Writing Fool

Lensographies 

I am a RocketMom

When Bonnie, BDKZ, asked me a few months back if I would be interested in taking part in a new program coming up for Moms on Squidoo, I jumped at the chance. I was honoured to have been asked, and am honoured to be associated now with such a great b...

Sabbats

Within this page you will find information on the Pagan Sabbats as a whole well as links to the individual Sabbats. Nearly every Pagan of European background celebrates the turning of the Wheel of the Year. Other Pagans from different cultures may c...

Kitchenwitch cookery

I love to cook. I love finding and trying new recipes. I love even more putting my own twist on the recipes I find to make them my own. I must admit that I don't actually have to open a cookbook much any more. That doesn't stop me from wanting to buy...

Energy and healing

I have been interested in alternative healing methods for around 20 years now, ever since I studied Martha Rogers and Rogerian Nursing Theory while at university earning my BSN. That was my introduction to Open Systems Theories and things such as Th...

Lensography of a Pagan Witch

Not the cackling over a cauldron sort. I don't have a big enough cauldron or fire burning fireplace. Not the fluffy bunny, white light, tree hugging, never harm none sort. Some might say I'm a grey witch, I say it doesn't matter. I call myself a Ki...

A to Z of Herbs and Spices

A tall claim, but true. It was because of spices that our world is what it is today. Lands were explored, currencies developed, trade between cultures established all in the name of spices. Today, spices are readily available all over the world. Wh...

Cooking and Recipes 

British Roast Pork Dinner

Let your senses take you away for a moment. It's a winter afternoon, there's a crisp chill in the air. The smell of roasted pork meets you first. Next, your eyes spy a succulent rolled shoulder of pork, perfectly roasted with a layer of crackling on...

Green Tomato Chutney

When I moved to the UK from Kansas, one of the first food dishes I was introduced to was chutney. Specifically, the green tomato chutney passed down through the generations from my husband's great-grandmother. Every summer, my husband's mother and f...

British Roast Beef Dinner

Who says British food is bland and boring? If you've ever tasted a well cooked slice of roast beef accompanied by a perfectly roasted potato and parsnip, a Yorkshire pudding, and lightly steamed fresh vegetables, well, then you know the fallacy of t...

So what do I do with that leftover roast beef?

When buying a beef joint to roast it is always best to buy one about two times bigger than what you think you need. By doing this, you can easily get 2 or 3 full meals from one joint of beef. A larger cut of meat may cost a bit more, but by the time...

Veg in a box

Vegetable boxes offer a growing number of people fresh,organically grown, seasonal vegetables and other produce delivered directly to their door. At a price that is less than what they would pay for the same products in most supermarkets. Smaller lo...

More cooking 

It's Time to Spice Up Your Life

Chinese Five Spice, Pumpkin Spice, Mixed Spice, Curry Powders. They add variety and flavour to your food dishes, whatever the cuisine. These assorted spice mixes can also be quite costly at the shop so the temptation to buy in bulk when they're on s...

Traditional British Puddings

Baked or steamed, whether pie or tart, flan, flummory, or fool, the Traditional British Pudding conjures up images of love and home for many. No meal could ever be complete without this dish, served with warm custard or thick cream. In this day of u...

Two for one chicken dinners

A few years ago I watched a program that showed just how horrible living conditions are for battery hens. I decided at that moment that I would no longer buy battery hens or eggs from battery hens. These days I only ever buy free range and/or organi...

British Roast Chicken Dinner

We love a roast chicken dinner in our house. That lovely browned, crisp skin, covering succulent, moist meat. Sausages cooked in the juices of the chicken, bacon rolls, and a selection of roasted root vegetables and steamed green vegetables. It's a...

British Savoury pies

The British savoury pie is a time honoured tradition. This is simple food at its most delicious. A steaming hot filling of gravy, vegetables, and meat surrounded by a pastry shell or topped by a thick layer of mashed potatoes. Served up on a plate w...

even more food

Fast Food for the Home Cook

Making a good, wholesome, nutritious meal at home for yourself and your family is always the best option, but sometimes you just don't have time to spend a couple hours preparing food. You need some tried and tested recipes that you can put together...

British Roast Lamb Dinner

In the Spring, I find myself hungering for the succulent taste of a roast leg of lamb. This is truly a seasonal food, especially if like me you try to buy locally sourced foods as much as possible. Nothing smells better coming out of the oven, I thi...

Tasty Apple Desserts to Satisfy Any Sweet Tooth

Ah, the apple. Crispy, crunchy, tasty. There's a variety for any taste, from sweet to tart, crisp to soft, and everything in between. The smell and taste of apples cooking conjure up visions of that idealised home and childhood everyone wishes he ha...

Mouthwatering roasted vegetables

Just about any root vegetable can be roasted and while they are good with nearly any meal, in our house they are most popular with a Sunday Roast. There is something about a perfectly roasted potato or parsnip, or just about any other vegetable you...

Slow Food for the Home Cook

The world is moving so fast any more. Fast cars. Fast food. Fast times. Instant this. Instant that. Sometimes, you just need to slow things down a bit. What better place than in the kitchen. I find the art of cooking to be very enjoyable and relaxin...

Pagan Witch 

Most would say that I am not the stereotypical witch. No black clothes. I'm not loaded down with tons of jewellery. I don't even wear a pentagram (Gasp! Shock!)

Blodeuwydd: Flower face

Within the pages of The Mabinogion you will find the tale of Llew Llaw Gyffes, nephew of Math and Gwydion, and his bride, Blodeuwydd. The Goddess Arianrhod , the mother of Llew Llaw Gyffes, swore that he would never have a wife who had been born of...

How to Make a Spirit Mask

A spirit mask is a dwelling place which has been made for a spirit to occupy. It is created either with a working knowledge of what spirit is waiting to take up residence or with the intention of attracting a spirit to the mask once it has been made....

How many Pagans does it take...

I do love a good joke. Especially when it pokes fun at sacred cows. Like religion. I believe that you have to be able to laugh at yourself. Because, dang it, somebody else will be so you might as well yourself. So, in that line, I have been saving P...

Life Rituals

Rituals are a part of all of our lives. Some are religious in nature, but many more are just the normal ways we go through each day. Not really thinking about them unless our established routine is altered in some way. Pagans as a whole do love thei...

Pagan Sabbats: Oestara

I love it when I start to notice the beginning signs of Spring. Leaf buds are on the trees. Snowdrops and crocuses have peaked through the earth and are starting to bloom. Here and there you can spy primroses in the undergrowth. The days are, finall...

Herne the Hunter

Herne goes by many names - Cernunnos, Pan, Leader of the Wild Hunt, the Horned One. His presence can be found in place names such as Cirencester and Herne Bay in England. Images of him have been found across Europe. He is the God Consort to the Godd...

Pagan Sabbats: Beltane

Summer has returned to the land. The Goddess has grown to womanhood, the God to his manhood. Their courtship that began at Oestara is consumated marriage. The grass is growing, flowers are blooming, and the trees are coming into full leaf. It is nea...

Modron: Welsh Mother Goddess

Modron first came to me back in 1998 when I was initiated as a priestess in the coven group that I was part of back then. She came at a time when I was rediscovering my own femininity and, while I didn't know it at the time, was about to begin on the...

Amulets of the Goddess

Over the past 20 years I have found and used a variety of divination techniques - tarot, I ching, runes, pendulum. Since I discovered this book, Amulets of the Goddess: Oracle of Ancient Wisdom by Nancy Blair though, I always come back to using these...

Tools of the Witch

Witches like stuff. There is something about lighting a candle, burning incense, or writing words using dragon's blood ink on parchment paper that just brings a spell together. None of these items is magical in and of itself. Energy used to create m...

Minor Pagan Holidays

Within the religion of Paganism two groups of holidays are celebrated. The Sabbats are the Major holidays and mark the passing of the year in the Wheel of the Year. The other group of holidays are used to mark and honour the changes of the Moon. T...

Lilith: Goddess and Demon

Demon Goddess to Feminist Icon Lilith is an ancient Goddess figure who can be found in the writings of ancient Sumeria and Babylon. Her influence was as far-reaching as the holy texts of the Judaism to modern neo-paganism and as a feminism role mode...

Museum of Witchcraft

One of the best known sites in Cornwall can be found in the village of Boscastle. There, you can find the Museum of Witchcraft, first opened by Cecil Williamson on the Isle of Man in 1951 and housed in Boscastle since 1960. Today, the Museum of Witc...

Witch's Journal: The Book of Shadows

Grimoire, Book of Shadows. All fancy ways of saying "journal". A Book of Shadows is simply put, a way of keeping a record of what you have learned and what you have done as a Pagan, whether you be Wiccan or witch, Heathen or Asatru, Gardnerian or Ale...

Pagan Sabbats: Litha

Litha, another way of saying the Summer Solstice, comes on the longest day of the year and is at the opposite side of the year from Yule, the Winter Solstice. This Solar Festival marks the day when the Sun God is at the height of power. It is a time...

How to Find a Patron God or Goddess

A question I am asked and that I see asked frequently by those newly entering a Pagan belief system is "How do I find my Patron God?" They spend a lot of time and energy focusing on how they can determine who their God is supposed to be. Energy that...

The Book Of English Magic

I like to look through the books in the religion and philosophy section on occasion to see if any new books on Paganism or witchcraft have been published. Most often, I'm afraid to say, I leave disappointed because sitting on the shelves are same reg...

Pagan Sabbat: Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh marks the time of the first harvest in the calendar year. The corn, and all grains were once called corn in Britain, is ripening in the fields and must be harvested. The God, at the height of his power at Litha, is now weakening, and with...

Alternative Healing 

I have a strong interest in herbalism and aromatherapy and earned a Diploma in Aromatherapy back in 2006.

Ten Best Reiki Books

You can find any number of books about Reiki on the market. Some are really good but most just don't give you the information that you need. These are the books that I consider to be among the best that are available. Most I have in my own home libr...

Martha Rogers

Martha Elizabeth Rogers was a visionary thinker. In 1970, she published "The Science of Unitary Man" which revolutionized nursing. Her theories, as put forth, were a new way of thinking for nurses about human beings, and how they interact with each...

Open Systems & The Science of Unitary Man

In 1970, Dr Martha E. Rogers published An Introduction to the Theoretical Basis of Nursing where she presented her theory on the Science of Unitary Human Beings. Her concepts were derived from the view that the universe is a collection of open system...

Grow Your Own Drugs

I watched the BBC program, "Grow Your Own Drugs" presented by James Wong and found it to be utterly fascinating. Of course, when I found out the BBC had released a book to go along with the series, I had to get it as well. I have a strong interest i...

How to Quit Smoking Using Herbal Tea

Nine years ago, my husband made the decision to stop smoking. He chose to use branded micro-tabs, but wanted something more natural to help take away the cravings. What I found for him was an herbal blend to help ease the feelings of nervousness and...

Energy Healing 

Reiki: An introduction

Reiki practitioners channel chi or energy from the environment around them to the person receiving a Reiki treatment. Chi is the term used by the Chinese and martial artists for the underlying force the Universe is made of. The concepts of Chi can be...

Reiki Energy Healing and Me

I began studying and learning about alternative methods of healing back in the early 1990s. One modality I have always come back to is energy healing, specifically Reiki. I obtained my first and second degree levels in 1993. Over the following 5 year...

Reiki Principles

The Reiki principles were set forth by Mikao Usui as he developed Usui Shiki Ryoho Reiki in the early 20th century. Originally written as a poem by Emperor Meiji (1868-1912) and adapted by Mikao Usui, they were "The secret method of inviting good f...

Using Reiki through Meditations and Exercises

Over time I have found and developed different Reiki meditations and exercises for personal use. These can be used to rejuvenate and recharge, for personal healing on a physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual level, or for connecting with another p...

Reiki Training: Beginner Level

I offer Reiki training to people local to me, within their home or a place of their choosing. I believe that beginning Reiki to Master level is not something that can be taught in a single 8 hour course. Time is needed to adjust and experience the ch...

Women I admire series 

My great-great grandmother - women I admire

I never met this woman, she died 1 year after my mother was born. I would never have known about her if not for the family history research done by my mother's family back in the 1970s. Jane Morton was my grandmother's grandmother. She endured hards...

Women I admire: The Mad Macpurple

I have known Tina, the Mad MacPurple for nearly a decade now. Though we live the length of the UK apart, she is one of my dearest and closest friends. We were given the task for the advanced RocketMoms assignment this week to create a lens acknowled...

About me and mine 

Through hell and back again, my journey through post-natal depression

In November 2004 my third son was born via caesarean section after over 40 hours labour. This was my third caesarean,my second unsuccessful attempt at a home birth. Everything had been put into place to make it a success. But, things just didn't wor...

You too can be an organized mom

Organised Mum was started by Sarah Sadler in 2004 after the birth of her second child. Even though Sarah had no previous business experience, Organised Mum has grown and expanded since then by leaps and bounds. In 2008, approximately 200,000 Organis...

Nan, not in a nutshell

There is a saying that anything which can be put in a nutshell probably belongs there. My life is definitely something that cannot be described in a nutshell.

Places, Buckets, and Favourites

Five X Five, My list of lists 5 random statements 5 favourite places 5 things to do before I die 5 photos (and the rest) 5 places I'd like to visit.     And because I can't even follow my own rules, interspersed will be mo...

We Met in an IRC Chatroom

A frequent question that my husband and I get from people when they meet us is "How did you meet?" A reasonable question when you consider it. He is British. I am American. However much I may want to believe that I don't have an accent, it is appare...

The Engagement Ring

The Ring Today, we were given our Advanced RocketMom assignment. Create a lens about our most favoured possession. I spent several hours letting this idea simmer in the back of my mind: What is my most treasured possession? Family members were rule...

Oh the places I've seen 

Orpington, a town in Kent

In July 1998 the town of Orpington in Kent became my home town when I moved from Topeka, Kansas to the United Kingdom. It was a bit of a culture shock at first, but today this is my town too. My husband was born here, his parents live here, his broth...

Days Out: London Zoo

London Zoo in Regent's Park was opened on April 27, 1828 as a place for scientific study. As such it is the oldest scientific zoo in the world. It opened to the public in 1847. London Zoo is now managed by the Zoological Society of London, establish...

Weird and wonderful in Kansas

I may live in the UK, but I'm a Kansas girl by birth. Born and reared there. So when we went back to Kansas on holiday a few years back I wanted to look for some of the sights off the beaten track. What we found was a land of wonder and weirdness.Gre...

What's on in Topeka

I moved to Topeka when I was a young girl and lived there until the day that I emigrated to the UK. Topeka is the capital of Kansas. It, unfortunately, has a reputation as being a somewhat boring city. When I had my son there and a limited income I...

Growing Up in Smalltown America

Back in July 1998 I moved from Kansas to the United Kingdom. I went from a State with fewer than 2 million people to a metropolitan area with over 7 million. I remain at heart though a small town gal. When I think of small towns, I immediately think...

Taking a Trip Through Time in London

One of the many things I love about London is that it is just filled with history next to modern life. From the buildings to the people, when you enter this ancient city you are immersed in that feeling. This was never more apparent than on the 13th...

Caravan Holidays: Scotland

When our boys were younger we decided to take a trip to Scotland for a week. After looking at various options we decided to hire a 2 bedroom caravan. We had a base from which to see all the area sights without the hassle of being in a hotel room. We...

Loners 

Lenses without a home

Making a Breakthrough in Breast Cancer Research

Breakthrough Breast Cancer is the UK's leading breast cancer charity, committed to fighting breast cancer through research and education. In 1999 they started the UK's first dedicated breast cancer research facility, The Breakthrough Toby Robins Bre...

Stay at Home Rocket Moms

Welcome to the SAHRM group, a gathering place for Rocket Moms who are also stay at home moms, or grandmoms, or moms who intend to stay at home once children arrive.

Walking for Breast Cancer Research

All over the world, men and women are walking. They are walking to raise money for breast cancer research. If you are thinking of making a walk, it can sometimes be difficult to find a group or organisation from among all those listed online. I have...

Sorry, the Dog Ate My PC

Each week in Rocketmoms, we get an assignment, a lens topic that is supposed to be completed that week. This week though, BDKZ has given an extra credit assignment: Create a fabulous Top 10 lens about something that you find interesting Unfortunate...

Mothering Sunday in the UK

Mothering Sunday as a religious and as a secular holiday has been celebrated in the UK since at least the 17th Century. Though it is sometimes called "Mother's Day", it has no connection with the American holiday. This holiday falls each year on the...

SKK Cookware

The SKK cookware made in Germany has got to be the best I have ever found. I have two pieces of their cookware now and use them on a nearly daily basis. Every year when my husband says to me, "What would you like for your birthday/anniversary/Christ...

Hollie Steel - 10 year old singing talent

Hollie Steel is a tiny girl. She looked even tinier standing alone on stage in her pink ballerina costume as she spoke to the four judges for Britains Got Talent. Her dance, when she started was unremarkable and four judges' hands were poised ab...

St George's Day Should Be a National Holiday in England

St George's Day Should Be a National Holiday in England Four countries make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England. Every country but England celebrates their respective Saint day...

Cooking with knives

It isn't just the professionals who need a good set of kitchen knives. If you do any cooking at all, then a decent set of knives are important. It is better to spend a moderate amount of money on one really good knife that you will use over and over...

Ben 10 

Ben 10: Colouring Pages

As a parent, one aim I have is to encourage my childrens' creativity and imagination as much as possible. One very good way to do this is through artwork and colouring. These days, anyone with access to the internet and a good printer can create a n...

Ben 10: Lego Force

It was recently announced that Lego has teamed up with Cartoon Network and will be bringing out a line of Ben 10 Alien Force lego sets, complete with a "new twist" on the Lego building system. Now, in our house, this is going to be met with cheers....

Ben 10: Alien Swarm

Kids are waiting in anticipation. Cartoon Network in association with Turner Broadcasting System, Inc have brought your favourite Ben 10 characters to life once again with Ben 10: Alien Swarm. You won't find this movie at the cinemas though. Like t...

Ben 10 Alien Force DVDs

If you missed Ben 10 Alien Force when Cartoon Network first showed it, or if you'd just like to watch the episodes again, then check out these DVDs. Learn why Ben made the decision to put on the omnitrix again. How did Kevin Levin come to be an al...

Ben 10 Alien Force Bedroom

If you have a little Ben 10 fanatic at home wanting a Ben 10 themed bedroom, this is where you need to be. Ben 10 bedding, Ben 10 posters, Ben 10... well, you get the idea. If you have some Ben 10 fans at home, they might just like some of these Be...

Ben 10: Birthday Party

You have the DVDs, the toys, the books. Your little Ben 10 fan now wants a Ben 10 birthday party. The question is, just how do you put that together without a a lot of fuss and bother. Your own themed party can be as simple as you wish. Here, I am p...

Twitter Lists 

The Best of Moms on Twitter

Megan Casey said it best in a Squidblog post dated 20th May, 2009: I realized quite a while back that more often than not the people making the very best lenses-the most creative, thoughtful, well written pages-were women. More specifically they wer...

Best of Reiki on Twitter

Reiki Healing was barely known when I first trained in it back in 1993. Now, it seems that everyone is talking about it. Science and physics tells us that all things are energy, atoms vibrating at varying intensities.Advanced studies into quantum ph...