I invite anyone interested in cooking to my " Seasonal Cooking" group.  Feel free to post recipes and  discuss anything relatated to food and seasonal preparation.  I'm having fun with it and I hope you will as well.   Cook, Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!  Blessings.

   I planted a tree this morning.  Her name is Mai. She's a lovely Chinese Pistahce, one that I was told does very well here in the Desert Southwest. She's suppose to have incredible fall foliage. (Of course our fall here isn't until late November, into December.)  She stands in the front yard, veiwable from a big arched window we have.

   I went searching for her a few days after my huge Mesquite tree, which was exactly 20 years old, was blown down by a horrible summer storm. Thankfully it stopped short of crashing into our house.  I cried for days, she was a beautiful. her canopy pretty much streched the length of the front of the house, sheltering us. I miss her so. She was planted by the friend that owned our house before me, on 8/08/88.  She came down 19 years, 364 days from the day she was first panted. It still amazes me. My friend who planted it ,was so shocked and upset.

   We said goodbye, and took her down. We are keeping most of her trunk and branches to dry and use for firewood.

  I decided to go looking for trees, after seeing how stark the front of our yard looked, and went to the nursery.  Mai was the first tree I came to.  No matter what else I looked at I just kept thinking about her, and comming back. So she ended up with me, hehe, I hope she likes it here.

  Tonight we're doing a blessing for her, after the sun goes down.  I'm so happy she picked me!

  All the children have been sleeping and napping the day away....hehe so cute. I had to move Fyvush to mop where he was. I love it when they pass out.  Of course that means tonight they'll be gitn' squirely!  Probabbly jumping on and off the bed and dragging handtowels and paint brushes around the house for us to find in the morning.....OLIVER! LOL  Ah, gotta love cats!

  At the beginning of the harvest season I seem to spend more time in the kitchen cooking the wonderful vegetables I have grown.   The things I cannot grow in Tucson, only 80 miles south and east, my Mother grows in Sierra Vista. The climate there is more temperate and actually runs 7-10 degrees cooler than Tucson. Plus they have wonderful soil to grow things in.  (I had to buy my soil!) 

  My mother is German/Italian and grew up in germany during WW2. Her family is from Altfeld, a small town in southern Germany and were poor working class people.  She is the one who taught me to love gardening and to have a deep respect and admiration for nature. I believe she helped ignite the pagan spark in my soul.  She could by all definitions be a pagan, though she classifies herself as a christian. Her belief system is a bit different than mine, but she steadfastly lives to honor the seasons.  She never made an issue out of my Paganism, or homosexuality. She only loves me for who i am. A good soul by anyones standards.  Part of the reason it is hard for me to leave this desert.

   I honor my mother, by sharing a few seasonal recipies handed down for generations. All of these recipes my gandmother and hers before made.*** I will enter 1 recipe per Blog in the next couple of days. *** Cook and eat well this autumn!

                       ***    KARTOFFEL SUPPE   (Potato Soup)  *a favorite of mine*   ***

                                                          2 tbls. Butter  (can substitute Olive oil if vegan)

                                                          1 lrg. yellow or white onion, diced fine

                                                          3 carrots chopped in small 1/2 inch pieces

                                                          2-3 spears Celery  diced

                                                          Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked  Pepper to taste

                                                          1 square Chicken or Vegetable Bullion, OR 6 C. Chicken or vegetable Stock.

                                                          6 C. Water (if using Stock ommit the water)

                                                          A good handful of chopped Parsely (1/8-1/4 c.)

                                                          5-7 Lrg. Potatoes Chopped and soaked in salt water for 30 min (to get too much starch out)

                                                         4-5 strips chopped cooked Bacon ,or Slices cooked Ham, or whole Kelbasa Sausage (optional)

                                                         Dollups of sour cream  (optional)

        * In a large stock pot, melt and heat Butter and or Olive Oil,  add Onions and saute' until transparent.  Add Carrots and Celery and cook until bright in color.  Add Sea Salt  and Cracked Pepper (to taste).  Melt in Sqaure of Bullion and add Water or just add Stock (sometimes I do half Bullion and Water and half stock).  Bring to a boil and add Parsley and Potatoes. Cook for  5-10 min. Reduce to a medium simmer and add Bacon, ham, or sausage, if desired. Simmer for an additional 20-25 min until Potatoes are done.  Again, Salt and Pepper to taste.  With a potato masher, mash the Potatoes in the soup, giving it a creamy texture. (If using Ham or Kelbasa Sausage remove from pot before mashing, and then replace when done.(***NOTE:  the skins of the Potatoes may be left on or may be peeled, I usually leave them on) (***Note # 2:  1/2 C. Chopped Kale may be added at the point of Meduim simmer, VERY YUMMY) Serve Hot with Crusty bread or fresh made hearty grain bread.  Add a dollup of Sour cream to serve and garnish with parsely. Voila!!!  You just made a country german meal> ENJOY!   ***p.s. this soup is warming  and delicious for Winter as well.

 The first harvest is an especially happy time for me. It marks the beggining of my most favorite of seasons.  Fall. 

    Our garden is going very well here, we've had a good amount of monsoonal moisture this year.  The harvests are comming in from our modest garden.  Tomatoes, peppers, tomatillios, corn, and beets.  My pumkin vines are looking fantastic as well, really taking off! ( I just hope that we get a few to use in cooking and decor. I should be able to harvest them by mid-end Sept). Pumkins are my all-time favorite vegetable to grow.  They just really set the mood for me this time of year.

  Our house is decked out for this Sabbat, as I try and do for every other.  Greens and Golds. Wheat and corn.  Sheaves, and flowers.

It's a time to celebrate Lugh. and all the abundace we have been given, in return for tending our Great Mother.

   Our Traditional meal is:

Homemade Corn soup and Beer bread. Rosemary Roasted Chickien.  Green salad, topped with italian cherry tomato salad. Red wine. Blackberry/peach pie. 

Our Ritual:

  After the celebration/feast, we open a rtiual circle around our fire pit. The Garden ScareCrow from the previous year is burned as the wickerman. (It's made looking very rustic)  Then bless the new ScareCrow to watch over this years crops. (the new Scare crow is made a few days before). Give Blessings  and thanks to Lugh, and to Gaia. The Circle is closed.

  After the ceremony we sit by the fire pit, with cakes and ale. (Blackberry pie and wine)  Possiblly singing songs, druming, and/or reciting seasonal poetry.

 I Love it that Sage (my partner),  has as much reverace for the Sabbats as I do. It just makes it even more meaningful and warm.

 *** Whatever your traditions and cerimonies may be, have a blessed first harvest.  May the light of Lugh fill your hearts! Blessings to all! ***