Dove wings and herbs...

People have used animal skins, feathers, claws and such in ritual and totemic ways for eons. If you're going to kill something for meat and waste not, of course you gather the parts that can be utilised aswell. Originating in the days before you could pop up to the shop for some sinew, such economy was a sign of acknowledgement of an animal giving its life and simple need for materials.  Such thoughts found me today as I came across a small dove who had hit an upstairs window at a dear friends home, and fallen to the ground dead. It was a bit of a shock for her bird spirit. I placed her body on my altar, lit incense and candles to honour her passing and asked permission to harvest her beautyfull wings....yessss....

Plants can be similar, although we can often harvest without ending a plants life, unless its the root we're after. An annuals lifespan can seem so short as they speedily seed and spread. In our garden Ive decided to focus on gathering some perennials to build up the plant base for my craftings. So, I ventured out to the local herb farm to score some green folks, and oh my I was pleased with what I found. Motherwort, Leonuris cardiaca, to begin with. In tincture form this plant is the in the pocket remedy for anxiety or panic attacks, she got me through my bike license test, and is non addictive unlike pharmaceutical sedatives or tranquilisers. Whilst only small at the moment she can grow upto a metre wide and tall, self seeding into a 'patch'. 

Other familiar faces included Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), Rue (Ruta Graveolens), Echinacea and Lemon Verbena, with her georgeous lemon scent, and they all came home to play. *smile*