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| </MYMAILSTATIONERY> Merry Meet All; well...I vote on having the Imbolc at Mystic Kitten's new house...  Blessings L.S.M. | </MYMAILSTATIONERY> |
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Only if you want me to put you to work LOL Love an light, MysticKitten |
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well 'spring 'cleaning is a part of Imbolc...but thats not to say I want to do it in someone elses house lol Blessings |
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think of something.... to do... MysticKitten |
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Pagan Parenting at Imbolc
We generally prepare for Imbolc by making candles , which we then burn at sunset in every room of the house, to welcome the strengthening Sun. If the Sabbat falls on a week end, we may also spend some time making candles but it is a time consuming task and we find we don't have time during the week. Candle making can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. There are kits in any craft store or toy aisle or you can use the following recipe. Candles that you have created will be far more potent than the store-bought kind.
Candle Making with Kids
Supplies:
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Plain Paraffin Wax or Beeswax( about 1/2 a pound), which can be found at craft stores.
Double Boiler or you can do as I do and use a large coffee can for melting the wax in, inserted in a saucepan, filled 1/3 of the way with water. Wax MUST be melted this way and never directly on the heat source because it is a serious fire hazard.
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Wooden Spoon
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Bowls of cold water
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Candy thermometer
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Wicks, which are available in most craft stores.
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Wax Colour, which comes in several forms, also available at craft stores.
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Essential Oil (Fragrance) - It's always a good idea to start small. You can always add more fragrance but it is tough to remove it! Keep a written record of the amounts you use and the outcome of the final product so you can adjust next time. Favourite blends can be saved to your grimoire.
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Herbs, depending upon your intent for the candle.
Directions:
Cut the wax into small pieces so it melts more readily.
Heat the water to boiling in the boiler or set the coffee can in the water. Use medium heat. be patient and do NOT turn up the heat. Stir the wax until it is completely melted and it reaches a temperature of 160° F or 71° Celsius. Test with the thermometer. Reduce the heat at this point making sure the water stays hot enough to keep the wax liquid.
Add the colour, a little at a time. As it dries, it will lighten up. To test for colour, place a small amount on a pie plate. Allow to cool. Check the results. Make your adjustments and be sure the colour is blended evenly throughout the wax.
Add the fragranced oil now, stirring well for a uniform scent when the candle is burning. If you are using herbs, also add them at this point. Decide on the length of candle you want and then cut the wick at double this length plus three inches. For example, if you are making 12" tapers, then cut the wick 27" long. You will be making two tapers at once and need the extra three inches for holding the wick as you dip.
Hold the wick in the middle and dip into the hot wax for a few seconds. It may float the first few dips because the wick is lighter than the wax. Have patience. You want to be relaxed and focused because your emotions and feelings affect your intent. The wax needs to dry for a minute between each dipping.
Make sure the candles don't touch each other!
At this point, you can also pour the hot wax into moulds, if you want. There are many interesting candle moulds available at local craft stores. Yellow, sun-shaped candles would be perfect for Imbolc! You'll need to double the amount of wax if your intent is to use moulds.
After several dippings, you can speed up the process by plunging the candles into cold water between dippings. Keep dipping until candles reach desired thickness. While wax is still somewhat pliable but not too soft, roll on wax paper to smooth out any irregularities. Trim the bottoms until they are flat and hang to dry.
I love it when the kids help me in the kitchen, there are some common sense rules that should be strictly adhered to.
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Don't ever leave a child unattended with melting wax. Not only is there the danger of scalding, but if it gets too hot, wax can flame up unexpectedly.
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Use an ABC fire extinguisher to put out the fire. Never use water.
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Always have an adult handle the hot wax (stirring, dipping). The kids love to add the colour and the fragrance.
The kids also enjoy making Brighid's Crowns on Imbolc, to wear during our family feast. Eggs are an appropriate meal at this time because they symbolize pregnancy and a return of fertility. Any dairy product is a good choice. Scout is an aficionado of good cheeses and we generally begin our meal with Brie on crackers and Gouda or Colby slices.
A Greek salad, topped with Feta cheese, is a great accompaniment to a spinach quiche. We always finish our dinner with a pudding, in honour of "oimelc". If you are lactose intolerant, as I am, then you might consider using goat's milk for the pudding. It is much easier to digest. I trade tarot readings to a neighbour in return for goat's milk. You can also find it at Wal-Mart, in the dairy case. I'm very excited because in the Spring, we're going to purchase two dairy goats of our own!
Brighid's Crown
(I know I found this idea online somewhere but I cannot remember where. I've adapted it to my own use but would love to give credit to the original source so if you know, please email me!)
Supplies:
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Construction paper in 4 colours, two of which are red and yellow
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Crayons
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Scissors
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Glue
Directions:
Cut a two inch strip of paper, long enough to wrap around your child's head, plus two inches. Your child can decide what colour to make his/her crown.
Cut out 6-10 thin rectangles for the candles. 8 works well but it depends upon the size of the candles.
Using yellow construction paper, cut out as many flames as you need to top the candles. We then use the red construction paper and cut out a smaller flame to fit inside of the yellow. This is a matter of choice.
Glue the flames to the candles and then glue the candles around the headband. Scout is very thorough and neat about her work and her crowns are generally very symmetrical. Spike uses some creative license but it is his creation, after all!
horizontal rule
From the Witch's Kitchen
Imbolc recipes from Garnet WindDancer
Classic Quiche Lorraine
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1 9" Pie Shell Baked
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6 eggs beaten
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6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
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1 Cup Swiss Cheese Shredded
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1 Cup Milk
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1/2 tsp salt
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Dash pepper
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Dash nutmeg
Sprinkle bacon and cheese in bottom of pie shell. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over bacon and cheese. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let stand for
5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. I generally toss in some frozen spinach that has been thawed but it's fine without it. You could also add 1 C. cooked and diced chicken or 1 C. cooked mixed veggies, in lieu of the bacon
Bread Custard
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4 slices bread
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butter or margarine
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brown sugar
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cinnamon
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3 eggs
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1/3 C. granulated sugar
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1 tsp. vanilla
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dash salt
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2 1/2 C. milk scalded
Toast the bread. Butter each one and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, to taste. Put buttered side together, making 2 "sandwiches". Cut these into quarters and arrange in the bottom of a buttered casserole dish. Combine the eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt and milk; stir until well blended. Pour over the bread. Put the casserole dish in a pan of 1" deep water and bake at 350°F for 75-80 minutes. You can add about 1/3 C. of raisins to this if you'd like.
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iMBOLC RECIPES
BOILED CUSTARD
1 quart milk
4 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Scald milk in heavy pan - do not boil. Thoroughly beat eggs, adding salt and sugar. Beat a little of the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly. Pour egg mixture into hot milk, stirring well. Slowly bring just to a boil until mixture coats a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and beat until cool. Add vanilla and chill well.
DUBLIN SUNDAY CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
5 pounds Corned beef brisket
1 large Onion stuck with 6 whole cloves
6 Carrots, peeled and sliced
8 Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 small Bunch Parsley
1 head Cabbage (about 2 lbs) cut in quarters
Horseradish Sauce:
1/2 pint Whipping Cream
2 - 3 Tablespoons prepared horseradish
Put beef in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add all other ingredients except cabbage and bring to a boil with the lid off the pot. Turn to simmer and cook for 3 hours. Skim fat from top as it rises. Remove the thyme, parsley and onion. Add cabbage. Simmer for 20 minutes until cabbage is cooked. Remove the meat and cut into pieces. Place on center of a large platter. Strain the cabbage and season it heavily with black pepper. Surround the beef with the cabbage, carrots and potatoes. Serve with horseradish sauce.
Horseradish Sauce: Whip cream until it stand in peaks. Fold in horseradish.
BAKED CUSTARD WITH GINGER
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
3/4 teaspoon Finely Grated Fresh Ginger
3 large Eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups Milk
1/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
Mix brown sugar with ginger and divide evenly onto bottoms of 6 buttered individual custard cups or ramekins.
In medium mixing bowl, blend eggs with milk, sugar, vanilla and seasonings. Pour evenly into prepared custard cups. Place cups in a large pan, then fill with hot water to come halfway up sides of cups (a hot water bath or bain-marie).
Bake at 350 F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted near edge comes out clean. Remove cups from bain-marie. Run knife around edges to loosen. Place serving plate over top of cup and carefully invert custard onto plate. Serve warm or cover, chill and serve cold.
CANNARICULI (HONEY COOKIES)
4 cups Flour
1 cup Marsala Wine
2 Large Eggs
4 teaspoons Sugar
1 pinch Salt
Oil for deep frying
Honey
Make a well in flour in mixing bowl or on work surface. Add wine, eggs, sugar, and salt. Mix well, until thoroughly blended. Knead dough vigorously until smooth and glossy. If using processor, continue mixing for at least 1 minutes after ingredients are combined. Roll dough to an 1/8" thickness or less. Cut dough into 2" squares, starting with 1 corner, roll each square of dough loosely on the diagonal to form pastry roll about the thickness of a pencil. Meanwhile, heat oil for deep frying. Fry pastries by batches in hot oil until golden brown, being careful not to crowd pan. Use a slotted spoon to remove fried pastries from oil. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to serving platter. Drizzle honey over top or dip Cannariculi into honey.
Makes 4 to 5 dozen
LIEBKUCHEN (Honey Cakes)
1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup honey
1 cup sour milk* (see below)
2 Tablespoons vinegar
6 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon mace
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Prepare sour milk and mix dry ingredients. Set both aside. Cream margarine and sugar, add egg, beat until light. Add honey, sour milk and vinegar. Mix thoroughly. Chill one hour. Roll out to 1/4" thickness. Cut into 2"x3" rectangles and place on buttered cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 6 minutes. Frost with plain vanilla frosting.
* For sour milk, add 1 T. vinegar to 1 c. milk and let stand for 10 minutes.
NOODLE KUCHEN
7 eggs
1 cup sugar
16 ounces cottage cheese
2 cups sour cream
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup butter
1 pound broad egg noodles, cooked
Topping:
1/4 cup crushed cornflakes
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
sour cream to garnish
Mix eggs and sugar. Add cottage cheese, sour cream, milk, vanilla, and raisins. In separate bowl, add butter to warm noodles, stirring until melted. Combine noodles with cottage cheese mixture. Pour into 9 x 13 glass pan. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350. To make topping, combine cornflakes, cinnamon, and sugar. Sprinkle over top of kugel. Bake 1 hour. Let dish set for about 5 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and garnish with sour cream.
PANNEKOEKEN (German Pancake)
2 Tablespoons butter
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoons salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butter in oven pancake pan. Heat for 2 minutes or until butter melts. Spread evenly in pan. In large bowl, beat eggs slightly. Stir in flour, sugar and salt. Gradually add milk, beating until smooth. Pour into pan.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 40 - 45 minutes or until it reaches a deep golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately slide pancake onto a serving plate. Fill with fresh fruit and top with confectioners sugar. Serves 6.
This recipe is served at The Haddie Pierce House Bed & Breakfast.
GRANNY'S IRISH SCONES
16 ounces Self-Rising Flour
4 ounces Margarine
3 ounces Sugar
Milk
2 Eggs
5 ounces Raisins or currants
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Mix flour and margarine together with your fingers until the mixture is fine; add sugar, raisins and baking powder. Beat eggs and add. Pour in enough milk to make mixture into a sticky dough (not too wet). Lift out onto a floured board and flatten out to 1-1/2" in thickness and cut out scones with a biscuit cutter. Place 6 on a greased baking sheet and brush tops with a little beaten egg (this helps them to brown). Bake 15 minutes in preheated 400~ oven.
Source: Granny's Kitchen, St. Patrick's Rock, Cashel, County Tipperary, Ireland.
IRISH SODA BREAD
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour -- unbleached, enriched
1 1/2 cups Whole wheat flour -- stone-ground
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1 1/4 cups Buttermilk
Set the baking rack in the center of the oven and place a baking stone (if available) on the rack.
Preheat the oven to 375.
In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Mix to incorporate. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk. Mix quickly to incorporate the milk evenly. It may be easier to mix with the hands than with a spoon. Form the dough into a loaf shape and place in a nonstick 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2" loaf pan. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until well browned and a skewer inserted in the center comes out dry. Remove from the oven and the baking pan. Place on a wire rack to cool.
MULLIGATAWNY SOUP
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 large Onion, chopped
2 Stalks celery, sliced thinly
3 Carrots, diced
1 1/2 Tablespoons Curry powder
2 Tablespoons All-purpose flour
5 cups Chicken stock
2 Tablespoons Long grain white rice
2 Tomatoes; peeled & chopped
8 ounces Chicken; cooked & diced
1 small Apple; cooked, peeled, cored & diced
Salt to taste
Fresh celery leaves
Heat butter and oil in a saucepan. Add onion, celery and carrots; cook gently 5 minutes. Stir in Curry Powder and flour and cook 1 minute. Stir in stock and bring to a boil; add rice and stir well. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, chicken, apple and salt. Cover again and simmer 15 minutes. Garnish with celery leaves and carrot strip, if desired, and serve hot.
BAILEY'S IRISH CREAM TRUFFLES
1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
1 Tablespoon Butter
12 oz semisweet chocolate pieces
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
Melt chocolate pieces, Bailey's and heavy cream together over very low heat. Whisk in yolks, one at a time, mixture will thicken. Whisk in butter. Refrigerate several hours, or overnight until firm. Make small balls with a teaspoon. Roll in powdered sugar or cocoa.
ROSE - HIP WINE
3 pounds of rose hips
3 pounds of sugar
1 gallon boiling water
Wash the rose hips and cut them in half. Put them in large bowl and pour boiling water on them. Stir well with wooden spoon. Cover bowl and leave for two weeks. Strain off liquid into another bowl and add three pounds of sugar. Stir until dissolved. Cover bowl and leave for 5 days, stirring daily. Bottle, remembering to cork loosely at first, and store in a cool, dark place. Push in corks when wine has finished fermenting. It will be ready to drink in 6 months.
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Imbolc - Candlemas
Imbolic (Celtic): Oimelc, Festival of Bride (pronounced 'Breed'), Festival of Bridgit, Candlemas, Imbollgc Brigantia (Caledonii), Lupercus (Strega)
February 2 Northern Hemisphere / August 1 Southern Hemisphere
Candlemas is the Christianized name for the holiday, of course. The older Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. 'Imbolc' means, literally, 'in the belly' (of the Mother). For in the womb of Mother Earth, hidden from our mundane sight but sensed by a keener vision, there are stirrings. The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows.
At the time of Candlemas, the newborn Sun God is seen as a small child nursing from his Mother.
The holiday is also called 'Brigit's Day', in honor of the great Irish Goddess Brigit. She was considered a goddess of fire, patroness of smithcraft, poetry and healing. The Roman Catholic Church could not very easily call the Great Goddess of Ireland a demon, so they canonized her instead. Henceforth, she would be 'Saint' Brigit, patron SAINT of smithcraft, poetry, and healing. They 'explained' this by telling the Irish peasants that Brigit was 'really' an early Christian missionary sent to the Emerald Isle.
Today, this holiday is chiefly connected to weather lore. Even our American folk-calendar keeps the tradition of 'Groundhog's Day', a day to predict the coming weather, telling us that if the Groundhog sees his shadow, there will be 'six more weeks' of bad weather. This custom is ancient. An old British rhyme tells us that 'If Candlemas Day be bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year.'
Actually, all of the cross-quarter days can be used as 'inverse' weather predictors, whereas the quarter-days are used as 'direct' weather predictors. Imbolic involves celebrations of banishing the winter and welcoming the spring. At this phase of the cycle, winter is swept away and new beginnings are nurtured. Some Wiccan groups favor this time of year for initiations into the Craft.
It is traditional at Candlemas to light every lamp in the house for a few minutes in honor of the Sun's rebirth.
The Following is from Kate West
At Imbolc the spark of light born at Yule becomes a flame to warm people and the land. Now we see the first signs of spring. The trees are in bud and some flowers (snowdrops for example) begin to blossom. The word 'Imbolc' means 'in the belly', whilst 'Oimelc' means 'ewe's milk'. Both refer to the fact that many ewes are pregnant at this time and in a mild year the first lambs will be born about now. Imbolc is the quickening of the year, the time when the Earth is made pregnant with the promise of summer fruitfulness and the harvest to come.
At Imbolc the Goddess casts aside the robes of Wise One and returns as Maiden, dressed in white. In some groups a Maiden will be chosen and will wear a crown of lights and a white robe or cloak for the ritual. It is worth noting that up until relatively recently, the term 'maiden' was used to denote a female who had not yet given birth to child, so that even an obviously pregnant married woman could be a maiden and take this role in ritual. The God, who was reborn at Yule, is now seen as a young man, full of vigour, and his pursuit of the Maiden starts at this sabbath.
Imbolc is the time when the last of Yule's festive evergreens are removed. In some places it is still traditional to hold on to the (undecorated) Christmas fir until Imbolc, when it is taken and burned on the Imbolc fires. These days few of us can afford to keep the tree in place, especially as our modern forced and treated trees find it hard to keep their needles until January, let alone a whole month later. However, there is a practical alternative. As part of your Imbolc celebrations, take all the Yule and Christmas cards you have been given and recycle them, either making them into gift tags for the following year or cutting out the pictures to give to a local playgroup.
In ancient Rome this was a festival of Pan and the priests of Pan, called the Luperci, would run through the streets dressed in goatskin cloth whipping the people, especially women, to make them fertile for the coming year.
In many parts of the British Isles you will find wells dedicated to Bride or to the Christian St Bridget. Originally these would have been associated with the Goddess. If you are lucky enough to live near one of these, or able to visit one, look for a nearby tree with scraps of fabric tied to its branches. This will be a 'wishing tree'. Many people, whether Witches, Pagans or otherwise, visit these places to make an offering to the Goddess in the hope of having a wish granted. Such offerings are usually a strip of cloth, but it is not unusual to see necklaces of plaited grasses, small posies of flowers and even a child's shoe tied to a wishing tree. If you do visit such a site and wish to leave an offering, try to make it something which will soon return to the earth - a small circlet of grass plaited whilst thinking about your wish, or a hair from your own head, offered as a form of sacrifice. Look in your local press for notices of well-dressing celebrations, as many of these still take place at this time of year.
AN IMBOLC RITUAL
This festival is the first rite of spring. The dark of winter is behind us and now the Goddess takes on the robes of the Maiden and the God is seen as a young man.
Find some time and a place where you will be undisturbed. Take a black or dark red candle to represent the Goddess as Wise One and a white one to represent her as Maiden. As with all your rituals, call upon the elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth as well as the Goddess and the God to be with you.
Light the dark candle and say, 'This light is the light of the Crone, the Wise One who has ruled over the winter months, the resting time'. Spend a few moments thinking of all that has passed since your celebration of Samhain, especially of what you have learned in this time.
Next say, 'Now it is time for the Crone to turn away and become once more the Maiden, Lady of Spring and of promise'. Light the white candle and extinguish the dark one.
Now spend a little time thinking about what you would like to begin in this new season.
Thank the elements and the Goddess and the God for their presence during your rites.
An alternative to this ritual would be to take some ice, a large piece if possible, and, taking it in your strong hand (your right if right handed, your left if left handed), hold it over a bowl and say, 'This represents the Crone, Lady of Winter, of the time when the land is still and resting. But as winter's thaw begins, so the Lady casts off her robes of stillness and becomes once more the Maiden. Full of movement, like the cool waters of spring, she flows once more to bring life and hope to all the land'.
Once the ice has fully melted, keep the resulting water to put on your favourite plant, either indoors or in the garden. Please wait until the water has reached a reasonable temperature before you do this, otherwise you will freeze the poor thing's roots!
Once again, this ritual should begin by asking the support of the elements, the Goddess and the God, and they should be thanked at the end.
OTHER WAYS OF MAKING IMBOLC
* As this is a time of new life and growth, it is appropriate to plant bulbs or flowers or to sow seeds. However, you will need to use your judgement and some local knowledge to decide whether to actually do so at Imbolc or whether to wait a week (or several) until the last frosts have passed. Of course seeds can often be started indoors and planted out a month or so later.
A word of caution here - if you are unlucky and your seedlings or plants fail, try not to read anything 'significant' into this. Unless and until you are an experienced and seasoned gardener, or unless you naturally have 'green fingers' you are quite likely to have a less than impressive success rate the first few times.
If you don't have access to a garden, you can always choose an indoor plant to nurture. Many of the herbs that Witches use in their Magic, as well as their kitchen, will grow quite happily on a window sill. Rosemary and lavender are perhaps the two most useful, as well as having a pleasant scent all year round.
* If you are lucky enough to live near a suitable tree, choose one to be 'your own'. This is the tree that you will watch to mark the seasons. Observe its cycles of growth and fruitfulness, the way it reacts to the seasons. By doing this you will have a natural link to the Wheel of the Year. It is better to choose a tree which does shed its leaves in winter rather than an evergreen, as the cycles of the latter can be very difficult to see. There are many trees which have particular significance to Witches; oak, ash, hawthorn, elder, willow, rowan and many others. If your tree is in your own garden or in an accessible place, then you will be able to visit it and even meditate under it whenever you please. You may even find that this is the tree which gives you the wood for your wand.
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Thank you soo much Madam Mousey! for the information... L.S.M. |
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