Those Scribbly Gum leaves find their way to the Dye pot....

If you mayhaps read my previous post, you will have seen wordology referring to the call of gathering Scribbly Gum leaves, for L plate experiments with 'eco dyeing' cotton fabrics? Well, those leaves soaked for nigh on two weeks, and were joined by a variety of others, as the local electricity company were rather kindly trimming around their precious wires! I was terribly chaotic, no species labeling, just memory of tree n leaf shapes and locations. Then this morning I felt the time had come, aka I was busting at the seams, to try and see how things unfolded. So I lay out the variety of leaves with a sigh...

This time I had added a 'premordant' to the preparation of the fabric. Bits n bobs of rusty joy brewed away in a jar of white vinegar, which I then diluted with ordinary ol tap water, and dipped said cotton in. Allowing it to dry, n cure a whiles. I had rather pale tea like, still lovely, nothing wrong with a cup o tea, type results last time around. I was hoping the mordanting, not sure if that word exists, could deepen my colours, and mayhaps result in a leaf imprint here or there.

So I laid my mix o leaves out like an abstract painting, n bundled, to maketh ready for the cauldron, with my Spirit kin Moraig dancing a wee jig o glee beside me. So excitingk, and a wee bit ad hoc. The soundtrack was 'The Isle of Roan Inish' mixed with several disco tunes. I feel this helped proceedings.

I wasn't looking at my pot with a lid whilst folding n rolling, hence I found they were too long! Bum! However, fear not my friends, the local tip shop had regaled me with a larger one, lidless but sized perfectly! I reread my references, and decided to cover the wee wool bound rolls o magik with water n boil em, rather than steaming. See how that goes...

I added some Lichen, carefully collected and Australia posted to me by my Mum, and some Cronewort from the garden, for her sheer presence n blessings, to the water. Turned up the unwooded hearthfire and off we go journeyers! What will happen in those potently intentioned waters that smell like walking in a forest???

Oh the joy!! They worked!! Leaf prints n all. My beloved who had been wondering quietly at the buckets of soaking leaves, oohed and aaahhed appreciatively. The shots are taken when freshly unbundled, so the colours lightened some as the fabrics dried but big learning curve from my first attempt. Stoked! The skirt I dyed,which doubles as a dress has barely left my body :)....

References:

'Eco Colour: botanical dyes for beautiful textiles' by India Flint, Murdoch Books, 2008.

'Gum Leaf Alchemy: Eco printing on Cotton' by Louise Upshall, Gumnut Magic.

Scribbly gums, scar tissue and beauty therein...

A few days ago, my beloved and I set out on foot, basket and secateurs in hand, to gather Eucalyptus leaves for my fledgling experiments with 'eco dyeing'. These words coming from the title of a book on plant dyeing I recently borrowed from the local library, by the inspiring India Flint. Specificly on colouring fabric using plants and minimal toxic mordants (fixatives). Eucalyptus species, especially those with leaves o a blueish tint, she discovered work pretty good without 'mordants' on protein fibres, like wool and silk. Of course, I chose to work with cotton! That'd be right. Ha! The tale of preparing cellulose fibre is mayhaps for another time, but began with me swimming in the ocean with 3 metres of unbleached cotton and numerous doilies from the op shop 3 weeks earlier...

Back to ambling with a basket in hand towards local bushlands. We were heading along a path into a deeper part of the Scribbly Gum forest, (so called because of the 'writing' created by small grubs under and upon the bark). I began to notice that those blueish tint leaves, were all way up high in the canopy, beyond reach. However, I recalled a patch nearby, who's form was a more scrambling nature. So we reversed, and made our wending way towards the area. We entered what is a relatively close to suburban realms place. Here the trees have had their cores burnt by bush fire several times, yet regrown around these wounds, and continued to live. In one of the holes created in a trunk by this scarring, we were greeted by a special sight....

A cluster of orchids! Beings who had found their niche, literally amid scar tissue. In a world where for us people, life requires navigating challenges, these Cryptostylis erecta, otherwise less formally known as 'Bonnet Orchids' or 'Tartan Toungue Orchids' had discovered their groove. Sprouting where ants had carried a kind of fine saw dusty soil and moisture collected, upon the dead tissue. It felt like an affirmation, a gift. Keep going you two, you never know what you'll find, or where the trail will lead!

Merrily, I collected my fresh gum leaves, some with nuts, and dried windfall from the ground. I took them home and proceeded to boil n steam up my first pieces of bundled cotton fabric, wrapped upon copper pipe. The results were fairly pale greens and browns, darker where copper touched, but I love them, because they are a start! It's a learning curve. I have some idea's of how to deepen the colours, mayhaps even get some clear leaf prints furthur along. I have rusty iron bits n bobs brewing in white vinegar in a glass jar as I type. An ' iron mordant' said to help with these processes. I am definitely on my L plates, but what delightful diversions along the journey! Seems we stumbled upon both surprise orchids, and for me, another way of engaging with the magic of plants!      

Logo's, eclipses and self care....

I'm in the process of designing a new logo slash labels for my herbal makings, and it's been a time of reassessing. Who am I kidding, I'm always reassessing, I have little choice! Ha! However, attempting to simplify essences of your tangent, with enough detail to include what's important, whilst being able to fit on a 30mL dropper bottle, can be tricky. Although, the recent series of eclipses seem to be aiding in the honing down!

I wanted to write about nourishment, gentleness and self care in such times. These may seem like obvious traits for any apprentice to the green folk. Yup, that's the textbook version. It's an indicator, when you haven't showered for days, or attended to self care. I've experienced this in times of peak mental health challenge, if you, or someone you love, have too, know you're not alone.....

That being said, by goddess when you can pull it out of the bag to do what's kind, it's both a good feeling, and waving flag! If I am making a herbal infusion before bedtime in prep to drink the next day, or a cuppa specific to whats going on, making medicines with the moon, remembering to reach out to my spirit kin, smudging our home, getting dirt between my toes in the garden...well, the stars (at times despite them) and my self care, are aligning. We all have these signs, different and diverse. Yay!

Fish in rivers rarely swim against the currents to the point of exhaustion. Ok spawning Salmon are an impressive exception, lucky for our Bear cousins. Most finned ones however, rest in the eddies and pools, periodically retreating as they navigate their waterways. For those of us who live, play and work with underlying distress, allowing for this with gentility is a gifting.

Internalised stigma can have one flagellating about the fact I'm utilising pretty full on pharmacetical support. In my dream world, I would be wholey managing my life with love, herbs, music, spirit connections, fresh air and good food. Skip de skip, tra la la! Clean and pure, aarggh watch out for that type of language! Just ain't my reality, yet. I'm emphasising the YET folks, not the pure bit, not interested, mayhaps the clean, and all for the skipping ;).

Growth, and indeed healing, take time. She says who goes out each morning to check if those seeds she planted are flowering yet! Anyone who says otherwise is selling something, which is ok, as long as there's honesty there. It takes about 15-20 minutes for a benzodiazepine medication to kick in during a panic attack, I find Motherwort tincture, tea and support, about the same, BUT getting off benzo's can take years. Therein lies the catch. Rebuilding wholth and integration, especially after experiencing trauma, can be slow. This is basically the best of what pharmaceuticals are allowing the space to do.

I don't get the stuff about the science of altered receptors in the brain, and the truth is the drug companies don't either really! However, I do gel with the fact that these are mind altering substances, which suppress and change us. Everything we imbibe through our senses, and body, does!

Whilst at times for various reasons I have been forced to take these meds, they have at times been useful tools to help my situation. In the same breath, I try to work with reclaiming and exploring other ways to nourish, I believe these tangents can co exist, and be in process. That's what I live, and want to share with my story....

So I will continue to sketch my designs, journey, experiment with cheap, accessible ways to make food n medicine, and I'm enrolling at Tafe to take a course in anatomy and physiology. To get there I catch the bus for 40 minutes, with my trusty spirit kin Moraig at my side. They may not sound like big career moves, ain't, but they are some of my wee steps of reclamation. What are yours?

Can we make herbal tinctures with 40% (80 proof) spirits alcohol?

The ways we prepare the blessed plants we gather and grow, after harvest, brings out their different medicinal, and culinary qualities. Whilst vinegar or glycerin can be used, herbal tinctures, are often made with a 'menstruum' that's a blend of alcohol and water. So drawing out the parts of the plant which are soluble in both these mediums. They are concentrated, so small doses can be enough, and the alcohol acts to preserve them, meaning they have a longer shelf life than say, infusions or teas.

In Australia, most 'spirits' we buy at the bottleshop are 37.5%, lets say 40%. It can be very difficult, to access 100 proof (50% alcohol ), or 200 proof (around 95%) grain alcohol (ethanol). You definitely can't just rock up to the local pub for them as you need.

Wise woman ways, or Folkloric traditions tend to use 100 proof Vodka or Brandy, where as commercially prepared tinctures you buy, are generally made using grain alcohol, or ethanol. When using dried plants, the ethanol is generally then diluted with water, to varying ratio's.

Does this mean, this way of working with green folks to make medicine is out of reach of many? A recent experience got me pondering this...

At my medicine cupboard, I came across a Chickweed tincture, Stellaria media, I'd made in a situation where all I'd had access to, was a bottle of 40% alcohol Vodka. Made with the fresh plants tops, not dried, she's a juicy one too. It was dated 2014. As a treat, I pulled out some fancy crystal, poured myself a glass and tasted her. It's simply Vodka right? Totally fine. I tried a Nettle one. Totally fine. Hhhmm....

I opened up Richio Cech's, ' Making Plant Medicines' (page 20)....

"As a menstruum for dry herbs, make "diluted alcohol" by combining one part by volume of grain alcohol with one part by volume of distilled water. If grain alcohol is not available to you, then forget adding water and just use the highest proof spirits you can find. The alcohol you use for dry tinctures must be at least 40 proof (20% pure alcohol) or you risk the possability that the extract will not be adequately preserved.

As a menstruum for fresh herbs, use grain alcohol without adding water. If grain alcohol is not available to you, then just use the highest proof alcohol you can find. The alcohol you use for fresh tinctures must be at least 80 proof (40% pure alcohol) or you risk the possability that your finished extract will not be preserved. Always choose spirits that do not contain a lot of flavouring additives. A tincture works best when it tastes like the herb, not some other flavouring agent that was in the alcohol to start with."

The other tangent I've been exploring is 'preserving' foods. Alcohol is used with things like fruit, fill jar with fruit, cover with Brandy mmm. Elderberries anyone? In 'The River Cottage Preserves Handbook', by Pam Corbin, she writes that 'alcohol is a very useful preserving medium, but to function effectively, it must be in the form of a spirit that is at least 40 percent alcohol (80 proof). Gin, vodka, rum, brandy and whiskey, are all suitable.' Shelf life is given as 3 years for preserves using 40% alcohol. Not bad, the Chickyweed tincture I'd had was 4 years old, and still had her abundant greenery floating in it!

I'm putting this out there for feedback. Totally love to hear from you if you have comments or experiences! With the seeds coming up in our garden, these ideas are also emerging....

New moon, new n fresh garden....

Walking back from the beach a whiles back, we looked up a side alley, and spotted with our scavenging eyeballs, a stash of used decking timber being piled up for hurling. We asked the demolition slash builders permission, then proceeded to do laps with it, by car and bare foots. Miles removed the nails from the lot, and we had a pile ready for a growing ember of diy potentials. New raised garden beds, which is what one needs for growing on such sandy soils as we have here.

So it began :). Isn't it beautiful?! We also repaired old beds that had rotted through. Then found a ready made pine box on a chuck out pile which we lined with recycled plastic to extend its life.

After selling two of my felted dolls :) we had the dosh to invest in some premium landscape soil, three cubic metres worth, which seemed rather an overwhelming amount when it poured from the rear of the delivery truck! However, we've nearly found homes for it all....

I've pulled out the seed collection, both purchased, and saved from previous crops. Food, flowers and herbs all in together, go da diversity! Ive been dancing about sprinkling mixtures on the soil, and watering them in gleefully. Tonight it's raining which is great :).

Some plants which were growing in pots, have been planted out to stretch n spread, like two very happy Motherwort's and a Lemon Balm, I cut back to their new growth. Some were in older beds and have been dug up, fresh soil mix added then replanted, including our Yarrow patch, and some Parsley seedlings.

Next task is to add in some of our homemade compost layered on top, so all the worms and greeblies can delve down and settle in. Not mulching yet too many seeeeeeeds!! To be added to with plants from Byron Herb Nursery. Just a few ;).

So, the Nooks medicine garden will be growing with the waxing moon. Hopefully by full, there will be small green folks popping up, unfurling round abouts, and others settling in their roots deeper. A bit like us.....   
 

Depression and Bush Flower essences, part 2

Finding out what makes your life worth it, what ignites you, is kinda the antithesis of depression. Oh ok, I'll just write a to do list shall I? I don't mean to over simplify, especially where energy and motivation have often left the building. For me though, working with flower essences, indeed herbs, touch me, as I mentioned in the previous post. Bonus is, if needed you can often use them whilst also on pharma. It doesn't have to be either /or.

If you are drawn to work with them, I'd recommend mostly a single, or two, essences to start off with. So that you can feel out what, if any changes or shifts are occurring. As you get to know how that feels, you could introduce another. Some folks say 3-5 essences can be combined, I find that's a bit too much information for me.

Do know that things may become more challenging, or amp up before they ease, and allow for this. It just seems the way of things, like the death throes of ol shit, but hang in! The effects can be worth it.  

For most people with mental health issues, often our auras have been damaged by abuse or trauma, this is where I've experienced the Australian Bush Flowers, 'Fringed Violet' (Thysanotus tuberosus) can help. To reseal and mend these tears. It's a way of reweaving the energetic scars, or wounding caused. So, that's where my friend had started me off, with a mix of Fringed Violet, and 'Angelsword'  (Lobelia gibbosa). The 'Angelsword' can assist with releasing psychic entities that may have entered where the aura was open, or simply attached to us in daily life. As they do. Which is a whole post in and of itself. Without sounding like an infommercial, I found these flowers really helpfull. They quietened things down enough for me to begin to connect with local flowers. Perhaps you will have your own ways to do this, or be drawn to different flowers. Take what feels right, leave the rest eh.

Over the last few days I've been walking along the beach and  there growing in pure sand, blooming away is Wild Sea Rocket! She waved her low growing, succulent flower spikes at me :) Cakile maritima is the British Isles plant, and Cakile edentula the American. Both occur in Australia, seeds washed upon our shores. The main identifying difference being in the fruit. Lucky for me, she's covered in them, and the wee horns on her lower section tell me we have maritima growing here!

Now I knew Scotland's 'Findhorn' Flower Essences have their interpretation for this plant, but I wanted to feel out my own. So I sat with her, and listened for messages. Well, actually after sitting a whiles watching the waves and getting 'I ground you enough to witness emotions', I lay down. Surrounded by her abundant growth gazing at passing clouds, rather like the succulent groundcover herself does, laying low as needed. A few tears came. Saline stuff, wouldn't bother her. She grows where salt spray and sand are her nutrients. I made two 200ml bottles of mother essence ;)

Mental health is a process, this isn't a finish line type situation. It's adjustments and changes made with lifes ebb n flow. Diversity is however, something I experience plants seeing the beauty of, embodying and helping to emerge. Bush flower essences can hold some of that space for us, preserved in a wee dropper bottle o sunshine and a dram o booze. So too, it seems do those arriving by ocean from places far away, like Sea Rocket :).

Depression and Bush flower essences...

These words are slightly belated in their posting, but I'm popping them up anyways....

When a dear sister hit the road travelling to more southerly climes, she left her collection of Australian Bush Flower essences with me to baby sit, with the words work with them, simply replace what you use. It had been years since I had made or worked with these medicines. At the time I was in a quandry as to whether to go back onto the antidepressant medications I had not so long ago withdrawn from. I decided to try working with the essences first....

 Flowers are a plants spunky bits, the pollinator attracting, reproductive part. They also speak of the plants personality, their strengths, focus and character. This is the aspect I see flower essences connecting with. Not that the whole plant doesn't hold these messages for us, indeed they do, but flower essences can touch us in unexpectedly subtle, yet potent ways, for medicines which hold little of the 'physical' constituents of a plant. Perhaps they can effect emotional and spiritual challenges, particularly where other resources may have not touched the sides. Simply because, who doesn't look at a flower with wonder, and a little fascinated awe? They contain a concentrated imprint.

Drinking the dew, or indeed nectar of flowers, is a phenomena that has been going on for as long as passers by thirsted for cool drinks. Indigenous Australians drank the nectar of bottlebrushes, dryandras, grasstrees, grevilleas, hakeas, red-devils, tea trees and wild honeysuckles. Flower heads were shaken, or soaked in water. Other flowers simply tapped across the palm of the hand and then licked. There are many tales that involve the gifts, and symbolism, of native flowers like the Waratah. Medicine ways often arise from lore, and its not such a leap to personally listen to the messages of the plants, and then hear affirmations in these tales.

Dr Edward Bach, in modern times, a homeopath and sensitive who is known for his self named flower essences, apparently acknowledged that remedies would come, following his own, for and in different places and times. This has been shown to be true, with the Californian Flower Essence Society, Findhorn Flower Essences, Australian Bush Flower and Living Essences of Western Australia, amongst many beautyfull, go you, smaller scale makers :).

Recently walking in nearby bush, a dew covered flowering Styphelia plant, waved to get my attention, and whilst noticing the unusual greenish colouration of her flowers, I pondered. Taking note of where she was growing, and with permission having a beverage stop. Later on returning home, I pulled out Ian White's, Australian Bush Flower Essences books and there she was. Named 'Five Corners' for her fruit form, relating to building self esteem, love and acceptance of self and joyousness. Hhhmmm....

When I delved into the kit I was care taking, she was missing, so my partner, Miles, and I returned to her the next day with our medicine making gear :). Me with gear, he with feet, and phone camera.

   

There's some good resources online about making flower essences, so I won't go into the processes here too much, except to say it's not too hard, and a lovely process. If someone says don't touch the plant, use tweezers, go ho haa, its a dialogue. That by connecting with the plant, a healing relationship forms. You can make your own medicines. Again!!

Now, I'm not saying flower essences replaced an antidepressant, they work in compleeeetteely different ways. Firstly, I had to be out and about walking to connect with Styphelia, if only just making it there. The beauty of her forms, and colours, were enough to stop me in my tracks. She got my attention, and shifted it, to asking if I could sip her dew, and indeed make some medicine, to later share with others. She helped me identity dance. Reclaim :)

Looking the Cailleach in the eye....

In the Southern Hemisphere we have just danced our way, or in some cases moved somewhat less gracefully, through Mabon, the Autumn equinox. When day and night stand on equal footing, as we shift towards the darker, colder, part of the year. However, the harvest is still present!

"Mugwort's renown among common folk as a powerful systemic healer reaching into the reproductive, digestive, urinary and digestive tracts has earned this artemisia the nickname cronewort. Like the old woman who has passed through many moons, harvesting wisdom into the folds of her wide skirt, this common weed, denounced and torn up recklessly by the ignorant, truley walks and lives amongst the people."

Our local Artemisia or 'Cronewort' is flowering and ready for tincturing for winter use....

"Intractable and sturdy as a hag, cronewort stretches its roots amid those urban places humans tend to scurry rather than wander in, their hurried pace forgetful of the very existance of the natural world. Affectionately known in Russian as zabytko, which means forgetful, croneworts strong camphorlike oils, when inhaled, open up ancient chambers in the brain, bringing to life ones dream life stirring visions of past and future that overflow with magical imagery. The symbols which dance through our cronewort-touched dreams pull out the cob-webs of our forgetfulness and assist us in remembering old, unwritten ways of healing and living that attend to the needs of spirit and soul."
Our Elder's have born fruit for the first time! Although not enough to make wine with or tincture, I am gratefully tasting good medicine straight from her branchs as I thankfully pour a little of my apple cider onto her roots in offering. Both these plants have associations with elder women, as does the season we are moving towards, as Judith Berger evokes....

"In Denmark, it was said that a dryad called Hylde-Moer, the elder tree mother, dwelled in the branches of the tree and watched over it. If any part of the tree was cut without first beseeching the elder-mother, it was believed that she would haunt the family of those who had bypassed her consent
until what was taken was returned."

"Elder is considered the tree of transformation, guardian of the thirteenth month of the Celtic tree calendar. This month, which is three days long, contains both the end of the year, Samhain (Halloween) and the beginning of the New Year (All Soul's Day). The elder tree is home to the crone who carries many names besides Hylde-Moer: Cailleich, Hel, Queen of the Underworld, and Freya, Norse keeper of the fire. This ancient goddess of many names who resides within the elder guards the doorway between the living and spirit realm of the ancestors."
                                                                                
In Gaelic folklore there is the Cailleach, a creatrix of lonesome and somewhat frightening proportions associated with the coming of winter, spirit thereof. Her face said to be blue, woad like mayhaps, and of a single eye, oft a sign of vision into the otherworlds (my interpretations). 

There is no 'epic' for the Cailleach, although a poem or two is thought to be of her, like one from the 9th century "The Lament of the Old Woman of Beare'. She is referred to under various related names, Cailleach Beare, Cailleach Bheur, Gentle Annie, when it comes to rocky landscape, isolated locales and in reference to harsh weather conditions. Late coming winter storms,  unnavigatable whirlpools and hard frosted ground are her terrain. Inferred reflections of her barren or otherwise hostile inner world, which I find rather interesting, as an aging woman.

Not in a distant oh how intellectually fascinating kind of way, but more of a growing down, sagging indeed, is real, and with the gaining of wisdoms that time passing brings, comes feelings that ain't always pretty. I have recently been rather shocked at having several respected elder women get cantankerous with me, and its made me pull up and have a bit of a think. Now they probably are not aware of this effect, working conciously as community nurturers, which indeed they are. Protectors of the ways. The plant Nettle comes to mind. I'm not saying this means their behaviour didn't hurt.

What I am saying, and pondering, is that perhaps I have romanticised the Crone as an archetype, into particular forms, and in doing this, not allowed my friends their vulnerabilities as real folks. What is folk lore, after all, but tales of people? Is the wise woman not allowed difficult or intense emotion (at any age)? Challenges she may respond to in ways we find confronting and suitably unbecoming? Am I not, looking the Cailleach in the eye in some ways? Another translation of her name is 'veiled one', holder of mysteries and what lies beyond.

In Ireland, Wales and parts of Scotland I've read of traditions around the last sheaf of wheat being referred to as the Granny, or even Cailleac. There are connotations that the last farmer to pull in his harvest will be left with the old hag, as a sign of his procrastination, laziness even. It's an honor to be avoided. However, also, there exist traditions where a part of this sheaf is fed to the horses who plough the first field of the next season. That therein, is contained the seeds that survive the winter and feed the spring sowing. Interesting. Not in a kind of abstract that's a quaint old folk tradition type way, but the reality that older women hold seeds.

" A modern version of the Stenia ( or Bitching Festival) is when we get together and discuss our negative emotions. We pay a lot of money for these moments in therapy groups. Somehow, negative emotions are not acceptable, and we pretend we don't have them. If we are lucky and have a best friend, we can always vent these negative feelings to them. But what a joy if we could safely (my emphasis) tell off face-to-face those people we are angry with!"
                                                                                                 Z Budapest
 
Now I'm going to digress into some of my own shamanic journey work with Cailleach, it's not from a book, a blog or resources, other than my own personal ones engaging with spirit.

I had been guided to visit her several times in the cottage where she lived, on the edges of village and forest. As I turned to her, before being seated, on one visit, she suddenly turned into the most frightening spectre, and loomed above me intimidatingly. I felt completely unsafe, I was terrified! However, I stood my ground, how, I am unsure. Somehow saying, 'I know you', recalling earlier, friendlier, incarnations. She shrank back down to familiarity, 'Goooood!' she said, laughing uproariously and slapping her knee.

I hope I can conjure up this same steadfastness with the Elder women in my life who have shown me a taste of the shadow realms, and that there may be healing beyond. My beloved Grandmother Alice, told me to f*** off once. So I listened, respected her wishes, and bloody did. On my return, carrying a softer memory of her, she offered me seeds I continue to carry.


References and Resources:

'Funk and Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend'. Harper and Row. 1970.

'Grandmother Time: A Women's Book of Celebrations, Spells, and Sacred Objects for Every Month of the Year' by Zsuzsanna Budapest.  Harper Collins, New York. 1989.

'Herbal Rituals' by Judith Berger. St Martins Press, New York.1998.

'Kindling the Celtic Spirit: Ancient Traditions to Illumine your Life Throughout the Seasons' by Mara Freeman. Harper Collins, New York. 2000. see 'Meditation: The Hag's Chair' p222.

'Tairis' blog: An article on Brigid and the Cailleach
http://www.tairis.co.uk/an-tri-naomh/bride-and-the-cailleach/

'Two Old Women: An Alaskan Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival' by Velma Wallis. Harper Collins. 1993. Great read for any woman feeling cast out.

Cernunnos....

          Earthing out in the shade, amidst the leaf litter and soft grasses, in the heat of the day.
                                                                 As you do....

  

The Seeress....

The Seeress may appear blind to the physical realms, yet her vision both includes and moves beyond its borders. Cronewort, an Artemisia ally, assists her shifting. Here she is seen in her birthing space.

This enspirited doll has been part of an intensive process over the last two or so weeks, developing a body pattern and doll size for my new Etsy shop, Opalartifacts. She was followed by the first doll to be sturdy enough for listing, a wee Crone, also a walker between the worlds. A wise and merry guide for someone to find...

Opalartifacts shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/Opalartifacts