August 2012

[Blessed_Scribe]

Blessed_Scribe

Abilities, Advanced Practitioners, Astral Projection, Author of the Month, Beginner's Section, Book Review, Comics, Crystals and Gemstones, Current Affairs, Elements, Gods and Goddesses, Kitchen Witches, Meditation, Mythical Creatures, Mythology, Pagan Art, Pagan Humor, Spells.

If you're interested, please head on over to this thread to pick up the application. Once you've filled it out, please send it to Blessed_Scribe.

It's a paying job (Gaia gold only), so it's well worth it! biggrin

Blessed Scribe

If you've enjoyed this issue of the newsletter, or have any suggestions, please feel free to post some feedback!

Table of Contents

- Introduction
- Guild Happenings
- Member's Section
- Classified Ads
- Astrology
- Herb Garden
- Kitchen Witches  

[Blessed_Scribe]

- We celebrated Litha/Yule!

- We're currently celebrating Lammas/Imbolc!  

[Blessed_Scribe]

Please welcome our new members!

Alice WR Ashdown, Marie Temano, Mothette x, They Are In My Head

Please wish these members a happy birthday for the months of August and September!

August 9th - - anime_wiccan_chick
August 19th - - Bayleigh of the Dark Moon
August 29th - - Satans Sweetest Angel

September 1st - - PitifulSoulLostInDarkness
September 3rd - - Hesperia the Goddess
September 4th - - Uisce a
September 12th - - Mystic White Raven
September 14th - - IileyahWithTheStars and The Deadliest Grace
September 17th - - The_Count_of_Capieville

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Member's Art

If you'd like to have your art featured here, just PM Blessed_Scribe. You'll get gold for anything that you submit.
(Art is defined as poetry, short stories, excerpts from a novel, photography, sculptures, graphic design, painting, drawings, collages, etc).  

[Blessed_Scribe]

This is the spot where you can advertise just about anything you want.

Want to advertise your quest? Do you want to advertise something you're trying to sell? Or maybe you're looking for a mentor.

Whatever it may be, this is the place to do it!

It's completely free. All you have to do is send a PM to me, Blessed_Scribe, with your ad and which months issue you'd like it to be in. It can be as many months as you'd like, not just one.

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Blessed_Scribe

Abilities, Advanced Practitioners, Astral Projection, Author of the Month, Beginner's Section, Book Review, Comics, Crystals and Gemstones, Current Affairs, Elements, Gods and Goddesses, Kitchen Witches, Meditation, Mythical Creatures, Mythology, Pagan Art, Pagan Humor, Spells

If you're interested, please head on over to this thread to pick up the application. Once you've filled it out, please send it to Blessed_Scribe.

It's a paying job (Gaia gold only), so it's well worth it! biggrin

Blessed Scribe

If you've enjoyed this issue of the newsletter, or have any suggestions, please feel free to post some feedback!

 

[Blessed_Scribe]

Astrology - Leo
Written by KayaTesagi

Constellations have been seen in the nighttime sky for centuries. Their patterns are depicted as pictures of people, animals, and other things that the viewers see on a normal basis. After a while humans began to believe that constellations were a way to honor fallen heroes or to tell a story. The constellation of the Leo is a lion that was killed during Hercules 12 labors, thus becoming a star formation due to being a part of the hero's story.

The Leo, the lion, is a powerful creature, with its natural born leadership and bravery, this could have also led to it becoming a constellation. Those that are born during the time that the Leo is in orbit to the Earth are granted the same qualities as the Leo, their astrology sign.

Sources:

Leo (Constellation)
Leo (Astrology)  

[Blessed_Scribe]

Herb Garden- Acacia (Acacia Sengal)
Written by Materu Shioni

Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Air
Associated Deities: Adonis, Apollo, Astarte, Diana, Ishtar, Osiris, Ra, Vishmu
Magickal Uses: Meditation, Relaxation, Protection, Psychic Powers

Common Names: Cape gum; Egyptian thorn; gum arabic tree
Medicinal Part: *Gum
Description: Acacia is a small, spiny, *leguminous shrub or tree which grows in sandy soil, mostly in tropical Africa. After the rainy season ends, the stem begins to excrete gum, which is collected from December to June for marketing as gum arabic. The acacia has alternate, bipinnate leaves and branching stalks of yellow flowers arranged in sphere-shaped heads. The fruit is an *oblong pod.
Properties and Uses: *Demulcent. Gum arabic’s main effect is to form a protective, soothing coating over inflammations in the respiratory, *alimentary, and urinary tracts. Mixing with various *astringents, it is helpful for coughs, sore throat, and *catarrh, as well as in cases of diarrhea and *dysentery. The sweetened *mucilage has sometimes been used to treat the early stages of typhoid fever. The mucilage also makes a good vehicle for other medicines, in addition to having nutritional value in its own right.
Preparation and Dosage: Gum arabic is usually dissolved in water to make mucilage.
Mucilage: A dose is from 1 to 4 tsp.
Syrup: Mix 1 part mucilage with 3 parts of syrup. A dose is from 1 to 4 tsp.

Glossary:
gum: sap
leguminous: in relation to the pea family - the seeds are in pods
oblong: flat; rectangular or oval in shape
demulcent: relieves inflammation and irritation
alimentary: digestive system
astringent: causes contraction in body tissues; typically used to stop bleeding in minor injuries
catarrh: congestion
dysentery: severe infection of the intestines; results in blood and mucus in the feces
mucilage: a sticky substance used in medicines and adhesives

Sources:
WHITE WITCH: Herbs and their Magickal Uses
The Herb Book by John B. Lust  

[Blessed_Scribe]

Cos Lettuce and Raspberries
Provided by koudelkaW

Chicken Caesar Salad

1 medium ciabatta loaf (or 4 thick slices of crusty white bread)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 large cos or romaine lettuce, leaves separated

For the dressing:

1 garlic clove
2 anchovies from a tin
Medium block Parmesan or Grano Padano cheese for grating and shaving
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Tear the bread into big, ragged croutons or, if you prefer, cut with a bread knife. Spread over a large baking sheet or tray and sprinkle over 2 tablespoons olive oil. Rub the oil into the bread and season with a little salt if you like (sea salt crystals are best for this). Bake for 8-10 minutes, turning the croutons a few times during cooking so they brown evenly.

2. Rub chicken breasts with remaining oil and season. Place pan over a medium heat for 1 minute, until hot, but not smoking. Lay the chicken on the pan (it will sizzle if it's hot enough) and leave for 4 minutes. Turn the chicken, then cook for 4 minutes more. Check if it's cooked by poking the tip of a sharp knife into the thickest part; there should be no sign of pink and juices will run clear.

3. Bash the garlic with the flat of a knife and peel off the skin. Crush with a garlic crusher. Mash the anchovies with a fork against the side of a small bowl. Grate a handful of cheese and mix with the rest of the dressing ingredients. Season to taste. It should be the consistency of yoghurt - if yours is thicker, stir in a few teaspoons water to thin it.

4. Shave the cheese with a peeler. Tear lettuce into large pieces and put in a large bowl. Pull chicken into bite-size strips and scatter half over the leaves, along with half the croutons. Add most of the dressing and toss with your fingers. Scatter the rest of the chicken and croutons, then drizzle with the remaining dressing. Sprinkle the cheese on top and serve.

Taken from here.

Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

200g dark chocolate, broken into chunks
100g milk chocolate, broken into chunks
250g pack salted butter
400g soft light brown sugar
4 large eggs
140g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
200g raspberries

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray tin with baking parchment. Put the chocolate, butter and sugar in a pan and gently melt, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat.

2. Stir the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate mixture. Sieve over the flour and cocoa, and stir in. Stir in half the raspberries, scrape into the tray, then scatter over the remaining raspberries. Bake on the middle shelf for 30 minutes or, if you prefer a firmer texture, for 5 minutes more. Cool before slicing into squares.

Taken from here.