Ostara, otherwise known as the Vernal Equinox, marks the date when day overcomes night. Plants re-emerge from the earth, the air is filled with birdsong, and animals mate and bear young. Humans feel an overpowering urge to build now, to plant and to fall in love. This powerful time is when winter dreams need to be acted upon. The most potent talisman we have this time of the year is the egg, symbol of rebirth, new beginnings, and growth.

Here are some old and new ways to use eggs in your spellwork:

• For a new love, take a raw egg and dye it red.
• Poke holes on either end of the egg with a needle or a small nail.
• Make the hole on the small end of the egg large enough so that you can insert a crystal and herbs.
• Blow the contents of the egg out the holes and thoroughly clean out the inside.
• Insert into the egg the small rose quartz crystal, rose petals, and a sprinkle of catnip.
• Visualize a new love entering your life.
• Glue over the hole with pink tissue paper.

You can modify this spell for abundance or any new venture with a change of color, crystal, and herb.

To keep a family together, the eldest member of the clan divides a hard-boiled egg so that each member gets a piece to eat. Throughout one’s life, if any member of the family gets lost, one must think about those he or she shared the egg with. This will cause the others to think of him or her. The combined physic energies will guide the lost one home.

To ensure the safety and well-being of your household, bury a magically charged egg in each of the four directions.

Charge an egg with visions of an abundant harvest and bury it in your garden before you plant.

Hang decorated eggs from the trees around your property on Ostara to bring prosperity to your family for the year.

Recipes of the Month

Bewitching Eggs

1 dozen hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half.
3 tsp. sour cream
¼ onion, minced
1 tsp. brown mustard parsley, for garnish
1 tsp. salt Hungarian paprika
½ tsp. white pepper
½ tsp. sweet basil
¼ cup juice from a jar of sweet pickles.

Divide yolks and whites, place the yolks in a bowl and whites on a serving tray. Mash the yolks with a fork then mix everything except parsley and paprika in well. Fill each white section with a heaping tsp of yolk mixture. Sprinkle lightly with paprika and garnish with parsley.

Egg and Artichoke Pie

6 eggs, well beaten
½ cup milk
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
½ cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1/8 cup diced onions
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 deep pie shell

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into the pie shell. Preheat oven to 325 degrees f., cover outer edges with foil to keep from browning. Bake for 40 min. Test for doneness by sticking a knife in the center and seeing if it comes out clean. Allow the pie to sit for 5 min. before slicing.