Tag Archives: Herbal

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 13, 2022 · 12:53 pm

Halloween Horrors

Merry meet all,

Samhain creeps closer and closer! Our most cherished time of year is almost here. Pumpkins appear on front porches and skeletons ward off unwary children. I am busy preparing for Samhain. 

Elderberries chill in my freezer, dandelion roots dry out in pumpkin shaped bowls, and chrysanthemums fill glass dishes with their sunny petals. To see my kitchen is to understand a herbalist lives here. Jars and jars of dried herbs clutter the shelves. Empty jars waiting to be used fill baskets. A true herbalist lives here. My kitchen is small and cluttered, but I have it down to a system. Elderberries, chrysanthemums and dandelions are good herbs for Samhain. The elderberries and dandelion roots are good for combating illnesses during cold and flu season. 

How to Harvest Dandelion Roots:

The best time to dig up roots is in the autumn and spring. I prefer the autumn, as I like to leave the flowers for the bees. Dig around a dandelion plant under the leaves. I never wear gloves while I’m gardening. I loosen the soil and dig under the plant, feeling for the long root. The root resembles a carrot, both are taproots. As you dig, that loosens the soil and as you feel for the taproot, you can tell if it is long. Give a very gentle pull and it should all come loose in your hand. Then pull the root out and shake off the soil. Wash the roots outside in a large dish full of clean cold water. Empty the water out and scrub the roots clean with an old tooth brush, then chop and dry them. If dried properly, they should keep for a year. It is very easy to do! 

My blog post is up and haunting the Horror Writers Association annual Halloween blog event! I posted about how writers can portray their characters, either a witch or a warlock, use the most deadliest herbs in a scene accurately. In other words, how to write about them using the herbs and make it really believable. Wolfsbane, belladonna  or mandrake are potent and deadly. If a character ingests the herb whether by incense smoke or not handling it properly, then gets sick then is expected to be fine, it is then not believable. I am helping the writers to write about their characters using these notorious herbs the correct way. Here’s the link: https://horror.org/halloween-haunts-bane-herbs-in-fiction-by-heddy-johannesen/

I wrote a short story (2000 words) about a night of trick or treating gone all wrong for a publication. I hope they want to publish it. The story was a lot of fun to write. 

Here is the blog post for you to read and enjoy!

Bane Herbs in Fiction

Heddy Johannesen

Do you want to write about bane herbs in your stories? Let me navigate that dangerous territory with you. I will discuss how you can write about bane herbs in your novellas and horror novels accurately. This post tells how to have your character using these herbs, if that character is a witch, warlock or one of the cunning folk, you can portray your character using these herbs the right way if you read this.

Bane herbs mean poisonous or toxic herbs. The most beautiful plants are often the deadliest. The plants listed below fall in that category. That is the illusion they cast. Never ingest the plants listed below in any shape or form. The symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, faintness or difficulty breathing, even death. Surprisingly, most of the following herbs also contain medicinal qualities.

If you have a character possibly using one or more of these plants and think that character won’t be affected, whether they’re fighting off a horde of werewolves or zombies, you’re wrong. Just in case a savvy reader calls you out on your error, that is why I am here. Don’t let this scare you. Again, never ingest the plants on this list. Use caution and common sense. The plants listed below all have varying degrees of toxicity.

*Flying ointments don’t make a person fly. It is an ointment prepared with the intention to make a person feel like they are flying, usually applied to a person’s skin while performing a meditation. It’s not advised that said person doing the meditation operate heavy machinery afterwards.

Now, grab a coffee and your herbal basket and stroll with me.

Belladonna (atropa belladonna)

Belladonna is known for Atropos, one of the three Fates who cut the threads of life with her shears. Indeed, this plant lives up to its reputation as it provides a deadly poison which causes hallucinations. Belladonna contains the alkaloids tropane, hyoscine, hyoscyamine and atropine.

The berries are sweet but deadly. The symptoms include difficulty in swallowing and speaking, vomiting, drowsiness, slurred speech, hallucinations, confusion, and agitation. The root has the highest concentration of toxins but the berries are most potent.

Magical properties and uses: inducing visions; aiding astral projection incense; oils; flying ointment

Datura (datura stramonium)

Datura is known as thorn apple. The tropane alkaloids are similar to deadly nightshade and henbane. They can cause confusion, delirium, and hallucinations, drowsiness, coma and pupil dilation.

Magical properties and uses: reversing hexes; protection; astral travel; invisibility; enchantment; and magical power

 

Elder (sambucus nigra)

Respect your elders! Elder is a large shrub to treat with respect due to its’ dual natures to heal and poison you. The berries contain cyanide yet this plant can boost your immune system. Elder contains cyanide inducing glycosides. Once cooked or used in a dehydrated form, the sweet purple berries can be made into jams, syrups and tinctures. Yet it is advised to treat Elder with caution.

Magical properties and uses: banishing; exorcisms; protection; healing; prosperity; peace; beauty; love

Foxglove (digitalis spp)

Foxglove is a stately plant. It can be deadly even in small amounts. Foxglove contains cardiac glycosides called digitoxin, digitalin,  digitonin, digitalosmin which produce aglyconen and a sugar. The aglycones affect heart muscles. It causes slowing of the heart, and/ or massive heart attack as the heart tries to get enough oxygen to the brain. Foxglove is an emetic herb.

Magical properties and uses: protection; communion with the Underworld; faery connection; courage; heart healing

Mandrake (mandragora officinarum)

Mandrake is a magical plant. It is a stemless perennial with a coveted fleshy taproot. Witches love growing mandrake in their witchy gardens. The root is notorious for having special powers. Lore says that the root emits a terrible scream when it is uprooted. The lore also tells that a dog was tied to the plant, the dog was offered a bone then the dog would uproot the root to get to the bone. The root would be removed from the soil and the poor dog suffered the terrible maddening scream and possibly be driven mad. The root has aphrodisiacal powers and is reputed to be shaped like a man.

Mandrake belongs to the nightshade family of plants. It contains the constituents of tropane alkaloids, hyoscine and atropine. The effects of those compounds are hallucinogenic, narcotic, emetic and purgative. The effects are similar to deadly nightshade and henbane.

Magickal powers and uses: protection; prosperity; fertility; exorcising evil; love; health

Rue (ruta graveolens)

Rue is known as an herb o grace. Rue is grown in many gardens as an ornamental plant and as a medicinal herb. Rue contains the rutine constituent, a glycoside that has furocoumarins alkaloids, tannins and essential oils. If one rubs it on their skin, they can contract dermatitis. Rue can cause vomiting, diarrhea, acute gastroenteritis, and liver failure.

Rue is used in folklore to guard the home and prevent evil spirits from entering the home. It was worn on a belt to keep witches away.

Magical properties and uses: health and mental powers; encourages peaceful vibrations; reverses hexes; guarding the home

Wolfsbane (aconitum napullus)

We now come to the most beautiful, oldest and deadliest of all the bane plants. Wolfsbane’s principal alkaloids are aconite and aconitine, aconitine being the most toxic compound found in the plant. Even accidental ingestion can result in severe gastrointestinal upset and slowing of the heart rate. Wolfsbane has an unpleasant bitter taste. The entire plant is poisonous.

Magical properties and uses: protection from evil and werewolves; predators; invisibility

I hope you enjoyed reading about these ‘notorious’ herbs, their many properties and uses. Just don’t forget to read the warning labels.

Blessings, Spiderwitch )O(

 

 

 

 

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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 12, 2022 · 12:07 pm

Autumn wonders

Merry meet all,

I am proud to announce I graduated from the Intermediate level at the Herbal Academy. I look forward to new challenges and learn about new ways to use herbs in the next level, Advanced. I am sure there will be many challenges ahead for me. Bring it on!

I found new  fun ways to use herbs this summer. I dyed a big pile of plain muslin cloth with goldenrod. The fabric dyed a beautiful muted gold/ yellow shade. I’m infusing garlic cloves and garden grown basil in vinegar. I made a potent rose petal elixir, I concocted a St.John’s wort tincture and two salves, and I plan to make a jar of elderberry syrup. I look forward to using my herbal potions and learning more about herbs at the Herbal Academy. This fall I have a grow light. I just transferred the herbs I began from seed and my root cuttings of mint, basil, rue, nettles calendula, thyme and dill. The thyme and dill are growing in a yogurt container so their deep roots have room to grow. The other herbs were transferred to a deeper pot. They are all growing under the grow light. I wonder how I ever managed without a grow light. Grow lights are awesome! I’m trying to grow root veggies too. I hope that goes well. 

I even used herbs on my witch’s broom. I know that cinnamon brooms can be bought online. Why not do it yourself? I coated the broom with glue and dabbed the ground cinnamon onto the broom then I sprinkled cinnamon essential oil. It has dried in a large clear plastic bag for two weeks. The broom that I also made myself smells lovely now. Argh I do believe I have been stung by the very nettle I just transplanted. I grew a big lovely pumpkin vine but no pumpkins. The bees love the male flower pollen but all their hard work is for naught. Every female pumpkin flower has turned brown, shrivelled and died. There are many male pumpkin flowers. The tomatoes are finally growing and the scarlet runner bean vines are flush with beans. I plan to harvest all the herbs from my garden soon and bring the rosemary and oregano in for the winter. 

I’m harvesting lovage which I did earlier and made a lovely jar of lovage salt! Lemon balm, lemon basil, lavender, calendula, mint, sage, borage leaves, chamomile, chives, raspberry leaves, astilbe seeds, elecampane seeds and roots, dandelion roots, cucumbers, shallots, kale ( may overwinter it). The nasturtiums are annuals. I will miss them, I find the leaves so tasty. I will be busy this fall harvesting roots, flowers and seeds!

Being near this abundance of nature sure saves me money for studying at the Herbal Academy. It’s expensive enough to purchase and store the herbs. I have to have enough jars and room to store the jars. I don’t have enough room so I just don’t splurge on a huge amount of herbs at once. I buy 5 grams or more at least and then I can just refill the labeled and dated jars in my apothecary. 

I have to make sure I downloaded all the PDFs for the Intermediate level at the Herbal Academy. I left a glowing testimonial on how much I enjoyed the fun yet mentally stimulating. Herbs have taken over my life. Maybe I should say this course has taken over my life. I find I don’t have much time to do all the other things I need to do, like get back into my writing horror fiction for one. I hope I can manage it all. 

The fall season is off to a great start. On top of that, Mabon and Samhain are not far away. I can’t wait. I look forward to hearing about how all of you readers are spending your fall season too. Comment below!

Blessings, Spiderwitch

 

 

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July 13, 2022 · 12:27 pm

Herbal Crafts )O(

Merry meet all,

I am enjoying my herbal studies at the Herbal Academy. The flowers I’m pressing are beautiful. I plan to press a good deal more flowers soon. I”m making a flower essence out of the local summery flowers here. That includes borage, mint, lavender petals, red clover, chamomile. Mmmmm I can’t wait. I am steeping the essence outdoors in a glass bowl in my garden. Soon in another hour or two I shall strain the flowers and make the potion with brandy! Sounds good to me. 

There are so many herbs outside in my garden and the nature trail. I sure have my pick of plants. Borage, lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, burdock, goldenrod, clover, and many others. I love living here as it makes my studies at the Academy much easier. The herbs I need grow in abundance around me. This encourages me to be more sustainable in my practice and to be an earth steward! Right now, I am loving the ample sunshine and loving that that will aid my floral essence in my garden. The bowl of flowers must absorb the sunlight. It is crucial to the floral essence being made properly. I plan to strain the flowers with a strainer outdoors. I am sure the glass bowl of flowers soaking in water will have some bugs in it!

I plan to do a bookbinding project of the herbal course material too. I will finish it this coming weekend. I just have to complete some stuff before that. It really is a weekend project. I promise to show photos here once I am done. I already have the supplies and I have bound/ covered the book covers in bookbinding cloth. I am not anywhere near done. I have to sew the folios together and still cover the book covers with more layers. That will give it a nice seamless look. I hope this goes well. I want to decorate the pages with pressed flowers and of course, butterfly stickers. 

There are so many crafts I can do! Flower pressing, flower essences, bookbinding, or making floral handmade paper – I am only limited by my imagination! I am covered in mosquito bites. I’m also waiting for the delivery of a beautiful embroidered leather binder from Etsy. It’s traveling as I type from the UK to Canada. I hope I don’t have to wait too long. I am using the binder for my materia medica. I can’t wait! It’s so beautiful. I think my herb notes deserve to be stored in something truly beautiful. 

On top of the herbal crafts I mentioned above, I am also helping the other plants in my garden grow to their very best. I’m growing veggies too. Celery, tomatoes, squash, parsley, coriander, lovage, basil, mint, pumpkin, potatoes, a carrot or two, beans, root veggies like turnip and radish and beets. I’m also growing chives, shallots, tons of nasturtiums, raspberry, strawberry, and blueberry. The haskap berries are past their season now. The bean vines are so aggressive. I bought two poles to support the scarlet runner bean vines. They are growing a little too well. The elecampane is yet to flower. The flower buds are formed. I am just waiting on pins and needles for it to blossom! 

I bought a big tool chest from Canadian Tire. It doesn’t hold hammers and nails. Instead, the huge chest holds all my craft supplies. I now have more room in my broom closet. It filled up fast. I got the big chest on sale. I just love it. Everything I need is finally in one place and I have a place for everything! I can now enjoy doing more herbal crafts with a lot less stress. I just love the big ‘pirate’ chest. 

I wish you dear readers would let me know what herbal crafts you are doing now. Do let me know in the comments below. 

BB 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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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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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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June 7, 2022 · 6:03 pm

Summer seeds

Merry meet all,

My garden is growing beautifully. This weekend, I direct seeded echinacea, poppies, foxglove and root veggies seeds – beets, radish and turnip. Some of the root veggie seeds have germinated which is so cool. I had planted garlic originally in that box but they never came up. The garlic is growing fine in the garden but not in the box. I also transplanted Solomon’s seal and pretty blue bachelor’s buttons in the garden from my Mom’s garden. I planted my green and purple beans and nasturtium seeds, mugwort and more calendula. I love summer. It is not even spring yet. My  pumpkin vine flowered this morning!

I hope that my elecampane flowers this year. The garden is so beautiful. The air is still cold here. I have no idea why. I love my garden, it’s so beautiful. The bleeding hearts plant is bigger this year. I am so glad it survived being trampled. My herbs are growing well – sage, lavender, lemon balm, mint, chives, lovage, comfrey and now rosemary.

I’m still studying at the Herbal Academy. This summer, I’m studying a mini course about flower pressing. I get a flower press to use with the course. I really really wanted one. I am so happy about that.

I binge watched all the awesome Stranger Things episodes. I love that show. I want more, lots more Stranger Things. This season was darker than the previous ones.

Oh and I want to issue a warning here: Pretty Litter is the biggest scam EVER. They sell cat litter online. Well I just got ripped off. Don’t ever buy their cat litter from them. My Mom emailed me some cash for something and before I could blink, the money was withdrawn from my account. I knew immediately who stole it. Yup Pretty Litter- the worst scam ever. They refuse to refund my Mom too. Worst scam ever. I will never buy cat litter from them again.

I will post more later. This is a quick post here today. Don’t trap your pooches in hot cars. Wear a mask and be safe, everyone. 

 

Blessed Be, Spiderwitch

 

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April 22, 2022 · 11:33 am

Spring Tides

Merry meet all,

Happy Earth Day!!! Every single day should be Earth Day, in my opinion. But I am glad to celebrate it today. I’m sipping herbal tea. I have no lights turned on, the kettle is unplugged. Well OK I’m on the computer but I have to be to type this post. I watered my many green seedlings this morning. My kitty is perched on a pile of papers, watching everything that moves. Mmmm this herbal tea of chamomile, meadowsweet, lemon balm, passionflower and vervain is delicious! 

I successfully completed the latest section on the nervous system in the Intermediate Course with a perfect grade – 100%! I have other good news. My poem, The Frightened Spirit, is slated to be published in the upcoming issue of Polar Borealis #21! I’m attending StokerCon 2022 which is on May 12-15th and I can’t wait! I even submitted an author reading of me reading my published short story The Grimm Pumpkin. This is all good news. 

I have to practice my botanical drawings more. Once spring really is here, and flowers are in bloom, like when the weather actually warms up and stays warm, I will draw more. Spring in Nova Scotia is like an extended winter season. The Herbal Academy wants me to go foraging. It’s not time here for that yet. I’ll be patient. Speaking of wild flowers, the sunny flowers are coltsfoot not dandelion. I thought they were dandelions but my app identified them as coltsfoot. They are two different plants. Dandelion is safe to consume and coltsfoot has a toxin. 

This website says more about it here: 

Coltsfoot preparations have liver toxic alkaloids that may have the potential to cause cancer. Some sources, such as RX List, report that “Coltsfoot is considered UNSAFE. It contains chemicals called hepatotoxic (toxic to the liver) pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) that can damage the liver or cause cancer.”Mar 22, 2020
I’m mentioning this to show you how easily one plant can be mistaken for another. I use the app Seek to aid me in identifying plants. I almost harvested the coltsfoot but I may be reluctant to do so now. There is insufficient evidence to support whether it is a safe herb to consume. I hope the bees enjoy coltsfoot. Power to them!
A book came in the mail that I am so excited to get to read. The book’s titled Poltergeist: A New Investigation into Destructive Haunting by John Fraser. This book focuses way more on poltergeists than on ghosts. The author aims to prove the existence of the more noisy spooky poltergeists. I think I will enjoy this book. That debate can go on for forever. It is hard to prove both exist let alone one over the other. The book is nonfiction. 
I hope you all enjoy spring. Blessings to all, Spiderwitch

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April 13, 2022 · 1:19 pm

Seeds of hope, flowers of glory )O(

Merry meet all,

Oh my goddess ! I have so many seedlings in my apartment I could fill a store up with them. I’m running out of room. I decided I would share tips on how I successfully began my seedlings in this post today. Grab a cuppa herbal tea and enjoy this post!!!

First, let’s begin with you figuring out what your intentions are. Do you want to grow lots of veggies to hold off on a possible food shortage? Do you want to grow a witch’s garden for teas and potions? Do you like a conventional garden of just flowers and herbs? Do you dare to grow some poisonous witch’s herbs? ( in which case, if so, research them first and please, PLEASE don’t plant them if kids and pets visit your garden. Or grow in pots indoors away from kids and pets- and wildlife and adults.)

Do you have the room and the budget and the time to devote to a garden? Once you have fully realized your intentions and answered the other questions, we can move to the next step. Growing the witchy herbs that you can harvest and enjoy all summer long. My intention is easy. I am studying herbalism and so I want to grow herbs that I can learn about at the Academy. I want to grow a lot of herbs to save money and not need to buy them at a local organic food store. I want to learn how to use these herbs medicinally and for my witchy path too. See how I did that?

Growing your own herbs helps you get to know the plants on a deeper level too. Herbs like mint, parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme and sage are good herbs  for healing and can be used in cooking. Yarrow, white, sage, nettles, mugwort are also witchy! Choose organic or heirloom seeds. Use good quality potting soil. Do use good soil. Don’t waste your money on low quality soil. The care you give the seeds and seedlings now pays off hugely in the future. Good quality soil encourages stronger root growth and helps you grow stronger plants and is affordable. The benefits you will receive of growing stronger plants outweights opting for cheap soil from a dollar store. Go with the strong seedlings and then you can choose which ones to thin out later.

Use a grow light or a big sunny window to grow your plants. I don’t own a grow light. I just arrange the pots at a window and sacrifice the space in my home until the frost passes. I water them frequently when the soil is dry. The trick is not to overwater the seedlings. Get a spray bottle to mist the plants. Don’t drown them or the roots will rot. 

So, now you know why you want to grow herbs, you have your grow lights and/ or a sunny window, your soil and your organic heirloom seeds. Now what? Here is the fun part and the hardest part- you have to have patience. Plant one or more seeds- just a few- in each starter pot. Label the pots to know what you planted where. That makes it easier on you unless you have an amazing memory. I can never remember. You can use popsicle sticks for labels. You can even draw sigils on them or witchy pentacles! Use your imagination!

If you have a plastic dome, cover the starter pots with the dome. This traps the moisture which seeds like to grow. You can empower the seed pots with your witchy intentions for them to grow strong. If you don’t have a dome, use saran wrap to cover the pots. Don’t layer it on to smother the plants. Leave an inch or two of space because that might kill the plants. Every so often, lift the saran wrap and let them get full sun. When they grow their true leaves, keep the dome or wrap off. Have lots of patience here. You get more life out of the green babies with tons of sweet talk and coaxing than using brute force. Trust me. Now is the time to cultivate a nurturing nature. I am not saying you would be cruel but gently guiding them and not getting angry if you don’t get the results you want is much better. Sometimes, plants just won’t grow for whatever reason.

When they outgrow the starter pots, you can gently tuck them into slightly bigger plant pots. That is the fun part! I love watching plants I began from seed grow into these beautiful herbs. I just love that, that and their scent. There are just so many amazing things about herbs.  I can’t list them all here but I know you know what I mean. 

The tips:

  • Remember, don’t over water them!
  • Keep the soil just moist.
  • Practice organic gardening methods.
  • Choose good quality soil and good starter pots. 
  • Be gentle and don’t use pesticides. You kill the beneficial insects. 
  • Trust that the herbs will grow into beautiful plants. Let go and let mama earth do what she do best. 

I can’t wait till the frost passes. I can’t wait to grow the white sage, sage, yarrow, kale, leeks, peppers, tomatoes, borage, anise, calendula, cucumbers, echinacea, dill, and lemon basil – all begun from seeds – outdoors. I cannot wait. I have saved scarlet runner beans, the seeds I have mentioned here and rue and yarrow seeds on order. I can’t wait to get growing! 

It is all predetermined in a single tiny seed. That seed can grow into a huge plant. Each seed contains the DNA of the plant. If that doesn’t amaze you, it sure amazes me. Some seeds have to be planted 1/4 inch under the soil and some need to be planted deeper into the soil. I go by the sizes of the seeds to determine that. Bigger seeds can go deeper into the starter pots. Seeds, like chamomile, are just spread over the surface of the soil. They are so tiny and fine. 

Here is the link to a company using organic methods and seeds: https://strictlymedicinalseeds.com. 

If you get dark, rainy weather like we do here in the Maritimes, then you can turn a lamp on and place it next to your plants. This helps them get maximum light. A grow light does help plants grow well. You can also use a fan to trick the plants into growing thicker stalks and stems. It mimics the wind. 

I hope the above tips and tricks inspire you to get growing your own amazing herbs! Blessings, 

Spiderwitch

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