February 4: Astrological Imbolc

Tonight three of us gathered and made amulets holding the energies of the elements as a way to charge and bless our tools. For cakes and ale we made butter and bannock bread and sipped lavender tea milk punch. Torrential rain kept us indoors, and I almost forgot to put out a bowl to collect some I then added to a jar of Mother Water.

Tomorrow is the Feast of Saint Agatha, the patron saint of Sicily, where my maternal grandparents are from. If I was back "home" in Connecticut where there are Italian bakeries, I'm sure I'd be able to get Cassatella di sant'Agata – sponge cakes shaped like breasts, covered in white icing, and topped with a red cherry – the traditional feast food. Since I am not about to make them from scratch, in this part of Georgia I think my only option is going to be a package of Hostess Snowballs.