This is the content I want.
This is getting out of control. (photos via ZookeeperRachel)
1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.
2. Do not tell your troubles unless you are sure they want to hear them.
3. When in another’s lair show him respect or else do not go there.
4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy.
5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.
6. Do not take that which does belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved.
7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all you have obtained.
8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.
9. Do not harm little children.
10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.
11. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.
Source
Me
Get in loser, we're starting an oak cult.
rain appreciation post
People who like rocks see cool rocks everywhere. People who like birds see interesting birds everywhere. The tree on your yard could be an exceptional specimen. The world around you could be amazing and magical, but you aren’t enough of a nerd to see it.
““My first religious experiences came to me both in wild places and in very human places, but perhaps the most poignant were where the two were intimately blended, at least in my perception. An example that I would share here is that of lying on a warm stone in rural Spanish sunshine, alone, my eyes closed, my soul infused with the scents of cistus and thyme, listening to the sound of goat bells above the tumbling rush of the river beside me, and I knew—with that subjective certainty which so thoroughly imbues such moments—that time did not exist: everything around me was the wholeness of all that had ever happened in that ancient valley. It was not crowded with humanity, but human culture was fully involved, scratching its living in the dusty hills, quietly but so very deeply rooted, and perpetually narrated by the stories and songs of those people generation after generation. Eight years old, for me it was an experience of feeling completely held, in peace and security—home—to the extent that I recognise my spiritual journey to have been in some measure a seeking to recreate that exceptional feeling.””
— Emma Restall Orr, in her essay Pagan Ecology: on our perception of nature, ancestry, and home, in the book The Wanton Green, Contemporary Pagan Writings on Place. I promised I would post these descriptions of childhood moments sometimes. Here’s one.
I've started to actually get excited for school starting, I spend a lot of time online reading scientific papers about my favorite weeds, and I think I want to study weeds forever.
Apparently it's an ongoing mystery why dandelions in North America are so diverse, when all dandelions that have been found so far are apomicts that reproduce only by cloning themselves.
However, any given site will have many distinct dandelion genotypes, with many different traits.
For example, a site might have one dandelion strain that blooms primarily in fall, and another that blooms primarily in spring.
One theory is that there's new genetic information constantly coming in from Eurasia somehow. Apparently dandelion seeds can spread on the wind 150 KILOMETERS! Perhaps some are just blown across the ocean in a storm? But if that's the case, why weren't dandelions found all over North America already when European settlers came?
The other theories are that there are sexually reproducing dandelions here that we just haven't found yet, and that they somehow make new diversity very rapidly purely through mutations and recombination and such.
I would like to start this post out by saying I am in no way a professional and have only been studying/practicing witchcraft for about a year. I just know a lot about plants and the ability to sense the health/needs of a plant comes very naturally to me (I will make a post about how to do this soon!)
IN ORDER FROM EASIEST TO HARDEST
• Chives- can grow in limited light and space, very easily propagate (regrow)
• Mint- very hardy, requires shade and some light, start from seeds
• Cilantro- fast growing, can be planted indoors, does not transplant easily, Is NOT perpetual (dies after it flowers, wilts quickly, pretty much dead after one growing season. @rwt-mystic-corner)
• Basil- can grow in small spaces, require sun, start from seeds
• Parsley- easy to grow, low maintenance and limited lights, though hard to germinate
• Oregano (wild marjoram)- very hardy, easy to grow in winter, requires full sun
• Sage- large, hardy, start from cuttings, requires full sun
• Thyme- requires full sun, hardy, easy to propagate from seeds or cuttings
• Aloe Vera- easy to overwater, low maintenance, slow growing, little water, full sun (they are a desert plant)
• Chamomile- low maintenance, little water, full sun with some shade, easy to overwater
• Dill- start as seeds, small, easy to grow indoors, hard to overwater, requires full sun
• Rosemary- though very large, easy to grow indoors and easy to overwater
• Bay laurel- requires well-draining soil, full sun, water often, grows large, slow growing
• Lavender- hard to grow indoors, requires little water, best in dry conditions, start from seeds
• Roses- requires full sun, seasonal, grows only outside, requires fertilizer, best grown from transplants
SOURCES: Easy to grow herbs | More easy to grow herbs | Gardening resource | @thesigilwitch helped to compile this list
THE ONGOING ARGUMENT
Pro-Outdoors
As a green witch with a strong yearning to be at one with nature, I prefer to grow my plants outside. I have a small garden (about 4’ by 4’ and 10” deep) that I have several plants in, mostly succulents. Though my garden is small, it’s very peaceful for me to have my own little space that I can survey all at once. I’ve never grown a large garden and so can’t say if it is better/worse. If you are going to plant outside but have little space to do so, a little garden is a simple solution. This also allows your plants to get more sun, fresh air and space to grow.
Con-Outdoors
Winds, heavy rain or a hot/cold front can easily kill off more delicate herbs and plants. Animals like birds, cats and mice might be attracted to outdoor gardens, and though these animals are delightful to be around, they rarely leave your garden at peace. Planting outdoors is all-in-all a less controlled environment and, though it is more natural, can be tough with little experience.
Pro-Indoors
If you live in an apartment or can’t plant outdoors, an indoor garden is ideal for you. Plants used in witchcraft like herbs and flowers can be easily grown indoors provided they have enough light and proper care. Having plants inside can really help create a safe space and keeps them from the harm of rain and unwanted animals or bugs. It also gives you easy surveillance of your plants.
Con-Indoors
Plants can easily die if they are strangled by too much care, and beginner gardeners can be over-bearing. The biggest problem with growing indoors is that most plants require 4-6 hours of full sunlight a day and windows are just unable to provide this amount of light. Also, keeping plants in small pots tends to strangle new growth, and limits a plants ability to grow very large. While your plants might be kept warm in the winter, it’s less worth watching large plants struggle indoors.
Conclusion~
Indoor planting is good for beginners or those with little outside space or building ability, but don’t be too over-bearing and make sure they get enough light and fresh air. Outside gardening is better if your plants are healthy and hardy and should be left to more experienced gardeners with enough space to tackle the project.
IF YOU DON’T HAVE A “GREEN THUMB”
My Experience
Even though I consider myself a green witch, I also struggled with this in the beginning. Before I really learned to read the health of my plants, they would die without me even knowing it. I thought, “I can’t even keep a cactus alive!” Well, cacti are actually quite hard to care for if you don’t know what to look for. In fact, everything is. Plants are hard to care for if you don’t know what to look for. So first, do your research. Plants have two basic needs: food and water.
Research
Research how this plant grows in the wild. If it grows in the desert, it probably needs a lot of sun and little water. If it grows on the rainforest floor, it needs to be consistently moist and doesn’t need much light. It is important to replicate plants’ natural conditions to keep them healthy. Research is everything.
Food
Plants need sun, and most need lots of it. Plants have to have sun or they can’t produce enough “food” for themselves and they starve. 4-6 hours of good window sun is enough for most plants. If a plant is growing in an odd direction, growing too tall or dropping leaves at the bottom while wilting, it is probably not getting enough sun. Slide it towards a window or put it outside on sunny days.
Water
On that note, plants need water. This is by far the biggest thing “black-thumb” people struggle with! If you buy the wrong kind of soil, it can drown a plant even if you never water it. If you over-water in the winter, your plant may freeze. Again, think about the plant in the wild. A good tip is to see how thick the leaves are! A cactus is essentially one big leaf, and they are very thick and round, therefore they need very little water because they store it in their “leaf.” A big tree with many leaves or a stalky plant needs a lot of water because it can’t retain any. If a plant is yellowing, mushy or dropping leaves while others remain plump, it is being overwatered. Do not water it again until all the soil feels bone-dry. If it is being under-watered, a plant will be wilted, brown or yellow and the soil will be very dry.
SOURCES: Growing herbs indoors
WHAT IF I CAN’T I.D. MY PLANT?
Help
A lot of people struggle with this and, if you didn’t buy your plant as a baby from a store that includes labels, then you might not know what your plant even is! Stores like Home Depot, most plant nurseries and private growers label their plants and how to care for them. But if you find yourself not knowing what your plant is, here are some helpful tips.
I’ll divide this plant identification into 2 categories: simple and advanced.
Simple I.D. information
(simple identification tools such as types of leaves, plant anatomy, and easy to use interactive identification)
How to I.D. leaves
How to I.D. flowers
Quiz for determining plant species
Types of Plants
Popular Houseplants
Advanced Resources
(requires knowledge of dichotomous keys, latin names and meanings, and some complex plant anatomy. These are probably more accurate.)
Understanding Latin Binomencalture
Latin Nomenclature of Plant Species
Dichotomous Key to Plant Families
How to Google your Plant-
Of course, Google is always your best friend! If you can determine the type of leaf, flower, color or species from the easy-to-use guides, you can just google it!
SOURCES: The ask this information came from asked by @fuzzzyuniverse
CONVENIENCE OF STORE-BOUGHT HERBS
Most local supermarkets sell herbs with other spices, in small containers, either ground or whole. While these herbs have already been preserved and possibly seasoned, it is a quick, easy and time/money-saving option for any witch. There is a certain magickal property to growing your own herbs, but it is by no means necessary! I don’t grow any herbs at all; I buy them all from the store. Preparing your own herbs goes much farther than just being able to grow them, and knowing it has been done right by a professional is certainly magickal. They work just fine and are often more enjoyable to smell or eat because they have been grown professionally.
AWESOME LINKS N’ STUFF
Herb list from @thebluechicory HERE | More about indoor growing | Micro-gardening tips (outdoors)
I hope this had been of some help to you! If any links are broken or you would like me to add/edit something, just shoot me a message. Happy growing!