Q: Before attempting to perform magic, you need to get into the right frame of both body and mind and cleanse away any doubts, demons or spiritual impurities that might distract you or make the spell go awry. Ideally purifying yourself should be a ritual in and of itself, and should leave your body relaxed and your mind nuclear. Bathe. Take a long bath, getting your skin completely clean and soaking the tension of our your muscles. Dress appropriately. If you have robes or other special garb for doing magic, put that on. Otherwise pick simple but formal clothes that feel light, comfortable and clean. You are asking the divine forces for a favor, so try to dress with a certain amount of reverence. If there won't be anyone around, some wiccans swear by performing magic in the nude. Meditate until your mind is clear. Do some basic deep breathing to improve your focus and discard distracting desires. Anoint yourself with the proper oils. Different essential oils can be used for different purposes, so if you like find one or more that seem appropriate and dab a little with your fingers on your forehead, and perhaps your hands, hair, face and chest as well. If you are going to be working inside, make sure you won't be disturbed and tidy up the location where you intend to perform your spell. Visualize negative and distracting energies dispersing as you clean. When the space is clean physically, purify it spiritually by burning some incense, sprinkling some salt water or holy water, or playing a few clear notes on a musical instrument. You need a consecrated space to perform your ritual. This can be either a circle to protect you from the interference of negative spirits and energies, an altar to focus your dedication to a specific deity or element, or some combination of these two. You will perform your ritual within the circle or in front of the altar. Draw a circle big enough to sit in, or a five-pointed-star within a circle (called a pentacle). You can draw it physically or just trace it in the air with your finger or a wand. Visualize protective energy coming out of your arm as you draw, sealing off the circle from in a bubble of light. You can mark the cardinal points on the circle or the points of the star with candles, stones, or some other set of significant objects. Create a small raised platform on which to place a figurine of a deity or some other symbolic representation of the divine. It doesn't have to be complicated: a stack of books will do, if you treat it reverently. Consider adding candles, crystals, an incense stand, or a couple objects close to you spiritually, such as a small heirloom or your book of spells. Verbally call on a higher power to bless your spell. This can be a general prayer to call on the help of some deity or force, or something specific you wrote for this spell. Your invocation can also include gestures, music, dance, or ritually lighting candles or placing objects. Visualize the object of your spell and imagine light flowing from you into it. Visualize your wish coming true. The more vividly you can see these energies in your mind's eye, the realer they will be. For each spell, write a short verse describing your wish and asking it to be granted. It doesn't have to rhyme, but rhymes, alliteration, cadence and other poetic structures help with focus and memorization. Speak the incantation clearly and confidently while you visualize. A good spell should have some element of "casting off" an item to represent your will going out into the universe. Tear or burn a piece of paper with your wish (or a symbol representing your wish) written on it; toss away a stone or symbolic object; snuff out a candle; or pouring out or drinking a potion. Say thank you to any specific deity you invoked. Ground your excess energy by visualizing it flowing into the earth. Undraw your circle, if necessary, and dismantle your altar if you aren't going to use it again. Gather up your tools and leave the space. Your spell is finished. Consider doing something mundane, like having something to eat, to center yourself.
A: Purify yourself before any spell. Purify your space. Setup a circle or altar. Invoke the divine. Focus your energy on your desire. Recite your incantation. Seal the deal. Give thanks and clean up.

Q: Sometimes, the fertilizers we're using are inadvertently attracting dogs to our garden. Changing how and when you use fertilizer can be a great way to discourage dogs from getting into your yard. Dogs react strongly to new smells and odors, and may be put off if a smell suddenly changes. This can signal to them that another animal has potentially infiltrated their space. Switch up with fertilizers you use periodically to make dogs wary of entering your garden. Organic fertilizers are great, but can sometimes contain smells that attract dogs. Look up information on the fertilizer you're using online to see if anyone has had issues with a particular fertilizer in terms of it attracting dogs. Oftentimes, people are tempted to use rabbit or deer repellents in conjunction with fertilizers to keep dogs at bay. The problem is, such repellents often contain coyote urine and this attracts dogs. Avoid such repellents when trying to keep dogs out of your garden. Dogs are likely to return to the same spot if they believe it's dog friendly. When a dog uses your garden as a bathroom, they leave their scent behind and other dogs assume relieving themselves in this space is okay. Clean the area thoroughly after finding dog feces. Dog's often pee in the same places they defecate. Dog urine can leave burn marks on grass and plants, so douse the area with a hose shortly after removing the feces. This neutralizes the acidity of the urine and lessens its effect on the garden. You can also rake compost into the area, which contains soil organisms that balance soil biology and chemistry. Just be sure to move any compost bags well out of a dog's reach. Throw any fecal matter into a closed dumpster, after sealing it in a plastic bag. You don't want the smell to attract more dogs to the area. Whether home made or store bought, a variety of repellents cause unpleasant smells and sensations that will discourage unwanted dogs from entering your garden. Garlic, olive oil, and almond oil have been known to keep dogs away when sprinkled on or around plants or in the soil surrounding a garden. Ammonium and vinegar provide small smells that drive dogs away. Placing ammonium or vinegar soaked cotton balls around the garden, especially in places where dogs have defecated previously, may be effective in keeping pets out. Oftentimes, home remedies are hit or miss. There are specially made dog repellents, sold online or at pet stores, that are environmentally safe and not harmful to dogs or other animals. Some can be quite expensive, in the $60 to $70 range, while others sell for about $12. Some sites recommend citrus and cayenne pepper as a deterrent. This should be avoided. Citrus can be potentially harmful to dogs. While not every dog will have a negative reaction to citrus, it has caused health effects for some dogs in the past so it's best to err on the side of caution. Cayenne pepper causes irritation in a dog's face, skin, and paws. You do not want to inadvertently harm your own dog or a neighbor's dog in attempt to keep them out of the garden.
A:
Manipulate your choice of fertilizers. Clean the area thoroughly. Use repellents to keep dogs out.