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Post by Francis on Feb 9, 2009 18:12:49 GMT -1
I'll be tapping our trees next month. Looking forward to it Tasted sycamore for the first time the other day, it's just like spring water! You can collect a couple of gallons from a 50-80 year old sycamore in 24hrs. Then just stick it in a heavy based pan on the hob and leave it to gently simmer for 6hours. When you've reduced it down to a couple of pints you have a very sweet syrup for your porridge - essentially maple syrup!
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Post by arth_frown on Feb 9, 2009 18:34:25 GMT -1
We toasted with Birch wine which I found fitting considering Birch is white. Habe you got a recipe, Arth. I've got 2 Birch tree's on my land. Thanks in advance Rob Strangely none of my wine making book has birch wine, here's one from the world wide web scorpius.spaceports.com/~goodwine/birchwine.htm
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Post by arth_frown on Feb 9, 2009 18:37:04 GMT -1
Tasted sycamore for the first time the other day, it's just like spring water! You can collect a couple of gallons from a 50-80 year old sycamore in 24hrs. Then just stick it in a heavy based pan on the hob and leave it to gently simmer for 6hours. When you've reduced it down to a couple of pints you have a very sweet syrup for your porridge - essentially maple syrup! That sounds like a good idea. I've heard it can be done with Birch sap a well.
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Post by dreamguardian on Feb 9, 2009 18:40:14 GMT -1
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Post by Francis on Feb 9, 2009 20:14:50 GMT -1
That sounds like a good idea. I've heard it can be done with Birch sap a well. Hi Arth Yep you can do it with birch too, but birch sap has more tanin in it than sycamore - so you're concentrating up that bitterness / palate dryingness (that is a word right?). I've only done it once with birch and found it best when mixed with sycamore. Actually the combination of birch and sycamore blended to your own taste is best - but I usually stick with just sycamore 'cos there's only so much time - and also I wouldn't want to risk becoming a Tree Sap Nerd! Wait 'till the trees are really in full flow- as the sap has more sugar in it then. From sycamore a 20mm hole corked with a tube will literally flow rather than just drip- the sharper the drill the better too, so the vessels carrying the sap are cut cleanly and not squashed and mauled.
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Post by arth_frown on Feb 10, 2009 10:13:27 GMT -1
cheers, Francis thanks for the advice
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Post by Blackbird on Feb 10, 2009 16:48:49 GMT -1
For any wine recipe, my recommendation is 'Wine Making For Beginners' by the aptly named Mr Berry It's far more than a beginners read, though it is useful in that regard. The best thing about the book is that Berry gives recipes for each calendar month, listing seasonal and wild ingredients. There's a good one for birch sap wine in there, along with lots of other good stuff, and he also has a few liqueur type ones too.
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Post by potia on Jan 21, 2010 8:50:12 GMT -1
Many of the members of Clas Brython (if not all) will be raising a triple toast in honour of Brigantia, the sun and the tribe some stage between sunset on the 31st January and sunset on the 1st February. Most will try for either a sunset or a dawn obsevance during that period. Most will also include a libation to Brigantia (last year milk was a popular choice for this).
Last year Heron offered the following words for us to share:
"Bride of our hearth Bless this place With warmth With shelter With fire that burns for us.
Bride of our streams Of wells and water courses Asperge our land With rain With dew.
Bride of the candles Lit for your remembrance Bright be your blessings As the Sun climbs higher In his Winter rising.
Bride of our company Of links and friendship Across Brigantia, the isles Of your people: Veil us within the bounds of belonging."
As before we would like to invite you to join with us and ask that you post your intentions here so we all know what is planned.
For those living in areas where celebrating first signs of spring and growing light perhaps isn't suitable maybe you could join in with a toast to simply honour Brigantia?
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Post by Lee on Jan 21, 2010 11:36:57 GMT -1
i will be aiming to do this at sunrise. a toast with honeyed milk, also some offered and a tot of something 'warming'. in the evening i shall be performing a small ritual, mainly another small offering and some words i have prepped myself; Into the eye of the first one did Taranis blow life, the frost in the bones of the land melts away, the flesh of the land flushes with life as the blood of the oceans runs hot on the shore
Brigantia of the flame; weave our words into your veil, bear it aloft; to Taranis the sky father to the Grey Mare on the hill and to the Lord in the Wavei will probably also a pay a visit inot central London to visit the church of St bride on fleet street again this year. cylchriannon.blogspot.com/2009/02/february-1st.html
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Post by potia on Jan 21, 2010 12:17:10 GMT -1
On the evening of Friday 29th I will be pinning my Brat Brighid out on one of the rose bushes in the garden for a boost. (See paganwiccan.about.com/od/imbolcfebruary2/p/BrighidsMantle.htm for info on the Brat Brighid). I may put it out again on the eve of the 31st but I personally feel that the full moon closest to Imbolc is the best time to put it out. On Sunday 31st in the afternoon I will be joining with local pagans of various types for an Imbolc ritual in Pollok Park. At that ritual I will sing a Gaelic hymn to Brighid (there's a version of it at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhNEzKxRBis) that I first heard Fiona Davidson sing accompanied by her harp. Later that evening (probably around 8.30 pm) I hope to make my own personal toast and libation using warmed and honeyed milk and using the poem Heron gave us last year. I also intend to pause for a moment or two in silent reflection at sunrise and sunset on 1st Feb and maybe sing again
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Post by Heron on Jan 21, 2010 20:01:37 GMT -1
Our practice is to burn the wreath of holly and ivy and other greenery which we had up at Yule at this time. We will do this over three nights: 30th, 31st Jan & 1st February when we light our hearth fire. We will at this time ask Bride for her protection for our hearth and home.
On the 31st we will also light a candle for Bride and will use the published words above to drink a toast to the Tylwyth.
At some time over the preceding weekend I will go to the river at the place know as Glanfrêd in the local dialect in Cwm Eleri and make an offering to the river. My long established words for this are:
For Brighid And the silver streams Running deep in the earth For the kindled fire And the sacred well And the hope she guards through the dearth
Find here in the snow-filled dell Where the old dry leaves lie still, Look for her in the empty woods Where the early shoots are bidden But slowly as the fire grows For her secrets are yet hidden.
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Post by Rion on Jan 22, 2010 7:23:51 GMT -1
As I will actually be in the UK at this time, I feel it is appropriate for me to join you. I'll be aiming at a sunrise observance on the 1st. I hope you don't mind me stealing your words, Heron.
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Post by Heron on Jan 22, 2010 20:26:26 GMT -1
As I will actually be in the UK at this time, I feel it is appropriate for me to join you. I'll be aiming at a sunrise observance on the 1st. I hope you don't mind me stealing your words, Heron. Not at all - it's called sharing - and you are very welcome.
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Post by Adam on Jan 23, 2010 11:50:19 GMT -1
This is always a time of quite reflection for me, so I will probably just join you in a libation on the evening of the 31st and share Heron's words
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2010 8:28:23 GMT -1
I'll be having a family meal with mostly white foods on the 31st and a private toast at dawn on the 1st in the snowdrop patch in the garden.
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