As the twentieth century drew to a close, a pioneering book brought rituals and ceremonies down to earth and closer to home. Celebrating the Southern Seasons showed how the traditional European festivals we inherited can be a more profound experience if they are in tune with the seasons, how they can be adapted for Aotearoa, and how rewarding an appreciation of longstanding Maori festivals can be. In 2005, ten years after the book's first publication, New Zealanders are much more inclined than previously to consider how various traditions can enrich our celebrations here and now. Matariki, the New Year celebration at Winter Solstice, has undergone a massive resurgence - and other seasonal festivities are springing up all over the country. The time is ripe for an updated and expanded edition of Celebrating the Southern Seasons. In the tenth anniversary edition of this unique work, author Juliet Batten sheds more light on customs, symbols and meanings attached to seasonal changes. She reports not only on forms of celebration that New Zealanders have inherited and found but also on those we have devised and adapted. And she suggests readings, myths and stories to enrich our high days and holidays, strengthening the book's role as a valuable resource.

Subtitled 'Rituals for Aotearoa', the book gives information about customs, symbols and stories relating to seasonal change from Maori and European perspectives. It examines the meeting of the two dominant cultures of Aotearoa, and provides an overview of seasonal celebrations. Each seasonal section examines the heritage from Maori, pagan and Christian European traditions and offers suggestions for developing and structuring rituals.

The southern garden produces delights in all four seasons, from asparagus to tomatoes, apples to collard greens. Make use of the bounty of your garden or farmers' market with new twists on familiar favorites. Recipes for Apple Radish Salad and Bacon Apple Burgers break up a fall parade of crisps and crumbles. Instead of roasting, make Whiskey Braised Sweet Potatoes or Sweet Potato Peanut Stew and add greens to Shrimp and Grits. Recipes for preserving herbs, pickling peaches and berry jams mean that your harvest will never go to waste. Let experienced gardener and cook Cathy Cleary walk you through four seasons of fresh, flavorful cooking.

All kinds of reasons for a Southern Seasons & Tea-licious Tea Time! An engagement, a wedding, special birthdays, baby shower, celebrating an accomplishment, open house, spring has spring, summer has arrived, butterfly tea with first a caterpillar sleep-over, fall has created a painted backdrop, (who can resist?) winter-warmth cozy fire side sipping, neighborhood celebration, homeschoolers serving/etiquette, classroom sharing, senior center pick-me-up ....get the idea? Theme parties are fun. This book guides you through the fun with ease and grace. You will do your own tea party and wonder why you haven't done this before! This Southern Seasons series has won: 6 AWARDS

Home—honoring the times we share there, treasuring the traditions and generations it represents, and rediscovering the joy our homes and gardens bring to our lives. A rich tapestry of lush tabletops, glorious garden bouquets, sweet family heritage, and refreshed Southern décor are the essence of James Farmer’s enduring appeal! This book fuses all his creative passions in a celebration of the seasons. In stories and pictures, James takes the reader on a tour of his two homes and gardens, with tablesettings for celebratory occasions throughout the year. Décor for his Winter Dinner, Camellia Celebration, Feast Among the Foxgloves, Birthday Dinner, Al Fresco Fall Dinner, Dahlia Dinner, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Gatherings will inspire readers to mark each passing season with their love ones in observance of the small joys that truly make our lives big.