Samhain's Sirens Monday, October 9, 2017

Happy Monday, Siren-lovers! We are back again with more fun for you this week.

Before we move into new business, we need to announce the winner of Friday's  Bodycare Giveaway from Tree of Life Apothecary. Without further adieu, here is our winner:

Debbie Becker!

Congratulations! Please be sure to send your mailing address to kallan.kennedy@gmail.com within the next 48 hours, so Dawn can get it to you.


Now, onto today's celebratory fun!

Today's Music

We can't help but love this classic song. Perfect for the season of death.

Using Herbs For Samhain

by Jennifer Hodgson

During the year for each Sabbat I like to use different herbs for my candles, my altar and even for incense blends. I wanted to share some herbs with you that you might consider using at Samhain.
Apples: This time of the year apples are a great way to use as an offering to ancestors, or use them at your altar. My friend, Jo Morris, every year when she visits the graveyard she brings apple slices with her and she leaves them as an offering to the graves that doesn’t have flowers or even just seems forgotten. I think it’s a beautiful ritual that she does.

Marigold: When I think of marigolds I think of the summer but also the beautiful colors of fall and it just makes your altar very pretty and you can also put them at the base of your candle.

Mugwort is great for many things, in soaps, smudging, offerings, around candles and I am sure any other way that you feel to use this.

Damiana: I love to use this herb the time, it can be used as an offering, it can be used as an incense and you can smoke this although I have not used this in this manner. For more information about this herb watch the Witchy Mommy on Youtube, (Feather GardenBelle).

Bay Leaf: I love using this herb, this is another one that I use a lot in my practice. Writing down intentions, writing down things that I want to release.

Another thing that I like to do now of the year is to look through my memories jar and remember all the things I did during the year. All the vacations or events I went to and just reflect upon those things and think about what I want to do in the following year.

I will also think about the things I did with my loved ones and spend time with them at the altar. I bring in flowers or something else that reminds me of them. For my mom and my grandma, I have roses. Roses were their favorite flower.

I think it’s very important to honor those who have already gone before us even though we may not know who they are by name or how they left this world. Even if they are not related, they are still important and need to know that someone cares.

Whatever you decide to do for Samhain, thank those who has touched our lives in some way and for those who feel they are forgotten let them know that they aren’t alone. 



Jenn has been interested in the craft for many years, even before she knew what to even call herself or what she believed. She is the daughter of the Morrigan and also works with Bridget and Danu.
Currently Jenn is studying astrology, herbs and I ching. Jenn is a past life practitioner, reiki master, author, paranormal investigator, intuitive, oracle card reader and business owner.

In her spare time you will find her reading, spending time outside, with friends or traveling around the world. The most current locations are Scotland and Ireland.
Jenn currently lives in Indiana with her husband and furbabies. She is also the mother of two girls and four grandchildren.

For more information about Jenn you can connect with her at the following:
www.hodgsonbooks.com
www.professionalparanormalinvestigations.com

Today's Recipe: Pumpkin Waffles 

submitted by Paula Lupi

Since now is the time where all things pumpkin make an appearance in stores and at your local barista, I decided I would add to the collection one of my favorite types of waffles.

Pumpkin Waffles
The Paleo Kitchen

Prep: 5 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Makes: 5 Belgian waffles or 10 standard waffles

2 large bananas
½ cup pumpkin puree
5 large eggs
½ cup almond butter
¼ cup melted coconut oil, plus more to grease waffle iron
½ cup coconut flour
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of fine-grain sea salt
Maple syrup, for serving

1. Preheat the waffle iron.
2. Combine the bananas, pumpkin puree, eggs, almond butter, and coconut oil in a food processor or blender and process until the bananas are well blended with the other ingredients. Once smooth, add the coconut flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and salt and blend until well mixed.
3. Lightly brush the waffle iron with melted coconut oil. Ladle the batter into the preheated and greased waffle iron and spread it evenly across the surface, leaving a ½-inch border (the batter will spread when you close the lid). Cook and set aside on a plate and keep warm while you cook the remaining waffles.

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

This giveaway is for a cold cast bronze and moonstone pendant.  Cost cast is a way of creating metal pendants by mixing a metal alloy powder with a high quality polymer resin.  The two bond together creating a lovely metal finish.  The fluidity of the initial casting medium glides effortlessly into a poured silicon mold of a lovely siren.  Her hands placed on her head and a bright rainbow moonstone graces her belly.  She was hand carved by Renee Sosanna Olson and set for a limited count casting.  

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:

  Which of these is the national animal of Canada?

Fox, Beaver, Lynx, Bear

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!