Thursday, June 4, 2009

Change ~


Progress is impossible without change, and those
who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

--George Bernard Shaw

Do you ever look at yourself in the mirror and acknowledge that a little change might be good in your life? Take the chance. I dare you.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

The Power of Orange!

ORANGE is a stimulating and energizing color. It connects to attraction, stimulation, control, personal strength, authority, and power. Also encouragement, adaptability, luck, and sudden changes.

Aside from the power of the color orange, I LOVE oranges when the weather starts getting hot! So, let's mix a little orange magic in your life with this refreshing recipe! Now you'll need an ice cream maker for this but I plan on investing in one this summer. I want to make an assortment of sorbets throughout the summer!

BLOOD ORANGE SORBET

4 pounds blood oranges or other oranges
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup sugar

Preparation:

Finely grate enough peel from oranges to measure 1 1/2 tablespoons. Combine 1 1/4 cups water, sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoons orange peel in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over high heat until sugar dissolves and syrup boils; remove syrup from heat.

Cut all peel and pith from oranges. Working over bowl to catch juices, cut between membranes to release orange segments. Discard any seeds. Transfer orange mixture to processor; puree until smooth, about 30 seconds. Measure 2 1/3 cups orange puree and mix into orange syrup (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Cover orange mixture; refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 1 day to blend flavors.

Process orange mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container; cover and freeze. (Can be made 2 days-ahead).

Enjoy and bring some positive power into your life!!

Recipe courtesy of Epicurious.com.



Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Cats as Familiars

For thousands of years, cats have been regarded as mysterious creatures with supernatural powers. These beliefs certainly did not disappear during the European witchcraze.

Kim Novak had Piwacket as her familiar in the movie Bell, Book and Candle.


By the mid- to late 1500s, cats had emerged as classic familiars. Since familiars often acted as a cipher for a witch's own anger and desires, the explicit sexual nature of a cat tied in well with the sexual desires of a witch. In 1566, during one of the very first English witch trials, Elizabeth Francis of Hatfield Peverel admitted her grandmother had counselled her to renounce God and His word, and to give of her blood to Satan (as she termed it) which to delivered [to] her in the likeness of a white spotted cat, and taught her to feed tghe said cat with bread and milk, and she did so. Also she taught her to call it by the name of Satan, and to keep it in a basket.

When this mother Eve had given her the cat Satan, then this Elizabeth desired first of the said cat (calling it Satan) that she might be rich, and have goods, and he promised her she should, asking her what she would have, and she said 'Sheep' (for this cat spoke to her, as she confessed, in a strange hollow voice, but such as she understood by use) and this cat forthwith brought sheep into her pasture to the number of 18, black and white, which continued with her a time, but in the end did all wear away, she knew not how.

When she had gotten these sheep, she desired to have one Andrew Byles to her husband, which was a man of some wealth, and the cat did promise thae she should, but he said she must first consent that this Andrew should abuse her, and so she did.

And after, when this Andrew had thus abused her, he would not marry her, wherefore she willed Satan to waste his goods, which he forthwith did, and yet not being contented with this, she willed him to touch his body, which he forthwith did, whereof he died.


That every time he did anything for her, she said that he required a drop of blood, which she gave him by pricking herself, sometime in one place and then in another, and where she pricked hereself there remained a red spot which was still to be seen (Briggs 29-30).

Cats were cherished by the witches who owned them, and anyone who harmed these familiars potentially endangered themselves. In the Lake District in England, there lived a witch whose cat was killed by the innkeeper's dog. The old woman stood by, sad but dry-eyed (witches could not weep) while the innkeeper's servant dug a grave for the animal. The old woman asked the servant, whose name was Willan, to read some verses over the cat from a book she had, a request that sent the man into howls of laughter. He threw the small, furry body into the hole he had dug, reciting in a loud voice a silly, mocking rhyme: 'Ashes to ashes and dust to dust. Here's a hole and go thou must.''Very well,' said the old woman bitterly. 'You will be punished, as you will see.'And Willan was indeed punished. A day later, as he was plowing the innkeeper's field, the plowshare caught in a rock on the ground; the handles flew up into the air and pierced the young man's eyes. He was blinded for life (Lehane 114-115).

Interesting, huh?

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Believe YOU are Valuable

"You are always a valuable, worthwhile human being, not because anybody says so, not because you're successful, not because you make a lot of money, but because you decide to believe it and for no other reason."

Dr. Wayne Dyer (I so admire this man).

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

An Award and Introducing The Artwork of Marzel

I have waited too long to share my award with everyone! I won my first award for The Vintage Sage from Keke over at In My Sepia Studio! Thank you, Keke! Keke is such a charismatic, artistic, inspiring artist! She's a wonderfully positive thinker and I truly admire her. If I need a little inspiration I just go here. :) Thank you for The Sisterhood Award! Yay me! :)

Now, I'd like to pass this onto one special person who is my alter-ego. She is my "darkness" as I am her "light". We are definitely opposites yet we understand each other so well. I also want to introduce you to her to show you her wonderfully amazing "dark" artwork. It's so funny she just completed this piece of art not long after I saw the musical Wicked. Marzel's work is amazing and if you haven't already seen her blog, go here (the Play of Light and Shadow - the site we share)!! This particular piece of artwork is up on eBay right now. :)

Also, she is my personal graphic artist! She has done the header for my blog Chocolate and Marmalade Tea. Someone who can be so opposite me completely understands the "light" of me. Isn't that great? We both can truly appreciate how opposites can benefit each other.
And just remember....there is no light without dark.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Summer Berries!

Tangy, juicy, succulent, refreshing...these beautiful and colorful berries are considered power foods and one of the best things you can eat to stay healthy! Almost any berry, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries are extremely high in disease-fighting antioxidants.

Try this summery and refreshing recipe from Giada DeLaurentis!

Mixed Berries with Limoncello

Ingredients:

4 cups mixed berries (like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries)
2 tablespoons Limoncello
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Toss to combine. Serve in individual serving dishes.

How easy is that!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Magical Writing....If You Believe

Have you ever wished something would come true? Have you ever tried to find a way to get closer to that wish? Well, I have and I believe in it. I have a magical board at home. A magical chalkboard, that is. On this special board I write all my wishes on it as if they had already come true. That's the key. Envision the outcome of your wish. I use this board and I have even used pieces of paper where I wrote something over and over until I filled the piece of paper and carried it with me. It really does work. :) Maybe you should try it and find out?

You must believe....