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A Cauldron of Soil Spell )O(

Merry meet all,

The invasion has begun! It is inescapable. Penny has run out of play room too! Oh my what am I to do? Did I get your attention? Ok I’m referring to the invasion of seedlings that have taken over my home, Goodness there are so many plant pots in here. Burn a candle and light some incense! Play relaxing music. 

This post is about how to create your own soil mixes for your own tender seedlings. You DO have young green seedlings in your apartment right? lol

Well let’s get started. I like mixing up the soil.

Ever notice that plant pots are round in shape? I like to think of the planters and plant pots as cauldrons. They have a lot more to do with cauldrons than you think. This may just change the way you garden from now on. Grab a cup of tea and join me. 

I mentioned the benefits of purchasing and using good quality soil in the last post, right? There is a good reason for that. It helps your plants get off to their best start, off to the races running. or, in this case, growing. Let’s take it a step further. 

Set down newspaper on the counter or wherever you choose to work in your home. Put the plant pot or seedling plant pot on the newspaper. Be willing to get your hands dirty. I love getting my hands right into the soil but that’s just me. Place a pitcher full of cold water nearby. Open the bag of soil. Next tip: I put a cloth grocery bag (plastic bags are banned here). It keeps the bag from spilling or making a mess. Just don’t forget about it but you won’t, will you?

Mix the soil into the plant pot. As you do this, envision that you are filling the pot with the energy of the Goddess. (Use a round pot for this.) You will see why now. The pot is round, so is a cauldron. The pot is deep ( well, most of them are). So is a cauldron. The cauldron is the deep earthy womb of the Goddess. The pot is too once it is full of soil. Once it is full of soil, meditate and reflect on the earthy goodness of the soil from the Goddess and the pot too. Mix that soil up in your hands. Smell it, feel it, cradle it in your hands. Visualize the energy traveling from your hands to the soil. Feel the energy traveling from the soil to you. I always do feel the energy of the soil. That is why I never wear gardening gloves. I love feeling the connection.

Stir the soil with a wooden spoon or your own eager hands. Loosen up any clumps and remove rocks. If you want, depending on what stage of growing your seedlings you are at, you can add fertilizer. Mix in bonemeal, bloodmeal, worm castings, coffee grounds or ground eggshells. Be sure to stir thoroughly. As you do, mix well and visualize. Direct the energy of your intention into the soil. 

If you choose, you can put the seedling into the plant pot THEN fill it with the soil. After that, when you have centered the seedling into the pot, and placed it in deeper than it was before in the starter pot, add the soil. Be sure to visualize, direct the energy and feel the soil in your hands. Grow with love and you will get love. The DNA of the future plant is contained within the seed. So planting a seed truly is an act of magic! 

Once the seed is planted, in a matter of days a cotyledon emerges, a tiny sprout. That sprout can grow into an oak tree, parsley or a pumpkin. Don’t crowd your seedlings – their tender roots need room to grow. I watched my Mother transplant over three dozen cherry tomato plant seedlings. Some of the starter pots contained up to five seedlings! They are all growing in their own pots now, much less crowded. 

A plant is a living being with feelings. Treat the plant like that and you will be rewarded many times over with a plant happy to grow and bloom and/ or bear fruit or seeds! If it is thirsty, water it. If it droops, place it in more light. If it is crowded or rootbound, repot it. I can sense when a plant is thirsty. You can also use your hair dryer to blow for a few seconds on your plants. That signals to them that they should grow strong stems. If it is warm enough where you live, leave the window open. The wind that wafts in will help them grow! 

I hope this post inspires you to get growing your own plants! Let me know in the comments below. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

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Samhain Mysteries

Merry meet all,

The colourful leaves trickle down to the earth. The overcast sky hangs low. But the fiery leaves brighten the afternoon sky. I see a haze like a misty translucent curtains that has fallen over the backyard and nature trail. I like to think that is the elusive and famous veil between the worlds. Samhain is here, at least to me. I ventured out in my garden today to remove the frost blanket as I do everyday. The frost blanket shields the still growing plants from the cold. A pumpkin has begun growing in the garden – yes, in October. I found flowers on my haskap plant and the pumpkin regularly shows off flowers. I mean I don’t get it. It has not been too cold this month which could explain a lot. Even my cucumber vine is showing a new flower. I don’t get it. I do feel duty bound to protect the plants. Everything else has withered and died back. Everything except for the nasturtiums, lemon balm, thyme, and oregano and what I mentioned above. 

This is the time when pumpkins are harvested not grown. Ok if my plants choose to do so, fine. I shall do my best to protect and nurture it. I may get a small pumpkin before the killing frost hits. Who knows? 

Last night I brewed mulled cider. Yum! I also harvested mullein root for a tincture. I brought my cellphone with which has an app called Seek. The Seek app aids me by identifying which plant is which. Seek did identify the plant as great mullein. I dug up the roots of the plants, brought them home, scrubbed them clean and chopped it into smaller pieces. I bought a small bottle of vodka. I’ll let the roots dry out for a week to draw out any moisture in the roots and then mix it together. It will steep for 4 to 6 weeks after which I strain it out. I found and saved a LOT of nasturtium seeds and my Mom gave me a huge puppy of poppy seeds. I truly look forward to next spring. !!! The poppy seeds and the nasturtium seeds are stored in clean ziplock baggies. I love poppies. Next to purple coneflower and nasturtiums and pansies, they are the prettiest flowers. 

For all you horror fans in Canada hankering for a spooky The Haunted Museum episodes, Discovery Plus is now available in Canada! I am excited about  this good news too. You can subscribe now and then never miss a single episode. 

I tried to do a seance last night. But no spirits came through. I was a little disappointed but I made a true effort to commune with spirits regardless. I performed a spirit guide meditation, burned candles and incense and did a few divinations. I used a pendulum to tell me if spirits were close. Nope. I used my ouija board. Nope. I asked the spirits if they were present. Nope. Ok or at least as far as I know, the spirits weren’t there. They could have been hiding. I don’t control them. I wonder if the black salt I sprinkled around the doorways kept them from entering. Hmmm. 

Black salt, my own concoction, is intended to protect a home. Yet this is the time when spirits are reputed to haunt the realm of the living. The ancient Celts believed that. I blended white table salt with cauldron ash, crushed charcoal bits, black pepper and incense ash together in a jar. I labeled and stored the jar. 

A cat that mewed constantly and sought affection from me the other night has been found! The poor little kitty. It gets cold out at night here. I felt so bad leaving the furry mewing little wonder. The cat’s name is Gilbert. He is not feral as he did wear a collar. I wanted to hand him over to anyone who did own the cat but had no idea who they were. I tried carrying the kitty and considered knocking on every door till I got him back to his home. But Gilbert wouldn’t let me. Thankfully, since the owner is out of town, the owner’s friend returned the mewing little wonder home safe and sound. I am so happy the kitty is safe. If he got in my apartment, fang, fur and bone would be flying! Penny would have been pissed. It ended well, which is good. 

I would love, I mean love, to have another cat. Penny is having none of it. Ah well, she didn’t have an easy time of it. The home she lived in before she took over mine had a dog that was mean to her. Here, Penny feels like the big one and that is fine with her. 

This Samhain, please keep your feline furries inside. Some shelters don’t even adopt out black cats during this time of year. The cats face terrible threats such as being returned to the shelter, or killed by a car or another animal or abandoned. Abandoning a cat only hurts and confuses the poor thing. They will never know what they did wrong. If you do adopt, it is a commitment. So let’s show our pets extra love this season. !!

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch

 

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Dark Magickal Herbs and plants

Round the Cauldron

Merry meet all,

You may all love to brew herbs in mysterious potions as part of your spells. But what if you could grow them yourself? Not only do you get to have control over how organic and natural they are, but you can tend them and grow them to suit a specific purpose. 

If you don’t have room for a herb  garden, then grow them in pots. From seed to harvest, have fun growing the darker family of herbs. 

MUGWORT Believe it or not, you can order organic seeds. I bought my seeds from a local supplier, Annapolis Seeds, and from Horizon Herbs. It spreads through underground rhizomes. Mugwort is made into teas, dream pillows, and aids with psychic development. It should be in every Witch’s garden. 

ROSEMARY A good herb for memory. Its pleasant earthy scent reminds me of the earth’s scent during rainy afternoons. Use in teas and incense.

BELLADONNA Use this sparingly. If you don’t  believe me, watch Practical Magic. It is used as a sedative. 

CHINESE LANTERNS. I warn you, these plants are invasive. If you plant them, plant them at the back of the garden or near a garden. They grow those orange pretty dry paper like flowers. The seeds are inside. But they are perfect for arranging into an autumnal design. Dry them and save for a potpourri, wreath, or for a horn of plenty. 

GARLIC Plant garlic in the fall and watch as sprouts bloom in spring. The stems grow a few feet high. You can save one clove from each bulb you harvest and then replant in the fall for a spring crop. You can braid the scapes or cut them and eat them. When you harvest garlic, wait for the stems to turn brown and dig them up carefully. Include the roots and dry them to cure the garlic. The flavour is amazing. Use garlic to keep away psychic vampires! Garlic is renowned for guarding health. As you plant the cloves in well dug composted soil, charm or empower each clove to grow for protection and health. 

MOONFLOWER You can grow a lunar garden. Moonflower opens at night. It has a beautiful scent so plant it near a window to enjoy the fragrance. Moonflowers are perfect for a lunar garden. The large white flowers add the perfect mystical energy for an esbat. Train them to grow on a trellis. Lambs ear and dusty miller are lovely grey plants that also add to a lunar garden theme. 

MANDRAKE This notorious herb is known for being TOXIC. Handle it with the utmost respect. There are different kinds of mandrake. The plant grows berries and flowers. Wear gloves when tending it. Never consume any part of the plant. Use as an incense or for root work. 

Rue A true Witch’s herb, this mystical herb can be grown from seed or a seedling. I can say from experience, plant it in full sun. I planted one in shade and it never grew the next spring. I will pot it up in the fall and trim it back. Dry the leaves to use as an incense, tisane, infusion, or even in an ointment. The grey green leaves tell of an older time. Use caution when consuming rue. 

PUMPKINS I can’t think of anything that evokes more awe and magic than pumpkins. They need 20 -30 feet to grow. They need full sun and plenty of organic matter. Cover the plants with a row cover to help them grow, to keep out pests. Harvest in the fall and allow to cure in the sun for a few days. How fun can it be to carve your own pumpkin? Roast the seeds and turn the fleshy fruits into pies, soups or bread. Mmmmmm Pumpkins are magical and beneficial to your health. Let the vines compost in your backyard garden. I have a tomato vine from two years ago that is still composting! I also put my fall pumpkins over the spring garlic and tulip bulbs for nutrients. I saw no sign of the composted pumpkins but as they composted and gave their nutrients to my bulbs, but they can work wonders for your soil! Good soil is necessary for growing herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables. Use copper wires to keep out slugs. 

SAGE Ah yes, sage. Depending on which type of sage you wish to grow, you can’t go wrong with this herb. The sage for cooking is garden sage but for smudging and purifying a room prior to a devotion to Hekate, use white sage or clary sage. Use mugwort, lavender and cedar for purifying and cleansing sacred space. My guinea pig familiar Magic runs when I burn sage but Penny, my familiar cat, doesn’t mind. Sage can be grown from seed or a seedling. White sage is hard to acquire depending on where you live. I bought organic seeds and I had very little germinatio. I finally had two seeds germinate out of a 100 seeds. Empower the herb with the intent you wish for it. Use garden sage on your roasted chicken! Mmm 

WITCH HAZEL l I finally have my witch hazel, I have waited a year for this plant. You can use the leaves in an astringent or tea. Store the seeds or you will have ten witch hazels in your garden. Use the boughs for dowsing rods. In the fall to winter season, when everything in your garden has died back, the dreary days of winter are brightened by spidery, fiery coloured flowers. Make your own astringent and divine with the boughs. Its a permanent plant and you will need room. Give the roots plenty of room in the soil. 

You can order seeds from a nursery or acquire from a friend or from a nearby nursery. Research seed suppliers. Store your seeds in paper envelopes and they should remain in good quality. Use good quality seed starting soil. Save your seed starter pots. Wash the pots in warm soapy water with bleach. This kills any insect eggs. They should last a long time with care. 

Plant small seeds if you are starting from seed, which I am starting to find more satisfying, near the surface of the soil. Plant bigger seeds a little deeper in soil. Start in the early spring and late winter season. This lets you grow your seeds to seedling size and be ready in time for when the soil reaches the proper growing temperature and past the risk of frost. 

Think of your intent with your plants. Never use or grow anything to harm anyone. Grow your plants with love. Protect them from pests or weather. Provide trellises or supports if they need them and weed the garden!. Fertilize them regularly. Use your seeds, flowers, buds and leaves or what have you in moderation. They might be witchy herbs but you should only ever consume something in moderation. 

That said, enjoy your harvest! It is so satisfying to reap what you sow, literally, because it came from your garden and your own efforts! Once you have grown some of these lovely plants, there are so many ways to use them. You can make ointments for an astral travel, meditation, health, healing, foods, incense or teas. You are limited by your own imagination, Invest in some nice magic herb books like those by Raven Grimassi, or Scott Cunningham. They tell of many ways to use herbs and other plants. Save some seeds to plant next spring for another fall harvest. 

Blessings, Lady Spiderwitch )O(

 

 

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Yule Recipes for Rituals

Winter Wolf

Merry meet all,

Here is a incense recipe for Yule. You can use this recipe as you perform your Yule ritual, whether in a coven or by yourself. 

YULE INCENSE

  • 3 parts frankincense
  • 2 parts sandalwood
  • 2 parts chamomile
  • 1 part ginger
  • 1/2 part sage
  • a few drops of cinnamon oil

YULE OIL

  • 2 drops cinnamon oil
  • 2 drops clove oil
  • 1 drop mandarin oil
  • 1 drop pine oil

YULE SMUDGE

  • Pine for health
  • Bayberry for wealth
  • Cedar for protection
  • Bay for wisdom
  • Dried apple for love
  • Dried orange peel for happiness

YULE SIMMERING POTPOURRI

Add to a pot and allow to simmer. The fragrance will make your home smell beautiful and wintry. This gets you in the mood for a Yule celebration. 

Enjoy Yule with these festive recipes!

Blessed Be,

Lady Spiderwitch )O(

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Yule Magick

Winter Enchantments

Merry meet all,

Yule is a magical time of year. Trees adorn our homes and shimmering snowflakes drift by the windows. The chilly nights force us indoors, when families and friends share in festive fun. This article will show you how to make Yule crafts for gift ideas and decorations.

Yule Incense

Here is a Yule incense recipe to share with friends. You can feel free to adapt it to your needs.

Mix together the following ingredients: Juniper berries, cedar, pine resin and needles, mugwort, cinnamon, rosemary, and laurel leaves. Blend them together, stirring deosil, (clockwise) and send positive vibrations into the incense. Decide whether you want the incense mixture to be made into sticks and cones, or as loose incense. Fill a shallow pot with water and add your herbs to the water. The herbal simmering potpourri will make your home smell beautiful.

As you blend the ingredients, focus on your intent. The scent evokes aromas of a cold December night. You can use it during a ritual or to purify your space prior to the ritual. Measure carefully and store the incense in a sealed and dry glass jar. Never store herbs in a damp jar or the herbs will mold. Label and date the jar. Keep out of sunlight. Store in a clean jar and tie a ribbon or raffia around the lid. *Other ingredients to add are: dried orange peel, cloves, allspice, elder berries, holly, or lemon zest.

Yule Cones

Pinecones make great ornaments. Go on a nature walk to find some pinecones and acorns. Clean the cones and acorns, remembering to thank the trees for sharing their seeds. Rinse the pinecones under cold running water and put them on a baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for twenty minutes. The pinecones open up and the bacteria die. The sap dries and leaves a pretty sheen on the pinecones.

Last year at Yule, I painted a pinecone with silver paint and sprinkled the cone with silver glitter. The pinecone looked beautiful. Alternatively, you can put pinecones once coated with paint or clear glue, and silver glitter, into a Ziploc bag and shake the cones. Allow the cones to dry, tie a ribbon onto the pinecones, and place on your tree or a mantle to grace your home with rustic beauty and fragrance.

Cinnamon Stick Bundles

Bundle a few cinnamon sticks with a pretty ribbon or twine. Tie a bow and a loop at the top. Glue on pine or dried flowers, and sprigs of holly. Tuck the stems under the holly and use as a tree ornament.

Yule Sachets

Use a four-inch square of festive fabric. In the center, put a tablespoon of a scented herbal mixture. See the incense recipe above for inspiration. Bring the ends of the fabric together. Tie the ends with ribbon or twine, making a pouch with the herb mixture inside. Tuck a sprig of holly or a cinnamon stick into the twine or ribbon. Yule Epsom salts mix The holidays can be stressful with relatives visiting and shopping. The best gift for a friend is one that relieves stress. Here is an Epsom salts mix to reduce the stress of the season.

You will need the following: a large clean stainless steel bowl, a spoon, a measuring cup, a jar, a ribbon, cardstock (for label tags), sea salts, peppermint essential oil, and a candy cane, Epsom salts, and glycerin.

Empty the Epsom salts into the mixing bowl. Add the sea salts. Stir in the glycerin and six drops of the essential oil. Focus on your intent as you mix the ingredients. As you stir deosil, add your energies to the mixture. Stir until blended. Add the salts to the jars carefully. Create a tag for the jar and attach to the jars. Tie a ribbon around the jar and tie on a candy cane. Peppermint is zesty and invigorating, and evokes memories of Christmas in the woods. You can also put some sea salts into a separate bowl and add food coloring. As you put the Epsom salts and sea salts in to the jar, alternate between the Epsom salts and the sea salts to add color to the mixture.

These crafts are easy to do and affordable. I hope you enjoy these crafts and that you have a merry Yule season. Heddy Johannesen is a freelance writer with several published magazine articles, a book of poetry, two anthologies and Ezines to her credit. You can follow her on Twitter: magicka66, and at her blog: http://heddyjohannesen.wordpress.com.

My article was published in the winter issue of Essential Herbal magazine. 

Blessed be,

Lady Spiderwitch )O(

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Samhain Crafts

Samhain scene

Merry meet all,

Ooh Samhain is 3 days away!! Read this post to learn about awesome Samhain crafts!! The tools you need you already probably own. 

SAMHAIN INCENSE

2 parts cinnamon, 1 part ground cloves, 1 part dragon’s blood resin, 1 part hyssop, 1 part patchouli, 2 parts rosemary, 1 part sage, and a dash of sea salt. Add your ingredients to your mixing bowl one at a time. Measure carefully, and crush your ingredients in a mortar and pestle. As you blend, channel your intent into your herbs and resins. Try chanting an incantation like this one:

The veil is thin, the moon shines bright, I blend these herbs on Samhain night,/ Celebrating life and death and rebirth/ With these herbs from the cold earth/ I call upon my ancestors to bless and protect me this night. 

Store your incense in a labeled and sealed jar. Tie a ribbon around the jar and add a charm for a magical look. Use within three months so it remains charged and fresh. 

PUMPKIN CANDLES

Buy a pumpkin and cut off the top of the pumpkin. Scoop out the insides and save the seeds to roast. Consider what size of pumpkin you want. Gather your supplies together. You will need wick, wax, scissors, metal wax discs, a spoon for scooping out the flesh, a double boiler. 

Melt the was in the double boiler. Secure the wick in the pumpkin to the bottom of the pumpkin’s inside. Keep the wick straight as  you can.

Add scent or colour to the wax in the pot. It is best if you dedicate a pot to candle wax. Stir before pouring. Once you’ve poured the wax, make sure the wick is centred and straight. Prop the wick up. 

Once the wax has cooled, you might notice a small indentation around the wick where the wax sunk. Fill it in with some remaining wax from the pot. Trim the wick to 1/4″ long.  If the inside of the pumpkin starts to burn, extinguish the candle. 

PAINTED PUMPKINS

While we’re on the subject of pumpkins, give this a try,  I saw the coolest picture on Facebook of a pumpkin painted black decorated with a crescent moon. Now that I have to try. To paint your own pumpkin (any way you want- try a triple moon!!), you will need  a pumpkin! painter’s tape, and spray paint. 

Mark your design on the pumpkin with a pencil then cover with tape where you don’t want to paint. Spray the pumpkin with the spray paint of your choice. Allow it to dry for several hours before removing the tape. Paint where you removed the tape. Admire your artistic pumpkin. 

ORANGE CANDLES

This will make your place smell beautiful. Use a lemon or an orange and cut it in half. Eat the middle portion (of an orange), and leave the center-core like stem intact. Pour a kitchen oil like organic olive oil into the orange just below the top of the stem. Light stem. It will burn for hours and smell beautiful. 

ORANGE INCENSE POWDER

Buy some oranges- the smaller ones are perfect for this project. Peel several oranges and cut the peels into several smaller pieces. Put the peels on a cookie sheet and bake the peels in the oven. Make sure the peels are face down.  Let the peels dry for 3 to 4 hours, checking on the peels every 15 minutes. Turn off the oven, letting the peels dry overnight. Grind to a powder with your mortar and pestle to a powder. Store in a pretty jar. 

Have some spooky fun with these enchanting Samhain crafts!

 

Blessed Be,

Lady Spiderwitch )O(

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