Tag Archives: healing

June 25, 2026 · 10:43 am

Origins of The Cult of the Spider People )O(

Greetings Darklings:
Today I want to blog about the upcoming publication of my spider-infested novella, The Cult of the Spider People. Twisted Dreams Press is republishing it this August. That is not far away! I am so happy. The cover is shown in the large photo above. 
Today’s post will be about the inspiration behind the creepy story, why I wrote it. That’s an interesting story in itself.
It is hard to believe it has been about three years since the book was published. How time has flown. At that time, I was distraught. My boyfriend and I broke up, and the coven turned on me. Ouch. They sided with him. Double Ouch. I was miserable, and I missed the company of my coven.
Before we broke up, I had a portentous dream that he would leave me. In the dream, I saw him literally leave me at a bus terminal. I was so upset that morning, and when I walked into the kitchen and saw a broken glass sitting in the sink full of other unwashed dishes, I was like, what’s going on here? The broken glass he bought me was significant because it was the second sign from my spirit guides. The dream was a warning of a future event. Sure enough, he did. I was devastated. Breakups are bad enough without such portentous dreams thrown into the brew. When he did leave me, it happened at the bus terminal I saw in my portentous dream. Wow. My spirit guides warned me and wanted to protect me. I didn’t want to admit it. They may have thought they were helping me by warning me, but it only made me feel worse. I can’t blame them, though.
One night at home, not long after that experience, I received a flash of inspiration about a pagan cult of spider people. I found a blank journal and fiercely began writing. I didn’t know what I would write, I just went with it. I guess that if I had not met him and the coven, and endured that terrible heartbreak and found a way through it, I would not have written the story. I wrote the entire draft by hand. I left it alone, and then I returned to it. The first draft was a mess. I thought it would be impossible to edit it, but mercifully, I found a good friend, Stephanie Ellis. She helped me whip it into shape. 
I also healed my heart. I may have healed my heart by writing the book. Now we are talking real heartbreak here, not just something that went away in a day or two, like a short-term flu. No, I was writing the story by hand in a blank journal that would soon be full of all my musings, with tears in my eyes. Writing can be cathartic. I purged my suffering heart of all that pain. I am not encouraging my dear readers to get their hearts broken in order to write a novel, but the heart is powerful, and that is a lot of passion to pour into a story. That is what you want to aim for, the passion, the why behind the what, that is what you do. Hold onto the passion and your enthusiasm for a story!
You need to be prepared when such inspiration strikes! Obey that fierce instinct. Give in to it. See where your pen takes you. You must be as original as possible in today’s publishing market. The blank journal that I wrote the original draft in contains drawings, research on spiders, the story, definitions of the parts of a spider’s body, pictures I found of spider people that resembled the spider people in my story and character sketches. I will save it forever.
I suppose that by creating the vicious, bloodthirsty spider people, I demonized the witch coven that betrayed me at the time. Well…. I don’t feel too bad about that. I do hang out with the nicer coven members now. I don’t care for my ex. But he was a huge part of the inspiration for my novella. I hate him, but I don’t regret writing the novella. I see him around at the coven gatherings, but I don’t talk to him.
That must be why I have such a hard time writing the sequel. I did not remain in that dark emotional/ mental space. I healed. It feels different now every time I sit down to work on the sequel. It doesn’t feel the same. I ask myself how I created such scary characters and Piper, the heroine of the book, but when I reflect on my past experience, I think I know. Inspiration comes from strange places. 
My advice is to keep writing. When it feels good, when it hurts, and when you are so angry or in a bad space. You never have to show anyone. You don’t have to edit it to death – unless you want to. Use your emotions, your bloody, beating heart’s rants, and pour it onto the page. Throw salt over your shoulder, plant lavender by your front gate, and fall in love whenever you can! See where your passion takes you! 
I am happy that Twisted Dreams Press will republish my novella in August. That is so close! I shall post more here about The Cult of the Spider People in future posts. Dare to return to spidery shivers and web-crawling terror! I love the world I created, the characters that live in that world and the whole story! I just can’t wait till August 3rd! I know that there are few publishing companies that are willing to republish a book, and that is another reason to be excited! 
I am counting down the days until the release date. I am so excited. My other novel, The Mourning Tide, is slated to be released in October. One more amazing reason to celebrate Samhain! 
Signed copies are available upon request. The copies are print copies, not ebooks. I can mail a copy to you, if you wish. 
Blessings, Spiderwitch

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July 7, 2023 · 4:15 pm

Summer Offerings

Merry meet all,

Oh the heat! Halifax is literally a hot cauldron- and I am planted in it! There is no escaping it. What a heatwave. 

I just harvested some St. John’s wort from a fenced in wildflower patch. I was so happy to have found it. As soon as I saw the sunny flowers, I knew it was true St. John’s Wort. I went back to my Mom’s place, I returned and cut some stems and flowers. I had to reach in to cut the flowers and it was a bit awkward but I managed. When I pulled my left arm out, and I eased the flowers through the bars of the fence, I noticed my left arm was bloodstained.  Before that, I squished the flower petals in my fingers. The flowers released a red juice on my right hand.  I have no idea how my left arm was wounded. I barely even felt it. I may have been bitten by an insect. 

I returned with an offering to make nice with the spirits there who clearly don’t know me. I hope they accepted the offering of oats. Most people don’t understand the reciprocal relationship I have with nature spirits. They have been very generous with me. I usually leave offerings at the nature trail where I live. I am staying at my Mom’s right now. They love it when someone leaves an offering. It is a way of showing respect and caring. 

I noticed that two white onions had long green stems! I cut them each in half and noticed they wanted to keep growing. I looked at the red onions ( though they are coloured purple), and one of them showed a green tip. I cheered up because that means it will grow into a big lovely red onion bulb. I couldn’t ask for more. 

I hope my garden survives the heatwave. I bought a big green pepper plant, a tomato plant, and red onion starts. I was hoping to grow potatoes. It is too late in the year to start now. I can grow other things though. I am using straw as a mulch this year. I think it is working.! I hope it keeps away the slugs. Today I added fertilizer, mycorrhizae, and sand to the soil in a burgundy coloured rectangle shaped planter. I mixed it all well then watered the soil then I added carrots seeds. I will have to thin them out later. I hope this works. The carrots are small. The planter is not very deep so that works out. I am determined to grow carrots. I did it once- indoors! Outside, the carrots are exposed to all the elements- and hopefully not pests. It’s a challenge but worth it. I also noticed that my bean seeds have germinated or are starting to! I want to wait to add in a support thing because I don’t want to hurt the roots. Once the vines reach a few inches, I will then add the supports to help the vines grow upwards. 

With luck and some effort, I should hopefully get to harvest celeriac, tomatoes, peppers, kale, red onions, the white onions I planted, and of course, the herbs. I also planted a pumpkin seedling, celery, and onion starts in the grow cloth bag. I added straw mulch to the bag. The veggie seedlings are getting plenty of sun too. I sprinkled in fertilizer today. I also finally was able to add soil to my compost pile. I hope that makes a difference. I now have a proper compost pail. 

I made lotion bars with marshmallow root and a few other herbs. They turned out beautifully. I strained the remaining marshmallow root herbal oil into an amber coloured glass jar, labeled it and left it on the kitchen table. I had bought an extra amber coloured jar. I now realize I didn’t need it. I had strained the oil from the herbs for the witches flying ointment. I just haven’t made the actual ointment yet. I shall do that soon. 

Homemade marshmallow root lotion bars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah my work is never done. It is so hard to move in this infernal heat. We had a ton of rain but my poor garden probably still needs water. I am staying hydrated too. 

Have fun, drink lots of water and enjoy summer!

Spiderwitch 

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July 3, 2022 · 4:12 pm

Herbal dry cough syrup

Merry meet all,

If any of you are worried about contracting Covid, or are just guarding your health for your own reasons, here is a beautiful herbal remedy. I love this cough syrup. It should have a shelf life for a year. 

Ingredients:

  • Elderberry tincture – a preservative
  • hibiscus, dried and ground in a mortar and pestle
  • horehound, dried and ground in a mortar and pestle
  • echinacea root, decocted, dried and ground in a mortar and pestle
  • liquorice root, decocted, dried and ground with a mortar and pestle
  • 1 cup of honey
  • 1 quart of water

”

Herbal Cough Syrup Recipe for a Dry Cough

Herbal Cough Syrup Recipe for a Dry Cough | Herbal Academy | This herbal cough syrup recipe containing demulcent herbs is just wonderful for soothing throat tissues during a dry cough or sore throat.

A dry unproductive cough can be caused by irritation such as dry air, smoke, allergens, and pollution, or develop during a respiratory infection. Worst of all it can be really uncomfortable, disrupting sleep, work, school, travel, and other activities, and can cause a headache or a sore throat that lasts. A dry cough and sore throat will perpetuate each other. For soothing relief, I will share with you how to easily prepare your own homemade cough syrup recipe, including moistening, inflammation-soothing, and demulcent herbs.

These herbs come to your aid in a dry cough when natural protections like healthy mucosal production are lacking and the throat feels dry and scratchy. So, instead of suppressing the coughing, this herbal cough syrup is helping to reduce the irritation causing a cough so the coughing fits aren’t so painful and become more productive. The demulcent quality can also support natural healing in many cases!

dried herbs and honey ready for dry cough syrup recipe

Herbal Allies For A Dry Cough

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root, marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) root, plantain (Plantago spp.) leaf and seed, and hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) calyces are all demulcents. The slippery nature of demulcents contributes to and influences the quality of mucus even when it has become sticky, dry, and stuck, helping to unstick and thin the natural mucosal layer, making it more functional and protective. This effectively makes demulcents expectorant too!  This is particularly supportive in a dry cough or when there is an urge to cough but no cough is present. In these cases, mucus may be present though it is too thick, hardened, and inert to elicit a cough—or too thick and sticky to expel effectively by coughing. These herbs can also be used to reduce the impact of airborne allergens and other irritants, such as smoke or pollution that often occurs in densely populated areas. 

Licorice – Glycyrrhiza glabra (root)

The Genus name, Glycyrrhiza, is of Greek origin, with glykys meaning “sweet” and rhiza meaning “root”. A well-suited name for this herb!

Licorice is a sweet, neutral, and moist root that restores, relaxes, and softens. Polysaccharides in the root contribute to its soothing, demulcent quality. Licorice also has anti-inflammatory properties making it ideal for afflictions that are hot and dry, such as sore throats related to bronchitis and dry coughs. 

Licorice may also act as a broad-spectrum antiviral that either prevents a virus from entering cells, directly kills a virus through a variety of mechanisms (e.g., stops replication, inhibits growth), or stimulates the immune system to attack a virus.  

Glycyrrhizin, its most noted antiviral constituent is also 50 times sweeter than sugar and gives licorice its sweet taste. (Buhner, 2013)

Safety: Licorice should not be taken long-term (more than 4-6 weeks) or in high doses (Buhner, 2013). Licorice can induce a drop in potassium, leading to high blood pressure, and weakness. Those with high blood pressure, heart, liver, and kidney disease, diabetes, and pregnant women should not use whole licorice. 

infusing herbs in a jar for cough syrup recipe

Marshmallow Root – Althaea officinalis (root)

The demulcent, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and emollient properties of marshmallow have long been in use to soothe inflammation and sore throats (Whelan, n.d.). Nowadays herbalists still value this demulcent for supporting mucosal membranes. Additionally, the German Commission E, a scientific federal medical advisory board, has approved marshmallow root for oral and pharyngeal mucosa irritation and dry cough (Hoffmann, 2003).

Plantain – Plantago spp. (esp. P. lanceolata and P. major)(leaf)

This seemingly lowly little weed, ubiquitous in disturbed and compacted soils around the world, has a surprisingly broad range of uses! Among these many uses, plantain is a powerful ally for lung health, helping to soothe inflamed and irritated airways (Gray, 2011). 

Hibiscus – Hibiscus sabdariffa (calyces)

The calyces of the luscious hibiscus plant are both astringent and demulcent, making it juicy and yet tonifying, supporting the functions of our natural barriers in a balanced way.
Besides that, it comes with a rich supply of antioxidants, including polyphenols, rutin, and anthocyanins, and has a lovely fruity taste, therefore rounding out the syrup recipe perfectly (Groves, 2016).

dry cough syrup recipe in a jar with dried herbs on table

Homemade Cough Syrup for a Dry Cough

An herbal syrup is prepared by combining a concentrated decoction and/or infusion with honey. The honey works well for any kind of cough and increases the shelf life of the decoction. Also, honey increases the palatability of less tasty herbs. Children especially find syrups to be delicious!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root, dried
2 tablespoons marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) root, dried
2 tablespoons plantain (Plantago spp. (esp. P. lanceolata and P. major) leaf/ seeds, dried or fresh
2 tablespoons hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) calyces, dried
1 quart of water
1 cup raw, local honey

Directions

  • Grind the herbs in a mortar and pestle.
  • Prepare a concentrated decoction with the licorice and marshmallow root:
    Combine the dried roots with a quart of water in a saucepan as follows.
    Bring to a simmer and cook gently until the liquid volume reduces by half.
    Keep an eye on the decoction to ensure it stays at a gentle simmer and be sure to remove it from the heat before the mixture becomes too thick or scorches.
  • Prepare an infusion with the plantain and hibiscus, using the finished root decoction (Should be about 1-2 cups): Pour the hot, strained decoction over the plantain leaves and hibiscus calyces.
    Steep for at least 1 hour though not more than 8 hours.
  • Strain with a tea strainer, cheesecloth, or French press and return the liquid to the saucepan. 
  • Add the honey to the liquid in your saucepan.
  • Warm the mixture just slightly to enable the liquid and honey to mix.
    (not heating above 110 degrees Fahrenheit)
  • Transfer syrup into a clean, dry, sterilized glass bottle(s) or jar(s) (ideally, a dark-colored jar or bottle to protect from light exposure) using a sterilized funnel. 
  • Label and store in the refrigerator.

To Use: Take 1 tablespoon every 4 hours for adults, 1 teaspoon every 4 hours for older children.
Shelf Life: Up to 1 year in the fridge.

This delicious sweet syrup makes a great addition to many beverages or foods. Or, it is tasty enough to be taken on its own. Enjoy this herbal cough syrup with a warm cup of tea, or in sparkling water or desserts—get creative here!

Being Prepared For The Allergy Season

Even if you feel balanced in the present, it’s always best to prepare as much as you can in advance so you feel supported through all of the challenges the allergy season ahead can bring. This syrup containing demulcent herbs is just wonderful for soothing throat tissues during a dry cough or sore throat. Also, consider making a batch ahead of time if you plan on spending time in an area that is heavy with pollutants or other airborne irritants.

Be sure to also check out our Homemade Cough Syrup for a Wet Cough!

Herbal Cough Syrup Recipe for a Dry Cough | Herbal Academy | This herbal cough syrup recipe containing demulcent herbs is just wonderful for soothing throat tissues during a dry cough or sore throat.

REFERENCES

Buhner, S. (2013). Herbal antivirals. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.

Gray, B. (2011). The boreal herbal: Wild food and medicine plants of the North.Whitehorse, YK: Aroma Borealis Press.

Groves, M. (2016). Body into balance. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing

Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical herbalism. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press

Whelan, R. (n.d.). Marshmallow [Online Database]. Retrieved from http://www.rjwhelan.co.nz/herbs%20A-Z/marshmallow.html

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Please add your email address below and click “Submit” to add yourself to our mailing list. Then check your email to find a welcome message from our Herbal Academy team with a special link to download our “Herbal Tea Throughout The Seasons” Ebook!”

Copied and pasted here from the Herbal Academy. 

I hope you all make your own beautiful herbal recipes. I would love to hear about your amazing conjurations. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

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December 9, 2021 · 2:45 pm

Crafting for the Yule Holiday

 

Merry meet all,

This post is a little different from the paranormal posts. I have been busy preparing for Yule. I thought I would share how you can create beautiful wreaths and decorations for Yule. I want to do a Scandinavian theme this year. I crafted gnomes, a wreath and herbal recipes for Yule. So grab a mug of warm cider, sit down and read all about it!!

Before we get started, I want to share the most awesome news!! I successfully graduated from the Introductory Herbal course today. I am happy. The course was quite detailed and I still feel a need to review all the notes, handouts, and what not. I shall continue on to the Intermediate course, which is more in depth than the Introductory. 

GNOMES

I am beginning with the easiest craft first then I shall delve into the complicated projects. I bought faux fur and blue and red felt at the fabric store, wooden pieces and I gathered scissors a razor to cut the fur- never with scissors, a hot glue gun, and beads. To make the gnome, get the fur and turn it over so the underside shows up. You cut the fur with a razor because if you use scissors, then the fur will make a real mess. Cut the fur – which will represent a beard, so that it tapers to a point. You can add a moustache too if you want. Glue the fur to the wood piece, preferably round, and smooth it all out. Cut a square piece of felt and cut a triangle from that square. Form a cone from the triangle and with the back side of the gnome fur and wood showing, glue it down. Then fold the edges of the cone in and glue that down. Turn the gnome right side up and depending on what bead for a nose you prefer, glue the bead to the gnome between the felt hat and the fur. See the photo. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can make a knot with string, glue the string to the top of the felt hat on the underside, and then you can hang your charming ornament to your tree. I made gnomes with red and blue felt. The gnome in the photo was a gift for my Mother. She adores the gnome I gifted her. 

WREATHS

Wreaths are beautiful and festive decorations to enhance the warmth of your home. I hung my wreath indoors so I can appreciate its beauty. The wreath in the photo is the one I crafted this Yule. Here is how you can make yours. Dress warm and venture outdoors. This is a herbal wreath. It is best made from natural local greenery in your neighbourhood. If you can cut branches in your area, then feel free to do so. Obtain cedar, pine, spruce, juniper, holly, ivy and rosemary. Don’t forget citrus slices, pinecones, berries and acorns. 

I bought a straw wreath when I should have bought a grapevine wreath.  I had to rethink how I would attach everything. I came up with an idea. I listened to Blackmore’s Night, lit a candle and sipped hot cider. I laid everything out. I used scissors, a hot glue gun, ribbons, and rubber elastic bands,. I put down paper towel and a large clear plastic bag on my table then laid out the rosemary, cedar, pine and spruce, and juniper. I arranged the herbs into bundles – the spruce and pine, juniper, cedar and rosemary. Then I secured it all together with a rubber band, tied the bundle with silver ribbon to hide the rubber band, and then rested it on the wreath. Once I had it all the way I wanted it, I tied the bundles all interconnecting with each other to the wreath with wide brown paper ribbon. The brown ribbon almost concealed the silver ribbon. I hot glued an acorn and pinecones to the brown ribbon. I am dehydrating citrus slices now and I plan to add them to the wreath. tied the big bow on to the wreath and hung the wreath up!!! The bundles can be removed and released later on when I am done with the wreath. I foraged for the greenery on the trail! I am very pleased with the wreath! The wreath smells as beautiful as it appears.

Citrus Slices

To dry the orange slices, cut them very fine and be careful. Arrange them on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with very fine sugar. Dry them in the oven at 200 %F for 4 hours. Check on the slices periodically. Once they are done, let them cool. Fasten the fragrant slices to the wreath. 

HERBAL REMEDIES AS GFITS

I have studied the herbal course for the last 4 months. I was stressed deciding what to gift my Mother this year for Yule. I searched lots of options until it hit me. I should put my herbal education to good use. I crafted herbal chapstick, one for her, and one for me, and herbal tea for her. 

I hope she likes her gifts. I am putting together a care basket foe her. I plan to sew her a sleep eye mask soon too. Rather than explain here how the herbal chapstick is done, I am going to include the link so you can check it out on your own. 

https://theherbalacademy.com/chapstick-recipe/

https://theherbalacademy.com/herbal-skincare-gifts/

https://thepracticalherbalist.com/advanced-herbalism/making-a-heat-infused-herbal-oil-a-general-procedure/

I hope this post inspires you to try your hand at crafting for Yule. ‘Tis the season of giving and festivities, so have fun. I wish you all a merry Yule. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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October 2, 2021 · 9:40 pm

October Harvest

 

Merry meet all,

October is here!! I am so excited I hope you are too. I have a small pumpkin dwarfed by my  HUGE pumpkin. I am storing them for Samhain. I’m busy prepping for Samhain I look forward to reading the honking’ huge October newsletter produced by the Horror Writers Association. My blog post about doing a paranormal investigation goes live on October 11th, as part of the Halloween Haunts blog event. I was interviewed by Amanda for the Feminine Macabre interview. That went live on the 29th. Lots happening!!!

This is the time to stock up on root veggies! I have a few squashes, pumpkin in chunks, applesauce, elderberry jam stored away. Yup the cold season has arrived. Like it or not though, it does entice us with the gifts it brings, such as ciders, stews, foods to keep us warm and healthy. I have to puree the pumpkin, which I will do tomorrow. The rind on the squashes is so hard it’s like wood. I have no idea how to cut through that. Pumpkins can be cooked into breads, soups, pies and cookies. I buy smaller pumpkins for cooking – and roasting seeds. I get larger pumpkins for carving. Pureed pumpkin can be stored in the freezer. Once you puree squash, you have a variety of healthful options available for you. Butternut squash also makes good soups. Add ginger, cayenne, and lemon for some tantalizing flavour. 

 

I want to harvest the remaining herbs from my garden before the heavy frost sets in. I have to collect all the lemon balm ( a huge task in itself(, the oregano, some thyme, lavender, and mint. I’m letting the tomatoes ripen on the vine. There is a risk of mildfrost tonight. Later in the month, the frost will be heavier. I bought a huge herb drying rack to dry my herbs. I am grateful for the space but it is too big. I figured it would cost too much to return it to Amazon. I nailed in a big hook in the wall. I need to store away a lot of herbs. The size of it helps. That is the only corner where I can hang it up. I’m just anxious because of the resident overly curious cat who may snoop and sniff out the herbs. Here is a photo of the rack:

 

But it will prove useful this fall and many years to come. I love fall. It is the most beautiful and magical time of year. The leaves are turning, pumpkins regal front decks and store baskets.This is a good time to harvest the herbs you grew with care all summer. Harvest herbs in the morning after the dew has dried but before the frost kills them. Let them dry completely before storing in jars to prevent mold from ruining the herbs. Put them in brown perforated paper bags, tie them upside down to dry or arrange them on cookie sheets to dry. Then, once totally dry and crisp, you are free to use them for tincture making, syrups, teas, cordials or whatever suits your fancy. Know the herbs from each other too. It is so easy to mistake lemon balm from mint. They look and smell alike when dry. It’s easy to confuse yourself. 

I went to the Farmers Market this morning. I forgot a turnip, but I did come home with carrots, leeks, basil + oregano sea salt, and parsnip. – and alcohol cider.  I love parsnip and crunchy sweet carrots. Later, I bought hamburger meat. I can now make stew. Yum!! The farmers market at the Forum was smaller than the market at Seaport. But since we are in a pandemic, a smaller market pleased me. I loved the cider. Oh my gosh it tasted so good. That man is a master at brewing cider wine. Wow I never tasted anything so fine. I am all set for fall. The people at the market ( forum) were so pleasant. I may return there. 

Last night, I removed mullein seed pods from the stalk. Unfortunately for me, the seed pods were hard as rock. I stored the seeds in a labeled jar. The seeds are toxic so I was careful. I am truly blessed with a harvest of herbs, veggies, seeds, and flowers. This is an ideal time to focus on what we harvested and to thank those who bestowed it upon us. Besides Mother Nature and Father sky, we can take the time to reflect who else is so generous to us. It’s a good time to give as generously to those who were good to us. That is an exchange of good energy and is a way of ensuring good energy follows you!!! The Universe hears everything you ask for, so keep sending out good energy and it will reciprocate. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

 

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September 30, 2021 · 12:50 pm

Autumn Herbs

Merry meet all,

Tomorrow is October 1st. I have a new rolling cart to store my multiple jars of herbs. By. herbs, I mean of course seeds, bark, leaves, flowers. I had to assemble the cart and that was a nightmare. Are you all getting ready for Samhain? I am! I am also preparing for the Materia Medica course I am taking at the Herbal Academy in addition to the Introductory Herbal course I am already taking. That does involve getting more organized, which is why I bought the cart.

I ordered seeds from a company on Etsy. They are as follows; German chamomile, black swan poppy, Scott bonnet pepper, black cumin, purple echinacea, halloween calendula, Howden pumpkin, borage, sunflower, black tar poppy, chef’s pick parsley, Larkspur, anise, purple echinacea, purple salsify, Vietnamese cilantro, and foxglove blend. Next spring, I will be having fun planting all that!  I gathered the Chinese lanterns, burdock seeds, mullein seeds, and I will soon gather the nasturtium seeds from my garden. I gathered mullein in an empty field and it also grows on the nature trail. A witch hazel grows on the trail too! 

A materia medica means healing materials. It basically means a book about herbal profiles. The profiles are called monographs. I plan to have the most amazing material media by the time I am done studying. The material media course teaches you how to complete a herbal profile. I have access to the Herbarium. I can download any herb monograph I choose to. I ordered a herb journal – titled My Herbology journal, A Green Witch Journal from Amazon. I also ordered a paper making screen deckle and mold! 

Here is the link to the journal: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08TQ7DX6J/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 Several herbs that I need for the course grow on the nature trail. Goldenrod, burdock, mullein, asters, raspberry, elderberry, chokeberry, coltsfoot, queen Anne’s lace, black elderberry, staghorn sumac, creeping juniper, perennial sow thistle, red clover, and  thistle all grow on the trail. I may have already mentioned this. I have an app on my phone that helps me identify plants. If you want to forage in the wild, bring gloves to protect you, a charged cellphone that has an app for identifying plants, wear something to protect you from bug bites and poisonous plants, a water bottle to stay hydrated, and scissors. It helps to carry a big plastic bag or cloth bag to hold the herbs you gather. Don’t consume anything if you are not sure. You could make yourself sick. I want to gather goldenrod next summer to dye a piece of fabric yellow. I just want to try it. !!!

I still have to dehydrate the elderberries. I brewed a jar of elderberry, rhubarb and blueberry am.  I should added cinnamon and clove. I am making a jar of elderberry tincture. The berries were dried and I added vodka. I labeled the jar and also lined the top of the jar with natural waxed paper. The metal can’t contaminate the mixture. I can’t wait to try it. But I do want to caution: elderberries contain cyanide, so please if you make a remedy using elderberries, use black or purple berries – not green, and be careful. I will make the tincture last a long time. I don’t plan to consume it every day. The berries are not cooked for making a tincture. Some cyanide could still be present in the berries. Everything in moderation. 

I gathered herbs for my first lesson in the materia medica course. They were lemon balm, goldenrod, thyme, lavender, mint and chamomile. It grows in the garden and on the nature trail.I need to study the herbs for the courses. (What a hardship, eh?) There are so many herbs to learn about and I live in the right environment. Fall is here. Many of the plants are winding down for the long cold rest. The nature trial is now full of the thistles, queen Anne’s lace, burdock, goldenrod all going to seed. The queen Anne’s lace seedbeds resemble bird’s nests. 

I have to collect the raspberries from my garden. The tomatoes are still ripening. The pumpkin patch is growing! I have tried for 11 years to grow a pumpkin patch and now I have! Hopefully the frost will hold off! I pickled my own cucumbers. The flavour is truly divine. I stored two jars of applesauce in the freezer too. I am well stocked. I have to puree the pumpkin. So much to do, so little time. 

I am enjoying my studies at the Herbal Academy. Well obviously right? I decorate my binder with butterfly stickers, protect the notes and printouts in sheet protectors, and do my best to keep it organized. I want to be a herbalist and work in a trade that involves herbs. It will be a long road but an interesting one!!

The link to the Herbal Academy- in case you want to study there!!

https://theherbalacademy.com/my-account/?awt_a=5cXw&awt_l=Bv79G&awt_m=mUTf3FOR61wS3Xw

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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September 16, 2021 · 12:39 pm

The Feminine Macabre Volume 2

Merry meet all,

I am very excited about the good news of the upcoming second volume of the all-female paranormal journal The Feminine Macabre!!!!! )O(

Have you gotten your copy of The Feminine Macabre Volume II yet? It’s 100 pages longer than Volume I with a foreword by Michelle Belanger and introduces you to 40 up and coming researchers in the occult, paranormal, and metaphysical.

Return to the world of The Feminine Macabre in Volume II of the all-female paranormal journal. Explore essays written by women from all over the world, highlighting their research and theories on witchcraft, hauntings, folklore, dark history, tarot, cryptids, and more.

With a foreword by Michelle Belanger, Volume II features the writing talents of Hannah Ahboo, Tiffiny Rose Allen, Chris Amandier, Gina Armstrong, Al Becker, Amy L. Bennett, Stephanie Bingham, Sarah Blake, Ashley Casseday, Kate Cherrell, Mallory Cywinski, Erica Gibson Delight, Deanna Erskine, Liana Gaffney, Kenzie Gleason, Claire Goodchild, Charlotte Grace, Jen Hall, Kristin Harris, Amanda Hellewell-King, Zo Jacobi, Heddy Johannesen, Lorien Jones, Melissa Lathrop, Donna Malmborg, Marianne McCarthy, Drea Mora, Morgan Moran, Victoria Mundae, Hilary Opiel, Roxanne Rhoads, Vanessa Rowan, Nicole St. Germain, Krista Schwimmer, Sarah Stream, Aoife Sutton, Victoria Vancek, Tamora L. Vang, Emily Wayland, Karen J. Weyant, Cherise Williams, and Amanda R. Woomer.

The editor, Amanda, interviewed me about my background in the paranormal and my story that’s published in the book. I know I posted about this before. I am just so excited I had to post it here again. I enjoyed doing the interview. The book is available on Amazon. Here is the link to it: https://amzn.to/3zsT1Fu. 

The interview will be posted on Sept.29th on Facebook. In other news, I am enjoying the Herbal Academy courses and the short story course. It forced me to write a draft about a female werewolf. 

I have a herbal apothecary now. I have jars and jars of all kinds of herbs, seeds, roots and flowers. I created a second air drying herb rack. I harvested mint, lemon balm, dill, chamomile and mullein! I love it! I am so enjoying learning more about herbs all the time. Lemon balm has a long history of use dating back 2,000 years. Mullein is a good lung tonic. Eleuthoro root is delicious in herbal teas. Chamomile is a great herb from the tiniest leaf to the root. It can all be used. The many benefits of chamomile have been enjoyed for thousands of years., “the star among medicinal species.” Chamomile is a good nervine and also a good analgesic, anticancer, anti-inflammatory,antimicrobial,  antispasmodic, antistress, good for gastrointestinal disorders, protects against polio, a sedative, and has wound healing properties. Wow. You get all that in one chamomile plant. That is not all it can even do but that lists some of its healing powers. 

I enjoyed a cup of lavender and chamomile tea last night before sleeping. I love herbalism. It’s an ancient tradition. Homeopathy isn’t related to herbalism. Homeopathy is a relatively new healing path. This may be a new career for me! Bring it on! I have two awesome books now about herbalism. One, Rosemary Gladstar’s book titled Medicinal Herbs, and two, Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs of Eastern and Central North America, Third Edition. The third book I recently acquired is Entering Hekate’s garden by Cyndi Brannen. The books are beautiful and jam packed with herbs. 

I own a ton of new apothecary supplies such as tins for salves, balms, amber coloured jars, muslin sachets, a kitchen scale. I love my kitchen scale. I feel all ready for a new year in herbalism!!

Mabon is almost here! Are you ready for it, my dear readers? I will post more about it as the date gets closer. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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August 6, 2021 · 5:01 pm

Witch’s Herbal Potions

Merry meet all,

I know I haven’t posted much here lately. I sprained my wrist, the hand I write with – so that would have been a challenge. I had to rest and that was hard for someone with my strong spirit. Now I’m still healing but more rested.  I am back at blogging! 

Prior to my injury, I was in the midst of conjuring witch’s herbal potions. I did complete the herbal tea I had made earlier. I bought a cool jar to keep the herbs in at Michael’s arts and crafts, a local craft shop that sells art and craft supplies. I love that store. I made about 4 cups of herbal tea. The ingredients include lemongrass, dried ginger, dried lemon, roman and German chamomile, mugwort ( a pinch), rose petals, red clover, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, and mint. The scent is divine. I dried the herbs on my own DIY herb drying rack I made myself. I will post about that project below. The herbs are not crumbled. They keep their flavour and oils that way. I think they are drying and crumbling to the bottom of the jar. The scent is divine. 

The herbs are bone dry and the jar was bone dry when I added the herbs. The herbs need to be that dry for the herbal tea because otherwise it causes mold. When I was back home with the jar, I washed it thoroughly and let it air dry. When the herbs were truly dry, I added them. I can’t tell you just how good it felt to mix the herbs together in the jar. It looks romantic too. I enjoyed a cup of my own homemade brew yesterday! The flavour brought a taste of summer and a little bittersweet at the same time. 

My second project is more involved than the tea. I am brewing a jar of herbs in oils for my Mom. The ingredients for making the salve are as follows:

Pine Salve

pine needles, pine bark, peppermint, comfrey, turmeric,  ginger,  grapeseed oil, beeswax, tea tree oil + peppermint essential oil

This pine salve aids in the reduction of pain inflammation and sore joints. Pine helps with inflammation, reduces pain and swelling, and is antimicrobial. It increases blood flow, helps with localized pain, and chronic inflammation. The other ingredients aid in reducing pain inflammation. Peppermint is a natural anti-inflammatory, a natural pain killer, and a muscle relaxer. Ginger reduces pain and inflammation. Comfrey contains allantoin which helps new skin cells grow and helps reduce pain inflammation. Turmeric contains curcumin which is a natural anti-inflammatory compound. The salve also contains 2 drops of tea tree oil and twenty drops of peppermint essential oil.

I dried the herbs on my air drying rack. Once I was sure they were dry enough, I added the herbs to a clean dry sanitized jar. I poured the oils over them and closed the lid. Now I wait six weeks for the oils to extract the herbs’ essences. I already bought beeswax and tins for the salves. I will strain out the herbs over a strainer lined with cheesecloth and a bowl. Once I have strained out every drop of herbal goodness from the oils and herbs, I will add it to a pot with beeswax and make the salve. I have to wait a few weeks. I shake the jar a little a few times a day. 

I made jar labels too. I printed out the labels – one, listing the salve ingredients, and the other is a salve label for the jar. I collared them with a beige colour so the labels have that apothecary appearance. I love it. Then I printed out the ingredients and what each ingredients does in the salve. The ingredients all reduce pain and inflammation. I hole punched the ingredients list and what function each ingredient has and tied them together with a bow. I am so eager to make the salve but if I wait, the result will be amazing! My Mom gets the salve with the white lid and I am using the tin with the black lid. 

When the time comes, I will strain out the herbs from the oils. I have a large strainer I can fit over my stainless steel bowl. I also have cheesecloth. I will have to sanitize everything. I will strain out every last drop. I will melt the beeswax over a double boiler and add the herbal oil mixture. I can’t wait. 

I harvested the mugwort from my garden. 2 of my mugwort plants stood six feet high! The mugwort is now drying in my kitchen. 

Air drying Herb Rack

I bought a large 12 – 14 inch embroidery hoop from a local fabric store and cheesecloth. I opened the hoop. I tied 3 long strings to the embroidery hoop and to a loop. I used a curtain hook. Then I laid cheesecloth over the smaller hoop. I fastened the embroidery hoop back together. Now the cheesecloth was caught between the hoops. I trimmed the excess cheesecloth and tightened it. Then I knotted several strings to hang down from the hoop. This project is so easy to do and affordable. I have included a photo of the herb rack below.  I needed to lay paper towel down on the surface to catch all the falling petals and seeds. The cheesecloth is porous and so is the paper towel. It takes 2 weeks or so for the herbs to dry. Now I am drying chamomile and mugwort. I keep the screen door closed with Penny’s queenly scratching post at the back door. This allows for good air circulation for my drying herbs. 

I love my air drying herb rack. It didn’t cost a lot of money. I already had the string and scissors. I have other herbs to dry and store for the coming cold season. We all don’t like to think about that.I bought several new jars at Canadian Tire. I washed the jars and let them air dry. That is a great way to purify your jars. It costs nothing to air dry jars. It is also better than drying them with a towel since the towel may contain germs. I always prefer air drying my jars. I will store my bee pollinated sun loving herbs in the jars. 

I own a few new cool herb cutting tools now. One, the triangle herb chopper and two, my herb snipping scissors. Although I find for snipping herbs from my garden, I much prefer my scissors or boline. I’m also reading a fascinating book The Witching Herbs by Harold Roth. 

Happy potion making!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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