Sacred Stitches
Each day, I draw an ogham card as an omen. I ask the Kindred what guidance, lessons, and blessings they have for me. Yesterday, I pulled Ioho /Idad/ Yew. Most of my sources refer to this as Idad… I’m very fond of Erynn Rowan Laurie’s interpretation of the ogham, and I embrace this as a symbol for mystery, longevity, and ancestral traditions. How fitting, later, to learn that the governor of NY is mandating we all wear masks when out in public, and to find myself once more sewing fabric masks for friends and family members. I talked to some others who sew, and we share a similar sentiment: it’s something we have to do. We feel it in our bones. We have this skill, passed down from person to person, that we can use to take care of each other. Each stitch feels like a sacred link between the past, present, and the future we hope for. To all who sew masks for others, blessings to you during this time.
“Cooked”
I started to watch documentaries when I do the dishes – relaxing programs about cooking, gardening, and travel. They’re also very appropriate should my child walk in the kitchen. Most recently, I finished a four part series on Netflix called “Cooked.” Based on his book by the same name, author Michael Pollan narrates his journey as a food writer learning some fundamentals about cooking. I highly recommend it, and think you’ll find his exploration of cooking through the four classical elements to be a unique approach. With fire, he looks at the transformative power of flame on meat and how it shaped early humanity. Episode two looks at the alchemy of water with vegetables. Next he explores the power of air in baking bread. Finally, the earth episode focuses on the powerhouse of fermentation. Although I’m a dairy-free vegetarian, I still found the series to be fascinating. I appreciated Pollan’s critical examination of modern, industrialized food versus more traditional methods which bring us closer to the land we live on. He touches on the difficulties with cooking from scratch each night, but he ends by encouraging everyone to try and cook one more dish a week, or to try making something you only ever thought you’d buy if only to better appreciate the process. I think it’s something so many of us can connect with during this period of social distancing.
Novel Aesthetics
If you’re interested in my upcoming novel, RIVER MAGIC, and you enjoy character aesthetics or mood boards, I posted several on my Instagram a few days ago. I intend to create more, so stay tuned! They’re such a fun way for me to explore the characters and bring them to life. Many are practicing Pagans, so hopefully you find them relatable as well as intriguing!
Author M. A. Phillips 