Discover the essence of Cyn

I love making apple butter, even though it takes a long time to make. I also have a crock pot version I’ll post later too. But here’s the recipe my gramps followed for years with his slight modifications. *grins* You’re lucky– I don’t change the recipes as he did when he gave them to others. LOL

6 pounds of tart or lightly sweet apples, unpeeled, cored, and sliced 
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 strips of lemon zest, each 2 1/2 inches long
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

and 1 cup of water

In a large saucepan cook the apples in the cider over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until tender. Puree them through the medium disk of a food mill into another saucepan and add the remaining ingredients.

Cook the mixture over very low heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until very thick. Discard the lemon zest and spoon the mixture into 2 sterilized 1-pint Mason-type jars, filling them to within 1/2-inch of the top. Wipe the rims with a dampened cloth and seal the jars with the lids.

Put the jars in a water bath canner or a rack in a deep kettle and add enough water to cover the jars by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and process, covered, for 10 minutes. Transfer the jars with canning tongs to a rack and let them cool. Let the apple butter mellow in a cool, dark place for at least 1 week.

Mabon this year is going to be hard. Just like the other holidays, this will be my first without my mom. But this holiday is my mom’s and I holiday. We have always bonded over 2 things- food and jewelry. History, too–but not as much. For us, there was nothing like making food together or learning how to make some of our favourites while she talked about growing up. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been set back a bit of late. Some rejections of some ideas, some ideas that need to be followed through, but I realized something– part of me knows what I love to read, but not what other readers are wanting. What’s hot? What’s not? What’s selling so-so, what’s blowing out the door?

I know that m/m sells. Yes, I’d like to write m/m, but that’ll take time. I love writing menages. I need to write more. I also want to write more dealing with fantasies. Those fantasies that women want fulfilled in some way and men would like as well. Perhaps that’s the main thing I know– deliver a woman’s fantasy and be able to know that you’ve done well.

But what do readers want? Tell me. I’d really like to hear.

I support www.one.org. I support it fully because of what it means not just for America, but the world. Take the time to watch the small commercial– it’s 38 seconds– time we can all give to think on what’s said, and what we can do united.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CvW42MC-14

I’m writing this post today, sitting at my male’s house. Yes, my male. Thursday night, I broke down and called him. There were so many things between us, so many things that couldn’t be explained away by what happened on Tuesday, that completely and utterly fearful, I picked up the phone and called his number. First words out of both our mouths at the same time were, “How are you?” Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday, my male and I broke up. Right now, I’m feeling empty and the heartache won’t go away. I’ve spent the day today making my doctor appointments, joining the Incredible Shrinking Authors, and sleeping. I’ve slept over 8 hours today, not including the passing out last night from the pain. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the abiding tenets in most pagan belief systems is that of understanding, acceptance, and compassion. Most of us want these things. Most systems give a way to bring other ideas into play without feeling compromised. Even the Celts made way for Christianity and incorporated aspects of it in their ways. That’s just how most pagan systems are set up– to be accepting of change and understanding of other aspects.

One thing lately that has been pushing at me is that other people have asked me how I can believe in so-called dead gods. I remind them one thing– dead is only in the eye of the beholder. Just as speaking a name gives power, so too does offering and worship. To me, the gods aren’t dead. I see them every day in all I do. Whether it’s greeting the dawn or walking in a park, or even at work at the computer- the gods are there and they enjoy that they’re known. In some ways, it’s the easiest thing in the world to know that you can worship as you wish. Sometimes it’s hard because it makes it difficult to worship.

I believe in understanding, acceptance, and more importantly, in compassion. Those who don’t believe as I do, they are okay. They aren’t wrong, but neither am I. I worship in a way that is best to me and my beliefs, just as they do. Next Monday, we’ll start on the Elements and how we are beholden to them most of all .

Today’s flash, which is a day late (but I had a migraine that was NOT happy with me being awake), is just a scene that came to me suddenly in the midst of doing something else. It was one of those moments where you just look from one character to another and go… “What the hell are you doing?!” So– for you all. LMAO Enjoy! Read the rest of this entry »

Blurbs–they can get people reading or they can make people pass on by. Yes, many will tell you that cover alone is the be all, end all of your book hooking readers, but many of us are drawn more to titles and blurbs over covers. Even if you have the most kick-ass cover–without a blurb snaring the attention–you can still lose readers. So, how do you write a blurb that hooks your attention without giving too much away? Read the rest of this entry »