#increase leaf growth

[planthouseandgarden]

Electroculture for Houseplants | Amazing Results after 2 weeks

My Alocasia Experiment Results In this post, I’ll share my experience with electroculture for houseplants, a fascinating technique that taps into atmospheric energy to boost plant growth naturally, without the use of fertilizers or pesticides. Hello, and welcome to my latest post on sustainable methods for enhancing houseplant growth with electroculture for houseplants. In my recent video, I…

[cselandscapearchitect]

Creating a Tropical Haven: How to Increase Humidity for Your Monstera Deliciosa

Is your Monstera deliciosa craving a little extra humidity? As a tropical plant, it thrives in a humid environment reminiscent of its native rainforests. In this blog post, we’ll explore various methods to boost humidity levels for your leafy companion, allowing it to flourish and display its iconic lush foliage. Let’s dive into the world of humidity and create a tropical haven for your Monstera…

[astra-ravana]

Magick Oil Recipes

This is going to be another long post but here are various basic magick oil recipes based on various traditions, including hoodoo, witchcraft, ceremonial magick, and chaos magick. These oils can be used for anointing candles, tools, sigils, spells, and personal empowerment. Keep in mind these are simple recipes that reflect the necessary ingredients needed. So, do your own research, experiment, and create your own powerful recipes over time.

I do recognize some well known oils are not on my list and I plan to add more here in the future. If you have a request for an oil, just comment or DM me. 🖤

Prosperity & Money Oils💰

⛤Money Drawing Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Cinnamon (wealth & attraction)

• Bay leaf (success & prosperity)

• Basil (steady income)

• Patchouli (physical money)

• Carrier oil (olive, grapeseed, or almond)

Effects: Attracts money, business success, financial stability.

⛤Fast Luck Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Wintergreen (speed)

• Cinnamon (attraction)

• Five-finger grass (luck in all endeavors)

• Gold flakes (wealth energy)

• Carrier oil (jojoba or sunflower)

Effects: Brings rapid good fortune in gambling, business, and unexpected financial gains.

⛤Wealth & Abundance Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Frankincense (spiritual wealth)

• Myrrh (long-term prosperity)

• Bergamot (success in business)

• Bayberry (attracts material wealth)

• Carrier oil (avocado or coconut)

Effects: Ensures financial stability, long-term prosperity, and steady income.

⛤Business Success Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Bergamot (success in money matters)

• Cinnamon (financial attraction)

• Bay leaf (victory)

• Chamomile (prosperity)

• Carrier oil (grapeseed or jojoba)

Effects: Attracts customers, strengthens business growth, and enhances career opportunities.

⛤Road to Prosperity Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Abre Camino (removes financial blockages)

• Basil (wealth and abundance)

• Orange peel (good fortune)

• Ginger (fast action)

• Carrier oil (sunflower)

Effects: Clears obstacles to financial growth and opens doors for wealth opportunities.

⛤Money Magnet Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Lodestone chips (money attraction)

• Patchouli (physical cash manifestation)

• Vetiver (long-term financial stability)

• Frankincense (spiritual prosperity)

• Carrier oil (avocado or olive)

Effects: Strengthens money-drawing spells, attracts financial stability, and amplifies manifestation work.

Love & Attraction Oils🌹

⛤Love Drawing Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Rose petals (romantic love)

• Jasmine (sensual attraction)

• Vanilla (sweetening relationships)

• Patchouli (lust & passion)

• Carrier oil (sweet almond)

Effects: Attracts love, deepens romance, strengthens existing relationships.

⛤Come to Me Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Red rose (love)

• Catnip (draws lovers in)

• Cardamom (passionate encounters)

• Orange peel (joyful attraction)

• Carrier oil (grapeseed)

Effects: Draws a specific person to you in love or relationships.

⛤Passion & Lust Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Cinnamon (heat & desire)

• Ginger (sexual stimulation)

• Ylang-ylang (aphrodisiac)

• Hibiscus (erotic attraction)

• Carrier oil (sesame or coconut)

Effects: Ignites passion, strengthens sexual energy, increases attraction.

⛤Sweetening Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Honey (love and attraction)

• Vanilla bean (sensual sweetness)

• Lavender (peaceful romance)

• Orange blossom (happiness in love)

• Carrier oil (sweet almond)

Effects: Sweetens relationships, encourages loving communication, and softens tensions between partners.

⛤Commitment Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Rose petals (devotion and fidelity)

• Myrrh (sacred bonds)

• Chamomile (harmony in marriage)

• Jasmine (romantic attraction)

• Carrier oil (grapeseed or olive)

Effects: Strengthens commitment, encourages proposals, and deepens long-term love bonds.

⛤Irresistible Attraction Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Catnip (draws in lovers)

• Cinnamon (sexual energy)

• Hibiscus (lust and beauty)

• Ylang-Ylang (magnetic sensuality)

• Carrier oil (jojoba)

Effects: Enhances personal magnetism, boosts charm, and makes the wearer irresistible to others.

Protection & Banishing Oils���️

⛤Fiery Wall of Protection Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Dragon’s blood resin (spiritual shielding)

• Frankincense (purification)

• Black pepper (banishing)

• Rue (warding off evil)

• Carrier oil (olive or castor)

Effects: Creates a powerful barrier against negativity, psychic attacks, and curses.

⛤Banishing Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Wormwood (drives away spirits)

• Black pepper (protective force)

• Lemon peel (removes negativity)

• Cayenne pepper (fast action)

• Carrier oil (castor or olive)

Effects: Removes unwanted influences, spirits, and toxic energy.

⛤Uncrossing Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Hyssop (spiritual cleansing)

• Lemon verbena (purification)

• Eucalyptus (removes hexes)

• Camphor (clears stagnant energy)

• Carrier oil (coconut or mineral)

Effects: Breaks hexes, jinxes, and bad luck.

⛤Evil Eye Protection Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Rue (warding off negative energy)

• Black tourmaline chips (protection)

• Bay leaves (shielding)

• Frankincense (spiritual purification)

• Carrier oil (olive)

Effects: Protects against jealousy, gossip, and the evil eye.

⛤Reversal Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Black salt (repels negativity)

• Lemon (purification)

• Eucalyptus (removes curses)

• Agrimony (reverses hexes)

• Carrier oil (coconut)

Effects: Reverses curses, jinxes, and psychic attacks back to the sender.

⛤Guardian Spirit Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Angelica root (guardian energy)

• White sage (spiritual defense)

• Lavender (calm protective energy)

• Myrrh (ancestral guidance)

• Carrier oil (jojoba)

Effects: Invokes spirit guides, strengthens personal energy shields, and offers divine protection.

Power, Manifestation, & Influence Oils🙌

⛤Crown of Success Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Bay leaf (triumph)

• Frankincense (spiritual mastery)

• High John root (power & influence)

• Sandalwood (leadership)

• Carrier oil (jojoba or sunflower)

Effects: Increases success in career, academics, and personal achievements.

⛤Commanding Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Licorice root (domination)

• Calamus root (persuasion)

• Bay leaf (authority)

• Ginger (forcefulness)

• Carrier oil (olive or castor)

Effects: Enhances personal power, influences others, and asserts dominance.

⛤Road Opener Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Abre Camino (removes blockages)

• Lemon (clears obstacles)

• Orange peel (brings new opportunities)

• Ginger (adds momentum)

• Carrier oil (jojoba or sweet almond)

Effects: Removes obstacles, opens paths for success, clears stagnation.

⛤Mastery Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Frankincense (spiritual elevation)

• Myrrh (wisdom and insight)

• High John the Conqueror root (mastery and control)

• Bay leaf (success)

• Carrier oil (almond)

Effects: Enhances personal power, strengthens leadership abilities, and aids in mastering skills.

⛤Psychic Domination Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Calamus root (persuasion)

• Licorice root (control and authority)

• Clove (mental influence)

• Ginger (power boost)

• Carrier oil (olive)

Effects: Strengthens mental influence, persuasion, and domination over others.

⛤Success & Victory Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Bay laurel (winning energy)

• Bergamot (luck and success)

• Frankincense (high achievement)

• Dragon’s blood (empowerment)

• Carrier oil (sunflower)

Effects: Ensures success in competitions, exams, legal matters, and career goals.

Cleansing & Spiritual Oils🔮

⛤Florida Water Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Lemon (purification)

• Lavender (calming spiritual energy)

• Orange blossom (uplifting)

• Rosemary (clearing negativity)

• Carrier oil (alcohol base or sunflower)

Effects: Used for spiritual cleansing, aura clearing, and purification.

⛤Psychic Vision Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Mugwort (enhances visions)

• Star anise (clairvoyance)

• Lavender (calms the mind)

• Wormwood (opens third eye)

• Carrier oil (grapeseed or olive)

Effects: Enhances psychic abilities, intuition, and lucid dreaming.

⛤Spirit Communication Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Myrrh (spirit world connection)

• Dittany of Crete (manifestation of spirits)

• Mugwort (enhances mediumship)

• Sandalwood (deepens trance states)

• Carrier oil (jojoba or coconut)

Effects: Aids in contacting spirits, ancestors, and guides.

⛤Divine Blessing Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Frankincense (connection to divine beings)

• Lavender (spiritual peace)

• Rose (angelic guidance)

• White sage (cleansing)

• Carrier oil (coconut or jojoba)

Effects: Invokes celestial guidance, brings blessings, and strengthens spiritual connections.

⛤Lunar Empowerment Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Jasmine (moon magic)

• Mugwort (dream work and divination)

• Sandalwood (spiritual attunement)

• Silver flakes (moon energy)

• Carrier oil (grapeseed)

Effects: Enhances lunar magick, psychic abilities, and dream work.

⛤Elemental Balancing Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Fire: Cinnamon (passion)

• Water: Blue lotus (intuition)

• Earth: Patchouli (stability)

• Air: Lavender (mental clarity)

• Carrier oil (almond)

Effects: Balances elemental energies, aligns chakras, and stabilizes emotions.

⛤Black Cat Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Patchouli (attraction)

• Black Pepper (protection)

• Mugwort (psychic insight)

• Black cat hair(supernatural power)

• Carrier oil (almond or jojoba)

Effects: Used for protection, luck, supernatural guidance, and enhancing one’s personal power.

⛤Infernal Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Dragon’s blood (spirit manifestation)

• Cinnamon (energy amplification)

• Wormwood (spirit communication)

• Sulfur powder (demonic energy)

Effects: Enhances spirit work, opens pathways to demonic entities, and strengthens the connection during rituals or meditations.

⛤Spider Oil⛤

Ingredients:

• Spider web (weaving fate)

• Mullein (spirit communication)

• Clove (psychic enhancement)

• Black walnut husk (transformation)

• Carrier oil (almond or olive)

Effects: Ideal for manifestation, divination, shadow work, and spiritual wisdom.

Ways to Use Magickal Oils

• Anoint Candles – Dress ritual candles to enhance spellwork.

• Wear on Skin – Apply to pulse points (if skin-safe) to absorb its energy.

• Anoint Tools & Talismans – Charge magical items.

• Add to Mojo Bags & Spell Jars – Boost potency of spellwork.

• Drop into Bathwater – For personal empowerment and ritual cleansing.

• Mark Doorways & Altars – To create an energetic boundary.

Baneful Oils

Additionally, here are the basic recipes for various baneful oils. Always use caution and consideration. These oils are meant for experienced practitioners who understand their consequences and ethical implications.

General Hexing & Cursing Oils☠️

⛧Black Arts Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Asafoetida (baneful energy)

• Sulfur (curse activation)

• Black pepper (powerful hexing)

• Graveyard dirt (spiritual influence)

• Carrier oil (castor or mineral)

Effects: Used for hexing, cursing, and dark workings.

⛧War Water Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Iron rust (conflict energy)

• Cayenne pepper (aggression)

• Black mustard seed (chaos)

• Spanish moss (binding)

• Carrier oil (swamp water infusion or vinegar base)

Effects: Used for enemy work, destruction magick, and revenge.

⛧Hot Foot Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Cayenne pepper (drives enemies away)

• Black pepper (banishing)

• Sulfur (removes unwanted people)

• Graveyard dirt (finality)

• Carrier oil (castor)

Effects: Forces someone to leave, drives away enemies, removes toxic individuals.

⛧Devil’s Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Sulfur (destruction)

• Black pepper (banishing)

• Graveyard dirt (spiritual energy manipulation)

• Asafoetida (intensifies dark workings)

• Carrier oil (castor)

Effects: Used in cursing, binding enemies, and increasing dark magick potency.

⛧Chaos Magick Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Uranium glass (radioactive power symbolism)

• Mugwort (visionary energy)

• Peppermint (mental stimulation)

• Dragon’s blood (amplification)

• Carrier oil (coconut or jojoba)

Effects: Strengthens chaos magick rituals, assists in reality shifting, and enhances experimental spellwork.

⛧Justice Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Devil’s claw root (punishment energy)

• Black mustard seed (confusion)

• Red pepper flakes (aggression)

• War water (conflict magic)

• Carrier oil (castor)

Effects: Ensures justice, punishes wrongdoers, and intensifies karmic spells.

⛧Black Hex Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Black mustard seed (confusion and discord)

• Asafoetida (banishment and curse amplification)

• Wormwood (spiritual torment)

• Black pepper (aggression and conflict)

• Carrier oil (castor)

Effects: Brings misfortune, causes confusion, and weakens an enemy’s defenses.

⛧Jinx Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Poppy seeds (mental fog and bad luck)

• Sulfur (destruction and decay)

• Vandal root (psychic disruption)

• Red chili flakes (suffering)

• Carrier oil (olive or grapeseed)

Effects: Weakens an enemy’s luck, creates obstacles, and disrupts personal and financial stability.

⛧Graveyard Curse Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Graveyard dirt (spirit assistance)

• Myrrh (ancestral energy)

• Hemlock (poisonous influence)

• Blackthorn/locust (cursing and dark magic)

• Carrier oil (castor or mineral oil)

Effects: Calls upon spirits of the dead to enact vengeance and haunt enemies.

Domination & Manipulation Oils✊

⛧Domination Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Licorice root (control and persuasion)

• Calamus root (mental dominance)

• Clove (commanding power)

• Dragon’s blood (intensification)

• Carrier oil (jojoba or sunflower)

Effects: Grants control over another’s thoughts, actions, and decisions.

⛧Bend Over Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Licorice root (submission)

• High John the Conqueror root (dominance)

• Tobacco (enslaving influence)

• Red pepper flakes (forceful action)

• Carrier oil (olive or mineral)

Effects: Forces someone to comply with your wishes, weakens their willpower, and makes them obedient.

⛧Puppet Master Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Poppy seed (mental control)

• Mugwort (influencing dreams and subconscious)

• Orris root (psychological persuasion)

• Solomon’s seal (binding)

• Carrier oil (grapeseed)

Effects: Manipulates people’s thoughts and decisions, making them act in your favor.

Revenge & Payback Oils💔

⛧Revenge Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Devil’s claw root (punishment energy)

• Red brick dust (protection and justified aggression)

• Black salt (banishing)

• Chili powder (intensified suffering)

• Carrier oil (castor or mineral)

Effects: Brings swift karmic retribution and inflicts suffering upon wrongdoers.

⛧Return to Sender Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Agrimony (reflects negativity)

• Devil’s shoestring (block enemy spells)

• Black tourmaline chips (spiritual protection)

• Eucalyptus (cleansing)

• Carrier oil (coconut)

Effects: Sends hexes, curses, and ill intentions back to the sender with triple force.

⛧Wrath of Spirits Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Blackthorn/Locust (spiritual attack)

• Wormwood (spirit summoning)

• Henbane (malevolent energy)

• Bloodroot (ancestral wrath)

• Carrier oil (olive)

Effects: Calls upon spirits to haunt and punish enemies with nightmares, paranoia, and bad luck.

Destruction & Chaos Oils💥

⛧Black Destruction Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Sulfur (corruption and destruction)

• Black dog hair (ill omens)

• War water (conflict magic)

• Rust (decay and ruin)

• Carrier oil (castor or mineral)

Effects: Destroys enemies’ prosperity, causes financial collapse, and weakens their social standing.

⛧Discord & Strife Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Black mustard seed (confusion and rivalry)

• Vinegar (sour relationships)

• Red pepper (arguments and discord)

• Dogwood bark (unraveling stability)

• Carrier oil (olive)

Effects: Causes arguments, breaks up relationships, and fuels chaos in personal and professional life.

⛧Separation Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Lemon peel (cutting ties)

• Black salt (banishment)

• Cayenne pepper (heated conflict)

• Rue (removes unwanted people)

• Carrier oil (grapeseed)

Effects: Breaks up relationships, friendships, or business partnerships.

Pain Infliction Oils🩹

⛧Pain & Suffering Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Thorns (piercing pain)

• Red pepper (burning affliction)

• Black salt (banishment and suffering)

• Stinging nettle (agony)

• Carrier oil (castor)

Effects: Causes physical and emotional distress, making the target feel constant hardship.

⛧Shadow Plague Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Graveyard/hospital dirt (illness energy)

• Poppy seeds (lethargy and confusion)

• Henbane (spiritual sickness)

• Asafoetida (rot and corruption)

• Carrier oil (mineral)

Effects: Weakens a target’s physical health, causing fatigue, minor ailments, and general discomfort.

⛧Blood Curse Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Dried animal blood (ancestral wrath)

• Rue (generational curse energy)

• Wormwood (spiritual decay)

• Mandrake root (dark energy infusion)

• Carrier oil (olive or mineral)

Effects: Places long-lasting and harsh curses, especially on family lines or descendants.

Binding & Entrapment Oils⛓️

⛧Shadow Binding Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Solomon’s seal root (binding power)

• Black ribbon (symbolic entrapment)

• Poppy seeds (mental stagnation)

• Mugwort (energetic suppression)

• Carrier oil (coconut or jojoba)

Effects: Restricts an enemy’s ability to move forward in life, keeping them stuck in bad situations.

⛧Eternal Chains Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Devil’s shoestring (binding and restriction)

• Ivy (trapping and immobilization)

• Licorice root (control)

• Hemlock (powerful suppression)

• Carrier oil (grapeseed)

Effects: Traps a target in their misfortune, preventing them from escaping a bad fate.

⛧Veil of Silence Oil⛧

Ingredients:

• Slippery elm (stops gossip and lies)

• Mullein (silencing and stilling)

• Knotweed (energetic restriction)

• Solomon’s seal (sealing influence)

• Carrier oil (olive)

Effects: Silences enemies, stops gossip, and prevents harmful rumors from spreading.

How to Use Baneful Oils

• Anoint Black Candles – Used in hexing and cursing rituals.

• Dress Poppets/Dolls – Infuses energy into sympathetic magic.

• Mark Enemy Belongings – Secretly place on items to affect a target.

• Add to Cursed Spell Jars – Intensifies spells for long-term suffering.

• Use in Written Curses – Apply to paper sigils or petitions for enhanced power.

[breelandwalker]

Magical Oil Recipes - Glamour Edition

For anyone looking to brew up some magic related to glamours, confidence, physical appearance, or eloquence, here are some recipes I’ve created that you might find useful.

To prepare them, blend the ingredients in such proportions as feels correct for your purposes (or as supplies allow). Use dried material except where indicated. Place a few spoonfuls in a mason jar with a screwtop lid and fill the jar with a bland oil of your choice. (Vegetable oil of the sort you would buy for cooking works fine.) Screw the lid on tightly and shake well to combine, then leave the jar in a dark dry place for 2-4 weeks to steep.

Once steeped, prepare a clean storage bottle (also with a secure lid) and label with the type of oil and the bottling date. Strain the oil through paper towels or cheesecloth to remove the plant material, then bottle immediately. Store away from sunlight and heat for up to one year. Use for spellwork as you see fit.

(Please note that NONE of these potions are meant to be taken internally by any means. Observe all proper safety measures related to glass, fire, and potentially harmful plants as necessary during preparation.)

*- Ingredient is potentially harmful if inhaled or ingested. **- Ingredient should not be used or handled if you are pregnant or nursing.

Belle of the Ball Beauty Oil For beauty glamours.

Orange Peel

Magnolia Petal

Maidenhair Fern

Primrose Blossoms**

Brand New Me Transformation Oil For self-improvement, physical changes, or personal growth.

Fennel

Lady's Mantle**

Pine Needles

Geranium Essential Oil Note: If your personal journey includes adjusting to a change in gender or sexuality, add a few Persimmon seeds to the mix.

Honeytongue Eloquence Oil For verbal persuasion and effective speech.

Honeysuckle

Orris Root

Licorice Root

Marshmallow Root** Note: Do not consume.

Increase the Thing Empowerment Oil For self-empowerment and glamours pertaining thereto.

Petunia Petals

Bergamot

Lemon Verbena

Sunflower Petals

It Wasn't Me Diversion Oil For diverting suspicion from yourself or your actions.

Dogbane (Black Hemp)

Cherry Bark

Blueberry Leaves

Marshmallow Root**

Lionheart Courage Oil For bravery and confidence spells.

Black Tea Leaves

Bay Leaf

Cedar Tips

Thyme Sprigs

Own the Runway Confidence Oil For supreme confidence.

Yarrow**

Sumac Berries

Ginger Root, Fresh

Pass Unseen Stealth Oil For perceived invisibility glamours.

Cherry Bark or Blossoms

Poppy Seeds**

Devil's Shoestring**

Dogwood Blossoms (if available)

Tearoom Forbearance Oil For when you need to keep your temper…no matter what.

Tea Leaves

Meadowsweet**

Echinacea**

Fir Balsam Essential Oil

Should the reader require supplies, I recommend the following:

Penn Herb Company

Starwest Botanicals

Bulk Apothecary

Mountain Rose Herbs

Specialty Bottle

Photo Credit - VeraPetruk

All recipes are © 2017 Bree NicGarran, published in Pestlework: A Book of Magical Powders & Oils. Please check out the book if you would like more recipes.

If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar, tune in to my podcast Hex Positive, or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop.

[lua-stellar]

What Will This July Bring You??✨ Tea Leaf Reading 🍵

Reading done with Tea Leaves 🍵 Predictions for what will come your way this July (2024) *images included

tip me on ko-fi if you liked this reading :3

pile 1

in the first week or first couple of weeks of july you will experience some kind of event or celebration and i see that during this you'll experience an extremely lucky coincidence, i feel like this is love related somehow and this event can help you possibly become closer with someone? I see a giraffe thats touching the inner rim venus symbol and the glass but also what i think looks like a lamp, thats also touching the venus symbol going into the sunrise symbol. A lamp and a sunrise, i feel like fortells a new beginning with your path enlightened regarding romance somehow whether its with someone you like now or someone you meet at this event possibly? Like i feel like whatever it is your path will metaphorically be enlightened and you will have luck on your side regarding this future event and possibly shooting your shot with someone romantically? Like i'm getting a vibe of you putting yourself out there romantically this july and within the first two weeks is my prediction based off the placement of the symbols on the cup. The lamp also kind of looks like the rune Algiz which kind of affirms my interpretation of the lamp in the sense that you will have luck on your side and be sort of protected in a way when doing something risky like making a move on someone romantically. Like if i had to make a comparison it'd be the ten of hearts card in cartomancy, you will have nothing to worry about because things will go your way and you can let yourself be confident in what you do basically. Further into the month like closer to the end of the month i see like a little unicorn, or a pony. I initially thought it was a unicorn, but it i get the vibe that you are someone who maybe limits themselves a little and feel like you underestimate yourself. Basically late july you will be able to accomplish alot of things that you have always wanted to accomplish, and you will be able to open your roads and make all sorts of things possible even things you didn't think could even be possible for you. Good things are definently coming your way this july, wishes being granted, manifestations etc etc. I also see a rabbit in the distant future same area as the little unicorn and i think that means things will be increasing for you, increased ideas increased creativity, you will be coming up with new ideas and increased growth in different aspects of your life. I also see a little candle as well which is just more metaphorically your path being enlightened and things working in your favour, you can pursue whatever it is you want without worrying because again things will be going good and everything will work out for you. In your little tea plate, which i use to drain the water, it typically represents like the drama or overall energy of the reading,, i initially saw like two people in the middle of the plate like holding hands perhaps, or embracing, just connecting somehow. It kind of looks like one is a little kid and the other person is some kind of animal like a dog maybe, I feel like you will make a new connection this july with someone. And for this upcoming month there is alot of energy of growth and things like growing, improving, etc etc.

pile 2

i feel as though within maybe the first or again second week of july, you will be reaching out to people and connecting with others being sociable, and i feel like a new romance will blossom. A summer fling if you will. I don't know why i keep getting romance related messages but i see a heart on the mercury symbol, through reaching out to people and communicating and whatnot a new romance will blossom in your life, and its sort of like a slow burn romance because there is a tortoise right next to the heart. This romance will move slowly but the tortoise is a good omen that things will last and you will be successful through patience, and possibly getting to know this person. There is also alot of like loose little tea leaf dots like freckles that are kind of surrounding mercury in general like i feel like there is alot of energy in that aspect of your life in this coming july you will be reaching out to people, communicating getting out of your comfort zone possibly, etc etc. This outgoingness type of energy attracts a new romance into your life. In distant july like more closer to the end perhaps i see a rabbit a really big one on the bottom of your cup and i think it signifies alot of growth and new things happening new opportunities springing up new ideas etc, I also see a giraffe which i feel means you will experience good luck when doing things kind of risky or out of your comfort zone, you may experience happy coincidences and things working out for you very well, I also see like a little puppy like one of those white fluffy puppies, the kind you'd see on a rich lady's purse, idk. I feel like this could represent someone like a friend or a partner, someone who is friendly, it could also represent literally 'puppy love'. On your tea plate, which I read to represent the drama occuring in your life and the overall energy of the reading and overall energy of this upcoming july in general. There is a lighthouse right on the plate which shows to me that maybe you are someone who people will look up to, maybe you will be in a position of authority, perhaps in a summer job and whatnot. But also I see like a dinosaur right on Pisces and Aries, on the rim of the plate. It's completely covering the pisces symbol actually. I feel like maybe this fortells you living in the past a little bit during this month and refusing to change certain things, because its covering up pisces completely i'm inclined to believe you may have trouble during july regarding change that threatens your inner world you may be more outgoing this summer however during this time i'm picking up on the energy that you are not someone who enjoys the spotlight for long and shies away from it eventually, and at a certain point you don't want to sacrifice your comfort for anything really anyone or circumstances which leaves you holding onto the past a bit like the dinosaur. I feel like this bleeds into aries because it's like part of what can tick you off, and although there is a lightouse in the middle of this plate implying people around you will like you and look up to you at a certain point the spotlight will even irritate you and people who are annoying and threaten your comfort or even world view will just tick you off this july. I also see a little arrow on the aquarius symbol, I think this ties in with you going alot out of your comfort zone this july when it comes to communicating with others but also internally shows how you may be unsure about it, the arrow is like you wondering whether you should take that leap and the fact that its right on aquarius i feel means that you have a need for stability and security when it comes to friendships and being around others, and you are someone who requires space and to be alone with their thoughts perhaps.

[lilianasgrimoire]

Herb Correspondences - M-R

Mandrake - Spell strengthener. Use for protection, happiness and wealth.  It aids money multiplying. Element Earth. 

Marigold - See Calendula. 

Marjoram - Use for cleansing, purification, and dispelling negativity.  Also aids grief and sadness. Element Air. 

Marshmallow Flower - Cleansing, protection, love, sex and fertility. Used in handfasting's. Elements Water. 

Marshmallow Root - Protection and psychic powers.  Use in tea to aid sore throats. Handfasting herbs and cleansing.  Element Water.  

Meadowsweet - Used to increase the chances of getting a job. Helps peace, love and happiness.  Aids divination. Element Air. 

Mint - Promotes energy, communication and vitality, protection and draws custom. Element Air. 

Mistletoe - Also called Witches Broom. Used for fertility, creativity, and protection from negative spells & magic. Hang at handfasting to kiss beneath and promote peace. Element Air. 

Mountain Ash Berry - Also called Rowan Berry. Strong fairy and Goddess connections. Aids protection and meditation help to clear the mind. Element Fire.  

Motherwort - Mother’s Herb. Love and fertility. Grounding helps against bad luck. Protection and good fortune. Element Fire. 

Mug wort - Use for strength, protection and healing. Mug wort amplifies magic. Aids astral projection, and psychic power.   Element Earth.  

Mullein - Represents the crossroads.  Offers protection from nightmares & hexing.  It attracts love and keeps evil energies and spirits at bay.  Element Fire. 

Mustard Seed - Courage, faith, and endurance. It is a good luck amulet. Aids mental power and offers protection.  Element Fire. 

Myrrh - Spiritual, meditation, and healing. Supports youthfulness and protection.  Luck and peace. Element Earth.  

Nasturtium - Banishing and releasing fear.  It helps create your own reality. Aids creativity and independence.  Element Air. 

Nettle - Uses include dispelling darkness & fear, and curse breaking. Healing and protection and increase lust in partners. Renewal.  Element Fire. 

Nutmeg - Magical uses include attracting money/prosperity, and luck.  Use for fortune telling and when you need favorable decisions to be made. Element Fire. 

Oak - Connected to Litha and the most sacred of all trees.  Oak supports success, good luck and healing. Stability and potency and attract money.  Element Water. 

Orange Peel & Flower- Attracts abundance, luck.  Love and happiness strengthen divination.  Element Fire. 

Oregano - Aids astral projection, health, and vitality.  Increase joy and justice and protect against evil.  Use at Handfasting's. Element Air. 

Parsley - Use this herb to help with contacting the dead. Increases strength, vitality and passion.  It is uplifting and helps spiritual growth. Element Air.  

Passionflower - Attracts friendship and passion. Calming, peace and instills passion into stale relationships. Good for house blessings too.  Element Water. 

Patchouli - Used in spells for connecting with spirits. Money attracts increases fertility and lust. Calming and peaceful.  Element Earth.  

Pennyroyal - Use for peace, harmony and tranquility. Carry to avoid seasickness or for physical strength & endurance. Element Earth. 

Peppermint - Use for headaches and other forms of healing. Increases sleep and love.  Use for increasing psychic power and divination. Element Air. 

Pilewort - See Celandine.  

Pine/Needles - Prosperity and success.  Protection, purification and divination. Throw it in the fire to dispel negativity. Use in house and business blessings.  Element Fire. 

Plantain - Increases fertility and libido.  Healing, protective and offers strength.  Use to have power over supernatural events. Element Earth. 

Poppy Seeds - Pleasure, love and luck.  Aids sleep and insomnia. Use in astral projection and flying magic.  Increases fertility and happiness. Element Water.  

Pumpkin Seed - Use in lunar magic to honor the moon.  Also healing and increases divination. Element Fire. 

Raspberry Leaf - Used for healing, protection, love. Raspberry leaf not to be eaten by pregnant women until due date, as it induces labor. Helps to reduce the pain involved in childbirth. Supports sleep, dreams and love.  Element Water. 

Red Clover - Aids success, love and money.  Increases fidelity. Use in exorcism.  Element Air. 

Rose - Use for divination, increased psychic power, love, lust and healing. It helps strengthen close friendships. Place it around sprains and bruises to help them heal faster.  Element Water. 

Rose Hips - Used in healing spells or to bring good luck and invoking good spirits. Aids stronger love.  Element Water. 

Rosemary - Use in healing poppets and love/lust spells.  Improves memory. Increases sleep, mental power and protection. Burn to help purification and remove negativity. Associated with faery magic.  Element Fire. 

Rowan - See Mountain Ash.  

Rue - Use in healing, health and love.  Also, protection against the evil eye.  Increases mental power and clarity of the mind. Used in exorcism.  Element Fire. 

[greenwitchcrafts]

Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis

Known as: compass weed, dew of the sea, elf leaf, guardrobe, incsensier, labonotis, Mary's cloak, polar plant, sea dew, stella maria & star of the sea.

Related plants: A member of the mint family Lamiaceae that includea basil, mint, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, hyssop, thyme, lavender & perilla. As well as other herbs such as catnip, salvia, bee balm, wild dagga, and oriental motherwort. 

Parts used: Leaves, roots, sprigs & essential oils from the flowers.

Habitat and cultivation: This evergreen  shrub is native to the Mediterranean Portugal, and northwestern Spain.

Plant type: Perennial

Region: Zone 6 with occasional winter protection & zones 7-10

Harvest: Anytime but avoid taking more than 1/3 of the plant when you do.

Planting tips: Rosemary has a low germination rate and slow to sprout, try using cuttings or buy from a nursery if you have problems. Keep in full sun with a well drainer container & let the soil dry out completely before watering again.

Medicinal information: Over the years rosemary was used to relieve muscle pain, repelling insects, improve memory, boost the immune system & promote hair growth.

Cautions: While safe, ingesting excessive amounts of rosemary can be dangerous and lead to vomiting, coma & pulmonary edema.

ROSEMARY IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR EVERY HERB

Magickal properties

Gender: Masculine

Planet: Sun

Element: Fire

Deities: Faeries, Elves, sea spirits & Virgin Mary

Magickal uses:

•Place in dream pillows to prevent nightmares

• Burn as an incense to purify & remove negativity

• Hang above your doorways to drive away unwanted visitors

• Add to a ritual bath for cleansing & removing hexes

• Use as a substitute for frankincense

• Plant in your garden to attract fae

• Carry a sprig to protect against the evil eye

• Keep under your bed to ensure fidelity & a happy relationship

• Wash your hands with a rosmary infusion before healing magick to increase potency

• Wear in a satchet or amulet to improve memory recall & improved health

• In Italian folk magic, it is cooked with to alleviate sadness  grief

• Rosemary may be used as incense at rituals of death and dying. It may be cast upon the coffin when it is slowly lowered into the burial place. With this we will all remember with love and fondness the one who is passing into another life, and thus we will also remember that we inhabit mortal bodies as we walk through the earth

[mishhty]

Monstera deliciosa 🪴

Information -

Kingdom: Plantae

Order: Alismatales

Family: Araceae

Genus: Monstera

Species: M. deliciosa

Monstera deliciosa, the Swiss cheese plant or split-leaf philodendron is a species of flowering plant native to tropical forests of southern Mexico, south to Panama.It has been introduced to many tropical areas, and has become a mildly invasive species in Hawaii, Seychelles, Ascension Island and the Society Islands. It is very widely grown in temperate zones as a houseplant.

It is called Swiss Cheese Plant due to their natural leaf holes. The Monstera plant's scientific name, Monstera deliciosa, derives from the Latin words "monstrum" meaning "monster" and "deliciosa" meaning "delicious."

Monstera plants are natural detoxifiers. Their broad leaves absorb and strip away indoor air toxins. The ideal temperature it requires is around 70°F. With a little humidity added to that, they get to feel right at home. Monsteras need bright light but do not tolerate direct sunlight. They can survive in low light, but their growth will be inhibited. To grow a striking Monstera plant with the lacy leaves and the coloration you adore, you need to provide it with good light. Monstera prefers bright indirect light. Keep out of direct sunlight for extended periods, as it can burn the leaves.

It is safe to come into skin contact with Monstera soil, foliage, and stems. However, it is not safe to ingest any part of the plant. Monstera is mildly toxic to humans and is toxic to cats and dogs but is not considered lethal. All parts of the plant are harmful to ingest except the fully ripe fruit, which rarely develops on indoor Monstera. The toxicity comes from insoluble oxalate crystals in the juices inside the plant. Indoor Monstera Deliciosa doesn’t yield fruits.

In various cultures, the Monstera has been a beacon of good luck, protection, and prosperity. It also fills spaces with positive energy and attracts good luck, according to Feng Shui.

Tips to grow and maintain Monstera:

Light: The plant thrives in bright and indirect light. It is advisable to keep it on a windowsill that receives good amount of indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight may burn its leaves. Note, if you find the leaves have small or no holes, then it means that the plant is not getting adequate light.

Soil:Use soil that retains moisture. Peat moss, perlite, and compost helps in the plant growth.

Watering: Ensure that Monstera Deliciosa is planted in a pot with good draining facility. The right time to water the plant is when the soil looks dry at the top. Note, overwatering may lead to root rot. During summers, the plant needs water regularly, however decrease the frequency of watering during winters.

Humidity: This plant grows well in humid conditions. You can mist its leaves or place it in a water tray having pebbles to increase the humidity level around it.

Temperature: Monstera Deliciosa grows well between 18°C and 29°C.

Support: As Monstera Deliciosa is an understory plant with aerial roots and large leaves, it needs support to grow.

Pruning: Prune the plant to maintain its shape. Remove yellow or damaged leaves so that the plant grows well.

Propagation: Monstera Deliciosa can be propagated through stem cuttings that can be rooted into water or directly planted into soil. You can also choose the process of air layering that involves creating a root system in a mature stem when it is still attached to the mother plant. Once roots are developed, the stem can be separated.

[twinflames-rewrite]

ThunderClan Culture

The Strong: ThunderClan’s old-growth forest protects them from enemies, both Clan and predator alike. They are strong and formidable fighters, believing that fighting for their Clan is the best way to serve it. Unlikely to retire until they have to, they believe that dying in battle for their Clan is the best way to go.

ThunderClan cats are often large and warm-toned. They are typically named very literally, with their looks directly informing the name they are given by their parents.

Below the cut are the following expansions to ThunderClan's culture:

Council

Holidays

Territory

Territory Powers

Territory Tales

changelog: added naming convention and stereotypical features

ThunderClan's Council

ThunderClan's council is made up of 3 members who hold their positions until they step down or retire. They are chosen from the winners of the Clan's Greenleaf Holiday Competition, to ensure that the best warriors are filling the position.

ThunderClan's council often leads border patrols. They are responsible for helping to make big decisions, representing the warriors within the Clan. The council members are often expected to complete special assignments given to them by the leader, such as establishing and maintaining trails, monitoring prey animal populations, and other as-needed responsibilities.

The deputy is chosen by the leader from the current council members.

Clan Holidays

MAJOR ThunderClan’s main holiday is in Greenleaf, during the longest day of the year. The Clan participates in a day of competitions for everything from hunting and fighting to climbing and races. They end the day with a feast, with the winners of each competition getting their pick of the prey. If any council positions are available, the new council member will be named at this feast.

MINOR While ThunderClan's major holiday is in Greenleaf, they still celebrate the holidays of the other seasons.

Leaf-fall: To prepare for the upcoming cold season, ThunderClan sets aside the leaf-fall holiday for making large den renovations. While cats do den maintenance the rest of the year, this holiday is dedicated to big projects such as expanding a den that is too small or replacing a roof.

Leafbare: On the shortest day of the year, each ThunderClan cat will find some alone time between patrols to go on a silent walk through the territory. During their solitary walk, they will reflect on the past cycle. They will decide what things they want to leave behind, and what they want to carry forward with them into the new cycle.

Newleaf: To celebrate the new growth, ThunderClan sets aside the newleaf holiday to clean out the old from camp. All dens are cleared out and thoroughly cleaned; the camp clearing is swept of all leaves and debris. After everything is fresh and new, cats will spend time decorating the camp and their nests. Cats will often coordinate their decor with friends and family.

ThunderClan's Territory

A lush old-growth deciduous forest. Greenleaf is warm and mild, and the large trees protect the Clan from precipitation in the rainy and snowy seasons. There are plenty of birds and squirrels living in the ancient trees.

Territory Powers

ThunderClan's territory lends them strength, but also the ability to grow.

Plant Growth: Can cause small burst of growth in a plant, such as increasing leaf cover or making a flower bloom.

Thunder Strike: A battle move that causes a loud sound, and often staggers or concusses an opponent. Not good for stealth, and often halts a battle while everyone recovers from the noise.

Lightning Leap: Adds a supernatural boost of strength. Useful for moving debris off of trails, or making an extra-big leap from tree branch to tree branch.

Territory Tales

OWLBEAST While the other Clans believe the Owl Tree is named for the owl that lives within, ThunderClan cats know the truth: the owl in the Owl Tree is not an owl at all, but a half-owl half-cat creature. While most of the year it’s not viewed as a threat, during cold Leafbares it may steal kits or apprentices for a meal. Apprentices may sneak out of camp to try and catch a glimpse, and many have claimed to be successful. Skeptical cats insist that it is just a big owl. They think the disappearances of young cats during the cold months can be blamed on Twolegs luring them into their dens, or simply catnapping them from the territory.

THE WILD HUNT When the full moon is especially large and bright, a collection of ghostly cats roam all four territories. Named the Wild Hunt, the group catches prey and chases off predators. ThunderClan cats believe these cats are warriors slain in battle who could not find peace in StarClan. They roam the territories hoping to find and end their killer.

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

I HAVE AN obsession with the color green. It’s a color of opposites. Green is life, growth, and health. It’s also sickness, greed, and envy. It’s good and bad at once. And it’s everywhere this afternoon as I sit down with actor, producer, author, and entrepreneur Sam Heughan — most recognized for his starring role in the Scotland-based time travel drama “Outlander.” His shirt bears a green tartan pattern, somewhere between jade and emerald. To my right, the glass bottle of his new gin is a transparent seafoam. Above my head is the leafy expanse of a tree, planted in the courtyard of New York’s Crosby Street Hotel. The gin we sip tastes green: grassy and alpine, fresh as menthol and bright as a sour apple. Most vividly is the green in my mind’s eye: the wet, rich, misty green of Scotland, a place Heughan speaks of with rapture.

Missing home is what drove Heughan to launch his spirits brand Sassenach, after the Scottish Gaelic word for an English person, or rather, an “outsider.” “When I was in London away from home, a jobbing actor, missing Scotland, I remember my first time trying a single malt whisky and I had such an emotional reaction,” he recalls from across the table, his bright blue eyes wide. “It reminded me of Scotland.”

I remark on the gin’s legs, thick and viscous, streaking the sides of my glass. Heughan nods, “I increased the strength. It just gives it a bit more weight. I love a bit of weight on my tongue.” Toasted oats give a creamy feel to the cornucopia of flavors present in the liquid: pine resin, heather, blackberry leaf, blaeberry — and, again, that sour green apple. “There’s no citrus in Scotland. That’s why I chose apples,” Heughan explains. “I remember as a kid, picking them and throwing them at people, eating them, then being really ill because they’re so sour.”

Heughan’s family — his mother, brother, and uncle — still live in Scotland. His uncle used to have a ceilidh band. “[Ceilidh is] a traditional Scottish dance,” he explains. “It’s madness. Everyone’s drinking whisky and the dancers get faster and faster and there are lots of spinning people around.” Heughan listens to a lot of Scottish music. He later sends me a song called “Blackbird��� by Martyn Bennett, known for mixing dance tracks with traditional Celtic music. I tear up at its aching slants. “It makes me homesick for a home that’s not mine,” I message him. “That’s Scotland,” he writes back. “It does that to people.”

Sam Heughan Is in Good Spirits Image Float

Heughan was raised by a single mother in the south of Scotland — the rural stretches of Dumfries and Galloway. “Spent a lot of time on my own pretending I was a knight or Robert the Bruce.” The land’s botanicals now flavor his gin. Courtesy of Sam Heughan.

“It’s one foot in the present, one in the past,” muses Heughan about his country, adding a splash of tonic to my gin, whose flavor now reveals a pleasant salinity. “The castles. So many great battles. You

can feel the history. I think that’s what makes it so magical.” This history is inextricably linked to ritual, observed in Scotland to this day. Take Beltane, a pagan ritual beginning serendipitously on Heughan’s birthday, April 30. “You’re supposed to stay up all night and wash your face in the fresh dew when the sun rises, then go to bed and dream of your future spouse,” he describes. “It’s all about rebirth and nature.”

We talk about other parts of the world that have shaped him, as I remark on his fusion accent: a bit Scottish for sure, but mixed with something else, sort of American and British, too. America’s opportunity and diversity captivate Heughan. He came here for the first time at 18, hostel hopping in San Francisco. “I remember looking at the Golden Gate Bridge for hours, playing my cassette of ‘(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay’ by Otis Redding over and over. I was living on $5 burritos — one a day. It’s all I could afford.” He speaks of Hawaii with reverence — the local culture’s connection to wildlife and the sea. He spent time with a fisherman and his family there who taught him the Indigenous way to fish: “Gut it straight away. Take out the heart, say a prayer, and throw it back into the ocean immediately to allow the soul of the fish to live on.” New Zealand also moves him. He was there recently and learned about tā moku, the art of Māori tattooing. “You sit with an artist and tell him your story. He chooses where it goes on your body and makes it there and then. He stuck [the initial sketch] on my left forearm here, and it was all about my mom and my brother and the absence of my father.” He wants to return to New Zealand and get the tattoo next time.

My gin has opened up even more, spreading out into softer, aromatic florals as Heughan uncorks a bottle of his whisky. “People have called you a global heartthrob.” I begin, “Is that a role you’re —”

“Who has?” His eyes grow bigger in feigned shock. (Fun fact: the Sam Heughan fanbase even has their own name — “Heughligans.”)

“Someone I talked to in the subway.”

“Right, right,” he nods gravely, pouring new glasses.

“Do you,” I continue, taking a sip, “feel comfortable in that role?” The whisky tastes like a spicy Werther’s caramel.

“My character is what some people aspire to, and I understand why. He’s this incredible human being who’s just so in love with his wife and does the most romantic things. Selfless. People then think you might be that person. I’m certainly not. But it’s something to aspire to.”

“Are you comfortable,” I press, “being an object of desire?” Heughan shares that in earlier years, he was treated in a way that would no longer be tolerated. “I’d be asked, ‘What’s under your kilt?’ or ‘How do you get your abs?’ I wish I did have abs! We were just in a different industry. I don’t have resentment or a grudge. But I would like to be seen for the work that I do, rather than my looks.”

While he’s still based in Scotland, Heughan also has a house in LA, a city he’s not exactly sold on. He toys with the idea of New York as his next home base. He loves it here. “The cocktail bars. Cycling along the West Side. SoHo. The river. Getting a ferry. I’m so into ferries! I’ll go to Staten Island, then come back again. We got a helicopter the other day back from the Hamptons — I don’t like helicopters. They’re not meant to fly. However, seeing the Statue of Liberty from there, it’s so good. New York could be my city.”

I show Heughan around some local spots that evening. We sit at the bar of Superbueno for mezcal drinks and tacos. The music gets louder and so do the crowds. Mouth full of al pastor, I semi-shout a question in Heughan’s direction, asking if he ever gets overstimulated. “No, not really,” he replies simply, between chewing. At 6 feet, 3 inches, Heughan towers over seemingly everyone. Maybe it’s calmer up there. There’s an overall good-natured quality to him; it’s soothing to be around.

We head to another bar, Mr. Fongs. The air is thick with the smell of trash and rats dart to and fro. A subway thunders overhead as we walk below a bridge in Chinatown. “This is awesome,” Heughan murmurs. We order the bar’s specialty: salty plum old-fashioneds. “I want a place where the second I walk out my door, I’m right in the center of all of it,” he says decidedly, whistling a little at the (notoriously strong) drink. “Right in the middle.”

Heughan is noticeably unadorned. I suggest some rings and an ear piercing for his New York era. A candle light flickers against his cheek, evoking another world — someplace old and rural and rugged. At this moment, I see his character, a fantasy projection of the leading man. But really, we’re just in Chinatown, weighing the pros and cons of earrings on men. “Sadly I don’t think I’m quite cool enough,” he sighs, “to pull that off.” ▪️

Our Contributors

Sophie Mancini Writer

Sophie Mancini is an editor at Departures. Born and raised in New York City, she holds a degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University and has a background as a writer in brand and editorial.

Diana Markosian Photographer

Diana Markosian (born in Moscow, 1989) is a Russian-American photographer of Armenian descent. Her work explores memory and place through a layered, interdisciplinary process that uses photography and video. Her photographs have been published in National Geographic, the New Yorker, and the New York Times.

Robert Ormerod Photographer

Robert Ormerod is a photographer interested in telling stories. He is based in Scotland, working across the U.K. for titles such as National Geographic, The Guardian Saturday magazine, The New York Times, T Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Tom Craig Photographer

Tom Craig is a photographer and director whose work has been featured in Vogue, i-D, and Vanity Fair. His work is driven by a desire to tell stories and the urge to travel. His work often blurs the line between fashion photography and straightforward reportage.

**Full article from @departures www.departures.com

[gardeningloverfamily]

How to Improve Soil Quality Naturally

Improving soil quality is crucial for healthy plant growth and sustainable gardening. Here are some natural methods to enhance your soil:

Add Organic Matter: Incorporate compost, well-rotted manure, or leaf mold to increase nutrient content and improve soil structure.

Practice Crop Rotation: Rotate crops annually to prevent nutrient depletion and reduce pest and disease build-up.

Use Cover Crops: Plant cover crops, like clover or rye, during the off-season to protect and enrich the soil.

Mulch: Apply a layer of organic mulch (like straw or wood chips) to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and gradually enrich the soil as it decomposes.

Encourage Earthworms: Earthworms naturally aerate the soil and improve nutrient cycling. You can attract them by adding organic matter and reducing chemical use.

Test Soil pH: Use a soil test kit to determine pH levels and amend accordingly with lime to raise pH or sulfur to lower it, ensuring optimal nutrient availability.

By implementing these practices, you can foster a thriving ecosystem in your garden, leading to healthier plants and better yields.

[narhinafan]

Hey, about NaruHina, something in Boruto just seems awfully sketchy to me. I mean, let's be absolutely real to ourselves, if our wife, were to be Hinata, I would actually make extra time to SPEED UP in getting my workload done, before coming home to her, who wouldn't? Hinata is just amazing. She is the reason, why Naruto gets out of bed, along with their kids.

But in the beginning, the entire setup in Boruto, for some reason was trying to be like, "He is overworked", as if it completely forgets that Naruto can generate clones to do work for him, and he can share the workload with Shikamaru or Kakashi. And either way, why do we go this route of "neglectful parenting" again? Shouldn't Naruto know better to not bite off more than he can chew? And the fact that he and Hinata never, ever argue (sometimes, this is necessary, and I don't mean like this toxic kind of arguing, but like, discussing things, spilling their own guts to say what bothers them, that kind of jazz, sharing the grievances), at least from what I have seen so far (I haven't looked too deeply into Boruto, and I am kind of hesitant to, for many reasons), I dunno, to me, this paints Naruto in a negative light, as if he is purposely overworking himself, as a way to cope with the reality of him having initially failed as a father, husband and leader. Self-masochism, basically.

Not only that, it comes off as if Naruto's love for Hinata was only a ruse, and as the years passed by, all of it was lost in the process, as he was working towards becoming the ideal Hokage... and I find this pretty insulting, how dare they paint this couple like that? That's just dirty. ...Or am I just being weird? Because this is the impression I got so far.

Naruto is generating and using clones its why he ends up collapsing of overwork in the Boruto movie. Plus he is usually busy cause of circumstances or busy times like the Chunin exams more then anything other then those specific times he does manage make time to come home.

From what I can tell he is overworking cause it can't be helped especially since the village had a big development boom in recent years after the war and also is no longer really hidden likely increase the workload to such a degree that there methods aren't suitable for handling. Likely doesn't help that times are relatively peaceful which would hit ninjas livelihood quite hard. Its also likely even worse since Naruto is famous worldwide which would bring a lot of new business to the village on top of having to maintain peace and as the hero of the war has the most influence so people can't ignore his points. Add that the village has increased in both size and population before the village could fit in the crater Pain made, but in Boruto not only most of the buildings are now high rising ones, but they even had to expand outside the crater and build a city behind the Hokage monument. The current village is likely equal to two-three pre war villages together maybe even more.

Naruto does seem to get help from Shikamaru, but its not enough a lot of things likely need Naruto himself to take care of for lots of reasons and I bet his clones are the only reason they managed to handle the rapid growth in recent years.

Naruto's workload as Hokage is likely several time more then what previous Hokage had to deal with its not somthing he just assign away either.

I get what you mean, but I think Hinata is aware of just how much work Naruto gets especially cause of the education she got from her clan since a young age so she has some understanding of both political and management/development of the village.

I don't like it, but it is realistic in times of peace after war its normal for a development boom to happen. The leaf village benefited it from it the most, but at the cost of Naruto being worked to the bone to handle it.

[thementalshawty]

Weekly & Monthly Report!

So I realize that most people didn’t really like the weekly readings and updates so I decided for the ones that do to be quick about it, I shall give a little bullet point reading about certain events that can and may happen this week for those in the collective I shall also do a little sneak peek of this month! It’s a new month my patreon members try to get your questions into me this week! Love ya & if you want the full read and details join my madhouse patreon! Link is below.

For some of you there’s going to be some kind of situation or relationship with some man that’ll be important this week, whether it be your sibling, friend, boss, Co-Worker, SO, etc. some kind of important dealing with this male may or shall take place this week.

This week overall will be filled with peace and harmony I’m seeing lots of the collective feeling relieved or lighthearted and very flowy this week, very go with the flow type of energy this week for the collective yasss. Wind chimes may be a sign of importance this week, maybe some will hear the rest may see, some both I’m hearing.

Some of you will be tempted to lower your standards to make things easier or to accept less than you deserve this week and I’m seeing your guides saying AHT AHT AHT! Let’s not do that! DO NOT SETTLE FOR SHIT THIS WEEK! Only what you want and deserve only! Seeing a flag may be of importance maybe lowering your flag I’m seeing queer flags so my 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ ⚧️ including myself, LETS NOT LOWER OUR STANDARDS FOR NOBODY!

I’m seeing four leaf clovers 🍀! Good luck and great fortune for the collective this week, some money big or small is coming in for you guys Yass get that mfcn bag Hunny 💋!

Your health is something you guys need to pay attention to this week, be extra cautious some of you may be getting into accidents. Getting sick, feeling down, just be mindful and take care this week. Maybe some of you guys are getting over an illness this week too!

Spiritual love is entering, I’m hearing for some it’s romantic and for others it’s platonic. You’ll feel so connected with this person, like they just get you through and through, this is a soulmate! So gear up, it can even mean spiritual awareness and awakening within your own selves! Giving that spiritual love to yourself.

Something that was done in the past is what will financially come to you this week, idk how it’ll play out for the entire collective, but everyone seems to be having some mula coming in hunny yassssssss 👏🏽

Now it’s time for your monthly energy

Funny this month there’s going to be some kind of dealing or something with a woman with dark hair, eyes, vibe or complexion this month for some of you, I’m not sure if it’s a healthy person, if they’re not all i do know is that some of you will be experiencing the dark vibes.

There will be a loss, and there’ll be some sorrow over it but I’m hearing it’s for the best even tho ain’t nobody wanna be hearing that shit in the moment of thag loss but I’m seeing that there is something that’s ending this month for the collective and I’m seeing some sadness over it. A breakup for some I’m hearing.

Someone will be testing your gangsta this month, someone will be trying to oppose you, and make you back down but I’m seeing that your guides want you to show strength and boldness don’t back down from anyone this month.

For some there’ll be spiritual growth and increase for others its material wealth increase, but again INCREASE this month!

Whatever you’re going through this month, if you persevere you will overcome whatever issues that will come your way this month cos like every month there’s lesson and shit needs to be done in order for you to advance. Just keep swimming I heard.

There’s a rat 🐀 amongst you guys and they’re wishing bad & working against you behind your bacc like always be cautious, move in silence, & protect your energy.

This month you’ll be doing something risky or be faced with a risky move that’ll require you to make a decision and take a chance I’m not the type to tell you guys what to do just trust yourselves!

That is all folks again if you want the full extended report the link to my patreon is here

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT RESONATED & SOME MO SHIT 😂 LOVE YOU GUYS HAPPY APRIL AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

[prohader]

Littlewood Review - July 18, 2024

Developer: Sean Young | Publisher: SmashGames

I'm a lover of farm and lifesim games. I first played this a few years ago on Switch in between a move- I was transferring colleges and living with my parents, and had to spend a whole summer living at my older sister's home in the middle of bumfuck nowhere while waiting for our new home to finish being built. I am a completionist at heart, and this game was light enough to complete without wasting my life and chill enough to listen to some video essays or watch some shows while I did it. Now it's 2024, so I decided to give it another go. Let's dive into what Littlewood is about, why I love it, and why I find it underrated... but far from perfect.

What It's About:

This game is an extremely lighthearted, chill, and cozy world directly an apocolyptic scenario where you, the hero of Solemn, have single-handedly defeated an evil dark wizard. The world is saved but fragmented, and everyone knows who you are... except for you. You see, you lost all of your memories of the battle before and you no longer have any of your magical powers or your trusty sword. So what do you do when you no longer have any ultimate goal and the world is broken apart? Well, build a new home, of course! Two of your trusty, ragtag friends and a warm fatherly figure from before your lost your memories are here to help you start your new life as a mayor of sorts for your town in which you will reside, grow, care for, and customize to your heart's content. The Game: I'd say this game is like a lite and easy-to-digest version of games like Animal Crossing (New Leaf and New Horizons, to be specific) and Stardew Valley, but it has its own identity and unique mechanics that stand out from other "cozy family-friendly farmsims" on the market. The main mechanic that I find a breath of fresh air compared to real-time progression and set in-game clocks is Littlewood's time system. All of your choices in the game are revolved around actions that take energy to use, and you have set amount of energy to spend each day. The amount of energy you spend fishing, cooking, gathering, crafting- almost everything in the game, in fact- progresses the time and once you have completely depleted all of your energy in the day, the day ends. As the leader of your town, you are free to do virtually whatever you want and whenever you want, so the player is incentivized make all of their energy spent per day feel worth it. As mentioned, the player can do a myriad of things such as watering and collecting flowers, picking weeds, talking and hanging out with townsfolk, getting closer to them, growing crops, mining ores, chopping wood, creating furniture, catching bugs, upgrading their town amenities, and even (later on) playing a card mini-game that's easy to understand but takes a bit of practice to master. Progression in Littlewood, I'd say, strongly involves growth of the town amenities and making your little villagers happy. By talking to your villagers and making their homes more comfortable, they will incrimentally provide you more blueprints and unlockable tools and items that are critical for you to make money ('dewdrops') and increase you rate and efficiency of the things you produce or catch, such as building materials, crops, fish, and bugs- all that you can use to get even more dewdrops or craft furniture, homes and buildings. As per the nature of these type of cozy games, there isnt a very primary goal that you're encouraged to reach or complete. By naturally engaging with the game you will come across most of the villagers you can unlock eventually. But this game is really great for people that want to catch EVERY bug, breed EVERY variety of flower, and donate EVERYTHING they can to complete their museum for no reason but the satisfaction of seeing a job completed. The Positives: If you want a comfortable game to kill an afternoon or hunker down in bed with every now and then, i'd be hard-pressed to find something as cozy and easy to pick up and put down than Littlewood. The gameplay is stupid simple (did I mention you only really needs three buttons and a d-pad to play this game? So it's extremely accessible), and the collection aspect can get pretty addictive, especially when each day ends with a barrage of exp being gifted to you for all the work you did and all of the affection meters for the villagers you've interacted with that day shooting up.

The setting isnt super unique, but the way in which the world is introduced to you incrementally is something I wish more cozy games did- I love that the world is broken up in such a way that the major mode of transportation is by hot air balloons, I love the quirky characters you can find, I love the lore about the world you can unlock through books and little pieces of conversation, and I just adore the tiny itty bitty sprites. Animals look so tiny and adorable you want to pop them in your mouth like tic-tacs, and the character profile sprites are expressive and a joy to see. Each character also has their own unique 2-frame animation. And like I said, there's plenty of things to upgrade and collect.

The Negatives: The game doesnt really give you much reason to pay attention to what the characters are saying to you. My biggest problems with this era of "cozy" games is that I feel like sometimes writing and character development is left to die in a ditch, and you can sort of feel that in Littlewood. Yes, each villager is charming and cute and have their own quirks and personalities, but theyre all so extremely 2 dimensional that it's hard to really feel anything for most of them. But this is kind of a big deal when you're playing this game blind for the first time- because the characters actually occasionally tell you very important information! In my first playthrough, I got several hours into the game (almost giving up) before getting some really helpful tools that are intrinsically tied with building a desk in your villagers' houses and accommodating their home requests- especially the beginning handfuls of characters you recruit to your town. I feel like if the tools are going to be tied to making your villagers furniture, it should be made way more clear, and the things the characters say to you should be more engaging so you're not just mashing through everything they say. Additionally, due to the lackluster writing combined the entire setup of the game- you being the Solemn's savior- leads everyone to just put you on a pedestal and stroke your ego all the time for something you never did (in game). You can never do anything wrong and you're automatically cool and attractive and amazing to everyone, no matter what. It kind of makes romancing characters feel extremely forced and imbalanced, like many characters are only interested in you because you're the Hero of Solemn. One really important aspect of this I want to discuss is with one NPC in particular that sours the whole game for me SO much that i will actually mash through their dialogue or intentionally ignore them outside of completing tasks... maybe I should say her. It's Willow, I'm talking about Willow. Now, im sorry for all of those out there that may actually really like Willow. But the game strongly communicates that the player and Willow were in love before the game began. It makes talking to her when you're not particularly interested in her in the first place really awkward, and even moreso when you're much more interested in ANY of the other characters over her. It'd be one thing if it was just coming from her, but Dalton and Dudley also frequently bring it up and it's really distracting and uncomfortable. And even though i'm bisexual, i (usually) tend to favor bachelors in games whenever there's any sort of romancing element, so it adds another layer of uncomfortability in an otherwise cutesy-cozy-soft-power-fantasy game. I wish that the developer instead just made it so she had a crush on the hero before losing their memories or something, because my mind cannot help but think about how devastating it would be if my partner were to lose all of their memories and wake up one day with them marrying someone else and forgetting everything about me and the things we did together. It's not that I absolutely hate the idea, but with a game of this tone, it really puts an awkward damper on what is normally a fun self-indulgent mechanic. Willow having had a romantic history with the main character prior to the game up until the moment they lost their powers makes the player feel guilty for not choosing her, and makes the player's choice to marry anyone but her feel less "meaningful" as a result. Maybe that’s just me, but it really feels mismatched with the purpose of the game. Additional Thoughts: I really think this game would benefit significantly from even a minor update or DLC. There are a couple tiny graphical bugs on Switch (doors open for some reason, and you can really easily go OOB in the town hall) but there's honestly a lot more that can be added to add in more customizeability to the player and the town, but I can make a whole separate post on what I think would make for GREAT Littlewood DLC (and I probably will)! Personal Rating: B

💚 Unique time-progression system

💚 Chill, cozy collectible game.

🚫 Interesting lore, but too little of it shared or explored

🚫 Villagers are pretty one-note, any depth they have is left unexplored, and they all put the player on the pedestal so it makes interacting with them sometimes uncomfortable if you think about it for a little too long.

🚫 Important Tools and QOL features should be tied to other systems, not how comfy or aesthetically pleasing your villagers's homes are.

[jensownzoo]

Woke up feeling steamrollered this morning so Seed Starting Thursday has been postponed until tomorrow. I did get a few garden tasks done though.

Two clumps of daffodils are flowering today. I've got a number of different varieties that bloom in succession so I'll probably have some kind of daffodil through May.

The harvest of salad spinach was twice the amount of last time. Some of the other varieties are starting to kick up their growth too with the warmer temps. I am going to use this harvest to make a few servings of spinach artichoke dip for a wild Friday night at home snack.

Opened up the tunnels to water and the transplanted Chinese broccoli and bok choy are loving their new digs, increasing in size by at least a third. But what is this?

Grrrr.

And then when flipping up the board to check the in-ground row of old mixed carrot seed I found this guy:

Yeah the chickens got a nice juicy treat. It was probably attracted to the moist darkness under the board, but I watched it actually munching on my carrot seed so I feel no remorse. It's an even toss-up whether the damage on the bok choy is slugs or roly-polys. On taller plants that they have to climb first you can tell by the slime trails, but here the leaf edge was touching the soil. I'll be putting a short board down as a slug trap and checking it in the morning.

A whole bunch more extra dwarf pak choi sprouted in the cold frame, so I had to put the regrowing green onions in their own small earthbox. Luckily I had one available since the cats destroyed the impatiens I was overwintering in it. They've actually almost regrown enough to harvest again, but I'll give them a few weeks to get settled in first.

And then I potted up these Black Beauty eggplants. Despite the dud cell, I still got nine plants out of this.

The Ping Tung eggplants need at least another week of growth before transplant. Conveniently, there are six pots left open in this flat and I have six seedlings. The two cells of Listada eggplant never germinated. That was my experiment with seed saving eggplants so was a bit of a bummer. May research what went wrong or I may just resolve to buy eggplant seed, it'll probably depend on need.

The native plants program at the library was a little disappointing. I was expecting an informational presentation on local natives for your garden. What it ended up being was a workshop on cold stratification using native seeds harvested the past fall by the presenter. So I came away with several varieties to put in my freezer, but no new information.

Ah well, it's fine and it was free. I'll be sowing some black-eyed Susan, prairie blazing star, purple aster, mountain mint, mist flower, foxglove beardtongue, and bee balm (a fuschia pink variety) in a few weeks once they've stratified. I already have some pale purple bee balm and I've grown black-eyed Susan, blazing star, purple aster, and a different variety of beardtongue in the past. The mountain mint and mist flower were pointed out to me as varieties that were a little more tolerant of part shade than any of the other varieties available so I'm going to try and start them in the spot where I moved two peonies from in the fall (for not being sunny enough). For all of these I'm planning on putting half the seed in trays inside and half direct sown outside. We'll see what works best.

[alchemyofazeroth]

Elixir of Detect Demon

Difficulty: Artisan alchemy. Alchemy trainers will only teach this recipe to students who have proved worthy of the knowledge. In addition, the reagent used in this elixir is expensive, difficult, or even dangerous to come by for the civilian alchemist.

Origin: Felwood Alchemy.

You Will Need:

One glass jar with lid.

Enough Gromsblood leaves to fill the jar.

Warm water.

Recipe:

1. Identify and gather enough Gromsblood leaves to loosely fill one jar.

Gromsblood, a deviously sharp-leaved herb named after the Orc warchief Grom Hellscream, can be found growing abundantly across the tainted forests of Felwood and around the Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands.

To properly identify and gather this potent reagent, one must first recognize its distinct circular growth pattern, with each wickedly toothed leaf starting as a pale teal at the base before giving way to a striking fuschia-red hue at the razor-sharp tips. Piercing yellow veins wind intricately throughout each leaf, creating a visually stunning display. Gromsblood is known to "bleed" from the tips of its leaves while still rooted in the ground, a unique adaptation thought to aid in removing impurities from the soil in which it nests. However, this same characteristic can pose a significant risk to the unwary herbalist, as the edges of the leaves are sharp enough to easily lacerate unprotected skin.

To safely handle and gather Gromsblood, it is imperative to wear thick, sturdy leather gloves to prevent any accidental cuts or bleeding.

2. Chop the leaves into pieces and allow them to bleed in the jar for a few hours or until the jar is full.

Once collected, the leaves of the herb are roughly chopped into smaller pieces, as this increases the surface area from which the sap can be exuded. These cut segments are then placed into a clean, sterile jar, stacked in layers until the jar is filled to the desired capacity. Over the course of several hours, the segments will begin to weep copious amounts of the red sap, which accumulates at the bottom of the jar. The sap flows readily and abundantly from the cut leaves, often producing a substantial quantity that far exceeds the volume of the herb itself.

3. Remove the leaf shards with foreceps and add water until the sap reaches a pourable consistency.

After having collected the viscous crimson sap from the Gromsblood, the next step is to meticulously remove any residual leaf shards. To accomplish this, one should use a pair of fine-tipped forceps to carefully grasp and extract each individual leaf fragment, ensuring that the remaining sap is free from any sharp detritus that could injure the user.

Once the sap has been thoroughly cleansed of any sharp leaves, the next step is to gradually dilute the thick, concentrated sap with purified water, adding small amounts and stirring gently until the desired consistency is achieved - a smooth, homogeneous liquid that can be easily poured and dispensed as needed for whatever alchemical or medicinal purposes the preparer has in mind.

Application, Results & Effects

To utilize an Elixir of Detect Demon, the diluted sap is applied directly to the eyes of the imbiber. Upon application, the sap will temporarily stain the sclera and surrounding skin, giving the appearance of blood weeping from the eyes. While disconcerting in appearance, this effect is entirely harmless.

Once the elixir takes hold, the user will be imbued with the otherworldly perception of a demon hunter, able to perceive the true forms of any demons in their vicinity, regardless of any shape-shifting or illusions employed to conceal their nature. It is said that to gaze upon a demon with elixir-enhanced eyes is to behold a vision of infernal malevolence - all brimstone, shadow, and cruelty.

While this ability is of unparalleled utility in unveiling demonic influence, the unsettling appearance of the imbiber under the effects of the elixir can also serve a secondary purpose on the field of battle. The sight of an individual seemingly weeping blood while staring down the enemy with orbs of uncanny perception may strike terror into the heart of any foe, sowing fear and discord among their ranks and rendering them vulnerable to attack.

Side Effects

This elixir has very few side effects, aside from staining of the eyes and face. The effect of the elixir can last up to one hour after application, but the staining has been shown to persist longer. Me and my classmates have tested the elixir on ourselves to mixed results. I, a dracthyr, found that the elixir did little to stain the scales on my face after application, but staining of the eyes did last for the one-hour duration. My worgen classmates found that the elixir stained their facial fur for up to one week. Soft-skinned mortals like the humans and elves in the class had the skin around their eyes and their cheeks stained for one day at most.

"This reagent can be applied to the eyes directly to detect demons, the wielder seeing them much as a demon hunter would. It does make one look as if they are bleeding from the eyes- do not be alarmed, it is a harmless staining of the herb, but may do well to terrify any enemies in battle." - Greaves