#wild blue elderberries

[summerwages]

Thursdays blues three ways...

[faeliixofficial]

🌿 Good afternoon~

Decided to take a peek at the native plants my friends and I planted a bit ago! Here is some trillium, fringe cup, and blue elderberry! These guys are the most impressive-looking of what we’ve got so far. I’m particularly excited for the trillium~

We also have a little bit of other plants! The one close to the ground with two leaves is supposedly the beginning of our wild ginger, but l'm not sure since l'm no expert. It certainly seems like it, but l'd have to do a bit of research. We also have an old rose plant of sorts! I'm not sure what type yet.

Lastly, we have some leftovers from previous years. I have tried some research on the ground elder, but I can’t seem to figure invasiveness for my area. For the Spanish bluebell, I’ll probably just replant in a better spot 🌸 Oh, and last is just a sneak peek of our wild strawberry~

[vintagesimstress]

Northern & Southern European Dyes Palette(s)

It's been almost exactly two years since I made my Iron Age Palette. To celebrate that anniversary... No, you know what, actually not, it's a total coincidence 😅 I was working on a new thing and started wondering about this and that; to not bore you with the details, let's just say that one thing let to another and of course I ended up revisiting the very basics. So here it is! Not one, but TWO new colour palettes for our oldtime-y sims. Based on the lives of my Britons at some point in 1st century CE, shortly before the Roman conquest.

An important note: the southern palette is actually rather an add-on than a separate palette. As in, Romans would surely have access to the dyes from the northern palette as well. But as stated above, I made this whole thing from the viewpoint of a British Celt, hence we have two palettes: one with dyes which he could just obtain from native plants and the other with those he'd have to import. The southerners were more blessed in this aspect :]

You can download PDF files for both of those palettes and .txt files to be used in Paint.net (put them in Documents\paint.net User Files\Palettes). EDIT: the amazing @kyrassimhoard went ahead and made the .aco version of the palettes for all the Photoshop users! Thank you so much Kyra (also, special thanks to @aheathen-conceivably for double checking them for me 💗)

DOWNLOAD them on my Patreon! (always free, no early access etc.)

Apart from a bunch of visual changes (maybe the font will actually be readable this time? Gasp!), there's some new stuff in the palettes themselves (duh). Let's take a quick look, shall we?

undyed wool - hard to call it a dye, lol, but ofc it had to be here. The so-called primitive sheep of the Brittonic era looked quite different from what we imagine when we think 'sheep', and they most certainly came not only in white, but also in many shades of brown or even black. Perfect for making a colourful garment even without any dyes;

birch leaves - easy to obtain, easy to dye; almost no changes here, other than one added shade which used to be under 'mixed ingredients' before;

birch bark - OK, I don't remember where I took the old colours from, but I'm afraid I was being too optimistic. Birch bark gives rather pinkish than reddish shades; actually, it needs a looooooong soak and proper pH to turn anything but very bright, subtle pink. But it seems you can get them and they don't wash out that easily, so - there you go;

elderberry - here I was for sure being too optimistic, especially with that one pretty, saturated blue shade which got thrown away. From what I've read (and seen in photos...), elderberry is a very tricky dye, not particularly water- and lightfast. 'Not particularly' is mildly put - it just washes out in no time, leaving you either with a very pale or very greyish shade of the once vibrant colour. Adjusted accordingly (and they're still too pretty tbh);

apple leaves/twigs - that's a bit of a tricky point, because the Internet claims it was only Romans who brought apples to Britain. But at the same time apple cider was Britain's national drink allegedly already during the Celtic times. Heck, Welsh mythical island of Avalon literally means 'isle of apples', and mythology tends to be... you know... old. Huh? After a bit of research on the topic I'm inclined to believe that what Romans really brought with them were big, sweet apples and their organised cultivation; but small, tart, 'untasty' varieties did exist in Britain even before, growing in the wild. Perfect for making cider - or dyes 😉;

nettle - no changes here. Easy, cheap, grows everywhere, just that the colours are probably not something you'd wear to a party;

hedge bedstraw - seems it's growing everywhere in Britain, so it's plausible the ancients would've made use of it;

lichen - aaaaalriiight, now, that is a big discovery! Beautiful shades and absolutely possible to obtain from the varieties growing on the British Isles. One of the most crucial omissions from my old palette, here finally in its full glory.

That was it for the northern palette. And the southern? Glad you asked:

weld - previously called 'dyer's rocket', but no one in the whole wide natural dyeing Internet calls it that. Beautiful, vibrant, very steady yellow; won't give away even if you overdye it with indigo or woad. It's native to the Mediterranean and while it was cultivated in Britain in later centuries, I have no reason to believe that was also the case in 1 c. CE. I dub it imported;

madder - I keep reading that it's giving saturated red shades, but I have yet to see anyone dye a skein of yarn deep red with madder only. All that keeps popping up in pictures are gentle, pinkish reds, so that's what I included in my palette too. The orange comes from changed pH of the water;

woad - OK, that's my most epic fail of all. To make a Celtic palette and not include woad?! Putting aside the whole matter of Britons possibly maybe but actually maybe not using it to paint their faces (a very controversial matter, let's not go there 😅), woad was the blue dye in those times. Indigo was far away and while it was being imported to Rome, afaik it was used mostly for painting, not cloth dyeing; and besides, as crazy as it may sound, woad seems to do the job better. Seriously. Higher water and light fastness. The question is, was it cultivated in Britain or imported? Just like weld, it's native to the Mediterraean. There is a British find of a bunch of woad seeds, from 1 c. BCE - but then again, it's just one find. So... Mostly imported but slowly being introduced to the Isles? Maybe?

mixed ingredients - the ingredients specified in the PDFs are given in the order they're used - that makes a difference! My biggest discovery of this whole natural dyeing research is that, surprisingly, vibrant green is the absolutely most difficult colour to obtain. That dark green you see at the bottom - so-called Lincoln green - requires super high levels of both weld and woad, and you must put your yellow skein in the blue dye asap - if you're too slow, you get a lighter shade, e.g. like the one above it. The Hightowers surely knew how to show they're rich, huh...?

and last but not least, the luxury dyes! Some imported from far away (turmeric), some from nearby lands (Tyrian purple), some even grown locally (there were saffron plantations on Sicily. True story), but nevertheless, all super duper expensive. Tyrian purple was actually legally reserved for the emperor only - even if you could, by some miracle, afford it, you'd probably get arrested if you dared to dress in that particular shade of purple. Good that lichens could always come to the rescue!

Guess that's enough of behind-the-scenes trivia, isn't it? Props to you if you managed to get to this point, lol. Have fun with the palettes and happy recolouring!

***

Sources:

dzikiebarwy.com - in Polish, but the pictures should speak for themselves. Here you've got a post about dyeing with summer plants, including birch leaves, here - elderberry, here - apple leaves and twigs, here - nettle;

https://woolandpalette.com/blogs/news/making-vibrant-green-with-natural-dyes was my first step in finding out how to obtain a proper green shade with natural dyes;

wooltribulations.blogspot.com - dyeing with birch bark (here), another failed elderberry experiment (here) and overdyeing weld with woad for a deep Lincoln green shade (here);

www.jennydean.co.uk - an absolute godsend, especially two posts: 'Dyes of the Celts' (here) and 'Colours of the Romans' (here);

https://craftinvaders.co.uk/making-dye-from-lichen/

https://earlychurchhistory.org/fashion/colors-dyes-for-clothing-in-ancient-rome/ - on the posh dyes for the rich;

https://www.butserancientfarm.co.uk/gallery - except for the general vibe (*chef's kiss*), the 'animals and nature' section of the gallery has pictures of the 'primitive' sheep which they keep at the farm;

...and a bunch of others which I didn't save in my bookmarks 🙃

[ad-caelestia]

common toxic plants

[long post; updated 12.8.24]

this is not a complete list by any means, but these commonly noted plants, herbs, and flowers should be handled with care or avoided altogether. 

aconite (wolfsbane, monkshood) - all parts: dermatoxic, hepatotoxic, and neurotoxic

adam and eve (jack-in-the-pulpit, wild arum) - root: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested

african sumac - leaves: dermatoxic; possibly fatal

agave - juice: dermatoxic  

angel’s trumpet - all parts: cardiotoxic; often fatal

apple - seeds: cytotoxic in large doses

apricot - leaves and seeds: cytotoxic in large doses

arnica - gastrotoxic 

asparagus - berries: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested

azalea - all parts: cytotoxic and neurotoxic; rarely fatal

betel nut palm (pinyang) - all parts: gastrotoxic if ingested

bittersweet nightshade - all parts: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; rarely fatal

black hellebore - all parts: cardiotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

black locust (false acacia) - root bark and flowers: gastrotoxic

black nightshade - all parts except ripe fruit: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

bleeding heart - leaves and roots: neurotoxic

bloodroot - rhizomes: cytotoxic

blue passion flower (common passion flower) - leaves: cytotoxic

bracken - all parts: carcinogenic

buttercup - all parts: gastrotoxic and dermatoxic 

calabar bean (ordeal beans) - seeds: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested in large doses

cassava - leaves and roots: cytotoxic in large doses

castor bean (castor oil plant) - seeds: cytotoxic if ingested or inhaled

celandine - nephrotoxic 

cherry - leaves and seeds: cytotoxic in large doses

christmas rose - all parts: gastrotoxic

cocklebur - seedlings and seeds: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic

columbine - seeds and roots: cardiotoxic; easily fatal

corn lily (false hellebore) - all parts: cardiotoxic; often fatal

cowbane (water hemlock, snakeweed) - root: neurotoxic if ingested

daffodil - bulbs and stems: gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

datura/moonflower - all parts: gastrotoxic and cardiotoxic

deadly nightshade (belladonna) - all parts: cardiotoxic and neurotoxic; often fatal

desert rose (sabi star, kudu) - sap: cardiotoxic with skin contact

dumbcane - all parts: dermatoxic; possibly fatal

elder (elderberry) - root: gastrotoxic

elephant ear (angel wings) - all parts: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic

ergot - neurotoxic 

foxglove - leaves, seeds, and flowers: cardiotoxic; often fatal

garlic - all parts: gastrotoxic in animals

giant hogweed - all parts: dermatoxic

golden chain - all parts, especially seeds: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

goldenseal - all parts: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic in large doses

grapes/raisins - all parts: gastrotoxic in dogs

greater celandine - all parts: gastrotoxic in large doses

hemlock (spotted cowbane, poison snakeweed) - all parts: neurotoxic; possibly fatal

hemlock water dropwort - roots: neurotoxic if ingested; possibly fatal

henbane - all parts: neurotoxic and cardiotoxic

holly - berries: gastrotoxic

honeybush - all parts: gastrotoxic

honeysuckle - berries: gastrotoxic in mild cases and cardiotoxic in severe cases

horse chestnut - all parts: neurotoxic

hyacinth - bulbs: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic; possibly fatal

iris - rhizomes: gastrotoxic and dermatoxic 

kava kava - nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic 

kidney bean - raw: gastrotoxic

larkspur - young plants and seeds: neurotoxic; often fatal

lemon - oil: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic to animals  

lily - all parts: nephrotoxic

lily of the nile (calla lily) - all parts: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic if ingested; possibly fatal

lily of the valley - all parts: cardiotoxic; possibly fatal

lima beans - raw: gastrotoxic

lime - oil: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic in animals

lobelia - all parts: gastrotoxic 

mandrake - roots and leaves: gastrotoxic and neurotoxic

mango - peel and sap: dermatoxic

mangrove - bark and sap: dermatoxic and eye irritation

mayapple - all green parts and unripe fruit: gastrotoxic

meadow saffron (autumn crocus) - bulbs: gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

mistletoe - leaves and berries: gastrotoxic, cardiotoxic, and neurotoxic; rarely lethal in adults

moonseed - fruits and seeds: gastrotoxic; often fatal

mountain laurel - all green parts: gastrotoxic

nutmeg - raw: psychoactive in large doses

oak - leaves and acorns: gastrotoxic; rarely fatal

odollam tree (suicide tree) - seeds: cardiotoxic; often fatal

oleander - all parts: dermatoxic, cardiotoxic, and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

onions - all parts: gastrotoxic in animals

orange - oil: dermatoxic and gastrotoxic in animals

peach - seeds and leaves: cytotoxic in large doses

periwinkle (vinca) - all parts: neurotoxic and potentially fatal

pokeweed - leaves, berries, and roots: gastrotoxic; often fatal

poison ivy/oak/sumac - all parts, especially leaves: dermatoxic; possibly fatal

poison ryegrass (darnel) - seeds: neurotoxic

potato - raw: cytotoxic

privet - berries and leaves: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; possibly fatal

ragwort - all parts: hepatotoxic

redoul - all parts: gastrotoxic, neurotoxic, and causes respiratory issues; can be fatal in children

rhubarb - leaves: nephrotoxic

rosary pea - seeds: neurotoxic and gastrotoxic; often fatal

skullcap - hepatotoxic

spindle (spindle tree) - fruit: hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic; possibly fatal  

stinging tree (gympie gympie) - bark and sap: dermatoxic; sometimes fatal

strychnine tree - seeds: neurotoxic; often fatal

sweet pea - seeds: neurotoxic and damaging to connective tissues

tomato - leaves and stems: cytotoxic in large doses

uva ursi - neurotoxic, dermatoxic 

white baneberry (doll’s eyes) - all parts, especially berries: cardiotoxic; possibly fatal

white snakeroot - all parts: gastrotoxic; often fatal

winter cherry (jerusalem cherry) - all parts, especially berries: gastrotoxic; occasionally fatal, especially to children

wisteria - gastrotoxic

yew (english yew, common yew) - leaves and seeds: gastrotoxic if ingested and respiratory issues if inhaled

glossary: 

carcinogenic - a substance that can cause cancer

cardiotoxic - toxic to the heart

cytotoxic - toxic to living cells

dermatoxic - toxic to the skin

gastrotoxic - toxic to the gastrointestinal system (stomach, intestines, etc.)

hepatotoxic - toxic to the liver

nephrotoxic - toxic to the kidneys and urological system (ureters, bladder)

neurotoxic - toxic to the neurological system (brain, nerves, brainstem, spinal cord, etc.)

psychoactive - pertaining to substances that change brain function and result in alterations in perception, mood, or consciousness

© 2024 ad-caelestia

[suzy-queued]

The Lord and the Footman // Master Post

Lord Ian stood at the edge of the ballroom, stiff and bored. 

Shaina from Pinehall twirled in her gown. Viviette of the Meadows curtsied with a gleam in her eye. Pandering fools, all of them. 

The Duke shook Ian's shoulders. “Oh, come on. There's not a maiden here who can please you?”

Ian turned to leave … and stopped in his tracks.

Viviette's footman approached, dressed all in black with haunting blue eyes and a tempting smirk. He slipped a note to Ian. Garden arch. Midnight. Alone.

Ian palmed the scrap of paper, feeling like his future burned in his hand.

---

Ian fidgeted in the garden at midnight. His curiosity hadn't spiked this high in years … if ever.

The dark stranger stepped out of the shadows. Smoldering. Mysterious. Confident. “Is the ball to your liking?”

“It's serviceable. Smooth ale. Talented musicians.”

“You're a terrible liar.”

Who was this man, who rejected the pleasantries of court and spoke freely? Ian liked it. A lot. He relaxed against the railing. “The women are boorish. It's all lace and gossip and dance cards.”

“There's only one dance card worth your attention tonight.”

“Whose?”

The man stood tall and held out his ungloved hand. “Mine.”

---

The footman began with a two-hand turn once round, followed by a half figure-eight.

Ian caught on quickly, hearing music lilting from the main hall. They danced the Barham Down.

How odd that the shorter man led. Odder still, Ian followed the moves effortlessly.

This man was born to lead him. Sure-footed. Piercing. Strong.

They moved down an imaginary line. They gateposted around an invisible couple. They danced until the violins stopped and Ian stood breathless, heart thumping.

The footman released him. “You weren’t meant for that world. You were meant for me.” He bowed and disappeared into the shadows.

---

A minute passed. A few. The stranger was indeed gone.

“Bollocks.” Ian ran. 

He climbed the steps to the estate. No footman in sight. 

Ian hurried through the doors of the ballroom. The dancers squealed and begged him to join them. 

He flattened outside the doors, holding his pounding heart, thinking of blue eyes. You're driving me wild.

Reins cracked, and a carriage flew down the drive—Viviette's carriage, with her footman hanging off the back.

Ian wanted to follow, to throw himself in the vehicle’s path and demand that they stay. 

He'd never ever wanted to be so bad. 

---

Lord Ian ran into his father's bedchamber.  “Get up.”

The Duke rubbed his eyes and checked the mantel clock. “It's 3:15 in the morning. You should sleep.”

“I don't want to sleep. I request an audience.”

“An audience?” The Duke's eyes opened wider, suddenly interested. “With a lady?” 

“Viviette of the Meadows. Can we call on her?”

His father looked far too pleased. “We'll go this very day.”

Ian's mind raced with memories of strong arms leading him through a swing. The footman’s elderberry cologne had intoxicated him.

Something tells me I'm right about you. Don't prove me wrong.

---

Viviette received Ian in the Meadowbrook Manor parlor. “I’ve written something for you.” She blushed and clutched parchment. "He is the sun, beaming down on me…" 

Insufferable. Ian scanned the crowd. Sisters, aunts, the Duke. He finally spotted Viviette’s footman at a backdoor post. 

"He is the rain, gentle but intense…"

The man wore black and smirked, even more intriguing in the daylight.

"He is all things good." Viviette finished with a flourish. "Do you like it, Lord?"

Ian stared, enamored, sighing. "Gods, yes."

Viviette beamed at the misdirected compliment. 

Confound this charade. Ian needed to get that man alone.

---

Pianoforte. Scones. Gossip. Court pleasantries choked the joy from Ian’s day. 

On a manor tour, deep in the bowels of the wine cellar, he finally drew away from Viviette.

The footman hung back and nodded. “M’lady is pleased to see you here.”

“And you?”

A hungry gaze. “You are tolerable.”

Lord Ian had but seconds before he’d be missed. He slipped his signet ring into the footman’s hand.

“What’s this?”

Ian burned with the illicitness of it all. “A promise.” His lips parted with want. “I’ll persist until you’ll have me.” 

The footman purred into Ian’s ear. “You’re already mine.”

---

Ian’s horse trotted lazily through the forest, only to be sideswiped by the footman’s mustang.

Viviette gasped, on her white steed. “Mikhailo is such a wild rider. If you’re not careful, he’ll crash into you.”

Ian liked wild. Speed. Crashes.

Screw the propriety of the afternoon ride. He kicked his horse into a gallop.

He caught up to Mikhailo, and they raced through the oaks. Laughter. Wind. Tongues out.

Ian overtook him, blocked his path. He dismounted. “Off your horse, Mikhailo.”

The footman smirked. “That’s Mickey to you, Lord.” His boots hit the ground. He closed the gap between them.

---

In a private grove of trees, Ian advanced on Mickey. Their eyes burned. Their noses grazed. 

“How long?” Ian hoped his eyes said the rest. How long has this obsession lasted?

Mickey stayed focused. Hard. Challenging. “Since autumn.”

“Ten months?”

“Autumn ten years ago.”

“Good god.” Ian shoved against him, tangling their legs, working him to the ground. He cupped Mickey’s cheek. “Why emerge from the shadows now?”

“You’re interviewing wives. It’s now or never.”

Ian’s body pulsed. His chest heaved against Mickey’s. “A wife won’t satisfy me.” He lowered, lips parted.

Viviette’s voice cut through the grove. “Lord Ian?”

---

Ian jumped to a stand, frantic, guilty. He brushed leaves from his tailcoat.

Viviette ducked into the grove. “Everything okay?”

Mickey arched his brow. “Your lord’s a right klutz.” 

Ian caught on quickly. “Um, yeah. I let the reins slide and couldn’t recollect them. Idiot mistake, really. Your footman assisted me when I fell.”

Viviette’s gaze ping-ponged between them. Curses. She knew. This dalliance would end before it even began.

She clasped her hands. “Oh, my poor Ian. Let’s get you inside so you can rest.”

Mickey smirked.

God, the thrill of nearly being caught set fire to Ian’s veins.

---

The library. The lounge chair. Ian pulled a compress from his forehead. “I propose an arrangement.” He stood, woozy with excitement. “The fox hunt is coming up, and I need a riding coach. I’ll call on Meadowbrook Manor weekly so your footman can train me.”

Viviette fawned. “Every week? I get all that time to be with you?” 

Mickey coughed possessively. “You’re a weak rider, Lord. You need consistent practice.”

Ian fought to keep the smile from taking over his face. “What do you suggest?”

Mickey’s stare simmered with unfulfilled desire. “At least three days a week of … rigorous instruction.”

---

Back home, in the study, Ian floated on the memory of blue eyes and that smart mouth.

The Duke handed him a letter requiring a wax seal. “Where’s your signet ring?”

“Guess it slipped off at Viviette’s.”

“No doubt when you and the footman were off gallivanting in the forest.”

“I —”

“I’m your father. It’s my job to monitor every tic on your face. You’re grinning like a loon — and it has nothing to do with that maiden.” The Duke growled. “Whatever you’re playing at, stop now. The future of this estate rests on you.” 

Ian’s blood turned to ice.

---

Dawn. Ian and his thoroughbred emerged from their stable. It’d be the first — and last — day of riding lessons. 

The Duke prowled by the gate. “Come nightfall, you’ll be single or promised to Viviette. No other options. Hear?”

Ian stayed numb.

Along the journey, his tears flowed. He hugged his horse’s neck. “I have a secret, Santana. I’m in love. The day our lips touch, my fate’ll be sealed. No other lover will live up.”

Ian reached the imposing rock wall of Meadowbrook. “I can’t possess him, yet I can’t live without him. What the hell am I to do?”

---

Vivette and her footman trotted up on their horses, rosy-cheeked from their morning ride. 

Cruel fate. Of course they’d be together. 

Viviette smiled. “M’lord. Have you breakfasted?” 

Ian felt ill. He needed Mickey alone, posthaste, but there’s no way the footman knew him well enough to intuit the turmoil inside Ian’s soul, the angst he needed to unload, the cancer eating away at their blossoming happiness and the unfairness of societal – 

Mickey leaned in, concerned. “Carriage house. The one that looks like a gingerbread house. Meet me there in twenty.”

Oh, sweet shared malaise! Mickey understood his torment after all.

---

Ian fled the manor with coffee cake crumbs still dusting his upper lip. He made it to the door of the carriage house.

Mickey – celestial, bewitching Mickey – polished a bronze bridle. His hand froze.

They stared, the space between them infinite.

“Mickey, I –”

The footman tossed his rag and closed the distance. He met Ian with fiery force. Lips collided. Arms embraced. Hearts yearned. Souls intertwined.

Mickey paused. “Should we…”

Had Ian breathed before this moment? Had his heart loved ‘til now? “Give me my sin again.” He resumed his devouring.

They’d talk eventually. For now, only Mickey’s lips mattered.

---

Kissing uncorked wonders. Ian was a damn goner, just like he knew he'd be.

He pressed his forehead to Mickey's. “My father, that unreasonable cur. We have to run away. Today.”

“Understood.”

“If we leave these gates together, we become nobodies. I am no lord. You are no manor man. Our slates are wiped clean. We start completely fresh.”

Mickey held tight. “Let the world burn. If we're together, I'll want for nothing.”

“We can't talk to anyone until we've passed Pinehall. Is that clear?”

“Crystalline.”

A small cough rose from outside the carriage house door. Viviette appeared. “Hello, lads.” 

---

Viviette circled them, pointing. “How long has this coquetry been going on?”

She'd overheard everything. Denial was impossible. Ian spoke proudly. “It started with a midnight meetup at the ball.”

“I thought you were pursuing my family’s plum empire. Turns out you’re more of a bratwurst man.”

Ian shifted to leave. “Forget about me. We'll be gone posthaste.” 

Viviette blocked him. “Marriage to me is that revolting?”

“I can't be with Mickey if I'm shackled to you.”

Viviette mused, like she was making shrewd calculations on the fly. She smiled and tilted her head. “Are you quite sure about that?”

---

Ian’s entire universe shifted. “You…what?”

Mickey tensed. “Woman, you can’t say things like this lightly.”

She nodded, gaining steam. “A husband I don’t have to bed every night? Freedom for us to explore who we want? It’s brilliant.”

“You’d be expected to produce an heir.”

She scoffed. “Maybe I’m barren. Maybe Silva down at the pub can help. He has red hair.”

Ian felt hope bubbling. “You’d live a lie to help us? People would talk.”

“The dinner parties around here need a little shaking up.” Viviette held out her hand. “What do you say, Lord Ian? Marry me?”

---

Ian’s mind swirled. This was sudden, rash, ill-advised. He looked to Mickey, who nodded vigorously.

“Yes.” Ian stabilized. His eyes locked on Mickey’s as he spoke. “Yes, I’ll marry you.” 

Viviette beamed. “We’ll climb society’s ranks faster than creeping ivy. I expect a grand proposal. Over dinner, where my parents can parade you properly. Rosetta is going to seethe. This is perfect.” She lifted her overskirt and left the carriage house, still plotting.

Which left only Mickey. And hours of unscheduled privacy. 

Mickey gulped. He traced one finger down Ian’s neck, pressing his body close. “How about that riding lesson?”

---

They dismounted in their grove deep in the forest. 

Ian flew to Mickey, kissed him. “Mmm. You know how to handle a steed.”

“Calm down, stud.” Mickey pushed against him. “We’ve got different training to do.”

“Oh, yeah? Like what?”

“Ambivalence.”

Ian’s passion cooled. Right. This was no parlor game. They’d need to maintain this facade for eternity.

Mickey stayed firm. “We’re headed into the snake pit. At dinner, you can’t even glance in my direction. You hear me?”

“You can teach me?”

Mickey smirked. “I’m a damn master. I’ve had years of practice hiding how I feel about you.”

---

“So…” Ian squared himself. “How do I pretend you mean nothing to me?”

Disinterest should be easy. Ian didn’t know Mickey’s birthday or last name. They’d had mere minutes together. But the fireworks in his soul couldn’t be ignored.

“Step one.” Mickey dug into his shirt pocket, the one above his heart. “You’ll have to give this to her.” He gripped Ian’s signet ring firmly.

Holy hell. “But that’s yours. Forever.” 

“What made you think any of this would be easy?”

Ian hesitated. Nodded. Just an object, right? It meant nothing.

Dammitall, then why did his chest tighten so much?

---

“Step seven.” Mickey paced through the grove. “Make eye contact with Viviette constantly, like she hung the damn moon.”

Ian groaned. They’d been at this for an hour.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Is securing our future boring to you?”

“It’s all what we will be doing, Mickey, how we will be together. I want you now, present tense.” 

Mickey considered this. “They do say a stallion who’s worn out is easier to tame.”

Ian pressed their bodies together and growled. “Wear me out. That’s a command from your future lord.”

“You’re going to be intolerable, aren’t you?”

“You have no idea.”

---

Ian slipped his ring onto his own finger. For this moment, it could symbolize his future with Mickey. Irrational. Impulsive. Hasty. 

He scooped Mickey up, this exciting man who’d emerged from the shadows and set a new course for his life. Electric. Fascinating. Compatible. 

They stumbled through the forest. Kissing. Falling. Discovering.

Ian didn’t have experience in carnal affairs. Did Mickey? Did it matter?

He slid a hand under Mickey’s frock, letting his fingers inch down. He breached the waistband and kept descending. Dizzy. Curious. Raw.

Mickey’s breath hitched. Oh, glorious rigid flesh! Let them ride this crest for eternity.

---

Ian moaned and gripped Mickey’s hair. “Fie, man, you suck by the book.” He blurted out the question he’d been holding back. “You’ve had men before?”

Mickey spoke directly, owning his past. “Aye. Here in this wood, in fact. Visiting stablehands, wandering bards.”

“And if I confess to jealousy?”

“Utter nonsense. Those were the loneliest days of my life. Railing them, wishing they were you. I’d trade a thousand of those buggers for one touch of your lips.”

“Your flattery…it fuels me.”

“I’ve got many ways to flatter you, m’lord.” Mickey buried himself in Ian's nest of crimson curls.

---

They lay together, spent, clothes scattered. Fat droplets of rain plunked through the trees, bouncing off their skin. 

Ian reached for his tunic. “T’wouldn’t do to show up at dinner looking a wet mess.”

“What, her ladyship won’t accept your hand covered in my seed?” Mickey smiled, pleased. Possessive. 

“You have somewhere I can clean up?”

“Sure. But my quarters are a shelf and a small mattress. Hardly what you’re used to.”

Ian touched his cheek. “You aren’t cursed to sleep there forever. I’ll ensure that.”

Mickey nodded, barely convinced. “Let’s get you ready to head into the lion’s den.”

[astra-ravana]

Magickal Herb Sets

Road Opener

• Yarrow

• Garlic

• Ferns

• Mallow

• Lemon Balm

• Mint

• Parsley

• Rosehips

• Rosemary

• Valerian

• Verbena

• Abre Camino

• Pine

• Five Finger Grass

• Allspice

• High John

• Basil

Astral Projection

• Wormwood

• Blue Lotus

• Mugwort

• Huckleberry

• Bakana

• Valerian

• Narrow-leaf Heimia

• Wild Asparagus Root

• Ginkgo Bilboa

• Damiana

• Lo John Root

• Huperzine-A

• Frankincense

• Nutmeg

• Xhosa Dream Root

• Eyebright

• Calea-Zacatechichi

Divination

• Acacia

• Star Anise

• Borage

• Ground Ivy

• Benzoin

• Lemongrass

• Celery

• Althea

• Bistort

• Orris Root

• Goldenrod

• Elecampane

• Agrimony

• Mullein

• Flaxseed

• Broom

• Camphor

Personal Power

• Chrysanthemum

• Aloe Vera

• Eucalyptus

• Peppermint

• Amber

• Cumin

• Bamboo

• Kava

• Calamus Root

• Passionflower

• Ashwegandha

• Bacopa

• Mustard Seed

• Turmeric

• Patchouli

• Shankapushpi

• Dog Rose

Manifestation

• Bay Leaves

• Cannabis

• Holy Basil

• Balm of Gilead

• Dandelion

• Cinnamon

• Lavender

• White Sage

• Lion's Tail

• Dittany of Crete

• Tears of Chios

• Roses

• Saffron

• Irish Moss

• Jasmine

• Alfalfa

• Ginger

For the Fae

• Blue Bell

• Vervain

• Elderberries

• Foxglove

• Honeysuckle

• Hawthorne

• Thyme

• Apple

• Fig

• Primrose

• Orchid

• Rowan

• Echinacea

• Clover

• Mistletoe

• Poppie

• Oak

[infinite-orangepeel]

EAGLESCOUT!STEVE/PERV EDDIE WIP EXCERPT FROM CH. 1

Capture the flag is all fun and games until it’s time to clean up the equipment and Steve is wandering through the woods trying not to infect himself with poison ivy like the better half of his troop did an hour ago. Now being treated by their resident Scoutmaster/Chief of Police–Jim Hopper–with calamine lotion and an eye roll.

He’s out on his own.

Strategically voyaging through the underbrush in search of the blue team’s flag. It’s the last one on his list and he’s dying to get back to basecamp to snag a refreshing post-win lemonade with the rest of the troop. Already salivating from the promise of tangy sweetness.

The sun is about to set. Sky blushing pink while the owls hoot from the branches of pine trees. Calling out to each other in harmonious song as the day comes to a close.

Steve’s back is sticky and warm from directing the game. His cheeks are flushed, exposed thighs bitten up by mosquitoes despite multiple reapplications of Deet, and his glasses keep slipping down the bridge of his nose from the slick sweat coating his brow bone.

To be honest, despite the itchy heat and craving for something ice cold down his throat, Steve looks forward to rare moments like this one.

In which he can breathe easily in the reverie of temporary independence.

No one to perform for.

No one to stop him from humming a tune under his breath and stopping every so often to investigate a patch of blooming elderberries.

No one to chastise him for plopping an unwashed piece of fruit under his tongue and taking his time to savor the sweetness.

No one to point fingers and accuse him of gluttony.

Out here in the quiet, Steve can pretend all that exists are the mourning doves, rabbits running from foxes, and the subtle breeze kissing the lakeshore.

He’s content. He’s at peace.

He’s—

He’s choking on his spit at the sight of the terrible scene in front of him—two men dancing with Satan beside a picnic table.

Two men entangled in an inconceivable fashion.

Two men running their hands over each other’s skin; half naked.

Two men–

Together.

Together in the way that only a man and his wife are supposed to be once they’ve married in the church, sworn vows, and moved into the modest house at the end of the cul-de-sac beneath the weeping willows.

Steve racks his brain. Unfolds the information–the proof from the good book–that every belief he holds relies on.

The verse, he thinks–thoughts spiraling out of control, ingrained savior complex kicking in, What about the verse? Don’t they know it? Didn’t their parents warn them? It’s—Hebrews 13:4; ‘Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.’

They’ve yet to notice him. As if he’s camouflaged amongst the pine trees. Khaki blending in seamlessly like he’s just another part of the natural landscape.

In a sense, he is.

The first of the two men sinks to his knees like he’s praying for mercy as Steve has done all his life in the back of the chapel. He gazes up at the other man like he is God. Like he alone holds the divine power to cleanse sin, turn water to wine, and carve Eve from Adam’s rib.

Except, Eve doesn’t exist in this version of the story.

Eve is nowhere to be found and Steve feels like he’s entered a parallel universe where none of the former rules apply. Where this strange subset of humanity has scorched the Earth, burned the devoted ones at the stake, and anarchy now reigns.

The second stands above him in the widened prideful stance of a known pariah who foolishly believes he can outrun impending rapture and escape eternal damnation if he is clever and quick enough on his feet.

Steve can’t see his face, because similarly to the vile act he’s committing, the man is concealed by a vexing darkness. Curly tendrils of wild hair obscure his identity.

It’s odd. Unlike anyone else Steve’s ever known. Overgrown and hanging well past his shoulders. It doesn’t make sense.

Only girls are allowed to wear their hair like that. Boys like this—boys like him get sent away for such infractions. Excommunicated for their betrayal to patriarchal norms.

Men are supposed to look like men.

This man does not.

This man seems to toe and test every line and boundary like nothing can touch him.

Steve tries to get his feet to move so he can turn and run and disappear into the forest like the rest of God’s innocent creatures–the field mice, the deer, the fish in the pond–find somewhere hidden to seek asylum and preserve his fragile righteousness.

But latent curiosity slithers around him like a serpent with a fatal bite.

No cure.

No remedy.

Steve has no choice. All logical thought abandons him and perhaps for the first time in his life, he allows himself to simply watch and feel.

The man who doesn’t look all that much like a man leans a ring-covered hand back onto the rickety table like it's his personal throne and feeds his–his—genitals to the parted lips of the first.

Steve brings a hand to his own gawking mouth, ducks behind a tree to better shield himself, and tries to stall his racing heart.

“Lemme fuck your throat, baby. Open wide—wider. C’mon now play nice for me. If you’re not gagging on my cock then you can take it deeper,” the man rasps out as he thrusts his hips forwards and ensnares his black tipped nails into the hair of the kneeling man like vicious talons, “Good boy–there we go. Someone’s learned their lesson since last time, haven’t they? Stay open for me, sweetheart—keep that tongue nice and relaxed.”

thanks so much for reading !! please let me know what you think, feedback is always motivating and helpful 🥰

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[xxlordalexanderxx]

A small handful of some teas that Alexander typically drinks or that can be found around the castle. Most ingredients native to Xandora. And heavily inspired by celestial seasonings tea and their fun descriptions

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ 👑 ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

☀️| Morning Teas

💊 Healing Hearthbrew

Ingredients: Moonlight fern, dragon's kiss herb, starlight petals, phoenix feather spice, and drop of elderberry elixir. Description: A common tea used to treat colds, or relieve symptoms.

🌤️Sunrise Elixir

Ingredients: Green tea, lemon zest, ginseng, and dawnsbloom petals.

Description: A revitalizing blend to kickstart your day, with the bright zest of lemon and the invigorating essence of ginseng and dawnbloom petals, known to enhance focus and energy.

🌲 Darkwood Brew

Ingredients: Black tea, cinnamon, ginger, and dragon scale dust.

Description: This spicy, warming tea awakens your senses with the bold flavors of cinnamon and ginger, complemented by the fiery essence of dragon scale dust.

🌅 Morning Mist

Ingredients: White tea, lavender, elderflower, and faerie dew drops (sugar molded into pearls-sugar pearls)

Description: A light and floral tea that gently uplifts the spirit, combining the calming lavender and elderflower with the magical freshness of faerie dew drops, perfect for a peaceful start to the day.

❤️‍🔥Phoenix Feather Tea

Ingredients: Rooibos tea, orange peel, hibiscus, and phoenix feather essence.

Description: A vibrant, fruity tea that rejuvenates, with the fiery energy of phoenix feather essence, promising renewed vitality and endurance.

🌛|Evening Teas

🌕| Moonlit Serenade

Ingredients: Chamomile tea, vanilla bean, rose petals, and moonbeam essence (wild spring water collected by the light of the moon)

Description: A calming and fragrant tea perfect for winding down, with the sweet notes of vanilla and rose petals infused with the tranquil glow of moonbeam essence, promoting restful sleep.

🌠| Starlight Slumber

Ingredients: Lavender tea, valerian root, lemon balm, and stardust. ( An ingredients native to Zephyros the sky kingdom)

Description: A dreamy blend designed to soothe and relax, featuring the calming properties of lavender, valerian root, and lemon balm, with a sprinkle of stardust to invite peaceful dreams.

✨🍀| Enchanted Forest Brew

Ingredients: Peppermint tea, lemongrass, elderflower, and pixie dust-from the Pixiecup Flower.

Description: This refreshing tea brings the essence of an enchanted forest to your cup, with invigorating peppermint and lemongrass, complemented by the magical touch of pixie dust for a serene evening.

🌌| Mystic Twilight

Ingredients: Passionflower tea, licorice root, jasmine, and twilight petals(flower.)

Description: A soothing blend that eases the transition to night, with the gentle relaxation of passionflower and the sweet aroma of jasmine, enhanced by the mystical twilight petals for a sense of calm.

🎭|Dream Weaver's Delight

Ingredients: Lemon balm tea, chamomile, blue lotus, and dreamcatcher essence-flower

Description: This enchanting tea blend helps weave the perfect dreams, combining the soothing effects of lemon balm and chamomile with the mystical blue lotus and dreamcatcher essence, ensuring a night of restful sleep.

[bethanythebogwitch]

Native wildflowers collection pt 2

Continued from part 1

Wild white indigo. These grow seed pods and then break off and tumbleweed around to spread their seeds.

Blazing star. There are several species of this and I think this one is prairie blazing star

Culver's root

Daisy fleabane. This was burned and the ashes were used as a flea remedy.

Joe Pye weed

Elderberry. You can chop up the branches of this, put them in the ground, and as long as there's enough water, they will grow into new bushes.

Wild petunia (left), wild geranium (right), and wild hyacinth (bottom). I like them more than the ornamental cultivars

Showy tick trefoil. These seeds are easy to collect. Walk through the prairie for a while and you'll have a few hundred stuck to your clothes.

Tall bellflower

Heal-all

New England aster or aromatic aster. I don't know how to tell them apart. Usually purple, but sometimes you find a bright pink one.

Evening primrose

Wild onion

American bush clover

Rose mallow (left) and halberd-leafed rose mallow (left). The latter gets smaller flowers and different shaped leaves.

Tall boneflower, which is a name I'm totally using for an undead plant in D&D

Great blue lobelia

Smartweed. These are absolutely tiny.

Spring beauty, a cute little spring ephemeral

Bloodroot. These are cool, they have giant rhizomes and bright red sap.

Wild violet. These are usually purple, but sometimes you find a yellow one

Trout lily.

Virginia bluebell

Trillium. You don't get as many of these around here as we'd like because the deer go absolutely wild for them

Woodland phlox

Wild hawthorn

Continued in part 3

[aisling-saoirse]

My Side Garden Over 4 Years

In 2019 the last of the 15 Ash Trees adjacent to my mother's home were taken out and I had decided to garden now that I had access to a yard again. The soil here is very rocky, prior to being constructed the side of this yard was a forest on the property line of a farm, that's why our ash were massive before they succumb to the borer.

The first year I planted some Perennials from a box-store and threw a random 'wildflower' seed mix in and unsurprisingly most of them died (although sweet-williams and cornflower persist which is fine with me)

The next year a whole bunch of annual cosmos and Zinnia took over but the only surviving perennials were native plants, after that I got more into native plants and got some native seeds from an adjacent field, Prairie Moon, and the forest that I spread. Then I got some native perennials from a local grower or took some divisions from my aunt (and grew some marigolds to keep the deer away).

The next year everything established and I did a layer of mulch over leaf litter to improve the soil a little, I discovered that in the coming drought this retained a decent amount of moisture for my young plants, I also noticed the diversity of insects and bird life that these plants brought. Our Yard was the only one with monarch caterpillars, constantly churning with butterflies, I noticed all new stingless bee species I'd never seen before, so many fascinating native fauna that never had decent habitat prior to this. I convinced the rest of my family to change their ways, less lawn, no pesticides at all, and less aggressive maintenance (I still weed but not as much because the perennials block out a lot of new growth). I noticed something else, fireflies I had grown up seeing were disappearing around the neighborhood, but not in this yard, because we had provided that proper leaf layer habitat for these fireflies, they were extremely abundant in our patch of garden. all the other neighbors who poison their gardens and heavily maintain lawns had nothing lighting up around them.

I'm studying in Landscape Architecture, work in architecture currently, my gardens look horrible because to me they are an opportunity to learn how plants grow. This year I made sure to keep leaf layer untouched in the hopes I could keep the fireflies, the garden looks really full even with little rain this may! it doesn't look perfect but the garden is more for ecosystem value (albeit rather small but to expand upon existing field nearby).

I try to plant things that I've seen growing wild locally, local natives in my garden as seen above include: Joe Pye Weed, Blueberry bush (highbush), Common Milkweed, Swamp Rose Milkweed, Butterfly Weed (ascelpias tuberosa), Columbines, White Snakeroot, spicebush, elderberry (this one is small in this garden), wild bergamot, various aster species, anise hyssop, and a tulip poplar sapling :)

Natives that are within this ecological region but not common to my area: blazing star, prairie blazing star, False Indigo, Blue flag Iris, Black eye'd Susan's, purple coneflower, obedient plant, Prairie dropseed, palm sedge, various sunflower species, bee balm, st. John's wort, whorled milkweed, various azaeleas, tickseed, eastern bluestar, Blue lobelia, and a persimmon tree

Nonnatives that do well and don't compete: English lavender, sweet Williams, 'Shasta' daisies, rocket larkspur, astilbes, cosmos (self seeding), tea rose, various herbs and annuals I throw in there like sunflowers, corn, amaranth.

[summerwages]

sitting pretty...

[rinaririr]

Oh, oh, oh! Okay!! *may the rambling begin* (Please, ignore it if you so please, I just saw an opportunity and ran with it -- no hard feelings if you save yourself from my rambling, haha.)

Hmm... It's not much flower symbolism, but I personally associate Masamune with cornflowers ^^" Partially because they match his colour scheme, but also because they're... a bit rough yet still beautiful? They're wild, growing in the wheat fields, unbothered by wind and sun alike... And so, they add so much colour to what otherwise would be bleak, while also having a hidden side -- below that blue, there lies a possibility of them turning pink. (Quite fitting, considering Masamune's hidden softer side?; They're lovely pH markers.)

Ieyasu... He reminds me of marsh marigolds. The yellow matches, but again, that's not quite it -- I've went to pick them quite often when I was little, and it often was quite a trip. That "marsh" bit isn't an exaggeration, they were always surrounded by puddles upon puddles, if not a river itself... So it wasn't exactly easy to get anywhere near them.

I have some for Chev... White lilac and lilly of the valley... Maybe blooming elderberry too... But those all are mostly there because of my OC.

When I think of Clavis, it's... foxgloves. I mean, they're kind of bizarre, aren't they? They're persistent. They will plant themselves wherever... And they can be both an enemy and a friend -- a medicine or poison, depending on the dosage.

Ay, I better stop now ^^" It's really showing that I'm mostly familiar with wild flowers, eh. Oh well ^^"

I hope you're having a lovely day!

Loreiii!! I don’t mind the rambling~ i love reading your inputs, and this has been a goldmine of ideas! I hope you also don’t mind the rambling that’s going to follow haha

Masamune with cornflower is *chef’s kiss* I personally also associate cornflower with him, altho mine is purely for aesthetics reasons 😂 The blue of the cornflower just matches his blues so well o(—( I didn’t know that they can be use as pH markers! Learnt smt new today~

The symbolism of the marsh marigold for Ieyasu sounds perfect i think… The hassle to get through the water to get to the flowers is kinda like how we gotta see through his prickly side to get to his softer sides haha

With Chev, we kinda geeked out about lilly of the valley before. I also strongly associate him with easter lilies (partly because of their colour). They’re so pretty and elegant (like Chev 😂) and they make their presence known in the room before you see them because of their strong fragrance.

Clavis with foxgloves is GENIUS!! I can’t believe i missed this. They’re sooo pretty, and i always love seeing them on my hikes! The associations you’ve drawn there is *chef’s kiss*

Sorry about the long reply, i hope you have a good day too~!

[ad-caelestia]

planetary botanical correspondences 🌿

including plants, herbs, fruits, vegetables, trees, etc.

[updated 12.12.24]

[☾] moon - acanthus, adder's tongue, agave, alder, almond, aloe, banana, blue hibiscus, broccoli, cabbage, camphor, clary sage, coconut, cucumber, datura, evening primrose, grape, hazel, honeydew melon, honeysuckle, hydrangea, iris, jasmine, jojoba, juniper, kale, lavender, lemon, lotus, mangrove, mallow, moonwort, morning glory, mugwort, mushroom, myrtle, orris root, papaya, peace lily, peach, pear, potato, pumpkin, sandalwood, strawberry, sweet pea, thyme, tomato, turmeric, violet, water lily, watercress, watermelon, white rose, wild lettuce, wild pear, willow, witch hazel, ylang ylang

[⊙] sun - acacia, angelica, ash, balsam, bergamot, birch, buttercup, calamus, calendula, cedar, celandine, centaury, chamomile, cinnamon, citronella, eyebright, frankincense, galangal, gentian, ginger, heliotrope, hibiscus, hops, hyacinth, juniper, laurel, lovage, mandarin, marigold, mistletoe, oak, orange, orris root, palm, peony, pine, poinciana, poppy, rosemary, rue, saffron, st. john’s wort, sunflower, walnut

[☿] mercury - almond, beet, bladderwrack, blueberry, caraway, carrot, cassia, celery, clover, dill, endive, eucalyptus, fennel, fenugreek, feverfew, gotu kola, heather, jasmine, juniper berry, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, licorice, lily, lime, mace, mandrake, marjoram, mastic, narcissus, parsley, peppermint, pomegranate, rosemary, sandalwood, spearmint, sweet pea, valerian, wintergreen, wolfberry (goji berry), wormwood

[♀] venus - adam and eve root, apple, apricot, avocado, banana, beans, bergamot, cashew, cherry, clover, corn, daffodil, daisy, damiana, elderberry, geranium, goldenrod, hibiscus, lady's mantle, larkspur, lavender, lemon verbena, lilac, myrtle, passion flower, passionfruit, peach, pear, pennyroyal, peppermint, plantain, plum, primrose, raspberry, rose, spearmint, strawberry, sycamore, tansy, thyme, vanilla, venus fly trap, violet, yarrow, ylang ylang

[♂] mars - acacia, allspice, basil, bay leaf, black pepper, calamus, cardamom, carrot, cassava, cayenne, chili pepper, chives, cinnamon, coriander, cranberry, cumin, dragonfruit, dragon’s blood, garlic, ginger, hawthorne, hickory, horseradish, hyacinth, leek, mango, mustard, nettle, onion, patchouli, pennyroyal, pepper, radish, red pepper, rue, thistle, tobacco, tomatillo, turmeric

[♃] jupiter - agrimony, alfalfa, alkanet, anise, asparagus, balsam, bayberry, bell pepper, betony, bergamot, blessed thistle, borage, carnation, catnip, cedar, chamomile, cinquefoil, clove, clover, copal, corn, crampbark, endive, eyebright, fig, fir, fumitory, garlic, grapefruit, honeysuckle, hops, hyssop, lavender, lemon verbena, juniper berry, maple, nutmeg, oak, poplar, raspberry, rhubarb, saffron, sage, sandalwood, shamrock, st. john's wort, stevia, tomato, tulip, turnip

[♄] saturn - amaranth, apple, arnica, asafoetida, ash, asparagus, beet, black bean, black cherry, black poppy seed, blackgum, bluebell, comfrey, cypress, daffodil, datura, dogwood, elm, foxglove, garlic, grape, grapefruit, hellebore, hemlock, hemp, henbane, holly, horsetail, lettuce, mandrake, mullein, mushroom, myrrh, night-blooming jasmine, nightshade, oak, pansy, parsley, patchouli, petunia, pumpkin, rosemary, skullcap, snowdrop, spinach, spruce, thyme, tobacco, tomato, valerian, vetiver, willow, winter rose, wintergreen, witch hazel, wolfsbane (aconite, monkshood), yew

[♅] uranus - banana, beet, blueberry, bryony, calamus, carrot, cedar, chamomile, cinnamon, clove, coffee, eucalyptus, fennel, ginger, gingko, guarana, hemp, kava kava, lavender, lime, mango, nutmeg, orange blossom, pansy, parsley, parsnip, pokeweed, sage, skullcap, solomon’s seal, spinach, true unicorn root, valerian, violet, wintergreen

[♆] neptune - ash, asparagus, cantaloupe, celery, cucumber, datura, endive, fern, hemp, honeydew melon, honeysuckle, jasmine, lemon balm, lavender, lettuce, lilac, lobelia, lotus, melon, morning glory, moss, mugwort, myrrh, nutmeg, orange blossom, passionflower, peach, pear, pine, poppy, psilocybin, rhubarb, seaweed, skullcap, strawberry, valerian, water lily, watercress, watermelon, wild lettuce, willow, wisteria, zucchini

[♇] pluto - acacia, anise, asparagus, barley, basil, belladonna, black walnut, blueberry, buckwheat, chives, chrysanthemum, columbine, corn, cypress, damiana, dogwood, dragon’s blood, eucalyptus, fern, fig, fly agaric, foxglove, galangal root, garlic, guarana, hops, kava kava, larkspur, leek, mandrake, mullein, mushroom, nettle, oats, onion, pansy, parsley, passion flower, patchouli, periwinkle, pomegranate, potato, psilocybin, redwood, rye, saw palmetto, silverweed, skullcap, spinach, strawberry, turnip, valerian, vinca, wheat, wormwood, yohimbe, yucca

© 2024 ad-caelestia

[bethestaryouareradio]

Dear Deer!

By Cynthia Brian

 "We are part of the earth, and it is part of us… the deer, the horse, the great eagle: these are our brothers.”

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– Chief Seattle.

Now that fall has arrived, foraging deer have become a nuisance in suburban gardens. The Columbian Blacktail was abundant during the 18th century in California. The population plummeted after the Goldrush due to over-hunting for venison and rawhide. The Department of Fish and Game speculates that between 1900-1910, fewer than 300,000 deer of all species roamed the state. In 1907, deer hunting was regulated resulting in deer residents soaring to over a million by the 1940s. The decline of the horned herbivores began when fire suppression increased, agricultural plots swelled, and wildlands became suburban developments. Yet, the dear deer acclimated to their new environment and today claim our gardens as their favorite restaurants.

As I’ve been busy with garden consultations this past month, the issue of deer damage continues to be a major concern. The hills are dry, edible resources have diminished, and the most inviting source of delectable treats grows in our private landscapes. Oh deer!

As a child, I remember going out into the orchards and vineyards on our farm at dusk every September evening to scare the herds as they could easily devour a year’s harvest. All the methods we tried didn’t work until we built fences surrounding the property.

I have always admired these beautiful, gentle creatures, and I enjoy watching the big bucks in the hills, sometimes sparring. In the spring when the mothers show their fawns where the newly sprouted green weeds are growing, I am doubly delighted. As much as I enjoy these wild, peaceful prowlers, like all gardeners, I don’t want them devouring my plants.

It is essential to be clear. There is NO DEER-PROOF plant. If the animal is hungry enough, he or she will eat anything. The only deer-proof garden is a fenced garden. In this article, I’ll share a few strategies for you to attempt. However, I reiterate, that the only foolproof method is to fence your yard. Since most people don’t fence their front gardens, I am including a list of plants that deer relish munching and a list of plants they prefer not to consume, although they’ll eat the new, tender shoots of most. Keep this handy list as a reference as you plan to plant.

What plants are deer attracted to?

Deer enjoy sweet, soft, delicate plants that won’t annoy their tongues or their sensitive palates.

If you want to offer deer a bountiful buffet, these are a few of the plants they gravitate to:

Agapanthus

Pansies

Daylilies

Hosta

Violas

Violets

Dahlia

Tulips

Sunflower

Crocus

Gerbera

Hydrangea

Rhododendron

Azalea

Hibiscus

Clematis

Hollyhock

Morning glory

Blackberries

English ivy

Grape vines

Kiwi

Peas

Greens (lettuce, spinach, chard)

Beans

Cabbage

Broccoli

Beets

Carrot tops

Corn

Deer-Resistant Species

In general, marauding stags and does stays away from strong-smelling, bitter-tasting, fuzzy, leathery, spiny, toxic, and fibrous foliage. They will eat these as a last resort because no flower or leaf is deer-proof. They innately know what plants are poisonous. If you want to deter deer from dining chez vous, try planting the selections below.

Natives:

Yarrow

Manzanita

Sage (salvias)

Pot marigolds

California poppies

Milkweed

Ferns

California Fuchsia

Deer Grass

Pink flowering currant

Elderberry

Blue-eyed grass

California lilac (ceanothus)

Grevillea (peaches and cream)

Muhly grass

Jerusalem sage

Other Perennial Plants

Bee Balm

Lavender

Catmint

Society Garlic

Ornamental onion

Echinacea

Hardy Geranium

Pinks

Astilbe

Red hot poker

Peony

Dusty Miller

Lambs ear

Hellebore

Penstemon

Digitalis (Foxglove)

Sea Foam Statice

Ferns

Coral Bells (Heuchera)

Coreopsis (Tickseed)

Russian Sage

Sea Holly

Nigella

Nasturtium

Kangaroo Paw

Cosmos

Rudbeckia

Lantana

Gaillardia (Blanket flower)

Sweet Alyssum

Camellia

Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)

Primrose

Bulbs

Crocosmia

Wild leeks

Daffodils

Iris

Allium

Dutch iris

Crocus

Woodland hyacinth

Naked Ladies

Anemone

Annuals

Verbena

Snapdragon

Marigold

Bachelor Buttons

Calendula

Annual Vinca

Lobelia

Larkspur

Tobacco

Stock

Strawflower

Mexican Sunflower

Zinnia

Bushes

Boxwood

Butterfly Bush      

Viburnum

Deutzia

Rose of Sharon

Daphne

Lilac

Weigela

Chinese Fringe flowers

Barberry

Russian Sage

Silky Dogwood

Vines:

Passionflower

Pink Bower Vine

Other Grasses (many grasses are not recommended due to being fire-prone)

Lomandra grass

Mexican Feather grass

Zebra grass

Fountain grass

New Zealand flax

Egyptian Papyrus

Mondo grass

Blue Oat grass

Deer Deterrents

Many people have experimented with deer deterrents. Other than allowing your dogs to roam the perimeter installing fencing around the area, or putting wire around every single plant, I have not found that any of these worked. Give any a try and let me know if you are successful.

1.     Sprays that include rotten eggs, panther urine, garlic, and soap. If sprayed everywhere every few days, you might be in luck. Deer Away and Liquid Fence have been mentioned as effective when used according to directions.

2.     Motion-activate sprinklers. They do work to scare the deer away, but I hate wasting a drop of water.

3.     Whirly flags or spin wheels, but you’d need a dozen or more.

4.     Shaved soap, usually Irish Spring. I think the herbivores loved the clean scent.

When the foraging pickings are slim, the deer adapt to whatever is available. In autumn, deer lack sustainable food resources. Our lush landscapes are extremely attractive to them. As you decide what to plant this season, select smartly and with the knowledge that no plant is deer-proof.

We are all part of this earth. Do your best to get along with our nature’s brothers and sisters.

Dear deer!

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing.

For more gardening advice for all seasons, check out Growing with the Goddess Gardenerat https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/books. Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia Brian is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 which was just honored as the 2024 Nonprofit of the Year by the Moraga Chamber of Commerce. 

Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com. Her newest children’s picture book, Books in the Barnyard: Oh Deer!, from the series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures is available at https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/online-store. Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures. Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com  

Thanks for reading StarStyle® Empowerment! This post is public so feel free to share it.

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[stardust-in-my-mind-blog]

moon shadow enigma

I light three candles with six wicks

orchid waters, midsummer nights and amber woods

my heart stumbles over all the synchronicities

unintentional mostly but glaring all together

and still I don't know how to reconcile what I believe

the poet within me demands ceremony

I make tea in a mug with a golden tyrannosaurus rex

that says within her wild, barefoot, and free

blue lotus, elderberry, lavender and spearmint

let this brewing of beautiful fragrance cool

let me drink a few swigs of cabernet while I wait

the serpent named Delphyne had many Homeric hymns

of how she was fierce and wont to do mischief to men

and warned that whomever so met this serpentine

the day of doom would sweep him away

Apollo put an end to her near a sweet flowing spring

she left her life while breathing it forth into blood

my tea soothes my anxiety and I remember

again how to breathe and that I need to breathe

how can I forget to breathe so easily?

the oracular temple was built upon her corpse

they say the dragons became rivers

so the oracles breathed her body and soul

from the steam of her ghostly waters in sacred hearths

lulled into deep star death trances to say their prophesies

I mimic their ritual and cleanse my aura to channel me

I feel the pressure of cognitive dissonance

I feel overwhelm in a way that is unfamiliar

or maybe familiar in quantum dimensions

but sourced in calm intuition when I seek out the root

of the symptoms that are suddenly inspired

why did I have to design such intricate mazes

all I can hear is the soft warning that my wings

are held together by wax and feathers

and your techniques in subtle thermodynamics

seem more dangerous now that I'm beginning to

slowly comprehend how safe I used to be

when we only communicated in soundless light

the ring nebula has a red outer layer of hydrogen

forbidden lines of ionized nitrogen make a darker red hue

I have no rhythm or flow right now with all this

thoughtful interference from an activated imagination

the confusion doesn't make me worried

the confusion lets me know I need to focus

let my attention draw itself slowly over

a body of words that whisper to my adrenaline

that absorbs into a quick pulse one could feel

at my throat or maybe my neck depending on how

the hand and clever fingers decide to measure it

that track of mind does not help balance me

okay, let me open the sails of my evening spirit

and try to understand the direction of this wind

[alex-harris]

Circular weave workshop 20th October

I first began this workshop by doing another circular weave sample, this time with a much bigger hoop to trial sizes and the different things I could potentially do with that.

I experimented with various materials such as wool, dyed fabric and curtain trims to vary weight size and colour in this piece in order to better convey my theme of my practice in nature. I think the weaknesses in this piece is that the colours don't exactly fit with each other, some of the materials contain blue and very bright orange which is straying from my colour scheme slightly. I also think this piece was slightly rushed and I think that it shows the randomness of placement in the weave. On the other hand, that aspect could add to artistic intent by some viewers.

I like the connection above between my circular weave and this small fabric manipulation sample that I experimented with in the thin, green fabric. I like how the folds of the experimentation work very well alongside the twists of both the green and orange trim in the weave. I think it communicates the juxtaposition between a thin, neat piece and the thick, heavy, wild layout of the trims.

I also think this sample links well to my natural dyes experimentation and the things I have found on my walks. This Elderberry fruit I found links well with this weave with the circular connections and visual aspects like texture and colour. I like the way the texture of the green trim in the sample twirls around itself and creates smaller twists which resemble the small fruit in the elderberry. I later dyed with this plant and expect to use the dyed fabric in later samples for my final pieces.