Red Clover for Magick & Medicine

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is one of my most favorite herbs! The part you would use are the flowering tops. The beautiful purple blossoms make a very healthy and delicious cup of tea.

It is known as an alterative herb. Alteratives help to gradually restore health and proper function to the body's systems. They aren't a quick fix, but help other herbs to work better in the body.

Red clover acts to purify the blood and is helpful for many chronic conditions. It is specific in rheumatoid arthritis formulas and acts as a mild nervine to relax you. It is also wonderful to strengthen your hair and nails, being specific for childhood eczema. It is gentle enough to drink every day as part of a vitamin and mineral blend (I've included it in my Daily Support Tea).

Red Clover will grow almost everywhere in North America, and in Europe. I can't find published accounts of it being used as a healing herb in very arid areas. This herb, like most "weeds" grows readily near where people have disturbed the earth. If you want to harvest the blossoms, make sure that the plants are growing in areas that haven't been sprayed with chemicals and aren't by roadways. Cut the flowers off when fully opened, and dry on paper in a warm, shady area. Then store away from light or heat once dry.

Brew one tablespoon of flowers , lightly crushed, per cup, covered for 10-20 minutes, depending on taste.

Magickally, Red Clover has some very useful properties. Scott Cunningham writes in his Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs:

"Gender: Masculine, Planet: Mercury, Element: Air, Deity: Rowen,

Powers: Protection, Money, Love, Fidelity, Exorcism, Success. "

Of course, the four-leaved clover is well known to bring luck. Red clover can aid in prosperity particular to specific deals you may be working on. It also can help with cleansing negative energy from a space, particularly from past Spirits. I like to have clover growing near my front

door. It helps to clear the energies approaching my house. (that's another whole subject).

Clover is said to ease a broken heart, as well.

These are just a few of the wonderful properties of Red Clover!

Memories of a Warmer Place

I know that it's really not THAT cold out, for a January day. that said, I just can't seem to get my feet warm today. That got me thinking about some of the warmer places I've visited in the last few years (forget that I used to live in Arizona!). Here's some photos from a wonderful trip to Spain that my Mom and I went to last year at the end of April. What places do you have warm memories of?

These photos are from Barcelona, Seville and a couple of places in between. The one of me in a cafe in Seville is probably one of the most relaxing moments of my life! There was also flamenco in the streets during a festival, and flowers everywhere! It was mostly a balmy & beautiful 75 degrees during the whole trip! I just love Spain!

A Recipe For Warmth

Finally! We got a dusting of snow last night! It didn't amount to much, but at least the outdoors looks slightly more normal today, considering it's January.

Yesterday, I told you about the benefits of Cayenne. Today I thought that I would share one of my favorite wintertime warming recipes. This dish is full of great bacterial-fighting properties, is naturally immune-boosting, warming to the body, and increases blood flow to the extremities. It will also help clean out your bowels, so beware! Perfect to make if you feel a cold coming on, but good just on it's own tasty merits! Keep in mind that I don't usually measure most ingredients, and luckily with this dish, it really doesn't matter. Just make it the way you like it and you can't go wrong. I like this really spicy!

Curried Onions, Mushrooms and Spinach

Ingredients: add or delete items depending on your taste, but onions and curry are key!

• Olive Oil


• Yellow Onions- sliced into rings as thick as you like, one onion per person


• Shitake Mushrooms preferably (or portobello, or any other kind)- sliced


• Fresh garlic cloves- lots of them, chopped


• Spinach- fresh is better, but one box of frozen will work for 2 people


• Curry powder- I use at least one tablespoon per person, usually alot more


• Soy Sauce or Tamari- Low sodium, use a few splashes in the whole dish


• Optional spices- Five Spice Powder, Cumin, Cayenne, Garam Masala

Heat oil in a large saucepan on Medium heat, add onions and garlic, cooking covered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid, add Soy sauce, Curry and spices, Mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes (uncovered), or until onions are translucent and soft, and mushrooms are cooked thru. Add Spinach and cook until wilted (if using fresh), just a couple of minutes. Serve over brown rice, or toss on top of a chicken breast or meatless patty. I just eat it out of bowl, by itself.
It's so easy and delicious! Try it and let me know what you think!

Get Hot Under the Collar!

It's good for you! I'm not talking about getting mad, either! I'm talking about the winter's warmer herb, Capsicum frutescens~ Cayenne!

Now, this is the good stuff you can use to help warm you up if it's cold where you live.

The fruit of the Cayenne plant, the chili pepper, is useful in so many ways! You may think of it just an added flavoring to your dish while cooking, but this herb is actually good for your body.

Originating in India and imported into the West in 1548, it really didn't become popular with the medical community until the 19th century. Now we know that this is one potent health ally.

It's a stimulant for your whole body by increasing blood flow. It's really good to help combat colds and chills, or to bring warmth to the extremities. You can use the infused oil on unbroken skin to help circulation to a particular area.

You might not think so, but Cayenne can also help to relieve indigestion! If you have a problem with spicy foods in general, then this isn't for you, but just a few drops of a cayenne infusion (tea) can help to stimulate the digestive function and bring relief. It's also used in ointments for achy areas and is sold everywhere, included in over the counter preparations for sore muscles.

I use Cayenne in capsules I make to treat colds. Cayenne, in that it increase blood flow in the body, helps other herbs in a formula to work better. It also has antibacterial properties. It's good to put a few drops in a gargle solution to relieve throat problems. To do this , you would make a tea of it first then use about 10 drops of it in warm water.

So that's a bit about one of my favorite herbs from the kitchen. The next time you're making a hot dish, toss in a fresh chopped cayenne pepper (always remove the seeds first!) to help your body. You can use the dried powder, too! How about some chili tonight?

The Power's Out ~ Now What?

Well, the electrical power went out this morning just as I was headed into the shower. Luckily, I hadn't gotten in yet. I called our power company and they said the repairs should take about 2 hours. Now, I had planned to get showered and tackle a bunch of stuff on my to-do list. Since all of those involved using electric, I needed a new plan. That got me thinking about what we can do to slow down, take a breath, and get away from the Mile-A-Minute technical world we live in, even if just for a little while.

Maybe some of you might use the time to meditate? Not me, as I'm a most fidgety meditator! I love guided imagery techniques, but left to my own devices, I'm not successful in my attempts.

Since it's a really rainy and dark day outside, there's not enough light to read by inside. I played with my cats awhile, and then sat down to write a bit in a notepad. When was the last time you wrote anything on a notepad, not a keyboard? It' s been awhile, I bet, unless you journal often.

I ended up thinking about being in the dark and then the Moon, as she is in a waning phase now.

When the moon is in her dark (or new) phase it's a great time to start a new project, or maybe do a spell for a positive change you would like to see. It's a great time to do candle magick, as you are illuminating the dark with your spell. I think that the shining light will gather more light as it grows, and the process of building that light will make the spell more powerful.
What does the dark of the moon inspire in you?

Cosmic Debris

Do you look up in the night sky and wonder if that pattern of stars you seem to see is a particular constellation? Well, here's a site that will help you find out! This is from the Hubble Telescope Official Site, managed by Nasa. There's so much fun info to look at here, including the Hubble photo of the day, among other things. http://hubblesite.org/

I found a flash presentation about the monthly night sky and thought you might like to see it: http://hubblesite.org/explore_astronomy/tonights_sky/

Turn up your speakers, as there is an audio explanation of what you are seeing.

When I moved out to my current home from living in town, the night sky became part of my nightly routine again. When I was a little girl, my Dad taught me all about the constellations. I used to be able to sort them out, but I'm afraid that I don't remember what I'm looking at anymore. I'm hoping to re-learn some of it. We seem to see shooting stars out here much more often than when I lived in Greenfield. We don't have the street lights here to dim the view.

Tonight is supposed to cloud up and the weather turn bad. We won't be able to see the sky, but I'm going to take a look at that website and find out what I would be able to see if it was clear.

Can you see the stars at night where you live?

Have a great day,

tracyw

Some favorite magickal books

Last night I was looking thru some of my favorite books on different magickal subjects. At this point, I have quite a collection! I thought that I would share some of the books, I turn to again and again for information. These are listed in no particular order:

• Ancient Ways and Wheel of the Year, both by Diane Campanelli ~ these are great books about the sabbbats of the pagan year, the activities and crafts associated with the different months, and beautifully written short rituals. there are nice illustrations and some photos, as well. They are both great introductions to our sabbats, and why we do what we do when we do it :0)


• Wicca for the Solitary Practioner by Scott Cunningham~ This is what I consider the Bible for starting out on the Wiccan path. Full of rituals and information, it's a very comfortable book to work with. I still refer to it often, as Cunningham's writing is so solid.


• Good Magick by Marina Medici~ this book is full of beautiful photos to illustrate the chapters on crystals, plants, candle magick and lots of other useful things. At first i thought that it was too slick and glossy to be useful, but the information is helpful and it's really well-done.


• Queen of the Night, Rediscovering the Celtic Moon Goddess by Sharynne Macleod NicMhacha~ this book was written by my friend, Sharynne, a Celtic scholar, writer, singer and incredible woman! Full of folklore, mythology and beautiful rituals, this is a wonderful resource! the book is written in 13 chapters based on the moon's lunar cycles. While Sharon is scholarly, her writing makes the subject fully accessible to the rest of us. It's published by Red wheel/weiser, ISBN#: 1-57863-284-6


• What's Your Wicca IQ? by Laura Wildman~ This fun and informative book is written by another friend of mine, Laura. Set up in a question/answer format, it's full of information that even the seasoned practitioner will find new and useful! every question is multiple choice, sorted by subject. There are chapters with titles such as," burn two candles and call in the morning", which covers spellcraft. Yours truly helped to write the chapter section covering herbal magick! Laura and I had allot of fun doing this together! This is published by Kensington Press, ISBN#: 0-8065-2347-6


• Tarot for Yourself by Mary K. Greer~ This is a great workbook to learn the Tarot! There are worksheets, information, layouts and other exercises to help you learn how to do readings. This works with any deck, too!

Well, I think that's enough for now! I have many other books that I refer to often, but I'll save those for another day! What are some of your favorite books about magick?

Have a great day! ~ tracyw

answer: bolline or silver knife

Feeling better today

Yesterday, I actually did everything that I told you to do when you get a cold, and today I feel much better! Imagine that! I'm still sneezing a bit, but other than that i feel OK. I took two droppers of Elderberry syrup four times throughout the day, and two Emergen-C packets.

I really do think that the Elderberry syrup is the key! I think that I'll try to make my own syrup next fall when the fresh berries are available. Yum! Elderberry Wine, anyone?

Tonight, Tim and I are just going to relax with a movie, Superman Returns, and have a quiet night in. I hope you have a nice night, too!

When you wake up feeling like...

you might be coming down with something, there's a few things you can do to cut the duration of the cold. Yes, this would be me this morning! Stuffy, achy, and just generally feeling like I'm getting a cold. So what does the herbalist do when she's feeling crappy? Besides making a few cups of my own Cold & Flu Care Organic Tea Blend, here's what I do:

• Emergen-C powder: You can find this stuff almost anywhere now. It's a packet with 1,000 mg of vitamin c. just add water and you have an energy boost to your immune system. I buy the Super Orange, with 32 mineral complexes and B vitamins. I'll take one this morning and another one this afternoon. Your body can't use more vitamin C than that at one time, and the excess will just be excreted.


• Elderberry extract or Syrup: the berries of the Elder tree/shrub are are full of phytochemicals that help boost your immune system. There are several good brands out there, but try to find one without added sugar. I like Herb Pharm's Alcohol-free black elderberry syrup. it's made with vegetable glycerin, and they don't fumigate or irradiate their berries. Your local food co-op will have something, and you can even find Sambucol brand syrup in most groceries and pharmacies. This brand works if you can't find anything else, but it's not organic and they add sugar.


• Peppermint or Eucalyptus essential oil: There are a couple of things that I use this oil for to treat a cold. For achy head and sinuses, I put a drop on each of my temples(well back from my eyes!) and rub in for a minute. If my nose is stuffy, I will put a drop right under my nose in between my nostrils. If I'm really blocked up, I'll add five or ten drops to a hot bowl of water, stick my face over it and toss a towel over my head and the bowl. You wouldn't want to do this before bed because peppermint can be a stimulant.


• Take a bath! If you can take a hot soak with some mineral salts, this can help draw toxins out of your body. It will ease the aches, clear your head, and make falling asleep easier.


• I add rosemary oil to my bath, or you can buy all kinds of bath salts pre-made for achy muscles.


• Take a multi-vitamin and B-complex. If you don't take one every day, take one now! you need all the help you can get! I'm really bad about taking my vitamins, but I will when I get sick.

So these are a few of the things I do when I first feel a cold coming on. There are allot of preventive things you can do to keep the world of colds and flu away, but if you do get sick, this will help. If you already have a cold with a sore throat, and it's settled in your chest , my Throat & Cough Soother Tea blend will help.

I hope this info will help you the next time you start feeling like you're getting a cold. It usually works for me! Now, where did I put that Elderberry syrup...

Catnip & You

Today I have to take Snowball, my neurotic feline wonder, to the Vet for a rabies shot and check-up. This got me thinking about the favorite feline drug of choice, Catnip. I thought that you might be interested in the other things this herb is used for in traditional folk herbalism.

Besides being the ultimate cat toy, Catnip has been traditionally used as a mild sedative and included in bedtime tea blends. It's nice and gentle, rather than knocking you out like some herbs, such as valerian. You would just add it to a relaxing tea blend or brew a cup, just like you would tea. It's specific for colicky infants. Catnip can also help with respiratory issues associated with the cold and flu. It's especially useful for children.

Of course, the Egyptians honored the feline forms of the Egyptian goddesses Bast and of Sekmet, who manifests as a lion. You can use Catnip to help create a psychic bond with your cat and honor that ancient spirit in them.

So, I'm off to catch Snowball and put her in the carrier. Now, how much fun can you have in one morning? I think I need more coffee!

Thoughts for a new year

OK, so it's 2007 already! Wow, how did it happen so fast?
If we did a recap of all the stuff- great and not-so-great, that happened this year, what stands out the most for you? Was it job-related?Family?Spiritual?Personal?

For me, it seems that there were a few things that stood out-most were really good, too!
I guess that one of the best things, career-wise, is that i really got Summer Sea Herbs off the ground. Thank goddess for Etsy! That site makes it easy and it's such a refreshing change from Feebay. It's been kind of hard, but interesting, to have a shop on the Web. All the decisions, and all the hours! What to do next and what can wait for now? how to plan for what I will need to do, and still get busy doing it! Some days i don't know what to do next- go make a batch of tea, work on the computer, go for a walk to clear my head, or any of the other one hundred things! Still, I love it and am looking forward to building my business throughout this coming year! I also learned something very important- I really need to do this work! this herbal work! Every time I try to do something else, it becomes apparent that I really shouldn't! good to know/accept~finally. Now I can concentrate on my own business.
As the saying goes " It's not just a job, it's an adventure!"

One of the things I like to do is teach people about what I do~herbalism, magick, gardening and some other things. I hope to post about different herbs, magickal items, how-to's, and who knows what else. I'll have to see how this evolves. I've never blogged before! Still it seems like it will be fun! I'm looking forward to learning about it. hope you'll come along for the ride.
any thoughts on 2007?

A New Year, a New Blog!

It's come to my attention that there are people out there who want to know more about herbs, plants, me, medicine and magick. I figure that the best way to help as many of you as possible is to start a blog. I'm hoping to have posts about plants and herbs, magick and medicine, and even some things about me and what I've been up to.

I like to take pictures and will show off some of those from time to time, as well.
This will be a way for us to get to know each other better!

Feel free to ask herbal or magickal questions and I will try to answer them. When space allows, I'll do that here for everyone to see. If you're looking for products that I make, you can find them at my Etsy shop here http://www.summersea.etsy.com

It's a brand new shiny year and I can't wait to see what happens!
Thanks for coming along for the ride! Stop back often to see what's new!

Bright blessings
~tracyw