#herb lore

I've been trying to find a copy particularly of volume 1 of this book for 1-2 years now, and I've mostly only found $350-1,500 second-hand copies (just for vol 1) , plus one reference copy in a library 3,000km away.

(It was also originally published in Flemish, so there was the added layer of finding an English edition)

But I recently found it for sale, new, in a Dutch bookshop! One of my friends shipped it to me, and the box set cost me AU$230 including the shipping to Australia (which was a little over half the total cost)

It's probably 4x the most I've ever spent on a book, when my funds are the tightest they've been in my entire adult life, and yet I don't even have words for how happy I am to have this book in my hot little hands!!!

It is so, so well-researched. It's so well-cited. Plus the authors speak about as many languages as you'd expect from Belgians, so their pool of sources is so much broader than most similar books whose authors only speak English.

(I opened to a random page and got the footnotes/citations just for the section on Frankincense)

There's been something so wonderful about shifting from reading mostly witchy books by witchy authors to reading mostly academic texts by academics. They're definitely not as easy to read, but the depth of information and the expertise are just delicious!

Recently, my Handsome Assistant experienced a minor vehicular mishap. He was on a motorcycle, so things could’ve been a lot worse, but his injuries weren’t too serious and he’s recovering well. When he first got his bike, I made him a safe travel charm that he’s kept with him everywhere he rides. He’s dodged the “serious motorcycle accident” bullet, and it could use a refresh. This got me…

There will be witchy happenings here soon though; I was trained in herblore and folk magic from the age of ten, so gardening and witchcraft are a huge part of my life.

Also Doctor Who, Stranger Things and cross-stitch. Just hoping to meet like-minded folk ☺️

The belief that someone in the house shall perish untimely when a pine tree overgrows the building has been repeated much; however, it often was considered to be bad luck to have it nearby regardless of size, as it would bring about misfortune upon the family and sour its connection with society. The potency of the plant, - its ability to acidify the environment, - and the habit for sandy soil, which makes its company undesirable for many potential herbal neighbours, also suggested that it would scare off a possible husband, or ruin an existing relationship. It was linked to a distaste for men in particular, allegedly preventing sons from being born altogether.

That being said, in the areas where pines and fir-trees are particularly common, the folklore about them can be exactly the opposite, highlighting the protective and healing qualities of the tree.

Wormwood

Due to the last few years of natural disasters, social upheaval and medical distress, the importance of relationships is quite clear. Individuals who found themselves alone or disconnected have suffered deep trauma.

The animal and plant world has been a source of joy and healing for me. Certain plants have drawn me in, capturing my attention and changed me physically, mentally and spiritually. One such plant is Wormwood.

Sweat to the smell but bitter to the taste, Mother Wormwood has been generous. I have experienced her aromatic oils via teas, tinctures, fresh leaves and homemade absinthe. Wormwood-infused balms have even helped alleviate joint pain in my hands.

Wormwood has a complex spirit. Culpepper attributes her governance to Mars, and I can see why. The plant is well known for its aggressive anti-parasitic and liver-cleansing properties. However, the botanical genus and name (Artemisia Absinthium) feel rather apt. The dream and mind-altering effects experienced from ingesting the herb suit a Greek hunting and luna goddess. In the forest of Artemis, you could meet the Green Fairy.

Recently, a curious interaction with one of the Wormwood plants in my garden caught me off-guard. I had just pruned the Rosemary and Rue and was about to clip dried Wormwood stalks when a friendly but assertive thought thrust into my mind. "Save the cuttings; they protect", and a vision of a wreath of Wormwood flashed within my inner sight. Those who have communed with plant allies would know the feeling of this non-verbal communication. So I trimmed the plant and soaked the dried stalks overnight. The following day the stalks had softened and were wrapped and woven into a loop. After a few days of drying, stating my intentions and thanking Mother Wormwood, I bound the wreath in red dyed natural wool.