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Cowslip Tea (Cowslip or Primula Veris)

Folk Names: Cuy lippe, Herb Peter, Paigle, Peggle, Key Flower, Key of Heaven, Fairy Cups, Petty Mulleins, Crewel, Buckles, Palsywort, Plumrocks, Mayflower, Password, Artetyke, Drelip, Our Lady’s Keys, Arthritica, Buckles, Cuy, Frauenchlussel, Lady’s Key, Lippe, Paralysio.

Cowslip or Primula veris is a flowering plant that grows 10-30 cm tall and can be found throughout most of Europe and Asia.

It can be used fresh as well as dry (only the flowers, stems and roots are used). The flowers and leaves are rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, salicylates and sodium which help strengthen the immune system. Also, the herb contains saponoids which bring about expectorant and emetic effects. The root and stem contain saccharum, amidine and tanoids and is also a natural diuretic, soothing sedative.

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you enjoy today’s recipe.

Penne with Spicy Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 package penne pasta

• 1 can (28 ounces) Italian-style tomatoes, undrained

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan

Preparation:

• Cook and drain pasta as directed.

• While pasta is cooking, place tomatoes with juice in food processor or blender. Cover until coarsely chopped and set aside.

I’m not sure how much I’m going to be around the next few days, as I’m starting  my IVIG treatments tomorrow. It’s supposed to start Monday morning. (3 days/3-4 hours per day) Depending on how it affects me will determine site updates. After my latest relapse, this should put me back on track. I’m looking forward to having my strength back.

I’ve been cleaning like a mad person today. Having 2 dogs, I want to make sure the house is spotless. Between their dust and hair, I’m not looking to get an infection. No more hospitals PLEASE! At least it’s an in home treatment. If all goes well, (meaning no weird side affects) I’m going to enjoy 3 fun filled days of knitting.

**PantheaCon 2011: Pan-pagan convention returns to San Jose on February 18**PantheaCon, an interfaith pagan convention that brings together thousands of people from across the United States, will be happening in San Jose, CA this coming President’s Day weekend.

The convention’s dates are Feb 18-21 and will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel. As usual for PantheaCon, they will be taking up the entirety of the hotel’s function space.

The theme for this year’s gathering is “Walking the Talk.” People who submitted presentations for the event were encouraged to focus on the meaning of that phrase for pagans in modern times. Read full story from examiner.com

Happy Friday everyone! Here’s a great recipe I found from joyofbaking.com/, just in time for those of you who celebrate Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

Cake Mix

• 2 1/2 cups (250 grams) sifted cake flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons (15 grams) regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

• 2 large eggs

July of 2010 I was hospitalized and diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. My immune system attacked my peripheral nervous system causing paralysis. It was devastating, I went form being totally independent to having to ask help for everything, from tying my shoes to taking a shower. I was like a child learning to walk. After months of physical therapy, I was well on my way to recovery.

Suddenly things took a turn for the worse. Last week I started feeling under the weather, I was getting weaker day by day. Finally it happened. I woke up Sunday thinking oh no, here we go again. Blurry vision and high blood pressure set in and I knew what was next. I couldn’t walk. I was taken to the hospital for a round of tests, nothing odd came up. It was a set back, I was so disappointed after all the progress I made and how far I had come. Now it’s back in for an IVIG treatment. Unfortunately with GBS there’s no rhyme or reason to it. The Doctor told me, there may be set backs on the road to recovery. (hopefully not too many)

How to convert witches to Catholicism
Witches can and should be converted to Catholicism, according to a robust new booklet from the Catholic Truth Society that portrays spell-casting as spiritually empty, exhausting and immoral. Instead of “seeking to change God’s mind or violently alter his plans through circle-casting”, it says, Wiccans should be encouraged to surrender this often frightening burden and accept the love of Christ.

In other words, come to Mass, leaving your broomstick at the door.

“I’d sit with the men, the women of God, There by the lake of beer, We’d be drinking good health forever, And every drop would be a prayer.” – Saint Brigid’s Prayer

Happy Friday, Have a great weekend everyone!

Curried Beef & Fettuccine

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1 large yellow onion, sliced

• 2 dried red chile peppers

• 2 1/2 tablespoons curry powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes

• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomato puree

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 1 pound top sirloin, cut into cubes

• 16 ounces hot cooked spinach fettuccine

Preparation:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion in the butter until tender, about 5 minutes.

Recently I was shaken loose from my dad’s family tree and treated unfairly by people I called relatives. This got me thinking of the true meaning of the word “family”.

In the beginning I was raised by my mom’s side, since my dad skipped out on us when I was a fetus. As a child, teenager and young adult I never knew him or his family. It didn’t really matter, I had a loving mom, uncle and grandparents that did everything for me. Fast Forward 21 years. I was mad at my mom and decided I wanted to get in touch with my dad. He flew out to California  immediately and we hit it off right away. He was engaged to a woman in Miami and they were getting ready to have a son. I kept in touch with him through the years and enjoyed the time we had. It wasn’t until my 30’s that I got in touch with the rest of his family and honestly, I’ve never felt comfortable around them, or thought they even liked me. A few years later my father passed away and we all flew to Miami for his service. It seemed as if his death brought us closer together, for a while anyways.