Autumn Equinox 2013

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After a long, sweltering summer, the cool days and crisp nights of fall can be a welcome relief. The promise of feasting, trick-or-treating, and Black Friday shopping is on the horizon.

And it all begins on the first day of fall, or the Autumn Equinox.

This year, the Autumnal Equinox, sometimes called Mabon, is on Sunday, September 22. It's a special time when night and day are equal in length. It's about balance, abundance, and preparing for the cold winter months ahead.

 

I like to mark this event with a mini feast much like at Thanksgiving, with scrumptious homemade goodies featuring apples, grapes, nuts, various grains and pumpkins - essentially, foods of the harvest. It's an ancient tradition that reminds me of the connection we all share as human beings on this earth. It's a beautiful thing.

 

If you, too, would like to celebrate with me, here's a recipe for Fresh Apple Cake I've used time and time again. It incorporates (you guessed it!) fresh apples and the spices of the season. Reminiscent of coffee cake, it's not-too-sweet, fluffy, and light with juicy apple chunks bursting with autumn flavor.  It goes perfectly with hot apple cider or a Pumpkin Spice Latte!

 

Pardon the crappiness of the photo, picture taking is not my talent!

 

Fresh Apple Cake

(yields approx. 9 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium apples (your preference, though I like Gala or Pink Lady some might prefer the crisp tartness of Granny Smith)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 vegetable or canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups flour (all-purpose, if we're getting picky!)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie or apple pie spice (or just plain cinnamon, your choice!)

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp cold butter

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of an 8x8 baking dish.

2. Peel and chop the apples, set aside.

3. Mix the dry ingredients for the topping in a small bowl. Cut in butter and criss-cross two knives until it resembles crumbly pebbles. Set aside.

4. Beat milk, oil, egg and apples in a large bowl. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices all at once (yeah, that's right! Just dump it in!) until moist. Pour into pan and sprinkle topping evenly across the top of the batter.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let sit for 5 minutes to cool, then serve and ENJOY!

Brightest Blessings,

Heather







photo credit: sbpoet via photopin cc

Introduction to Tarot

 

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Last week, a large yellow school bus rolled onto my street. It braked with a squeal and a puff of exhaust, opened it's accordion door, and waited patiently for my little one to climb aboard while I simultaneously dabbed at my tears with a tissue and clinked mimosas with the other mothers in the neighborhood. Yes, it's September, and the smells of freshly sharpened pencils and rubbery new shoes are in the air.

In honor of Back-to-School month I'm bringing you back to the classroom for a brief overview of the tarot and to answer any questions you might have.

Pay attention, class is in session! :-)

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What is Tarot? 

A tarot deck is comprised of 78 cards, each one depicting an image with a meaning or metaphor. The origins of tarot can be traced as far back as 1440 Italy, when tarocchi cards were individually hand-painted and likely used by Nobles in a game called Triumph, which, historians say, was similar to Bridge. It spread throughout Europe and in the 1700's followers of the occult began using them for divination purposes, as they felt the images represented something deeper than a simple game - perhaps, the keys to life's mysteries.


What do they do?

However they came to be, they are a useful tool for gaining clarity and understanding about your life, where you've been and where you might be headed. There's a misconception about using the cards to predict the future. The future isn't set in stone. It is flexible. If you really think about it, the future is today! The cards can give you insight to help you create your future.


How are they used?

A tarot reader (like me!) is someone who has studied the tarot for many years. A querent (like you!) comes to the reader when they have questions about their life. The tarot can reveal anything you need to know about love, money, family relationships. . . basically anything! Usually the querent will shuffle or cut the deck to allow the cards to pick up their individual energy, though it's not always necessary. A reader then places them in a spread (a pattern of laying out the cards) and interprets the meanings based on where they fall. The cards express the inner and outer energies surrounding your life experiences. The tarot is a reflection of YOU!


How can I get a reading?

To schedule a reading in-person or via Skype or email, just fill out the little contact form in the side bar or send me an email at thesuburbanseer@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you and, as always, wish you the brightest of blessings! :-)

Who is the Suburban Seer?

Welcome and merry meet! 

My name is Heather. I live in the suburbs in Northern Virginia. A typical suburban girl, I enjoy tea lattes from Starbucks, Anthropologie sweaters, bad reality shows about housewives, and tiny puppies. I'm a mother, daughter, sister, neighbor, and friend.

I'm also a tarot reader.
 

Ever since I was a child I have felt a very real connection to the vibrant energy of Spirit (or God, Goddess, the Divine, however you choose to define Higher Power). At a young age I discovered I could tap into this energy with meditation. At 16 I was drawn to divination through tarot cards and found they were (eerily) accurate more often than not. I quickly learned not to ask the question if I didn't really want to know the answer! At 18 I started reading for other people, and have done so for over a decade.

 

I read intuitively, in a style I like to call flow tarot. As in, go with the flow! I believe the cards can detect our own personal, pulsating energy through touch, sound and thoughts. Spirit communicates in response through the images. It's a conversation.
 

My goal is to enlighten and empower you with positivity and bridge the gap between the spirit world and temporal world as a messenger through tarot.
 

In this space we will delve into the tarot, crystal healing, spirituality and whatever else we feel inspired to explore. Comments are encouraged, so pour yourself a nice cup of coffee or (in my case) tea and settle in. If you'd like, you can even email me at thesuburbanseer@gmail.com. Let's chat!

I'm dedicating this blog to you and your path, wherever you are, and wish you the brightest of blessings. :-)

My Housewives Tarot deck. Isn't it cool? :-)