Maple Sugar

‘Tis the season for that sweetest and most Canadian of non-timber forest products- it’s maple syrup time in the Vancouver Island bush! Many people associate maple syrup with the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) that grows in eastern Canada, and for good reason. Quebec produces most of the world’s supply of the sweet stuff (with Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia pitching in modestly as well), for a total of over 25 million liters (L) per year. But hobby and commercial maple syrup tapping on Vancouver Island is growing, and an industry based on our regional bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) is emerging. Its syrup is darker and has a unique flavour which has been described as more robust than that of sugar maple.

Sap usually flows heaviest and sweetest in Dec- Feb, but the season can run between the tree’s leaf-fall and bud-burst (Nov- early March). The sugar content of bigleaf maple is slightly lower than that of sugar maple (about 2% and just under 3% respectively), and it takes about 40-65 L of bigleaf sap to make one of syrup. A good tapping tree will produce 60 L of sap per season, though harvests of 200 L have been recorded. Unlike its eastern counterpart, bigger bigleaf maple trees are not necessarily better producers, but those growing in open areas and forest edges tend to do relatively well. While sap flow varies among trees in an area, those that are heavy-producers tend to be consistently productive over time.

Maple sap makes a refreshing drink that contains amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, including potassium, calcium, and magnesium. You can add richness and flavour to hot beverages, baked goods, rice, soups, and stews by cooking with sap in place of water. It is said to make bread rise higher; some dispense with yeast altogether when baking with sap. The uses for maple syrup go far beyond pancakes and french toast of course; use it as a sweetener when baking or for hot drinks, as a glaze when cooking fish or meat, add it to baked beans, top off ice cream or any other dessert, or ferment the syrup for beer, wine, or vinegar. For more information, inspiration, and a rousing good time, take part in the Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival in Duncan on Saturday February 6th! (http://buybcwild.com/sweet-winter-festival-west-coast-maple-syrup)

While it's tempting to go on in celebration of maple syrup, we would be remiss not to discuss all the other values that maples offer. Bigleaf maples are tall, beautiful, and sprawl across coastal landscapes from BC south to California. Well-named, they have typically maple-shaped leaves that grow 15-30 cm wide and v-shaped pairs of winged seeds (samaras). Mosses, lichens and ferns often completely cover bigleaf maple, encouraged by the high calcium levels found in the tree’s bark. The total weight of these other organisms can be up to 4-times that of the tree’s own foliage, and can form a mat thick enough to provide a substrate into which other trees at times take root.

First Nations across the country have used the bark of various maple species medicinally. Infusions and decoctions have been taken to treat tuberculosis, coughs, boils, sore throats and diarrhea. Some communities traditionally rubbed leaves on a young man’s face so that he would not grow thick whiskers. The wood has been used to make paddles, spindle whorls, and other implements, while the wide leaves have been fashioned into temporary storage containers. The flowers make a nice and colourful, if somewhat tart, addition to a salad. Sprouted seeds were sometimes eaten by Nlaka’pamux, and bark from sugar maple has been dried and pounded and sifted into flour for making bread. In the spring the bark and inner bark of bigleaf maple can be crafted into rope and baskets respectively. The wood is used for furniture, musical instruments, paneling, or veneer, but generally the fast-growing trees frustrate foresters more often than excite them, as they compete with local conifers.

But back to maple syrup now, and a delicious Recipe for Maple Candy courtesy of the Vancouver Island Sapsuckers newsletter:

- Butter a 9x9” glass baking dish and add about ½” of syrup.
- Bake at 250º F for several hours until thick and bubbly. Cool until it forms a thick taffy-likeness. Pour onto wax paper and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave oven or in a double boiler (nut lovers may want to add nuts to the melted chocolate).
- Remove maple from freezer; break into pieces while still frozen. Dip maple pieces in melted chocolate and place on wax paper.
- Place the chocolate coated maple in freezer for a few minutes to solidify. The end result is a bit like the Turtles candy only better.

Cautions: Seeds from some maples are reportedly poisonous. Teas and decoctions of bark and inner bark of some species cause vomiting or diarrhea.

Who knew, but junipers are not just lovely to look at, beautifully fragrant, ecologically valuable, and the flavouring used in gin! Juniper is an important traditional medicine, particularly for Interior First Nations, and was often used for purposes related to childbirth or urinary conditions. Teas made from the berries have been taken to stimulate the appetite, calm hyperactivity and ease water retention, as well as to treat a range of conditions including colds, diarrhea, swelling, bleeding, and heart, lung, and kidney problems. Traditionally juniper boughs were burned or boiled to purify houses and inhabitants from infection and harmful spirits. Nowadays juniper incense is still commonly used and has been commercialized.

Though used more commonly as flavouring rather than as food, some First Nations traditionally cooked up juniper berries and dried them into cakes to eat throughout the winter. People would also chew on small bits of bark or berries to suppress hunger. European chefs are particularly fond of juniper berries, and use them in soups, marinades (see recipe below), stuffings, stews, and sauerkraut. Their bitter-sweet taste and aroma are said to be particularly suitable to stronger meats and game.

The berries have also been used to make jewelry- some people would scatter them over anthills, allowing the ants to eat out the berries' sweet centres thus leaving a hole for threading onto necklaces. Strings of berries would then be dried over a greasy fire and polished. An anti-dandruff hair rinse can be made by boiling juniper branches, and most parts of the plant produce a brown dye, using ash from burnt green needles as a mordant. The boughs of juniper are also used and sold as a floral green, and the plant is often used in landscaping as a garden ornamental.

Various juniper species abound in our BC woods, with the common juniper (Juniperus communis) most frequently encountered. The species lives up to its name as it is the only circumpolar conifer in the northern hemisphere. Junipers are low-growing conifers that trail along the ground, forming mats up to 3m in diameter and 1 m in height. Their needles are green and prickly, their bark is thin and scaly, and their cones look like berries- pale green at first and bluish when mature.

Berries should be harvested either when they are still green but fully grown (for gin) or when they are completely ripe (to flavour food). Dry them and store in an airtight container in a cool place, away from direct sunlight, and lightly crush them just before using to release their flavour.

Those who love the flavour of Bloody Mary's but don't want the alcohol are advised to soak juniper berries in tomato juice for a few days and then follow your favourite Bloody Mary recipe, omitting the alcohol. Though the conventional drink is made with vodka, this variation apparently tastes just like the real thing! Once you've got that under your belt, try this recipe for Juniper Wild Meat Marinade:

1 onion
1 carrot
1 stick celery
4 tbsp Olive Oil
300ml/10 fl. oz. red Wine
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs marjoram
1 sprig rosemary
6 black peppercorns, lightly crushed
6 juniper berries, lightly crushed

Slice the onion, carrot and celery. Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the vegetables gently for 6-8 minutes, stirring. Add the wine, garlic, herbs, peppercorns and juniper berries. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Cool before using. Strain after marinating and use as cooking liquid, either alone or mixed with stock.

Cautions: Pregnant women should avoid juniper as it can cause uterine contractions and thus miscarriage. Large or frequent doses can lead to convulsions, kidney failure, and an irritated digestive tract.

Let there be Peace♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪Let it begin with me♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪ Let there be Peace ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪Let it begin with me ♥ ♥ ♥ Let there be Peace ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪Let it Begin with me♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪...Let there be Peace♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ ¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪...

PEACE!

My Friend Tam wants:

to advise you of Mercury going into Retrograde...Dec. 26th - Jan. 15th.

It's not a good time to sign contracts, make important business decisions and things of that nature.

You may also experience issues with your car, unusual amount of traffic, accidents, cell phone drama, email and computer issues...you have been warned.

That is all...carry on.

Yule

Yule Lore (December 21st)

Yule, (pronounced EWE-elle) is when the dark half of the year relinquishes to the light half. Starting the next morning at sunrise, the sun climbs just a little higher and stays a little longer in the sky each day. Known as Solstice Night, or the longest night of the year, much celebration was to be had as the ancestors awaited the rebirth of the Oak King, the Sun King, the Giver of Life that warmed the frozen Earth and made her to bear forth from seeds protected through the fall and winter in her womb. Bonfires were lit in the fields, and crops and trees were "wassailed" with toasts of spiced cider.

Children were escorted from house to house with gifts of clove spiked apples and oranges which were laid in baskets of evergreen boughs and wheat stalks dusted with flour. The apples and oranges represented the sun, the boughs were symbolic of immortality, the wheat stalks portrayed the harvest, and the flour was accomplishment of triumph, light, and life. Holly, mistletoe, and ivy not only decorated the outside, but also the inside of homes. It was to extend invitation to Nature Sprites to come and join the celebration. A sprig of Holly was kept near the door all year long as a constant invitation for good fortune to pay visit to the residents.The ceremonial Yule log was the highlight of the festival. In accordance to tradition, the log must either have been harvested from the householder's land, or given as a gift... it must never have been bought. Once dragged into the house and placed in the fireplace it was decorated in seasonal greenery, doused with cider or ale, and dusted with flour before set ablaze be a piece of last years log, (held onto for just this purpose). The log would burn throughout the night, then smolder for 12 days after before being ceremonially put out. Ash is the traditional wood of the Yule log. It is the sacred world tree of the Teutons, known as Yggdrasil. An herb of the Sun, Ash brings light into the hearth at the Solstice.

A different type of Yule log, and perhaps one more suitable for modern practitioners would be the type that is used as a base to hold three candles. Find a smaller branch of oak or pine, and flatten one side so it sets upright. Drill three holes in the top side to hold red, green, and white (season), green, gold, and black (the Sun God), or white, red, and black (the Great Goddess). Continue to decorate with greenery, red and gold bows, rosebuds, cloves, and dust with flour.

Deities of Yule are all Newborn Gods, Sun Gods, Mother Goddesses, and Triple Goddesses. The best known would be the Dagda, and Brighid, the daughter of the Dagda. Brighid taught the smiths the arts of fire tending and the secrets of metal work. Brighid's flame, like the flame of the new light, pierces the darkness of the spirit and mind, while the Dagda's cauldron assures that Nature will always provide for all the children.

Symbolism of Yule:
Rebirth of the Sun, The longest night of the year, The Winter Solstice, Introspect, Planning for the Future.

Symbols of Yule:
Yule log, or small Yule log with 3 candles, evergreen boughs or wreaths, holly, mistletoe hung in doorways, gold pillar candles, baskets of clove studded fruit, a simmering pot of wassail, poinsettias, christmas cactus.

Herbs of Yule:
Bayberry, blessed thistle, evergreen, frankincense holly, laurel, mistletoe, oak, pine, sage, yellow cedar.

Foods of Yule:
Cookies and caraway cakes soaked in cider, fruits, nuts, pork dishes, turkey, eggnog, ginger tea, spiced cider, wassail, or lamb's wool (ale, sugar, nutmeg, roasted apples).

Incense of Yule:
Pine, cedar, bayberry, cinnamon.

Colors of Yule:
Red, green, gold, white, silver, yellow, orange.

Stones of Yule:
Rubies, bloodstones, garnets, emeralds, diamonds.

Activities of Yule:
Caroling, wassailing the trees, burning the Yule log, decorating the Yule tree, exchanging of presents, kissing under the mistletoe, honoring Kriss Kringle the Germanic Pagan God of Yule

Spellworkings of Yule:
Peace, harmony, love, and increased happiness.

Deities of Yule:
Goddesses-Brighid, Isis, Demeter, Gaea, Diana, The Great Mother. Gods-Apollo, Ra, Odin, Lugh, The Oak King, The Horned One, The Green
Man, The Divine Child, Mabon

Coming up roses

They say that nothing is perfect, but the more I learn about roses (Rosa spp.), the more I suspect that they may be wrong. Most parts of the shrub are edible, the fruits are a source of nutritious wild food . . . and colour throughout the winter, their beauty is appreciated the world over, they are teeming with therapeutic properties, and the romantic appeal of the cultivated long-stem variety is marketed to the tune of billions of dollars annually (the human rights and environmental violations associated with parts of this industry are far from perfect of-course, but then, are hardly the fault of the flower itself, and the potential for positive development does exist!).

There are hundreds of species of rose in the world; common ones in this area include baldhip (R. gymnocarpa) and Nootka (R.nutkana) rose. Both are prickly shrubs with compound leaves, pink flowers that grow at the branch tips, and reddish coloured fruits (hips). Baldhip rose is smaller (up to 1.5 m tall, with flowers 1-2 cm across and hips up to 1 cm across). It has soft, straight prickles and grows in a variety of habitats (open to wooded, dry to moist, low to mid-elevation). Nootka rose is larger (up to 3 m tall, with flowers 4-8 cm across and hips 1-2 cm across). It has a pair of large prickles at the base of each leaf, and generally grows in open habitats such as streamsides, clearings, and roadsides.

Rosehips are well known for their high vitamin C content (3 hips contain as much as an orange!) as well as high concentrations of many other vitamins (like A, B, E, and K), minerals and antioxidants, and have been produced into nutritional supplements. They are popular as tea, and in many food products such as jellies, syrups, and baked goods. Rose petals are used for their fragrance and flavour in wines, preserves, and baked goods (and a quick internet search can provide you with a wealth of odd and mouthwatering recipes: rose petal ice cream, rose petal pesto, rose petal flan, rose petal mango sauce…). Rose water, produced from the distillation of rose petals is in many Middle Eastern sweets, cosmetics, and ceremonial purposes. The buds, young shoots, and leaves are also edible raw or cooked.

Volumes could be written about the medicinal values of roses (and of-course, many have). Some highlights include the traditional use of stem or root bark tea for stomach and digestive concerns, and to reduce labour pains. A wash made from the bark of Nootka rose was used for sore eyes, and rose petals were mixed with wine to make a tonic for earaches, toothaches, and uterine cramps. Its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties have been researched, and recent studies confirm the anti-viral properties of Nootka rose. These, along with their relatives the Saskatoon berry are being developed as a treatment for SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

As if all this weren’t already more than enough, rose sprigs were said to keep ghosts away from babies; a wash made from rose branches was used to hide the human scent of hunters; and theplant's inner bark was sometimes smoked like tobacco. Their fragrance of the flowers and hips has contributed to potpourri and to body powder, and roses have aroma-therapeutic value! They are said to replace depression, irritability or sadness with a sense of well-being and optimism (and act as an aphrodisiac to boot).

Rosehips are usually harvested in the fall after the first frost when they are a bright or dark colour and are somewhat soft. Use them fresh or air-dried to retain the maximum nutrient content. When drying rosehips it is suggested to spread them and allow to dry partially, split them to remove the seeds, then allow them to dry completely to ensure that they don’t rot. There are many warnings against eating the seeds, which one disregards at the risk of having an “itchy rectum” (though, it must be noted, that cooked seeds have been eaten to relieve sore muscles). Bearing this in mind, enjoy the following recipe:

Recipe: Rose hip crumble pie

• Pastry for single-crust 9-lnch (22 cm) pie
• 1 cup (240 mL) dried rose hips
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) milk
• 1-1/2 cups (360 mL) sifted flour
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) baking powder
• Dash of salt
• 1/2 cup (120 mL) shortening
• 1-3/4 cups (420 mL) brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 2 egg whites

Prepare pastry and line a pie pan while you soften the hips in milk. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream in shortening and brown sugar, mixing well. This makes a crumbly mixture - reserve 1 cup of it for topping. To the remainder add the egg yolks, milk and rose hips. Beat the egg whites until peaks hold form. Fold into the berry mixture. Spoon into pie pan and sprinkle with the crumbly topping (and feel free to throw in some pecan halves if you so desire). Bake at 350oF for 35 - 45 minutes.

Cautions: Eating too many rosehips or petals can cause diarrhea. Avoid consuming the seeds of the hip as they have hairs that can irritate the digestive tract. As with all members of the rose family, the seeds contain small amounts of cyanide that will be destroyed when cooked or dried.

Candle Colors and what they mean.

By: Mona

Candles in the craft are used to help to increase a spells
power, or to influence a particular power. I have provided
a list of colors, which I use. This is what my coven uses,
and is offered to help you in your journey into the craft.

White:

A balance of all colors; Spiritual enlightenment, cleansing,
clairvouance, healing, truth seeking; Rituals involving
lunar energy' May be substituted for any color candle.

Yellow:

Activity, Creativity, unity; brings power of concentration
and imagination to a ritual; use in rituals where you wish
to gain anothers confidence or persuade someone, or in
rituals that require solar energy.

Gold:

Fosters understanding and attracts the powers of cosmic
influences; beneficial in rituals intended to bring about
fast luck or money, or in rituals needing solar energy.

Pink:

Promotes romance, friendship; standard color for rituals to
draw effections; a color of femininity, honor, service,
brings friendly, lively conversation to the dinner table.

Red:

Health, passion, love, fertility, strength, courage, will
power; increases magnetism in rituals; draws Aries and
Scorpio energy.

Silver:

Removes negativity and encourages stability; helps develop
psychic abilities; attracts the influence of the Mother
Goddess.

Purple:

Power, success, idealism, psychic manifestations; ideals for
rituals to secure ambitions, independence, financial
rewards, or to make contact with the spiritual other world;
increases Neptune energy.

Magenta:

Combination of red and violet that occillates on a high
frequency; energizes rituals where immediate action and high
levels of power or spirtual healing are required.

Brown:

Earthly, balanced color; for rituals of meterial increase;
eleminates indecisiveness; improves powers of concentration,
study, telepathy; increases financial success; locates
objects that have been lost.

Indigo:

Color of inertia; stops situations or people; use in rituals
that require a deep meditational state; or in rituals that
demand Saturn energy.

Royal Blue:

Promotes laughter and joviality; color or loyalty; use to
attract Jupiter energy, or whenever an influence needs to be
increased.

Light Blue:

Spirtual color; helpful in devotional or inspirational
meditations; brings peace and tranquility to the home;
raditates Aquarius energy; employ where a situation must be
synthesized.

Blue:

Primary spiritual color; for rituals to obtain wisdom,
harmony, inner light, or peace; confers truth and guidance.

Emerald Green:

Important component in Venusian rituals; attracts love,
social delights, and fertility.

Dark Green:

Color of ambition, greed, and jealousy; counteracts these
influences in a ritual.

Green:

Promotes prosperity, fertility, success; stimulates rituals
for good luck, money, harmony, and rejuvenation.

Grey:

Neutral color useful when pondering complex issues during
meditation; in magic, this color often sparks confusion; it
also negates or neutralizes a negative influence.

Black:

Opens up the deeper levels of the unconscious; use in
rituals to induce a deep meditational state, or to banish
evil or negativity as in uncrossing rituals; attracts Saturn
energy.

Article Source: http://www.spells4free.com