October 6: Samhain's Sirens First Maniacal Moonday!

Welcome, Mischievous Malcontents!
We hope you've enjoyed your weekend and are ready for more October celebrating!

There are just 25 days until Halloween left- it's going by fast, already!
Don't forget your Forget-Me-Nots are due by October 23rd. Email your tribute and photo(s) to Serena. They will be posted on Samhain, here.

Don't forget that each entry you make in our giveaways automatically enters you for our grand prize giveaway from Lapulia Studio, inc, and don't forget to give us your email address when you enter! Ok, let's get to the fun!

The winner of Author Sam Curtin's book, Summer's Hollow is:

Jonquil Alexia!

Samhain Legend and Lore by Karen Szabo

Ah, Halloween......or Samhain, as we Pagans know it.  Equal only to the magic of this day are the number of different names for it, which include Third Harvest, Samana, Shadowfest, Old Hallowmas, Samhuin, Pomona's Day, and more. The word Samhain itself means "summer's end".   There is so much lore & fascinating trivia about this holiday, I wanted to share some of it with you all.  See how many of these facts you already knew!

In Ireland and Wales, it is traditional to sit at a crossroads on Samhain night and listen for prophecies to be heard on the wind about the coming year.

Turnips, not pumpkins, were originally carved with faces and lit from the inside in ancient times.

Home & hearth fires were traditionally extinguished and then re-lit on Samhain to represent the cycle of life, death, and rebirth; these fires were re-lit from a community bonfire or balefire.

In ancient Celtic society, during Samhain, from October 31 to November 1, time supposedly ceased to exist.

In the New World, American settlers (mostly Protestants)  for the most part did not celebrate Halloween at all because it was considered to be a holiday that belonged to the Catholic religion.

The very first city-wide celebration of Halloween in the United States took place in the city of Anoka, Minnesota, in the year 1921.

Bobbing for apples at Halloween parties is actually a nod to the Roman Goddess Pomona, who was a Goddess of the harvest and of Samhain, and to whom apples were sacred.

Catholics in Southern Germany and Austria traditionally celebrate Halloween from October 30 to November 8 in an event called Seelenwoche.

The phrase "trick or treat" was used in print for the first time in 1934, in a Portland, Oregon newspaper.  The paper featured an article about the pranks of local youngsters keeping the police department on it's toes.  The practice of children saying "trick or treat" when knocking on neighbor's doors for candy seemed to have become popular in the 1940's. 

It's said if a single woman puts a sprig of Rosemary under her pillow on Samhain night, she will dream of her future husband.  

It's believed that the colors orange & black became the traditional colors of Halloween because orange is associated with harvest and autumn, and black is associated with death.

Legend has it that if you see a spider in your home on Samhain night, it could be the spirit of an ancestor or recently deceased loved one watching over you.

So how did you do?  Did you find any surprises here, or were you already a Samhain triva expert?  

Have a wonderful Samhain, however you celebrate!

Karen

Today, I have one of my all-time favorite pieces of music queued up and ready for you: Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor”. It’s such a creepy, yet beautiful, piece.

The Witches’ Kitchen by Autumn Earthsong

When Autumn hits, I really get in the mood to entertain friends and family.  Harvest soup parties, pumpkin carving parties and big family breakfasts just make the Season even more special. These pancakes for breakfast with their taste of Fall, will be a huge hit!  Add some sausage, bacon and juice and you’ll be set!  Would be even more special if you’re sitting by a fire 

Apple Pecan Pancakes & Apple Syrup

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 TB sugar

1 TB baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

2 eggs

3 TB melted butter

1 to 2 cups milk

1 cup apples, cored, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.  Stir in eggs, butter and milk.  Set aside.  Toss apples and pecans together; fold into flour mixture.  Pour about 1/2 cup to one cup mixture on a greased griddle; heat both sides until golden brown.  Serve with Apple Syrup.

*Serves 4-6

Apple Syrup

2 1/4 cups apple juice or apple cider, divided

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

2 TB cornstarch

1/2 cup chopped apples

Place 2 cups apple juice or cider, brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a saucepan; set aside.  Add cornstarch and remaining apple juice or cider to a container with a tight fitting lid (like a mason jar); shake until well blended.  Pour into saucepan.  Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened.  Stir in chopped apples. 

*Makes 2 1/2 cups     

ENJOY, Autumn 

To read my blog visit www.autumnearthsong.com

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

Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends Giveaway

What is Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends?  One of a kind, hand blended, artisan teas with an energetic theme, clearing out old emotional junk, settling your mind, inspiring love, and increasing protection. Let’s back up.  I started blending my own teas and sharing them with the people I love, six years ago.  After each new person experienced the flavors and emotions I put into each and every blend, I kept hearing, “You should go into business!”  but I kept my day jobs. In February, after much soul searching and long conversations I decided to take a leap of faith and leave a stable but miserable and emotionally toxic job. It was the best thing I could have done.

I was working in my kitchen one day on a Road Opener candle.  I wanted to clear the old debris of the last job’s misery and open the way to the next stage of my professional journey.  I had anointed my candle with Van Van Oil, and lit it when the doorbell rang.  When I came back to my altar to make sure the candle was secure, the smell of the Van Van hit me.  All I could think was, “I wish I had some tea that smelled like this, I could continue the working and enjoy some lemongrass.”  

It was like a bolt from the Gods. I have been teaching classes relating to the Pagan sphere for fifteen years, and my hoodoo classes are always full of raucous fun and the formulary classes the most full.  So I had all of the recipes I’d been teaching.  Lots of these recipes are herbs that are used in food and teas anyway, why not make these same potent and magical oil recipes into tea form.  Thus Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends was born.  

What you’ll win:

First Prize- A 6 Flavor set of Deluxe Samples, your choice! (Value $25 + Shipping)

Second Prize - A Full Sized tea of your choice! (Value $9 + Shipping)

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 X number 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 all qualifying others:

1. Go to Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends website, peruse the teas and choose your favorite blend, then come back and tell us all about it. If you have any helpful suggestions as to what you’d like to see on the website, tell us about it.  If your suggestion is chosen, you could win a $25 gift card!

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. Like/Get Notifications for the Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends Facebook Page. Let us know you did.

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 ;)

Don't despair!  If you don't win the tea of your heart's desire, Blackthorn Hoodoo Blends has a special Discount Code on the shop all through the Samhain Sirens season for you at home.  Just enter "Siren" (no quotes) in the discount box and everyone (Including Sirens!) will get 20% off of your order. Valid NOW until November 7th.

Questions? Email Serena.

See you tomorrow!