Public - Newsletter

Welcome to our January 2024 Kitchen Witch newsletter.

Hello 2024! What will you bring us this year? At the end of 2023, I asked if there was any suggestions on what you would like to see in our monthly newsletter and it was lovely to read that you are happy with the content. We also had a few suggestions on topics that we could add, so we will be adding those as and when we can. Thank you!

On behalf on Rachel, Heather and Sue - a very Happy New Year to you all!

Ness x

What's Going on in Nature this Month from Ness Armstrong

Well, December brought rain, more rain, continuous rain and just when we thought that there couldn't be anymore wet stuff up there, it rained some more. We had a couple of frosty mornings but generally it has been grey, dreary, a bit chilly and most definitely soggy! A lot of what was growing in nature has died off now - trees are bare with maybe the odd leaf hanging off a spindly branch, the hedgerows are bare with battered broken leaves and the footpaths are a sea of soggy brown footprints from walkers wellies and doggy paws.

The Winter Solstice has come and gone now - and the promise of longer days and spring lies ahead. I have daffodil shoots poking up from my wall planters, but no sign yet from the ground, it is still too cold for them. There is some colour in nature though - cyclamen is flowering as is winter jasmine and winter pansies and rosemary.

Clear Quartz from Sue Perryman

Clear Quartz is not only one of the most well-known crystals, but also one of the most powerful.  

Clear Quartz is made of silicon dioxide and is one the most adaptable crystals available. It can be used for a huge amount of different magical uses, if you are only going to have one crystal, buy some Clear Quartz. It absorbs, releases and balances energy and can be used in place of any other crystal. 

It can also be used for storing information, energy, emotions, thoughts and memories. To do this hold the quartz in the centre of your hand and visualise transferring whatever it is you want stored, from yourself into the crystal. You can draw these energies back into yourself by reversing the visualisation when needed. 

Clear Quartz points or double ended points can be used as master healers which direct the energy to where it is needed and can be used for any ailment. It stimulates the immune system and brings the body into balance. It clears and aligns the Chakras and can be used for pain relief. 

It enhances psychic abilities and can gently guide you to your spiritual purpose. It is a good crystal to hold while meditating or journeying. 

Clear Quartz is found worldwide and has been used in almost every ancient culture. The name ‘Quartz’ is from the Greek word ‘Krustallos’ meaning ‘’Ice’. It was believed that the Gods created it and that it was ice. 

Clear Quartz can be used to cleanse other crystals. It can also boost the powers of other materials like herbs. 

There is evidence that clear quartz was used by our ancient ancestors from many different cultures. White quartz stones were included in the building of the passage tomb Newgrange in Ireland; and quartz fragments have been found in another Irish passage tomb Carrowmore, suggesting that quartz had a ritual significance. 

Clear quartz raises energy to the highest level possible and works on all levels of being. It enhances spiritual growth and psychic abilities, increases inspiration and creativity, helps with concentration and brings clarity of the mind. As a stone of harmony and purification it will quickly remove energetic blocks from all Chakras. 

Place a quartz crystal on your desk to focus your energy and bring clarity of mind. 

Holding a clear quartz crystal while meditating will help to filter out any distractions. 

Hold a small clear quartz crystal in each hand for a powerful energy boost. 

Add a quartz crystal to your bath water to help with pain relief and to infuse you with energy. 

Keep a clear quartz crystal on or near you while studying to help with concentration and to retain what you are learning. 

Adding clear quartz crystal to any kind of magical working will give your intention a huge energy boost. 

Use a Clear Quartz point to direct energy to your intent during spell work. 

Suggested Cleansing 

Cleanse with running water, incense smoke, visualisation or sound. Can also be buried in a bowl of dried rice or a mixture of dried herbs and flowers.  

Charge under moonlight, sunlight or bury in soil.  

Don’t leave crystals, especially quartz in direct sunshine, the sun’s rays can refract through the crystal and cause the surface it has been placed on to catch fire. 

Clear Quartz magical properties: 

Purification, cleansing, healing, calming, emotions, strength, support, spirituality, energy, balance, psychic abilities, motivation, uplifting, decisions, anxiety, divine connection, amplifying, focus, meditation, negative energy, clarity, wisdom, concentration, learning, spirit work, communication, astral travel, divination, dreams, harmony. 

Planet: Sun/Moon 

Element: Fire/water 

Zodiac: Leo. Gemini. Capricorn 

Parsnips by Heather Dewhurst

The parsnip is a root vegetable closely related to carrot and parsley, usually grown as an annual. It has a long cream coloured taproot, which if left in the ground to mature, becomes sweeter in flavour after winter frosts. Native to Europe and Asia, it was cultivated by the Romans, and was used widely as a sweetener before the arrival of cane sugar in Europe.

Parsnips are usually cooked but can also be eaten raw, it is high in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, also contains both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre. They can be baked, boiled, pureed, roasted, fried, grilled, or steamed. When used in stews, soups, and casseroles, they give a rich flavour, sometimes the solid portions are removed from the soup or stew, so leaving a more subtle flavour than the whole root, whilst the starch helps to thicken the dish.  Parsnips can also be fried or thinly sliced to make crisps. They can be made into a wine with a taste similar to Madeira, my mother made this, it was very potent!!

The Roman’s believed parsnips were an aphrodisiac, but now they do not appear in modern Italian cooking, tending to be fed to pigs, particularly those bred to make Parma ham, possibly to enhance its flavour.

Parsnips are remarkably easy to grow, just requiring soft soil/compost deep enough to allow for the taproot to grow without restriction.  The picture above are of mine, looking a little messy, but very sweet and flavoursome.

Magical properties –

Health, healing, love, friendship, communication, to sweeten a situation, strength, endurance, abundance, happiness, fertility, protection, cleansing, purification.

Rachel has two cake blogs with parsnips –

https://www.rachelpatterson.co.uk/single-post/parsnip-maderia-cake

https://www.rachelpatterson.co.uk/single-post/parsnip-maple-syrup-cake

I also found this rather tasty looking savoury recipe which I will be trying with my parsnips -

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sesame-parsnip-wild-rice-tabbouleh

For further information –

https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/parsnips.htm

Meet Our Dogs

Denver by Ness Armstrong

For anyone that has seen any of our live events, you may have seen an appearance by one of our dogs, or heard some barking in the background. All of the Kitchen Witch team have a dog, so we thought we'd do a 'meet our dogs' section to introduce them to you. This month, we introduce to you my dog Denver.

Denver came home with us in September 2016 as a nine week old puppy. Hubby and I had spoken about getting a dog for a while and a chance visit to an advert on a popular website led us to visit a small bundle of fluff with his mum in a family home near us. We fell in love with him immediately and brought him home the following week. Why did we name him Denver? Prior to our getting him, we had watched a YouTube video called Denver - the guilty dog. The video made us laugh and had such an impact on us, we said we would name our eventual dog after the dog in the video (which turned out to be a 'she' but it didn't matter)

Denver is a Jack Russell/West Highland Terrier/Shih Tzu mixed breed and is a fiesty dog with a loveable personality who fetches the post and slippers and doesn't allow pigeons into his garden or other dogs within 300 yards of the window which he watches from. Stuffed toys don't stand a chance and he will happily bury his biscuit or chew underneath either mine or hubby's pillow on our bed. It was interesting when he used to have greasy rib bones for a treat!

Like other dogs, he enjoys a walk around the shore or a woodland walk with plenty to sniff at.. and let others know that he's been there :-)

He can be vocal, refuse to go a certain direction on a walk - I have stood in the road reasoning with him out loud why we are not going down the quagmire of a footpath without my wellies (I'm sure much to the amusement of passers by) but we love him to bits!!

Rune of the month from Ness Armstrong

The rune this month is Laguz. The rune of emotions and connected very much with water. This rune shape always reminds me of the head of a viking ship as it charts it way across the seas - sometimes smooth, sometimes rough, and sometimes turbulent. Life can be like that and Laguz tells us to go with the flow. There are times when we just have to go with what is going on in our lives - be it smooth, rough or turbulent. But there are also times when you know that the seas will be rough, so you choose not to sail that day. Take care of yourself. Work with your inner self this month, its still a time of stillness and reflection, so make the most of this opportunity.