Welcome back to another instalment in the Kitchen Witch Wednesday series.
A few weeks ago, I asked what you considered to be a kitchen witch. This was prompted by an article I read which pointed out that having recipes on your blog doesn't make you a kitchen witch (Source). Personally, I believe it does make you a kitchen witch simply because your making magic in your kitchen with basic ingredients, it's not easy and not everyone can cook. Heck some people can burn water, ask me how I know.
I made it my mission to seek out some ideas about kitchen witchin, and have discovered that just about everyone agrees, each witch forges his/her own path when it comes to this tradition. According to Scott Cunningham's Wicca in the Kitchen,
We must eat to live. Similarly, we must take control of our lives to be truly happy. The tools for doing just this are in your cupboards, in your refrigerator, and on your kitchen table. Turn the page, and discover the magic that awaits!
You can add in some hoodoo, to hex someone, to keep your partner, to drive away someone. You can heal with food, bring people together. Food and 'breaking bread' together makes for some powerful magic. There is a reason some cliches have stayed around, especially say for Valentine's Day, what do we know of it here in America?? Good Food, lots of chocolate, wine & roses = Your partner being willing to try all kinds of tricks best left for the more limber. We are taught as young women that "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" * at least that's what my Grandmere said* In just about every commercial now they equate food with sex & love.
I believe that when this was started it was a way for us to share OUR version of Kitchen Witchery, for everyone has their own personal brand of what makes them happy. I may not share all the hoodoo/witchy tricks I have in the kitchen that others may perform, but then again aren't you supposed to keep some of your spells to yourself???
Anyhoo, my intention when doing my kitchen witchin is to share as much fun crafts, recipes, altar pictures, homemaking as possible. It is my hope that these are the things you wish to see. If there are other things you wish to see and view please share in the comment box and I will endeavour to share what I can.
I did like her ideas on how to learn your kitchen better, getting down and dirty with the herbs sounds like fun. Sometimes I just throw herbs into the pot just to see what comes out. As my Grandmere says "It's not the food that comes out the pot, it's the love that goes in, that's what makes a good meal"
What do you think my loves, am I right or was the article correct?? What does a kitchen Witch mean to you?? And go...
Welcome back to another week of Kitchen Witch Wednesday, Make sure to stop my our host blog. Mom's a Witch to see her post for today.
I was a youtube vlogger before I became a blogger. I found a great community on there that shared so many great things & gave great advice while motivating each other on our chosen paths.
One of the many great friendships I formed on there was with MsSophiaDawn (she's no longer on YT & she took her videos down). Sophia was a Southern woman who loved to explore her faith, her magic & her garden, & boy could she craft up a storm. She shared this little recipe with us and I have been using it ever since.
Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
1 large glass dish
Parchment paper (as much as you want)
Newspaper
1 Tablespoon Saltpeter (vester)**** EXTREMELY FLAMMABALE ***** Use with caution
(optional) Essential Oils
Directions:
In glass bowl pour boiling water, add in the tablespoon saltpeter. Mix well allow to dissolve, then allow to cool. ( at this point you may add essential oils if you want). Note 1 tbsp of vester to 1 cup water, if you need more, make sure it matches this way)
Put paper in the cool water and let it soak well
Hang to dry about 1 hour. (away from open flame) ******DO NOT PUT IN OVER******
Welcome back to Kitchen Witchin Wednesdays. this week I'm sharing with you the tool I use to keep my hair clean. I have locs and I can't use the regular (I mean I guess I could but I don't like to) shampoos and cleaners for my hair. I don't always have the time or the funds to purchase the super expensive ones i love either, so I have gone back to basics with my most basic of hair supplies. And you probably have them in your kitchen already.
Doing hair rinses helps to promote scalp health & help to prevent further damage that is done by UV rays, pollution & our hair products. Since the scalp is maintained by blood vessel that supply it with protein & other nutrients, the best recipes will work on the scalp itself.
When I was younger I learnt that if you had light colored hair( blonde) that using lemon juice on your hair will bring out your highlights. I have since learnt that it's great for helping eliminate the extra oil from your scalp as well.
@deziner02 via SXC.hu
Highlight Rinse Recipe:
1 lemon with 1/4 cup water in a glass jar, shake well.
Use:
After shampooing, rinse your hair with this recipe then allow to stand in your hair for five mins. Rinse out with cool water.
Beer rinse for body & shine
Of course the most rumored & well known rinse of course is the beer rinse. To add body & shine to your hair, you can use a flat or stale beer to rinse your hair once a month. The smell won't last long so don't worry about smelling like a brewery at work ( you could also do it on say a friday night or the weekend so by monday the smell will be gone). The beer will add B vitamins & natural sugar to your hair which is what gives it the added shine. Ehow, has a great how to guide for making your own beer rinse & explains the science a little more.
Split End Prevention (do this 2-3 times a week)
Olive oil, use a few teaspoon of oil on your hair ends to seal them & leave on overnight. You can rinse out in the morning if you need to.
Use coconut oil on the scalp to help with hair growth & to help release hair so it won't tangle & will be less likely to split as well.
Sub Damage Prevention
Apply Sesame oil to help protect the hair. The sun can cause serious damage to the hair, especially during the summer months when we are running from ocean/pool to parties or a BBQ without covering out head. The sun can dry out hair making it prone to being brittle & breakage. Use the oil before going out, by massaging a few teaspoons (based on hair length, longer means a few more, shorter means a little).
Hair rinses:
Make hair rinse much like making herbal tea. Pout boiling water over a teaspoon of the herbs, steep for 10 mins, then strain. Massage into scalp as evenly as possible, allow hair to air dry. (You don't have to rinse the hair out) Use the rinse AFTER shampooing!!
Sage Rinse: helps to reduce oil buildup & promotes healthy hair. Use this rinse after shampooing for 3 weeks. Birch Leaf Rinse: Helps to promote a healthy scalp & is believed to help prevent hair loss. It also softens the hair & adds shine. don't use on blonde or gray hair, it will darken the color, Chamomile Rinse: Using the flowers, this rinse soothes & heals the scalp & gives hair a healthy shine, Can also be used to lighten blonde hair. Linden Flower Rinse: Best for dried out hair, especially for hair taxed by repeated dying or bleaching and is now brittle. Promotes scalp health & circulation. Use for six weeks for best results.
Deep Clean (Purifying Cleanser)
For a deep clean of my hair I use a apple cider vinegar rinse, the recipe I found here:
Can I say I was much like Chesca, shocked at how much gunk was still in my hair even though I washed it only a few days before. What she didn't say and what I learnt later is that you should wash your hair after doing the treatment. Since this treatment strips your hair you should only do it a few times a year. Chesca suggests twice a year, when i first learnt about it I did it every three months, by time I did it that last time my locs weren't in such a deep need, because of the next 'shampoo'.
Even if you don't have locs this is like using a clarifying shampoo on your hair, it cleans out the buildup of product that takes place over time. Once I really learnt about loc maintenance for myself I started doing apple cider vinegar rinse every time I washed my hair. And that's a simple recipe as well.
You simply need apple cider vinegar & baking soda.
Directions:
Many people I know will coat their locs or hair with the baking soda allow it dry a little (first make a paste with water)
then fill a bucket or tub with the hottest water you can stand, then pour in about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of cider vinegar (base this on the length & thickness of your hair, for longer hair go for more)
then starting with the ends of your hair dip then in the mix and continue adding more of your hair, the baking soda will pop & fizzle, once it stops add more of your hair, keep going until you feel all the baking soda is gone and no more reaction is taking place, make sure to get the front & back of your head as well.
Rinse, with plain water, then shampoo/ or co wash as necessary (co-washing is using conditioner to wash your hair instead of shampoo, some claim it prevents the stripping of hair & helps with growth.)
Information gathered from many sources, including my own experience. The herbal rinses recipes & information from the Complete Natural Healing group 7, card 15
So there you have it. These are some of the recipes in my arsenal for healthy hair. Have you done any of these before?? Have a favorite recipe?? Share in the comments.
It's Valentine's Day for many, that means, candy, flowers & doing all the sexy tricks they save for special days. There are many ways to get into the mood if you have a partner, & I'm going to be sharing a few of my favorites here with you.
For the Kitchen Witches among us, how about charming your food?? Here are some Charmed Honey Recipes.
Kris Bradley shares a really great recipe in her book " Mrs.B's guide to Household Witchery" for a great little love dusting powder. She says to brush it on your hands or clothing before meeting up with your lover for some alone time. I would say dust lightly.
Ingredients:
4 parts dried apple peel, & red rose petals
2 parts cocoa powder
1 part cinnamon
When I moved into my new home, for my bedroom I created a charmed wooden plague, that encourages love. It's made from oak (hard wood, enduring,) It's a Pennsylvania Dutch Hex Symbol, many people make them into quilts I loved wood burning so I made this. I bless it each year, with full moon water & hang it where i can see it to remind myself & my partner that we are in this together. I added in colors to correspond with the intent as well.
If your flying solo today, but want a partner, please remember the Golden Rule, even if your not Wiccan, it's not polite ( and it will backfire I promise you that) to manipulate others. When casting spells for love, don't mention one particular person, that's taking away their free will. Do however ask the universe/cosmos/Goddess to send the one(s) for you. Try out my updated version of the Practical Magic Party Post (True Love, Amas Veritas). There are several ideas on how to a spell to draw your love one near.
If your not looking for love, but want some loving for the night You can make Desire Dust and spread it around your room along with all the candles. Taken from Marian Singer's Magick for the Wild Woman this dust actually smells pretty awesome ( u never made the one to attract a woman, so I can't speak to that ones effectiveness, but if you try it let me know please). As a floor dusting I used baking soda instead of baby powder, but a body dusting I used the baby powder, it's mainly down to personal preference at this point.
To attract a man: a pinch of ginger powder, jasmine oil, and or lavender oil
To attract a woman: vetivert violet, or patchouli.
Mix well allow to dry, shift to get rid of clumps. As your creating the dust, focus on your intent, you can chant a charm over it as well.
When I feel the need for some new ideas I love to look into Silver's Spells for Love by Silver Ravenwolf, I have had a lot of success using her spells & ideas and I sugget y'all check 'em out. I have of course improved them to suit me, & you can do the same.
This is a part of the Kitchen Witch Wednesday Blog party, I'm posting on Thursday sorry. but I promise these recipes are worth it. Happy Valentine's Day my loves
Welcome back to another fun week of kitchen witchin, did you like the recipes from last week??? Your probably wondering why I didn't put this under Sacred Pampering Ritual, & it's because we are going to be making this for SPR day. So to use it you gotta have it first right?!?! So here we go:
Your skin renews itself each day and completely renews itself with 30 to 40 days, depending on age. At about 35 your skin cell renewal slows down. To help it along we can use masks, there are two kinds: relaxing & stimulating. Relaxing mask are used to moisturise the skin & help to 'refresh' the complexion. Stimulating masks are used to promote blood flow & smooth & firm the skin.
General Rules:
Before applying a mask make sure to cleanse skin with a facial toner that has lemon balm or use witch hazel.
Start at your chin and move upwards to the forehead. Apply tot he nose moving out to the cheeks. Make sure to leave space around the eyes, eyebrows & mouth.Lastly do your neck moving upwards to the chin.
Use warm water or a warm rag to remove the mask.
Use distilled water when making your masks. If you must use tap water, boil it and allow to cool or use a filtration system.
Much of the ingredients for great dace masks come from the kitchen, like honey, oatmeal, whole wheat flour, rose water, milk, & strawberries. I'm sure if you look hard enough you have many of the ingredients to make some kind of face mask, heck even just an egg acts as a great face mask for toning & tightening your skin. So making masks won't be expensive!!!
Ingredients:
Honey: relaxes the skin, it is also antibacterial which helps to disinfect the skin. It also renews the skin & helps promote healing.
Whole wheat flour protects & renews skin. It contains vitamin E, an antioxidants that binds toxins, promotes cell respiration & slows the ageing process. The whole wheat grittiness will help remove dead skin cells, which will help promote skin renewal.
Masks:
Strawberry mask:
4/5 very ripe, medium sized strawberries
2 tsp heavy cream
1 tsp honey
Directions:
Carefully rinse strawberries in lukewarm water and dry with a clean cloth or towel. In a small bowl, mash the fruit with a fork. Add cream & honey & mix well. Keep away from the eyes when applied to the face. leave on for 20- 30 minutes. Contraindications: People with sensitive/ sunburned skin.
Whole Wheat Flour Mask:
1 qt water
4 tsp dried or 8 tsp fresh rose petals
peels from 1-2 organic oranges
6 tbsp milk
2 tbsp rose water
2 tsp honey
4 tbsp whole wheat flour
Boil the water & remove from the heat. Add the rose petals & orange peels, cover & allow to steep until luke warm. In a separate pan, heat the milk, floral water & honey. Remove from heat, add the flour and whisk into a thick paste. Apply the warm paste to face & neck, leave on for 15 mins . Wash off the mask with the fragrant rose-orange water. Pat dry & apply moisturizer.
Rose Oil & Honey Mask for Mature Skin:
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp almond oil
5 drops rose oil
Mix ingredients together, then apply to face relax for 15 mins. Then rinse with warm water. Pat face & neck dry.
I hope this helps my loves, especially now that the weather is so harsh outside and drying to the skin.
Welcome back to another week of Kitchen Witch Wednesday this week I'm sharing a different kind of craft from your kitchen, today we are making toothpaste:
I have many different books on spas on healthy eating, healthy facials and tons of books for recipes on soaps and scrubs, and none of them, absolutely none of them discuss teeth, they talk about your head, your feet, your whole body in between & yet teeth get lost in the mix. I have sensitive teeth, some of it due to drinking soda, & some of it is just how my teeth have been since I was little. As I have grown and changed and evolved in my green lifestyle the one thing no matter what else I backslide on I never ever backslide on my toothpaste, I switched to Toms of Maine over eight years ago and I haven't looked back since, I once was out overnight without toothpaste and didn't want to not brush so I used a friends' (insert name brand, Lol I don't want to be sued so just think of one of the popular brands and you have it) toothpaste, I bitterly regretted it, the next morning my mouth ached and my gums felt like they were on fire and I ended up with two sores in the side of my cheeks, yeah next time I will go without brushing to save myself the hassle.
I know that Toms of Maine has since been purchased by the company that gave me mouth sores (lol yeah now you know who it is). And I feel some kind of way about that, I mean as far as I have seen they haven't changed anything beyond the packaging, but who is to know really. So I went looking for alternatives, many of them are ridiculously expensive, so I decided why not make it myself?? Here are the recipes I have found that work for me:
Making you own toothpaste is actually simple your going to need the following:
whisk (use silicone not metal) & bowl (use glass) & funnel (if placing in a tube), measuring spoons (non metal)
Ingredients:
Cosmetic Clay is gently abrasive & is great for plague removal. It also contains minerals that will help rebuild teeth enamel.
Vegetable glycerin is for consistency & acts a base to dilute the essential oils into. It has a sweet taste so little ones will like the taste of the toothpaste
Myrrh tincture works on gum inflammation. You can find it in your local food store or make your own if your into making your tinctures. it is both anti-inflammatory, & an astringent. Great for those suffering from periodontal disease.
Essential Oils: orange/peppermint/spearmint: to freshen the breath. clove is for pain relief as it's a mils anaesthetic great for sensitive teeth and can be used to combat pain caused by cold, sweet or hot foods & drinks.
Recipes:
For sensitive teeth:
1/4 cup cosmetic clay
1/4 cup vegetable glycerin
20 drops tincture of myrrh
4 drops of orange & clove essential oils
Whisk until ingredients are smooth, place in jar or tube. Store in a cool dark place and use within six months.
For Periodontal Disease:
1/4 cup white cosmetic clay
1/8 cup baking soda & finely ground sea salt
1/2 cup vegetable glycerin
20 drops tincture of myrrh
8 drops tea tree & thyme essential oils
Again whisk ingredients until ingredients are smooth. Place in jar or tube & store in dark place, Use within six months.
Mouthwash for Fresh breath:
Add 1/2 tsp tincture of myrrh & 1 drop each of tea-tree & peppermint oils, to 1 cup of warm water. Each time you brush gargle with this solution afterward.
A quick tip if you are short on toothpaste you can brush with fine ground salt & apple juice. The salt tightens the gums & the juice gently whitens. make sure to rinse thoroughly.
Coconut Oil Toothpaste:
1/2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp baking soda
This will make enough to brush properly.
Oil Pulling is an ayurvedic method of helping to clean teeth and balance the enzymes in your mouth. Doing this daily before brushing teeth will help with breath & teeth health.
The method is quite simple, before eating or drinking anything in the morning: take 1=2 teaspoons of raw organic sesame oil and simply 'pull' through your mouth trying your best to rub against your teeth as much as possible. Do this for 20 mins, I do it while showering and starting my morning routine. When the oil looks milky white it's time to spit it out, do not swallow if you can help it. Make sure to brush after, Recipe and idea are from an ayurvedic teacher I had years ago, but you can also get an idea here.
Many years ago when I first became obsessed with making my own soap I stumbled on BrambleBerry. and I have been in love ever since. They stock a variety of essential oils that are excellent and smell amazing, their synthetics line is good as well, however for our purpose you will need the true essential oils, especially since the Body Shop has seemed to stop stocking real essential oils like they once did. But one of the best places for organic supplies of course will be Mountain Rose Herbs. You can of course go local as well to get as many of these as you can.
Information & recipes, derived or received from Group 7, card 2 natural beauty in the Complete Guide to Natural Healing. And my own research,
Good Teeth health to you and yours!! happy experimenting
Well, hello there. Welcome back to another post about KWW, this is going to be mt home edition as well. I'm doing my best to make my house more a home these days especially with winter coming. I don't want to be in a house that isn't comfortable.
I have had the pleasure of "meeting" a new organizer and her name is Alejandra, she is a home organizer from YT. Here's her channel: Home Organizing,
I have been obsessively watching her videos and getting ideas on how to make my home more organized. I love her ideas, and her obsession with the Container Store, which i totally understand because I'm equally in love with Ikea. So here are some of the things I have done this month using her ideas.
Here are a few of the things I have organized, I did my under the sink kitchen cupboard. It's pretty awesome, I'm sure that it will change pretty soon as I am waiting on things from...Ikea, I have so many things I will be doing I can't wait to show you the rest. I have been cleaning out, giving away, purging, and organizing and when I find my camera I'm going to show y'all my progress.
I have discovered a passion for the Dollar Tree & family Dollar stores, which have great organizing products for cheap (sometimes just a dollar). I have cleaned out mine and my sister's bathroom cupboards, as well as my catch call closet and so many different areas around my home.
I left my camera at my parents home during christmas break and I haven't had time to go back and get it, it has all my progress so far on it. Which is why there aren't any pictures today but their will be in next week's post I promise.
In the meantime check out Alejandra's free seven day class on organizing and let me know what you think, Happy Organizing
It's Humday!!! The weekend is almost here
It's another week of Kitchen Witchin Wednesdays, make sure to swing by Emberlyn's Blog.
One can't think of fall without thinking about changing leaves and pumpkins, We know to make pumpkin seeds, and pumpkin pie, but what else do we use pumpkins for?? Other than decorations. Don't gimmie those looks O_o. Anywoo in Jamaica we put pumpkin in our soups to help thicken them up, you can make roast pumpkin and all kinds of things. One of my newest recipes, comes from a Kindle freebie and I can't wait to get more pumpkin to try out all the recipes. Here's my fave so far:
Pumpkin Potato Skins:
Serves 6 (or several dinners/lunch for two )
Prep Time: 10 mis
cooking Time: 1 hour for the potatoes, 15 mins to reheat.
Ingredients:
7 large baking potatoes
1 cup cooked cubed pumpkin
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salk (optional)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg (optional)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup grated Swiss of Cheddar cheese
chopped chives , to garnish
Directions:
preheat oven to 425F. Place potatoes in the over right on the rack. bake for 1 hour or until cooked.
Remove form oven slice in half. Wear protective gear, remove the 'pulp' of the potato, set skins aside
Stir the cooked pumpkin, butter salt, pepper, baking powder, nutmeg, & both creams together in a mixing bowl with the pulp, whisk together until light and fluffy.
Spoon bake into the skins, bake in the potato skins. Top with cheese.
bake at 400F for 15 mins.
Garnish with chopped chives.
Recipe from Nicole LEsperance's Easy Pumpkin Recipes Cookbook. If you like the recipe you should see the rest of the book. I'm loving it!!
Part of the KWW Blog Party
Share some of your recipes or your favourite pumpkin dish, down below. Or link to it please.
May all your kitchen disasters be a fun story and your souffle never fall.
Happy Witchin in the Kitchen
potato image courtesy of Bing, no infringement intended. Copyright belongs to the owner of the image.
This is a part of the Kitchen Witch Wednesday blog party. Haven't had a chance to look into it yet??? Check it out here. It's a chance to share recipes, whether they be food, or non edible recipes, if it's made in the kitchen, it's something you should share. Please join with us. This weeks share is one of my fave fall recipes, this actually a re-post, so if you have seen it before, yes I know but i lurrrve this recipe and make it often in the fall. It just hits the right spot. Lentil Stew:
I talk about this recipe all the time. Its one of the first things I blogged about. Actually it was my first post. This is an easy amazing meal to have and it can be stored in the freezer and taken out to eat fairly easily.Here are the recipes which can be found in Tosca Reno'sThe Eat Clean Diet Cookbook(The Moroccan chicken can be found on page 150 and Lentil stew is page 159) Lentil stew stats per servings:
calories 40
calories from fat: 28
protein: 11g
dietary fiber: 13g
sodium: 164mg
carbs: 42g
sugars: 4g
Please note: this meal makes 6 servings, takes 10mins to prep, and 1 hr to cook Ingredients: 1 cup/ 240 ml puy lentils 1 lagre onion 4 cloves garlic 1 tbsp/15 ml avocado or EVOO 2 ribs celery diced 4 bay leaves 2 large carrots chopped 1/2 cup/125 ml wheat berries or wild rice 1 tbsp/15ml brown rice miso 1/2 tsp/2.5 ml dried thyme sea salt and pepper low sodium chicken stock/ or veg stock or plain water Watch the Video to see how it's all put together.
Well it's another fabulous week of Kitchin Witchin, part of teh KWW Blog Party. I know...I know, I haven't done one of these in a while. I'm slowly getting back to way things need to be, you know more than just book reviews & challenge information.
Here are some awesome ways to use herbs in the kitchen these are all from The Complete Book of Herbs by Leslie Bremness.
To make potpourri simply combine the ingredients in a bowl, you can add essential oils that match the ingredients, you should set it aside for a cool dark place for six weeks for it to "cure". Place in clear glass bowls or bowls that match the theme of the potpourri.
from Bing.com
Kitchen Potpourri: to help cleanse the scents of cooking.
4 pts lemon verbena
2 pts mints
2 pts bay leaves
1 pt tansy leaves & flowers
1 pt lovage
a few crushed cloves & orris root
This actually smells amazing, mine looks a little worse for wear, so I didn't take a pic of mine.
Drain Cleaner: I used this just two days ago, the drain no longer smells and it drains beautifully.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Scented baking soda (I made mine with lemon essential oil)
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 cups boiling water or hottest water
Pour the baking soda & salt down the drain leave for five minutes. Add the vinegar and cover with a wet rag, let it sit for about 10 minutes. Pour the boiling water down the drain. Your drain should smell amazing and work like a charm.
Well that's my list of cleaning supplies for the week. Have fun my loves and I will see you again next week, why yes, I will be posting as regular as possible again.
Thanks for coming back and reading & share your KWW links in the posts.
I'm no world class chef, but I love to throw down in kitchen, I'm pretty adaptable when learning new things. For years I refused to eat Salmon, not even sure why now, I just know my mother couldn't get me to eat salmon at all. Once I decided to clean eat, i still avoided this fish, recently i tried a blackened salmon dish that was to die for. there are hundreds of really great salmon recipes out there, some of them pretty elaborate. Last night I just wanted a quick meal. I had a small slice of salmon thawed so i decided to use that. Here's my dinner recipe:
Ingredients:
Salmon
black pepper,
onion powder
garlic powder
2 tsp olive oil *just enough to coat the pan bottom to keep the fish from sticking*
Directions:
heat olive oil in pan,
season salmon on the pink side alone
once pan is heat place salmon skin side up in the pan, and sear the salmon. flip over and allow to cook through
I served mine with a small salad with Italian dressing, light dusting of soy Parmesan cheese on the salad. *since I'm lactose intolerant*
Hope you enjoy as much as I did.
Be Blessed
Well, this eager beaver killed a few of her plants. Yep you read it right, I managed to not actually grow anything except four. The only things that lived are my garlic which I can't use until the fall. three pots of potatoes and one pot of basil.
Because I am used to just starting the seeds in the ground, having to use pots and this seed starting kit just didn't cut it. I watered every other day and the plants had all started blooming, once the reached the stage to be moved is when the problem started.
For several of the plants (my onions, aniseed, lavender, mint and oregano) I stated them in the Burpee seed starting kit, which came with it's own 'soil'. Now normally when I'm at home with my parents I will start my seeds in an egg carton with soul taken from the woods in our backyard, I would mix that with store bought soil and my plants would come out fine. This is my first time trying the seed starting kit and it failed miserably.
These swelled with the addition of water
The cups seen here promoted mold, these I didn't water often because they seemed to retain much of the water and so I watered every few days, the seeds seemed to enjoy germinating there and then suddenly there would be little patches of white mild on them and the soil.
This green house kit worked the same way. The seedlings did fine at first but when you had to open it up to let the seeds grow some more they formed the white residue on top. I thought at first perhaps I wasn't giving them enough sunlight but the package said the first week or two no direct sunlight so I did as it said.
My plants failed and now I have to start all over again, At least i seem to not be the only one this is happening to, a few of the local farms i have been to are behind on their growth due to the late frost we had and the weird up and down weather we had right up until Solstice. I dumped all the pots and washed them, I tossed the pots that had mold in them and I went and repurchased all my seeds. I also skipped that step for a few of them and got small plants from the local farms and market near me.
I will be going home to get bags of soil from the woods, as well as some of my parents compost, let me tell you I have a composting nightmare to share with you next week. This is the first time in a long time where I have killed my plants and let me tell you as a green witch it's very disheartening. I have killed this many plants since i first started learning to plant when I was a tween. I am starting over, and I am going to use what I know and not try this 'fancy' stuff, I'm sure for some this burpee stuff would work fine but I found that for me it didn't. I'm counting it as a lesson learned and going back to basics/
How is everyone else doing on their plants??
Be blessed
Welcome back to the second edition of my container garden. I don't know if I have ever mentioned how much i love gardening. It's relaxing and pretty awesome way to meditate or even worship without there being any formal circle, your in nature that's your circle.
Since moving to my new apartment I have seriously been missing out on my garden walks, or even having any plants around. Well I made the decision to change all that and as if the universe was just waiting for me to catch on. seeds have come to me out the woodwork. I went to the local Monday magic classes at my local witch shop and they had a class about Fairies and having a magical garden and gave out seeds!!! I got aniseed and cardamom, which I will be planting post haste. Of course cardamom is going to be a little harder since it's a tropical plant but hey if my mom can keep her African violet growing then I can do this.
I planted a few plants to draw fairies to my little patch of garden space, as well as a few herbs. i will be going out to get more containers because I have even more seeds than I expected. I still wished to showcase all the things I have planted already though, so here goes:
I planted the garlic bulbs which stated to grow: my mom normally just plops them in the ground and the next spring or late fall she has some to harvest, mine probably won't be ready for a little while I have six pots with garlic. Once they get a little bigger I will transplant them into bigger pots, but for now they are fine here:
I also planted lettuce, two different varieties, including iceberg and black seeded simpson (kind of a curly lettuce)
I also did Okra (which I absolutely LOVE) they are in the front row of the egg carton, and also have their own container. i need more pots for when they have grown a little bigger as well.
I also have potatoes which sprouted so I cut them and put the sprouted part in the dirt make sure the cut has dried out a little otherwise the potato won't grow it will just compost. I then planted snapdragons in a little pot for the fairies, and some of my herbs, my sweet basil has started to sprout:
Once they get a little bigger, I will move them into their own pots.
Yesterday was May Day, and here in CT it rained so I put all my pots outside to be blessed and watered by Maia (the Goddess of May). I also collected May Day rain water, oh man the energy from this is amazing!!!
This weekend I will be going to the city to get my free compost bins, I have already started saving scraps. I will also be getting some cuttings from my mother and new pots to finish planting everything. How was your May Day?? Do anything fun?? Share below please.
Welcome back to another awesome week of Kitchen Witchin. This week I'm discussing my container garden and my plans for the little plot of land in front of my condo.
For years I have had small plots of land, or even beds of flowers and herbs on my parents land; each year in the fall I would look through the Johnny's Selected Seeds catalogue looking for the seeds that I wasn't able to save from plants, and choosing what I would plant the next year. This fall I wasn't able to plan and order ahead of time, and I haven't even started my seedlings yet (blaspheme I know). This year, I'm using my book The Complete Book of Herbs by Lesley Bremness (which I have had for over seven years and have used it religiously) and I'm going to make the Witch's Garden that she talks about in the book. She lists several different kinds of themed gardens that you can have, even one for astrological signs, this year I'm using her inspiration plus the herbs I'm good at growing as well as those I know I can't wildcraft.
She lists a few that are called the nine Anglo Saxon sacred herbs, which include:
chamomile, chervil, crab apple, fennel. mugwort, nettle, plantain, sainfoin, watercress, which were believed to repel evil attacks. Angelica was considered a sovereign remedy against enchantments and potions. We all know clovers, dill, garlic, houseleek were also planted in Anglo Saxon garden.
For your astrological sign (I'm a cusp baby Scorpio/Sagittarius) so I have these plants as my best plants to have in a garden: basil, tarragon, wormwood, feverfew,mallow, sage, houseleek. I have planted feverfew before but never really used it, so I'm not planting that again, wormwood is a sister plant to mugwort and I can wildcraft that from a safe location so I won't be planting that wither. I have no use for mallow, sainfoin, watercress, or crab apple. So here's my list of plants that I'm going to do this season:
rosemary from my plant last year
mint (several including: peppermint & spearmint)
sage
escallions (or as some know it "spring onion")
thyme from a cutting in my mother's garden
Jamaican scotch bonnet pepper *from seeds of last years plants*
tarragon
basil
lemon verbena
chamomile
chives
bay
house-leek * I'm actually taking several from my mother she has containers upon containers of these so she won't miss a few. lol
right now I have some garlic which has sprouted as well as some potatoes which I'm going to plant as well.
For my window boxes, because I have five windows that I can place little gardens in I'm going to plant:
variety of lettuces,
beans
roses (from cuttings from my mother's garden).
ivy *which I'm also getting from my mother's garden*
aloe vera * because every Caribbean home must have at least one plant*
marigold
Luckily for me my town gives out containers for composting, as this is called the Emerald City, they take being green very seriously. I will going to get one, then of course using it. I'm also getting some worms and a worm bin for the non compostable items.
I'm a member of Arbor Day Foundation and they send ten trees each year, this year I will put those into pots around my new home, as my parents no longer have any more room to plant them. I saw my maple tree recently which we planted about four years ago it has gotten way bigger; it's awesome to see all the plants coming back into bloom and the different trees that are awakening.
That's my plan for my garden, I will share on Wednesday's the progress, successes and failures of my plants, as well as recipes, tips and tricks I have learnt from my mother.
Won't you share with me your comments, your own stories of success or failures, tip to tricks to avoid such failures as well??? What are you planting this year??
Recently I read an article that stated that you weren't a kitchen witch if you only cooked in the kitchen. I lol'd and then really thought about it. She was right. Just cooking isn't being a kitchen witch, and she was wrong, cooking with intention is about being a good kitchen witch.
Being a kitchen witch isn't about high magic, it's about taking the simple ingredients and making something magical out of it. It's a way to bring health, vitality, love and most of all, community within your family or home. Cooking can be therapy for some, a place to feel at home for others and a way to feel as if you count to others.
For me cooking is all of the above, watching family or friends enjoy a meal I created is one of the joys of being in the kitchen. Using fresh or local herbs, added to a plain base and creating a fantastic meal is a great way to feeling as if I'm doing something serious for my family.
I think that's one of the reasons I was feeling so disconnected. I love creating meals for a big family, I'm used to cooking for six, and now I'm down to cooking for two. It's weird, great for my family that we are moving and expanding, yet sad that we are expanding to different parts of the state and even different parts of the country. So no more sunday big dinners. I'm now having to relearn my craft of cooking and scaling it down.
So what does make a kitchen witch? Is it what she mentions in the article? Is it a mix of being a domestic witch, high magic, and cooking? What is a kitchen witch to you?
