Making up things about Danny Phantom herb lore for fun #1: Blood Blossoms

The specifics as to why Blood Blossoms have such strong ghost-repelling qualities are still unknown. The Blood Blossom flower has a strong and pleasant smell and is edible by humans, having a light, flowery, and sweet flavor to them. Traditionally, it was often used as a famine food, and it was not uncommon for the flowers to be put on bread as they were- cut straight from the stem- and consumed with a bit of butter. As summer turns to autumn, unharvested blood blossoms turn into a fruit known more colloquially as 'Blood Berries.' Blood berries are also edible by humans, maintaining a similar level of sweetness as their flowers, but with a much richer, often overpowering taste. As such, the berries would often be reduced and put into jars of preservers or used as a marinade for meats. Only a little was needed to draw out the richer dimensions of food. While the scent of blood berries will still drive away ghosts, the scent of blood berries is not as strong as their flower counterpart unless actively being cooked. However, dried blood berries, and preserves using them tend to keep especially well in the cold winter months.

While one may assume that Blood Blosdoms were named for their vibrant, red, blood-like hue, it is thought by many historians that blood blossoms were especially favored by the Blood family who hailed from England, and it was them who named the flower. The Blood family's coat of arms features a design that incorporates flowers that look very similar to blood blossoms, perhaps proving to be evidence of this theory.

There are many theories as to why Blood Blossoms repel ghosts, among which is the idea that the scent of these flowers is exceedingly repulsive to ghosts, that something in their chemical makeup makes ectoplasm react in adverse ways when a ghost consumes one, or that it is a component of ghost-repelling spells- therefore ghosts feel a natural aversion to them. However one legend purposes that the reason for why ghosts are repelled by blood blossoms stems from their origin- There is a legend that says that once upon a time, a man would secretly worship at a shrine to a local forest spirit of life and the harvest. The man and his family had been cursed by evil spirits some years before, and where the Christain God had forsaken him and his family, the gentle forest spirit took pity on him and gave him what help she could. He did not have much to offer her. He would work all day in the field and barely yield enough to feed his family. His wife had been injured some years before and so could not work the fields with him anymore, nor could she even ready his meals for him when he returned home each day. And his daughters had fallen under some kind of mysterious illness that, while it fortunately had yet to take their lives, also refused to subside. Still, what little he could spare he would sacrifice to the forest spirit in hopes that she would bring them better fortune, a better crop, and protection from the evil spirits that had cursed him and his family. But one day he came to the nature spirit's alter, a gaping wound in his chest. The ghosts that had cursed his family before had returned for their souls. He did what he could- cast incantations around his humble home, but this injury had been the cost of trying to keep his family safe. The spirits were stronger than his incantations, and it would not be long until the spirits broke through them. He begged the goddess to protect and help his family. Without him, how would they eat? How would his family survive? The humble farmer died on the forest spirit's alter. She wept for the man who sacrificed everything he could to her to protect his family. And so she thought that the least she could do was to grant his wish. Plants erupted from the ground where his blood had spilled, bearing bright red flowers with black thorns. They traveled along the forest path to his home, where they surrounded the building, forcing the ghosts away. They would never return to hurt the family ever again. And with the spirits gone, the daughters were able to heal from the illness. It was soon discovered as they trimmed the wild black thorns back that the flowers were edible and delicious too. The stems and twigs burned especially hot, helping them to keep their hearth warm throughout all the autumn and winter. And the berries kept all the winter through. And so the man's wishes had all come true. For the rest of their days, his family would be protected from the spirits that had haunted them, and they would never need to go hungry ever again.

:: the Stories, Myths, and Magic of Herbs zine ::

Okay, so I haven't been on Tumblr since it was a new thing - so please excuse me while I'm finding my way around, for I am old and slow.

There will be witchy happenings here soon though; I was trained in herblore and folk magic from the age of ten, so gardening and witchcraft are a huge part of my life.

Also Doctor Who, Stranger Things and cross-stitch. Just hoping to meet like-minded folk ☺️

Pumpkin Folklore & Magical Properties

I mean, this one was pretty much inevitable. (For a useful companion guide, you may also want to read this bit about nutmeg.) I was never much of a fan of pumpkins growing up, but my experience with them was also limited to cleaning handfuls of cold, stringy, slimy pumpkin guts out of jack-o-lanterns and eating pasty-textured pumpkin pie from the grocery store. This year was my first experience…

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I went to harvest some nettle (with gloves of course!) on the edge of the woods.

After those dry months, we've been having a lot of run and everything is growing as if it were spring.

I haven't decided yet if I'm going to make soup or pesto.

Either way, nettle is a good source of calcium, vitamin C and D and iron. It's a good ally to treat arthritis, hight blood pressure, anemia, urinary tract infection and pms.

(I will add my sources on my intro post, later today. I always use the same books.)

Wormwood

Due to the last few years of natural disasters, social upheaval and medical distress, the importance of relationships is quite clear. Individuals who found themselves alone or disconnected have suffered deep trauma.

The animal and plant world has been a source of joy and healing for me. Certain plants have drawn me in, capturing my attention and changed me physically, mentally and spiritually. One such plant is Wormwood.

Sweat to the smell but bitter to the taste, Mother Wormwood has been generous. I have experienced her aromatic oils via teas, tinctures, fresh leaves and homemade absinthe. Wormwood-infused balms have even helped alleviate joint pain in my hands.

Wormwood has a complex spirit. Culpepper attributes her governance to Mars, and I can see why. The plant is well known for its aggressive anti-parasitic and liver-cleansing properties. However, the botanical genus and name (Artemisia Absinthium) feel rather apt. The dream and mind-altering effects experienced from ingesting the herb suit a Greek hunting and luna goddess. In the forest of Artemis, you could meet the Green Fairy.

Recently, a curious interaction with one of the Wormwood plants in my garden caught me off-guard. I had just pruned the Rosemary and Rue and was about to clip dried Wormwood stalks when a friendly but assertive thought thrust into my mind. "Save the cuttings; they protect", and a vision of a wreath of Wormwood flashed within my inner sight. Those who have communed with plant allies would know the feeling of this non-verbal communication. So I trimmed the plant and soaked the dried stalks overnight. The following day the stalks had softened and were wrapped and woven into a loop. After a few days of drying, stating my intentions and thanking Mother Wormwood, I bound the wreath in red dyed natural wool.

The wreath now lives in my office, hung above my work desk as a sentinel. As with all defensive wards, I hope that it's never activated. But if it does, let it strike true like the arrows of Artemis.

Just a post to show that I’m not limited to digital and sketch art- I do clothes designs (mostly for myself) and tattoo!!

Things I designed on my own items (the shirt is on redbubble :]) mostly done with acrylic on textiles, I love doing that and regularly take commissions from my friends to make them doctor who themed jackets and such eheheh

And tattoos! I tattoo myself a lot and aspire to become a tattoo artist in the future, so I already have a bunch of designs ready to be inked on people :] my tattoo acc on Instagram is Dionysian_tattoo, I don’t feed it much due to lack of time but it’s definitely a project of mine ahah

Anyway, done dropping things for now, have a good day

*heavy breathing*

Herb Brides gestures studies that got out of hand

based on Damien Jalet's choreography L'Évocation, Marie Piltz's in the "Sacrificial Dance" of The Rite of Spring as drawn by Valentine Hugo, and miscellaneous.

ok ok, listen. I am gonna be straight with you. I am not a Patholic nerd and I really like the game. it has one of the most extraordinary stories/lore, plus its gloomy aesthetic is just my shit. but as a local Khalkh Mongolian, I very much dislike the herb bride designs. they have no inspiration from the cultures they are supposed to vaguely resemble, like literally nothing. i am a visual type of person and love it, ADORE it when shit is pretty to look at, it's in my blood. instead they opted for looking like straight-up savage unevolved cartoon cavewomen with skimpy outfits and foliage in their hair for good measure.

they look so out of place here, which you could argue its intentional but cmonnn???

here’s my take on how they could have looked like or at least what kind of things the devs missed out on:

—and their hair should have been braided in many different styles? all three of the major inspirations for the kin doesn’t like loose hair, if we are speaking traditionally. i really like these thin braids:

yeah, i get Orkhon economy is in shambles so no jewelry and colorful clothes but at least cover their boobage?? idk just slap on thin deel + belt and then just rough it up? make decorations out of wood?? and beads out of bones without just dangling them?? just because shit is desperate doesn't mean we gotta lose our dignity too?

edit: This post’s main point is not about restricting the nudity or the creative liberty i am only saying they should have approached this aspect from a different perspective with a native eyes on the IPL development team. It may have came off that way because i used the word boobage huh?

no, keep going. i think you're finally getting somewhere.

Rosemary; Salvia rosmarinus

rosemary is a very powerful little plant and I recommend it as a witch's essential herb, a non-negotiable if you will, as it has so many uses.

Other names: sea dew, compass plant, polar plant

Nutritional and Medicinal Fun Facts:

Good for hair and scalp

Good for metabolic health

High in carnosic acid which has anti-cancer properties

Improves memory and concentration

Improves eye health

Can help regulate liver

Aeromatic may help reduce asthma symptoms

Aeromatic and eating it can help reduce stress and anxiety

May reduce inflammation

May help increase circulation

High in antioxidants, manganese pantothenic acid, niacin, thiamin, folate, and riboflavin

extra fun fact: part of the mint family; eucalyptol (camphor-like) and alpha-pinene (pine-like) are the compounds that primarily give the rosemary flavor

~Magical Properties & Lore~

Element: Fire

Planet: Sun

Gods: Apollo, Helios

Goddess: Aphrodite, Hebe

Spells & Rituals:

Love spells

Beauty spells, especially in an aromatic

Health spells and rituals; I also use it in spells to break unhealthy habits

Antifertility spells (along with safe sex! mundane first, always)

Protection and banishing spells regarding negative spirits; especially visitations at night

Sachets, tea, or aromatic for spells to improve intelligence and memory; excellent herb for student

Helps with nightmares and remembering dreams

Use as a tea or aromatic for dream work and past life remembrance

Burn to cleanse home or self of negative energy

Grow it inside to purify the air

Tip: pairs powerfully with Juniper in most situations

Lore:

Christians believe it grows for 33 years until it is the same height as Jesus. They believe it got blue flowers when Mary placed her cloak on it when fleeing to Egypt. It is a Christian symbol of fidelity and remembrance.

Couples should plant on their wedding day and interpret the growth as divination for the family.

Couples have also wore it at their wedding and given as favors to their guests.

Said to protect against the evil eye.

In Wales, it was used as a funeral favor and sprigs were lowered with the casket.

Embalming herb in ancient Egypt

Ancient Greece & Hellenism

Symbol of love, beauty, and eternity

Said to help people retain youth when smelled

Increases memory; students would wear garlands of rosemary for exams

Protection against evil

recipes to eat it in: so good on chicken, fish, and potatoes, rosemary-infused olive oil, rosemary and lemon pasta

The mugwort plugs are ready to go out!

Moss Folklore and Magical Uses

In honor of the adorable little clump of moss that I found when hiking last weekend, I thought that I’d write about the different folk tales, cultural significance, and magical properties of these awesome little plants. Before I do, I do want to point out one thing that’s pretty funny: A lot of the plants we consider/call “moss” aren’t actually moss at all. Some of them aren’t even the same kind…

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This video was very helpful.

I discovered milk thistle in our garden--- Knowing its benefit, I needed to see how to harvest it. It's full of thorns and spikes, so it's difficult.