Harobed's Posts - RealPagan- Paganism for the Real World

LETS GET CRAFTY .......WITCH WREATHES WITH INTENT

2014-10-24T01:24:36.000Z

So its the time of year that all of us put that extra witchy energy into our efforts.As I have said in the past everything a witch makes should be infused with their magical purpose.Every wreath a witch makes should be prepared with a wise eye towards the materials she uses ,and the intent she pours into it.Each ingredient will be another layer that brings complexity and depth to her spell.Every knot she ties,each blossom, herb or stone she adds will strengthen her spell. The end result should honor her deity and reflect the purpose of the wreath ,ie protection ,fertility,abundance. Only when you have achieved this will her intent radiate outward to the universe and grow. There are few rules when it comes to making a spell wreath ,other than know the properties of all that you use and focus your intent during the creation .

With that in mind here's a peek at some of my new works .First up is "A WITCH"S DOZEN" This one is both groovy and functional.It's like having a small decorative apothecary on your wall.There are 13 Spells tied on a pentacle base that can be taken off and used.At the end there is still the lovely copper tipped pentacle wreath left.

The Next one " The Rivah Witch" was the culmination of a wonderful day. On a warm Autumn afternoon this Witch went to the river seeking treasures and this is what came back with me:)
Worm riddled driftwood ,Oyster Shell polished by the waves ,Bayberry ,Yarrow ,Pods,Milo,Golden Rod ,Osprey feathers,Barnacles and Chestnuts.So I tucked in and made a wreath that would invoke the energy of a day at the shore.

So some times I'm a bit witchier than others .The Witching Hour was one of those times.It has Toad Stools ,Snake Skin , Elm Bark ,Grave Yard Oak Bark, carved Mullein ,Hawk feather , Skulls and a lovely Agate at the center of the pentacle.All combined to make a powerful talisman of protection ,healing and transformation.

Last but far from least is "The Witch's Meadow".This one is filled with hedge witchy meadow magic.There are Hydrangeas of all sorts for invocation of magic and meadow Sweet Grass to sweeten your spells.The wasp nest puts the sting of protection into the mix to keep your home safe from harm and communication flowing.

So there you have it , I hope you find some inspiration for your next project .

Pagans And Wood Stoves

2014-01-08T00:00:00.000Z

The
weather is frigid and I'm now using a wood stove again for heat.So I
thought I'd post about the magical properties of the woods we
burn.before I wrote this I scooted around online for info pertaining to
this subject and was appalled to find that the infinitesimal bit of info
that was out there was expounding on burning Cedar! People never burn
Cedar ,Pine Sassafras ,or any evergreen in your fire
places or wood stoves .......These woods are rich in the resins that
create creosote which in turn creates chimney fires! These should be
burnt only outside never in !
Gum is another you shouldn't burn for the same reason .I suppose its ok to burn them if your burning those chimney cleaning logs monthly. Being an old hippy I would rather clean it once a year and burn the correct woods.

Hard woods are whats best to burn inside ,they produce a lot of heat for a long time and burn down to a nice coal bed before turning to ash.
Always keep a teapot of water on your wood stove to put humidity into the air ,this keeps your nose
from bleeding a protest over the dry heat:) I like adding "warm" herbs to my water such as cinnamon ,cloves ,or allspice ,sandalwood etc
.....these with a pinch of salt and mugwort will purify your homes'
energy and sweeten everyone's aura. If you really want to set a spell
then you can write it on your kindling (or if your lazy a piece of
parchment) and pop it in the fire ,this along with the appropriate herbs
in your pot will send your spell sizzling out into the aether.

Below is a list of the magical properties of some of the hard woods
suitable for fire places or wood stoves . Have fun and stay warm!!!!!

Rowan
Pyrus aucuparia

Also called the Mountain Ash, and Quickbeam for its powers of bestowing
and enhancing life, Rowan is sacred to Capricorn. It especially bears
the power of the Dark Goddess, the Crone aspect of Mother Earth, and
through her the power of fiery Abban, Vulcan, Lord of craft, mountain,
and metalwork. Rowan flowers and bright orange berries are marked by the
pentagram, symbol of the five Elements; the berries, often retained
through Winter, symbolize the endurance of Life through the dark of the
year. Also called Witchen or Witchbane Rowan has been considered the
enemy of all evil witchery, and protects against one being carried off
to Faerie against one's will. A tree of astral vision and protection,
particularly good for warding off evil spirits, Rowan traditionally is
said to avert storms and lightning, and bring peace. The fondness of
songbirds for Rowan berries, gives the tree a link to the bards, and the
Goddess Brigid in her role as Muse of poets. It is a tree associated
with serpents and dragons and sacred places, the leylines or
dragon-lines of Earth energy. The dragon embodies primal energy, a
strong force of creativity and natural flow, which cannot be "slain" or
"tamed". Dragon energy is drawn into harmony when we enter into
partnership with it by directing it in a Rowan wand. Its Elvish name,
Luis, comes from the root lu "time" also found in luras "to judge."
Elves frequently hold their judicial assemblies under old Rowans.
Especially suited for magick giving form and order, ritual, growth,
fertility, protection, women's autonomy, poetry, weaving and spinning,
and geomancy or work with ley lines.

Ash
Fraxinus excelsior

Sacred to Virgo and its ruler Mercury, planet of intellect and reason,
Ash is a wood associated with many divinities. The number of its house
is nine (thrice three). One of the few surviving Druid wands of old,
found in an archeological dig, was made of Ash with a sunwise spiral
design, symbolizing Ash's links to the Sun. So generally magical is the
Ash that it is the wood used for Yule logs and Maypoles, and in some
traditions the brooms of witches. Ash is as much attuned to Elemental
Water as Earth, and so is the consummate wood of growth and fecundity,
mothers and daughters, and female sovereignty. It is a wood of balance
and the marriage of opposites. Well-suited for shamanic magick,
protection, and to enhance one's skills at any art or craft, magick of
wells and caves, Earth as the vessel of water, finding roots or working
with plant roots, magick of horses, oceans, conquest, justice, and
weatherworking.

Maple
Acer campestre
Sacred to Alban
Elved (the Autumnal Equinox) because of its fiery red and orange colors
as its leaves turn. Poised on the equinox, it is linked to both Libra
and Virgo, Hazel and Ash. Maple's sacred bird is the Great Horned Owl
who is herald of the coming Feast of Samhuinn with its magick and
mystery. The owl is a bird associated with wizards and wisdom, and the
bearing of messages in the night. In North America, especially in its
northern parts, the Maple is a dominant tree with many varieties,
including the sugar maple from which maple syrup was made by the Native
Americans. As such it is associated with the life-giving sap of the
trees, providing food and sweetness for those who treat it with respect
and care. Maple is a strongly masculine wood, somewhat rebellious and
tough, but with a beautiful smooth grain; hard, yet excellent for
carving. Well-suited to spells of sending and communication, binding,
transmutations, creation, revolution, rebirth, healing, beauty, art, and
abundance.

Elm
Ulmus campestris.
One of the tallest
ancient forest trees, graceful in its chalice shape, Elm is sacred to
the Great Goddess in her form as Wise Grandmother. Manifest in the
planet Saturn. Elm is also called "Elven" for its connection to the
Elves and Faerie mounds, and so to burial mounds, and to death as the
doorway eternal life. In recent times, as many ancient Elms have been
killed off by Dutch Elm disease, the tree has come to symbolize and
embody the struggle of Nature against humanity's destruction of the old
forests through short-sightedness or the transportation of diseases from
other parts of the world. Elm's spirit is majestic and expansive,
rooted and wise. Well-suited to magick of Earth and invocation of the
Goddess, healing, fertility, gardening, rebirth, destiny, wisdom.,
passage from one life (or phase of life) to another, metamorphosis,
endurance.

Hawthorn
Crataegus oxyacantha
Hawthorn or
Whitethorn is sacred to Aquarius. It is a tree of defense with its
twisted branches and sharp thorns, and it holds the power of lightning.
Some loremasters say it can detect the presence of magick because it is a
tree in which magical powers enter the manifest world from beyond.
Well-suited for all protective magick and all magick aimed at
strengthening one's magical powers, spells of control, or warding,
sending, detection, concealment, weatherworking. and protection against
lightning and evil spirits.

Oak
Quercus
The most
powerful and sacred of Druid woods, Oak is magically linked to the
constellation Leo. It holds power to draw lightning or the bolt of
inspiration. The Sun, which rules Leo, is the source of life and light..
Oak is one of the longest lived trees, thus embodying great wisdom as
well as strength. The name Duir is related to dwyn, "door," or "portal,"
the great door of a manor dwelling. It is also, of course, often linked
to drwyd, "druid" or "wizard." As the wizardwood, there is no more
magical wood for wandmaking and it is especially noted for enhancing the
endurance of spells against time and counterspell. The acorn is
associated magically with a helmeted head and so to the crown chakra.
Natural branches of Oak are often twisted and gnarly and have a coarse,
dark grain. It is a hard and heavy wood. Especially suited to magick of
kingship and wise rule, personal sovereignty, authority, power,
protection, sealing or opening doors, endurance, and invocation of
wisdom, fertility, and abundance

Hickory
Hickory is sacred
to Obraash, God of the Sun, Hickory is a hard and close-grained wood,
with solar energies similar to Oak. The hickory nut is linked to the
solar plexus chakra. It is especially suited to magick of abundance,
wholeness, power, presence, command, discipline, acquisition, giving of
gifts, and the finding of direction.

Cherry
Prunus avium

Cherrywood is sacred to Ambash, God of the Hunt Cherrywood is red in
color and darkens with age and exposure to the sun. Its companion stones
are obsidian and sard. Its sacred bird is the Red-tailed hawk.
Cherrywood carries the energy of the magical Will through which magical
intentions are directed into the outer world of manifestation.
Cherrywood is imbued with the power of making and doing, achievement,
and self-assertion over obstacles and critics. It is the pure energy of
Will and desire. The cherry fruit is magically linked to the root chakra
and so to sex and birth: the life force of attraction and renewal. Its
sweet-scented flowers evoke eroticism and the power of love in its more
subtle forms as well as the essence of springtime with its powers of
renewal. Especially suited to invocations and blessings of sacred fires,
spells of finding, hunting, conflict, war, competition, sex, passion,
communion with animals, unification of groups or tribes, and the
amplification of magical will.

Walnut
Juglans regia

Sacred to Vashaan the Lord of Winds and Lightning, Walnut partakes of
Elemental Air and Fire. It is perhaps the consummate wood for weather
magic. The shape of the walnut nut connects it magically to the head,
and so to the crown chakra. Walnut wood ranges from light to very dark
and is well-suited to wand carving. It is especially suited for wind and
weather magick, spells of expansion, vortices, enhancement of the
powers of breath, spells to cast or avert lightning, teleportation and
astral travel, and inspiration.

Beech
Fagus sylvatica

Sacred to Obraash the Sun lord, whom the Elves call Alba, Beechwood is
closely related to Oak. The Beech tree is a large and spreading tree
that bears edible nuts. It was particularly valued by the ancient Celts
-- and the Elves -- as a nut used to fodder animals, especially the
sacred swine. Beech is the family of trees to which Oak belongs, thus is
Beech sometimes called Atarya Dwyrion, "Grandfather of Oaks." The wood
of the Beech has a superb grain that finishes most beautifully. Magical
operations especially applicable to Beech include: spells of
information, especially seeking old wisdom; invocation of ancient
guardians or Ancestors; research into old writings and the runes; magick
of the Summer Solstice, culmination of desires; magick of victory.

Alder
Aldus glutinosa

Alder is sacred to the constellation Pisces, the Fishes. It is a wood
which lasts a long time submerged in water and is often found on river
and lake banks
Magical operations most applicable to Alder include:
protection against drowning and death; death curses and shielding
against them; shielding against all ill-omens and destructive emotions;
cultivation of the vision of inner and outer worlds; bridging of the
above and below; preparation for conflict; shielding against unwanted
intrusions from beyond

Birch
Betula alba
Sacred to the
festival of Alban Eiler (Vernal Equinox). In the Celtic Ogham Beith is
accorded prestige as the first tree, one of the trees that emerges first
to establish a new forest, a harbinger of youth and springtime. It is
often associated with the beginning of the year. It is a tree of
beginnings in general and of the Bards, as the first grade of the Druid
order. The Bards are according first honor as the singers of the
Creation epics, those who sang the worlds into existence. Birch is also a
wood with great powers to purify and discipline, to create the new
forest in service to the great trees that will come after, such as the
oak and ash and maple. Birch forest is young and so birch is linked to
youth and all things new. It is especially suited to magic of new
beginnings, spells of youth and fresh starts, bardic enchantment,
creativity, procreation, renewal and rebirth, purification, and spells
for discipline and service

The Firewood Poem
Beechwood fires are bright and clear
If the logs are kept a year,
Chestnut's only good they say,
If for logs 'tis laid away.
Make a fire of Elder tree,
Death within your house will be;
But ash new or ash old,
Is fit for a queen with crown of gold

Birch and fir logs burn too fast
Blaze up bright and do not last,
it is by the Irish said
Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,
E'en the very flames are cold
But ash green or ash brown
Is fit for a queen with golden crown

Poplar gives a bitter smoke,
Fills your eyes and makes you choke,
Apple wood will scent your room
Pear wood smells like flowers in bloom
Oaken logs, if dry and old
keep away the winter's cold
But ash wet or ash dry
a king shall warm his slippers by.

The Owl And The Hedge Witch...."As I Held My Breath With Incredulous Wonder "

2013-01-30T02:00:00.000Z

Everyday lovely day in my gardening realm,but today serendipity and the universe graced me.Since today dawned warm and clear finally I headed off to work the last thing I grabbed leaving the house was my camera thinking I might happen upon a stray blossom to show you.I was at a clients house picking up wind debris in the shade garden when I felt someone watching me ...thinking it was my son I stopped . As I straightened up I noticed what "at a distance"appeared to be a cluster of dead leaves caught in the branches of a small Hemlock I was standing about 4 ft from.Thinking I would pluck it out .I was mid step when I realized it had eyes!!!!!!

I paused thinking is that a kitten ,then took another step and was breathless !

It was akin to being transported through a portal and was allowed a rare glimpse of all I hold near and dear lol.

Every so slowly I puled out my camera and whispered I just wanted proof of my tale.ever so slowly I danced around the little tree clicking away thinking to myself just one good shot please!

It was very surreal Its not like I just got a glimpse of him this little feller sat through a frakin photo session .He was not in duress ,unalarmed ,alert yet not fearful and studied me as thoroughly and thoughtfully as I studied him .Never as a gardener or a witch have I had such a very close and prolonged encounter with an owl.

Im fairly certain at this point it was thinking human how many damned pic do you want!

After I was satisfied I maybe ,hopefully succeeded in getting a good pic I eased away.Sometimes the most wonderful things are right there in front of you watching you just need to stop and look to see them.......

Eastern Screech-Owl Our smallest breeding owl, the Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio), is scarcely larger than a Blue Jay and is named for two distinctive calls that carry great distances in still night air. One call is a high-pitched descending whinny that would fit right into the soundtrack of a Hollywood horror flick; the other is a constant warbling tone that can be reproduced, albeit indelicately, by tilting back your head and whistling with just the right amount of saliva on your tongue. Experienced birders carry a tape of this call or learn to imitate it because it seems irresistible to songbirds that come to investigate. Screech-Owls live in coniferous woods and occur in two color phases; in the Piedmont and mountains they tend to have rusty plumage, while eastern birds are most often gray. Their yellow eyes and ear tufts make them look like miniature versions of the Great Horned Owl. Native Northwest coast Kwagulth people believed that owls represented both a deceased person and their newly-released soul. The Kwakiutl Indians were convinced that Owls were the souls of people and should therefore not be harmed, for when an Owl was killed the person to whom the soul belonged would also die. To the Mojave Indians of Arizona, one would become an Owl after death, this being and interim stage before becoming a water beetle, and ultimately pure air. Among the Sioux, Hin-Han the owl guards the entrance to the Milky Way over which the souls of the dead must pass to reach the spirit land

Hexing And Vexing The Hedge Witch Way

2012-11-17T18:14:23.000Z

So often Ive had people comment on a basket by my door ,wreath tucked into my garden ,that I decided to give you some real insight into my Hedge Witch ways.Spells aren't always burned or tucked into jars and hidden away most of my outdoor creations are spells.I'm not talking gardens now ,I'm talking about all that other stuff you see.Just because its groovy to look at and has pretty colors doesn't make it any less powerful.First and foremost in these endeavors are to know your plants.If you have a plant and your unsure of how to use it.......Google is your friend ,look it up find out its botanical name and what family it belongs to.A rose by any other name is still a rose .Once you've discovered the real nature of your plant then and only then can you use it wisely. Next everything you use in your "visual" spells should have meaning to you so please no rushing out to buy things.If you are a shopping witch learn to love the thrift stores and estate sales.Hone your skills in finding vintage things that will invoke the ages and honor those who have passed.My gardens and yard are filled with things like this all to honor the women who are now gone.lol I have a whole border of broken tea cups ! Next is placement where are you putting it and why? Since I've recently been asked for advice on hex breaking and protection by several of you this post will focus on that.

I planted Moms Fey garden right by my front door.Into that most of my energy has been focused for better than a year.In the center is a Magnolia that's now nearly dead so its become what I guess is a witchy totem tree lol.This is where I proclaim in firm tones if your not friendly "You Shall Not Pass".Now being a well mannered southern witch I make sure its lovely to gaze on .....but its intent is in no way sugar coated. This time Ive turned my eye to the up and coming Yule.My plan is to add more each week until my Ram altar , cauldrons, and Fey village are all decked out.The big wreath pictured above is ongoing and changes on my whims and moods.However its time now to dress it up a bit for the season .

I started with Cypress boughs to give comfort and strength .Next came Nandina with stunning Red berries.Nandina is a member of the Barberry family .Barberry is best used in spells that keep your enemies at bay.Dried Hydrangea provides a striking contrast to the wreath.Spell wise it brings to the mix hex breaking ,invocation of magic and protection.Pine also is great for hex breaking and protection .The Horn and Broom are obvious they invoke balance ,the male/female ,god/goddess .Im sure at least a few of you are wondering whats up with the ragtag besom..That's RivahHippy she was the first besom I ever made and she has been through the wars with me.Guarding my front entrance is her last task when she finally gives that up ,she'll be burnt in my cauldron and her ashes will go to my garden.

Every Spell has a secret and for this one it lays at the heart protected and unseen.Sheltered below the Besom and Horn lies a cozy nest ,for weary denizen that need shelter.Its made of scrap fur from the cuffs of old coats and hair cleaned from my brush .There's a piece of Pomegranate to nourish a weary traveler and woo them to my side.

My final touch was my little hippie Peace wreath.The Peace sign is made of Cinnamon sticks for protection and prosperity .It's decorated with a tiny purple bag of Tangle The Bane mix, wooden beads and a copper wrapped Tiger Eye .So there you have it my huge ,southern witch gracious ,Happy Yule but if I don't like you "You Shall Not Pass" wreath! ;)

Some For Me And Some For My Fey......A HedgeWitchy Harvest

2012-11-16T01:26:57.000Z

Today I picked the last of the years Pomegranates .These tough skinned fruit are always the last crop for me.They never ripened until cold hits them and I have to nab them quickly or the critters will get them.When fully ripe the tough skin will split open to reveal the blood red seeds inside.

After I gathered the last of my harvest I stopped and picked up some that had been blown from the bush and broken.These are bounty for my Birds and of course for the Fey.I broke them open further and out by the Fey Lodge they went in an old colander .Come spring any seeds that are left I'll plant for more shrubs ;)

The word pomegranate comes from the Latin "Pomum Granatum" and means "apple of many seeds." The wild pomegranate predates modern human civilization. The cultivated pomegranate appeared over 4000 years ago.
It is believed that the fruit spread from the mountains of Persia and South Central Asia.
The Phoenecians spread it within the Mediterranean region.
It arrirved in China from Central Asia in about the second century B.C..
Homer mentions it in the Odyssey and Theophrastus described the pomegranate in his "Natural History" written
many years before the Christian era.
Ancient Persians painted pomegranates on their shields for protection in battle.The third symbol for Hera is
the pomegranate which she shares with Persephone. She is often depicted holding the pomegranate but there is
no reference in her myths to its significant.
It was pomegranate that seduced Persephone, the goddess of fertility, into marrying her kidnapper, Hades, god of the
underworld.
Given as a gift Pomegranate may bestow abundance and wishes for the fertility of the creative spark.
It is customary to eat three seeds on Samhain (Halloween) in remembrance of Persephones journey; eating more
than that brings hardship into the coming year.

Another tradition stems from the Middle East where the fruit symbolizes wealth and fertility. Here the custom
is to eat as much as possible in order to bring prosperity into the life.

In the Egyptian legend of Ra and Hathor, Sekhmet was released by Ra to slay humans who were plotting against him.
Made intoxicated by blood lust, she would have destroyed all of mankind if Ra had not taken pity on us.
He tricked her by dyeing beer blood-red with pomegranate juice which she drank believing it to be human blood,
and became drunk. She soon forgot her anger and we were saved from destruction

Pomegranate juice symbolizes the menstrual or wise blood of the goddess; to drink it is to gain her wisdom.
Carry a dried piece of the outer skin or add it to spells for conception.

All the parts of the pomegranate tree – from roots to the reddish brown bark to leaves, flowers, peel and seeds
all are hailed for their medicinal properties for thousands of years.
There have been many findings that suggest that the fruit can be very beneficial for the traditional folk remedies
to cure sore throats, rheumatism, and inflammation. It can also prevent a great variety of complex situations, such as
cancer and heart disease.
The sweet kinds of pomegranate are believed to be a good laxative. The others, who are between both the sweet and sour
varieties, are considered more medicinally valuable.

Apart from the fruit, the juice made from the fresh fruit is an outstanding beverage. It will alleviate thirst in the
case of fever or sickness .It also tones up the functions of the liver, heart, and kidneys and gives the body all its
necessary minerals.

Associations: Hera, Kishimo-jin, Persephone,Astarte, Sekhmet Aphrodite,Adonis, or Saturn.
Symbolism: Blood, Journey into the underworld
Brings: Prosperity, protection, fertility, conception, wisdom

A Day Of Gardening With Me

2012-11-13T19:16:07.000Z

This week I had the chore of cleaning up long neglected gardens for a new client.
Since he had just recently bought the property neither of us
had a clue as to what might be hiding beneath the tangle.
For the most part nothing! Apparently the previous owner had
a hot burning love for circles of Boxwood that inclosed
nothing!Not my cup of tea at all.

I did find a large patch
of long neglected peonies.These poor babies had a huge Polk
Weed growing up through them.The only way to kill Polk without
spraying toxic stuff is to dig it.So out came the shovels
and we dug the patch.

Once that was done all the large clumps
of Peony were replanted and much happier for the care.
I did end up with a nice amount of small pieces with
eyes that I brought home for propagation.

My other outstanding find was ,to make up for the dirth of
flowers there were huge plantings of "Purple Shamrocks"
dormant under all that crap .

Now these arnt really
Shamrocks. These beauties belong in the Wood Sorrel family.
They don't have roots ,they have tiny elongated ,jointed bulbs.
These readily break up as you pull weeds and rake leaving me
with tons of babies to take home for next spring.I know that
in some places all Oxalis are considered indoor plants.
Here they grow and naturalize.Thanks to Mom And Grandmom
I have big plantings of the more common green leaf Oxalis all over my yard.
Next spring should add to the garden a lovely display of Purple
leaf my own making.

Purple Shamrock

Botanical Name: Oxalis regnellii
Oxalis is not a true shamrock -- it's in the Wood Sorrell
family.
Purple Shamrock grows in a clump habit of striking purple
foliage. Its triangular-shaped leaves fold along the vein
and look like butterflies fluttering above slender stems.

Many varieties are available, including 'Triangularis'
pictured here.
You can grow Purple Shamrock indoors year-round,
or move it outside on a shady patio for the summer.
It supposedly can be planted outdoors in frost-free regions.
However we get frost & freezing temps yet here it's
fast- spreading and can be invasive in the garden.
Also it gives a better showing in ground if planted alone in mass.
You can expect an abundance of white flowers with a pink blush
to appear in spring and summer. Dainty, five-petaled blooms
rise like trumpets above the mounds of purple, clover-like
foliage.
Don't let its fragile appearance deceive you. This is one of
the easiest flowering house/garden plants to grow as long
as you can keep it moist and shaded. Oxalis plants may go
dormant if the soil is allowed to dry out or if it's exposed
to hot, direct sun. Don't worry, it will come back.
Just cut off all the leaves and you'll have a healthy,
thriving plant in just a few weeks.
You can divide this plant or repot it anytime.
Make sure you use a pot with plenty drainage holes to
prevent soggy soil.

Harobed And RivahHippys Hit The Northern Virginia Pagan Pride Day

2012-10-06T22:11:07.000Z

As some of you already know for the last 5 weeks I have been in a fever of creating because I was headed to my first ever pagan festival and as a vendor.So I wanted you all to see I didn't forsake your fellowship weeks in vain .It was a beautiful day for my first ever Pagan festival ,the Northern Va. morning was cool and lovely!......Having never done this before ,setting up a booth for people to browse was a real adventure.Thankfully my son Phillip had come with me and our borrowed tent went up quick.Its a good thing too because at that point I had no idea how to set up ! First came tables I had brought two the first one up was filled with Lavender , besoms and herbs .I had a huge cauldron full of fragrant fresh cut Rosemary .

The second table I filled with wands After that I hung Dream Catchers , Wreathes and Pentacles ,then I packed away the mess and finally sat to have a cup of coffee.

The day officially started with an lovely opening ritual by Potomac Circle Ministries ,that really got the energies flowing!

There was something for every pagan of every walk.......
Rowena Brih served up Tarot 101 http://rowenabrih.wordpress.com/

Dorothy Morrison's Magick Down & Dirty ! http://www.wickedwitchstudios.com/

These are just a few of the many wonderful workshops offered .
The festival was well organized ,there was wonderful energy flowing,the volunteers were great.These people really did an awesome job pulling this event off.I didn't manage to get the name of the woman below ,but she played a mean tune that drifted over the crowd making your toes tap :)the fellows with the drums were equally as great!

I met lots of really cool people all the vendors had wonderful things and they were very welcoming and encouraging to a newbie amongst them. .There were several people from my facebook group present and it was lovely to meet some of my "broomies" in real time!.

This beauty is Lily Edens owner of esoterica http://www.esotericanova.com/,she had many wonderful wares to please the eye.

Right next to me were Eleni with Flower Blessings https://www.facebook.com/flowerblessings

She was sharing space with her friend Leslie owner of Faery Circle Herbs.Leslie makes beautiful intricately woven Lavender wands and Eleni makes Flower jewelry fit for the fey!

I bought a beauty of a crystal from Remnants Of Magic ,its energy just sings!!!!! http://www.remnantsofmagic.com/index.html

These are only a few of the wonderful booths there were to visit

I had lots of people come through and look all my things ,all took business cards and I made several sales :)

By the end of the day the huge brass cauldron full of Rosemary was empty. I passed it out free to anyone that needed /wanted some to dry for the winter....... I predict there was a lot of tasty Rosemary potatoes made that night cause I was stuffing brown paper lunch bags full and giving it out with cooking tips .I think 2/3s of the witches there went home with cars smelling of fresh Rosemary.lol. My son Phillip was a Champ I could not have done it without him .He helped me set the tent arrange, everything and he was the credit card device master lol.So there you go a peek at my day at the festival ,I hope you enjoyed.

The Pagan Pride Projectis a non-profit organization with the goal of promoting the pagan identity through education, activism, charity, and community. This organization works on the international, national, regional, and local levels, and is the eleventh year.

http://www.meetup.com/FireflyNOVA/

Root working The Hedge Witch way.......The Mulberry That Came To Me

2012-10-06T22:08:15.000Z

Every project has its beginnings and mine for the most part come to me dirt covered and humble.during the spring my buddy Kendal had to pull a few invading 5-6 foot Mulberry trees from his property.Armed with his spade he popped them out of the ground to discover that 3 seasons of drought ,overcrowding and being bush hogged had given a few of them slender trunks and swollen /contorted roots.Those he kept and brought to me.Now most people would look with fleeting interest and then toss these sad things away.But I saw nice sized besom handles .So I set the three out at my doorstep to dry,with roots swollen such as this I knew the slender trunks would cure much quicker than they would so I had to be patient.One of the things time has taught me is don't trim now and regret it later so other than brushing off most of the dirt I left them intact to dry.With this one I didn't think to take pictures of the root before I started working with it but it was a mess, just like the one above which happens to be next on my list !

I choose my first for two reasons ....

1> It had a wound that was always going to be visible and I love a battle scarred warrior! .....

2> I glimpsed something else.It was just a glimmer but I knew some creature was there and had been from the very beginning seed. I saw what I thought.... might be.....maybe...... antlers lol

I started off by trimming off all the hairy little capillary roots

next I trimmed the trunk of the treeling neat ,close and free of the branch nubs Kendal had left behind.

last step here was ,with a dry scrub brush I knocked off any remaining dirt and thoroughly rubbed it down with a piece of rough burlap .

I knew I wanted the root as the focal of this piece so I started from there.The outer layer of the root was akin to the thick peel of an orange only woody.By the time I had finished "peeling away the mask of calloused and swollen skin the creature had revealed itself. It started by showing me the shape of its head flowing down into along graceful neck that ended with a proud jutting chest.

I was captivated I didn't need to carve or manipulate the wood in anyway "The Stag" had always been there!I wanted to fade the peeled wood back into the trunk that had evolved from it ,so I peeled a bit farther.

As I worked on this the Mulberry revealed one other secret .The colors of the Stag were all present!There was the rusty red of his coat and ivory white of his chest.Leaving the bark on in places gives the sense of glimpsing a deer as it slips through wooded shadows.

Now I was ready to sand . I do all my sanding by hand ,this allows me to feel nuances in the wood that would otherwise be lost.It took me three nights to sand this and I'll sand it at least once more.I sanded with a fine grain paper from the start and each evening after sanding I oiled it before putting it away.

Wood workers hold many opinions on the proper oil for wood and will caution you on the use of any other.I however am not oiling wood for the same purpose.They are oiling to capture a look or tone of color.I'm oiling to insaturate the wood with energy.

All my oils are made by my hand and I pair the oil used with the wood according to the properties both hold.This brings me back to the same thread that runs through the heart of all my blogs.....Know your materials.If you don't or are unsure Research is your friend! If your not going to take the time to know what your working with then its best to just not oil the wood at all.Mixing the wrong properties together will only muddle the energies and reduce the potency of your crafting.

Mulberry is one of the best woods for Astral projection and prophetic dreams so the oil Ive used is a divination oil made of Mugwort , Cedar ,Lavender, Peony root ,Hydrangea & Iris.Because of the Stag spirit I had uncovered I added a pinch of Powdered Antler and a dash of Ground Snake Skin to feed the spirit in the wood.As you can see in the picture below I rub it on "floaters" and all ,then wipe it down.

Eventually the regular use of oils such as this will change the color of your wood but it will strengthen the wood's metaphysical energies so for me its a fair trade off.

My project is over for now ,the Mulberry rests on my altar and this little lesson on hedge witchery is over. Later on once I have harvested what I need This will become a very witchy besom with talismen of antler and stone ;)

The Wild Hunt Lodge

2012-09-08T20:38:57.000Z

The Wild Hunt Lodge is now open to serve your need

just a shady spot for a nap and some meade

Stand still and look closer before you choose to sit and stay

for you've wandered to close to the realm of the Fey

Sweet faced and fair they draw you in

run now lest you forget who you are ,where you've been

For those who tary where my faeries play .....

End up as Nargles and here they must stay!

Frogs And Toads.....The Hedge Witch's Companions

2012-09-02T19:02:42.000Z

All season I've chased critters with my camera and posted about my garden minions. With summer almost gone I still have a post or two left........

I love my frogs and toads!!! They eat the nasty buggers that chew on me and my plants.They immediately let me know if there are toxins in my realm. On top of that they sing to me every night .They bring their own special magic to my garden be it night or day.

Frogs and Toads are amphibian creatures of the order ‘Anura’, meaning ‘without a tail’and they are common on all continents except Antarctica.
They have associations with witchcraft, medicine, weather, birth,and death.
In some cultures the frog symbolized a higher stage of spiritual awakening.
In the creation myths of the Hindus, a Great Frog supports the universe and
represents the matter from which all is created.
The Egyptians believed frogs to have been formed from mud and water.They were most often associated with the goddess Heket,who assisted Isis in her ritual to resurrect Osiris.Heket is depicted as a frog-shaped goddess,
whose priestesses trained as midwives.
In China the toad was a trickster and a magician, a master of escapes and spells,however he was also the keeper of
powerful secrets.
Japanese legends tell of Kosensei,a wiseman,who wanders with his toad companion. The toad teaches him the secret powers
of herbs, including the secret of immortality.
Members of the Olmec tribes created images of a toad as the ‘God of rebirth’, reborn after consuming itself.

As much as the frog is seen as a symbol of life and birth, it is also seen as a symbol of death. Some European myths tell that it was bad luck to kill a frog because they were souls of dead children.
In the Middle Ages the frog was given a horrible reputation via the church.The frog went from being a symbol of creation to a manifestation of evil. Thanks for picking on small defenseless animals!The frog was quickly associated with Witches,they were thought to be their familiar used to carry out all sorts of misdeeds.
Other myths tell of witches extracting toad sweat or collecting toad spit for use in flying potions and invisibility spells.
In many Shaman traditions hallucinogenic compounds derived from toads are used in rituals for communion with the spirit world .
Although I doubt they harvest from denizens this tiny!

The frog is the totem of metamorphosis,they symbolize coming into your personal power.
The Frog reminds us not to become bogged down with day-to-day living.Born of water their voice calls forth the rains.
In spell work they can be used to invoke rainy weather.Emotions are associated with water.If you have recently had
a frog come into your life it may be telling you to get in touch with your feelings.
Frog energy teaches us about the value of environmentalism.As with Butterflies these are among the first to leave an area that's grown toxic.They teach us that small changes in how we live can have a positive impact on our environment.In this way the Frog teaches us about the concept of illness and wellness
Frog energy actively seeks solutions to imbalance and ill-health.Listen well to Frog he teaches us the secrets of the land ,
and how to cleanse negativity from an environment..

Since Frogs occupy the dark places and are most active at night ,frog energy is a great energy for working night rituals
and spells.When the frog jumps into your life it may indicate now is a time to find opportunities in transition.

Lets Get Crafty......Uses Of Bone And Antler In Your Spells

2012-09-02T18:59:55.000Z

Being a country girl and a Pagan gives me the opportunity to aquire bones easily.
Since Im not a dainty or squeamish witch I welcome all bones
and put them to good use!
So lets talk about this a bit......
There is a great deal of misconception around about the use of bones in witchcraft.
Due mostly to Christianity and misinformation that comes from Morons !
Contrary to what they would have you believe bones are not exclusively used by
necromancers,nor are they most often used for "black magic".
In reality bones and horn are used by those of many
different paths.Healers, diviners,root workers,witches,
shamans, druids, and pagans all incorporate bones into
their practice.

Skulls and bones are a simple way to connect with spirits
of the dead and of animals.In this I'm going to discuss invoking animal spirits and honoring dieties.

Bones act as a vessel for animal spirits to dwell in while you work with them.
This doesn’t mean that once used for this purpose the
spirit lives on in the bones.The bone is simply a means to
focus your energy and ground a spirit animal in this realm while you work your spell.
When used in this manner bones confer onto you the
characteristics of the animal you have invoked
and any of their other worldly/magical energy as well.
Bone jewelry is an easy and direct way of bringing bones
into your rituals and spell work.I have found that many
of my Witchy friends that don't have the stomach
for handling bones ,prefer jewelry.Another way of using them
would be rattles.These are used a great deal by Shamans
and Native Americans ,they are generally made using turtle shells,or skulls.

In the pic below is a Snapping Turtle skull and Buffalo teeth destined to be a rattle

The skull brings with it properties of awakening to opportunities, longevity,

and protection.The teeth bring strength of character ,harmony

with Mother Earth and a deeper connection the environment.

Little bones such as my vertebrae pictured below can be
tied together with cord or sinew forming a primitive rattle when shook ,hunters do this with Antlers all the time to summon bucks .
I actually used the bulk of my vertebrae to make a set of runic bones I use to scry with.

These are Deer vertebrae ,both the Norsemen and the Druids often tied deer bones to staffs ,stangs, wands.

They believed a deer or hart was capable of prophecy ,visions often occurred to them

in the presence of deer,Thus making these vertebrae perfect material for scrying bones
You can also combine different bones in such a way that you invoke the energy of a mythical beast such as a Griffin ,Chimera or Dragon.I tried my hand at this when I created my "Dragon Skull" pictured below.The skull is another Snapping Turtle ,these creatures are one of the fiercest I know of and have the properties of longevity and wisdom also.

When combined with the deers energy of prophecy and stealth I came as close to dragon energy as I could with the materials I had on hand.

Some animals are known to travel between the realms
or have powers of transformation such as frogs,toads,
snakes,dragonflies, beetles, butterflies,or cicadas.
Their bones can be used in such a manner in spells.
I know your thinking ,bugs don't have bones ,
but that's wrong thinking.They have exoskeletons
which basically means they wear their bones on the outside.
These are the easiest of bones to acquire because during
the summer months the sun-dried carapaces are easily found
in parking lots,window sills almost anywhere you go.
I always keep an eye open for these and occasionally
freak people out when I scoop up a dead bug ,
whip put a container and pop a corpse in my purse.
Really its worth their faces even if I never used them !
These in the picture below are just a few of my creepies
from my potions table.The Cicada I use in spells involving
those who have passed over,the Beetles I use for in spells
of discernment and protection.I mainly use my butterfly remains
in spells that transform grief but they can be used in any
transformation spell.
I cant really finish this up without a nod to Antlers and Horn.These are considered by most a masculine symbol.The majority of Gods from ancient times are depicted as having some form of horns or antlers. These can obviously be used as symbols of the Horned One and honestly that what I mainly use them for.They are easy for me to include in my indoor altar arrangements.

However mine (and most) are representative of both male and female forces since they are both phallic and crescent in their form,so I also use them in spells concerning opposing virtues .

In times gone by Druids and Norsemen affixed Antlers to their staffs ,these were used as weapons ,tools of farming and in rituals calling on the old ones .

its a long held belief that Antler slipped under the bed will insure conception .Horn or Antler either one make wonderful responsive wands ,they do however tend to work better for men than women.

So there you have it a peek at my bones and a glimpse of how I use them .Until next time Blessed Be!

Lets Get Crafty .........Scrying With Water ,Smoke And Flame

2012-08-18T20:45:57.000Z

The definition of scry is "to make out dimly" or "to reveal."
Scrying is a time honored means of divination used by the ancient Celts, probably acquired knowledge via early Germanic invasions.Legend holds that Druids scryed using water as did the Egyptians.

A lot of people will tell you that you will need a scrying mirrors ,crystals , sacred vessel and rituals to scry. That may very well hold true for them. But these are only metaphysical aids to help you focus at the task at hand.Once mastered you can scry in many different ways without anything than your minds eye and something to focus on.

This time Im talking to you about the three oldest and in my opinion, easiest ways to learn to scry.
So lets start with Hydromancy . (just a big word for scrying with water)

Hydromancy is the practice of using properties of the water to divine........ it's color, the ebb and flow of the tides, ripples produced by the breeze or pebbles dropped in a pool are all used to divine images. This is truly a test of focus and your ability to clear your mind and allow the water to "show you the vision". Pisces are particularly good at Hydomancy as are the other water signs !This for most , is truly the easiest of ways to learn to scry . The flow of the water lulls your mind into a suspension similar to when you were still in the womb , granting you easier access to your third eye. And when it comes to practice spending some time gazing at the water while your mind drifts is hardly tedious!

Having said that ,being a Hedge Witch my herbs always come into play no matter the spell. So lets start .....

Most of you already know that Mugwort is a wonderful herb for divination.Mugwort can be used in many forms including a lovely tea. But this time Ive brewed a potion to scry into.

******Please bear in mind this is toxic and is not to drink ! ********

First off any water will do...However the very best water for this type of spell is what I call

"live water" ,water harvested from nature ,rain ,ocean, spring or stump water.

I generally use either stump water Ive collected or rain .In times of drought I'll pop down to the river and nab some river water.

This time I used stump water from an old rotten Elm. Mugwort was the first of my herbs to be tossed into the pot. Next came a bit of Polk Root ,some ground bark from a graveyard Oak ,a piece of Hemp twine and some snake skin.Last of all into my pot went some Yarrow and a slice of fresh Iris root.Now is a great time for me to make this mix because its time to divide my Iris so I had some already dug. Once everything was in I set my cauldron over hot charcoal and left it to cook .Its done when my brew has turned black.Once cooled it will have a surface that's shiny and opaque as pictured above. At this point you can ladle some into your preferred container or do as I do and scry into the cauldron.

Before attempting to scry for the first time anything "legal " that will induce a state of altered awareness should be done. *****Please no fake pot that stuff turns your head to jelly and you end up eating faces.Dont be a face eating zombie! *****Nor does this mean its time to get your drunk on!

For beginners I recommend trying dim lighting ,incense (your choice),candles and some nice meditation music or soft Jazz. All or any of these will help you relax and allow your mind to drift as your inner eye opens.If you are trying to divine future events you have to keep your mind a blank ,gaze into the pot and allow the images to emerge .You may perceive a mist form before images surface or you may just have them pop out at you clear as a bell.Pay attention to what you are seeing ,they may seem random and the images will sometimes come in symbolic form.

Scrying is a deeply personal experience and each person will scry differently.After I am done scrying ,I'll strain my "pot juice" and bottle it. I get 3-4 quarts from my little cauldron and I use it for various witchy chores that pertain to divination.For instance I soak wand wood and crystals in it ,reuse it for scrying at a later date or have a bit for friends in need. The dregs I bury so they are returned to the earth and not laying out for a furbaby to get into.

Flame gazing or Lychnomancy is the practice of scrying using flame ,a candle , fire or the light of an oil lamp.This practice is also called by some Lamp gazing and is practiced quite a bit in amongst the Mountain families in West Virginia and Kentucky. Any form of scrying works the same way, it always comes down to the same three basics , focus ,the ability to clear your mind and practice.When flame gazing your images will appear in the flame, or close to the flames providing you messages and guidance. The picture above is of a flame I created with Sage ,Willow ,Hydrangea , Mugwort and Wild Cherry. I was peering into a health matter for someone hence the fire was built with Willow & Sage for healing. Mugwort and Cherry for divination and Hydrangea to invoke magic.Samhain is the perfect day for divination of this sort because most witches that can have a fire have one.Its also a wonderful winter "crafting " to practice if you have a fireplace. After all an evening peacefully gazing into your crackling fire as winter howls outside is not a hardship !

This brings me to one of my personal favorites scrying with smoke. Some form of smoke scrying has been used by Native Americans ,tribes in Africa ,Voo Doo practitioners and Witches since the dawn of time . It is the practice of watching the rising smoke from a flame and divining images held within the smoke stream. now there's a good reason that I love this one so much.I'm really good at it and its one of the few "spells" that you can capture on film working.I have captured amazing images when doing this.

A good camera can preserve images of the divination for you future reference far better than notes .However I don't recommend using one from the very beginning . You need to learn to scry with as few aids as possible.But once you have done so ,bring your camera into your circle and take a few shots .I think you'll find as I have that the magic is there for all to see.The picture above was taken while I was smudging a divination wand with Snake's blood / Polk berry oil ,look and you will clearly see the face rising in the smoke.This was present in all the pics snapped that evening.

The last picture was taken when I fired up my cauldron to send my best friend's Momma safely through the veil. She had been ill for 3 years and in a coma for several days.The purpose to this cauldron wasn't really divination it was to ease her way .As my cauldron smoldered and gave up we got the call she was gone.A week later I finally pulled the pictures taken that day off of my camera. There I saw my proof that she was escorted safely beyond my realm .I wonder if any of will see what I did.

Elm

Elm is a feminine energy and relative to both the elements Earth and Air. It adds grounding and focus to any spell working. I use it a lot when working spells that involve horticulture, passage thru death, rebirth, or the invocation of the Goddess. I included Elm in this list because I used Elm stump water for the base liquid in my scrying pot .Know your adjuncts ..... you have to consider the aspects of everything added in a spell.

Oak

Oak has a strong masculine energy and is alined with Earth ,Water and Spirit.In all spells unless they are for a specific gender to need to balance the male/female aspect .Oak is my choice in this matter. It centers your mind, permitting you to ignore distractions and focus on your task at hand.Oak promotes observation and intuition.Both of which are important components to successful scrying.

Willow

Willow is to me ,is the most feminine of trees.She brings to your spells a strong alignment to both water and spirit .willow deals with death ,rebirth and easing the souls of those recently passed. It strenghtens the third eye , promotes spells of healing and will align itself to your inner will.

All of the remaining adjuncts are an even mix of male/female and bring to spells strong properties of divination ,protection and invokcation of magic ...............

Hemp

Hydangea

Yarrow

Mugwort

Polk Berry

Iris

I used the Snake Skin /blood for its properties of transmutation

Lets Get Crafty.....Butterfly Babies Are Still Arriving!

2012-08-04T16:47:21.000Z

Alrighty I know we've been here but I'm doing it again ! Most of you have already read my posts on butterflies ,well most of those pictures were taken in June and July.I don't want you to think that the breeding time is exclusive to that time frame.My babies hatch out over the course of the entire summer,so Im always careful harvesting.The easiest way for me to assure myself that I'm not taking their fennel is to keep one large pot for myself but this year they said no we're taking that too! Yesterday I tried to snip a bit of Fennel and just look a whole new crop of babies in all sizes :)So I decided to show you how quickly they evolve.

When first hatched they are truly ugly little things no where near as pretty as they are once the eating has plumped them out.This one was about 1/16th of an inch if that ,a very new baby.Notice how it dosnt really look like the same bug.....well at a few hours old you weren't that cute either all babies are a bit ugly and wrinkled! I decided to take a second picture of him later on so you can see how quickly they grow up.

Late that afternoon I slipped back out and sure enough there he was munching....look how he's started to plump up and fill out .Now you can begin to see the colors and fat shape you would expect.He's now chubby enough off my Fennel that the bright colors have come out and his little "nobbies" are looking a bit less lethal .lol

By tomorrow this one will be fat ,sassy and shoving its siblings out of the way for dinner.
Heres the fine looking fellow after eating for two days....the vivid color bands are all present now.Notice that his "Spikes" are now far less pronounced and look at those chubby little legs!I hate to say it but after eating Fennel for three days they are probably quite tasty. So to keep them safe from predators I draped an old sheer curtain over the row of Fennel and secured it.Yes I go the extra mile for them ,I want to make damn sure beauties like this don't ever disappear from my realm or the rest of the world.Thats right Harobed saving Butterflies one worm at a time! hehehe

By day three (this morning) I found no hatchlings just tons of fat and happy adolescents .These will all be safely tucked into Chrysalis by day after tomorrow ,dreaming of flying ;)

So once again I was denied eating Fennel from my garden and the world is better off!

Lets Get Crafty....Luring Dragonflies To Your Garden

2012-08-04T16:44:55.000Z

I love my Dragons and this time of year they are flitting and dancing all over my yard.Why do I have so many?I have them because I cater to their needs.All species of dragonfly need access to water.I have two water gardens, one set up just for them.All species of dragonfly need access to water.
Dragonfly larvae live underwater from six months to seven years before before emerging to land as an adult dragonfly. Dragonflies are particular about the ponds they’ll inhabit. They require shelter, sunlight, unpolluted water, emergent plants and hunting areas. My ponds are large but you dont have to go out and dig up your backyard .In the sweltering heat of the summer any source of clean water will bring them .I have a large birdbath right by my front door and since July there have been a dozen or more claim sanctuary there.And what a pleasure to watch them in the last minuets of the day dancing though out the Fey garden.

Dragonflies are quick to find new water sources, so creating a water feature in your garden will attract dragonflies with fast results. This can be anything from a water garden to a child's wading pool .An old rain barrel is a great play ground for them and its deep enough for the nymphs also.
Deep water is important for dragonfly nymphs. It offers them a protected place to hide from predators such as raccoons. Having varied depths in your dragonfly pond is also important because it will allow a variety of different vegetation. The vegetation isn't for feeding .Dragonflies like their namesakes are carnivorous, plants provide the nymphs a play to hide from predators ,and as adults a place to perch and hunt.

Dragonflies don’t rely on specific host plants to nourish their young the way butterflies do, but some species of dragonfly use water plants as nurseries. They insert their eggs into the soft stems of plants.
Pond vegetation is also critical for dragonflies because the nymphs crawl up the water plants when they emerge and make
the transformation from water creatures to free-flying adult dragonflies.

Dragonflies are quite fierce in appearance ,but believe me the nymphs look much stranger.I took this next picture a month or so ago ,mainly because you dont often get to see a dragon in this form.Really the only reason I got this picture was because I was cleaning out my pond.When I happened upon this ugly little critter I dashed for the camera and got a shot before putting it back in the water. So try to remember no matter how strange or alien a bug looks ...dont stomp it just because you dont like its looks!

The plants you put around your pond /water feature are as important as the water plants in it. Never mow the border of your dragonfly pond. Let the grasses and rushes grow. Plant some shrubs within a few feet of the water to provide more perching sites.
Since it can take some time for pond plants to get established, you can place some perching sticks in the middle of your pond while you are waiting for your vegetation to grow above the surface of the water. Ordinary bamboo stakes, like the the kind used to stake tomato plants, work very well.This is also a way to give them what they need if their kingdom at your home is a birdbath or such a thing that dosnt lend to growing plants in it.The important thing is to provide them the water if its not a suitable place for them to lay eggs they will simply go elsewhere for that.Attracting the Dragons and setting up a place they want to lay eggs are two entirely different things dears.I breed them because I have ponds so for me it just happens. lol the only real effort Ive ever had to give this project was a few years back I made a small shallow pond with one deep (2ft) spot in the middle,this pond is solely for them and the frogs I didn't add fish since it was intended as a nursery. (fish eat the nymphs and eggs)Plants c,shrubs ,flowers they were already there and because of my obsessive hoarding of the wood I prune during gardening there's always a perch.
And when its mating time Oh My They are getting it on everywhere even my tomatoes were considered the proper place for some Dragon nookie!

Below you'll find a few pointers for those you wish to lure some to your realm.Also keep watch for my post "Dragonflies As Portents And Totems ;)

1 > If you want breeding populations of dragonflies in your pond, do not add fish. They will prey on the nymphs and eggs.

2 > Add some light colored flat stones around their water source,the color lures them in and the stone gives them a warm place to sun.

3 > Most dragonflies wont use polluted ponds. Make sure you dont spray herbicides or fertilizers near or up-wind from your pond. To replace fertilizer, try making your own compost.

4 > Make sure that less than 30 per cent of your pond is shade covered. Dragonfly larvae are cold blooded, so they need sunlight. Without enough heat, they are inactive and stop breeding, eating or escaping from predators. Adult dragonflies are solar-powered and need to reach a certain temperature before they can fly.

5 > Provide great hunting ground for your dragonflies by building a small wildflower grassland close to your pond to attract small insects.

6 > Please remember, if you are attracting dragonflies to your backyard to control the mosquito population, be sure that you do not also use bug zappers. These will zap your dragonflies, but they are ineffective for zapping mosquitoes.If you want rid of the mosquitoes build a bat house ;p
So there you have it .....a peek at my fierce babies ,I hope you've enjoyed it!

Lets Get Crafty ...... A Lammas Harvest ,So Much More Than Corn And Grain

2012-07-26T20:57:38.000Z

So Lammas is almost here and Im sure some of you are looking for a few "easy to fit into your life" things to do .I personally love a good reason to wander and harvest.It soothes my soul ,centers my core and makes me feel as productive as any hunter gatherer could ever be.When most of you think of Lammas your thinking Corn and other grains.For me that's more Mabon and something all of you know to begin with..I decided to do a post on a few really great and readily available plants to use in your Lammas spells ,that you may not have thought of.These may seem like common flowers to you or maybe even weeds,but as with all things they have some wonderful uses in spells ,especially those worked now.

So let me start with Fennel ...If you've been reading my posts then you already know what a valuable plant this is for a healthy garden full of Butterflies and Bees.So Im skipping those aspects of this beauty and jumping in with its uses in spells.

Over the ages Fennel has had many uses in witchcraft and lore.
Roman soldiers chewed the seeds before battle to build confidence and courage insuring themselves victory .
British farmers rubbed a mixture of fennel seeds, soap, and salt on the blade of their
plow to strengthen the land and encourage better harvests.This "spell " is still practiced in many places.

Fennel is used to invoke fertility and was thrown at newlyweds instead of rice ..Fennel hung over
the doorway on Midsummer Eve to keep away evil and the seeds put into keyholes
are believed to keep out spirits.An infusion of fennel makes a good door wash to keep away intruders.

As a Mercury herb, Fennel works especially on the mind, it improves the memory,and is
especially good for helping develop your focus.

Fennel keeps away everyday evils too,ground fennel seeds sprinkled around dog kennels
and stables repel fleas.Also a wash of Fennel and Rosemary will make for a shiney silky coat that stays flea free.

That alone is a magical thing !

Morning Glory ,Ipomoea
(Poisonous)

I love using this plant in spells! Some will tell you that it can be ingested safely ,however Im not!This beauty is highly toxic and in my terms not worth the risk.There are far better alternative uses for it.One of the toughest plants I know,this wild flower brings clarity of sight and is said to cure nightmares.Morning glory is recommended to use for divination and astral travel.
When the Inquisition in Mexico realized that the Aztecs did everything they
could to maintain their relationship with this plant, they burned many Indians
alive for possessing the seeds, which were often found together with a small statue of a god.
Its flower essence makes a wonderful oil that will smooth out nervous energy.It is believed that grown in the garden, blue morning glories will bring peace and happiness.That's a trick what it brings is a lot of discontent because you planted an invasive vine where it should'nt be.These lovelies should be planted well away from any "formalized garden....where it does no harm lol

In Hoodoo, the root of morning glory is called "High John"and is considered a representative of the African trickster gods.
It is very connected with anything pertaining to borders,protection and binding ,which is another reason it should be planted on the perimeters of your property.
This plant will get large when it's happy,make sure whatever it grows on is sturdy.
I have seen morning glories pulling down the trellis they are on. They grow best in full
sun to partial shade with well-drained soil of low to average fertility.

Everyone loves a Sunflower ,and even if you dont garden the blooms and seeds are both readily available.

Native Americans have been cultivating this plant for thousands of years.Its use predates
even corn, beans, and squash.
Because of its strong Sun aspect,its connected to solar festivals and solar gods such as
Apollo ,Helios ,Sol and Lugh.This plant is good to use in spells pertaining to building a healthy ego.

Like all Sun herbs, the sunflower is great for spells where you are creating a relaxed, comfortable happiness.

It can be used in conjunction with Citrine to attract wealth ,abundance and the physical gratification of material wants.
Sunflowers may be used as a bathing herb......Add petals ,oil or seed to your bath water to bring increased happiness into one's life.They also attract joy to fill the emotional spaces where there is sorrow.
Sunflower Petals are used in spells for energy, protection, health, power, wisdom and wishes.
If you have a small wish cut a sunflower at sunset while making it , the wish will come true
before another sunset.Sleeping with a sunflower under the bed allows you to know the truth
in any matter. Sunflowers growing in the garden guard it against pests and grant the best
of luck to the gardener.
Sunflowers grow best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. They should be planted
directly in the ground after the last frost and need protection from squirrels and birds.
Sunflowers can be used to extract toxins from the soil including lead, arsenic and uranium.
Simply plant them in the tainted area and don't eat their seeds! That stands on its own as magic in my world!

Here in Va. the Black-eyed-Susans (Rudbeckia) are in full battle array .Their sunny yellow blooms can be seen everywhere and the seed heads are heavy.This is a great time to harvest blooms and seed heads for your witchy purposes.The seed heads of the Black Eyed Susans are attractive to songbirds,so for every one seed head you harvest leave three as not to short the minions of the meadow. In the language of flowers they symbolize "justice." So they are ideal to add to any spells where this is an issue.

The Cherokee used this plant medicinally in various ways, including as a wash against snakebite. It also makes an excellent Sun symbol on an altar (cut flowers of this plant usually last a week).Black Eyed Susan is a great plant to use for protection, it's especially useful for protecting the outer edges of your property and could care less if you leave them on their own to create drifts .Picked they will last up to 10 days in a vase perfect protection for your living space.Its the best herb/plant I know of to use for spells that mend injuries caused by enemies.These drought-tolerant perennials thrive in sunny spots and are a wonderful addition to any garden ,providing bold splashes of golden color from summer through fall.

Next on my list of groovy plants to harvest for Lammas would be my Zinnias.These are one of my top "go to" blooms when practicing floral A great flower to use in any floral fascination (spells worked with fresh flowers).Zinnias in a rainbow of colors this makes coordinating your color magick quick and easy.In the language of flowers, the zinnia symbolizes "faraway friends." These lovelies are perfect to use in spells designed to begin a new friendship .To help cool off feuding friends mix with a bit of Lavender .

Lets Get Crafty....Butterflies Powerful Portents Of Change

2012-07-24T13:30:00.000Z

As some of you already know Ive had my camera
chasing butterflies for weeks now.Why? Well inspiration

started with a tiny egg ! lol Earlier this summer

I popped outside to pluck a bit of fennel for salad.

As I reached out to start snipping ,something stilled my hand.

I bent over my plant wondering at the sudden hesitation

when a butterfly lit next to it .So there we were the

witch poised with scissors and her denizen trying to communicate.

In the still she shifted and suddenly I spied eggs! My fennel

was dotted throughout .Well needless to say I smiled and told

her the fennel was hers until the children were gone.

So I settled on Basil for my salad and a shot of the eggs for later.

After dinner that evening I roughed out not one but two

ideas for gardening posts.Now that I had the beginnings of

two new discussions framed out I wanted
pics to go with them.So began the camera safari in my back yard .lol

The first post was gardening with
butterflies and bees and Ive already posted it.With one
down I settled on waiting for that one shot needed
for the second post.Well two days ago I got it!The
Chrysalis I had been watching daily was the focus of my
attention it had actually wiggled the day before so
I knew that soon there would be a new butterfly.When I went
out to check it around 8 in the morning I had just missed
the "birth but my beauty was there next to his empty pouch
fluffing and drying its wings.It patiently allowed me to skip
around and get several nice pictures....So at last my
stalking was at an end and I could finish up this post for you !

Butterflies spend the first part of their lives crawling the earth
as odd many legged creatures, before metamorphosis leads it to
spin a home for the big change.
On emergence it has been reborn as a beautiful winged creature
of the air,more flower than insect.
These lovely babies are extremely sensitive to the Harmony of Earth,
and are the first creatures to leave a damaged ecology.

Their life cycle is one of transformation.
Emergence from an egg, then the transition to Chrysalis the stage in
which caterpillar’s body is broken down and changed into the adult form.
At last the butterfly emerges.

"Psyche" is Greek for both soul and butterfly. They
believed that butterfly was a human soul searching for
new reincarnation.
In some cultures, butterflies are seen as the departed
souls of people’s ancestors. There are many who
recognize chrysalis as the soul trapped inside in the body.
The butterfly’s emergence symbolizes the freedom of the
soul at the moment of passing.

Some Native American tribes believe if people have secret wishes,
they should capture Butterfly and whisper their desires
to her. Their secrets are safe in her keeping because
she cannot speak.Once the secret is whispered ....one must release
the Butterfly so she can carry their wishes to Great Spirit,
who knows her thoughts. When Butterfly is set free,
people’s wishes will be granted.
In both the Dakota and the Chippawa tradition, the butterfly
represents the Door of the East, wherein appears the splendor
of dawn, the dwelling place of the Great Mystery.
To other native Americans, the butterfly was a
living fragment of the rainbow, a beautiful creature
made of rainbow colors that dance above wild flowers on sunny
currents of air.

The butterfly totem will aid you in achieving depths of
inner and outer exploration far beyond the ordinary.
As a symbol of personal transformation, your spirit helper
will hover ever-near to assist in all those changes within
yourself and within your environment that are necessary
for you to attain the highest levels of enlightenment.
They are also symbolic of metamorphosis, joy,
freedom,fun, color, change in one’s life and joyous times.
The caterpillar stage has been linked to materialism.
Chrysalis represents internal changes of the mind and
the butterfly is perceived as the free expression of these changes.

The Butterfly enters our life as a messenger for change. If it comes to us hurt or ill,
its to remind you to transform and stop keeping joy at bay.
Their graceful dancing-like appearance on flowers reminds us to find
the joy in nature and make it a part of our life.
So at last I have finished what took me two months to compile and complete,

I have gathered the empty Chrysalis and its snuggled in a box on my potions shelf.

You'll see it eventually in a discussion on spells but for now this is it!

Lets Get Crafty.....Gardening For Butterflies and Bees

2012-07-14T01:45:23.000Z

I am a blessed Hedge Witch ....
I own my property outside of town limits and am happily growing a meadow out front melding into a jungle in back.My minions are many and I love them all.
However growing a garden / refuge for butterflies and bees is not hard nor does it require a large area .All you really need is a patch of dirt and a bit of primary knowledge.
Every garden needs pollinators butterflies and bees are among the best.When visiting your garden these dears are looking for 2 things.....
Nectar - nectar is loaded with sugars and it’s a bee’s main source of energy.
Pollen - pollen provides the balanced diet of proteins and fats.
Ok now I know your thinking that's easy but not so much any more .First do your research and find out what your best native plants are to use.
Native plants are always the best choice and can be mixed in with other more attractive plants.

A great naive plant that grows pretty much nation wide is Asclepsia ,commonly known as Butterfly weed.A member of the " Milk Weed " family this baby is a tough showy perennial that my babies cant get enough of .If you arnt going to plant but one native make it this one!

As for those other showier plants .Most popular flower varieties on the market today
are hybridized for features that are valued by the gardener.
These things include disease resistance, flower size ,
color,bigger blooms and longer bloom times.
Great for us ,or so you think at first glance....unfortunately hybridization has reduced the
production of nectar and pollen .It even goes so far as to
sometimes result in a plant that's completely sterile and useless
to bees and other pollinators.
In this matter always choose heirloom varieties,the older the better!
My personal garden is filled with heirloom shrubs and perennials .And yes
some of their "mutant brethren " have better habits.But nothing beats
them for aroma ,stamina and invoking generations of nostalgia!If your not as
fortunate as me.
A few easy and inexpensive ways to get these are .....
One is ask all of the oldest people you know for a few starts from
theirs, believe me old gardeners love to share and any you get
will be sure to come with a history.
Another is start by seed ,Google heirloom seeds
jump in lol piss off Monsanto and join the growing number us that grow non patented plants ;)
Together with native plants, these lovlies will make your garden attractive
to both pollinators and people.
I have found that minions of both varieties adore my Buddleia aka Butterfly Bush and will battle over the heirloom Zinnias.

I always have Fennel since that's one of the plants coveted by Black Swallow Tails .Each year the caterpillars seek it on a munch and destroy mission .

In less than a week they strip the tasty leaves bare and with stomachs full retire to their Chrysalis until they emerge as Butterflies .Here's a shot of mine so you know what they look like .

Now that you know what plants you need and like , back to research lol.
Such as What conditions do they thrive in sun or shade and how much water do they require?
Check the height so tall goes to the back or if your garden is round in the middle.
Annuals that you replace every year should
be in front so as not to disturb the perennials roots each year when you have to replant.
Make sure to provide a range of plants that will offer a succession of brightly colored flowers
throughout the whole growing season.Bright colors in a sheltered sunny spot are what our dears desire.A bit of research and a drop of love insures shelter and a constant meal through out the season.
Speaking of shelter Butterfly boxes and Bee Skeps are really nice additions .
They are attractive as yard art and give your babies shelter from the elements.
Butterfly boxes have slots the ideal size for keeping birds out while giving butterflies protection
from the wind and weather.

If your going for bees bear in mind .....
The bee friendly border needs to be in full sun but also sheltered from the wind. Bees hate being blown around when trying to land on flowers and prefer the sun rather than the shade.
The relationship between beekeeping and herb gardens is centuries old.
Bees (honey bees) were not indigenous to North America and the native Americans, never having seen them,
called them "English flies." The first record of bee importation is in 1638, but by the end of the 17th
century most kitchen gardens included several skeps (hand woven grass domes)to provide honey for the household .
Skeps are cool and certainly a pice of history .However the colonials were killing the bees at the end of each season to harvest honey
So best to leave them as yard art and if you want honey invest in a well built modern bee box.
Many herbs have a special attraction for bees and, since the insects pollinate the plants, the two work in unison.
Lemon balm (its name is derived from the Greek word for “bee”) has long been a neighbor of the bee skep.
Early beekeepers rubbed the insides of their skeps with it to attract bees. Bee Balms' real name "Melissa Officinalis" has its root in Latin....melli being Latin for honey.Although my Bees may not know their Latin they thrive on the many patches of Bee Balm planted through out my realm.

Lavender, Thyme and Borage are also wonderful herbal attractions for Honeybees and make for delicious honey.

Bee keeping is not all about a wooden box and positioning it for bees to begin producing honey for you.
It takes time and research or you've at best wasted your time and at worse harmed the bees.
So read up or let them feed and go find their own home.And you can opt for a groovy rustic skep to decorate your realm! lol

I hope you've enjoyed the read and the peek at my beauties :)

Here are a few things that are a must when creating a garden of this kind

1 This should be obvious but I'm saying it anyway. Never use pesticides. Most pesticides are not selective. You are killing off the beneficial bugs along with the pests.

2 Remember to include some local native plants. Research suggests native plants are four times more attractive to native bees than exotic flowers. They are also usually well adapted to your growing conditions and can thrive with minimum attention.
3 Chose several colors of flowers. Bees have good color vision to help them find flowers and the nectar and pollen they offer. Flower colors that particularly attract bees are blue, purple, violet, white, and yellow.Butterflies (and Hummingbirds) go crazy for red.

4 Plant flowers in clumps. Flowers clustered into clumps of one species will attract more pollinators than individual plants scattered through the habitat patch. Where space allows, make the clumps four feet or more in diameter.Groups of 3 and 5 look great. Odd numbers form irregular patches giving the garden a naturalized look.

5 Include flowers of different shapes. There are four thousand different species of bees in North America, and they are all different sizes, have different tongue lengths, and will feed on different shaped flowers. Providing a range of flower shapes means more bees can benefit.

6 Have a diversity of plants flowering all season. Most bee species are generalists, feeding on a range of plants through their life cycle. By having several plant species flowering at once, and a sequence of plants flowering through spring, summer, and fall, you can support a range of bee species that fly at different times of the season.

7 Plant where they want to visit. Bees and butterflies both favor sunny spots over shade and need some shelter from strong winds.

Lets Get Crafty ......Advanced Potions Hauling Out The Big Guns

2012-06-25T14:24:45.000Z

A few days ago a life long friend approached me with a major problem.her husband of many years now well into his seventies was going to under go a procedure to unblock arteries.Mere minuets before he was sedated for the procedure his bi-polar crack addict of a son turned up and caused a huge scene.Although he had been told to stay away he was there screaming about his father was going to die and many other atrocities and idiocities.Quite a while back my friend had me make a huge witch wreath that was a ward to keep him from her home and its worked quite well.But the time has come to deal with this mans energy in a more direct manner .He has for several years expressed a desire to move to Alaska ,knowing I don't hex she asked me to mix up a potion /spell to get him to act on that desire.Having recently acquired a huge metal Rams head to use as a garden altar I was eager to test it's energy out.The space between the Rams ears formed the perfect spot for my Celestial Quartz Generator cluster right at the heart of the altar.This Quart Cluster is used only to amplify and focus my energy during spell work .The rest of the time it lives at the heart of my gardens on an altar all of its own.

The next thing I did was gather up the components I needed for my spell work.I decided that I would make a corn poppet.Poppets are easily customized once made .My plan was to mix the components ,oils and herbs into my cauldron ,burn it and stuff the poppet with the ash (or concentrate) of the spell.First off I waded out into the field and Corn was cut.Why Corn .....well its because here at the height of summer its appropriate ,plentiful , easy to use ,and it bears the properties of Protection and Luck. Remember Im not hexing him Im just instilling a desire to go elsewhere..Next Came Sassafras...Sassafras is the travelers herb with it comes itchy feet and good fortune in travels.Mullein came next ,Mullein among many magical uses , is believed to be both a key and a door .I'll be using it in this spell as that and also I'll use it to prepare myself a tea.I picked Mugwort for divination and invocation of magic.I'll be making tea that's a mixture of Mullein ,Mugwort ,Sassafras and roasted Dandelion root. It's drunk for rites of Hecate,divination (which is what I'll be using it for) or before summoning spirits. Lastly I cut BayBerry and Sage for protection while working the spell.

Having done that I gathered up my Cauldron filled it with Willow ,Fern,Rue,Mullein , Mugwort , St. Johns Wort, Clove ,Nettle ,Tangle The Bane Oil,Transformation oil and soil from the roadside.All tailored give him itchy feet ,fair travels and a dislike of Lancaster county.

Once my cauldron was set up and my armful of bigger items were on the "horns" my chore was to gather up the smaller things.
I grabbed a pottery container and put down a thick bed of Salt first, to that Aventurine "the Travelers Stone" was first in....after that came Sharks teeth to add bite to his urge for change ...Lode Stone to attract him to the road....Clove to exorcise him.....Monkshood , Bladderwrack and Mica will misdirect him from my friend and his father.Lastly several years ago I was given a jar of Alaskan soil for my potions closet by a friend stationed there so I added a pinch of that ,and when I made her "Ward Wreath" I had saved a small bag of the left overs so I added that in as well.

Ok so by then I was in full swing ,I salted my door and the area I was working in to keep all the energy contained to one spot .....my intent was to come out later that night after everything had hung out and melded for awhile ,fire up my cauldron and do my thing ,so I grabbed a few pics of my setup to post to my buddy hoping to lift her spirits.Lit a small candle told everything to soak up energy for the task ahead and stepped into the house.Posting pics to my buddy took only minuets and back out I went.In that short of time a considerable storm had appeared out of nowhere ,as they can do here on the bay, and steamrolled into my realm.

Suddenly there was a deluge as if the rain were determined to wash this guy to Alaska.Wind roared to the north ,while not a twig on the horns was taken ....then came the lightening ,it struck transformers behind us and lines across the road from us .The energy was amazing! I saw sparks dancing all around my Ram and was trying to get us a pic of just that when my son snatched me in from the doorstep and hauled me inside.

As we set in the living room when heard a sharp explosion of glass ,I swung the door open and my Storm Ward was gone and the container I had upside down over it in shards! The barometric pressure had dropped so quickly that the heat built up inside the glass container had caused it to explode ,so says my resident " Bill Nye The Science Guy" but as to how my ward just disappeared he offered up no explanation.

Finally the storm was over.....The storm had hit lines and transformers all over town ,I had no internet and would'nt until well into the next evening.Well that was fine because I still was'nt finished with my spell work.After I burned my cauldron I mixed the ash and other components and started my poppet.I formed the head by wrapping Corn leaves around Sassafras so his mind will be filled with travel .The ash mix ,stones , sharks teeth,and more Sassafras were used to fill the torso so his heart is filled with travel also.last I gave it arms and legs of Sassafras so he could hurry along his travels .Well it was almost finished so I took the poppet out and showed it the road telling it all the wonders it was going to see and what its purpose was.

At long last this spell work (or my part of it was almost over). I had harvested Mullein early in the day and I always smudge my things with Sage cauldron smoke before I use them. So I stirred up another pot ,put all the Mullein on the horns for smudging and placed the poppet there as well. Now I know all of you are wondering what on earth I'm going to do with this poppet now that its made and infused with intent.Well I have a plan for that too.Once my friend customizes it (her job was to secure something of his), I'm going to mail it to a friend of mine that lives right outside of Wassila Alaska. Once there his buddy the local Army base's Wiccan Priest/Chaplin has agreed to keep it on the base no harm done ;)

So there you have it a peek behind the curtain at how I do that thing I do! Hope you enjoyed it!

Litha With The Hippy Hedge Witch

2012-06-20T19:15:43.000Z

To many, the solstice means a culmination of something.Around the world, the sun is now rising and setting as far north as it ever does. After today, the sun will begin its subtle shift southward on the sky’s dome again. Thus even in summer’s beginning, we find the seeds of summer’s end.Druids celebrate the summer soltice as Alban Heruin "light of the shore"

In Ireland Aine Queen of the Sidhe in Munster was a midsummer Goddess.

And look at dawn for 3 rays of light over the water,for in Druid tradition this is Awen of Cerridwin....she whose cauldron brings inspiration and is the source of magical power.

From mid-summer to June 29th the Fey are believed to travel abroad creating chaos or giving

gifts to favored mortals.A wonderful herb to offer up for the Fey this night would be Meadow sweet as the fairies used its scent to throw off the hounds that hunt them.This is the day to weave Daisies and Vervain into your hair and dance.

My Litha has arrived Bright Hot and not a breath of air stirring.My veggies are burgeoning with produce ready to be picked. The scent of my gardens and the cornfield across the road is heady and sweet.

Midsummer is the season to gather and dry herbs and to work magic with them.So around here its a working holiday lol.I have been busy all day harvesting and will continue until the wee hours of the morning. I started this morning by Picking Meadow Sweet ,Yarrow ,Beebalm ,Sage,Vervain and Marjoram.All of which will be used for either wreaths, potions,teas,tinctures or oils and of course my Altar and Cauldron.

Since this is a wonderfully Magical time to impart an extra zing of energy to any of my crafts. Next I gathered Mugwort,Grape leaves,Basil and Corn to make poppets with.Late tonight I'll sit at the head ofmy Fey garden with my cauldron smoldering and work.

I stuff all my poppets with Mugwort since its such a great herb for invoking magic.It grows nation wide in most states and to most is a weed .However no matter how plentiful I could'nt resist when I was offered a piece of Golden Varigated Mugwort a few years ago and I just love it!

Corn Poppets can be used for lots of different purposes and once made for a specific purpose are easily customized . My first few poppets will be fairies these I'll stuff with Mugwort > for Magic ,Meadow Sweet to keep their scent from the hounds,Frakincence (my gift to them) and Basil which is favored by all Fey.One will be for their garden ,one I'll burn in my cauldron to keep the hounds from their realm on my property .As always one or two made tonight will be tucked away for the coming years use. After that will come fertility poppets for ritual use and also I have a friend trying to conceive .These will be filled with Mugwort ,Grape leaf, Apple Seeds and Rose petals.Finally I'll make a few "blanks" filled with only Mugwort to be imprinted with a purpose later.This year I planted a lovely Siam Basil to use .It has a pungent spicy aroma and lovely purple tops.This should make for a heady aromatic poppet that will surely please my Fey.

Right before I came in I picked a lovely sunflower for my Litha bouquet.Which this year is a perfect Sunflower ,Mugwort, and Corn .

So there you have it Blessed Day all ;)

By seed and by root, by leaf and by bud, by life and by love, we draw down the moon and begin the summer

* From "Worlds They Fall and Rise" by Mike Heron and Robin Williamson.

Lets Get Crafty..........A Hippy Witch's Garden For The Fey

2012-06-20T05:49:35.000Z

Ahhh Fairies beloved by all witches and especially dear to this Hippy heart.I was brought up by a mother that loved all things whimsical ,magical and Fey .She read it all to me... from fairies... to elves... to the Dragons of Pern ,this was her legacy to me .As Some of you know Ive been creating a Fairy Garden in memory of my mom Lola .Since this is an on going project (and will be so for the next year or so) I thought I'd share some of the goings on for those of you who might be thinking of making one.

First of all if your thinking of making one choose your spot and plan your plants accordingly.Most of the material out there will tell you that fairies are attracted to nature, not noise, so the space you choose for the fairy garden should be in a private spot.That is not altogether correct ,I have found that Fey

( just like us )come in all kinds some shy and some social.I have many great little nooks set up for my shy Fey throughout all my gardens ,small chairs,tiny cozy houses tucked beneath nodding flowers.But for this garden I'm creating a "Shire" where my social ( lol busybody) Fey can flit ,play and be all up in my business.It begins at my front door and sprawls down the steps where Momma loved to sit , read ,dream and chat and out into it's own private garden/play ground.

There is a lot of material out there that tells you what you should plant and in theory they are great lists.However I suggest you temper that with good sense .For the most part all the different Fey are custodians of the forest,meadows , gardens and glens.They will expect you to plant their garden full of what will grow best.For beginner gardeners an easy way to choose correctly is the following .......

If you have shade until 11 or 12 and then its Sun the rest of the day you need to plant full sun plants

If you have Sun until lunch and then shade plant shade lovers

Make sure you know how tall and wide your plants will get so each one can be alotted its perfect spot.Plan for something green or flowering each season so its never barren of a place of shelter for your Fey .Always plant some kind of night bloomer such as Impomoea "Moon Flower vine", Nicotiana alata "Flowering Tobacco or Cestrum nocturnum "Night Blooming Jessamine, these will attract such denizens as Sphinx and Luna Moth .A few white flowers sprinkled in with your colored blossoms may be unassuming in the day but in moonlight they shine ,glimmer and glow.

Never use chemicals of any kind in your fairy garden so bone up on organic ways to maintain it.In addition to plants, include things that will attract wildlife also, such as Bird ,Bat ,Butterfly or ladybug houses .Solar lights are dirt cheap these days ,their gentle glow will light your garden and delight the Fey by showing them you are a responsible custodian of their realm .

Water features such as a fountain , bird bath or water garden bring a calm fluid energy to the garden,attract Dragonflies to come and stay, while giving the Fey a cool spot to rest or play.

There are tons of rules on the Fey and how to treat them but I have found personally that some do not always apply or at least not with my residents.One of these "rules" is avoiding the use of any sort of decoration or container containing iron, as these are extremely unattractive to nature spirits hmmmmmm At my home they played with my things and hid them so damn often I gave them some of their own to play with including a tiny Iron Cauldron filled with Frankincense ,a seat, a Goblin Flame lamp to read by and a basket of lavender to scent the air. So my best advice on this is if they dont like it they will let you know forthwith. lolFey love to garden and if they are good sometimes I fill their little cup with lavender honey mead or Basil Seeds to munch so they know I appreciate them.

I have found they are a bit like crows, tricksters that love to play with bits of copper , crystals ,marbles,keys, shiny things...and once again anything of mine they can nab.They kept knocking my Besoms off the wall until I made them one of Mugwort, the same with my Dream Catchers and crystals once they were given their own mine were left be.

So there you have it a peek at "Lola's Garden Of Fey" as I finish new parts of "The Shire" I'll post pics I hope you have enjoyed the visit ! :)

Lets Get Crafty Recycling .......... A Peek At My Potions Containers

2012-02-11T16:52:10.000Z

A lot of people that view my many photos ask me where I get the cool bottles on my potions table.As I have confessed to you all Im an old hippy and practice my own brand of recycling.Recycling or "Upcycling" is a wonderful tribute to our Mother Earth and it dosnt have to be tedious or boring.I found years ago that I could incorporate this Earth friendly practice easily into my witchy life by making my own tools of my craft.Since Im a Hedge Witch during the growing season there is a wealth of herbs in my garden .Now a big part of them I dry ,but I also make potions and oils with them.This means Im always on the look for containers.Now alot of witches keep their things like this neatly orgainzed behind closed doors ,lol I like to look at my things and have them all over my home. All the cool containers you see Ive picked up at yard sales and thrift shops for very little.When I bring them home the first thing I do is cleanse them of any negative energies.If its glass ,it gets a good hot bath in salt water and Sage "just a few leaves tossed into the hot water will do the trick".If its Silver ,Iron or Aluminum I Clean it ,Smudge it with Sage and Mugwort and polish it up with a cloth and Sage oil.Next comes the fun cause then I "Witch them up" with Copper ,Crystals,Keys and whatever else I deem appropriate for the use its going to have.
The picture below is one of my personal containers as you can see its just a decanter that caught my eye at a yard sale.I nabbed it for 5 bucks (sans stopper) brought it home "Witched it up" with some Copper ,Amethyst and Tiger Eye...then filled it with a batch of my "Tangle The Bane Oil"

This next little sweety is awsome as I get duel purpose out of it.I picked up 3 of these vinegar and oil cruets at the local SPCA thrift shop I paid 3.00 for the three. I made this one for a friends birthday,I filled the large outer vessel with "Bane Oil"

Gemstone chips of Opal ,Pearl,Quartz and TigerEye fit perfectly into the inner coil making infusing their energies into my oil really easy.
Then I filled the inner coil with my personal recipie for peace ,self respect and inner contentment.This way both oils are infused with a bit of each other and the energies of the crystals...yet they are their own entity and can be used as such or mixed together to further personalize
the spell being worked ;)

Now the next two I am loving!They are Vintage 1960s "hippy pottery".When I found them at the hospital's thrift shop these babies already had a groovy laid back energy to them .Once again the cost was less than 5.00 for both.

These are works in progress I bought them because I'll soon have a big batch of Divination oil ready to be bottled.lol So of course I went there and had some fun. Soon they will both have eyes, a skeleton Key and some Moon Stone.

This Last Slender Beauty I bought for a dime Its filled with fresh Eucalyptus that as it cooks in the sun oozes the oil to the bottom of the bottle .Later I'll fill it with mineral oil and cap it .So there you have it a peek at how I get those cool containers Hopfully you will now look at yard sales with "Rivahhippy" eyes and score some cool things for your own cupboards :)

Lets Get Crafty ....A Yule Sheath

2011-12-21T04:06:26.000Z

So the clock is ticking down and I thought maybe some of you would be looking for a nice last minute project. Being a Hedgewitch and a gardener the soltice means the Sun is returning and soon enough winter will yeild to spring. To honor that I always have the freshest greenery my yard and garden will yeild.The lovely sheath Im showing you this time went across country to a Yule ceremony in Ohio and is now on a friends altar.Now most of the time I need only concern myself with How an arrangement looks or what purpose it will serve. This time I had to consider traveling across country in a trunk...hanging out a day or so ....then the celebration!My solution was to make the arrangement of things that easily air dry while holding their color and form.I started by laying down Pine, Bayberry And Rosemary in a loose fan shape.These are sturdy and will form the base on which I build.All three of these are aromatic and superb for protection.To this I added a few Cherry branchs , Contorted Hazelnut and Elm to invoke rememberance, fellowship ,well being and invoke the energies of the Goddess

Next came the sunshine yellow of my weeping cypress , my homage to the Suns return.

Layered on top of the Cypress, was the last of my brave Mugwort to invoke magic ,divination and stir up energy,

Fresh Lavender for serenity and healing ,and fresh Sage to protect and purify.

I finished up the sheath by tightly wrapping the stems with Hemp twine.It has to be as tight as I could possibly get it since as it dried it would lose mass and I didnt want it sloppy for the celebration.I used Hemp twine because like Mugwort its great for invoking divination.I finished it up with a whimsey made of crossed Holly and Oak ....I guess you thought I had forgotten the two important trees lol !These I topped with a slice of dried orange( again a token for the Sun) The ends of my twine easily threaded through the Orange and a square knot finished it up.Cut fresh and made like this an arrangment like this can last for weeks befor beginning to fade.As I said in the beginning this lovely is now across country on a friends altar and Im told it survived all the festivities looking great! So I hope Ive inspired some of you to take clippers in hand and do some creative pruning!

Have a lovely Yule!

Lets Get Crafty ....A Homespun Yule

2011-12-20T18:03:23.000Z

This blog is for those of you who are looking for a more affordable holiday.

Every year at this time Im look around and am saddened by the greed and commeralism that has over taken this wonderful season.Its all rush,rush , gimme, gimme and lets not forget the keeping up with apperances. For me Yule is the time of year where you give your best to other people.In my world that means I craft their gifts rather than give out Wallyworld gift cards.So while the bulk of the population are racing around going into debt.Im in the middle of finishing the many Yule presents that I make.I have to tell you this is not just a labor of love ...its a great deal of fun! I quietly listen and figure out what they want ,what they may not have and what will put a smile on their faces.First I craft and pass out the presents that are seasonal ,such as the groovy Crow Yule Wreath thats now hanging on my best buddies door (lol I cant wait for her to get home and see it!).Every bit of this was made or grown by me except the crow ,the twine and the beads.The wreath took a night to assemble and actual out of pocket exspense was maybe 6.00$

.Next came the Lavender (I had a great harvest this year so its plentiful) out of the Lavender I made pentacles ,smudge sticks,spell mix ,door swags ,talismen and even a sweet little besom.All of these are perfect for Yule gifts and it only cost me in time , twine and a bit of reclaimed copper wire.

Rosemary is an herb that easily grows almost everywhere so I know most of you have some in the garden.Since its the "Rememberance" herb,I always make some rosemary pentacles to give to friends who have lost loved ones over the year along with a nice sack of Sweet Marjoram and basil tea to ease the grief of the holiday without them.

These pentacles are really quite easy to make ,you might mess the first one up but after that they come easier and easier its just practice!

Lastly theres baking ....everyone on the list gets fresh baked cookies and a loaf of holiday bread .Now we allll know nothing says loven like something in the oven! This year since cash is tight I'm makeing Cinnamon Raisen Bread,Gingerbread and Peanut Butter Cookies with Jam prints. Yummy and colorful

I wrap them in tissue paper and tuck them into baskets I found at yardsales and refurbished over the summer.LOL Ive never had one of these baskets met with anything other than delight.This year I made 10 baskets full of comfort food and soothing herbs and spent less than 50.00 ,how awsome is that! All my friends look forward to their "Homespun" presents and I just know yours will too!

Cinnamon Raisen Bread

1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup warm water (must be between 110-115 degrees)
2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
3 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter , softened
1 cup raisins
8 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter , melted (approx.)
Directions:
1Warm the milk in a small sauce pan on the stove until it just starts to bubble, stirring occasionally.2Remove from heat.3Let cool until lukewarm, about 120-125 degrees.4Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside until yeast is frothy, about 10 minutes or so (make sure your water is at the correct temperature or the yeast won't activate.) Then mix in eggs, sugar, butter salt and raisins (stir in the cooled milk slowly so you don't cook the eggs.) Add the flour gradually to make a stiff dough.5Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for a few minutes until smooth.6Place in a large, buttered, mixing bowl and turn to grease the surface of the dough.7Cover with a warm, damp cloth and let rise (I like to let my bread rise in the oven with the light on. It has just the right amount of heat and keeps the bread out of drafts.) Allow to rise until doubled, usually about 1 1/2 hours.8Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle 1/2 inch thick.9Moisten the dough with 2 tablespoons milk and rub all over the dough with your hands.10Mix together 1 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons cinnamon and sprinkle mixture evenly on top of the moistened dough.11Roll up tightly (the long way).12The roll should be about 3 inches in diameter.13Cut into thirds, and tuck under ends and pinch bottom together.14Place loaves into well greased (you can use Crisco or butter for this) 9 x 5 inch pans and lightly grease tops of loaves.15Let rise in warm place, uncovered, again for about an hour.16Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until loaves are lightly browned and sound hollow when tapped.17Remove from oven and let cool on rack.18Take melted butter and spread over tops of loaves.19After about 20 minutes, lay loaves on their sides and remove from pans.20Allow to cool before slicing.

Lets Get Crafty........A CAUTIONARY TALE

2011-10-09T13:00:00.000Z

A CAUTIONARY TALE....
Every now and then I feel compelled to share a bit of practicle real world info I have aquired the hard way,this is one of those times.Ok now that I have your attention ,Im going to confess to last years' Samhain experience.Every year this time we are bombarded with the fact that Jack O Lanterns started off as turnips /rutabagers back in the day.The articles are factual,fluffy,and always accompanied by a picture of a carved pumpkin.Well me being me I decided it was time I made a real Jack. So off I went and found the biggest rutabager I could.Now comes the info all these people deemed unimportant and didnt include
so for any of you that might ever try this please read on.
First Rutabagers are damned hard unlike a soft pumpkin this fellow makes you work for it! There is no such thing as scooping it out ,you simultaneosly have to gouge the inards out ,hold the round slippery bastard down and avoid it shooting off the table and taking out your cup of coffee.Yes thats right Jack can and will take out your java if he gets the chance.But eventually I won and managed an ok face and even gave the inglorious frack a set of nice Oak branch horns.Since I wanted to do the "real" Samhain deal this was late in the afternoon on Samhain.I placed him in his spot of honor and as the last daylight slipped away I scurried around throwing salt setting a circle around my house and all those witchy things I do.At last I slipped into my home and lit all my many candles (Jack being the last )and settled in for my beloved binge of creepy movies.Here comes the other thing all those authors dont tell you.........candlelit rutabagers smell like Cat Piss!!!!! Now perhaps If I didnt have two cats I would have caught on quicker .But I do so my first thought when my nose picked up the wafting odor was to jump up and start looking to see where the hell the puddle was.Well I searched and searched becoming more and more frustrated because the smell was getting worse by the minuet!Finally I narrowed it down to one corner of the living room,armed with a rag and Lysol I started pulling out furniture to see where it was.You have no idea how dumb I felt when it finally dawned on me that the smell was radiating from Jack who was just watching and grinning. The point to this is ....there was a reason those were placed Outside the door and now that I know what it was so do you !!!!! lol

Lets Get Crafty.....A Mabon Offering , Fire Starters .....And More Willow Poppets!

2011-09-19T14:30:00.000Z

I had Mabon on my mind yesterday ,so I got busy with this. I make these for all my harvest celebrations ,the shell is to hold salt on Mabon and the tray with all of its offerings gets put into my cauldron and burnt.I paid a dollar for the tray ,everything on it is energy laden and very aromatic!
There are all sorts of things ......
Berried Cedar ,Mugwort,Wheat,Cypress cones,Rosemary,Willow,Bark from the graveyard Oak, Basil, Acorns and the center is filled with a dried flower spell mix of mine .The mix of dried flowers Oranges ,Cypress cones ,balsam logs of incense and Star Anise make a rich heady aroma ....

)0( Star Anise )0( Planet: Mercury/Jupiter Element: Air/Water Main magickal uses: clairvoyance, good luck, protection, psychic development Other magickal uses: consecration, contacting other planes, divination, exorcism, fertility, gain, invokation, justice, love, money, passion, preventing nightmares, psychic protection

After that was done I decided it was time to buckle down and finish up with the Willow I had laying around.While cleaning up all the Willow wood there were lots of bits left over.So I made some more healing poppets ,spell,bundles and some nice Willow runes for wreathes and such.The little bundles that look like brooms are fire starters ,they get put in a jar with sage oil for a day they taken out and allowed to dry .Everything else went into baggies for cauldron tinder ,you know "waste not want not lol ;)

My last task was to make my Dragonfly poppets,I call these little spells of mine poppets for lack of a better word .

The innards lol of my dragonfly are sweet marjoram ,graveyard oak,and snakeskin ground to dust .I use this one for three or four things....

first is the easment of grief or to ease someones passage through the veil.*Sweet Marjoram is my herb of choice for spells that ease grief*
Two is to invoke and honor the spirits of my ancestors on Samhain
Three to call dragonflys to me
Four any spell involving or invoking the element of water

and yes this little poppet works quite well for all these purposes plus a few more.

I hope you enjoyed a peek at my Sunday!

Lets Get Crafty With Talismen......Willow Healing Poppets And Balls

2011-09-17T23:21:08.000Z

I had to hard prune a huge Willow this week.All that Willow was too nice to pass up so for the last few days I've been up to my ears with it trying to make sure none was wasted.For starters I made up serveral bundles to dry for besoms.Then twigs and smaller branchs wrer bundled for cauldron kindling.Next I set aside the bits and ends for adding to spells once dry.Then came cutting the wood for wands and staves.Willow has a lovely pure whit wood and the bark is easily pulled off in strips while still green.In days gone by, strips of Willow were used for binding magical and sacred objects together. Besoms were traditionally made with an Ash handle and Birch twigs bound with Willow. Willow is one of the best water-divining woods. The most common magickal use of the Willow is for making wandsUse a piece of fresh Willow cut from the tree with appropriate reverence and ritual, or use a newly fallen piece which the tree has recently shed. You can strip the bark off and carve the wand with runic symbols to associate it with particular uses,or leave the lovely wood plain. It is easier to carve fresh wood and then let it dry out. When it is dry it can be polished with beeswax or oil to protect the wood if you want ,but even that is unnessesary.

Willow wands are used whenever there is a need to connect with intuition, dreams, seer-ship, visions and poeticly inspired writing or images. They are also used to deal with emotional numbness or emotional excess, or where there are negative emotional feelings which need to be worked through.

Like the wand, talismans and charms can be made with this wonderful wood ,sometimes using the natural shape of bits of the wood to suggest and inspire a carving.Another way is to take strips of the bark and fashion poppets or balls.The balls are nothing more than a mix of herbs you choose to suit your needs bound together with Willow strips,this infuses the little spell ball with the influence of Willow.The poppets are the same ,pictured here is a healing poppet ,in the center of the figure is a small piece of Sage and an Amethyst Chip wrapped in hydrangea leaf. Talismen may be worn round the neck or as a brooch, or carried in a pouch and kept close.They can be burnt ,buried or placed on your alter.The Willow has always been known as a tree of dreaming, inspiration and enchantment. It was associated in Celtic legend with poets and spells of fascination and binding. If you have lost touch with your dreams or wish to increase their potency, place a Willow poppet under your pillow when you sleep. You will find your dreams will immediately become more vivid and meaningful. The Willow is deeply connected to grife ,a Willow and Marjoram talisman near will insure that a person will be able to access all the levels of their grief, and be able to move through these levels to gain healing and inner strength.

Once I make my little spells up they go onto my alter to soak up all the groovy energies that are in the air.At this time if my poppets are for someone I give them their name,if they are just for use later I give them their purpose.Before taking down my circle I wrap them and tuck them safely into a box until trhey are needed

The Willow tree is known by many folk names: Osier, Pussy Willow, Saille, Salicyn Willow, Saugh Tree, Tree of Enchantment, White Willow, Witches Aspirin, Withe and Withy. Its deity associations are with: Artemis, Ceres, Hecate, Persephone, Hera, Mercury, Belili and Belinus. Its gender is female. Its planetary ruler is the Moon. Its associated element is Water. The willow is used to attract the powers needed for such things as: Protection, Divination, Inspiration, Healing, Fertility, Love, Grief and Death, and anything to do with the element Water.

Lets Get Crafty For Autumn.......A HedgeWitch's Harvest Centerpiece

2011-09-09T01:00:21.000Z

In my home I like my things to serve many purposes.So when I set my hand to crafting something for an Alter or a table I stay true to my nature.I love the Autumn season .With its chillier nights ,colors and smells ,you can feel the witchy energy flowing.I created this centerpiece to grace a home and honor Mabon,Samhain and the Autumn season.
It measures 15" across and is 12" in height so it needs space . Lol you cant really see this but its made in a shallow leaf shaped basket that has legs so the arrangment sits about 2 inchs off the table.Dried flowers are fragile so theyre safer cradled in the basket a few inches above it all.

I started by gluing a 6 inch wreath form into the bottom of the basket so my arrangment was secure.This gave me a frame to work with and something to hold my candle vase securely in place once it was finished . Im honoring second harvest , third harvest ,along with Autumn and Thanksgiving , what a task! It needs to invoke all the magics of those special days and blend with the changing themes that come with them. Only the best blossoms from my garden will do for this! So out come my boxes ,bundles and bags ,the search is on. After a frenzy of pulling in boxs my choices were finally made ........

Oak leaves were first on as the bottom layer . (because the leaves are large & sturdy)

Then came big drifts of Hydrangea .

The next "layer "was Lavender , Golden Rod ,Moss and Yarrow,these filled in the spaces and looked great while lending their powers to my mix.

I topped it off with fragrant heads of Basil .(to appease the fairies) Roses of all colors, Echinacea cones and the star like seed pods of Columbine.Yumm it smells divine!

To light this candle is to invoke happiness,comfort,love,protection and abundance.Not to mention how happy you make the fairies .And face it your headed into Samhain with fairies in the house you want them happy! So at last the basket is finished and my livingroom is a wreck!But my centerpiece ....Tis perfect for a Mabon /Samhain alter and makes a lovely centerpiece for the holiday table ;)

Basil – exorcism, love, protection, prosperity, wealth

Columbine – courage, love

Goldenrod – prosperity, money, divination

Hydrangea – invokes magic ,breaks hexes

Moss – luck, money

Oak – protection, health, money, healing, potency, fertility, luck

Yarrow – healing, divination, exorcism, protection, courage, love, psychic powers

Rose – beauty, protection, purification, love, psychic powers, healing,
divination, peace

Lavender – protection, call in good spirits,
love, sleep, longevity, purification, happiness, peace, healing

Lets Get Crafty....... Building A Witchy Harvest Wreath

2011-08-18T19:42:40.000Z

Here in my realm nights are a bit cooler and some plants are winding down for the year, autum is right around the corner .Lammas is behind me and now my thoughts turn to Mabon and Samhain the last of the harvest celebations.Harvest wreaths are a lovely way to honor the season and your dieties,they bring to your home warmth,abundance and protection from all in the long winter nights to come.There are few rules when it comes to making these ,your style is your own.They can be stark or lush, ribboned if you like.I like to put pentacles ,dreamcatcher and such in the center of my wreaths I like the energy it brings with them and it lends a second dimenision to the spell I weave when making them.

Now wreaths can be made in the ancient way where everything is hand tied these are wonderful but a bit daunting for beginners. For those of you who want to make your this way its very rewarding but quite time consuming so bear that in mind if you make yours within a sacred circle.However if you dont have that kind of time or experience Im here to tell you there is no shame in using a glue gun ,I love mine!The one rule I as a hedge witch hold as most important is "Know Your Materials".Before you start your wreath research the things you plan on using.You need to know what attributes and influences you are combining.Once you've done your homework (if you need notes make them!)gather your materials together notes included and get started.First decide if you want something in the center if you do that comes first.This time I chose a Septegram aka The Elven Star .I googled setegram images and found a simple image I could use for reference.I used a good size hemp twine to make my star with .I tied one end off and then wove the star.It may take a few tries because you want the spaces within the star to be the same size.Once that was done and tied off securely ,I came back and cinched the points of the star with Copper and added a quartz crystal to the center .So far Ive given this wreath the infuence of the septagram ,the hemp twine will invoke divination and the quartz will amplify all the different energies and send them out into the universe. Already this is a powerful ward for your home.Now I can turn my attention to adding other threads of influence to my work.I harvest all of my herbs and flowers from my garden so I had the luxery of plenty to pick from.Its best to start with the bigger things first and establish a base point from which your wreath can flow.I started with Oak Leaf Hydrangea blossoms Theyre big and make a lovely creamy ivory base that will blend all the many other things together .Hydrangea is great for protection,breaking hexes and invoking magic.If you want a full lush wreath dont skimp,more is better .

A lush wreath is multi -dimensional not flat so layer it on!After the Hydrangea came bundles of Lavender and Fern .I tucked into that Sorrel blooms,Bee Balm blossoms ,Lambs ear ,Artemesia,small pieces of contrted Hazel ,Trumpet vine seed pods and lots of wheat .I saved the top of the wreath until last and arranged the flowers and wheat to form a "Top knot" .There are Black Eyed Susans,Bee Balm,Lark Spur ,Catnip ,Rosemary ,again lots of wheat and a Pine cone.

All of these lovelies brought with them energies that celebrate the harvest ,honor the dieties and bring prosperity and protectiom to my home. After everthing was finished I took bits of blue Hydrangeas and tucked it in where there were holes that needed plumping out.You may notice that although this is a colorful wreath the color is concentrated in the topknot and then I echoed that color by scattering small colorful bits through out the wreath.This way the wreath was lush and colorful and I conserved my resources so I could make more than one .

I wish you all luck with making your own my dears ,have fun!............

The septagram is a seven-pointed star, a symbol of synthesis and mystery due to its links
with the number seven.In the Phylosophy of Equalization a seven-sided star can refer to the seven elements
of the universe.
In alchemy, a seven-sided star can refer to the seven planets which were known to
ancient alchemists.
A septegram's energy ivokes a whole list of thigs..........

,Power, Personal Will, Determination, Prosperity, Justice, the Gate.
Unconditional Love, Wisdom, Growth, Friendship, Healing.
Knowledge, Intelligence, Creativity, Sexuality, Awakening.
Harmony, Tranquility, Blessings, Love.
Powers of Mind and Science, Balance, Dexterity.
Devotion, Honesty, justice, Healing.
Magick, Success, the Gaian Hypothesis.

Three Great Plants to use for Lammas Spellwork

2011-08-02T18:32:17.000Z

Since Lammas is celebrated over the course of serveral days( I know some that are holding out for a full moon)

I decided to do a post on 3 really great and readily available plants to use in your Lammas spells.These may seem like common flowers to you or maybe even weeds,but as with all things they have some wonderful uses in spells ,especially those worked now.

Fennel is a beautiful plant. It has a thick, perennial roots, stout stems,it grows 4 to 5 feet
or more in height. The bright green or bronze fern-like foliage is so smooth as to seem polished.
The bright golden flowers are produced in large, flat umbels that are in bloom in July and August.
In the kitchen garden this ornamental, graceful plant, generally has its stems cut down to
secure a constant crop of green leaves for flavouring and garnishing.
But I always have some I dont cut because its truly lovly in full bloom.
Fennel will thrive anywhere. It is easily propagated by seeds, sown early in April in
ordinary soil. It likes plenty of sun and is adapted to dry and sunny situations, not
needing alot of attention or feeding.

Other than cooking, fennel has many uses in folklore and magick.
Roman soldiers chewed the seeds before battle to insure victory .
fennel is also said to build confidence and courage.British farmers
rubbed a mixture of fennel seeds, soap, and salt on the blade of their
plow to strengthen the land and encourage better harvests.It was thrown
at newlyweds instead of rice to invoke fertility.Hang fennel over
the doorway on Midsummer Eve to keep away evil and the seeds put into keyholes
will keep out ghosts.An infusion of fennel makes a good door wash to keep away intruders.

As a Mercury herb, Fennel works especially on the mind, it improves the memory,and is
especially good for helping develop one's magickal skills.

Fennel keeps away mundane evils too,ground fennel seeds were sprinkled around dog kennels
and stables to repel fleas. Fennel is sweet and warm, so Culpeper recommended it be combined
with watery foods (like fish or fruits) in order to balance them. It has long been drunk as
a tea for digestive purposes. You can make fennel tea by pouring 2 cups boiling water

over 2 teaspoons of bruised fennel seeds.

Morning Glory ,Ipomoea
(Poisonous)

Neptune rules this sprawling wild flower.
One of the toughest plants I know,this wild flower brings
clarity of sight and is said to cure nightmares.
Morning glory was used in the New World by native people for divination.
When the Inquisition in Mexico realized that the Aztecs did everything they
could to maintain their relationship with this plant, they burned many Indians
alive for possessing the seeds, which were often found together with a small statue of a god.
Morning glory is good to use fordivination and astral travel.
Its flower essence will smooth out nervous energy.Grown in the garden, blue morning glories
will bring peace and happiness.
In Hoodoo, the root of morning glory is called "High John" for a slave who refused to be servile.
It's considered a representative of the African trickster gods.
It is very concerned with borders,protection and binding.
This plant will get large when it's happy,make sure whatever it grows on is sturdy.
I have seen morning glories pulling down the trellis they are on. They grow best in full
sun to partial shade with well-drained soil of low to average fertility.

Sunflowers,Helianthus

Native Americans have been cultivating this plant for thousands of years.Its use predates
corn, beans, and squash.
Because of its strong Sun aspect,its connected to solar festivals and solar gods such as
Apollo and to the sign of Leo.This plant is good for building a healthy ego.
Connected to fertility women who wish to conceive should eat Sunflower seeds.
Like all Sun herbs, the sunflower is great spells of acquiring wealth and
creating a relaxed, comfortable happiness.
Sunflowers may be used as a bathing herb, to bring increased happiness into one's life.
They also attract joy to fill the emotional spaces where there is sorrow.
Sunflower Petals are used in spells for energy, protection, health, power, wisdom and wishes.
If you have a small wish cut a sunflower at sunset while making , the wish will come true
before another sunset.Sleeping with a sunflower under the bed allows you to know the truth
in any matter. Sunflowers growing in the garden guard it against pests and grant the best
of luck to the gardener.
Sunflowers grow best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. They should be planted
directly in the ground after the last frost and need protection from squirrels and birds.
Sunflower oil can be used to make homemade soap (though coconut oil is best)
Sunflowers can be used to extract toxins from the soil including lead, arsenic and uranium.
Simply plant them in the tainted area and don't eat their seeds!

Dieties You Should Know For The Eve Of Lammas

2011-07-31T13:30:00.000Z

The Eve of Lammas is a wonderful time for daytime spells,so I thought I'd take the time to give some of you a glimps of what I do to celebrate.

Frey
God of Sun
His element is fire
he has influence over the sun and agriculture
his colors are green and orange
his symbol is a sword
His day is Sunday

Freys' at his strongest on Lammas the best time to work spells concerning him is noon
and of course his planet is the sun.
)0( I have found that the best way to keep in this
Gods good graces and insure successful spells
using him is to offer him up lunch ;)And most certainly include
the niceties,such as fresh flowers.Yes those are bright
orange ditch lilies and they are just his color!!
Sunflowers and sunflower seeds can be used to appease this one also.
Never cast spells using him at dusk or dark .At dusk his power is waning
fast and after dark he's sleeping and thats just rude! )0(

Lugh The Long Horn
Celtic in his origins
his element is air
Lugh is associated with the planet Mercury
His symbol is the white stag
Ravens,Hounds and Stags fall under his influence
He like Frey is strongest now at Lammas
the best day to work spells involving him is
Sunday(wink wink nudge nudge today is Sunday ya know)
Anyone wanting to aquire a new skill should ask him!
He presides over lightning, the harvest, protection, healing,
the union of opposites, skill in any endevour, success,
victory, games, especially Fidchell/Chess, ball sports,
especially hurling, and by historical extension, hockey,
horse racing, commerce, the marketplace, shoes, journeys,
borders and boundaries, doorways, communication,
social contracts, and oaths.
If you have some deer horn thats a great thing to use for spellwork
or an altar concerning Lugh.Any grain corn ,wheat ,barley
any of them is a good addition especially for Lammas.

)0( ....since hounds and healing fall to him and Sunday is his day
I suggest some spellwork for any of you that have dogs wuith health issues....)0(