The Witches’ Compendium: Ostara By Tenae S. The Witch of Howling Creek
Copyright Information The Witches' Compendium: Ostara is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Feel free to share the content in any way you like, just please credit when you do. Disclaimer The author of this e-book has used their best efforts in preparing this e-book. The author makes no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this e-book. The information contained in this e-book is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in this e-book, you are taking full responsibility for your actions.
Tenae S. is a practicing kitchen witch from the West Coast of the United States where she lives on a small farm known as Howling Creek. She enjoys emphasizing her Celtic heritage in her craft and celebrating the Sabbats and Esbats throughout the year. She writes “The Witch of Howling Creek� blog and is the founder and editor of the free emagazine Pagan Living.
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Table of Contents 1
Foreword
Hearth & Home 3
Decorating with Natural Materials
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Top 10 Decorations for Ostara
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Eggshell Fertilizer
Magick & Witchcraft 9
Ostara Correspondences
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Ostara Solitary Ritual
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Wind Moon Ritual
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Spells for the Garden
Honor & Celebrate 14
Ways to Celebrate
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Natural Egg Dyes
Fete & Feast 17
Ostara Menu & Recipes (gathering)
Foreword Of all the Sabbats, Ostara is perhaps one of the most fun. The colors are bright and sweet and always remind me of childhood spring days. This is a holiday filled with sweets, flowering gardens and delicious brunches. There is something sweet and cheerful about Ostara, something that brings us all back to our families and childhoods. We share food, we hide treats, we laugh and we honor spring. This is the time for coming out of our winter caves and into the bright sunshine and blossoming flowers to greet our neighbors and loved ones. So gather your family and friends, set out the marshmallow Peeps and enjoy these first days of the budding spring with the ideas on these pages.
Tenae S., The Witch of Howling Creek
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Hearth & Home
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Decorating with Natural Materials Natural materials are abundant in every part of the year and winter puts all the symbols of Ostara right at your fingertips: flower petals, eggs, feathers, cherry branches and grass. Each offers a unique opportunity for infusing the home with the spring season.
Flower Petals
Eggs
Pressed flowers look lovely under glass, such as on top of a desk or coffee table. Pressed or dried petals are also a great addition to a romantic spring bedroom or scattered inside the fold of a draped sheer curtain.
Perhaps the most recognizable symbol of Ostara, eggs make for excellent decoration in any number of ways. Dye hardboiled eggs with natural food-based colors and set out on the Ostara table. For something more long-lasting, poke a small hole in several eggs to drain out the yolk and white and hand-decorate them with paint or sharpies. Hang from a small ribbon.
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Feathers
Grass
A reference both to the element of air and the presence of songbirds and new chicks at Ostara, feathers are beautiful, light-hearted decoration. Place large feathers such as white peacock in tall clear vases for a statement piece or string small downy feathers onto monofilament line for a pretty, feminine garland.
Although grass may not be the first thing that leaps to mind when one thinks of decorations, a small patch of sod or wheatgrass in a square pot makes for a great, unexpected centerpiece. Consider hiding a few colored eggs between the blades for a touch of whimsy.
Cherry Branches These cheerful pink blossoming branches usher in spring and look stunning in a tall vase or laid flat on an altar or mantelpiece.
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Top Ten Decorations for Ostara When I was a little girl, I can remember waking up on Easter morning every year to find my bedroom door closed (I always slept with it open so this meant there was something up.) There would be a new stuffed animal in front of the door which I would carry as I tiptoed into the hallway where I would find a trail of Hershey’s kisses, chocolate eggs and M’n’Ms leading me throughout the house. Along the way there would be books and at the end, an Easter basket. (Clearly my mom enjoyed planning these little holiday excursions.) There really is a lot of fun to be had with Ostara in the home, garden and candy aisle.
Place colored eggs in unexpected places such as terrariums.
String bunny, egg and chick-shaped cookie cutters on pastel ribbons and hang in windows or from kitchen chandeliers.
Reorganize the furniture in at least one room of the house in terms of the balancing principles of feng shui.
Weave bird’s nests out of pussy willow branches and fill with candy eggs. Use as décor or place settings at a dinner table.
Fill trifle dishes with fresh carrots with leaves attached for a vibrant nod to the Bunny’s favorite snack. These are great as unconventional centerpieces!
Press some of the first spring flowers of the year and place under glass or in a shadowbox to showcase them for many Ostaras to come.
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Set a formal, elegant table for an Ostara meal outside, preferably on grass or under trees, for a beautiful contrast. Use mismatched chairs for a shabby chic look with a pastel tablecloth, alternating pastel cloth napkins and fine silverware.
Spray paint willow branches in various pastel colors like pink, blue and yellow. These are great in tall glass vases on either side of a door or on a table in an entryway.
Eggshells are great for lots of fun crafts. For example, use a toothpick to poke a small hole in eggs, dye in pastel colors and then use to make soy votive candles!
Flowers are a really big part of Ostara. Pick up flowers (whether in the yard or at a florist) and make up several arrangements throughout the season in unique containers such as watering cans and rainboots.
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Leftover Egg Shell Fertilizer We all use up a lot of eggs this time of year. But don’t just throw out all those leftover eggshells! Rather, put them to good use as garden fertilizer, a perfect combination of Ostara symbolism. Rinse and pat dry eggshells and leave on a clean baking sheet in a warm, dry place. Once dry, crush eggshells with a mortar and pestle or with a kitchen mallet and a paper towel. Sprinkle around roses, potted plants and vegetables or mix into soil.
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Magick & Witchcraft
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Ostara Correspondences Every Sabbat has colors, spices and other items associated with it, most of which are based on the natural world and the current season. These items are particularly magickal around the time of the Sabbat and are a great place to start when designing rituals and spells. Colors:
Pink Green Yellow Pale Blue Lavender
Stones:
Amethyst Aquamarine Rose Quartz Moonstone
Herbs, Plants & Spices:
Crocus Daffodil Honeysuckle Iris Jasmine Rose Peony Violet Tulips
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Ostara Solitary Ritual Sit skyclad or loosely clothed. Light a white or pastel candle, in view of the rising sun, if possible. Handwrite a blessing for growth and beginnings, placing it in the bottom of a small pot. Gently scoop fresh soil over the blessing. Press three seeds into the soil and sprinkle with moonwater. Take a bite of a Hot Cross Bun and a sip of tea, alternating until gone. Blow out the candle. Continue to care for the seeds, sprinkling with moonwater each day. Blessed Be.
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Wind Moon Ritual Gather a white or green candle, a pinwheel, a cup of tea, a square of chocolate and sit in view of the full moon, now in its March “Wind� period. Place the pinwheel in a bowl of fresh soil so it stands upright and light the candle. If it is a windy night and you are outside, meditate on the spinning pinwheel. (Otherwise, simply blow into the wheel or set up a small fan nearby to make it spin.) Take a bite of the chocolate and a sip of tea, alternating until gone. Blow out the candle. Blessed Be.
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Spell to Bless a Spring Garden Tie a knot at one end of green, white and brown ribbons and braid them together tightly, tying a second knot at the other end. Tie a third knot in the center, fourth and fifth knots on one side and sixth and seventh knots on the other. Tie the cord onto a 2x4 wooden stake with a blessing written on it and place at the entrance to the garden.
Spell to Bless New Seeds Anoint a white or green candle with olive oil infused with cilantro. Place a packet of seeds in front of you and sprinkle sea salt over it to cleanse the seeds. Carefully open the packet and pour the seeds into a marked plastic bag. Slice open the packet on the sides and bottom. Write a blessing for health, prosperity and abundance on the blank side of the front cover and place inside the bag with the seeds. After the seeds have been planted, use the blessed packet as a marker in the garden.
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Honor & Celebrate
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Ways to Celebrate Honor the aspects of Ostara, including the rebirth of nature and the balance of the equinox, with these simple, easy activities.
Host an egg hunt for children and adults alike. Practice balance with yoga. Yoga not only helps center your mind and body but aids in physical balance as well. Go for a walk and try to name as many of the budding flowers as you can. Put together baskets of candy, books and other items for your kids or neighbors. Visit a petting zoo and pet some bunnies. Pick the first wildflowers of spring for a simple table arrangement. String flowers onto fishing line with a sewing needle and hang in a window as a fresh, spring garland. Make homemade versions of classic spring candies like Peeps and chocolate bunnies. Craft flower fairies out of rounded clothespins, wire and silk flowers. Plant seeds in eggshells to sprout before moving them to the ground. Watch the sunrise on Ostara morning.
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Natural Egg Dyes Lemon juice or White vinegar Lavender – Grape juice Blue – Boiled blueberries (strain the berries out and then chill the water) Pink – Cranberry or Pomegranate juice Brown – Chilled coffee Green – Boiled spinach (strain the spinach out and then chill the water) Yellow – Orange juice 1. Fill plastic cups 2/3 with your chosen dyes, 1/3 with water and add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to each. Stir. 2. Dip in eggs using plastic spoons. Leave eggs in dyes for at least 10 minutes each. Remove and place on a drying rack.
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Fete & Feast
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An Ostara Menu Spinach Frittata Baked Ham Paprika-Dusted Deviled Eggs Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad Hot Cross Buns
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Spinach Frittata Recipe adapted from MyRecipes.com 2 tsps olive oil 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion 2 cups sliced mushrooms 4 cups packed baby spinach leaves 2 large eggs 4 large egg whites 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Cooking spray Preheat oven to 350째. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, 4 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Add spinach; cover and cook 1 minute or just until spinach is wilted. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, egg whites, 1/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper; mix well. Add spinach mixture; mix well. Pour mixture into an 8-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over frittata. Bake 30 minutes or until eggs are set in center and cheese has melted. Cut into wedges.
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Baked Ham 2 cups orange juice ½ cup brown sugar 2 tablespoons brown mustard Orange zest 1 orange, sliced 10-14 lb smoked ham Place ham in a 9x13 inch baking pan and allow to stand two hours before cooking. Arrange orange slices around ham. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together first four ingredients. Pour half of mixture over ham and orange slices. Bake approximately 19 minutes per pound, periodically basting with remaining glaze.
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Paprika-Dusted Deviled Eggs 12 eggs 1 tsp vinegar 4 tsps Dijon or Grey Poupon mustard 1/3 cup mayonnaise Salt and pepper, to taste Paprika, to taste Fill up a large saucepan halfway with water and gently add eggs, being sure they are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Add the vinegar and a little salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 12-15 minutes. Drain hot water and rinse eggs with cold water. Peel the eggshells, being carefully to preserve the egg whites as much as possible. Slice each egg in half, lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a bowl. Add mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix vigorously. Place mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe filling into the remaining egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika.
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Strawberry Rhubarb Fruit Salad 2 cups thinly sliced fresh rhubarb 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries 3 tbsp honey 2 tbsp orange juice ½ tsp ground ginger Bring honey, orange juice and ginger to a simmer in a small saucepan to combine. Pour over sliced fruit and toss to coat evenly. Chill before serving.
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Hot Cross Buns 1 cup warm milk (105°–115°F.) two 1/4-ounce packages (5 teaspoons) active dry yeast 1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 sticks (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk ¾ cup raisins Zest of one orange Zest of one lemon 3 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com and Joy of Cooking In a small bowl stir together milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Let mixture stand 5 minutes, or until foamy. Into a large bowl sift together flour, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Cut butter into bits and with your fingertips or a pastry blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Lightly beat 1 whole egg with egg yolk. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in yeast and egg mixtures, raisins, and zests. Stir mixture until a dough is
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formed. Transfer dough to a floured surface and with floured hands knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Butter 2 large baking sheets. On a floured surface with floured hands knead dough briefly and form into two 12-inch-long logs. Cut each log crosswise into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball and arrange about 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Let buns rise, covered, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. While buns are rising, lightly beat remaining egg with superfine sugar to make an egg glaze. Pastry Dough 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon white sugar 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup shortening 8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
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Thoroughly mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces, then add it and the shortening to the dry mix. Cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or two knives until the largest pieces are pea-sized. Roll the dough out to about a ¼ inch thick rectangle and slice into ¼” x 2” strips. Cross two strips and press together to stick; repeat to make 24 crosses. Generously brush buns with egg glaze, press one cross onto the top of each and brush with glaze again. Bake buns in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer buns to a rack to cool slightly.
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