Witches Tea Party ~ Under a Halloween Moon

Welcome to a Witch's Tea Party under a Halloween Moon here at Marigold Manor! I'd like to thank our hostess for this fabulous blog party, Anna at 'Frosted Petunias' for all the hard work she puts in to create something beautiful for us all to share!

Now please come in . . . don't hesitate . . . the tea's all brewed and waiting on you!

Ma cherie Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride
and greatest pleasure that I welcome you tonight.
And now I invite you to relax, let me pull up a
chair as I proudly present - your tea!

Be my guest! Be my guest!
Put my service to the test!
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie
And I'll provide the rest.

One lump, or two, perhaps even three!
Why, I only live to serve you,
of this you can be sure of!
Try the cake now, it's delicious!

Don't believe me? Ask the dishes
They can sing, they can dance
After all, Miss, they're enchanted
And a tea here is never second best.

Go on, unfold your napkin,
take a glance and then you'll . . .
Be my guest
Oui, my guest
Be my guest!

I'll prepare and serve with flair
A culinary cabaret!
You're alone,
and you're scared,
but the tea has been all prepared!
No one's gloomy or complaining
while the flatware's entertaining!

I'll tell jokes! I'll do tricks
with my fellow candlesticks,
and it's all in perfect taste
of that you can be sure of.
Come on and lift your glass!
You've won your own free pass
To be my guest!

Be my guest! Be my guest!
Get your worries off your chest.
How could anyone be gloomy and depressed?
I'll make you shout "encore!"
And send me out for more,
So, be my guest!

While the cups do their soft-shoein'
I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing
I'll get warm, piping hot . . .
Heaven's sakes! Is that a spot?
Clean it up! I want the company to be impressed!

Life is so unnerving
For a Witch who is not serving
She's not whole without a soul to wait upon
Ah, those good old days when we were useful...

Be my guest! Be my guest!
My command is your request
It's been years since anybody's been here
And I'm obsessed
with your tea, with your ease,
Yes, indeed, I aim to please!

While the candlelight's still glowing,
let me help you, I'll keep going
cup by cup, one by one
'Til you shout, "Enough! I'm done!"

Then I'll sing you off to sleep as you digest.
Tonight you'll prop your feet up.
But for now, let's eat up!

Thank you so much for stopping by today . . . I do hope you enjoyed your visit!


Poem adapted from 'Beauty and the Beast - Be Our Guest'

'A Fanciful Twist' Halloween Blog Party

I'm so glad you stopped by today! Before we start the party I'd like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Vanessa at 'A Fanciful Twist' for hosting this party! Be sure to stop by 'A Fanciful Twist' and partake of Vanessa's yummy post as well as links to all the other party participants!

I'm taking a bit of a different route this Halloween/Samhain. I've been intrigued with the colors of Black and Cream ever since I saw a layout in the fall Better Homes and Gardens magazine (I really need to purchase that copy!). It was gorgeous and it inspired me to create outside-of-the-box . . .

This time of year always makes me turn introspective and especially so since I turned 50 last year. I'm beginning to shrug off the old stereotypes of women being past their prime and over-the-hill. I certainly don't feel that way. In fact I feel better than ever and wiser too.

Season of the Crone

Crone of Winter's spellbound cold,
in Her cauldron of black are told
secrets ancient, truths and tales:
mystery Her light unveils.

She is wisdom, She is changes:
time and space She rearranges.
In Her hands, the card of Death,
for transformation is Her breath.

Crone of Winter, Grandmother wise,
look into Her gargoyle eyes.
Let Her lessons teach you well:
life is but a magick spell.

by
Gerina Dunwich

And as this time of year always does, it conjures up images of Witch's with warts on their noses, wearing pointy hats and flying on broomsticks . . . I think it's about time to leave those out-dated images behind . . .

. . . and relish a new image of the Crone . . .

"[The Crone] holds an unspeakable wisdom in the very cells of her body. The beauty and the horror of all life are held together in love. Being with her . . . we begin to see everything from two sides - the side that is totally in life, and the side that is already dwelling in disembodied soul. The Crone helps us hold the paradox."
~ Marion Woodman ~

I hope you enjoyed visiting today and have fun popping around to all the other delights waiting for you!

The Witch's Sabbat

SophiaDawn over at 'Wandering A Wise Woman Path' shared this video on her blog and I liked it so much I thought I'd share it here on mine. Enjoy! Oh, and be sure to turn the music off at the bottom of this page before starting the video . . .

Samhain ~ 2011

Do you ever feel like a chicken with it's head cut off? I'm feeling that way lately. I don't know if it's because I feel the need to do some fall cleaning or if it's the myriad of projects I have on the go, or the Samhain/Halloween parties I've committed to. Probably all of the above.

One party that I'm looking forward to is one that my friend Carl and I are hosting on October 29th. My friends have graciously accepted the invitation to partake in Samhain Celebrations with me! We're having a traditional Samhain Feast complete with a roast turkey, Butternut Squash and Apple Casserole, Green Bean Casserole, corn bread . . . okay, I'll stop - I'm making myself hungry.

After dinner we'll revel, share and tell stories and then at midnight we'll be conducting a Samhain Ritual. It's the first time I've shared in ritual with my friends and I'm elated to be sharing it with friends who trust, understand and accept my beliefs. They're a great bunch! I love you guys!

In the Spirit of Samhain, I've posted two rituals to my 'Sabbats and Esbats' page. One is simpler than the other, but both are meaningful and catch the Spirit of this beautiful time of year when the veil is thin and we can connect with our Ancestors and loved ones.

Wishing you all a Blessed Samhain and a Happy New Year!!

Preparing for Samhain

With Samhain just about a week away I spent the afternoon today preparing my Samhain altar. This altar has a very special meaning because it's where I'm also choosing to honor my ancestors and my two grandmothers in particular.

Isn't this wonderful? I found it at Michael's ~ on sale! The skeleton is one of the ways to honor one's ancestors during Samhain.

Here I have a basket of gourds and squash representing the last harvest of the season and the journey into winter.

Honoring my Grandmother
~ Mary Lubky ~
1921 - 1979
(She's pictured here holding my mom)

I chose to also honor Hecate on my Samhain altar. Hecate is a Dark Moon Goddess and deals with the more shadowy aspects of our lives. During this time of year she is considered in her Crone aspect and is the goddess of magic, ghosts, storms, the night, dreams, crossroads and animals, particularly dogs. She is able to see into all worlds and guards the border between this world and the spirit world. Hecate knows death and does not fear it, for death brings renewal through the fertility of decomposition.

While in her Crone aspect, Hecate is the goddess to turn to for protection, wisdom and magick. However, bear in mind that Hecate is not a Goddess full of tenderness and compassion. She is more prone to be stern with you if you brought a situation upon yourself. However, her wrath is swift and just to those who cause harm to a follower of hers, because those who seek her, honor her and do not fear her are in her protection and she does not take lightly to those who cause them harm. She does not tolerate nor does she coddle. Her actions are swift and without frills so when you do call upon her, be prepared for her swift actions and changes because it might not be what you expected.

Charge of the Dark Goddess, Hecate

I am the Queen of Magick, hidden in the deepest night.
I am the mystery of the other world and the fear that coils
about your heart in the times of your trial.
I am the soul of nature that gives form to the Universe.

My torches light the way for enlightenment and illumination.
My sickle of death cuts away things that are dead and no longer needed.
It is I who awaits you at the end of your spiral dance.
I am she who has no secrets but a thousand secrets.
I am the aged Old Crone of Darkness whose face of death
portends life anew and filled with Luna's secrets.
All acts of magick and mysteries are my rituals and
my greatest ritual is love itself.

You who seek to remove my veil and know my true face,
know that all your questing and efforts are for not
until thine own face beholds and knows the mysteries of thine own self.
For you to truly know me, you must look in your own heart
and know and accept thy self.

For those of you who call upon me and my powers for magick, beware!
For my magick is swift and without regards to the consequences.
Those that know me shall glide safely through troubles,
for it is my dark cloak of protection that is wrapped about you.
Close your eyes my child and call to me, for I am there,
within your darkness.

~ By Lady Hecate ~

Honoring my Grandmother
~ Mildred Elizabeth Bowers ~
1918 - 2005

Another view of my Samhain altar . . .

I'll have more to share with you after Samhain has passed because I'm also celebrating Halloween with a very special friend who's also coming to celebrate my 50th birthday with me. It will be a fun-filled, jam-packed weekend and one that I'm looking forward to with great anticipation!