Brighid Is An Embrace That Ends With The Gifting Of A Sword. She Is The Morning Greeting From The Cat,

Pauline Bonaparte as Venus Victrix, Antonio Canova

Galleria Borghese, Rome

Cedar

Recently I found myself drawn to the magical power of the cedar tree. By recently, I mean for the past 3 years. Something about cedar just spoke to me and I didn't understand why, but I new that it was my protector and mentor.

It wasn't until today that I remembered that I was introduced to the cedar tree in elementary school. Going to a school called Cedarmere, named after the surrounding trees. It was probably the first tree I learned about outside of the pine tree. I remember getting to know the trees and thinking it was so cool how big they were. I can't believe I forgot about these small moments of connection with this tree. It kinda explains this need to reconnect. I'm sure there is more ancestral reasons to love this tree, but today, I will remember our past friendship.

Cedar properties

Protection

Cleansing

Healing

Mind-opening

Communication

It can be used to cleanse your space as well as protect from negative energies. It has a multitude of healing properties for the body. It can help with spiritual healing and will as communication magic. Great plant to get to know.

Cedar magic tea

2 Cedar tips

1 tsp chaga

3 black peppercorns

A sprinkle of Cinnamon

1 orange slice

1 tbsp maple syrup

Steep for 10-15 mins in 1 cup of hot water and enjoy.

If you have any specific questions about cedar feel free to ask. I love you're questions.

Catalpa blossoms falling and floating while a chipmunk poses on the stream bank this morning. Woodpecker hammering a tree somewhere nearby.

This honestly looks like something out of a story book

Orange Chocolate Babka

4 to 5 cups all-purpose or bread flour

1 pkg or 2¼ tsp. instant yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

¼ cup honey or sugar

½ cup safflower, canola, grapeseed or other neutral oil

2 eggs

zest of one orange

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling:

¾ cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

½ cup powdered sugar

⅓ cup cocoa powder

Syrup:

⅓ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (or the juice of one orange plus enough water to make ⅓ cup)

6 Tbsp. sugar

Whisk one cup of the flour with the yeast and stir in the hot water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap or a dish towel and let rise about 45 minutes or until puffy and bubbly.

Directly into the bowl, add the salt, honey (or sugar), oil, eggs, zest and vanilla. Stir with a spatula or spoon until well mixed, then add the remaining four cups of flour. Stir with a spoon until dough forms a sticky mass. Turn dough onto lightly floured work surface and knead for just a few minutes, until dough becomes smooth. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with dish towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, one to two hours or longer depending on the temperature of your kitchen.

Make the filling: Melt butter and chocolate together until smooth — you can do this in the microwave at 30 second intervals or in a saucepan. Stir in powdered sugar and cocoa until smooth.

Punch down dough and divide into two equal parts. Using a rolling pin, roll one half into a rectangle about 10- to 11-inches in width by 14- to 16-inches in length. Spread half of filling over top leaving ½-inch border all the way around. Starting from the short end, roll into a tight coil. To help keep coil bound, I wrap it in parchment paper and transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

If you are not refrigerating rolled dough overnight, transfer loaves to freezer to chill for 15 minutes — this was a Smitten Kitchen tip, which makes cutting and shaping the rolls easier. Meanwhile, coat two 9-by-4-inch loaf pans and one small vessel — I use a mini loaf pan — with butter.

Place logs onto a large cutting board and remove parchment paper. Line each loaf pan with the parchment paper, folding as needed to make it fit the pan. Trim last inch (or less) off each log. Cut the logs in half lengthwise and lay them next to each other cut sides up. Lift one half over the other and twist each around the other — see photos for guidance. Transfer the twist as best as you can into the prepared loaf pan. Repeat with remaining two halves. Nestle trimmed ends into small vessel. Cover pans with plastic wrap and let rise 1 to 1½ hours at room temperature or until dough has risen and is filling the pan.

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove plastic wrap, place loaf pans on a sheet pan and bake on the middle rack of your oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Check the mini pan around 20 minutes — it will be done before the others. If the loaves are browning too quickly, cover them with foil.

While babkas are baking, make syrup: Place orange juice/water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove babkas from oven, brush some of the syrup over the small pan, then pour half of the remaining syrup evenly over each of the loaves. Let loaves cool completely in loaf pan if you are able to refrain, otherwise 15 minutes or so should do it.

Mud Season Witchcraft ❄️☀️

So in my state, before we get “Spring”, we get mud season. This is when all the runoff of the melting snow completely drowns the roadside, resulting in huge puddles of mud everywhere, increased traffic, and many, many wet socks. In honor of this oddly early storm that’s not yet ruined my day, I’ve collected a few things from around tumblr to try to combat what’s about to become a waaaay bigger problem than it needs to be:

Safe Travels Spell from @magickspellrequests

Safe Travels Sigil from @thatgayguywitch

This very simple spell to protect one’s car from @visardistofelphame

Safe Travels emoji spell from @emojispells4u

This general use “Strength” sigil from @teapartyforthewitches, ideally sharpied onto your tires or the body of the car

Additional ideas:

sigils for finding a stable path written onto your tires

sigils for clear sight on (or taped to the corner of) the windshield

tokens of protection in the glove box

a generic ward against harm on the body of your car

spelling your shoes to avoid water, or to dry quickly. Could be sigils, but if you aren’t well versed in those, it could be knot work, enchantment, or your specialty

May the roads be clear and may you spend little time on them!

-Blessings!