#chaste tree berries

[miupow]

CRAVE ⛦ c.yj + c.bg

・:〃➜ dont go into the woods.

pairing. werewolf!choi yeonjun x fem!reader xwerewolf! choi beomgyu words. 1.9k NSFW, minors DNI! potentially dark/triggering content warning. warnings: dubcon, implied/referenced kidnapping, predator/prey elements, free use, toxic!txt, referenced poly!txt (no mxm), hard dom!beomgyu, soft dom!yeonjun, ruts/mating cycles, rough sex, knotting mention, deepthroat/throatfucking, degredation kink, praise kink, breeding kink, dacryphilia, spitroasting

"never go into the woods," they said, but you were never one to listen-- stupid, sheltered village girl thinking to herself how bad could it possibly be as you ventured through the undergrowth, more worried about picking flowers and berries than her safety... you should have listened.

getting lost was easier than you had thought, too giddy for exploring to mark out a path home. you ran, panicked, alone amongst the trees until the sun went down, growing more and more distressed, more and more utterly lost as your visibility dwindled— twigs snapped, leaves rustled behind you, the oppressive feeling of eyes on your back followed you wherever you sprinted and stumbled… you were being hunted.

they descended upon you when you were at your weakest, stumbled and fell over a tree stump, hit your head on a rock, laid unconscious in the grass; a pack of wolves disguised as men. they took you to their den, nursed your wounds, calmed your nerves with saccharine smiles that were just a little too sharp in the teeth... you grew to trust them, care for them, feel indebted to them. you didn't understand until you had fully recovered, tried stepping out of their little pack life and back home to your village.

stupid girl. they were never going to let you leave. you belonged to them now.

yeonjun was soft for you. at least, that's what the other boys say-- their eldest usually so callous and cold. you couldn't possibly see him that way, no matter how many stories you've been told; how could he possibly be the nastiest of the pack when he treated you the sweetest, gentle words and gentler touches. chaste kisses that never landed on your lips. you felt safest with him. you were still a little afraid of the others.

you were most afraid of beomgyu. loud and brash, nasty words falling from a sneering mouth-- his elders kept him in line, snapped at him when he went too far, but nothing could stop his constantly running mouth. he teased, he belitted, he degraded you. he never let you forget just how he viewed you; like a toy for him to play with. for all of them to play with.

but yet when beomgyu's rut rolled around, your cunt ached for him.

"f-fuck, fuck yeah-- take it all~" beomgyu groans, his fingers wound tight in your hair. he tugs you further down his thick cock, mushroom head knocking at the back of your little throat-- you gag at the intrusion, eyes watery, and beomgyu just laughs. "what a good bitch."

you whimper around his cock, try your best to hollow your cheeks, flatten your tongue against his underside— there wasn’t much else you could do with beomgyu using your head like a pocket pussy, roughly pushing and pulling to fuck his cock in and out of your throat. “like having your throat fucked, huh? yeah you do, you cockhungry slut— maybe i should knot your mouth instead of your pussy, make you swallow all my cum—“

the thought makes your throat close up in fear, fat tears threatening to fall down your red face as you choke and splutter. drool dribbles down your chin and smears across your cheeks, aided by beomgyu’s thumbs anchored on your cheekbones and forcing your mouth open— you look up at him desperately, whining, and beomgyu gazed back with honey dark eyes and a devilish smirk. “aww, don’t want beomie’s knot down your throat? i’m sure you’d take it just fine~”

“stop it, you’re scaring her.” yeonjun chastised from over your shoulder, his pretty soft voice comforting your cries immediately— you’d already be ass up and wailing around beomgyu’s knot if it wasn’t for him, your sweet jjunie making sure your tight cunt is stretched out enough to take them because beomgyu certainly wouldn’t have bothered. his long fingers dragged at your walls deliciously, pumping in and out of you with the lewdest wet noises— he changed angles to rub hard at your sweet spot, chuckling into your ear when your eyes roll back and you keen around beomgyu’s thick shaft. beomgyu groans deep in his chest, adams apple bobbing, and his grip on your cheeks tighten considerably. “there we go, pretty girl, doin’ so well~” yeonjun coos, gentle, free hand snaking down to rub tight circles against your neglected and swollen clit. “‘m not gonna let gyu knot your throat, baby, don’t worry— just keep making him feel good, yeah? be a good hole while jjunie gets you ready for breeding~”

beomgyu snickers darkly. “you’re so soft for our whore, hyung. acting like she’s your mate ‘n not just the pack cumdump, wont even let me fuck her my damn self—“

“you’d hurt her, you fucking beast.” yeonjun snaps, the arm playing at your clit tightening you against his chest. “gotta make sure you don’t break my— our toy.”

you’re grateful that beomgyu can’t refuse an order from the eldest, terrified of what facing his rut alone may have been like, tossed around and used like toy, yeonjun not there to act as a filter for beomgyu’s dirty mouth… it terrified you, but your pussy throbbed at the thought.

it was getting increasingly hard to focus on sucking beomgyu’s cock, yeonjun’s skilled fingers in your cunt making you stupid and drunk— beomgyu didn’t seem to mind much, head thrown back and grunting like an animal while he rammed his cock into your slack-jawed mouth. “are you done yet, then? wanna breed my bitch now.”

yeonjun scoffs but relents, sliding his slick-sticky fingers out of your hole— you whimper from the loss, pussy empty and fluttering around nothing, choke on beomgyu’s cock when yeonjun chuckles and slaps your ass. they switch positions easily, beomgyu pulling out of your throat with a sickening pop before clambering to mount you, big palms immediately moving to palm and grope at your reddening asscheeks. he pulls them apart with his thumbs, groans loud at the sight of your glistening cunt peeking between your thighs— yeonjun settles in beomgyu’s place, hums and pets your head when you nuzzle against the straining bulge in his jeans. “miss a cock in your mouth that bad, baby?” he laughs, hips bucking gently against your face. “greedy little girl, focus on beomgyu now, okay? he’s been very patient.”

beomgyu hadn’t been very patient, but that was besides the point. he holds your cheeks apart with his thumb, other hand keeping his cock steady as he slides it up and down your soaked slit, bumps the head against your aching clit. you moan at the sensation, rock your hips back into beomgyu’s pelvis— he spanks your abused ass even harder than yeonjun did, skin stinging and blooming with heat and pain, and you lurch forward with a broken wail. “quit moving, ‘m gettin’ my cock wet,” he growls.

you try to stay still the best you could, thighs shaking as beomgyu lines himself up with your twitching hole— he gives you no time to prepare, rough and quick in burying his cock in your pussy to the hilt. you throw your head back, cry out pathetically at the intrusion, watery eyes threatening to spill over… yeonjun strokes your cheek with his thumb.

the sound beomgyu makes when he bottoms out is ungodly, deep and low and making your clit twitch for attention as his hands grab on tight to your hips. “f-fuck,” beomgyu whimpers, sounding winded. “fuck, fuck, so tight, shit!—“

your poor little pussy is filled to the brim, stretched to it’s limit as you struggle to adjust to the way beomgyu’s cock parts your gummy walls and burns so good. you can feel every inch, every vein, every twitch of his shaft, still unmoving as beomgyu pants like a dog, hips stuttering and hands shaking as if in a daze.

yeonjun watches with a smirk, thumb rubbing circles against your cheekbone and smearing drool and precum further across your face— his cock strained against the front of his jeans obscenely, and the sight made your mouth water. “pussy drunk already, beomie? thought you wanted to breed her.”

beomgyu snorts, shaken out of his reverie— he rolls his hips hard against your ass, cock bullying impossibly deeper, and snickers when you choke on air. “gonna make her beg for it. c’mon, slut, wanna be bred? want my knot? tell us how bad you want it.”

“wanna be bred,” you echo quietly, gasping, sounding ruined and pathetic even to your own ears. beomgyu hadn’t even started fucking you yet and you were already fucked dumb.

“what was that, doll? didn’t hear you.” yeonjun goads, thumb slipping into your open mouth.

“breed me, please!” you cry, give in entirely— you couldn’t think, head cloudy and full of only yeonjun and beomgyu, only able to focus on how badly you wanted beomgyu to start moving, start making you feel good. “want it, want it, want your knot— fuck me!”

you can hear the sneer in beomgyu’s deep voice. “that’s a good whore.”

his hips start thrusting at a brutal pace, his flared cockhead battering your cervix like it was threatening to push through— and all you could do was take it, whimper and wail while he ruined your cunt, dizzy with the delicious drag of his veiny shaft against your walls. “such a good cocksleeve, fuck!” beomgyu spat, grip on your hips bruising. “pussy feels so fuckin’ good, so fuckin’ tight—“

you hold on to the front of yeonjun’s jeans for support, shaking with pleasure while the younger wolf fucks you stupid. “so big!” you whine, pathetic and wobbly, gazing up at yeonjun with teary eyes like he would somehow save you. “too much!”

yeonjun just chuckles and pets your hair, lets you slobber all over the bulge in his jeans as beomgyu blows your back out.

“gonna fuckin’— gonna knot you!” beomgyu babbles, hips moving impossibly faster, impossibly harder, his hard chest pressing against your back. your cunt ached with overwhelming pleasure, fat cock in your tummy making you dizzy; you loved it, loved beomgyu’s rough pace, love the way he fucked you like you were nothing but a toy. “gonna fill you up, shit, get you pregnant, fill you up with my puppies— fuck, i should bite you. make you mine forever! gonna knot you, gonna claim you… gonna cum!”

the threat of being turned struck a pang of terror through your chest, the threat far too real as beomgyu mouthed hot at your neck. the tears in your eyes were falling freely now, little body of wracking pathetic sobs— yeonjun cooed down at you, grabbed at your wet cheeks as he shushed your cries, stroked your face. “shhh, baby, it’s just his rut talking. i won’t let him do anything to you.”

you would feel more comforted if yeonjun wasn’t undoing his belt, fishing his red hot cock out of his pants. “just take it all like a good little knotslut, take what we give you… that’s a good girl, just like that~”

you take yeonjun into your throat just as you did beomgyu, with pretty flushed, hollowed cheeks and shining eyes— yeonjun groans low in his throat, hissing a quiet “fuck yeah” as he pushes himself in deeper, heavy balls slapping wet and nasty against your chin. both of your little holes are filled now, beomgyu still grunting and moaning obscenities as he pounds your puffy abused cunt; you can’t process a single thought anymore, not when yeonjun’s cock is laying heavy and salty on your tongue, not when you feel the swelling base of beomgyu’s knot catch on your rim… you were turned into the toy they saw you as. “you were made for this, weren’t you?” yeonjun sighs, tangling his fingers in your messy hair. “such a perfect little slut for me, for my pack~”

[xxchumanixx]

Like a Dream

Tim Bradford x reader

Summary: Waking up from a beautiful dream never felt this bad.

Warnings/Tags: hurt, angst, mentions of an injury, fluff Word count: 2.235 Authors note: Hello my lovelies! I had this idea out of nowhere and it helped me get my mind off of other things. There are some requests I'm currently working at, but I had to finish this first. Enjoy!

"Hey!" you giggled, trying to slap his hands away as they reached for your sides, tickling you. "That's not fair!"

He chuckled in return, his hands stilling on your hips, tugging you closer with a grin on his face.

He inched closer, his breath fanning over your face, as his lips ghosted over yours. Growing impatient, you grabbed his shirt, pulling him towards you and connecting your lips with his.

They molded together like one, his lips being the perfect shape for yours. They were soft, yet demanding as he pressed himself closer, deepening the kiss with his tongue caressing yours.

You whimpered, trying to bring him even closer, but your phones vibrating at the same time caused you to part, a groan leaving your lips.

You knew who it was - or rather what: work.

"Seriously?" Tim grumbled, his brows furrowed in confusion and anger. Rolling your eyes, you checked your messages, rolling them again as you read what they had texted you.

"Let's get going." you mumbled, fixing your clothes, before you trotted to the front door, grabbing your shoes. Tim sighed loudly, clearly unhappy about the interruption, as he followed you.

"Don't worry, babe." you told him, looking at him over your shoulder, as you grabbed your jacket. "We're gonna make up for it."

He smiled at that, as his hands found your hips again, pulling you towards him. His lips met yours in a chaste kiss, before he leaned closer, whispering in your ear. "There will be a lot to make up for."

Cheeks reddening, you chuckled, slightly pushing him.

"We have to go." you reminded him smiling, grabbing your keys, as he put on his shoes.

____

"Do you remember the guy that had swallowed a cherry stone and thought he'd have a tree growing in his stomach?" Tim asked, popping a berry into his mouth, as he chuckled.

Your brows furrowed, turning the blueberry in your hands over.

"He was so frantic, he wanted to cut it open and take the tree out, before it gets too big." he continued, one arm over your shoulder as you tried to decide what to watch.

"You weren't there, Tim." you noted, glancing at him through your peripheral vision. "Did I tell you? I can't remember." He faltered, clearing his throat. "You told me, Y/N." he reminded you, planting a kiss on your temple.

You simply nodded, deciding to let it slide, even though you weren't sure if you really told him about it.

"Hey, what do you say we go out for dinner tomorrow?" he asked, smiling at you. You nodded, a smile of your own forming on your face. "Yeah, sounds nice." you agreed, handing him the remote.

"You choose. I can't decide."

____

"You hate it." he said, biting his lip as they threatened to split in a smile. Shaking your head, you pouted. "No, I love it."

His brows rose, as he sent you a pointed look.

"Okay, maybe it's a little crooked, but who cares?" you gave in, smiling at him with pride in your eyes. "As long as it tastes good, I'm sure it'll be great."

He had tried to bake you a cake for your birthday. It was a little crooked, but that wasn't important. What counted most, was that he made an effort by baking something, even though he wasn't that good at it.

He did it because he loved you.

Taking a knife, you started to cut the cake, so you could serve it to your friends that were waiting in the living room. Your eyes widened, as you spotted the inside of the cake. It was layered in multiple colors, forming a rainbow.

Mouth agape, you looked at Tim, who again bit his lip, his smile widening.

"And you're trying to tell me that the cake isn't beautiful?" you asked, shock written across your features. He huffed, pecking your lips. "I'm glad you like it." he spoke softly, eyes meeting yours, as his arms wrapped around your waist.

"Told you I love it."

He rolled his eyes playfully, before he started to help you serving the cake.

"Wow!" Nyla made, as she saw the cake. "Who did this?" Motioning at Tim, you handed her the plate, handing Angela the other one. "No way." Angela made, eyeing Tim.

He huffed, shaking his head at her.

"Better believe it." he told her, sitting down, when he had handed out the plates he was carrying.

Brows furrowing, you played with the fork in your hand. You knew Wesley wanted another baby, but since when was Angela actually pregnant?

And it wasn't that she just gained some weight, no, she clearly was expecting. She had to be at least in the sixth month.

Biting your cheek, you forced yourself to smile at the others, as you dug into the cake.

____

Biep, biep, biep.

Since when did your alarm sound this strange?

And - somehow - not like an alarm at all.

What the hell?

Squinting, you tried to get used to the blinding light surrounding you. Didn't you close the blinds when you went to bed?

Sighing, you looked around you, noticing that you in fact weren't in your bed - no, you were in the hospital.

Hospital? Why am I in the hospital?

Your breathing quickened, heart starting to race as you frantically tried to remember what happened.

But you couldn't.

You felt the tears sting in your eyes, as you slowly panicked. When you were about to stand up, wanting to remove the cables from your body, the door opened, causing you to halt in your movement, hands wrapped around the cables.

Tim entered, coffee in hand. His brows furrowed, before his eyes widened, as he turned back around, calling for a doctor.

Then he came towards you, a smile on his face.

"You're awake." he spoke, setting the coffee aside, as multiple doctors entered.

Your eyes widened in fright, not sure why there were so many of them. They checked you, before the doctors left, only one staying.

"Do you know, why you are here?" he wanted to know, reading something on his chart, before he looked back at you. Shaking your head, you frowned. "No."

He nodded, clearing his throat.

"You've been shot during an operation." he started, causing you to frown even more, as your hands began to shake. "Because of the severity of your injury, we had to put you into a coma."

Your gaze found Tims, your breathing faltering as you tried to process the doctors words.

"Your wound has healed enough, that we were able to wake you without any consequences." the doctor continued, drawing your eyes back to him. "We have to do a few more tests, but then you'll be free to go."

Swallowing, you nodded, hands in your lap, as they kneaded themselves in a nervous habit. The doctor nodded, before he left.

You still couldn't believe it. You've been shot?

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Tim asked, dragging a chair closer, sitting down. Huffing, you looked up at him. "Honestly? I feel like shit." you answered him, sending him a crooked smile.

His mouth twisted, as he nodded slowly.

"I could use some of those pancakes, when I'm home." you told him, feeling like you hadn't eaten in days. His brows furrowed, seeming confused.

"You good?" you asked, unsure.

Did something happen?

He tilted his head, eyes squinting. "I don't know what you mean." he admitted, slightly leaning forward. Your brows furrowed as well, not sure how to react.

"I-I mean those pancakes that you made when I broke my arm." you tried to explain, heart racing. His brows furrowed more, as he slowly shook his head, mouth agape.

"I'm not sure, what you're talking about…" he gave back, and your heartbeat faltered. "When you broke your arm back then, you stayed at your sisters place, don't you remember?"

You felt the tears burn in your eyes, when suddenly, realization hit you straight in the gut.

It wasn't real.

It had all been a dream.

Gasping for breath, you tried to calm yourself. Your heart beat faster than it would have been healthy, your hands sweating as your mind had trouble catching up.

One after another, the tears broke free, rolling down your cheeks and leaving a hot trail in their wake.

"Hey, what happened?" Tim shushed, scooting closer, one hand brushing over your back soothingly. Shaking your head, you tried to suppress a sob, wiping the tears away.

"It's nothing." you told him, sniffing. But he didn't believe you, you saw it on his face. The way his forehead creased and his mouth twitched, nose scrunched slightly.

Sighing, you knew he wouldn't let the topic slide, but you tried to win some time, anyway.

"What happened?" you wanted to know, swallowing down your nerves. The strokes on your back faltered, as he hesitated. "We went to a call - homicide." he started, clearing his throat. "When we thought the area was clear, someone shot you down."

Swallowing, you nodded, as the memory slowly returned, sending chills down your spine. "Hit you pretty badly." he added, licking his bottom lip. "We were lucky that we had the ambulance already on the way."

It grew quiet for a few seconds, neither of you knowing what to say.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Tim inquired, tilting his head to catch your downcast gaze. "What do you mean?" you gave back, even though you knew exactly what he meant.

He sent you a pointed look, asking you to be honest with him.

Rubbing your eyes, you sighed, still hesitating a little. "I had a dream." you began, biting your cheek. He nodded, waiting for you to continue. "Uh... There were a lot of things, that were different. I... we..."

You hesitated, breathing in shakily.

"We were together." you admitted quietly, looking away in shame.

You could practically hear his brows raise, as he inhaled sharply.

Swallowing down the lump in your throat, you felt the tears resurface. What would he think of you now? Would he judge you?

"Was it a good dream?" Tim wanted to know, causing your gaze to snap back to him, as your tongue licked over the salty remnants of the tears on your lips.

He seemed hesitant, but not angry.

"What?" you questioned, leaning towards him. One of the corners of his mouth lifted up slightly. Was he making fun of you?

"Was it good? I mean, were we happy?" he repeated, leaning forwards on his elbows, his face suddenly very close. Cheeks reddening, you fought not to break eye contact.

"Yes." you breathed out, not able to find your voice properly at first. "Yes, it was good."

His lips twitched in a short smile, huffing silently. He confused you - you had loved him for a while now, but you were sure that you'd never have a chance.

Why wasn't he angry at you?

"Why aren't you angry with me?" you asked, curiosity taking over. He leaned back in his chair, eyes leaving yours. He remained silent, pondering.

"I'm not angry, because…" he hesitated, looking back up at you. "Because I... I like the idea." Your breathing faltered, eyes widening slightly, as your heart stumbled.

"What do you mean you like the idea?" you asked out of breath, belly churning. Somehow, you were scared of his answer.

His lips pressed together, as he sat straighter.

"I like the idea of us being together."

It felt like your whole world came to a stop all of a sudden. Like he had pressed the pause button.

A tear slipped from your eye and he came closer, his thumb carefully brushing it away. "Why are you crying?" You saw fear flash through his eyes, afraid you didn't like what he said.

"I'm crying, because for the last - days or whatever, I thought that we're together." you explained. "I was happy, but then I woke up and everything was gone. I had all I ever wished for, and I lost it in the blink of an eye."

He nodded, sighing.

"I have feelings for you." you blurted out, more tears falling. "I have for a very long time now, and I know, that I wouldn't stand a chance." His brows furrowed, as he breathed out a sigh of… relieve?

"Of course, you would stand a chance, Y/N." he almost chuckled, holding your face in both his hands. "I have feelings for you as well. I just didn't know if you'd date a cop, especially a coworker. So I never asked you out, but I know now, that I should have."

You couldn't believe what you were hearing.

"Do you really mean it?" you questioned, alternating between chuckling and crying. He huffed, like you just questioned his sanity.

"Of course, I do." he spoke softly, smiling at you.

You laughed shortly in relieve, returning the smile through the tears still falling. His thumb caressed your cheek, as he closed the distance between you, connecting his lips with yours.

You returned the kiss and it felt even better, than in your dream. You tasted the saltiness of your tears, mixed with the sweetness of his lips.

When you parted, he placed a kiss on your forehead, before he let go of you, instead taking your hands.

"Let's make your dream come true, then."

[smokingtigerhiddengun]

Hestia altar tour...

Finally got around to building Hestia her own altar and I've just been stood here admiring it for like 15 minutes.

She had really come through for us in a huge way this summer. We had at least two massive storms sweep through that caused widespread damage. 100 mph straight-line winds, downed trees and damage everywhere, days-long power outages...the whole shebang. And we live in a heavily wooded area so you think we'd be fucked in this scenario.

We had ZERO damage to any of our dozens of trees, our vehicles, our house, or our detached shop. The only thing we lost was a flagpole that was already on its last leg. My guardian peacock lawn ornaments were STILL UPRIGHT IN THE GROUND AFTER EVERY STORM (Hera gets a lot of the credit here too, altar tour for her coming soon).

She now lives on the top shelf of my kitchen rack in a little ceramic light-up house that I painted the same colors as ours, with her cloisonne pig friend.

I'm a rock nerd in both the geology sense and the woo sense, so I gave her a citrine tower and an orange calcite flame...

Just made this candle holder out of a glass yogurt jar, which I decoupaged with some red tissue paper and mod podge.

The symbols are sigils I made of her name and epithets and drew on with gold paint marker. These two front and center mean "Hestia Äídios" (Hestia the Eternal).

They go all the way around the jar, and when you read the whole thing it says,

Prôtotokos, Parthenos Hestia Äídios, Polyolvos, Basileia Boulaia Prytaneia

"Firstborn, Virgin Hestia the Eternal, Rich in Blessings, Queen of the Council and of the Common Hearth"

I like to pick it up and recite her name and epithets as a devotion (in English because I'm hopelessly bad at Greek pronunciation), and the sigils are a huge help with remembering them.

She has her own cup and saucer and gets the first cup out of the teapot whenever I make tea, and she gets the first bit of whatever I bake.

You can't see it here, but there are little jars of lavender and chaste tree berry up there as well.

I'll admit, I'm pretty new to this and my practice is in no way striving to be reconstructionist or historically accurate. It's more general modern pagan with a Hellenic accent. It's less trying to worship how the Greeks worshipped, and more, what would someone in my place and time with the resources I have personally available do to try to honor and interact with Hestia? How would she try to help and interact with me, a Midwestern American in 2025 with no ties to Greek culture whatsoever?

But yeah, I'd like to think that Lady Hestia likes her new digs and her piglet friend.

[the-mortuary-witch]

TYPES OF HERBS AND SPICES

ABUNDANCE: anise seed, bay leaves, bay laurel, basil, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, coriander, ginger, juniper berry, lemongrass, nutmeg, and St. John’s wort. 

AVOIDING DANGER: bay laurel, garlic, holly, mistletoe, parsley, rue, sage, St. John’s wort, thyme, and witch hazel. 

ACTIVATE ENERGY: ashwagandha, astragalus, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, gotu kola, guarana, licorice root, maca, muira puama, panax ginseng, rhodiola, schisandra powder, stinging nettle, Siberian motherwort, tribulus, and white peony. 

ANXIETY: ashwagandha, chamomile, California poppy, catnip, golden root, holy basil, kava, lavender, lemon balm, oat straw, passion flower, skullcap, valerian root, wood betony, wild lettuce, lemon verbena, valerian, ginger root, celery, jojoba, and ginger root. 

ASTRAL TRAVEL: blue lotus, Mexican dream herb, mugwort, African dream root, wormwood, skullcap, yopo, belladonna, henbane, sage of the seers, nutmeg, cannabis, kanna, thorn-apple, blue tea, and calamus. 

AWARENESS: blue vervain, brain tonic, ginkgo biloba, gotu kola, holy basil, lemon balm, lion's tail, oat straw, rhodiola rosea, and rosemary. 

ANIMALS (TO WORK WITH): catnip, mugwort, parsley, rose, sage, wormwood, devil's claw, dittany of Crete, horsetail, mullein, plantain, thyme, and yarrow.

BALANCING: ashwagandha, chamomile, kava, lemon balm, passion flower, rhodiola rosea, schizandra, ginseng, valerian, wood netony, chaste tree berry, damiana, hops, angelica sinensis, ginkgo biloba, kratom, maca, St. John’s wort, niacin, and Siberian motherwort. 

BANISHING: mugwort, angelica, hyssop, verbena, peppermint, mint, yarrow, wormwood, parsley, oregano, sage, rosemary, lavender, bay leaf, thyme, patchouli, eucalyptus, pine, St. John's wort, and basil. 

BINDING: bindweed, cannabis, rose thorns, stinging nettle, vervain, yarrow, devil’s shoestring, mugwort, catnip, dandelion, dill, skullcap, rose, and cardamom. 

BUSINESS AND EMPLOYMENT: alfalfa, allspice, basil, cayenne powder, cinnamon, cloves, dill, pecans, rosemary, and turmeric. 

CALM AND SOOTHE: lemon balm, chamomile, passionflower, lavender, ashwagandha, kava, valerian, St. John’s wort, holy basil, melisa, rhodiola, hops, skullcap, ginseng, and turmeric. 

CHALLENGES / DIFFICULTIES: skullcap, ashwagandha, bacopa, chamomile, passionflower, rhodiola, valerian, St. John’s wort, holy basil, lemon balm, nettle, oat straw, rehmannia, schisandra, and ginseng. 

CHANGES / TRANSLATIONS: dandelion root, ashwagandha, reishi, holy basil, ginseng, alfalfa, nettle, burdock root, and oat straw. 

CLARITY: ginger, ginkgo biloba, gotu kola, ashwagandha, bacopa monnieri, rhodiola, green tea, ginseng, dandelion root, holy basil, rosemary, tulsi, brahmi, skullcap, oat straw, and lingzhi. 

CONFIDENCE: peppermint, St. John’s wort, lavender, lemon balm, passionflower, valerian root, bay leaves, cedar, cloves, coconut, ginger, ginseng, hops, honeysuckle, California poppy, fennel seeds, nutmeg, orris root, red clover, rosemary, and yarrow. 

COURAGE: rosemary, calamus, borage, yarrow, sage, milky oats, ashwagandha, cacao, pepper, nettle, basil, chives, horseradish, skullcap, ginger, brahmi, dandelion, St. John’s wort, lemon balm, passionflower, rhodiola, oat straw, lingzhi, ginseng, and tulsi. 

CREATIVITY: damiana, sage, ashwagandha, bacopa, lavender, passionflower, calamus, gotu kola, lemon balm, ginkgo, green tea, mugwort, cumin, ginger, cannabis, basil, and coriander. 

DEATH / ANCESTORS / AFTERLIFE: rosemary, chamomile, lavender, parsley, wormwood, pine, cannabis, mugwort, bay leaves, cedar, belladonna, angel’s trumpet, and wolfsbane. 

DIVINATION: wormwood, mugwort, datura, deadly nightshade, morning glory, valerian, skullcap, blue lotus, wormwood, belladonna, mugwort, and black cohosh. 

DREAMWORK: mugwort, chamomile, lavender, valerian, lemon balm, catnip, yarrow, passionflower, motherwort, and betony. 

FEAR (TO SUBDUE): lavender, chamomile, kava, valerian, passionflower, skullcap, lemon balm, hops, catnip, ashwagandha, and theanine. 

FERTILITY: maca, ashwagandha, black cohosh, red clover, chasteberry, peony, raspberry, cinnamon, shatavari, dong quai, ginseng, liquorice, nettles, saw palmetto, milk thistle, false unicorn, motherwort, and shilajit. 

FIDELITY: bay leaves, chasteberry, white horehound, lady's mantle, jasmine, catnip, vervain, St. John’s wort, damiana, yohimbe, and wood betony. 

FOCUS / CONCENTRATION: ginkgo biloba, rosemary, peppermint, bacopa, gotu kola, waterhyssop, sceletium tortuosum, green tea, and theanine. 

FORGIVENESS: rue, chamomile, rosemary, lemon balm, rose, linden, sage, lavender, valerian, holy basil, yarrow, skullcap, and St. John’s wort. 

FRIENDSHIP: alstroemeria, Adam’s needle, ivy, zinnias, chamomile, tulips, iris, geraniums, calla lilies, thyme, basil, marjoram, dill, sage, bamboo, lemon verbena, hibiscus, jasmine, elderflower, aloe vera, cactus, jade plant, daises, forget-me-nots, sunflower, sweet pea, hydrangea, peace lilies, and yarrow. 

GRIEF / SORROW (TO DEAL WITH): lemon balm, St. John’s wort, valerian, lavender, motherwort, hawthorn, rose, tulsi, passionflower, ashwagandha, basil, milky oats, linden, mimosa, skullcap, and oatstraw. 

GROUND AND CENTRE ENERGY: holy basil, chamomile, passionflower, lavender, rose, ginger root, cinnamon, liquorice root, lemon balm, rhodiola, sage, damiana, kava, rosemary, skullcap, ashwagandha, and valerian. 

GROWTH: shatavari, maca, ashwagandha, alfalfa, kelp, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, tribulus terrestris, ginkgo biloba, sea moss, dandelion, astragalus, and reishi mushroom. 

GUIDANCE: mugwort, bay leaves, wormwood, rosemary, sage, motherwort, blue lotus, hyssop, St. John’s wort, valerian, damiana, gotu kola, blue vervain, lemon balm, yarrow, rose buds, passionflower, and chasteberry.  

HEALING: garlic, chamomile, feverfew, ginger, echinacea, goldenseal, stinging thistle, ginkgo, calendula, dandelion, ginseng, liquorice, and elderberry. 

HEARTBREAK (TO RECOVER FROM): rose, lavender, motherwort, thyme, linden, hawthorn, skullcap, lemon balm, blue vervain, and passionflower. 

HEXES (TO AVOID/BREAK): thistle, marigold, mullein, nettle, horehound, bayberry, mugwort, yarrow, oak, mint, holy basil, rosemary, pine, black cohosh, thyme, St. John’s wort, garlic, yucca, and vervain.

HEALTH: garlic,chamomile, feverfew, ginger, echinacea, goldenseal, ginkgo, calendula, ginseng, milk thistle, St. John’s wort, saw palmetto, and valerian. 

HOME / FAMILY: lavender, basil, yarrow, chamomile, rosemary, mint, lemon balm, hyssop, vervain, and mugwort. 

INSIGHT: blue lotus, mugwort, wormwood, lettuce, yerba mate, damiana, blue vervain, skullcap, passionflower, sage, juniper, sandalwood, and bay laurel. 

INSPIRATION: rhodiola, ginseng, sage, guarana, peppermint, passionflower, rosemary, ashwagandha, gotu kola, damiana, blue lotus, rose, skullcap, ylang-ylang, mugwort, St. John’s wort, and blue vervain. 

KNOWLEDGE / LEARNING: green tea, rosemary, brahmi, gotu kola, sage, lemon balm, yerba mate, ashwagandha, ginkgo biloba, holy basil, hawthorn, linden, chasteberry, dandelion, hyssop, and skullcap. 

LOSS (TO DEAL WITH): ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, cayenne pepper, ginseng, fenugreek, cumin, caralluma fimbriata, gurmar, cardamom, dandelion, garlic, lemon balm, peppermint, rose, triphala, tulsi, ashwagandha, hawthorn, and linden. 

LOVE / ROMANCE: damiana, catnip, vervain, rose, yang yang, rose petals, jasmine, ginger, saffron, black pepper, cardamom, sandalwood, bay leaf, lavender, marjoram, linden, bergamot, and fennel.

LUCK: clovers, dandelion, bay leaf, High John the Conqueror, basil, cinnamon, allspice, catnip, St. John’s wort, lavender, lady’s mantle, oak, ginger, mint, chamomile, patchouli, holy basil, mistletoe, marigold, calendula, Irish moss, cloves, and goldenrod. 

MANIFESTATION: basil, calendula, mint, rosemary, sage, lavender, bay leaf, cinnamon, bamboo, mugwort, sandalwood, allspice, yarrow, High John the Conqueror, catnip, and jasmine.

MARRIAGE: rosemary, holy basil, catnip, bay leaf, lavender, marjoram, rose petals, jasmine, bergamot, and linden. 

MONEY: rue, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, thyme, rosemary, garlic, dandelion, catnip, allspice, lemon balm, yarrow, black pepper, wormwood, parsley, nettle, chamomile, sage, basil, and oregano. 

MOTIVATION: green tea, damiana, gotu kola, St. John’s wort, ashwagandha, ginkgo biloba, brahmi, sage, liquorice, and ginger. 

NEGATIVITY (TO DISPEL/AVERT/PROTECTION FROM): cedar, sage, rosemary, holy basil, eucalyptus, yarrow, lavender, thyme, peppermint, rue, juniper, mint, hyssop, nettle, bayberry, mugwort, dandelion, clove, basil, and garlic. 

NIGHTMARES (TO WARD OFF/SUBDUE): wormwood, black pepper, skullcap, passionflower, California poppy, valerian, catnip, mugwort, blue vervain, lemon balm, rose, St. John’s wort, lavender, jasmine, yarrow, bay leaf, mullein, bayberry, ginger, and holy basil.

OBSTACLES (TO OVERCOME): hyssop, mullein, gotu kola, lavender, sage, vervain, thyme, holy basil, St. John’s wort, ashwagandha, green tea, brahmi, lemon balm, yarrow, marjoram, rosemary, nettle, chamomile, and bay leaf.

OPTIMISM: damiana, gotu kola, passionflower, skullcap, nettle, black tea, sage, blue lotus, green tea, St. John’s wort, ginger, vervain, mullein, lavender, jasmine, chamomile, bay leaf, lemon balm, ginger, and rose.

PEACE / TRANQUILITY: myrrh, rose, peppermint, chamomile, lavender, skullcap, holy basil, ashwagandha, St. John’s wort, passionflower, rosemary, valerian, sage, Persian silk tree, lemongrass, gotu kola, nettle, thyme, bay leaf, mugwort, and kava.

PROSPERITY / ABUNDANCE: basil, mint, cinnamon, patchouli, chamomile, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, rosemary, bay leaf, calendula, honeysuckle, clove, Irish moss, thyme, alfalfa, bayberry, clover, dandelion, nettle, oregano, dill, and poppy.

PROTECTION / DEFENCE: aloe, cinnamon, sandalwood, dragon’s blood, rue, eucalyptus, comfrey, rose, chamomile, St. John’s wort, cedar, mugwort, cayenne pepper, nettle, bay, angelica, thyme, sage, peppermint, lavender, basil, and rosemary.

PSYCHIC ABILITIES (TO ENHANCE): frankincense, wormwood, valerian, thyme, nettle, anise, lemongrass, gotu kola, angelica, bay leaf, chamomile, sage, rose, yarrow, lavender, rosemary, peppermint, and mugwort.

PURIFICATION / CLEANSING: sage, cedar, rosemary, lavender, palo santo, basil, peppermint, red clover, dandelion, frankincense, mugwort, nettle, bay leaf, burdock, chamomile, juniper, parsley, copal, sweetgrass, angelica, cilantro, eucalyptus, ginger, and cinnamon.

RELATIONSHIPS: rose, spearmint, lavender, jasmine, basil, damiana, catnip, ginger, patchouli, hibiscus, rosemary, thyme, cardamom, lemon balm, clove, jasmine, fennel, bay leaf, sage, dill, vanilla, ashwagandha, black cohosh, ginseng, calendula, meadowsweet, and cinnamon.

REMOVE / RELEASE: rue, black pepper, sage, rosemary, mint, lemon juice, hyssop, mullein, vervain, wormwood, nettle, garlic, dandelion, bay leaf, catnip, lavender, lemon palm, and parsley.

RENEWAL / REBIRTH / NEW BEGINNINGS: holy basil, gotu kola, rosemary, yarrow, ashwagandha, mullein, basil, chamomile, St. John’s wort, rose petals, lemon balm, vervain, mint, nettle, sage, mugwort, and damiana.

SEX / SEXUALITY: saffron, yohimbe, saw palmetto, chavohuasca, pomegranate peel, musli, chasteberry, longjack, chamomile, fenugreek, shatavari, barrenwort, saffron, damiana, ashwagandha, ginkgo, maca, bindii, and red ginseng.

SPIRIT GUIDES: yarrow, thyme, rose, myrrh, sweet grass, bay leaf, peppermint, nettle, mugwort, frankincense, chamomile, angelica, rosemary, cedar, basil, sage, and lavender.

SPIRITUALITY: lavender, sage, basil, rosemary, angelica, cedar, frankincense, chamomile, mugwort, nettle, peppermint, bay leaf, sweet grass, myrrh, rose, thyme, and yarrow.

STABILITY: ginger, parsley, St. John’s wort, lavender, mullein, catnip, rosemary, holy basil, lemon balm, and gotu kola.

STRENGTH: turmeric, maca, ashwagandha, ginseng, rhodiola, brahmi, shilajit, tulsi, astragalus, cordyceps, ginger, liquorice, gotu kola, astragalus, nettle, schisandra, and green tea.

STRESS: rhodiola, lavender, valerian, brahmi, kava, skullcap, peppermint, milky oats, liquorice, hops, St. John’s wort, turmeric, ginseng, tulsi, passionflower, chamomile, lemon balm, and ashwagandha.

SUCCESS: mint, basil, rosemary, cinnamon, allspice, dandelion, calendula, patchouli, bay leaf, ginger, lavender, chamomile, nutmeg, dill, honeysuckle, Irish moss, lemongrass, nettle, and peppermint.

TRUST: bayberry, lemon balm, rue, marjoram, bay leaf, hyssop, black pepper, damiana, rose petals, yarrow, valerian, wormwood, nettle, lavender, vervain, and jasmine.

TRUTH: mugwort, rue, mullein, skullcap, rosemary, hyssop, bay leaf, holy basil, thyme, and peppermint.

WELL-BEING: green tea, ashwagandha, holy basil, reishi mushroom, lemon balm, chamomile, ginger, liquorice, and turmeric.

[simslegacy5083]

Today's (1/14/2025) Episode: Chaste Romance

Unfortunately, Skye didn’t find all the younger siblings that joined their lunch table that term as appealing as Betty.

“…Alyssa is SO amazing” Elyse’s younger sister Octavia gushed at lunch “we went to the pier; she serenaded me in front of everyone – she’s SUCH a good singer - and then we made out on the beach for like 2 hours.”

She pretended to swoon before turning to her sister with a gleam in her eye “what about you and Skye blue over there? Anything new to share or are you still savoring your one “perfect” kiss?” she rolled her eyes.

Elyse glared at her sister. She and Skye hadn’t talked about that night, and she was clearly unhappy to have xem hear how she’d described it to her sibling. Xe knew better than to get in the middle of their squabble, squeezing Elyse’s hand under the table but keeping xir mouth shut.

As xe’d anticipated it didn’t take long for Elyse to rally, firing back “Unlike SOME sims Skye and I don’t feel the need to play tonsil hockey in the sand with the whole world watching and then brag about it to anyone who will listen. We know how to keep our business to ourselves!”

Skye turned to xir study guide as the two bickered, sighing. Octavia was always trying to one up her big sister and it never got any less tiresome.

Since xir surgery Skye hadn’t felt up to asking Elyse for a follow-up to their prom date, but after her sister’s teasing, xe decided to remedy that.

Luigi and Noemi “hid out” in the living room while Skye loaded up on pain meds and prepped a special dinner for xem and xir girl. “Are you sure we shouldn’t help xem?” Noemi asked, glancing back towards the hallway.

“Xe will ask for our help if xe wants it” Luigi assured her “Right now we need to make like ghosts and fade away.”

“Delicious, as always” Elyse sighed with delight as she finished off her plate of Nasi Lemak.

 “Thanks” Skye smiled “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you out again sooner, but I’m glad we’re here now, and we’ve got that double date with Gretchen and Bailey this weekend. Did I tell you I saw Betty at the Adventurer Club meeting? She’s still a fearless climber, but now she’s scaling mountains instead of trees!”

“Well, that’s nothing new” Elyse laughed “Bruce is real plumhole, but Uncle Beau always did say she was the one that gave him all his grey hairs!”

“I’m sorry about Octavia” she went on “She just loves to brag about how amazing everything she does is. Its so irritating. I saw her and Alyssa arguing in the quad after school, so I don’t think they’re as “perfectly in love” as she claims.”

“I’m SHOCKED, shocked! Well not that shocked.” Skye chuckled then paused, screwing up xir courage “Elyse, did you really think our kiss was perfect?”

Elyse ducked her head before nodding slightly “I hope its OK that we haven’t done anything… else, since then. I’m just not ready for all “that”.”

“Of course!” Skye scooted close, wrapping an arm around her. “I’m not sure I’m ready for all “that” either.”

“Great. Woah!” she exclaimed, pointing up at the sky in a quick attempt at distraction. “I think I just saw a shooting star!”

“Where!?” Skye looked the direction she was pointing, happy to jump on the excuse to put off awkward conversations about woohoo in favor of stargazing with their best friend.

View The Full Story of My Not So Berry Challenge Here

[northern-passage]

Night terrors for Clem? ❤️

You take a few slow steps, peering through the trees, your breath fogging thick in front of you.

It's snowing, big, slow flakes fluttering down from the dark sky overhead - no moon, no stars, and no way to tell where the trees end, towering branches just reaching up into the dark, black void.

You take another tentative step, straining to listen to the silence over the loud pounding of your heart.

A gust of wind, a branch snaps, and then the rattle of chains.

You start to run, weaving through the trees, but suddenly the ground shifts underneath you, soft dirt cracking into ice, and the earth seems to explode as you drop down into icy, black water. Your clothes and your boots send you sinking down, a slow spiral into the freezing abyss.

You just glimpse a pair of golden eyes watching you from the depths.

You wake up violently, gasping and shivering despite the heavy fur blankets on top of you. They're hardly comforting, and you desperately throw them off and swing your legs over the side of the bed, sitting up and clutching at your chest as you try to breathe.

A warm hand on your back consoles you, chasing out the lingering chill from the cold water in your dream. Clementine sits up behind you, their hand sliding low before they wrap their arms around your waist and press a kiss to the back of your shoulder.

You close your eyes as they mutter your name, taking a few more minutes to calm your breathing.

"Okay?" Clementine asks softly, and you nod.

"Sorry," you say then, and they scoff, pulling you back into bed with them.

They cradle your head against their chest, petting your hair and pressing another kiss just behind your ear.

"Was it the same dream again?" they ask, and you let out a long sigh.

"Same as always," you confirm.

Clementine keeps petting your hair, a steady, gentle motion over and over again, and you feel your eyes growing heavy. But you sit up a bit, tilting you head back to peer up at them. Upside down, they smile down at you, one hand reaching up to gently trace the curve of your neck before they lean forward and kiss you.

It's a gentle, chaste kiss, and you sigh when they pull back, closing your eyes and resting back against their chest.

"It's a few more hours still before sunrise, I think," Clementine says then. "You should try and get some more sleep."

You give a noncommittal grunt, which makes them giggle.

"Should we get an early start? I can put the coffee on," they suggest, only half-joking.

"No," you turn a bit, pressing your face into their sleeping gown. They start to pet your hair again.

You feel them pull the blankets back up over you, and they slowly recline back amongst the pillows, wriggling a bit to get comfortable.

"How about I make breakfast in the morning? I've been wanting to make pancakes for a while," they muse then. "And I got some honey the other day."

You give them a little hum, tightening your arms around them.

"You can look forward to that," they say quietly.

"You're too good to me," you say then, opening your eyes to blink up at them.

They shake their head.

"Definitely the other way around," they say.

You push yourself up onto your hands then, leaning over them as they tilt their head up at you.

"I'm sorry you keep having nightmares," they say sadly.

"I've always had them," you shrug. "Some nights are just worse than others."

You lean in then, kissing away their little frown, until you can feel them smiling.

"I'll make pancakes in the morning," they murmur between kisses.

"I can't wait," you say, a little breathless as you pull back, reaching up to push their curls back out of their face.

"And we can make that fancy coffee we got from Merry," they say, and you laugh.

"Gaelish coffee is not what I would call fancy," you laugh again as they give you an indignant look. "I don't even know how they grow it over there in the cold."

"We'll make it fancy," Clementine says, "and we can get some berries from the market in town."

"For the coffee?" you tease.

"For the pancakes!" Clementine huffs, but they start laughing when you lean back in to kiss them again.

"Okay. It's a date."

[inthecityofgoodabode]

June 2024: The Thursday Post

Our chaste tree has been producing an abundance of seeds for the past couple of years. They bided their time. This year we seem to have chaste tree saplings coming up everywhere. Chaste tree saplings in our ginger pot:

Thursday's harvest - blue berries, onions & straight neck yellow squash:

The cantaloupe are on the make:

[ratsoh-writes]

Is there any worldbuilding headcanons or anything you want to tell us about any of ur aus (or even more interesting dateable characters) that you haven’t got the chance to talk about.

I honestly just wanna know more if you have anything lol (also snow is adorable)

Here’s a character I think doesn’t get a Pugh attention

Lilo! She’s a goblin monster from nomadtale and one of the nomadic bros cashiers at their garden shop. When I first introduced her, she was 18, but with how time passes in the rps, she’d be barely 20 or just under it now.

Pros of dating lilo:

Drama? Never heard of it. Lilo is a wonderful communicator and an all around sweetheart to every one she meets. She’s stable and is a selfless loving monster

She gardens! Lilo loves her berry bushes, peach tree and her veggie patch in her parents home. All the gardening she does herself. And she keeps herb pots in her bedroom as well. Date her and you’ll get seasonal goodies!

She’s a vocal monster when it comes to the small noises they make. She trills when excited or pleased, chirps when surprised, and purrs quite a bit. She’ll hiss but doesn’t growl

Being a nomad monster means she doesn’t have magic attacks, but can enchant items. Her specialty is warming charms.

Cons of dating lilo:

She’s a chaste bb, so nothing pats kissing until soulmates/marriage. Lilo is very strict on this. Not really a con for some though

She’s a total maximalist, so if you like open spaces in your home, she’s not the monster for you

Always wearing overalls or baggy pants, has some hatred of skirts.

[kramlabs]

[jenroses]

How do people with chronic illness and no background in advocacy or research survive? I know the answer is often, "they don't." But I'm marveling at the amount of executive function I'm having to aim at simply maintaining access to the medications and supplements I need to find existence tolerable, the length of time the system is willing to shrug about severe new pain and the diagnostic tests for it, and the amount of research I need to have in hand in order to have a hope of getting what I need covered by insurance and if I'm daunted, with my background and skill in these specific areas, what hope does someone have if they don't have those skills?

That said, here's a list of things I've found that have helped that were hard to get or challenging to learn about:

1. Topical metformin in lipoderm cream is a compounded version of metformin that can assist in blood sugar control which has few-to-no intestinal side effects.

2. For insulin resistance, a combination of liraglutide and topical metformin has worked better for me than insulin.

3. If you have painful fat on your body (not just fat, but fat that it's very pressure sensitive with trigger points that rival fibro and are frequently misdiagnosed as such) you NEED to research lipedema. My pt does lymphatic drainage that is life changing and drastically reduces pain in reasonably lasting ways.

4. If you go low carb for glucose control, do not rely on almonds as a major replacement for wheat, especially if you also have POTS and need a lot of sodium as the combination is a recipe for kidney stones which suck a lot. Almonds are very high in oxalates.

5. Genetic testing can point out some weird ways in which your body differs from the norm and this may explain weird medication results. For example, long after I realized that swimming pools made me sick and warfarin was a dangerous drug for me, genetic tests discovered that I do not process certain chlorine byproducts normally and that I have multiple genes that cause me to process warfarin very slowly. I'm also bad at turning t4 into t3 which is probably why synthroid was so bad. And we discovered an extra, rare recessive blood clotting disorder. This was from running my raw 23&me thru Promethease.

6. If you don't tolerate a medication, check the inactive ingredients. Things like povidone and sodium lauryl sulfate are used to help solubility but can cause allergic reactions/intolerances. I found this out after years on Xarelto, which was exacerbating my joint pain, probably from the sls. Switching to injectables fixed the problem and I've been more stable on my ra meds since.

7. Not all supplements work as advertised and there are many garbage brands out there but there are also better companies which have quality products and some supplements can be very helpful.

Vitex: chaste tree berry can drastically improve hormonal balance and normalize cycles. This means more regular periods and often less pmd.

Magnesium (doesn't have to be fancy, even cheap mag works) can drastically improve chronic asthma. You don't have to use it instead of drugs, but I found I just didn't need the drugs once I started supplementing a normal amount daily.

Turmeric: I went off this due to the whole herb having high oxalates but the extract form is lower oxalate and the anti inflammatory properties are a mercy for me. I can't take nsaids, but I tolerate turmeric well and it reduces my pain level quite dramatically, improving sleep quality.

Milk thistle products are helpful for liver function and since my liver is always kinda iffy the milk thistle is super important to me continuing to tolerate my medication load. When I was on warfarin the stabilizing effect of milk thistle was quite dramatic and measurable until other factors kicked in.

A negative: if you are on any medications that process through the liver, CBD can be dangerous to your health. This varies by drug and pathway. Natural is not always safer. Do your homework beforehand.

I take other things but those are some of the most dramatic helps. I can do a list of supplement manufacturers I trust if people are interested.

What I currently do for pain is a combination of lidocaine patches, very low dose oxycodone, turmeric, physical therapy, ergonomics, and mobility/accessibility aides. I'd be happy to do a different post just about that.

[libidomechanica]

Untitled Composition # 10152

Offspring when I do thoughts, chaste description, to say.     They said, have seen the voices wake, true blood: it will ring the birth, the wind, not unworthiness     had but reverence, and bright torch,

and luster’d Houses—and, and did me Courtesy     and there is not the nuptial sweets, at least even I, for a look, or height, it is my     favorite vow. And all his sun’s, and the

clear; and this, you and no more. As for so consume     the final berries in a most had tasted of Lochroyan, she defied alligators,     crossing a White Turban on his own

souls to me, and drove Confusion in Styx; a mortal     moon put for them toward these, how idle seemed to speak and draw but what softling—this thine     utter ones I may see na ye minde,

which is themselves in these goods, the sharp rocks. Oh Shah,     I am in lowliness of blood which fairy chance upon a bought by Heav’n to glow,     far, far swollen and night saw them drop

they not be to weep out the El’er’s dye! High and     me. Less and long, lov’d Stella now beside his house, and it posterity fame; in himself     and pass’d away the light of leavest

thy Palace was braw, and an unspeakable     designs as she course, which is like invasive zebras striped, and then decide, we’re alike,     so OVER him, I overhear. With

the could not be—or I am host. Them to enrich     he learn’d new changed theme which her father thou break all they caught to changed they took away     my bowers were my Eyes that fix you

inside his passionate crew; in marble fills through     less once had not with truth while, and pale. Young Juan these green tea! And be reserved; she heeded     not help a little feud between the

beat sleep—the power, for the fine, my body, clay     taking head, of the room is turning her; and stand on the heard the marmalade, the towering     stream; but rested not help our latter,

all the Falls look like decay’d, the sooth, scarce could     die with a sudden weapons under than can those blood-hounds, from their better have measuring     the first and I sank and the such

a mile from out against them cruelty. Suspect     of grief and seek your winter from an urn, still forgive me the door she took one human     deeds there the invisibly quilty.

Leant, it answers gave to thee, as the mouth. Beside     the vine-wreath’d tree, for, for soon grown command; her eyes from the devil a Phrygian.     It sound sown without depth upborne through

tame. With a smiles encounter, struck not of garlands,     precious sun, and send me kind; among the woman I am let me see, forbidding     darkness shows the rightways is cool, he

fierce an anger, the muttering up to me shouldst,     my Sandy O, my body to choose beames to beat of hell it circle, what? The coming     a table; let but had made too

weak to unlock to die. To desperative: The     vessel boundary, grief, but died she; never be astonished which now incline to play as     that which to earth, and feels, for I must

be: where it even now, sun, at our backs, they are     nothing only grief for thy sake wad gladding vague fingers to him whom the dangerous     sea? The westland wielding, but heavily

por’d on the decks of those nutriment of losing’s     not see, for still, and that the lead your hunt, I knew the air like arguments, or fourth     wife, or width, or any hands, and her

sire: On me, ’ she lay she died, but death as doth     lingered upon his fate—he found on the cargo and one is in other, or their school,     then hey, for a year white and bear it?

[anamedblog]

Turkish Delights, Macun, and more Sweet Treats…

Beate Böhlendorf-Arslan, ANAMED Senior Fellow (2022–2023)

Fig. 1. Photo by author.

Turkish cuisine is versatile, and Turkish desserts are especially versatile. What is commonly known as “Anatolian sweets” in Europe, and called “Turkish honey” or “Turkish nougat,” is only one of the sugary offshoots of the delicious dessert in Turkey.

Almost every foreign visitor to Istanbul tries baklava, the delicacy made of thin layers of dough, nuts or pistachios, and sugar syrup, which comes in various shapes. By the way, fresh baklava with pistachios is especially delicious if served with a portion of damla sakız dondurma (mastic ice cream). On a particularly hot summer day, I recommend having it with a slice of kesme dondurma (“sliced ice cream”), an ice cream so firm that it must be eaten with a knife and fork.

Dessert lovers should also try other pastry specialties that come in a variety of shapes and flavors. The numerous and sometimes very old shops on Istiklal Caddesi sell specialties with flowery names such as bülbül yuvası (nightingale's nest), hanım göbeği (lady's belly), sütlü nuriye (nuriye—a woman's given name—with milk), vezir parmaği (vizier's finger) or kadayif. Commonly known and loved as a typical souvenir is Turkish delight (Fig. 1), lokum, made with nuts or fruit juice, or rose water. As delicious as these sweet treats are, Anatolian cuisine has much more to offer.

If you are looking for a more exotic souvenir, try the macun from Manisa, a soft candy that is a bit sticky on the palate but tastes very aromatic (Figs. 2 and 3). Manisa mesir paste is made out of spices mixed with various herbs such as cinnamon, black pepper, pimento, black cumin, mustard seed, aniseed, coriander, ginger, turmeric, coconut, fennel, cubeb, cassis, fructus, myroba, vanilla, piper longum, cardamon, galingale, fructus cassiae fistule, saffron, cumin, rose hip, myrrh, licorice, rhizoa zeoariae, lemon peel, orange peel, thistle seed, linseed, locust, opium poppy, stinging nettle, white pepper, grape seed, chaste berry seed, dried rosemary, erica leaf, melissa, fructus myrobalani nigri, and hibiscus. The consumption of these candies is said to have a healing effect. According to legend, the wife of the Ottoman sultan Yavuz Selim, Hafsa Sultan, fell ill during her stay in Manisa. As there was no cure, Merkez Effendi, the head of the madrasa of the Sultan's mosque, prepared a paste of herbs and spices. After eating this paste, Hafsa Sultan recovered. Following her recovery, she ordered this paste to be spread from the minarets of the sultan's mosque. This tradition has been maintained in Manisa since 1539.

Fig. 2- 3 Photo by author.

The traditional lollipops that can be bought fresh in the streets of Istanbul, but also in villages like Behram/Assos and many other places in Turkey, are prepared in a similar way. However, they do not contain a variety of herbs and spices but only fruit juices or tree resin (damla sakiz or mastic) and a lot of sugar (Fig. 4). The seller dips a wooden stick into the sugar mass and turns the stick several times so that the gluey mass wraps around the stick. Now the lollipop is ready!

Fig. 4. Assos excavation archive, Aykan Özener.

Other than these sweet souvenirs and shelf-stable desserts, Turkish cuisine has equally tasty creamy desserts to offer that you should not miss out on.

Milk dishes are especially delicious. Even something as common as rice pudding (sütlaç) has a special Turkish twist to it. It is prepared with regular rice, not the round-grain rice used in other countries. Turkish rice pudding is not firm but rather creamy. Most importantly, it is placed in the oven in a second step after cooking, causing the top layer of milk to caramelize (Fig. 5). Tasting it is highly recommended!

Fig. 5. Photo by author.

The more adventurous Istanbul travelers should definitely try tavuk göğüsü (a dessert literally called “chicken breast”). Tavuk göğüsü consists of finely pureed chicken breast cooked in sweetened milk and rice flour as a starch to thicken the milk (Fig. 6). The dessert is usually served with cinnamon. Sometimes it is grilled in the oven, resulting in a caramelized top and tasting almost more delicious than the unbaked version (Fig. 7). This preparation is called kazandibi (“bottom of the pot”). I often had the pleasure of treating foreign visitors who were not vegetarians or vegans to a tavuk göğüsü and then having them guess what the dessert was after the meal. Nobody had any idea that there was meat in the dessert!

Fig. 6-7 wikimedia

Regarding possible historic roots, tavuk göğüsü bears no resemblance to the pullus tractogalatus (chicken in milk porridge) described by the Roman cook Apicius in the 3rd or 4th century CE. In this dish, the chicken (or fish) was first cooked in white wine and olive oil, boned, and then the mouthfuls of chopped meat were doused in a porridge made from chicken broth, milk, honey, and grape juice. It is possible that Europeans brought the white meat and milk dish back to Europe during the Crusades, having learned it from the Arabs. A similar dish to tavuk göğüsü, blanc mange, was eaten by nobles and wealthy people in the European Middle Ages. In the oldest German cookbook from around 1350, the Buoch von guoter spise, there is a recipe that calls for rice ground into flour, milk, and a chicken breast to be cooked together. Other recipes used fish instead of chicken. For the nobility, however, blanc mange was not a dessert but a main dish.

Another famous dessert, aşure, has different roots. According to the legend, when Noah saw the land again with his ark, he cooked a pudding from the remaining supplies, namely cereals and dried fruits. In the ancient Greek pantheon, wheat symbolized the earth goddess Demeter, pomegranates represented her daughter Persephone, queen of the underworld, almonds were sacred to Aphrodite, and raisins were sacred to the god Dionysus. Interestingly, the eastern Romans, as inhabitants of Byzantium, also knew of such a pudding, which they called kollyba (or kolivia). It is said that kollyba was the food that the Virgin Mary was fed as a child in the temple by angels from heaven, as depicted on a wall mosaic in the Chora Church in Istanbul (fig. 8). There are different recipes to prepare kollyba, whose main ingredient is boiled wheat mixed with various dried fruits. It is served as a common Lenten food and was therefore commonly eaten in monasteries. Kollyba was also prepared as a dish for the commemoration of the dead. For the Greeks, aşure is also known as barvara (Βαρβάρα), named after the feast of Saint Barbara that is celebrated on the 4th of December. During this festival, it is cooked and shared with neighbors.

Fig. 8. Photo by author.

The ingredients for aşure (but also for varvara or kollyba) are wheat grains, white beans, and chickpeas, and sometimes also rice and barley, that are cooked until soft. After draining, the aşure is sweetened with honey or sugar. In addition, aşure also contains some or all of the following: sesame seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pine nuts, cinnamon, sugar, pekmez, pomegranate seeds, raisins, sultanas, dried apricots, figs, dates, grated orange or lemon peel, cardamom, cloves, black cumin, mastic, rose water, or even anise (Fig. 9). Every family in Turkey (as well as in Greece, the Balkans, and the Middle East) has its own recipe, but the one thing they have in common is that they always make a big pot to share with others. So, if you have a chance to try a homemade aşure, do not miss out on it. Otherwise, try my favorite Anatolian sweet at one of the many muhallebecisi (pudding maker) in Istanbul!

Fig. 9. wikimedia

Afiyet olsun!

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Further readings/bibliography:

Apicius, De re coquiniaria

Anagnostiakis, Ilias, ed. Flavours and Delights. Tastes and Pleasures of Ancient and Byzantine Cuisine. Athens: Armos, 2013.

Baş, Nejla. Mutfağımızdaki Tehlike. Istanbul: Ser Kitap, 2019.

Papanikola-Bakirtzi, Dimitri, ed. Byzantinōn diatrophē kai mageireiai/Food and Cooking in Byzantium. Athens: Museum of Byzntine Culture, 2005.

Waksman, Sylvie Y., ed. Multidisciplinary Approaches to Food and Foodways in the Medieval Eastern Mediterranean. Lyon: MOM Editions, 2020.

www.kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/genel/neyenir

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandelsulz

[queenboudicaa]

D and C for endometriosis?

I'm at the end of my rope. I'm so sick of taking time off work and the amount of physical pain I'm in on a monthly basis.

I work in a male dominated industry and it makes it so hard to be taken seriously as an employee when I always have to take days off for my period and also never know when I'm going to get it so having to get picked up and taken off site is such a mess around for the other guys I work with. I feel guilty and I know they were hesitant to hire a woman and I feel like I'm the exact example of what they didn't want to deal with.

I've tried diet changes - eating only fruit the week before my period, cutting out dairy and caffeine to see if it had an effect and ive tried cyclically eating loosely.

Last cycle I took chaste tree berry and ended up on a 39 day cycle, this month it's 38.

What the hell do women do??? When I was younger I used to take endone or codeine but since leaving the nursing industry and being a bit more woo woo I've just dealt with this and handled the pain through more natural means.

I havnt wanted to medicalise myself or feel angry at my body - but I'm really starting to resent "her" and feel like I'm not in control, I'm just at the mercy of my cycles.

I guess what I'm asking is has anyone had this procedure with good effect? How likely is a perforated uterus from something like this? I declined the procedure when offered after a miscarriage because it just scared me to death the thought of something going wrong that could affect my fertility in the long term.

Has anyone ever had managed to cure themselves and get in control of their cycle? Feeling desperate 🫠

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Key ingredients typically found in FemiPro include herbal extracts like Dong Quai, Black Cohosh, and Vitex (Chaste Tree Berry), known for their roles in supporting the reproductive system and alleviating common menstrual symptoms. These herbs are believed to help regulate hormone levels, reduce inflammation, and ease cramps, helping women manage the physical and emotional discomforts often associated with their menstrual cycles.

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Finding harmony in hormone levels is essential for overall health and vitality! Hormones play a crucial role in our metabolism, mood, and reproductive health. While there are medical options available, many are turning to the natural power of herbs to help restore balance. Here are some enchanting herbs that may aid in achieving hormonal equilibrium:

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Known for enhancing fertility and libido, maca supports the endocrine system and can alleviate menopausal symptoms like hot flashes.

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A beacon for women, vitex helps balance estrogen and progesterone, easing PMS and menopause symptoms.

Black Cohosh:

This herb is a trusted ally during menopause, alleviating hot flashes and mood swings by mimicking estrogen effects.

Rhodiola Rosea:

Another adaptogen, rhodiola combats stress and fatigue while helping to balance cortisol levels and uplift mood.

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Rich in GLA, it helps soothe PMS symptoms and may support conditions like endometriosis and PCOS.

✨ Embracing these herbs in your daily routine can be a wonderful way to support hormone health! Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new herbal regimen, especially if you're on medication or have existing health concerns. Remember, these herbs are most effective when combined with balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and a vibrant lifestyle! 🌱💚

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