Lughnasadh (Lew-nah-sah) is the first of three harvest festivals on the wheel of the year with the second and third being Mabon in September and Samhain (Shah-ven in Scots Gaelic or Sow-een in Irish) in October. It is named after the Celtic god Lugh (Lew) who is a god of light, and therefore Lughnasadh/Lammas is…
Month: July 2016
Elecampane
Elecampane, Inula helenium (also called Elfdock, Elfwort, Horseheal and Scabwort) is a pretty sunflower-like perennial found in wet pastures or easily grown in a sunny garden spot. It is named after Helen of Troy, who is said to have carried the flowers with her when Paris abducted her from Sparta. The 6- to 8-foot tall plant has large,…
Pretty Yummy Purslane
Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) — also known as pigweed, fatweed, pursley, pussley, verdolagas and wild portulaca — is the most frequently reported “weed” species in the world. It can grow anywhere that has at least a two-month growing season and is generally found in meadows, sidewalks and lawns. You won’t find it in the grocery…
Summer Gazpacho with Sweet Corn, Avocado Crema and “Mexican” Bruschetta
Ahh Summer! Don’t you just love the warmth and flavors that summer harvesting brings to your table? What a blessing it is! We started the tomatoes in our garden both from seed and from starts. As it turns out, the seed starters are nearly outperforming the plant starts. We have some nice tomatoes coming in….
Magic Messages from Frog
I had a visit from Frog friend in the garden tonight. Frog brings magic messages about prosperity and abundance, transformation or transition, luck, spiritual cleansing and is the called the “singer of songs.” Frog shows up with a message for you when you are going through a transition, or possibly coming into your power in some way. Frog’s…
Awake, Aware and Able in a Crazy-ass World: Part 3 Shielding
A very large part of being Awake, Aware and Able is understanding, at a minimum, the very basics, of “energy” within at least our own anatomy and the way it is connected to everything else. Even if you aren’t an empath, healer, witch or shaman, you still HAVE a bio-spiritual anatomy that circulates energy/frequency to and…
Basic steps for Natural Cold-Process Soap Making
Cold-process soap is basically the mixing together of oil (fatty acids) and lye (sodium hydroxide) together to trigger the saponification process, which is the chemical reaction between a base and acid to form a salt. Sounds like magic? It is! Part chemistry and part artistry (or craft). The name “cold-process” is used to differentiate between…
Squash is out of control!
Squash blossoms are happening, and my squash portion of the garden is out of control crazy! This year, we pulled up a very long section of unused backyard space on the side of the house to plant a melon garden. We sowed by seed, carefully into each little row, pumpkins, melons, cantaloupe, cucumbers, zucchini, crooknecks,…
Awake, Aware and Able in a Crazy-ass World: Part 2 Self-Care
Part 2, Self-Care “It is better to give than receive” is an old saying that is by its nature, completely unsustainable, yet so many of us fall into the trap of it. We cannot fill from an empty cup, it is simply impossible. So many well-intentioned people give all that they have – to loved ones,…
Super Salmon Spa Salad
Super Salmon Spa salad – serves 4 (or more w/ smaller portions) 1 lb. wild caught salmon fillets, grilled or broiled 1 lb. fresh asparagus, grilled or roasted 1/2 cucumber, halved and sliced 1 head fresh spinach misc. mixed greens to your taste (I used mixed baby lettuces and kale from my garden) ½ thinly…
Mindful Hearth 