I see a lot of beer in your future.  And considering that yesterday was Independence Day in America, I see a lot of beer in your past too!  Despite its ancient roots and global appeal, there is nothing more American than beer.  Grilling out?  You drink a beer.  Exploding things?  You drink a beer.  Going to go open a can of whoop ass on the neighbors? You drink a beer.  Going to ritual?  Of course, you're going to drink a beer!


That's the very basic process - you can make it much more complex like the commercial brewers if you have the time and energy.

• Yes, despite the nature of my blog, I do have ethics, values, and virtues that I live by and that I expect other people to live by too.
• Despite what many people may think, I'm very old fashioned and in some ways quite conservative.
  
  
  
• I don't necessarily have problems with folks who are fluffy bunny Pagans in general, I have a big problem with fluffy bunnies who are narrow minded. Part of why I started this blog was to broaden the horizons of those fluffy bunnies who think ideas such as mine have no place in modern Paganism.
• Pagans need to fully embrace that sex and procreation are part of nature based religions, but that while everyone should fully embrace this, it's not appropriate to have literal representations at all events. It's OK to have family rituals and adult rituals, but please make sure that it's not for some lame fluffy bunny reason like "the intensity of the power raised in circle will be too much for children" or "the deep personal journey of the guided meditation is not appropriate for the child." Please, those are bullshit reasons not to have children at ritual. Be an adult and say you don't like children because you think they're disruptive.
  
  
  
• It's alright if the grittier side of Paganism is not for you--and please feel free to judge away because I've already judged you--but stab me in the chest instead of the back. Pagans seem to think that back stabbing, bickering, and witch wars are perfectly acceptable. It's not acceptable. We shouldn't be fighting more than the Baptists. If you can't say something to someone in person because you don't have the balls, then you shouldn't say it online. Electronic testicles don't count in the real world. They only count in your false reality.
• Sacrifice is important. The aversion to all manners of sacrifice is the reason why America and Pagans often fail. Submission, Perseverance, and Endurance is the path to Deity. Think of the Chinese Kung Fu master in the Kill Bill movies. He is Deity and Bea Kiddo is on the path to enlightenment.
  
  
  
• There's a time for modesty and a time nudity. Sometimes your blouse needs a safety pin and you need to wear a sweater.
• Be authentic or you'll never truly be able to interact with Deity.
• If there's going to be a viable Pagan community that is going to be taken seriously, then people need to be active and involved. The includes charity and volunteerism. While Pagan clergy should not be paid for their services, especially if they don't hold a divinity degree, Pagans should be the ones to fund their covens and groups. This world no longer works on the bartering system. Dig in your pocket and find a dollar. That being said, clergy and others should not live off their groups. Religious education should be free, and the only people who should be allowed to make a living from holding a Pagan event is somebody who is honest enough to bill themselves as a promoter instead of hiding being a clergy title and a group affiliation.

What do fancy dinners, Wiccan rituals, Ernest Hemingway, and my favorite punch all have in common? Wine! Pagans and yuppies in particular seem to be fond of wine. For some reason, and I suspect that it goes back to mistaken thoughts about ancients and carry overs from Christian communion, many Pagans feel that they can only use wine for cakes and ale. This of course is ridiculous, but wine is still the most popular beverage in circle. Wine is incredibly easy to make, which probably explains why most of the world's cultures have some version of it. Kordwainer, who has been Wiccan for 20 years, makes wine at home.

Several years ago he was looking for a new project to take on. " A friend of mine suggested that I look into wine making. It was good timing too, because there were a couple of learning opportunities right around the bend. I ended up attending a workshop by the agricultural extension service and enrolling in a short class at a local farm just a month or so later. " Since learning about wine making, Kordwainer has made several batches of wine, from both kits (like making a cake from cake mix) and crushed fruit (like making a cake from scratch), some of which have been used in rituals for cakes and ale and libation.

Wine holds a sacred spot in Kordwainer's religious beliefs. "I am, in particular, a devotee of Dionysos, God of wine (among other things). He is the Divine aspect that resonates most deeply with me and I see His story played out in the actual wine making process itself," explains Kordwainer. "In a body of Myth associated with Orphic cults, we are taught that humanity was originally made partly of the remains of the infant Dionysos and partly of the Titans who kidnapped and dismembered Him. When Zeus discovered that the Titans had killed the child and were preparing to make a meal of him, He showered the entire scene with His lightning, destroying both the attackers and the victim. Hermes swooped in and carried away Dionysos's still beating heart, from which He was later reborn. The soot and ash that was left over served as the raw material from which Zeus formed mankind. The material was a mix of the remains of the baby and His murderers, therefore each of us has something of the God in us as well as more base and wicked impulses.

"Dionysos's bodily destruction at the hands of the Titans is mirrored in the crushing of the grape, and the gradual separation of the new wine from the must and lees reflects His role in elevating our own spirits, drawing out more of our Divine nature and leaving behind our titanic influences.

 "What I've enjoyed more than anything else has been muscadine wine. I love the flavor, and the grapes themselves have an untamed quality that I admire. I think of them as embodying more of the wild Dionysian spirit."

 As I stated above, wine is really easy to make. It is also completely legal to make at home, as long as you don't sell your wine or make more than around 100 gallons. Of course, like anything, there's always somebody willing to sell their sqeezings regardless of the law.Kordwainer said that his initial investment was about $200, which included yeast and fruit for his first batch and a bundled kit from a wine shop. The typical kit includes a primary fermenter, two secondary fermenters, a hydrometer (a tool that measures sugar/alcohol levels), and some tubing for racking. With this set up, you're ready to start making your first batch.


According to Kordwainer, "You basically start with some sweet liquid, like fruit juice, and place it in a controlled environment where you can manage things like temperature and exposure to oxygen. Fruit pulp or whole crushed fruit is often left in the juice to help provide aroma and color. This juice/fruit combo is called "must". Into your must, you introduce some yeast and give it time to convert the sugar into alcohol, making sure to keep an eye on the process. 


 "At some point you'll have to separate the wine from the sediment (called the "lees") or the wine will take on some unpleasant flavors or odors. The separation is accomplished by draining the wine into a new container, leaving the lees behind (this is called "racking"). You'll probably have to rack a batch of wine at least twice before you get an acceptable level of clarity. 
"When the wine is clear, and the fermentation process is complete, you'll hopefully have a very dry wine. Any sweetness left at this point means that the fermentation process was halted before the yeast could eat all the sugar, and that can be a bad sign. Most winemakers will sweeten their wine at least a little after the fermentation process is done and before final bottling, but for fans of dry wines, it's not strictly necessary. It is important to stabilize the wine (kill any remaining yeast) before bottling, though. If fermentation restarts after the wine is bottled, it can have explosive results (literally). 


"You have to make sure the sugar level in your juice is high enough to get the potency you want in your wine, and you have to be careful about what strains of yeast you use and make sure that the risk of contamination from other bacteria is minimized. My best tip is Sanitation is king. Keep everything sanitized; even the slightest contamination can ruin a batch of wine. Next, I'd advise you to do your homework. Read some books, take a class or attend a workshop if you're able to. Try to at least partially understand what you're trying to accomplish on a chemical level. I'm no chemist, but the little bit I learned has really help immeasurably. Finally, I'd say to be prepared to exercise some patience. Wine takes a long time to mature. You're looking at 3 or 4 months at least before a batch is drinkable, and letting it mature longer after bottling greatly improves its quality." 


Just as wine and ritual seem to be a natural pairing, food and wine seem to be quite natural as well. While many wine aficionados spend endless hours biting their nails over pairing just the right wine with their food, Kordwainer says that it's not a big deal. "It's a bit like magick, actually. In a way, wine/food pairing follows the law of attraction. Like calls to like. Red meats go with red wines; and white meats like poultry or fish go with white wines. Rich foods pair nicely with more robust wines, and milder food match with lighter wines. Of course, the most important rule is to drink wine you enjoy with food you enjoy, preferably in enjoyable company. " 


Just as pairing the right wine to the right cuisine is important, pouring wine properly is also important. "There are differing opinions about that. There are a LOT of variables, honestly: the exact temperature at which to serve the wine, the shape of the glass, how long to let it breathe before pouring, whether or not to use a decanter, etc. Pouring a glass of wine can be an art, or even a science. To add to the confusion, it can all change for different varieties of wine. You pour a still wine into the center of the glass, but you pour a sparkling wine against the edge to keep it bubbly. White wines are more commonly served chilled than reds, although sweeter red wines sometimes break this rule.


 "My own favorite serving method is highly unorthodox, but it does have some historical justification. The Greeks, in accordance with the edicts of Dionysos, always mixed their wine with water. To them, the drinking of unmixed wine was a sign of barbarism. I prefer to mix my wine with club soda and serve it over ice. I also favor sweet, full bodied wines which work out well with this method. I know that there are some cultured wine buffs who would have my head, but I pour it to drink and enjoy, and I think that's the real secret to the perfect glass of wine." 


With that said, imbibe some wine and try not to act like a maenad (at least not too much!).

I've been a little tied up lately, suspended between all my different worlds and responsibilities.  However, now that May(hem) will be over soon, things should calm down some and my bonds will be loosened.





The winner of the Erotic Sensations (http://eroticsensations.us/) three candle gift package is Catherine W.!  Please email me your mailing address at chirp_sparrow@yahoo.com.  A big thank you to Erotic Sensations for being a sponsor of the Barbed Pentacle the last couple of weeks and for sponsoring our giveaway.

The winner of the Barbed Pentacle prize pack is Bones!  Please email me your mailing address at chirp_sparrow@yahoo.com.





There's lots of fun blogs in store.  Just because I've been in bondage, doesn't mean I haven't been busy writing!  In the next week or so, we'll finish up the "May You Never Thirst" series.  Then, we'll start examining hunting and Paganism.  If you hunt, fish, or trap, and you're Pagan, please email at chirp_sparrow@yahoo.com.  I'd love to interview you.  Also, along with the hunting series, look for a review of Tonia Brown's new novel, Skin Trade (http://thebackseatwriter.blogspot.com/)!

Soon, not too soon, but soon, the Barbed Pentacle will be moving to a new home.  Yes, things will be different, and you may not like them at first, but it will be a safer place--with far less censorship--to explore the grittier side of Paganism.  Look for more information on the new site address in the coming weeks.

New drawing items will be posted soon!
These folks are all tied up too:
Erotic Sensations: http://eroticsensations.us/
Tonia Brown: http://thebackseatwriter.blogspot.com/

So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man.” When Delilah saw that he had told her everything, she sent word to the rulers of the Philistines , “Come back once more; he has told me everything.” So the rulers of the Philistines returned with the silver in their hands. After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him.[c] And his strength left him. (Judges 16,verses 17-19)

 Hair has always had certain superstitions and magic attached to it. Many of us are familiar with Samson's lovely locks and Delilah's sadistic hair fetish.
However, hair is an under utilized magical tool and vehicle that many Pagans over look or ignore. We all know that hair is often linked to how people perceive us, and many folks go to great lengths and expense to have wonderful hair, so why not use magic in the beauty treatment?

A good deal of hair magic can take place in the shower. When washing your hair, you can envision all your stress, worry, or things that have been weighing you down or making you greasy wash away and swirl down the drain. If you want to be really witchy, you can seek out hair care products that have herbal/fruit ingredients that would aid in banishing or cleansing. A similar exercise can be done while shaving as well. Not only does your hair hold a history of your drug use, it also holds a history of your health, stress, and success. If you need a new start, shave your hair. You don't have to go to the extreme of shaving your head, since shaving any body hair will sympathetically erase your past so that you have a smooth new slate.

Once you've gotten rid of the negatives, you need to invite in the positives. For this you can create your own Herbal Essence with hair teas. The word tea in this since is a little misleading. Some hair teas are meant to be ingested like traditional teas, but many of the "teas" are simply meant to be used as a hair rinse at the end of a shower. The easiest one to make is the Scarborough Fair hair rinse.


Take equal parts (about a teaspoon dried) parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme and add it to 2 cups boiling water. Let the tea steep until cool and then strain. Then use the tea as a rinse at the end of your shower, thoroughly working it into your hair. Besides the magical properties associated with the herbs, the tea is a good tonic for your hair. Another tea that is easy to make is chamomile and lemon tea. This tea is for blonde hair. Take two teaspoons dried chamomile and one tablespoon lemon juice. Add these items to 2 cups boiling water and let it steep until cool. Strain and use as a rinse. As you pour the rinse into your hair, imagine your hair getting brighter and your disposition becoming sunny.

Before we get out of the shower, color magic and hair should be explored. If you regularly dye your hair, do some research on the magical meaning of your hair color. If things aren't going the way that you had hoped, consider changing your hair color. Sometimes just changing the shade will help. If you're adventurous, or have a job where you're allowed to have unnaturally colored hair, have fun coordinating your hair color to your magical workings. There's lots of temporary hair dyes on the market (including Kool-Aid from high school), as well as hair mascaras and hair pieces.
Women for ages have been magically brushing their hair. Ancient magical and cosmetology texts are full of brushing spells. Basically, you are either brushing things magically out of your hair or magically brushing things into your hair. Some folks integrate glamoury into their brushing spells, but others use number magic and numerology. Brushing your hair is something you probably do at least once a day if not more, so just have fun and see what you come up with. Plus, you if you have a partner that is so inclined, your numerology and number magic can be mirrored with smacks from your hair brush. Take care when disposing of the hair from your hair brush. If you're skilled in tedious craft work, a hair talisman based upon Victorian hair jewelry can be made. However, if you're the type that usually just throws away your hair, the hair should either be burned or buried lest it fall into the wrong hands. Not only is it a DNA gold mine, but it's the easiest way for someone to do a spell that involves you (either good or bad).

Another way to integrate magic into your hair is with twists, braids, and hair accouterments. You can twist your intent into your buns and up-dos, or you can braid your intent. For this method of hair magic, using a magical chant or power word that is recited at each twist or braid lay over works best. Your magic can be strengthened by adding in beads and ribbons with color and number magic, or with feather extensions, which integrates feather and bird correspondences. The metal that hair barrettes are made out of can also be added into the magical mix since many deities have specific metals that are sacred to them, astrological planets are corresponded to metals, and the metals themselves also have certain magical properties.

Have fun playing beauty shop, and remember that braids makes magical bondage awesome!



BY ROBERT BROWNING



These folks like to smack some ass!
Erotic Sensations:  http://eroticsensations.us
Tonia Brown:  http://www.thebackseatwriter.com

Today, while you're slinging back shots of tequila and tacos in celebration of the Battle of Puebla and Cinco de Mayo, take your clothes off and go dig in the dirt.  Not only is today get drunk on Mexican beer day, but it's also World Naked Gardening Day.

As you may have guessed, skyclad gardening is sponsored and advocated by several naturist societies, including The Body Freedom Collaborative.  For more information on World Naked Gardening Day, visit their website naked.

Happy Gardening!  Don't forget the sunscreen in those "special" spots!

These folks garden naked:
Erotic Sensations: http://eroticsensations.us/
Tonia Brown: www.thebackseatwriter.com

They annoy me because they all seem to act like they're something special and are really only enjoyable if I'm taking something that accentuation light trails.
May you experience fire, flowers, and an ecstatic May pole dance!

Who really wants legal whiskey?

I have never had too much trouble, as I didn't get caught, haha, except for one time when I was 21. I ran the liquor in my van, and it got to a point that there was always a dark blue sedan or SUV following me when I drove that van. If I drove my small sedan, it was never there, but as soon as I hit the road in the van, there they were. So, at that point I quit for a while, and have only recently thought about starting back up."

Not a big fan of straight white liquor?  Make a cordial out of it.  The most famous cordial,  and maybe the most historic, is Cherry Bounce.
These folks bounce cherries:
Erotic Sensations:  http://eroticsensations.us/
Tonia Brown: www.thebackseatwriter.com


Mr. Mt. Dew's Drinking Song selections: