KIndling the Hearthfire December Episode:Transcript(Edited to fit the blog format better)

 Welcome to another episode of Kindling the Hearthfire. I know it’s been a minute, but we are back! I had a lovely Christmas and Yule celebration with my partner, who won Christmas by getting me my gift right under my nose: a pair of gorgeous silver earrings with blue accent stones. You might see a picture of me wearing them in the coming days. I hope you’ve had a wonderful winter season so far, and I wish you a happy new year coming up!

It’s been a while since I’ve been on the airwaves, so let’s do a quick runthrough of the episode. First, we are introducing a deity, just a basic intro, nothing too detailed, just enough to pique your interest and get you started. Next, we have the recipe portion, where I introduce a recipe I found that you might enjoy making during this season. Then we have our book review, where I give you my opinion on a book I’ve recently read that might belong on your shelf. Lastly, we have the Calendar section, where I let you know what is going on in the pagan sphere and some events you might want to attend over the coming 3 months.

Alright, now on to the Podcast!

We will introduce the Roman God Saturn or Saturnus in Latin this time.

He is described as a god of time, generation, dissolution, abundance, wealth, agriculture, periodic renewal, and liberation. Saturn’s mythological reign was depicted as a Golden Age of abundance and peace. After the Roman conquest of Greece, he was conflated with the Greek Titan Cronus. Saturn’s consort was his sister Ops, with whom he fathered Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Juno, Ceres, and Vesta. Saturn was mainly celebrated during the festival of Saturnalia each December, perhaps the most famous of the Roman festivals, a time of feasting, role reversals, free speech, gift-giving, and revelry.

     The Temple of Saturn in the Roman Forum housed the state treasury and archives (aerarium) of the Roman Republic and the early Roman Empire. The planet Saturn and the day of the week, Saturday, are both named after and were associated with him.

The Romans distinctly identified Saturn with the Greek Titan Cronus, a figure whose elaborate myths were beautifully adapted for Latin literature and Roman art. In particular, Cronus's role in the intricate genealogy of the Greek gods was seamlessly woven into Saturn's narrative. By the time of Andronicus in the 3rd century BC, the powerful deity Jupiter had already been recognized as the revered son of Saturn, highlighting Saturn's significant position within the pantheon.

Saturn's influence extended beyond genealogy; he was also associated with a mistress who embodied various aspects of his divine nature: Lua, a goddess representing “destruction, dissolution, and loosening.” Lua was tasked with receiving the bloodstained weapons of enemies vanquished in war, underscoring the darker facets of Saturn’s domain. His wife, Ops, whose name translates to “wealth, abundance, and resources,” plays a vital role in this mythology. However, it's important to note that this connection with Ops is regarded as a later development, as she was initially linked with Consus, the guardian of grains.

Under Saturn's benevolent rule, humanity experienced a remarkable era, a spontaneous bounty of the earth that flourished without the need for labor. This idyllic time is encapsulated in the mythological concept of the “Golden Age,” as depicted by the ancient poets Hesiod and Ovid. In this context, Saturn became revered as the god of time, embodying not just the passage of moments but the abundance and cyclical nature of existence itself.

Now, on to the recipe section!

    This winter solstice recipe makes a golden-colored, nourishing soup that's perfect for a cold Northeastern winter night when you need something to warm you from the inside. It’s a straightforward recipe, I found it on Allrecipes.com, and when I made it, I agreed with the comment that it is a great soup to start with but would be lovely with adding whatever you like or have left over in the kitchen. I love this with Drop Biscuits, and maybe some added shredded chicken. The sky’s the limit, really! It was submitted by Sara Mayes and is called aptly enough Winter Solstice Soup. Here is the recipe. The link to the original is in the show notes:

Winter Solstice Soup Recipe

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 55 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Butter

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, shredded

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 cups water

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 cups milk

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Melt Butter in a large pot over medium heat and sauté onions until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Add carrots and potatoes. Pour in water and season with parsley, salt, thyme, and bay leaf.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf. Purée the soup in a blender or food processor in small batches and return to the pot. Stir in milk, mixing well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

And that’s it—very simple and perfect for this time of year, especially if you have a cold like me and need something easy to make and warm when you’re feeling chilled.

Enjoy the soup; let’s move on to the book review.

This time around, we will briefly review a book that was required reading in my Ethnic Studies class. I enjoyed this book, and it also taught me a lot about the subject. I'm excited to share it with you. 

    This is a YA novel by Angeline Boulley, part of a more extensive series that features a few characters and other characters that play background roles in this one. The main character is a young teenager named Perry Firekeeper-Birch. She grows from a disaffected 15-year-old  to a budding activist throughout the summer.  It’s a remarkable coming-of-age story with a mystery to solve and plenty of action to keep you turning the pages to reach the end. That alone would make this a great read.

On top of that, the author also teaches the reader things necessary for anyone hoping to create a more just world for everyone and not just the most privileged among us. All of the novel is centered on a reservation in the United States. It highlights the injustice that is almost a daily occurrence there.  It’s a great introduction to Ethnics Studies, to say the least, and an enjoyable read. It also has an excellent list of resources for those who want to take a more active role.  I would definitely say that this book belongs on the shelf. Please pick it up wherever books are sold, along with all the others in the series. I definitely will.

Now, on to the next section, The Calendar. The next three months are a little sparse in terms of Festivals, but here are some ongoing events that I think might help fill in the gap.

Morning Dedicant Reading Club

Mondays, 11:00am – 12:00pm Eastern time, 8-9 Pacific am

Visit “ADF DP Study Group” on Facebook or email Vice-Archdruid@adf.org for the recurring Zoom password.  

Weekly Online ADF Ritual (hosted by Virtual Fire (Proto)Grove)

First and Third Wednesday and Second and last Tuesday Link to Webpage  https://virtualfiregrove.org/

All right, to wrap up, I would first like to thank you all for your submissions!

We’re getting ready to put the next Podcast together here at Kindling the Hearthfire, and if you have any ideas, celebrations, Poems, Songs, Invocations, or anything else that you’d like to hear included in the Podcast, please send them to: KindlingtheHearthfire@gmail.com.

I would also love to see pictures of your Celebrations! Either post them to the Facebook Group or on Instagram with the #KTH! The deadline for submissions for the next Podcast is January 21st. Tune in on January 28th  for another Episode of Kindling the Hearthfire! You can find our Podcast on Stitcher, iTunes, Podbean, Spotify, and YouTube. Be well, and may you continue to pray with a good fire!

Where to find links

Book Review: Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley 

Tune in Next time: January 28th, 2pm PST

Websites and Acronyms:

ADF: Ár nDraíocht Féin: A Druid Fellowship

ADF website: www.ADF.org