I woke up this morning with the urge to get in the kitchen and do some canning.  Why is called canning when the results are put in a jar?  It should be called jarring.  Anyway, I got on my handy-dandy computer and looked for some recipes.  I found asparagus pickles, strawberry chutney, mango chutney and peach chutney.  I went to the store and bought everything I needed and went to work.  I have the strawberry chutney made and now I'm working on the pickles.  Ok, so maybe I didn't "wake up" wanting to be kitchenologically productive but when Alan and I were outside this morning, for just a moment, I smelled Autumn!  It was breezy and cool, we were talking about where to put the planting beds when I caught the fleeting scent of Autumn.  I knew then, that I wanted to honor the coming season with canning--or jarring.  It seemed fitting.  I had mentioned on an earlier blog that I wanted to start that so I just got a jump on it.  I still have to get organized to begin my other projects.  Jenna goes to school tomorrow!  She's so excited.  I'm off to get her school supplies now.

Ciao, witchies!

I must be channeling Em!  I've been thinking of how to refine my kitchen witchery skills, honor the Harvest and still be productive.  Well, when i was on the treadmill this morning, it came to me:  I can make jam, chutney, pickles, spice mixes and teas.  I can put my corospondences to work, write some incantations and fill my pantry!  When I got home, I read a few blogs and the first one was Em's about canning.  Her gardening and canning blogs must've been in the back of my mind.  She offered some great advice to me, a novice gardener trying to "cure" her black thumb, lol.  I'll put her words to good use and begin experimenting with different recipies.  I collect cook books so, I'm SURE I have lots of gems just waiting to be created on my stove.  I can give them fo family and friends as well as keep a supply in my pantry.  I made some blackberry jam a long time ago from berries I picked from a wild bush in CA.  My dad STILL talks about it :D.  Hope all of you are having a wonderfu Hump Day--one way or the other.

I just made these, they're wonderful!  Many of us will be celebrating Beltane this weekend, so I thought I'd post this (it's in the Llewellyn's Witches' Datebook).

3/4 c butter softened (1 1/2 sticks)

1c brown sugar

1/8c granulated sugar

1 egg

1/4c molasses

1 3/4 whole grain or unbleached flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

5 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2c. crystalized ginger chopped coarsely

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter and sugars together.  Add egg and molassas.  In separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and spices (except crystalized ginger) and mix well.  Pour into molassas mixture and mix well.  Add crystalized ginger and mix well.  Form into 1" balls and place on baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, let rest on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes then move to cooling rack.

These are great as foreplay!

Bright Beltane Blessings

Hi all.  We planted more seeds and plants in the garden on Saturday.  Slowly but surely we're filling it up.  Next weekend, we'll go searching for blackberry vines that can take this hot weather.  We planted tomatoes and because they can be aphid prone, my hubby looked for tips for keeping them away.  The following are from an organic website but he can't remember which one so if you know, please let me know :).

Plant garlic around aphid prone plants

Plant marigolds, they attract beneficial (aphid eating) bugs

Aphid Spray:

1 quart water, 3-4 garlic cloves, 1tsp. ceyane pepper.  Boil, strain and pour into spray bottle.  Spray on plants as needed.

Bright Blessings

Picked up a copy of Woman's World the other day and the current issue has some wonderful low cost beauty tips from the kitchen. 

Oily Skin Mask~Milk of Magnesia~Smooth Milk of Magnesia over face and throat and leave on for 15 minutes and rinse with cool water.  Magnesium draws out the oil.

Toner~Witchhazel (how fitting!)  Dampen a cotton ball with witchhazel and brush over freshly washed face.  It'll freshen without over drying.

Dry Skin Mask~Plain yogurt.  Use fingers to apply plain yogurt to your dry, freshly washed face.  Let sit for 15 minutes and rinse with cool water.  Yogurt softens skin and sloughs off dull skin cells.

Body Scub~Brown sugar and oil.  Mix 1/4c almond or olive oil with 1c brown sugar and massage over rough skin while you shower.

Bath Salts~Powdered Milk.  Pour 3c powdered milk into a hot bath and soak for at least 15 minutes.  The lactic acid gently exfoliates skin, leaving your whole body baby-soft.  Aside:  I haven't tried this.  Wouldn't do it as a ritual bath 'cause I'm not familiar with the properties yet.  This would be a nice low cost or last minute option for a relaxing soak, though.

Enjoy.