Have a blessed Winter Solstice

 

Storm Valkyrie 😘

Enjoy Winter

 

There are many ways to overcome effective seasonal disorder, abbreviated SAD, others call it "winter blues". Its the gloomy sensation of depression during the Winter season. Some believe it's just psychological and people who don't like dark cold Winters get extremely low. SAD often happens to women more than men. Usually it appears among young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 years old. Despite this figure made by Rush University, SAD also happens to about 2 million of people in the UK and 12 million people across Europe. 

This was always tackled by ways of enjoying it that often includes Yule celebrations and building snowmen. There are many ways of nipping the Winter in the bud, and they often mean keeping warm, getting a lot of sleep, keeping active, keeping warm, reading, making crafts and playing music. This is often health advice given by NHS. 

I would say go a bit further and enjoy food! Winter foods that I personally enjoy is soup, oats or porridge, root vegetables, cooked mushrooms, spice including ginger and cinnamon, berries, fish, nuts, honey and eggs. This is also my favourites: Stargazer pie and fruit cake.  

Storm Valkyrie 🌲 🌲🌲🌲       

Hibernating

 

Art by Roxxie Drox

This is the time now when some animals are going into hibernation for Winter. There are quite a number of animals that sleep for months and wake up in the Spring. This is why certain wildlife is hidden away during Winter because they've snuggled up. This is a list of some animals that sleep throughout Winter and who don't need to get up for anything:

Bears, bats, common poorwills (they're the only bird species to hibernate), wood frogs, turtles, bumblebees, snails, hedgehogs, groudhogs, snakes, flat-tailed dwarf lemurs, red squirrels, ground squirrels, woodchucks, female polar bears, prairie dogs, spiders, northern raccoons and lizards including house gecko. 

In that list, some animals don't sleep solidly but are half awake. Why do they do that? Winter is a season when food is scarce. For wild animals to go without food this is a huge problem, but as it's Winter  that causes low food supply, no more fruits, lack of plants to chew, no migrating fish or birds to hunt, and a barren landscape. Filled with cold damp temperatures, as the bitter cold arrives bringing possible snow in various high places, animals don't like to be in really unpleasant conditions. They would be feeling cold and hungry. So their own bodies close down for the Winter in a long sleep, so that they don't need food. 

Certain animals control their own warmth in shelter and dwellings that they make, mostly locating caves, tree hollows, nests and burrowing underground. While these animals sleep solidly throughout Winter, some of them can relax in a semi-hibernation state called torpor. There are animals that simply go into the torpid phase only, and many of them can be due to the conserve of energy for shorter times than hibernating. 

Sweet dreams 🌛

Storm Valkyrie

Cones

 

The most interesting part of a conifer tree is always its appearance. And besides the magnificent and beautiful way they look, is everything else about them too. Conifer trees, from pine, to spruce, have always been there with us since time began. They are tough hardy trees that can even grow up the sides of cold mountains. They can thrive during blizzards. And every Yuletide, these trees are popular to decourate. Not only that, but the trees give off an aroma similar to food, and its populace of cones scatter the branches and the floor. Now this is what I want to talk about. Cones. 

There are many types of cones. They're as varied as the conifer trees. One can learn about the temperatures just by looking at them. Cones are made of scales and these are shut tight during the wet weather and they open in dry air. Female cones contain seeds. In this, it's believed that pine cones are symbolic of fertility. 

The ancients made stone art of pine cones during the Bronze Age. There are Roman pine cones made of bronze guarded by peacocks. And bronze pine cones in Germany. The staff of Orisis features a pine cone with two serpents. In Scandinavian countries, children make cows from pine cones. These are edible, because pine trees produce fruit and nuts, and also needles that can be made into a tea. People have bakes with pine cones alone. They are full of healing properties and also a detergent. 

For medicine of the pine tree visit: Sacred science DIY recipes 

Storm Valkyrie 😃

  

Healing on the next full moon

The next full moon will be on the 30th November. It's when the lunar light is full and energy is increased. Full moons are often ideal for when to be creative and working on cleansing. It's also got a gravitational effect on the tides that keeps the Earth stable. The misunderstood full moon phase has a strong influence that interferes with sleep, moods and dreaming. This is because humans are out of tune with the natural world, and so the full moon puts people out of sync instead of making them feel in harmony. It's now nearing the Full Moon. That is when we shall do gathered healing vibes to those all over during this pandemic. Many more people are coming down sick. Sadly many lives have already been lost. 🌷🌷🌷🌷

Healing work for this on the next full moon on 30th November. All you need to do is make healing thoughts, send out warmth, prayers, blessings, and choose to make healing any way you want. Some prefer to use candles, or crystals and incense. Whatever form of healing incantation and blessing you choose to make during the full moon, be safe, careful and know what you're doing. Think about healing those that are ill, and think of those who are struggling with the virus, who feel scared and alone. Use your compassion to send them loving energy. Think of flowers, the sunlight and even of the tides, the sea. The sounds of waves, and warmth of the sun, the scent of flowers and the calm of the moon. 

This is a beautiful thing I shall say during the full moon on the 30th November:

Prayer for Eir

Physician of the Gods,
the Merciful One.
I ask you to speed medical healing,
to speed the recovery
of illness or injury.
I ask you to inspire the doctors
to do no harm,
and to do well in treating the one whom I pray for.
Inspire the doctors to have mercy,
as you have mercy.
Inspire the one whom I pray for
to be patient and hopeful.
Hail Eir,
Greatest Physician.

by Nornoriel Vanyahildë = Prayer for the healing goddess Eir..    at Odin's Gift.

Storm Valkyrie 🌸

Some native spices of Europe

There are a load of many spices found in Europe and British Isles. Not imports from tropical places but actual wild plants that are considered spices. Onion is one of them. Now there is garlic that protects against evil spirits. There is Angelica, used to add new flavours to fish soup. Wild rosemary is found in the northern hemisphere mostly if Europe so it strikes people as mad! 

There is also Angelica, Asarabacca, Elder, Garlic mustard, Ivy (ground), Sweet flag, chives, blue fenugreek, celery, Horseradish, borage, juniper, myrica game, mugwort, caraway and others. Some from southern Europe can be grown in colder climates of the north. These would be thyme, rosemary, marjoram, pennyroyal, spearmint,  and  many others.  

Storm Valkyrie 💚💛💙💜

A book for mushroom season

 

This book can help you to find out about mushrooms that are found nearby. Wild mushrooms come in all varieties and what's really important is to learn how to identify them. This will help explain which fungi is edible and those that are poisonous. This book is called "Mushrooms and Toadstools in Colour" by Else and Hans Hvass. This is probably one of the first mushroom books I owned. This time of year is when mushrooms sprout all over. If you want to pick mushrooms for food, books about them are quite a good help. It's an illustrated read published by Blandford Press in 1961. This is a children's book on mushrooms, although anyone learning about the subject can have a copy.

Storm Valkyrie 

Suggestions

 

It's an idea to make recommendations, reviews and suggestions for materials that help me and encourage me every day. I often write about subjects to show people how to learn more about the natural world. It's not only visiting websites, typing keys in a search engine and hope to get whatever results. It takes studying and reading. So I shall make a suggestion now and then, of what materials to read. I will make a start tonight. We just had a full moon, and the season has made people think of the paranormal so what I want to quickly talk about is this book: 

Ghosts and Goblins: Stories for Halloween by Wilhelmina Harper. Originally this was published in 1936 and the image shows another version published in 1965. It has gone out of print, although you may come across second hand copies in the market, online or in the library. Described by Google  as "well-known shivery tales of cats, goblins, witches and ghosts from many countries of the world" 

A small reference book for anyone starting to learn about fauna is Berries (A Blandford Mini-Guide) by Hedvig Wright Ostern. This is 128 pages and was first published in 1981. It will help you find out the various plants and berries and flowers. The same people have also published a variety of books on different nature subjects. This pocket book will show the berries of Britain.

I will post more suggestions another time. 

Storm Valkyrie 

Bats

 This is the season associated with bats. What many people don't understand about bats, they rely on myths and superstitions. I plan to talk about them quickly in this October post for the hallowed season of Winter Finding and Samhain. 

Do bats get stuck in hair? No. It's a myth that this happens. 

Are bats really blood sucking vampires? No they're not, Some bats living in tropical regions in South American sip a little blood of small creatures. The majority of bats eat fruit and insects, and they drink water, sometimes nectar. Vampire bat saliva produces an enzyme or anticoagulant that is used as medicine to treat people with heart problems.    

Are bats blind? No this is false. Bats are able to see perfectly clearly. They are also nocturnal and use their own signals to focus in the dark.

Are bats really flying rats? No. Bats are winged mammals of the Chiroptera genus, They're not rodents. 

Can bats carry diseases and rabies? Only 5 % tested caught wild bats have had rabies. Its not true that all of them have rabies. Just under 10 people have caught rabies from bats in 50 years in the USA. And it isn't true that bats spread diseases. 

More interesting fun facts about bats!

They're pollinators. They can spread a number of seeds that grow into fruit. Bats are good at keeping bug population down which is great news for farmers. Bats are able to eat so many insects that it saves plants and crops. Its important to view bats as a friend instead of a villain. 

Bats are able to outlive domestic cats and dogs. They can live up to 30 years. What is more interesting is that bats hibernate during Winter and can sleep in cold temperatures in caves. 

They're the ONLY mammals who can fly.

There's over 1,400 different kinds of bats! However, sadly some of those are endangered. 

My conclusion is, be kind to bats. Respect all wild animals. Farmers need to stop chemical insecticides and use natural insecticides such as bats!

Storm Valkyrie 🌹

The dark side of healing herbs

 

While October is the season when the veil lowers, when the nights get longer and days turn colder, we're encouraged to eat healthy healing foods with medicine qualities to boost immune system during this spooky time of year. I don't disagree with that. I've been mentioning the importance of good edibles and nice berries, flowers and herbs for ages. However, some of these medicines don't work for some people. I will mention some of the plants of Halloween/Samhain/Winter nights healing and darkness.

1. Garlic. This helps increase blood circulation and gives strength to hydrogen sulphide within the body. A bad smelling bulb rich in goodness. It also acts as a protection against evil spirits, especially vampires. However, its harmful to people with blood conditions like porphyria. Garlic won't be kind to all.

2. Mugwort. This perfume flower has used as an ingredient in food and drinks for centuries. It was often used to repel insects, including moths. Mugwort has been used as a medicine across Europe and Asia for a long time. There is a dark side to it. It's a poison. Some of the dried leaves of the plant was used to create teas that have caused miscarriages and allergic reactions. 

3. Hawthorn. This edible plant flowers and grows fruit made into wine or sometimes as food dressing. Medicines using hawthorn is part of traditional healing remedies. It's also another plant that protects against vampires. There is a dark side also to the plant. Hawthorn can bring on a heart attack, and it's an extremely dangerous herb. A tiny amount used with professional and medical guidance is essential. 

4. Winter Rose. This herb is also mainly called Hellebore. There are different types, including hybrids, but mostly the oldest includes the Black Hellebore and the White Hellebore. Since ancient times, the "Winter Rose" Hellebore has been medicine to treat arthritis and mental illness. It has also treated kidney diseases and included in medicine. However the dark side is too much darkness for this is a toxic plant and can kill. This is a dangerous herb if not taken properly.

5. St. John's wort. This is a hardy seed and grows into thick branches in the wild, or cultivated. Its a medicine and has been used for centuries to treat wounds, as an oil, and herb. The dark side of this plant is that it can kill other plants, sickness in patients and even poisons animals. It can undo the benefits of other medications. Women who are breastfeeding should avoid taking St. John's wort, and people who are sensitive to the sunlight should also avoid St. John's wort. 

I hope that my scary plant warnings was enough to make you understand that you should be careful when seeking natural herbs and remedies. Always seek medical expert advice first from your doctor. Never take it upon yourself to try these age-old herbal medicines. 

Storm Valkyrie         

Arkan Sonney

 

Sometimes Autumn will deliver cute nocturnal guests, such as hedgehogs. They appear in the garden at night, and they like apples and milk. There is a magical hedgehog creature that I wanted to post about, mainly because I've been reading about them. It's called the Arkan Sonney. The term Arkan Sonney is Manx for "lucky urchin" that refers to a "lucky hedgehog". The Manx language is a form of Gaelic from the Isle of Man, located in the Irish Sea. The Arkan Sonney is a fairy creature that looks like a white hedgehog. These creatures are shape shifters that can change their size and turn into white pigs. If anyone is able to catch one, it will bring good luck in the form of silver coins. In the English language, there is a "hog" in Hedgehog! 

Storm Valkyrie 🍎 🌹 💖 

The stunning Shell Grotto

 In 1838, Margate, Kent, a workman digging in the ground hit upon a stone. Soon, after removing the stone, what was found there was an underground grotto filled with colourful shells. The "Shell Grotto" (as it's called) leads to underground passages and rooms, all covered in a variety of shells that are mosaics. These shells create gorgeous patterns and designs, that seem to have been made with precision and care. Each shell of a certain size, contour and shape fits in with the mosaic artwork and it covers the entire grotto. 

What's also very interesting is that nobody really knows how old it is and no one knows who made it. Some believe that this was created by the Knights Templar, and others think it was made by Freemasons, or that it's an ancient built site, and even that it's merely a rich man's folly. Dating the Shell Grotto has been strange in that research was done although the information isn't published. This is a mysterious location. Yet at the same time it's very much unique and breathtakingly beautiful. The skills and crafts gone into making it is remarkable and I say this from an artistic view. 

Shell Grotto in Margate

Storm Valkyrie 🌹  

The Zorya

There is a beautiful story from Slavic mythology about two sisters called The Zorya. They are also called Zorza and the Auroras. Both sisters are goddesses and daughters of Dazhbog, the sun god. They live on the island of Buyan, where also there lives the winds, of the according to the Dove Book. The Zorya sisters are guardians of the doomsday hound Simargl, chained to the Polaris star in Ursa Minor. or Little Bear. If Simargl broke loose, he would eat the constellation and the world would end. 

Each sister has a name and function. There is Zorja Utrennyaya, a dawn goddess, the "morning star" who opens the palace gates to release the sun. She's also associated with the planet Venus. It's said that she and her sister are the wives of the moon god Myesyats. Although other accounts have the sisters as virgins. Warriors often prayed to her before going into battle:

"Defend me, O maiden, with your veil from the enemy, from the arquebus and arrow."

Her sister is Zorja Vechernyaya, a dusk goddess, the "evening star" and sometimes associated with the planet Mercury or sometimes with Venus. She closes the celestial palace gates after the sun has returned. Both she and her sister are love goddesses and protect against evil spirits. Their sacred animals are horses.

Posted by Storm Valkyrie 🌹

Dreams of a calm sea

 If you have had dreams of being on a small boat at sea, it means your emotions and present self in life. Often the small boat is your own journey, and it symbolises moving through day and night, work, studies, decisions, and many other things about living. To dream of the sea is always a reflection of how you feel and about your deep self. 

Often, it depends on the kind of sea itself. If you dream of a calm sea, a clear sea, a tropical sea, a stormy sea, a misty sea, again the colours too, green, blue, grey. If you dream of the sea and it's got other boats, swimmers, islands, people, animals. Some seriously bad dreams involve dangers in the way of storms, predators, monsters. 

Last night I dreamt that I was in a wooden rowboat. At first I was among a group of people in the boat, and we met up with other groups in similar boats. We were at sea, the water was very calm, grey in colour, and the sky was a foggy grey. We were all taking part in a game, and had to row at the end by shore. With much disappointment, we had to go back to where we started again. Later on in the same dream, I was at sea again but this time I was alone in a small boat. I don't remember rowing, but I sat there in the boat, not far from the beach. Again the water was grey, calm and slightly foggy. It was almost magical. I can recall feeling so much peace. Unfortunately I was woken up. When I did return to sleep again, I was back in the boat at the same place. It's quite common now for me to continue the same dream when I return to sleep.

For other interpretations, or if you want to check your own dream meanings, visit the following websites:

Aunty Flo has an A-Z dream dictionary.

"Discover your dreams" and interpretation at Dream Dictionary. 

Psychologist World does a massive dream dictionary here.

The pictures used are: Chester Row Boat by artist Al Bergin. Wallpaper Stock nature Tree on a Beach. Painting Rowing Boat by artist Alexander Averin.    

Storm Valkyrie ❤

My summer neighbours

 This is going to be a very personal entry today. For months I've had new neighbours that built nests on my house and the neighbouring houses. Their songs have been making me feel cheered up during these grim lockdown times. I've taken a few pictures of winged neighbours! They're high up near the edge of the roof so I wasn't able to get any closer. A lot of them are house martins and I shall miss them when the season changes and they have to leave. Others are local birds that live in trees and sometimes enter the garden or swoop down to drink water.  

Storm Valkyrie 💖

Blackberries

 During the month of August, which is the late Summer season, blackberries should appear on many shrubs an thorny bushes. Blackberries are often appearing too shiny and very dark deep blue, dark purple and deepest red, to jet black in colour. Red blackberries are sometimes found, and even blackberries have reddish or pink colours.Sometimes these indicate early stages of fruit growth and might have a bitter taste. Early blackberry fruit picked too soon are often yellowish to pale pinks and taste sour. Fully grown blackberries are sweet tasting and often very dark red, to black. 

Blackberries are often found late Summer, and in some places, early Autumn. These fruits come from the Rose family. Tests done on a woman from the Bronze Age, whose remains were found in a Danish bog, found that she's consumed a lot of blackberries. Blackberries are a staple diet in food and drinks. These fruits are used in wine, medicine and also dye. 

Blackberries contain Vitamin C, folic acid, manganese and Vitamin K. The seeds of a blackberry have Omega 3, ellagic acid, ellagitannins and carotenoids. Ellagic acid is found in a lot of fruits, nuts, mushrooms and certain oak trees, such as the North American quercus alba (white oak) tree and the European quercus rubra (red oak) tree. 

Blackberries are often used to treat period pains, anemia and gastroenteritis. There are rumours its used to treat cancer although the ellagic acid doesn't cure this disease. Blackberry roots full of tannins and saponins may treat symptoms of diarrhea. An entire blackberry bush is supposed to help heal someone of whooping cough. Leaves of a blackberry are said to help toothache go away. According to Pliny, blackberries are a good source of medicine qualities. They even taste lovely too.

Storm Valkyrie 🌹     

Raspberries

The fruit raspberry is a gentle flavour for sweets and desserts. It's mostly red or reddish pink in colour, although raspberries can also come in other colours, such as black, blue, yellow and purple. Those are hybrid varieties but the natural fruit is red to reddish pink. Raspberries belong to the rose family. They are best planted during the season of Winter and kept very far away from vegetable patches. Don't plants them on used soil where tomatoes and vegetables used to grow because this would create fungus and disease for the raspberries. Please, if you're interested in growing any, look up more about wilt disease because raspberries are vulnerable to it. 

Rich in Vitamin C raspberries are extremely healthy to eat. They are also a healing ingredient, to stop inflammations, toxin buildups and constipation. Raspberries can also used to prevent ill health by its antioxidant properties within. This fruit helps with eye health and fertility. Be patient with growing raspberries for the first time because it can take a year for the plant to grow fruits. 

Raspberry leaves are very good for healing and strengthening muscles in the uterus. Women and girls will find raspberries and raspberry leaf tea helps ease discomfort during menstrual cramps. Pregnant women are advised to drink tea made from raspberry leaves after 32 weeks of their gestation period. It's meant to give them an easier pregnancy and childbirth. It's also best to have no more than three cups of the tea in a day. Raspberries have been called the herb for women. 🌹    

In Greek myths, raspberries used to be white fruits, and then the nymph called Ida, pricked her finger on the thorns of the raspberry bush. Her blood turned the fruits red. A mountain named after her called Mount Ida, because "a lot of raspberries grew there", according to the ancient Greek legend. I want to add before anyone considers going there to visit Mount Ida to pick those red fruits that raspberries don't actually grow there on the mountain anymore. Some say this is because of deforestation over the years. Raspberries did once grow there at the time of Pliny the Elder, a Roman philosopher, because he mentioned it in his book "Natural History of the Blackberry". 

Raspberries are a wild fruit 

Storm Valkyrie     

Mustard seed

The mustard seed comes from the mustard plant family that includes Brassica, Black Must, White Must, Rapeseed, Field Mustard, Wild Cabbage, Western Wallflower, Sinapis and more. They're a domestic plant that comes from prehistoric times. The plants grow bright yellow flowers. Seeds of the mustard can be ground into making food and medicine. It's a very warm spice, There is a lot of magical strength in myth and legend about mustard seeds. It was considered to be an aphrodisiac in ancient China. In ancient Egypt, mustard seeds were found in the tombs of pharaohs. German bides used to sew mustard seeds into the hems of their wedding dresses for luck. Mustard seeds can also be used as protection against evil spirits. 

In William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, there is a fairy called Mustard Seed. She's one of the magical handmaidens to Queen Titania who come from the Green World. 

Storm Valkyrie 🌼 

Lavender

The lavender is called the Lavandula of the Lamiaceae or mint family. Nicknamed "herb of love", Spikenard and the Latin lavare. This is a brightly coloured plant shade of purple, and a certain shade is named after the flower, Lavender. Such a medicine herb as this has been used since ancient times. It was made into a soap. The lavender is so fragrant that it was almost considered bewitching. Lavenders were used to ward off evil spirits from the home. 

Lavender tea is made with purple flower buds.There are many health benefits and psychological healing effects of lavender tea. It calms, and gives a good sleep while soothing. Lavender is good for anxiety, pain, headaches, insomnia, depression and stress.   

In Norse mythology, lavenders are sacred plants to the goddess Lofn. This gentle goddess blesses over marriages and love, even if it's forbidden love. Also associated with love, lavender tea was sipped by girls during the Tudor era, so that they would foresee their future husbands. I've grown lavenders and they attract bees in Summer. They die in Winter but flourish again when Summer returns.

Storm Valkyrie 💜🌹🌺 

The common myrtle

The common myrtle is an evergreen plant with white shining flowers that are fragrant. Growing among the dark green leaves and shrubs, clusters of flower myrtles appear to look like stars. 

Oil extracted from myrtle plants have always been used in healing. 

Often found in southern Europe and the Middle East. Fossil records show that ancient myrtle plants once grew in places such as Denmark when the climate was different. 

Myrtle has always been considered a romantic plant with the flowers used to decourate the hair of maidens and brides. 

Associated with love, myrtle was believed to be an aphrodisiac. 

Doctors during the 16th Century called medicinal oils from myrtle, "angel water". 

Myrtle leaves contain lots of health benefits such as myricetins that helps blood sugar levels. Myrtle is also used an a cleaning agent. 

This powerful plant is sacred to the goddess Aphrodite. Myrtle shrubs were planted by temples of Aphrodite. A garland of myrtles was worn by the goddess of love and beauty. Her own myrtle nymphs helped keep the myrtle fertile and the plant attracts bees. 

The myrtle is a favourite for brides to adorn on their weddings.

Storm Valkyrie 🌿

Red spotted burnets

During my rare one-off walks during quarantine, I passed a field. These colours and movements caught my attention. There were so many purple and pink thistles, and even more astonishing was the place was full of a moth species that I've not seen before. They were black with bright red markings or spots. So many of these black and red spotted moths were sat on almost every thistle. Later at home I did some checking. I discovered what these moths are called: the Six-Spot Burnet. They come from the Zygaenidae family that also includes foresters and other burnets. This big family of moths are nicknamed "smoky moths". However the six spotted burnets have a reputation alone. They're active during the day and live in meadows and woodlands. These moths are found throughout Europe and Asia Minor. The six-spot burnet moths are also called "Death Moths" because they can produce cyanide if threatened by predators such as birds and reptiles. These moths like purple and yellow flowers, including knapweeds, scabious, clover, thistle and dyrocnium. It was a colourful and rare thing to see. I wanted to share the experience on this blog.

Storm Valkyrie 🌹

Summer 2020

Summer has arrived. The solstice time and the sun bringing warmth. May the land be full and fertile of fruits and a bountiful harvest. May the season of Summer heal. 

 

Warrior princess hair tutorials

Lagertha hair inspired by Vikings? Fairytale princess braids? Below are links to tutorials for making your hair like those. For ladies and girls that want to try these elaborate braids that look so difficult.

Love Hairstyles Lagertha braids  

Diys princess hair

Allthings Medieval hair

Isabella, she-wolf queen

Does anyone know that England had a queen like Cersei Lannister?

The most lavish book of merry old England is the Queen Mary Psalter. If anyone likes illustrated colourful books in Medieval style drawings, then check out this amazingly beautiful book. You can always see some of the pages online and visit a museum to look at a copy. This book includes drawings of daily life, and gives an insight into how people lived back then. There is a picture of women hunting for rabbits and women making embroideries.

It's believed that this book was created for Queen Isabella, nicknamed the "She-Wolf of France." Marriage was arranged for the young girl. Her father was King Philip IV "the fair" and her mother was Joan the First who was born from House Blois. Although her father was handsome, as was often described as being stone cold like a statue. Isabella was a child when her mother died. Isabella married Edward II of England. Married life was far from happy. Edward had homosexual flings and Isabella befriended an earl. Despite this scandal, Isabella had four children. It was often believed that Isabella had started an invasion of England and killed her husband. Once her son became king, Isabella ruled still.

To read more about this fascinating queen there is a book named Isabella, She Wolf of France, Queen of England by Alison Weir.

10 weird beautiful birds

This is going to be a picture post. I found a number of these amazing and strange birds I've never seen before. This is something I want to do under quarantine: learn more about animals and plants. It's going to have pictures with their names. I hope you enjoy this post!

Potoo birds

Malaysian Large Frogmouth birds

Superb Bird of Paradise

Ribbon Tailed Astrapia

Strawberry Finch

Blue Crowned Pigeons

Resplendent Quetzal

Philippine Eagle

Hoatzin

Black Throated Bushtit

The Green Stone

Knights, fairies, ghosts, queens, magical swords and a powerful gemstone. It isn't a work of fantasy, but a true story based on something odd.
This is probably one of the most exciting books about a paranormal investigation that I've read. It details events that happened from the late 20th Century with a group of people on a quest to locate a lost sword and a magical gemstone.
Written by Graham Phillips and Martin Keatman, published originally in 1983, this is compelling and good reading. Real life mysteries and spooky events surrounded that stone. Parts of it was chilling as there are bumps in the night. The reader is taken on a journey that makes you think.
Some may not take this psychic stuff all too seriously and others have a sceptical view on it, which is fair. I keep an open mind and enjoyed reading it as the book is entertaining and fun.
Make of it what you will. The book is a nice read during lockdown!

Storm Valkyrie.

Spirit of May

All remember loved ones and the healing process of nature. It's May celebration day, an ancient ritual. Dancing around the maypole and fertility rites among the flowers combined with the magical tales of fairies and crowning the may queen. It's also time for making cakes, baskets and floral decorations. Some faint traditions of putting bright cowslip plants into the home, for these are medicine herbs that are said to get rid of bad energy. Focus on the healing of the flowers.

Have a blessed May season, Spring, Beltane and Walpurgis.

Storm Valkyrie     

Dream places to visit

Due to the strict lockdown, it's not going to be a time for adventures and voyages, but I can always dream. There are some places that I want to go and visit, and I shall make a list of the 10 most awesome imaginary holidays to visit. A special bucket list of dream locations when all is clear and the pandemic has gone.

10. The beautiful glacier gardens of Mendenhall Valley, Alaska. This is a botanical forest that includes colourful upside-down trees called Flower Towers.

9. Tromso in Norway. This is the land of the northern lights, dogs sleds and fishing. An ideal wintry Yuletide destination.

8. Icelandic scenic fantasy places, with waterfalls, geysers, warm springs and the mysterious spirits called Huldra Folk.

7. The prehistoric megalithic temples of Malta, and these are found in many sites. These go back before the time of Stonehenge.

6. The Acropolis of Rhodes, Greece.

5. The Extern Stones of Germany.

4. Sweden, with places like the Cisterns and caverns, ancient sites and of course the Tree Hotel.

3. Gothic towns of France.

2. Ubud Monkey Forest of Bali.

1. The gorgeous magical Fairy Glen in the Isle of Skye, Scotland.

Have a great day.
Storm Valkyrie.

Easter blessings and hope

This is just a brief message to wish all a promising future with an abundance of health and wisdom. We lay in very dark times now. Many are not thinking of the seasons and holidays, which is understandable. I too haven't done any celebrating either. With so many people sick and dying, the last thing anyone wants to hear is "Happy Easter". It's been anything but happy this year. So I will use this good time and send out healing.

Meditation:

If you can spare a moment, do this short Easter exercise. Visualise yourself in a garden, and it might be your own. Imagine now that you're on a small quest to hunt for three Easter eggs. These eggs are not difficult to find. They can be any size, pattern or colour that you want. As you find all three eggs around the garden, crack open each one at a time. Inside the egg are candies and they're full of medicine. Eat them.

Storm Valkyrie 

Vegvisir

This is the name of a Runic Compass, and the word Vegvisir is Icelandic and it means "Show the way".  The symbols of this runic compass are staves, with different meanings. You can find out more in the 17th Century Icelandic grimoire called Galdrabok or "Book of Magic". These staves are amulets for protection. You can draw them and even wear them as a pendant or as a chime in your house. In all bad weather, storms and darkness, these vegvisir amulets can be carried, worn, placed on a wall, or as good luck decourations.   

Link

Kulning

"The Mountain's Reflection" by Gada Rose 2019

This is a Scandinavian form of herd singing. Many of the singers of kulning use this to care for the flocks of animals, such as cows, sheep, goats and birds. Even wild animals such as swans have been drawn to a singer of this beautiful kulning sound.
Many of these kulning singers tend to be women and girls, as they were often outside tending to animals pre-industrial era (and even today). It's used in places such as Norway and Sweden.
The acoustics is often very high with blue tones, that communicate a sense of wonder. These vocals travel across far distances. These gorgeous echoing songs are always outside in the open. Some have sung in kulning indoors.
Kulning is found in the Disney movie "Frozen II" sung by Aurora Aksnes.
Many videos about kulning and its hypnotic effects can be found on YouTube with channels by Jonna Jinton and Åsa Larsson. It's really worth listening to.

Storm Valkyrie

What the Egtved girl teaches us

This bright young teenage girl was filled with wonder. She had groomed hair, manicured nails, and she wore a nice short tunic. She sounds very modern but no in fact she wasn't from today. She lived during the Bronze Age. This girl was found in 1921 covered in ox hide. Around her waist was a cord belt with a bronze sun disk showing a spiral pattern. She had been in an oak wood coffin, buried in the bogs near Egtved village in Denmark. There were other pieces of jewellery found on her, and around were other small items including a bronze awl, a horn comb, bucket of beer, hairnet and a small box made of bark. The beer was made with honey, cow berries, wheat and bog myrtle. Curiously, the tiny box contained human bones. Also beside the Egtved girl was human ash wrapped in fabrics. The ash and bones were tested. It all belonged to the same individual, who was a small child. Is this a relative of the Egtved girl? As of yet, the identity of this child is unknown. Going by all of this, many believe that the Egtved girl was a significant character and that she died of an illness. It's been discovered that this girl took many trips to Denmark and Germany often. Was she a negotiator of families? A bride? A priestess? It's believed she died during Summer because of the burial, with yarrow flowers. More research will find new and interesting discoveries about the way this girl lived and exactly what she ate, where she came from and what role she played in Bronze Age society.

Storm Valkyrie 

Our secret friends

Who are those secret friends? Dogs? This is too obvious.The popular saying "dogs are a man's best friend" comes from the 18th Century. It doesn't mean that humans are not friends with other animals, because some people prefer cats. People have formed bonds with different animals including the wild species.
So who are these secret friends of humans? The answer is birds. I want to explore one such particular friend of ours that is overlooked but since ancient times, humans have looked at birds in a way that shows this. Humans saw birds as having a divine and spiritual connection with the gods. People wanted to emulate birds and so aircraft was invented. Some types of birds have learned to talk like us!
Far back in prehistoric times, humans came to befriend birds to assist with hunting. Vultures helped primitive people to find food, such as meat. Humans also befriended the aquatic bird species cormorants who helped with fishing. There are even birds that helped humans find honey. Besides this, humans have grown to love birds and used them for clothing, eggs, food, the arts and  spirituality. All of the gods and goddesses have their own sacred bird. Not forgetting the love between pet birds and their owners, which is a very strong connection. I'm so sure that some of the wild birds have understood. They can remember things.
Have a look at some interesting pages on birds in mythology:
Unusual birds in mythology
Eight birds in myth and folklore
Birds have been teaching us a lot. In stories and legends, myths and folklore, many different birds have given a story. Here are some birds with their own messages and legends:
Owl
Raven
Robin
Dove

Storm Valkyrie

Spring flowers

The season of Spring is here and so have the flowers returned. There are so many kinds of colourful wild flowers that are tough in the morning frost. Besides the fact these flowers are so pretty and cheerful to see, they're also pleasant ingredients for making perfect teas. Homemade flower tea can be  very healthy and strong. Add filtered boiled water to the flowers, and brew for half a day.

Sites of interest:

Eartheasy foraging for wild teas   

Books:

The Kitchen Witch by Soraya
Medieval Flowers by Miranda Innes
The Real Witches Kitchen by Kate West
100 Edible and Healing Flowers by Margaret Roberts
Healing Herbal Infusions by Colleen Codekas
Collins Complete Guide to British Wild Flowers
Wild Flowers by Colour by Marjorie Blamey

Healing properties in flowers are called English marigold is a big ruffled orange flower with pale green leaves. Rubbing this flower over an insect bite can ease the sting. Lady's Mantle is a bunch of small yellow puffy flowers with large green leaves in star shapes. This helps to sooth cuts and mascle cramp. Elder is a cloud shaped bunch of tiny white flowers growing in thick green shrubs. They can help to fight off colds and pain. Another pain killer is the Evening Primrose which is a bright yellow flower often with four petals and growing together on a stem. Daisies are the most cheerful looking weed flower that eases lots of ailments and wounds.

Storm Valkyrie

Healing time

Spring is here and its time to sweep out the Winter's cold dark phase. It happens every year but Winter gets harder. Its not been a pleasant Winter so we have to gather all our strength. There is a way of strengthening immunity, and protecting body and spirit. I suggest washing hands, eating carefully, taking medicine and feeling positive. 

The Norse goddess of healing and medicine is Eir. She's also a Valkyrie and she sits on the sacred hill, and is one of nine maidens who assist the Lady of the Keep. This Lady lives in a castle built from the bones of a giant. The walls are of fire and clay, and the entire keep is guarded by two great dogs. One dog guards during the day, and the other dog guards at night. The only thing that can kill the dogs is a magical sword named Wounding Wand. The only way of getting this sword is to visit Sinmara and offer her a feather from a golden cockerel. This bird lives in a massive tall tree called Mimi's Tree that is indestructible. The fruit of this tree has many healing properties that help ease the pain and difficulties of childbirth.

There is a new virus spreading around the world. At midnight 00:00 BST (19:00 EST) tonight, healing energy will be made and sent. I hope others can join in or just make healing in their own time. All you need to do is meditate, focus and use your mind to send out good vibes.

Storm Valkyrie