Kdbuckland - KD Buckland

LETTER TO LOO

Raven sat with her journal open, she had been writing in it off and on for the past hour. It was her day off from the Brew as she sat back sipping her coffee. Looking over at the framed photograph of her on her wedding day. Memories flooded back to her from that day a almost ten years had past since then. It had been a simple day, they had been two young kids that had fallen in love so easily and impulsively gotten married on a whim. As quickly as it came together everything seemed to fall apart as well. Being young stupid kids, they walked away from each other instead of fighting like they should have. Reaching out to picked up the photograph running her fingers over the smiling couple. She traced the lines of Logan's face, his smile, his hair. Placing the photograph back on the table she picked up her pen again and began to write.

My Loo,

This letter is about a year or more over due, as I sit in my home that is not shared with you. I have to wonder where we lost our way. Most of the fault lay at my doorstep as I am the one that left first, but I had hoped you would come for me. Like one of those scenes from a romance novels or movie. Or maybe you did and my grandfather sent you away. Deep in my heart I hope that is the case, yet I hope it is not.

I want you to know I never meant to stay away for this long. The day I packed my things up to leave was the day my grandfather passed away. I had more things to wrap up, in New Orleans. None of these things matter anymore. What matters is that I never stopped loving you, even when I left. Maybe that doesn't even matter anymore. I just want to be a part of your life whatever that may mean, friends, lovers or even to be your wife again someday.

Why am I writing you this letter now after all this time? Honestly? It's because I need you to know all these things. They need to be out in the open. You should know that your pictures are still in frames in my home and on my phone. That the sound of your voice still sends shivers down my spine. You should know that the door is open. That you are my lobster.

Rae

Raven paused as tapped her pen onto her journal. Would she even give him this letter? Was she ready to let him know how she was truly feeling? They had spoken a few times when he would come into the Brew for her coffees. Ripping the pages from the journal, she folded them carefully and tucked into her bra. She was supposed to meet him later for dinner, maybe she would give it to him then.

As an agnostic modern witch, sometimes very old holiday traditions are hard to follow. I don’t have a patron deity or anything but I do still celebrate Christmas. So I put together a modern 12 day holiday guide so I can still celebrate the 12 days of Yule without having to try to cram everything in around my and my family’s work schedule. Now there are tons of ways to celebrate and tons of different traditions out there, so you can adapt this guide however you want.

Roe deer/rådjur.

Brian May and Freddie Mercury visited a designer of women’s clothing together and found some designs that were originally made for the top of a wedding dress and had some custom made as stage costumes and then toured the world wearing matching wedding dress tops and delivering rock hit after rock hit and that’s how Queen killed toxic masculinity

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Stephanie Law on Instagram

Apple Pie Cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 16 cookies 1x

Category: Dessert

Method: Oven

Cuisine: American

Description

Apple Pie Cookies – sticky and chewy, bite-sized caramel apple pies. Sometimes the regular old apple pie recipe is just too much dessert to handle. These gooey bites bring you the best of both worlds: the fruity-caramel flavor of traditional pie, with all of the convenience of a simple cookie recipe! (No fork required!!!)

Ingredients

For Apple Pie Filling :

3 apples (about 1 lbs.)-peeled and sliced into 8 slices each

1–2 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoon white sugar

3 tablespoon brown sugar

3 tablespoon corn starch

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

A dash of nutmeg

3/4 cup water

For Pie Crust :

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter cut into cubes-chilled

2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 cup ice water

(or you can use 1 package Refrigerated Pie Crust (2 crusts))

Filling and Topping:

1 and 3/4 cups apple pie filling-chopped into small pieces

1 cup caramel sauce

1 egg -lightly beaten

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

To make Apple Pie Filling:

Toss sliced apples with lemon juice and set aside.

In a saucepan or a pot combine cornstarch, sugar, browned sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium-high heat whisking constantly. Let it boil 2 minutes until thick, then stir in apple slices.

Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and let it simmer about 10 minutes. Apples should be soft but not mushy (cooking time depend on sort of apples). Remove apples from heat and leave them covered to soften and cooled.

When it’s cooled take out the apples from the sauce and chop into small pieces, set aside.

To make Pie Crust:

In a large mixing bowl place flour, salt and sugar and mix to combine.

Using a pastry blender incorporate chilled butter cubes into the flour mixture(the mixture should resemble coarse meal)

Drizzle 2 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and blend, repeat with another 2 tablespoons water. When you squeeze the dough it should holds together (you may have to add more water if the dough crumbles, add 1 tablespoon at a time)

Divide the dough into two equal pieces, flatten and form two disc, pack each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

Lightly dust working surface with flour, place chilled dough, dust the dough and the rolling pin, too. Turn the dough as you rolling to prevent it from sticking. Roll it out 1/8-inch thick.

Repeat the process with the other disc.

Assembling the Apple Pie Cookies:

Preheat the oven to 350 F, line cookie sheet with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray and set aside.

Spread the caramel sauce onto one pie crust.

Spread chopped apple pie filling over caramel and gently tap the filling with your palms.

Cut second pie crust into 1/2 inch strips and create a lattice top over the filling.

Using round cookie cutter (about 2.5 inch) cut out the cookies and place them onto baking sheet.

Beat the egg with a fork and brush the top of cookies.

Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle the cookies generously.

Bake 20-30 minutes (until golden brown).

Walk-A-Mile Hex

Call me old-fashioned, but I am a strong believer that curses inherently have the power to help as much as they have to harm. While witches have used them maliciously countless times, I prefer to learn towards curses that not only seek justice, but change ways. This is of the latter variety – meant not to damn (for the sole purpose of damnation), but to enlighten through disciplinary action. To force someone to see through the eyes of another, for the oppressor to feel his/her own oppression – to walk a mile in another person’s shoes. Hence the title: Walk-A-Mile.

Here I will present three variations to the hex, hopefully befitting a number of different circumstances, budgets and personal tastes.

Walk-A-Mile #1

This one is (objectively) the simplest of the three as far as supplies go, but is heavily reliant on the witch’s ability to acquiesce the foot-tracks of their victim and the power of time. I’ll be the first to note how difficult that can be at times – and one of the reasons I have created numerous variations to fulfill the same basic objective.

Things You Will Need:

Glass Bowl/Jar/Cup

(9) Nails – as per usual, iron being the best, but this one can be accomplished with any make

Dirt of the Foot-Track

Instructions:

Again, this one is quite simple – merely fill the glass vessel with the dirt. Optionally: add to this dirt Hoot Foot Powder, Goofer Dust or drizzle with your favorite crossing oil.

When the dirt has been added and lightly packed down, take the first of the nine nails (again, can be primed with an oil of your choosing) and drive it directly into the center of the dirt – naming your victim and whose misfortune you wish to inflict upon them.

This is where the process can get a little timely. Take one of the remaining 8 nails, driving one in every day for 9 days (the original nail being Day 1) – each time repeating the name of your victim and the misfortune. Ex. (Victim), take upon yourself the misery you have inflicted. When all the nails have been added, allow them to remain in the dirt for another 9 day period.

After the 18 day period, begin the last 9 days by removing one of the 9 nails each day – speaking something to the extent of: From your sorrows, you will grow. Each day, repeating the process until all 9 of the nails have been removed.

On the last day, return the foot-track from whence it came, sprinkle it on the land of the victim, or scatter on the pavement of a road. Ritually wash the nails so they might be reused or drive them into the earth of their property, where every day they might cross them as a reminder.

Walk-A-Mile #2

The process is relatively the same, but can be accomplished in a shorter period of time with a few added “ingredients.” This one also has the benefit of not requiring the foot-tracks of your victim, but a personal affect is still required.

Things You Will Need:

(1) Old Shoe – not your own, unless you seek to make them walk-a-mile in your shoes. I recommend a Goodwill or second-hand shop wherein you might find a cheap, old pair of shoes – just make sure to ritually cleanse them unless you want to risk dragging a stranger into the mix.

(9) Nails – iron or otherwise

A Hammer

The Shoe Laces or a length of string

A Personal Affect (or at least their name)

Instructions:

Begin by affixing the affect to the shoe in some way. For a name you need only write it on the shoe, some things work better stuffed inside, others are better held onto and affixed later. This is a decision that must be left to the witch cursing – it’s all a matter of taste.

Now, for the fun part. Turn the shoe upside down on a sturdy work surface (outside and on concrete probably being the best idea). Using the hammer, drive the first nail into the center of the sole. Depending on the type of shoe, it may be easier to drive nearer the toe than the heel, as heels are often tougher and thicker.

This has the added beauty of angrily hitting things, which is a useful energy for curses. Similar to the first variation, make sure to note who you are afflicting and the parameters of your desires. With the first nail through, add the others in a cross-like fashion. One above, one below, one to the left, and one to the right. Drive the remaining 4 nails in at the diagonal – making a box design with one nail in the center, or 3 vertical lines of 3 (which ever you see it as).

Flip the shoe back over and (if your shoe has laces) pull them as tight as you can, working and tightening them as you work down the laces. If you shoe doesn’t have laces, simple bind the entire shoe with twine or string, leaving a good length for the “ears” (you’ll see why in the next point).

To complete the working, take the shoe and string it up: 1) in a cemetery, 2) in a tree in the victim’s yard (this one has the added benefit of freaking the victim out) or 3) hanging it anywhere where they might see it.

The cross is complete.

Walk-A-Mile #3

This one is somewhat a combination of the first two, and also requires a personal affect, name, or foot-track (as always, being most preferable). This one requires only a rudimentary knowledge of sewing (just a straight/running stitch) and a collection of sewing pens; ending in something like a charm.

What You Will Need:

Fabric (no more than an 8inx8in square should be necessary; design, color, etc. are unimportant)

Needle and Thread (Black would be best, but really it doesn’t matter)

Personal Affect

Sewing Pins

(Optional: Stuffing if your personal affect is not substantial enough to fill the charm, graveyard dirt (paid for) is a perfect stuffing)

Instructions:

Sketch out a rough foot shape on your folded-over square of fabric – roughly 3 by 4.5 inches. Depending on what you intend to stuff it with (for instance dirt would require a tighter stitch), stitch from the curve of where the heel begins around the front and to the other side (leaving the heel unstitched) – allot a .5in to .75in seam allowance and trim the excess. Flip inside out.

Add into the pocket the personal affect and stuffing, pinch the heel and stitch it closed – giving you a sealed, foot-shaped charm. (At this point, you could add a tie or string so that the charm may be hung or carried)

With sewing pins at the ready, drive them one-by-one into the foot – speaking just as the other variations require, who you wish to inflict and the parameters. You can add as many or as few pins as you want, but for best results use multiples of 9 (9,18,27…), with each one, repeating the aforementioned phrase. 

When all the pins have been pushed it, keep in a visible place (on a key-chain or hanging from a car mirror being two good options), so that anytime you see it and think about it, the hex grows. When the victim has grown or you feel it has run its course, remove the pins, cleanse them and burn the rest.

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