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Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in hard work
Rock Your World: Talismanic Stones for Success

These stones pave the path to prosperity for everyone. Use them on your altar, piled up on an arrangement on your desk at work or keep them in your pocket. This earth-based energy acts like a battery to boost you along.

Azurite strengthens mental powers.
Chalcedony gives you get-up-and-go!
Emerald aids in problem solving.
Opal encourages faithful service.
Pearl engenders material wealth.
Quartz helps overcome fear of rejection.
Sapphire helps with goal setting.
Tourmaline promotes an attitude of accomplishment.

Last modified on

Posted by on in Culture Blogs
A Pagan Do Not Labor Day Picnic

I've always strongly felt that "Labor Day" should read, "Do Not Labor Day," on the calendar. In fact, I usually mark it as such on my own and in my planner. Besides celebrating the hard-earned rights of workers, that is what this holiday is all about, right? We all need some relaxation time – to give ourselves permission to do nothing except decompress. This weekend, besides a small birthday lunch for my brother, I plan on celebrating the season finale of "Twin Peaks: The Return." I will do this with a bottle of, as Gordon Cole would exclaim, "fine Bordeaux!" Aside from that, what else can we Pagan-minded folk partake in, that is both relaxing and none-too-taxing? Well –

There's nothing quite like the simple joy of a picnic on a pretty day that brings your breathing rate right back to normal. Go on a short hike first and by all means, enjoy the last hurrah of summertime. A romantic picnic for two could make it all the less stressful. If you should start feeling frisky in a secluded spot in the woods, who am I to stop you (wink).

You can always pack the easy go-tos, such as fresh fruit, veggies, and various sandwiches. If you feel like upping your picnic game though, one of my favorite French chefs, Daniel Boulud, has some great suggestions for doing just that. If you must have your sandwiches, try his take on this staple, referred to as, "pain surprise." This would be a loaf of hollowed out wheat bread, stuffed with cream cheese and smoked salmon – what's not to love about that? Or how about Boulud's idea of dessert: An apricot puff pastry tart with three cheeses to choose from! For more Chef Boulud inspirations, follow the links listed at the end of this article.

Most importantly, bring plenty of hydrating liquids, "con gas or sin gas." A little mineral water always makes a simple occasion feel more festive to me – also more in touch with my European roots. If it floats your boat too, by all means, go for it. So chillax, already. Times like these are rare indeed. Set aside one day not to do work of any kind. No housework, no homework, no take home office projects. We should seize these rare excuses not to labor away. We should soak them up to savor while we can, in low-key style.

References:

http://www.bonappetit.com/people/chefs/slideshow/daniel-boulud-perfect-french-picnic
http://www.bonappetit.com/people/chefs/article/daniel-boulud-picnic
Photo by nenetus at http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Last modified on

Posted by on in Culture Blogs
Get to Work

I don't know if it is the insistent trudging of February, my time of life or the world of the world but I am weary of words. Your words. My words. All the words.  The Pagan community is arguably one of the most educated in the country and we have so much to discuss as the religious movement changes and grows. We parse language, we foment revolution, we whine, we rejoice.

But we do rather a lot of arguing. About all sorts of things large and small.

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Recent Comments - Show all comments
  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    Thank you both for your thoughtful responses. Leandra, how can we encourage and support the kind of leadership you've outlined? Co
  • Leandra Witchwood
    Leandra Witchwood says #
    I am also tired of the “internet pissing contests”. There is far more bickering and judging going around compared to good solid co
  • Diotima
    Diotima says #
    I get emails when several W&P blogs are published. It always amuses me how I can tell which ones are yours before I even open the

Posted by on in Culture Blogs
Labor Day Reverie, plus apples

Labor

We’ve just wrapped up our celebration of Labor Day weekend which is apparently another excuse for a sale in Retail-Land and a well-deserved day-off for American workers. At least the ones who get a day of for federal holidays, which isn’t everyone, of course.

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  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    Thanks for reading it, Ivo.
  • Ivo Dominguez Jr
    Ivo Dominguez Jr says #
    Thank you Byron!

Posted by on in Culture Blogs
Hard Work as Sacrament

It is harvest-time here in the southern Highlands of the Appalachian mountains. The green beans have been blanched and frozen. The blessed elderberry harvest has been frozen and juiced and tinctured for winter healings. The apples are in now and I have spent many and many an hour cutting off the bruised parts and cutting out the wormy bits and chopping them up. Some have gone into bags to be future pies and apple cake. Others have become applesauce and many of them have been crushed for their juice and amended with yeast and honey to be hard cider in the cold months to come.

If I sound like the busy Ant from the fable that is appropriate. There are "fun" things that I have declined attending because the harvest is in and there is food to process. Not so much fun now but imagine pesto from my own basil, thawed in the depths of January. And I hold fast the notion of a crisp cold hard cider as the perfect celebration of the the Midwinter Solstice.

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  • Byron Ballard
    Byron Ballard says #
    I love that poem--thank you for posting it. Marge Piercy certainly gets it, doesn't she? green beans...
  • Diotima
    Diotima says #
    Your lovely post made me think of this, one of my very favorite poems. The poem, and the fact that I still have that bag of beans

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