Conversations from the Porch 12/18 by Third Eye Radio | Blog Talk Radio

Conversations from the Porch 12/18 by Third Eye Radio | Blog Talk Radio

Just a recap of the Hrafnstong Heathen Community's 18th Annual Yule Party... and, some hung-over singing.

On The Porch in 2012

Besides the supposed "end of the world" in December, there are a few things we, at CFTP wanted to share with you - our crazy listeners:

As soon as possible, the CFTP online store will be operational (our projection, is by the end of January). Steins, shirts, and the infamous "recon calendarium" will be available for purchase.

We're slotted to attend the Florida Pagan Gathering for Beltane 2012... on a broadcast weekend. We will be contacting our sponsors at TEL Productions to see if we can schedule a Saturday night slot; this way we can broadcast live, directly from the FPG!

Upcoming Episodes...

2012's first broadcast is January 1st - on New Year's Day is the "Recon Calendarium". We will be discussing northern European time-keeping and lunar significance to holy observations.

February's second broadcast is our quarterly special, "Wyrd from the Web". We will be conversing with Ms. Victoria Clare from The Troth; as well as, another fine and famous heathen who shall remain nameless (so as to keep you all on the edges of your seats).

March ushers in some madness the Sunday after St. Patty's Day with the "Celtic Cluster Feck" episode. This show will feature some of the most established figures in Celtic Reconstructionist paganism and representing the various paths of CelticR.

April 1st - All Fool's Day - will be an "Open Porch" broadcast. All "Open Porches" are subject to our listeners' feedback; questions, comments and complaints. The phone lines are open, and you are encouraged to bring up anything you wish to address from previous shows, or, whatever other pagan / heathen things you'd like to!

Another agenda will be forthcoming.

Until then, keep tuning in for all the mayhem and action as we have various characters and icons stopping in for Conversations from the Porch!

CFTP Episode: "Yule P.I.E. - The first slice of N. European Winter Celebration"

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thirdeyeradio1/2011/12/04/conversations-from-the-porch

 

"Yule P.I.E. - The first slice of Northern European Winter Celebration" [Link above]

Guest caller, Helga Sagen, discussed some ancient proto-indo-european roots to our modern X-mas and Yule festivities.

http://piereligion.org/ This is where Helga's site will be transferred to. (This is the old site: http://pierce.yolasite.com/ which still contains a majority of the PIE info.)

http://www.openhalls.org/ "The Open Halls Project is a small organization, set up to connect military Heathens with civilian and military heathens throughout the world. Our goal is simple, no one should need to be without community simply because of their service to their country. Many military Heathens are just a stone’s throw away from others, but just don’t realize it. So we are trying our best to offer a link to those folks. " http://www.openhalls.org/?p=83 Yule Care-Package Link.

http://beastaralliance.org/ ... be a STAR is an anti-bullying alliance co-founded by The Creative Coalition and WWE. Its mission is to ensure a positive and equitable social environment for everyone regardless of age, race, religion or sexual orientation through grassroots efforts beginning with education and awareness.

The Flavors of Good Conversation: Winter 2011

First off, we've got to scream out a hearty "thank you" to Warsteiner for putting out an Octoberfest brew! THANK YOU, GUYS! However, October is over and the winter descends. What to drink? What to drink?

Bold and rich, with a touch of holiday spice.
The first thing one notices about a Samuel Adams® Winter Lager is the deep ruby color. Then comes the magical aroma which promises something special on the tongue. The cinnamon, ginger, and hint of citrus from the orange peel blend with the roasty sweetness of the malts to deliver a warming, spicy flavor. On the palate Samuel Adams Winter Lager is rich and full bodied, robust and warming, a wonderful way to enjoy the cold evenings that come with the season.

http://www.samueladams.com/enjoy-our-beer/beer-detail.aspx?id=a6f2e74f-a650-4bae-aa93-1dfbeb5593e4

Of Course, this is the traditional winter lager of The Ik, but, Sam Adams puts out a few lesser-known winter beverages that are worth mentioning:

 Tart and sweet, with complex fruit, maple, and vanilla notes.
Samuel Adams® Cranberry Lambic is a fruit beer that draws its flavor not just from the cranberries it’s brewed with, but also from the unique fermentation character imparted by the weissbier yeast in the primary fermentation. The result is a flavor rich in fruitiness and reminiscent of cranberries, bananas, cloves, and nutmeg. The yeast fermentation also creates a slight sourness on the sides of the palate, reminiscent of the original lambic style. That sourness, along with the astringency of the cranberries, is combined with a subtle cereal note from the malted wheat. It reminds its drinker that, as fruity a beer as this is, it’s still a beer.

 And, it's great to cook with!  http://www.cubert.net/2009/01/cranberry-lambic-and-root-beer-braised.html#!/2009/01/cranberry-lambic-and-root-beer-braised.html [Cranberry Lambic & Root Beer Braised Beef]

http://www.samueladams.com/enjoy-our-beer/food-beer/cooking-with-sam.aspx?rid=7b07fb68-c025-49bf-aaad-df0f54d71806  [Sweet & Sour Pork]

You can check out more Winter Classics by clicking on the image, below:

 If you're not a big Sam Adams fan, there are some traditional Winter beverages worth making and drinking...

Wassail with Alcohol
Variant Alcoholic Wassail
Non-Alcoholic Wassail

Now, if you're not a big wassail fan, there's always Glögg [or, Swedish Mulled Wine] or Kvass!

THEN, there is the Winter beer to dominate all other winter beers; a beer-drinker's Shangri-La. According to The Brew Site (click to read entire review):

"Samichlaus—which is Swiss-German for "Santa Claus"—is a dark lager brewed once a year, on December 6, and then bottled the following year. Yep, that’s nearly a full year of aging/lagering, and the result is a vintage batch that bears the bottling year on the label" 

In order to get your hands on an authentic bottle of Samichlaus, click here. According to the brewer's site:

 "Samichlaus” beer is brewed once a year, in each case on December 6th, and stored and matured afterwards for over 10 months before it is bottled. Samichlaus” beer can mature for many years in the bottle; older vintages obtain a complexity and receive their creamy warm aftertaste. This beer can be served with heavy meals and desserts, particularly with chocolate - or as digestive and meditations drink. According to the Guinness Book of Records, it is the strongest lager beer in the world with 14 % alcohol and 32° original extract content. It is brewed exclusively of natural raw ingredients after the purity requirement of 1516. “Samichlaus” beer is filled in a 0.33 litre designer bottle embossed with Schloss Eggenberg and in barrels of 15 and 30 litres for export."

  

Until next season, people...

Enjoy the flavors of great conversation, and drink responsibly!

The Story of Our Lives

The story of our lives are written by those who have come before, helping to etch our characters into the fabrics of time. All too swiftly, our brains turn to seasons of independence and freedom from the shackles we consider our childhoods to be; anticipating the growth and sproutings into mature adults.

Yet, our stories still remain unwritten by the time we flutter, awkwardly, away from those tiny nests we consider 'home'. We traipse the Earth, desperately trying to carve our niches into the stone faces of the world; always wondering back to simpler times... Seems only eons ago, really. There's no place like home.

Returning for meager gatherings of those scattered souls we once knew as safe-haven cocoons of oppressive love, nostalgia creeps into the shadows of the brain. Fleeting coincidences of Grandma's perfume reminds us that, once, we escorted her back and forth to Church... such a bother for teenagers... And, where is she, now? Ah, yes! The child-sized shoebox urn over on the shelf; her smiling face alights the front by way of an old photograph.

I miss her "dream toast" and "mushroom chicken" lunches.

Listening to a seldom-recited dinner prayer being uttered by my aging agnostic father, my heart suddenly wrenches around in my chest. My teary eyes glance over to my son, and realizations of mortality slam into my head: will my son care enough to paste a photo of me on anything, after I die? Will my great-grandchildren ever forget my physical interactions, but, remember a fleeting coincidental odor indicative of 'home'?

My parents' etched themselves into the fabric of my life; I am a reflection of my 'home'. Alas! They are not too far from the next world. I cannot help myself - I, truly, am a "softie". My dad looks over at me. Briefly, his serious gaze bores into my soul, acknowledging the bittersweet truths of mortality. Quickly, he *tsks* and cracks a terrible joke that we've all heard many, many, MANY times before... the entire family laughs, like, we've never heard it.

"Toss me a croissant," he bellows. "And, for Christ's sake - stop getting all sappy!"

Happy Thanksgiving, people.

Winter is Upon Us... Yule is in the Air!

The snow drifts down and blankets the earth in a shawl of feathery whiteness. The stark silence is noticeable; most of those noisy birds are too damn cold to sing. Unless, like us, you're in Florida. Not only do the snows force many birds into our area as they head south to migrate, but, other "birds" - very noisy ones - perform a yearly exodus from up north, and into the tropical climes of our humid state.



Alas! Not much complaining can be done. Without the annual migrations of the North American Blue Hairs (or their younger counterparts, the Part-Timers) our economy would suffer greater than our eardrums and auto insurance policies. What is a native to do?

Prepare for Yule, of course! This seasonal celebration is our largest yearly event; it keeps growing each year. And, with everyone else's desire for major life-changing events to take place during the cooler months, we are absolutely swamped with activities and travel throughout South Florida. It is difficult to stay on track when you're "that busy"! So, to help you all with your Yuletide season, here's a list of really great things to consider and/or use in your celebrations:

Celebrating Yule by Stacy Thompson-Geer

Celebrating Winter Solstice by Hayley Nichols

Yuletide Rituals and Sedes by Swain Wodening

ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR THE SEASON:

Trimming a Spiritual Yule Tree by Lori Drake

Pagan Yule and XMas Plants by Jill Stefko

Homemade Pagan Yule Presents by Jill Stefko

Yule Log, an Ancient Tradition by Richard Mudhar

Pagan Nativity Scene by Lori Drake

Urban Pagan Yule by Jill Stefko

Songs for Winter Solstice by Tricia Edgar

Best Stories for Winter Solstice by Tricia Edgar

Mistletoe from Solstice to Christmas by Linda McDonnell

Holly - Pagan Symbolism and Tradition by Jill Stefko

CUSTOMIZED YULE TOUCHES:

Asatru / Heathen Yule Cards

Winter Solstice / Yule Cards


Enjoy your season - and, tune in for our December broadcasts!

Conversations From the Porch Nov. 20th show

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thirdeyeradio1/2011/11/20/conversations-from-the-porch

"Open Porch" Show with 2 guest callers; topics:  gaining weight by smell, grape mead, hot-toddies, Havamal & Carmina Gadelica readings, Morlog's Orlog, Uruzz Rocks and The Ik's dissertation on 'the right of way'.