A Yule message

"Yule tree" created by Rayne

 

Wishing you a really wonderful Yule season and have a very happy New Year,

Storm Valkyrie

Ignore dark zodiacs

 There are many articles about unpleasant traits of star signs. This focus on negative traits of an astrological sign makes the subject appear dark. Even people are refusing to be civil and kind to those born under a certain zodiac because of what they read about these traits. You could be a stranger and have just met someone, but you're treated coldly after they find out when you were born. Some have found that their dates lost interest in them because of their star signs. Pages like those found on popular websites don't help. Here I will hand pick a web page, a star sign and what is said.

On "Your Toxic trait according to your Zodiac sign" by Pop Sugar, Aries is described as "hot-headed, jealous and competitive." Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, "ruled by House of Self". The star sign is associated with the war god Mars, and being the first sign of the zodiac, makes it the leader of the rest. Some argue that because the new year begins in January, the first star sign ought to be Capricorn. However this calendar changed, and since the year 153 BCE started in January. Before the year always began in March. But to tarnish everyone born under Aries with the same brush only causes trouble, as they will be looked upon as bad people.

There are many bad things said about each zodiac signs. Are they true? No they're not. I shall cover in details my zodiac meanings a lot more soon, for the new year. Reading pages about "your traits about the darkside of your zodiac" highlight only negative traits, and just reinforces unpleasant feelings. It gives feelings of inner insecurity, paranoia and even depression. This is not the way to explore star signs, and is not the way to tell people "what they truly are" because it isn't really what they are. People are much more complex than that, with the potential for higher spiritual and positive learning.

Links to negative zodiacal traits:

Pop Sugar "Your toxic trait according to your zodiac sign" 

Ranker "The creepiest thing about you, according to your zodiac sign"     

Witte Wieven

 

The Witte Wieven are spirits of Dutch folklore and legend. The name itself means "Wise women," or simply "white women", as in Ladies in White, or female spirits and ghosts that gather together as a band of mist. The Witte Wieven prefer cool, damp bogs, thick woodlands, dense forests, murky swamps, lakes, marshes, fields and burial mounds. 

Described as mainly a group of nocturnal women dressed in grubby white gowns, but most of all as a trio. Associated with witches, or the disturbed spirits of violence and sinful lifestyles. Considered either vengeful or wanton in the afterlife, they're often made to roam around. These ladies in white are linked to undiscovered treasure. They can locate missing objects and money. 

Witte Wieven are said to live in holes, called Witte Wievenkuil, or just deep burrows in places like Barchem, Eefde, Bathmen and Luttenberg. It's known that to summon a witte wieven, one could go to these Witte Wievenkuil holes and throw in a cooking rod, roasting spit or any sharp object. However, this could anger the Witte Wieven.

Find articles about Witte Wieven:

Witte Wieven on Travel Diaries...

Storm Valkyrie

Swan maidens

The swan maiden is legendary woman that shapeshifts into a swan, and she's found in many cultures. Most of all are folktales that centre around a cloak made of swan feathers, that are worn by a beautiful woman. When she removes this cloak to bath in the lake, a man takes it away and then marries her. This is because she can't resume her swan form and stays a human. After she bares children, she may suffer misery by not having her cloak. Later she'll find her missing cloak, wear it and transform into a swan, then fly away. She leaves her grown children behind to miss her. In various stories, it isn't the man who hides her cloak but his mother. 

In Norse mythology, there are Valkyries associated with swans. Brynhild and Kara who wear clothes made out of swans' feathers. A hero in Germanic stories named Wayland is a blacksmith who fell in love with a swan maiden. Swan maidens appear in Celtic legends too, linked with water fairies. There is a beautiful swan maiden called Etaine who transformed and flew away from her husband. Then there is Caer, a swan princess with many swan handmaids. There is a goddess named Aine of swans. There is much and more of legends about swan maidens that I've not covered here.

A prehistoric grave of a swan maiden and her baby was dug up. About 6,000 years ago, a young mother was buried with her premature baby. It seemed that the mother died in childbirth and her infant didn't survive. They were both found together with a swan's wing. The grave is number 8 and found in Vedæk in Denmark. It's certainly clear that the bodies were tenderly treated by those who buried mother and her child. Beliefs in swans and the spirit world was important to ancient people as far back as time began. 

Storm Valkyrie

Magical windswept path

October is filled with powerful energies and magic, bubbling and sparkling as the rain falls. A recent storm arrived as the veil was lifted and that was no coincidence. This then resulted in an abundance of leaves and twigs at my doorstep. 

Big wild mushrooms sprouted overnight. A couple of fallen trees close by then blocked a lane, preventing cars using it. However it allowed plenty of time for birds and other animals to gather as much as they could for their nests. A stream broke its banks, causing a flood that turned into a new lake where families of ducks and swans all enjoy a cool Autumn swim. Various roots of trees dipped in the water!

The rough winds brought over extra seeds for the soil that went dry in the Summer, carrying seeds over to the farmlands and lawns, helping to plant new shrubs and develop into new saplings. Be thankful of the rain and wind as it gives us water and fresh air. Animals can find new homes where older trees fell from past storms.

Just like any Autumn and October, strong gusts of wind bring rain and always misery, but once again, it can also help the environment, cleaning it, sowing upon the ground, sweeping away dead leaves and dried shrubs that burned in Summer heatwaves, to wash them away up river and down into drains and tunnels. Spirits of majestic trees accept the storms that come seasonally. For their own fertile seeds will be sprayed across the soil far and wide. 

 

(All photos used on this post belong to ©Storm Valkyrie).

Storm Valkyrie 🌱🍃

The veil thinning and hunters moon

 

This is a time of Samhain, with the thinning of the veil, or to be more detailed, when energies become stronger and humans are more sensitive to the world. The full moon lies on the 28th this month and it's called "Hunter's Moon". This is near Halloween/Samhain/Alfablot and the full moon's influence will be strong. Other October moons are also called Blood Moon and Red Moon, which is symbolic of the season, the Autumn leaves and the warmth of food and hearth. Samhain is the last of the three harvest phases, and it's best to go for a walk and pick food carefully, foraging and cleansing. 

Here is a page at Farmer's Almanac about Hunter's Moon: Follow this link

It's a time you can choose to honour ancestors. You can remember them by lighting a candle, leaving red roses for them, walking through a graveyard, meditating and placing an apple under a tree. It shows your thanks for them, and that you keep them in your thoughts. You can also look at old family photos of loved ones, looking at your family tree, researching your ancestry, and carry dark coloured stones with you. Enjoy the season.

Storm Valkyrie   

Autumn news

 

There's a few minor things to discuss briefly on a quarterly news round-up, about things happening this Autumn so far in 2023. This concerns the state of plants, harvest news, astro news, magical news and interesting findings news. 

It's been observed that many tree leaves have gotten black spots and some look like small burns, with holes appearing. It seems to happen around a span of several miles from the river, and alongside it each side are lush gardens that grow a variety of fresh flowers and exotic flowers but mostly rose bushes. It seems possible that the disease Rose Black spot has spread to other plants in the wild. This rose disease is caused by a fungus and it can be treated. So please go outside and check out your local tree leaves and report any sign of spots and disease.

Due to a damp summer this year, it was predicted that it could make a bad harvest, well, as if by magic, harvests across the country has been successful. Vineyards have noticed an abundance in berries and grapes. It's believed it was caused by a very warm September, as many call it an Indian Summer, which saw a rise in temperatures. Many pumpkins have been growing a lot in moist warm conditions and it's expected that large pumpkins will be ready in time for Halloween.

For astronomy news this October, the website Astronomy.com mentions a number of starry events that will happen this month. If this interests you, click on the link and it will open in a new window. HERE: Sky this month October 

On magical news, there's a development in the University of Exeter offering studies in witchcraft and magic. It's going to be a multidisciplinary degree, will begin next year and it will cover many aspects of magic as through the lens of  academia and science. This was in reaction to the growing public interest in folklore. 

Discovery news, there's something in the Oz fantasy saga, written by L Frank Baum, with regards to the yellow brick road. They found something amazing and similar to that in a recent dig in Dartmoor near a sacred site. It's an ancient path made of crystals! That must've led to somewhere magical.

This is all for now.

Storm Valkyrie    

Happy Autumn equinox

This time is also when the hours of light and dark are at parallels, and another similar event occurs during the Spring equinox. The Autumn equinox is when there is a shift and the changes in the Earth, and Summer has become Autumn and Autumn will evolve in stages before Winter. It's a time that is given the name of Mabon, who traditionally follow Wicca paths, Oktoberfest in southern German lands such as in Bavaria, and also Ing Gathering, Harvest Home, Alban Elfed and Harvest Festival. This is customary to celebrate with apples. Have a lovely Autumn equinox. 

Here are ways to celebrate the season of Autumn equinox: https://www.pagangrimoire.com/what-is-mabon-how-to-celebrate/ 

Storm Valkyrie

Moon magic

The best time for spells is during a certain moon phase. Full moons are well known to inspire feelings and emotions. Crescent moons are associated with youth and wisdom. New moons are seen as dark beginnings or ends. So what exactly does each phase do? I shall begin with the full moon in a clockwise cycle to the waning and the New Moon and then the waxing.

Image of the different moon phases at Witchcraft Wiki HERE

Full moon is the best to learn, gather reading materials, study, begin to read a book. It's when to do cleansing and clearing. Clean the spaces, rooms, declutter. Inner knowledge, clarity, insight and confirmation of all things that interest you. It's when to build relationships, begin ventures, romance, love rituals. Getting healing and resting, making way for fresh and full energy.

Waning gibbous, is the best to step away and withdraw from difficulties. Leave aside tough work for the moment and pause. The most interesting time to work on mistakes, by patching up broken places, whether it's material or emotional, and fixing problems, untying knots or undoing connections. Also cleansing rituals can happen. Removing dark entities, get rid of unpleasant rumours, break curses.

Last quarter, a special time to finish negative dramas, cease any harmful and unhealthy activities, give up bad habits. Step down from toxic circles or bad crowds. Remove a sour bitter idea. Break ties with unpleasant situations. Send away intrusive thoughts, curses and misery such as curses, bad habits, ill luck, misfortune and hopelessness. 

Waning crescent is a phase to find calm, peace, balance and stillness, even look for a state of tranquillity. Spells for fortune, good luck and success. Learning deeper more esoteric wisdom, finding your own inner knowledge and locate the true meaning of your dreams. Making amends, soothing, apologising, forgiving and redeeming. Illnesses that begin here, and can be healed here.

New moon, a phase of the dark moon, is a strong time to undo wrongs.

Waxing crescent is a phase to start new adventures, create fresh beginnings, making new pacts, creativity and expression. It's when to meet others, meet new, build relationships. Attracting the energy, getting hope, pulling vibrant and loving situations, joining and sex magic. Creation of energy, wealth and happiness. Friendships and lovers. 

First quarter phase is more vivid creatively, as it helps divination and psychic abilities. Willpower and determination can be earned and made. A time for being calm, at peace, meditation, visualisation and inspiration. Physical and emotional stamina, vigour, motivation and strength. Develop goal setting, make positive dreams come true, work on those pleasant ideas.

Waxing gibbous is when to feel the urge to start new things. The law of attraction, health and healing. Achieving ones dreams and being successful and yet helpful and kind. Spells and rituals for better health and healing. 

Storm Valkyrie   

Snow White remake

 This has been on my feeds and it's about the new upcoming live action remake of the animated "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". The remake is going to be released next year and soon there will be an official teaser. Snow White was Disney's first princess, and my favourite story as a kid. However, I'm not feeling good about this new film because of what's been said about it. This new 2024 Snow White is going to be changed so much that it will resemble nothing of the original film, let alone the traditional story that many children have loved for generations.

One of the drastic changes is Snow White herself. She's not going to be the same in the new film, as her character will be aggressive and power driven. While some may like the idea of a tougher Snow White, she won't be Snow White. There's other ways that Snow White could become a stronger character, as opposed to a gentle damsel in distress, but she should always have a heart of gold, full of love, warmth and innocence. As from the source, based on the story by the Brothers Grimm, she's a daughter born from magic.

Next is Snow White is going to reject love, and the prince won't even be in the remake at all. The prince won't be waking her up from a deep state of death. Also the prince isn't a character anymore with this film, but he's been replaced by an ordinary man called Jonathon, who might be simply cut entirely from the film. There isn't going to be romance or happy ever after. The reason that Disney is doing this is vague but they've been ignoring romantic elements from other remade films. It's as if the concept of romantic love is being eroded in Hollywood, in favour of something sterile. So sorry but I can't imagine Snow White without her prince.

There won't be a poisonous apple. While apples will be used, it isn't going to be the same. It's believed that it's not even going to happen. This is exactly what should happen, since the story is not Snow White otherwise. And most of all, there isn't going to be any seven dwarfs, who are friends and protectors of Snow White, who helped her since she escaped to their house after fleeing the evil queen. Snow White without the seven dwarfs is unthinkable and even a bad idea. A little bird told me that there's going to be a gruesome death scene in this remake. It feels that the story has been botched far too much. The original 1930's film was a delicious pie that has been dissected for the 2024 remake and then filled with foam stuffing.

What I hope would be in this Snow White 2024 remake is: A magical fairy tale of a film, following Snow White (played by Rachel Zegler) who finds herself fleeing from the evil queen (played by Gal Gadot) after the huntsman let her go, only to end up in a scary forest, and eventually discovers the home of seven dwarfs (Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Dopey, Grumpy, Doc and Sneezy), who lives there and hunts food if need be, trains in combat if she needs to, for self defence, but still is trusting and kind, who loves all the forest animals and they love her. Then the queen disguises herself and gives Snow White an apple full of poison, which she eats, becomes dead, and laid to rest in a glass coffin. Then her true love the prince arrives to wake her with either a kiss, or by knocking over the coffin by accident (as happened in an old story version), but Snow White and the prince do fall in love. This is the version that many including myself needs in this stressful, worrying world. 

Storm Valkyrie     

Toothache remedies and bygone strangeness

 Besides modern medicine, old traditional remedies for toothache really works. These include the following herbs and they must be take carefully, and not to be overdone. They have to be take individually and not all at once.

Ginger root, cloves, peppermint leaves, thyme, yarrow, garlic, chamomile, onions, turmeric and cabbages. Other natural remedies include a saltwater rinse of the mouth, a small amount of vanilla extract. Now for the next part, about WHAT NOT to do with a toothache.

PLEASE DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME: 

In times past, there were some strange methods of easing a toothache. This includes smearing honey over teeth, which has a gruesome meaning in the way people believed what toothaches were. In the Middle Ages, people really thought toothaches were caused by tiny burrowing worms, so the reason honey was put on teeth was to draw them out! Bruxism or grinding teeth was once thought to be caused by ghosts or demonic possession so a human skull would be put nearby the patient as they slept. Ancient Romans used bodily fluids as a mouthwash. Also this was so common to get rid of teeth pains that there was a tax imposed on bottles of urine! Could this explain why the Romans had perfect teeth? More grotesque ways of caring for teeth in ancient times was crushed mice and also ground hooves, eggshells, ashes and seashells.  

Storm Valkyrie

Forever loved

Recently my lovely grandmother passed away. She was always like a mum to me. I will never forget my nan, Valerie.  She'll always be loved and greatly missed. 

Nan with me as a kid

I love you so much nan xxx 🌹🌹🌹

Storm Valkyrie

Stones for dreams and nightmares

 

It's believed that some stones can help get rid of nightmares. Here are some of these stones to mention, and they could also offer healing. Like magic, they don't vanish away negative dreams in an instant like they do in fantasy, but they can help relieve tension, and the strains of the mind, body and soul that generate horrible dreams. Nightmares happen for a number of reasons. You can find out about the healing stones to help ease nightmares and get better sleep and more calm dreams at night (or day, if you're nocturnal). 

Here is a list I compiled of 24 stones that can help with bad dreams and nightmares. It can also be used to help remember dreams, have better dreams and calmer sleep rest. They can be worn, either as pendants, rings, bracelets or even slipped under your pillow. 

1. Moonstone

2. Black Tourmaline

3. Aquamarine

4. Sodalite

5. Lapis Lazuli

6. Amethyst

7. Labradorite

8. Jasper

9. Howlite

10. Rose Quartz

Here are many more that can be used:

11. Black Obsidian

12. Dalmatian Jasper

13. Hematite

And some more stones to leave under your pillow:

14. Prehnite

15. Angelite

16. Smoky Quartz

17. Pink Calcite

18. Magnesite

19. Kambaba Jasper

20. Chrysoprase

21. Lepidolite

22. White Chalcedony

23. Clear Quartz

24. Selenite

Hope this was helpful and shall you have a very good sleep and nice dreams.

Storm Valkyrie

Beware of lilies

 Some of the most beautiful flowers of the season are the most toxic, and these includes the "innocent" lilies. It's best to learn which ones are bad, especially if you have a garden or thinking of getting these flowers. If you love cats and dogs, just be careful what plants you introduce into the home. Although lilies are gorgeous and look pretty, they can be poisonous to cats and dogs, but mainly harmful towards cats. Make sure you keep them away from your pets.

A list of the poisonous lilies:

Lilium longflorum (also called Easter Lily) is a snow-white flower with golden coloured centre on a tall elegant stem. 

Lilium tigrinum (also called Tiger Lily) can be white or cream as a dove or a vibrant fiery colours with speckles and in orange, yellow and reds. 

Lilium speciosum (also called Rubrum Lily) is pink and speckled with white trim.

Lilium orientalis (also called Stargazer Lily) are big star shaped flowers of dark pink with blood coloured speckles and white trim. 

Hemerocalis (also called Day Lily) are white, cream, pink, yellow, orange, red and purple, with gold centres.

Lilium philadelphicum (also called a Wood Lily) these are striking orange with brown speckles.

Lilium lancifolium (also called Japanese Lily) often pink, red and white with yellow strips, with speckles.

For more important info:

Cats safety from lilies

 Plantura on liliy poison

Storm Valkyrie

   

 

Short note to all

 This is the longest day of the year. Through darkness there is always light. Be positive and remember your dreams. Happy summer and enjoy the solstice!

Storm Valkyrie

Tragic loss of an ancient heritage site

Ancient Carnac menhirs in Brittany, France. It was considered to be another Stonehenge, a site of great prehistoric mystique, beauty and amazement. It's with sadness I post about this, and also much anger, that this ancient heritage has been destroyed by greedy people, so that they can build a DIY store nearby. About 38 megalithic stones were bulldozed on the Chemin de Morbihan. An amateur archaeologist, Christian Obeltz, found this out one day and told all on his blog entry, which was then reported by local press. Carnac town hall approved the development of the DIY store in the sacred area. It's been known that Carnac megaliths were a listed site on Atlas des Patromines, a source that confirms to the country's ancient valued protected sites. The menhirs were small stones but they were made between 5480 and 5380 BCE. What's even more shocking is that the town hall's officials and the mayor Olivier Lepick deny any wrongdoing and claim the site "wasn't important enough"! Absolutely disgusting and contemptuous view from the mayor, developers and town hall officials about this ancient site. 

More about this can be located here on an article at: Le Monde 

Storm Valkyrie 😢

The tree borns

 Trees are a very important part of our lives, not just with their very nature that helps us survive, but also because of the inner wisdom that can guide us. The ancient druids understood this very well. They had a system based on trees that can help teach individuals about themselves. It's known as the Druid Horoscope. For better understanding, and to learn how to find out what your own tree sign is, it's best to look into how they celebrated the different phases of the year. 

Apple, Fir, Cypress, Elm and more types of tree zodiac signs in the druid horoscope. After checking my own birthday, I'm a Nutwood born child, with traits of synthesis, intuition and fantasy. More is explained that described those traits and characteristics, plus family, compatibility and non compatibility, men and women born of the signs.  

Source:

Astrology.com Druid Horoscope page with calculator here. 

Oakhill Gardens Celtic tree zodiac chart showing also gemstones and animal guides.

Storm Valkyrie

Signs of Goddess Freyja

 

The goddess Freyja is associated with love and beauty. She is also a symbol of the magical Brisingamen necklace, a coat made of falcon feathers, the Hildisvini boar, her chariot, the triple crescent, sacred flower daisy, Bygul and Trjegul the cats. Freyja is also the goddess of fertility, motherhood, childbirth, death and war. Her epithets include Lady of the Slain, Goddess of Love, Lady of the Vanir, Sea Brightener, Giver and Goddess beautiful in tears. Offerings to Freyja are food (honey, mead, wine), precious objects (jewellery and cat figures) and sweet scents (perfumes, candles and incense).   

Her twin brother is the god Frey. So Freyja and Frey (brother and sister) represent the sign of Gemini. They're both "divine twins". Freyja is a sorceress and teaches magical arts. Her character is very important to the land, crops and trees too. She gave magical wisdom to the Aesir and provided the knowledge of the Seidr to Odin. The name of Her dwelling is a hall in the meadows of Folkvangr, where souls of slain warriors are led. If they don't get to Valhalla, they will go to Folkvangr. 

Storm Valkyrie

Happy flowers

 

There are some very interesting flowers with a look of laughter and happiness about them. These are mainly colourful spring and summer blooms. 

They include the purple ascocenda flowers, Viola tricolor hotensis "laughing pansies", orphrys bombylflora, Calceolaria uniflora, Catasetum epiphytic, vanda tessellata, Aliceara Tahoma Glacier, blue passionflower, Kohleria, Lindenbergia and Conophytum pagaea.

Check them all out on Balcony Garden Web: Link  

Storm Valkyrie 🥀💮🎕🌺🌻🌹

Moons of Uranus

Planet Uranus has a number of moons and some of them could have life and water. These moons, named Ariel, Umbriel, Oberon and Titania are the moons that are believed to contain water, and even hold oceans and fresh cool streams, and maybe feel warm enough to create life forms. So what does this mean? 

Various findings and discoveries have explored these ideas after different space missions sent satellites and probes. Out of the Uranus planet's 27 orbiting moons, these particular four moons that I have already mentioned have water. It's said that these oceans might be dozens of miles deep under icy crusts. These lunar seas are likely underground. It's believed that aliens could be living there, and if so they might be animals thriving in and around the waters of these moons. Besides water there are superb cliffs and mountains, even crystals in the shape of palaces. If that isn't enough, the skies over the moons would be colourful as rainbows. Among the stars would be the large pale blue planet of Uranus, a giant ice world, visible all of the time from the surface of the moons.    

Let me explain more about the four surprising moons first. Titania is the biggest moon of Uranus, and named after queen of the fairies in William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." As the same for Oberon, also a character from the same play and is second biggest moon. Ariel is one of the smallest moons and round shaped, who is named after a spirit in "The Rape of the Lock" poem by Alexander Pope and "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare. Umbriel is also named after a character in the same poem by Pope. The planet Uranus is named from Greek mythology, a primordial deity who was husband of Gaia and their offspring were the earliest Titans. He was later castrated by his own son Cronus. His severed genitalia was thrown into the sea and that foam created beautiful goddess Aphrodite. 

Is it possible that humans could visit one of these moons for a cosmic spa trip? Well my answer has to be, only in your dreams.

Storm Valkyrie

The May Queen

 Let us celebrate the season of May and delve into the magical time of flowers and dancing. Traditionally the May Queen is a girl dressed in white with flowers in her hair, and appears during a festival with a maypole. The May Queen comes from ancient pagan celebrations of Spring to Summer, fertility and beauty. Much is tied with roots in both the respect and worship of nature and towards the blessed gift of agriculture. The cycles of seasons and regrowth of new budding plants that offer food, medicine and signs of a healthy soil. Some associate the May Queen with Spring goddesses Flora, Persephone, Ostara, Idunn and Brigid. The celebration of the May Queen is held in most countries in Europe, when a maiden is chosen to represent the May Queen or the Flower Girl. 

Storm Valkyrie    

 

Daisies

 Daisies have always been a symbol of innocence and the early Spring. These are considered gentle, childlike, sweet and often pure. As delicate as lambs. Dainty as small butterflies, fauns, rabbits and ladybirds. Daisies are a favourite for kids to play in meadows, making daisy chains and daisy crowns. Many brides and virgin maidens of bygone era used to wear them, as there are plenty of daisies. These may be charming little wild flowers but they're certainly not fragile as ice crystals. These flowers are super tough and they can grow in cold temperatures, and if they're cut, many more grow back again quickly. Daisies are a tasty treat for making teas and salads. The original name for daisy is "day eye" as it closes at night and falls to sleep. Only to wake up first thing in the morning.

These daisies are the blossoms of the grass. Associated with love and romance, the planet Venus, goddess Freyja and fairy folk. The Celtic belief in daisies being spirits of babies who were stillborn. In Medieval times, daisies were called Mary's Rose in England. It's known as a bruisewort and woundwort. Daisies were used in herbal medicines to cure coughs, disorders of liver and kidneys, astringent, pain and bleeding. Daisies have also been used to help ease pain of childbirth. It comes from the Asteraceae family and it's scientific genus name is Bellis perennis,

Storm Valkyrie

Happy Easter and Spring!

 

Have a really Happy Easter celebration and enjoy the Spring!

From Storm Valkyrie.

My birthstone magic

It's March and I've just celebrated my birthday. My birthstone is aquamarine and it's one of the few birthstones that is able to be used in calming down anger spells. 

Visualise the aquamarine stone. This can be worked on yourself or others. Focus on all of the anger, and its rage. Imagine that you are casting all of this anger into that stone and being drowned inside. The powers of the aquamarine will absorb it all and eat its negative energy. 

You can also use an ordinary stone or a pebble for this, but there is a slight difference. Visualise anger being shifted into the stone and then throw away that stone into a river, pond, stream or a lake. This cleanses the anger until it's gone.   

Say that incantation to your gods and goddesses, who watch over the waters, let the anger fade away, and disappear. Then say a thanks.

Storm Valkyrie

Hair of Skadi

 The Winter leaves us with snowfall and icy paths. What else is left in woodlands after a snowy time is a very pretty amount of white silvery hair. It's really a curious formation of ice and is called "hair ice" as it's often left on rotting deadwood. This looks like luxurious silky hair as if  it were made by a winter goddess after brushing her hair. Now really hair ice is quite a rare natural phenomena but it just looks very beautiful. It's appearance on deadwood of a type with broad leaves, and on medullary rays but not appearing over strong bark. Hair ice is formed by a fungus called Exidiopsis effusa of the Auriculariaceae family. The cold snow makes all these gorgeous looking silver locks in a dark woodland, as low temperatures under 32 F with a damp air give this ice that look. It can stay there for days, all depending on the weather and if it changes or not. 

Storm Valkyrie

Call of the moon

 It is full moon night. The full moon in March is called a few names like Crow Moon, Sap Moon and Worm Moon. Sap for the new budding plants growing on soil, trees and branches. Crows finding next new homes for laying eggs and departing from mist of winter, with mating season ahead. Worm moon, for the soil and creatures tucked away over winter now woken up, such as the snails and bats and worms. 

Worms. Wyrms. White wyrm legend. Many wyrms in myths and folklore across the British Isles. Wyrms, not worms, but wyrms, the sleeping dragons. 

Snow is forecast, but so too is World War Three. The snow and worm moon. Snow wyrm. Ice dragon defend us here.

Storm Valkyrie.

Bears shall wake soon

 The bear will soon awake from its hibernation. This is what happens over the winter months, as bears enter a long period of sleep so that their bodies can rest. During hibernation, bears don't need to eat or pass water. It helps them otherwise they would build up muscle atrophy. Their body keeps hydrated and they store a lot of fat, which also helps them during hibernation. Bears can hibernate each winter except the polar bear, which is adapted to live in cold snowy temperatures all year round. During hibernation, bears are not always in dreamland, they can be awake now and then, but they remain in their snug dens. Bears have taught humans a lot about diabetes. While it's a problem for humans, bears can find it healthy to be diabetic. This means they need a lot of sugar. What they eat can be up to 50kg. By becoming overweight and full of calories, this helps their bodies to experience a hibernation rest, so that they never get hungry or thirsty. By the time spring arrives and bears wake up, they've lost weight! 

The story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is fairy tale about a girl that seems lost in the woods, and discovers a cottage that belongs to three bears, who happen to have gone out but she knocks on the door, goes inside when there isn't an answer. She finds food in three bowls. The first bowl of porridge is far too hot. The second is too cold. The smaller is just right and she consumed all of it. Then she finds three chairs of different sizes. The largest is too high, the middle is too hard, and the smallest is fine until it breaks and she falls. She goes upstairs and finds three beds. The largest and middle sized beds are both uncomfortable so she likes the comfort of the small bed and goes to sleep on it. When the three bears return home, they discover an intruder had eaten their porridge, sat in their chairs and asleep in their beds. Goldilocks is woken up, looked at the three bears, ran away and that was the end of this story.  

Goldilocks is a thief but she isn't what she appears to be. She was really a fox! That was how she used to be, in a much earlier version of the tale called "Scrapefoot". She later turned into a human but kept her sneaky traits, knowing full well that what she was doing was wrong and could get her into trouble or killed but went ahead anyway. The biggest father bear was scary. While the three bears are dangerous, they were robbed by a magical golden haired fox/girl. It must be worth mentioning here that bears are thieves just like Goldilocks in the story. Bears steal honey from bee hives and then they get attacked by swarms of bees!  

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Kissing flowers

 As it's almost  Valentine's Day, I want to post about some amazing flowers that look like loving gifts for Valentine's Day. Some look as if they're going to kiss you! Let us see them:

Conophytum Pagaea

These bunches of lips are native to South Africa and Namibia. Clusters are grown in early summer and they can bloom flowers that emerge from between their "mouths". They can be grown in gardens but they need plenty of sunlight and warm temperatures. They thrive well in the tropics. They're vulnerable to the cold and creatures that feed on them but insecticidal soap can shoo away bugs, snails, slugs, caterpillars and even rodents. Despite them looking so adorable, try to avoid eating them. Don't kiss them because they will cause skin irritation!   

Psychotria elata

This is a bright flower found native in Central and South America, especially in the rainforests of Ecuador and Costa Rica. This plant looks like a glossy red pair of lips in a pouting pose, ready to blow a kiss. They attract wildlife such as hummingbirds and butterflies, drawn to the vibrant shapes of this plant. During the winter months, white fragrant flowers emerge between the lips. The bark and leaves of the plant has been used for medicines to treat skin ailments. People around the regions love collecting thee plants for Valentine's Day.    

Lamprocapnos 

These are also called "Bleeding hearts" flowers because of their distinctive shape. They look like small pink hearts that will hang from green stems during spring and summer. Soon they develop into full blooms. These plants come from China originally and have a place in traditional medicine and old Chinese poems. These plants have some toxicity so avoid eating them. 

I wish you a happy Valentine's Day. 

Storm Valkyrie

Disting

It's close to the full moon and Febraury. Snowdrops remind us that winter is leaving and spring is not far. That time has come to celebrate the festival of the new season, called Disting, where the soil is cool and ready for the planting. The holiday itself is honouring the Disir, the name of female spirits of fertility who also protect the land. They could also be nature guardians that also kept close to certain families and areas or sites, including farms, wells, stones, houses. It was often believed that the Disir spirits could be angered if they felt disrespected, and they would take revenge against the individuals. No one really knows who exactly the Disir may be, in the order of deities, because they're mysterious. Some believe they could be goddesses or ancestral spirits. That may be because another name for Disting is Oimelc, an Anglo Saxon term for "ewe's milk" as implies a celebration of new life being born. Another name is "Charming of the Plough" when people have feasts in early February. When people worked close to the land these celebrations were in tune with nature.  

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Magic of opals

Opals are enchanting gemstones that change colours. The ancient Greeks associated opals with the thunder god Zeus. They believed that the gems were once tears of happiness shed by Zeus after winning a battle against the Titans. The Roman historian Pliny the Elder said this about opals: "There is in them a softer fire than the ruby, there is the brilliant purple of the amethyst, and the sea green of the emerald - all shining together in incredible union. Some by their splendour rival the colours of the painters, others the flame of burning sulphur or fire quickened by oil." The Romans themselves considered opals as gems of purity and hope, a protection stone against illness, a cupid paederos or "child as beautiful as love."  

Despite that lovely belief, many considered opals were unlucky. It was considered bad luck to wear white opals with diamonds. Opals were thought to be an unlucky engagement ring. Some believe black opals are lucky but it was always believed these black opals were used by witches. Some strange superstitions about opals include the idea that opals will lose their shine if the owner passes away, that opals help turn people invisible, change their hair colour, or make golden haired women's hair even shinier. Opals were believed to help some people foretell the future and helps eyesight. Opals were considered evil during the Middle Ages. During the 11th century, Bishop Marbode of Rennes wrote about the opal: "Yet tis the guardian of the thievish race; it gifts the bearer with acutest sight; but clouds all other eyes with thickest night." 

Opals were once thought to be magical enough to ward off evil spirits and predators so they were used as a talisman to protect children. The Bubonic Plague was responsible for killing many people during the Middle Ages, and opals were worn by those who were sick from it. Often it was rumoured that those infected with the plague who had been wearing opals noticed that the gems turned vivid colours and then paled when the person died. Apart from the ill omens associated with opals, the gem is thought to be a very lucky stone, and was once linked to healing. It was believed that the Rainbow Goddess in Hindu mythology transformed herself into an opal to  escape from many unwanted attention. Also the Australian Dreamtime belief in the creator god called the Rainbow Serpent had left a path of opals after visiting the earth. There is much beauty in an opal as well as abilities to help relieve stress and increase psychic visions and immunity.   

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Tektites

Tektites are black alien crystals that come from meteorite impacts. These crystals are shiny and resemble oil and tar. Some confuse them with obsidian stones. However, tektites are actually forms of natural glass. Regarded as somewhat magical in power, ancient people used to gather these tektites and use them to make amulets. Different tektites come in various colours ranging from brown, black, yellow, green, grey and even opaque. The term comes from the Greek tektos which means "molten". These glassy stones are associated with the crown chakra, the star signs Aries, Cancer and Sagittarius. Regarded as otherworldly as they come from the stars, tektites have long been considered as "heaven's emeralds". Tektites are also thought to be from Thunder gods after a rain, according to an old book by Liu Sun, who lived during the Tang dynasty, 900 BCE. That was the earliest written mention of tektites. Linked also with healing properties and enhancing telepathy, people can wear tektites also for its lustre and prettiness. So for this I wanted to share an image of my own Mjolnir pendant made with tektites, as this is truly a lovely gift from my boyfriend. 

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January predictions

Happy New Year! The months change and 2023 will be a fresh start. I shall mention a few small predictions that you can also observe. 

Weather: it's often believed that good weather can be foretold in nature. The old saying "red sky at night, shepherds delight" is true, because it means less clouds likely the following day. Also the next saying: "red sky in the morning, shepherds warning" is a sign that a gathering of clouds will produce heavy rain and thunderstorm.  Another interesting notion is that the weather during the first three days of January will be a forecast for weather in the following three months.   

Birds: Another observation is birds. The change of seagulls behaviour can be a sign of future weather. If seagulls fly low in spinning patterns, this is a sign that bad weather is coming, especially snow and blizzards. If birds whistle in January, this is a sign of more frost to come. Robins and blackbirds singing from the tops of trees is a sign of good weather

Light: January is always associated with winter thaw but it's actually deep in winter, although it gets lighter. As the days grow longer, it makes the weather feel cold and harsh. As the earth is far away from the sun on 21st December, it's dark but not the coldest. The coldest day of the year is 13th January, according to folklore and weather lore. 

Plants: Yes the plants themselves can tell us what the weather will be like. Seaweed that feels dry is an indication of nice weather but puffiness and dampness will be a sign that the weather will go bad. Pine cones open for fine weather, and close during rain and storms. Fruits such as persimmon have seeds that predict weather. A forked seed will reveal calm winter, a spoon shaped seed will predict heavy snowfall, and a knife shaped seed will predict bitter cold harsh winter ahead. 

Storm Valkyrie