Showing posts with label Autumn Earthsong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Autumn Earthsong. Show all posts
As we wind up the season, it's time to get more serious. Tomorrow evening, we begin our Ancestral Remembrance known as Samhain. It's been fun, and we've enjoyed every moment of this month with you.
The Thinning of the Veil by Loren Morris. Available for purchase at Primitive Witchery
Before we go further, we need to announce the winner of the Cordelia's Charms Giveaway. And the winner is...

Sandy McLean!

Congratulations! Please be sure you send Kallan your mailing address so Kourtney can send out your prize!

What kind of witches would we be without a song from Damh the Bard? Perfect for Samhain Eve.





Samhain Altars

Today, we show you some of our own Samhain altars from years' past. We hope this may inspire you for your own altar, and you'll enjoy this. We're also going to give you a preview of the Grand Prize Giveaways- winners to be announced tomorrow.


From Autumn Earthsong:




From Jennifer Hodgson:










From Johanna Lawson:







From Debbie Becker:







From Dawn Leith-Daugherty







From Angie Crabtree:


From Silver Swan:


Please take a moment to comment and thank these wonderful Sirens for sharing their Samhain Altars with you. These are very personal, and most people don't like sharing for that reason. These are beautiful and creative.



Grand Prize Giveaways!


For those of you who have been entering our giveaways all season, you are already entered into the grandprize giveaway. Every time you posted a valid entry, that entry counted toward our grand prizes. This year, we have two grand prizes to give away. Here's what the lucky winners will receive:


Grand Prize Giveaway #1:  From LaPulia Studios

The Witches’ Pentacle Blank Book of Shadows
Blank Book of Shadows comes with 1000 blank pages ( 500 leaves) of acid free french parchment paper.

The five-pointed star, or pentacle is the most recognizable symbol in magick. It represents the integration of body and spirit, and the spiritual mastery of the four elements. The pentacle is considered to be the most potent, powerful, and persistent symbols in human history. It is used in a number of rituals, and as a Grade sign in many traditions. The pentacle is often worn as a symbol of recognition among practitioners, especially those who practice a code of secrecy and with this thought in mind we have created Witches’ Pentacle Book of Shadows.

LaPulia Book of Shadows’ purpose is to bring real magick, as a way of life and as a world view, into our world of physical forms from the world of ideas. We infuse each and every book with the magical energy needed to serve its owner and become a powerful magickal artifact. As magickal artifacts, our Book of Shadows and Grimoires create strong connections with their owners and will activate and increase your magickal consciousness.

Your magical Blank Book of Shadows or Grimoire will be crafted in accordance with the oldest witchcraft traditions. LaPulia Book of Shadows only uses brand new, pristine and virgin clean materials of the highest quality. In addition, before use, all of the materials used to create your book undergo a special cleansing ceremony to remove any negative energy and prepare them for use in production. Lastly, every single Book of Shadows and Grimoire is magically blessed before it is shipped to you.

This prize will have a 2-week delay in shipping due to back-orders.



Grand Prize Giveaway #2:  Total Value $491.90

The following vendors are participating in this one-
Baublesmith, Hauntiture Creations, Primitive Witchery, Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends, Cordelia's Charms, and Marie Bargas, The Hollywood Witch

From Baublesmith:




Handmade Copper Tree of Life wired across a Picture Jasper.  This unique piece hangs from a cotton cord and is brought to life by the unique way the picture jasper creates a landscape for the three of life to dwell. This one of a kind piece fills the palm of the hand and is a bold focal piece to any ensemble. Retail price: 49.95

From Hauntiture Creations:


The Work of a Wizard (Wizard Tray, Figurine, and Book)















As masters of the secret knowledge of fairies, elves, and a whole host of other spirits invisible to human sight, the wizard holds a position of power that must be used only for good.  It is considered a defect of manners if a person is ever aware of your wizardly efforts on his behalf. Magic is not one of the Natural Sciences.  Wizards do not seek to perform repeatable experiments.  Alchemists, astronomers, natural philosophers, and geographers who consider their work to be in a par with that of wizards are sadly mistaken.

     The Red Dragon of Wales

The national emblem of Wales has been a red dragon.  This goes back to an ancient story about Merlin, the great wizard.  The story tells how a red and white dragon had been fighting each other and doing terrible damage to the country. They were captured by magic and imprisoned under the hill called Dinas Emrys.
      All was quiet then for centuries, until King Vortigern tried to build a castle on the hill. Each day the workmen would start building the walls, and each morning they would find that their work from the day before had been destroyed during the night. Local wise men led Vortigern to a young boy called Merlin, who lived near the hill and who was known to have magic powers. Merlin told the King about the dragons under the hill.  Nobody believed him, but finally Vortigern had the hill opened up.  Everyone was terrified as the two huge dragons flew out and at once began fighting again. A battled followed, and at last the red dragon overcame and killed the white dragon.  This was the beginning of Merlin's career as a great wizard.

There are so many interesting stories of Merlin to read. Such important lesson in life to learn for our younger generation by reading with them.

Fairy Tales are more than true...not because they tell us Dragons exist, but because they tell us Dragons can be beaten.     G. K. Chesterton.

A marvelous treat you can give your young one, is the gift of knowledge thru wonderful books to read.
             Magyk.   By Angie Sage.
             Book One- Septimus Heap
This spell binding series opener is a book full of wonders, charms, and surprises. Beautifully written and richly imagined, it invites us into a world we never want to leave.

Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, disappears the night he was born, pronounced dead by the midwife.  That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heaps, comes across an abandoned child in the snow-a newborn girl with violet eyes.  The Heaps take her into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son Septimus?

Total Value: $75.00


From Primitive Witchery:

Set of Wolf Hair Runes
Full set of 24 Elder Futhark Ulfhednar Ice Runes featuring actual wolf hair. They come in burlap bag and they are fully handcrafted and handpainted. The wolf hair is from shedding wolves.

Retail Price: $54.95

Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends: Mojo Box Giveaway



Retail price: $11.00


From Cordelia's Charms:




Whimsical Witch Hat Dangle Earrings: $22  --  Cute little witchy hats are suspended below purple bicone and olive green roundelle Swarovski Crystals. Total length measuring from the top of the ear wire is 2 inches.



From Marie Bargas. The Hollywood Witch: Two prizes





Retro-buster candle set. Value: $90.00


As seen on TV's "Extra"


Psychic Reading from The Hollywood Witch. Value $150.00

From The Lapis Dragon:











This Samhain Besom is designed to add both decoration and protection to your hearth. At 32" tall, it's not quite large enough for flying, but traditionally placed at the door or above it, you can use this besom to sweep negativity out the door and keep it from entering again. Decorated with crow and pheasant feathers, with a crow's head accent and scented with our Samhain oil (patchouli, vanilla and cinnamon), this is the perfect piece for the season, or all year round.
Retail Value: $40.00

How to enter:
If you have not entered any of our giveaways until now, you still have one more chance left! Comment on this blog (be sure to either post your email address or send it via email to Kallan)

Those of you who have already entered, you can go ahead and give us a comment (email addresses please)- perhaps a farewell?


Canadian residents: One last trivia question for an entry-



When did the flag of Canada make its first official appearance?
1867
1965
1982

That's all for today! Tomorrow, we post remembrances and the winners.
Samhain Blessings!
The Sirens

Freaky Friday Frolicking is about to begin! It's our last one of the season, so let's do it right!



Before we move on to the fun, let's find out who won yesterday's giveaway! And, the winner of the Raven Feather Glass Creations giveaway is...
Joe Beamon!

Congratulations! Be sure you send your choice of tea and mailing address to Kallan, so your prize can be shipped to you!

And now, on with the celebration!

Today's Music:  Samhain Song by Lisa Thiel






Forget-Me-Notby Kallan Kennedy



Today's tribute is to Margot Adler.

Margot Susanna Adler (April 16, 1946 – July 28, 2014) was an American author, journalist, lecturer, Wiccan priestess, radio journalist and New York correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR). Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Adler grew up mostly in New York City. Her grandfather, Alfred Adler, was a noted Austrian Jewish psychotherapist, collaborator with Sigmund Freud and the founder of the school of individual psychology. Adler authored Drawing Down the Moon, a 1979 book about Neopaganism which was revised in 2006.The book is considered a watershed in American Neopagan circles, as it provided the first comprehensive look at modern nature-based religions in the US. For many years it was the only introductory work about the American Neopagan communities.

Her second book, Heretic's Heart: A Journey Through Spirit and Revolution, was published by Beacon Press in 1997. Adler was a Wiccan priestess in the Gardnerian tradition, an elder in the Covenant of the Goddess, and she also participated in the Unitarian Universalist faith community.



Margot was a genuinely kind person. I had the opportunity to interact with her on Facebook for several years. Once, when I was starting a new walking regime, she encouraged me to keep going, as she had to walk 5 miles a day to keep her weight down. Another time, she discovered that I was going to be traveling to Manhattan for a business trip, and invited me to meet her for dinner. Unfortunately, I was unable to make that dinner, as my train left too early, and Margot passed through the veil the next year. She was always interested in making human connections like that. So many tributes have been made to her, and there are so many stories just like mine. She was a lovely person and we honor her spirit today.




Today's Recipe: Sweet Potato Pecan Pieby Autumn Earthsong



This pie recipe is something you would be proud to serve anytime through the holidays from Samhain to Yule.  It’s delicous.  Your guests will be impressed!

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 unbaked pie crust (9 inches)

TOPPING
 1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Whipped topping or ice cream

In a bowl, blend sugar and spices. Beat eggs; add milk and vanilla. Combine the sugar mixture. Stir in potatoes; beat until smooth. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Combine topping ingredients. Remove pie from the oven; sprinkle with topping. Bake 10-15 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Store in the refrigerator. Serve with whipped topping or ice cream.
6-8 servings.

Enjoy, Autumn Earthsong

Autumn Earthsong is a wife, mother, grandmother and a Witch! She’s been the Kitchen and Herb Witch for Samhain’s Sirens, The Sunday Stew and Imramma magazine for a few years now. Her Craft revolves around the kitchen, garden, hearth, altar, Mother Earth and Grandmother Moon. She feels Goddess blessed every day.   Autumn is also a healer as a Master Reiki practitioner and she’s knowledgeable in herbalism and crystals for healing as well. Autumn is the founder of her Coven and you can find her blogging at autumnearthsong.com.  Autumn is her favorite time of year as you may guess by her name,  and she especially loves sharing her favorite seasonal recipes!  She hopes you add them to your own  recipe files and enjoy them!  Blessed Samhain to all!


Siren's note: Our hearts go out to Autumn and her family at this time. Her daughter Sara passed through the veil last week. If you are able, please hold space for them at this time.




Cocktails with Ciel: Candy Corn Shots



Ingredients:

1 package orange Jello
1 package lemon Jello
1 packet unflavored gelatin
Vodka
Oranges or clear shot glasses

Instructions:

If using oranges slice oranges in half and scoop out the meat of the orange leaving an orange “bowl”. If using clear shot glasses set glasses out in preparation.

Boil one cup of water. Pour into bowl with one package of Jello (each flavor will need to be made separately and layered) and stir until Jello has fully dissolved. Pour in ¾ cup of vodka and stir. Fill the orange bowls or shot glasses one third of the way and place in the refrigerator until Jello has set. Repeat for each flavor of jello so that you get layers of orange, then lemon, then unflavored/clear to create the candy corn effect.

If using shot glasses your job is done! You can top with a bit of whipped cream if you like or simply leave them as is. If you are using oranges your next step is to slice the oranges. Since we are attempting to mimic candy corn try to slice them into as triangular a shape as possible. Next step: eat and enjoy!

These are a Halloween season favorite but one that I have never made or tried and decided this season I was going to give them a try and I am glad I did! They are so cute when finished and are perfect for any Halloween/Samhain party.

They are easy to make but can be time consuming as you have to wait for each individual layer of Jello to set before adding the next layer. The original instructions said 20 minutes to set but I found it took about 40 minutes for each layer to properly set. You definitely want to make sure the Jello is solid (well, as solid as Jello can get anyway) before pouring in the second and third layers. The new layer will be warm and can cause the colors/flavors to mix if the Jello in the orange/cup is not fully set.

If you’re going with the orange method I will warn you it is something of a challenge. The oranges do not like to sit level and can cause the liquid to gel unevenly. You may find that you have to trim off ends of the orange that end up without any Jello attached but that is easily done when slicing the oranges into triangles.

You can use unflavored vodka for it all or play around with the various flavors of vodka available. There are a lot of options so get creative!

C.L. (Ciel) Luciole spent a big portion of her childhood trying to understand why the Catholics of her community kept telling her magic was evil when such wonders could only be a gift from God, right? As a young teenager she picked up a copy of The Spiral Dance by Starhawk and knew instantly that she had found what she was looking for. She has walked the path of the Witch ever since. She spent two decades studying various traditions of paganism and witchcraft and, finding none that truly spoke to her heart, finally decided to take her accumulated knowledge and start her own tradition and the Covenant of the Starspun Grove and The Starspun Path was born. She is now the Priestess of a thriving coven and community group in her area of Northeast Ohio and is committed to serving her community to the very best of her ability. That typically comes with a healthy dose of brutal honesty and plenty of sass and is known in her community for her irreverent nature.
Visit C.L. and the others of her tribe at: The Coven of Misfit Witches



Today's Giveaway from Cordelia's Charms!


Black & Red Quartz Diadem: $28 --  Clear quartz crystal of varying lengths are at the center of this diadem. Highlighted with red glass oblong beads and Swarovski Crystals for a touch of color along the length of black seed beads. This can be worn as a diadem around the head or as necklace for a less conspicuous look.  Its total length is 20.5 inches. 


Here's how to enter: You have until midnight, Sunday (October 29) to enter.

At least ONE entry must have your email address for you to qualify. 

US Residents:
First entry (Mandatory): Go to Cordelia's Charms Facebook page. Like the page, and comment that you're visiting from Samhain's Sirens. Come back here, comment that you did this.

Optional extra entries:

2. Go to Cordelia's Charms Etsy Shop. Peruse her wonderful wares, come back here and leave a comment on your favorite item in the shop.

3. Blog about this giveaway. Come back here, leave the link to your blog post.

4. Post a tweet, Facebook post, or Instagram (your choice) and come back here- leave the link to your post.

5. Like the Samhain's Sirens Facebook page. Come back here, and tell us that you did. If you've already liked us, just leave a comment that you're one of our fans :)


Canadian Citizens: For five entries, answer the following question:

Where would you go if you wanted to see a whale? 
Alberta
British Columbia
Saskatchewan




Reminder: All entries received throughout this month go toward the Grand Prize Giveaways. Winners to be announced on Monday, October 31. Sneak peek of the Grand Prizes will be posted on Monday.

See you tomorrow for some fantastic decorating tips from Loren Morris!
Our favorite day of the week has arrived! So much promise on Friday. We're here to celebrate with you, so get your party hats on!



Before we get our dancing shoes on, let's find out who won the Baublesmith giveaway yesterday! And, the winner is...

Kellyanne Swensen!!!




Congratulations! Be sure you send your mailing address to Kallan so Renee and Eli can get your prize to you!

Now, on to the day's festivities!



Today's Music: The Raven by Omnia

If you haven't seen this hauntingly beautiful rendition of Edgar Allan Poe's poem, take a minute and soak it in.. it's amazing!



SAGE ADVICE! ENERGETIC HERBAL SMUDGING 
by Dawn Leith-Dougherty

Smudging with sacred herbs and resins is a tradition as old as time, utilized by peoples of most  cultures and spiritual traditions. Herbs and resins have individual healing properties, known to our ancient ancestors, and used and appreciated in modern times, as well. There are many ways to clear, cleanse, and bless you and your home, including herbal smoke, herbal strewing, smudging and blessing sprays, bells, singing bowls, salt lamps, etc. For the purposes of this article, we shall be focusing on herbal smoke bowl traditions. 

Indigenous peoples of the Americas, as well as those following a Western New Age spiritual or neo-pagan path will sometimes use the term "sacred smoke bowl blessing" for this practice, which is an important clearing and cleansing technique for your body, hearth, and home. Smudging is a recommended and welcome practice on a frequent basis to clear negative or stagnant energy, clear energies from your body and mind after a hard day's work, and to purify the air during and after illnesses of all kinds. Also a wonderful tool to cleanse new items entering your home, or after visitors exit, to neutralize unwanted energies, charge and bless the space with positive energy, and welcome uplifting and positive vibrations and beings. Smudging can, and should, be done before and/or during ritual of any tradition, to create sacred space, and charge ritual tools. There are a myriad of healing herbs, weeds, flowers, and tree resins that all have individual physical healing as well as energetic healing properties, and can be added to your daily practices, some of which can be easily obtained or wild harvested by you.

All spiritual paths are compatible with the addition of an herbal smudging practice. Many magical folk already incorporate the burning of special or sacred herbs upon your altar or sacred space during rituals. As the wheel of the year turns and many of us observe spiritual holidays, celebrations, and historical observances such as Samhain, these occasions are perfect for doing an energetic cleansing of yourself, loved ones, and your home. You can use this practice to clear chaotic energy from your home, after rearranging and changing decor to fit the seasons and special occasions, and is most welcome after doing a house cleaning. Cleanse your space with fragrant, herbal smoke after doing the hard work, to “lay the dust” and neutralize chaotic energies, and invoke blessings, beneficial spirits, and high vibrations into your home. 

Many of our favorite deities in the vast pantheon of gods and goddesses, and earth elementals,  have sacred plants and herbs of which they are fond, and many of us use some of these (not all are suitable for burning) in our special observances, or keep them on our altars. Consider using an herb or resin for smudging that is special to them and can help you connect to their energy, and create a pathway to communication with them.  Days of the week, moon phases, and celestial happenings as well may influence what you decide to place on an altar, or burn in a censer, and all lend themselves well to a refreshing smudge bath. On an ancestor and family altar, for example, I keep rosemary (for remembrance), as well as a dish filled with my own special blend of sage, lavender, cedar, juniper, sweetgrass, and yerba santa to burn as an offering to my family. Sacred smoke is more than just clearing, many see smoke as a messenger to the divine upon which prayers, petitions, and blessings can be carried. Be sure to pay attention to the path smudge smoke creates, it’s swirls and eddies around objects, and how it behaves during smudging a home. Interesting smoke patterns and quantity of smoke can be indicators of the presence of an entity or simply a deep need for a clearing of someone or something’s energy field. 

Don’t be afraid to try new herb and resin combinations in your smudging practice. Many stick with the tried and true California white sage, but if you want to change it up for a more powerful session or a different type of energetic, you may want to pair it with a resin such as dragon’s blood or copal. Palo Santo wood sticks or powder is powerful and beautifully sweet scented, perfect for extra high vibration cleansing, blessing, as well as pain relief. Dragon’s blood works amazing by itself to completely neutralize energy, whether coming down from a party or energetic house guests, or clearing space after ritual, sickness, or argument. Dragon’s blood paired with another herb or resin acts as an amplifier for that herb’s properties. Copal is a sweet citrus-scented resin that you will want to use to create a light and uplifting energy in your home (you may not want to burn it at night, or you may not sleep well). Frankincense and myrrh are wonderful to use during and after any kind of illness and was burned frequently in ancient times for this purpose, as well as general smudging purposes, they smell amazing! You may be familiar with these, as they are used in many religious observances, including the Catholic church, for centuries, and are also great for meditation practices. Benzoin is also used in churches in combination with frankincense and myrrh. This smells reminiscent of vanilla, great for clearing, and is sometimes used in success or power raising ritual. Soothing pinion pine resin is used by many Native Americans in the desert southwest, and is so wonderful to burn at Yule, we just love it! Tobacco, sweetgrass, cedar, mugwort (artemisia), lavender, and rosemary are used frequently as well, or blended with other herbs for a multi-faceted clearing and blessing blend. All of these have individual and special properties, I highly encourage you to investigate them, find what works for you and your practices, and have fun! 

To smudge yourself or another, light the tip of a sage wand or palo santo stick and blow out the flame, or light a charcoal disk and when it ashes over, place herbs or resins directly on the charcoal. Direct the smoke (this is typically done with a feather) toward the heart, then over the head, down the arms and the front of the body. Some start at the feet and work their way up the body. There is no right or wrong, just what resonates with you. To smudge a home, open windows if possible when completed to allow the room to clear. Walk room to room wafting smoke as you go, say a personal blessing, prayer, or invocation if needed. Pay attention to corners and closets. For objects, waft smoke over object or pass object through the smoke if possible. 

In our modern times, humans have strayed far away from knowledge and reverence of the natural gifts of our planet. Many of us have noticed a bit of a shift in regard to people having a great interest, as well as a need, for natural foods and medicines, and a search for spirituality. This also includes a back to nature approach for many and a yearning for that which has been lost by so many over the years of "progress." Even science is coming to terms with what so many indigenous peoples, empaths and sensitives, as well as those on a New Age path, witches, and neo-pagans already understand about energy and how it works, in the study of quantum physics. We now know that everything is made of vibrating energy, surrounded by a field of energy (what is sometimes termed as "auras") and that energy cannot be destroyed. 

When an organic being dies, their energy does not die with them, it simply takes another form. One does not need to have but a basic understanding of this to know that energy fields can be affected by outside influences, whether "positive" or "negative." Energy really isn't positive, negative, dark, light, etc. It just IS. The basic difference is simply vibration. Low vibration energy is considered by some to be "bad," "heavy," or "dark," whereas high vibration energy can be considered by some to be "good," or "light." It always feels better to vibrate at a higher frequency of positivity and light, of course, rather than to dwell at the low end of the spectrum. It is good to remember, however, that we are having a human experience here and that we have a need to experience ALL the expressions of frequency that we are able. It is natural, normal, and human to do so, and if one is having a "low energy day," it is OK and should be acknowledged. Energy is cyclical. 

I consider my sacred space to be my home and surroundings, and create mini “sacred spaces” as the need occurs. As a proponent of a daily energetic smudging practice, I can honestly tell you how it has changed my life in many ways. From eliminating some dark entities and energetics to raising the vibration of my entire property with sacred smoke and loving, healing intentions, I have created a warm, inviting, and soothing atmosphere in my world, and allow nothing less to enter my sacred space. 


Dawn lives in rural North Carolina with her menagerie of stray fur children, dogs Bubbles and Smokey Bear, and a tiny black tailless (most likely lost during an epic battle) warrior kitty named Spooky. She also gave a forever home to a magnificently mustachioed human named Greybeard, who is a flute maker, a wand and pendulum maker, and magical being in his own right. She is a pagan who wears many eclectic hats depending upon her mood at the moment; a green, hedge, hippie, goth, love and lighter, Reiki Master-Teacher, and probable elf, with a large dollop of sarcasm and shenanigans. Dawn is a writer and gardener, who owns her own natural healing business, Tree Of Life Apothecary. She specializes in healing oils, balms, salves, as well as energetic smudging supplies, a topic about which she wrote a book, ‘Sage Advice, a subject about which is near and dear to her heart. She and her husband hand-craft their very own energetic herbal healing blend, Everyday Hearth & Home Smudge Blend. Dawn and Greybeard also love to cook up a bit of vegetarian kitchen witchery in the cauldrons at their affectionately-named castle, Lair of the Dude and Duddess, sprinkling love, healing, and magick into everything they conjure! They can also occasionally be found working hard at their favorite music and pagan festivals making happy mischief!

Find her online at:

etsy.com/Shop/TreeOfLifeApothecary
www.greybeardswandshop.com
www.treeoflifedesigns.com




Today's Recipe: Maple Autumn Squash Soup
Autumn Earthsong



In Autumn, there is nothing more wonderful than good, hot, homemade soup.  I love putting soup ingredients into a slow cooker in the morning, and letting the scent permeate the house all day long.  Then along with a salad, and crusty bread, enjoying a bowl full on a dark, cold evening. This soup is delicious! 

Maple Autumn Squash Soup
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, cubed and boiled
½ cup butter, divided
¼ cup maple syrup
3 Tb brown sugar, packed
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
3 Tb all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 cup Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups light cream
Salt and pepper to taste

 Combine squash with 4 Tb butter, syrup, brown sugar and spices; mash well and set aside.  Melt remaining butter in a large pot over medium heat; add flour and cook for 3 mins, stirring constantly.  Blend in broth and cook until soup thickens.  Stir in squash mixture, applesauce and apples.  Cook over medium heat until warmed through, stirring often.  Add cream and heat just until soup begins to bubble around the edges.  At his point, you can place in a slow cooker.  Leftovers can be cooled and refrigerate overnight.  Reheat over medium heat until warmed through.  Makes 6-8 servings.

Enjoy, Autumn Earthsong
Autumn Earthsong is a wife, mother, grandmother and a Witch! She’s been the Kitchen and Herb Witch for Samhain’s Sirens, The Sunday Stew and Imramma magazine for a few years now. Her Craft revolves around the kitchen, garden, hearth, altar, Mother Earth and Grandmother Moon. She feels Goddess blessed every day.   Autumn is also a healer as a Master Reiki practitioner and she’s knowledgeable in herbalism and crystals for healing as well. Autumn is the founder of her Coven and you can find her blogging at autumnearthsong.com.  Autumn is her favorite time of year as you may guess by her name,  and she especially loves sharing her favorite seasonal recipes!  She hopes you add them to your own  recipe files and enjoy them!  Blessed Samhain to all!



Cocktails with CL

Autumn Comfort



Ingredients:

3 ounces Caramel Liquor (I used Caramel Comfort)
3 ounces Cinnamon Whiskey (I used good old Fireball!)
Cream Soda
Whipped Cream

Instructions:

Combine the two alcohols in the glass, fill to the top with the cream soda, and top with whipped cream.
Out of habit I made the whipped cream from scratch but really canned whipped cream will work and will look prettier in the presentation if you are going for the perfectly crafted cream topper. If you are more interested in flavor I personally feel home made whipped cream is superior but if you don’t have the time or inclination go with the canned. 

This drink is delicious! Out of all the cocktails I have offered this year this one is my favorite as far as flavor goes. It is really easy to make and can easily be concocted in a punch bowl for larger gatherings, just increase the amount/ratio as needed. 

It can be served hot or cold; this was made cold with Ouija Planchette ice cubes which, unfortunately, were not visible for the picture. Ultimately I believe this would be better hot (definitely has more of a “comfort” feel when hot) but it is a matter of personal preference. 

Use the straw to mix the whipped cream into the drink and enjoy!

Side Note: I was cheekily informed that this mixture was not “autumny enough” given the use of caramel liquor. If you prefer something more obviously Autumn-esque the Caramel Liquor can easily be substituted with Pumpkin Liquor. I personally prefer the caramel but either way it works!


C.L. (Ciel) Luciole spent a big portion of her childhood trying to understand why the Catholics of her community kept telling her magic was evil when such wonders could only be a gift from God, right? As a young teenager she picked up a copy of The Spiral Dance by Starhawk and knew instantly that she had found what she was looking for. She has walked the path of the Witch ever since. She spent two decades studying various traditions of paganism and witchcraft and, finding none that truly spoke to her heart, finally decided to take her accumulated knowledge and start her own tradition and the Covenant of the Starspun Grove and The Starspun Path was born. She is now the Priestess of a thriving coven and community group in her area of Northeast Ohio and is committed to serving her community to the very best of her ability. That typically comes with a healthy dose of brutal honesty and plenty of sass and is known in her community for her irreverent nature.
Visit C.L. and the others of her tribe at; The Coven of Misfit Witches 



Today's Giveaway from Lapis Dragon


Protective Rune Chain – Hung at the front door, or entryway to the home.  Is a combination of runes placed to bring protection, happiness, and prosperity to those who dwell inside.  Made from fallen woods and blessed with moon water. Explanation of runes will be included.



Total Retail Value: $40.00

Here's how to enter: (Full details listed on the "Official Rules and Prizes" page on this site)

US Residents

First entry:  Like The Lapis Dragon Facebook page. Leave a comment on her Facebook page telling her you're visiting from Samhain's Sirens. Come back here, and let us know you did.

Second entry: Share this giveaway on your Facebook page (note: Facebook in no way endorses our giveaways). Come back, tell us you did in the comments (share the link, please).

Third entry: Share this giveaway on Twitter or Instagram (your choice). Come back, post the link to your share in the comments.

Fourth entry: Like the Samhain's Sirens Facebook page. Leave us a comment below letting us know you're a follower (hint: this is going to be a gimme if you do it now or if you've done it in the past. It'll be one of the entries for all of our giveaways).


Canadian Residents
For 4 entries, please correctly answer the following question in the comments section:

 Of Canada's 3 largest cities, which one is on an island?



You have until 11:59pm EDT Sunday to enter this giveaway. Winner will be announced in Monday's post.

Entries submitted without email addresses or past the deadlines will be considered invalid. Canadian residents: you must answer the question correctly to be entered.

Good luck!


That's it for today. See you tomorrow for Craftacular Saturday!

Happy Samhaining!