FRESH AS A DAISY

Merry Meet to All of You!

With summer in full bloom don't all the meadows and gardens look just lovely with all the different flowers shining with colour?

In all this splendour, have you ever spared a thought for the humble Daisy?

The Daisy is as a flower linked to the star sign of Taurus as well as to the planet of Venus and therefore Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

In magick, Daisies are a good-luck charm and are used with spells or in potions to bring purity, innocence and loyal love. You may prepare a balm from Daisies, to anoint the person for which you wish these things.

To prepare a balm of Daisy flowers, simply put fresh, slightly crushed (or dried and powdered) Daisies in a pan, together with Vaseline (or lard/unsalted butter, if you like). Bring to the boil slowly, so the Vaseline has time to melt evenly. Once boiling, stir and take of the heat, sifting out the residue via a tea towel or muslin cloth, giving the leftover residue a good squeeze. Finally leave to cool and bottle the balm.

(Information of planetary and zodiacal correlations taken from:'Herbs in Magic and Alchemy'; C.L. Zalwski; 1990 : http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1853270466?ie=UTF8&tag=therichchal-21&linkCode=xm2&camp=1634&creativeASIN=1853270466 )

As well as for magickal uses, the Daisy can also be a colourful ingredient in your kitchen, as young leaves and flowers can be used in salads (country folk in old Italy and Spain used to eat the roots as well) and the flower petals make lovely decorations for puddings, biscuits and cakes.

So, next time you want to bake for your other half, why not make some muffins decorated with one of the flowers of Venus?

(You find a lovely muffin recipe on: http://theherbalchalice.blogspot.com/2009/05/reciepe-of-week-daisy-muffins.html )

As you take your next walk, why not spare a little thought for the lovely little Daisy, and the innocence, love and good luck it stands for?

Summer Blessings,

Ilona

TIP OF THE WEEK - MAGICK ELDER

Merry Meet to All of You!

Have you been out yet, to start foraging for elder flowers?

Well, you really should this month, because apart from being really tasty in cooking (see Elderflower Champagne blog) they have many health benefits, which I have elaborated over at the Richmond Chalice blog:

http://richmondchalice.blogspot.com/2009/06/tip-of-day-elderflower.html

On top of that, elder is a plant steeped in magic and folklore, and is said to help opening the doors to the Faerie realm, especially on Midsummer's Eve.

If you would like to see the Fairies reveling, it is said you just have to stand under an elder tree at midnight on Midsummer's Eve (with it just being around the corner, test it out if you like). Alternatively, drinking wine made from elderberries is said to be a facilitator to see into the Faerie realm.

Elder also possesses the magickal power to cleanse and purify, so write your worries or annoyances on a piece of paper and bury it under an elder tree. The tree will absorb your worries and cleanse them out.

For all of you eager to get married, English folklore gives us a 'get engaged spell', for which you simply create an infusion of elderflower, add it to wine and beer (after its cooled down) and contrive your chosen spouse to take drink with you out of a shared cup.

Sprinkling elder flower around the corners of your house is also a protective charm.

So, why not go out there and get your dose of this magickal (and tasty!) plant this month?

Summer Blessings,

Ilona

RECIPE OF THE WEEK - ELDERFLOWER CHAMPAGNE

Merry Meet to All of You!

Summer is nearly here, and with the beginning of June start to look out for the white splendour of Elderflower.

Common in country lanes and even around abandoned dwellings, Elderflower are often overlooked as the delicious ingredient for cooking and especially drinking they are!

There are many ways to use Elderflower to create drinks and cordials, I just picked one example, Elderflower Champagne (sorry to everyone getting excited, it's non-alcoholic, the name is in the sparkle).

You'll need:

7 Elderflower heads

5 ltr of water

600g sugar

2 sliced lemons

2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

Bring the water to the boil and add the sugar; stir until dissolved.

Allow to cool, then add the flower heads, sliced lemons and vinegar.

Cover and leave to stand for 24 hours.

Syphon it off and fill into sterilised bottles to let the natural fizz develop.

Recipe taken from: Marian Green 'A Calendar of Festivals' (1991)

It couldn't be easier really, could it?!

For a nice Elderflower sorbet go to: http://www.pshm.org/recipe_elderflower_sorbet.shtml

So, get out there enjoying the glorious weather and get foraging!

Sunny Blessings,

Ilona