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This is an interesting transitional time, as August comes to a close. We are swiftly entering the thick of the harvest season and undoubtedly gathering juicy abundance from our respective gardens. We are also taking stock of the year thus far and carefully plotting out what we have left to work with. We're not deep in meditation mode yet, but still easily distracted by lingering summer delights... OK, I'm clearly talking about myself here, but you catch my drift. We should certainly make the most of any good weather we have available to us, as many of us may be forced to go into hibernation mode once more in the not-so-distant future. All in all, it's a great time to step outside barefoot and feel the earth between your toes.

Don't Let the Seasons Limit You

Although it's good to acknowledge and spend time with each of our changing seasons, that shouldn't stop you from stepping outside to connect with Mother Earth, no matter how snow-laden and chilly the ground may be. You might even find it invigorating—as our August guest on "Women Who Howl at the Moon," Jacque Daul delights in telling us! Jacque, a vibrant, 80-years-young Wiccan and still practicing massage therapist, has many fascinating stories to share. Be sure to tune in to our latest podcast episode to hear everything our new favorite Leo has to tell us! That's one of the things I really love best about conducting these interviews—I'm able to connect with and get to know so many amazing women in the community. If you haven't liked our Facebook page or perused our Patreon, please do so today.

I always think of Lammas as a time of outdoor dining, reflection on the year thus far, and most of all—corn! Enjoying a small picnic with your immediate household in the backyard or on a back porch is a perfect way to celebrate Lugh and this start to the harvest season this year. Grains and bread should definitely be on the menu, and there are some fun options to choose from. You could even create an intimate bread baking party with your family, creating a combination of sweet and savory choices.

Grilling local corn in the husks gives it such an amazing added flavor, and the mouth-watering scent it gives off is aromatherapy in itself. Make it the main dish and create a healthy vegetarian meal with side salads tossed with produce from a neighborhood Farmer’s Market. These happen to be some of the better ones in Wisconsin, if you’re in the area.

Its no big secret that Americans adore Mexican food and drink. Every time May 5 rolls around, we all want to get in on the celebration. Weirdly, the last time I visited Mexico, they didn't even seem to notice. Contrary to popular belief, Cinco De Mayo isn't actually "Mexican Independence Day." The state of Puebla does still
recognize the holiday, where they successfully defended themselves from an attempted French invasion back in 1862.

This year, if you wish to celebrate, why not do so with a little more authenticity, rather than getting bombed on tequila shots at your favorite Americanized version of the real deal? Here are some staple dishes that are fun and easy to concoct on your own:

    MAÍZ A LA PARRILLA MEXICANA (MEXICAN GRILLED CORN)
        4 ears corn
        1/2 cup mayonnaise
        1 1/2 cups sour cream
        1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
        1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
        1 lime, juiced
        Red chili powder, to taste
       2 limes cut into wedges, for garnish
    Remove the husks of the corn but leave the core attached at the end so you have something to hold onto.
    Grill the corn on a hot grill or cast iron griddle pan until slightly charred. Turn it so it gets cooked evenly all over.
    Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and cilantro together. Grate the Parmesan in another bowl. While the corn is still warm slather with mayonnaise mix. Squeeze lime juice over the corn and shower with Parmesan. Season with chili powder and serve with extra lime wedges.
    (Recipe from Tyler Florence)
    https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/mexican-grilled-corn-recipe-1947651

TOMATILLO SALSA VERDE
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/tomatillo_salsa_verde/

FRIJOLES REFRITOS (REFRIED BEANS)
http://mexicanfoodjournal.com/refried-beans/

After enjoying a tasty meal with these dishes, complimented with a little homemade sangria, give an offering of thanks to Centeotl, the Aztec God (or Goddess) of Maize. Burn some leftover corn husk from your meal with a little copal incense in an iron cauldron or other fire-safe device. If Centeotl doesn't grab your fancy, there are many Aztec Gods and Goddesses to choose from and read up on, if you visit the first ThoughtCo link below. Make a point this year to visit a local cultural center and educate yourself to the customs and art of a culture that you appreciate and are drawn to. La paz.

References:

https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/cinco-de-mayo

https://www.thoughtco.com/centeotl-the-aztec-god-of-maize-170309

One time during the time period when I was learning how to follow the Goddess Diet to honor the goddess Sif, I was preparing for a potluck, and I went to the grocery store. I saw some corn on the cob. I thought, “That would be great to bbq. But I don't know whether it's GMO or not.”

Then I remembered that the GMO corn is a yellow corn. If the corn is some other color then it's not GMO. So I checked it and it was white corn, so I bought some. At the checkout, I was thinking, "I really hope I'm right and that I did this right for Sif."

At noon on the first day of the festival, we blew the horns. Then we pulled the young Corn King in his chariot through the grove in which the gathering was held.

By the next day, word had begun to spread. A few came out to watch the Corn King in his noon progress among his people.

The third day, there were more. Some would bow, or kneel by the side of the way to receive his blessing as he passed. These he would shower with kernels of corn.

As the week went on, people began to join the procession. They brought their children to receive the Harvest Lord's blessing. Late arrivals to the festival heard about the processions by word of mouth.

People had known the Young Lord since his boyhood, during the festival's earliest years. They had watched him grow up there, year by year. Now they welcomed his triumph. Grown to beautiful, golden manhood, he was everyone's son, everyone's beloved.

The word "harvest," immediately conjures up the calendar pages of September and October in the mind's eye – replete with dried corn husks, gourds, pumpkins, red wine, and tart juicy apples. Although all of these images are thoroughly justified, the first of the harvest fests technically begins August 1. Lammas/Lughnasadh has come and gone, but you can feel the full ripeness and end of the summer all around you. It is there in the rich green leaves and vivid colors of plant life and flowers – their lush smell from the warmth of the summer sun at its peak. The corn moon rises this Thursday the 18th. What better occasion than to gather some of your clan near and toast to the changing of seasons, then?

If you have a craft brewer in your midst, by all means, this is the time to invite them to share their bounty! Likewise with anyone who dabbles in home fermentation in the way of kombucha or wine. Definitely roast some ears of corn from a local farmer's market over an open flame, and toss some fresh Caprese salad with bursting cherry tomatoes (surely a guest had good luck in their garden this year), fragrant basil leaves (ditto), creamy mozzarella (cheesemakers step up) and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil and a good three leaf balsamic vinegar. Plump blackberries or plums (anyone's backyard pickings), would certainly be appropriate at this gathering, as would any just-caught perch that the fisherperson in your group would be willing to pan-fry for the crowd. Make it a true Pagan potluck where each guest can bring to the table some of their own personal harvest for others to sample. As host/hostess, you could bake up some little "Wolf and Moon Cookies" for dessert. Here's a favorite recipe that I like to go to:

     LEMON WOLF COOKIES
     *If you don't own a wolf cookie cutter, have no fear! Just make little full moons, half moons   
     and new moons by rolling out the dough and firmly cutting the shapes out of the bottom of a 
     shot glass. If you do own one, make the wolves first, and then the moons out of the left-over dough.
     4 1/2 cups flour
     1/2 teaspoon salt
     1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
     1/2 teaspoon allspice
     1/4 teaspoon cloves
     1/4 teaspoon ginger
     2 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
     1 cup sugar
     6 oz. cream cheese
     1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
     5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
     Stir dry ingredients together and set aside.
     Cream butter, sugar, cream cheese and grated lemon peel. Mix in fresh lemon juice. Add dry ingredients a little at a time, until well blended. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1/2 to 1 hour.
     Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8" thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut out your wolf cookies.
     Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheets for 8-10 minutes.
     ICING
     2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
     1 1/2 tablespoons meringue powder
     2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons water
     food coloring (optional)
     Mix sugar and meringue powder in large mixing bowl. Add water and beat at low speed for 8-10 minutes until icing forms peaks. Add food coloring a tiny bit at a time, stirring until you have the color you like.
     Spread on cooled cookies or pipe designs on with a pasty bag. Keep icing tightly covered when not being used.
     (Recipe from Patricia Lynn Bradley, Bark & Bradley®, Inc., adapted by Colleen DuVall)

Sing some songs around the fire pit. Pass one chalice of the last of the home-brew that everyone takes a sip of to further bond your friendship. Finally, partake in a bit of communal moon-watching together. According to space.com, "The next full moon will be the Full Sturgeon Moon of Aug. 18. It will peak at 5:27 a.m. EDT (0927 GMT), but will appear full to the casual stargazer a day prior and after the peak day. August's full moon has also known as the Full Red Moon (because the moon can look reddish through haze), as well as the Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon."

Resources:
Photo, "Corn And Mazie Field," by franky242 at http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/
http://www.space.com/16830-full-moon-calendar.html
http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/documents/consumption/HealthDishWisFish.pdf

I promised in a previous post that I would write about how I lost weight avoiding GMO wheat and corn. Here is how I did it.  I’m calling this the Goddess Diet because it was the goddess Sif who wanted me to buy no GMO wheat or corn.

The god who was with me when I was first making the small decisions that eventually became the Goddess Diet was Loki. Loki skinrode me into a grocery store. When he realized what was in there and that I intended to eat it he turned very dark and angry—not at me, fortunately. He saw that I eat poison because I’m poor by the standards of the society I live in. He was with me as I read labels and asked for products no one carried.