Post on 28-Mar-2016
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The Witches’ Compendium:
Ostara
By Tenae S.
The Witch of Howling Creek
Copyright Information
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Disclaimer
The author of this e-book has used their best efforts in preparing this e-book. The
author makes no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy,
applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this e-book. The
information contained in this e-book is strictly for educational purposes.
Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in this e-book, you are taking full
responsibility for your actions.
Tenae S. is a practicing kitchen witch from the West
Coast of the United States where she lives on a
small farm known as Howling Creek. She enjoys
emphasizing her Celtic heritage in her craft and
celebrating the Sabbats and Esbats throughout the
year. She writes “The Witch of Howling Creek”
blog and is the founder and editor of the free e-
magazine Pagan Living.
The Witch of Howling Creek Blog
Pagan Living Magazine
The Witch of Howling Creek on Twitter
The Witch of Howling Creek on Pinterest
Table of Contents
1 Foreword
Hearth & Home
3 Decorating with Natural Materials
5 Top 10 Decorations for Ostara
7 Eggshell Fertilizer
Magick & Witchcraft
9 Ostara Correspondences
10 Ostara Solitary Ritual
11 Wind Moon Ritual
12 Spells for the Garden
Honor & Celebrate
14 Ways to Celebrate
15 Natural Egg Dyes
Fete & Feast
17 Ostara Menu & Recipes (gathering)
1
Foreword Of all the Sabbats, Ostara is perhaps one of the most fun. The colors are bright
and sweet and always remind me of childhood spring days. This is a holiday
filled with sweets, flowering gardens and delicious brunches.
There is something sweet and cheerful about Ostara, something that brings us all
back to our families and childhoods. We share food, we hide treats, we laugh and
we honor spring.
This is the time for coming out of our winter caves and into the bright sunshine
and blossoming flowers to greet our neighbors and loved ones. So gather your
family and friends, set out the marshmallow Peeps and enjoy these first days of
the budding spring with the ideas on these pages.
Tenae S., The Witch of Howling Creek
2
Hearth & Home
3
Decorating with Natural Materials
Natural materials are abundant in every part of the year and winter puts all the
symbols of Ostara right at your fingertips: flower petals, eggs, feathers, cherry
branches and grass. Each offers a unique opportunity for infusing the home with
the spring season.
Flower Petals
Pressed flowers look lovely under
glass, such as on top of a desk or
coffee table. Pressed or dried petals
are also a great addition to a
romantic spring bedroom or
scattered inside the fold of a draped
sheer curtain.
Eggs
Perhaps the most recognizable
symbol of Ostara, eggs make for
excellent decoration in any number
of ways. Dye hardboiled eggs with
natural food-based colors and set out
on the Ostara table. For something
more long-lasting, poke a small hole
in several eggs to drain out the yolk
and white and hand-decorate them
with paint or sharpies. Hang from a
small ribbon.
4
Feathers
A reference both to the element of air
and the presence of songbirds and
new chicks at Ostara, feathers are
beautiful, light-hearted decoration.
Place large feathers such as white
peacock in tall clear vases for a
statement piece or string small
downy feathers onto monofilament
line for a pretty, feminine garland.
Cherry Branches
These cheerful pink blossoming
branches usher in spring and look
stunning in a tall vase or laid flat on
an altar or mantelpiece.
Grass
Although grass may not be the first
thing that leaps to mind when one
thinks of decorations, a small patch
of sod or wheatgrass in a square pot
makes for a great, unexpected
centerpiece. Consider hiding a few
colored eggs between the blades for
a touch of whimsy.
5
Top Ten Decorations for Ostara
When I was a little girl, I can remember waking up on Easter morning every year
to find my bedroom door closed (I always slept with it open so this meant there
was something up.) There would be a new stuffed animal in front of the door
which I would carry as I tiptoed into the hallway where I would find a trail of
Hershey’s kisses, chocolate eggs and M’n’Ms leading me throughout the house.
Along the way there would be books and at the end, an Easter basket. (Clearly
my mom enjoyed planning these little holiday excursions.) There really is a lot of
fun to be had with Ostara in the home, garden and candy aisle.
Place colored eggs in unexpected places such as terrariums.
String bunny, egg and chick-shaped cookie cutters on pastel ribbons and
hang in windows or from kitchen chandeliers.
Reorganize the furniture in at least one room of the house in terms of the
balancing principles of feng shui.
Weave bird’s nests out of pussy willow branches and fill with candy eggs.
Use as décor or place settings at a dinner table.
Fill trifle dishes with fresh carrots with leaves attached for a vibrant nod
to the Bunny’s favorite snack. These are great as unconventional
centerpieces!
Press some of the first spring flowers of the year and place under glass or
in a shadowbox to showcase them for many Ostaras to come.
6
Set a formal, elegant table for an Ostara meal outside, preferably on grass
or under trees, for a beautiful contrast. Use mismatched chairs for a
shabby chic look with a pastel tablecloth, alternating pastel cloth napkins
and fine silverware.
Spray paint willow branches in various pastel colors like pink, blue and
yellow. These are great in tall glass vases on either side of a door or on a
table in an entryway.
Eggshells are great for lots of fun crafts. For example, use a toothpick to
poke a small hole in eggs, dye in pastel colors and then use to make soy
votive candles!
Flowers are a really big part of Ostara. Pick up flowers (whether in the
yard or at a florist) and make up several arrangements throughout the
season in unique containers such as watering cans and rainboots.
7
Leftover Egg Shell Fertilizer
We all use up a lot of eggs this time of year. But don’t just throw out all those
leftover eggshells! Rather, put them to good use as garden fertilizer, a perfect
combination of Ostara symbolism.
Rinse and pat dry eggshells and leave on a clean baking sheet in a warm, dry
place. Once dry, crush eggshells with a mortar and pestle or with a kitchen
mallet and a paper towel.
Sprinkle around roses, potted plants and vegetables or mix into soil.
8
Magick & Witchcraft
9
Ostara Correspondences
Every Sabbat has colors, spices and other items associated with it, most of which
are based on the natural world and the current season. These items are
particularly magickal around the time of the Sabbat and are a great place to start
when designing rituals and spells.
Colors: Pink
Green
Yellow
Pale Blue
Lavender
Stones: Amethyst
Aquamarine
Rose Quartz
Moonstone
Herbs, Plants & Spices: Crocus
Daffodil
Honeysuckle
Iris
Jasmine
Rose
Peony
Violet
Tulips
10
Ostara Solitary Ritual
Sit skyclad or loosely clothed. Light a white or pastel candle, in view of the rising
sun, if possible.
Handwrite a blessing for growth and beginnings, placing it in the bottom of a
small pot. Gently scoop fresh soil over the blessing. Press three seeds into the soil
and sprinkle with moonwater.
Take a bite of a Hot Cross Bun and a sip of tea, alternating until gone. Blow out
the candle.
Continue to care for the seeds, sprinkling with moonwater each day.
Blessed Be.
11
Wind Moon Ritual
Gather a white or green candle, a pinwheel, a cup of tea, a square of chocolate
and sit in view of the full moon, now in its March “Wind” period.
Place the pinwheel in a bowl of fresh soil so it stands upright and light the
candle. If it is a windy night and you are outside, meditate on the spinning
pinwheel. (Otherwise, simply blow into the wheel or set up a small fan nearby to
make it spin.)
Take a bite of the chocolate and a sip of tea, alternating until gone.
Blow out the candle.
Blessed Be.
12
Spell to Bless a Spring Garden
Tie a knot at one end of green, white and brown ribbons and braid them together
tightly, tying a second knot at the other end.
Tie a third knot in the center, fourth and fifth knots on one side and sixth and
seventh knots on the other.
Tie the cord onto a 2x4 wooden stake with a blessing written on it and place at
the entrance to the garden.
Spell to Bless New Seeds
Anoint a white or green candle with olive oil infused with cilantro. Place a packet
of seeds in front of you and sprinkle sea salt over it to cleanse the seeds.
Carefully open the packet and pour the seeds into a marked plastic bag.
Slice open the packet on the sides and bottom. Write a blessing for health,
prosperity and abundance on the blank side of the front cover and place inside
the bag with the seeds.
After the seeds have been planted, use the blessed packet as a marker in the
garden.
13
Honor & Celebrate
14
Ways to Celebrate
Honor the aspects of Ostara, including the rebirth of nature and the balance of
the equinox, with these simple, easy activities.
Host an egg hunt for children and adults alike.
Practice balance with yoga. Yoga not only helps center your mind and
body but aids in physical balance as well.
Go for a walk and try to name as many of the budding flowers as you can.
Put together baskets of candy, books and other items for your kids or
neighbors.
Visit a petting zoo and pet some bunnies.
Pick the first wildflowers of spring for a simple table arrangement.
String flowers onto fishing line with a sewing needle and hang in a
window as a fresh, spring garland.
Make homemade versions of classic spring candies like Peeps and
chocolate bunnies.
Craft flower fairies out of rounded clothespins, wire and silk flowers.
Plant seeds in eggshells to sprout before moving them to the ground.
Watch the sunrise on Ostara morning.
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Natural Egg Dyes
Lemon juice or White vinegar
Lavender – Grape juice
Blue – Boiled blueberries (strain the berries out and then chill the water)
Pink – Cranberry or Pomegranate juice
Brown – Chilled coffee
Green – Boiled spinach (strain the spinach out and then chill the water)
Yellow – Orange juice
1. Fill plastic cups 2/3 with your chosen dyes, 1/3 with water and add 1
teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to each. Stir.
2. Dip in eggs using plastic spoons. Leave eggs in dyes for at least 10
minutes each. Remove and place on a drying rack.
16
Fete & Feast
17
An Ostara Menu
Spinach Frittata
Baked Ham
Paprika-Dusted Deviled Eggs
Strawberry-Rhubarb Salad
Hot Cross Buns
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Spinach Frittata
Recipe adapted from MyRecipes.com
2 tsps olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
2 cups sliced mushrooms
4 cups packed baby spinach leaves
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350°. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high
heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, 4
minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Add spinach; cover and cook 1
minute or just until spinach is wilted.
In a medium bowl, combine eggs, egg whites, 1/4 cup cheese, salt, and pepper;
mix well. Add spinach mixture; mix well. Pour mixture into an 8-inch round
cake pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over
frittata. Bake 30 minutes or until eggs are set in center and cheese has melted.
Cut into wedges.
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Baked Ham
2 cups orange juice
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons brown mustard
Orange zest
1 orange, sliced
10-14 lb smoked ham
Place ham in a 9x13 inch baking pan and allow to stand two hours before
cooking. Arrange orange slices around ham.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together first four ingredients. Pour half of
mixture over ham and orange slices. Bake approximately 19 minutes per pound,
periodically basting with remaining glaze.
20
Paprika-Dusted Deviled Eggs
12 eggs
1 tsp vinegar
4 tsps Dijon or Grey Poupon mustard
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper, to taste
Paprika, to taste
Fill up a large saucepan halfway with water and gently add eggs, being sure they
are covered by at least 1 inch of water. Add the vinegar and a little salt to the
water. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit
for 12-15 minutes.
Drain hot water and rinse eggs with cold water. Peel the eggshells, being
carefully to preserve the egg whites as much as possible.
Slice each egg in half, lengthwise. Remove the yolks and place in a bowl. Add
mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix vigorously. Place
mixture into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe filling into the remaining
egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika.
21
Strawberry Rhubarb Fruit Salad
2 cups thinly sliced fresh rhubarb
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp orange juice
½ tsp ground ginger
Bring honey, orange juice and ginger to a simmer in a small saucepan to
combine. Pour over sliced fruit and toss to coat evenly. Chill before serving.
22
Hot Cross Buns
1 cup warm milk (105°–115°F.)
two 1/4-ounce packages (5 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 sticks (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup raisins
Zest of one orange
Zest of one lemon
3 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar
Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com and Joy of Cooking
In a small bowl stir together milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Let
mixture stand 5 minutes, or until foamy.
Into a large bowl sift together flour, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and remaining 1/2
cup granulated sugar. Cut butter into bits and with your fingertips or a pastry
blender blend into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal. Lightly
beat 1 whole egg with egg yolk. Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour
in yeast and egg mixtures, raisins, and zests. Stir mixture until a dough is
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formed. Transfer dough to a floured surface and with floured hands knead until
smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled large bowl and
turn to coat. Let dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until
doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
Butter 2 large baking sheets.
On a floured surface with floured hands knead dough briefly and form into two
12-inch-long logs. Cut each log crosswise into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece
into a ball and arrange about 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Let buns rise,
covered, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
While buns are rising, lightly beat remaining egg with superfine sugar to make
an egg glaze.
Pastry Dough
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening
8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
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Thoroughly mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces,
then add it and the shortening to the dry mix. Cut into the dry ingredients with a
pastry blender or two knives until the largest pieces are pea-sized.
Roll the dough out to about a ¼ inch thick rectangle and slice into ¼” x 2” strips.
Cross two strips and press together to stick; repeat to make 24 crosses.
Generously brush buns with egg glaze, press one cross onto the top of each and
brush with glaze again. Bake buns in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching
position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 12 minutes.
Transfer buns to a rack to cool slightly.