Wine is relatively easy to make in today's world, but it hasn't always been so. Sometime in the far distant past, fermentation was a happy seasonal happenstance. The natural yeast on grapes brought about fermentation of the juice into wine and then into vinegar (if it wasn't drank first). This mysterious process, believed to be through divine intervention, was considered a gift from the Gods. Drinking this divinely intoxicating beverage allowed the drinker to take in divine energy. Thus, wine became an integral sacrament in religious rites, and still is today.

​I like the story of the origins of wine told about a King of Persia. He really loved grapes and wanted to eat them all year. His servants carefully stored grapes in jars so the king could eat them any time. One jar had grapes that seeped juice and started to ferment. When opened the odor and appearance of the fermented contents caused the jar to be marked poison. One of the kings wives had chronic nervous headaches and decided to kill herself by drinking the poisoned juice. She fell asleep, but when she woke she felt refreshed and had no headache. She finished off the jar of wine! She evidently had such a good time that the king ordered more of the grape juice “poison” to be made. He declared it to be sacred medicine. As improbable as this story sounds ( I'd have had a hangover, lol), grapes preserved as raisins would make a nice sweet wine.

​At some point in time the wild grape vines were domesticated and planted in vineyards; the grapes were fermented and stored in clay jars, and tree resins were added to prevent the must from turning to vinegar. Archaeologists believe this came about during the Neolithic period around 8500-4000 BC. They have found evidence that resinated wine (wine with wood resin), was being produced during this period (ca 5400-5000 BC) in fairly large amounts at Hajji Firuz Tepe, in the northern mountains of Iran. It was during this period that the growth of agriculture (particularly wheat and barley) and the invention of pottery made permanent settlements possible. These innovations were necessary for a sustainable year round food source and storage. They were also necessary for processing and storing wines. Egyptologists discovered 700 jars of resinated wine in the tomb of Scorpion I, one of the first Egyptian rulers (around 3150 BC). The development of narrow necked jars that could be sealed, were key to the storage and shipping of wine. By 3000 BC, the Nile Delta had transplanted vineyards and developed a thriving wine trade. The jars were inscribed with the year of the pharaoh’s reign, the vineyard location, the vintner’s name and the quality of the wine (good to very very good).

​Autumn Equinox is a time to “Eat, drink, and be merry,” to share and give thanks for the bounty of the harvest. Giving offerings and libations to God and Goddess is a ritual at least as old as agriculture and brewing. Every culture has one or more deities to whom they pay homage for the gift of brewing. One of the oldest is Nin-Kasi of Sumer, She was the brewer for the gods, who taught humans the art of brewing beer as well. Osiris, Egyptian God of the Dead was originally a god of vegetation and fertility. He taught the Egyptian people how to grow wheat and barley and of course the cultivation of grapevines. The main drink of Egyptians and Sumerians was beer which was brewed from bread and malted grain. Tenemet ,the Egyptian Goddess, originally associated with bread making, became Goddess of Beer and aids Osiris in his brewing. More famous for drinking and frivolity is the Greek God, Dionysus.He brings joy and divine ecstasy, and is also a vegetation, and fertility God. He is also known as Bacchus, the Roman God of wine and festivals. So eat, drink, and be merry in honor of the God and Goddess. Share your harvest, bread and wine with them in thanks for their bounty!

Activities you might like to try:

• You might want to try your hand at making wine at this time of year when grapes and berries are plentiful. Apples are also plentiful and the juice can be spiced or fermented for a hard cider.
• Make bread from scratch! You can purchase wheat or barley and grind them into flour yourself. You can find recipes for bread, wine and more on Pinterest; the library is also a great resource.

The Third Week of September is National Indoor Plant Week. Here are some magical plants to have in your home.

Houseplants can be a wonderful way to decorate your home. They add a touch of beauty to a windowsill, countertop, even in a dresser in your bedroom.  

Aloe 

Aloe for example, is a relatively easy plant to take care of, and has some medicinal, as well as magical uses. I know a lot of people who use aloe for sunburn; whether it works or not, should be made on an individual basis.

Aloe is said to protect against evil, and to bring good luck if hung over a doorway. If planted outside of your house, or along your property lines, it is said to keep intruders away.
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In some countries, aloe is used along with other herbs, lodestones, nuts and other ingredients, and woven into wreaths; sometimes even including pictures of Saints. The wreaths are then hung up in the home, bringing protection and encouraging luck.

Rosemary

Rosemary, along with being a great seasoning in stews, soups and potatoes, it also has many magical uses. As an incense, it can eliminate negativity. A sachet under your pillow can aid in a restful sleep by protecting the sleeper, and ward off nightmares. 

It is said that inhaling the sweet aroma, can improve memory and aid in memory retention, because it improves concentration and focus.

Rosemary can also be used in healing spells for health, friendship, and heartbreak. It  protects against hexes and can be used in banishing spells.
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In the bath, rosemary can help purify skin, and a rinse of rosemary tea will leave your hair with a beautiful shine and manageably soft.
Rosemary can be used as a substitute for Frankincense.

Gardenia

Gardenia is a wonderfully aromatic flower that are generally grown outside as a shrub or a tree, but they can also be grown as an indoor plant. They prefer partial shade and the soil should remain moist, as it prefers humidity.

These creamy white flowers are sometimes included in a bouquet for hospital patients, as it aids in healing. 

Dried gardenia leaves can be added to a love incense. 

Gardenia assists in female power, comfort, compassion and harmony, and emotional well-being.
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Some say one of the advantages of gardenia, is to help in spirituality and traveling to the astral realm.

Bamboo

Almost everyone is familiar with the Bamboo plant. Some call it Lucky Bamboo. 

“In the wild, 99 percent of a panda’s diet consists of leaves, stems and shoots of the bamboo plant, while the remainder is made up of flowers, vines, grasses, green corn, honey and small rodents.” (reference.com)

“Bamboo is included in some of the fastest growing plants in the world. Certain species can grow 3 feet in a 24 hour period, at a rate of almost 4cm an hour.” (wikipedia.org)

In magical circles the power of bamboo is for luck, protection and wishes.  

“The Chinese use it as a form of divination. Pieces of the wood are thrown to the worshipper by a priest. According to the way they fall, the omen is interpreted as good or bad.”

Magical uses for bamboo include, carving your wish on a piece of bamboo and burying it in the ground, in a place that will not be disturbed. You could also carve a protective symbol on it and plant it near your house for protection.

Bamboo that is grown near a home gives the occupants good fortune and it can also be hung over a door for luck. 

To break a hex with bamboo, you can carry a piece with you, 
or grind it into a powder to make a bamboo incense and burn.
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The Chinese believe that if you carve a flute from bamboo, it will call good spirits.

Sapphires have been held in high regards since around 800 B.C. by nobility and then by the clergy. Kings and Queens believed that wearing sapphire would protect them from feelings of envy by those they ruled over and protect them from harm, evil, and witchcraft. The blue of the sapphire symbolized Heaven by the church and followers believed the stone attracted heavenly blessings.

Sapphire is thought to bring wisdom and truth, for better perception and understanding to the possessor. It is thought to help find peace of mind and to calm agitated worries; so much so that it was once prescribed to heal mental disorders. Due to the belief of Sapphire bringing clarity of mind, the "Ancient Greeks associated sapphires with Apollo", host of the oracle at Delphi and "during the 11th and 12th centuries, sorcerers honored the sapphire more than any other stone as it enabled them to hear and understand the most obscure oracles. Not only did they help to get in touch with astral and psychic realms, but also they provided protection for those who took those journeys." 

Sapphire
Corundum (mineral name)
Planet: Saturn
Element: Water

It is most commonly known as a blue stone, But it comes in in nearly every color of the rainbow including: pink, purple, orange, yellow, green, colorless, and red (ruby), black.

Properties: Intuition, Meditation, Hope, Creative Expression, Protection

Keep blue sapphires near by to inspire you creatively and to enhance you intuition. Black sapphires are excellent to help you find work and for spiritual protection. Blue Sapphires are most commonly associated with the throat chakra.

​September 6 is National Read A Book Day. There are so many of us who make National Read A Book Day almost everyday, but September 6th seems like a great day to introduce yourself to a new book!

Tea with the Midnight Muse: Invocation as and Inquiries for Awakening Written by Shilo Sophia and published in 2017. Not an exact work of fiction, this book is pieced together from stories, poems, letters, prayers and invocations covering twenty years written to the collective feminine from and by them and the men who love them.

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy) Written by Deborah Harkness and published in 2011. The tale of a scholarly discovery, by a young student and descendant of witches, an alchemical manuscript which brings to the light the dark underside of our world.

Ragnarok Written by A.S. Byatt and published in 2011. A mid-20th century tale of a young girl struggling being disenfranchised during World War Two, who is given a book of Norse legends and how she comes to understand and cope with her environment, as she feels an instant kinship to these Gods, but with a twist that spans five decades.

The Magicians Series Written by Lev Grossman and published in 2009. A hugely popular series of books that inspired the ScyFy channel series tells a similar (but much more fleshed out) story to Harry Potter of a school of magic, this tale however crosses over to include deals with Gods, both good and bad and the heroics and evils of both the light and dark paths of magic.

​The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane​ Written by Katherine Howe and published in 2009. A story of the connection between Salem 1681 and Marblehead, Massachusetts 1991 – and the young lady tied to both.

The Sweep Series Written by Cate Tiernan and published in 2007. “Morgan Rowlands never thought she was anything other than a typical sixteen-year-old girl. But when she meets Cal, a captivatingly handsome coven leader, she makes a discovery that turns her whole world upside down: she is a witch, descended from an ancient and powerful line. And so is Cal. Their connection is immediate and unbreakable; Cal teases out Morgan's power, her love, her magick. But Morgan discovers too soon that her powers are strong, almost too powerful to control. And she begins to suspect that Cal may be keeping secrets from her, secrets that could destroy them both”

Anansi Boys Written by Neal Gaiman and published in 2005. Tied loosely to American Gods, this is another story in the fictional world of Gods alive in America and the story of one man who discovers what it can mean when your father is a God.

Practical Magic Written by Alice Hoffman and published in 2003. The very famous story of the Owens sisters and their eccentric pair of aunts. It is the story their place in a small Massachusetts town where their family have been known as witches for over 200 years. It is a story of being an outsider and how two sisters handle it in very different ways.

Confessions of a Pagan Nun: A Novel Written by Kate Horsley and published in 2001. The story of a young nun who secretly records her pagan upbringing while cloistered in a monastery of Saint Brigit, and how the words and knowledge of her youth may come to save the day.

Witch Hill Written by Marcus Segwick and published in 2001. “The fire was a family tragedy that Jamie can't forget, even in his dreams. Now something terrifying involving a witch and a frightened girl is happening to Jamie in Crownhill, the village where he's been sent to get over his problems”

American Gods Written by Neal Gaiman and published in 2001. The story of the Old Gods of the world as they are now in America; tired, lonely and seeking to be once again worshiped.  The story of what happens, the mischief and misadventure, and what is left behind to be picked up when man moves beyond legends and Gods.

The Witching Hour (The Lives of the Mayfair Witches Series) Written by Anne Rice and published in 1993. From the acclaimed Vampire author is the story of a family of witches given to poetry, incest, murder, and philosophy.

Rhinegold Written by Sephan Grundy and published in 1992. A tale “Set in the sensuous & exuberant world of North European myth & saga, this epic of heroism & betrayal, incest & tragedy breathes life into an age of unequaled grandeur, bringing intimacy & poignancy to the tumult of legend.”

Druids Written by Morgan Llywelyn and published in 1990. “ ‘Mine was the vast dark sky and the spaces between the stars that called out to me; mine was the promise of magic’. So spoke the young Celt Ainvar, centuries before the enchanted age of Arthur and Merlin. An orphan taken in by the chief druid of the Carnutes in Gaul, Ainvar possessed talents that would lead him to master the druid mysteries of thought, healing, magic, and battle— talents that would make him a soul friend to the Prince Vercingetorix.”

​The Firebrand Written by Marion Zimmer Bradley and published originally in 1987. Another retelling of classic fiction by MZB, this is the tale of the Trojan War and the life of those involved in the conflict as told through the eyes of a priestess-princess warrior.  

Jitterbug Perfume Written by Tom Robbins and published in 1984. This is the story of man’s discovery of the Gods (the amazing and quirky Pan for one), reincarnation and our ability to control our own destiny and what is and what will come again all masked behind the great story of the mystery behind an elusive perfume scent. 

The Witches of Eastwick Written by John Updike and published in 1984. The first story of what became The Eastwick Series of novels. Set in Rhode Island at the end of the Vietnam war, it is the tale of what happens; the good, the bad and the scandalous, to three women when the devil comes to town.

Mists of Avalon Written by Marion Zimmer Bradley and published originally in 1984. This is the first book of what has become the Avalon series and tells the story of the Arthurian legend through the eyes of the women who influenced his rise to the throne and the power behind it.

Lammas Night Written by Katherine Kurtz and published in 1983. The story of how England would attempt to stop the secrets of evil witchcraft that Hitler was to use in the World War Two era of the 1940’s. Inspired loosely on the actual workings of Gerald Gardner’s coven.

​The Last Viking Series Written by Poul Anderson and published in 1980. “The saga of Harald Harrede. ‘He was a huge man, fully seven feet tall and no one could stand before him in battle or sport...His manner was often curt and haughty, though he knows how to win to him those whom he liked...and he could never hear enough of far lands’. ‘So wide a world and so short a span to wander it!’ ”

Murder at Witches’ Bluff Written by Silver Ravenwolf and published in 1980. “The story of Murder at Witches' Bluff takes place in Cold Springs, an evil place with an evil history. As with many small towns, the citizens have many skeletons in their closets. As the mystery unfolds, you'll wonder if someone is willing to kill to make sure those secrets are not revealed”

Omega Written by Stewart Farrar and published in 1980. The acclaimed journalist and occult author Stewart Farrar tells the tale of what happens when science, greed, and technology clash with those with a deep seeded respect for the land and are in touch with nature.

The Wicker Man: A Novel Written by Robin Hardy and Anthony Shaffer and published in 1978. The movie came first, but the novelization is great too and does not star Nicholas Cage. This is the tale of how far a coven of hereditary witches will go to remain secluded and bring about the gifts of the God to their ventures. PS: The witches win, always a plus.

Rosemary’s Baby Written by Ira Levin and published in 1967. The tale of a satanic cult who snare and seduce a young woman, who remains reluctant, in order to bring about the birth of the Antichrist in the modern world.

​High Magic’s Aid Written by Gerald Gardner and published in 1949. Now acknowledged as Gardner’s attempt to publicize witchcraft in English isles before the repeal of the witchcraft laws and is a ‘Lord of the Rings’ type story in medieval times where there is a quest to discover the forbidden secrets of the wise.

The Goat-Foot God Written by Dion Fortune and published in 1936. This is the story of crossing centuries and what happens when the God Pan is brought into existence through invocation.

The Sea Priestess Written by Dion Fortune and published in 1935. The story of “Vivien Le Fay Morgan- a practicing initiate of the Hermetic Path. Vivien has the ability to transform herself into magical images, and here she becomes Morgan Le Fay, sea priestess of Atlantis and foster daughter to Merlin! Desperately in love with Vivien, Wilfred Maxwell works by her side at an isolated seaside retreat, investigating these occult mysteries. They soon find themselves inextricably drawn to an ancient cult through which they learn the esoteric significance of the magnetic ebb and flow of the moon-tides”

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun Written by J.R.R. Tolkien. This is a take of two tales of the Poetic Edda as told by acclaimed fantasy author Tolkien recounting the heroic stories and ends to men and women born of Norse legend.

Macbeth Written by Shakespeare and published many centuries ago, 17th century I believe. The story of the man who would be king through murder most foul, temptation of fate or is it his own ambition, and at what cost?

​The Mabinogion Published in 1410, this is a collection of Celtic myths, Arthurian legend and fictional interpretations of British history. The story of the Cauldron of Ceridwen is featured as one of the high points of this collection.

The Prose Edda (Penguin Classic Edition) Written and Translated by Snorri Sturluson and Jesse Byock and published in 2005, original work published 13th century). The collection and source of Nordic tales, poems and stories that tell of heroes, monsters and the land from the beginning of time to the eventual end and rebirth of the world.

The Golden Ass Written by Apuleious and published in 158 (you read that right). The only work of fiction to survive in whole from antiquity, it tells the story of sex and magic and how it can mentally and physically transform and humiliate us.

#ReadABookDay

Updated 11/2017
Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne 
Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old—when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. 

Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan focuses on the Greeks
After getting expelled from yet another school for yet another clash with mythological monsters only he can see, twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is taken to Camp Half-Blood, where he finally learns the truth about his unique abilities: He is a demigod, half human, half immortal. Even more stunning: His father is the Greek god Poseidon, ruler of the sea, making Percy one of the most powerful demigods alive.

Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan is a sequel series to the PJ series which brings the Roman pantheon to the forefront. 
After saving Olympus from the evil Titan lord, Kronos, Percy and friends have rebuilt their beloved Camp Half-Blood, where the next generation of demigods must now prepare for a chilling prophecy of their own: Seven half-bloods shall answer the call, To storm or fire the world must fall. An oath to keep with a final breath, And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan follow the Egyptian deities. 
Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane. One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

The Magnus Chase books by Rick Riordan are Norse. 
Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers.
One day, he's tracked down by an uncle he barely knows—a man his mother claimed was dangerous. Uncle Randolph tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god.
The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
As a professional wizard, Harry Dresden knows firsthand that the “everyday” world is actually full of strange and magical things—and most of them don’t play well with humans. And those that do enjoy playing with humans far too much. He also knows he’s the best at what he does. Technically, he’s the only at what he does. But even though Harry is the only game in town, business—to put it mildly, stinks. 

September, that month that presides over the last delicate days of summer and the first relief of Fall days. It is no surprise that the flowers chosen for this month are dainty and speak of endings and beginnings. 

The aster is a small flower that looks a lot like a daisy. Ancient Greeks made wreathes and placed the flower on the altars of all their Gods as a sacred offering. Asters have also been used to place on the graves of soldiers as a wish that things had turned out differently. They can be used to represent many other things, including: Love, Beginnings, Cleansing and Detoxifying, Connection to the Divine or Cosmic Realm, Doorways and Transitions, Gentleness, Psychic Abilities, and Protection.

​Forget-Me-Nots get their common name from a German folktale about a knight and his lady strolling by the Danube. While walking the lady points out these beautiful flowers by the bank of the river and the knight goes to collect them for her. Sadly, the knight is swept away by the river and as his armor drags him down and away he tosses a collected bouquet to his lady love and calls out, “Forget me not!” As you can imagine with a story like that, the Forget-Me-Not flower is used to represent true love and remembrance. It can also represent staying true through obstacles or through time and distance. Forget-Me-Nots can add clarity and focus to memory and are useful in spells for fidelity.

​The Morning Glory yields beautiful flowers that open to the sun in the morning and then fade and die by the end of the day. Meanwhile the plant is a perennial climbing vine that will aggressively attach itself to anything vertical to continue its growth. These characteristics contribute to a kind of duality of meaning sometimes attributed to the Morning Glory. This is why it can represent love or love in vain. The flowers can help represent awakening to  the magic of life while the seeds can help with relaxation and when placed under a pillow can stop nightmares. Additionally, blue Morning Glories can be planted for peace and happiness. And the tenacity of the plant makes it an excellent candidate to use for success. Its root can be used as a substitute for High John the Conqueror root.

If the first week in August is unusually warm,
the coming Winter will be snowy and long.

For every fog in August,
There will be a snowfall in Winter.