Easter Thoughts, a.k.a. Ramblings

March came in and went out fairly mild in my neck of the woods but others haven't quite been so lucky. I wish them,and all of us Better Days ahead.










Gardens are cleaned; some starting, some ending. Here it is spring and is the time to prepare the path of new beginnings. To fertilize them with our hopes, dreams and intentions. A time to give flight to spirits, hearts and minds.






For others, it is a time to hold close the comforts of home , family and friends . To fortify thier lives with with love and promise of the lights return. To fill thier hearts with what they reap and to hope and dream of they might sow in the new season of growth to come.






But for all, it is a time to make new friends












and to greet and embrace old ones












to let our hearts bloom with love and light










to determine, prepare and take the steps to achieving our goals













to reach out to the light and to each other







to sprout forth on our plotted courses











to brighten






to warm








To be light hearted and gay

Placed on Front door.












Placed on back door . April 1st. ( aka.. April Fool's Day ) Not original maybe, but it got us and others a few laughs which was the whole point right?









to ponder and reflect in order to find the path most direct









to that which makes us happy










and to be filled by that which nourishes us and makes us whole.








So no mater the direction the wheel of your year is turning, may you find in its coming months all that you need, sprinkled with a bit o' what you may want.

Blessings of the light and fertility of life be upon you !
Ma Fey

Before my Corn Mother Dolly returns to the Garden,

I though I would share her with you .

( you can click on the photos for a better look)

She is a corn dolly, aka a representation of the Corn Mother, the Harvest Mother, The Corn Maiden, The Old Woman, The Old Grandmother, The Carline, among other names which the spirit of the corn ( grain or cereal) may be called.




Since coming to our home from the last harvest,
she has supervised many plantings for this spring's garden and on the final day of planting she was returned to the garden to watch the sun set and to be tilled into the first garden furrow of the new planting season.










She was made of corn husks and silk, wheat, dried fairy roses and bits of hydrangea blossoms. Her lovely face was that of an apple plucked strait from the tree, carved and then dried on to a dowel.








and tied with green garden jute at the waist













Later a dried Pink Pearl Apple slice was added because it looked so pretty on her.


Though she returns to her garden home this spring, she will return to our home in August/September when the last grains are harvested. Her face will be a bit different. Her dress and ornamentation will be new . But her spirit will be the same.


till then
here's wishing you a bountiful gardening season .
Ma Fey
and
The Spirit of The Corn Mother Dolly


Don't forget to enter Ma Fey's Groovey Giveaway

A KitchenWitche's Apron- as I know it .

It looked as if it was going to be one of "THOose" days in the kitchen today.

Yup!
I should probably have taken my clue card and left when I set my pot holder on fire.

But did I ?

Ohhh No.

I stayed.

I stayed through spilling the
kosher salt , and dumping my extract.

I stayed through spilling my coffee - the whole fresh hot cup- onto my feet.
( I am OK , it only stung -no burn- lucky I was for sure!)

I stayed through grabbing the cookie sheet from the 400 degree F. oven with my bare fingers.

I stayed through dropping the chef knife
(If it were not for my crocks ( shoes) it would have been a toe for sure)

I stayed through running a fork prong between my wedding ring and my finger.
(again no injury per-say, but yet another close call. )

I stayed through dropping one of my last 3 eggs on the floor- thank goodness I only needed 2.

I stayed through burning one batch of scones and the batch of cookies..
( something I have not done since I first started to bake in my own kitchen ... years ago!!!)

Then I stayed to figure out what was off ... why was I apparently so out of kilter .... what was I doing or not doing differently .. and if it wasn't me .. then what was up in this room?????

Sure most would chalk this up to a "bad day" and walk away.
Not me .
As I see it,
I am as responsible for my good or bad days as any influence/excuse one can think of.

Then it dawned on me....
I didn't have my trusty-rusty black apron on... was that it.. could something so mundane be why I felt so out of sorts in my kitchen??

Well, I had run the gambit of all thing it could have possibly been and wasn't any of those.
So, I put it on and
I stayed in the kitchen ...

You see, I am what some would consider a KitchenWitch.. and many of us you talk to will have something to say about the tools and equipment we use in the kitchen. Among those items many will list the apron (not all, but many of us will).

There are all sorts of neet-o-nifty-diddies out there about the meanings and sentiments of the apron and what it represent concerning our foremothers, and the homes and environments they made for loved ones all the while wearing thier tried-n-true favorite apron .

The apron is most certainly all those things and more.

In the energies the apron raises through our psychological correlations of these types of memories, we connect with our foremothers. And through them, we can connect to any or all aspect of the Goddess.
Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

Beyond it's obvious uses , the apron could be considered a wonderful teaching tool when teaching someone how to protect themselves. For some, trying to carry the image of "protective armor" is literally more than they can bare at the beginning point in there self empowerment and sense of a form of self protection.
Using a light weight apron, teach the younger to envision the prettiest lights in all colors and any pattern that connects these colors, that they can imagine. Tell them it can even be random splatters of color, but that the colors must connect. Instruct them that this protection of light can be put on as one would put on a light weight, well fitting apron, but that unlike the apron which only covers a part of them, the light they are putting on covers them like a suit they can not feel, and when they tie up or button up the back , they are wrapping themselves in feather weight light to protect them in the kitchen (or whenever they feel they need it . )

You might even make an apron in a solid color of their choice, then let them decorate it however they wish to help them visualize and sense the connection of the self empowerment and self protection .

The apron carries in it's pockets inspiration disguised as recipes and seasonings and those little utensils you have no place else to put at the moment and some times hidden treasures like sweets and all sorts of stuffs.

Well, true or not about my favorite aprons protective powers ( my beliefs are mine), all the shenanigans in my kitchen stopped after I put it on.

Lets just say there was enough proof in the pudding for me about my connection to wearing my apron when I am in the kitchen!

Light and Blessings and in hopes of a better day tomorrow for all !
Ma Fey

Winters Last Pass

The Sun is shining

The Greenery is poppen'

The Spiders are Hoppen'


The Silver-Thyme is all pink and rosy.


But there is still time to be all warm and cozy .


Time for a moment to slip back to the past

maybe to a time when, as children, we always had a blast!


So, before we spring forward,

Lets all take that one more moment
while winter prepares
for it's last pass.

Not a poet, and i know it, but it's , as always, from the heart.
May the final days of winter find you all safe and warm.
Brightest of Blessings!
Ma Fey

Learning something new and My New Blog Button

I love the challenge of learning something new don't you? I don't think the complications or the simplicities of the task matter to me as much as being able to achieve the intended out come. Some times I am a little slow on the info uptake as I have said before, but once I have hit my head against the proverbial brick wall enough that those lost tidbits get shook back in place and I begin to "get it" I either feel really proud of my self or really stupid I didn't get it before that. Either way doesn't affect my need for self challenge. Keeps my mind, sprit and sole young and bright and alert:P

so for the last 2 days I have been readying an researching how to make a blog button ..hopefully with code for others to grab.. well see what we get...

First I used my favorite photo editing program to edit and add elements to a photo of one of my recent apron creations and saved it on my hard drive.

Next I am posting about it here so that I can obtain a URL for the photo . .. (looking at the photo now I wonder if I shouldn't go back and play with the fonts on the photo to make them a bit larger ...hmm.. well this is the learning phase I can go back and correct my photo when I see what I have before I tell any one to grab it and if this is going to work.

ok so I need two urls the one I want this photo to link to and the one where this photo is located.... guess I can't get one of them till I publish this photo

so bare with me I will up date this if it works or at least with my efforts

Fingers crossed ........
1st try
OK so that is REALLY big.. i need to re size that photo ... brb

second try
Ok that's a little smaller but no html code for others to greab.. hummm
ok off to do more research ..

third try
OK i think the size might be ok.. now where is the code.. geeerrrrrr.
Be back in a bit to fix this
i hope

YESSS!!! YESS!!! YESSSSS!!! HAppy Dance! Happy Dance ! Happy Dance!
( singing to the tune of na-na-na-na-na)
I have a blog Button
with HTML code
you can grab now
if you want it.
I can Share Blog buttons..

For those who figured this out before me this may not seam like such a big deal..
But to me it is because while my hubby is a computer tech ( makes his living at it) I am computer stupid .. so this is a really big deal for me .. I am OH SO HAPPY.. I can't wait to show him what I just did..

( Ok guess I need to cut the pain meds back Just a bit..LOL )

Now i just have to figure out exactly how i did it so i can do it again..:P


Happy Happy Blessings every one!
Ma Fey

Warm Wishes

God and Goddess
I call you near
I pray my words you'll hear.














keep us one
and hold us all
safe from harm
on this ol' cold night.








let each who seeks it
safe shelter find
to each who needs it
food provide
for each who wants
let 'em find
warm safe bed
to rest a wherry head







fires light
keep evil away
protect and bless us all
in dark of night
and by light of day











and it harm none
including me

for friend and loved one
and stranger too
as I will it
I pray it be.





Blessings
Ma Fey
not a poet and I know it, but it's from my heart )0(

Friends , Family, and the Crocheted Tea Towel

Crocheted tea towels have long been a passion of mine.
I can remember being fascinated by them as a child. I remember My Mother, Grandmother and an Aunt or 3 sitting around whipping them up! Seams to me it got started as a way to refurbish a kitchen towel that was bad on one end .. but if it was to be a gift it was definitely made from a new piece of cloth/dish/kitchen towel.
Now, I don't know who invented the idea, nore how long this practice has been around, but I would sure like to Thank whom ever came up with this and passed it along . They are handy and fascinatingly beautiful and handy .. oh i said that already hu??
But would you believe that until last week when i was still stuck in bed but getting better, i had never made one? Yup! That's right. I had not even attempted one, those who know me and know I have, with out patterns, crocheted blankest and knitted hats and scarves and embroidered all sorts of bits would probably find that a bit shocking. But it's true.
One year for Christmas I had planed to learn . I got the towels and the yarn and spent time collecting up nice antique/vintage buttons and then i chickened out.. My Best friend , whom for the purpose of this post I shall name Mrs.J-Bean, bailed my butt out that year and made up probably 46 of the coveted tea towel . Gods Bless her, please! I sowed the buttons on and wrapped them and tried to let every one know i had not done them . that she , my best friend Mrs J-Bean had saved me!
But last week I got bold . I refused to let a silly little dish towel, a couple of crochet hooks and some yarn intimidate me no further ! I was determined to break through that mystical wall surrounding the secrets of the crochet tea towel .. little did i know , it had a journey on many levels in store for me.
I purchased 1 kitchen towel from walmart for a dollar , used some beautiful yarn I had hear that went with it well. Next I got out my Gramas "Little pointy" hook and and another which my most comfortable sized hook for my hand , my pinking shears, my box of buttons and a needle and thread.
Standing over the towel , I took a deep breath and cut it as exactly in half as I could . ( it was probably a good thing I couldn't get hold of Mrs.J-Bean at that moment, because I probably still would not be able to say I had made one.. Well I made my first, and when I finaly got hold of Mrs. J-Bean , the poor woman got bombarded with the hyper "look what i did !what did i do wrong? OMGoodness this was a Blast!", hyperness that comes with achievement. ( When I ask the Gods to please Bless Mrs J-Bean , I mean it. She really is a great and patient friend.)

Here is how that first one turned out ...

It was given to My friend Mrs J-Bean , who graciously accepted it when I saw her the other night, complete with the task of sowing on the button I hadn't gotten sown on before I seen her.. ( Man with a scatter brained friend like me ... ;p ) I kept the matching one ( which still doesn't have it's button on it yet) so we had "coffee buddy towels" .

Well, it's didn't stop there. Now i wonder if my "fear" of crocheting the tea towel was more a matter of um... reluctance to face the reality... for I am now forever hooked on crocheting tea towels now. I no long must scout them out at fairs and festivals! HA! I can do them myself now... HA HA! ... But that doesn't mean I would not love a set if given to me either! Like I said ,I have a passion for them.
So last night , at the beginning of the 1st snow storm of February ,


I convinced my Sweet Hubby to take me to the local dollar store in town ..... I can honestly remember the DIME store with the lunch counters ( though not much was a dime any more- it was $0.50 and up).... any way .. Bless his heart he took me and didn't complain once about having to get out in this mess!






It was so much fun! Honestly! I love the snow. I use to go for long walks in the snow as it was falling.

But a ride in the snow is just as beautiful in many ways.










I must confess though, that no matter how beautiful the scenery was, My mind was on one thing.... I wanted a tea towel with a roster on it.. one that would complement the new apron I am working on .. and the new country kitchen I am planning . I could only hope that would find one to day.




And as you can see, I Did!! WOOWHO!

Isn't he handsome..

ok maybe not the best rooster tea towel out there,


But he was all they had


and he is mine now! (insert Witches Cackle here) I also got a few other tea towels, lets put it this way, they were $1.00 each and I spent $10.00 and change ( taxes ya know)


When I got him home I looked him over really good with my glasses on. then I went diggin in the yarn box... I found a plastic carry tote that belonged to my Grama Grace that had some yarn in it . The beginnings of the blanket in the bag, reminded me of watching her crochet and knit for hours. The look of concentration she would always get and the way she would shake her foot to the rhythm of the stitches she would make.. I discovered a treasure in with the yarn , the crochet hook she was using.. it fit nicely in my hand so I chose to use it too.

As you can see the colors of Grama's ( now vintage) yarn really set the colors of the rooster off well .

Using her yarn and her crochet hook helped me bring up memories of her and my Mom trying to teach me to hold the hook and count and add rows and subtract rows and,

I felt her and her love for me . Sounds strange to you maybe .. but I did.

I like when I can blend something old with something new to make something useful again.

Each time I use these hand towels , I hope they will inspire me to share my love with those around me even when my patients might seam a little taxed with the task at hand , like My Grama and Mom and all my friends and family share thier love with me.




Bright Blessings
Ma Fey

Farm Girl Cat's New Giveaway and an old poem

YES!! Cathie has posted her Newest Giveaway !
click the picture or the line below to go over and enter for your chance to win this Beautiful creation !
Farm Girl Cat: New Giveaway, Recycled Leather Bracelet


Cathy's lovely bracelet reminds me of a poem I learned in my early child hood .. So I want to share it with you


Dreams
by Langston Hues
(aka: James Mercer Langston Hughes)

Hold fast to dreams
for if dreams die
Life is a broken winged bird that can not fly.

Hold fast to dreams
for if dreams go
Life is a barren field covered in snow.

James Mercer Langston Hughes
February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes

Ma Fey's Black Bean Chipotle with Adobo salsa style dip

Ma Fey's
Black Bean Chipotle Adobo salsa style dip

I am not sure if this classifies as a salsa because of the beans. I really don't know much about such things , i just go with what feels/tastes right when I cook. Now I am the first to admit my style is by no means original and that my so called ideas are influenced by a multitude of sources. I heard or read some place, the comment " I read cook books like most read novels" and thought to my self, yea me too. I also LOve shows like Alton Brown, and Chopped and well, anything food related honestly. And I am a bit adventurous ( Bless the tummies of my sometimes unfortunate family!).
So,
Last time my Daughter was home , she made up a goody with black beans she told me was called "Texas Hash". Oh man I just couldn't get enough of it! She has told me a couple times what was in it and I am so scatter brained any more that if I don't have it written down, I find my self staring up at shelves of stuffs, wondering what it was I wanted to remember to buy this time .AUGH!

My Husband wanted salsa on his scrambled eggs last night which really sounded good to me too and then I remembered my daughter's Texas Hash and wished I had some of that to put on my egg. . Then I remembered I had bought a can of black beans, and I had also bought some Chipotle Peppers in Adobo. So here is what I came up with . ( inspired by My Daughter and her black bean goody) . ( now I think the only commonality between the 2 dishes is black beans and tomatoes. I don't know yet how my mind makes these conections but , hey, how ever it works right?).


1 - 28oz can large diced tomatoes ( drain and reserve liquid)

1- 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies ( drain into same bowl as tomatoes were and reserves liquid still )
1- 10 oz can diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro ( drain into same bowl as tomatoes were and reserves liquid still )
1 roughly chopped sweet red bell pepper
3 to 5 chipotle peppers and
about 1/2 to 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of the Adobo sauce the Chipotle peppers are caned in.
1 small-medium sided yellow sweet onion
2 small clove of garlic minced well ( not the whole bulb just 2 smaller pieces),
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground cumin ( or store bought ground cumin)
1/4 teaspoon ground Ancho chiles
1/8 teaspoon smoked, ground Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon bottled Real Key Lime juice.
pinch of Kosher salt

1 15 ounce can of small black beans drained (don't reserve the bean liquid) and thoroughly rinsed.

Strain the tomatoes into a bowl then add them to the food processor or blender with a chop/pulse setting (keep the liquid to add back to the salsa).
Add everything else Except the black beans to the food processor/ blender .
Pulse to desired consistency ( not to fine, this is meant to be a chunky style salsa).
Next add in the drained and well rinsed black beans. add about 1/3 of the tomato liquid and stir well. if to dry add a bit more till the salsa is of your desired consistence. Taste with corn salsa chip and adjust spices and sugars to taste. ( We like this one on the "high heat" side.)
I served it this way

1 peace of lightly toasted bread topped with

Egg scrambled with fresh diced tomatoes and green peppers , chives and green union , ( I make my scrambled eggs with sour cream and cream) then i sprinkled the eggs with some real bits of bacon and some instant mashed potato flakes ( it's a flavor thing honest) and finished them off with a sprinkle of ground gray salt , fresh ground cubeb pepper flakes and broken up slices of American yellow cheese. this layer was topped with

the Black Bean Chipotle salsa style dip which was then topped with
crushed corn salsa chips which was then topped with
Sour Cream

Not very healthy but oh MAAAAAAANNNNN that was awesome.... My Husband Hummed .. which is a very good indication of flavor.

Definitely adding this one to my comfort food list !

Ma Fey

confessions of a garden catalog addict: The Perfect Union

O.k., I admit it .
I am a garden catalog junkie .
I have some hidden among every book case in the house.
There a a few nice old ones in the closet up stairs.
And down.
There are some stashed in the bath among the candles and towels
Others in plain sight.
There is even one tucked in the corner behind the couch ,over by the night light.

O.k., that might be a "bit" of an exaggeration . But I do have a fairly good collection of past years catalogs that I have kept for various reasons.

I also have a thing for the old catalogs, periodicals, books, prints, and photos of the old hand drawn illustrations of garden flowers and veggies.

Well the other day imagine my jubilation when I received this catalog !

I suddenly found the atmosphere a little warm.
(at first i though it a hot flash.)
But then my mouth got a little dry.
My heart began to beat a little faster .
Some thing seamed to take the breath from my very chest.
The butterflies inside me began to take flight.
I was all a flutter with anticipation of the time I would spend gazing upon it's beauty.
( or my hat and corset are a bit to tight again)
any way..
I read the cover.
2010 R. H. Shumway's Illustrated Garden Guide

Then I took in the lovely nostalgic art on the cover; both front and back.
I was taken in by its wonderful large size.

Quickly my fingers reach for the edges and flipped through to see what lay in store .
Llike a soft voice whispering gentle, loving things, it spoke to me and made my heart skip a beat when it revealed its self to me.


Old looking black and white drawings of flowers, vegetables and all sorts of garden goodies!

And what's this ?
It's prices and shipping are fair, too?!

My knees feltl week.
"Oh be still
my beating heart." I say to myself with a soft hushed gasp.

"I think I have Finally found you.
The one ."


I knew in that instant I could no longer resist it's charms .
I fell ... hard.

I know it may only be a fleeting fancy.
That any future you and I may have, you delightfully art filled seed catalog,
can only depend on how you make my garden grow.

But for now,
I will place an order with you .
So till then,
let us enjoy this illustrated illusion of a most perfect union.

For better or for worse,
May art and seed inspire you too!

Ma Fey

I am reminded, and I give thanks

so I finally downloaded all 120 picks off my cell phone today and i had forgotten all about these .. we were at the local farm supply store last spring and they had so many "cute little fuzzies". I just wanted to scoop them all up and take them home in my pocket, but I couldn't figure out how to explain the sudden need for a chicken coup and duck pond to my husband ...so, I just took picks home with me to remember them chicks by.




It was a small blessing actually to find these today. With all the death going on in the world, I was starting to just feel a bit dismal about everything.












Then I found these forgotten photos and it reminded me that with death comes rebirth .
And even though, right now, we may not be able to see our way through the brush and brambles before us , a hand will come to us and it will guide us through.









It was a much needed bright spot and a warm welcoming reminder of all things greater than myself .














You know the old saying of not being able to see the forest for the trees ? I had been feeling like that. Like no matter how hard or not I looked I just couldn't see what I thought I needed to see.









But, I am reminded that , when the time comes, I will see clearly all that I need to .














I still must take some time to ponder my course and I will have to do my part to clear my path just like every one else must do from time to time.











But isn't it wonderful to know , that we are not alone when we must face lifes unknown?

Today I give thanks for All I love and all that loves me .
and it harm none
including me
Blessed Be
Ma Fay