Farewell to the Maiden

My life has changed a lot since I first started down my pagan path. It was ten years ago on Imbolc that I dedicated myself to the triple goddess and the horned god and I'm only just now realizing how far I've progressed. Or, rather, I'm only just now accepting the latest changes that were set in motion when my current incarnation began. The phases of the moon really do apply to the life of a woman; I'm living proof of that. Up until a couple of years ago I really was a maiden: youthful, full of hope with few cares and worries. Oh I still had plenty of work to do, lots of responsibilities and required medication to keep me relatively sane. But a lot of things were different then. I didn't have addicts doing everything they could to ruin my family financially and psychologically. I didn't have a slowly deteriorating parent to worry over and do for. I didn't have but a fraction of the workload I have now. In short: the weight on my shoulders was much lighter than that which weighs upon me now.

I look back on those days of getting my work done and then settling back with my pipe and exhaling all my worries away as some kind of deceptive heaven. It was heaven in that once I took care of business I could relax and forget my worries. It was deceptive because it made me feel, even if for only a small time, that my worries and problems couldn't touch me and if I just kept smoking I'd be okay. And, of course, that wasn't and isn't true. Smoking what I still consider the sacred herb helped me get over some serious pain but it eventually became a crutch. And now that I don't have it I feel like I deserve its benefits much more than I did then. Not because I wasn't suffering hurt that it couldn't help me with but because the stress I'm under now is so much greater than what I experienced back then.

The Maiden is gone. She spent most of her time worrying only about herself, what she wanted, what she needed or what she thought she needed. She had high in the sky hopes of getting back to school and she still thought she was an intellectual. And while she cared for her loved ones she only sometimes put their needs ahead of her own. Most of the time she was more worried about what people thought of her as opposed to whether or not others came up to her own standards. She was neurotic, insecure and self-conscious to a fault much of the time. And while I miss her hopefulness and her energy-and her weed-I don't miss her gullibility or her naivete. I don't miss her dependence on other people or her blinding adherence to their ways.

The Maiden is gone; farewell.

Green Growth

Since bringing my plants out a couple months back I've learned a valuable lesson: I should have been placing my small San Pedro cactus out in the full sun from the very start. Since it was brought out this spring, and placed out in the yard away from the trees, I swear it's grown at least an inch and a half! And the new growth is thicker and colored a deeper, richer green than the rest. I'm so pleased with it. It's the only perennial I've managed to get started and keep going! I have much, much more experience with annuals and am so happy to know that it is possible for me to nurture a perennial. Now if only I could figure out how the hell to get herbs to not only sprout from seed but stay alive for longer than a few weeks I'd be feeling like a supergreenwitch!

The petunias and other things I planted some weeks back are doing well for the most part, especially considering most were planted much later than I would have liked since our spring took so damn long to get sprung. The eucalyptus plants are doing quite well as are the sage plants. The two basils aren't looking as good as I'd like but I'm experimenting with placement hoping they'll improve. Just this morning the first bloom of the year popped out on the red hibiscus and it's a stunning sight and a joy to behold.

This year our vegetable garden is only a shadow of its former self since we didn't have the funds to repair our tiller, much less buy a new one. So, we've only got fifteen or so tomato plants that we'll start harvesting in the next week or so. When they're ripe we'll have tons of wonderful red juiciness to enjoy. And the dozen or so pepper plants are growing nicely as well but not producing yet. We've harvested and enjoyed quite a bit of lettuce by now and look to have some more pretty soon. We've been lucky enough to get some good corn at the local farmer's markets as well as have some gifted to us.

The fence that we used to have around the compost pile, and that the tornado ripped out, now serves as a great trellis for the cucumber plants. They're nearly chest high and just beginning to set on; we picked the first just today. We've also enjoyed a few sackfuls of homegrown cucumbers gifted to us from friends which has been awesome. They're so good peeled, sliced and soaked in apple cider vinegar with a little salt and pepper. It's super yummy and the vinegar helps the human body better absorb minerals from food. In fact, now that I think of it, cucumbers, as well as tomatoes, are the flavor of summertime. I'd probably include watermelon too. I love homegrown vegetables fresh from the garden! Sure, they can be bought in grocery stores year round these days but nothing beats homegrown veggies. Hothouse vegetables, aside from usually being chemically treated, picked too early and spending days in transit, just don't taste as good. Even if homegrown veggies aren't quite as tender, because of exposure to the hot summer sun, their flavor is unbeatable. Yay for summer food!

How are the green growing things doing around your neck of the woods?

Plantings and More Plantings

We've spent an obscene amount of money at local greenhouses lately and have been very busy planting. To begin with, I got 3 dozen impatiens put in the front bed. I decided against reviving my old herb garden and, instead, will have a few potted herbs around my shiny new outdoor altar. So far, I've got two pots of sage, one eucalyptus, my 3-year-old San Pedro cactus and a few wave petunias and princess feathers around my altar. On the back porch there are two pots of basil, another eucalyptus, regular petunias and wave petunias and a brilliant purple ornamental globe amaranth. I also put together one washtub of marigolds and another of gold, confetti and lavender lantanas. Along the fence we've got four window boxes of wave petunias. I also put in a good start of spearmint along the fence well away from anything else so it can spread and grow to its little greedy hearts content. I put in a dozen or so dianthus in the bed way out to the left of the house. We've also got some scarlet begonias in three plastic hanging bags which I think looks tacky but everyone else outvoted me. Still to pot up is another big flat of wave petunias.

We also brought out our plants that overwintered under the grow lights in the back bedroom. The two Christmas cacti and the ten or so other cacti are in place and looking well. All three of the big sprengeri's need to be transplanted into bigger pots as does the schefflera, the peace lily, the tree philodendrum and the Norfolk Island pine. Unfortunately, all of the aforementioned plants are already huge and larger pots would run into many hundreds of dollars so I'm not sure what we're gonna do with them. We have a bunch of big old metal washtubs that we usually keep outside for flowers but I'm afraid we'll have to use some of them for the larger plants. Even so, they're not really big enough to accomodate these big plants, so I'm stymied.

Still to procure are another dozen or so impatiens to finish the front bed, two or three flats of begonias for our regularly begonia-filled washtubs, lavender, thyme, rosemary, dill and I'd like an aloe since kittens killed all of mine a couple of years ago. There was a nice, big aloe at one of the greenhouses we visited but they wanted $8 for it and I just couldn't go that high. If we had the money we've also got a dozen or so washtubs and hundreds of pots in all shapes and sizes. But as far as flowers and herbs go we've gotten almost everything we want.

As for the vegetables: our radishes are already done and our lettuce is gonna get eaten this week. We bought jalepenos and cayenne peppers and they're in the garden already. There are about a dozen tomato plants in the ground and a nice spot for the cucumbers to grow around as soon as they sprout. Still to plant are the okra seeds and we also hope to procure some banana peppers. We've taken advantage of the wreckage that the storm blew off the barn and now have a unique method of limiting weed growth. The big pieces of metal roofing now serve as an ugly, if useful, form of weed control. They completely block sunlight from reaching the ground between the rows. So, the storm may have scared the holy hell out of us and ripped up the barn and our roof but it's also helping us grow some veggies. It might not be an even trade but it's something, ain't it?

That's the gardening news from these hills, how are the green growing things doing in your neck of the woods?

Finally Spring!

I saw my first hummingbird of the year the day before yesterday. I saw my first indigo bunting of the year today! It's finally warm enough that I've actually felt genuinely hot while busy working. The colors of spring are bursting forth all around us: pink and white dogwoods, the whites of cherry trees, the soft purple of lilac and the muted yet brilliant purple-pink of the little redbud trees along the driveway. According to Riverwolf all the bright colors of spring prove that April is the gayest month and I think he might be right. When else do we see such brilliant hues from the Earth Mothers palette?

The spring air is simply luscious! The scent of fresh cut grass and the spring flowering plants fill the air. Here on Windy Hill we always get a heavy dose of the perfume of spring and I'm really appreciating it. Our winter was so long I think I'd forgotten the wonders of the fresh green smell! There's nothing finer for me than walking the dogs in the yard and soaking up all the green. I let my hair fall down and the wind does its best to carry it away and I just love it! For an interesting and insightful wind-related blogging check out Aquila ka Hecate's Trees Genuflect Before the Wind.

While we've got a lot more gardening yet to do this spring I am happy to report that our radishes (above) and lettuce (below) are sprouting up nicely.


Our main garden still needs tilling as our 5 year old tiller has quit on us. We're hoping to borrow or rent a tiller without breaking the already stretched thin bank. My witch hazels along the back fence are gaining height which pleases me immensely. As per our custom we'll wait another 2 weeks before bringing out the plants that over wintered under the grow lights in the extra back bedroom. About that time we'll also purchase and plant our favorite potted plants like impatiens, petunias and marigolds. I'm so looking forward to it. This winter held on with a tight grip and I am very relieved to see it leave. I'm looking forward to dirt under my nails and fresh produce from the garden.

May your spring be blessed and portend a glorious summer!

Cannabis Law Reform

From NORML:

As for those tens of millions of you who believe that cannabis should be legally regulated like alcohol -- and the tens of thousands of you who voted to make this subject the most popular question in the White House's online Presidential Town Hall -- well, your voice doesn't really matter.

Asked this morning whether he "would ... support the bill currently going through the California legislation to legalize and tax marijuana, boosting the economy and reducing drug cartel related violence," the President responded with derision.

"There was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy and job creation, and I don't know what this says about the online audience," he laughed.

"The answer is no, I don't think that [is] a good strategy."

Please, go read the entire thing. And consider adding your name to the well-written form letter, to which you can amend in any way you see fit. What follows is their form-letter with my own comments at the end.

Mr. President,

You pledged "to open up the White House to the American people." I'm one of the tens of millions of Americans who believe that cannabis should be legally regulated like alcohol. I'm also one of the tens of thousands of Americans who voted to make this subject the most popular question in your online Presidential Town Hall. I'm disappointed to learn that you believe that my voice doesn't really matter.

I understand that you may oppose this position, but that is no reason to deride this issue.

Mr. President, please tell me: "What is it that you think is so funny about the subject of marijuana law reform?"

Since 1965, police have arrested over 20 million Americans for violating marijuana laws, yet nearly 90 percent of teenagers say that pot is "very easy" or "fairly easy" to obtain. Do you find this funny?

According to your administration, there is an unprecedented level of violence occurring at the Mexico/US border -- much of which is allegedly caused by the trafficking of marijuana to the United States by drug cartels. America's stringent enforcement of pot prohibition, which artificially inflates black market pot prices and ensures that only criminal enterprises will be involved in the production and sale of this commodity, is helping to fuel this violence. Do you still believe that this subject is humorous?

Finally, two recent polls indicate that a strong majority of regional voters support ending marijuana prohibition and treating the drug's sale, use, and distribution like alcohol. A February 2009 Zogby telephone poll reported that nearly six out of ten of voters on the west coast think that cannabis should be "taxed and legally regulated like alcohol and cigarettes." A just-released California Field Poll reports similar results, finding that 58 percent of statewide votes believe that regulations for cannabis should be the same or less strict than those for alcohol.

Why do you choose to laugh at these people? Why do you choose to laugh at me?

The American public is ready and willing to engage in a serious and objective political debate regarding the merits of legalizing the use of cannabis by adults. The time for joking is over.

Please consider apologizing for your dismissive tone, and please consider treating those of us who believe that there are viable alternatives to marijuana prohibition with the respect we deserve.

Regular internet users were a great help to you in your run for the White House; deriding online poll results is the same as slapping your greatest supporters in the face. I recognize that, when it comes to cannabis law reform, there are many interested parties on both sides of the issue and that sometimes these parties must be assuaged of their fears and doubts, especially in a public forum. But please, don't make the mistake of alienating the largest demographic that placed you in your position.

The "War on (Some) Drugs" has been a massive failure and the inclusion of cannabis in the same category as deadly drugs is patently absurd. If you truly wish to lead this country out of its troubles and into the future you must recognize that cannabis law reform is one of the most important issues for tens of millions of American citizens. We are tired of being imprisoned for taking our medicine. We are tired of being imprisoned for years for possessing an ounce of an harmless herb. We are tired of being treated as second-class citizens because we would occasionally rather imbibe smoke than destroy our livers with the much deadlier drug of alcohol. The time for derision is over. I fear that if you do not rethink your position on cannabis law reform that you will lose a great part of your public support.

My comments are in bold. The tactics of the old regime of "cannabis is as dangerous as heroin, cocaine, etc." is over. It's time for a new, modern and progressive policy that has at least something to do with reason and, maybe, just maybe the wishes of the majority.

Gambian Witch Hunt

This is some scary shit folks. The witch hunts of Africa have been going on for ages now and are usually a pretty isolated event involving only a few people at a time. Well, apparently efforts have been stepped up.

Authorities in Gambia have rounded up about 1,000 people and forced them to drink hallucinogens in a witch-hunting campaign that is terrorizing the tiny West African nation, an international rights group said Wednesday.

Amnesty International called on the government of President Yahya Jammeh, who seized power in a 1994 coup and has claimed he can cure AIDS, to halt the campaign and bring those responsible to justice...

"Once there, they were stripped and forced to drink 'dirty water' from herbs and were also bathed with these dirty herbs" that caused diarrhea and vomiting, the witness said. "I stayed there for five days ... I cannot believe that this type of treatment is taking place in Gambia. It is from the dark ages."...

In 2007, Jammeh declared he had discovered a cure for AIDS and began treating patients inside the presidential palace, using herbs and incantations. His dictatorial regime has cracked down harshly on critics, especially the press.

Now, any regular reader of this blog knows I'm all for entheogenics, the use of plants to not only heal but to bring about an altered mental state for the purpose of spiritual growth. But this is just fucking sick. Forcing people to ingest an hallucinogenic herbal drink, after kidnapping them and stripping them naked, is just way beyond twisted. And who could miss the obvious fact that the use of herbs and incantations to "cure AIDS" is in itself witchcraft?! I guess what Jammeh wants is what so many other assholes in power want: a stranglehold on any kind of power, be it political, medicinal or magical.

Growing Our Monkeyspheres

We all know there are people in the world who seem to have monkeyspheres big enough to include everyone. They go by many titles: saint, bodhisattva, guru, priest, priestess, sister, father, brother. Many of them are well known such as Mother Theresa and Gandhi. Many of them, of course, are not known but are simply going about living their lives in a quiet yet meaningful way, loving everyone they meet and blessings those that hurt them with their seemingly boundless capacity for forgiveness. How do they do it? It seems some folks are simply born with the capacity for a universal monkeysphere, while the rest of us must work harder at it.

The key seems to be learning that all peoples the world over are just like you and I. We are all born, we all age, we all must eat and visit the bathroom from time to time. We all get sick, we all laugh and we all love our families and friends. We all get scared and we all die. But, because of distance, language barriers, politics and cultural differences we have a very bad habit of forgetting these basic truths thus allowing our monkeyspheres to stagnate or, even worse, shrink. The following ideas might help us fight that bad habit and grow our monkeyspheres.

I think that plain old education can help us grow our monkeyspheres. Pick up an autobiographical book written by someone in a country strange to you and I bet your monkeysphere will grow a bit. Make it part of your daily routine to read international news and don't just gloss over the facts and figures. Use those visualization skills and put their tragedies and triumphs in your home and see if you can't cultivate some feeling for those strangers. Read up on the history of U.S. involvement in places like Afghanistan and Iran and learn that they have plenty of reason to hate us. It might be unpleasant to do these things but a large part of growing one's monkeysphere is learning of the hardships and sufferings of others.

I also think traveling the world is a great way to grow the monkeysphere. And I don't just mean traveling on prepackaged tours; get out there and meet the locals. One must get off the beaten path to truly learn and experience a place and its culture. Learn about their daily lives, visit the local shops and really talk to people. It never ceases to amaze me when I hear of folks who save up for years to visit a foreign country and then spend all their vacation time in a small Americanized hotel and entertainment complex, never actually venturing into said country. I mean, really, why bother? But that's a rant for another time...

Meditation probably ranks pretty high up on the list of methods used to grow the monkeysphere. Meditation quiets the humdrum, mundane mind letting us get in touch with our deepest selves. We can use meditation to reach our monkeysphere and allow it to breathe and grow. Once we get past our petty daily problems we can more clearly see the lives, minds and hearts of others and see that they, just like us, have monkeyspheres in need of growth. Unfortunately, not everyone is capable of achieving a deeply meditative state on their own, thus opening the possibility for some chemical help in this arena.

Now we get to perhaps the most controversial method of growing one's monkeysphere, that is, entheology, which requires more extensive discussion. Dictionary.com defines entheogen as: any substance, such as a plant or drug, taken to bring on a spiritual experience. So, entheology is the study and practice of using entheogens for spiritual purposes. Now, to some people this is simple drug abuse and is right out evil. But that's a pretty narrow-minded view based on the overly publicized accounts of the idiots of the world and their stupid drug-related exploits. Let me put it this way: there's a big difference between simply getting high and receiving the blessings of entheogens. Some people take 'shrooms and spend a day being totally fucked up, laughing like a moron while listening to tunes. And I'm not saying there's necessarily anything wrong with that; I can think of many more destructive and pointless ways to spend a day. What I am saying is that that is a lot different from someone fasting for a couple days, purifying themselves and their ritual space and smoking salvia divinorum to bring about a deeply meditative state as a means of celebrating a life change or learning to cope with it. See the difference?

Now, of course, this method of growing one's monkeysphere isn't for everyone. Many entheogens are illegal and some are potentially deadly in the wrong hands. I think of it like this: some people can't handle alcohol, some people can't handle tobacco, or gambling or sex without ruining their lives, the lives of others and perhaps killing themselves. The same goes for entheogens and drugs of all sorts. Some people cannot handle them and will destroy themselves if given a chance. But many of us can maintain healthy relationships with entheogens and will, in fact, learn a lot about ourselves, the world around us and the human race itself through their responsible ritual use. I'm by no means an expert, having had only one hallucinatory experience via datura stramonium, but I can say this: I learned a lot from that single experience and will probably repeat the ritual in the future. That's not to say it was enjoyable or a big party. "Spiritual experience" does not necessarily translate to "fun". In fact, it can be very unpleasant physically, emotionally and psychically. There's no real way to be sure what you'll get. The only certainty is that, if you approach the entheogen with reverence, especially if it's a plant, you will learn and grow and change. In other words: you will benefit and your monkeysphere will grow.

So there you have it: my ideas for growing our monkeyspheres. I tried to look at the problem logically by making a list and expanding on it. I have no doubt that there are other valid methods and would be delighted to hear what my readers think of my suggestions. Would you use any of the above methods to grow your monkeysphere? Have you already incorporated some of them into your spiritual practice? What kind of results have you had? Have you gained wisdom from them? What other methods would you suggest?

Moonflowers in the Mouths of Babes

Or, Another Reason Why Harmless Cannabis Should Be Legalized, Regulated and Taxed

News from the Denver Post states that five local kids have been hospitalized for using, or rather misusing, moonflowers. This pops up every now and then. Kids are looking for a legal high and end up messing with a variety of moonflower and, in this case, wind up seriously ill.

The five lived within 3.5 miles of each other, the Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment said in a news release, and all have recovered. However, two of them were at one time in intensive care.

The flowers have large blooms and a delicate fragrance. The seeds, leaves and roots - when eaten, smoked or brewed into a tea - cause hallucinations...

Kids only seem to know that much about it and go no further. I bet they know better now!

Ingesting the plant causes agitation, confusion and hallucinations. Heart rate and blood pressure can climb, mouths can become dry, skin turns dry, hot and flushed, and vision is blurred. In severe cases, the plant can cause seizures and comas.

In addition to the five Jeffco teens, four other cases of moonflower toxicity have been reported to the Rocky Mountain Poison Control Center in the last month, the release said.

It's a shame.

Not only have these stupid kids been sick as shit but they've scared the hell out of their families and tarnished the already questionable reputation of the moonflowers of the world. I don't expect anything positive about the use of the plants to be in a cowan newspaper. Anything involving hallucinations is automatically evil in the eyes of most people, and with good reason: if these things are misused they are dangerous. It's even more of a shame because if these kids had waited until they were older, wiser and more knowledgeable the moonflowers could have helped them reach previously unreachable levels of awareness. It could have helped them learn about themselves and the world around them in a way their "normal" consciousness does not allow.

Too bad.

Frozen Lavender

The Spirit of the Walnut

Shamana Flora has a wonderful, inspirational post over at her blog, Gaia's Gifts about her love of the Walnut. And it really got me thinking about something I've been mulling for several years now. Once upon a time, while I was under the influence of Sacred Datura, I saw an old wizened little man in the trunk of our walnut tree. And ever since then I've wondered about it. I've considered making offerings, feeding the tree with fertilizer, decorating the tree, etc. But, for some reason, I've never made a move to do any of these things. I just wasn't ready to acknowledge something I could only see during a journey. Now, thanks to Shamana, I'm considering making use of the walnut's medicinal properties. But more than that, I'm finally ready to take my vision of the walnut tree spirit seriously. I'm accepting that I really did see him and he really is there. And it's time I honored him. Karya is the Greek name for a nut tree spirit but that sounds very feminine so I think I'll try to commune with the tree spirit and learn his name on my own.

I don't know whether or not to consider him a genius loci, a Roman spirit who safeguards the land, or a hamadryad. I'm leaning toward hamadryad as a genius loci isn't necessarily tied to a specific thing whereas a hamadryad is bonded to its tree for life. The more I think about him the more I think he is a hamadryad as he looked like he really belonged to the tree. This little man was old, still healthy like the tree, but definitely not a childlike figure. I can't help but wonder why he is such a small figure, almost like a wrinkled old dwarf. Perhaps I'll learn more as I get to know him and his tree better. And I think he might need some help as he seemed a little sad. So, I'm going to do what I can to honor him. During this Sacred Datura experience (my only journey) I saw a barely remembered figure in another tree. So I think I'll start making offerings to more than one tree. I feel like I'm finally learning and grokking the lessons Sacred Datura was trying to teach me.

P.S. Lest you wonder, dear reader, I'll tell you straight up. Yes, I am a little crazy.

Herbal Company Files Suit Against FTC

Now all of us greenies and herbalists types know that a large part of herblore is historical information, some of which is outdated, but all of it interesting and useful. I myself often post herbal information from A Modern Herbal first published in 1931. And there are plenty of older sources to be found online and in local libraries. We all know that some of the older information isn't always that scientific and sometimes there is occasional information that is flat out incorrect because it was based on observation by amateurs (like me). And some of it is just plain 'ol interesting with little bearing on medicinal properties. But does that mean the historical folklore should be removed altogether? I happen to think not and so does a New Mexico couple who have recently filed suit against the Federal Trade Commission. It turns out the FTC threatened to file an injunction against the Native Essence Herb Company if the owners, Mark and Marianne Hershiser, did not remove historical herblore from their site.

The FTC, however, maintains that claims based on historical or traditional herbal use should be substantiated by scientific evidence. The agency's guidelines also state that advertisers should not suggest, directly or indirectly, that a supplement would provide benefits to those suffering from diseases unless there's reliable evidence to substantiate such claims.

The Hershisers argue that the historical information posted on their Web site came from federal government Web sites concerning herbs and herbal remedies and they should be allowed to provide that information for their customers.

I find this rather amazing and wish I could find the specific governmental web sites the information came from. Imagine, a federal agency demanding the removal of government provided information because it might be incorrect or somehow harmful. And can someone explain to me how providing historical herblore to folks buying herbs is a bad thing? I mean, come on, anyone buying herbs or herbal products already knows a lot of the aforementioned information so why remove the information from a website that happens to make a business of it? This sounds like useless, pointless governmental meddling to me. What do you think of this?

Drowning in Rain

We've had so much rain this spring and early summer that it looks like most of our garden either washed away or rotted in the ground. What has come up is very, very spotty. And most of my herb seeds didn't sprout and the few that did died of the shock when I moved them outside. Mother Nature apparently doesn't want me and my family to have much home grown produce or herbs this year. So, while I'm pretty damned depressed about that fact I'm trying *TRYING* to see this as a good thing. Maybe since none of my herbs turned out I'll have more cause and chances to learn about the wild plants in my local area. And maybe since our vegetable garden isn't going to be very special this year we'll still have a few fresh things from the local farmers' market. I do wonder, however, how other gardens around here have weathered the damn near torrential rain we've had for weeks now. It seems like every week it's another 4 inches. As a watery soul I love rain but even I am sick of it. Sick, sick, sick of the rain. I guess the trees are benefiting as are the other wild herbs and flowers, which is a good thing. I'm just very bummed out over all our gardening plans going to hell. It's kinda set the mood for this summer: depressed and not feeling very green at all. But I'm trying to learn more about wild plants, as is evidenced by my recent bloggings, and hoping my general mood will improve.

Crown Vetch and Wild Roses

This pretty and fast spreading plant showed up next to our driveway a couple years ago and now we have this huge patch. It was, years ago, planted around construction areas and near roadways to control erosion but that practice has since died out because of the plants uncontrollable invasiveness. I find myself fascinated by this plant, with blooms that look kinda like a cross between chives blossoms and red clover flowers. Unfortunately, the entire plant is poisonous if ingested as it contains a glycoside called coronillin. However, it turns out that there are some folks who use crown vetch for medicinal purposes.

According Henriette's Herbal Pages: Coronilla varia, prepared from the juice of a plant of southern Europe, was reported by Poulet to act positively as a heart sedative, especially when the irritation was due to a neurosis. Those forms of excitable heart action caused by tobacco, dissipation, and sexual excesses were found to be directly influenced by this remedy. The above is listed under unusual remedies and the information has not been confirmed according to Henriette. And, according to Plants for a Future The whole plant, used either fresh or dried is a cardiotonic[9, 13]. It should be used with extreme caution, see the notes above on toxicity[9]. A decoction of the bark has been used as an emetic[257]. The crushed plant has been rubbed on rheumatic joints and cramps[257]. And it can also be used as an insecticide which leads me to believe that if it can kill insects it can probably kill, or at least seriously sicken, a human if used incorrectly. So, while I find crown vetch interesting I think I'll stay away from it as I'm a beginner and a fairly inexperienced herbalist.

This luscious bush is just a bit past the field line so I had to wade through some pretty tall weeds to get to it but it was worth it. I'm pretty sure these are Dog Roses because of their mostly pale pink and white blooms and subtle scent. I collected plenty of flowers and a few leaves because according to Mrs. Grieve The leaves of the Dog Rose when dried and infused in boiling water have often been used as a substitute for tea and have a grateful smell and sub-astringent taste. The flowers, gathered in the bud and dried, are said to be more astringent than the Red Roses. They contain no honey and are visited by insects only for their pollen. Their scent is not strong enough to be of any practical use for distillation purposes. So, I'll be using my leaves for a light tasty tea and will most likely use the petals in my bath water for a cool, calming soak. I love wild roses even more so than cultured roses. The scent isn't as strong of course but I just prefer the wildness and unique shapes and sizes of the flowers.

Robigalia

25 April is the date of the Roman festival of the Robigalia, a special time to beg the kindness of Robigo, goddess of mildew, mold, wheat rust and similar crop killers. Or it may be meant to honor the god Robigus depending on which source you search. On this day, a procession beginning in Rome left the city by the Flamian Gate, then crossed the Milvan bridge before reaching the fifth milestone on the Via Claudia. At that point the procession entered a sacred grove where a dog and a sheep were sacrificed and their entrails burned on the sacrificial altar. According to Ovid the flamen (priest) then said the following words:

Harsh Robigo, spare the sprouting grain and let the unblemished tops quiver above the ground. Let the crops, nursed by the heaven's propitious stars, grow till they are ripe for the sickle. Yours is no feeble power: the grain on which you have branded your mark the husbandman gives up for lost. Not the winds, nor the showers, nor the glistening frost that nips the sallow grain, harm it so much as when the sun warms the wet stalks; then, dread goddess, is it the hour you wreck your wrath. Spare, I pray, and take your scabby hands from off the harvest: Harm not the tilth; be it enough that you have the power to harm.

While I'm obviously not going to sacrifice any animals I am taking steps to control the mushrooms and fungus that like to grow in my seedling cups. A couple of years ago a very knowledgeable herb lady gave me some advice to curb these kinds of plant killers. She said to mix ash and sand and sprinkle that on my seedlings. I've never tried it before this year but I've been using this mix for the last few days and so far I think it's working. *knock wood* Nowadays only farmers and gardeners care about root rot and similar problems but just think of ancient times, or even just a couple of hundred years ago. As if propagating and planting and weeding isn't hard enough can you imagine your very life rotting away before your eyes? The food for one's family, that produce they barter for other goods, gone and all because of mold. After losing several crops of herb seedlings to root rot I can only imagine what it would be like to lose one's only food source. So, on this day I honor the goddess Robigo as well as those who have gone before me in marking this day.

Spring Has Finally Sprung

I think it may be for real this time. I think we are finally done warming up and then cooling way down again. The hummingbirds have arrived and everyday more spring flowers have bloomed. Speaking of flowers I'm looking forward to May with great anticipation as we've had tons of rain lately (tee hee). The warm spring air is delicious. To paraphrase Treebeard: I could stand a week just breathing. The sunshine is glorious and the trees are covered with little bright green leaves. I can feel the juices flowing through all things when I step outside. It seems the grass is racing with the other plant life as fast the birds are returning. The last two days I've had a great time birdwatching, especially since my most favorite bird, the Indigo Bunting (pictured above), has been hanging around. The air is full of birdsong and it's fun to try and distinguish different calls. Yesterday we had two geese fly overhead, their honking calls made me think of peacock song. Good news on the gardening front: most of the peppers have sprouted as well as the pennyroyal. I'm considering a new location for my herb garden as the current spot gets way too much rainwater and it pools and drowns everything. So, I've got some planning to do and then comes the work. But I'm ready for it as spring has finally sprung!
Photo from www.learnbirdsong.com

Kick-Starting the Engine of Spring

We've had several luscious days around here lately. The problem is the nice days are broken up by days when the temperature has been nearing 40. So, most of the spring flowers have bloomed and the grass was mowed for the first time today but I'm still wary. I have to admit though, walking through the yard today was lovely, especially with our spring flowers blooming.


This is phlox, a delicate little flower that will spread over time.

Since my last post I've started a bunch of seeds for our gardens. So far, Calendula is the only herb that's sprouted along with four kinds of tomatoes: Giant Tree, Box Car Willie, Jelly Bean Hybrid and Old Brooks. Yet to sprout are the following peppers: Filius Blue, Medusa ornamental, Canary bell, Black Pearl ornamental, Sheepnose Pimento, Mini Bell Chocolate, Alma Paprika, Tri-Color Variegata and Poinsettia. Now I'm just being a good daughter by trying these seeds as I don't eat peppers, they're nasty to me. Also started were cayenne peppers, skullcap, pennyroyal, stevia, valerian, common comfrey and Kochia (burning bush). It's quite a list and I'm hoping they do well.

Bee Pollen

I recently acquired an ounce of bee pollen at the Springfield Pagan Pride Day and am just now learning about this amazing substance. It is food for the young bees and with 40% protein and almost every other nutrient we need it is one of the most completely nourishing substances on the planet! It has been used and praised by many people and cultures throughout history the world over. It's in the Holy Bible as well as ancient Egyptian and Chinese texts. The fathers of Western medicine, Hippocrates, Pliny the Elder and Pythagoras all prescribed it. It stimulates the organs and glands, increases energy so much that world-class athletes swear by it. It also promotes a longer, healthier life. According to Dr. Joseph Mercola:

Gathering pollen is not as easy as it sounds. Once a honeybee arrives at a flower, she settles herself in and nimbly scrapes off the powdery loose pollen from the stamen with her jaws and front legs, moistening it with a dab of the honey she brought with her from the hive. The enlarged and broadened tarsal segments of her legs have a thick trimming of bristles, called pollen combs. The bee uses these combs to brush the gold powder from her coat and legs in mid-flight. With a skillful pressing movement of her auricle, which is used as a hammer, she pushes the gathered gold into her baskets. Her pollen baskets, surrounded by a fringe of long hairs, are simply concave areas located on the outside of her tibias. When the bee's baskets are fully loaded, the microscopic golden dust has been tamped down into a single golden grain, or granule.

One of the things I find most interesting about bee pollen is that it cannot be duplicated in the lab because there are elements of bee pollen our science cannot even identify! Now how's that for an example of the brilliant complexity of nature. One teaspoon a day provides the most complete nutrition from any one food on the Earth. Bee pollen is the richest source of vitamins to be found in a single food. It contains more amino acids that eggs, beef and cheese of an equal weight. It increases the production of white and red blood cells and prevents the development of many forms of bacteria. And it has more protein THAN ANY ANIMAL SOURCE! So, along with nuts vegetarians have bee pollen to help out too. Wow, there's so much to know about bee pollen and it's apparently not that uncommon. Where was I when the bee pollen memo was handed out? I totally missed it, but now I'm fascinated by it and look forward to working with it for years to come. For tons of more information about bee pollen be sure to visit Shirley's Wellness Cafe. It's fascinating! Anybody else eat bee pollen?

Sunflowers

Kiva Rose over at Medicine Woman's Roots has started a Local Herbalism Challenge Blogparty and I've decided to start with sunflowers. Sunflowers were sacred to the ancient Aztecs and were therefore rendered many times in gold. The flowers were worn by their priestesses in elaborate and beautiful headdresses. The following sunflower lore comes from Joelle's Herb Index:

As sun symbols, these flowers symbolize the healthy ego, the wisdom, and the fertility of the solar logos. Sunflower seeds are eaten by women who wish to conceive. To protect yourself against smallpox wear sunflower seeds around the neck, either in a bag or strung like beads.
If you cut a sunflower at sunset while making a wish, the wish will come true before another sunset - as long as the wish isn't too grand.
Sleeping with a sunflower under the bed allows you to know the truth in any matter.
If you wish to become virtuous, anoint yourself with juice pressed from the stems of the sunflower.
Sunflowers growing in the garden guard it against pests and grant the best of luck to the gardener.

Turns out that the seeds of the sunflower are the most important part. I always knew they were great but considered them to be only a tasty snack. But they are actually important sources of food for cattle and poultry and have a myriad of other agricultural uses. The stalks have many uses as do the leaves, for building and smoking respectively. Its medicinal uses don't seem to include the flower petals at all, just the seeds and leaves. The leaves are good as a tea for kidney issues and the seeds have diuretic and expectorant properties helpful in the treatment of bronchial, laryngeal and pulmonary problems. According to the extensive information at Botanical.com:

The following preparation is recommended: Boil 2 OZ. of the seeds in 1 quart of water, down to 12 OZ. and then strain. Add 6 OZ. of good Holland gin and 6 OZ. of sugar. Give in doses of 1 to 2 teaspoonsful, three or four times a day.

As me and my whole family were out of it for weeks with the bronchitis this summer almost all of our plants are either gone, having been burned up in the blistering heat and dryness, or overwhelmed by weeds. So, there's not much left for me to work with in terms of harvesting for any purpose, be it healing, crafts or magical uses. We do, however, have more than a few sunflowers in the back of the garden. They're the most prolific flower in the garden. So, I'm going to try a tea of the leaves and perhaps gather some seeds for other uses. This is only the first of a handful of things I'm going to try working with this month, I'll also include lemon balm, mullein, mallow and perhaps basil. I may add to this list as well.

Herbal Infusions

I've always wanted to try herbal infusions, but for some reason I just never got around to it. And now that I want to try making and drinking them there's not much around here to use. I was planning on using red clover but I guess our heat and dryness of the past month or so killed all of it. Even all of our plantain has been burned brown on the ground. Infusions are made with about a cup of dried herb per quart of boiling water. Pour the boiling water over the dried herb in a jar, seal, and let sit for at least 4 hours. Flavor if desired then drink several cups a day. After opening the infusion it should be refrigerated and drunk within a day and a half.

I don't have any oat straw, comfrey leaf or nettle so I can't try any of Susun Weed's favorites. I do, however, have access to a few mullein plants growing wild around the yard. According to an article from Weed's Weed Wanderings herbal ezine it makes a rich, earthy infusion. There are only a few mulleins around so I can't take too much. I may give it a miss for a while. The one thing I have plenty of is lemon balm, it survives everything. And as it tastes good it's great on its own and works well as flavoring for other infusions. According to Weed, infusions are great for overall health and their effects and benefits can best be recognized after a few weeks. Increased energy, nutritive minerals and improved appetite are some of the positive effects of herbal infusions. This is because the infusions provide the nutritional value that many people are missing from their not-so-great diets and eating habits. I'm going to pick some lemon balm today and start it drying so I can make the infusion tomorrow. Here's hoping it agrees with me!

Herb Garden as Jungle; Tomatoes

Since I was totally out of it for weeks with the bronchitis, as was my whole family, my herb garden has become a huge stand of tall weeds. It's been so hot I haven't even been able to make myself go see if there are any herbs left at all. Instead of trying to pull all the extra growth out I think I'll have to tackle it with the weed eater first, then try pulling out the remainder. I'm serious, if I had a working digital camera I'd post how awful the herb garden looks.
In other garden news, our tomatoes were doing well up until a month or so ago, but in the blistering heat they've all but stopped producing. Today's crop consisted of a basket filled with mostly banana peppers, a dozen or so green peppers and 6 tiny little pitiful tomatoes. *sigh* I know we're not the only folks who've had their tomatoes peter out in the horrible heat and dryness of this summer. Speaking of tomatoes, Marion at Herbal Connections has a wondrous post up about dreams of tomatoes; please visit for rapturous visions of tomatoes and perhaps a tomato goddess.