October 28: Samhain's Sirens Terrifying Tuesday!

Welcome, all you black-hearted bards!

It's the last Terrifying Tuesday of the Samhain's Sirens Celebration, and we're doing it up right for you! It's a Two-for-Tuesday Giveaway! Don't forget- every entry you make gives you an entry in the grand prize giveaway!

By now, many of you are in your manic mode of Samhain preparations and are trying to get it all done.. take a moment, grab your cuppa and let's just celebrate for a moment. You'll still get it all done.

The winner of the Touch of the Goddess Muse Giveaway is....

Jennifer Rasmussen!

Samhain by Amy Blackthorn

I’ve been practicing Paganism now for 21 years.  I don’t say this in a prideful way, but more in an, “I can’t believe I have been doing this that long” kind of way.  I sat down to write you, gentle reader, to talk about the Samhain season and celebration.  (Hey, if Christmas can be a season, so can Samhain, right?) The only problem is that every time I sat down to write, I stared at a blank screen for a bit.  For someone who teaches writing workshops and ‘How to beat Writer’s Block’ classes, it’s somewhat embarrassing.  I kept staring at the screen hoping that divine inspiration would hit and I’d know what to share with you.

Therein lies the rub.  You see, after doing this for so long, I feel like I’ve been there, done that, and wore holes in the tee shirt.

This photo was taken at the first group Samhain Ritual I led in 1999.  I had recently ‘come out of the broom closet’ to my parents, and it turned out that my mother’s best friend was Wiccan as well.  She had just never shared that part of herself with anyone other than her husband.  We bonded over this instantly.   The feeling I had sharing ritual space with her was thrilling, electrifying and awe-inspiring.  The feelings I’ve had the last few years were reverent, worshipful and devout.  These are beautiful and sacred but not mirthful.

So how do we rekindle the JOY of celebrating the lives of those we loved and have lost?  Isn’t Samhain a somber occasion?  Yes, it is.  This does not mean that you lose out of the mirth and reverence spoken about in the Charge of the Goddess, just because it’s Samhain.  Have your dumb supper and commune with loved ones, but don’t let the serious nature of the celebration steal the happiness you have in your hearts either.

So can we put the smile back in those Samhain plans?   Yes.  A thousand times yes.  You’ve started off on the right foot by checking into the Samhain Sirens blog.  Crafts, food recipes, musical stylings, beverage recipes, and that ever present connection with the Gods is right here.  This will get you in the mood for the festivities quick, fast, and in a hurry.

* Build an altar. It’s possible that you already have one, heck, more than one. Creating something that exists only for the purpose of this Feast will connect you to it in a way that few things can.  Decorate it with photos of loved ones who have crossed the veil, special incense and other decorations.  Meditation on the nature of permanence is natural at this time of year.  It is okay to reflect that in your choice of decoration.
* Get outside!  It’s too easy to forget about the nature part of our faith this time of year.  How easy it is to stay inside and curl up in front of a fire.  Remind yourselves why we come together to celebrate the final harvest.  We needed enough food to get us through the winter months and those grocery stores are only one natural disaster or good political conflict from being  a no man’s land.  Respect what you have.
* Remember, you aren’t limited to only celebrating on one day.  Invite friends over for an anti dumb supper.  Have everyone bring photos of loved ones they’d like to remember with happy stories and joyous fellowship.  If you make it a pot luck there is enough food for everyone and the burden isn’t all on one budget.
* Make a list of the incredible things you have accomplished this last year.  You are an even more incredible  you, now than you were last Samhain.
* Involve the kids too.  Try cutting up the Sunday funnies square by square and turn them into your own family “tarot” cards.  Work on meanings as a family and read for each other to see what the new year holds.

The important thing here is, your practice doesn’t have to lose its fun.  Celebrate this season for what it is, the miracle of the lives well lived, not the grief of loss

If you don’t crank this one as loud as you can, you’ll have a lifetime of bad luck. No one does this one as well as the original, Stevie Wonder.

The Witches’ Kitchen by Autumn Earthsong

In the Fall, my bread machine stays very busy!  Yes, I make bread without the machine too but when life is busy, or I’d rather be reading then baking bread….I use my wonderful bread machine!  Here’s a favorite recipe I make!  Do you love bread as much as I do?  It’s comfort food at its best!

Zucchini Wheat Bread

*2 lb loaf

1 cup room temp water

2/3 cup shredded zucchini

2 Tb butter, softened

2 cups bread flour

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 Tb dry milk

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp salt

2 tsps bread machine yeast

1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except walnuts in bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.  Add walnuts at the raisin/nut signal.

Select Whole Wheat or Basic/White cycle. Use medium or light crust color. Do NOT use delay cycles.  Remove baked bread from the pan and cool on wire rack.

ENJOY, Autumn

To read my blog visit www.autumnearthsong.com

To check out my herbal products visit www.etsy.com/shop/verbenalaneshoppe



We have TWO giveaways today. Be sure you specify which giveaway you are entering for!

The Magical Gardening Tote Bag

From Johanna Lawson, Village Wise Woman and Magical Gardener for the Sunday Stew, here is a little tote full of supplies for the magical gardener.  It is perfect for planting and tending small gardens, especially container gardens, miniature gardens or indoor house plants. It is also a great way to tote around a few magical supplies for spell work with your plants, in the home, on the patio or in the garden. This fantastic package includes:

• Canvas tote bag (measuring 8” H x 6” W x 3”D)
• 5 gardening tools – pruner, snips, rake, trowel and shovel
• Glass misting bottle
• 10 Botanical Interests organic seed packets – Basil, Borage, Chives, Cilantro, Cress, Dill, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, and English Thyme – with a seed-starting guide in a small gift box
• The Herbal Tarot Deck (by Michael Tierra and Candis Cantin/U.S. Game Systems, Inc.) – integrating herbs and their healing properties with the symbolism of tarot.
• Smudge stick (hand-made by Johanna from her very own garden)

Value: $65.00

Rules: (READ CAREFULLY)

YOU MUST PROVIDE A VALID EMAIL ADDRESS. If you choose not to share it in the comments, please use the contact form at the top of the page to provide your email address. You must provide your email address once per giveaway.

Drawing is held by random number generation and winner will be notified in email (that's why you have to have an email address listed). Announcement will be made in tomorrow's post.

Note: These giveaways are open to the U.S., Canada and where allowable. Void where prohibited.
Canadian residents, please pay close attention as by law, you have to use a different set of rules. Not to worry, we have you covered :)


CANADIANS READ HERE: You will be given the samenumber of entries for answering the following (remember, we STILL NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS):

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

U.S. Citizens, and others- READ HERE:

1. Go to the The Village Wise Woman Blog . Follow her blog, then come back and tell us that you did.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (USE SEPARATE COMMENTS. If you throw them all into one comment, it counts as one entry only)

2. Be a follower of this blog. Comment that you are following us.

3. Like the Sirens FB page (come let us know you did in comments)

4. Blog about this giveaway (comment with the url for your blog entry)

5. Tweet about this giveaway (come back and give us the url for your tweet)

So, all in all, you get 5 entries for this giveaway! The deadline for entries is 9 pm eastern time (8 Central, 7 Mountain, 6 Pacific) tonight. Announcement tomorrow, same time, same bat channel ;)

 

Win Sosanna’s Closet Agate Pendant!

This pendant is wrapped with silver plated blue wire around a blue dyed agate.  This one of a kind piece retails for $26.00 in the shop but as a special gift to you for participating in the Samhain Sirens event it can be yours absolutely free.  Just follow the instructions below to win.

A big thank you for participating this year from Sosanna’s Closet  - Unique Gifts for the Unique Witch

CANADIANS READ HERE: You will be given the samenumber of entries for answering the following (remember, we STILL NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS):

Yonge Street in the Province of Ontario holds what distinct record?

U.S. Citizens, and others- READ HERE:

1. Go to the Sosanna's Closet Page . Peruse the site, and tell us which item you like best.

EXTRA ENTRIES: (USE SEPARATE COMMENTS. If you throw them all into one comment, it counts as one entry only)

2. Like Sosanna's Closet on Facebook, and come back to tell us you did

3. Be a follower of this blog. Comment that you are following us.

4. Like the Sirens FB page (come let us know you did in comments)

5. Blog about this giveaway (comment with the url for your blog entry)

6. Tweet about this giveaway (come back and give us the url for your tweet)

So, all in all, you get 6 entries for this giveaway! The deadline for entries is midnight eastern time (11 Central, 10 Mountain, 9 Pacific) tonight. Announcement tomorrow, same time, same bat channel ;)

Questions? Email Serena.

See you tomorrow for our final Wrong-Turn Wednesday!