Goldentree Wands Newsletter

Issue: 23

Date: August 11, 2007

   
OUR LUGHNASADH ALTAR

MERRY MEET!

         Happy August Everyone!  Glen and I have been super busy since our last newsletter and the gorgeous summer we're having is slipping further and further out of reach.  So far this year we've been able to make it camping for one night and to a couple of beautiful areas of our state.  While the trips out of the house were short, they were wonderful and quite spiritual as well.  Just recently we completed our Goddessfest Festival in which our dear friend Fyrecreek came to participate and share her company.  The three of us had a wonderful time at the festival and hope to see you all again next year.  Mabon is soon approaching and so is the time to start thinking about our Samhain ritual garb and costumes.  Below, you will find an ordering timeline to receive your items before our great Sabbat.  Please remember that these dates are very important if you would like any of our products in your little hands for your Samhain ritual.

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HOLIDAY ORDERING GUIDE:

Please pay special attention to the following timeline.  We are a small two-person business and must follow these dates so that we can ensure that all our customers will get their items by Samhain or Yule.  If you place an order after any of the dates listed below you will not get your item on time.

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NEW CONTEST!

          Congratulations to our Win a Free Chalice contest winner!  Thank you to all who participated in the contest.  There will be 8 contests per year, one for each holiday of the Wiccan calendar.  Our next contest is for a free Athame a $47.75 value!  This contest ends the day after Mabon, September 24.  Don’t pass up your chance to win!  Remember, you must check back at http://.goldentreewands.com/ after September 24, to see if you are our winner and claim your prize.  Go to http://.goldentreewands.com/contest.htm to enter.

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MABON~

Mabon, the Autumn Equinox, celebrated on September 23rd, is a day of harvest and Thanksgiving. Today, we celebrate the balance between light and dark, and the Welsh God, Mabon who symbolizes the male fertility, the counterpart of Persephone. There is a balance of power this day between the God and Goddess as well as good and evil.

Mabon is often referred to as the "Witches Thanksgiving" and should be a day of thankful prayers for the harvest and the passing year. This day is also a time to visit the cemeteries and honor our dead ancestors to invite them to our Samhain ritual on October 31st. The color blue represents the Harvest Lord and green the Harvest Lady. Wear a garland of grape vines on your head, dance, feast and crown a Harvest King and Queen to represent the God and Goddess of the Mabon festival.
To read more and discuss the Mabon Rituals, please visit our forums post: Mabon

During this particular Sabbat, many areas in the US will host a Pagan Pride Day.  Please click here to find out if there is a Pagan Pride Day in your area!

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WOOD-OF-THE-SABBAT:

STONE-OF-THE-SABBAT:

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NEW PRODUCTS:

We are currently in the process of taking new pictures of all of our clothing products.  Keep checking back to see the difference a new camera and beautiful settings can make.  To see a smattering of our new work, please visit our Faerie Wings page.  More to come as we constantly work to improve the look of our website and products.

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HALLOWEEN COSTUME IDEAS!

Please click the pictures below for information and to order that particular product.

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MABON INCENSE:

2 parts Frankincense

1 part Sandalwood

1 part Horehound

1 part Juniper

1 part Pine

1 part Patchouli

A few crushed leaves from an oak tree

Mix all ingredients in your Mortar and Pestle and burn on a charcoal disk to celebrate Mabon.  All above ingredients and charcoal, except pine and oak leaves, can be purchased from Willow's Herb Cellar.  

APPLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH:

By: P. Allen Smith
Number of Servings: 4

2- acorn squash
1 cup- peeled and chopped apples
2 tablespoons- unsalted butter
1/2 cup- finely chopped onions
2 tablespoons- brown sugar
1 tablespoon- Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon- dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon- salt

Start by splitting two acorn squash in half, lengthwise, and remove the seeds and stringy filaments with a spoon. Place the squash in a baking dish and set aside. To make the apple filling, peel and chop the apple. Then melt the butter in a skillet and sauté the onions for about 3 to 4 minutes over a medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar, Balsamic vinegar, dried thyme leaves and salt and continue to sauté for a couple of minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat. Score the squash before filling so they absorb more of the flavor of the stuffing. Spoon the filling into the squash. To help keep the squash moist while it bakes add about a 1/2 inch of water to the bottom of the pan, place the filled squash in the pan and cover it with foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for about an hour, until the squash is tender.

CAPON IN WINE SAUCE:

By: Joanne Asala in Celtic Folklore Cooking

When the Danaans came to Ireland, they brought three great treasures with them.  The first treasure was the Lia Fail, or Stone of Destiny, on which the High Kings stood when they were crowned, and which would roar in confirmation of the rightful monarch.  The second treasure of the Danaans was the invincible sword of Lugh of the Long Arm.  The third treasure was the Cauldron of the Dagda, a vessel with the ability to feed a host of warriors without ever being emptied- a container that would come in handy during the holidays at my house!

1 capon/chicken, cut in pieces

Butter for frying

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 each cinnamon and mace

Pinch of ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Pinch of pepper

2 teaspoons vinegar

1/4 cup soft breadcrumbs

In a large saucepan, brown the capon (chicken) pieces in butter.  Add the broth, wine, and spices.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Take a little of the broth and combine with the breadcrumbs and vinegar to form a paste.  Return this to the post and stir until thickened.  Serve hot with slices of fresh bread.

SERVES: 2-4

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE BAKED ALASKA CAKE:

Prep: 30 min - Bake: 35 min. - Cool: 1 hour - Freeze: 6 hours - 10 servings

1 package Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil's food cake mix

1 1/3 cups water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

4 cups cherry ice cream, slightly softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

3 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease bottom and sides of 2 round pans, 9 x 1 1/2 inches, with shortening.  Make cake mix as directed on package, using water, oil, and 3 eggs.  Pour into pans.

2. Bake 28 to 33 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes.  Run knife around side of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to wire rack, cool completely, about 1 hour.  Reserve1 layer for another use.  Freeze remaining layer about 2 hours or until firm.

3. Cover cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Cut frozen cake layer horizontally to make 2 layers.  Fill layers with 2 cups of the ice cream.  Spread remaining ice cream over top of cake.  Freeze about 4 hours or until firm.

4.  Heat oven to 450 degrees F.  Mix sugar and coca.  Beat 3 egg whites and cream of tartar in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until foamy.  Beat in sugar mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff and glossy.

5.  Spread meringue over top and side of cake, sealing completely.  Bake about 5 minutes or until firm to the touch.  Serve immediately, or return to freezer about 2 hours and serve frozen.

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BRIGHT BLESSINGS!

From Goldentree Wands to you, Happy Mabon!

Bright Blessings, Happy Tidings and May the Goddess Bless you all,

Glen, Willow, Pandora, Bandit, and Ashtoreth Goldentree

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