Yes, it's a barbecue smoker lid. Yes, I really do light sacred fires in it. Because cooking for a ritual feast is a sacred act, and so is cooking for ordinary purposes when I'm intending to share some of it with the gods, so if I were cooking in my kitchen the gas flame on the range top would be a sacred fire, because that's how that works. The hearth fire through which Loki brings energy to us or from us to the gods does not have to be a replica of the hearth in a Viking longhouse or other historical type of building. I think I might draw the line at an electrical cooker or microwave, because those aren't really fire, but the wood and charcoal fire in the barbecue is just as much a traditional wood fire as anything our ancestors made.

So how did this shiny golden circular shape get here? I'm glad you asked. The story went like this. It was the full moon of Friday the 13th, which occurred in September this year (2019.) Now, Friday the 13th doesn't mean anything in heathenry-- in historical heathen calendar systems, it doesn't even exist-- but in modern American culture it's considered unlucky, which is the reason that some members of the witchy community consider it to be especially lucky for witches, along with black cats and broken mirror pieces.

Whenever I light a fire with a match, or when I light the gas fire on my stove or in the fireplace, it is my custom to say aloud, "Light for me, Loki." Then, when it lights, I say, "Thank you." It's also my custom to have at least one thing for Loki when I create a big multi-course meal. (I also have things for other gods and goddesses.) Of course I gave something to Loki on that day as well.

I was feeling a little uncertain about some things. I did not intentionally ask for a sign, but at this point I don't have to ask. When I'm not sure about something important, the gods let me know. When I was done barbecuing, this gold ring manifested on the barbecue. I immediately knew the gold ring symbol was a reference to the invisible gold ring Loki gave to me in the liminal state between the dream world and the waking world, which symbolizes our marriage. I knew the shape that appeared in the metal was a sign of his continued support.

Photo: A gold circle that appeared on the lid of my barbecue, photo by Erin Lale