Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9×5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.

Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.          Yields: 2 loaves

I recently went on vacation without my family. Just me.  Nowhere exotic, just away.  I stayed in a nice hotel in a sleepy little town.  I had all those little amenities usually associated with hotels; coffee/tea pot at the ready, massaging shower heads, tiny fancy-smelling soaps, big puffy pillows, etc. 

     I enjoyed one of the simple pleasures of being away from home. My wardrobe was chosen before leaving home.  Clothes coordinated and fit just right; accessories were always complimentary. No frustration about what to wear. All the planning and work was done. Getting ready was a breeze.

     I had only a few fixed activities planned over the course of four days so I had plenty of time to lounge about, meander through town and soak in the hot tub. I awoke refreshed each morning and coaxed the day with a nice hot cup of flavored tea.  I meditated and honored God & Goddess each night after a luxurious bubble bath, then retired to the comfy billows of a king size bed with a steamy novel and another hot cup of tea.

     I witnessed the sunrise on the Summer Solstice from an ancient Native American site, Ft. Ancient.  A Sacred Site where ancient peoples built mounds that align perfectly with solar and lunar dates.  I witnessed the Solstice Sunset at another Sacred Site, The Great Serpent Mound. The coils of the snake also align perfectly with solar and lunar dates. I took many pictures and met new people.  I returned to my hotel feeling closer to Mother Nature and with the renewed knowledge that we are all connected; Earth, Sky, and Humankind.

     I returned home calm, collected, relaxed and a bit spoiled from the convenience of hotel life.  I wanted to hold on to that feeling for as long as possible.  I immediately started transforming my bedroom from a place where I sleep to ‘Shadow’s Sanctuary’. I removed clothes, accessories and other ‘stuff’ that no longer thrill me. I cleared off a dresser in my bedroom and brought out the seldom used mini coffeemaker.  A drawer now houses tea, a small tub of sugar and necessary utensils.  I pressed all of my clothes and hung them by color in the closet.  I hung soft fabric on the rails of my cast iron canopy bed.  I keep a small folding table under the bed to hold a light meal or tea service. I moved my collection of ambient music cd’s to the bedroom so I can escape on a whim. I gathered my scented bath oils and soaps and favorite shampoo/conditioner into small containers that I can carry in a small caddy, along with a candle and a novel, to the tub for a leisurely soak.

      I have also made small changes to my daily routine so I can experience that ‘on vacation’ feeling every day.  Each evening I fill the in-suite coffeemaker and prepare my travel mug with tea and sugar.  Each morning when I wake, I flip on the switch.  While I’m getting ready, which is now a breeze because everything that fits is at my fingertips and ready to wear, my tea is brewing.  I now have time to enjoy a leisure cup before work in my quiet sanctuary and always have an escape after a hectic day. The stress of my life hasn’t changed but its now easier to deal with it in a healthy way.

     I spent only a few days away from home but the peace and serenity I experienced and my refreshed connection with God & Goddess has endured long after getting back to ‘real life’.

The change of seasons is briskly upon us. Isn’t it lovely especially this time of year?  As fall approaches we need to turn our attentions from planting to harvesting our gardens of herbs.  There are several ways to do just that and make the best use of our plants.  Some can be frozen and some are better dried.
     The most important thing in properly drying herbs is to provide the right drying environment.  Make sure that there is adequate air flow around the plant and that there is low light.  This is especially important for floral parts of a plant when preserving color. Depending on the plant, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to completely dry.  Once it is, store in an airtight container, glass is best because the herbs in a plastic container absorb the odors from a plastic and always keep them out of light once dry.
     Those herbs that get dried can be done one of two ways depending on the plant itself.  Herbs that have a hardy stem can best be dried upside down.  Plants like lavender, yarrow, thistle and chamomile are better for this method.  Cut the stems long enough to make a bundle with a rubber band. Hang them with a clothespin on a drying rack. Usually it is good to check them in two weeks or so. For long stems allow for storage in a plastic bag or box.

     The other way to dry herbs is on a flat screen like surface. This method can be used for plants that are harvested for only their leaves. Plants like oregano and thyme, which have small leaves and fine stems, can benefit from this type of drying. Other herbs, mainly those used for cooking are good for freezing.  This is important when  color and texture are big factors in a dish.   Before freezing make sure the leaves are clean and dry.  Leaves can be frozen whole or chopped.  Chopped herbs can be frozen in a container or in an ice cube tray.  Fill the cups of the tray half full of the herb and top off with water.  Then when it comes time to thaw, just take out as many as needed. Pesto is not the same if you use dried basil.  It has a better flavor if made with basil that is fresh but, if there is no fresh in the kitchen, the next best thing is to pull out some frozen leaves and proceed with the recipe. Please note, frozen herbs can darken over  time.  They will taste fresh, but may not look quite the same. Remember, fall doesn’t have to be an end to gardening.  It is a time to enjoy what we have worked so hard to grow and Mother Nature has nurtured all summer long.  With these preservation tips you can enjoy your herbs well into the winter and beyond

Spaghetti Dinner

Goddess Temple 

November 22, 2009

4 – 7 p.m. @ the

Masonic Temple 

15300 Detroit Avenue

Lakewood, Ohio 44107

Adult $10      Child $5

(Children under 4 free)

Call 216-221-8755 for info

*  Raffle to be Held at Dinner*

Proceeds Benefit the Goddess Temple

www.goddesstempleinc.org

Please come in to Goddess Blessed to get your tickets. Goddess Blessed is located at 15729 MAdison Ave, lakewood Ohio.