March News 2025
Welcome to our March 2025 Kitchen Witch newsletter.
In February, Heather and I spent a day with Rachel at KWHQ, plotting, planning and all round general witchy shenanigans. One of the things that we are busy with, is working on some more magical goodies - all will be revealed in due course!
As we mentioned in the last newsletter, our Kitchen Witch website has had a bit of a makeover and we all loved the artwork that was produced by the very talented Tom Brown, so much so that Rachel surprised us with an A3 print of our alter-egos! If you watch any of Heather's book review vlogs, you will spot hers already up on the wall. (We are also the proud owners of a matching mug)
A couple of exciting events coming up in March - all the details of where we can be found are below.
Have a fabulous month
Ness x
What's Going on in Nature this Month from Ness
A chilly month again in February but the first signs of spring have been spotted as we come into March. Cleavers are emerging in the hedgerows as well as wild arum. Daffodils and crocus are also making an appearance. Some have bloomed already and some are still very much in the bud stage. It did get me thinking that nature does not compete; when they are good and ready to bloom, they will! A bit like us really - some folks will already have the spring cleaning underway - (ahem! that might be me) and others are quite adamant that the spring cleaning can wait until the weather warms up a bit. It's not a race, we should go with the flow and take life at our own pace.
Snowdrops are now in flower which is always a sure sign that spring is on the way. Hogweed and Cow Parsley leaves are emerging from the soil - their vivid green colour a welcome sight against the decay of last winter's plants. Early nettles and cyclamen in flower are another of spring's new beginnings. Dandelion flowers and Lesser Calandine are just emerging too! Mother Nature is rolling up her sleeves and getting to work.
Animal Ally for March by Heather
Smiling as I write this, wondering how many of will think this is going to be more about rabbit or hare!
I have chosen – Earthworm as my animal ally for March, here are my thoughts, which I hope you find amusing and interesting!
Commonly found in moist, compost-rich soil, earthworms eat a wide variety of organic matter, including rubbish, living protozoa, microscopic animals, nematodes, bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms. Their activities aerate and nourish the soils, the more worms you have in your garden or compost bin, the better it will be for growing.
Earthworms are hermaphrodites: each worm carries male and female reproductive organs and genital pores. When mating, two individual earthworms will exchange sperm and fertilize each other's ova. They also have the ability to regenerate lost segments, but this ability varies between species and depends on the extent of the damage (I was surprised to find that there have actually been studies done on this! I’ll put a reference below in case anyone is like me and likes diving into worm holes!)
Although earthworms can be active all year, they are usually dormant over the winter, conserving their energy, burrowing deeper underground to where it is warmer, as the ground begins to warm under the early spring sun in March, we begin to see the casts, consisting of soil and undigested material excreted by the worms as they feed, appearing on the surface.
An often overlooked animal ally, the earthworm is really very powerful, bringing insightful lessons of guidance and resilience, as they symbolise perseverance and determination, burrowing through any obstacles that block their way. Use this energy to find a way through challenges by staying grounded and committed to your goals, remember that slow and steady progress is what often leads to lasting success. The earthworm may be small but is a mighty role in maintaining soil health and fertility, we can employ this as a reminder that even the smallest actions can have significant impacts.
To list earthworms’ wisdom that we can ask for help with this month –
Resilience, perseverance, determination, overcoming obstacles, facing challenges, commitment, patience, growth, trust and transformation.
Sources –
https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/earthworms
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/common-earthworm
Recipes for March by Heather
Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
150g/5½oz penne or fusilli pasta
3 spring onions
1 garlic clove
125g/41/2oz cherry tomatoes
150g/51/2oz broccoli
1 tbs oil
pinch of chilli flakes
80g/3oz cream cheese
Salt and pepper
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the pasta and cook for 12 minutes. Slice the spring onions, peel and finely grate the garlic, halve the tomatoes and thinly slice the broccoli florets and stalks.
Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the spring onions and fry for 1 minute until soft. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and fry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, fry for a couple of minutes until they start to break down then add the broccoli. Fry for 2 minutes then add a ladle or small mug of the pasta water, give everything a stir and cover with a lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the broccoli is done, then remove the lid.
Drain the pasta, add to the pan with the broccoli and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Stir through the cream cheese and finish with plenty more black pepper.
Adapted from a recipe on https://www.bbc.co.uk/food
Magical properties -
Psychic powers, protection, creativity, communication, strength, energy, power, passion, healing, courage, hex breaking, love, purification, cleansing.
Coming up this month is our open online ritual and workshop to celebrate the Spring Equinox. This 2 hour event is completely free of charge and will be streamed live on our Kitchen Witch YouTube channel and a few of our Facebook pages
Flower of the Month by Heather
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" is a lyric poem by William Wordsworth. It is one of his most popular and was inspired on 15 April 1802 during a walk with his younger sister Dorothy.
Daffodils also go by their Latin name, Narcissus, which is the plant’s genus. In fact the term “daffodil” doesn’t refer to a singular species; many flowers in the Narcissus genus go by the name, for example Jonquils, also known as rush daffodils, are included within Narcissus. The traditional daffodil is either yellow, white, or a combination of the two, with six petals and a trumpet or bell-shaped crown that is frilled at its edge. They are native to northern Europe, however they can be grown in most of North America, except in the hottest and wettest areas.
It’s believed that the daffodils are named after Narcissus, the son of Cephissus, who was the river god in Greek mythology. Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection in the water, and when he fell into the pool and drowned, the daffodil bloomed where he died.
As it is one of the first flowers to bloom in spring, daffodils are seen as a representation of rebirth and new beginnings.
Daffodils are traditionally given to someone in a bunch for good luck and happiness.
In Wales, legend says that those who see the first daffodil of the season will be blessed with wealth in the coming year. Daffodils are also a traditional symbol of Wales and are often worn with the leek, especially on St. David’s Day (March 1), when the flowers often first appear.
In China, if a daffodil blooms on the first day of a new year, it is thought to bring wealth and good fortune for the rest of the year.
During Medieval times, it was thought that if a daffodil drooped as you looked at it, it was an omen of death.
Have daffodils growing in your garden to bring protection to your house and also to clear out negative energies, also good to use in workings to remove negative spells.
Having daffodils in the house brings luck, love and blessings to your home.
Daffodil Magical Properties:
Luck, fertility, protection, love, exorcism
Ruling planet – Venus
Sign - Leo
Element – Water
Energy – Feminine
Rachel will be speaking again at this years conference held in Horndean, Hampshire. Always a popular event with speakers on throughout the day talking about many different and interesting topics. Click on the picture above for all of the event details and tickets. Heather and Ness will also be there, so if you're in the area, we would love to see you!
The Hearth Witches Membership Platform
We launched our Patreon style membership platform last month on our website and it is proving very popular. Regular new material includes -
Daily Practice: Regular prompts and suggestions to inspire your daily/regular practice
Work in Progress: Follow best selling author Rachel Patterson as she shares her work in progress on new books she is writing
The Herbarium: Join our journey as we create a library of information covering wild plants, flowers and trees
The Hearth Fire: A community section for folk to discuss subjects and ask questions
Seiðr: We will share regular insights using our various reading skill sets of bones, ogham, runes & tarot
Rune of the month from Ness Armstrong
This month's rune is Sowilo - the rune of the Sun. Boy! do we need some warm sunshine now. Winter is over and Spring is here. The Sun rune is a positive rune - it brings clarity and illumination - highlighting those things which we need to take notice of. It also brings rewards and success, if we are patient, work hard and put in the effort. Hopes and achievements can all be obtained this month - go on! Go for it!
