The Rigs o' Barley

It was on a Lammas night,

When corn rigs are bonie,

Beneath the moon's unclouded light,

I held away to Annie:

The time flew by, wi' tentless heed,

Till 'tween the late and early;

Wi' sma' persuasion she agreed
To see me thro' the barley.

Chorus:

Corn rigs, an' barley rigs,

an' corn rigs are bonie:

I'll ne'er forget that happy night,

Among the rigs wi' Annie.

The sky was blue, the wind was still,

The moon was shining clearly;

I set her down, wi' right good will,

Amang the rigs o' barley

I ken't her heart was a' my ain;
I lov'd her most sincerely;

I kissed her owre and owre again,

Among the rigs o' barley.

Chorus.

I locked her in my fond embrace;

Her heart was beating rarely:

My blessings on that happy place,

Amang the rigs o' barley.

But by the moon and stars so bright,

That shone that hour so clearly!

She ay shall bless that happy night,

Amang the rigs o' barley.

Chorus.

I hae been blythe wi' comrades dear;

I hae been merry drinking;

I hae been joyfu' gath'rin gear;

I hae been happy thinking:

But a' the pleasures e'er I saw,
Tho three times doubl'd fairley

That happy night was worth then a'.

Amang the rigs o' barley.

Chorus.

-Robert Burns, May 25, 1777

Photo of a Scottish barley field courtesy of tubblesnap on flickr.

Mabon

Blessed be to everyone who today is celebrating Mabon on this lovely (or in my case, not so lovely weatherwise, as it's about to rain) fall day. It's officially autumn! The days will now grow shorter and the nights longer, and as a night person who thrives on darkness and the moon, I'm now coming into the time of the year when I feel most energized and alive.

I've been feeling the Mabon vibe for a couple of weeks as I've been working to put my yard to bed for the colder months, cutting back the unsightly plants that have completed their life cycles for this year and marveling at those who are just beginning to come alive as the season ends. The trees haven't turned yet, but there have been a few leaves here and there that are showing their glorious colors of red, yellow and orange. And every time I leave my house I drive by farm stands selling apples, pumpkins and gourds and I itch to stop and buy a car full of everything they're selling.

I celebrated today very quietly, with a simple circle to give thanks for all I have been blessed with. I would have preferred to honor the equinox tonight, but as I won't be home I grabbed the only time I had and it was still quite sweet, if not dark. I made oat cakes last night for an offering, not only because they're made from harvest grains, but because I felt it appropriate to offer something old, something that has been feeding people for millennia. I like the idea that people were eating these when the Romans were subjugating most of the world. There's something very earthy about using a recipe that's that old. I also finally got around to consecrating my cauldron. I didn't intentionally hold onto it until now, but as this is a day with much meaning for me, it felt appropriate to ritually prepare it during this circle. It's now ready for its inaugural use on Samhain, my favorite sabbat on the wheel!

This is the recipe for the oat cakes. It's been tweaked a little by me, in the interest of making it contemporary and simple. After all, we aren't going to be pounding the grains by hand, nor will we be slaughtering our pigs for lard and then slaving over our hearths as we cook our cakes on a iron griddle in the flame. They still taste delicious and are nice and crunchy, as any self-respecting oat cake should be. They can be used, really, for any sabbat, not just the harvest ones. Enjoy!

Traditional Oat Cakes makes approximately 48 3" cakes

3 cups rolled oats (not minute or quick)
3 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, slightly melted
2/3 cup cold water, approximate

Preheat oven to 350f degrees. Grease a baking sheet.
Combine the oats, flour, sugar, soda and salt. Mix well. Add butter and stir till blended. Mixture will be crumbly. Add the water a little at a time. The dough should be moist enough to form into a ball but not so moist as to be very sticky. It should hold its shape nicely, like a cookie dough used for rolling. Roll dough onto a well-floured surface to 1/4" thick. Cut into 3" circles with a cutter and place on sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden in color. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Lammas

Today is Lammas (or Lughnasadh if you prefer the Celtic version of the name), the first of the three harvest festivals and the Sabbats that honor them. The word Lammas is believed to be derived from the "loaf mass," the old European celebration where bread from the first wheat harvested was baked into loaves of fresh bread. The name Lughnasadh comes from the Celtic god of light, fire and the sun: Lugh. Because the light is now beginning to fade, this holiday marks the day of his demise. This isn't at all a sad thing, however, as his sacrifice reaps the bounty of the coming harvests.

Grain is the most important aspect of this holiday and baking bread is a tradition. Today I baked two loaves of a light yeast-free bread as I'm unfortunately allergic to yeast. I made them plain this year, but sometimes I add fresh herbs or chopped and dried fruits. This is an easy-to-make recipe, quicker than yeast bread, but richer and denser than a typical loafcake type bread.

YEAST FREE BREAD makes one loaf

3 cups organic white flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 slightly beaten jumbo-sized egg
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) organic butter, melted
2 cups dried chopped fruit, optional
fresh crumbled or chopped dried herbs to taste, optional

In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together. If adding dried fruit or herbs, add now to the dry ingredients. Combine milk, egg and butter in a separate bowl. Pour over flour mixture and mix just until moistened and well-combined. Do not beat with a mixer, this must be done by hand to ensure the batter stays light and is not overworked. Turn batter into a greased and lightly floured 9 1/2 x 5 1/2" loaf pan. Bake at 350f degrees for about one hour. Remove from the oven when golden and a smooth bladed knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool and remove from pan to continue cooling.

Enjoy the grain harvest this Lammas with this lovely (and quick) loaf of bread.
Blessed be.