Rescue of her family from second floor used with permission
Sometimes the bough breaks. Sometimes the Broom of the Fate is brutal, and its straws are made of pain and destruction. They destroy all we had and leave us with little else than the accounts of love and esteem that we have contributed to with our goodness and kindness and honor. It is in these darkest of times that our way is lit out of them by the glow from the stepping stones our friends lay upon our path. Such a time is here for Fae Laume.
You know her. We know her. She is us. We see her at ConVocation. We see her on social media. We know her laugh. We light up with her smile. Her steps in the community leave happiness in their wake.
But not today.
Fae lost everything. She lost her momentos. She lost her cherished memory holders. She lost her belongings. She lost her sense of safety. She lost her household goods. She lost her intact home. She lost her secret joys that all of us have, things kept in drawers, photo albums. She lost her books, her Book of Shadows, her besom, and her supplies. She lost her floors and walls.
Public Image, "Issues and Events in Midland Michigan"- Facebook Public Post
Eleven, a number of illumination. Eleven, the number that is just so much more than the end of a sequence in our base ten world. Eleven, the number of feet of water that swept away and destroyed the physical world and home of a remarkable woman.
Fae is us. Fae is any one of us. She is living that nightmare we hush in whispered fear, in the backs of our thoughts, that we could be the next news story.
Fae lost it all. But she did not lose us. Now, what are we all going to do about it?
To help, send donations to https://www.paypal.me/laumephotography or to specifically help with reconstruction so the family can use the downstairs of their home again... email is faelaume@live.com for home depot or lowes Egift cards
On Monday, I experienced something that seems trivial to others, but was a profoundly moving experience to me.
A woman requested free tickets to the festival I am running. She asked
because I have posted on the event there is a limited amount of free
ones available to the community for hardship. Well, she asked, so she
got. Closed mouths don't get fed, you know?
I dropped them off at
her home, and she introduce me to her son and her infant daughter. The
boy is 13, and wants to study Reiki. He was also interested in learning
to lay hands. Well, that is at the event, so cool. The mother was doing
Psalm work, and practicing herbal crafts.
Her eyes were so large
and her spirit so happy when she found out she was not alone. She had no
idea there is a community of magical folks and was so happy that the
event was in a place that is just off the beaten track enough that she
can maintain her privacy from her neighbors.
Meanwhile, the whole way home, my eyes were filled with tears. I mean, lay my face in my hands, tears.
Why?
Because it filled my heart so deep and hard with how much I miss seeing
my people, seeing other brown faces, breathing the same air as I do as
we speak of things that make the impossible happen.
It struck me
like a bell. I have never been to an event in Detroit like this event
will be. I thought I made this event for several reasons, but maybe it
was really about reunion. A Black magical family reunion.
The
city is so spread out now. The only spaces and faces that gather
together that I travel are filled with good and honorable people. But
there are so few that are like mine, that when I see them, it is like
filling a cup and drinking deeply when you didn't even know you were
thirsty.
I find that my heart hurt so much, but was so glad, at
the same time. Because I know the legacies of why we are so segregated
here, I am not surprised it is this way. But it doesn't mean that an
arbitrary mile road stops the flow of our magical folks on both sides of
the 8 Mile border.
For those who are not from here, yes, 8 Mile
is really a thing. It is the Michigan Mason Dixon line. We have others,
as well. Going downriver has its own divisions.
But that simple
moment, that act of connection, when my brown eyes met her brown eyes,
all the memories came into my breath. As I shared what became, for me, a
sacred moment in time, I was overwhelmed.
She did not know that
as we talked and I smiled, that my chest was filling up with emotion.
She did not know that I had been so happy to see a Detroit address. She
had no way of knowing that with every block, my childhood of sitting
cross legged on the porch and listening to my friend's Mother's blues
records came back to me.
I had memories of hair being oiled, and
the smell of Ultra Sheen and Pink Oil on Creole hands and African
hands. I remembered looking through glass cases, filled with Anna Riva
books and brown paper bags stained with conjure oils. I heard the voice
of my mother in her kitchen, and felt the hands of my father as he put a
new set of lodestones in my palm.
As I sat in my car, I turned
on the Curtis Mayfield "Diamond in the Back" as I turned South from 8
Mile rd, that I felt like I was riding on a cloud. I played that song 7
times on the way there. On the way home, Al Green led my way back up,
up, up to a home in a city where I would have taken my life in my hands
if I had been caught there after dark in my childhood.
I no
longer believe that this festival was just my idea from my own mind. I
am not divine messenger or anything. I walk the path of the Sacred Fool,
and make more mistakes than I can remember. But maybe, just maybe, in
this moment, I found the reason why this had to happen. Maybe this will
be the beginning of a bridge.
Or maybe, it will be just a good day in a park.
But in any case, this I believe. Magic is a thing, and cannot be
contained by borders, cities, races, or nations. It lives and breathes
and travels and is passed on as it wills.
And on this day, I felt it pass onward, to share with a younger set of brown eyes....like mine.
As the broken bodies of children are recovered in a savage bomb attacks in Manchester and Bangkok, a car bomb in Syria, across the ocean the Maute Group waged a full out assault on the city of Marawi in the Philippines. Flames and gunfire occupied the streets as homes, businesses, and schools suffered arson and destruction by the group. After releasing prisoners en masse, attackers set ablaze the jails. Their havoc included burning down
MANCHESTER WAS BOMBED YESTERDAY. NOW MARAWI, PHILIPPINES UNDER ATTACKED BY ARMED MEN WITH ISIS FLAGS. BURNED DOWN A CHURCH. #PrayForMarawipic.twitter.com/Y2MUpKw9Rx
The black flag of the group rose above the city early this morning. Pledging allegiance to Daesh (ISIL), they seek to create a stronghold. Horrified residents reached out on social media with real time distress and messages. President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law in effect on the island of Mindanao.
THEY ARE CURRENTLY BURNING DOWN SCHOOLS AND BUILDINGS. where tf is the philippines. why isnt news talking abt this rn?? #PrayForMarawipic.twitter.com/tgGkmXzN7s
The President returns from his trip to Russia, originally slated to end on May 25. He was to meet with President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. This trip was to usher in a new level of working together for trade and other enterprises for the two nations. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, revealed his change in plans in wake of the fighting in Mindanao.
Cayetano, who was recently appointed as chief of the Department of
Foreign Affairs, said that Russian government officials understood the
situation and the need for Duterte to fly back to Manila as soon as
possible to oversee government operations against fighters of the Maute
Group, a local terrorist organization allying itself with the so-called
IS. - PhilStar
Constant unrest moved President Duterte to warn of Martial Law in the past. Increasingly bold attacks culminated in this offensive on Tuesday. The order now is in effect across the entire island.
Presidential Spokesperson Ernie Abella issued the statement on his behalf as follows:
In order to suppress lawless violence and rebellion and for public
safety, it is necessary to declare Martial Law in the entire island of
Mindanao, including Sulu, Jolo and Tawi-Tawi for a period of 60 days.
The government is in full control of the situation and is fully aware
that the Maute/Isis and similar groups have the capability, though
limited, to disturb the peace; these have shown no hesitation in causing
havoc, taking innocent lives and destroying property. - Republic of the Philippines, Presidential Communications Operations Office, Malacanang, Manila
U.S. Citizen Emergencies During Office Hours
+63 (02) 301-2246
U.S. Citizen Emergencies After Hours
+63 (02) 301-2000
acsinfomanila@state.gov
Military forces face this action within the same month as their completion of Balikatan 2017. This year's special emphasis training on counter terrorism and humanitarian response is expected to be implemented in this situation. This year saw the U.S. infuse $400, 000 USD into "emergency readiness equipment and aid" to the nation. This annual training hones the skills of both nation's forces.
By Cpl. Anthony Ward Jr - https://www.dvidshub.net/image/392424, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39244485
The Republic of Philippines is also currently in negotiation with the Ukraine regarding weapons systems, military controls, and increased cooperation in technology. This same month, the government announced it would no longer be relying on the European Union for these concerns. This week saw meetings going forward toward new policy
The potential for the military and technical cooperation between Kyiv
and Manila has been discussed during the talks with Secretary for
National Defense of the Philippines Delfin Lorenzana during a working
visit of First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense
Council of Ukraine Oleh Hladkovsky to the Philippines, as well as
meetings with the country’s top military leadership, the press service
of state-run foreign trade enterprise SpetsTechnoExport reported. - KyivPost
It is unknown if the recent tack in course that sees closer ties to the enemies of terrorists in the vein of Daesh (ISIL) was, in any way, a catalyst toward the increase in violent actions. The increased pressure on these radical terrorist groups has seen violence before now. The next 60 days will set the stage for what comes next, as the expiry of the Martial Law order is set to expire or be renewed.
It is happening. Humans beings beaten, tortured, detained in camps
and prisons, and murdered by strangers and families in the Republic of
Chechnya. Here is a quick break down of what is going on in the Chechen
world regarding the systematic campaign to exterminate and entire
portion of the human population. The facts are grim.
The seeds of this reign of terror started to bloom in the early days of this March, when an application submitted by the group Caucasus, members of the GayRussia.ru project.
The request was denied. However, this gave the authorities the impetus
to begin their move toward the eradication of an entire segment of
people.
In all, a total of four marches in North Caucasus Federal District.
This notice of intent struck the chord. Though it is doubtful that the
projected 300 marchers was an accurate reflection of the actual amount
of attendees that would risk such a public demonstration, the
government’s response seemed based upon a literal acceptance of the
veracity and accuracy of this number.
Government.ru
In a letter on Russian social media platform VKontakte , the horror that was unleashed under a wave referred to as “honor killings” makes it plain.
MESSAGE FROM VKONTAKTE
(Original spelling and punctuation) ” Salam alaykum all! I never thought that I would write again here but now, when the
topic of one chain and substituting one is being tortured as long as it
does not pass, and still others it may concern, and I think it would be
right if I warn. There often appear posts about the bases ( refers to provocations to identify people of homosexual orientation -. Approx. EM )
and I some time ago trying to find these victims of the bases. When you
do not find one, I thought it’s not true. Now I understand why I could
not find one, which was framed in Chechnya. Unfortunately, many killed. Killed not just young children and even grown men who are over 50 years old. Among them are well-known personality in Chechnya. At various events, television releases, participated in the
contest. I do not want to call them names. Most mladschemu 16 years. He
was our village. Just the other day he was brought all beaten, just a
bag of bones. They were thrown into the courtyard and said that he was
killed. He still say he came to himself and hardly come. I do not know
how they explain why they do so, they will be asked to present proof
that our son or brother is. In Chechnya, because strictly defame anyone whatsoever without
tangible evidence. It is possible and to remain without pants.
Especially to lay hands on the guy, and accuse him of homosexuality is
generally a disgrace for many centuries. I do not know how they explain
it but it’s crap happens. Source middle, military cousin of mine who
just this morning told me about it. I was wrong when I said here and
wrote that of the bases there. They never have and how they are now free
hand. Be very careful and remove its dubious connection. Importantly, do not remove the daily rent is probably all
realtors are forced to put the camera in the apartments and in this way
they get the dirt on the victims. And realtors with Chechnya will do
anything just to avoid losing their business and who would dare to
object to our military. Be very careful please. This is my last post
here. ” –
https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2017/04/01/71983-ubiystvo-chesti
The republic is semi-autonomous, and has its own laws. In theory, the
sanctioning of murder of persons completed an anal sex act is
officially suspended, though codified by law in article 148 of the
Chechen penal code. The penalties include caning in the first two
instances, then execution upon the third. This same article has a
history of being used to punish practitioners of alternative faiths.
In practice, it continues to rise. The current head of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov,
maintains a very supportive stance of honor killings and the view that
persons of genders other than heterosexual males being rightfully
subjected to the practice. The following actions occurred at the
beginning of the following month.
On and before April the 1st, men were rounded up, it was
coined a ‘prophylactic sweep’ in Chechnya. At first, the region’s
officials denied that any such roundup and detention was “lies and
misinformation”. A spokesman for the leader of Chechnya, said to the
Interfax news agency –
Rachel Denber,Deputy Director, Europe and Central Asia Division, American Magazine
On April 3, mass rally expressed outrage at the reporting done by news agency Novaya Gazeta’
on the current situation. Kadyrov made clear his hostile stance toward
media coverage of the current human rights situation in his country,
even going far enough to declare them “enemies of our faith and of our
motherland.”
Retribution was promised, with stress being on the lack of limitation
for the time period that might be necessary to exact such reprisals.
The news outlet lost two reporters to murder in the past years, and Investigative Journalist Elena Milashina is in hiding following death threats for covering this story. http://google-maps.pro/satellite/Argun.Chechnya.Russia#43.293028,45.891570,17
“Any homosexual Chechen can tell the story with the bases – if it happened not with him, then with his friends. One of the acquaintances of the interlocutor of the RS, Grozny businessman, sold the car to pay for the silence…” –Sergey Khazov-Kassia, Chechnya: The Gay Outcome, Radio Liberty, http://www.svoboda.org/a/28417768.html
The 10th of April saw the international media begin to use the term
“concentration camps” for the alleged detention centers in which
detained gay men were housed. Stories of torture, and killings in wooded
areas, or by families emerged. The world turned its eyes toward the
very real consequence of living as a gay person in the nation, and its
fatal implications.
“If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement
would not have to worry about them since their own relatives would have
sent them to where they could never return.” – Ramzan Kadyrov
In the United Kingdom, there came the declaration that a protest
would take place near to the Russian Embassy in London. This took place
on the 11th. Protests would continue to proliferate throughout the
world. Outcry from human rights organizations and activists were high. https://www.facebook.com/events/876760675796386/
A separate rally followed on April 22. Named “UK Rallies Against Homophobia in Chechnya” https://www.facebook.com/events/675146246011541/ , it sought to “get this extremely under-reported story in the news. They are peaceful demonstrations“.
Amnesty International puts the number of suspected missing and
detained at approximately 100, numbers confirmed by Human Rights Watch https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/04/04/anti-lgbt-violence-chechnya . Amnesty International created an urgent action petition,
Chechnya: Stop Abducting and Killing Gay Men
against these acts. This is the English Version for download.
International pressure is rising for Russia to act. The continued
lack of movement on the situation is a cause of moral outrage. The
United Nations called for action in April.
It is crucial that reports of abductions, unlawful
detentions, torture, beatings and killings of men perceived to be gay or
bisexual are investigated thoroughly – VOA News http://www.voanews.com/a/russia-urged-end-torture-killing-gays-chechnya/3809377.html
In Sochi, Russian president Vladimir Putin met with German chancellor
Angela Merkel. She expressed her concerns regarding the human rights
crisis in Chechnya, and the climate in Russia, for humans who are gay or
minorities. Her alarm over the human rights violations being reported
motivated her to speak out against the actions of the regime. She asked
the Mr. Putin to use his status to ensure greater protections for the
rights of the people of Chechnya, particularly those being affected by
the current actions of the government there.
“I asked President Putin to use his influence to protect these minority rights,” – Chancellor Merkel
A body that comes in with grass root material action in this situation is the Rainbow Railroadhttps://www.rainbowrailroad.ca/.
They are assisting the situation by aiding those fleeing persecution
and by extension seeking to save lives. They are working to facilitate
the escape of persons at risk for torture, death, and worse. Currently,
they count two completed “navigations” to safety, and have 30 more in
process.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has named them as one of the
organizations the Canadian government with whom work is being done in
the effort to protect humans who are lgbtq. Their efforts help to gain
asylum. They are literally a life-line pipe-line.
Here in the United States, a group known as American Friends of Rainbow Railroad Inc set up a fundraiser to assist their efforts. The Facebook based campaign page is Helping Gay Men Flee Chechnya. The
donations are to be aimed toward assisting the Rainbow Railroad with
airfare, legal services, and temporary housing while the men are
awaiting the granting of asylum in Canada.
As Pagans we often ask how we can make a difference on a local and
world scale. The suffering of a single person is the suffering of
humanity. By spreading the news of this atrocity, we can become a
catalysts for action. Pagan activists are called to rally around this
crisis. Whether a vigil, a prayer, a petition, a donation, or protest,
all things are possible. All things are needful. All things make a
difference.
DISCLAIMER: ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN IDENTIFYING PLANTS. USE YOUR
FIELD GUIDES AND LEARN YOUR LATIN NAMES. WHEN IN DOUBT, FIND AN EXPERT.
NO ARTICLE IN THIS SERIES IS INTENDED TO GIVE MEDICAL OR ANY OTHER
ADVICE IN THE HEALING ARTS OTHER THAN THAT OF A LAY PERSON.
This article will talk about that beautiful and fleeting bloom that
graces the garden in clusters of heavenly hues known as the common lilac
or syringia (Syringa vulgaris). This flower means a lot to me, as it is
one of my quintessential flowers for mourning. Indeed, I lost my
Grandmother this last week as the sea of its colors are flooding the
Michigan landscape. She was 100 years old, so I shall take a special
moment to write on this flower in memory of her. We shall all wear
purple in her memory, as she was our queen.
The lilac is identifiable by its cluster of blossoms, four petals
each. A common folk belief among those from Ukraine and Russia is that
if you find a lilac with five petals, it is very lucky, like a four-leaf
clover. There are many hybrids, but all belong to the Syringa family.
Common lilac (Syringa vulgaris), as the name implies, is the best
known of all the lilacs in the United States. This shrub can be as tall
as 20 feet, and the flowers are fragrant and usually
lilac-colored,although they can be of other hues. Leaves are somewhat
heart shaped and smooth. –
For the graceful gourmand, this is the time to gather your fleeting
flowers. A simple sugar made from the bruised petals is a wonderful
treat for spring teas. Lilac butter on scones is tasty, as well. But I
believe that for many, the syrups are the best known.
For the more adventurous, might I suggest a little bit of a nip? Holly and Flora have an intriguingly easy recipe for a drink called Lilac Haze. Imagine a spring mixer with this unusual refreshment. Perhaps it could be the highlight of the Mother’s Day afternoon brunch.
Those who know me personally, know I make herbal honeys. It is a
sweet way of remembrance of springtime. I shall make a honey for my
Grandmother to remember her, also. I shall also include it in what I
place in her coffin. Sweetness among the sorrow. Here is a simple recipe
at Feral Botanicals.
True story: Grandma was a bit of a germ free person. You had to
wash your hands all the time, boil her water before she drank it, and
so on. However, when my daughter, Brenna, gave her an orange mint honey
she made as a gift, Grandma stuck her finger right in and ate it. She
doted on her great-granddaughter that much. It was her favorite gift
from us. So honey shall be my gift to her. She was very fond of honey.
She even used to feed a pet Raccoon from its own honey pot, as a child.
My honey jars – Kenya Coviak, All Rights Reserved
For our healers, the lilac has been said to be a good massage oil
infusion. Especially for those prone to redness. It allegedly also helps
with rheumatism. Making an infused oil would be a great addition to
your healer’s kit. But remember, always check for allergies. There are
other uses as well, and a naturopath could be a source of training in
these.
Lilac leaves can also be used for fever treatment and numerous
children diseases, liver congestion, weak digestion and diarrhea, cough,
bronchitis, increased body temperature, kidney stones, high blood
pressure. – Health Tips Source
Ok, now folklore is out there. It is not hard to find the story of Pan chasing a nymph
named Syringa who changed herself into the lilac. She was not having
any parts of Goat God Boy. When he thought he was grabbing her, he wound
up holding a bunch of reeds.
He sighed then, and when the sound of it merged with the wind in
the reeds, it made music. Hermes suggested he make an instrument, and
this became what we now call the Syrinx, or Pan pipes. You probably have
guessed what hollowed out wood is traditionally used for them by now.
Yep, the lilac.
You can also carve other things out of lilac wood, you
know.
Here is a sweet article on the lilac by Olga Ikebanova at Frangrantica. It
is not surprising that in aromatherapy, the scent of lilac is also used
to treat depression. It is often through stories and allegories that we
remember the properties of a herb, flower, plant, or tree.
Let us speak of magick now. This is an interesting plant. On one
side of its story, it is used for flirtation, beauty, and love. On
another face, it is used for protection and banishment. Still another
property is that of transitions from life to death, remembrance, and
dealing with ghosts. This sweet shrub is truly a precious gift.
Jennifer Shepherd at the Lipstick Mystic shares
some useful insights in the use of this shrub for protection of the
home. I know a witch who planted it specifically at her home due to a
ghost problem, so it seems to be a tried and true measure against
unwanted energetic invasion. It can also be made into a wreathe for a
ward (that is my suggestion).
Because my Grandma was a lover of dolls, I shall share with you an
activity for this flower. Take it as you will. I give it freely here, in
memory of her.
Gather up two pillow cases full of the flowers. From one, boil the
blooms until they reduce to half in a large pot of water. Then use this
liquid to dye a white pillow case. The color will surprise you.
Reserve a small saucer of the flowers from the other pillow case to
make into an oil. Fill a small glass jar with them and cover with
grapeseed oil, or some other oil without a heavy scent. Let sit for
about 2 weeks. OR place into a double boiler on low for a few hours
until the scent is strong in the bottle.
Next, dry the other blooms until brittle. Do this in brown paper bags. That way the moisture will wick away.
Now, get out your sewing kit. cut a simple doll pattern from half
the pillow case, a front and back, and sew it together – leaving the top
open. Stuff the doll with the dried flowers, which you will scent also
with the oil.
Make an apron, or dress, and a bonnet for it from the rest of the
pillow case. Now give it to a child, or keep it yourself. This is a good
protection against unwanted dreams. It is also a pick me up from
sadness. Enchant as you would any other object, with good energy and
wishes.
Here is a lovely rendition of a “Lilac Wine” cover performed by Miley Cyrus.
This piece is dedicated to the memory and life of Earlene Bentley North-Horner (1917-2017).
DISCLAIMER: ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN IDENTIFYING PLANTS.
USE YOUR FIELD GUIDES AND LEARN YOUR LATIN NAMES. WHEN IN DOUBT, FIND AN
EXPERT. NO ARTICLE IN THIS SERIES IS INTENDED TO GIVE MEDICAL OR ANY
OTHER ADVICE IN THE HEALING ARTS OTHER THAN THAT OF A LAY PERSON.
Time to get your feet a little wet. If you live near a shallow
wetland, marsh, or even a soupy suburb with a good amount of
juxtaposition with wet ponds, you may have seen this little fella. The
Broadleaf Arrowhead, or Duck Potato is a good friend to the hungry
forager. Looking suave and pronounced, this plant has some heavy
history here as a food stuff, medicinal remedy, and a bit of a folk lore
as far as magickal usage. WILD FLOWERS OF NEW YORK Memoir 15 N. Y. State Museum Plate 1
First, you may have noticed that this plant is known as a duck
potato. No, ducks do not toss it around after it gets hot in the
sunshine as a game. It is not that kind of potato. But it IS wild food.
But be careful. Looking for this food to eat could lead to you being
food to eat. What I mean is, where there is water, there could be
leeches. So be careful before you just go wading into the wetlands. I am
drawn to this plant due to my Creek heritage making this a plant my
ancestors probably ate. (No, I do not have a Tribal Enrollment. No, I am
not trying to appropriate anything. My Grandmother is 100 yrs old, and
if she says we are Creek, we are Creek. We have been Creek since slavery
times according to our records.)
This plant produces a tuber that can be roasted and eaten. It is a
perennial, so once you find a patch, you can balance your harvesting so
that you can come back and get more next year. You can find it in
Michigan and all the way down through Mississippi. Gosh, you can find it almost everywhere, actually.
Did you know you could actually dry it and grind it up to use like a
flour? Hmm. I wonder how that would taste, and would a duck eat a duck
potato pancake? Sounds like a children’s story to me. I found that out
from Mount Pisgah Arboretum. 2004 Ã 17:59 fr:Utilisateur:Bouba
IT IS VITAL THAT YOU MAKE SURE YOU IDENTIFY THIS PLANT PROPERTY.
MICHIGAN WETLAND PLANT MISTAKES CAN BE DEADLY. DO NOT MISTAKE ARUM FOR
THIS PLANT. USE A GOOD GUIDE, LIKE AT THE USDA NRCS.
For our healers, this plant can be a storehouse of use. It has a
long, respected application on this continent. In Curious By Nature’s
entry, they share that various uses by different nations such as the
Maidu, the Chippewa, Navajo, and Ojibwa. It has been used for topical
treatment for fever, as well as an antiseptic and laxative. As always,
though, get some education from a bonified practitioner of the herbal
arts before just heading off and setting up shop as a duck potato
expert. I WILL drag you for filth (that means I will talk harshly about
you with great contempt).
Now, let’s talk about the murky part. No, not the water. I mean the
legends behind its usage in magicks and mysteries. I cannot verify or
really push the legends that this plant is a defense against witches. I
cannot really verify it is used to make a witch by drinking its tea in
conjure or in indigenous societies. Why? Because I have no one to verify
this. I am just presenting that this is part of its folklore. I am not
going to just run around talking out of the side of my neck like a
twisted duck.
BUT, I will say this. I have been told unofficially that this may be
true regarding its use in ceremonial rites. I cannot prove it. Do your
own research and ask around. Don’t just repeat what I say. You could be
quaking up the wrong pond.
Here is a song about duck hunting. Because I married a hunter, that’s why, and it is about ducks.
DISCLAIMER: ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN IDENTIFYING PLANTS.
USE YOUR FIELD GUIDES AND LEARN YOUR LATIN NAMES. WHEN IN DOUBT, FIND AN
EXPERT. NO ARTICLE IN THIS SERIES IS INTENDED TO GIVE MEDICAL OR ANY
OTHER ADVICE IN THE HEALING ARTS OTHER THAN THAT OF A LAY PERSON.
An ever-present resident in most fields, in and around Detroit, is the indomitable Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris).
You may often walk across it when traipsing through a field in search
of bottles to clear, or when laying back in the grass and watching the
clouds. Children often see it near “itchy” patches of straw-like
greenery. The cheery little pouchettes announce its presence loud and
clear to those who know what they mean. Seen as a weed, it is found year
round. It has multiple uses for the cook, the curer, and the cunning
person.
Atlas des plantes de France. 1891
This green resident is a member of the mustard family. That family is
everywhere, and is beloved and hated by landscapers and gardeners,
depending on whether they are wielding a pitch, or salad, fork at the
time. As an addition to the seasoning stores, it offer an unusual bite
to dishes that is just unidentifiable enough to add an interesting
stimulation to the palate.
When the seeds are ripe they have a fiery bite that can be utilized as a ‘wild pepper’ – StarChild
This member of the mustard family can be eaten raw or cooked. Add to
salad, but do so before it bursts forth with flowers. Believe it or not,
it will taste a bit like radish. So you could add it to the cream
cheese in your cucumber sandwich spread to go with the dill. Just
remember, it contains alkaloids and glucosinolates, so do not try to
make it a daily food. Try a tasty Korean dish called Naengi Muchim here at Walk the Peninsula’s blog.
As a side note of extra coolness for any young gardener’s into that
sort of thing, it actually is a predator of sorts, as its seeds are
photocarnivorous.
For our healers among us, this is a member of the Cruciferae family
known to help with hemorrhages in its powdered form. Seek out training
from a competent and experienced teacher to learn the proper
applications of this herb so you can add it to your cache of remedy
options.
“The decoction or infusion can be used in cases of
hematuria, hemorrhoids, chronic diarrhea and dysentery. Cotton swabs
dipped in the infusion and inserted into the nostrils have been used to
stop nasal bleeding. Its anti-inflammatory actions are helpful in
relieving pain in cases of rheumatism” – Home Remedies for you
Image: Alexandra Volovenco Pixabay
As always, use caution and good sense before you just go around
applying any herb to anything. Don’t you have any home training? You do
not just go shoving things into your face. Lord and Lady love a duck.
That also goes for your Lady Garden. Pregnant persons mustn’t mess about
with this lovely long leaved legend.
Do your research. Dr. Paul Haider – Master Herbalist has a good column on this plant’s uses at Om Times.
*Remember when I said you can find it near itchy plants? Well, some
folks have been said to use it to help with our old friend Poison Ivy’s
gift. Just saying, pay attention to where nature stocks Her cabinets.
Magickally, I suspect our good cousin the Doctrine of Signatures has
been at play a bit. It’s traditional usage to protect against poverty
and use for employment might be attributed to its purse-like seed
pockets being so close to purses. It is also said to help protect
against maladies that induce bleeding, which is interesting since it has
styptic qualities. Mother’s also can include it to help protect
children against sickness during the year.
Gather the plant on a Thursday for this purpose, then, if you are
doing your money making Macarena. Because it has a rosette at its base, I
suggest dividing it for drying. The paper bag method, hanging from the
hanger in a sunny window, would yield very good results.
Enjoy this song Shepherd’s Purse by MIKIKO A-LA-MATA.
DISCLAIMER: ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN IDENTIFYING
PLANTS. USE YOUR FIELD GUIDES AND LEARN YOUR LATIN NAMES. WHEN IN DOUBT,
FIND AN EXPERT. NO ARTICLE IN THIS SERIES IS INTENDED TO GIVE MEDICAL
OR ANY OTHER ADVICE IN THE HEALING ARTS OTHER THAN THAT OF A LAY PERSON.
This uppity garden visitor is the diminutive Disc Mayweed, better
known as Pineapple Weed (Matricaria discoidea). It pops up all over the
cracks and cracks of your local sidewalks in many places here in
Michigan. It is also fond of meadows where chamomile would like to grow.
Indeed, this is only to be expected as it is often known as wild
chamomile. I have found it often to be not far away from anywhere a
cottonwood tree grows. Britton,
N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United
States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s
Sons, New York. Vol. 3: 521. Public Domain
This plant has some real gumption. It seems to grow through spots
that it should not be able to command. It can be found in every county
of this beautiful Michigan mitten. This spirit is such that it bucked
the system and decided to jump the big water over to the older countries
form these shores.
This is one of the few weedy American plants that has apparently spread to (rather than from) Europe. – Herbarium, University of Michigan
By
H. Zell (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC
BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via
Wikimedia Commons
This groovy green visitor is good for munching, mending upset
stomachs, and making money magicks. So grab your little linen sacks and
start gathering them whilst most folks ignore the treasures in their own
yards. Let us look at what this gem has in store for the teapot, the
medicinal tisane, and the table altar.
Like a chamomile, it is best gathered in the earlier in the morning
while it is still wet with dew. The younger the lacy leaves that you
gather, the better it will be for your tastes. If you wait too long, it
can turn just a might bitter. You know, like tax forms.
The plant has a distinct pineapple smell when you crush or bruise it.
The taste is a bit sweeter than chamomile. Yes, that is why it is
called what it is. It can be added to salads for a mellow addition to
fruit and nuts. Strawberry and blackberry mix well with this in a nice
acorn leaf blend to refresh the palate. GrowitCookitCanit has a fabulous
recipe for Pineapple Weed Tea to pick you up when you just need a little bit of sunshine in a cup. Honey should be local, if you can get it.
For our healing handyfolks, we have a good deal of usage that may be
gained from the addition of this golden and green sweetheart. According
toSarah at Midwest Permaculture, its uses include
“include treating gastrointestinal upset and gas, infected sores, fevers, menstrual pain and postpartum anemia
Hmmm, that is quite a lot from a mighty mini. However, sometimes we
ignore clues in our faces. But let us look a bit at the name of the
plant itself for a revelation.
`Matricaria` stems from the Latin matrix meaning `mother` while `caria` is Latin for `dear`. This gives us `mother dear`.
This name refers to the medicinal use of pineapple weed for easing
the pain of the menstrual cycle, as well as for treating colic in
babies. –A Tea-Lover`s Soul Weed, by Jenny Harker
Prosperity magick is right up the alley of this plant you can find
near the alley. Those golden heads can bring gold, so adding this to a
prosperity working is a winner. It is also known as a plant that is good
for domestic and familial harmony. So add to your floor washes to lift
the home life. I would even consider weaving it into your early wreathes
for your windows.
Now, I know we have had some good luck with finding songs about the
herbs we are covering. But this time, we are just going to have to use
the feeling and properties of the herb here for our inspiration for
music. With that in mind, enjoy Katrina & The Waves, “Walking on Sunshine“.
DISCLAIMER: ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN IDENTIFYING
PLANTS. USE YOUR FIELD GUIDES AND LEARN YOUR LATIN NAMES. WHEN IN DOUBT,
FIND AN EXPERT. NO ARTICLE IN THIS SERIES IS INTENDED TO GIVE MEDICAL
OR ANY OTHER ADVICE IN THE HEALING ARTS OTHER THAN THAT OF A LAY PERSON.
Time to fire up the pan and take those yummy ramps into your hands.
Ramps, ramsons, or Bear’s Garlic (Allium ursinum) is a tasty spring
treat for foragers. This is equally true whether you are foraging in the
woods out at Lakeshore or at the local farmer’s market. They are a fleeting treasure for munchers, tonic takers, and kitchen practitioners.
This wild allium pops up in sandy to loamy soil in the early Spring, usually around April here in Michigan. They seem to coincide with morel season. They are not as elusive, but you won’t find them easily down the road either. Just this week, I cooked some in chicken broth, with some sliced mushrooms, salt, pepper, and a bit of oregano. Good eating.A lot of folks swear by this little strongly scented wonder. Botanicseye give a good breakdown of the most common attributes sought after by its lovers.
Additionally, Ramson can be beneficial in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. A juice made from the plant can be used in weight loss programs. Used externally, Ramson can be helpful as a circulation stimulant in cases of rheumatic and arthritic joints. – BotanicsEye
I really like this plant. So much so, that I am including another video for better identification.
Now, it is very important to make sure you are gathering the right
plant. Smell it. It should smell like garlic. Again, be careful in
identifying this plant in the field.
Since bear’s garlic has become so popular, many people
have tried to collect the plant in the wild. Several cases of poisoning
have been reported in recent years, as there are a few toxic plants with
roughly similar leaves, particularly lily of the valley (Convallaria majus, Convallariaceae/Asparaginales) and autumn crocus (meadow saffron, naked ladies, Colchicum autumnale, Colchicaceae/Liliales). Both plants do not show even traces of garlic odour, and similarities are in the best case superficial, or even non-existent. – Spice Pages
You will die. And then you can use the nice little flowers on your grave site next to your cairn, I guess. Paying attention now?
For our healers, this plant is high in sulfur and rich in vitamins A
and C. The body does not store vitamin C, so this is a great thing to
eat after a long winter. Just remember, it will make its presence known
in on the breath of the person consuming it, as well as other smelly
ways. You have been warned.
As far as common usage for our kitchen witchin’ friends, it is a
protective plant. Like many alliums, it is used to protect against
general misfortune, as well as combined with other spell components for
exorcism. Sniff it, you will see why it probably would be good to fend
off most nasties.
Be a responsible gatherer when you harvest it. Just cut off the tops and leave some root. That way it will be there next year.
Well, it finally happened. The final show of what was foreshadowed has revealed itself. Shea Moisture has opened wide its entire figurative mouth in order to firmly shove its foot deep therin.
You see, the reason this is in this column is because lookism is a thing, and the circles where colorism and lookism occur are just as relevant in magickal communities. It is a real thing when the hair atop the priestess's head is not contributing to her confidence. And before you come for me with the whole "the Gods do not care how we look" banner, you can pack it up and put it in your altar box. As a real human, I know it DOES matter how I feel about my appearance when I do rituals.
Source: Pixabay
The faith and hope placed by African American practitioners in their personal products are just as germane to ritual attire as any bracelet or robe. The company that many of us turned to as a part of our Black Pagan Liberation Theology cache of supplies is particularly poignant in its betrayal. Their marketing campaign has made it very clear that the very people who helped the original brand grow, before it was sold, have been made extraneous to their demographic.
I do not use their products on a regular basis. My hair is a hot conglomeration of curls and bad decisions. But my daughter's hair has benefited from it at least a couple of go rounds. Especially when we were going out in public and "people were looking" at us. It was important to be able to trust a product that I knew had been borne of a dream by folks who understood what an important role hair can play in our psyches.
So, I am watching this mess and shaking my head. Candles are burning but they are not reflecting light off any one's hair in this home that would have this product on its strands. Why? Because the gods don't like ugly, and neither do I.
DISCLAIMER: ALWAYS USE CAUTION WHEN IDENTIFYING PLANTS.
USE YOUR FIELD GUIDES AND LEARN YOUR LATIN NAMES. WHEN IN DOUBT, FIND AN
EXPERT. NO ARTICLE IN THIS SERIES IS INTENDED TO GIVE MEDICAL OR ANY
OTHER ADVICE IN THE HEALING ARTS OTHER THAN THAT OF A LAY PERSON.
This little star in the mist is known and loved by many a homesteader
and natural food grazer, of course I am talking about chickweed. Our
little Stellaria media
is popping up almost everywhere here in Michigan. Chickens love it,
healers dig it (see what I did there?), and tasty foods include it on
the tables. Kitchen witches, raise your forks and your pestles and
prepare to get to know this treasure in your midst.
You will find your prize located near wetter areas usually, although
some folks have it as a ground cover. It is usually seen as a weed,
since it is a very fertile annual and likes to increase its number, kind
of like taxes and incense collections. It will pop up again if it was
there last year, barring unnatural interference and prevention. But why
prevent it? It has many uses.
Primarily, eat it. This plant, unless near a toxic area, and if
identified properly, is usually perfectly same to eat. Yum yum, eat the
little darling, but only in moderation, as its leaves contain saponins. While they are not necessarily harmful to us in normal amounts, no need to go overdoing it.
Unlike many wild edibles, the chickweed’s stems, leaves,
flowers and seeds are all edible. It does hold nitrates and people with
allergies to daisies might want to pass it by. Only the Mouse-ear
chickweed has to be cooked. – by Green Deane
This is the wonderful time of year when we are experiencing the pop
of crocus and the songs of birds all around us, and this is a great time
to enjoy a nice treat on your table from the garden.
Understanding that
we can eat in season to vary our diet is important to good health and
keeping in harmony with the turning of the Wheel of the Year. There is a lovely recipe for chickweed bread at Eat The Weeds.
For the healers out there, time to get your snippers out and ready
your collection satchels. This is a useful contribution to your salve
cabinet. It has a virtual buffet of uses for remedies.
Try to wait until after Beltane to gather it. Remember, always take a
modest harvest of any wild growing things. Be mindful and respectful
when you gather, and leave something for thanks. I always encouraged my
students in the Black Moon Grove to do this, and they are very good
about leaving plant spikes (a thank you to our Grove Leader for that
lovely innovation over just cornmeal or silver).
To explore its magickal properties, keep in mind that it is usually
associated with lunar energy. Mysteries and workings with relationships,
fertility (seeds are prolific, so yeah….), and birds love it, so if you
are working with them this is the plant for you.
Incenses made with this plant draw in those energies as well. Dry a
bit for your incense cabinet. Hang upside down for easiest uniform
results.
You can find some seeds here at Alchemy Works,
if you cannot find it wild. A little patch in grown in a corner, or
even in an old cracked teapot, can give us just the right amount of
space for this bit of tiny-petaled joy.
BONUS:
Enjoy this song, “Chick Weed.aif” by Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues.
Yesterday, what started out as a fantastic day full of promise at a dog park wound up in a fight for survival for Sophie, a beloved animal companion of three of our own. A small dog, she suffered terrifying injuries as the result of a bite to her abdomen. The severe puncture was so grave that part of her intestine was actually exposed.
Her guardians, Celeste, LeAnn, and Dame, rushed her to the Blue Pearl animal hospital in the desperate race to save her life. The surgery needed cost $4000, a huge sum for a small household. But Sophie has a secret. She has a whole Family of folks who love her and her house.
The call has gone out, and I am amplifying it here, to help the fight to save and care for Sophie. They surgery was successful, but she is not out of the woods yet. The costs that are accruing are a severe hardship.
They are asking for help from our Metro Detroit Pagan family to assist them in paying for what is a life saving operation for a life saving dog. That's right, she is a life saver. She is a dog that alerts when health crises happens.
More care is needed now. The drain and sutures will be coming out, but that doesn't mean the bills will stop. If you can help, please do. If you cannot donate, please share.
A gofundme called Save Sophie-Emergency Surgery exists to help in this effort. Many have answered the call in small and large ways. Every little bit helps.
"Any funds over the amount of the
surgery will be donated to Frankie's Friends which is a new non-profit
set up through Blue Pearl for situations just like these. Please help us
by donations now. If we are lucky, we will be able to help Sophie and
Frankie's friends. Please press the donate button now. We desperately
need your help."
So, let me begin by stating that no agent, representative, or corporation has in any way had any part of what I am about to write in this piece. I am grown and say what I wish. Also, if you have a problem with what I write here, if you think it cuts a little too close to your personal picket fence of skullduggery and F**kery, then good. Maybe you will gather yourself and govern your future actions accordingly so that you do not create a brands and reputations that may paint you as part of the Legion of Failwaffles that is marching forth like bedbugs across the living room of our respectable Pagan and Holistic retreat virtual homes.
Oh, and I have no problem with anyone who has an issue with commenting on my page in the comment section. I also have no problem with putting your nasty little tactics on blast if I have to do so. All the offenders that have contributed to my OPINION PIECE have nasty little skeletons, so keep your mouth in check. There are multiple butt mushroom offenders that have ignited my ire, so if you don't like me, GET TO THE BACK OF THE LINE. Keep your little legion of Soccer Moms on a leash.
There is punch, and all gender bathrooms are on the left.
I do not like bullies. I never have. I never will. I especially do not like bullies that go up to a group of children on a block and decide that the block is now theirs. Much like the Three Billy Goat story, you know?
Which brings me to my current disgust and contempt for the recent trend over the past few years that has seen the life works of prominent and respected apothecaries, herbalists, naturalists, indigenous practitioners, and other STOLEN UNDER THE COLORS OF OPPORTUNISTIC NEGATIVE CAPITALISM. Oh, did I stutter? Was that not clear?
STOLEN UNDER THE COLORS OF OPPORTUNISTIC NEGATIVE CAPITALISM
Just because something is not outright illegal, and people go about forcing the issue through might vs right does not make it the proper action. A bully with a big brother or sister could enforce their views about taking a block and with this lovely menace, can hold the geography. Or, a good attorney can play the system into letting a blatant injustice happen in a court room to a victim if they are wily enough to do it. And, an excellent opportunist can overhear a phrase seek to own it if they file the right paperwork, making sure that it basically becomes hostage to corporate interests, no matter what the ethics or detriment to others may be, in the name of cash acquisition douche baggery.
I think you are disgusting and should wipe your skulls out with toilet paper because you have a nasty mind window and it colors your view of the world. What kind of people decide that it is a great thing to capture a hundreds of years old formula and take it? What kind of folks take a name of a cultural seasonal observation that is thousands of years old and does that? What kind of person takes a two word phrase from a heroic moment and takes that from a cultural and historical moment in time? Or even better, take a set of prayerful body postures in an entire system relevant to a distinct culture and co-opt it with the name of your book club and make it about YOU?
Who raised these people?
No matter the religion or path, they will find nastiness has a price.
I have watched direct seller companies, individuals, and corp entities go feeding frenzy on small people when they manage to gobble up and steal away a traditional thing and mark it their own. This has happened repeatedly in the last few years. But NEVER have I seen such unseemly displays of cravageousness as I have seen by a select 7 of them during the last 3 years. Truly, it is enough to make mild curdle with the sour content of these hordes of franchising and robber baron branding styles freaks off the leash and their litigious war dogs.
Douche empirism: because I feel it should be mine, my senses tell me it is. I can taste, smell, and touch the greed of my own soul, so it is just. Because I suck.
Where are your mothers?
The libraries of America do not welcome your hustle in their folklore sections.
Ok, so let us not forget the little shrinking violets trying to be unnoticed in the corner either. Yes, you carbon-headed cut-purse. The ones who keep taking indigenous practices, changing 3 things, and making it an ancient "system" that was "improved upon" by your gracious self. Eat a hawthorn thorn. No, seriously, like go soak in some valerian to get the stink off of your ethics please. Have some intestinal fortitude and claim your own stuff and just cite your bibliography as an influence like most people. Stop trying to steal all and sundry and try to, oh I don't know, make your own thing. You know, like NOT reselling cultural crafts and practices with your freaking brandmarker on them, marking them up, and then crowding out entire communities in their OWN SPACES by your bargain basement bilge watered down plastic pop culture shelf liners.
Too much?
Nah, you can take it.
Just go SMUDGE yourself.
Or do something ELSE to yourself.
HARD
Knock it off. No one thinks you are cute. You may fool the folks who have no idea what you have done, but the Law of Return doesn't stop chugging along for anyone, and that train is never late. It will come to your station, and it is always on time. This is no way reflects on those who have been duped by you. Nor does it apply to the untold multitudes of cheerleaders you have affirming your right to be as SUCKY AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE AS A HUMAN to your fellow humans by ripping off cultural formulas and ideas and observances because you DO NOT WANT TO PLAY FAIR OR DEAL WITH REAL COMPETITION.
Truly, and sincerely, I mean it when I say.
Up Yours.
For those readers who find that they, too, are moved to embrace ethics in the cultural arenas when it c comes to appropriative practices, please feel free to start your own discussion groups about it and educate people. Get involved in your own places and spaces so that you become guardians of societies. The future is in your hands.
It is all of us against the legion of douche wagons.
