Celebrating the Spring Equinox

News from the Hearth

I am not sure why but tax season always seems to catch me off guard. It seems no matter how much we prepare ahead of time we never seem to get it right so this time of year I am working my butt off to make extra money to meet that tax shortfall and, inevitably, my immune system collapses and I end up sick and missing work. What was it I said a few issues ago about getting organized? I have decided that more than what you eat or how much you exercise and certainly more than washing your hands, the key to staying stress-free. Whenever I am overworked or stressed out about things I shoulda coulda woulda done I get sick. The rest of the year I am healthy, even during the busy season when I am on the road 12 hours a day and most of my calories come from McD's and Slimfast. If that didn't tarnish someone's impression of this Kitchen Witch I don't know what would...

The point is, staying stress free is all about planning ahead, organizing and knowing that you are in control of your own future. When you get swept up in the undertow of life, sniffles, sore throats and tummy aches are sure to follow. Not to mention heart attacks.

And while this time of year always seems to have me frayed at the ends, it's also full of excitement and the feeling that the worst will soon be over and new fun and exciting things will begin. It's the magic of the equinox!


In the Kitchen

If you're like me, you can't wait for the holidays to roll around so you can use them as an excuse to try out new recipes and feed people. For me, planning and preparing the meal is the best part. This year, I thought I'd share some of my favorite kitchen witch recipe my and activity ideas with you for the Spring Equinox. Whether you are having a whole crew over or just entertaining the family, these are sure to please.

For a tasty brunch try my Springtime Quiche with Beet and Orange Salad and Hot Cross Buns. All of these travel well and are suitable served at room temperature so their great to take with you to someone else's party too. Add cold or hot sliced ham if you're a meat eater and you've got a light but complete meal.


Making Family Traditions

To me, Eostre is all about honoring one of my favorite Goddesses, Eos, Goddess of the Dawn. So I like to begin the festivities with a dawn rite for Eos that, if you can get them up early enough, the kids will enjoy too. Follow that with a egg hunt and that is how fun family traditions are made! I like to fill plastic eggs with such trinkets as money, jewelry, hair ties and barrettes, yoyos, bouncy balls and even some runes to practice a little divination. If your kids have special pets, you can hide catnip balls and dog biscuits in the eggs too!


Once the eggs are all gathered (make sure you count how many you hide so you know when they are all gathered!) your little ones can settle down with Pooka Pages while you get a delicious brunch ready!

Magical Springtime

Springtime is the best time to cast spells for new beginnings; to bring new things into your life that will take time and work to manifest. Remember as you work toward these goals to give thanks for those blessings you've already received and to pat yourself on the back for goals you've already acheived.

The full moon in Virgo occurs at 2:10pm on March 19th (here in Detroit, check http://www.lunarium.co.uk for dates and times specific to your locality) and this is a good time to focus on getting rid of the clutter in your life just in time to begin new projects. Check out http://flylady.net/ for help getting organized and consider building a bonfire in the backyard (or firing up the old BBQ grill) to throw things that symbolize old junk you don't need into. Looking for a new job? Toss in those annoying memos from your current, or past, overbearing boss. A new boyfriend? You knew you were saving every flower the last one gave you for a reason. Into the fire it goes. New car? How about copies of that giant stack of repair receipts from the old one? Out with the old, in with the new. Since the weather's so nice, I'll be dancing around barefoot too!

The equinox, on the 20th is all about balance. The equinox, like the dawn, is an in-between time. Neither summer nor winter, light nor dark, fair nor foul. Since we'll still be under the influence of Libra (the moon enters Libra on Saturday at 4:03pm) at this time and there's plenty of residual full mon energy left over, it is a wonderful time to focus on making sure that everyone involved in a partnership or group is putting their fair share in and getting equal benefit out.