Being a witch is aggressively meditating over your tea to make it make your throat feel better, furiously whispering a few odd words of an incantation while youre trying to go to sleep, spending hours looking in your spice rack for the herb you need, burning things, burning incense, burning your hand by accident Its filling things with positive energy and draining them of the negative, its being the person everyone comes to with their problems because somehow you always know how to fix it Its always smelling earthy and warm from essential oils and herbs, always carrying around rocks Its knowing in your heart that you can change things Its knowing that sometimes its better if you dont Its knowing that you are all you need sometimes, and belief is stronger than any potion Being a witch is not evil or bad or wrong, its soft and beautiful and pure.
When I use a Harry Potter reference in class to help students understand a counseling concept and someone scoffs, I’m like
(from my personal grimoire) this may be a little long, so here we goooo
Tools of the Trade// • Shark Teeth: Location, curses, glamours • Anchovies: beauty • Coral: emotions, healing, vivid dreams • Crab: protection • Fish: protection, fertility • Oyster: fertility, love • Salt; cleansing, dispels evil • Sand: dreams, grounding, cleansing • Sardines: beauty • Seaweed: prosperity, good luck • Sea Horse: luck, love, understanding • Sponge: cleanses negative emotions • Water: dreams, cleansing, healing • Aquariums: ward away bad luck • Hag Stone: see the unseen, protection • Seaglass: change, purification
Water Types and Uses// • Sea Water: cleansing, banishing • Lake Water: secrets, divination • River Water: transformation, change • Storm Water: strength, chaos • Rain Water: creativity, inspiration • Swamp Water: patience, stagnation • Flower Vase Water: nourishing, growth
Seashell Types and Uses// • Abalone: general use • Clam: purification, love • Conch: love • Cone: protection • Cowrie: prosperity • Whelks: positive change • Limpet: courage • Scallop: travel • Sand dollar: good luck
Sea Creatures and what they mean// • Barracuda: go your own way • Bass: balance • Carp: love • Catfish: power of words • Clam: love • Coral: protection • Crab: sensitivity • Crayfish: face your fears • Eel: new journeys • Electric Eel: perception • Goldfish: peace • Jellyfish: cooperation • Moray Eel: observe • Mussel: perseverance • Octopus: intellect • Salmon: persistence • Sea Anemone: new tides • Sea Shell: feminine power • Sea Horse: chivalry • Shark: relentless • Squid: shapeshifting • Starfish: follow your own path • Stingray: stay on target • Beluga Whale: creative spirit • Dolphin: new promise • Humpback Whale: birth • Manatee: trust • Orca: creative depths • Sea Lion: imagination • Seal: dream activity • Walrus: psychic touch • Whale: inspiration
To Make Sea Water// • Sea salt • Sea Shells • Moon Water • Beach Sand
To make Ocean Powder (my take on cascarilla powder) for protection/purification// • Sea Shells • Egg Shells • Sea Salt • White Sand • Grind em up in a mortar and pestle
To make a Sea Witch’s Bath// • Sea Salt • Rosemary • Sea Shells (to set on the edge of tub) • Blue candle (to set on edge of tub)
Crystals good for Sea Witches// • Aquamarine • Blue Lace Agate • Blue Chalcedony • Larimar • Blue Aragonite • Lapis Lazuli • Azurite • Skagway Jasper • Hemimorphite • Canvasite
Plants/herbs good for Sea Witches// • Grapes • Lettuce • Jasmine • Lotus • Kelp • Cucumber • Seaweed • Chamomile • Nightshade • Hemp • Orange • Willow • Lemon • Watercress • Melons • Hops • Pansy • Skullcap • Orris Root
Mermaids// http://soothingvioletlight.tumblr.com/post/124996552227/mermaids
Selkies// http://soothingvioletlight.tumblr.com/post/125175490222/selkies
Kelpies// http://soothingvioletlight.tumblr.com/post/125211823552/kelpies
I love cooking hearty dishes, and warm treats in the Fall and Winter, which is why I also love slow cooker recipes. So here is massive list of recipes that are great for this time of year!
Soups, Stews, and Entrées
Creamy Wild Rice and Turkey Soup
Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Red Lentil, Chickpea, and Tomato Soup with Smoked Paprika
Pasta Fagiola
Meatball Stew
Simplest Chicken and Dumplings
French Onion Soup
Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Cheesy Vegetable Chowder
So Easy Coq au Vin
Sugar-Spiced Pork with Squash and Potatoes
Pasta with Eggplant Sauce
Pesto Chicken Sandwiches
Meatball Sandwiches
Chunky Pot Roast-Portobello Soup
Creamy Tortellini Soup
Chicken Fajitas
Stuffed Green Pepper Soup
Spinach Lasagna
Cabbage Rolls
BBQ Chicken
Pizza Stew and Biscuits
German Potato Soup
Creamed Chicken and Corn Soup
Pot Roast Stew
Stuffed Bell Peppers
Fall Harvest Chowder
Chicken Cacciatore
Beef Tenderloin
Tomato Basil Ravioli Soup
Apple Cider Pork Roast
Goulash
Creamy Italian Chicken and Rice
Apple Sage Pork Tenderloin
Desserts and Sweet Treats
Gingerbread Pudding Cake
Pumpkin Pudding
Chocolate Lava Cake
Rocky Road Cake
Apple Dumplings
Turtle Monkey Bread
Rice Pudding
Almond Bark
Cinnamon Fudge
Pecan Pie Cobbler
Pumpkin Angel Food Cake with Caramel Sauce
Apple and Date Crunch
Tequila Pears
Candied Almonds
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Spiced Applesauce
Beverages
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Chocolate Coffee
Vanilla Crème Brulee Latte
Caramel Apple Spice
Pumpkin Chai Tea
Autumn Brew
Spiced Pomegranate Tea
Hot Mint Malt
Buttered Apple Cider
Snow White Cocoa
Pumpkin Latte
Hot Cranberry Apple Punch
Aztec Hot Chocolate
Bourbon Citrus Sipper
Horchata Latte
Chamomile Toddies
Breakfasts
Spinach and Cheese Frittata
Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal
Hot Cocoa Oatmeal
Cheesy Breakfast Souffle
Breakfast Casserole
German Pancakes
Sausage White Gravy
Cheesy Hash Browns
Cream of Wheat
Egg and Broccoli Casserole
Eggnog Cranberry Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Ham and Egg Casserole
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Pumpkin Bread
Cinnamon Rolls
French Toast
I don’t care what anyone says. I will eat all the pumpkin spice, roll in all the crunchy leaves. I will prance my ass through a forest while drinking a latte wearing big boots and knit sweaters. And you can’t stop me.
Amazing woodcarved spoons by Giles Newman. He resides in northern Wales and makes individually designed and hand crafted green wood spoons carved using only traditional hand tools. Find his work on instagram and etsy.
Teach your children to respect animals and the world around them. Teach them that nature isn't their toy and that their actions have consequences. Teach them compassion for other beings and creatures.
No Bake Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Take Care: Mothers, Daughters, and Inheriting Self-Hatred, Ella Wilson