Green oats tincture and ecodye loving as we head gathering in towards the full moon....

Hhhmm it's been a while since I typed, much has happened. Indeedy, I hardly know where to begin. It's now nigh on December full moon, and there has been a definite building feeling this cycle round...

I'll begin this post with a magical process in the garden which mayhaps epitomises this time. We were gifted a couple o bags o shit, not by life as is oft the case, but by a neighbour, to fertilise the soil. Gathered from a not too distant horse race course, this had born within it, seeds. Special ones for a nervous system in need of tonifying....

 Oats! I've been wanting to make green oats tincture for a whiles but didn't think they'd grow in the subtropics. In the bottom picture, along with dyers fingernails, you'll see the succulent milk exuding from the ready to harvest oat as I squeezed it to test for readyness. Exciting! Tinctured those babies up. Learning that you can simply harvest the tops and the rest will grow, and hence seed, again. Sustainablity.... :)

So, as with the coming of the oats, life has brought nourishment, and abundance. I feel more loved and supported than ever in my life. Had a few wee cries about it, and the beautiful paths I find myself now walking accompanied....

In a series of furthur eco dyeing adventures, the learning curve continues! I now have an Instagram account which focuses mostly on such plant ally craftings, 'opalplantways' if you'd like to see what I'm up to. That's probably where I'll be hanging out mostly....

I was doing some experiments with mordanting the leaves, rather than the fabric, I know mindbending (hinted at generously by 'Elemental Leaf')! Which resulted in a surplus of leaves that had soaked for some days in a strong brew of iron potion. When I came to do a batch of bundles with previously mordanted items, I popped a few of these leaves onto a linen collared shirt I had dyed some time before, but which turned out very pale. This is what happened, check out the rusty looking coloured patches....

I actually really dug the look of them! It was like abstraction, rather than aiming for 'perfect' leaf prints. Now, that's not to say, those aren't beautiful, they are, but there was something here I enjoyed. So, I followed that line of vibe and had a go on some damask (dahlinks) tablecloth scraps from the op shop....

It was done with Eucalyptus and Bracken leaves that had been soaking so long they were on the verge of becoming compost, and I simply harvested some Geranium leaves fresh from the bush at our front door! I was in an utter state of play, which was lovely! I also reckon I made a few discoveries about the blend I'd like to achieve of clear leaf prints and oozing dyepot magix!

                                       

            I have no idea where this will all lead! Thank the goddess! I'm just flowing with it.....

Echinacea....

This flowerhead, not fully mature yet,  belongs to Echinacea, commonly known as 'purple cone flower' for obvious reasons. Three to four foot tall with dark green ribbed and trowel shaped leaves, she is a striking plant. The flower taking form to seedhead over some weeks.

Echinacea is a high profile plant as a natural alternative to antibiotics. Especially in treating acute colds and flus. I have never used Echinacea purpurea, or augustifolia, the two species best known for their medicine. Which is why Im so excited that my plant is doing well. Its the top purple flower although as I bought it unlabelled Im not sure which i have. The second one is an ornamental member of the genus, less medicine more simply 'my pretty' but sharing a similar 'form'.  

In reading up on Echinacea, augustifolia seems the stronger medicine, and some folks will take only her, believing purpurea to be less effective. Purpurea doesn't hold her medicinal qualities when dried, but she is easier to grow and self seeds.

When making your own tinctures the root is used, although some people do add flowerheads and leaves. A good tincture should zing on the tongue. I have heard that many commercial Echinacea preparations are made from flower heads only, to save the plant for another harvest. It seems a bit like the ginsing thing of the oldest roots being the best medicine, but because the older roots have been heavily harvested, people turn to the flowers, or the roots of purpurea. Its best to leave roots at least 3 years before harvesting only 1/4 and then you can reharvest annually.

A kindergarten teacher who constantly got colds took 30 drops daily of echinacea tincture and had her first cold free winter since she began to teach. Such stories are the basis of the demand for Echinacea tincture as the seasons turn cooler but there is discussion as to whether she can be stimulating to the immune system which isnt great if its already run down or exhausted.

I look forward to experimenting, I have a feeling she'd make a fine flower essence or protective amulet ingredient....

Motherwort....Leonurus cardiaca....

I have two Motherwort plants, that Im mentally willing to grow, so that I can top up my tincture stocks. This plant is the 'in your pocket' remedy for anxiety. Take 5 drops of the tincture then rest for 10-15 minutes, if she's not kicking in for you take another 5 drops, upto 20 drops, you will then know your base dose for when nerves hit next time round. This herb is effective without being addictive and can be taken several times a day, if needed.
Her soothing nature can help to bring on menses which are held because of stress or tension, and to ease uterine cramping, but if your prone to heavy bleeding, she might not be the best ally for you.
She can chill out menopausal  processes, like the severity and length of hot flashes.
The 'cardiaca' part of her is that those with a rapid or irregular heart beat can slow it down with her help. 
Motherwort was demonised during the burning times for her part in midwifery, along with the women who worked with her.
As an incense she is specific to protecting women and children.

A mother of a herb...

comfrey salve...

My mums coming up to visit, with a broken rib. In some rather nice timing Ive been infusing comfrey leaf in oil to make up a salve, so i made up the first half so she can have some meet her when she arrives. I strained all the plant material out of the olive oil, grated up some beeswax and added that to the oil heating in a double boiler. The end result looks silky and should be pretty good for all her internal bruisings and breaks. Meanwhile my cat nomad relaxed...

As a footnote, next time I make salve Ill add something antiseptic to the brew, like lavendar oil. If a wound has infection in it, comfreys amazing properties can heal the cut, leaving the infection locked in beneath the surface. This generally doesnt apply for sprains and fractures, which is why i suggest 'using externally' when i offer someone comfrey salve.

Comfrey, is she safe?

Today i harvested some comfrey leaves to infuse in oil so i can make a comfrey salve down the track. How green and good does that look? All ready to go in  a cool dark place to brew.
Reconnecting with her , Ithought Id address the much maligned plant. Is she safe?

There are two types of comfrey, wild comfrey (Symphytum officinale) and cultivated comfrey (Symphytum uplandica x , the x means its a hybrid). Wild comfrey is a smaller plant with yellow flowers. Cultivated comfrey is a large plant often surpassing 2 metres with blue or purple flowers. Symphytum uplandica x was created post the 2nd world war by Henry Doubleday as a survival food. People tend to be growing uplandica, and that is what can be sold in stores, mislabeled.

Just to confuse things a little more, the roots and leaves of comfrey contain different constituents. Comfrey root, like most perennial roots, contains poisons. Wild comfrey (Symphytum officinale) leaves contain some of the poisons but cultivated comfrey (Symphytum uplandica x) leaves dont. Comfrey leaves are protein rich, a great source of folic acid, many vitamins, minerals and trace minerals we need for a strong immune system and a calm nervous system. Comfrey ointment heals wounds, cuts, burns, itches and most skin problems.

I once cut myself with a razor, it would have needed stitches. I put a comfrey leaf poultice on the cut, replacing it a couple of times with pressure applied and it closed up and healed, so i look forward to making a batch of ointment and sharing it....even if its not harvested from our wee patch yet...

making space for plant medicines...

Just recently a friend offered me this 1930s cupboard, a little dusty n mouldy, but nothing a bucket of hot bubbly eucaltyptus wash couldnt handle. I decided to use it as our medicine cupboard. I do believe by making spaces for that which we honour and love theres an energy about of drawing these things into our lives. I love making salves, tinctures, elixirs and brews and it lets the plants know that I value their giveaways. Kinda like an altar to herbs eh. One that can be closed up n away too, like those curiousity cabinets folks made in victorian times filled with, well curious stuff. Often bones, talismans, amulets, taxidermy or just plain ol exotic things from far away places. Sitting ontop are all my gathering baskets, sadly unused of late. Also my dried herb ( aka coffee) grinder that I got for a couple of bucks, which was pretty grotty, but cleaned up, sanded back and oiled came up a dream.....
Ive gathered all my herb and gardening books in shelves next to the cupboards, so all in all my plant shrine is rather well rounded. Now hopefully some herbs will cross my path and wanna play! Next task is to design a logo / label to use for my medicines.....

mortar and pestle.....

Violet, Viola odorata.

Another mucilaginous plant after plantain, whos leaves can be eaten too.

My experience of violet would seem to affirm the reputation of her leaves, and flowers, as  dissolvers of growths and tumours both internally and externally. A neighbours dog had a large cancerous growth at her throat, which was causing discomfort breathing, and continuing to grow. She would pick the leaves,mince them, put them to brew in milk and then strain off the plant material, giving the dog the milk to drink.Twice a day if I remember rightly. It was a kind of last ditch effort, but the growth stopped, the dog was not only able to come of vet prescribed meds but ended up living for years more. A sweet ending indeed....

Resources:   Juliette de Baracli Levy. The Complete Herbal Hanbook For the Cat and the Dog