Look what my Mandrakes are up to!

I wintered my Mandrakes (Mandragora officinarum) in the garage. I did NOTHING to them except to ignore them and make sure that no tools or snow shovels fell on them. In late winter I did check on them and  low and behold a few wee leaves were sprouting.

Wee little seedlings

I am not a natural gardener and I do not have a green thumb. I do like to grow vegetables but we live in an area where deer roam rampant! I try to sneak the veggies in hidden behind marigolds, calendula and white sage, none of which deer like.

I was so excited that the Mandrakes were still alive. They are two years old now. The roots will not be ready until year 4 or 5 , I think. Growing them is really tricky. The seeds are VERY slow to germinate, taking as much as a year to show signs of life. They do not like too much water nor do they like to be dry. They don't like too much sun but neither do the like too much shade. You see the dilemma, don't you?

Two weeks ago

This evening

Mandrakes have a long tap root and the main root which is the one that I hope will look like a little man, will keep growing until the tap root touches bottom. So, I will have to re-pot them soon into something much taller. Maybe garbage cans or fat PVC  pipe? I cant worry about that now. We have gorgeous early spring but we are going to have a few cool nights so I have to cover my seedling veggies & my baby mandrakes just in case it should freeze.

Will they scream when I re-pot them? Should I wear earmuffs?

Blogging Without Obligation: BWO

What a great idea! I am released from blogger's guilt, from writer's whingings, from posting pain! Yaya!

Now, on to business. My business: I just made some beautiful new Cauldron Splashes® just in time for Spring! Maiden & Greenman. They are both gorgeous and if you buy them both, shipping is free. They cost $15.00 each.
Cauldron Splashes® are really a liquid incense that you use in your cauldron. You only use a small amount at a time, a teaspoon or so. Swirl it around your cauldron & light with a LONG match or fireplace lighter. They are VERY flammable.

Maiden is made from coconut oil with Rosebuds, Patchouli, Rosehips, Lady' Mantle & other herbs. It is tinted a pale pink. A small goddess charm is tied around the neck of the bottle.

Greenman Cauldron Splash®

Greenman is made from Sweet Almond Oil with Fir Tips, a small High John the Conqueror root, Balsam, Tolu Balsam resin & Oak Moss. It is lightly tinted green. A little Greenman charm is tied around the bottle neck.

Maiden Cauldron Splash®

They come in a four ounce glass bottle with a cork, sealed with food-grade corking wax.









I am also busy, busy, busy getting ready for the vending season. This year I will be at the Sacred Spaces Conference in Maryland in March.
In May I will be at Blue Ridge Beltane Festival near Staunton, Virginia.
In June I will be at Pagan Spirit Gathering 2012 in Wisconsin!! It is 8 days long. I have never vended for that length of time & I am so excited!
Then in September I hope to be at Mountain Mysteries Maybon Festival in Stannardsville, Va and last but not least I think I will apply to vend in Roanoke(Virginia) at their Pagan Pride Festival. Last Year we went up to Northern Virginia for PPD but that is a haul and means I have to stay in a hotel the night before so I may swap local for that.
So,  I must dash off & stir the cauldron, keep making brews & get ready for vending season!

What to do, what to do...?

I am having artist angst. Or creativity block or something. I am just not feeling the energy. Mother Moon wrote about Blue Monday (which was yesterday) and it being the worst day of the year. I think January drags on, winter is still here & spring seems far away. I don't believe that a day has any inherent "bad" properties so Blue Monday is no more bad than Friday the 13th is.
But I am having some really bad days. Draggy, droopy and sometimes I even feel a bit disoriented. I wake up & have to remind myself that it is a Tuesday. I have ruled out Alzheimer's, brain tumors or drug burn out. I just cannot seem to think up anything new! I am way behind with Imbolc, just getting oils & cauldron splashes out yesterday! Gaagh! I think I will reduce them today. I can ship them to you in time for Imbolc but why am I so behind?

Okay. I am now plucking up. And  yes, I DID say plucking. I am going to sit down & do some artistic shamanizing. I have a mental rabbit hole that I can scoot down & find new ideas. The really great shamans retrieve souls-I retrieve ideas. I can't heal, nor do I want to try but I can create.
Okay... I do feel a bit better. I am off to work. Ostara here I come.