APA newsletter March 2003

APPALACHIAN PAGAN ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER MARCH-2003

Editress: Ginger Strivelli


In March we celebrated the Spring Equinox, and made plans for our 
4th annual May Day Celebration gathering at Lake Julian.


We also as usual held our thrice monthly cyber-space meetings 
and daily networking on-line in our yahoogroups forum…
sometimes even straying from our usual silliness, heated debates, 
and joking around onto religious topics.



FROM OUR BOOK OF SHADOWS: (Prayer By Nessa McNelly)

The sacred names of the places of our most ancient history 
are being spoken once again 
for all the world to hear. 
The ground our ancestors walked with their most sacred Goddess 
is feeling the vibrations of hundreds of thousands of 
feet cross it's vast expanse. 
The most ancient of monuments to our Lord and Lady are being reflected 
in the cameras eye to be shown in every home in our land. 
Tigres, Euprhates, Baghdad. 
Your names touch our souls. Your pain is felt in our hearts 
when one of your children is harmed. You feel the footsteps of 
our warriors, and the treads of their tanks on your 
ancient soil. 
The wind carries on it the smoke from the distruction, 
and the echo of the voices pleading for your presence. 
Oh beautiful Inanna, we also ask for your attendance. 
Be with your children at this hour as they take up arms to 
release your land from the evil that has gripped it and 
harmed your children for so long. Give succor and strength 
to the ones who are willing to 
give up their lives to free your soil. 
Assist the warriors Great Mother, as they fight for the release of your sacred ground. 
Comfort the mothers whos hearts will be 
wounded for so long after the ground has healed. 
You, Mother of us all, who knows the pain of seeing 
your children 
in distress, bless those, who without knowing it, 
are fighting for you.
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An Ode to Faith & Prayer- By Ginger Strivelli

Our prayers like cobwebs do cling
Believingly we go offering
Our purest deepest hopes, to the Gods, conjuring
Up blind faith, we cling to it desperately clasping,
Then throwing it forth, we wait…listening….

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WHEN….IF EVER….. Poem by the late American Poet laureate Don Blanding

When blood is water; when the call of spring
Falls dully on my ears; when everything
Is just one heavy monotone of gray
And dawn's a torture, meaning "here's a day
To live in weary waiting for the night
With sleep to blot all beauty from my sight";
When tears and love and laughter are the same;
When life's a task and not a joyous game;
When living is but a race without a goal;
When I am old in body, heart, and soul;
When all I know as me in me has fled;
Then, and then only, will I say, "God Pan is dead!"

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An old Appalachian Spell of my Grandmother's; 

To shoo flies out of your house- hang a bag of water on every door.

 Personally, I've seen her do this for years and never 
noted it worked at all, much less 'magically' 
but 'tis one of those true old Appalachian trad spells, 
that even the 'Christian' Appalachian Witches still use…
so including it here for curiosity sake. 
(Also, bake a shoo fly pie, of course…
won't help banish flies either
 but will make your family happily forget 
the flies for a few minutes.)

Shoo Fly Pie:
INGREDIENTS

1 8" unbaked pie shell
Topping: 
1 1/2 C flour 
1/2 C sugar 
1 tsp. baking powder 
1/2 tsp salt 
1/4 C shortening 
Bottom: 
1/2 C mild molasses 
1/2 C. boiling water 
1/2 tsp. baking soda 



DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

2. Mix all topping ingredients together, squeezing and crumbling 
to make 
crumbs the size of small peas. Set aside. 

3. In another bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water. 
Add molasses. Stir 
well. 

4. Pour into unbaked pie shell & add crumb topping. 
DO NOT BLEND THE TOPPING

WITH THE MOLASSES MIXTURE. 

5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes; 
then at 350 degrees F for 35 
minutes. 
Pie will keep well in the fridge for a week, 
or it can be frozen. 

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MERRY MEET THE GODS-Section Z

Zeus- Greek Ruler of the Gods

Zoe- Greek Goddess of Life

Zhiwud- Afghanistan Goddess of messengers

Zapotlantenan- Aztec Healing Goddess

Zephyrus- Greek God of the Winds

Zaramama- South American -one of the names 
of the Corn Mother Goddess.

Zima-  Slavonic Goddess of Winter

Zisa- German Goddess of the Autumn Equinox

Zipakna- Mayan God of earthquakes

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