Showing posts with label CL Luciole. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CL Luciole. Show all posts
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!
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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!
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Before we get to today's festivities, let's wrap up yesterday's giveaway. The winner of the Touch of the Goddess Tarot reading is...

Paula Lupi!!

 Congratulations! Be sure you send your mailing address in to Kallan so Sharon can ship your prize to you!


Today's Music: Í Tokuni (TheMist) by Eivør
Eivør Pálsdóttir, known professionally as Eivør, is a Faroese singer-songwriter with a distinct voice and a wide range of interests in various music genres spanning rock, jazz, folk, pop and European classical music.




Finding the Sacred in the Silly
CL Luciole

 It’s that time again. The weather has turned cooler, the leaves are changing color, the nights are shrouded in mist as the scent of hearth smoke lingers on the air. It’s Autumn. More importantly; it’s All Hallows, Samhain, Halloween! All around us images of devils, demons, goblins, and monsters appear as decoration. People dress up as these fearsome creatures with the intention of scaring others all in the name of fun. Horror movies, haunted attractions, and ghost tours/hunts are at an all time high during this time of year as the Western world (mostly) turns its thoughts to the topic of Death and all the trappings that come along with it.

 Witches with green skin and warts, ghosts made of cut out sheets, and black cats arching their backs against an orange Halloween moon abound in popular culture and most modern witches delight in this imagery! They embrace it wholeheartedly, they swim around in it until they become all pruny, though it is most often approached as tongue-in-cheek; something goofy or silly. A means of embracing the spirit of modern Halloween and “taking back” what is usually considered an unflattering image of witches and witchcraft. Movies with a horror or supernatural theme flood the market, they have become standards this time of year, and yet these images are not embraced as being anything more than that: horror movie icons or Halloween stereotypes.

 While there is always an exception to every rule I have encountered a lot of resistance to anything considered “new” within the pagan community. If it is something related to modern pop culture or typical Halloween imagery forget about it! It might be fun, it might be amusing, but it is rarely, if ever, sacred. I have to wonder why when there are so many figures in modern pop culture that personify the spirit of All Hallow’s Eve; the act of honoring the dead and the ancestors.  

 My personal favorite is the figure of Jack Skellington from A Nightmare Before Christmas. I know I know, it’s trite, but who doesn’t love Jack Skellington or The Nightmare Before Christmas? He is more than just a figure in an animated movie about Halloween, however. I can see the shadows of All Hallow’s past in his character and I have come to embrace the figure as part of my personal All Hallow’s observations.

 Modern trick or treating has its origins in stories of goblins, devils, and faeries that would roam the Earth on All Hallow’s; for me Jack Skellington is the personification of that. He is a supernatural being that lives beyond the veil (well, what would you call it?), he embodies the spirit of All Hallow’s/Halloween/Samhain (that’s kind of what he does), and let us not forget he is also a walking skeleton and thus is tied to the realm of the dead. This made him a natural, instinctive, addition to my personal All Hallow’s/Samhain decorations and yes, that includes my altar, the heart of my sacred practice. Though not steeped in history and old world tradition his visage is no less welcome or sacred. For me it makes total sense. He is the modern day representation of the Spirit of Halloween and the Dead however striped and adorable he may be.

 I’m not saying you need to run out and slap a statue of Michael Meyers on your altar or invoke Freddy Kruger at your Samhain ritual by any means. But why not take a moment and look at those elements of the season that you typically only view as “fun” and “campy”. If you have children this can be particularly fun and is an excellent way to involve them in your rituals and observances. 

 Whether is because you have children, or simply wish to embrace your inner child, look around this Samhain and see if you can’t find the sacred in the silly.
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 Recipe: Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Cream
Paula Lupi

 I don’t know what it is but this year I can’t seem to get enough of grilled pineapple. Anytime that Pete is going to be grilling chicken for dinner he knows that I will also enjoy sweet grilled pineapple with it. You will want to plan one day ahead when you are wanting to enjoy this treat.

 Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Cream
The Real Paleo Diet Cookbook

 Chill: 24 hours Prep: 20 minutes Grill: 6 minutes Makes: 4 servings

 1 13.5-ounce can natural full-fat coconut milk
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into four 1-inch rings
Fresh lime juice
Snipped fresh mint and mint sprigs (optional)
1. Refrigerate the can of coconut milk upside down for at least 1 day before you plan to serve this dish.
2. For a charcoal or gas grill, place pineapple rings on a grill rack directly over medium heat (225° to 275°F). Grill for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly charred, turning once halfway through cooking. Transfer pineapple to a platter. Drizzle lime juice over pineapple.
3. For coconut cream, turn the chilled can of coconut milk right side up and open the can. Pour off the liquid portion of the coconut milk, reserving it to use in smoothies or sauces. Transfer the coconut milk solids to a deep mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium until light and fluffy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Serve the pineapple with a spoonful of coconut cream. If desired, sprinkle with snipped  fresh mint and garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

Paula Lupi does what she can to keep herself and family healthy. One of the steps towards that was eating more in the Paleo side of choices. While integrating these changes into every day meals Paula also learned that she has a gluten sensitivity.  She is a mother of three, but two are now out of the house, and a wife and partner to her husband of 27 years.
Paula enjoys spending time outdoors with Mother Nature, her hands in the dirt, and sweet talking the herbs and vegetable to grow healthy for the table.
She has two Boxers – Izzy and Vino, a polydactyl cat – Scrunch, two lizards – Ford and Karma, and her Chilean Rose Tarantula – Morticia.


Today's Giveaway from BaubleSmith

For this giveaway, I wanted to pick something that was near and dear to my heart. This pendant is a design based on a tutorial created by Nicole Hanna. Nicole has some really wonderful pieces and offers a wide selection of tutorials for those interested in learning wire weaving.
Lapis Lazuli Copper Owl By Renee Sosanna Olson
Tutorial by Nicole Hanna

 This piece is a lovely owl with lapis lazuli eyes. Copper is a metal with a long history of healing properties and lapis lazuli is said to promote critical thinking, intellectual analysis and problem solving. Combined with the owl, known for wisdom and intuitive knowledge this pendant is an excellent piece for those working as a care taker, writer or even someone working in the computer industry. Aside from being one of my favorite animals, stones and metals this piece has the distinction as also being one of my favorite of Nicole's tutorials. I made quite a few of these little guys and thoroughly enjoyed them.  Now I hope this little guys flies his way into your heart as well.

 Thanks so much for coming to visit BaubleSmith and remember to use your coupon code Samhain17 for a 25% discount on all your orders!
Here's how to enter:

US Residents
First entry:  
Go to the Baublesmith.com site, peruse the amazing creations, come back here and tell us which is your favorite in the comments.

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 Baublesmith Facebook page. Leave a comment on the Facebook page telling them you're visiting from Samhain's Sirens. Come back here, and let us know you did.

Fifth 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 5 entries, please correctly answer the following question in the comments section:

  The Winnipeg river rises in this U.S.-Canada lake, and empties into Lake Winnipeg. Which lake is it?

You have until 11:59pm EDT  today to enter this giveaway. Winner will be announced in tomorrow'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. 


See you tomorrow for more Sireny fun!
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