 Most Haunted Places in the World.

Watch a Scary Movie

What would this season be without some good jump scares. ‘Halloween’ anyone?

Charge Your Crystals

This Samhain is also a Full Moon. Take advantage of that energy and set your crystals outside to charge.

Charging your crystals under a Full Moon is a powerful way to re-invigorate their energies, and doing so under a Samhain Full Moon will be doubly so.

Host a Dumb Supper

During your evening meal leave a place setting empty for your loved ones who have passed and eat your meal in silence. 

If you don’t want to do the silent part you can still leave out the empty place setting. This literally takes no extra time out of your day.

Add Some Samhain Pages to Your BOS or Grimoire

If you keep a Book of Shadows or Grimoire add some info in there on Samhain.

If you already have pages on the Sabbat there is always something new you can add in. Some facts you maybe didn’t know or a new ritual perhaps. Be creative!

Keeping one of these is a wonderful outlet for both your practice and your creative spirit.

Create a Space to Honour Your Ancestors or Loved Ones

You can add these things to your altar if you have one but if not, you can simply set up a little space for them somewhere in your home.

You can put pictures, flowers, foods, and some of their favourite things. A simple and wonderful way to show remembrance.

Let Your Hair Down and Dance 

Dance has long been associated with celebration and life.

Crank up your favourite seasonal tunes and let yourself go. Dancing is a wonderful way to release energies from the body and can have you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Just what the new year called for.

Make Moon Water

Fill a glass jar with water and focus your intentions on what the water will be used for, take your time with this process so that your focus is clear. Leave the jar outside over night to soak up those awesome Full Moon energies.

Celebrate Life

While this can be a somber day when we are missing our loved ones, it is also a day that should be filled with life and celebration. 

This can mean anything that you feel is celebrating and honouring life. Indulge in your favourite foods, read a book, dance around your house, have sex…whatever it may be cherish the moments and really LIVE.

There you have it! 

These ideas, especially some of them, should be fairly easy to incorporate into your day if you are crunched for time.

Pick one or two that really call out to you and do them with vigour. Really enjoy the moments, take them in, and savour them.

You can of course do as many of them as you wish or spend more time on any of them if you have it. Take a long luxurious bath, do an hour-long meditation, perform a lengthier ritual, or dedicate your whole day and do 15 different things lol. You do what resonates with you and what your schedule will allow.

If you feel you got the most out of your day and are happy with how you celebrated, that is what truly matters.

You can also check out my full post on Samhain Celebrations and Correspondences for some more ideas and inspiration if you wish.

Your turn! Tell me your Samhain wishes!

Do you normally celebrate Samhain,  Halloween, or both? How will you be celebrating this year? I always love to hear your thoughts, so please leave a comment or drop me a line. There are lots of ways for us to connect

And if you enjoyed the post, remember you can SUBSCRIBE, receive your Mini Autumn Grimoire Bundle for FREE, and be the first to know about new content and exclusive freebies!

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

Credit to: https://www.thewholesomewitch.com/ways-celebrate-samhain-halloween/

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