Monday Mistletoe

"The mistletoe is hung up near a doorway or in the kitchen and young men have the privilege of kissing girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases."

The tradition of kissing under the mistletoe is one of my favorites and I believe a lot of kissing under the mistletoe has been going on for ages.  In today's tradition the part about plucking the berries (which, incidentally, are poisonous), and then all kissing under the mistletoe ends when the berries run out!

As a little girl, my mother told me how a young lady standing under a ball of mistletoe, brightly trimmed with evergreens, ribbons, and ornaments, cannot refuse to be kissed. Such a kiss could mean deep romance or lasting friendship and goodwill. If the girl remained unkissed, she cannot expect not to marry the following year.

I found references of "kissing under the mistletoe" in Celtic rituals and Norse mythology. In Gaul, the land of the Celts, for instance, the Druids considered it a sacred plant. It was believed to have medicinal qualities and mysterious supernatural powers.  (Hmm... I wonder what kind of "power" I would have if I wear a piece of mistletoe on my coat.  After all... I am Scandinavian.)

The Norse myth of Baldur. Baldur's death and resurrection is one of the most fascinating Norse myths and stands at the beginning of the history of mistletoe as a "kissing" plant.

Baldur's mother was the Norse goddess, Frigga. When Baldur was born, Frigga made each and every plant, animal and inanimate object promise not to harm Baldur. But Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant -- and the mischievous god of the Norse myths, Loki, took advantage of this oversight.

Ever the prankster, Loki tricked one of the other gods into killing Baldur with a spear fashioned from mistletoe. The demise of Baldur, a vegetation deity in the Norse myths, brought winter into the world, although the gods did eventually restore Baldur to life.

After which Frigga pronounced the mistletoe sacred,
 ordering that from now on it should bring love rather than death into the world.

Happily complying with Frigga's wishes, any two people passing under the plant from now on would celebrate Baldur's resurrection by kissing under the mistletoe.

I have my mistletoe hanging. 

Do you?

 

 

 

it a sacred plant. It was believed to have medicinal qualities and mysterious supernatural powers.  (Hmm... I wonder what kind of "power" I would have if I wear a piece of mistletoe on my coat.  After all... I am Scandinavian.)

The Norse myth of Baldur. Baldur's death and resurrection is one of the most fascinating Norse myths and stands at the beginning of the history of mistletoe as a "kissing" plant.

Baldur's mother was the Norse goddess, Frigga. When Baldur was born, Frigga made each and every plant, animal and inanimate object promise not to harm Baldur. But Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant -- and the mischievous god of the Norse myths, Loki, took advantage of this oversight.

Ever the prankster, Loki tricked one of the other gods into killing Baldur with a spear fashioned from mistletoe. The demise of Baldur, a vegetation deity in the Norse myths, brought winter into the world, although the gods did eventually restore Baldur to life. After which Frigga pronounced the mistletoe sacred, ordering that from now on it should bring love rather than death into the world.

Happily complying with Frigga's wishes, any two people passing under the plant from now on would celebrate Baldur's resurrection by kissing under the mistletoe.

I have my mistletoe hanging. 

Do you?

 

 

 

Friday Fantasy - Board Game

Sexy games can enhance the romance of any couple.

Enjoy an evening of fun, laughter and love.

 

Is your lovemaking a bit too reality based? Soar to erotic heights with this couples game that suggests a variety of x-rated fantasies that you can choose to enact... or improvise. It's also a comfortable way to express your own secret fantasies to your mate.

BUY THE GAME NOW

Sexy Board Game for Couples

Who doesn't love chocolate?

 

Chocolate plus a game to play?

Not since hydrogen and oxygen merged to form water have two more essential elements united. So put aside your anniversary edition of the "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" DVD and oompah-loompah this game, which is a delicious interpretation of Monopoly. Added bonus of playing Strip Chocolate-opoly at a B&B: Someone else washes the sheets. Who wins? He or she who devours the most chocolate, of course.

BUY THE GAME NOW

Friday’s Fantasy

 “Tell me your secret wish, your secret fantasy.” Sometimes going outside the norm and into a fantasy might be just what a couple needs to spice things up a bit. Some couples find acting out a story brings them closer together.

Some romantic fantasy tips:

*Share a story with your partner.  “Do you ever have a fantasy, sweet guy?” He will either say, “Are you kidding”?  Or “sure,” and that’s your cue.

*Think of two fantasies, one totally wild and the other quite mild.

*Share your fantasies.   “I’m thinking of a fantasy that involves being tied up in silk.”

*Touch his skin, and say, “Tell me your fantasy now.”  But, when you do this, be sure you are unbuttoning his shirt and slipping your hand inside to touch his bare skin.

*Whisper, kiss, and tell:  “Let me read you a few fantasies and tell me what you think.  But first you won’t mind if I snuggle against you passionately, will you?”   Sometimes, and don’t be shocked, it is moments such as these that your guy will tell you about a little fun fetish. And maybe he wanted something from you but you brushed him away. Here is how to help you both find pleasure in fantasy and fetish

 

Thursday 13 - Tips for Autumn Romance

Fall is a beautiful time of year here in Michigan. I love the incredible palate of colorful trees and shrubbery. Nature’s pure fragrance of leaves and earth as well as the temptations of pumpkin pie, baked apples, and hot mulled cider create a wonderful setting. This time of year is also the time to pull out the winter woolies and time for some old fashion cuddling. It is a time for Autumn Romance.

Here are a few tips to help you leap into romance!

1.       Get football fever. As many of you know, I am a Football Mom to three boys and spend countless hours at their games.  Being at a game snuggled up to my honey under a stadium blanket while sharing hot cocoa helps us capture a bit of romance.  When I look around during the game, I see we are not the only couple using the opportunity.

2.       Plan a special morning. Romance isn’t just for nighttime. Make a special breakfast. Pack it into a picnic basket and eat outside or visit your local cider mill and enjoy some cider and doughnuts.

3.       Enjoy the patio at night. Or build a bonfire for two. Curl up together under a blanket and sip a cup of hot apple cider.

4.       Rake leaves. This is something the whole family can do. Rake a pile of leaves and yes…. Jump in!  It’s not just for kids.  Let your hair down and play!  Laughing is great foreplay.

5.       Hit the trails. Go for a walk holding hands or a nice bike ride. Stop periodically to enjoy the view. This is a great way to stay in shape and relieve tension as well as giving you a chance to talk.  However, if you come to a hill… I dare you to roll down it!

6.       Go camping. Try it in your own backyard.  Cook outside on a grill or over a bonfire.  Enjoy the fresh air and each other.

7.       Visit a carnival, county fair or craft show. Wander around holding hands and nibbling on Elephant Ears.

8.       Have a fireside picnic. Slip into something sexy. Pour your favorite wine and play your favorite love songs.

9.       Go on a hayride. Many apple orchards offer hay rides through November. Night time hay rides are very romantic. Enjoy a scenic tour while sitting close to each other and holding hands like a couple of teenagers. 

10.   Visit a local vineyard.  Many offer tours through December. Take advantage of their sampling room and select a bottle to take home.

11.   Take a train ride.  In Michigan we have the Snow Train that runs only during the winter. However, many areas offer special color tours and dinners. Check with your local railroads for more information.

12.   Go apple picking. Whether it’s at an orchard or your own backyard, pick some apples together then head into the kitchen for some fun. Make an apple pie and crack open some whipped cream. Just make sure to leave enough whipped cream to have on the pie! *wink, wink*

13.   Go for a stroll in a park. Take time to let your inner child out. Play hopscotch or push each other on the swings.

CLICK for more Thursday 13 fun.

 

Tasty Tuesday - Beer Pizza Date Night

A night in making pizza can be fun, especially for a couple looking for a cheap date night. 
It has become a family event every Saturday. My teen boys love the homemade dough and creating their own pizza with too many toppings. Hubby and I remember the days when just he and I would pour some wine and enjoy the time in the kitchen with only each other.

Here is the recipe I used for my

Beer Pizza Dough.

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups water ( Or 1 Cup Water and 1/3 Cup Flat Beer for better flavor)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Directions

1.   Add ingredients to machine in order.

2.   Set to “Dough” mode.

3.   Once completed, place in greased pan to rise about 20-30 min, and split in half.

4.   For easy storage, put in Ziploc bags, stack flat to be used as needed. Will be good for 2 days.

5.    When you are ready to make pie, slap the dough on a cornmeal/floured surface, roll flat, Hand spin if you are willing to trash the kitchen with flying pizza!  

6.   Add light layer of sauce and pre-bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes.

7.   Remove from oven and add toppings of your choice.

8.   Bake in oven at 400 degrees until done (approx 20 min, depending upon topping thickness).

 

Sensual Saturday - How to Have a 1 Night Stand

I love writing and reading books from the 1 Night Stand series. I'm sure by now many of you are hooked on these stories. But how would you like to have a 1 Night Stand of your own with the honey you've been with through thick and thin, tears and laughter, kids and pets?

 

Pick a nice quiet night when it’s just the two of you.  

Cold autumn nights are perfect for a fire in the fireplace.

Here's how to start... darken a large room, perhaps the living room. Be sure the room is lit by firelight and/or candles. If you use scented candles, select vanilla or spice. Toss some fluffy pillows onto the floor. (I suggest satin in jewel tones.)  Spread a soft blanket or two next to the pillows.( Blankets should be fleece or Indian blankets. Avoid busy designs, itchy wool or children’s patterns.) Bravo if you have a fur rug and use it for what it's meant to be used for!

 Romantic lighting, sensual fabrics, you just need skin to skin contact and you are all set for a deeply intimate encounter.  Hmm…sounds nice doesn’t it? 

Truly enjoy that special alone time with your honey, pour a couple glasses of wine and drop your clothes. It’s time for some Floor Play!

Lie down and get comfortable. Spend some time slowly exploring each other.

Time to heat things up a bit. Blindfold your honey and straddle him, letting your legs rest along side of his body.  Begin by dripping warmed massage oil over his body, rubbing it in with long sensual strokes.  The key to sensual massage is to adore every inch of your partner’s body.  Enchant his senses by varying the intensity of your touch and being creative.  Use your fingertips, knuckles, and the heel of your hand, your elbows, and your forearms. 

Tease him with an ostrich feather from head to toe, and then pleasure him orally for a few moments.  Go back to massaging him.  Slip a piece of ice into your mouth and let it melt.  Delight his senses with your cold mouth on his hot body.

Rip off his blindfold (or not) and have your way with him. 

Repeat this process only with you wearing the blindfold.  Ask him to drip wine down your back then lick it off for an erotic effect.

Enjoy your 1 Night Stand with each other!

 

Be sure to enter my contest for a chance to win a copy of Handcuffs & Silk

or

Bed of Roses Seduction Kit

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday 13 - Date Night Ideas

 Fall is a busy time of the year, especially if you have kids. Unfortunately couples have to schedule time together. I asked the gal in my coffee club what they like to do with their honey when they have a Date Night. Here's some of their ideas. 

1. Go to a movie. The movie theater is a great opportunity to relax, hold hands, and unwind.

2. Go out to eat, sit and talk. Catch up with each other without any interruptions.

3. Have a picnic at a lake or in a park under the moonlight. Bring along an extra blanket to add a little romance.

4. Go for a walk in a different neighborhood.  My honey & I used to enjoy walking in a ritzy area of town and pick out our dream homes and cars.

5. Go to the mall, grab a cup of coffee and window shop.

6. Holding hands while walking in the park.

7. Visit a coffee shop you've never been to.

8. Attend a poetry reading or a special event at a local bookstore.

9. Cuddle in the back of a truck on a back road under a starry sky.

10. Laying by the fireplace with romantic music and candlelight.

11. Go out dancing.

12. Have a candlelight dinner, and dance in your own living room. 

13. Sit on the porch sipping wine, sharing a snack and talking.

 

Monday Mojo

There’s a direct link

between how often a man has sex and his life expectancy.

Keep the romance & stay healthy.

 

I'd like to have a chance to interview the world's oldest man.

Unfortunately he passed away on Sept. 15, 2013.

 

Salustiano Sanchez-Blazquez, a 112-year-old self-taught musician, coal miner and gin rummy aficionado from western New York, was 112. He was born in Spain, moved to Cuba then migrated to America in 1920. His wife, Pearl, passed away in 1988.

 

Tasty Tuesday - Role Playing & Screaming Orgasms

In the heat of summer spice up the night with a little role playing. 

Your honey can be a bartender and you are... well... you!

You walk up to him (the bar) and say,

 "Hey there handsome. How about you give me a Screaming Orgasm?"

 

 

 

1 oz vodka
1 1/2 oz Bailey's® Irish cream
1/2 oz Kahlua® coffee liqueur

Pour first vodka, then Bailey's, then Kahlua into a cocktail glass over crushed ice. Stir.

Caution: use only high quality vodka. Cheap vodka can cause the Bailey's to curdle. Test your brand of vodka by mixing 1 Tsp each of vodka and Bailey's first.

How this scene plays out is strictly up to you.

Monday Mojo - Hot Weather Oooooo!

It's summer time and we are wearing lighter clothing and sometimes less of it to stay cool. Is it having all that skin exposed cranking up our desires?

Warm weather gives the opportunity for people to get out, mingle and socialize more. But the hot stickiness sometimes can be a turn off from touching one another.

However...

 The hotter the room, the fiercer the orgasm.

Alright Summer...

bring on the heat!

Sensual Saturday -wash away the dirt

Saturdays in the summer seem to be dedicated to work. Yard work, painting, cleaning, building...

 

When the day is over, jump into the shower to cleanse the dirt from the pores of bug spray covered skin.  But don't go in alone.

Invite your honey to join you for some sensual fun.

 

Take turns soaping and washing.

Remember how good it feels when someone else washes you hair?  OH, YEAH!

Friday - Fundamentals of Foreplay

 

 

1.    Fruit.  Sensual fruit such as strawberries, grapes and bananas may be easily found in your kitchen and can be a lot of fun to tease with.  Try dancing around your partner and feed him bits of fruit while teasing him with your body.

2.    Sensual food.  Whipping cream (see my 13 Things to Do with Whipping Cream).  Chocolate and other sensual foods.  (See my Sensual Food Post).

3.    A nice beverage.  Wine is always nice but a hot cup of coco or tea can be sensual in its own way especially in winter. Try a cup of spicy Masala Chai, or a tea containing yarrow, or better yet the aphrodisiac tea - Black Galingale.

4.    Candles.  Men have a tendency to prefer candles that smell like food – vanilla, orange spice, melon.  Women may prefer floral scents for romance.  Cluster candles on a reflective tray.  I like to mix the scents – Lavender, vanilla or orange spice, Hawaiian flower, white tea & ginger.  Visit a local candle shop and select candles together for a special evening.

5.    Sensual music.  What gets you in the mood?  Soft jazz for a romantic evening of slow love making?  Underground dance music for some creative adventuring?  Hard rock for some fierce pounding?  I suggest picking out the music in advance and being flexible to your mood at the time.  One night you might like soft jazz, the next you might choose something louder.

6.     Lingerie.  Silk boxers for him, g-string for her?  Silk slip?  Flannel pants and tight cotton tank?  Whatever you feel sexy in is what you should choose.  However, latest polls show men don’t like lots of lace and buttons/snaps.

7.    Sheets.  If you’re taking it to bed think of what feels good under you.  Don’t always think silk sheets are the best… flannel sheets are very cozy, especially in the northern regions. 

8.    Blankets.  If you visit my house, you’ll notice a variety of cozy, soft blankets on a blanket rack in the great room.  They aren’t just for making kids’ forts.  Ever try snuggling on a leather couch under a fleece blanket?  Try it!

9.    Lotions.  Keep ones that sensually inspire your mind and ones that can be licked off.

10. Feather.  Ever wonder why romance writers love writing plumes so much.  Heh, heh.  Next time you’re at the zoo, pick up an ostrich feather or visit you local sex shop for some top notch fun feathers.

11. Blindfold., silk scarves, hand cuffs.  Need I say anything more?

12. Love coupons.  Pick up a booklet of them or print them on the computer.  Hide a coupon in a special place for your honey to find.  A great teaser!

13. Romantic games.  There’s a wide variety out there.  A great way to add a little exploration into your love life.  Always remember, laughing in bed can be a wonderful foreplay move.

 

Thursday 13 - Date Ideas

I write for the 1 Night Stand series from Decadent Publishing. The characters don't have to worry too much about their first date, just the fact it's a blind date and sex is guaranteed. But let's hit reality for a moment. 

First dates can be incredibly tricky and nerve-wracking. It is therefore very important to establish in your own mind what you expect from the date beforehand. If possible, arrange to meet in a public place that you are familiar with, and do not forget to take your cell-phone, or a "back up plan" with a friend in case of an emergency.

If the first date goes well and you're onto the second and third dates the important thing to remember is to have fun and do not expect too much. After all, what is a first few dates are a fun way to get to know one another, and to explore the possibilities of developing a strong and lasting relationship?

Here are thirteen ideas for those dates in the beginning of a relationship.

 

 

1. Go out for dinner then a movie. Having dinner together lets you get to know them better while watching the movie together provides the perfect atmosphere to just get used to them without having to talk too much.

2. Go out to eat, sit and talk and give a small kiss goodnight.

3. Have a picnic at a lake under the moonlight.

4. Walk along the beach or in a park at night.  My honey & I used to enjoy walking in a ritzy area and pick out our dream homes and cars.

5. Have dinner, watch a movie and end the night by playing video games at a local arcade together.

6. Holding hands while walking in the park, getting to know each other.

7. Go out to eat, watch a movie, have a moonlight walk on the beach or through a park ending the evening with the perfect kiss.

8. Go out to dinner then spend time together at a coffee shop getting to know each other.

9. Getting to know each other in the back of a truck on a back road under a starry sky.

10. Laying by the fireplace with romantic music and candlelight getting to know each other.

11. Go out dancing together.

12. Visit an amusement park or county fair.

13. Sit on the porch sipping wine, sharing a snack and talking.