It started when I was eight, maybe younger. I’d hide away in my imagination, almost always outside. My parents owned a yellow colonial with three acres of land, four other (older) children, and a dog named Molly. The backyard was my sanctuary. Mom and Dad tended to their thriving gardens, bountiful with flowers and vegetables. I can still smell the earthiness of tomatoes and cucumbers as Dad let me help him pick them. The cucumbers would be warm, but the crunch and refreshing, clean flavor never disappointed. Mom’s garden was in the front of the house. It was her sixth child. Bright orange marigolds reached out to me as we walked by, and the sweet scent of basil entrapped me like a snake to a charmer.
By the time I was ten, I understood there was something magical about everyday life and all that surrounded me. A soft breeze combed my hair whenever I stood between my Dad’s favorite peach trees. A boulder sat flat, its sturdiness always providing a safe space for me to disappear to. It would even become the first place I pretended to be a witch after watching The Craft. However, chanting the elements without intention or purpose did nothing for me.
I was the weird kid in class who tilted their head quick thinking it would force a basketball to shift in a certain direction in mid-air. I had imaginary friends based on movie characters and tried to make potions out of ribbons, sticks, and buttons. And when my Mom had a sudden urge to learn about psychic abilities, palmistry, and The “Angel Board,” (not Ouija), I was there for it. She was absolutely supportive of my interest in the strange and unknown. (And she has recently passed, but I still feel her around me. Those stories are for later.)
The thought of kitchen witchcraft came to me upon reading about different types of witches. Really, it’s all about manipulating and using the energies around you. I’m not into anything dark or harmful. I love the idea that positivity is infectious and food heals. Kitchen Witchcraft spans history. Herbs heal. Teas can soothe. The earth is full of energy and so are the plants that grow from tiny seeds. Life can be beautiful. Magical. Mysterious. It always interested me. Witchcraft was a cookie I couldn’t eat until dinner . . . But then I ate too much and could never have it.
Now I work full time in banking as an analyst. I have an MFA in English – Creative Writing, and a BS in Business Administration. It’s truly a struggle as an adult to keep the imagination alive in our day to day grind. However, I have learned over the last four-ish years how to handle self-care, a careful balance of writing and cooking – “hobbies” if you will, and raising a family. As I reach the cusp of 38, I realize I want more in life. Everyone does, right? What I want is to share my knowledge, make people smile, and build a community.
We all have a story to tell. Maybe we have trauma or maybe the most perfect, cookie-cutter childhood ever. For me, life has been just like my Dad’s garden; I’ve grown, flourished, drowned in storms, and been attacked by vermin. But I’ve also learned how to protect myself. And come alive again.
So, I officially welcome you to my blog, Basil & Quill. On here I will share magical recipes, stories, reviews, and more. On occasion, I may even share some professional advice from my own experience or schooling. It’s a stew made of various ingredients, all real, all adding unique flavor.
I hope you’re hungry.