Tiger's Eye (A Stacy Justice Mystery Book Three)

by Barbra Annino

  http://prisondogs.blogspot.com/

  LITHA

  This book takes place before the summer solstice, or Litha, when the sun is at the zenith of its power. It’s the longest day of the year and is celebrated by pagans with a large bonfire to ward off evil spirits. This practice is called “setting the watch.” Revelers jump through the fire for purification and good luck and often toss in herbs sacred to the day, such as rue, roses, and St. John’s wort.

  The word “solstice” is Latin for “sun stand still,” which is precisely what appears to happen every year on the summer solstice. Usually the date is June 21, the first day of summer, according to our calendars. However, the longest day of the year technically falls when the sun has entered the Tropic of Cancer. Past cultures have viewed this time as Midsummer, or the middle of the growing season. After this date, the sun moves through the waning stage, days shorten, and winter approaches.

  Midsummer’s Eve is also charged with magic and prime time for casting spells. Pagans feel that this night is ripe for love charms, so couples jump over the flames of the bonfires to strengthen their bond and maidens tuck sprigs of yarrow under their pillows, hoping to lure suitors. Herbs plucked on Midsummer’s Eve are thought to be at their peak for mystical purposes and ready for enchantment. As the veil thins between this and the Otherworld, it is also thought that one can see fairies dancing by rubbing a sprig of thyme on the eyelids. Often, folks linger all through the night drinking mead and ale, hoping to spot a fairy.

  Midsummer marks the beginning of the waning sun, perfect to rid yourself of bad habits or negative traits—in other words, banishment rituals. Try this: while the fire is still hot, take a dark-colored piece of paper and write down the habit you wish to dispense. Fold the paper three times and toss it onto the coals, envisioning the heat burning away the negativity.

  THE STORY OF DEMETER AND HELIOS

  Demeter was the Greek goddess of Mother Earth. When her daughter, Persephone, was kidnapped, she turned to Helios, the all-seeing sun god, for answers. He informed her that it was Hades, god of the Underworld, who had taken Persephone. In anger, Demeter withdrew her services as an Earth mother and the plants began to wither and die while Demeter searched for Persephone, who emerged months later. When Persephone returned, Demeter tended to the Earth once again. This was the Greeks’ explanation for the harshness of winter and the spring thaw.

  RECIPES FOR THE SUMMER SOLSTICE

  Tomato-Cucumber Salad

  Vine-ripened tomatoes and fleshy cucumbers are staples of the summer harvest. Pluck these veggies at their peak and before the critters steal them. If you don’t have a garden patch, venture out to the nearest farmer’s market. It’s a world of difference from store-bought varieties.

  2 medium cucumbers, sliced thick and halved

  2 large tomatoes, quartered

  ½ medium red onion, chopped

  8 ounces plain yogurt

  1 tablespoon lemon juice

  ½ teaspoon sugar

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

  In a medium bowl, toss together first three ingredients. Set aside. Mix thoroughly yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, and mint. Fold into cucumber mixture and chill for 30 minutes.

  Grilled Sweet Potatoes

  The vibrant orange of sweet potatoes reflect the hue of a late-summer sun, making them a perfect addition to a summer solstice celebration.

  2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

  1 teaspoon cumin

  2 tablespoons brown sugar

  ¼ cup butter

  Fire up the grill. Tear off two sheets of heavy-duty foil. Divide potatoes in half, placing each batch on top of a piece of foil. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of cumin and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar over potatoes on each foil sheet. Divide butter. Dot each potato mixture with butter. Seal tightly. Double wrap, if needed. Place potato packets on grill and cook over medium heat for 40 minutes, turning occasionally.

  Pomegranate-Chili Chicken

  Ancient Greeks believed that the love goddess, Aphrodite, planted the first pomegranate seed on the island of Cyprus. The Chinese passed the seeds to wedding guests and lay the fruit around marital beds to ensure a prosperous union. So although pomegranates are winter fruits, they symbolize fertility, love, and marriage, important themes for a Midsummer meal.

  4 chicken breasts

  1 tablespoon chili powder

  ½ cup pomegranate juice

  ¼ cup sunflower oil

  Rub chili powder into chicken breasts on both sides and place in a glass dish. Mix pomegranate juice and sunflower oil. Brush both sides of chicken breasts with half the juice mixture. Grill chicken breasts over hot coals, basting with remaining marinade until cooked through.

  Berry Bowl Bouquets

  Nothing says summer like colorful berries and fragrant flowers. This treat combines both in a refreshing, light dessert.

  1 pint each, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries

  1 cup each pesticide-free violets, strawberry blossoms, and dianthus flowers

  1 cup superfine sugar

  Wash all fruit and flowers. Hull and slice strawberries. In a pretty bowl, gently toss together berries and flowers. Sprinkle with sugar and chill until ready to serve.

  Sun Drops

  Legend has it that the sunflower was once a water nymph so in love with Apollo, god of the Sun, that she gazed up at his golden chariot hour after hour, day after day, trailing his every move with the tilt of her head. She sat so long that her limbs transformed into roots and her golden hair and round face became the head of a sunflower, still following the sun.

  ½ cup butter, softened

  ½ cup white sugar

  1 egg, beaten

  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  1 tablespoon vanilla

  ½ cup ground sunflower seeds

  1 teaspoon lemon zest

  1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

  2 to 3 drops lemon food coloring (optional)

  Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Beat in egg, lemon juice, vanilla, sunflower seeds, zest, and food coloring. Gradually mix in the flour until well blended. Round into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly colored.

  Mead Punch

  Mead is a sweet honey wine, often incorporated with herbs, spices, and fruit. Some cultures refer to the full June moon as the “mead” moon or “honey” moon, hence the popular term for the vacation a bride and groom embark on after they take their vows.

  1 quart white grape juice

  4 cups honey

  1 cup sweet woodruff leaves, rinsed

  2 bottles white wine, chilled

  1 liter soda water, chilled

  1 cup chamomile blossoms, rinsed

  In a large saucepan, gently heat grape juice, honey, and woodruff until the honey dissolves. Strain woodruff and chill juice mixture for one hour. When the guests arrive, empty honeyed juice, wine, and soda water into a large punch bowl. Float chamomile flowers on top and serve.

  Sun Tea

  Busy schedules and modern conveniences often make us forget just how magical the sun can be. Harness the power of the great star by preparing a batch of this herbal tea.

  6 to 8 cups fresh herbs, washed

  Water

  Fill a glass tea jug with your favorite herbs and edible flowers for tea. Use a variety. I like to combine lavender, mint, and rose petals. Other combinations can include lemon balm, stevia, sage, hyssop, fennel, scented geranium leaves, and thyme. Place the jug in a sunny spot and let the sun penetrate it all day. Sweeten tea with sugar or honey and serve over ice.

  Acknowledgments

  I want to thank Jeff Bezos for creating Kindle Direct Publishing and allowing this writer to find her audience when no one else would. Thanks also to Terry Goodman, who took a chance on a self-published author who will always be grateful. Your guidance made the entire transition so much easier than I thought it would be. Thanks also to my editor
, Alison Dasho, for keen insight and gentle suggestions that improved this book tremendously. To the creative people who gave Stacy a make-over and put up with my change requests—you guys rock! I love my covers. And my author team, especially Jacque Ben-Zekry, thanks for taking the time to answer tedious questions expediently and for all the conference magic you perform.

  Finally, to my husband, who insists he always knew I would get here. Thank you for reading everything I write, for laughing in all the right places, the brainstorming sessions, the wine, the hand-holding, the cheers, the encouragement, the advice, and the unwavering positivity. Most of all, thanks for believing.

  About the Author

  Photo by George Annino, 2011

  Barbra Annino is a native of Chicago, a book junkie, and a Springsteen addict. She’s worked as a bartender and humor columnist, and currently lives in picturesque Galena, Illinois, where she ran a bed-and-breakfast for five years. She now writes fiction full-time—when she’s not walking her three Great Danes.