The Witches’ Compendium: Midsummer By Tenae S. The Witch of Howling Creek
Copyright Information The Witches' Compendium: Midsummer 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
5
Top 10 Decorations for Midsummer
Magick & Witchcraft 8
Midsummer Correspondences
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Midsummer Solitary Ritual
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Strawberry Moon Ritual
11
Spells
Honor & Celebrate 13
Ways to Celebrate
Fete & Feast 15
Midsummer Menu & Recipes
Foreword Midsummer, also known as Litha, is a sweet, relaxed Sabbat with lots of romantic connotations. Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream gives the evening a magickal glow all its own, making us imagine Titania and Oberon around every tree and corner. It is a much more ancient celebration than the 16th century, however, as “Midsummer” is actually the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. Every agricultural society throughout history has marked the day with some kind of celebration, usually involving plenty of food and bonfires, of course. Continue the tradition in the modern world with the ideas between 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.
Bear Grass
Tree Bark
Bear grass is flexible and easily manipulated. Simply gather it in clumps and twist however you like, such as into a summer version of a corn husk doll. It also swirls well in vases and makes a lovely addition to any arrangement.
Fallen tree bark is an excellent natural decoration and also works well for many crafting projects. Work it into frames for special photographs or use it to represent earth on a traditional altar.
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Green Leaves
Wind
Leaves fall from trees all year, not just in autumn. Use the green leaves of summer in garlands, hair wreaths, pressed between pieces of glass or even dipped in paraffin to preserve them.
Although you may not be able to literally decorate with wind, embrace the summer breeze with pinwheels, flags and other outdoor dĂŠcor.
Dandelions Dandelions, and other wildflowers, are perhaps the most important decoration for Midsummer. The haze of summer is perfectly complemented by these sweet little flowers, unobtrusively magickal. Tuck into traditional flower arrangements or simply fill teacups with dandelions for the kitchen table.
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Top Ten Decorations for Midsummer As a Shakespeare lover, I have a certain soft spot for Midsummer, sometimes known as Litha. There’s something romantic about shady evenings in the woods, animal masks and flower garlands. But if you don’t have your own personal fairy glen, here are a few ideas for decorating your home this Midsummer:
String together flowers like mums and roses using a needle and monofilament line and drape over pendant lights and doorways.
Make paper mache animal masks for each member of the family. Thumbtack to sturdy cardboard in plain frames and hang on a wall for a unique focal point.
Place white, yellow, green and blue taper candles in clean, empty wine bottles.
Arrange wildflowers in assorted vintage containers and place in every room of the house.
Construct mini fairy doors and place along baseboards or on book shelves.
Bundle wildflowers together with twine and hang upside down in a kitchen or bathroom space to dry.
Line a low wide bowl with bear grass and float flower blossoms and candles in it for a coffee or dining table centerpiece.
Place votive candles in mason jars fitted with wire hangers for a lovely, firefly-like glow at night.
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Cut butterfly and dragonfly shapes out of construction paper and hang from ceiling fans and in windows. These could also be tucked into flower arrangements or door wreaths.
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Wrap grapevine balls (available at most craft stores) with white twinkle lights. These are especially great because they can be used anywhere: hang them from the ceiling, place in the center of a table or even outside in the garden!
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Magick & Witchcraft
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Midsummer 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:
Blue Green Gold Yellow
Stones:
Lapis lazuli Diamond Emerald Jade
Herbs, Plants & Spices:
Chamomile Wild rose Lilies Lavender Fennel Thyme Wisteria Verbena St. John’s Wort Oak
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Midsummer Solitary Ritual Sit outside in loose, comfortable clothing. Light a white, green, yellow or gold candle. Bless an offering of flowers and cake for the faeries. Meditate on the flame, opening yourself to the friendly brownies and pixies out there and inviting them in. Take a bite of cake and a sip of local wine or iced tea, alternating until gone. Blow out the candle, leaving the offering. Blessed Be.
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Strawberry Moon Ritual Sit skyclad, in view of the full moon if possible. Light a white candle and place it so you can see the flame and the moon without having to look away. Focus on their light, absorbing the energy. Creativity Boost Spell Crush a small handful of freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Anoint the white candle with oil, then rub a small amount of the powder into it, allowing the candle to burn while you work. Then mix the rest of the strawberry powder into a tool of your creative trade. For example, if you wish to get more creative in the kitchen, consider flavoring olive oil with it or if you want to boost your creativity in the art studio, stir it into red paint for use on your next project. Take a bite of a large, fresh strawberry and a sip of tea from a white mug, alternating until gone. Blow out the candle. Blessed Be.
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Spell to Welcome the Faeries Mix 8-10 drops ylang ylang or rosemary essential oil with 1 cup of distilled water and pour into a small spray bottle, labeling with the scent. Spray the mist in areas such as a patio or even around house plants to welcome friendly faeries.
Spell to Blessing Boats Place two sprigs of fresh, organic rosemary and a cup of fresh, rinsed blackberries in a pitcher. Fill the pitcher with cold, clear water and refrigerate for at least three hours. Anoint each side of the boat with a bit of the infused water before a trip, saying a few words. Serve the remaining drinks over ice once the boat is safely on the water.
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Honor & Celebrate
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Ways to Celebrate Honor the aspects of Midsummer, including the longest day of sunshine and the world of the fae, with these simple, easy activities.
Make a faerie door somewhere inside your home or garden. Go on a picnic. Pick fresh fruit and vegetables for a feast. Hold a Midsummer night’s party in the woods or a field. Pick wildflowers. Dress up like a faerie. Make flower crowns. Watch the sunrise and sunset. Make protective charm bags with solstice herbs. Leave offerings such as flowers and food for the faeries. Hold a bonfire. If a bonfire is not possible, place candles in sand in a large tub for much the same effect. Pick strawberries (or other berries) in honor of the Strawberry Moon. Act out scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Go for a walk on the beach.
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Fete & Feast
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A Midsummer Menu Grilled Fish & Chips Grilled Asparagus Herbed Soda Bread Lemon Berry Trifle
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Grilled Fish and Chips Recipe adapted from MyRecipes.com 1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, sliced lengthwise About 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided 2 tablespoons capers, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon zest 1/3 cup mayonnaise 4 striped bass fillets with skin (about 2 lbs. total), halved and skin scored 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley Lemon wedges Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium heat (350째 to 450째; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 5 to 7 seconds). Set a cooling rack over half of cooking grate. In a small bowl, mix potatoes and 1 tbsp. oil. Spread potatoes on rack and grill until browned, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. While potatoes cook, make sauce and cook fish. For sauce, in a small bowl, mix capers, lemon juice, zest, and mayonnaise. Set aside. Rub fish on both sides with remaining 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt. Using a wad of oiled paper towels and tongs, oil clear portion of cooking grate.
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Lay fish on grate and cook, turning once, until grill marks appear and fish is opaque, about 5 minutes total.
Transfer potatoes and fish to a platter. Sprinkle potatoes with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and the parsley. Serve with caper mayonnaise and lemon wedges for fish.
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Grilled Asaparagus Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and peeled, see Cook's Note 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt Preheat a grill. Place asparagus on a plate. Drizzle oil over the asparagus and turn spears until they are coated. Sprinkle with salt and turn again. Grill asparagus for 5 minutes over a hot grill. Each minute or so, roll each spear 1/4 turn. Asparagus should begin to brown in spots (indicating that the natural sugars are caramelizing) but should it not be allowed to char. Dripping oil may cause flare-ups. Keep a glass, or spray bottle of water handy to spritz on coals, if necessary. Remove from grill and serve immediately
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Herbed Soda Bread Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com 3 1/4 cups unbleached flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons freshly chopped herbs, such as rosemary, sage, thyme, chives, and parsley 12 to 14 ounces buttermilk Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, make a well in the center and pour all of the buttermilk in at once. Using 1 hand, stir in a full circle starting in the center of the bowl working towards the outside of the bowl until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, a matter of seconds, turn it out onto a well-floured board. WASH AND DRY YOUR HANDS. Roll dough around gently with floured hands for a second, just enough to tidy it up, flip the dough over. Pat the dough into a round about 1 1/2-inches deep. Sprinkle a little flour onto the center of a baking sheet and place the loaf on top of the flour. Cut a deep cross on it with a sharp knife, prick the four sections to let the fairies out. Let the cuts go over the sides of the bread to make sure of this.
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Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until just cooked. If you are in doubt, tap the bottom of the bread: if it is cooked it will sound hollow. Cool on a wire rack.
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Lemon Berry Trifle Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com 6 large egg yolks 1 cup sugar 4 lemons, zested and juiced 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut in chunks 1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved lengthwise 1 pint fresh blueberries 1 pint fresh blackberries 2 cups sweetened whipped cream 1 prepared lemon pound cake, sliced 1/4 cup Limoncello or Grand Marnier liqueur (optional) Fresh mint leaves, for garnish To make the lemon curd: Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest in a metal or glass heatresistant bowl and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl over the simmering water, without letting the bottom touch, and continue to whisk. Keep working-out that arm and whisk it vigorously for a good 10 minutes, until the curd has doubled in volume and is very thick and yellow. Don't let it boil. Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the butter, a couple of chunks at a time, until melted. Refrigerate until the custard is cold and firm.
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To build the trifle: put the berries in a mixing bowl and toss them together so they are evenly distributed. Fold the whipped cream into the chilled lemon curd to lighten it up into a mousse. Line a glass trifle bowl with pieces of pound cake to fit. Drizzle or brush the cake with the Limoncello, spoon a layer of the lemon curd over the cake, and then a layer of mixed berries. Repeat the layers until the ingredients are used up, the last layer looks best if it's the berries. Chill before serving. Garnish with fresh mint.
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