The year is coming very close to an end and on the ninth night of Yule, I continue to set my intentions for 2017 by looking ahead to September & Mabon.
Mabon is one of my favorite Sabbats because it celebrates one of my favorite seasons- autumn.
I live in south Texas, so summer lasts a bit longer than I’d like but that doesn’t stop me from decorating my home in beautiful fall colors, buying pumpkin-scented candles and drinking as much hot chocolate as I can stomach.
Mabon, the Autumn Equinox, is known as the Witches Thanksgiving. I plan on doing a lot of kitchen witchery with my Mabon recipes and am looking forward to making my very first pie!
It might turn out delicious. It might turn out tragic. Regardless, I’m excited.
Just like the traditional Thanksgiving, Mabon is about being grateful and taking time to cherish what the Universe has blessed us with. The second harvest reminds us of a time when the survival of the community throughout the winter depended on the success of the crops.
There was a time in my life when money for food was scarce and I had to learn how to stretch my dollar to survive till the next paycheck. It’s times like those when I think of my Mexican-American ancestors; farmers and vaqueros who were paid very little and found a way to stretch their food to ensure their families were fed.
In Mexican cuisine, the whole animal is used from its cheeks and tongue to its intestines and stomach lining. Our dishes are commonly served with rice and beans because they’re cheap and feeds a lot of people at once.
But I can’t think of a better way to eat big on a tiny budget, than homemade tortillas- which has saved me from growing hungry too many times to count.
Tortillas are great for fajita tacos, breakfast tacos, burritos and quesadillas. You can have them with a bowl of fideo, menudo, caldo- you name it.
I mean, ask a Mexican about tortillas with butter and you’ll get the same response- “Mmmm”.
The point of this tortilla rant is gratitude.
If my culture has taught me anything, it’s the importance of perseverance and family. Hard times are sometimes unavoidable but Mabon teaches us to harvest what we have- no matter how little, turn it into something delicious and share it with the ones we love.
Blessed Be!
xoxo
The Snow Orchid Witch
The Magickal Life of the Snow Orchid Witch 