Tag Archives: garden

May 4, 2023 · 11:44 am

Beltane Wishes

Merry meet all,

Happy Beltaine!!!!! Beltane is the third of the three spring Sabbats. Flowers are in bloom everywhere here despite the cold snap.

I ordered gold fairy lights for the bookcase. I know that will look amazing. Stringing up the fairy lights is my next challenge. Scotch tape and push pins are my best bet, most likely. The fairy lights are eighteen feet long. I plan to use the fairy lights outside in the garden too. That will look amazing at night. I need to grow some flowers that bloom at night, such as moonflower! 

I finished gluing the moss to the entire bookcase- the side facing out. That is the side that everyone will see, so that gets the moss and decorations. I also kept to one colour plan- gold, browns, moss green, reds and oranges. That is basically the autumn colours but it could also represent the entire green growing season. I foraged, prepared and attached two more pinecones. By ‘prepared’, I meant cleaning the pinecones of any potential pests. I soaked the pinecones in cold water and vinegar for thirty minutes then baked them in the oven at 225% for almost two hours. The sap dried on the cones and they lay more flat. I glued them to the moss on the bookcase. 

I glued fake ivy leaves and pink flowers and leaves to the bookcase. I drew runes on to small round wooden pieces and glued the wood mini logs to the bookcase, leaves and moss. It looks so cool. The mini logs look like natural wood and may be created from real wood. I believe they are, and look like they were always there. I await the fairy lights. The faeries must be overworked today, because the delivery is taking a long time. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can’t wait for the frost to leave. I am so anxious to get my plants in the ground outside. The soil is deeper, leaving more room for the roots. They are exposed to the elements of earth, air, fire, water and Spirit. They can grow more strongly and as big as they want. It is still cold out. It is so hard waiting. I have a lot of work to do in the garden. I can’t wait for the cold snap to end. I need to clean up the garden, rake the leaves away, and move the spreading raspberry canes to a new home/ spot. They can take over there and would still receive sun. I need to buy several bags of soil and work that into the soil that is already there. I have to tidy up the garden supports. Then, once that is done, and the earthworms are up to the task of working through the soil, I will make my annual twice a year offering of cornmeal, honey and milk and pray to the God and Goddess for a bountiful and beautiful growing season. 

Then I move my seedlings outside to their new homes. This is the part that I look the most forward to. None of this can happen till the frost ceases. I want to grow datura from seed outdoors. It is a poisonous plant but witches are not supposed to be scared right? I also want to start it outdoors to protect my cat from it. I will regularly fill the bird feeder, stir up the compost and tend to my herbs and flowers and veggies. I can’t wait to get started. 

I know lovage will grow well near rhubarb. I plan to get a new lovage seedling from a garden centre. It is easier to start with a seedling and faster. I want to see how well the lovage will grow near the rhubarb. The elecampane main crown root had two new buds (or maybe more) and I hope new stalks come up this summer. I didn’t use the syrup so I won’t make more. The plant needs to get established and it is clearly trying to do just that. 

Once Jack Frost bids goodbye, I plan to be ready and armed with bags of soil and my new cute pink garden trowel in hand. I wish you all a lovely Beltane! 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

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April 3, 2023 · 1:35 pm

Magickal Spring Herbs )O(

Merry meet all,

I want to post a lot about herbs and gardening. It is my passion and my focus right now. I still love the paranormal and I will keep posting about that. I want to see my readers succeed if they choose to grow your own herbs for medicinal and magickal purposes. But magic and herbs skip together and have for thousands of years. I hope you enjoy the series of posts about how to grow the best most beautiful and magickal herbs ever. 

In other news, I am excited about spring! The next turn in the Wheel of the Year is Beltane! Everyone loves Beltane. I bought a new pair of green herb scissors, a cool grey watering can, a book about identifying plants titled Botany in a Day and a magazine about alchemy. My herbs, marigold and vegetables are all growing well. I transplanted the marigold plants, mugwort and calendula into new bigger pots- more room for their roots. They are happily growing by the windowsill. The radishes, carrots, tomatoes and pepper plants are doing fine. I added mycorrhizae to the soil. I am sure it’s benefitting the plants by helping them grow better roots. 

I grow my herbs and veggies with love and patience. I believe it really takes patience. That is the number one skill for a budding gardener/ herbalist to have. Patience. I watched a two-hour video about a woman who created nightshade ointments but it took her fifteen years to master the ointment making. She was dealing with poisonous herbs so I can see how it would take years of dedication and practice. That sounds about the right amount of time. She really knew her stuff. Wow I was so impressed. It has taken me a long time to master what I know now only to have to start all over again at the Herbal Academy. I have so much to learn and thankfully plenty of time to devote to learning it all too. I want to share what I learned with my dear readers!

She can be found on Instagram at bane folk! 

I signed up for a Foraging course at the Herbal Academy. I get two foraging pocket guide books that are a part of the course. I will be busy scribbling in the pocket guides too. I look forward to improving my foraging skills and learning new things. I have foraged elderberries, burdock roots, dandelion roots, goldenrod, St.John’s wort and other herbs but now I can build on what I know. 

I like to think that anyone who aspires to be a green Witch, a hedge witch, a kitchen witch or just learn about herbs in general, that the Herbal Academy is the place to be. I wouldn’t study anywhere else. I highly recommend them to anyone who is curious about the amazing world of herbs! 

I do believe I grew my plants too early this year. The squash and mugwort are growing quite big! They will take over the space soon. It’s only April. Next spring, I will start them in April instead of February. At least they get a longer growing season this way. 

I have a ticket to StokerCon and a ticket to the first Paranormal Symposium. I can’t wait for both events. I am a bit more excited about the Paranormal Symposium because there has to my knowledge never been one before. It takes place in October. I have a long wait but I know it is worth it. I have new books, Demons and Demonology by Rosemary Guiley, The Horror Trope Thesaurus, Writing Gothic Fiction and Writing in Deep POV. I will enjoy these books! I want to work on a new writing project so those books will definitely help me!

Enjoy spring!

Blessings Spiderwitch )O(

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March 11, 2023 · 12:17 pm

Spring Herbs

Merry meet all,

My indoor herb and vegetable seed starting project is progressing nicely. I love my grow light kit. I used to grow plants like herbs and flowers without a grow light. I don’t know how I ever managed. I will never go back to not using a grow light kit. It is amazing. I’m growing tickseed, parsley, thyme, Vietnamese Cilantro, onions, kohlrabi, carrots, radishes, calendula, celeriac, bunching onions, and winter squash. The seedlings are all arranged near or at my grow light kit. I love having a grow light kit. I will never go back to the old way. The parsley and thyme I bought in pots sit at a sunny window in my office. I bought a potted rosemary and arranged that near my grow light. 

I used seed starting soil, water and pots to start the seedlings in. I sprinkled mycorrhizae in the soil and Gaia Organics fertilizer. I sprinkle the seedlings with water. The window faces north but it is the only spot I can have them in that my cat Penny doesn’t disturb. I also have a few tablespoons of patience as this project requires patience. Seeds will germinate in their own good time. Then, once the seedling is up, it needs to receive all the care it can get. They can grow big, or small, wide or narrow, bright green or red, but whatever they do, they need a lot of attention and your time. 

Some plants may need supports or something to grow up on, to be trained on. Some plants grow leggy and stretch toward the light. Some plants need deeper soil. Some plants can take forever to grow into a carrot or a pepper plant. They are all individual green seedlings that depend on YOU. They depend on you for good quality soil, for their growing needs, for getting the adequate amount of light. Using a grow light can help take the load off a lot of the effort for you. Seedlings growing without the benefit of a grow light don’t grow as strong. I leave the light on for my grow light kit from about 7:00 – 8:00 am in the morning till about 9:00-10:00 pm at night. That means that my seedlings definitely receive the necessary amount of light. I mist them a lot during the day. The temperature is warm enough in my kitchen. 

I remove the weak seedlings and tend the strongest seedlings. A nod to Darwin here for his theories about survival of the fittest. I also label what I am growing. It is a good idea to know what you are growing! It is easy to label, you can make artsy labels or use something as simple as a popsicle stick for labeling your precious cilantro seedlings. 

The carrots and parsley were a real headache to get growing. Yes I did thin them out. I waited till the carrot seedlings were about two inches in height and arranged them into rows. I discarded the weak ones. Now they all have more space from each other and are growing their trademark true leaves. I misted them with water from my spray bottle and would gently water them from a measuring cup. I use toothpicks to support them as they grow up. A measuring cup is better than a regular drinking glass. It has that dip for pouring that I love. 

The carrots and parsley are growing in the deep pot for their roots shown in the photo. They were the hardest to get started but the hard work was worth it. 

I also use good quality seeds. I use organic, non GMO, heirloom seeds. Good seeds, good soil and good water and good tending make great seedlings. I watch a lot of videos on Youtube for good gardening inspiration. I store my seeds in their paper packets in a metal box. The seeds stay fresh too with a silica gel packet. I just rearranged the seeds. I store the herbs and flowers in one metal box and the veggie seeds in the other. 

The best tool in your toolbox is patience. They don’t get perfect overnight and grow overnight to their ideal size. They take their time. They grow at their own rate and they are fine with that, your green charges, oh yes. Cultivate patience as you cultivate your little green friends and they will try to grow their very best for you. I hope the tips in this post help you and inspire you to exercise your green thumbs. Happy growing!!

 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

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October 21, 2022 · 1:03 pm

Root work )O(

Merry meet all,

I was just out harvesting MORE dandelion roots. They are drying now on the kitchen cupboard. I’m buying another bottle of vodka soon and tincture the roots. Or maybe I will use brandy, no, I should stick with vodka. The alcohol acts as a natural preservative.

Dandelion, Taraxacum Officinale, is so good for your health that I really question why anyone wants to spray or kill it. Dandelion root is bitter and its actions are diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and it has hypeglyemic properties. “Dandelion root is a powerful diuretic, stimulating kidney function as well as the movement of bile from the gallbladder and liver. Folklore and scientific evidence supports the use of dandelion as a diuretic with intriguing possibilities that it may help with controlling blood sugar and inflammatory processes (Castleman, 2001). Due to its diuretic properties, dandelion may help PMS (Castleman, 2001, Hoffman, 2003) and, most recently, andropause symptoms (Noh, H-Y, 2013).” *Copied and taken from the Herbal Academy website. 

Digging up a dandelion root isn’t easy. Dandelion root, like yellow dock and burdock roots, have a single long stemmed taproot. I have gotten the hang of digging up the roots. If you don’t dig it up right, the root cracks. I ease my trowel into the soil slowly, and I take all the leaves and stems in one hand, then push the trowel in and around the root. Then I tug gently and the root leaves the soil. It is an art. Now you all know why I want to dig up dandelion roots. They are full of vitamins as well as the listed above benefits. 

I bring the roots home, avoiding the curious eyes of passerby, and fill a bowl with clean water. I dunk the roots in the water in the bowl outside, then empty the bowl outside. I bring the roots in and I scrub them clean with an old toothbrush. Soon I will chop up the roots and dry them on low heat in the oven. They can’t be left on the counter for long or they will mold and be tossed to the compost pile. All of those nutrients would be lost.  I have to store them and get the vodka then I plan to make the tincture. It will be amazing! You can dry the chopped roots in the oven on parchment paper at 350 F for thirty minutes. 

I already have a tincture of burdock root and dandelion roots tincturing. I plan to leave it for 3 months! But you usually wait 4 to 6 weeks or a full moon phase, if you want to get witchy about it! You can store the roots in the alcohol for a long time. Some people make dandelion tea or wine. I would love to try dandelion wine!

I’m harvesting the elecampane root tomorrow. It better not rain tomorrow or I may do it today after all. Today’s weather is overcast and clear. I have never done this before. I don’t want to kill the plant. I know how to harvest the root, I am just not experienced enough at it. I guess this is all part of learning to be a herbalist. I watched Youtube videos to see how it’s done. It will be fine. I will dry, chop and store the roots over the winter in a labeled dated jar. I love to get artsy with the labels too. 

Digging up a plant for its roots is killing the plant. In terms of elecampane, I hope to leave the roots or new buds for replanting. I have found an amazing article all about harvesting elecampane roots. I’m going to soak the roots once dug up to see the new buds. That will tell me I can successfully replant the elecampane. I have no intention of killing the roots. I just wish I had a pitchfork but my big garden shovel will work. I’ll use my boline to gather the roots I want to harvest. The rest goes back in the soil with a sprinkle of fertilizer. 

I still have to wash the pots, harvest the beans once they turn brown and hard, and make my offering. I am almost done my garden chores. I am sad and happy at the same time. I love the harvest but the harvest signifies the finale for my garden for the year. The rich gifts the earth blesses me with makes it all worth it. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

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October 18, 2022 · 11:30 am

Root, bark & berry )O(

Merry meet all,

I just went out for a walk on the trail shown in the photo above. I love going for walks on the trail. I really feel the Samhain energy in the air. If you look hard at the above photo, you will see what I mean. 

This Samhain, I am once again – ok always, flying solo. I am a solitary Witch. I do everything I want to do by myself. I am not all that alone though. I can feel the presence of Spirit on the trail and in my garden. I have harvested a ton of herbs, roots and berries this fall. I leave offerings of cornmeal, coins or gemstones. I like to maintain a positive relationship with the spirits that dwell here. I never see the spirits but I feel them around, peering around the trees, watching me as I stroll down the trail. I recognized a couple of witch hazels. I love witch hazels! The witch hazel is so beautiful in my garden this fall!

I have harvested a lot of dandelion roots, burdock root, elderberries, lemon balm, lavender, sage, goldenrod, asters, wild chamomile, oak leaves for cauldron ash, and leaves for pressing. I plan to dip the leaves in beeswax to preserve them. I made a lovely jar of dark purple elderberry syrup, asters, goldenrod and wild chamomile for tea. I found several red clover buds outside. I can’t stop bringing a nature item home with me. 

I’m leaving an offering of cornmeal, milk and honey on Samhain eve. I like to do this ritual in my garden in the spring and fall. I harvested a few witch hazel seeds from my tree but I plan to scatter them out on the trail. Since we lost an elderberry shrub to Hurricane Fiona, I’m going to propagate the elderberries this winter from a few canes once it goes dormant. 

I like to work in harmony with the nature spirits. I am the only one in the neighborhood who does, but I am pretty sure I am the only witch around here. I am so lucky too because the herbs, roots and berries I need for the Herbal Academy all grow in abundance on the trail. They were there all along and now I finally recognize them. It saves me lots of money. This weekend, I also plan to finally harvest the elecampane root! I can’t wait. 

I hope you all had a wonderful harvest this fall. Let me know all about it. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

 

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October 11, 2022 · 2:09 pm

Seeds, herbal torches and potions- oh my!

My witch hazel in bloom!

Merry meet all,

Don’t you love the month of October? I feel so much magic in the air. I have a pumpkin, a pot of bright yellow chrysanthemums outside, a jar of pumpkin spice, and witchy magazines to read this fall! Bring it on! I am ready. I hope you are too. 

It’s my goal to save as many seeds as I can from my garden this year. So far, I have saved Shasta daisy, elecampane, echinacea, tickseed, dill seeds, lavender, lemon balm, yarrow, marigold seeds and witch hazel! Yes I did save witch hazel seeds. The flowers of my witch hazel are shown in the photo above. The witch hazel seeds are glossy, slippery, and deep black. I have 5 seeds and in the spring, I plan to scatter them outside in the ground on the nature trail. Some seeds need the cold of winter to germinate. 

My witch hazel tree is flush with flowers. The whole tree or shrub I should say, is gorgeous. I have stored the seeds in jars and labeled paper envelopes. I have been feeling especially crafty in the last few weeks. I am REALLY bitten by the herbal bug. I’m brewing jars of burdock root + dandelion root tinctures, hawthorn cordials, gingered honey, and for the first time I made mullein herbal torches. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making mullein torches is easy. They were known as hag torches. Mullein grows wild where I live. To make the torches, cut and dry mullein stalks. Measure how long you want the torches to be. I have a small pot I have dedicated for melting beeswax in. So the torches are small. You can make your torches be whatever size you want. Melt a lot, like a LOT, of beeswax in your double boiler. You can add essential oils to give your torches a nice fragrance. I chose essential oils that correspond with autumn: cinnamon, clove, rosemary, etc. Dip the torch stalk into the beeswax to ensure they are fully and deeply coated. Sprinkle on herbs that correspond with autumn! Choose marigold petals, chrysanthemum, mugwort and sage. Press the herbs lightly down to make sure they stick. Let them dry on a wire rack. They make great offerings to Hekate! I suggest you burn them outdoors to avoid a fire in your home. 

October is not complete without pumpkins! I have half a pumpkin in my freezer, a squash to puree, pureed pumpkin in my fridge. I baked a lovely pumpkin bread which I enjoy with cinnamon butter. Yummy! I tried to make elderberry mead. It turned into a syrup. I will try again next year!

I have a recipe for Pumpkin Spice Herbal Latte. Mmm I am making it tomorrow and I can’t wait. I still have to harvest the elecampane root and wash the grow bag. Then I have to store the garden knick knacks, clean and sterilize my garden tools, and store everything away for winter. The garden lawn chair cushions will be stored in my Mom’s basement. 

I began nettle from seed in a large pot under my grow lights. I transplanted a few nettle seedlings into the garden. I believe they rooted which means I will get nettle next summer. I am very relieved the nettle is outside because it really does sting! I grew tired of being constantly stung by the nettle. Stinging nettle has its name for a reason. My mint is growing nicely in the pot along with what I believe may be mugwort and rue. They will overwinter indoors. I am not sure if rue would survive the winter. I am planting garlic this fall!

I stocked up on extra jars to hold all my herbs. I had a great harvest this year. In fact, my herb harvest was so successful it has led to me making a big decision about my garden. I am now not growing as many vegetables as I used to. I do better growing herbs. So herbs it is, it is a lot less effort, they are not as bothered by pests, and I don’t waste as many seeds. The soil is not that deep as I would like. The soil is very good quality but not that deep. Herb roots don’t need a lot of depth. 

Having a herb garden and such an abundance of herbs on the nature trail helps me financially. It would cost me a fortune to pay for all the herbs I require for the Herbal Academy. I could never afford it all. It is easier on my wallet for sure. I love living here and I consider myself truly fortunate. 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch 

Links of Interest:

How to Make Hawthorn Tincture

How & When To Prune Rosemary For Big, Bushy Plants

27 Garden Plants You Can Easily Propagate From Cuttings 

Homemade Wildflower Seed Bombs To Beautify Forgotten Landscapes

How To Prepare Your Garden Beds For Winter

 

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September 21, 2022 · 1:01 pm

Autumnal garden activities )O(

Merry meet all,

Tomorrow is the Autumn Equinox. It surprised us all  here in Halifax. The leaves are showing those famous fiery colors. The elderberries ripen on the stems, the queen Anne’s lace, goldenrod and burdock slowly go to seed. The sky is overcast here, and everyone is scrambling to get ready for hurricane Fiona. 

I was out in my rain soaked garden this morning. Slugs clung to leaves while wasps sipped pollen. This is a bittersweet time for me. The squash and tomatoes are setting fruit late this season, I am not sure why. It could be because we had a heatwave this summer. You would think that heatwave would have been beneficial for sun loving tomatoes but no. The tomatoes are growing now. Ah well. 

I have to put my garden to sleep for the cold winter ahead and I am sharing how I plan to do that in this post today. My witch hazel flowers late in the year. I love my witch hazel. I plan to buy a huge bag of soil and arrange the soil around the trunk, then I will add a big bag of worm castings into the soil to leave nutrients for the witch hazel. I might even buy some wood chips to act as mulch. I am trying to think of what else I can leave there as a nutrient rich compostable mulch for the roots to feed on all winter. I would have to remember to remove the wood chips because the lungwort blooms wonderfully under the witch hazel in the spring. 

The leaves cascade to the earth every autumn. I usually just keep the leaves there all over my garden all winter. They act as a natural mulch/ blanket that protects my garden during the harsh winter. I rake them away in the spring. I may sprinkle worm castings, bonemeal, eggshells and coffee grounds all over my garden. 

The leaves of the plants, the vines, flowers and whatever I don’t harvest naturally dies back. This is the most free natural compost ever. I have a wooden compost box. I will store the faded dead leaves, branches, stems in the box. Most of the foliage I leave where it is to act as a natural compost and soil nutrients all winter. I spread the soil I used to grow the potatoes over my garden. The soil was amazing! The soil was loose, loamy, obviously nutrient rich and dark black. I loved it and I am sure the garden did too. The rain washes away the soil so it was nice to add rich soil to the garden. 

I still have to harvest the celery, lemon basil, raspberry leaves, mint, tomatoes, healthy disease free witch hazel leaves and beans. The red flowers of the scarlet runner beans are growing so well now. The pollinators are busy. The beans also grow overnight it seems. The leaves I keep on the soil are a nice refuge for hardworking insects too. I’m letting the purple coneflower go to seed. The bees love purple coneflowers. The nasturtiums are still blooming, and I watched as a wasp visited one fiery nasturtium bloom this morning. The wasps built a nest on the inside of the shed door. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I harvested the beautiful Chinese lanterns in the photo above. I am amazed at how rich the colours are. I’m waiting and hoping the calendula blossoms soon. I have no idea why it takes so long. I harvested and pressed the lovely yellow heliopsis and I have pressed many other flowers. I want to make a Samhain/ autumn candle lantern like I did with the  Summer Solstice lantern. I want to paint the jar a rich deep Burgundy colour so the autumn colors really pop out. Yup I think it will be gorgeous. 

Pressed purple coneflower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still have to harvest the elecampane roots, seeds and flowers. The stalk is turning brown. I will harvest in October. 

I have recipes to make elderberry mead, hawthorn cordial, elderberry syrup, cranberry sauce . They are perfect for guarding the health of your immune system all winter. Winter is known for the time when colds, flus and illnesses spread. Those recipes are sure to boost your immune system! Elecampane has inula in the roots. I can’t wait to harvest elecampane and feel like a true herbalist. I have harvested mullein root, and I want to harvest dandelion and burdock after a cold snap. The winter squash has a flower now. I don’t understand why it waited till now but plants follow their own calendar, not the calendar we impose on them. 

Elecampane

 

What to Forage in Fall: 30+ Edible and Medicinal Plants and Mushrooms

I’ve included the recipes here for your own convenience. I hope you try them and let me know in the comments below how it went. I am available here if you have any questions on how to make herbal remedies to guard your health and your family’s health this coming fall season. Now is the time to stock up on ginger, onions, elderberries ( remember: they are not edible raw!), echinacea tinctures, etc. But more on that later! Blessed Mabon to everyone! Or, if you prefer, Happy Autumn Equinox! 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

How To Clear The Garden In The Fall – What To Do With Your Plants & Soil!

How to Make Elderberry Mead

https://theherbalacademy.com/homemade-bug-bite-salve/

https://theherbalacademy.com/homemade-fire-cider/

https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-cough-syrup/

https://theherbalacademy.com/foraging-goldenrod/

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August 30, 2022 · 11:51 pm

Our Paranormal Future

Merry meet all,

Do you feel it in the air? Do you smell it or taste it in the water? I do. I know many others do because they told me online. But try to feel it in the air. I am talking about this change, something heavy in the air. It is not always heavy but I think that it represents a change, not necessarily for the better. 

I sense a change in the air. It is transitioning to autumn, fall. Yes Samhain approaches. (Which means I need to get my shit together but that is another topic). I just feel like a darkness is coming over the world. I think it goes beyond the Goddess is pissed at us for disrespecting the earth on such a huge global scale. I think that that is part of it. I would be called crazy for talking about this stuff but I can post this here. 

Ok so… I believe we are going to see a lot of change in the near future. If you don’t believe me or in the paranormal, then go read up about Skinwalker Ranch. I do. I also believe that the paranormal has something to do with it – the aliens which I believe exists, and the spirits roaming the earth now also know about the change. Of course, they are just waiting around for us mortals to figure it all out. I not only believe that but I feel it. I imagine or understand it as a darkness growing over the world, like some people say the devil is having his way. 

I sense that if people are being good to the earth that they might survive. If someone or an organization has harmed the earth like the destruction of the amazon rainforests, deforestation, etc, then they are not going to be fortunate. The evil companies will drive us toward a mass destruction of our planet. I don’t even use pesticides in my garden. I did catch a Japanese beetle in a jar from my garden. I tossed the jar in the dumpster. But if I did use pesticides, that would throw off the balance in my garden. Balance can’t be touched or tasted or felt but it exists. I keep a balance in my garden. I grow nasturtiums which attract aphids. That draws the predatory insects to the aphids. I grow the nasturtiums because I know that some bugs want to eat the aphids such as ladybugs. I keep a balance. It keeps the insects out of my apartment and keeps them productive in the garden. I have a beautiful thriving garden.  I work with the energies and the land spirits that are already there. I also offer gemstones, coins, honey, milk to the spirits in the spring and fall. I give thanks to the spirits and the Goddess/ God for the beautiful garden I have. The gratitude I show ensures I can have a good harvest and that they will continue to help me. 

I think we should all hit the pause button and reflect deeply on not what the paranormal is about but why it is suddenly the hottest thing to hit social media. Why is it so huge right now? I believe that it has something to do with what I mentioned above. This is a good time to strengthen relationships with your chosen deity or gods that you follow. It is a good time to strengthen relationships with your mortal friends too. 

Aliens, UFOs, crop circles, cattle mutilations, poltergeist activity etc are so hugely popular now. I am on the fence about Bigfoot but I would believe in aliens way more than Bigfoot. I know that social media connects us globally. We can now have information at an unprecedented rate now and faster than ever before on earth. We all communicate globally within mere seconds or minutes. So this is why we all know so much about the paranormal and many other things of course. I am terrified about aliens. I don’t want to think that they exist. 

The greed, corruption, the huge demand of the earth’s resources, violence, crime, war (Ukraine, anyone?), and apathy sweeping over the planet now is not helping anything. It casts a dark shadow  over the earth. I don’t know what happened in Skinwalker Ranch that ignited all that activity occurring there but it is a great example of what I am talking about here. We have to remember that we are not in control of the earth like we want to believe. We need earth but she doesn’t need us. We can’t live anywhere else. I have zero intention of leaving earth and moving up the stars – where the aliens are watching over us. I serve the Goddess, she doesn’t serve me. I was meant to be here on earth. This is how it works for me. 

Not everyone believes in these things. But for those that do and that includes me! The paranormal is so hot right now. I feel that something is coming, and I also feel that whatever that is isn’t good at all. I mean if all this crazy stuff is happening, there has to be an explanation for it all and that explanation might make you uncomfortable. I am still feverishly curious. You have to admit this is all cool. 

I would love to see all your comments on what you think this is. It is ok to be a skeptic! It’s ok to believe. It is real cool when skeptics become believers. Be good to the earth, be good to your fellow man, and be good to yourselves!

I love this blog post and I have posted a link to it. It affirms what I believe. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2016/06/the-otherworld-is-bleeding-through.html#disqus_thread

I enjoy this post as well: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2016/11/the-veil-is-shredded.html#disqus_thread

Here is a cool link to a paranormal post about Skinwalker Ranch: https://youtu.be/cxjHba9OO0I

Whatever transpires for us in our weird paranormal future, let’s hope it is for the best of all mortals and animals -or amphibians out there. I do sense a darkness coming. It is good to remember from time to time that change is good and that as long as we maintain the balance of life,  we just may be fine. I hope I am wrong but I wouldn’t be shocked if I was right. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

 

 

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August 7, 2022 · 2:28 pm

Herbal Book )O(

Merry meet all,

I tried my hand at bookbinding. I want to tell you all about in this post. It turned out real well. My cat is seated on her favourite, well she loves all the rugs, and trying to keep cool in this infernal heat. I will tell you how to bind your own herbal book. As most of you know, I’m studying at the Herbal Academy. I don’t know how you all feel but I hate binders. They are so mundane. The bound book includes the lessons from the mini courses – Botanical Drawing and Flower Pressing –  I took at the Herbal Academy. 

Now I’ll tell you how I bound a book brimming with beautiful flower illustrations & photos, and of course, butterfly stickers. I borrowed that curved needle from my Mom. I don’t know what you call it but it is for book binding. I bought all the supplies I would need, such as a large bottle of glue, paint brushes, bookbinding cloth, endpapers covered in butterflies- it’s truly beautiful. I also obtained a meter of dark forest green broadcloth from the fabric store, a bone folder, and linen thread.

I laid down newspaper onto the table. Glue can soak through anything and make a real mess. Newspaper, paper towels are great for keeping things clean. The book covers are 9 x 12″. The pages are 8 1/2 by 11′. I like the way it turned out. I deliberately wanted the covers bigger just to be on the safe side. It is better than too small to fit anything. I also returned the small needle to my Mom and end up using ribbon to secure the pages. 

The pages for the book were already printed out. A few things went wrong as I began the project. I poked tiny holes into the pages on the wrong edge of the paper. The linen thread broke too easily. I felt down right intimidated by the project. I kept hearing that nagging inner voice to work on the book but I resisted. Finally I caved in and found an alternative to binding the pages together. Ribbon! That was much easier on me. I already had a beautiful purple ribbon. I dug it out and put three hole punches in the pages. By now, the pages have the tiny needle marks and the three hole punches in them but I didn’t care. This book is for me and that is that. 

I punched the three holes in careful to keep all the pages aligned. I had a total of 150 pages. Then I wound the ribbon in. I tied tight knots and dabbed a small drop of glue on the ribbon knots to ensure they never come undone. I lit the ends of the ribbon with a lighter so they never fray. Ok now that the pages were secured, I moved onto making the actual book covers. I had already glued book binding cloth onto the two book covers. I cut out the spine of the book which measured about 2 inches. I cut the green cloth to size. One thing here about book binding: leave nothing to chance. Measure EVERYTHING. You will thank yourself later. 

The spine wasn’t already covered in fabric. I found a white cloth which I ironed and laid it out on the spine. I glued the cloth to the spine piece. I have a cool little yellow tool for spreading glue. I have no idea how I lived without it. It sure comes in handy. I covered the spine of the book with the white cloth and glued it to the spine of the pages. I let it dry but I did use my yellow stick to smoothen out the glue. The book binding cloth was a lighter shade of green than the fabric for the outer covers. I didn’t mind because it will never show. I smoothed the edges of the dark green cloth over the book covers. I did opposite ends first and I used a lot of glue. Like I mean a lot of glue. The glue will soak through the fabric so it is good to have what is under the book to not be too absorbent. I smoothed out the glue to prevent bumps or puckers. I let it dry. 

Then I glued the spine of the pages to the spine of the book covers. I laid the book – insides facing up, and I kept the pages in place with two peanut butter jars. I did that so only the stuff I want glued together is glued. I left it all to dry for several hours. While I waited, I made a herbal bookmark. I had some endpapers left over from the book. You can see the print on the inside book covers in the picture. 

To make the bookmark, I glued the printed endpaper to a piece of cardboard with a glue stick. I gathered lavender and rosemary and glued it with Mod Podge to the cardboard.  I hole punched a hole in the top of the bookmark. I left it to dry. Leaving these types of projects to dry overnight is best. It takes patience to complete these projects. It is worth taking the time to do them carefully. They turn out much better than if you rushed it. 

Now the book is done! I suspect the pages are not in the correct orders & there are pages I didn’t expect that are glued in but it is all trial and error. It still looks beautiful. I love it. This book is a treasure to last for years to come. I am so grateful to study at the Herbal Academy. 

However, the glue stains show on the outer book covers. I will find something pretty to hide that. The book is bound and I love it. I hope this inspires you to create something too. 

I was busy with herbal recipes in my witch’s kitchen yesterday. I brewed a jar of rose elixir. It involves honey, rose petals, lemon petals and brandy. The potion will steep for a month. I am sure it is worth the wait. The potion in the labeled jar looks beautiful. The herbs are growing amazingly in my garden. The beans are growing well and my cucumbers. I wish the heat would go away because the pumpkins and tomatoes haven’t set fruit and I am getting worried. I deeply watered the garden this morning. The heat will be unreal today. 

As I type here, sipping mint tea, and forever grateful for the fan on, I want to express my gratitude for the bounty of nature around me. I cast a spell to have this apartment and nature was on the list of things I wanted. I love living here. I can’t wait for the insects to be gone though, mainly the mosquitoes. Yeah they can go – and the wasps. August is the spiders month. Once August rolls around, there are spiders EVERYWHERE. 

Merry Lammas !!!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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June 27, 2022 · 12:00 pm

Summer Herb Crafts

Merry meet all,

There is so much exciting news.  The sequel to the long- awaited Stranger Things Volume 4 episode is a few days away. That and summer is here. What could be better? Yeah summer’s here. My garden is almost in full bloom. We’ve had serious rain for the last few days. On the plus side, it helps my garden grow. Plants don’t have to reach so deep for moisture. I prefer the sun though. 

I just found some mandrake and elecampane seeds! Ok now for a planter and soil. I hope that this is the year that the elecampane flowers in my garden. I want more elecampane plants. Elecampane is a medicinal herb. It has been used for its medicinal qualities since Ancient Greek and Roman times. It is used for respiratory health. I love my elecampane plant. However, this herb demands patience. It has taken a few years for it to get big and not one flower yet!

I plan to start plant spirit Magick this summer. I began reading the book Entering Hekate’s Garden: The Magick, Medicine and Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft by Cyndi Brannen. I can’t wait to learn from it and try all the rituals. My cat Penny is perched above the bookcase, gazing out the window, just doing what cats do best. 

I’m enjoying my herbal studies. I finished the Fairy Home. It’s enchanting and oh so cute. I made a Summer Solstice lantern, and I am pressing sage, violets and lavender in my flower press. I just checked on my garden which is growing just beautifully. I just love this time of year. I am not so sure I love all the insects but that can’t be helped. I have a garden and they are part of the territory. 

I want to buy a beautiful leather binder from Etsy. I want to use the binder to store my Materials Medica in, my herbal monographs. I don’t want a boring binder. It says nothing about the Materia Medica. I just found a beautiful one on Etsy. I sure hope it is available tomorrow. It’s perfect. Leather can stand the test of time. I hope it would be big enough to hold all the papers I have. I want something magickal, witchy and beautiful and that binder is perfect. I am really enjoying the Flower Press course at the Herbal Academy. 

The Herbal Academy has changed my life. I don’t regret it. I can’t believe how much I have learned. It was not what I expected but I can go with that. I hope to get a good career out of this. I would still do my writing. Maybe I can write more about herbs for magazines or something. I will figure something out. I may even make gift cards with the flowers I press. I could make the gift cards out of homemade paper. I have a mold and deckle. That would be one way to make money. I told my Mom to save all her shredded paper. 

Happy Summer!

Blessed be, Spiderwitch

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