We're welcoming the Sun's return today with a special Yule edition. We've said goodbye to some chefs and are welcoming new ones into The Stew Crew as well. Some features will be weekly, some twice a month. You'll just have to keep tuning in to find out which is which! ;)
I personally will be returning to regular blogging on The Secret Life beginning in January. I have a lot to tell you about my plans in 2014, and I want to hear from you as well!
Have you grabbed your favorite beverage of choice? Great! Then, let's get to it!
Happy Birthday this week to Lyssa Riggs, Nannette Marino, Kristen Wanner, Beth Jankowski, Christian Day, Lauren DeVoe, Cyndi Martin Richards, Karen Delbridge, Ziggy Smith and Sharon Turner! May this be your very best birthday EVER, and may your next year of life be filled with all the very best of blessings in abundance!
In the News
Woman kills nephew after being branded a witch
Yule: Similar but Different
Witch woe spells trouble for Hemel Hempstead store
Murder-witness branded 'witch'; gang-raped by villagers
Pope Francis Pagan Comment Calls Out High and Mighty Christians
Witchcraft Squabble Turns Nasty
Note raises witchcraft suspicion
Woman accused of witchcraft murdered
Chief, 3 others arrested for murder of witchcraft-practising couple
Pagan Lore with Karen Szabo
Good Morning, Sunday Stew readers! It's so nice to be back! I hope everyone enjoyed a lovely Winter Solstice and that your holiday season has been wonderful so far -- and will continue to be! Now on with the Pagan Lore.....
Sunday, December 22
On this date (approximately), the Sun enters the astrological sign of Capricorn. Persons born under the sign of the Goat are said to be ambitious, practical, loyal, and often reclusive. Capricorn is an earth sign and is ruled by the planet Saturn.
On this date in the year 1970, famous Wiccan authors Stewart and Janet Farrar founded their own coven. The Farrars, a husband and wife team, have written many very popular Witchcraft books together. Stewart Farrar passed away in 2000.
Monday, December 23
In early times, a Pagan religious ceremony called the Laurentina was held in Rome each year on this date. It celebrated the recovery of light from the darkness of the winter solstice, and was dedicated to the Goddess Acca Laurentia or Lara (the mother of the Lares).
The demigod Balomain is honored annually by the Kalash people with a weeklong festival called the Chaomos, which begins on this date.
Tuesday, December 24
Christmas Eve. According to Finnish folklore, the ghosts of departed loved ones return home each year on this night. It is a Christmas Eve tradition in Finland and in many other parts of Europe for families to light white candles on the graves of their ancestors.
According to superstition, if a man proposes to his beloved on Christmas Eve and she accepts, they will surely enjoy a happy and love-filled marriage.
Wednesday, December 25
Birthday of the Invincible Sun (Dies Natalis Invicti Solis). Before being Christianized as the Mass of Christ (Christmas), a festival honoring the god of the sun was celebrated on this day in ancient Rome. It was made a public holiday by the Emperor Aurelian in the year A.D. 272 and consisted of the lighting of sacred bonfires.
On Christmas Day, according to German folklore, a Yuletide Witch known as the Lutzelfrau flies through the sky on her broom, bringing mischief to mortals who fail to honor her with small presents. Another Yuletide Witch of German folklore is Perchta. In the southern regions of the country, it was an old Yuletide custom for children wearing masks and carrying besoms (Witch brooms) to go door to door (in "trick or treat" fashion) begging for gifts in the name of Perchta.
Thursday, December 26
On this day, the first day of Yuletide begins. It continues until the Twelfth-day (January 6).
The Junkanoo festival takes place annually on this day in the Bahama Islands. Old gods are honored and ancient magick is reinvoked as music, dancing, and costumed marchers fill the streets until the crack of dawn.
This day is sacred to various deities from around the world. Among them are Frau Sonne, Igaehindvo, the Star Faery, Sunne, and Yemaya.
Friday, December 27
On this day in the year 1959, Gerina Dunwich (eclectic Witch, professional astrologer, and author of many Witchcraft books, including the one you are now reading) was born in Chicago, Illinois under the sign of
Capricorn with a Taurus rising.
The birth of Freya (the Norse Goddess of fertility, love, and beauty) is celebrated on this day. Annual Pagan festivals in her honor are celebrated throughout the world by many Wiccans of the Saxon tradition.
Saturday, December 28
On this day, an annual festival of peace and spiritual renewal is celebrated in parts of China. Offerings are made to gods and spirits, and a paper horse containing the names of all the members of the temple is set on fire in the ancient Taoist belief that the rising smoke will take the names up to heaven.
Hope you enjoyed the Lore! May your season be bright and blessed,
Karen
Sparkle and Shine with Sosanna
The Gift That Keeps Giving
As many of you know, I have a rough time around the holidays. Growing up in a poor home, with less than positive parents, I always ended up feeling sad, lonely and depressed starting just after October and through January. Having Bipolar disorder, makes things like this even more debilitating. Usually I would begin cycling around Samhain and experience rapid severe ups and downs until well after Yule.
Because we were so poor, we didn’t get a lot of gifts. Around the 1970’s a new toy came out for a pottery wheel. I wanted one so desperately. I wanted to be able to make things out of mud. Create something wonderful from nothing. I believed it was something that I really could do.
Needless to say it was just a cheap toy and I failed at it miserably. Since that time, I actually enrolled in two different pottery classes at community colleges however something always came up and I had to cancel.
Over the past two years I’ve been working with hand building sculptures, bowls and protection masks. They are of course very brittle because I couldn’t fire them.
About two months ago hubby suggested that we not only get a kiln, but go for a pottery wheel as well. We just got the wheel on the 19th of November. I’ve been working with it as often as I can. I’ve managed to create a few pots and things, nothing ready for firing. But I’m having a really good time with it.
This year has been rocky, along with the usual holiday woes, I also lost my Grandmother this year. I didn’t attend the funeral, but I did have my own separate farewell to her. I was sad but I was also glad. She was 97 years old and was always in pain. I was glad that her rest had finally come and she could move on to what her next steps would be.
So here I sit. Some 30 years after longing to create something wonderful on that little plastic battery operated potter’s wheel with a professional wheel and kiln. I’ve removed the majority of the negativity in my life and started focusing on the positive. My cycling has been extremely minimal this year. I’m feeling pretty good about that and about the holidays in general.
Yule, traditionally is the celebration of the winter solstice and brings in the winter. With the passing of my Grandmother and the start of this new part of my life I do believe that I will be celebrating a birth of my own. Not one necessarily of the sun god, but more of the birth of the new life that seems to be unfolding in front to me.
Blessings,
Sosanna
)O(
Mid-Air Moxie with Adelina Soto Thomas
Coming out of the Dark
“The light at the end of the tunnel is your life; it’s the tunnel that’s temporary.” — Michael Josephson
During the dark part of the year, we go within and mourn the loss of the Sun’s warmth. We mourn the loss of the green, growing plants…the beauty of the trees in their fullness…and the rainbow of flowers all around us. The world has become so cold, dark, and empty. We become frozen in our minds, bodies and spirits…feeling as though we will never thaw. The Goddess Demeter, in her grief has turned the world cold and barren from the loss of her daughter, Persephone, as she has gone to the dark realm of Hades, Lord of the Underworld. But, just when it seems there is no hope and no end to the lengthening darkness, there is a spark of light that will shine again. Persephone will begin her ascent from the Underworld to rejoin her mother. Once again light and life will return to the world...
Read the rest of this article on Lina's blog, Mid-Stride Moxie
There and Back A-Hen... Just a Bunch of Clucking Nonsense with Melissa Chicky Cassick
The Renewal of Yule
I am Melissa “Chicky” Cassick. I am very happy to join the cast of characters here at the Sunday Stew. Kallan told me she would like to present to viewpoint of an atheistic pagan. I will also be sharing the views of a mother, a wife, a divorced woman, a home-owner, an animal lover, a classical music aficionado, a crafter, a sarcastic wench, and clearly a wanna-be writer.
Having current custody of your ocular orbs, I will relate a brief history of how I came to be.
As a child, we in-frequented the Methodist Church in town, having been lured by an excellent choir to which my mother could lend her voice. My mother’s belief system was far more in line with 19th century Spiritualism. She attended church as a matter of social expectation. My father had been raised Seventh Day Adventist, but rejected his upbringing, and deferred to my mother.
I spent summers at a Mennonite camp: their attempts to make a charismatic, album-burning, proselytizing Lamb of God met with limited success. At the age of 12, I began exploring the concepts of paganism. Perhaps it was love of fantasy, a desire to know a hidden realm, or lack of fulfillment from the path being presented to me. Once in High School, we joined a Baptist church, again, primarily for social reasons. I was an active member of the Youth Group and never missed Sunday School. I felt I was able to successfully combine my budding pagan beliefs with the basic tenets of Christianity.
But once I left school, and left my home town church behind as well, that tenuous duality came to an end. I went to a Unitarian Church. I went to a Buddhist temple. I lit candles at a roadside chapel. I traded my tarot for a crystal ball, and the crystal ball for runes. I listened to Amy Grant. My spirituality leaned to one direction or another, capricious as a spring breeze, as I weighed the influences of those I loved, the books I read, and the cries of my heart.
In 1990, on an icy December night, I sat outside my sister’s house, gazing at the stars and wishing I still felt what I used to feel at that magical time of year. My mother had passed the year before, and Christmas had lost its meaning for me. I was certain I no longer believed in any sort of higher power, which had come as a tremendous relief to me. And my certainty that a pagan path was my destiny was stronger than ever. But as my sister hung lights and trilled along to my mother’s old Christmas albums, my heart was in turmoil. Did any of this mean anything if I didn't believe in god, let alone the divinity of Jesus?
I despaired. I wept. I fumed. How could I reconcile the path I envisioned for myself with the faith of my past?
So many of the beautiful traditions I was raised with would have to be cast aside if I were to fully embrace a life of Atheistic Paganism. Wouldn't they? Or could I find a way to enjoy the music, the hymns, the Christmas specials? Could I hold onto those things and not be a hypocrite? I knew many traditions of the season were of pagan origin, of course. But could I still sing “Hark the Herald Angels” and attend a Christmas Eve service?
The truth that I came to embrace that freezing, sparkling night was that my path was always destined to be singular, eclectic, and patch-worked. It could not be any other way for a person who had been raised with exposure to such an array of faiths, and who absorbed everything that touched her. I could say with no hesitation, “I do not believe there are any gods,” and with the same breath sing Michael W. Smith’s “Gloria” at the top of my lungs – because his truth was not my truth and it did not have to be. I do not have to be Asian to enjoy practicing karate.
I do not have to be Jewish to quote my favorite verse from Isaiah (55:12, if you’re wondering.) I don’t have to be Polish to wait at Redlinski’s with my ticket in hand, to order five pounds of the holiday sausage. I can enjoy aspects of all faiths, and still feel my own truth in my heart. Light my candles. Embrace the darkness of the longest night.
And I did embrace it, that night. My brother-in-law kindly drilled three holes in a piece of firewood for me. I lit the candles on my own Yule Log for the first time, and I have lit that Yule Log every year since. Very small hands help me now, and we give thanks together for the coming light – knowing it does not matter to whom we are thankful, only that we are.
The beauty of Paganism for me is that every day can be a day of renewal. Any spoke on the Wheel leads to a day to celebrate, a day to be grateful. On this day, I am grateful for the opportunity Kallan has given me to find new friends among the remarkable participants of the Sunday Stew.
Uncharted Seas with Cap'n Dave
A heavy snow, blanketing the ground and turning the world black and white. The hush – silence, except for the occasional sounds of shovels scraping walkways and the crunch of snow underfoot. The chill – clean, cold, the silly feeling you get when your nostrils stick together.
Weakened sun, gray skies, huge, fluffy flakes falling from some unseen source on high. Skeletal branches of leaf-bare trees decorated in white.
A field, a yard, even just a walkway that hasn't been marred with a thousand footprints. Everything looks so…clean.
This, more than ever, has been my usual winter. Growing up in rural Montana, I was always in awe at how the world could be so changed overnight. It was as if all of the angry men on the television were suddenly silenced. It was truly…peace on Earth.
When I moved to California, all of that changed. There was no hush of white, no cleanliness, no silly feeling…and the angry men kept talking.
I was still too young to fully understand it all, but I knew that there was something magickal in that snow. Years later, when I found myself driving in it, I would get anxious, concerned, angry at other drivers, angry at the weather itself. This machine that we have created an entire subculture around, that is supposed to make our lives easier, faster, more enjoyable…was now killing the magick in that wonderful time of my youth of snowmen and angels and forts and igloos and galoshes and toboggans and skates…
…and we let it happen. In fact, we encouraged it. Now, we have infrared satellites, and doppler radars, and while the accurate understanding of a storm moving into our region is a wonderful thing to know well ahead of time, the way it is being reported is not.
That magickal world-transforming white has become our enemy now. We are being told to be afraid of it. Make sure you have enough food and water, buy plenty of candles for when the power goes out, bundle up in plenty of dry, clean layers, and don’t venture outside unless it’s an emergency. Stay indoors. Be safe. Stuff blankets under your doors. Keep the curtains closed to conserve heat.
Now this is all sage advice if a terrible blizzard is bearing down on your area, but this is the same reporting that we are hearing for flurries and temperatures below freezing! Whatever happened to dreaming of a white Christmas? Sleigh rides together with you? Fun in a one-horse open sleigh? Dancing with Frosty?
Have we become a culture that is so afraid of the elements that we lock ourselves in safe rooms until the temperatures are in the 70s under clear skies? Oh, no, we can’t have that either…not without a few gallon-sized bottles of sunscreen! Can’t have that sunshine touching our skin now, can we? And if that temperature gets above 75°F? Well, then it’s time to go back into that safe room and turn on the air conditioning.
Pretty soon, I imagine we’ll be hearing that the extremes in temperature are because of terrorists. Why not? We’re blaming everything else that we are being told to fear on…on…THEM. Yes…they. Them. The bogey-man. If we can’t blame something on Satan or demons or God’s wrath, then it’s all because of terrorists.
Or Obama.
We go through the motions these days, but it seems anymore like that’s all that it is. We put up a tree, not because it’s pretty, not to bring the outdoors inside in the old Pagan custom, but because we’re expected to. We decorate not because it looks nice, but because our neighbor did.
Where has the magick gone?
I have no tree this year, but that’s only because I need to do some remodeling in the salon to create a bit more room. Next year, there will be a Yule tree on board Serenity. It won’t be a huge monstrosity so I can show off to the neighbors how much I spent at Joe’s Christmas Tree Shack, Inc. It won’t be festooned with so much glitz and glitter that it hurts to look upon it with the naked eye. It will be…simple, pretty, and put up because I want to put it up. Because it looks nice. Because it smells nice.
Because that’s how it should be.
I’ll have decorations on the boat because I want it to look pretty in honor of the season and for the joy it will bring not only to my wife and me, but to those who are also on our dock. It won’t be to impress them – it will just be to make us feel nice…and if they get a feeling of warmth from it as well, then so much the better.
Because that’s how it should be.
I won’t be dashing through the snow for a 1-day open sales event. Any gifts under that tree will be simple and have a lot more use than yet another disposable electronic gizmo.
Because that’s how it should be.
Now that I’m back in California, yes…the snow is gone again, but since I am living on the water, I have some of that sparkle – some of the magick has re-entered my life. It’s not much, really – just frost and a little ice on the docks, my sail cover, and my cushions in the cockpit, but dammit…it’s cold and it’s white, so that counts for something right?
Now if I can just get the angry men to shut up.
Saga's Spirit with Loren Morris
Merry Yule Craft
We are back!! Did you miss us?
I thought for this entry I would give you a craft to make. I like to save my old lightbulbs all year for this one. It is a recycle craft.
Items you will need:
Empty egg carton
Burned out lightbulbs
Styrofoam cups
White paint
Glitter (optional)
Various other paint colors (black, orange, green, pink, red, blue, yellow)
Bits of ribbons and other decorative items
Mainly everything that you will use on this project are all recycle items. Even the scrap bits that you can't really use for anything else.
First, you are going to rinse off the bulbs, dry them and get an old egg carton to hold the lightbulbs while they dry.
Read more at Loren's blog, Saga's Cottage
My store:
My spirit boards:
My facebook:
Sunshine's Meanderings with Kathleen Lane
Forgive and Forget!
Another year gone and for many people around the world it has been a year that they are glad to have ended. It has been full of really severe weather across the globe and violence and upheaval everywhere, but it has had good things as well. And some things fall in both categories. The death of Nelson Mandala is one of those things......sorrow at his death and amazement that a man of quiet demeanor and kindness not only brought his country together, but the world as well. Dignitaries from around the world met to honor and pay homage to a great man.
Growing up in a tribal environment this is the time of year to unburden oneself. Old debts are paid and obligations are either forgiven or taken care of. Along with these, old angers are burned away and given to the smoke to carry away. Carrying old anger into the new year is foolish. It does nothing but harm you and the person you are angry at and starts the new year with a scar already on it. The birth of the new year should be clean and unscarred and full of joy. It should be a time of new beginnings and hope and dreams for a better tomorrow. Don't bring old baggage into it.
We used to make anger sticks and burden sticks and burn them on the eve of the solstice. Each stick represented something you wanted to be rid of and we either notched them in some way to show what they were for or tied something to them for the same purpose. As they burned, they took those things with them and they were gone....forgiven or forgotten. The smoke carried them away to a realm where they had no meaning.
The new year should be a time of new beginnings, new wonders and new experiences. Open yourself up completely to what 2014 will bring.
One thing you might do in the start of the new year is plan a garden of heirloom plants. A link to the Heirloom Seed Exchange is included here for anyone who likes to spend the month of January planting gardens in their minds.
The Witch's Cupboard with Autumn Earthsong
Pine
Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world. ~John Muir
Let me start out by saying how happy I am to be a part of the Sunday Stew staff. I've read The Stew and been a loyal follower for several years now and I’m very excited to be here to share a a bit about herbs..one of my favorite subjects.
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| photo credit Morton Arboretum |
I chose Pine as our Yule herb because, well, they just go together. Trees, garland, and roping are often pine and lend a wonderful scent and touch of the real outdoors to our homes in the Winter. Pinecones too are often used in our decorating, to fill bowls, to make fire starters etc. Pines are easily recognizable in Winter because they remain green of course, and can be found readily all over the world. There are over 100 varieties of pine trees….some considered soft pine and some hard. The difference between hard and soft, in general, can be seen in the wood, the height, the needles etc. But for our purposes, I’ll just say that the needles are literally softer, and come in bundles of 5 or more, while hard pines have bundles of 2 or 3.
Types of soft pines are Eastern White Pine, Western White Pine, Pinon Pine, Whitebark, Sugar and Limber. Types of hard pine would include Ponderosa, Lodgepole, Jeffrey and Knobcone.
For medicinal purposes, you will want to use soft pine needles if you can, though the hard pine won’t hurt you either. If you live in an area where those are more readily available, by all means use them. Hard pine may have more “pitch” and be more bitter, but again, it’s safe to use.
The parts of Pine that can be used for various reasons are the needles, the resin or sap, the cones and the bark. Medicinally, Pine is an antiseptic, expectorant, and tonic. The needles and shoots are rich in Vitamin A and C. It’s wonderful for helping with colds, the flu and congestion associated with Winter. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy for its antiseptic, antiviral, bactericidal, deodorant, and diuretic properties.
There are many uses for each part of the Pine. Pine needle tea is a wonderful way to get more Vitamin C to aid in colds and coughs. It acts as an expectorant to break up the congestion. One source I found said there is 5 times more Vitamin C in a cup of pine needle tea then in a glass of orange juice! The tea also aids in urinary tract infections and aids in absorbing iron. Use the cones and needles in a bath for breathing disorders, skin complaints, and sore muscle pain. Or add the needle tea to your bath as well. You can also use the tea as an inhalant on the stove. The resin or sap can be made into an oil and then with added wax be made into a healing and drawing salve. It will draw out splinters and other small foreign objects. The sap can be made into a tincture or a honey as well. The needles can be made into a vinegar , tasting a bit like balsamic vinegar with a more earthy taste (in my opinion). Of course we have all heard of Pine-Sol cleaner and Pine Tar Soap among other things that can be made from the wonderful Pine tree!
To make a pine needle tea, you just collect a small handful of pine needles, cut them into smaller pieces and remove any brown parts. Steep in about 1 ½ cups very hot water for about 10 mins. Strain and add honey to taste.
Ok, I’ve talked for a bit about the medicinal uses for Pine. Now I’d like to talk about the many magickal uses for Pine!
Pine is associated with the Elements of Air and Fire. It symbolizes Birth, Abundance, Health, Fertility, Protection and Prosperity. It’s associated with the deities Artemis, Ariadne, Astarte, Rhea, Dionysus, Bacchus, Merlin, and Pan. Planetary correspondence is Mars.
There is an abundance of magickal uses for Pine. You can choose what part of the pine you’ll use for each purpose and I’ll have some suggestions too. Here are just a few of the things Pine can do for you and your home and family……
-Use pine to attract Prosperity. The Green of pine is perfect! Keep a wooden bowl of greens and cones with a candle in the center or burn branches or cones in your fireplace.
-Use some pine essential oil in your floor or window wash to cleanse and protect your home, ritual area or to help lift your spirits and stave off negativity.
-A pine wand or pine cone kept on the altar wards off evil influences.
-Carry pine cones to increase fertility and have a vigorous old age.
-Use a pine oil cleaner as an antiseptic to keep illness away on surfaces that are touched a lot like knobs and faucets, countertops, and phones!
-Throw pine needles or cones into winter fires for protection.
- Burn pine incense for purification and divination.
-Hang a pine wreath on your front door to ensure continuous joy within.
-Put pine needles or cones in your bath to remove mental negativity.
-Make a potpourri using Pine, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Bayberry, Clove, and ora.
Next week, I'll share a Pine Recipe with you!
Visit Autumn's Shop, Verbena Lane Botanicals!
The Spice with La'Trice Lott
Wassail
(And Hot Buttered Rum, too)
Wassail has long been a part of many Yule/Winter Solstice celebrations. Traditional wassail is made with wine, mulled beer or mead. Over the years, I’ve mixed and matched various recipes to come up with the kid-friendly version you can make in your crockpot. It’s really delicious and, added bonus, it makes the house wonderful.
•4 cups apple cider
•2 cups unsweetened orange juice
•1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
•1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
•¾ cup sugar
•1-2 cinnamon sticks
•4 whole allspice
•½ tsp. whole cloves
•1 orange sliced
•1 lemon sliced
Place spices in a piece cheese cloth and tie the ends together. Pour liquids into your slow-cooker in the order listed. Stir in sugar. Add fruit slices. Drop in spice ball. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. Note: To make an adult version, replace half the cider with your favorite red wine.
Bonus Recipe: Hot Buttered Rum!
There’s nothing better than watching a blazing yule fire while sipping some Hot Buttered Rum. This recipe comes courtesy of Mr. Emeril “Bam” Lagasse.
•1 stick unsalted butter, softened
•2 cups light brown sugar
•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•½ teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
•A pinch of ground clove
•A pinch of Salt
•Dark Rum of your choice
•Boiling Water
In a bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Refrigerate until almost firm (about 30 mins.) Spoon 2 tablespoons of butter mixture in to a mug. Add about 2 - 3 ounces of rum (mug will be half full). Pour in boiling water to fill rest of the mug. Stir well. Enjoy.
Yuletide Blessings / Merry Solstice
To All
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Pawitively Witchcraft! with Tiffanie Dovich
Bark the furry doggies howl Fa la la la la la la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Hi there Hoomans! My name is Luna the amazing white boxer and I’m taking over today’s edition of the Tiffanie's submission. Mama has been kinda of slack lately so it’s up to me and my amazingness to cover for her, I mean she does make me these awesome treats and takes me for walkies so I guess it’s the least I could do…………….So peoples hold on to your pants cause here we go! No, really you might want to hold on to them. I like to chew on pants. Pants, shoes, mama’s puppy human’s toys, socks, anything she leaves on her altar, pants…..mmmmmmmm tasty pants…..*droolz* Any ways, I’m here today to give your furry comrades some helpful insight into the madness that descends upon their humans that is commonly referred to as “holiday spirit “.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCBhQCCyhTo
(1.) For some woofing reason your humans will decide to bring the outside in in the form of a fabulous smelling tree. I mean come one now? A tree? Don’t they know that trees are outside things? I get yelled out for bringing one measly little stick in but they can bring in the whole shebang with no one even wagging a tail. Sometimes it’s just not fair for us four footers I tell ya! Then to top it all off they go even more nuts and put all these fun and shiny balls all over it! Don’t they know that the only place balls belong are inside of our mouths? Jeez sometimes humans are so STRANGE!
(2.) Now not ONLY did they go cray cray by bringing a tree inside the house, they expect us not to do the following: Lick, sniff, mark, climb, chew, knock over, mouth, pee on, or otherwise touch the new tree. I mean really asking a cat not to climb a tree is like asking a boxer not to wiggle her butt. It’s just not happening. Also I’ve been informed by some of the male members of my species that peeing on trees is in the canine manual. It’s just gonna happen. But don’t be surprised if your humans gets their tails all twisted (well if they had tails that is) if you touch that tree. Someone must have had crazy kibble for breakfast let me tell you! Trees in doors…..Sigh….
(3.)Now there will be random new bits of smelly goodness floating around your house as your humans add even more things to their décor. Don’t touch these either. Chances are you’ll end up in even more trouble for touching that shiny bauble than you would be for peeing on the tree. Don’t DO IT! You’ll end up kenneled or out in the yard. Trust me. I know!
(4.)There will be more people showing up with food that you’ve seen all year! Also most of these people will not know that your not supposed to have human food! This is awesome for us! So start working on those puppy eyes and begging moves. Humans can’t resist puppy eyes.
(5.)If there are human puppies around you must stalk them! They are almost always willing to share and normally have the greatest snacks of things you are normally not allowed to eat. They’ve got to be good for something right?
(6.)If you see your human approach you with anything resembling anthers (not the yummy kind) RUN! During this strange time your humans will become obsessed with dressing you up in bells, Santa outfits, and tons of other things that are beneath your dignity. Hide and if you can get these offensive items alone without human supervision…well you know what to do. (Murder them)
(7.)Elf on the shelf. This sneaky little spy might seem cute and harmless to your humans but you best believe he/she is Enemy number 1! No one sneaks into my house and moves around at night without me knowing. Brothers and sisters of fur! Your orders are to destroy on sight. We’ve got your number you creepy pointy ear little stalker you!
(8.)If you do encounter a jolly large fat man, (there’s no use telling you what coat color he is wearing cause you know we’re color blind), don’t bark at him. He’s good peoples and always has cookies. Plus he hands out bones and catnip *insert drooling here*
(9.)Don’t chew on the yule log. Your humans might be a little upset with you. Plus if it’s the chocolate kind that might send you to that place of horrors…..The vet…..*shivers* and you remember what happened last time you went to the vet. I do and it was not pretty thank you furry much.
(10.)The good news is that this madness is only temporary and is followed by a period of lots of more walks and better grooming habits for us. I can only think that our humans are trying to make up for their lapse in sanity. Poor silly humans.
So there you go, Ten super helpful things to get you through the madness that is about to descend on your household. Have a Yappy Yule! I’m off to go rummage in the trash now that mama is not paying attention. Licks and nuzzles!
(Mama said it’s not fair to not include the kitties in the video fun. So here, kitties a song for you. *grumble grumble*)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06GhXB2_XNE&list=PLxnNMujH6Vd3PcjVXuE_ciezxLKxgApyh
This Week in Astrology
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| Capricorn by Miss Dee |
all times Eastern Standard
Sunday December 22: Good day for business until 8:25am
Moon Void of Course from 8:25am to 2:18pm when it will enter Virgo
Sun moves into Capricorn at 11:30am
Monday, December 23: All's Quiet in the heavens
Tuesday, December 24: Good day for business from 5:12am until 10:54pm
Moon Void of Course from 10:54pm through the rest of the night
Wednesday, December 25: Moon Void of Course until 1:16am, then moves into Libra
8:47am Last Quarter Moon
Thursday, December 26: All's Quiet in the heavens
Friday, December 27: Moon Void of Course from 6:00am to 8:57am then moves into Scorpio
Good day for business from 8:57am on :)
Saturday, December 28: Good Day for Business- ALL DAY!
Weekly Horoscopes with DarkStar Astrology
This Week's Tarot and Totem with Kallan Kennedy
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| The Crystal Tarot |
Tarot: The Three of Cups
"A time of merriment and reflection spent in the company of friends and loved ones. The conclusion of a matter in plenty and perfection. The strength of a diverse community being brought together. May suggest a celebration, festival, anniversary, wedding, baby shower, or other joyous gathering."~facade
The Three of Cups would definitely be a great card for the Winter Holidays. It represents friendship, bonding, celebration and community. It is a time of abundance and sharing.
This is the time where you can just let the stress go, even the holiday-related stuff from preparation. It's also about a community coming together for a common cause. Perhaps if you aren't able to be with your family and friends right now, you could volunteer to help those less fortunate. In giving that gift, you receive new bonds and blessings you didn't know existed.
This is also a card of creativity. Yours will be heightened at this time. Have you considered expressing yourself through art? dance? music? Now is the time to try it out! Enjoy the fun for the week ahead!
Totem Reading : The Stag
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| White Stag by Eglith Thompson |
"I am a stag: of seven tines" ~Song of Amergin
The stag, particularly in Celtic mythology, was a symbol of the wild god, strength, courage, fortitude, heroism and confidence. In many of the Irish heroic tales, the white stag was a message from the Otherworld, and a sign of victory. Antlers are a solar symbol, and with the return of the Sun at the Winter solstice, the stag is prominent.
Stag is the representative of high virtue and nobility of cause. If you wish to start something new, Stag can lend you his vision, fortitude, and stamina to keep going to see it through. Be warned: the Stag does not suffer fools, nor those who are not filled with integrity. Approach him with pride in your birthright, and with honor, always. It will be an unforgettable, rewarding experience.
Kallan is a professional tarot and totem intuitive, and gives readings by appointment. Contact her using the form at the top of this page, or via email.
Norse Magic and Mystery with Rita Digilova
Kallan's Introduction:
Rita Digilova is the owner of LaPulia Studio. If you've ever watched The Vampire Diaries or The Originals, you've seen her work. She and her team create some of the most stunning work you'll ever see in the Book of Shadows realms. Hailing from Russia, she is a longtime practitioner of Norse Magic, and has graciously agreed to share with the Sunday Stew readers. I happen to own one of her amazing books, and I can tell you that the craftsmanship, the magic and love are all present in every creation. She also creates and shares printable pages for her customers to add to their books. Twice a month, Rita will share a page with you. There will be a photo of the page here and a link to where you can download it.
You can find LaPulia Studio on Facebook and at the LaPulia Studio Website. Hint: I'd totally like that FB page.. she does regular giveaways of those amazing books of shadows!
Here is your introduction into Norse Sorcery:
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| Click HERE to download |
The UnSung Influencers of 2013: Let's Give them a Song!
The Shameless Plug will return in January. For now, we want to invite you to tell us about your Unsung Pagan Influencer of 2013. You'll see a Link at the top of this blog page to nominate someone that may not necessarily be a big name Pagan author, teacher, etc... but, this person has influenced your spiritual growth this year, and you want to make sure that he/she gets a song. This is not a popularity contest. There is no voting. All nominees will be featured in next week's Stew. You have until Tuesday, December 24 to nominate as many people as you like. We do ask that you only give us one entry per person nominated, though. Also, please use your own words. I've received several nominations in which I have been told that I, as a writer, can describe the person's nominee better than the nominator, so "just make something up".. that is not the purpose of this exercise. This is about your nominee's personal impact on you, not me :) Your verse of their song is very important, and whether you are a writer or not, your emotions will come through and be felt.
If you have any questions about this, feel free to contact me using the contact form or email me. We've had quite a few wonderful nominations so far. We look forward to featuring your nominee next week!
That's it for this week's Stew. As always, Mull. Digest. Enjoy!
The Sunday Stew is a free, e-publication delivered every Sunday as a loving gift to the Pagan community. All submissions are the intellectual property of their authors, and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the blog owner. All photos used are either copyrighted to their owners and are used with permission. Astrology, Tarot and Totem are for entertainment purposes.
We welcome your feedback! Please be sure to tell us how we're doing and give us suggestions for improvement. You can leave a comment here (remember, they are moderated so it may take some time for yours to appear), use the contact form at the top of the page, email Kallan, or comment on Kallan's Facebook page. We look forward to hearing from you!