Tag Archives: health

June 9, 2026 · 5:18 pm

Herbal Actions, Energetics and Chemicals 101 )O(

My Mom’s pot of nasturtiums!

Merry meet all,

Herbal actions, energetics and phytochemistry – say what? If you have ever gazed at a patch of stinging nettle or sniffed a peppermint leaf or added pungent basil to your salad, you would never have guessed there would be way more to herbs than met the eager eye. People have been using herbs for medicinal purposes, cooking or for spiritual purposes for about 60,000 years. In this post, I will share a few different ways for you to become more familiar with herbs. 

Organoleptics

There are many ways to get to know herbs. Let’s take a look at the most basic way- other than growing them or enjoying them in tea. It’s called organoleptics and we have been doing that all this time. Organoleptics refers to the sensory properties of a substance that can be perceived by the senses, particularly taste, smell, and touch. Peppermint has potent volatile oils. If I brush by peppermint in the garden, a  refreshing scent is released. yum!  I see chamomile blossoms soak up the sun in the garden. I have been stung by stinging nettle. I feel the prickly needles from a pine or spruce tree in the winter. Those are all examples of organoleptics. 

There is more to herbs than their beautiful aromas and flavor. We will explore herbal actions, energetics and phytochemistry now.  If you have ever heard the terms anti-inflammatory, antiviral or antimicrobial before, then you are a bit familar with herbal actions. 

Herbal Actions

Herbal actions are specific, physiological or therapeutic effects that an herb or a plant has on the human body, such as soothing or strengthening tissues or systems. These actions range from sedatives for calming a frazzled mind or adaptogens for stress and classify how herbs work.

A few examples of herbal actions and usage:

  • Adaptogen: Helps the body adapt to stress and boost the immune system (e.g., ashwagandha)
  • Alterative: Supports the metabolic processes and cleanses the blood (dandelion, nettle, burdock root)
  • Antimicrobial: Protects against infection (e.g., Echinacea, goldenseal)
  • Carminative: These herbs aid in digestive issues (e.g., ginger, fennel and chamomile)
  • Demulcent (Soothes and protects irritated tissues (valerian, marshmallow)
  • Nervines (Calms and supports the nervous system (passionflower, lavender, chamomile and lemon balm)
  • Vulnerary (Heals and promotes wound healing (e.g., calendula, comfrey)

Herbal Energetics

Energetics refer to a system of traditional medicine that classifies herbs based on their temperature (hot/cold), moisture (moist/dry), and tone (tension/relaxation). It matches these qualities to an individual’s constitution, or the tissue state of a disease, to restore balance, such as using cooling herbs for inflammation.

Key Concepts of Herbal Energetics
  • Temperature (Hot/Cold): Determines if an herb increases circulation and heat (e.g., ginger) or reduces heat and inflammation (e.g., peppermint).
  • Moisture (Moist/Dry): Indicates if an herb adds moisture to dry tissues (e.g., marshmallow root) or dries damp/swollen tissues (e.g., goldenrod).
  • Tone/Structure (Tension/Relaxation): Relates to tightening loose tissues (astringent) or relaxing tense muscles/nerves (antispasmodic)
Usage Examples
  • Hot & Dry: Used for individuals who are cold and damp, often using stimulant or warming, drying herbs.
  • Cool & Moist: Used to soothe hot and dry conditions, such as using demulcent herbs (slippery elm, licorice) to treat inflamed, dry, and irritated mucous membranes.
  • Relaxing & Warming: Used to treat tense, cold individuals, utilizing aromatic, warming herbs like cinnamon or ginger to increase circulation

Synonyms and Related Terms

  • Constitutional Medicine: Tailoring herbs to a person’s unique, long-term body state.
  • Humoral Medicine: An ancient system classifying people by humors (sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, melancholic) which connect directly to hot/cold/wet/dry qualities.
  • Vitalist Medicine: An approach that works with the body’s innate healing force rather than just fighting symptoms.
  • Tissue States: A model often used in Western herbal medicine to identify physical states like depression, stagnation, or inflammation. 

These principles allow for a “person-centered” approach rather than merely matching a single herb to a single symptom. The energetic qualities of an herb refer to the subtle ways that plants impact the human body, mind and/or the spirit. For example, ginger (Zingiber officinale) is energetically warming because it stimulates blood flow in the body. Marshmallow root (Althea officinalis) has a moistening energetic due to its demulcent properties. Echinacea ( Echinacea purpurea) tincture boosts the immune system and can make a person’s tongue tingle. Some energetics are strongly felt by the body while others are more subtle. Herbs like peppermint and spearmint are cooling and refreshing and herbs such as ginger and cayenne are warming.

Conditions

Conditions are considered as qualities or properties and can be referred to in terms of temperature, moisture and tension; energetic descriptors include warm, dry, cool, moist, tense, and relaxed.

Conditions are referred to in Western herbalism as tissue states. A fever is warm, a cough can be dry or moist, and swelling can be damp. Choosing herbs to heal that have the opposite quality to help counteract these energetics in order to return the body to balance. For example, if a person has heatstroke, you would choose cooling herbs. To help heal a sunburn or a burn from hot steam, a person could choose the soothing energetic properties of aloe vera.

The energetics of an individual are evident in their constitution. In Ayurveda, it is believed that everyone has a prakruti,which means their natural, unchanging constitution. An individual’s constitution can change throughout their lifetime. A person can have a dry constitution such as dry skin, dry nails which is made worse during certain seasons of the year, such as fall to winter.

Herbal actions and energetics can help us understand a person’s health condition and temperance. The task of understanding which herbs would be best suited to treat the person’s condition is much easier if we understand a person’s state of overall wellbeing and health conditions. Someone who routinely experiences excessive stress would benefit from ashwagandha, echinacea, or eleuthero root. Someone who suffers from sinus infections and moist coughs with excess mucus would benefit from the dry properties of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) while a dry cough with very little mucus could benefit from the moistening properties of licorice root (Glycorriza glabra or marshmallow  root). Licorice root has a moistening effect on dry tissues.

Let’s look at a few more terms about herbal energetics: cooling, warming, relaxing and stimulating. They sound like herbal actions, but are regarded more as properties. For example, the term “cooling” can be confusing and mean more than one thing. Let’s go back to our example of peppermint. If the herb has a cooling action, then the herbal property would be thought of as lowering the body temperature. But if the herb was considered a diaphoretic, that would suggest the action of encouraging perspiration to bring down a fever. That makes the term “cooling” a property. Cayenne and ginger are warming and stimulating. Ginger root relieves nausea, it has an antiemetic action and property. It contains potent antispasmodic volatile oils that soothe spasms in the digestive tract. However, ginger root is quite potent and pungent and I recommend ingesting ginger root when nausea has passed. 

Herbal actions explain what an herb does to the body, and properties refer to descriptors of the action. Peppermint aids the digestive system (carminative) and energizes the human body (stimulating).

Phytochemistry

Phytochemistry is the study of phytochemicals- chemical compounds that are derived from plants. Phytochemistry combines botany with plant chemistry. It studies the structure, biosynthesis, metabolism and certain functions. There are many chemical compounds within herbs. They range from menthol derived  from peppermint, gingerol derived from ginger root, tannins derived from acorns and saponins derived from soapwort. These are a few examples, as there are lots of chemical compounds in herbs and definitely more than one chemical compound in herbs at the same time. There are too many to mentiom here. 

Scientists who regularly study the chemical compounds within herbs often prefer to isolate a sole chemical compound. That means that they do not study all the chemical compounds in the herb/s and then they don’t value all the chemical compounds as a whole. Nature, as we all know, is far more complex than that. It refuses to be boxed or contained.

I find phytochemistry fascinating! I love studying all about the many chemical compounds in herbs and how they benefit the human body. Willow bark contains salicin, the active compound. That is where aspirin was originally derived from! I will share an example of willow bark with you, salicin, the chemical compound found in willow bark. 

Key Aspects of Willow Bark
  • Active Compound: Contains salicin, which the body converts into salicylic acid, providing analgesic (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory effects similar to aspirin.
  • Common Uses: Effective for treating low back pain, arthritis (especially osteoarthritis), muscle pain, and fevers.
  • Benefits: It acts as a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, often used in tinctures, capsules, or tea.
  • Safety & Side Effects: While generally safer than aspirin, it can still cause side effects like diarrhea, nausea, itching, and rash. It should be avoided by those with aspirin allergies, bleeding disorders, or kidney issues.
  • Dosage: Studies often cite 120–240 mg of salicin daily as effective for pain relief.

It is advisable to use these herbs in moderation or low doses. You never know how your body can react to it, especially if a person is taking a prescription. Using a small dose is best. It is also advised to talk to your family doctor if you are on medication while taking herbs for medicinal purposes. Some herbs such as St. John’s wort react very badly to the Wayfarin prescription. So go slow! 

I created my own willow bark tincture. I have made several tinctures and again, I would encourage using a low dose if you are not familiar with its effects. Making your own tinctures actually helps you save money in the long run. Do speak with your family doctor if you are on medication. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Maybe this will encourage you to learn more about our herbal allies. 

Till next time

Blessed be, Spiderwitch

 

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November 7, 2025 · 7:31 pm

Defining Horror

Merry meet all,

The excitement of the Halloween/ Samhan festive fun is behind us. Now we all face the long, dark cold that lies ahead. Most of us look forward to winter the way we look forward to root canal. The winters in Atlantic Canada leave much to be desired. 

My cat’s napping on the couch. The groomer trimmed her claws today. So far, she is doing okay with her new medication. 

I believe that the dark half of the year is the ideal time to write and reflect on horror. I love the dark half of the year. I know that the cold, ice and snow go hand in hand with this dark season, but I love it. I want to write another horror novel (yes I am crazy lol). I want to find a trad publisher. I want to earn bigger royalties. Ah don’t we all? I also want my own apartment. Again, another pip dream. It can’t hurt to try. I do have to come up with new writing material. I am proud to say that most of my earlier stuff is all published. 

This is the time when many still socialize, but also a time when some people opt to turn inward and be more reflective I am of those. I have a stash of lovely herbal teas to enjoy, cardigans to keep me warm and a cute cat to keep me company. I am so fortunate. This time, as I meditate on what I will write, I want to really ask myself what horror means to me. I have been through a lot, but the last several months have been an eye opener for me. I was thrown out to the streets by my own family, forced to move out of my old moldy apartment, spent a few months moving back and forth from my Mom’s apartment to my boyfriend’s and have to keep seeing my moving boxes stored in my Mom’s basement. 

Horror is loss. I returned to my garden only to see the old stuff from my kitchen stored in my garden. It looked as it all lacked the soul that flourished while I lived there. Like no one was there. Like no one cared. Like something had died. Now the kitchen appliances are gone, but it is not the same. I bawled my eyes out. I wish I could go back to my herb garden on Crown Drive, but I know everything has changed. Life’s a bitch. 

Horror is sacrifice. Maybe I should say, forced sacrifice. I am personally tired of sacrificing, or being forced into that position. I was very reluctant to leave Crown Drive. My heart longs to return to the past- to the freedom I possessed over my life, but the mold was too far gone. I had no choice. I can’t bring back the past. Now I have to live with someone. It sure is a challenge. The rent is so expensive I honestly have no idea if I will ever live alone on my own again.

Horror is death. My boyfriend and his family had to put their beloved dog, Tucker, down. Tucker was fourteen years old, but he was truly suffering. I took Penny to the vet. I thought it would be a routine check for her fructosamine levels because she has diabetes. Poor cat. It turned out she now has hyperthyroidism and high blood pressure on top of diabetes and arthritis. Now I rub her medication on her ear twice a day. Penny had a bad weak spell prior to her appointment. Penny is also fourteen years old. It’s getting harder for her to jump up to a higher surface, but that is why I am here. I will always be here to help her, no matter what. I hope she has a good long life yet. Yes she has me wrapped around her white velvety paw- with perfect pink beanies on her paws. 

I feel like focusing on writing my next horror novel on something that hits much closer to home. I believe that horror has many different interpretations. If twenty people saw Psycho or Silence of the Lambs movies or read the same horror novel, I think the people would each have their own interpretation of it. It is open to many different perspectives. What horror is to one person may not be the same to someone else. Some people like slashers and others prefer true crime or the supernatural. We are all individuals in our tastes and preferences. We are all entitled to our own tastes and preferences. No one is right or wrong in what they enjoy to watch on the silver screen or on their Iphones. Personally I hate TikTok, but I know many others like it. 

Horror is personal. I did just mention above that it means different things to different people. Horror can be so many things. There is a difference between terror and horror. Alfred Hitchcock knew that well. Let’s imagine we are on a rollercoaster. Terror is the slow, agonizingly suspenseful of the thing (I forget the word right now), the rollercoaster ride going up, up and up to the high peak. Horror is the terrifying descent paired with the ignored, frantic rational part of your brain praying you do not die. Just for the record, I refuse and just will not ever go on a roller coaster ride again. Just writing all this made me queasy. Losing a pet, a child even your home can be deeply and extremely personal. Terror is waiting for the mind-numbing horror to happen and horror is when it happens and not a damn thing you can do to stop it.

Horror is many things with many scary masks. The scariest horror might be when the mask comes off and what we see then we find the most frightening- when we can recognize it and be repulsed at the same time. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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July 18, 2024 · 1:47 pm

Gardening Wonders )O(

Merry meet all,

My garden is  beautiful. I can’t wait to enjoy peas, beans and cucumbers I grew myself. I can’t wait to harvest potatoes in the fall. The potato vines are about to flower. I have never seen potato flowers before. There is one bud that is about to bloom. Hey I might even press the potato flowers. I want to let one go to seed. 

This year I want to save as many seeds as I can from my garden. I want to save the seeds of the veggies, flowers and herbs. The plants will be adapted to the climate and conditions of my garden. I would have a better chance of growing plants that are acclimatized, especially herbs. I am seriously thinking about starting a herbal tea business. I want to save good healthy seeds from the herbs. I will keep a chart of the herbs that I saved seeds from. That will help me determine which herbs are the healthiest and what herbs grow well in my garden. 

I just came in from adding fertilizer to my herbs and veggies. There might be a thunderstorm and rain today. The rain will help the fertilizer be worked into the soil and let the plants get the nutrients they need. I use worm castings, Gaia green and greensand.

Gaia Green Greensand is mined from ancient, nutrient-rich deposits of oceanic sediment. Over time, this sediment developed into glauconite, which is highly effective as a slow-release fertilizer used to improve the mineral content of soil and other growing media. Greensand is gentle on plants and won’t cause root burn. Greensand is recommended for use on lawns, household plants, golf courses, greenhouses, nurseries, and urban gardens, and is suitable for all plants. I also fertilize with Neptune’s Harvest fish emulsion which leaves a bad scent but works wonders on herbs, flowers and veggies. The Neptune’s harvest fish emulsion is liquid and made from fresh fish, seaweed, molasses, yucca extra and humic acids, this formula was uniquely designed for plants with intense growth or “vegging” stages. I just added the emulsion to my plants in my garden. 

I also now have a compost tumbler. Lots of beneficial microbes and insects are working hard in the soil aerating it and enabling the earthy matter to turn into nutrient rich soil. I will love adding the compost to my garden and watching the veggies grow amazingly. It does take a few weeks. I will know when the compost is ready to be added to my soil when the compost looks like soil. I hope that will be soon. 

I spied a huge bag of worm castings. I plan to buy it and add it all to the veggies in my garden. I like to mix growing veggies in the soil and in containers. I tell myself that will keep out slugs but it doesn’t. Crumbled sterilized egg shells provide protein and calcium to the soil as well as ward off slugs. The slugs don’t like the hard edges of the eggshells. I also arranged copper tape around the base of my cucumber and cabbage plants and around a few other plants. 

With all that, it’s no wonder my garden is growing so well. The purple coneflower is ready to bloom almost. I had lost hope that the marigolds would bloom again but a marigold just blossomed. The cosmos are gorgeous and I hope my elecampane grow flowers this summer too. Summer is wonderful! So much to love about it. 

I will keep you posted about more of my garden adventures! Til then, have fun and enjoy the sun

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

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March 8, 2024 · 11:19 am

Magickal Portals )O(

Merry meet all,

The overdress from Holy Clothing arrived! I love it. It is so beautiful and feminine. I feel so beautiful when I wear it. I can wear it with about twenty different dresses in my wardrobe, which is also what made it worth buying. The herb cutter from The Witches moon arrived. The herb cutter is so beautiful! 

I woke up to a skiff of snow on the ground this morning. Well I looked out my window and decided, winter is not over yet. Snow covers the ground and a harsh wind rocks the trees. I still see the portal visible only to me. Or is it? To be able to see the portal and imagine you are escaping to Middle Earth, soften your gaze and peer between the two trees. It so does appear like a portal to me, carrying you far away from all your worries. If I had a choice, I would move to Middle Earth and never return. 

The future for all humankind is dark and scary. The earth’s resources are being manipulated and seized and wasted at an unprecedented scale. We ask too much of the earth and forget that we have to give back. Machinery, the army and the government are the enemy. The technology we are producing and depending on are causing the earth’s destruction. Many cellphones end up in landfill. The oceans are stuffed with garbage. The air is polluted. We cannot eat money but we all live like we can. We have a scary future ahead of us if we continue at this rate. We expect the earth to produce forever but it doesn’t work that way. 

That is why if I was given the choice, I would flee to Middle Earth. And to quote Gandalf, “I won’t be going alone.” I would take my loved ones including my cat with me. I always felt like I never fit in here anyway. I would not look back. We are all doomed and we have a bleak future. Why should we leave Earth, move to another planet and colonize there if we can’t learn our mistakes here? No, we have to learn first then ask ourselves if we could really do that to another planet. 

There are people all over the world claiming to be experiencing visits from aliens. They are unafraid of the aliens- except me, I am scared to death of them. They claim that the aliens are teaching them that we may be better off leaving earth and going with the aliens. Who am I to deny them? I can see the rationale behind it. The aliens are wise and know what await us. 

It will break my heart to be forced to see war break out and the earth torn apart. To see people overcome with rage, furious that the earth can keep up no more with their need for selfish gratitude, tearing other people apart- their kin and know love no more. But that may be our future. The Goddess has raised her horns and awoken-and she is pissed. The sinkholes, climate change, the natural disasters: droughts, wildfires, flooding and hurricanes are signs of her fighting back. I hope she never tires. I hope she teaches us a powerful lesson. I hope she stays and stands proud, driven by a beautiful fury. We have been bad children. 

Now don’t get me wrong. I know that there are other earth stewards out there like me who are likeminded. If you are reading this and you are one of them, power to you! I see you as a kindred spirit. Yes we who do care about Earth and all her beauty and power are hopefully exempt from the doom just lurking over the horizon. But unfortunately, those who are in power blinded by greed and money and drive the cruel wheel of machinery will propel all of us to an unpleasant future. 

I believe in leaving offerings and having a harmonious relationship with the nature spirits here. I would probably get laughed at. I don’t care. I know what I feel and I live in harmony with the earth. I work with not against. Many people take so much for granted. I dare say they will eventually wake up when it is too late. 

I follow a surprisingly simple routine for showing my concern for the earth. I save eggshells, I recycle and compost, and I eat a lot of organic food. I opt for organic food as often as I can. I know organic food is more expensive but they make it that way to try and discourage you from buying it. I resist and buy it anyway. I practice organic gardening methods and I never use toxic chemicals such as insecticides, pesticides and other such poison on my garden. I have the most beautiful garden Ever. I use organic seeds and organic soil. I reuse cloth bags and I drag my personal cart to the store and back, up and down that steep hill. I take the bus and take many strolls on the nature trail. 

I practice bioregional herbalism and follow a sustainable practice with my herbalism. 

These are all things we could all be doing. I love seeing other people take their own cloth bags to the grocery store. It cheers my heart so much. That is in itself an act of rebellion. Ok now just keep that up and start small then expand your earth stewardship practice. 

Happy International Women’s Day – which is every damn day!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

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January 17, 2024 · 3:18 pm

My Dark Avenger- Dante the Doll

My new doll

Merry meet all,

I was gifted a new pair of winter boots. I am so happy and so are my feet. Living in Atlantic Canada, you need a comfortable truly insulating pair of winter boots.  I love them. I recently made myself a new doll. I made the doll, my dark avenger, because I am so tired of the pain and toxicity I encounter. It has been so bad it has changed me. But not for the worse, but rather for the better. It does no good to be naive but it doesn’t have to turn you into someone bitter or hateful, either. 

I love my doll and I have named him Dante. He is all black with two buttons for eyes and a black button for the nose. He has a red mouth, a grey and red cape, and I stuffed with specific herbs. The herbs are meant to protect me. The herbs are sage, wormwood, nettle, pine needles, High John the Conqueror, mandrake, oak bark and Devil’s Claw Root. I stirred the herbs in a bowl with a wooden spoon, empowering the herbs with protective energy to protect me. He smells good! His hair is made from purple yarn. Dante is a dashing little fellow. I created him with care. Dante sports a necklace of skulls and pentacles and he bears a protection rune on the front, on his chest. I want to add horns and a tail to Dante too. 

I just love how Dante turned out. He looks great and he makes me feel good each time I hold him or look at him. Dante will always watch over me and guard me. That is the intention I put into him. I found a pattern to make a poppet doll and just enlarged the pattern. Then I sewed him together with care and love. I like to take pride in the things I do. They turn out better and last longer. My other doll, Minerva will get to know Dante too. 

I am tired of the pain and hate and toxicity. I received a flash of inspiration and next thing I knew, since I am happiest when I am creative, I was sewing myself a doll. I am tired of being a sponge for all that. No one needs that. Ever since Covid, everything has gone to pot. I hope the world gets better. The doll will now protect me. He is my little friend who will make sure no one ever hurts me again. This does not mean I won’t have my moments or that I won’t ever encounter anything negative ever again, like I am not a god. I am human but it sure feels good now to have Dante around. 

Penny is a sweet munchkin. She probably tries to protect me too. She is always available for a cuddle, whether I am happy or sad. So let’s love our little avengers- dolls, cats or a dog, whatever you have near you that loves you. We know the world could use a lot more love. Let’s choose love!

Imbolc approaches! 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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November 20, 2023 · 6:04 pm

Autumnal Inspirations )O(

Nature trail in autumn glory

Merry meet all,

Outside, it’s snowing. The sky switches between overcast and clear blue. One thing is for certain: winter is on its way. I still have the itch to grow herbs and I am scratching that itch by growing basil, mint and oregano. The basil has grown up several inches and the mint and oregano are just germinating. I have a grow light that heats them and guides the seedlings to grow their very best. That is the key to growing herbs in the winter. They sit at an east- to south facing window to get the most sunlight as well. 

I have begun a Pinterest board. I want to share the beautiful photos of herbs and flowers I have and all the crafting I have done. I have so many photos and now I can share them with the world. I hope people enjoy them. Here is the link: https://www.pinterest.ca/heddyjohannesen/flower-magick/

I did make the eldeberry recipe. I don’t think I boiled down the elderberries mixture quite enough. I never can quite get it to a syrup. It tasted divine anyway! 

Fortune has shone upon me. I am happy to say that I have a wonderful friend helping me edit my spidery novella. I am so relieved. It is all going so well so far. I really like the changes. I have a strong feeling that I won’t recognize the story once it is all edited, but I will know it is much improved. I can see such a difference already. She is an amazing editor and if I get the book published, I will be sure to mention her in the acknowledgements. I know I need to improve my writing, and she has been so helpful. I just love how much she has helped me so far. Now thanks to Stefanie, the novella has chapters, a revised storyline especially at the beginning, a genre that is very clear and marketable, and it will all hold together more strongly. I can’t ask for anything more. True I am anxious to send it to publishing companies but I know that it will he much improved if I can actually be patient for once in my life. 

She has lightened a huge load off my shoulders. I now know how I can improve my writing. That is my kind of editor. And she is ok with me being neurodivergent. I am in heaven. 

In addition to editing, I am now enrolled in the Business Herbal Course at the Herbal Academy. I received the book that accompanies the course and I am now making way through the Business course. I think it’s awesome that you can have a legit career at the Herbal Academy once you graduate. I want to use the pressed flowers, herbs and leaves I have trapped in the pages of a thick book and laminate them then add the laminated herbs to greeting cards and sell them. I hope this new project goes well. I really need to earn more money. I also want to sell herbal products once I graduate. I have to start thinking seriously about all that. That is why I am so happy to be enrolled at the Herbal Academy. I never want it to end! I have so many things to learn. 

I think that is the point of life. I never stop learning. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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November 10, 2023 · 9:53 pm

Garlic and autumn roots )O(

Merry meet all,

Today I want to talk about planting garlic. I planted organic garlic today in my garden. Garlic and other root veggies are very beneficial for your health. It is a good idea to stock up on root veggies to protect our health during fall and winter. 

I planted garlic in the big wooden box because the soil is deep in the box. I hope this ensures the garlic will grow bigger and better. Garlic is not a perennial because I live in Atlantic Canada. We get cold here but garlic does benefit from a cold dormant season. 

I had no soil so I used soil from the other pots in my garden. The garden and grassy yard is so strewn with colourful leaves. I emptied two pots of soil into the wooden box. I used the shovel to break up and loosen up the big chunks of soil and mix it in with the rest of the soil in the box. Unfortunately, I had to put the soil in over the straw but I guess the straw will compost in the soil anyway. The soil that was in the smaller planters had plants growing in it such as nasturtiums, the tomatoes, beans and chamomile. The plants are dead and withered but the soil that they grew in was full of nutrients. Earthworms have tunneled through it. I think using that soil was better than buying sterile soil from a store. Using soil already full of nutrients and had the benefit of beneficial insects working the soil is going to pass on those nutrients to the garlic and the soil the garlic grows in. I don’t have to work too hard to make any nutrients as it has already been done for me by the little unseen heroes: beneficial insects, the weather, birds, and the plants themselves. True, there is the other plant box now woefully short of soil but next spring, I will add fresh soil then. 

It is so important to have soil full of natural organic ingredients. Our ancestors knew that. Back in the day, and all the way back to ancient times, famers practiced organic gardening methods. The garlic will sit there in the box all fall, winter to spring. The soil needs food to sustain the garlic during the cold season. The soil is now full of the nutrients it needs such as the straw, the Gaia Green organic fertilizer, compost, the leaves, and the garlic skins. Wow that is such a potent mix not to mention the insects that are likely nesting in the box all winter, fed by the straw, leaves and compost. What a potent combination. I will add fresh fertilizer and compost next spring and summer. For now, that will do the trick. This is making me so eager to see how the garlic turns out. Pesticides and other chemicals never offer a good enough benefit. I have a thriving garden because I never use any of those chemicals. 

It felt magical to use the soil I already had and break up the chunks. It felt good to plant the garlic. We turn inward during the winter. Also today the moon is in a waning phase. It is the ideal time to plant garlic during the waning moon phase because the garlic is planted deep in the soil. During a waxing moon, we can plant things that grow above the soil. 

I added fertilizer to the soil like Gaia Green organics and other fertilizers. I added the compost soil from my compost box to the box. I planted the garlic, cloves separated and pointing up. I watered the soil and tamped the soil down. I planted each clove of garlic a few inches apart from each other. I also added large rocks to the box. Squirrels and bluejays are fierce thieves. I don’t want them to uproot my garlic and dig their own holes in the soil, thereby ruining my efforts. I will harvest the garlic next summer. I am so excited about growing garlic. I just hope that this time I get the satisfaction of large bulbs. I was offered a mix of soft neck and hard neck garlic. I guess I won’t know which is which in the box till next summer. 

I am very happy too that I have been patient enough to grow compost soil in my garden. I added it to the soil where I was growing the garlic. I believe that the key to growing a great garden is having your own compost available. I believe that will greatly benefit the garlic and hopefully grow better and bigger.

Garlic is extremely good for your health. I will now list a few health benefits that garlic has. 

Garlic is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, and is a hardy perennial belonging to the Liliaceae family. Other members of this family include onions, leeks, chives and shallots. They are distinguished by their pungent aroma and distinctive flavour.

1. Contains a compound called allicin, which has medicinal properties

2. Acts like an anticoagulant, so reduces the risk of heart attacks

3. May inhibit the growth of cancerous cells

4. Has been known for its antibacterial properties

5. May relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-garlic

Does this make you want to plant garlic in your own garden? What are your plans for fall? Let me know in the comments below. 

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

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September 11, 2023 · 11:19 am

Mabon: history, herbs and gems )O(

Merry meet all,

It never rains but it pours. The rain is pouring hard here. Today’s post is about herb and gemstone correspondences for Mabon, a magical time of year. I love Mabon, the second harvest Sabbat of three powerful Sabbats. The Crone prepares for her long cold rest and drawing back her power of abundance and fertility. This is a good time to be grateful for the abundance we receive from the earth. 

The History of Mabon: 

‘History

To start, Mabon is one of the eight sabbats of the Wheel of the Year that marks the transition out of summer into the autumn season. Named after the God of Welsh and Celebrated on September 21st, this is a time that celebrates the balance of the equal light and dark as we slowly begin to prepare for shorter days and longer nights as winter approaches. 

Symbolically, this is the time when the Goddess moves into her crone stage as she grows older and begins to lie down and withdraw her power from the land, leaving it cold and still. However, many also choose to celebrate this festival by honoring the goddess Demeter, as well as Persephone, as it is said that Demeter’s grief in losing her daughter to the underworld is also what caused the earth to transition from its warm and abundant peak into a long and stagnant winter. 

Aside from this, energetically speaking, Mabon is a beautiful time of reflection and movement. It is a time to complete goals, cleanse away old energies, and let go of what is no longer serving you. Not to mention, it is also a good time for making changes in our lives and planting seeds of intention that will grow and rise in the spring. Therefore, it is a great time to reflect on your path and your goals and begin taking larger steps towards bringing them to fruition. ‘ 

Credit given to: https://spiritnest.com/blogs/news/a-mabon-celebration-celebrating-the-second-harvest?_pos=1&_sid=cd273c50b&_ss=r&utm_source=Shopify+Subscribers&utm_campaign=41bed93904-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_12_03_COPY_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6db5b07b64-41bed93904-60519593&mc_cid=41bed93904&mc_eid=7f0f546ded

Herbs, flowers and berries:

September is a month of abundance and harvesting the earthy goodness all around us. You can use the herbs you gathered to decorate your Mabon altar and your home. Gather herbs in the morning on a dry day. Always cut the stems and stalks on an angle. Use a good pair of clean sharp scissors or a boline. Give thanks to the plant spirit and only harvest what you need. Wash off any dirt or bugs and dry your herbs by dehydrating them in a dehydrator or on a mesh screen. Take a plant identification book with your or an app to help you identify and harvest the correct plant. Don’t get anything that is poisonous. An app such as Seek is good. Take a magnifying glass, a bag to store the snipped herbs in and wear good walking shoes, also bring insect repellent and don’t harvest from a diseased plant. Don’t harvest anything that has been sprayed, or is at risk of being endangered. 

Sunflowers, corn husks, any flowers growing in your garden or in your area such as goldenrod, red clover, St. John’s wort, rose petals, Chinese lanterns, yarrow, blue cornflower, thyme, lavender, sage, basil, burdock, elderberries, or rosemary. All these herbs, flowers and berries are potent. Pumpkins, gourds, potatoes, onions, wheat, acorns, dandelion roots, burdock roots add a rich healthy earthiness to a Mabon harvest. Feel free to add bones, pomegranates, cider. 

Gemstones:

Gemstones have been used to heal people and empower their lives since time immemorial. Black tourmaline, hematite, sunstone, citrine, amber, quartz, agates and petrified wood are ideal. Match the colours of the gemstones to the shades of Mabon. Leave a few gemstones in your garden as an offering to the nature spirits for protecting and nurturing your garden. They can decorate your altar. Use browns, gold, reds and orange colours. 

The next post will focus on the ways to celebrate Mabon. This is sure to inspire you! 

Blessings, Spiderwitch 

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August 30, 2023 · 11:04 am

Horror Novels

Merry meet all,

I feel fall in the air.  The leaves are turning (already? gulp), the air feels crisp and I am just waiting for pumpkins to hit the shelves. The asters have bloomed which is a good sign of fall coming. The bees are busy gathering all the pollen they can. 

I have started chard and beans from seed in small pots. There is still time to grow them and if the frost hits, I can grow them indoors with the grow light kit. I switched the beige table cloth on my kitchen table to my black spiderweb lace tablecloth. I also dressed my altar for Mabon. Much as I am resisting fall, I’m embracing it as well. It is inevitable. I am just angsty for my garden. I’m also working on a corn doll for Mabon. I even made a broom from herb twig stems. A few herbs are soaking in a bowl of water to let the bugs escape. I plan to use them with the corn doll. I will post pictures later when I am finished the corn doll. 

I am also hoping to get elecampane to sprout from seed. I put a few seeds on a damp paper towel in a ziplock bag. Last night, I did a full moon ritual. It felt so good. it has been a long time since I did a full moon Rit and now I plan to get way back into my magic craft. 

Speaking of magic, as I gaze out my window, a spider has caught a big bug in his web. The spider twirled the bug around and around and hangs on tight despite the breeze hitting the web. The poor bug doesn’t stand a chance. It is amazing to witness and yet it repulses me. This is the fascinating twin nature of Mother Nature: life and death twined into one. Every August, there are suddenly so many spiders. The hard part is that the bug is still alive. That is what is hardest for me. I can understand something suffering then dying quick. But this bug in the cocoon at that spider’s mercy is still alive. I can tell by the way it’s upper legs twitch. It has to endure all that. For a reason unknown to me, spiders love to weave their webs at my bedroom/ office window. I am fascinated by spiders though. I know most people don’t feel the way I do. They would likely have a harder time living here. I live near a nature trail where there are lots and lots of industrious insects. The spider tugged his unwilling prey away. I have had enough of that. 

I stored herbs in jars last night. I dried them in my dehydrator all day yesterday and that was when I understood why I bought the dehydrator. It was so easy, so simple and cut out so much drying time. I plan to use my dehydrator a lot more often. I usually dry herbs on a screen or on my air drying rack but that took out all the work for me I usually do. Yup I have officially upgraded to a dehydrator. I love it. I dried lovage, Thai basil, mugwort, goldenrod, lemon balm, red clover, dandelion leaves, chamomile and St. John’s Wort. 

Samhain is sixty two days away! It is time to prepare. I can’t believe that time of year is here. Curl up with a few good horror books. I can’t get enough of it. I have had the privilege lately of reading some damn good horror fiction. The first novel on my list is The Twisted Ones by Kingfisher. I could not put this book down. The suspense killed me, the characters were amazing and the scary creatures were original. If I saw those creatures staring into my window at night and I was alone in the country, I would freak out too. Next on the list is The Devil Takes you home by Gabino Iglesias. Read. This. Book. I had a hard time muscling my way past a few gruesome scenes in the book but it kept me riveted till the end. I cried for Mario. The situation he ended up in was so tragic and I found his predicament very believable. This novel is terrifying. Read it with the lights on! The next novel on my list is My Heart is a Chainsaw. I am not sure if this classifies as horror. I wasn’t that scared. My Heart is a Chainsaw is a brilliant character driven novel. If you want to get deep into the heart and mind of the main character and the mystery in the town, then this is the novel for you. 

Those novels will definitely get you in the mood for a spooky Samhain. The next novel I plan to read is Devil’s Creek by Todd Keisling, and that is another damn good horror book. I plan to keep writing and working on my own projects too. 

I have to get going but I will post soon. Till then, keep writing and stay spooky!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

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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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