counting crows

m // they/them

[donjuaninhell]

So You've Finally Switched to Firefox: a Brief Guide to a Some Very Useful Add-Ons.

This post is inspired by two things, the first being the announcement by Google that the long delayed Manifest V3 which will kill robust adblocking will finally roll out in June 2024, and the second, a post written by @sexhaver in response to a question as to what adblockers and extensions they use. It's a very good post with some A+ information, worth checking out.

I love Firefox, I love the degree of customization it offers me as a user. I love how it just works. I love the built in security features like DNS over HTTPS, and I love just how many excellent add-ons are available. It is a better browser than Chrome in every respect, and of the many Chromium based browsers out there, only Vivaldi comes close.

There are probably many people out there who are considering switching over to Firefox but are maybe putting it off because they've got Chrome set up the way they like it with the extensions they want, and doing all that again for Firefox seems like a chore. The Firefox Add-on directory is less expansive than the Chrome Web Store (which in recent years has become overrun with garbage extensions that range from useless to active malware), but there is still a lot of stuff to sift through. That's where this short guide comes in.

I'm presently running 33 add-ons for Firefox and have a number of others installed but disabled. I've used many others. These are my picks, the ones that I consider essential, useful, or in some cases just fun.

Adblocking/Privacy/Security:

uBlock Origin: The single best adblocker available. If you're a power user there are custom lists and scripts you can find to augment it.

Privacy Badger: Not strictly necessary if you're also running uBlock, but it does catch a few trackers uBlock doesn't and replaces potentially useful trackers like comment boxes with click-to-activate placeholders.

Decentraleyes: A supplementary tool meant to run alongside uBlock, prevents certain sites from breaking when tracker requests are denied by serving local bundled files as replacement.

NoScript: The nuclear option for blocking trackers, ads, and even individual elements. Operates from a "trust no one" standpoint, you will need to manually enable elements yourself. Not recommended for casual users, but a fantastic tool for the power user.

Webmail Ad Blocker: The first of many webmail related add-ons from Jason Saward I will be recommending. Removes all advertising from webmail services like Gmail or Yahoo Mail.

Popup Blocker (Strict): Strictly blocks ALL pop up/new tab/new window requests from all website by default unless you manually allow it.

SponsorBlock: Not a fan of listening to your favourite YouTuber read advertisements for shitty products like Raycons or BetterHelp? This skips them automatically.

AdNauseam: I don't use this one but some people prefer it. Rather than straight up blocking ads and trackers, it obfuscates data by injecting noise into the tracker surveillance infrastructure. It clicks EVERY ad, making your data profile incomprehensible.

User-Agent Switcher: Allows you to spoof websites attempting to gather information by altering your browser profile. Want to browse mobile sites on desktop? This allows you to do it.

Bitwarden: Bitwarden has been my choice of password manager since LastPass sold out and made their free tier useless. If you're not using a password manager, why not? All of my passwords look like this: $NHhaduC*q3VhuhD&scICLKjvM4rZK5^c7ID%q5HVJ3@gny I don't know a single one of them and I use a passphrase as a master password supplemented by two-factor-authentication. Everything is filled in automatically. It is the only way to live.

Proton Pass: An open source free password manager from the creators of Proton Mail. I've been considering moving over to it from Bitwarden myself.

Webmail/Google Drive:

Checker Plus for Gmail: Provides desktop notifications for Gmail accounts, supports managing multiple accounts, allows you to check your mail, read, mark as read or delete e-mails at a glance in a pop-up window. An absolutely fabulous add-on from Jason Saward.

Checker Plus for Google Drive: Does for your Google Drive what Checker Plus for Gmail does for your Gmail.

Checker Plus for Google Calendar: The same as the above two only this time for your Google Calendar.

Firefox Relay: An add-on that allows you to generate aliases that forward to your real e-mail address.

Accessibility:

Dark Reader: Gives every page on the internet a customizable Dark Mode for easier reading and eye protection.

Read Aloud: A text to speech add-on that reads pages with the press of a button.

Zoom Page WE: Provides the ability to zoom in on pages in multiple ways: text zoom, full page zoom, auto-fit etc.

Mobile Dyslexic: Not one I use, but I know people who swear by it. Replaces all fonts with a dyslexia friendly type face.

Utility:

ClearURLs: Automatically removes tracking data from URLs.

History Cleaner: Automatically deletes browser history older than a set number of days.

Feedbro RSS Feed Reader: A full standalone reader in your browser, take control of your feed and start using RSS feeds again.

Video Download Helper: A great tool for downloading video files from websites.

Snap Link Plus: Fan of Wikipedia binge holes? Snap Link allows the user to drag select multiple hyperlinks and open all of them in new tabs.

Copy PlainText: Copy any text without formatting.

EPUBReader: Read .epub files from within a browser window.

Tab Stash: A no mess, no fuss way to organize groups of tabs as bookmarks. I use it as a temporary bookmark tool, saving sessions or groups of tabs into "to read" folders.

Tampermonkey/Violentmonkey: Managers for installing and running custom user scripts. Find user scripts on OpenUserJS or Greasy Fork, there's an entire galaxy out there of ingenious and weird custom user scripts out there, go discover it.

Browsing & Searching:

Speed Dial 2: A new tab add-on that gives you easy access to your favourite sites.

Unpaywall: Whenever you come across a scholarly article behind a paywall, this add-on will search through all the free databases for an accessible and non-paywalled version of the text.

Web Archives: Come across a dead page? This add-on gives you a quick way to search for cached versions of the page on the Wayback Machine, Google Cache, Archive.is and others.

Bypass Paywalls: Automatically bypasses the paywalls of major websites like those for the New York Times, New Yorker, the Financial Times, Wired, etc.

Simple Translate: Simple one-click translation of web pages powered by Google Translate.

Search by Image: Reverse search any image via several different search engines: Google Image, TinEye, Yandex, Bing, etc.

Website Specific:

PocketTube: Do you subscribe to too many YouTube channels? Would you like a way to organize them? This is your answer.

Enhancer for Youtube: Provides a suite of options that make using YouTube more pleasant: volume boost, theatre mode, forced quality settings, playback speed and mouse wheel volume control.

Augmented Steam: Improves the experience of using Steam in a browser, see price histories of games, take notes on your wishlist, make wish listed games and new DLC for games you own appear more visible, etc.

Return YouTube Dislikes: Does exactly what it says on the package.

BlueBlocker: Hate seeing the absolute dimmest individuals on the planet have their replies catapulted to the top of the feed because they're desperate to suck off daddy Elon sloppy style? This is for you, it automatically blocks all Blue Checks on Twitter. I've used it to block a cumulative 34,000 Blue Checks.

Batchcamp: Allows for batch downloading on Bandcamp.

XKit Rewritten: If you're on Tumblr and you're not using whichever version of XKit is currently available, I honestly don't know what to say to you. This newest version isn't as fully featured as the old XKit of the golden age, but it's been rewritten from the ground up for speed and utility.

Social Fixer for Facebook: I once accidentally visited Facebook without this add-on enabled and was immediately greeted by the worst mind annihilating content slop I had ever had the misfortune to come across. Videos titled "he wanted her to get lip fillers and she said no so he had bees sting her lips" and AI photos of broccoli Jesus with 6000 comments all saying "wow". Once I turned it on it was just stuff my dad had posted and updates from the Radio War Nerd group.

BetterTTV: Makes Twitch slightly more bearable.

Well I think that's everything. You don't have to install everything here, or even half of it, but there you go, it's a start.

[honeyandhestia]

Pumpkin candles, sunflower petals and rainwater for Lady Hestia ❤️🌻

[thepioden]

Chai tea bag + lil but of brown sugar + apple cider packet + 16 oz. mug of hot but not quite boiling water

it will not Fix You but like. maybe. maybe.

[thepioden]

tags by @eridan-ampora

[thepioden]

Update: this is the best post I've ever made because everyone is sharing their Warm Beverage recipes in the notes. Go check the notes for more Warm Beverages That Will Fix You.

[breelandwalker]

The Sorrow Pot - A Spell for Sadness

Then said he, “If you will not tell me anything, tell your sorrows to the iron-stove there,” and he went away.

Then she crept into the iron-stove, and began to weep and lament, and emptied her whole heart, and said, “Here am I deserted by the whole world, and yet I am a King’s daughter, and a false waiting-maid has by force brought me to such a pass that I have been compelled to put off my royal apparel, and she has taken my place with my bridegroom, and I have to perform menial service as a goose-girl. If my mother did but know that, her heart would break.”

-The Goose Girl

—–

There are times in our lives when we suffer from the words and deeds of others. These are hard enough to bear without the additional strain of feeling like we can’t talk about it or have no one to turn to for sympathy. This spell allows for both a venting of those grievances and a call for justice upon those who have wronged you.

Intent: To relieve your sorrows and bring justice for a grievance.

Materials:

Small pot / saucepan / teapot / large mug

Fire-safe dish

Bayberry candle

Herbs: Willow Bark, Rosemary, Marjoram, Powdered Allspice or Ground Clove

Ideal Timing: This spell can be performed whenever there is a need.

Obtain a small pot or saucepan. If neither of these are available, a teapot or a large mug will do. This will be your sorrow pot. It is important to note that after performing this spell, you should wash and thoroughly cleanse the item to make sure that none of your sorrows remain before using it for mundane cooking or other magic.

Whisper your sorrows into the pot. Take as long as you like and be as sad or as angry or as vulgar as you feel you need to be. If you shed any tears, try to catch a few of them in the pot for additional potency.

Gather the following and place them in the pot:

A Palmful of Willow Bark

A Pinch of Dried Rosemary

A Pinch of Dried Marjoram

A Spoonful of Shavings from a Bayberry Candle

Stir the contents with a spoon until well combined, then tip the whole mixture into a fire-safe dish, carry it to a clear area without fire hazards, and set it alight. The candle shavings will help the herbs to burn more thoroughly, and you can add drippings from a bayberry or black wax candle if you wish to help it along.

Carefully sprinkle a generous pinch of Ground Allspice or Ground Cloves into the burning material. Let the herbs burn to ash, then cast the ashes into the wind.

If you stop there, the spell works to relieve sorrow and emotional pain, and to aid recovery and mental clarity. If you wish to go one step further and seek justice for the harm that caused your pain in the first place, add the following incantation as you sprinkle the Allspice or Cloves into the burning herbs.

Recite over the flames:

The pain I’ve suffered is your doing This spell shall be the undoing of you By sea-salt tear and burning flame The harm you’ve done returns to you

Once the herbs are completely burned, take the ashes and cast them into the wind to carry the spell to its’ intended target.

Note: If you do not have the space for burning herbs or do not wish to use fire, the herbs may be poured into a bowl and placed in strong sunlight for an hour, with the word “sun” replacing “flame” in the incantation. Cast the herbs into running water or scatter them in the wind for the final step.

- From The Sisters Grimmoire: Spells and Charms for Your Happily Ever After, © 2017 Bree NicGarran

Want more fairy tale spells? Check out the masterpost here and visit my shop for spell kits!

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my monthly show Hex Positive on your favorite podcast app, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[breelandwalker]

Recipe Roundup in Review

In years past, I posted a two-month series of recipes suitable for the autumn season, which everyone seemed to enjoy very much. I’ve been too busy this year to make up a new queue, so I thought I’d compile a big long list of links for anyone who’s looking for recipe ideas this fall.

Update: I’ve posted more recipes since the original roundup and I’ve added those additional links to the list below. I’ve also done my best to mark which ones are vegetarian (🌿) or could be easily altered to be so. (Some could also be altered for a vegan diet using egg, milk, or butter substitutes.) Recipes which may include alcohol as an ingredient are also marked (🍷).

Some are fall-themed, others are for more wintry occasions. But all are designed to make the most of the season and keep our hearts and bellies full as we face the coming cold. Enjoy!

Appetizers, Sides, & Snacks

A Pair of Stuffing Recipes 🌿

Asparagus Salad 🌿

Baked Apples 🌿

Beets with Cloves and Cinnamon 🌿

Bree’s Cheddar-Garlic Mashed Potatoes 🌿

Bree’s Homemade Colcannon 🌿

Carrot Fritters 🌿

Cheese & Bacon Pinwheels

Cheese Toasties 🌿

Cranberry-Orange Sauce 🌿

Fish Cakes

Irish Stout Apple Fritters 🌿🍷

Oatmeal & Potato Bread 🌿

Parsnip & Apples 🌿

Pumpkin Seeds 🌿

Sprouts au Gratin 🌿

Soups

Butternut Squash and Pear Pottage 🌿

Cheese Soup & Dumplings 🌿

Chestnut Soup 🌿

Garlic Soup 🌿

Gingered Pumpkin Soup with Molasses Cream 🌿

King’s Arms Tavern Cream of Peanut Soup 🌿

Mashed Potato Soup 🌿

Mushroom Soup 🌿

Entrees

Acorn Squash with Cinnamon and Honey 🌿

Bree’s Baked Ziti

Bree’s Crockpot/One-pot Chili 🍷

Bree’s Fried Chicken Parmesan

Bree’s Honey Baked Salmon

Bree’s Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole 🍷

Bree’s Roast Chicken with Apples and Potatoes 🍷

Bree’s Sesame Ginger Chicken

Bree’s Turkey Hash Casserole

Dill-Crusted Salmon

Irish Stew 🍷

Meat Patties in Crust

Michaelmas Goose with Sage & Onion Stuffing 🍷

Pan Haggerty

Pumpkin Plenty 🌿

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Orange & Onion Sauce

Rosemary-Orange Beef

Savory Yuletide Pie 🌿

Spiced Pot Roast 🍷

Stuffed Acorn Squash 🌿

Stuffed Braised Beef

Surry Sausage, Squash, & Apple Bake with Savory Streusel Topping

Xanodrian Beef Stew 🍷

Welsh Potato Pie 🌿

Welsh Trout in Bacon

Baked Goods

Applesauce Buttermilk Biscuits 🌿

Barm Brack 🌿

Beer-Bacon-Onion Muffins

Caerphilly Scones 🌿

Christiana Campbell’s Tavern Sweet Potato Muffins 🌿

Drop Scones 🌿

Gingered Pumpkin Muffins 🌿

King’s Arms Tavern Apple Cheddar Muffins 🌿

Tea Table Goodies

Apple & Potato Cake 🌿

Apple Raisin Cider Teabread 🌿

Bree’s Cranberry Pumpkin Bread 🌿

Faerie Cakes 🌿

Irish Apple Cake 🌿

Irish Apple Teabread 🌿

Irish Whiskey Cake 🌿🍷

Isle of Wight Farmhouse Cake 

Marmalade Loaf 🌿

Porter Cake 🌿🍷

Seed Cake 🌿

Shortbread 🌿

Welsh Crumpets 🌿

Desserts

Apple Fritters 🌿

Baked Apples 🌿

Bramble Dessert 🌿

Bree’s Easy-Peasy Molten Chocolate Cake 🌿

Bree’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Chocolate Liquer Glaze 🌿🍷

Chranachan 🌿

Christmas Plum Pudding 

Beverages, Jams, and Sauces

Eggnog 🍷

Hot Buttered Rum 🌿🍷

Mulled Cider 🌿🍷

Samhain Wine Cup 🌿🍷

Wassail 🌿🍷

Blackberry & Apple Jam 🌿

Irish Whiskey Marmalade 🌿🍷

Bree’s Dad’s Sauce Recipes 🍷

Delectable Dressings 🌿

Sources

Celtic Folklore Cooking (Asala)

A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook (Telesco)

A Witch’s Brew (Telesco)

Kitchen WItch’s Guide to Brews and Potions (Telesco)

The Kitchen Witch (Soraya)

Witch in the Kitchen (Johnson)

The Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook (Gonzalez)

Favorite Meals from Williamsburg (Turgeon)

Holiday Fare: Favorite Williamsburg Meals (Gonzalez)

The Very Best of Irish Traditional Cooking (Lennon and Campbell)

An Irish Country Cookbook (Taylor)

And of course, a selection of family recipes, shared with all of you for the joy of the season.

Happy Cooking!

[elminx]

Kitchen Witch Recipes: A Harvest Soup Ritual

With this recipe, I use a different technique than usually applied to kitchen magic (where you apply an individual intention to each ingredient). Instead, the ingredients in our soup are stand-ins for the abundance/wins we have experienced over this growing season. This isn't so much a creation spell as it is an acknowledgment ritual.

As this recipe is written, we are using five main ingredients in this spell; to begin, you should sit down and determine five wins you have had over this harvest season*. These can be big wins like buying a house or getting a new job or smaller wins like getting outside to walk for your stupid mental health on most days. You will want to connect each of your five wins to one of our five ingredients: onion, celery, garlic, apple, and potato. This can be done arbitrarily or with intense purpose as you see fit.

*Whatever that means for you.

This ritual is quite simple. After you have set up your kitchen space as you like to for magic, you begin by becoming better acquainted with your ingredients. As I clean and prepare each of my five ingredients, I like to speak to each and talk about the win that they represent. I use my voice to connect my ingredient with the gratitude that I feel for what has gone my way. You can carve into your ingredients with a pairing knife to write out your win or use sigils during this time. If you do energy work, you can fill the produce with gratitude or your heart's energy. This is the main working of this spell and where you should be spending the most time.

Because we will blend this soup, you do not need to cut your produce into any particular-sized pieces. It helps to cut into equal-sized pieces, but this is unnecessary.

Note here: do your apples last if you are carving into your produce since they will oxidize and turn brown, which is unpleasant

From here, you can continue onwards to make your soup. You can add any kitchen magic here that you like to use in your practice. I like to stir my soup in a clockwise motion since this is a positive working, but this is, of course, up to you. I continue to speak words of gratitude over my soup as I prepare it and I thank each ingredient as I introduce it into my soup. Do what feels right for you here.

When it comes time to blend the soup together, say something like, "As I blend these moments of achievement together, I acknowledge how far I/we have come." As the soup is being served, I might say, "I serve up our past blessings to fuel me/us for future wins."

You will need:

1 Large Yellow Onion

2 stalks Celery

Garlic to taste (I used six to represent abundance)

2 large yellow or red potatoes (or 1 Russett)

2 large or 3 small red apples (pick the ones you like)

Herbs to taste (use what you have)*

A blender, immersion preferably

Salt, pepper

Cooking oil (I use butter)

4 cups Broth (vegetable or chicken) plus two cups water

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat oil, add all the produce except your garlic, and slowly cook on moderate heat until the onion is translucent, and the produce has reduced in half - this should take 10-15 minutes. Salt moderately during this step to bring out the flavors and cleanse your ingredients.

Add in your chopped garlic and cook until fragrant

Add in your spice, broth, and water, and bring to a boil

Decrease to a light simmer and cook for 30 minutes

Blend until smooth; Salt and Pepper to Taste

Top with parmesan if using, and serve with a crusty loaf of bread

I don't peel my produce for this soup, but you can do it if you prefer. If you like a chunkier soup, you can blend half of it and return it to the pot. I imagine a dollop of pesto would be amazing on top, but I haven't tried that yet.

*You can spice this soup in any way you prefer for a vegetable soup. My partner and I make a spice from our farmshare herbs (basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and savory) that is lovely on vegetables, so I use that. Any Italian blend will work. You can easily add additional intentions into this soup if you wish with your herb choice.

What I like about this ritual is that it is a great way to include other people who may not think magically in a ritual without it being too over the top. To include your entire household in this, you can choose 5 wins for your household and assign one to each ingredient. The carrots could be "Dad's raise" and the potatoes "Jimmy's Straight A's in Allegbra". If you are focused on your wins, the soup should be shared with you and your spirits; if you are focused on your family's wins, share it with the whole family.

This is, as usual, meant to be a starting point for a ritual - you should add your magic in any way that makes sense for your practice. You could adapt this idea by applying it to a different meal. I suggest using late-season/harvest ingredients for this, whatever you make, as that best aligns with this ritual's concept.

Do you like my work? You can tip me on Kofi.

[citrinemystic]

I'm not saying that anointing my hands with road opener oil when getting ready to go out has solved all of my problems. I am saying that confirmation bias can feel pretty sweet when you get nothing but green lights on the way to your destination.

[divine-crows]

🎨✨️Art Magic✨️🎨

Uses, Forms of it, and Why I Think Everyone Should Try it at Least Once.

Foreword

Right before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I had been trying and failing to rekindle my flame for magic work. No matter what I tried to do I just couldn't get back into my studies and I was reaching a point where I was convinced I lost my spark and was doomed to live an empty life. Then it all changed when a YouTube Channel challenged how I thought about everything: Molly Roberts. That's when I was opened to the possibility of art magic, and I'll now share my love of it with anyone willing to read on.

What Is Art Magic?

A means to utilize art for spellwork, raising magical energy, or for exploring your magical subconscious. It encapsulates multiple different types of art and is generally not confined by conventional expectation (unless that's what you prefer).

You can utilize art magic by. . .

Using traditional art methods

Digital art methods

Collages

Music composition

Jewelry making

Embroidery

And much more!

How do I know if Art Magic is Suitable for Me?

There isn't a specific thing that'll indicate this form of magic is perfect for you, however I have some anecdotes from my personal experience as both a witch, and a regular artist that form a sort of idea on what could denote this being perfect for you!

First off, craving freedom from personal restraints was a big factor that pushed me towards blending my craft with my passion for art. If you want to run from the monotony of life, if you feel trapped by the social construction of boxes, or if you simply want to challenge your own mental restraints... then this idea might resonate with you.

Challenging yourself with a new form of magic, similarly, can also be a good enough reason to try. I'm the type of person who loves to constantly learn new things and I unfortunately get bored really quickly if I can't get new source materials. Using Art Magic has proven a fun challenge for me that allows me to explore a lot more topics you can't just open a book to find.

For those that may not be able to safely perform a lot of traditional style spells, this form of magic provides a discreet way to practice witchcraft. Most people wouldn't really question someone if they picked up the hobby of making art, and even if they did there's plenty of reasonable excuses out there.

How you prefer your spells to manifest themselves can also affect if this journey is a good idea or not. I find that Art Magic is really good when it comes to subtle spellwork that is more longform (though depending on how you construct them you can definitely create a spell that's the opposite).

Catalog aspects of your magical journey. Imagine a grimoire filled with pages of drawings, each one telling a story of something you experienced or learned as a witch. This especially may be more beneficial for visual learners.

You could use it as a means of meditation, sometimes art can be calming and it can open the door to your mind (so-to-speak). Especially if you're like me and struggle with staying completely still while trying to clear your mind, this may be helpful for you.

Trying to better understand archetypes, deities, types of entities, or even your own self can also be a big part of this. I've used art magic as a way to embody the "energy" of something before so I could better understand it. Especially when you're trying to seek knowledge that isn't often written on, it can provide a great way to explore more.

How Can I perform an Art Spell?

I have a step-by-step process that can give you some insight on how you may approach it:

1) Think of the intention you want. I like to close my eyes and meditate on it for about a minute then I write down if my mind wandered to any specific imagery or ideas.

2) Think of visual symbolism and colors that can help you capture the mood you want. Perhaps you need a warm color palette to invoke positive feelings, or maybe there are specific objects or animals you can include on the composition that represent something.

3) If you feel it fits your composition, you can include sigils, symbols of significance, and include shapes that have certain associations. It doesn't even have to be obvious either. You can use a circular composition to convey something endless for example, or a triangular composition to show priority over something.

4) In general follow what your heart tells you. This is a little cliche, but ultimately follow what seems best to you. Art isn't about boxing yourself in and my guidelines are just general ideas for anyone who's lost!

Why do I think that everyone should try it at least once?

From my experiences as a witch, I find that a lot of paths to be followed are quite rigid. By no means am I implying that a rigid structure is bad-- it creates a foundation from which we can work upon. I myself am exploring rigid, 'traditional' (for lack of a better term) ways of working magic. Art magic pushes you out of your comfort zone in a safe way. It makes you consider how you associate things. It makes you create new sigils and makes you research new symbols you previously wouldn't have used.

So next time you're lost on a spell, or you've lost your way in your Craft and you don't know what to do, think about maybe giving Art Magic a try. I hope my guide was a helpful starting point for anyone interested in the topic!

[byherbandcandle-deactivated2025]

Purification Oil

As the title above suggests, this is an oil that's great for your purification needs. Dress candles, use it to draw cleansing sigils, etc.

Bay leaves

Lemon peel

Thyme

Rosemary

Olive oil to cover

Place your herbs in a jar and seal. Store them in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks to a month to infuse.

While preparing the oil, you can enhance the energies by making this more of a ritual. Light white candles as you focus your intentions. Charge the oil with crystals by placing crystals for cleansing on or around the jar while it infuses.

[ladyiristheenchantress]

Warding your eyes

This post is for my folks who currently use glasses, contacts, or other visual aid's!

What is Warding with your eyes?

This is a concept similar to taking on a witches name, however it has to do with your visual aids! They say that eye's are the windows to the soul, but what about people or entities or energies that are looking to disrupt our peace? Well this is a great ward to follow as a personal ward

I recently had this revelation when my glasses shattered in the sea after I slipped under the riptide and as I was grabbing my glasses under the water, a shell came and smashed them (I am ok, I am trained to handle that and am a strong swimmer). I ended up going to one of those minute labs to get new frames and lenses, but I realized something.

If eyes are a part of you that exposes a lot about your being, whether you believe in iridology, window theory, etc then why wouldn't you ward a possible weakness? Witches names are a name a witch takes on to act like a deflector, if someone hexes them using the wrong name then it doesn't touch down, so the idea of this spell is If someone attempts to harm you spiritually, you are now wearing 'different eye's' and can reflect the spell. All it takes is a bit of enchantment. We will be banking on the fact that glasses somewhat obstruct the eye (when you look at someone's eyes through glasses they can appear different, bigger, or smaller) but you can see them clearly.

The Spell

This spell is best done on a new moon, high tide, or on a Wednesday! all of these have correspondences of protection, deflection, etc. ingredients: - Glasses/eye aid - Cleaning solution - Cleaning cloth (If being done with contacts or other eye aids, adapt this to be the aids, whatever you use to clean them with, and IF NEEDED a drying apparatus) The Steps: 1. Set up your space how you choose to do so, set your aid down in front of you. Meditate over or reflect on what the glasses mean to you 2. Envision or create a chant that reflects the eye-dea (haha) of people/spirits/energies with bad intentions not being able to effect you, because they cant see the right person to harm because of the visual aid 3. Take your finger and stamp a sigil of warding either on the lens, contact case, or safe spot on the aid 4. Clean it off to 'rub it into' the device 5. Finish the spell how you choose to finish, and transition out of the ritual space I hope you all enjoyed! More content coming soon!

Tip Jar

[astra-ravana]

Counting Crows

As far as symbolism goes crows are a pretty mixed bag. To some they are the sacred messengers of spirits or deities and signs of good fortune, to others, they are an omen of bad luck, sorrow, and death. Witches have been divinating the crow's message, through various methods, for centuries and perhaps the most notable of these is the practice of counting crows. Granted, there are several variations of this, handed down through poems and literature, but what about counting crows as an in depth divination method? Next time you see crows flying around, consider the following:

1 Crow:

• Spiritual/divine messenger

• Transformation

• Sudden change

• Death and rebirth

• Pay attention to your intuition

• Upcoming difficulties or misfortune

• Fears and anxiety

• Our shadow

2 Crows:

• Good luck and good news

• Positive events

• Love and harmony

• Partnership

• Joy

• Success is just around the corner

• Creativity and the arts

• Protection and guidance

• Confidence in your decisions

• Be honest and open with your emotions

• Symbolic of Odin

3 Crows:

• Possible warning of misfortune or negative events coming

• Secrets and intuition

• Wedding or celebration

• Birth of a girl

• Balance and unity

• The Otherworld and Underworld

• Curiosity, intelligence, higher perspectives

• Mind, body, spirit (connection to the Ether)

• Destiny

• Magick, witchcraft, and alchemy

• Symbolic of Hekate and Morrigan

4 Crows:

• Great news

• Abundance

• Job opportunity or marriage

• New direction in life

• Fresh start

• Excitement

• The start of a journey

• Fertility

• New projects

• Birth of a boy

• New beginnings

5 Crows:

• Good fortune

• Money is coming

• Prosperity, abundance, and growth

• Wealth

• Promotions, awards, recognition

• Winning

• Beware of accidents, mishaps, and dangers

6 Crows:

• Significant life event

• Karma

• Start of a spiritual journey or awakening

• Difficulty

• Metamorphosis

• Winning a prize, or receiving an inheritance

• Loss or gain

• Thresholds

7 Crows:

• The Universe is aligned

• Peace, harmony, tranquility

• Balance

• Collective wisdom

• Strength

• Protection from negativity

• Pause and reflect

• Awareness

• Insights

• Meditation

• The truth

• Mystery solved

8 Crows:

• Manifestation

• Seize the day

• Auspicious omen

• Windfalls

• Good luck

• Mind over matter

• Golden opportunities

• Focus

• Dedication

• Wishes granted

• A positive, life-altering experience

9 Crows:

• Romantic love

• New love or strengthening current relationships

• Deep emotional connections

• Positive recognition and regard

• Answered prayers

• Impending danger

• Caution and common sense

• Judgement

• Divine authority and higher powers

10 Crows:

• Spiritual epiphany

• Channel for higher realms

• Reset, reevaluate

• Insights into the future

• Otherworldly intuition

• Psychic ability

• The end of one phase and beginning of another

• Complete turn around in luck

• The Universe is talking to you

Larger Flocks:

• Great spritual power

• A higher purpose

• The big picture

• You are seen and acknowledged

• The Universe has your back

[byherbandcandle-deactivated2025]

Extra Strength Cleansing Bath

For those days when the world seems to be kicking your ass, and you can't seem to shake off the negative energy that's still clinging to you.

Infuse eucalyptus leaves, lemon peel, and rosemary into your bath.

As the steam rises, say, "The earth has left its mark on me- body, mind, and soul. With these waters, I cleanse myself, I become whole."

Bathe as you normally would. Allow your body to air dry.

Finish it up with a soothing cup of peppermint tea to clear the mind.

When disposing of the herbs from your bath, make sure to do so outside of your house so the energy they've absorbed can be carried away.

[byherbandcandle-deactivated2025]

To Ground Scattered Energy

I'm a very restless person thanks to my particular flavor of neurodivergence. This spell isn't a miracle fix-all thing, but I've found that it helps me whenever my brain is particularly scattered.

Fill a small jar with soil.

Call on the energy of the earth. "Solid one who brings balance and stability, I ask that you bless this soil. I thank you for your gift, for your reminder that I am here. May my energy take root so that I may feel grounded and more centered. By my will, so it shall be."

Keep the jar close by whenever possible to help keep your nervous energy at bay.

[windvexer]

Nope Out Spell

💀🎃 SIMPLE SPELLS FOR SPOOKY SEASON 🎃💀

So that glamour spell went too well, spooky season got too spooky, and it's time to hit the eject button. No problem.

Go anywhere private (bathroom stall will do) and focus on the spell that you cast. Recall the moment that you cast the spell as clearly as possible.

Say, think, or sign:

I revoke you, I rebuke you I erase you, I undo you Whatever was raised is put back into earth Whatever I called goes home I undo you, I erase you I rebuke you, I revoke you That old path is undone That old spell is no more As I will it, so shall it be

Observe, believe, feel, understand, or know that you've sent a CANCEL SUBSCRIPTION notice to that spell.

It's probably going to take a little bit for the effects to fade, and I recommend you do anything that makes you feel really grounded, nonspooky, and feeling like yourself.

If you're really having a bad time and you need to knock it up a notch, take a shower and observe, believe, feel, understand, or know that the grounding, normal water is washing off any last trace of spooky stuff and washing it down the drain.

[breelandwalker]

Recipe Roundup in Review

In years past, I posted a two-month series of recipes suitable for the autumn season, which everyone seemed to enjoy very much. I’ve been too busy this year to make up a new queue, so I thought I’d compile a big long list of links for anyone who’s looking for recipe ideas this fall.

Update: I’ve posted more recipes since the original roundup and I’ve added those additional links to the list below. I’ve also done my best to mark which ones are vegetarian (🌿) or could be easily altered to be so. (Some could also be altered for a vegan diet using egg, milk, or butter substitutes.) Recipes which may include alcohol as an ingredient are also marked (🍷).

Some are fall-themed, others are for more wintry occasions. But all are designed to make the most of the season and keep our hearts and bellies full as we face the coming cold. Enjoy!

Appetizers, Sides, & Snacks

A Pair of Stuffing Recipes 🌿

Asparagus Salad 🌿

Baked Apples 🌿

Beets with Cloves and Cinnamon 🌿

Bree’s Cheddar-Garlic Mashed Potatoes 🌿

Bree’s Homemade Colcannon 🌿

Carrot Fritters 🌿

Cheese & Bacon Pinwheels

Cheese Toasties 🌿

Cranberry-Orange Sauce 🌿

Fish Cakes

Irish Stout Apple Fritters 🌿🍷

Oatmeal & Potato Bread 🌿

Parsnip & Apples 🌿

Pumpkin Seeds 🌿

Sprouts au Gratin 🌿

Soups

Butternut Squash and Pear Pottage 🌿

Cheese Soup & Dumplings 🌿

Chestnut Soup 🌿

Garlic Soup 🌿

Gingered Pumpkin Soup with Molasses Cream 🌿

King’s Arms Tavern Cream of Peanut Soup 🌿

Mashed Potato Soup 🌿

Mushroom Soup 🌿

Entrees

Acorn Squash with Cinnamon and Honey 🌿

Bree’s Baked Ziti

Bree’s Crockpot/One-pot Chili 🍷

Bree’s Fried Chicken Parmesan

Bree’s Honey Baked Salmon

Bree’s Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole 🍷

Bree’s Roast Chicken with Apples and Potatoes 🍷

Bree’s Sesame Ginger Chicken

Bree’s Turkey Hash Casserole

Dill-Crusted Salmon

Irish Stew 🍷

Meat Patties in Crust

Michaelmas Goose with Sage & Onion Stuffing 🍷

Pan Haggerty

Pumpkin Plenty 🌿

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Orange & Onion Sauce

Rosemary-Orange Beef

Savory Yuletide Pie 🌿

Spiced Pot Roast 🍷

Stuffed Acorn Squash 🌿

Stuffed Braised Beef

Surry Sausage, Squash, & Apple Bake with Savory Streusel Topping

Xanodrian Beef Stew 🍷

Welsh Potato Pie 🌿

Welsh Trout in Bacon

Baked Goods

Applesauce Buttermilk Biscuits 🌿

Barm Brack 🌿

Beer-Bacon-Onion Muffins

Caerphilly Scones 🌿

Christiana Campbell’s Tavern Sweet Potato Muffins 🌿

Drop Scones 🌿

Gingered Pumpkin Muffins 🌿

King’s Arms Tavern Apple Cheddar Muffins 🌿

Tea Table Goodies

Apple & Potato Cake 🌿

Apple Raisin Cider Teabread 🌿

Bree’s Cranberry Pumpkin Bread 🌿

Faerie Cakes 🌿

Irish Apple Cake 🌿

Irish Apple Teabread 🌿

Irish Whiskey Cake 🌿🍷

Isle of Wight Farmhouse Cake 

Marmalade Loaf 🌿

Porter Cake 🌿🍷

Seed Cake 🌿

Shortbread 🌿

Welsh Crumpets 🌿

Desserts

Apple Fritters 🌿

Baked Apples 🌿

Bramble Dessert 🌿

Bree’s Easy-Peasy Molten Chocolate Cake 🌿

Bree’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Chocolate Liquer Glaze 🌿🍷

Chranachan 🌿

Christmas Plum Pudding 

Beverages, Jams, and Sauces

Eggnog 🍷

Hot Buttered Rum 🌿🍷

Mulled Cider 🌿🍷

Samhain Wine Cup 🌿🍷

Wassail 🌿🍷

Blackberry & Apple Jam 🌿

Irish Whiskey Marmalade 🌿🍷

Bree’s Dad’s Sauce Recipes 🍷

Delectable Dressings 🌿

Sources

Celtic Folklore Cooking (Asala)

A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook (Telesco)

A Witch’s Brew (Telesco)

Kitchen WItch’s Guide to Brews and Potions (Telesco)

The Kitchen Witch (Soraya)

Witch in the Kitchen (Johnson)

The Colonial Williamsburg Tavern Cookbook (Gonzalez)

Favorite Meals from Williamsburg (Turgeon)

Holiday Fare: Favorite Williamsburg Meals (Gonzalez)

The Very Best of Irish Traditional Cooking (Lennon and Campbell)

An Irish Country Cookbook (Taylor)

And of course, a selection of family recipes, shared with all of you for the joy of the season.

Happy Cooking!

[ofwinterwhispers]

Gentle Coffee Magic

General~

Coffee magic correspondences

Make your perfect magic coffee

Coffee creamer + sweetener correspondences

Coffee correspondences

Magical frappuccinos

Bewitching your coffee

Simple coffee charms

Coffee in witchcraft

Daily coffee magic

Coffee grounding

Coffee witch tip

Self love and positivity~

Self love latte spell

Mood boosting coffee

Happy day coffee spell

Coffee spell for a positive day

‘Push back’ instant espresso spell

Cozy cinnamon coffee

Energizing~

Energy magic with coffee (or tea)

Other~

Iced moon coffee

Simple morning spell

Gentle cocoa magic / Gentle tea magic

[counting-crows]

lemon curse for the fucking creep at the verizon store

lemon. carve name of employee into it. also a huge gash. stuff salt into the name and the gash, the more salt the better. get 13 nails. push each nail all the way into the lemon with malice. throw outside and watch it fester.

fingers crossed we get him fired.