#eastern europe in the fall and winter is not a place of honor

[virsancte]

took a nap instead. i am sorry for abandoning you, my love. please don't take the street cars and deco sims in the divorce

class got cancelled apparently so seems like today it's just me, leftovers of this wine and my beautiful wife T.O.O.L.

[mariacallous]

Meduza's The Beet: New Kazakhstan, old playbook

Hello, and welcome back to The Beet! I’m Eilish Hart, the editor of this new email dispatch from Meduza, covering Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. For those new subscribers who missed The Beet’s first issue, it’s now available on our website. If someone forwarded you this email, sign up here to get future dispatches delivered directly to your inbox.

Earlier this year, before Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, when Russia’s military was still assembling at the border, mass protests suddenly swept Kazakhstan. The demonstrations, which started in the western city of Zhanaozen in response to a hike in fuel prices, snowballed and soon took aim at the country’s top leadership and powerful ex-President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Under pressure, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev not only dismissed the government, but also took radical steps to quash the unrest, ordering security forces to “shoot to kill” and calling for backup from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).

According to the official toll, more than 230 people were killed in what is now colloquially referred to as Bloody January (Qandy Qantar, in Kazakh). But instead of allowing for a transparent investigation into the violence, Tokayev announced a grandiose plan to build a “new Kazakhstan.” The country held a referendum in June on an array of constitutional amendments, which, among other things, stripped Nazarbayev of his official status as “leader of the nation” and supposedly curtailed the president’s executive powers. Critics argue that these changes only served to shore up Tokayev’s position.

More recently, Tokayev has called for snap presidential and parliamentary elections, proclaiming the need for a “new mandate of trust” in order to carry out “radical and comprehensive reforms.” This decision seems especially odd, given that Kazakhstan’s elections are infamously neither free nor fair. For someone seeking to build a “new Kazakhstan,” Tokayev appears to be following the same old authoritarian playbook.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev casts his ballot in Kazakhstan’s constitutional referendum. Astana. June 5, 2022.

Press Office of the President of Kazakhstan

On September 1, Kazakhstani President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev unexpectedly announced that he plans to seek a second term in a snap election this fall. In the same speech, he proposed limiting the presidency to a single seven-year term (rather than a five-year term with the possibility of re-election) and reverting the capital city’s name from Nur-Sultan to Astana (sorry, Nursultan Nazarbayev).

Tokayev framed these elections, as well as a snap parliamentary vote he called for the coming winter, as the latest step in a political reset meant to respond to the “January tragedy” (as it is officially known) — bloodshed that he maintains was part of an attempted coup. Though Tokayev has refrained from pointing the finger at his predecessor, Nazarbayev’s subsequent fall from grace strongly suggests that an elite power struggle in fact took place.

Nazarbayev, now 81, stepped down in 2019 after nearly 30 years in power, naming Tokayev (then speaker of the Senate) as acting head of state. But the outgoing president retained wide-ranging political influence as “leader of the nation” (elbasy) and head of Kazakhstan’s Security Council. Among his first acts as interim president, Tokayev initiated the renaming of the capital in Nazarbayev’s honor. He went on to become Kazakhstan’s full-fledged president thanks to a snap election in June 2019 that international observers deemed undemocratic. Hundreds of people were arrested for protesting the rigged vote.

Now, Tokayev is seeking a fresh mandate, after months spent dismantling Nazarbayev’s cult of personality and lingering political influence. This “de-Nazarbayevification” has targeted not only the former president but also his family members and close associates. Some of them were ousted from political posts and public sector jobs; on October 3, a court sentenced Nazarbayev’s nephew to six years in prison for embezzlement.

“The dramatic character of this change is impossible to overstate,” Azamat Junisbai, a sociology professor at Pitzer College, told The Beet. At the same time, he underscored that Nazarbayev and his inner circle still control “massive resources” and therefore remain a threat. “The decision to call snap elections is best understood as a response to the threat of another coup attempt,” Junisbai explained. “The true test of Tokayev’s commitment to political competition and pluralism will arrive once the threat of another coup attempt recedes.”

‘Convenient candidates’

Researcher Colleen Wood also speculated that the early vote is likely intended to ensure that Nazarbayev’s camp doesn’t have enough time to “launch a real challenge” to Tokayev’s presidential bid. However, she underscored that this is one of the many strategies Nazarbayev used to hinder genuine opposition throughout his reign. “It’s disappointing and puzzling that, as Tokayev is publishing op-eds about real changes, he’s going back and using these same tactics. I think it’s a very good demonstration of word-based reform versus action-based reform. The actions are not there,” she said.

Opposition figures and activists in Kazakhstan quickly announced plans to organize against the snap presidential vote, while also toying with the idea of backing a single nominee. However, the most viable opposition candidate, the head of the unregistered Democratic Party of Kazakhstan, Zhanbolat Mamay, has been sitting in jail since February and faces up to 10 years behind bars. Moreover, even if the opposition were to throw its weight behind one person, it’s unlikely that election officials would allow them to run.

Journalist and activist Inga Imanbay, Mamay’s wife, drove this point home herself by trying to register for the snap presidential race scheduled for November 20. Election officials immediately rejected her nomination due to her age (she’s not yet 40) and lack of experience in government. In response, Imanbay penned a Facebook post explaining that her registration attempt was a “special act” meant to highlight that the electoral system is designed to ensure that only “convenient candidates” can seek office.

“In order to be in politics, you have to be associated with [Nazarbayev’s] regime,” Wood explained. “Without changing that requirement, you’re not going to have an opportunity for actual reform or actual opposition candidates.”

This is just one example of Tokayev relying on “political technology” rather than engaging in actual politics, Assel Tutumlu, an associate professor at Near East University, told The Beet. Under the current system, his re-election is all but guaranteed. “People are [being] given a choice among already predetermined losers, just so that Tokayev wins,” she said, referring to the other candidates nominated thus far.

Populist appeals

While skeptical of Tokayev’s democratic intentions, Tutumlu warned against underestimating the appeal of his “populist” policy proposals. Under Nazarbayev, she stressed, “the elites created a system in which it was no longer easy for regular folks to make a living” — and it was socio-economic hardships that fueled the mass protests in January 2022.

A statue of Nursultan Nazarbayev that was toppled in the city of Taldykorgan during the mass protests in January 2022.

KazTAG

When announcing his intention to run for re-election, Tokayev promised, among other things, to raise pensions and the minimum wage, freeze the retirement age for women, and make adjustments to the social security system. To top things off, he declared a one-time amnesty “for those participants in the January events who did not commit serious crimes,” commuting the punishments of protesters and law enforcement officers alike.

The authorities released a list of the 238 people killed in the “January tragedy” in August but have yet to publish the results of the official investigation into the unrest. According to Tutumlu, Tokayev announcing an amnesty “implies that he wants to close that particular chapter without necessarily taking responsibility” for the government response.

“All of this violence really tarnished his very clean PR reputation, especially in the West,” Tutumlu told The Beet. “And so what he wants to do now is say, ‘Okay, I’ve had the referendum, I’ve been supported, I’m going to have new elections, and we’re not going to look back at what happened. We’re only going to look at the future.’”

The (near) future

According to Carnegie Endowment fellow Temur Umarov, Russia’s war against Ukraine has played a key role in Tokayev’s political reset. Writing for Carnegie Politika in mid-September, Umarov argued that Kazakhstan’s president has been actively working to distance himself not only from Nazarbayev but also from Vladimir Putin.

“Tokayev’s appeal for intervention by the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization convinced some Kazakhstanis that Nazarbayev’s man had become Vladimir Putin’s,” Umarov recalled. “The war in Ukraine gave Tokayev the chance to shed that reputation.”

Tokayev has publicly refused to support Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and pushed back against Russian officials and public figures threatening Kazakhstan (or as he diplomatically put it: “making incorrect statements”). Moreover, Astana has taken steps to close loopholes that allowed Russia to evade Western sanctions. Tutumlu described the overarching strategy as more “legalistic” than neutral: “Kazakhstan is ready to do everything in line with its own international agreements, and that is what has been saving Tokayev from taking sides.”

Against this backdrop, Umarov viewed Kazakhstan’s upcoming elections as a way for Tokayev to “cement” his status as a “truly independent figure” and renew his mandate before the economic fallout from Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine truly hits home in Kazakhstan.

But the consequences of the war have spilled over sooner than expected. On September 21, Putin ordered a mobilization, prompting tens of thousands of Russians to flee the country. On October 4, Astana’s interior minister reported that more than 200,000 Russian nationals had entered Kazakhstan over the preceding 13 days. Though 147,000 of these Russians have already moved on, experts warn that this sudden inrush of people has the potential to be very disruptive.

“Right now, it is felt most keenly by those who are economically vulnerable. Social media are awash in stories of renters being evicted to make room for those fleeing mobilization (and willing to pay higher rents). Unsurprisingly, this creates a lot of resentment toward the new arrivals,” observed Junisbai. “On the other hand, landlords, restaurant owners, and owners of various retail establishments stand to gain from the influx.”

Tokayev has urged Kazakhstanis to welcome and assist the incoming Russians — something many were already doing — while also stressing that this “political and humanitarian issue” will be resolved “in the interests of our country.”

“A lot will also depend on the attitude of those arriving. Those who clearly speak [out] against the war, against Putin, and in support of Ukraine are far more likely to have nice experiences in Kazakhstan,” Junisbai told The Beet. “On the contrary, those who display any disrespect toward the Kazakh language, culture, or people will likely get very harsh responses. At this time, there’s heightened sensitivity for any display of ‘imperial attitude’ on part of the arriving RF [Russian Federation] citizens.”

That’s all for this week! Thanks for reading and feel free to forward this issue of The Beet to anyone who may be interested in our coverage. Until next time,

Eilish

[pope-francis-quotes]

5th May >> (@ZenitEnglish) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis in Bulgaria: Addresses Civil Authorities, Diplomatic Corps (Full Text)

Pope Francis in Bulgaria: Addresses Civil Authorities, Diplomatic Corps (Full Text)

Atanas Burov Square (Sofia)Sunday, 5th May 2019

Pope Francis on 5th May 2019, addressed members of the diplomatic corps, civil authorities, and representatives of various religious groups. His talk came in Atanas Burov Square (Sofia), a stop on his apostolic journey to Bulgaria and North Macedonia 5th - 7th May

Following is his full speech, provided by the Vatican

Mr. President,

Mr. Prime Minister,

Honorable Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Distinguished Authorities,

Representatives of the various Religious Confessions,

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Christos vozkrese!

I am happy to be here in Bulgaria, a place of encounter between many cultures and civilizations, a bridge between Eastern and Southern Europe, an open door to the Near East, and a land of ancient Christian roots that nourish its vocation to foster encounter both in the region and in the international community. Here diversity, combined with respect for distinctive identities, is viewed as an opportunity, a source of enrichment, and not as a source of conflict.

I cordially greet the Authorities of the Republic, and I thank them for the invitation to visit Bulgaria. I thank His Excellency the President for his gracious words of welcome here in this historic Square named after the statesman Atanas Burov, who suffered under a regime that could not tolerate freedom of thought.

I send my respectful greetings to His Holiness Patriarch Neofit, with whom I will shortly meet, to the Metropolitans and Bishops of the Holy Synod, and to all the faithful of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. My affectionate greetings go to the Bishops, priests, men and women religious, and all the members of the Catholic Church, whom I have come to confirm in faith and to encourage along their daily path of Christian life and witness.

I also cordially greet the Christians of other Ecclesial Communities, the members of the Jewish community and the followers of Islam. With you, I reaffirm “the firm conviction that authentic teachings of religions invite us to remain rooted in the values of peace; to defend the values of mutual understanding, human fraternity, and harmonious coexistence” (Document on Human Fraternity, Abu Dhabi, 4 February 2019). Let us profit from the hospitality of the Bulgarian people so that every religion, called to foster harmony and concord, can contribute to the growth of a culture and an environment of complete respect for the human person and his or her dignity, by establishing vital links between different civilizations, sensibilities, and traditions, and by rejecting every form of violence and coercion. In this way, those who seek by any means to manipulate and exploit religion will be defeated.

My visit today recalls that of Saint John Paul II in May 2002 and evokes the happy memory of the nearly decade-long presence in Sofia of the then Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli. The latter never ceased to feel deep gratitude and esteem for your nation, to the point that he once said that wherever he would go, his house would always be open to everyone, Catholic or Orthodox alike, who came as a brother or sister from Bulgaria (cf. Homily, 25 December 1934). Saint John XXIII worked tirelessly to promote fraternal cooperation between all Christians. With the Second Vatican Council, which he convoked and over whose first phase he presided, he gave great encouragement and decisive support to the development of ecumenical relationships.

It is in the wake of these providential events that from 1968 on – a full fifty years ago – an official Delegation composed of the highest civil and ecclesiastical Authorities of Bulgaria has made a yearly visit to the Vatican on the occasion of the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius. These two Saints evangelized the Slavic peoples and were at the origin of the development of their language, their culture, and above all their abundant and enduring fruits of Christian witness and of holiness.

Blessed be Saints Cyril and Methodius, co-patrons of Europe! By their prayers, their genius, and their joint apostolic efforts, they serve as an example for us and they continue to be, more than a millennium later, an inspiration for fruitful dialogue, harmony and fraternal encounter between Churches, States, and peoples! May their radiant example raise up many followers in our own day and open up new paths of peace and concord!

Now, at this particular moment of history, thirty years after the end of the totalitarian regime that imprisoned its liberty and initiatives, Bulgaria faces the effects of the emigration in recent decades of over two million of her citizens in search of new opportunities for employment. At the same time, Bulgaria – like so many other countries of Europe – must deal with what can only be called a new winter: the demographic winter that has descended like a curtain of ice on a large part of Europe, the consequence of a diminished confidence in the future. The fall in the birth rate, combined with the intense flow of emigration, has led to the depopulation and abandonment of many villages and cities. In addition, Bulgaria confronts the phenomenon of those seeking to cross its borders in order to flee wars, conflicts or dire poverty, in the attempt to reach the wealthiest areas of Europe, there to find new opportunities in life or simply a safe refuge.

Mr President,

I am aware of the efforts that the nation’s leaders have made for years to ensure that young people, in particular, not be constrained to emigrate. I would encourage you to persevere on this path, to strive to create conditions that lead young people to invest their youthful energies and plan their future, as individuals and families, knowing that in their homeland they can have the possibility of leading a dignified life. To all Bulgarians, who are familiar with the drama of emigration, I respectfully suggest that you not close your eyes, your hearts or your hands – in accordance with your best tradition – to those who knock at your door.

Your country has always distinguished itself as a bridge between East and West, capable of favoring encounter between the different cultures, ethnic groups, civilizations and religions that for centuries have lived here in peace. The development of Bulgaria, including her economic and civil development, necessarily entails a recognition and enhancement of this specific trait. May this land, bordered by the great Danube River and by the shores of the Black Sea, rendered fruitful by the humble labour of so many generations, open to cultural and commercial exchanges, integrated in the European Union, and with solid links to Russia and Turkey, offer all her sons and daughters a future of hope.

May God bless Bulgaria, keep her in peace and ever hospitable, and grant her prosperity and happiness!

© Libreria Editrice Vatican

5th MAY 2019 13:33PAPAL TRIPS

[tipsycad147]

FULL BEAVER MOON – A THANKSGIVING NIGHT TREAT

by thegypsy

November’s full Moon is called the Beaver Moon and the name can be traced back to Native Americans.  The Algonquin tribe and many colonial Americans called it the Beaver Moon because November was the final month to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, which would ensure a supply of warm winter furs.  Others have a slightly different version, but still tied to the beaver, stating that November was the time beaver’s built their dams up before winter.  It was also called the Full Frost Moon by other Native American tribes, for obvious reasons.

Another distinct feature of this and the following winter full moon’s is how high they climb into the night sky.  They are nearly at the level of a summertime noontime sun.  This height produces some amazing shadows on the landscape, especially with bare trees and most ground vegetation having already died down.  

What You’ll Need For This Ritual

As always, this ritual is designed for a group and is best performed outside around a generous bonfire (with the cold already upon us, the fire will be the difference maker!)

What items you’ll need to collect for this ritual (as written)

Four quarter candles – yellow (east), red (south), green (north), blue (west) Seasonal Altar Cloth Native American items to decorate the altar and circle area Tobacco for offering Pencils and paper Cakes or other seasonal baked goods Seasonal Beer and Ale to share Goddess Candle (White)

Any portion of the ritual that is bracketed by <> symbols should be understood as instructional notes and not to be spoken aloud.

Ritual Begins

In this a place of magick, energy, and power, where all the mysteries slip from their folds, I do conjure a sacred space.  We are free as the circle is cast, now together; between the worlds.

Calling the Quarters

East Eastern winds; stout and frigid blasts of air swirling around each of us are a gentle reminder that indeed, winter is coming.  The message of preparation is never more clear than when we find ourselves on the cusp of great change.  The dark half of the year will come and it will go, but the messenger will remain with us for all eternity.  <light yellow candle>

South Southern flames; uncontrolled merging of red, yellow, orange, and blue present themselves as advocates for the power of fire.  Now is the time where the precious gift of light has great value, for it offers hope when things appear bleak, cheer when sadness permeates the land, and comfort in those times of solace.  <light red candle>

West Western waves; the never-ending rhythmic cascading waves demonstrates the tireless power of water.  Energies that seem to emerge from nowhere but extend to everywhere provide us with the pathway to success if we allow them to lead us without doubting their sources.  <light blue candle>

North Northern nights offer a clarity that allows for extended sight.  The skies are speckled with the shining of a million stars; each offering a moment of hope, and together offering guidance and clear direction.  Without a compass, we have no direction, and without direction, we have no way to move forward.  <light green candle>

Great Goddess, we of humble origins and earthly simplicity seek nothing more than your continued blessings and protection, both in our lives and through our magickal work.  In the great circle of life, it is you who sit at the center; guiding, teaching, and providing.  We humbly ask for your presence tonight.  <light Goddess candle>

Introduction

Tonight we gather under the light of the full moon to cleanse and share time with one another.  This year is unique as the secular holiday of Thanksgiving also falls on the same day.  Even though it’s not the true Thanksgiving, we shall make an exception for tonight’s celebration as we believe that giving thanks should be a daily occurrence and not saved up for a single day annually.  Tonight will also be a night of looking back into the past to express our gratitude for those who tirelessly toiled to build the foundations of the world we live in today.

Long ago, in the times before this nation and peoples, our ancestors would gather together at the end of the harvest season in celebration.  They would have given thanks to the Goddess for providing them with grain, vegetables, and meat which would preserve life through the dark half of the year.  Additionally, they would make certain that no family in their clan or village was without the means to survive; even if this meant spreading the available resources thinly across the community.  Everyone in those days relied on each other and any weak link could weaken the entire village’s abilities to continue.

Over time the ancient ways have been long forgotten by most people and this night of thanks was moved and then tied to the actions of the first Europeans in America.  The traditions from ancient tribes across Europe were watered down and repurposed into new traditions for the white settlers.  Unfortunately, these colonists were vastly unprepared for life in the new world and if it wasn’t for the charity offered by Native Americans, they’d have died and the settlement likely abandoned.  History tells us how tribesmen and women educated and assisted those travelers with knowledge and more importantly with food; helping them ultimately survive the frigid first winter of coastal life.   Yet instead of giving thanks to the indigenous populations and creating an event to celebrate them, those settlers gave thanks to their God for everything.  They even went as far as to try and make it into a Holy holiday of sorts.

Remembering & Understanding The Native Americans

This transgression has been evident for centuries, and as the holiday teetered between religion and a secular holiday, the Native Americans who literally saved the lives of those early travelers were forgotten.  The history texts speak of a few higher profile Native Americans, but only because it was necessary to tell the story.  The really ancient traditions were not even considered in the narrative.

Most traditional Native Americans treat Thanksgiving as a false holiday or an outright lie.  They do not serve turkey dinners, pumpkin pie, or any of the other modern traditions celebrated by those around us.  They instead spend the day in stoic reflection, remembering, and honoring their grandfathers and grandmothers.  Many also spend time celebrating the fact that their culture’s were able to survive the centuries of hardship at the hands of those descendants of the original colonists.  Many likely reflect on the past and wonder what their lives would be like today if their ancestors had done nothing to help the white settlers.  Yet, most Native Americans alive today realize that ignoring someone who is in need of help isn’t the right way to live.  The Great Spirit of the land did not put the First People here to be greedy or cause harm to the downtrodden.  All life is precious, and all human’s are equal, regardless of origin, culture, race, or creed.  To allow another life to fade away when it could have been saved goes against the basic tenants of human kindness.

Many indigenous tribes had celebrations of thanks that lasted for days, and looked very similar to this gathering.  Everyone gathered around a fire with spiritual food being placed on an altar.  The ritual leaders would then begin a lengthy list of things that all people should be thankful for, starting with their very lives and progressing into many different areas and items.  Each item they gave thanks for was an integral part of life and covered food, water, hunting grounds, weather, the sun, friendship, and more.  Tonight we will honor the same traditions of the First People and let their spirits remember that we have not forgotten their kindness, even though it was repaid in bloodshed, banishment, and cruelty.  For without them, none of us would be standing here today.

Giving Thanks

Many tribes speak of the Great Mystery, which can be interpreted as the force behind all creation and spirituality; one that isn’t personified into a single deity or form.  This force flowed through all people, all objects, and gave the wind it’s power to blow, the flames their power to produce heat, and the water the power to cleanse.  All things are connected by this force but it was understood by all as a great collective oneness.  This short description helps us to see the rationale on why it was impossible for the Native Americans to allow the colonists to starve; they may have been from another land, but they were still part of the oneness.

The Great Mystery instructed people to love one another always and only had a simple requirement for giving us life and that was to be grateful.  This prayer is original, but was influenced by many other prayers from different tribes and is being spoken with a pure heart and the true intention of thanking the Grandfather’s and Grandmother’s of those who walked these lands many lifetimes ago.  Please be silent and open your minds to not only hear, but also to listen.

Traditionally, tobacco was seen as the unifying thread between human and spiritual communication and before our prayer, we are making an offering to those who are with us tonight.

<Ritual leader will sprinkle tobacco around the group as an offering to the Great Spirits>

Great Spirit of these lands and the lands of afar, We stand humbled in your mighty presence Your great gifts of fire, water, wind, and earth, They provide us with life and the means to reproduce It was by your will that we exist in this world And we offer thanks and endless gratitude High above, the night circle of light shines The Great Grandmother who watches over us Surrounded by the infinite expanse of infinity And yet never far from our needful callings In each step we take, our memories are stirred The Great Grandfather’s who first walked here Communing with the lands and forest creatures Learning the sacred wisdom and sharing it freely To those ancestors, we offer our thanks and gratitude To the Four Winds and our great brother the Sun Stands of noble trees and fields of plenty Animals, birds, flowers, and pools of sacred waters With great reverence, we offer our thanks and gratitude To the Three Sisters called Corn, Beans, and Squash Yes, we know you well for the strength provided For the herbs and berries and the sacred keys We are thankful for the secrets of healing medicine For our clan and our people and their generations Their prosperity is only by your invisible hand Our spirituality guided and our souls nurtured As we spend this lifetime in service to one another Nothing eternal can emerge from a life of darkness We are forever thankful for the light of day Until the last days of our earthly existence And the first day of our next lifetime We shall forever be indebted to those ancestors Who stepped forward without fear or concern To bear the ultimate gift of pure love One human being touching the soul of another With comfort and great care they came Sharing the power of the Great Mystery

<extended moment of silent reflection to those gathered>

Cleansing And Releasing

Each month we use the night of the full moon to self-heal.  It’s a time to release that which no longer serves us, what we no longer need in our lives, or things we have outgrown.  Tonight we purge ourselves, we unburden ourselves, we release and let go of the anchors which have been weighing us down.  It’s time to step out of old ways and false identities which no longer define who we are.  We must examine our behaviors, our attitudes, and our frame of mind.  Only by getting rid of the old can we celebrate the new.  Under this full moon, we can show ourselves and the universe that we are truly ready to take the bold step toward the new and unknown opportunities ahead of us.

The Great Guardians of the South have provided us with this cauldron of cleansing flames to consume that which is old and no longer valid in our lives; by burning the remnants of things useless and without value, we strike them from our memories.  Some people have brought specific things that have been dead-weight in their lives to burn tonight, others have them in their minds.  The latter can be written with intention and burned in the fire.

<Offer paper if they need to write things down>

<Allow time for each participant to ritually burn their items>

As you place your items into the fire, say this aloud with intent – “I give up freely that which is no longer serving me, releasing it, to create a space to fill with things that inspire me”

<Once this is completed, have everyone in the circle join hands and say:>

We gather tonight by the light of the moon, to celebrate the season, to offer thanks to the ancestors of this land and rejoice.  May the next turn of the Wheel bring us love and compassion, abundance and prosperity, fertility and life – As the moon above, so the earth below.

So Mote it BE!

Cakes & Ale

Many groups choose to bring drinks and food to share around the bonfire.  Take as much time as you’d like to converse with one another and enjoy the time together.

Closing The Circle

Immense and unmatched power of the earth; we thank you for attendance in our circle. Stay if you will, go if you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. So mote it be! <extinguish green candle>

Healing waters of life; we thank you for attendance in our circle.  Stay if you will, go if you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. So mote it be! <extinguish blue candle>

Cleansing flames from the fires of the great forges of the south; tonight we give thanks beyond measure for your attendance in this circle. So Mote it be! <extinguish red candle>

Whispering winds, invisible but without compare; we thank you for attendance in our circle.  Stay if you will, go if you must, in perfect love and perfect trust. So Mote it be! <extinguish yellow candle>

Great Goddess, we thank you for your abundance, your wisdom, your continued blessings and your unconditional love. <extinguish Goddess candle>

This circle is open but never broken!

https://www.thegypsythread.org/full-beaver-moon-2018/

[phynxrizng]

MOON ,SUN , STARS

THE SMART WITCH WELCOME

INTRODUCTION TO MAGIC

MAGIC CIRCLES & SPELLS

REFERENCE

HERBALISM

FORMULARY

MOON, SUN & STARS

Full Moon Names and Meanings

Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. The tribes kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred.

There was some variation in the Moon names, but in general, the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior. European settlers followed that custom and created some of their own names. Since the lunar month is only 29 days long on the average, the full Moon dates shift from year to year. Here is the Farmers Almanac’s list of the full Moon names.

• Full Wolf Moon – January Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. Thus, the name for January’s full Moon. Sometimes it was also referred to as the Old Moon, or the Moon After Yule. Some called it the Full Snow Moon, but most tribes applied that name to the next Moon.

• Full Snow Moon – February Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, native tribes of the north and east most often called February’s full Moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes also referred to this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult.

• Full Worm Moon – March As the temperature begins to warm and the ground begins to thaw, earthworm casts appear, heralding the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this Moon as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signaled the end of winter; or the Full Crust Moon, because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. To the settlers, it was also known as the Lenten Moon, and was considered to be the last full Moon of winter.

• Full Pink Moon – April This name came from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names for this month’s celestial body include the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes the Full Fish Moon, because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn.

• Full Flower Moon – May In most areas, flowers are abundant everywhere during this time. Thus, the name of this Moon. Other names include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.

• Full Strawberry Moon – June This name was universal to every Algonquin tribe. However, in Europe they called it the Rose Moon. Also because the relatively short season for harvesting strawberries comes each year during the month of June . . . so the full Moon that occurs during that month was christened for the strawberry!

• The Full Buck Moon – July July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, for the reason that thunderstorms are most frequent during this time. Another name for this month’s Moon was the Full Hay Moon.

• Full Sturgeon Moon – August The fishing tribes are given credit for the naming of this Moon, since sturgeon, a large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water, were most readily caught during this month. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the Moon rises, it appears reddish through any sultry haze. It was also called the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.

• Full Corn Moon or Full Harvest Moon – September This full moon’s name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked when corn was supposed to be harvested. Most often, the September full moon is actually the Harvest Moon, which is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox. In two years out of three, the Harvest Moon comes in September, but in some years it occurs in October. At the peak of harvest, farmers can work late into the night by the light of this Moon. Usually the full Moon rises an average of 50 minutes later each night, but for the few nights around the Harvest Moon, the Moon seems to rise at nearly the same time each night: just 25 to 30 minutes later across the U.S., and only 10 to 20 minutes later for much of Canada and Europe. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice the chief Indian staples are now ready for gathering.

• Full Hunter’s Moon or Full Harvest Moon – October This full Moon is often referred to as the Full Hunter’s Moon, Blood Moon, or Sanguine Moon. Many moons ago, Native Americans named this bright moon for obvious reasons. The leaves are falling from trees, the deer are fattened, and it’s time to begin storing up meat for the long winter ahead. Because the fields were traditionally reaped in late September or early October, hunters could easily see fox and other animals that come out to glean from the fallen grains. Probably because of the threat of winter looming close, the Hunter’s Moon is generally accorded with special honor, historically serving as an important feast day in both Western Europe and among many Native American tribes.

• Full Beaver Moon – November This was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.

• The Full Cold Moon; or the Full Long Nights Moon – December During this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and nights are at their longest and darkest. It is also sometimes called the Moon before Yule. The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long, and because the Moon is above the horizon for a long time. The midwinter full Moon has a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite a low Sun.



Magical Moon Garden What could be more enchanting and enchanted than to cultivate your own Moon Garden! Honor the Silver Goddess in all her glory with a fragrant and luminous evening garden. A wonderful offering, from which you will benefit as well.

Many night-blooming flowers are white and rely on strong fragrance, rather than bright colors, to attract insects. Plant night-bloomers near a bedroom window, where the breeze can carry the fragrance indoors right into your dreams.

Night-blooming flowers for your garden include:

Angels Trumpet (Datura innoxia) Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) Four O'Clock (Mirabilis jalapa) Yucca (Yucca filamentosa) Evening Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) Plant some night-blooming flowers in a circle to mimic the Moon. They look terrific alongside silver-foliaged Lambs ears and Artemisia. Illuminated only by moonlight, pale flowers and foliage add a dreamy, ethereal feeling. You don't need to have a big space, potted plants work too, just remember to add a trellis or place onto which viney plants can grow.

You can save and dry night-blooming flowers to use in amulets or talismans, or to dress a Moon candle. Add fresh flowers to a special oil you have fashioned on the Full Moon or to water for magical workings. Press flowers and leaves into your Book of Shadows, or make magical bookmarks for special journals.

Following a Moon planting calendar will add a magical touch and keep you in the flow of the cycles of the Goddess. You can place Moonstones and Crystals in the dirt of your Moon Garden to energize the plants for meditations and spells. Don't forget that when you take from a plant, you should ask its permission and give thanks, perhaps an offering of water, mulch or plant food.

The Charms

     John William Waterhouse

Pray to the Moon

   When She is Rounde

Luck with you

   Shall then abounde.

What ever you seek for

   Shall be founde,

In Sea, or Sky

   or Solid Grounde

        - Traditional Wiccan Rhyme

Magic During Eclipses

Solar Eclipses

Consider this fact about solar eclipses: A solar eclipse can only occur during the day, on a new moon. This means that you are working with new moon energy, which is great for getting rid of things and letting go.  A solar eclipse does not have to be visible for you to work magic. Working magic during an eclipse is rather advanced. In order to understand the energy of an eclipse, you must understand the energy of time and of the seasons. You must also be able to raise and focus energy within a quite limited amount of time.

During an eclipse, some people may sense a time of stillness, others experience a feeling of uncertainty. You may experience either of these like the tiny glimmer of time before a pendulum swings back after having swung all the way in one direction. This is the essence of an eclipse, and is a similar sensation to that felt within a magic circle.

Lunar Eclipses Consider this fact about lunar eclipses: A lunar eclipse can only occur during the night of a full moon. This means you will be working with full moon energy.  A lunar eclipse does not have to be visible for you to work magic.

Magic spells performed during lunar eclipses combine the power of the full and new  moons simultaneously. Therefore, consider carefully your wishes. Any spell performed during a Lunar Eclipse must be done carefully, as one is invoking the Triple Goddess in each of her forms. Consider carefully what you wish and write it out beforehand.



Moon Phase Magic

The Moon is the most important heavenly body to witches. We draw on her power for lunar magic. We cast our spells in accord with her cycles. She inspires and illuminates us. There are moon gods, but the Moon has always been perceived as female. The Moon is cyclical, like women. She mirrors the stages of our lives: "Maiden", "Mother" and "Crone". She is Changing Woman, as are we.

The Moon is the astronomical body closest to us and, therefore, she has a profound influence upon us. The highest energy occurs at the Full Moon and, therefore, this is the most powerful time for magical workings. The New Moon is the next most powerful time for Magic. New Moon Magic: Initiation The New Moon has a more inward feel than the Full Moon. The New Moon has a void or empty quality, and therefore can be frightening to those not comfortable with uncertainty. Can you learn to trust the dark? It's the moment when the old passes away and the new is not yet here. That's why it's a powerful time for sending out your prayer, wishes, desires to the Universe.

New Moon workings can be done from the day of the New Moon to three-and-a-half days after. The New Moon is great for new beginnings, starting a new venture, initiating a new project or embarking on an adventure. This is the time when new love and romance can flourish. This is the time to hunt for a new job or to start trying to get pregnant. Under the New Moon, work with the new: the beginning of a new life, a new career, a new love, a new you.

Waxing Moon Magic: Growth The Waxing Moon, when the Moon appears to grow larger in the sky, is a time of growth. From seven to fourteen days after the New Moon, use the Waxing Moon for constructive magic, including love, wealth, courage, success, friendship, luck and health. As the Moon grows larger, the more powerfully you will feel the energy of the Goddess.

Under the Waxing Moon, you want to work with building on what you have started under the New Moon: gaining in prosperity, getting money, developing or receiving love, working toward having a pregnancy develop in a healthy way. This is the time to bring positive and constructive things into your life, such as performing magic to bring prosperity and health.

Full Moon Magic: Your Heart's Desire From fourteen to seventeen-and-a-half days after the New Moon comes the Full Moon and its magical potential. This is the prime time for rituals for prophecy, protection and divination. Perform any workings that require extra power, such as helping to find a new job or healing for serious conditions. This is also the time for love, knowledge, money, dreams and legal undertakings.

The Full Moon is the time to really go for what you want. The Moon's energy is incredibly powerful, and you can ask her to help you in nearly any request. Full Moon energy is available three days before and after the actual date of the Full Moon, so use this time for divination, dreams, love and whatever else your heart desires.

If you don't know what you want, resist the temptation to work magic under the Full Moon simply because it's a good time for magical workings. Instead, consider performing a ritual to honor the Goddess and feel as one with her. This can be a powerful enough experience on its own.

Waning Moon Magic: Removing From three-and-a-half days after the Full Moon comes the Waning Moon. The moon is getting smaller, and this time is used for banishing magic; for ridding oneself of illness, addictions or negativity.

The Waning Moon is the time go rid yourself of negative things in your life. Perform banishing magic to lose some weight or rid yourself of a minor ailment. Work to eliminate negative influences in your environment, such as banishing stress from your office or silencing malicious gossip. Consider going to the source and banishing the tensions that are causing you to have stress.

Dark Moon Magic: A Break, or Binding Many magical practitioners believe that magic should not be worked during the three days each month that the Moon is dark and is not visible in the sky. The Goddess is thought to have descended into the underworld; she is in mourning, and her energy is at its lowest point of the lunar cycle.

During the Dark of the Moon, Hecate, the Goddess in her aspect of queen of the underworld rules, and some witches have been known to call upon her dark powers to perform negative workings at this time. Better to take a break from magic and relax and meditate during this time.

Should you choose to perform magic during the Dark of the Moon, this can be a time of ridding oneself of bad habits. You may perform binding spells, to explore your darkest recesses and understand your anger and passions. This also is a time for bringing justice to bear.



Zodiac Sun Signs

Aries: March 21 - April 20 Taurus: April 21 - May 21 Gemini: May 22 - June 21 Cancer: June 22 - July 22 Leo: July 23 - August 21 Virgo: August 22 - September 23 Libra: September 24 - October 23 Scorpio: October 24 - November 22 Sagittarius: November 23 - December 22 Capricorn: December 23 - January 20 Aquarius: January 21 - February 19 Pisces: February 20 - March 20



Moon Magic Through the Zodiac

Moon in Aries: Spells involving authority, willpower and rebirth. Moon in Taurus: Spells involving love, real estate, and money. Moon in Gemini: Spells involving communication, public relations and travel. Moon in Cancer: Spells involving domestic life and honoring lunar deities. Moon in Leo: Spells involving power over others, courage, child birth. Moon in Virgo: Spells involving employment matters, health and intellectual matters. Moon in Libra: Spells involving court cases, partnerships and artistic matters. Moon in Scorpio: Spells involving secrets, power and psychic growth. Moon in Sagittarius: Spells involving publications, sports and the truth. Moon in Capricorn: Spells involving career, political matters and ambition. Moon in Aquarius: Spells involving science, freedom, personal expression, problem solving, friendship. Moon in Pisces: Spells involving music, telepathy and clairvoyance.



Moon Water Tonic Tonic waters containing the energies of the moon embody powerful healing benefits that bring about integral balance and wholeness throughout the body, mind and soul. Clear quartz crystal catalyzes the absorption of lunar energies as well as amplifies the healing benefits.

To Prepare Moon Water:

On a clear night, preferably on or right before the full moon, place a clear quartz crystal in a clear glass and cover it with one cup of purified or spring water.

Check an almanac for the exact time of sundown on the day you have chosen. At sundown, place the glass out of doors in a moonlit place (cover the glass with clear plastic wrap).

Remove the glass at dawn. The water is now filled with lunar potency. Drink the moon water every morning to prepare your body, mind and spirit for the stress of the day.



Herbs of the Zodiac

Aries: Garlic, Hemp, Marjoram, Mustard Seed and Angelical Root Taurus: Colts Foot, Dandelion, Sage, Thyme, Patchouli and Cedar Gemini: Caraway Seed, Lavender, Mandrake, Vervain, Mugwort and Wormwood Cancer: Lemon Verbena, Marigold, Geranium, Apple and Catnip. Leo: Anise, Bay Leaves, Dill, Mint, Oak, Clove and Chamomile Virgo: Fennel Seed, Valerian, Skullcap and Cyprus Libra: Penny Royal, Thyme and Lemon Verbena Scorpio: Basil, Sasperilla, Horehound, Ash and Hops Sagittarius: Red Clover, Burdock, St. John's Wort and Tobacco Capricorn: Comfrey, Slippery Elm, Thyme and Jasmine Aquarius: Frankincense, Myrrh, Valerian, Sandalwood and Peppermint Pisces: Irish Moss, Seaspirit, Hyacinth, Lovage and Willow

Found in , Coven Life.com

Source, the smart witch.com

[winnipegpatty]

forgotten minefields

Plot: After a rough mission, Sam, Steve, and Bucky are going to need a little outside help to recoup. The agents bring in Karin, a long time consultant of the agency, to help the boys talking. 

Paring: Steve/Bucky

Words: 5024

Written for: @codenamefinlandia​ because of a donation to my trip

Steve was struggling. His mind was racing, trying to recall events from the mission he’d just completed. Bucky, as usual, was completely out of it, his mind wasn’t even on the same planet as them, much less in the same room. He hadn’t been much help since the mission had been completed. Sam was, well, frankly Sam looked like a wreck, but in his defense it was completely justified. None of them had expected to be so frazzled by a mission that had seemed so straightforward only fifteen days ago on the plane.

“This is not working,” an agent spoke huskily to another agent behind them. Steve didn’t know either of their names, and quite frankly, he was much too tired to learn now.

“You’re right,” the second agent replied, “we need to bring in some help.”

“What are we talking here? Psych eval?”

From Bucky’s position in the dank conference room he could see agent one shake his head. Lowering his voice, probably hoping none them would hear -- who was he kidding thinking the tactically trained killers in the room wouldn’t be able to hear him -- he answered, “I’m thinking we’re going to need a little bit more than psych.”

Steve pushed himself out of his chair, “Alright gents, well it's been lovely listening to you two chit chat about our mental state, but if that’s all that we are going to do today, I’d love to get home and get some sleep before you bring in an entire army to try and fix us.”

The second agent stiffened considerably while the first agent nodded his head, “Report back tomorrow at 8 in conference room 3B okay?”

“Yeah sure thing bud,” Sam said as he quickly scattered. He waved absentmindedly as Steve tried to say a half hearted goodbye. Really, all Steve could think about was wrapping himself up with Bucky on their bed at home. Yes, that sounded very nice. A calming, quiet night in was exactly what they needed.

Steve hated mission recon, especially after a mission like this, but for Bucky, hate didn’t describe his feelings towards mission recon. Steve was honestly surprised they continued allowing him to go on missions when he’d completely shut down during every mission recon since he’d been allowed back in the field. Bucky wasn’t all too great at talking about what exactly happened during mission recon that made him shut down the way he did. It wasn’t Steve’s place to pry, so he left it alone and knew that eventually, just like everything else Bucky had offered him, he would share when he felt ready.

Until then, holding Bucky in their bed while he came to was all Steve needed.

Bucky collapsed into Steve’s arms the second the door to their apartment swung open.

“Food or just bed?” Steve mumbled into Bucky’s tangled hair.

Bucky’s only response was a grunt, but he knew exactly what that meant.

“Okay, okay, scooch along,” Steve lightly tapped Bucky’s hip. “I’ll be there in a moment.” A returning grunt was all he got as Bucky quickly disappeared.

Tea. Yes, tea sounded good, needed even. Steve padded into the kitchen and put the kettle on the stove. Preparing two cups, his Captain America mug Sam had gotten as a gag gift and Bucky’s dainty floral tea cup that he’d found at a flea market. It had been covered in dust, lying in the very back of the store, lonely and forgotten -- he’d completely fallen in love with it. On off days, he’d refuse to drink out of anything else. The kettle whistled, and Steve got the bags of tea brewing in each cup, moroccan mint for himself and ruby spiced cider for Buck. Just a few moments later he was making his way towards the bedroom, double checking the apartment locks on his way.

He found Bucky sitting in just a pair of old grey sweats that were Steve’s. Back against the headboard, Bucky had his legs pulled up against his chest with his head sagging against his knees. Steve gingerly placed his cup of tea on the old nightstand and crawled onto the grey comforter, wrapping himself up in Bucky the only way he knew how.

“Tea,” Steve offered quietly. Bucky lifted his head to look at Steve, but his stare was blank. “Is this something we need to talk about?” Bucky’s eyes shifted and focused on something behind Steve before he seemed to give up all around as his head fell heavily to his knees again.

Steve nodded, placed the forgotten cup of tea on Bucky’s nightstand, and wrapped strong, comforting arms around Bucky’s shoulders. “Yeah, I know it was a hard one tonight.”

Their over two week mission had tracked a handful of hydra agents through Russia and then into Germany. Eastern Europe was hard enough for Bucky as is, most of his memories of his time in Hydra captivity were from that area. Much like forgotten minefields from the first and second world war, when in Europe memories seemed to explode in Bucky’s peripherals at the most inconvenient times. All through Russia, Bucky had been out of sorts, clearly remembering times when he’d been sent here or there to eliminate some agent. Then in Germany, Steve is still convinced the agents must have known they were close to being found because they had found themselves in the midst of not only one or two but precisely five places in which Steve and the rest of the Howling Commandos had fought fights in World War II. With Bucky’s mind muddled and Steve lost in painful memories, Sam had been left essentially flying solo for the better part of half a mission which was taxing on not only his mind but his body. So with the three of them on the mission saying they came back a broken mess was an understatement.

It wasn't a surprise the agents had wanted to get psych involved.

Steve left Bucky’s side, raising up to rid himself of clothes and switching his jeans out for a pair of sweatpants like Bucky. He flicked off the lights and padded back into bed. Steve wrapped himself up in Bucky. Playing with his long hair the way he knew was soothing he cooed softly, “I love you. I don’t like seeing us like this, okay? I’m gonna call Karin to see if we can see her tomorrow, if the agents haven’t already called her in, yeah?”

Against his chest, Steve felt Bucky swallow thickly. He nodded shortly before he allowed himself to give into Steve’s touch and fall asleep.

Breakfast the next morning was silent, but Steve didn’t pry. There would be enough of that in the tower today. He had sent Karin a text message as soon as he woke up, asking for a time slot to meet if she wasn’t already coming in. In an unsurprising turn of events she answered saying she had in fact been called for a half day. Steve knew that meant they’d have at least an hour with Karin each.

Karin’s place in the Avengers tower was absolutely indispensable. She had originally been hired for bodywork after the battle of New York, their bodies had been a wreck (the non-demigod bodies that is) and she had come in to help fix them physically. Through personal request of multiple of the team members she had been continued to be hired on after particularly taxing missions. The longer she’d stuck around the more the team realized she’d offered a lot more than stellar body work.

Karin had offered a kind smile and a gentle spirit that had just welcomed conversation. Through their many sessions she had gotten to know each member of the team on an incredibly personal level, and with no pretenses of being in a psychology setting or a therapy session, she had offered a space where Steve, and many of the other team members, had been able to heal better than they had been able to in any structured session.

Karin spoke like a true person who had no hand in the inner workings of their missions. She spoke her mind when needed, and offered support when asked. Her personality had perfectly molded with the band of misfit heroes, and she had somehow found herself as an honorary member of the special club.

Days when she’d come in were a treat. She lessened the burden of strenuous mission recon. She had the jokes to get them laughing, the hands to ease tense shoulders, and the heart to calm a stressed spirit. Steve appreciated her as much as the next team member, but she’d held a special place in his heart simply because of the connection she’d made with Bucky.

When Steve had found Bucky in Romania, he’d been so closed off. He’d been so confused, and he responded mostly to Steve’s advances. Steve had worked so hard for months to show Bucky that he was welcome. It didn’t matter if he was Bucky Barnes from 1940 or if he was The Winter Solider or if he was simply Bucky. Steve would love Bucky in all his forms. He was the only piece of his past left, and he wouldn’t allow himself to lose that. But Bucky had still been so cut off from the rest of them, and Karin had somehow bridged the gap.

Bucky hadn’t been allowed back in the field for some time, but the first time that Steve had met Karin, he had asked her to spend some time with Bucky. Bucky had been pretty reluctant to start, but Karin had worked her magic. In the weeks to follow Bucky had opened up. Steve had managed to convince him to live in his guest room instead of scavenging the streets of New York trying to find a place to bunk from night to night. He’d started talking to Steve, not about anything important but he was talking. Bucky had started smiling again, laughing again. He seemed more happy. And at the time, he had no idea what he’d talking to Karin about in their time together, but Steve honestly didn’t care. Bucky would tell Steve when he was ready, and he did. Months later, little by little, Bucky had shared small pieces of himself, entrusting Steve. It was an honor really. An honor to have Buck as his friend.

Piece by piece, Steve learned who Bucky was, and piece by piece Steve had fallen in love with him all over again. Not many people got that chance to find love again. Steve had gotten that chance, and he wouldn’t have ever had the opportunity if it hadn’t been for Karin.

Now Karin was a staple in their small apartment. Off day? Upset? In pain? Need advice? Just need someone to listen? Karin could do it all. She’d taken their broken pieces and sewed them back together.

Once they had reached the tower, they were all put into separate rooms. Sam sat at a table across from one of their psych workers. Steve had been placed in a room with at the end of a conference room table, and Bucky was first up with Karin.

Bucky moved slowly towards the table. The walls were a light grey and there was an ambient music played from the corner. He took a deep breath. It’s not that he didn’t want to see Karin, but after spending days in Russia and watching Steve fall apart at the seams in Germany, he just really wasn’t in the mood to talk right now. Bucky decided to lie on his stomach, face down on the table while he waited for Karin. Maybe, just maybe, the music would settle his rapid heartbeat and the thrum in his head enough to let him concentrate.

Karin stepped into the room just a few minutes later.

“Good morning, Bucky. I take it we aren’t doing too well.”

Bucky threw out a light chuckle, “Could say that. My body is killing me. Shoulders are all tensed up again.”

“You worry too much, you know. You’re always so tense.”

As Karin readied herself to begin work on Bucky's shoulders, Bucky mumbled into the table, “There’s just too much going on up in my head.”

Karin tapped Bucky’s back lightly, signaling him it to remove his shirt. As she began to smooth out the creases in his back, he began to slowly ease into her touch. Relaxing more and more with every muscle that was released from tension. “I have so much,” he paused thoughtfully for a moment, “you know, I just have so much baggage that I carry with me.”

Karin hummed, allowing him time to continue if he chose. She always listened first, spoke second. A lot of the time with men like Bucky and Steve they needed a safe space to release any confusion or frustration more than they needed advice. Advice was thrown at them every day, constantly really. Being told what tactical decisions to make, which turn to make next, who to trust and who to betray. Sometimes they just needed a listener. That was Karin’s biggest selling point.

“I just never expected myself to be with someone,” Bucky grunted as Karin pressed on a particularly tender portion of his cervical spine. “I don’t know. It's like, I never thought I’d end up with someone who had an equal amount of baggage as well. And with Steve, we have that. We share this common past, yes. An innocent past. But we have these greyed in middle portions where we’ve accumulated so much baggage. Murder, missions, betrayal anything that could happen, has happened to us and my baggage is enough you know? But with Steve, I have twice the baggage- his and mine. I have to bear the weight of them both. And we go on missions together, and,” Bucky stopped to continued a moment.

As Karin continued to work down Bucky’s back to his lower spine, she urged him on, “And?”

“I love him. I love him so much, I do. And his baggage doesn't bother me. How could it when I have so much myself? It’s just heavy sometimes is all. Sometimes I’m tired. And some days my baggage is too much to carry on my own, and my thoughts race. My memories wage war against me. My enemies come back to fight me. I fall, I break down, I cry. And usually, Steve is there to help me.”

Karin moved down to Bucky’s legs and began to press into his calves. “I feel a but coming in here,” she stated softly.

“But, Steve has bad days too. Just as bad as mine are. And sometimes we have them at the same time. It feels unbearable. Usually Steve is my way out of the bad days. Without Stevie to pull me out, I’m stuck in this dark dungeon of my own mind. And this mission that we just got out of. The entire fifteen days, I was stuck in the dark dungeon because Steve was stuck in his dungeon. Sam can’t be expected to pull us both out of bad days and run a mission. That can’t be Sam’s job.”

“You’re right.”

“Sam can't fight the real bad guys when Steve and I are off fight our imaginary demons in our head. It could have gotten us all killed.”

Karin hummed again as Bucky fell silent. Karin worked her way to Bucky’s feet as he fell further into the firm table. The music in the background called his mind as it sped through his words. “I just love him,” he breathed out. “There's nothing more important than him, and we could have gotten ourselves killed because we were so fucked up. I can’t lose him, Karin.”

“You won’t.”

“What the hell happened out there, Rogers?”

Steve scoffed from his place at the head of the large conference table, “You may have to ask a bit more of a directed question, sir.”

“Okay, well let's start with why the hell was Sam out there running the entire mission when we sent him with two completely competent super soldiers.”

“You know how it is in East Europe,” Steve tried his best to write it off.

Maybe if he could convince himself that it wasn’t a big deal what had happened, the agents would believe it too. The simple answer was just that he didn’t want to relive it. He really didn’t want to talk about the nightmares that still lingered behind his eyelids every time he blinked. All he saw was Bucky. Running through the camp saving Bucky during the war. I thought you were dead. Seeing Bucky’s dazed eyes as he looked blankly at Steve and hearing Sam scream in the background. Steve get out of there! Bucky not following him as he’d turn to flee the camp. Buck! Buck! It was like he couldn’t hear him. He’d gone back, of course he’d gone back. Practically dragged him out of the camp himself.  What the he'll was that, Steve. You guys were about to get killed. Watching Bucky fall from the freight train or seeing him separated from him in a burning building. No. Not without you.

Every time he blinked the story was different.

“You know we this isn’t how we do mission briefings, Steve.”

He sighed, “Okay, look. We were in Russia. Bucky’s mind muddies up a bit. He did so many missions as the Winter Soldier in Russia. It seems like every corner we turned, he had a different memory of someone he’d hurt. That takes a toll on him. We all know it does,” Steve sighed heavily. “It’s not his fault. He really does have a good handle on things normally, but being physically in Russia, where he can touch or see or hear effects of what damage he did back then, that weighs on him. He doesn’t take it lightly.”

“What happened, Rogers?” An agent from across the table asked.

“It was fine, really, for a while. But then as we moved through Russia, he started to hesitate. At times when we really needed up to be there, pulling triggers and what not. He’d hesitate, pull back, freak out, break down. So Sam and I would have to make up for it. Usually, that wouldn’t have been an issue at all. Sam and I are perfectly competent. We’re great at what we do.”

“So what changed?”

“I changed.” Steve responded without hesitation.

“Man, I don’t need your fucking psych eval I’m fine!” Sam huffed as he pushed his way out of the chair. He did not need to be here. He wasn’t the one who had his mind in a confused mess the whole goddamn trip. He kept his shit together. He did his job. He completed the mission. He did that. Bucky didn’t do that. Steve didn’t do that. Sam did that. Why he needed to be in a ridiculous psych eval was beyond him. He didn’t need to be evaluated. He didn’t need Karin’s bodywork. He would have been fine doing mission recon yesterday the normal way, but Steve and Bucky wouldn’t just fucking talk like adults. They’d retreated into their tiny shells and refused to come out.

“Sit down, Wilson.” He felt two strong arms pushing him back into the seat.

He scoffed while rolling his shoulders away from the intrusive hands, “Don’t touch me.”

“This is just standard protocol, Mr. Wilson,” the psychologist spoke softly. That therapist voice, it was so annoying. It was the reason most of them preferred speaking to Karin more than their shrink.

None of them were under any pretense that they were perfect people. They knew they struggled with nasty monsters. They had ptsd on their back and anxiety in their head and an unhealthy dose of depression, but the last thing they needed was to have a psychologist come in and baby them, speaking to them as if they thought they didn’t have these problems. When you wake up every other night with nightmares of your best friends death, you know you have problems. You don’t hide from them. You just don’t need yet another person pointing it out. Karin never did that. She listened, and she was kind. She never spoke down to them. She considered them equals and that worked. This. This didn’t work. For any of them.

“Let’s just get this over with.”

“So you found yourself in Germany? What came next?”

“We rode a train through the mountains.”

“And that’s when you started having problems.”

Steve nodded. His fingers gripped the conference table tightly. “Of course I couldn’t see anything other than Bucky falling. His screams were on a permanent loop. We were both a mess. It just slowly went down hill the longer we were there. Sam could only do all the work for so long. We were fortunate that we got through the mission still in tact.”

What came next? He wasn’t entirely sure. Steve and Bucky had done most of their missions together. Usually they worked best together. They knew the way the other moved like the back of their hands. They knew each other’s habits. It was best to work on missions with people you were comfortable with and could completely trust. This mission though changes that. There was no way the agency could continue to put the three of them on missions alone together when this could be a result. Sure it had never happened before, but now that it had, it was an option. It was a possibility. A possibility was all they needed to never let it happen again.

So where do they go? Bucky and Steve on separate missions? Constantly missing each other. One leaves just as the other comes home. When do they make time for each other? For themselves? Bucky was as vital to Steve’s recovery and Steve was to himself. Steve couldn’t do recovery or self-help on his own. He need Bucky for that. Bucky kept him whole. And yeah, that completely defeated the purpose of self-help, and he’d absolutely never be independent. It was him though, the good, the bad, the ugly. That was Steve, and Steve was only Captian America if there was no Bucky to come home to.

Steve wasn’t willing to lose himself again like he had after he’d lost Bucky.

“We’re going to put you and agent Barnes on the sidelines for awhile while we determine exactly had to move forward from here,” the blonde agent to Steve’s left spoke.

“We’ll let you begin with a week break,” the agent at the end of the table continued. “From there we will have you two picking up some more internal work. No field more for a while. You’ll continue your personal training obviously, and when we determine where to go from here we’ll contact you with any assignments. Captain America will probably make a few public appearances in the meantime. Kiss some babies and what not.”

“For now,” the blond agent picked up her last thought, “just go home with James for a bit.” She looked sympathetic. She was essentially benching Captain America, so he supposed it was a fitting emotion not that he particularly wanted her sympathy.  

Home. He could do that.

After rotating through each of the three rooms, the trio made their way out of the tower together.

Sam said his goodbyes as Steve and Bucky made their way to their car.

“Chinese or Thai take out?” Steve asked Bucky as they fell into the car.

“Thai.” Bucky answered pliantly.

“Thai it is.” Steve smiled into a small kiss that he placed on Bucky’s cheek.

After swinging by My Thai Cafe, they finished the drive back to the apartment. Bucky grabbed the bags as Steve locked the car door and they made their way up the stairs.

At one point they had considered moving into the Manhattan to be closer to the tower, but after a pretty short discussion they had both agreed that staying in Brooklyn was the most comfortable place for them to be. It felt normal to them. Even with Bucky’s limited memories, he had always told Steve that Brooklyn had felt much warmer than Manhattan. A warm atmosphere was important to someone who had spent so much time feeling robotic and programmed.

So they had stayed, and they had spent all the money that they could have spent on an apartment in Manhattan on memories. They made sure to have at least one date night a week if they were both home. They had gone on a couple of weekend getaways, once to Boston which Bucky had never seen, and another time down to the beaches in North Carolina. Reconnecting with Bucky was so much more important and valuable than a clean cut modern apartment in the city.

Bucky placed the take out bags on the coffee table in the living room before heading to the bedroom.

“Wanna watch a movie or something?” Steve hollered from the kitchen where he was grabbing a couple of beers. He padded to the living room and set the beers down on two coasters.

“Yeah sure, whatever is fine,” Bucky threw out softly as he made his way back into the living room. He wore a worn pair of grey sweats, his Calvin Klein briefs peeking at the top. His feet were covered in black slippers; he drug a blanket behind him. He was the embodiment of soft, and Steve loved him.

“Fixed upper?”

“You said a movie, not an HGTV home renovation show,” Bucky replied dryly. He pressed his side against Steve and grabbed one of the take out boxes.

“Well fine then, the Jungle Book?”

Bucky threw a blank glance Steve’s way. “We literally watched that three days ago.”

Steve bumped his shoulder before grabbing the remote off the couch. “For someone who doesn't have an opinion on what we watch, you sure have a lot of opinions on what we watch.” Bucky chuckled and shrugged. “Okay, Legally Blonde?”

Bucky laughed a bit louder before shoving a forkful of pad thai into his mouth. He nodded his head and mumbled, “Yes.”

Steve found the movie on the television and hit play. He set the remote down and reached for his own thai. With shoulders pressed against each other, they both ate in silence while the opening credits ran.

Steve broke the silence first just as Warner broke up with Elle, “So how did things with Karin go?”

Bucky  nodded, “Was good, like usual. Definitely needed some bodywork, felt like I haven’t slept for weeks.”

Steve chuckled, “You know I could have given you a massage,” Steve bumped their shoulders lightly. “Why didn’t you just tell me you were in pain?”

“Wasn’t just the pain keeping me up,” Bucky shrugged before picking up a crab rangoon.

“Nightmares?”

“We all get ‘em.”

“I want us to be able to talk about these things though. I don’t want you to feel like you have to wait until Karin comes around to get things fixed. I mean, I know I’m no Karin, but I can help some.”

Bucky shifted his body to face Steve, “We do talk. More than I talk to anyone else, you know that.”

Steve mirrored Bucky’s position on the couch, “but we both still have times when we shut down.  And I know you have memories that come back to you, and you don’t share them with me. That’s okay. I want you to share when you’re comfortable, but I just don’t want you to feel like you have to wait for Karin to have a safe space to talk. I’m always here, and it doesn’t matter to me what you did, what you’ve done or what you’re about to do. I am always going to be here. I’m never going to leave you because I love you, Buck. I want us to be each other's number one go to person.”

“You are my number one, Steve.” Bucky laughed with his entire body shaking, “God, do you really think you aren't? Do you actually think you’re not? What? Do you like think I care more about Karin than you or something? Yeah, sometimes I shut down, and you do too. But I always come to. I always come back to you. Sometimes it just takes someone from outside, like Karin, to get me talking. I’m ready to talk, Steve.”

Bucky sighed and leaned over to rest his forehead against Steve's. “It’s a team between me and you, okay?”

Steve nodded slowly.

“Okay,” Bucky breathed lightly, “then one day, you’re going to know every single thing there is to know about me. Every detail you could ever want or ever imagine, you’re going to know it. But we have our entire lives to get there. We aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, okay.” Bucky’s hand rested lightly on Steve’s cheek. “We have our whole lives to learn each other, and I wouldn’t want you to ever get tired of me.” Bucky smirked at the end before softly kissing Steve's lips.

Steve kissed him back. “You’re right. I just want to make sure you know that you can tell me things, once you’re ready.”

“I do know that babe,” Bucky said sweetly before moving back to his thai food. “Now shut up, I need to watch Elle make a fool of herself at this halloween party.”

“Wait? You mean we missed the audition video to Harvard? No, no, no. We gotta rewind that’s totally the best part.” Steve grabbed the remote from the couch arm.

“No! Steve you always do this. You can’t just rewind because you missed your favorite part. You have to earn your favorite scene, and you clearly didn’t earn this.”

Steve shrugged before rewinding the movie to the scene. “Guess it's just one of those things you’ll get tired of eventually.”

“You’re an asshole.” Bucky said matter of factly, “And for that I’m eating your spring roll.”

“I hate you,” Steve huffed but made no move to save his spring roll from the vicious hands of Bucky.

“I love you too, Stevie.”

[wiccawisdom]

Celebrating the Harvest Sabbats

One of the greatest summer pleasures of my youth was taking a drive with my parents and brother through the August countryside, stopping for fresh produce the farm families sold at the roadside for what seemed like spare change. Produce on the vine in the morning came fresh to the table in the evening. Nothing else tastes quite so sweet as that first taste of the first harvest from the fields of your homeland.

When I first began doing research for the book that would become The Sabbats: A Witch's Approach to Living the Old Ways, I was astounded to discover that both the autumnal equinox as well as what we now call the first of August have been celebrated as festival days of the harvest season across Europe and in North America. Community corn shucking, Harvest Home feasts, and even the American and Canadian Thanksgiving celebrations arose from the Pagan traditions of the harvesting times.

The first cultivation of food plants, or what we think of as farming, came into being about twelve thousand years ago. The ability to grow food products had a dramatic impact on the human way of life. Farming meant clans and tribes could settle in one area, creating communities and commerce. Rather than living a nomadic life of stalking herds of edible animals, people could settle in one place and venture out of their growing communities to forage only when hunting and the gathering of non-farm plants were needed

These settled communities grew fast. Our ancestors discovered that this was an excellent arrangement for raising children, teaching survival skills, sharing work, and—most importantly—sharing food during the long winter months.

On the first or second day of August, Pagans and other rural people celebrate the harvest of the first grains; they have a variety of names for this festival. The most common in the English speaking west are Lammas and Lughnasadh. Lammas literally means "the mass of the loaf [of bread]. Lughnasa(dh) is Irish for the month of August, but many etymologists believe the word originally meant "Lugh's wedding." Lugh was a solar and fire deity, and Lughnasadh linked his Godly attributes to the archetype of mother earth's harvest bounty.

Native Americans in eastern North America celebrated the Festival of the Green Corn as a grain festival in honor of the Corn Grandmother. In ancient Rome, the first harvest was known as Ceresalia, named for grain Goddess Ceres, from whose name the English "cereal" is derived.

Many traditions from ancient celebrations have been preserved. Making small dolls or poppet out of dried grain is a common practice even now in the twenty-first century. These are kept as talismans of the harvest, treated like sacred objects, and then are usually burned when the winter and the risk of starvation has passed.

Mabon is the second harvest festival, and it falls on the Autumnal Equinox. The sabbat is named for Mabon, the Welsh God who symbolized the male fertilizing principle in the Arthurian myths. Some mythologists equate him as the male counterpart to Persephone, while others believe his attachment to the equinox to be a relatively modern addition to the Pagan wheel of the year.

Mabon marks the harvesting of tree and vine fruits—particularly the apple and berries—many of which are sacred to various deities of Western Europe. As with Lammas, communal feasting and offerings of sacrifice to patron deities is a part of the festivities.

For your own harvest rituals, any grains, apples, berries, or other fruit from vines are appropriate both as decorations and offerings, and also for use in communal feasting. Many varieties of grapes are harvested in September, and festivals to honor wine deities (such as Rome's Dionysus) were common autumn celebrations. In China September marked the end of the rice harvest, and in Jewish communities now, as in the past, they celebrate Succoth, a harvest holiday with pagan roots. This is observed by building a temporary outdoor dwelling decorated with fall vegetables and in which all meals are to be eaten for the full eight days of the sacred holiday.

Burial cairns, barrows, catacombs, and other cemeteries were feared by many of our ancestors, seen as places where evil spirits lingered. Approaching such places at Mabon was deemed safe because it was believed that the balance of light and dark would act like an equilateral cross and offer protection from any negative spirits attracted to the graveyards. Fires were lit at the cairns or carried inside hollowed-out native gourds similar to our Jack o' Lanterns.

I have been fortunate to attend many harvest sabbat festivals with Pagan organizations, festivals, within my own coven, and to be a guest at other covens' events. I am always flattered to hear my blueprints for sabbat rituals being used, the ones I wrote for both solitary and coven work in Sabbats. Everyone who has used them has enhanced their ritual by honing them to their own group's needs and tastes. Every ritual has been beautiful and powerful; as Paganism continues to grow and grow up, we realize that the power in words is potent and that the more closely those words can be tied to us, the more beautiful and powerful they become.

One old song, taken from Christian hymnals and often sung in autumn is "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come." The original words, written in the mid-nineteenth century by George J. Elvey, need very little modification to have a profound meaning for Pagan harvest celebrations. Here is my version of an old and cherished hymn that is now always a part of my harvest rites:

Come, into the circle, come, Raise the song of Harvest Home. All is safely gathered in, Let the winter storms begin. Now our Goddess does provide, For our needs to be supplied. Come, into the circle come, Raise the song of Harvest Home.

All the earth is her own field, Fruit unto her praises yield. Wheat and corn together sown, Unto joy or sorrow grown. First the blade and then the ear, Then the full corn does appear, God and Goddess grant that we Whole and pure as grain shall be.

Anyone with access to a Christian hymnal will find lots of powerful expressions of the power of the earth's Gods and Goddess within their pages. You will be surprised by how little change it takes to make the words of the old hymns meaningful for Pagans. After all, when our Christian ancestors sang "Bringing in the Sheave," they were merely following a centuries-old custom created by our common Pagan ancestor, that of singing in the harvest.

Just as Native Americans and British colonists joined together in a feast of thanks to the deities who sustained their lives, we can also share this universal theme of the Harvest Home with others. We are all dependent upon the same food sources, and keeping the rites of sowing and reaping is essential to the survival of all of us.

==========================

By Edain McCoy. (c) Llewellyn Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.

from All Wicca Store Magickal Supplies http://www.allwicca.com/index.php?route=news/article&news_id=118

[elegantfurnitures]

Jamie Young Company Announces 75 new items for Winter 2020

p By Nic Ledoux on 1/10/2020 Pictured from L to R: Constellation Round Chandelier, Artist Table Lamp, Shelby Bench, Landslide Table Lamp, and the Gravity Lantern Chandelier. Jamie Young Company, the Southern California-based provider of lighting, accent furniture, and home accessories, recently announced the introduced of their new collection for January 2020 with 75 items. The design-duo and founders, Jamie Young Jeter and David Jeter of the Jamie Young Company, are influenced by their joint passion to travel and discover the world. In the past year, Jamie and David visited India, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, and the Philippines in their continuous endeavor to discover the most beautiful ways of creating unique home furnishings. The 2020 product introductions were inspired by cultural traditions and artisanship from the several countries the couple visited throughout Eastern Asia and feature a variety of new finishes and techniques. This introduction contains an assortment of categories welcoming beautiful new shapes, materials, and stains. New table lamps handcrafted from ceramic include finishes of layered colors of reactive glass, antique silver and pewter, and natural hide. The portable lighting collection offers complementing beautiful natural linen shades. As the company continues to amplify their fixture collection, new pieces embrace finishes of natural woven materials and hand finished brass metals, including antique glass chandeliers with additional shapes and sizes. “Our new accessories are all about scale and texture using natural materials in ceramic, glass, marble and wood. All our glass pieces are works of art, individually mouth-blown with thick layers of different shards of colored glass. Our new wood accents are an extension of our popular large Wooden Vases adding new shapes and stained darer finishes.” Jamie Young Co. has also expanded their existing categories by adding new furniture pieces including consoles, bar-carts, and stools for indoor or outdoor enjoyment. Among the furniture collection includes additions to the brand’s incredible metal pieces using a natural acid finish to produce one-of-a-kind items, which were buzzed about during Summer and Fall Markets by top industry trend spotters. Earlier this month, Jamie Young Company released their in-line catalog for 2020, with 350 new pieces highlighting the brand’s broad style capacity. This year, they have added Lifestyle by Jamie Young Company to their main line catalog for all to see. This collection includes product with the same quality and design aesthetic as their main line that is strategically priced for price-sensitive projects. The 2020 catalog will be available for winter market attendees to pick up in the Atlanta and Las Vegas showrooms. A digital catalog is readily available on the Jamie Young website. Customers can also set up an online account through the website to view pricing and place orders, which was launched earlier in 2019. Jamie Young is honored to have the Shelby Bench (20SHEL-BEES), one of the new January 2020 intros, chosen as a Market Snapshot Release by Las Vegas Market for their week 6 review. The gorgeous endpiece has an antique brass metal frame, paired with a luxuriously soft rich chocolate brown hide cushion, and is one of many from the new 75 items that creates an alluring feel for any design space. For designers and buyers that are interested in learning more about the brand’s story and curation, Jamie will be available to meet and chat with at this Winter’s most-anticipated Markets. Find Jamie and her sophisticated line at Dallas Total Home & Gift Market on the 5th Floor of World Trade Center in Showroom 520. At Atlanta Home & Gift Market, the Jamie Young Company showroom can be found in AmericasMart Building 1, on Floor 15, in Suite C1, and at Las Vegas Market in Building C, Floor 4, Showroom 460 of World Market Center. About Jamie Young Company: Design, quality and value is at the heart of every piece that Jamie Young Co. creates. With adherence to old world craftsmanship and artisanal techniques, each piece is a unique work of art that brings warmth and quality into every home environment. Approachable and sophisticated, this line will easily slide into a variety of spaces as it offers a global perspective with influences from Europe, Indonesia, India, South Asia and Jamie’s native coastal California. After 20 years of working, living and traveling together, Jamie Young Jeter and David Jeter are an unstoppable duo as they continue to bring a collaborative approach to the world of design.For more information, visit jamieyoung.com.

[kansascityhappenings]

Traditional Halloween foods and preparing for a cold holiday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fall took a sudden cold turn this last week. On Halloween, temperatures could drop to what we usually see in winter — plus, the ground might be too wet for walking, especially for kids in costumes. There is even a chance for snow.

Not everyone likes the idea of a White Halloween, but there are some alternatives that can help keep the holiday fun for you and your family and friends.

This weekend is an excellent time to prepare in advance, buy some groceries, and to create a backup plan in case you decide to ditch the parties and keep the kids indoors.

One alternative: focus on making a memorable Halloween meal and think ahead about some kid friendly Halloween movies and shows. Some candy at home with a couple of friends over in costumes might be more manageable this year than a hike through the neighborhoods in freezing to almost freezing temperatures. Contact other parents you know and see if you can come up with an indoors plan together.

A snowy Halloween will likely be memorable for your kids, help them see it as positive

Most people on Halloween focus on getting candy, but there are also a lot of hearty foods associated with the day. The spooky holiday originates from a mixture of European influences, including pagan festivals and Christian observances. Foods that were available for these events hundreds of years ago are commonly used at fall and Halloween gatherings today including: turnips, apples, gourds, nuts, corn, squash, potatoes, beef, pork, lamb, poultry, wines, and ale.

Halloween gets a lot of its identity from an older Irish holiday called Samhain, which has a long list of savory and sweet foods associated with it. Western Christianity’s influence on Halloween led to churches and communities abstaining from meats around that time of year as a way to reflect on departed loved ones.

At the bottom of this post, there are a couple of recipes and a plan for a Halloween dinner if you need to make an alternative indoors plan this year. These foods could also be used for another cold day this week or in the near future. This post would be far too long to add a recipe for each item below, and this isn’t a cookbook. The foods on this list could also teach you more about Halloween and its history.

Side dishes

Boxty

The Irish love potatoes in just about every form. Boxty is another take on potato pancakes. It consists of finely grated potatoes or mashed potatoes mixed with flour, baking soda, buttermilk, and sometimes eggs. The mixture is fried on a pan for a few minutes, then flipped to the other side — just like a more traditional pancake. The most noticeable difference between boxty and other fried potato dishes is its smooth, fine-grained consistency. It can also be served as a type of dumpling. This is generally easy to make and great for kids.

Champ

Several Samhain foods feature potatoes, including champ. It is made by combining mashed potatoes and chopped scallions with butter, milk, salt, and pepper. It is simple and inexpensive to make. In Samhain lore, a bowl of champ along with a spoon was set at the foot of a hawthorn bush. People believed the shrub was the entrance to a fairy home — and fairies played a big role in Irish folklore. Leaving behind a bowl of champ was a way for people to honor and remember the dead, and for others, a way to give an offering to fairies.

An Irish Halloween tradition is to serve colcannon with a ring and thimble hidden in it. The dish champ is similar, but made with buttermilk. Colcannon is generally made from potatoes, butter, milk, and kale. Image taken from Wikipedia.

Colcannon

Similar to champ, colcannon is another traditional Irish dish made of mashed potatoes, but with kale or cabbage. It’s a mashed potato dish with butter and milk, with chopped up cabbage and herbs. It can contain other ingredients such as scallions, leeks, Laverbread (a type of seaweed), onions, and chives. This dish is popular at Samhain gatherings. There are several variations out there of it. Brady’s Public House in Kansas City serves colcannon.

Finnish mashed turnip casserole

This is a traditional Christmas dish in Finland — sorry, it’s not Halloween themed, but it’s one of the better turnip dishes out there. The root vegetable is popular in European dishes around autumn. The casserole is also called “Lanttulaatikko.” It’s not easy to pronounce for English speakers.

The casserole is usually served as a side to ham, fish, or other meats. It’s made of boiled and mashed rutabagas and enriched with a mixture of bread crumbs, eggs, cream, treacle, butter, and seasoned with salt, cinnamon, or nutmeg.

Irish stew

Warm and filling, Irish stew is a popular dish typically made with lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, parsley, and beer. Many food historians believe that goat was originally the meat of choice for this classic stew; it eventually was supplanted by beef and mutton. Recipes vary widely as this meal dates back to medieval times. Recipes today generally include Guinness or an Irish stout, but there are ways to cook a pot of this without using alcohol.

Stewing is an ancient method of cooking meats throughout the world. Cauldrons came to Ireland around the 7th century AD and became the dominant cooking tool at that time. This type of stew goes great with bread.  Conroy’s Public House has a version of the stew. Browne’s Irish Market has an Irish potato soup on its menu along with several other traditional Irish foods.

Potato pancakes come in a variety of forms. Different cultures around the world have their take on the treat. Image taken from Wikipedia.

Potato pancakes

Also called boxties, draniki, deruny, latkes, or raggmunk are shallow-fried pancakes of grated potato, matza meal, or flour. It is made with a bonding ingredient — like applesauce or eggs — and flavored with garlic or onions. The dish is sometimes made from mashed potatoes to make pancake shaped croquettes. These pancakes can also be made from sweet potatoes.

Several European, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries have some kind of potato pancake recipe.

Pumpkin and squash soups

Pumpkin dominates Halloween food season, especially in the United States. In Europe, turnips are more abundant and have a tie to Halloween that dates back hundreds — if not thousands — of years. When the holiday moved overseas, pumpkins were used in place of turnips as the gourd was more common in the U.S.

There are a variety of soups that fit the fall season from pumpkin and roasted butternut squash soups, apple based soups, chilies, and vegetable broths. These are often easy to make and great to eat on a cold day.

Squash soups often include acorns. Roasting squash before putting it in a soup can help concentrate the gourd’s flavor. Squash soup can be prepared with chunks or pieces of squash. Onion, cream, sage, thyme, cinnamon, old bay, and marjoram all make for great spices with pumpkin or squash dishes. You can find pumpkin and squash like soups at Panera Bread locations, Rye Plaza, and Brown & Loe.

Sowans

Also called virpa, sowans are a Scottish porridge dish made from oats after milling. The oat husks are soaked in water and fermented for a few days. The liquor is strained and allowed to stand for a day. This allows starchy matter to settle. The liquid part can be poured out or used as a drink. The leftover sowans are salted and boiled with water until thickened, then served with butter or dipped into milk. Recipes for sowans might be complicated if you’re not familiar with these processes.

Meats & mains

Beef and Guinness pie

Beef in dark, silky gravy composed of fat and reduced stout, along with vegetables, and in a covered pastry. It’s a dish that works well to warm people up and fits for any day in fall. This food is a challenge to make and takes a lot of time – it’s for the expert cook or baker in the family to attempt. One recipe online listed it takes more than 4 hours to make and needs 2 hours of refrigeration.

Meat pies

Samhain is big on the meat pies. Historians date the pies back to the Neolithic Period around 9500 BC. It’s simply a pie with a meat filling and other savory ingredients. Meat pies are great for fall dinners and can be assembled in hundreds of different ways.

Meat pies in Kansas City are found at a variety of places including Banksia and PotPie. Ashleigh’s Bake Shop in Westport serves meat quiches.

Other meat mains

If pies don’t really satisfy your meat cravings, other main courses that might work include: roasted lamb, meatloaf, chicken fricassee, apple cider glazed chicken, garlic rosemary pork chops, honey garlic glazed salmon, and chicken Florentine.

Vegetable main courses

Try casseroles or pastas with apples, turnips, pumpkin, onions, or squash. Also, try harvest bowls with a mix of your favorite fall vegetarian ingredients.

Cakes & breads

Apple bread

For the baker in the family, there are plenty of great bread recipes online appropriate for autumn. Apple bread pairs well with foods for both Halloween and Thanksgiving. An added bonus: bread can easily be made from ingredients from your pantry without having to buy too many items from the store.  Apple bread usually consists of flour, cinnamon, white and brown sugar, vanilla, vegetable oil, eggs, baking powder, and, of course, some apples. Throw in some chocolate chips, nuts, or bacon if it fits your palette. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time if you want to make bread for a specific day.

Barmbrack is a quick bread with sultanas or raisins. For a traditional Irish Halloween gathering, a baker may add objects into the dough to play a game.

Barmbrack

Cake has long been a part of Halloween celebrations. Barmbrack is a quick bread with sultanas and raisins. The dough is sweet, but not as rich as a regular cake. It is sometimes called Bairín Breac.

The cake is often used as part of a fortune-telling game or for entertainment. Traditionally, a baker would place in the dough a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin, and a ring. Each item meant something for the person who discovered it in their slice. These items can easily pose as a choking hazard. If you ever place objects in food like this, you should warn those about to eat it… so they can look for items thoroughly before biting into something unpleasant.

The symbolism behind the traditional objects in barmbrack often had to do with marriage. The pea meant the person would not marry that year. A stick: the person would have an unhappy marriage or continuous quarrels with their spouse. A cloth signaled bad luck. The coin meant good fortune. The ring meant someone would wed within the year.

Other articles added to the cake include a medallion, usually of the Virgin Mary, to symbolize going into the priesthood or into nunhood.

Barmbrack is often sold in flattened rounds, served toasted with butter along with a cup of tea.

Garlic and herb Irish soda bread & buttered rolls

Rolls with lots of herbs and spices are a mainstay of Samhain. Throw in some whipped butter or a specialty butter and most dinner guests will be happy. Rolls and soda bread go great with stews, soups, and mashed potatoes. Browne’s Irish Marketplace has soda bread and other traditional Irish foods.

Fairy spice cakes

A delicate treat popular for Samhain will appeal to children. Fairy cakes are actually smaller versions of cupcakes. They’re widely popular in the United Kingdom, and come with far less icing than here in the United States. Our friends across the pond find our sugar addiction somewhat cloying.

Fairy cakes are traditionally made with a lighter sponge cake as opposed to the thicker butter cakes used in cupcakes. Muffin tins were not widely available back in the 1700s, so people used ramekins or individual pottery cups to make the tiny spice cakes. In Irish lore, the cakes would be small enough to serve to fairies. Children will like the size of these – but it’ll be far too easy to eat too many of them. Pack in a variety of spices to give it a punch.

Making smaller cakes in tins might also be fun for older children or teens who like to bake.

Pumpkin cider bread

For those who love both apple cider and pumpkin spiced lattes, you can marry the two flavors in a bread that will have the full taste of fall. You can use pumpkin puree (which is usually squash) or carve a pumpkin and use the pumpkin guts to make the bread… or use the guts for soups, pastas, cakes, and pies. Pumpkins are pretty versatile and soak up spices. The gourd goes well with a variety of meats, sauces, and pastries.

Red beet chocolate cake

The color of this cake is perfect for Halloween; it should come out a brownish-red hue. It might look a little like a red velvet cake. This is an earthy sweet cake – and despite the concerns around beets and whether you like them – the mix should be moist and with a slight kick to it. This cake does well with a variety of spices — the best recipes include cinnamon.

Soul Cakes are usually filled with allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, or other sweet spices. They usually contain currants. Before baking, the cakes are topped with the mark of a cross to signify the food is meant for alms. Soul cakes are traditionally set out with glasses of wine as an offering for the dead — this was an early Christian tradition. The cakes are customary around Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day. Image taken from Wikipedia.

Soul cakes

A soul cake is a small round cake usually made for Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day to remember the dearly departed — this is part of a Western Christian tradition popular in the United Kingdom. The cakes were given out to children who went from door to door during  the days of Allhallowtide. The children would sing and say prayers often in exchange for gifts. The practice in England dates back to the medieval period, but it lost prominence in the 1930s as trick-or-treating became mainstream. Soul-mass loaves usually have currants in the center and include oats.

Treats

Bonfire toffee is a customary bitter treat in the United Kingdom for Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night.

Bonfire toffee

Also called the treacle toffee, Plot toffee, or Tom Trot. It is a hard, brittle toffee associated with Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night in the United Kingdom. The toffee is bitter and tastes of molasses. In Scotland, the treat is called claggum, and less sweet versions are called clack. In Wales, it is known as loshin du. The toffee tastes similar to butterscotch.

People first started using molasses in the United Kingdom in the 1660s to make gingerbread. At first, people thought bonfire toffee had medicinal value — this led to an inflation of the price. Toffee was widely popular by the 1800s. Bonfire toffee is popular in the northern part of the United Kingdom, where sweets darker in color are preferred.

Candy apples

Known as toffee apples outside of North America — these are whole apples covered in hard toffee or sugar candy coating. A stick is placed in the middle to act as a handle. These are commonly sold during Halloween, at fall festivals, and for Guy Fawkes events. Toffee apples are made by coating an apple with a layer of sugar that has been heated to hard crack stage. Humidity can prevent the sugar from hardening, so it is better to make this treat in fall and not in summer.

Caramel corn

Caramel corn is a confection made of popcorn. This is also a popular item during Christmas. A caramelized candy syrup is used in the process. Making this item is time consuming and requires skill to make without burning the sugar. You can find a bag of caramel corn at Topsy’s, Velvet Crème Popcorn Co., Popculture Gourmet Popcorn, and Walmart.

Cranachan is traditional Scottish treat with raspberries.

Cranachan

For raspberry fans, this is a traditional Scottish harvest dessert. It includes whipped cream, raspberries, oats, honey, and whiskey. These ingredients are all popular in Scotland. Cranachan is served all year round. Alternate versions of the recipe include oranges, trifle, spiced rum, and shortbread. Chocolate cranachan can be made with chopped toasted hazelnuts, light muscovado sugar, and chocolate.

Sweet potato cream cheese pie

A cheesecake-like pie made with fresh or canned pureed sweet potatoes, cream cheese, and brown sugar. Top it off with cinnamon and nutmeg. Fall foods are all about the spices and the herbs, but don’t go too crazy – too much paprika or cloves distracts from other flavors. Recipes for this item should be easy to follow and can be made in a decent amount of time, an hour or less.

Suggested Halloween menu

Irish beef stew

The hearty stew is easy to make and great for a cold night. Cooking it in a slow-cooker during the day means it will be ready for you by the time you get home.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes

1 pound of carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chucks

6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chucks

1 white onion, cut into large chunks

2 cloves garlic, minced (yes, you can use more)

2 cups of beef broth

A six-ounce can of tomato paste

A 12 fluid ounce can or bottle of Irish stout beer (Guinness). If you cannot consume alcohol, substitute the Guinness with 2 cups water + 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce + 2 beef bouillon cubes crumbled. This will make it a classic beef stew.

1 tablespoon cold water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss beef cubes into flour to coat them, then fry the mix in the hot oil until browned.

Place the carrots, potatoes, onion chunks, and garlic in a large slow cooker. Place the meat on top of the vegetables. Mix together the beef broth and tomato paste and pour into the slow cooker along with the beer.

Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 hours.

During the last hour before serving, dissolve the cornstarch in cold water and then stir it into the broth. Simmer on the high setting for a few minutes to thicken.

Champ potatoes

The Irish love potatoes and there are numerous potato recipes online. Champ is an easy to follow potato recipe that’s made from scratch.

Ingredients:

22 ounces / 675 grams of potatoes (floury Idahos or russets are recommended. Peeled and quartered)

1 cup green onions

2 ounces of salted butter

2 to 3 ounces of milk

Sea salt (to taste)

Black pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water until cooked (when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, the potato should be soft in the middle). This will take about 20 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.

Finely chop the white part of the green onions and roughly chop the green part. Set aside.

Drain the potatoes in a colander. Place both butter and milk into a pan and heat gently until melted.

Add the potatoes to the pan and mash until smooth and creamy. Be careful not to over-mash the potatoes. You’ll end up with an unpleasant texture.

Add the finely chopped white part of the onion and mix well.

Season well with the salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the green part of the onion sprinkled on top.

Pumpkin cider bread

Ingredients:

22 ounces / 675 grams of potatoes (floury Idahos or russets are recommended. Peeled and quartered)

1 cup green onions

2 ounces of salted butter

2 to 3 ounces of milk

Sea salt (to taste)

Black pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

Simmer the potatoes in lightly salted water until cooked (when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, the potato should be soft in the middle). This will take about 20 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.

Finely chop the white part of the green onions and roughly chop the green part. Set aside.

Drain the potatoes in a colander. Place both butter and milk into a pan and heat gently until melted.

Add the potatoes to the pan and mash until smooth and creamy. Be careful not to over-mash the potatoes. You’ll end up with an unpleasant texture.

Add the finely chopped white part of the onion and mix well.

Season well with the salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the green part of the onion sprinkled on top.

Pumpkin cider bread

Ingredients:

2 cups of pureed pumpkin

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

2 tablespoons regular sugar

1 tablespoon nutmeg

2 cups of all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons dry yeast dissolved in a half cup of warm water

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/3 to 1/2 cup molasses

2 cups of apple cider

Instructions:

Combine cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg with the pureed pumpkin.

Combine salt and 2 cups of flour. Add the cider, yeast mix, and all other ingredients. Add more flour if necessary.

Pour the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for about 45 minutes in a warm place. Wait until it’s doubled in size.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough into a long strip and then roll it up jellyroll style to fit into a bread pan. Place in a greased pan and let it rise until double again.

Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes until brown. A fork should come out of it clean.

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/2019/10/26/traditional-halloween-foods-and-preparing-for-a-cold-holiday/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2019/10/27/traditional-halloween-foods-and-preparing-for-a-cold-holiday/

[rickhorrow]

15+5+5 To Watch : 7119

15 TO WATCH/5 SPORTS TECH/POWER OF SPORTS 5: RICK HORROW’S TOP SPORTS/BIZ/TECH/PHILANTHROPY ISSUES FOR THE WEEK OF JULY 1  with Jacob Aere

Ahead of Wimbledon, major brands feature Williams, Kerber. Tech giant SAP has unveiled “Call the Shots,” an interactive, online game that places fans in the shoes of Wimbledon Champ Angelique Kerber the day before a big match and allows fans to use SAP Tennis Analytics to get Kerber match-ready, by using data and insights to make decisions that will help – or potentially hurt – her success on the court the next day - from helping Angie pick the most nutritious breakfast, to selecting her training intensity levels. And Serena Williams is finally gracing the cover of Wheaties, with General Mills announcing the addition of the multi-time Grand Slam champion to its historic lineup of athletes. Said Williams, “I have dreamt of this since I was a young woman and it’s an honor to join the ranks of some of America’s most decorated athletes. I hope my image on this iconic orange box will inspire the next generation of girls and athletes to dream big.” The Wheaties announcement clearly comes in the “It’s about damn time” category of brand initiatives

Steeped in tradition, the All England Club also offers the latest tech, including high above Court One. This year’s Wimbledon fortnight sees many upgrades to the tournament’s My Wimbledon app. But SportsPro and others have noted the biggest piece of technological infrastructure at this year’s event is the new retractable roof that has been added to Court One. Unveiled earlier this year, the retractable mechanism follows the game-changing addition made to Centre Court ten years ago and allows for extended play and protection from the unpredictable British weather. Also within the grounds, the AELTC has expanded its free public WiFi to “Henman Hill,” where fans will be able to vote for which matches they would like to view on the big screen. With IBM marking its 30th anniversary since it first aligned with Wimbledon, the technology firm is seeking to leverage more uses from its cloud platforms. Last year, the tournament registered a record 220 million views of match highlights, of which 14 million were generated using IBM Watson’s AI technology. 

The University of Connecticut is planning to move the majority of its athletics program from the American Athletic Conference (AAC) to the Big East. In order to facilitate the move across the NCAA Division I conferences, and in according with the AAC conference bylaws, UConn will have to pay a $10 million withdrawal fee and give 27 months’ notice before its departure. The decision must first be approved by UConn’s board of trustees and the Big East presidents. UConn was an original member of the Big East, which formed in 1979, before joining the AAC in 2013 after a conference realignment. The move is expected to help breathe new life into UConn’s men’s basketball team by playing against long-standing rival universities including Providence, St John’s, and Syracuse. While UConn’s women’s basketball program has yielded 11 national championships, including four in a row 2013-2016, its men’s team has only qualified for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament once and suffered falling attendances. Prior to the conference shuffle, UConn’s men were regular challengers, winning NCAA titles in 1999, 2004, and 2011. What is less clear is the future of UConn’s football program, which is expected to stay in the AAC in 2019 as the Big East does not organize a league. However, CBS Sports has reported that the AAC will not accept UConn as a football-only member and may instead look for a replacement school. Any move is unlikely to affect the AAC’s 12-year media rights extension with ESPN, which kicks off in 2020 and is reportedly worth $1 billion.

College athletes in California are a "step closer to being able to make money from the use of their names, images and likenesses," after a state committee passed a bill that would "fundamentally change" how the NCAA conducts business. The California Assembly’s Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism, and Internet Media Committee has passed the Fair Pay to Play Act, which if passed would take effect January 1, 2023. According to the Los Angeles Times, while the bill would "not allow schools to directly pay athletes, athletes would be able to receive compensation from outside sources." The Los Angeles Daily News noted the bill advanced "despite a letter from NCAA President Mark Emmert last week urging the committee to postpone considering it and warning of dire consequences if the athletes were compensated." The Washington Posts’ Sally Jenkins notes Emmert has "suggested all of California’s postseason competition could be jeopardized if the state allows an athlete to make a profit from his or her own name, picture or signature." Emmert is "so concerned by the bill that he sent lawmakers a letter with more than a smack of extortion in it." Emmert is "bluffing, and California should call him on it." North Carolina has proposed a similar bill, so we now have two major states mounting a serious challenge to NCAA rules.

As Major League Baseball shifts its attention from London to next week's All-Star Game in Cleveland, sponsor brands and the agencies that represent them are taking center stage. Major League Baseball has worked hard to grow its All Star break over the years, and its work to make their All Star Game so unique and valuable to brands and league sponsors has in turn helped MLB sponsors and those activating around the event like Bank of America and Taco Bell hit it out of the park. Says Woody Thompson, Octagon EVP, “MLB’s partnership with Mastercard, Budweiser, and many other signature brands have spanned decades. By applying creative thinking and the latest technologies, those companies and their agency partners been able to keep the campaigns fresh and exciting for fans after many years.” In a similar environment, the Yankees and Red Sox met twice at London Stadium this weekend in the first MLB games ever played in Europe, with the xxx emerging victorious. While Yankees-Red Sox games always shine, London’s competitive pinnacle had to be the mascot race between Freddie Mercury, Winston Churchill, King Henry VIII, and the Loch Ness Monster...won by xxx.

Ronald McDonald House Charities will be the title sponsor of this year’s Triple-A All-Star Game. The annual game, in which stars of the Triple-A Pacific Coast and International League compete, is scheduled for July 10, at Southwest University Park in El Paso, Texas, and will be telecast on MLB Network. The deal includes advertising inventory on MLB Network, logos on player uniforms, and static signage within the ballpark. Social and digital media will also support. Agency 4Front worked with the host El Paso Chihuahuas to secure the sponsorship. Huntington Bank and Gildan were presenting sponsors of last year’s Triple-A All-Star Game, in Columbus, Ohio.

So far, NBA free agency headlines have been dominated by the three Ks. NBA free agency began at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, and among the earliest news that broke was the announcement that the Celtics inked Kemba Walker to a reported four-year, maximum salary contract worth $141 million. Almost immediately, the New York Daily News and others reported that Kyrie Irving agreed to a four-year, $141 million deal with the Brooklyn Nets, a move that will "give the Nets a marquee name and elite talent." The Nets certainly weren't done – Kevin Durant then announced on Instagram his decision to leave the Golden State Warriors for the Nets; Durant signed for a reported four-year, $164 million maximum contract. Per the Associated Press, the NBA set the salary cap for 2019-2020 at $109.14 million, an "increase of just more" than $7 million from last season. The tax level will be $132,627,000, and the minimum salary, which is "90% of the cap," will be $98,226,000. That didn't stop teams from making some big league moves.

The IOC announced that Milan-Cortina, Italy had been selected to host the Olympic Winter Games in 2026, besting Stockholm by a vote of 47-34 for the honor. “Congratulations to Milan-Cortina,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “We can look forward to outstanding and sustainable Olympic Winter Games in a traditional winter sports country. The passion and knowledge of Italian fans, together with experienced venue operators, will create the perfect atmosphere for the best athletes in the world. The Olympic Winter Games Milan-Cortina 2026 will feature iconic venues and beautiful settings, combining the attractions of a modern European metropolis with a classic Alpine environment.” In other major Olympic news last week, the International Olympic Committee, the Coca-Cola Company, and China Mengniu Dairy Company signed the first-ever Joint TOP Partnership Agreement, blending the non-alcoholic beverage and the dairy categories into a new joint category. The new joint agreement has a 12-year term running through to the Olympic Games 2032 and extends The Coca-Cola Company’s association with the Olympic Movement to a historic 104-year-long relationship.

The 2020 Tokyo Games have "generated record domestic sponsorship revenues" of more than $3 billion, which is "three times more than any previous summer Games," according to Reuters. IOC Coordination Commission Chair John Coates said that local sponsorship agreements "were up to 62 companies for all three tiers of sponsorship arrangements." He noted that does "not include the partnerships with Toyota, Bridgestone, and Panasonic and their contribution to the TOP program,” which have "separate deals with the IOC." Revenues currently stand at $3.1 billion, and the Tokyo Games now have "15 gold partners, 32 official partners,” and 15 “official supporters." Comparatively, the 2012 London Games raised roughly $1.1 billion from domestic sponsors, a "record at the time.” Regarding the Coke-Mengniu Dairy tie up, the Wall Street Journal notes Coca-Cola "didn't give a reason" as to why it is partnering with China Mengniu Dairy Company to share the title of exclusive global beverage sponsor, but the "sharply rising cost of sponsorship may have something to do with it." Olympic sponsorship has become more global, more competitive, and more expensive, pushing even the likes of mighty Coca-Cola to look for a partner.

The future of NFL games in Mexico has been thrown into doubt after the government confirmed it will no longer offer economic support for the events after 2019. Mexico City is set to host the NFL regular-season game between the Chargers and the Chiefs on November 18. The game is expected to be the last game held in the country under the presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. A lack of funds and cost-cutting measures have been cited as the main reasons for the decision by authorities. Besides NFL games, Formula One could also be making its last appearance in Mexico. The government has slashed the funds that cover most of the hosting fee paid to the global motorsport series and the contract with the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City is up at the end of the 2019 season. The lack of state support means private investment and sponsorship will need to be secured to retain both events. Latin America will still be in the picture: the NFL is reportedly eyeing Brazil as its next international destination.

The NFL and Black College Football Hall of Fame are currently hosting a quarterback coaching summit for assistant coaches at the pro and college levels. According to Axios Sports, the goal is to strengthen the development pipeline for coaches of color on the offensive side of the ball, where the NFL currently lacks diversity. Offensive coaches — and particularly offensive coordinators — are prime targets for head coaching jobs, and   in the NFL, almost all of those positions are currently held by white men. Twelve of the 64 coordinators in the NFL are minorities, and only two of them are offensive coordinators, with the other ten working on the defensive side of the ball. Compounding the issue is that during the NFL offseason thus far, the number of minority head coaches was cut from eight to four. The NFL’s Rooney Rule was created to increase diversity among NFL coaches, and while it has certainly had a positive impact, the rule has its holes. This summit and other similar events are an attempt to fill them in.

AEG Facilities, a subsidiary of venue and live entertainment company AEG, has signed an agreement with the Raiders to manage the team’s $2 billion, 65,000-seat domed stadium scheduled to open in Las Vegas in August 2020. AEG Facilities operates the team’s current home, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, now known as RingCentral Coliseum. AEG Facilities President Bob Newman would not disclose the length of the deal and its value but said the agreement is for “several years.” AEG Facilities will manage the day-to-day stadium operations, including booking, ticketing, security, event operations, concessions and human resources, Newman said. AEG Facilities manages 150 venues and stadiums on three continents, including Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena. Newman said the opportunity to manage the Raiders’ new home was a unique moment in time for a professional sports franchise. “You have an iconic brand, in an iconic stadium converging in an iconic destination,” he added.

The Pelicans’ Zion Williamson and Knicks  R.J. Barrett, the No. 1 and No. 3 picks in last week's NBA Draft, have sold "more jerseys and shirts than any other draftees" in Fanatics history. According to the New York Post, Williamson has "sold more $110 Nike jerseys and $32 T-shirts than all the first-round picks" in the 2018 NBA Draft combined. Meanwhile, Barrett has sold "twice as much merchandise" as Pelicans G Lonzo Ball, who had "set the previous record for NBA Draft merchandise sales after becoming the Lakers' No. 2 pick" in 2017. NBA free agency began on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. With so many teams feeling like this could be their year, we could see an unprecedented amount of movement this offseason. It has been estimated that at least a third of the NBA’s 30 teams may be willing to spend money, part with first-round picks, and take a more aggressive stance than they otherwise would to build playoff and championship-caliber teams. 

Real Madrid has decided to launch their own women’s team, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has confirmed. Real has agreed to buy CD Tacón, a Madrid-based team promoted to Liga Iberdrola - the domestic women’s top-flight - at the end of last season. Spanish news outlet El Mundo reports that Florentino Perez has sanctioned a deal worth around $569,775 for Tacón’s license to be transferred to Real, with the re-branded team to take up their place in the league next season. The women’s team will train and play at Real’s Ciudad Real Madrid complex. Real’s big rival, Barcelona, is the top-spending club in the Spanish women’s top-flight, spending close to $4.5 million a year; most clubs operate on a budget closer to $570 million. The news comes shortly after the RFEF announced that next season more than $22 million will be allocated for women’s soccer, of which $7.4 million will go to the national team and the rest to club competitions. Real now sheds its label as one of elite European soccer’s last clubs without a women’s team, with the Tacón acquisition allowing the historic club to invest in an existing team.

Finally, in a tradition now as firmly rooted as fireworks, BBQ, and apple pie, the annual Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Contest will run live on July 4 at noon on ESPN2. The one-hour telecast marks the 16th consecutive year ESPN has televised the event, with the Women’s Championship beginning at 10:45 a.m. on ESPN3 and streaming live on the ESPN app. ESPN commentator Adam Amin will do play-by-play of the eating competition. In addition to the live event on ESPN2, an ESPN3 camera will be focused on Joey Chestnut as he attempts to break his world record of 74 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Enjoy America’s favorite summer holiday!

Top Five Tech

Bleacher Report is harnessing the Women’s World Cup to curate brands around soccer. As the FIFA Women's World Cup intensifies, Bleacher Report is using its data to win over brands who want to grab onto soccer's rising popularity in the U.S. According to The Drum, a white paper from Bleacher Report seems to back up the rising popularity of the sport in America. Bleacher Report's brand partners for the WWC include Adidas, Nike, Hulu, Umbro, Powerade and AT&T. AT&T owns Bleacher Report through its acquisition of Warner Media. To win future advertisers, Bleacher Report – which is reportedly on track to grow 50% this year and reach $200 million in revenue – pooled together its first-party data from its app with a U.S. survey of 2,000 people 13-and-older to track soccer fandom stateside. The report found that 52 million soccer fans are in the U.S., to varying degrees. As the USWNT charges on in the World Cup, defeating France 2-1 on Friday, their extended run will continue to show the high value of soccer in the U.S.

The NBA and its players association launch virtual sports betting product NBA Last 90. According to onlinegambling.com, the new service will give gamblers the in the US and Europe the chance to bet on simulated games that feature actual game highlights from the league. The product is set to launch sometime during the 2019-2020 season with fixed odds that control the chances that any given bet will win, which means these games can appear even in jurisdictions where sports betting isn’t legal, but other forms of gambling are permitted. The virtual sports betting features real teams and players and NBA Last 90 offers players to view the final 90 seconds of a simulated NBA game between two real teams. They can then place bets on who will score first, who will win the game, or the total points to be scored. Additionally, real highlights from recent NBA seasons will be used to stitch together a unique finish to each game. As esports and digital screens grab more attention from the casual bettor, the NBA looks to capitalize on a growing virtual betting audience which netted nearly $1 billion between April 2017 and May 2018.

Australian company Unbnd bringing VR and AR broadcasts to NBA next season.  Although the games will only be broadcast for fans in Australia and Singapore, it will serve as a testing bed for potential broadcasts in the US. Beginning in the 2019/2020 preseason, Unbnd will launch its new Missing in Action platform which will bring fans live NBA games, highlights and original programming in a 'Mixed Reality Theatre Experience'. According to Sporting News, the mixed-reality technology from Unbnd Provides a 360-degree 'virtual theatre' that provides live in-game statistics, interactive content and highlights as well as the ability to purchase jerseys and sneakers with the touch of a button. The MIA app will be available before the start of the 2019-20 NBA season across iOS, Android and all compatible virtual reality headsets and coincides with an expanding VR and AR industry set to reach a value of $20 billion in the calendar year.

OTT is King: DAZN app nets 950% year-on-year revenue growth. According to Sports Pro, the mobile OTT platform was the world’s top grossing app in May 2019 and has experienced exponential growth throughout the past year. Gross user spending across the month shows that the DAZN’s digital app brought in close to $11.5 million in revenue – more than nine times its income for May 2018. US subscribers represented 35 percent of DAZN’s consumer-based revenue through its mobile app, while Japan made up 6.5 per cent of its market income. The Japanese based service recently set a new viewership record as the men’s national soccer team took on Chile at Copa America and new services have been launched in the US, Italy, Spain and Brazil since May 2018. DAZN seems to keep growing and is now nearly double the total amount of which ESPN grosses in a month. With DAZN’s latest acquisition of the secured rights to the Chinese Super League 2019-2020 seasons for its Italian service, it seems that their expanding OTT global empire won't be slowing down.

Seattle Storm Star Sue Bird works you out through Amazon’s Alexa. The Alexa skill, called “Storm Workout,” features the three-time WNBA champion Bird putting users through a series of exercises for several minutes. It’s the first partnership between the hometown basketball team and Seattle-based Amazon. It also represents a moment where women in sport get a spotlight in the tech space, both avenues usually overcrowded by men. According to Geekwire, the three time WNBA champ and veteran point guard is tech savvy and regularly uses sport science to stay ahead of her competition. The skill is available on all Alexa-enabled devices and can be activated by saying, “Alexa, open Storm Workout.” The exercises don't need a basketball but use the sport as an inspiration for the workouts. Third party developers have built more than 90,000 skills for Alexa, and the WNBA and NBA continue to stay ahead of the tech curve after having the Golden State Warriors gift away $1 million in Google Home mini devices to fans at Oracle Arena just over a month ago.

Power of Sports Five

Underdogs United teams up with professional athletes to raise money for water safety equipment in Kenya. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Montour High School graduate Stephen Gabauer dedicated himself to helping the crisis of Kenya’s clean water supply. Underdogs United was born and has teamed up with professional athletes to auction signed jerseys and raise money that funds water safety equipment in Kenya, such as purification systems. Most of the water safety equipment is delivered to schools where roughly ninety percent of schools in Kenya do not have access to safe drinking water, killing tens of thousands each year from water-borne illness. Since launching in December 2018, Underdogs United has already reached 15,000 children at 15 schools. The group hopes to reach 50,000 by the year’s end. In an effort to keep the giving circular, each athlete who participates in the program also receives a custom jersey handcrafted by Kenyan tailors, using traditional colors and styles. So far, players such as Steph Curry and soccer star Alex Morgan have participated and helped to keep water safe for schoolchildren who may one day be playing in professional sports leagues across the world.

The NBA Awards show crowns Wizards' Bradley Beal as the Community Assist honor recipient. In recognition of his efforts, Beal will receive $25,000 to the charity of his choice, a donation from the NBA and Kaiser Permanente. According to the Baltimore Sun, Beal served as principal for the day at Ron Brown College Preparatory High School, participating in a variety of school activities as the students began the new school year. Continuing his dedication to the school, Beal held a private advance screening of Creed II for local community groups and students from RBHS, surprised the RBHS basketball players and coaches with two pairs of shoes each and took 10 students from RBHS on a private tour of the National African-American History and Culture Museum. Furthermore, Beal donated game tickets to various community groups and provided toys to the Salvation Army during the holiday season. Since the award’s inception during the 2014-2015 season, Beal and fellow teammate and past winner John Wall make the Wizards the first team to ever receive the honor twice.

F1 will host charity golf tournament in Austin ahead of U.S. Grand Prix. In support of the world’s leading breast cancer organization, Susan G. Komen, F1 will host ‘Grid to Green’ in conjunction with GOLF Magazine to unite the two sports. The tournament, which will take place on the afternoon of Thursday 31st October at the Tom Fazio designed Omni Barton Creek Canyons Course, will feature a current or previous legend from the world of motorsport in each group. According to formula1.com, Carlos Sainz Jr, Christian Horner , Zak Brown, Otmar Szafnauer, Damon Hill, Ross Brawn, and Danny Sullivan will all partake in the event. F1 is making a push on all ends to find its way into the U.S. market, and by combining golf and philanthropy will find their way into headlines.

Dutch Olympic champion completes 195-kilometer charity swim. According to Fox Sports, Olympic long-distance swimming champion Maarten van der Weijden completed a long distance swim in order to raise money for cancer research.  Van der Weijden finished the 121-mile swim through canals in the northern province of Friesland, Netherlands in just over three days. Van der Weijden is someone who has personally dealt with cancer as he survived leukemia, won the 10-kilometer open water swim at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and since then has used his fame to raise millions for cancer research. On his second attempt of the grueling swim, Van der Weijden only stopped briefly for meals, quick naps and to apply sunscreen. By pushing his body to the physical tipping point, Van der Weijden has helped clap back at the disease that he battled while also contributing to the fights of others now dealing with cancer.

Two-time Masters Champion Bubba Watson is donating $20,000 to a golf charity in honor of Dan Gilbert. According to WXYZ Detroit, the announcement was made at the Gilbert’s Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club as Watson pledged toward the First Tee of Greater Detroit. The billionaire businessman Gilbert, who is the majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers and founder of Quicken Loans, suffered a stroke last month which impacted his ability to show up at the annual Rocker Mortgage Classic. Golfers such as Watson as well as Rickie Fowler were saddened to see that Gilbert’s condition prevented him from attending, however he seems to be improving and should soon be able to return to his charitable ways.

[cnox]

Interview for Skaventhrone issue two. Copies on the way to Hollow Myths* soon!

S: You were recently featured on Never Stop the Madness - Black Metal Radio and had an impressive line-up of releases for the coming months. How has the exposure been?

C: Eve Skaventhrone, thanx much for this chance to further spin our web. Hails to NZ AC DS! We are psyched by the response from the NSTM - BM Radio Special and thankful to have been featured. This was a grand opportunity to get more airplay for our artists and tell a bit of what is to come from Hollow Myths*. We look forward to doing it again this winter.

S: A fellow conspirator has added that your release schedule for the year is quite evenly paced, what makes this different from your previous approach?

C: That may be a bit of misinformation because we will be like a bat out of hell yet again. Our upcoming releases have been stirring in the pot for some time, so we have had many moons to plot and plan. There will be unexpected surprises as we don’t tend to spell things out nor give away too much. So, please do keep watch. We have also put a new CD-R series into action in which we will be offering even more outsider music. And introducing new artists and their first works. We have a grip of sick releases in our trick bag already for this venture.

S: To talk about the name 'Hollow Myths'; A cynical person could read this as being lacking in substance, what are your feelings towards this?

C: When we say hollow, we mean a dark valley in the forest or hole in an old tree. Our workings should be considered as mythology or folklore that seeps and creeps out of the fog and cries out from the blackest of nights. We bring forth new legends and modern myths. “The Hollow Myth” is also a book I wrote long ago. We have shared some of this story and will be telling this tale over the years to come. The introduction came with the Bestiary Vol. One Compilation and Issue 1 of our zine is first in a series of character guides. Our antics are always subversive, so it should be obvious there is a hidden double meaning to our moniker, one-part existentialism and one-part absurdism.

S: Going back to releases; Your output last year was quite prolific and featured a wide gamut within the established DS scene; What do you look for in an artist?

C: Thank you for the fine words. We shall do the same this time around and then some. For us, it must be unique, sad and true. Unabashed, sinister and the synthesizer is key. We like to work with artists whom are free, patient and have a grasp on the big picture. Loyalty and trust is something we also look for in our creative working relationships.

S: Similarly, each of these releases has a very personalized approach. Is this something you find important to differentiate from other labels or distros?

C: We appreciate you taking notice and set out to do our own thing indeed. The music of our artists is so very personal, as it is to us, so we try and convey this with the presentation. The artwork, packaging and magical extras are all part of the experience we try to give. Sight, sound, smell and even touch. From the vintage cassettes, cases, paper, fabric and tie, to the natural accoutrements, candles, incense and wood - we want our releases to be something to have, hold and cherish. Nearly everything we create has been made by hand. There is art to hang on your wall, jewellery and badges to wear, talismans to take with you about your travels. In this, the music and ideas carry on with the you even when not listening but still in one’s heart and mind's eye.

S: I understand that yourself and your partner also have a project together. It's been described as a cutting of recording errors and artefacts from analog or older technologies.

C: Cristahel and I are Rowen. We make mythical electronic music and use analogue equipment. We record live with synths, drum machines, percussion as well as capture field recordings. We plug in, press record and play, do some mixing and then share these aural documents on our Plexus Station the evening of. We were lucky to have been picked up by Personnel Records, a division of the Black Metal label, Seedstock just after a couple of songs. They released our first demo “Ashen Spirit” on pro-tape and we are now composing a new album. An east coast wing of shows are in the talks for this summer and we are aiming on touring Europa this fall.

S: There seems to be a shift in the scene from those maintaining the traditional nostalgic approach to Dungeon Synth and those moving towards what could be considered a 'Ritual Ambience' in some cases with a stronger focus on minimalism and natural sounds; What are your thoughts to this?

C: We see it in three ways: originators, innovators and imitators. We lean more towards innovation. With experimentation comes inspiration and for us is the most interesting. Of course, we hail the founding fathers and tradition is to be respected. But, we want to hear something different and new. The ritual and ambient approach draws from magic which can manifest at the same time be happenstance. This is pure and exciting.

S: It certainly is, and it's great to see you're encouraging and creating a space for artists to do so.

C: We surely try.

S: In our search through the more historic artists on Hollow Myths, such as Apeiron, Depressive Silence, and Arthur, we get a feeling you've probably had an earlier connection with these composers. When did you first get involved with this area of the black metal underground, and these projects? And how did these interactions eventually lead to the creation of Hollow Myths?

C: In the 80's I was steeped in Heavy Metal music, having gone to countless stadium concerts for legendary acts such as Dio, W.A.S.P., etc., later to shows; Cro-Mags, Suicidal Tendencies, I could ramble on. In the early 90’s I went to a boarding school in the woods of New Hampshire and was cut off from T.V. and the goings on of counter culture. So, we made our own. Being up there, I sort of missed out on the first wave of Black Metal and The X-Files. In turn we took drugs, listened to a lot of Black Sabbath and N.W.O.B.H.M. and spent all our time in the trees. Though already a fan of Celtic Frost and much early Death Metal, it wasn’t until I came off that mountain and ended up back in the cities, did I discover some of what I had been missing. I was given a promo copy of the Gummo soundtrack and that crystalized things for me. Ever since then, I was hooked and dug as far as I could into the Black Metal and Dark Ambient Underground. I used to make a UG BM zine which led to many contacts with bands, labels, distros and made tons trades and orders along the way. Some mail correspondence comrades I have had for two decades now. I also had a dark electronic band and toured the world a few times which broadened my knowledge and network. One day it dawned on me to turn my passions and obsessions into my trade.

S: Dungeon Synth, and its surrounding genres, has a huge online presence through bandcamp, social media, and a large facebook group with over 3000 members, of which you're one of the admins. How has the online world affected the artists 'mystery' or even integrity, in your opinion? And is the responsibility of maintaining civility on the forums a burden at times?

C: I dislike speaking of the internet in printed zine interviews but understand this question cannot be ignored. There was rift a year or so ago that drove a wedge in the Dungeon Synth scene and I was made an admin of the main group to keep the peace as it were. And to save it from an impending doom that it is was facing as some sought to destroy the fortress wall that we had been building for so long. I have been manning it for the past couple of years and worked very hard to instill an ethic of friendship, honor and support. Drama, memes and off topic materials are not tolerated in the attempts to keep it focused and Dungeon - not a trash heap or place of trolls. I never intended to have this role, but it became a necessary evil. Our lands were being raided so, I stormed the castle and seized the kingdom for the preservation of all things DS. This being not unlike the mid-era BM scene where things got ugly, full of posers and rip-offs. But that’s another story. DS is now an entity of its own and I try to promote an atmosphere that is welcoming, and nurturing opposed to jaded sorts dictating how other artists and musicians should create. We are grateful to have a tight knit cast of active members with new folks everyday - things seem to carry on without any trouble. Any problems are just simply removed without much thought - forward march. As far as artists wanting to be anonymous, to each their own, I don’t see the need to hide.  

S: As a collector, I'm sure you have many boxes of rarities hidden away from the public eye, what are some of your most prized and cherished?

C: This is true. Some things, I just don’t share and like to keep very close. All my collection is prized. I don’t do filler or bad condition. I obsess over the most obscure and often the overlooked and discarded. Not as much rare and pricey, rather merely special to me. Some of my favourites are looked down upon by most so, I won’t bother mentioning them here. I’m a stickler for collectability and keep it all mint. From limited 7”’s to etched and coloured LP’s, cult Cassettes to OOP CD’s. I also collect shirts, patches, badges, zines and have an extensive VHS library - mostly horror and sleaze. I am constantly buying, selling and trading. Out with the old in with the new. I only hold onto things I listen to, read, wear and watch over and over.

S: You mentioned a possible Europe tour, are there any particular destinations you're hoping to visit? Any artists you are planning to perform alongside?

C: We want to get back to Germany, then go to places we have yet to; the Scandinavian countries, all Eastern Europe and of course, New Zealand and Australia. We will play anywhere and everywhere though we will focus on night clubs, art galleries and uncommon venues. We also plan to do DJ sets, show our artwork, clothing line and spread our wings as Hollow Myths*.  We hope to perform alongside old and new friends and intend to drag out some of our artists for these occasions.

S: We thank you for your time, and we're looking forward to the upcoming releases! Any parting words for our readers?

C: Art, music, nature, magic. Don't take any wooden nickels, don't play second fiddle, and don't roll over and play dead for anybody. Walk the endless corridor and shatter the Hollow Myth.

Thanx yet again. Dehails!  - Canrith Knox of Rowen from Hollow Myths*

[josephkitchen0]

A Guide to Different Colored Carrots

A large culinary family includes cumin, dill, fennel, parsnips, parsley, cilantro and different colored carrots. Though carrots are primarily eaten for the roots, it wasn’t always this way. Carrots also weren’t always orange.

Back to Our Roots

As early as 3,000 BC, German inhabitants started growing carrots for their highly fragrant leaves and seeds, since the roots were narrow and woody. They emerged in Afghanistan as the modern root we eat today, though they were different colored. Carrots from West Asia, India and Europe were purple. An 11th century Jewish scholar described red and yellow roots, a claim upheld by 12th century Arab-Andalusian agriculturist Ibn al’-Awwam. Descendants of these eastern carrot varieties are usually purple or yellow and have branched roots instead of a thick, long column.

The structure of the carrot changed in the Netherlands in the 17th century. Several popular tales exist to explain the sudden emergence of orange from different colored carrots. One says it developed as an emblem of the House of Orange and the Dutch struggle for independence. Others claim it honored William, who lead a victorious revolt against Spain in 1544. William’s seat was in a place pronounced “Aurenja,” in France, and the name was later confused with the French word for “orange.” Western cultivars are classified by the root’s shape instead of his color. “Scarlet Nantes” identifies a cylindrical and blunt variety with a deep, reddish orange hue.

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Modern gardeners want something different. Colored carrots may offer phytonutrients or a delightful hue for juicing. They look stunning sitting in a basket beside zucchini and eggplant. Gardeners rarely want woody, forked varieties so top seed companies offer brilliant new selections. These include Red Samurai, an open-pollinated carrot, or the yellow Jaune Obtuse de Doubs, an ancient fodder crop. Royal hues include the Purple 68 hybrid or Pusa Asita black carrot for people who want to save heirloom seeds. A new rainbow variety produces different colored carrots from a single strain of F1 hybrid.

Purple 69, Red Samurai, Scarlet Nantes, and Yellowbunch

3 Crazy Carrot Myths

Most of these myths are laughable, though it’s surprising how many believe them.

Eating carrots improves your vision. The mostly widely accepted fallacy, this myth began in World War II. Britain’s air ministry developed a new and secret system that pinpointed Nazi aircraft before they could reach the English Channel. But Britain didn’t want the Germans to find out about the new technology so they formulated a rumor, hoping it was plausible. They claimed certain pilots attained “Cat’s Eyes” due to eating a lot of carrots. The rumor was so persuasive that British citizens started consuming massive amounts of carrots so they could see in the dark. Seventy-five years later, the majority of our society still believes it. The myth does have a little credibility, though; beta carotene may reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration but it does not improve overall eyesight.

Carrots contain seeds. Though this myth is rare, it makes its way through potential gardeners interested in saving their own seeds. Carrots must be allowed to go to seed, meaning the green top must develop a thick stem with a flower atop. If the flower matures then dries, seeds may be harvested. But no seeds reside within the roots.

You can plant and grow “baby carrots.” This childhood misconception extends into adulthood. Carrots do not originate in plastic bags and they are not all one size and shape. Nor are baby carrots miniature varieties. They are larger carrots which have been shaved down into something a customer is more likely to buy, increasing the price for the consumer. Shavings are often processed into carrot juice. Baby carrots are so sweet and tender because the larger root has been whittled down to the tender core, discarding or reprocessing the rest. Shaving down baby carrots allows producers to sell overgrown roots which would otherwise only be marketable as juicing carrots. This practice doesn’t happen with different colored carrots because of marketability, though uncut purple carrots are sold for juicing.

As Above, So Beneath

Whether growing orange or different colored carrots, cultivation is easy if the gardener remembers a few tips.

Root vegetables which thrive in cold weather require temperatures a little warmer to sprout. As with growing radishes, daytime temperatures between 55 and 85 are necessary for germination. Carrots will not sprout at 95 degrees. Cold and wet soil encourages rotting. Because of this, the right time to plant carrots is in the spring, after soil is workable and the days have warmed, or in early autumn.

Carrots prefer loose, well-drained soil that is free of rocks. Mixing a little clean wood ash into the dirt prior to planting increases potassium for sweeter roots, in addition to adding phosphorus and magnesium. Root vegetables prefer an unobstructed path downward; if they meet a pebble, they will fork.

Though carrots may be grown in containers, beginning gardeners often don’t give them enough depth. A carrot with a thick, six-inch root may also have four more inches of long, skinny root at the end. Once that skinny end reaches the bottom of a planter, the carrot stops growing downward, even if the edible part will only be a few inches long. To ensure planters have enough depth for the entire root, consider the tops. A carrot with a foot-tall top should be given twelve inches of root space.

To plant carrots, turn soil until it is loose, mixing in light fertilizer such as rabbit manure. Rake the surface smooth then trace a thin trench into the dirt with a pencil or fingertip. Carefully and thinly sprinkle carrot seed into the trench then push soil back over it, just barely covering the seeds. Water using a fine mist spray. Seedlings will emerge within two to three weeks and will look like a pair of long, green blades. True leaves come next, tiny and frilly then growing tall.

Carrots need three to six inches between each plant to allow for adequate growth. If the sides touch, carrots stop growing. When the seedlings are tiny, and if the soil is loose, they can be redistributed to an appropriate distance apart by scooping into the soil with a large spoon and carefully lifting both seedling and soil. Gently separate seedlings. Then use the spoon to pull soil back in the seedling’s new location. Insert the plant and allow soil to fall back. Water well to reset the dirt and avoid transplant shock.

When carrots are several inches tall, mulch with straw or grass clippings. Carrots enjoy hot tops and cool roots. Mulching also avoids weeds which may compete for root space. Keep soil moist but not wet as carrots continue to grow.

Carrots can be eaten at any time during the growth cycle. If they were planted too closely and compete for space, pull several out and enjoy a sweet springtime snack. Most carrots mature within 75 days. To harvest, reach down as far as you can. Grab the root, not the leaves, or the greenery may break off while leaving the carrot in the ground. If necessary, dig down with a shovel to loosen the soil. Shake or wash the dirt off. Carrot tops may be composted or fed to livestock.

Unlike store-bought carrots, homegrown roots rarely need peeling. Simply hold beneath running water and scrub with a vegetable brush. If carrots have been grown organically, only the dirt must be removed.

To save carrot seeds, sacrifice the most beautiful and successful roots for the sake of perpetuation. Allow these to remain in the ground through the fall and winter. The next year, the carrot will develop a flower. Allowing the flower to develop creates the seeds in addition to attracting parasitic wasps which battle destructive pests like squash bugs. Let the seed heads fully mature on the plant then carefully clip off. Make sure seeds are completely dry before strong them in a ventilated container such as a paper envelope. Keep seeds in a cool, dark location.

Different colored carrots include white, yellow, orange, red, magenta, purple, and combinations of different colors. Look for them online if only orange varieties are available locally. Growing colored carrots is a fun and satisfying experience.

Do you grow different colored carrots? If so what is your favorite variety? Let us know in the comments below.

A Guide to Different Colored Carrots was originally posted by All About Chickens

[graciedroweuk]

Oslo feels the warm blast of Middle East music for six-day festival

OSLO – Oslo was the area to stay the very first week of Nov, that’s in the event that you were prepared to courageous temperatures falling to -4C using the first snowfall of winter – of course if you’re a of modern world-music.

The Oslo World Music Event recognized its newest hit of celebrations from around the world within the room of six-days with functions from Norway, Spain, Cuba, Iran and also the Middle-East.

The concept of the event that is year’s unacceptable and was censorship a concept within the audio picture, tunes, with rings for example UK and Russiais Vagina Riot. continuing to stroke the institution the wrong manner – and also the usually existing pattern within the audio business of creating a constant flow of tunes championing revolt, disrupting as well as, periodically, terrifying the status quo.

So far as Northern African functions and Middle-Eastern are worried, is a powerful existence this season without any significantly less than eight entertainers in the area. The heavyweights – if you like to contact them that – were Lebanon’s Mashrou Leila and Syria’s Omar Souleyman.

Omar Souleyman enjoying to some sellout audience at Bla (Picture thanks to Bilge Oner)

Leila Middle-East Attention was informed by musician and keyboard person Abou Fakher how thrilled he was in the interest the group got into Oslo, with cards of lead vocalist Hamed Sinno’s experience covered over the town on lampposts.

“I need to state that it is a poster that is stunning and also the art is truly awesome. Because it is Fakher but we see in-real-life.

We’re truly honored, although he continued to express that a little frustrating viewing ourselves whilst the encounters of the event. We’ve never visited Oslo before which yearis concept of’ censorship and unacceptable tunes’ is just a one that was really fascinating also. On which censorship really is it started an amazing debate. It is this type of wide subject and censorship can differ over the range, in the really delicate types towards the specific, chaotic kinds of censorship as well.” 

Oslo obviously comes with a hunger for world-music, having a varied populace including big minorities originating from East Africa and also the Middle-East in a of only 650,000. 

A young child understanding the drums in the Children’s Disciplines Pursuit Center, that was previously a jail (Picture thanks to Lars Opstad)

Amid their effect on energy as well as discussions about unacceptable tunes, the event was accepted by the performers in the event. Tunisian singer songwriter Emel Malhouthi performed concerning the revolution that happened in 2011, which started a ripple-effect over the area whose reverberations continue to be being experienced today.

Tunisian Emel Malhouthi enjoying tunes of revolution and demonstration in the Oslo World Music Event (Picture thanks to Lars Opstad)

In the Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene location, Noura Peppermint Seymani performed her make of conventional Mauritanian folk-music alongside her support group. Regardless of the platforms and chairs along in-front, not many everyone was occupying them as Seymani’s critically acclaimed function from her newest recording, Arbina, got folks swaying and dance.

Performing in Arabic, the expressive variety of Seymani is anything to appreciate. Supported effective reverb of an associated guitar and from the hypnotic play, the performance prompted an encore that is enthusiastic.

Noura Peppermint Seymali performing conventional Saharan requirements at Victoria Nasjonal Jazzscene (Picture thanks to Jonathan Vivaas Kise)

Followers of Omar Souleyman were set for a goody also. Following a several functions including a group of Electro Shaabi Arabic tunes heated up the group, Omar Souleyman created his look. 

Souleyman, who’s from Hasakah, north eastern Syria – but has become located in has acquired an enormous following with american viewers within the last couple of years, with followers believed to include Bjork. Such is his recognition the 250- Bla location needed to turn latecomers, including these about the visitor listing, in the over-subscribed occasion that is. For individuals who managed to get in, Souleyman didn’t fail also it turned out to be a display that is extreme.

Souleyman revved the crowd with Arabic wedding requirements that give themselves to talk audio, which labored extremely well using the Oslo group up.

Despite performing in Kurdish-Arabic within an Iraqi language as well as talking with the Norwegians contained in Arabic, every song’s finish was fulfilled with applause that was large, therefore loud it’d be simple to suppose it had been noticed throughout Norway’s total.

A breakdancing kid in the Barnas Verdensdager, a Children’s Disciplines Pursuit (Picture thanks to Lars Opstad)

For individuals who had retrieved in the night’s celebrations that continued before little hours, a chat adopted a day later with Leila, the primary appeal of this season. 

A subject was Sinno’s overtly homosexual erotic inclination in an area of the planet not too resistant to homosexuality. The team have now been barred from enjoying in Jordan – despite enjoying there four-times – due to tunes and their political values. A crowd Q A group incorporated freedom and subjects on politics.

Direct vocalist of Mashrou Leila, Hamed Sinno at their loaded-out introduction Oslo display (Picture thanks to Bilge Oner)

” if you consider the figures over the panel socially and politically when it comes to folks of ladies, color and people who determine themselves there is an exemption that originates from the federal government when it comes to censorship,” Hamed describes.

Then he talked concerning the display in Jordan’s termination: ” We were planned to perform with a within the location where we’ve performed four-times within an old amphitheatre in the middle of city. A couple of days prior to the display the official bar that stated that people were at possibilities using the customs of the monument was obtained by us. Interesting since how Greco-Roman impressed our recording mythology.”

The group that was Lebanese performed their introduction Oslo display in the 500- Sentrum World. Leila appeared as though they certainly enjoyed themselves and the group between models bantering. They perform the whole of the tracks despite the fact that they talk proficient – nearly indigenous – Language from their period their studies at the National College in Beirut.

The tunes themselves are similar to rings for example Crazy Monsters using Radiohead’s fresh inclination. With ideas to get a next record planned for release year and current sell out exhibits in Berlin and Birmingham, in addition to an effective current US visit, global recognition is at reach. 

Perhaps it’s period the planet appeared towards the Middle-East for inspiring audio, in the place of derision and poor information

To get a period of time today the Beirut and Beyond Festival (BABF) has been associated with the Oslo World Music Event, with cooperation between your two tasks from 2013.

Dabke/Shamstep team 47Soul executing in the Beirut and Beyond Event phase (Picture thanks to Bilge Oner)

There have been originally four people and “The concept for this event were only available in 2011,” Semaani of BABF claims. ” there is no actual system for that audio and deficiencies in framework we desired when it comes to separate audio within the world to display, despite the fact that have been lots of designers and tasks in the area. But nothing was happening when it comes to getting skilled and it more created.” 

BABF advertised a offering globe designers and also the coordinators from Oslo World-Music joined. A was shaped, claims Semaani, having a feasible watch placed on occasions together and to build up a. “I visited Oslo a few weeks later and pitched the concept towards the Norwegian minister of foreign-affairs and briefly afterwards it morphed into what it’s now.”

This season, the BABF phase highlighted Lebanese musician Youmna Saba, Palestinian-Jordanian electro-dabke team 47Soul, and also the Armenian American maker Bei Ru. Syrian rapper Latlateh have been planned to perform, but because of credit problems, the regulators didn’t allow him into Norway, and sometimes even transportation via Portugal, where he was living. He’d, nevertheless, delivered over a movie of many audio videos of his raps having a sincere communication stating he wished, oneday and apologising he couldn’t allow it to be around, people might live without edges in a global.

Eritreans grinning over coffee in the Barnas Verdensdager (Picture thanks to Lars Opstad)

Arabic designers are flourishing underneath the usb of the institution

It’s that Middle-Eastern audio hasn’t experienced greater form if something was learned in the event this season. Previously, the world used-to turn to the West for escapism and motivation.

Although America and Europe weep out for designers who’re politically oriented and challenge the status quo, designers that are Arabic are flourishing underneath the establishment’s usb.

As a result of this a lot produced and of the audio has been created inside the area, fresh audio in Lebanon to dubstep in war-torn, from tunes of revolution in Tunisia Shaabi in Egypt Syria. Perhaps it’s period the planet appeared towards the Middle-East for audio that is inspiring, in the place of derision and information that is negative.

A group of Tunisians in the Barnas Verdensdager, showing Tunisian tradition (Picture thanks to Lars Opstad)

from network 4 http://www.brownandbrownrecording.com/oslo-feels-the-warm-blast-of-middle-east-music-for-six-day-festival/

[elegantfurnitures]

Jamie Young Company Announces 75 new items for Winter 2020

p By Nic Ledoux on 1/10/2020 Pictured from L to R: Constellation Round Chandelier, Artist Table Lamp, Shelby Bench, Landslide Table Lamp, and the Gravity Lantern Chandelier. Jamie Young Company, the Southern California-based provider of lighting, accent furniture, and home accessories, recently announced the introduced of their new collection for January 2020 with 75 items. The design-duo and founders, Jamie Young Jeter and David Jeter of the Jamie Young Company, are influenced by their joint passion to travel and discover the world. In the past year, Jamie and David visited India, Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, and the Philippines in their continuous endeavor to discover the most beautiful ways of creating unique home furnishings. The 2020 product introductions were inspired by cultural traditions and artisanship from the several countries the couple visited throughout Eastern Asia and feature a variety of new finishes and techniques. This introduction contains an assortment of categories welcoming beautiful new shapes, materials, and stains. New table lamps handcrafted from ceramic include finishes of layered colors of reactive glass, antique silver and pewter, and natural hide. The portable lighting collection offers complementing beautiful natural linen shades. As the company continues to amplify their fixture collection, new pieces embrace finishes of natural woven materials and hand finished brass metals, including antique glass chandeliers with additional shapes and sizes. “Our new accessories are all about scale and texture using natural materials in ceramic, glass, marble and wood. All our glass pieces are works of art, individually mouth-blown with thick layers of different shards of colored glass. Our new wood accents are an extension of our popular large Wooden Vases adding new shapes and stained darer finishes.” Jamie Young Co. has also expanded their existing categories by adding new furniture pieces including consoles, bar-carts, and stools for indoor or outdoor enjoyment. Among the furniture collection includes additions to the brand’s incredible metal pieces using a natural acid finish to produce one-of-a-kind items, which were buzzed about during Summer and Fall Markets by top industry trend spotters. Earlier this month, Jamie Young Company released their in-line catalog for 2020, with 350 new pieces highlighting the brand’s broad style capacity. This year, they have added Lifestyle by Jamie Young Company to their main line catalog for all to see. This collection includes product with the same quality and design aesthetic as their main line that is strategically priced for price-sensitive projects. The 2020 catalog will be available for winter market attendees to pick up in the Atlanta and Las Vegas showrooms. A digital catalog is readily available on the Jamie Young website. Customers can also set up an online account through the website to view pricing and place orders, which was launched earlier in 2019. Jamie Young is honored to have the Shelby Bench (20SHEL-BEES), one of the new January 2020 intros, chosen as a Market Snapshot Release by Las Vegas Market for their week 6 review. The gorgeous endpiece has an antique brass metal frame, paired with a luxuriously soft rich chocolate brown hide cushion, and is one of many from the new 75 items that creates an alluring feel for any design space. For designers and buyers that are interested in learning more about the brand’s story and curation, Jamie will be available to meet and chat with at this Winter’s most-anticipated Markets. Find Jamie and her sophisticated line at Dallas Total Home & Gift Market on the 5th Floor of World Trade Center in Showroom 520. At Atlanta Home & Gift Market, the Jamie Young Company showroom can be found in AmericasMart Building 1, on Floor 15, in Suite C1, and at Las Vegas Market in Building C, Floor 4, Showroom 460 of World Market Center. About Jamie Young Company: Design, quality and value is at the heart of every piece that Jamie Young Co. creates. With adherence to old world craftsmanship and artisanal techniques, each piece is a unique work of art that brings warmth and quality into every home environment. Approachable and sophisticated, this line will easily slide into a variety of spaces as it offers a global perspective with influences from Europe, Indonesia, India, South Asia and Jamie’s native coastal California. After 20 years of working, living and traveling together, Jamie Young Jeter and David Jeter are an unstoppable duo as they continue to bring a collaborative approach to the world of design.For more information, visit jamieyoung.com.

[wiccawisdom]

Celebrating the Harvest Sabbats

One of the greatest summer pleasures of my youth was taking a drive with my parents and brother through the August countryside, stopping for fresh produce the farm families sold at the roadside for what seemed like spare change. Produce on the vine in the morning came fresh to the table in the evening. Nothing else tastes quite so sweet as that first taste of the first harvest from the fields of your homeland.

When I first began doing research for the book that would become The Sabbats: A Witch's Approach to Living the Old Ways, I was astounded to discover that both the autumnal equinox as well as what we now call the first of August have been celebrated as festival days of the harvest season across Europe and in North America. Community corn shucking, Harvest Home feasts, and even the American and Canadian Thanksgiving celebrations arose from the Pagan traditions of the harvesting times.

The first cultivation of food plants, or what we think of as farming, came into being about twelve thousand years ago. The ability to grow food products had a dramatic impact on the human way of life. Farming meant clans and tribes could settle in one area, creating communities and commerce. Rather than living a nomadic life of stalking herds of edible animals, people could settle in one place and venture out of their growing communities to forage only when hunting and the gathering of non-farm plants were needed

These settled communities grew fast. Our ancestors discovered that this was an excellent arrangement for raising children, teaching survival skills, sharing work, and—most importantly—sharing food during the long winter months.

On the first or second day of August, Pagans and other rural people celebrate the harvest of the first grains; they have a variety of names for this festival. The most common in the English speaking west are Lammas and Lughnasadh. Lammas literally means "the mass of the loaf [of bread]. Lughnasa(dh) is Irish for the month of August, but many etymologists believe the word originally meant "Lugh's wedding." Lugh was a solar and fire deity, and Lughnasadh linked his Godly attributes to the archetype of mother earth's harvest bounty.

Native Americans in eastern North America celebrated the Festival of the Green Corn as a grain festival in honor of the Corn Grandmother. In ancient Rome, the first harvest was known as Ceresalia, named for grain Goddess Ceres, from whose name the English "cereal" is derived.

Many traditions from ancient celebrations have been preserved. Making small dolls or poppet out of dried grain is a common practice even now in the twenty-first century. These are kept as talismans of the harvest, treated like sacred objects, and then are usually burned when the winter and the risk of starvation has passed.

Mabon is the second harvest festival, and it falls on the Autumnal Equinox. The sabbat is named for Mabon, the Welsh God who symbolized the male fertilizing principle in the Arthurian myths. Some mythologists equate him as the male counterpart to Persephone, while others believe his attachment to the equinox to be a relatively modern addition to the Pagan wheel of the year.

Mabon marks the harvesting of tree and vine fruits—particularly the apple and berries—many of which are sacred to various deities of Western Europe. As with Lammas, communal feasting and offerings of sacrifice to patron deities is a part of the festivities.

For your own harvest rituals, any grains, apples, berries, or other fruit from vines are appropriate both as decorations and offerings, and also for use in communal feasting. Many varieties of grapes are harvested in September, and festivals to honor wine deities (such as Rome's Dionysus) were common autumn celebrations. In China September marked the end of the rice harvest, and in Jewish communities now, as in the past, they celebrate Succoth, a harvest holiday with pagan roots. This is observed by building a temporary outdoor dwelling decorated with fall vegetables and in which all meals are to be eaten for the full eight days of the sacred holiday.

Burial cairns, barrows, catacombs, and other cemeteries were feared by many of our ancestors, seen as places where evil spirits lingered. Approaching such places at Mabon was deemed safe because it was believed that the balance of light and dark would act like an equilateral cross and offer protection from any negative spirits attracted to the graveyards. Fires were lit at the cairns or carried inside hollowed-out native gourds similar to our Jack o' Lanterns.

I have been fortunate to attend many harvest sabbat festivals with Pagan organizations, festivals, within my own coven, and to be a guest at other covens' events. I am always flattered to hear my blueprints for sabbat rituals being used, the ones I wrote for both solitary and coven work in Sabbats. Everyone who has used them has enhanced their ritual by honing them to their own group's needs and tastes. Every ritual has been beautiful and powerful; as Paganism continues to grow and grow up, we realize that the power in words is potent and that the more closely those words can be tied to us, the more beautiful and powerful they become.

One old song, taken from Christian hymnals and often sung in autumn is "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come." The original words, written in the mid-nineteenth century by George J. Elvey, need very little modification to have a profound meaning for Pagan harvest celebrations. Here is my version of an old and cherished hymn that is now always a part of my harvest rites:

Come, into the circle, come, Raise the song of Harvest Home. All is safely gathered in, Let the winter storms begin. Now our Goddess does provide, For our needs to be supplied. Come, into the circle come, Raise the song of Harvest Home.

All the earth is her own field, Fruit unto her praises yield. Wheat and corn together sown, Unto joy or sorrow grown. First the blade and then the ear, Then the full corn does appear, God and Goddess grant that we Whole and pure as grain shall be.

Anyone with access to a Christian hymnal will find lots of powerful expressions of the power of the earth's Gods and Goddess within their pages. You will be surprised by how little change it takes to make the words of the old hymns meaningful for Pagans. After all, when our Christian ancestors sang "Bringing in the Sheave," they were merely following a centuries-old custom created by our common Pagan ancestor, that of singing in the harvest.

Just as Native Americans and British colonists joined together in a feast of thanks to the deities who sustained their lives, we can also share this universal theme of the Harvest Home with others. We are all dependent upon the same food sources, and keeping the rites of sowing and reaping is essential to the survival of all of us.

==========================

By Edain McCoy. (c) Llewellyn Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.

from All Wicca Store Magickal Supplies https://www.allwicca.com/blog/celebrating-harvest-sabbats-wiccan-holidays

[wiccawisdom]

Celebrating the Harvest Sabbats

One of the greatest summer pleasures of my youth was taking a drive with my parents and brother through the August countryside, stopping for fresh produce the farm families sold at the roadside for what seemed like spare change. Produce on the vine in the morning came fresh to the table in the evening. Nothing else tastes quite so sweet as that first taste of the first harvest from the fields of your homeland.

When I first began doing research for the book that would become The Sabbats: A Witch's Approach to Living the Old Ways, I was astounded to discover that both the autumnal equinox as well as what we now call the first of August have been celebrated as festival days of the harvest season across Europe and in North America. Community corn shucking, Harvest Home feasts, and even the American and Canadian Thanksgiving celebrations arose from the Pagan traditions of the harvesting times.

The first cultivation of food plants, or what we think of as farming, came into being about twelve thousand years ago. The ability to grow food products had a dramatic impact on the human way of life. Farming meant clans and tribes could settle in one area, creating communities and commerce. Rather than living a nomadic life of stalking herds of edible animals, people could settle in one place and venture out of their growing communities to forage only when hunting and the gathering of non-farm plants were needed

These settled communities grew fast. Our ancestors discovered that this was an excellent arrangement for raising children, teaching survival skills, sharing work, and—most importantly—sharing food during the long winter months.

On the first or second day of August, Pagans and other rural people celebrate the harvest of the first grains; they have a variety of names for this festival. The most common in the English speaking west are Lammas and Lughnasadh. Lammas literally means "the mass of the loaf [of bread]. Lughnasa(dh) is Irish for the month of August, but many etymologists believe the word originally meant "Lugh's wedding." Lugh was a solar and fire deity, and Lughnasadh linked his Godly attributes to the archetype of mother earth's harvest bounty.

Native Americans in eastern North America celebrated the Festival of the Green Corn as a grain festival in honor of the Corn Grandmother. In ancient Rome, the first harvest was known as Ceresalia, named for grain Goddess Ceres, from whose name the English "cereal" is derived.

Many traditions from ancient celebrations have been preserved. Making small dolls or poppet out of dried grain is a common practice even now in the twenty-first century. These are kept as talismans of the harvest, treated like sacred objects, and then are usually burned when the winter and the risk of starvation has passed.

Mabon is the second harvest festival, and it falls on the Autumnal Equinox. The sabbat is named for Mabon, the Welsh God who symbolized the male fertilizing principle in the Arthurian myths. Some mythologists equate him as the male counterpart to Persephone, while others believe his attachment to the equinox to be a relatively modern addition to the Pagan wheel of the year.

Mabon marks the harvesting of tree and vine fruits—particularly the apple and berries—many of which are sacred to various deities of Western Europe. As with Lammas, communal feasting and offerings of sacrifice to patron deities is a part of the festivities.

For your own harvest rituals, any grains, apples, berries, or other fruit from vines are appropriate both as decorations and offerings, and also for use in communal feasting. Many varieties of grapes are harvested in September, and festivals to honor wine deities (such as Rome's Dionysus) were common autumn celebrations. In China September marked the end of the rice harvest, and in Jewish communities now, as in the past, they celebrate Succoth, a harvest holiday with pagan roots. This is observed by building a temporary outdoor dwelling decorated with fall vegetables and in which all meals are to be eaten for the full eight days of the sacred holiday.

Burial cairns, barrows, catacombs, and other cemeteries were feared by many of our ancestors, seen as places where evil spirits lingered. Approaching such places at Mabon was deemed safe because it was believed that the balance of light and dark would act like an equilateral cross and offer protection from any negative spirits attracted to the graveyards. Fires were lit at the cairns or carried inside hollowed-out native gourds similar to our Jack o' Lanterns.

I have been fortunate to attend many harvest sabbat festivals with Pagan organizations, festivals, within my own coven, and to be a guest at other covens' events. I am always flattered to hear my blueprints for sabbat rituals being used, the ones I wrote for both solitary and coven work in Sabbats. Everyone who has used them has enhanced their ritual by honing them to their own group's needs and tastes. Every ritual has been beautiful and powerful; as Paganism continues to grow and grow up, we realize that the power in words is potent and that the more closely those words can be tied to us, the more beautiful and powerful they become.

One old song, taken from Christian hymnals and often sung in autumn is "Come, Ye Thankful People, Come." The original words, written in the mid-nineteenth century by George J. Elvey, need very little modification to have a profound meaning for Pagan harvest celebrations. Here is my version of an old and cherished hymn that is now always a part of my harvest rites:

Come, into the circle, come, Raise the song of Harvest Home. All is safely gathered in, Let the winter storms begin. Now our Goddess does provide, For our needs to be supplied. Come, into the circle come, Raise the song of Harvest Home.

All the earth is her own field, Fruit unto her praises yield. Wheat and corn together sown, Unto joy or sorrow grown. First the blade and then the ear, Then the full corn does appear, God and Goddess grant that we Whole and pure as grain shall be.

Anyone with access to a Christian hymnal will find lots of powerful expressions of the power of the earth's Gods and Goddess within their pages. You will be surprised by how little change it takes to make the words of the old hymns meaningful for Pagans. After all, when our Christian ancestors sang "Bringing in the Sheave," they were merely following a centuries-old custom created by our common Pagan ancestor, that of singing in the harvest.

Just as Native Americans and British colonists joined together in a feast of thanks to the deities who sustained their lives, we can also share this universal theme of the Harvest Home with others. We are all dependent upon the same food sources, and keeping the rites of sowing and reaping is essential to the survival of all of us.

==========================

By Edain McCoy. (c) Llewellyn Publishing Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.

from All Wicca Store Magickal Supplies http://www.allwicca.com/blog/celebrating-harvest-sabbats-wiccan-holidays