Demons, Devils and Whirling Dervishes

My daughter (5) seems to know a thing about angels and demons, or "devils" she likes to call them.  I am not at all surprised by this.  You see, I spent much of my own childhood and teen-dom speaking with forces that no one else could see, and I have a healthy, yet somewhat skeptical, respect for them.

My offspring has always had a sense of the macabre since her earliest days.   Here she is butt scooting down the hallway after swiping mom's pointy hat.  She thinks she's pretty funny.  Even now, as a kindergartner, she keeps her multiple witches costumes in heavy rotation.  It is what she aspires to be when she grows up, "A witch.  One who can make the bad people dead.

 Ok.  There is no real harm in allowing my child to act out her not-so-pleasant fantasies, as long as she knows the difference - Right?  Play for my girl has evolved from "Naughty Girls" at 3 and 4 years old to "Black-eyed Cats" and "Evil Witches" at 5.  From what I can decipher, she puts herself in the role of all powerful, mostly-protector and sometimes judge. One of her prized dolls is the Madame Alexander version of the Wicked Witch of the West from Wizard of Oz, available through McDonald's Happy Meals.  When there are doll problems to be sorted out, this is the lady to talk to.  I feel these are positive roles for my girl to be modeling in the safety of her own home.

Her familiar is a stuffed black cat named Lucy, whom she has had since she was two (about the time the above picture was taken.).  When Lucy cannot be found around the house she confidently tells me that Lucy is taking care of some "business" for her and will be back later.  I am not making this up!

Recently the question of Religion (with a capitol R) has come up in our household; at times to the point of distraction.  I have a deep sense of "spirituality" myself, and as I've stated above, have reason to believe in beings on a different spectral plane than our own.   I have been known to question Christianity, and Mix-n-match with other world religions when it comes to describing my own beliefs.  I never considered how to approach this with my own child.

My Grannie especially, and my Aunt Loretta, whom I try to honor with this blog, were both Kitchen Witches.  (Read the description at the top of this blog again. . . can't you just see her standing there with her apron on?)  From them (and others) I have learned that the heart of a home is the kitchen, and if you pour your love and goodness into your cooking, it will penetrate into the hearts and souls of the ones you care for.  As they take it in, it becomes part of them.  Haven't we all experienced this at some time or another?  Food, and friends, and family together and enjoying themselves. Loretta was particularly good at this.

So my question is this, is this hereditary or is this a learned behavior/belief based on modeling?  My husband reminds me of a conversation I had in the car with my daughter.  There is a water tower near our house that was built long ago.  It has the nickname "Witches Hat" or "Witch Tower."  The tower is clearly visible every time we drive a stretch of highway.  One evening as we were driving my daughter asks, "Mom, do witches really live in that tower?"
   "Yes!"  I say.  "They do."
   " . . .and do they play soccer?"
   "Sure.  They call that 'coven sports'."
This is where my husband nudges me and reminds me that we're driving to church, and I had better cool it.

Carrotcake Muffins

Here is proof that no matter how hectic, crappy or stressful a day can seem, coming home to good food brings joy and delight. 

These made from scratch beauties are from Light Muffins by Beatrice Ojakangas, 1995.  I stole it from my mother-in-law, and have no intention of giving it back.  The little frosting is a basic cream cheese frosting which was not part of the recipe, but truly improved the overall taste and appearance.

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly spray the inside of 12 paper baking cups.  Line muffin tin.

2 1/2 C All purpose Flour
3/4 C  Sugar
2 1/2 tspn  baking powder
1/4 tspn baking soda
1/4 tspn salt
11/2 tspn cinnamon
1/2 tspn ginger
1/4 tspn nutmeg
1/8 tspn ground clove
1 1/2 C finely grated carrot
Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Add the carrots and mix until coated & crumbly.
In a separate bowl mix the following wet ingredients.
1/2 C non-fat yogurt (plain or vanilla)
1 large egg
1/4 cup oil (I like canola)
1 tspn vanilla
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
(It calls for sweetened coconut flakes, but I didn't have that available)

Combine the wet into the dry and mix well.  Spoon into muffin tin, and bake 20 mins.  Allow to cool before frosting. 
Frosting:
1/2 C cream cheese slightly softened in microwave - 10 sec.
3/4 C confectioners sugar