Thursday 30 September 2010

Happy New Month

Hey guys its October!!!!! YAYAY!! Excited much, Goddess yes!!!

 I love love love this month, the build up to the New Year is always fun!!

Did I say New Year, why yes I did I count the New Year like the Druids did (do), which is October 31st.  This year is going to be amazing. Every Samhain has been amazing for me but last Samhain sparked my Youtube juices and in January of 2010 i started blogging.  So this Samhain is an anniversary of sorts for me. Yay a Year of vlogging.  My fall adventures are going to be Legen......wait for it wait for..and i hope your not lacotose intolerant cause the rest is Dairy. (yes its How i met your mother joke)

What are you doing for this month? Im sharing so much with you including my altar setup from last year!!!

I have the honor of participating in Mrs B's 31 Days of Halloween event and I can't wait!!! It's going to be awesome!!

I am also participating in another blog Party for the Domestic Witch, called what else my loves, but Halloween Blog Party.  Just click on the button on the sidebar and it will take you to the homepage of the party so you can see all the participants.!!
We are going to Blog, Hop and Follow; Im going to share all my links and some of my recipes (i have to keep some secrets there is always next year)  I'll share some of the books I read for Samhain & my ceremony. And my travels and the best travel spots for Wiccans, Pagans and anyone who really loves awesome stuff.  There will be recipes, plus incense oils and brew stuff even a great pagan celebration book, I'll also share about the local happenings here in CT, NY and MA, yes I try to get around a lot this month.

Please share, show and comment please.  Make sure you participate in 31 days of Halloween on Mrs. B's page.  Confessions of Pagan Soccer Mom.

Wednesday 29 September 2010

Paranormal telly: Wonderfalls

ahhh Niagara the beautiful falls that start on one side of one country and end on another.



This is the background for an amazing series called Wonder Falls.

It unfortunately didn't last long on tv but the series is funny and amazing. It stars a young woman who the power to talk to inanimate objects and they warn her about things happening or about to in her town. The way she gets her powers will crack you up!! Definitely will look side-eye O_o at that food from now one. Ahh man I love Jay, I wish they had kept the series going because she was pretty good, she's a college grad who works a minimum wage job and is in a family of overachievers she's the black sheep ( boy do I know what she is going through). He love interest is too cute and her friends and family too quirky not to love.

When you get a chance check it out, it will make you look at the bronze statue in your home very differently. Lol

Have fun watching my loves
Image courtesy of Bing.com

Tuesday 28 September 2010

Romance Book Reviews

In the field of romance a female dominated world its rare to see a male author ( we won't count Fabio O_o). Into this genre, comes an amazingly good author who not only writes well but carries believable stories about love, and inter-racial romance.  I read one of his first books years ago,  The really great author??? JJ Murray.

The author writes amazingly good books with fantastic and very realistic characters. They deal with real-life issues, ranging from dealing with their beliefs about themselves, trust issues, body image issues and cross-cultural dating.  I love the characters he creates, let me explain how romantic this guy is : his first book is based off of his love life with his wife!!!! Ain't it cool!!!

So here are the books to check out from our lovely new author:
The first book I ever read from him made me fall in love and follow him (ok kinda stalk him)


Something Real was the very first book I read from JJ and lent to a friend (never saw the book or the friend again Damn it); this book goes at the throat of what it is to date cross-culturally (or as people like to say inter-racially,m but since we are really all one race, the human race, with many cultures, I prefer this name).  Murray really points out how culturally we are under pressure to conform and follow along with the "norm" even though the "norm" may not be what is good and right for our true happiness and for our souls.  Murray also calls on the concept of God/Goddess stepping in to create the life your really supposed to lead, destroying what you had to help your really get where your supposed to go.
LOVE IT!!

The next one of the list is:

I'm your girl  This story is both sad, and amazing. You never know how one simple action can change a person's life. Murray also points out how small the world really is, and all we have to do is make a connection with one person to really enhance out lives.  Diane is a character i definitely could get behind (and not just because she loves books), even though she is educated and has many opportunities to have the life she wishes, she hides because of some of her perceived flaws, including the one's her mama keeps giving her (who doesn't have the ever so present mother and the questions?).
Although I sometimes wished she would cuss her mother out, I do understand where she is coming from and why it takes her so long to accept her new found love.  Check it out, its a good read.


Can't get enough of your love Now this is a story. Holy Moly wish I had her kinda dating life. Three men!! Well she finds out that its not easy either, I would have preferred it if she hadn't been lying to the men, but hey not everyone has my ethics or belief in polyamory.  Lana does some deep research into herself when she gets into trouble with the men.  This one isn't a perfect romance, it makes you look deep and she had to do some deep searching. I loved this one because it wasn't easily solved and it wasn't a "perfect" life either.

Renee and jay

Did i mention this is based on his OWN love life?? If I didn't well now I have, OMGosh I love this book also, it took a while to get to this one, because as I have said before when I'm reading an author's writing for a while I need to switch so i can get a fresh view. So when I went back to this i really loved it. It is a pretty awesome story, check it out!!  The characters have to not only beat their own issues with cross cultural dating, they have their families, and their communities issues to deal with also.

Original Love
What would you do with a second chance with a high school sweetheart?  Well Peter and Ebony get that chance, years after they were separated by their families. Peter and Ebony re-unite, Peter has harbored his secret love for Ebony and has made her his muse, as he writes her as his main character in many of his books.  it's a another chance to correct the past mistake and move beyond others expectations. This is another of my LOVE it books, i have re-read this one quite a bit actually because I think this one is a really good story. (I guess we all wish we could have that second chance)

JJ has more books out that I'm getting to, I haven't finished all the books so I can't do all the reviews for them yet, but darn do they look good.

They include:

The Real Thing


Too much of a good thing      

She's the One which comes out in 2011 and seems to only be listed on his webpage so i can't link to Amazon.

So I hope you enjoy these books!!!
Happy Reading my loves
Image courtesy of Bing.com

Monday 27 September 2010

Health Movies

Hello readers
goodhealth
These are just some good movies which discuss our food supply and how they affect our health.

There are more and more people paying attention to where our food comes from and how it affects our health, Here are some of the movies you can check out to learn how what you put in your mouth affects your life:

"Food Inc" many know of this film because Oprah had it on her show, This shows how corporate farms are taking over the faming industry and what is happening in our food.  This is only film not on Hulu.com at this time, but check your nearest Redbox.com or even your library, or if not purchase it and loan it to friends (just keep track of it)

foodinc

"The future of food" looks at how our food is being changed.and what is really going on with companies like Dupont and Monsanto “creating” new food so that they can patent it,

futureoffood

The next one is The Corporation and how pervasive advertising companies and their main Corporations have managed to become ingrained into our lives. Ever noticed how effectively your kids can argue for that toy? Well Corporations have found a way to teach them this in that small commercial on tv, a must see movie.

thecrop
This last one "Supersize Me" we all know because once again this one was also on Oprah, and has caused many companies McDonald's in particular to cut down on the “Super-size” option, This just shows that when people know things we can change it,  It also launched his documentary series "30 days" which is also so amazing to watch and now on Planet Green.

supersizeme
Well good luck defending your health now that you know
The best part about these movies??? You can watch the, on Hulu.com simply click on each film title and it will take you there.!!

Blessed Be
bythebroom blogsig

Sunday 26 September 2010

Book Review:


Hi my dear readers, I have two new books that you can check out when you can.

Its a series put out by Silhouette Nocturne.

Linda Jones Winstead "Raintree: Haunted"

Beverly Barton " Raintree: Sanctuary"

Linda Howard " Raintree: Inferno"

The series follows the Raintree siblings who are all gifted with different talents. This is how the meet their life-mates and their destinies.
Each story is unique yet coincides well with the other, never messing up the other's story (which is pretty hard to do sometimes).  Each of the stories can stand alone, I actually love them.  Each story gets better, The last one was pretty good, which takes the story further than the others. The characters are well written, and go very in depth, they draw you in from the beginning and make you love the characters.

Inferno by New York Times bestselling author Linda Howard
Two hundred years after the Raintree clan defeated them, the Ansara wizards are rising up again to take on their bitterest foes. As king, it's up to Dante Raintree to protect his clan, but when Lorna Clay walks into his life, suddenly fire, always his to control, defeats him, leaving him wondering whether Lorna is to blame. Will Dante's strength be enough to win the fight of his life?
Sanctuary by New York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton
For Mercy Raintree, war with the evil Ansara clan means she must assume her position as guardian of the Sanctuary—the sacred Raintree home deep in the Smoky Mountains. But doing so threatens to disclose her most precious secret. Dranir Judah Ansara wants to kill Mercy, personally. Then he comes face-to-face with her—and with her daughter, Eve.
Will Mercy's closely guarded secret change not only the outcome of the battle…but also Judah's own bitter heart?
Haunted by RITA® Award winner Linda Winstead Jones
Homicide detective Gideon Raintree can harness electricity and talk to ghosts. To solve his newest case—a relentless serial killer unleashed by the dark Ansara wizards—he will need to wield gifts he's kept hidden. With evil lurking at every turn, Gideon and his alluring new partner, Hope Mallory, are in a race against time to save their love, their family…and their newly conceived child.

Hope you enjoy them,

Saturday 25 September 2010

Practical Magic Blog Party Part 2

                                         Welcome To Part Two: of the Practical Magic Party

Hello my loves
There is a scene in the movie when Sally’s family is about to sit down to breakfast, as a precusor to the scene we see the children and Gilly creating a concoction, one in which she wanted to get rid of Gary.

This was magical syrup, since the intent of most magic is not to bring Harm, I will be remaking this recipe to instead bring sweet words to your family’s lips so you can communicate better, or even enhance your own communication skills.  We don’t wish to bind anyone to us against their will so we will clearly state that first
With Harm To None
Do What Ye Will   

How to Make Magical Honey
Ingredients:
Lavender – best used to heal love problems (arguments)
as it has a calming effect.
Rosebuds- (or rose petals) great to draw love and enhance love communication.
Wide mouth jar
1 cup honey
enough of either rose or lavender to fill 1/4 of the jar
(fresh is best)

Directions: (Mundane):


  • Fill the jar with lavender/ Rose flowers (petals) then place 1 cup honey.
  • Stir Well
  • Fill up with more honey
  • Cover and store, label well
  • stir each day for a week; leave for two weeks
  • You can then strain it if you wish
  • Store well and it can last for up to three years
Directions: (Magical)::

  • Wash bless and cleanse the jar you will be storing your honey in.
  • Set-up a kitchen altar, with some Water (wine, or beer) for the Goddess.
  • Invoke your circle or Summon the Goddess to witness the right
  • Cleary state what you wish this to help in: “I wish to enhance communication with my lover (partner) and wish for my words to taste as sweet as this honey”
homemade
  • Imagine as you add the honey to the petals or the lavender to what you are imbuing it with the intent, Re-enact in your mind how this enhances your communication, how the words are received and how your partner reacts
  • Make offering, close circle as always.
  • Each time you stir add more energy to the honey
  • Serve with Love!!
How to Make Charmed Syrup

Mundane Directions:
Ingredients
  • 12 cups fruit (black, blue, rasp or strawberries)
  • 2 cups Water
  • 3 cups sugar (can use substitute like Agave or even brown sugar just use 1 1/2 cups )\
Directions
  • Wash and clean berries (removing any greens from them)
  • Place in a large enough pot and crush 1/2 at a time
  • Add water and bring to a boil, reduce heat,
  • Cook uncovered over low heat for 5 mins stirring occasionally
  • Line a strainer or coriander with 100% cotton cheesecloth (double layered)
  • Set over a bowl, strain mixture into bowl Press to get as much juice out as possible
Measure: 6 cups juice
  • In a large pan heat the juice to a rolling boil, stir in sugar. Continue boiling until mixture is slightly thickened, about 30 mins
  • Pour into sterilized jar leaving 1/4 in headspace
  • Allow to cool and store, Label well
Equals 56 one tablespoon servings; 56 calories, 1mg of sodium; 13g of Carbs; 1g Fiber; 30% of daily value of Vitamin C

Magical Directions:

  • Bless and Thank the gods for the fruit.  Request that the Goddess lend her blessings upon the right
  • Infuse the mixture with your energy & intent as you stir.\
  • Always stir clockwise
  • You can also add different falvors to the mix, add in vanilla (real not synthetic) just a few drops
Used to inspire lust, use with caution

Hope you have as much fun making these as I did.
Blessed Be dear readers


True Love “Amas Veritas”

 Oh my loves….Welcome to Practical Magic Blog Party.
As the title says I will be doing the Amas Veritas Spell with a little twist:

During the Victorian Era, flowers took on a special meaning to give a person a flower conveyed so much more than like or dislike, the flowers carried messages.
If you gave a flower in the Left hand you were telling the person “No”  and the Right hand meant “Yes”
In the movie, Sally pulled all the flowers with her right hand when stating what she wished for in her dream man. This reaffirmed what she was saying as she made her requests. 
If one took notice she not only pulled carnations, she also pulled many different colored roses. (being that they lived in a Victorian home) all the flowers have some Victorian meaning.

                    The Meaning:: each color & variety has a different meaning.

Roses – love
Arbutus - thee only do I love
Aster - symbol of love, talisman of love
Chinese Aster- fidelity, I will think only of thee
Balsam -  ardent love
Birds of Paradise – often give from a woman to a man as a symbol of faithfulness
Bittersweet- truth
Lady’s Seal/ Black Bryant – be my support
Broom- humility, neatness
Buttercup – riches,
Cactus – endurance, my heart burns with love
Cattail – peace, prosperity
Cedar- think of me, I live but for thee
Chamomile -  energy in action
Figwort/Celandine – future joy
Chicory – frugality
Chrysanthemum (yellow)- abundant & wealth
(red)- love
(white)- truth

Victorian  Rose Lore:


1 Yellow with 11 Red  roses  inspires deep passionate love
Tea Roses – I’ll remember always Coral roses – inspire desire
Red - I love you, respect and beauty
Pink – perfect happiness, secret love & grace & sweetness.
Thornless roses : love at first sight
Ochun- Yoruba Goddess of Love

To perform your Amas Veritas Spell:

It can be with or without an altar, and the flowers can be both fresh and dried. If setting up an altar, you can use symbols of love from your pantheon or use Universal ones (roses, hearts, things like that): Choose a petal or two from each of the flowers of your choice to add to a cleansed and consecrated bowl.  State clearly what you wish to find in an ideal partner, be Specific the Goddess can't give you what you don't ask for. Infuse your intent in the mix of flowers, and you can do what i did which was to find a spot with free flowing water or a windy hill and allow the flowers to float away.
Remember :  Harm None

Don't forget to return to the Practical Magic main page and continue looking over the other posts, Check back tomorrow for Part 2. 

Have Fun & Blessed Be


Friday 24 September 2010

Happy Fall Equinox

Hello dear readers,

Today is Mabon. In the Celtic Calendar it is Alban Elfed..

I wanted to share my Mabon with you. here is the altar cloth I crocheted and finished yesterday.
DSCN4029


Isn’t it gorgeous!! Its a pattern I got from Smoothfoxlover.blogspot.com.

Here is the set-up of my altar for ritual setup.
DSCN4033
The things on my altar: My Goddess Statue which I made in ceramics class.  The wooden plague I wood-burned from a design I got online.  
DSCN4034
 The candles I have had for a few years from Christmas-tree store, I also got the little white stars there also, they are supposed to be candles but they actually never came with wicks (O_o I know weird right?) still love them.     
DSCN4035
The goblet came from a box set I received as a gift the gold band looks like ivy creeping across the top (Perfect!!!).
DSCN4036
The leaf candle holder served as my offering plate.
DSCN4037


I placed in there some almonds, walnuts (since nuts are apart of the fall harvest) some corn & cornmeal.
DSCN4038

Why not share some of your images my loves?
Thank you so much for stopping by
Blessed Mabon

bythebroom blogsig

Book Review


Hey readers, its another book for the iWitch challenge
These books actually are more about the Gods and Goddesses than about witches, but since they are paranormal i believe they qualify (if not they are still good books to checkout). Both are by Alicia Fields


All's Fair In Love & War " The Goddesses: Athena's Tale""

Ahhh Athena,who doesn't know the tale of the fully grown woman who springs from the head of Zeus fully formed and fully armed? in this tale we meet her at a marriageable age, being pressured by her mother to take on Poseidon as a husband. In this tale Poseidon is no one's goof guy, we learn a different tale of how Medusa came to be and how Poseidon became King of the Ocean.  All of this takes a background tale to Athena and her adventures, it describes how she runs away and learns of the olive trees and then brings her knowledge back home, to the competition that decides her fate.  It's a pretty amazing story, its not simple its not easy, but its good. It embellishes in an amazing way the Greek myth and makes the story so real. I love this tale and Athena's decision only strengthen her as a woman and a Goddess. Definitely check this one out also.

Love Underground "The Goddesses:Persephone's Tale"

This is another spin on the tales of Persephone and her mom Demeter. I happen to love this version. It's a more down to earth version, seen through the eyes of Persephone.  It;s about their lives and how they live in a village and what leads up to her wondering into Hades home.

In this book Hades is also very "human" in that he has issues he works on when he gets with Persephone, it of course sticks close to the Greek myth, with Demeter not growing her plants and abandoning the village to itself and the others bargaining for her return, but it gives a deeper take on the story, not just what the Greek story tells. I know its not based on facts, but it gives the tale more believability and it's taken from the view of the women not as victims but as purveyor of their own destiny and I love Persephone in this book. Just amazing. If you find a copy definitely check it out.

There is a third one which i need to read that one is " Fatal Attraction Aphrodite's tale" I tell ya the list just grows and grows.
I have to say if you like the Greek tales your going to like these adaptations. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Thursday 23 September 2010

Have you heard

apparently we Americans don’t know out own mind and we need big business and the FDA to make our decisions for us.

gm
In the next few days the FDA (otherwise  known as the Food & Drug Administration) will be making their decision on whether or not to approve Genetically Engineered Salmon into the food market.
Despite the fact that EVERYTIME they ask American would we eat the food if we KNEW it was engineered or cloned & 69 % of  Americans resoundingly saying “NO”, I’m pretty certain some people said “Hell to the Naw”, the FDA didn’t approved the labeling laws ( score 1 for big business)
Now they are considering allowing GM Salmon into the market. Some of you maybe saying why  is this a big deal?
Well let’s think on it:
  • Genetically Engineered food is a new science and the ramifications to humans can’t be completely known.  We do know that many humans have begun to have allergies that have never been seen before and have increased sensitivities to more foods, as well as an increase in drug resistance due to certain drugs and viruses being used to “mark” GM products.
  • Whenever someone is resistant to labeling due to liability it is an indication of known or unknown issues they simply do not which to have responsibility for.
  • these companies KNOW that Americans which to have labels but fight tooth and nail to prevent it because they KNOW we won’t buy it.
  • it only takes 10-15 GM salmon getting into the wild population to reek havoc on the Natural populace.
  • There is now real NEED to GE Salmon. Other than …. well Greed. Salmon is one of the most popular fish to be purchased due to its high Omega 3 content
  • Americans would be the only market since most of the other countries in Europe and the Middle East REQUIRE labeling which clearly states that the food is GE or made from cloned meat.
To learn more about fighting for label laws check out
Responsible Technology
To learn more about the differences between farmed and wild-caught fish check out
Sara Snow’s blog

As Well as Food links on
Linktv.com  this is where I fist learned about what was going into our food

Food focused movies:
1) Super Size Me
2) Food Inc
3) The Future of food (the movie that changed my life, watch for Free here on HULU.com
4)Fast Food nation
5) The Beautiful truth

I wish for you to know all that you can about the food you feed yourself and your family
Don’t despair my loves, as long as we know we can fight.

bythebroom blogsig

Images: Courtesy of Bing.com