The winner of the giveaway is...

Engie Willow!

Final Forget-Me-Nots

From Melissa Cassick:



Doris Flading gave me the best advice I ever received in my life.

Once upon a time, on a beautiful summer day, she wanted to take her daughter - my best friend - Catherine and me somewhere. Maybe to a musical, maybe to a flea market, maybe to a relative’s house for a visit. It didn’t matter to us -- we had no intention of going. We objected to this outing: we would rather play dress-up, or Fisher-Price, or read Peanuts comic books in the attic room. No, no, NO … we did not wish to go.

Doris leaned in close to my face. “Melissa, have you ever seen an old lady who looks mean, and her eyes are small, and her mouth turns down at the sides? That’s because she spent her life saying, ‘No. I don’t want to. No. No.’ But have you ever seen a lovely old lady who always looks happy, and her eyes sparkle, and her wrinkles are all pulled up into smile lines? It’s because she spent her life saying, ‘Why, yes! I’d love to! That would be delightful!’ Now … you need to ask yourself: which face do *you* want?”

Thus Doris became the first person to ever show me that happiness is a choice.

She was equally in her element digging in a garden, singing a cantata, and painting at the top of a ladder, her hair pulled back with a crocheted band. She related funny stories she heard on NPR, bellowed up the stairs to get down here and bring in some firewood, and sang the tenor line of “Messiah” (while Catherine took alto and I faked my way through the soprano line.) She was a warm, night-gowned presence in the darkness, leading us down to the bathroom, and then guiding us carefully back up the stairs to bed. She could speak a few words and leave you wondering for the rest of the afternoon whether you had just been praised or rebuked, until you realized it was both -- and it was apt and deserved. She looked elegant in hat and gloves and red lipstick, and she could make a housecoat look like a royal robe. She could tell you which page of the book contained what you were looking for, recall what movie that actress had been in, name any piece of music if you could warble a bar or two. She could wield a power saw and drill, she could knock down a wall and build a new one, she could strip decades of paint off an antique to bring it back to life. Her hands scrubbed floors, wrote letters, did crosswords, held a cigarette, turned a page of music, and flipped a piece of china over for inspection. She collected costume jewelry, she collected dishes and cookie jars, and she collected friends.

She was intelligent, blunt, canny, determined, gracious, well-read, hilarious, classy.

She is unforgettable.

Doris June (Frey) Flading was born in Akron, N.Y., on June 22, 1931. She passed away on Dec. 9, 2014, at the Niagara County hospice.

------

From Renee "Sosanna" Olson

Robert Lee Smith 1960-2015
Honoring the memory of my cousin who passed away suddenly while I was at an event.  He had a very tough life but in the end found someone who made him happy.  He was diagnosed with liver cancer and passed away shortly thereafter.  

----

From Sandi Crawford



Captain Jack Bigglesworth was 9 years old when he passed earlier this year. He was our biggest baby and my familiar. Jack loved having his chin scratched, laser pointers, flies, and never met a tarot spread he could resist laying on. He loved having people around. We laid him to rest in a spot he would have loved in life in the woods near a creek and we will miss him forever.


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From Kallan Kennedy


John and Millie Kennedy were my grandparents, but for all intents and purposes, they were my parents. They were a strong presence in my life and shaped so much of the loving memories of my childhood. They passed many decades ago, but I still miss them every day. May they never be forgotten, and may their genetic memory be passed throughout the generations.

The Siren Song with Jennifer Rasmussen

For today’s Forget-Me-Not-Friday, we have another one from Loreena McKennitt. This one is a bit of a tear-jerker, so have tissues ready. 

Today's Recipe with Autumn Earthsong

Harvest Apple Cheesecake

Happy Samhain to you all!  I decided to end my recipes today with a delicious one.  I hope that you all have enjoyed my recipes and give them a try.  Many are good for all winter long and I’m sure if you’re like me, you can eat anything apple or pumpkin any time of the year too!  I’ve enjoyed sharing with you.  Thank you for being a Siren’s reader!

Harvest Apple Cheesecake
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, melted and divided
1 Tb ground cinnamon
3 apples, cored, peeled and sliced into 12 rings
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1 (8 oz) container ricotta cheese
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 tsps vanilla extract
1 (8 oz) container whipping cream

Combine cracker crumbs, brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter and cinnamon.  Press into bottom and partway up sides of an ungreased 9” springform pan.  Saute’ apple slices on both sides in remaining butter in skillet.  Arrange 6 apple slices on prepared crust. Beat eggs, sugar, ricotta cheese, cream cheese and vanilla in a bowl until smooth.

Add whipping cream and blend well. Pour cheese mixture into pan.  Arrange remaining apple slices on top and press apples slightly under the mixture.


Sprinkle top with cinnamon.  Bake at 450* for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300* and bake for 50 to 55 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate overnight.
Enjoy!!  Blessed Samhain!

Blessings and Love,
Autumn

Autumn Earthsong is back for the 3rd year as our resident Kitchen Witch. You may have seen her recipes in Imramma Magazine and The Sunday Stew as well.  Autumn has been a practicing Witch for 17 years and hails from Ohio. She is a wife, mother of two, and Nana to three busy little grandchildren.  Samhain is a favorite time of year for her….with her name indicating what Season she loves!  Cooking for family and friends this time of year is also a joy…..Especially this time of year!   Hearth, Fire, love of family and good food is how she brings Magick to her home.   You can also find her blogging at www.autumnearthsong.com.   She looks forward to sharing her recipes with you all and hopes that you have a very Blessed Samhain Season!

Cocktails with CL

Vampire's Kiss

1/2 Red Wine (or Port wine if you prefer it sweeter)
1/2 Passoa (Passion fruit liqueur)

Directions: Stir the ingredients together and pour into a small wine glass.
That was the original recipe. But, once again, I didn’t feel that Passionfruit Liquor was appropriate to the Autumn/Samhain theme and went on the hunt for an alternative. What I ended up with was Red Wine (I chose Red Moscato but it is a matter of preference depending on how sweet or dry you like it), Pama Pomegranate Liquor, and a drink I call Persephone’s Descent!

This is the simplest of the cocktails I made this season and is, actually, my favorite of them all. The flavor is amazing, I’ve made it several times for myself now because it is just tasty, but the Pomegranate Liquor gives it that….certain something. This drink tastes like All Hallows, to me, and is why I saved it for last. I have even used it as offerings for my Gods and Ancestors.

Do not let its simplicity fool you. This drink is potent and after a couple of glasses you will strength of this blood red brew right down to your bones. It’s fabulous.



If preparing for a party you can always amp up the dramatic aesthetic by tying a black ribbon around the stem or rimming the glass with black sugar (black food coloring, sugar, zip lock baggie, bam!) though I personally found the ruby red color to be sufficiently dramatic on its own.

Paula's Paleo Recipes with Paula Lupi

Sweet Potato Soup with Bacon

6 slices sugar-free, nitrate-free bacon
1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 tsp Ras el Hanout (recipe included)
½ TBS salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water

Garnish: chopped chives

Cut the bacon crosswise into ¼ inch pieces. Place the chopped bacon in a large, cold soup pot, turn the heat to medium-high, and fry the bacon until it’s crisp, about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from the pot and drain on a paper towel. Keep 1 TBS of the fat in the pot and discard the rest.
Reheat the fat over medium-high heat, then add the onions, Ras el Hanout, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Toss in the garlic and stir, cooking until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the sweet potatoes, broth, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Working in batches and being careful, puree the soup in a food processor or blender until it’s smooth. Fill the canister only halfway, holding a towel over the lid while you puree. Hot soup expands in the canister and can spurt out if you’re not vigilant. Return to the pot, taste, and adjust seasonings. Ladle into bowls, then sprinkle with a little bacon and chives. Both the bacon and soup hold up well in the fridge for a few days.

Grand Prize Giveaway from LaPulia Studio!

Book: Triquetra Book of Shadows with blank parchment pages
Cover Size: 9”X12” (fits paper of 8.5”x11” – A4)
Binding: post-bound (pages can be rearranged, add or removed)
Color: Green
Price: $389

If you've been entering our giveaways all season, each one of your entries is counted toward this prize. However, this is your last chance to get one more entry in.. so, go to the LaPulia Studio Facebook page, like the page, comment on the page and say hi to Rita from the Sirens!

Come back here, and comment to let us know you did. We'll draw the winner tonight at 9pm, and will announce tomorrow morning at 9am EDT!

Canadians: Here is your final question-

What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything?

See you tomorrow morning for our final farewell!

In honor of the thinning of the veil, we're going to take each Friday to honor a magical someone who has passed through to the other side of the veil.

We hope you’ll join us in honoring them, even if you hold them in your heart, even if only for just the time you read the blog post.

Thank you in advance, and may you always be remembered through time.

We are asking the community to submit your own forget-me-nots for loved ones who have passed through the veil for our final Samhain post. Send your tributes and photos to samhainsirens@gmail.com no later than Friday, October 23. We look forward to helping you honor them through this venue. If you have any questions, please use the "contact us" form at the top of this page.


Today's Forget-Me-Not: Susan Herman

Today, we honor our dear friend, Snow Moon (aka Susan Herman). She was one of our Sirens and our biggest cheerleader.

She submitted a blog to us for this year, and we honor her wish to have it published here:

Today's Blogger in Memoriam: Susan Herman (Snow Moon)

THE DUMB SUPPER                

Despite the numerous misconceptions surrounding the holiday, I have always been drawn to Halloween like a moth to a flame, or in this case; a witch to her broom!

For as far back as I can recall as a young child, the excitement and anticipation started to grow for the arrival of Hallows eve as early as the end of August. While most kids were still enjoying the hot summer days, I was usually sketching a prototype of my Halloween costume with my mom. Fortunately for me, she has always been extremely skilled within the world of sewing and design.

Although the “quest” had always remained the same; who could collect the most chocolate and candy, while cramming it all into a plastic pumpkin, pillow case, or treat bag....But, by the end of the evening I had always felt there was something “more” to this delightfully dark celebration.

As I had approached my teen years, my attraction and pull towards the occult, witchcraft, and the “Old ways”, took over. Having premonitions through dreams, I have always been strongly intuitive, and have rarely second guessed my gut instinct. This attraction appeared to come as naturally for me as breathing! After one good swift kick to the broom closet door, I dove into my exploration of this magical day with much of the same enthusiasm I had exhibited every Christmas morning...

As I have learned over the years, Halloween and Samhain represent many different things to many unique individuals and cultures throughout the world. This celebration is rich in it’s symbolism and customs, most of which date back thousands of years. For myself, this holiday reflects the Final harvest, the wheel of the year coming to a close and preparing for a new year and new cycle. It is a sacred time for divination, feasting, and celebration. It is a time to release and let go of any residual guilt, pain, and unfinished business. In a sense, clearing out all of the “spiritual clutter”.


It combines the dark and macabre theme of death, with light hearted activities such as carving jack –o’-lanterns and baking Halloween cookies. It is within these intersecting themes that the predominate symbolism of death resides. Death, as applied here, relates to the third and final harvest season. It relates to the completion of one year, while a new year will commence on November 1st. It is also a time when the veil to the “otherworld” is fairly thin.

Without a doubt, it is an auspicious time to attempt to contact loved ones that have passed on to the other side. Over the years I have implemented my own set of rules in my efforts to contact deceased loved ones. Through trial and error I have adjusted my practices accordingly. This past decade I have experienced extreme changes in my life. During this time I have honored my “loved ones passed” with the ritual of the Dumb Supper.

The Dumb Supper has existed for many years. It was routinely practiced in parts of Great Britain and Ireland. Throughout my investigations, I have learned there are many variations of this ritual. Honoring or contacting the dead is a spiritual and personal gesture unique to each individual. Therefore, I believe it is important to incorporate whatever elements that are special to you, and personal for your Dumb Supper.

Traditionally, there have been a few different dates that people have utilized in hosting this ritual. Obviously October 31st being Samhain is a popular choice. Other days have fallen in between October 29th to November 2nd . Occasionally, I have heard some chose November 7th to host their Dumb Supper, as this is one of the four points during the year that fall between the solstices and equinoxes. On this day, the sun sits at 15 degrees of Scorpio, a “cross quarter day”.

Personally, I have usually held my Dumb Supper during one of the evenings of the “Dead moon”; between October 29th and October 31st. The Dumb Supper is a ritual built around remembering, honoring, and contacting the dead.

While lifting the veil to the otherworld, in our attempts to dial into our own “sixth sense” and to establish contact, it is imperative to adhere to the most important rule of this supper; no talking!! It is suggested that any foods, drinks, supplies you may require during dinner, should all be placed in a strategic position on the table to avoid having to ask for anything.

When I have hosted a Dumb Supper, I follow a more traditional path and the interpretations associated with it. I will share with you what I do, however as I had mentioned earlier, make the ritual your own. Make it personal, make it sacred...

Obviously food has often played a vital role within many cultural celebrations of the dead. Whether it has been left as an offering at a grave site, placed on an outdoor altar or simply served at the dinner table, the choices are endless. You may choose to serve your deceased loved ones favorite foods, or something very different. I prefer to serve seasonal foods that are very savory. My “go to” dish is a stuffed pumpkin with wild rice, squash, pecans, scallions, & dried cranberries.

Dessert may consist of anything you could imagine, from Halloween candy to perhaps something more elaborate like a pumpkin spice cake. Another option is to ask each of your guests to bring a dish, “potluck” style. The table is generally decorated all in black. Black dishes, napkins, glasses, and so on. I incorporate some skull candles or candle holders, as this is after all a feast for the dead. I use black candles to light the way, all regular lights are shut off.

On the entrance table, I display photos of the person/people we wish to contact in the otherworld. I may place a gift they had given me, on the table. I leave the head of the table empty, that seat is reserved for the loved one passed. If you are honoring more than one person, adjust your seating accordingly.

The chairs of the departed are each cloaked with a black cloth. On their dinner plates sits one black tea light that is lit. I always place a purple candle on the center of the table to represent the “Spirit”.

 Before supper, I say a blessing for the departed loved ones, and remind those at the table that we are each here to make contact or say hello in our own way. While we all dine in silence, if there is a “sign” from the otherworld, I record it on a note pad that I had placed by everyone’s setting. Once the Dumb Supper is complete, I thank any loved ones I had invited, for coming. Then I read a Samhain blessing that I write every year.

Afterwards, everyone is welcome to share any thoughts, emotions, and experiences they may have encountered during supper. As each of my guests departs for the evening; (the living guests!!) I always give them a gift to take home. I have given cupcakes, cookies, ornaments, candles, oils, or charm bags. It is not mandatory, simply something I enjoy doing.

Despite all of the obvious dark undertones of Halloween and Samhain, I still manage to enjoy all of the mundane, magical, and mystical treats that October 31st manages to deliver each year...

SAMHAIN BLESSING ~

The dark half of the year has come,
The wheel completes it’s turn.
For in the glow of natures lamp,
A new year will emerge.

The earth rests silent with decay,
Though colors are ablaze,
Bonfires burn the chill of night,
And die by break of day.

Enchanted are the memories, the magic and the spells,
From centuries old we weave the tales,
In sacred space we dwell.

Family gathers by the fire,
Jack o’ lanterns glow,
The aromatic scent of spice
Billows from the stove.

Daytime slowly turns to dusk,
The portal opens wide,
Urging us to start the dance,
Where spirits play and hide.

As we gather for the Holly King,
A time to chant, a time to sing.
The goddess now prepares to sleep,
Her image but a crone,
As we invoke her power, her strength,
We never stand alone...

We call upon the watchtowers,
Cast the circle, light the flame,
We stand here in remembrance of those we’ve lost by name.

Please protect and guide us,
Nourish our good health,
Bless us with abundance, security and wealth.

On this sacred Samhain eve,
When spirits roam and mortals grieve,
We invoke eternal bliss,
Weave our words,
Our darkest kiss.

Enchanted as the west wind blows,
We leave the portal gate,
We gather now with those we love,
A time to celebrate.

A feast of nature’s bounty,
Harvest gifts for all,
November brings another year,
As we embrace the fall.

Blessings and light,
This hallowed night...

Wishing all of you Brightest Blessings for a safe and happy Halloween and Samhain!

SNOW MOON (C)

Paleo Recipes with Paula Lancaster Lupi

Apple Brandy Toddy

Today's Song with Jennifer Rasmussen

For all you witchy women...

Today's Giveaway from The Secret Life of the American Witch

Deluxe Tarot Reading
$67.50

This is a Tree-of-Life spread that takes you through the next year and gives you insights and advice on the pitfalls to avoid, as well as those areas where you may excel in the next 12 months. You’ll get a picture of who you are, where you are and where you are currently going on this particular path. Each position has a unique planetary alignment associated with it, and is explained in this detailed report. You also get a free 6-month check-up report (upon request) with this reading.


Here's how to enter: (Canadians, skip this part and go to your section)

Like/Get Notifications on the Secret Life of the American Witch Facebook page. Come back, comment on this blog post and tell us that you did.

Remember to add your email address to the page (if you don't want to post it publicly, simply send it via the contact form at the top of the page).

Want extra entries??

1. Tell us one thing you absolutely love about Samhain in the comments.

2. Tweet about this giveaway. Comment with the link to your tweet.

3. Blog about this giveaway. Comment with the link to your blog post.

4. Follow Samhain's Sirens on Facebook. Comment, and let us know you did (if you're already following, just comment and say so!)

5. Follow this blog so you'll be in on all of the fabulous fun throughout October! Comment here that you did.

That gives you 6 chances to win this fabulous prize!

CANADIANS: LOOK HERE!
Canadians, your country requires that you answer questions instead of participating the American way ;) So, we're bringing you some good old-fashioned trivia about your country this year. Answer the question correctly in comments (don't forget to put your email address in the comment!) and you'll be given 6 entries in the giveaway!

Here's your question:

What is 7 x 7?


This giveaway is open until 9pm PDT tonight. Winner will be announced Monday at 9am EDT. Remember, we have to notify the winner in email first, so those email addresses are critical for you to qualify for the giveaway!

Good luck everyone!

See you tomorrow for our Saturday Craftacular!

Star Firewitch!!!

"Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them."

~George Eliot