Crystal Sands is a writing teacher, cello mom, and the founder of Farmer-ish, a literary journal focused on nature and farming. She loves to bake, put up food, and spend time with her family and animals. In addition to considering herself, farmer-ish and baker-ish, she is also witch-ish.
I can’t remember when I fell in love with witches, but my great grandmother was a Cherokee storyteller. Her hair was long. Her stories were magical. She farmed. She had secrets she kept about her past that no one in our family ever knew about. And, in hindsight, I think she was the first witch I knew. As an adult, I became fascinated with witches in literature and the witch aesthetic. My goal in life was to live in a little cottage in the woods of New England with dogs, cats, chickens, and a large pot to make whatever “potions” I could. Somehow, I managed to make this happen, but I knew nothing about what it meant to really be a witch until I slowly gathered a collection of witch friends. As I came to know them, I came to know myself.
I have much to learn and hope that sharing my stories will not only help me grow but help others like me who may be witch-ish (or a little but witchy) and just don’t know it yet. I hope you will join me on my journey into exploring, questioning, growing, and learning as a beginner witch.
Several times in the last week, at least on mornings when it was not -40 to -50 degrees with the wind chill, I have seen a crow sitting on one of the garden fence post when I go out to do the morning chores for our chickens. We have kept chickens for nearly nine years, and I love those chickens with my whole heart.
During these nine years, I have also learned how important it is to make friends with the crows.
Read MoreIn my study of all things witches, I have learned there are different categories of witches—green witches, kitchen witches, folk witches, crystal witches, cosmic witches, and more. So far, I haven’t found a category for a witch who communicates with animals, but I have been very interested in kitchen witches because the kitchen is where I do my best to make magic from the secret ingredient of love.
Read MoreI don’t know when the jar thing started for me. I know all my adult life I have had the urge to save jars because “you never know when you’re going to need a good jar.”
Read MoreWhen my son was a toddler, he started having terrible night terrors. He slept with us and was always right next to me, but I frequently could not get him to wake up from the bad dreams. He would still be involved in the dream somehow, stuck between asleep and awake. Sometimes, they went on for minutes.
Read MoreI have always loved brooms and not the kind from Wal-Mart or Target—the real brooms, the witchy brooms, the beautiful, handmade brooms that look like they might be magic and are most certainly beautiful.
Read MoreHalloween was always my favorite holiday. I could tell my family thought I was strange. They couldn’t understand how it could be better than Christmas, but it just was. The candles, the pumpkins, the witches, the creativity. Oh, I love the creativity of Halloween!
Read MoreAs I have grown older, I have realized that almost all of the women I have been drawn to in my life are either practicing witches or have witch leanings like me. I recently confessed some profound experiences I had recently to a dear friend and former teaching colleague. I had some experiences that I couldn’t explain with the science I have studied. I had also started to realize I may have an ability to really communicate with animals, something else that I could not explain with the science I know. It was then that I found out my friend used to be in a coven. “I think you’re finding your power,” she said.
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