Uncategorized
-
12 Days of Reading for Yule
I love everything about the Yule season — from covering my tree with tiny pentacles and my ever growing collection of Krampus decorations, to decking my altar with boughs of holly, this is one of my favorite times of year. One of the things I always do is drag out my pile of Yule-oriented books and leave them scattered around so that guests can check them out — and so that I can revisit some of my annual traditions. There’s something comforting about curling up under a blanket with a cup of warm tea, flipping through pages that remind me of where many of our current customs originate. So, I’ve…
-
19 Random Acts of Kindness for the Holidays
When the Yule season rolls around, it’s easy to find ourselves frustrated and anxious because of the frenzy of the holidays. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to take a step back and just perform small random acts of kindness, to help put things back into perspective. Doing nice things — even small ones — for other people not only helps them, but can help get you back on track, focusing on what Yule means to you. Obviously, there are so many more things you can do besides the ones on this list, but just to get you started, here are 19 random acts of Yuletide kindness. 1. Drop off pet food at…
-
What Authors Need From You
So last month I released my SEVENTH book on modern witchcraft, Wicca Journal for Beginners, and I’ve gotten a TON of really great positive feedback on it. A big thanks and so much gratitude to everyone who took the time to leave me a review and say such nice things about it! I totally appreciate you! One thing that you may have noticed, if you follow me on any of my social media platforms, is that any time I release a new book, you’ll see a LOT of posts about it from me—usually in the two to four weeks leading up to the on-sale date, and then for a few weeks…
-
I’m Giving Stuff Away!
To celebrate the release of my newest book, Wicca Journal for Beginners, I’m hosting a giveaway over on my About Paganism Facebook page! I’ll be giving one lucky winner a copy of the new book, as well as three of my other titles – Wicca Practical Magic, Herb Magic, and Witchcraft for Healing. Winners must live in the US – for other rules, legal stuff, and how to enter, head over to About Paganism on Facebook! If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, you can learn more and get one here: Wicca Journal for Beginners
-
Pre-order Your Wicca Journal for Beginners!
Wondering what kind of magic you’ll find in my new book, Wicca Journal for Beginners? In addition to twenty unique journal prompts, there are a ton of all-new spells crafted for beginners and experienced practitioners alike! Here are just a few of what you’ll find inside: Love Letter Spell for Attraction Syrup Spell to Smooth a Relationship Happy Harmony Herbal Bath Minty Motivation Magic Circle of Friends Spell Gratitude Bowl Hands Tied Binding Spell It’s a little different from most of my other books, but I’m so psyched about it — it’s not a book on how to practice, but instead it’s a journal that can serve as a sacred space for…
-
Plan a Cemetery Visit for Samhain
In many cultures, the late fall is a time in which the dead are honored with great ceremony. There are a number of ways you can do this, and if you’re fortunate enough to have your kinfolk buried nearby, you can incorporate a visit at your family’s cemetery into your Samhain festivities. My family isn’t buried anywhere near me, so I’ve sort of adopted the cemetery up the road from me, which is where a previous owner of my house is buried, along with several generations of her family. I walk up there every couple of weeks just to do some maintenance, say hello, and leave small offerings. I also…
-
Copper Dowsing Rods & Water Witching
So, when I bought my little cottage earlier this summer, I knew one of the first things I needed to do was get a fence put in, so my dog could derp freely around the yard off-leash. Even though it’s a rural area, and not a super busy road, keeping him safe was crucial, so I found a couple of local guys to do the installation. Before they could do that, however, we had to determine where things like the gas line and the water main were (call before you dig!). After these were marked — I wasn’t even home when they did it — I got a call from…
-
The Myth & Magic of Virginia Creeper
One of the things I love so much about my cottage in the woods is that I am surrounded by plants, many of which I never encountered in the wild when I lived in an actual town. I’m taking some time to get to know the flora (and fauna) of my new home, including the seemingly endless array of Joe Pye weed, mullein, chicory, fleabane, and goldenrod. I discovered the stone wall up against the hillside behind my house is covered in a beautiful five-leafed vine, did a bit of digging, and learned it’s Virginia creeper, or Parthenocissus quinquefolia. In some places, it’s considered so invasive that you’re not allowed…
-
Y’all, It’s Soup Season
I’ve always loved fall — it’s my favorite time of the year, and I know you Summer People are miserable as soon as the temps drop below 70 degrees, but for someone like me who hates to be hot and sweaty, this is the most wonderful season of all. I love crisp cool mornings, watching the leaves turn red and gold on my hillside, seeing my breath in the air, pulling out my hoodie/boots/jeans collection, and the smell of woodsmoke wafting through my forest as bonfires light up. But one of my favorites parts of fall is that it’s soup season. There’s something so magical about soup, and it doesn’t…
-
Make a Group of Ghosties!
When I moved a couple of years ago, I discovered that while I had about five boxes of Yule decor, I had over two dozen boxes of Halloweenery – it’s my favorite time of year! And this is one of my favorite decorations to put out – every fall, random strangers would stop and take pictures of my front yard, because of all the Halloween nonsense, and this group of ghosts was always a huge hit. Here’s how you can make your own, with about $20 worth of random supplies. For each ghost, you’ll need the following: 1 4-foot length of 2″ PVC pipe, cut with a 45′ angle on…
