• Sabbats •

Mabon Joys!

2009-09-22T17:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't manage to get any actual articles up for Mabon. So, to make up for it, I'm going to post some of the photos we took during Mabon instead!

Find the whole gallery of them right here.

Apple Cider Stew

2009-07-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

This is a stew I make for Lughnassadh and Samhain every year. This is also amazing if ladled over a big helping of mash or champ. Yum.

2 lb. boneless trimmed pork loin or shoulder, cut into smallish cubes.
3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

Combine the flour, salt, thyme, pepper and rosemary. Toss with meat, so that the mixture coats each cube well.

6 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices

4 medium potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1 cup chopped onion

1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped

Layer the bottom of the crockpot with the carrots, potatoes, onion and apple in the crock pot. Once they are all in, layer the floured pork cubes atop those.

2 cups apple cider
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (white vinegar will suffice, though)

Combine apple cider and vinegar. Pour over contents of crock pot. Cover crock pot and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup flour

Turn crock pot to HIGH. Blend flour and water, stirring until smooth. Stir into hot liquid in crock pot. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer, or until thickens. Taste, and adjust seasonings to taste.

Serves 8 (or so...)

The Corn King (Song)

2009-07-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

The following song is a wonderful thing, perfectly capturing the feeling to Lughnassadh for me - melancholy and joyful at once, honoring Him for the sacrifice, while weeping for the necessity of it at the same time.

This song is part of the Village Tradition, and is hereby credited to Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki and The Elders.

• • •

Heigh Heigh Ho the reapers go, hear the scythe blades sigh

Up and down the fields they mow

With gleaners moving nigh.

•

Heigh Heigh Ho the stooks they grow, and the wain is filling fast

The horses strain with might and main

And noon comes by at last.

•

Heigh Heigh Ho we bend down low, to bind the stooks full tight

We lift and stack till bones do crack

From morn to the last daylight.

•

Heigh Heigh Ho for those who sow, when planting time comes round.

The corn grows high, the king must die

In the last stook he’ll be bound.

•

Heigh Heigh Ho when the kings does go, for he goes to feed us all.

When corn be ground, he’ll be nowhere found

But bread will be for all.

•

Heigh Heigh Ho for the Harvest Home, when all is gathered in,

When the cold wind moans, we will warm our bones

And toast the Lammas King.

Heigh Ho, Heigh Heigh Ho,

We’ll drink to the Lammas King.