May was never supposed to be a month of isolation for those who celebrate May Day or Beltane... or just love the official beginning of summer.  It's the Merry, Merry, Month of May! Accompanying that should be all kinds of outdoor May revels like a procession or parade, Morris dancing or weaving ribbons while dancing around the maypole and crowning a Queen of the May. It's time for "strolling through the park one day" and perhaps having your heart stolen away by a pair of roguish eyes. We certainly weren't meant to be sitting inside missing all the lovely May flowers that were brought to us by April showers!

But as the saying goes "When God closes a door, he opens a window". There is always a way to work the magic of May into your year - no matter what befalls it.  So take that COVID! 

More people are baking and cooking at home during this time, so here's a delightful recipe for that perfect May treat - the Victoria Sandwich.  A variation on the traditional Sponge Cake, the Victoria Sandwich is named for Queen Victoria and we have the Victorians to thank for the addition of butter to the recipe. This formed a more solid, flatter sponge that allowed for the construction of a "built cake", which appealed to their engineering mentality.  This recipe (wording altered) is from the "The Victorian Kitchen" series of books - "The Book of Cakes and Cookies". Enjoy!

As we're all inside right now in an effort to slow down the spread of Coronavirus; the timing seems very auspicious for a bit of a Spring Clean. This article won't focus on de-cluttering since it is probably unwise or indeed impossible to donate items to charities right now ... and besides, I'm one of those people that keeps everything! However, with all the extra cleaning products that many bought in order to keep their families and homes safe and free from the virus; a deep cleaning is indeed possible for some ... whether or not I will do one; remains to be seen! The zest for cleaning right now is brought about from the hope of eradicating an invisible foe; any and all traces of this terrible virus, that if missed, can cause sickness. Ironically, there is a likening here to one of the goals of magic - which is to replace bad energy with good energy. Both the virus and magic are invisible, but both exist.

I think this year I will focus instead on a simple, slow, yet thorough Spring Cleaning ... liberally sprinkled with magic intended to remove bad energy and replace it with good energy.

Wash it and make it yours: (Element - Water)
Most of us are spending lots of time disinfecting and cleaning groceries and other packages received at our homes at this time. There is a magical, as well as prosaic, premise to this. The Coronavirus is invisible but it can be likened to the "bad energy" that we are doing our very best to remove with disinfectants and lots of soap and water.

This isn't new for me as I buy lots of used and vintage items. I always take the time to wash, repair and mend my new treasures. If I can lather my purchase up with soap and completely immerse it in water ... or put it through a washing machine, I do. For delicate figurines, I often use an old toothbrush and Q-tips to clean into all the little crevices. Clothing is washed and any tiny repairs made. The magic in this process is that by cleaning, repairing or altering an item; I know I have made the item mine. I feel that I have removed all traces of its prior ownership. The dirt (visible) is removed and the vibes and any germs (invisible) are likewise removed.

Windows, sunlight & prisms: (Element - Air)
A big facet of magic is changing your outlook and improving your circumstances.  One quick and easy way to improve your "outlook" is to clean your windows. Give all of your windows a good clean inside and out; at least those that you can safely reach. This provides an immediate positive change to your ability to "look out" on the world, as there is little as depressing as gorgeous sunshine struggling through a dirty window (and revealing all the smudges). Clean them and let the sun shine in - literally.  If this is heavy work for you; just clean one window a day - with the amount of time we may have to stay isolated, there should be time enough for all of those windows to sparkle!

If you have some prisms going spare, now is the time to hang them up and lure some good light energy into your home. Don't have a prism and are avoiding the store? Take a look in your jewellery box - many earrings, pendants or crystal bead necklaces reflect the light beautifully. Maybe you have a cut crystal tumbler, wine glass or bowl. Experiment with what you have around the house by holding the item into the sun's rays and see what good vibes you can catch and reflect around your magical home!

Rugs, incense and a magical journey: (Element - Fire)
If you are fortunate enough to have a Persian rug (or any other richly patterned or pretty rug), first start by giving it a good vacuum. Take that wool beauty outside and beat it with a broom or rug beater if you have one. Then take the time to sit down on your newly cleaned carpet, light some incense or a scented candle (in a fire safe holder of course) and go back in time with one of the "Tales from the Arabian Nights". If you have a small child to read aloud stories of magic - that's a very special bonus.  Afterwards, close your eyes, let your mind wander and see where your travels take you on your very own magic flying carpet. Since we likely won't be boarding a plane for quite some time, you could also use your carpet whenever you want to visit the lands and places you are missing.

Note:  Make sure you inspect your rug for any indication of moths. If you find any damage, and the rug is expensive or dear; it pays to get a professional assessment. If the rug is not valuable, take it outside and give it an extra deep vacuum, top and bottom. When you return it to your home, sprinkle with lavender and/or place cedar wood liberally on the carpet. Continue this process every few days.

Clear the air: (Element - Air & Fire)
Don't forgot to open all those doors and windows! Pick a nice sunny and breezy Spring day if you get one. The air in your home gets stagnant and there you have that heavy, negative energy. Just like magic, you can't see poor air, but you can feel its effects. A good airing out of your home with honest-to-goodness fresh air helps to get rid of indoor air pollutants, stale food odours and moisture. This is especially important in bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms as well as any shut or closed rooms. Let the carbon dioxide out and the oxygen in! Your living room probably smells heavenly now from that excursion on your magic flying carpet so extend that to the rest of your home by burning incense, scented candles or doing a sage smudging.  (Note: Always use proper fireproof holders when burning any incense or smudges and do not leave candles or other lit items unattended.)

The goal of a Spring Clean is usually to clean every room - top to bottom. To polish furniture, wash curtains and windows, shake out and turn rugs and mattresses, wash floors, clear clutter ... and well, wash and wipe down everything else! This year, I'm focusing on priority cleaning of items and surfaces - to try and keep us safe from the virus and to remove that "bad energy".  At the same time, I'm utilizing some of the magical tricks and tips in this article to infuse as much "good energy" into our home as I can.

Flowers: (Element - Earth)
Last but not least, don't forget to enjoy Mother Nature and bring in some new Spring flowers from your garden or rare walks outside. The beauty of nature and the aroma of flowers are among the top magical additions that are sure to bring good energy into your home.

Important Note: Nothing in this article should be construed as advice on protecting yourself from COVID19 (the Coronavirus). Follow the advice of your local health authorities.

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2020

There are lots of little natural touches you can add to your home to "bring in the green" this Winter Solstice, Yule and Christmas Season!  Here's a few quick and easy ideas:

• Orange and clove pomanders
• Trim the corners of your doors with sprigs of holly
• Make a wreath starting with a wicker frame and add branches from your Christmas tree, some holly, winter berries, pine cones and anything else you can find in your garden or nature walks; add ribbon or bells
• Fill a crystal or glass bowl with pine cones, bundles of cinnamon sticks and fancy ornaments

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2019

Running short of money a couple of days before payday or trying to stick to a budget? Don't have time (or the energy) to run out to the store? If you've got a can of salmon, and a healthy spice cupboard, you might just have dinner.

This recipe is inspired by "Salmon Chops" from Patricia R. Wagner's "Depression Era Recipes" and I altered it a little bit to suit my taste ... and with what was available in my cupboard!  I often turn to her recipes as they are easy, use few or low cost ingredients, and make a good meal in a pinch. 

The beauty of this recipe is that you likely have most of these items already ... and the ones you don't have are easy to stock up on, and don't spoil by storing.  It pays to keep your pantry stocked up on basic items such as the ones used in this "Salmon Cakes" recipe.  The Depression was a time when people had to make do with what they had, and also what was available.  I like to apply that to today by just living simply ... which usually saves money to boot!

Preparing the salad:
In a large mixing bowl create bed of torn spinach and iceberg lettuce.  Add 1/2 cup of red pepper, chopped to desired size, and halved cherry tomatoes. Chop up deli meats and cheese and thinly slice boiled eggs.  Add on top of mixture.
 
Preparing the dressing:
In a small mixing bowl add grape seed oil and slowly combine vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and extremely finely chopped garlic.  Then add dry ingredients (paprika, salt, crushed red pepper and dry mustard).  Use a fork or small whisk and blend well.  Drizzle over salad and toss lightly.

Interested in Cinderella's transformation story?  You can read the first 6 chapters here which follow her Arrival at the Grove until now:

Chapter 1:
creepy-cinderella-creepydolls-collectordolls-vintagedolls.html
​Chapter 2:
creepy-cinderella-creepydolls-collectordolls-vintagedolls7928443.html
Chapter 3:
chapter-3-creepy-cinderella-cinderellas-cleaning-commences.html
Chapter 4:
chapter-4-creepy-cinderella-gets-a-shoe-shine-cinderella-creepydolls-vintagerestoration-vintagedolls.html
​Chapter 5:
chapter-5-creepy-cinderella-saving-a-lost-soul.html
Chapter 6:
​chapter-6-creepy-cinderella-the-dark-side-of-the-year.html

​Okay, now that I have just said something so radical that some of you are literally falling off your chairs; something that goes against seemingly all current and popular way of thinking ... allow me to qualify!
​
But first, a moment of apology to those sputtering these, and other protests; "But I feel better when there is no clutter around!"  "My parents/grandparents stuff is so out-dated .. and I don't want it!" "I have more time to go have fun without having stuff to dust!"  And so on and so forth.  In fact, I do hear this and more, all the time ... ad nauseam.  It is pounded into my head constantly by posts on social media, magazine articles and well-meaning individuals.  And I think these reasons resonate with people because there is indeed value in clearing out useless clutter.  But grant me the opportunity to offer another viewpoint ...  ​

Value in heirlooms

An heirloom is "a valuable object that has been owned by a family for many generations".  Value is determined by you.  And many generations can start with you too!  This really comes home when you have a child.  I take great joy in mixing up ingredients in my Mom's old robin's egg blue Pyrex bowl - but what greater joy is there to watch my daughter do the same thing? ​

Value in keeping hard copies of books, photos, music & film

Don't get me wrong - I absolutely LOVE being able to take digital photos and have access to them immediately, without the need for processing or printing them.  And I love scanning old photos, having the ability to restore them and thus prolong their survival.  But printed photos in themselves, have a story to tell and are still necessary to safeguard your special memories.  I have dozens of photos I need to print and I intend to do so.  Once they are printed, I can view them ... all by myself!  It is dangerous to solely rely on a device, that requires power and a provider, in order to view your photos or documents.  The important ones really do need to be backed up on paper.  And a lifetime collection of favourite books, films and music is expensive to reassemble on your devices.  The old joke is that every time the medium changes, we all have to buy "The White Album" again!  But it really is no joke.  At 99¢ a song, that can really add up if you are a serious music lover.  And I had gotten so used to hearing The Beatles on digital recreations that when my husband ran one of my old albums on the turntable; it literally felt like John, Paul, George and Ringo were singing right in the living room!  I had simply forgotten the fantastic and superior sound of vinyl records and all the feelings evoked by hearing these chappies again, properly, ... and re-examining the much worn and loved covers of my 35-40 year old record collection - the best!

Not to mention the sheer pleasure of holding a real book in your hands, late at night, without the added distraction of "firing up" that electronic technology.  Or cooking recipes from your Mom's, Grandma's or even Great-Grandma's recipe books!  Sure, you can look up new recipes on-line and that's great (though I encourage you to compile these new-found recipes into a book of your own) - but what a joy and feeling of connection to see the scribbles, notes, clippings and long-ago food splotches in your Grandma's much utilized recipe book!  I guarantee you will learn something you didn't know about your family by following the path they took in their kitchen on some long ago day.  

Items that can be reused

This is huge for any one committed to "going green".  Old clothes, linens, containers, craft items, school supplies - this stuff adds up and adds to the clutter.  But what a savings to have these items on hand when a costume is needed for Hallowe'en, school plays or dress-up days!  Old clothes that are in good shape should be donated but worn out clothes can be made over into a variety of items - like doll blankets, hankies, catnip bags or potpourri pouches!  The rest can be cut into rags and used for all kind of tasks from polishing furniture to cleaning bike chains.  School supplies and craft items can be sorted through and compared against next year's school list - often saving a fortune in buying all new school supplies each and every year.  ​