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#lady's bedstraw
dansnaturepictures · 10 months
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16th July 2023: Egleton, Rutland Water
Photos taken in this set: 1. Herb-Robert. 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7. Views at this beautiful reserve. 5. Great White Egret, a star bird again this weekend. I still find it quite surreal when we have a run of visiting good habitats for them and they're so commonplace, being a bird that was a real rarity when I first got into birdwatching. They're great to watch too with their larger than life stature and quirky movements. 8. Green Sandpiper, a key bird that we wanted to see at the nature reserves whilst away and it was an honour to see loads of them on lagaoon four. They are such beautiful birds and I really just enjoyed watching them and taking them in. 9. Comma, one of a few wonderful butterflies I enjoyed seeing especially in a blooming patch of meadow. 10. Egyptian Geese, another key Rutland bird, with adorable goslings. The gosling I saw of one at Petersfield Heath Pond earlier in the month was the first Egyptian gosling I'd seen I think but was bigger so it was lovely seeing these little goslings.
Another year tick in Yellow-legged Gull seen nicely with Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls for comparison and some chicks of the latter in an Osprey nesting platform were other key birds seen, as well as stunning views of Osprey and Hobby acrobatically working through the air seeing both successfully hunt. Birds I adore seen so well this weekend. Sand Martin, Little Egret, Great Crested and Little Grebe, Shelduck, Blackcap seen extremely well, Reed Warbler, delightful Teal, Gadwall, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Common Tern, Swift, Goldfinch, Pied Wagtail and Linnet chasing each other and Stock Dove were other key birds seen. It was an insect fest with Painted Lady, Red Admirals, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell seen well at the visitor centre, Small Skipper, Green-veined White, Small White and Speckled Wood butterflies, Southern Hawker, Common Darter, Brown Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies, Common Red Soldier beetle, ladybird, Bird-cherry Ermine moth and Marmalade and Long hoverflies other standout insects seen. Poppy, fox-and-cubs, bird vetch, wild carrot, lady's bedstraw, field scabious, self-heal, viper's-bugloss, red campion, white deadnettle, white and broad-leaved clover, thistle, great willowherb, ragwort, forget-me-not, burdock and meadowsweet were other key plants seen.
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mosscapereality · 2 years
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Here, have some flowers from my walk :>
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unkn0wnvariable · 2 years
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Lady's Bedstraw
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Lady's Bedstraw by Oliver Andrews Via Flickr: The yellow flowers of Lady's Bedstraw catching the sunlight at Felmersham Gravel Pits.
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rherlotshadow · 10 months
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Ladies' bedstraw: smells like honey
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alittlepunkrock · 2 years
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where you go (i will go) — i
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Summary: A threat to your realm inspires an unlikely collaboration.
Pairing: Dream of the Endless x f!reader
Words: 3.9k+
Notes: After binging the Sandman, my heart went out to our favorite mopey, gothic dream prince. This will be a full multi-part fic. Set in the Netflix series universe. I haven’t written anything in a hot minute, so any feedback is appreciated - thanks!
series masterlist // mood board // ao3
. . . 
“It starts at night when I close my eyes,
I still see you.
I drown my cries in some brand new lies,
I don’t see you like I used to.”
- I Don’t Miss You Anymore, loveless
. . . 
Part i.
True peace is found in the still moments between dreaming and waking. Those moments in which the body and mind seem to exist on separate planes of existence. The body, just awakening to sensation; the mind, being coaxed back to reality after the uninhibited freedom of slumber. The infinite possibilities found in the realm of dreaming.
As your body calls your mind back home, you cling to the last remnants of your dream. A field of wildflowers, bursting with red poppies, purple bellflowers, yellow lady’s bedstraw. Standing tall before you, your love takes your face in his rough, calloused hands. You lean into his touch, relishing in the thought that tomorrow, your hands will be joined in the sanctity of marriage within this very field. Your heart flutters at the thought.
Your love’s dark eyes gaze tenderly into yours. You open your mouth to state your vow, one you’ve surely told him a thousand times, “I love you.”
Suddenly, there is a sharp tug within your chest. You’re yanked back, the scene before you fading to a pinprick. Your mind collides with your body with a force that is physically painful.
The first sensation you register is a pair of rough, calloused hands gripping tightly around your windpipe. Pushing, pressing.
The second is a pair of familiar dark eyes hovering over you.
There is no tenderness there.  
. . .
Consciousness can be an alarming thing. While it has been many hundreds of years - or perhaps thousands, you’ve begun to lose count - since you’ve dreamed, even deities must rest. Your mind recoils back into the Waking World as your eyes snap open with a gasp. On instinct, your hands fly to your neck, hastily prying away a grip that’s not there.
No one is here. Your bedroom is quiet and empty. As always.
Heart hammering in your chest, you run your fingers along your scalp, peeling away the strands of hair plastered to your skin with sweat. Breathe, you tell yourself, inhaling deeply. Just breathe. Exhale. You relish in the feeling of air flowing in and out of your lungs, uninhibited and free. You are alive.
Well, sort of.
The end of your bed dips lightly, and you open your eyes. Your foster pup, Theo, peers up at you attentively. He places one white paw between your feet, his dark eyes twinkling with reassurance. You smile at him and lean forward, ruffling the mop of brown fur between his wide ears. “Good morning, my friend. Checking on me, are you?”
Sunlight streams through the thin curtains of your bedroom window, bathing the room in a golden glow. Your peace lily by the windowsill reaches for the sun, craning its green stems and white blooms toward the glass. A fantasy novel lays on your bedside table, colorful bookmarks denoting all your favorite passages.
And there, just under your bedroom door, is a stack of papers.
Slowly, a bright smile pulls across your face. Your rude awakening retreats to the back of your mind, waiting to strike again with a new dawn.
It’s time to start a new day.
. . .
“Oh please, Theo, don’t look at me like that,” you groan as you walk into the kitchen, shimmying into a pair of dark jeans as you go. Theo sits regally at your feet, eyes wide and gleaming, eager for a lick of the cream cheese warming on the kitchen counter. You drop to the floor to tie your sneakers, eyeing him carefully.
He stares at you. You stare at him. After several long moments of watching you tie your shoes, he sticks his pink tongue out and grins.
Your heart grows two sizes as your tough act breaks. “Oh, fine. How am I supposed to say no to that face?” In a jiffy, your toasted bagel has been slathered with cream cheese, and an extra dollop has been added to the rim of Theo’s food bowl. He sits triumphantly by the bowl and grins as you dip to rub him behind the ears. “You be a good boy today, okay? I’ve got a busy day ahead, but I’ll drop in at lunch. And please, no chewing on the trim. We really can’t afford another maintenance charge. Got it?”
Theo pants and gives your palm an appreciative lick. You grin and kiss him between the ears. “That’s my boy.”
The tender autumn sun warms your cheeks as you step out of your townhouse and onto the sidewalk. It’s a Wednesday morning and the streets are busy, everyone shuffling to jobs, school, daycare. You make the brisk walk to the small mom-and-pop coffee shop a couple blocks away, hoping to beat the line that is sure to be forming soon. The shop owner, an elderly gentleman with a shock of white hair and a kind, wrinkled face - Cliff, you remind yourself - smiles kindly at you as you walk in. “G’morning, miss. You’re off to an early start today, aren’t you?”
“The sun is awake, so I’m awake,” you reply jokingly, placing the exact change for your beverage into his waiting hand at the counter. “We’ve got a busy day ahead, Cliff. Your coffee is going to carry me through.”
“Good thing I’ve got it ready for you, then,” Cliff jests, sliding a to-go cup across the counter. “Have a g’day, miss.”
“You truly are a lifesaver, Cliff. Mankind thanks you for your service,” you say as you take the first sip. The dark brew slips down your throat, warming your insides as it goes. Nothing refreshes the immortal soul for a day of work quite like a good coffee.
“I’ll see you tomorrow!” you call with a grin, turning on your heel to head back out the front door. As you approach, a young man carrying a backpack, likely a college student, prepares to open the door. The street outside is busy, easy to disappear into. You turn over your shoulder to ensure Cliff is looking away. His back faces you, busying himself with cleaning the espresso machine behind the counter.
Turning to the young man in front of you, you slip through the door as he opens it. He makes eye contact with you, opening his mouth to give a greeting. You smile and, reaching out, touch your fingertips to the soft gray hoodie over his heart. You close your eyes, reaching out, reaching through. A warm breeze whistles through your hair. And when you open your eyes, you’re in to vasíleio tis proskóllisis. The Realm of Attachment.
It is an absolute kaleidoscope of colors. The most stunning masterpiece you have ever seen. Hundreds, thousands, millions of threads bursting forth from the hearts of the mortals surrounding you. Some are linked to an individual beside them, some halfway across the city, some halfway across the world. Each thread thrums, alive with the promise of connection, of attachment to another individual. Each thread glows with the promise of what bond these two mortals are to share.
Gazing around this masterpiece, your masterpiece, your chest grows tight with emotion, heart warm, mind buzzing. This is your purpose. This is what it means to be Agape, the Deity of Love.
You turn to the young coffee shop customer you passed through, who is now glancing around, looking quite dazed and confused. “Well,” you say, knowing full well he can’t hear you, “I suppose I should get to work, shouldn’t I?”
  You pull the folded pieces of paper from your bedroom floor out of your pocket, unfolding them carefully. The first names on the Fates’ list are alight with a purple halo. You smile fondly. Erotoropia - playful, flirtatious attachment. These are always fun. You close your eyes and skim your fingertips over the words, reaching out for the attachment there. When you open your eyes, you find yourself in a high school hallway crowded with shuffling bodies. The air is thick with a heady combination of cacophonous chatter, cheap body spray, and raging teenage hormones.
A thick web of attachments surrounds you, burning brightly with reds, purples, blues, and whites. A combination of romance, flirtation, self-love, and friendship or romantic soul ties. Ah, to be a teenager, you muse, overwhelmed by the sheer number of connections around you. You inhale deeply and wade through the crowd, honing in on the attachment you have come to foster.
Ah, there they are - a young brown-skinned girl with hair the shade of night and a fair-skinned boy with bright blue eyes. They stand side by side at their lockers, the boy rummaging for books, the girl applying a thin streak of eyeliner to both eyes in her small mirror. A faint purple thread connects them at the heart, yearning to be established. You feel it call out to you, tugging at your heart, drawing you closer.
You smile, running the purple strand between your fingers. Let me see what I can do for you.
To your right, a stocky boy in a football jersey barrels down the hall, clearly late for some type of practice. You incline your head toward him and lift a hand, crooking your pointer finger ever so slightly. At your gesture, the boy’s shoe rolls over a pen on the hallway tile and he stumbles, shoulder colliding with the back of the brown-skinned girl. Her eyeliner careens across her temple, leaving a dark line in its wake. She gasps, rearing backward.
“Hey, watch it!” She calls out to the football player as he scurries away, too concerned about being late to pay her a glance. She leans back into her locker, examining the damage in the mirror. “Aw, shit.”
The fair-skinned boy glances at the girl to his side, glances away, glances back again. Obviously weighing the pros and cons of speaking up. You place an encouraging hand on his back. Go on.
“Sorry about that,” the boy finally says, briefly pausing in his quest to find his books. “Jocks, am I right?”
“No shit,” the girl groans. She pulls a Q-tip from her purse and leans in close to the mirror, trying to salvage her look. “This was the worst possible day for this to happen to me. I’m supposed to audition for Catswith the drama club after school.”
The boy grins, turning to face her more fully. Gaining courage. “What , a cat eye wasn’t what you were going for?” he prods, eyebrow raised.
The girl pauses in her wiping to return his friendly gaze. A playful twinkle lights in her eye, dancing as a smile pulls across her face. “How do you even know what a cat eye is?” she laughs.
The boy shrugs, closing his locker with a stout clang. “I may or may not have three older sisters. My knowledge of makeup is vast and, quite frankly, a little embarrassing.”
You glance down at the thread between your fingers as the two chat. Once pale purple, the thread now glows brightly. You smile with satisfaction. Your work here is done.
. . .
The Fates know how to keep you busy, and you thank the powers that be for the millionth time that you love your work as much as you do. By lunch, you’ve traveled halfway across the world, fostering a rainbow of bonds. Theo gets a quick check-in at lunch, something that lifts your spirits as much as it does his, before you dive back into the fray. By dusk, there is only one final set of names on your list.
As you lift your fingertips from the page, you find yourself on the landing at the top of a staircase. A large window to your right reveals the quiet cul-de-sac outside. The hallway is dark with shadows, every door lining the corridor closed firmly. All is silent.
And then, a sniffle. You turn to the first door down the corridor to your left. While no light peeks through the crack at the bottom of the door, the sound of quiet sobbing is unmistakable. The pitch and tone tells you that it is the crying of a young girl. Through the door pass two distinct threads; one faded and green, the other a pulsating black. At the sight of the black thread, you grow very still, a lump forming in your throat.
Desire the Endless has been here.
You take the threads in your hands and follow them down the staircase, moving quickly. You find that the threads trail into the heart of a middle-aged man lying on the couch. A comforter has been thrown onto the floor beside him; he tosses and turns in his sleep, restless.
You swallow quickly and close your eyes, gripping the black thread tightly. Show me, you command. In response, dark images flash through your mind: A family of three, happily moving into their new home. The father taking a new job. Casual glances at a co-worker turning into sly ones. Desire boiling until the pot overflows. One early morning run turning into multiple. The fallout. A wife working late to push the pain away.
A daughter crying in the room upstairs. Your heart sinks, forming a pit in your stomach.
Slowly, you shift your hands to grip the green thread. Gazing down at the restless face of the adulterer below you, you can’t help but wonder whether he deserves your gift. Whether he deserves you re-enforcing his family’s unconditional love for him. You can’t help but wonder whether, with Desire around, he’ll make the same grave decision again. You almost let the thread go. And then, you remind yourself, You don’t decide who or what. You are here to choose the how and to ensure that all proceeds as it is meant to.
“You will awaken and call your wife at work,” you command slowly, voice barely more than a whisper. “You will grovel at her feet. You will do marriage counseling, family therapy, anything that she requests. You will become a father that your daughter can be proud of. All of this will be as I have spoken it.”
You pause. In your hands, the green thread solidifies and glows, warm and alive. As you turn to leave, you whisper one final wish, “And you will shut Desire out of your heart from this point onward.”
It’s the only thing out of your control. The only thing you can’t guarantee.
. . .
You step through an evening jogger and onto the sidewalk in front of your townhome, back in the regular Waking World once again. The colorful threads of the Realm of Attachment no longer leap into view. The street is quiet, dark, and mundane. Admittedly, after a long day of work, it’s a sight for sore eyes.
As you fumble through your pocket for your house keys, a bright bubble of laughter rings through the open window of the townhome next to yours. You can’t help but smile softly and take a slight step back, craning your neck to peek through the open curtains. Inside, a young husband and wife - Ava and Matt, you think fondly - sit on the couch watching a game show rerun on TV. Ava throws her head back and laughs, blonde hair spilling over her shoulders. Matt places an affectionate kiss on her temple. His broad hand shifts to rest on her stomach, cradling the small bump that has begun to rise there.
Your heart flutters at the sight. You’ve been guiding their love story for a long time. You were there for their first meeting, first date, first kiss. Blessing their vows, inhaling in excitement when they learned that they were pregnant. Some were moments the Fates required you there for, while others were for your own satisfaction. While you cared for all mortals that crossed your path, there was something special about these two. In retrospect, you suppose they were the closest thing to family that you had.
Well, besides for Theo.
“Theo!” you call as the front door squeaks closed behind you. At the jingle of your house keys falling into the catchall by the door, Theo rushes to your side, pawing at your ankles. “Hello, little love. How was the rest of your day?” You lift his tiny body into your arms, and he gives your cheek a long, rough lick. “That’s my boy. Let’s get cleaned up, shall we?”
You pad quietly through the living room, down the short hallway, into your bedroom. And nearly bite your tongue at the sight of a dark silhouette standing stark against the streetlights streaming through your curtains.
“For the love of -” You slap the lights on with one hand, gripping Theo a little tighter with the other. As light floods the room, your adrenaline rush halts, energy suddenly pent up with nowhere to go. “...Death?”
Death of the Endless turns from looking out your window, offering you a sweet, toothy smile. “Hello, Love. Long time, no see.”
You breathe out a laugh, setting Theo down on the floor. He promptly runs to lick at Death’s ankles, and she crouches to scratch behind his ears. “Yeah, long time no see. What has it been? A hundred years, at least?”
“More, my friend. Unless you count our brief encounters on the battlefield,” Death says, lifting Theo into her arms. He nudges his nose into her dark curls and licks her cheek. “You grow stronger with each passing century, Love. You’ve progressed so well. You should be proud.”
You think back on the past hundred years, remembering the wars, sicknesses, and tragedies that occured in that time. Certainly, it was a busy time for humanity. In those days, you and Death often worked side by side. The sight of her sweeping wings was well known to you then. You think of those she carried to eternal peace, of the battles that ended in the name of love. You tuck your chin, smiling sheepishly. “Thank you. Surely you didn’t serve me a heart attack simply to flatter me. What brings you here, Death?”
Death quirks an eyebrow, her dark lips dropping into a playful pout. “What, an Endless can’t drop in to see an old friend? And her adorable dog?” At your laugh, Death smiles kindly and sits herself and Theo down on your bed, patting the spot next to her. “But you’ve caught me. There is something we need to talk about,” she murmurs.
At her change of tone, your throat tightens with nerves. You breathe in deeply as you sit at her side, gazing at her expectantly. Your anxious fingers shift to scratch Theo’s head absentmindedly.
Death’s lips part slightly. She seems to contemplate for a moment. “I’ve spoken to my brother recently. Destiny. As well as the Fates,” she starts quietly. Another pause. “They seem to be worried about your scales.”
“Ah, I see,” you say, your throat suddenly dry. Your fingers move more quickly, and Theo inclines his head to peer up at you. You give him a half hearted smile.
Death leans in closer, eyes asking questions before her mouth does. “What’s going on, Love? Share with me. Let me help you.”
“I’m afraid it’s nothing you can help with,” you say quietly. “Desire and I have never seen eye to eye, but lately it’s become more and more difficult to keep up with their work. They’re moving more quickly, becoming more ambitious. They’ve been disrupting my romantic attachments and soul ties, in particular. They know what they mean to me.”
“As do I. Which is why I don’t want to see you lose them.” Death places a comforting hand on yours atop Theo’s head, stilling you. She dips her gaze to make eye contact, eyes searching yours. “I’ve come to warn you of this as your friend. You know I care for you. But if you are unable to keep your side of the scales balanced, I’m afraid of what may happen. Nothing is guaranteed for gods and goddesses. And your kind is not so easily replaced as the Endless.”
The lump in your throat rises higher. You swallow thickly. “I know. And thank you. I appreciate your friendship, appreciate everything that you’ve done for me, more than you’ll ever know.” You inhale deeply, exhale slowly. Grounding yourself, gathering your thoughts. The beauty of the Realm of Attachment burns brightly in your mind, a kaleidoscope of color that you created. “I won’t let them take it from me. It’s all I truly have left.”
Death feigns a gasp. “All you have left? What are we, Theo? Chopped liver?” You laugh, the weight of your heart becoming a little lighter in your chest. She elbows you in the ribs softly. “I’m kidding, of course, but I love the sentiment. Any thoughts on how to tip the scales back in your favor, my friend?”
One idea does immediately come to mind. Whether it’s a good or bad one, you’re not sure. You start to rethink it, but it’s evident when you lock eyes with Death that she’s already seen the thought register on your face. You smile hesitantly. “The last time we spoke, truly spoke, I did mention one idea of mine. However, you weren’t much for it at the time-”
“Ah, Dream! My dear, mopey brother,” Death exclaims, remembrance dawning on her face. “Of course I remember. Granted, at the time, I did not think it was likely to be successful. Dream was, well… being Dream, which does not mean much in the way of collaboration.” Her bright smile softens into a wistful one. “However, much has changed for Dream in the last hundred years. He’s gained a new perspective on things, I think. And Desire has done quite a bit of meddling in my brother’s affairs lately. He might be open to a partnership.”
Your heart rises, chest fluttering with hope. “You think so?”
“I think it’s worth a shot, if nothing else,” Death states matter-of-factly. With a loving pat on your hand, she rises, walking to the window. “And after all, you and my brother are not so different. You’re certainly the brighter ray of sunshine, but neither of you are much in the way of getting out. You spend all your time with mortals, and he spends all his time with - well, his librarian. And his raven. Perhaps this arrangement will be good for the both of you.” You open your mouth to protest, and she gives you a playful shh. “You know it’s true, Love. Now, I wouldn’t waste any time. The faster you can work to balance your scales, the better. And if my darling brother gives you any trouble, do let me know, yeah?”
You shake your head incredulously, giving her a small smile. “Yeah, I will. Thanks.”
“You can thank me later, when your scales are balanced. I’ll be seeing you, Love.” And with a grin and a swoop of black feathers, Death is gone.
All is quiet in your townhome. You release a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding, falling back onto your pillows. Your hand trails over Theo’s fur absentmindedly as your mind races with possibilities. Besides Death and Desire, you’ve never associated with an Endless in person before. Despite his influence on your work, you’ve never met Destiny in the flesh, receiving your assignments through the Fates, instead. In fact, you rarely associate with any other deities at all. Let alone one with a reputation such as the Dream Lord’s.
You take a calming breath, closing your eyes. There’s no doubt in your mind that rest will elude you tonight.
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themori-witch · 2 years
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English Folk/Traditional Names for Common Plants & Herbs
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These are known now as folk names, but back in the medieval era and well into the 18th century, these were the common names for some of the herbs and plants in use in witchcraft (and generally!) today.
This list is not an exhaustive one; the names given here are just some of the names that were used primarily in England for common plants within the region.These plants have other unique and wonderful names in many other cultures and languages throughout the world. 
✧ ADDER’S TONGUE (Ophioglossum Vulgatum) A.K.A.: English Adder’s Tongue, Snake’s Tongue, Viper’s Tongue, Serpent’s Tongue, Adder’s Spear, Christ’s Spear.
✧ AGRIMONY (Agrimonia Eupatoria) A.K.A.: Harvest Lice, Cat’s Tail, Liverwort, Sticklewort, Stickwort, Stickweed, Fairy’s Wand, Church Steeples, Aaron’s Rod, Beggar’s Lice/Ticks.
✧ ALDER (Alnus Glutinosa) A.K.A.: Black Alder, Fever Bush, Owler.
✧ ANGELICA (Angelica Archangelica) A.K.A.: Holy Ghost/Root of the Holy Ghost, St. Michael’s flower, Angel’s Food.
✧ ANISE (Pimpinella Anisum) A.K.A.: Sweet Alice, Aniseed.
✧ APPLE (Malus) A.K.A.: Fruit of the Gods, Fruit of the Underworld, Silver Branch, Silver Bough.
✧ ASH (Fraxinus Excelsior) A.K.A.: Bird’s Tongue, Hampshire Weed, Widow-maker, Venus of the Woods, Husbandman’s tree.
✧ BALSAM (Commiphora Opolbalsamum) A.K.A.: Balsam of Gilead, Balm Tree, Mecca Myrrh.
✧ BASIL (Oscimum Basilicum) A.K.A.: Our Herb, St. Joseph’s Wort, Witches’ Herb, King of Herbs, Holy Basil. 
✧ BAY (Laurus Nobilis) A.K.A.: Bay Laurel, True Laurel, Daphne, Noble Laurel.
✧ BERGAMOT (Monarda Didyma) A.K.A.: Horsebalm, Bee Balm, Scarlet Mondara.
✧ BIRCH (Betula Pendula) A.K.A.: Silver Birch, White Birch, Lady of the Woods.
✧ BITTERSWEET (Solanum Dulcamara) A.K.A.: Woody Nightshade, Felon-wort, Felonwood, Blue Nightshade, Fever Twig, Staff Vine, Violet Bloom.
✧ BLACKBERRY (Rubus Fruticosus) A.K.A.: Bramble, Fingerberry, Blackhide, Blackbutter, Thimbleberrym Brambleberry, Gouthead.
✧ BLUEBELL (Hyacinthoides Non Scrupta) A.K.A.: Nodding Squill, Auld Man’s Bell, Ring-o-bells, Wood Bells.
✧ BROOM (Cytisus Scoparius) A.K.A.: Besom, Irish Tops, Scotch Broom, Butcher’s Broom, Sweet Broom.
✧ BURDOCK (Arctium Lappa) A.K.A.: Thorny Burr, Beggar’s Buttons, Sticky Bobs, Love Leaves, Hare Burr.
✧ CARNATION (Dianthus Caryophyllus) A.K.A.: Gilliflower, July Flower, Clove Pink, Sops-in-wine.
✧ CHAMOMILE (Anthemis Nobilis) A.K.A.: Whig Plant, Chamomel, Earth/Ground Apple, 
✧ CHESTNUT [SWEET] (Castanea Sativa) A.K.A.: Marion, Jupiter’s Nut.
✧ CHICKWEED (Stellaria Media) A.K.A.: Starweed, Adder’s Mouth, Scarweed/wort, Tongue Grass, Stitchwort, White Bird’s Eye, Little Star Lady.
✧ CHICORY (Cichorium Intybus) A.K.A.: Witloof, Blue Sailors, Coffeeweed.
✧ CLARY [WILD] (Salvia Verbenaca) A.K.A.: Christ’s Eye, Wild Clear-eye, Vervain Sage, Eyeseed.
✧ CLEAVERS (Galium Aparine) A.K.A.: Catchweed, Beggar Lice, Goose Grass, Sticky Willy, Bedstraw, Robin-run-the-hedge, Goose’s Hair, Hedge-burrs, Milk Sweet, Stick-a-back, Scratchweed, Barweed.
✧ COMFREY (Symphytum Officinale) A.K.A.: Knitbone, Slippery Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort, Ass Ear.
✧ DAISY (Bellis Perennis) A.K.A.: Day’s Eye, Poet’s Darling, Bachelor’s Buttons, Bairnwort, Billy Buttons, Boneflower, Margaret’s Herb.
✧ DANDELION (Taraxacum Officinale) A.K.A.: Swine’s Snout, Blowball, Puffball, Clockflower, Tell-the-time, Priest’s Crown, Lion’s Tooth.
✧ DEADLY NIGHTSHADE (Atropa Belladonna) A.K.A.: Belladonna, Banewort, Black-cherry, Devil’s Cherries, Naughty Man’s Cherries, Devil’s Herb.
✧ FEVERFEW (Tanacetum Parthenium) A.K.A.: Featherfew, Featherfoil, Midsummer Daisy, Nosebleed.
✧ FOXGLOVE (Digitalis Purpurea) A.K.A.: Fairy Gloves/Fingers/Petticoats/Thimbles/Weed, Witches’ Glove, Witches’ Bells, Our Lady’s Glove, Dead Men’s Bells.
✧ GARLIC (Allium Sativum) A.K.A.: Poor Man’s Treacle, Stinkweed, Camphor of the Gods.
✧ GOLDENROD (Solidago Vibgaurea) A.K.A.: Aaron’s Rod, Cast the Spear.
✧ HAWTHORN (Crataegus Monogyna) A.K.A.: May Blossom, Mayflower, Whitethorn, Hagthorn, Ladies’ Meat.
✧ HELLEBORE [BLACK] (Helleborus Niger) A.K.A.: Bear’s Foot, Setter-wort/grass.
✧ HEMLOCK (Conium Maculatum) A.K.A.: Poison Hemlock, Devil’s Porridge.
✧ HENBANE (Hysoscyamus Niger) A.K.A.: Hog Bean, Stinking Nightshade, Henbell, Devil’s Eye, Witches’ Herb, Devil’s Tobacco.
✧ HOLLY (Ibex Auifolium) A.K.A.: Bat’s Wings, Holy Tree, Christ’s Thorn.
✧ HONEYSUCKLE (Lonicera Periclymenum) A.K.A.: Woodbind, Fairy Trumpets, Sweet Suckle, Honeybind.
✧ HOREHOUND [BLACK] (Ballota Nigra) A.K.A.: Madwort, Black Hoarhound, Black Archangel.
✧ HOREHOUND [WHITE] (Marrubium Vulgare) A.K.A.: Bull’s Blood, White Archangel, Eye of the Star, Houndbane, Devil’s Eye.
✧ IVY (Hedera Helix) A.K.A.: Gort, Bindwood, Lovestone. 
✧ JUNIPER (Juniperus Communis) A.K.A.: Bastard Killer, Gin Berry.
✧ LADY’S MANTLE (Alchemilla Vulgaris) A.K.A.: Our Lady’s Mantle, Lion’s Foot, Bear’s Foot, Nine Hooks.
✧ LAVENDER (Lavendula Angustifolia) A.K.A.: Elf Leaf, Spikenard, True Lavender.
✧ LEMON BALM (Melissa Officinalis) A.K.A.: Sweet Melissa, Bee Balm, Sweet Balm.
✧ LEMON VERBENA (Aloysia Triphylla) A.K.A.: Lemon Louisa, Lemon Beebrush.
✧ LILY OF THE VALLEY (Convallaria Majalis) A.K.A.: May Lily, Our Lady’s Tears, Mary’s Tears, Ladder to Heaven.
✧ MALLOW (Malva Sylvestris) A.K.A.: Cheese-cake, Pick-cheese, Round Dock, Wild Mallow, Wood Mallow.
✧ MANDRAKE (Mandragora Officinarum) A.K.A.: Satan’s Apple, Love Plant, Mandragora.
✧ MARIGOLD (Calendula Officinalis) A.K.A.: Bride of the Sun, Drunkard, Husbandman’s Dial, Mary Gold, Summer’s Bride.
✧ MARJORAM (Origanum Majorana) A.K.A.: Wintersweet, Joy of the Mountain, Mountain Mint.
✧ MEADOWSWEET (Filipendula Ulmaria) A.K.A.: Bridewort, Queen of the Meadows, Little Queen, Quaker Lady, Mead Sweet, Gravel Root.
✧ MINT [PEPPERMINT] (Mentha Piperita) A.K.A.: Brandy Mint, English Mint.
✧ MINT [SPEARMINT] (Mentha Spicata) A.K.A.: Garden Mint, Hart Mint, Our Lady’s Mint, Sage of Bethlehem.
✧ MISTLETOE (Viscum Coloratum) A.K.A.: Druid’s Herb, Witches’ Broom, Wood of the Cross, Golden Bough, Devil’s Fuge.
✧ MONKSHOOD (Aconitum Napellus) A.K.A.: Monk’s Blood, Blue Wolf’s-bane, Aconite, Women’s Bane, Devil’s Helmet, Friar’s Cap.
✧ MUGWORT (Artemisia Vulgaris) A.K.A.: Lion’s Tail, Lion’s Tart, Heart-wort.
✧ MULLEIN (Verbascum Thapsus) A.K.A.: Blanket/Velvet/Woolly Mullein, Our Lady’s Blanket, Beggar’s Blanket, Aaron’s Rod, Adam’s Rod, Jupiter’s Staff, Jacob’s Staff, Peter’s Staff, Virgin Mary’s Candle, Lady’s Foxglove, Graveyard Dust.
✧ NETTLE (Urtica Dioica) A.K.A.: Stinging Nettle, Burn Weed, Burn Hazel.
✧ PARLSEY (Petroselinum Crispum) A.K.A.: Devil’s Oatmeal, Persil.
✧ PENNYROYAL (Mentha Legium) A.K.A.: Royal Thyme, Run-by-the-ground, Lurk-in-the-ditch, Pudding Grass.
✧ ROSEMARY (Rosemarinus Officinalis) A.K.A.: Dew of the Sea, Sea Dew, Elf Leaf, Guardrobe, Rose of Mary.
✧ RUE (Ruta Graveolens) A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Herb of Repentance, Mother of Herbs.
✧ [CLARY] SAGE (Salvia Sclarea) A.K.A.: Clear-Eye, See-bright, Eyebright.
✧ ST. JOHN’S WORT (Hypericum Perforatum) A.K.A.: Scare-devil, Balm of the Warrior’s Wound, Rose of Sharon.
✧ SORREL (Rumex Acetose) A.K.A.: Green Sauce, Sour Sauce, Cuckoo Sorrow.
✧ SWEET WOODRUFF (Galium Odoratum) A.K.A.: Wild Baby’s Breath, Master of the Woods, Ladies in the Hay.
✧ TANSY (Tanacetum Vuulgare) A.K.A.: Bitter Buttons, Golden Buttons, Cow Bitter.
✧ TARRAGON (Artemisia Dracunculus) A.K.A.: Dragon’s Wort, Little Dragon.
✧ THISTLE [BLESSED] (Cnicus Benedictus) A.K.A.: Holy Thistle.
✧ THISTLE [MILK] (Silybum Marianum) A.K.A.: Our Lady’s Thistle, Saint Mary’s Thistle, Sow Thistle, Marian Thistle.
✧ VALERIAN (Valeriana Officinalis) A.K.A.: Garden Heliotrope, St. George’s Herb, Bloody Butcher, Cat’s Valerian, Vandal Root.
✧ VERVAIN (Verbena Officinalis) A.K.A.: Herb of Grace, Enchanter’s Herb, Britannica, Juno’s Tears, Divine Wood, Pigeongrass, 
✧ WITCH HAZEL (Hamamelis Virginiana) A.K.A.: Spotted Alder, Winterbloom, Snapping Hazelnut.
✧ WORMWOOD (Artemisia Absinthium) A.K.A.: Absinthe, Crown for a King, Green Ginger.
✧ YARROW (Achillea Millefolium) A.K.A.: Woundwort, Nose-Bleed, Thousand-Leaf, Arrowroot, Carpenter’s Weed, Devil’s Plaything, Devil’s Nettle, 
Sources, References and Cross-Checks: Breverton's Complete Herbal (Terry Breverton), Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Scott Cunningham), Medieval Plant Names and Their Modern Corollaries (The Met Cloister).
If you like my content and would like to help me keep providing free stuff for my gorgeous Ghoul Gang, you can tip your witch here: [Paypal].
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hiddenromania · 10 months
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Sânziene - the Summer Fairies
Each year, on the 24th of June, Romanians celebrate the pagan holiday of Sanziene. Along with the Fates, Sanzienele are part of the big and charming family of Iele - gracious fairies with magical powers. Unlike the most of Iele, Sanzienele are always good and kind to humans. It is said that on the night before their day, they use to fly over meadows, smelling and touching the wildflowers, enriching them with special healing properties. Sanziene is also the Romanian name of a wild yellow flower, commonly known as the Lady's bedstraw, frequently used in ancient healing potions. So, the 24th of June is the perfect day for collecting this flower, along with other local medicinal plants. Moreover, on Sanziene’s Eve, it is said that they bless the animals and the fountains, strengthen the marriages, heal people of different diseases and then like to dance and sing until dawn
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onenicebugperday · 9 months
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@what-would-carrie-fisher-do submitted: I found this beautiful lady in Calgary, Alberta! As far as I can tell she is a Bedstraw Hawk-moth and I love her. (Jeep for scale, lol)
I also love her! Or him idk. And yes, definitely a bedstraw hawkmoth!
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lilpunkrock · 2 years
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where you go (i will go) — i
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Summary: A threat to your realm inspires an unlikely collaboration.
Pairing: Dream of the Endless x f!reader
Words: 3.9k+
AN: Originally posted to my other account, @alittlepunkrock, I'm now uploading to this second blog because my main is having some issues. RIP. I hope you all enjoy! We are looking at a good 15-20 parter, I hope you all will come along on the ride with me!
series masterlist // mood board // ao3
. . . 
“It starts at night when I close my eyes,
I still see you.
I drown my cries in some brand new lies,
I don’t see you like I used to.”
- I Don’t Miss You Anymore, loveless
. . . 
Part i.
True peace is found in the still moments between dreaming and waking. Those moments in which the body and mind seem to exist on separate planes of existence. The body, just awakening to sensation; the mind, being coaxed back to reality after the uninhibited freedom of slumber. The infinite possibilities found in the realm of dreaming.
As your body calls your mind back home, you cling to the last remnants of your dream. A field of wildflowers, bursting with red poppies, purple bellflowers, yellow lady’s bedstraw. Standing tall before you, your love takes your face in his rough, calloused hands. You lean into his touch, relishing in the thought that tomorrow, your hands will be joined in the sanctity of marriage within this very field. Your heart flutters at the thought.
Your love’s dark eyes gaze tenderly into yours. You open your mouth to state your vow, one you’ve surely told him a thousand times, “I love you.”
Suddenly, there is a sharp tug within your chest. You’re yanked back, the scene before you fading to a pinprick. Your mind collides with your body with a force that is physically painful.
The first sensation you register is a pair of rough, calloused hands gripping tightly around your windpipe. Pushing, pressing.
The second is a pair of familiar dark eyes hovering over you.
There is no tenderness there.  
. . .
Consciousness can be an alarming thing. While it has been many hundreds of years - or perhaps thousands, you’ve begun to lose count - since you’ve dreamed, even deities must rest. Your mind recoils back into the Waking World as your eyes snap open with a gasp. On instinct, your hands fly to your neck, hastily prying away a grip that’s not there.
No one is here. Your bedroom is quiet and empty. As always.
Heart hammering in your chest, you run your fingers along your scalp, peeling away the strands of hair plastered to your skin with sweat. Breathe, you tell yourself, inhaling deeply. Just breathe. Exhale. You relish in the feeling of air flowing in and out of your lungs, uninhibited and free. You are alive.
Well, sort of.
The end of your bed dips lightly, and you open your eyes. Your foster pup, Theo, peers up at you attentively. He places one white paw between your feet, his dark eyes twinkling with reassurance. You smile at him and lean forward, ruffling the mop of brown fur between his wide ears. “Good morning, my friend. Checking on me, are you?”
Sunlight streams through the thin curtains of your bedroom window, bathing the room in a golden glow. Your peace lily by the windowsill reaches for the sun, craning its green stems and white blooms toward the glass. A fantasy novel lays on your bedside table, colorful bookmarks denoting all your favorite passages.
And there, just under your bedroom door, is a stack of papers.
Slowly, a bright smile pulls across your face. Your rude awakening retreats to the back of your mind, waiting to strike again with a new dawn.
It’s time to start a new day.
. . .
“Oh please, Theo, don’t look at me like that,” you groan as you walk into the kitchen, shimmying into a pair of dark jeans as you go. Theo sits regally at your feet, eyes wide and gleaming, eager for a lick of the cream cheese warming on the kitchen counter. You drop to the floor to tie your sneakers, eyeing him carefully.
He stares at you. You stare at him. After several long moments of watching you tie your shoes, he sticks his pink tongue out and grins.
Your heart grows two sizes as your tough act breaks. “Oh, fine. How am I supposed to say no to that face?” In a jiffy, your toasted bagel has been slathered with cream cheese, and an extra dollop has been added to the rim of Theo’s food bowl. He sits triumphantly by the bowl and grins as you dip to rub him behind the ears. “You be a good boy today, okay? I’ve got a busy day ahead, but I’ll drop in at lunch. And please, no chewing on the trim. We really can’t afford another maintenance charge. Got it?”
Theo pants and gives your palm an appreciative lick. You grin and kiss him between the ears. “That’s my boy.”
The tender autumn sun warms your cheeks as you step out of your townhouse and onto the sidewalk. It’s a Wednesday morning and the streets are busy, everyone shuffling to jobs, school, daycare. You make the brisk walk to the small mom-and-pop coffee shop a couple blocks away, hoping to beat the line that is sure to be forming soon. The shop owner, an elderly gentleman with a shock of white hair and a kind, wrinkled face - Cliff, you remind yourself - smiles kindly at you as you walk in. “G’morning, miss. You’re off to an early start today, aren’t you?”
“The sun is awake, so I’m awake,” you reply jokingly, placing the exact change for your beverage into his waiting hand at the counter. “We’ve got a busy day ahead, Cliff. Your coffee is going to carry me through.”
“Good thing I’ve got it ready for you, then,” Cliff jests, sliding a to-go cup across the counter. “Have a g’day, miss.”
“You truly are a lifesaver, Cliff. Mankind thanks you for your service,” you say as you take the first sip. The dark brew slips down your throat, warming your insides as it goes. Nothing refreshes the immortal soul for a day of work quite like a good coffee.
“I’ll see you tomorrow!” you call with a grin, turning on your heel to head back out the front door. As you approach, a young man carrying a backpack, likely a college student, prepares to open the door. The street outside is busy, easy to disappear into. You turn over your shoulder to ensure Cliff is looking away. His back faces you, busying himself with cleaning the espresso machine behind the counter.
Turning to the young man in front of you, you slip through the door as he opens it. He makes eye contact with you, opening his mouth to give a greeting. You smile and, reaching out, touch your fingertips to the soft gray hoodie over his heart. You close your eyes, reaching out, reaching through. A warm breeze whistles through your hair. And when you open your eyes, you’re in to vasíleio tis proskóllisis. The Realm of Attachment.
It is an absolute kaleidoscope of colors. The most stunning masterpiece you have ever seen. Hundreds, thousands, millions of threads bursting forth from the hearts of the mortals surrounding you. Some are linked to an individual beside them, some halfway across the city, some halfway across the world. Each thread thrums, alive with the promise of connection, of attachment to another individual. Each thread glows with the promise of what bond these two mortals are to share.
Gazing around this masterpiece, your masterpiece, your chest grows tight with emotion, heart warm, mind buzzing. This is your purpose. This is what it means to be Agape, the Deity of Love.
You turn to the young coffee shop customer you passed through, who is now glancing around, looking quite dazed and confused. “Well,” you say, knowing full well he can’t hear you, “I suppose I should get to work, shouldn’t I?”
  You pull the folded pieces of paper from your bedroom floor out of your pocket, unfolding them carefully. The first names on the Fates’ list are alight with a purple halo. You smile fondly. Erotoropia - playful, flirtatious attachment. These are always fun. You close your eyes and skim your fingertips over the words, reaching out for the attachment there. When you open your eyes, you find yourself in a high school hallway crowded with shuffling bodies. The air is thick with a heady combination of cacophonous chatter, cheap body spray, and raging teenage hormones.
A thick web of attachments surrounds you, burning brightly with reds, purples, blues, and whites. A combination of romance, flirtation, self-love, and friendship or romantic soul ties. Ah, to be a teenager, you muse, overwhelmed by the sheer number of connections around you. You inhale deeply and wade through the crowd, honing in on the attachment you have come to foster.
Ah, there they are - a young brown-skinned girl with hair the shade of night and a fair-skinned boy with bright blue eyes. They stand side by side at their lockers, the boy rummaging for books, the girl applying a thin streak of eyeliner to both eyes in her small mirror. A faint purple thread connects them at the heart, yearning to be established. You feel it call out to you, tugging at your heart, drawing you closer.
You smile, running the purple strand between your fingers. Let me see what I can do for you.
To your right, a stocky boy in a football jersey barrels down the hall, clearly late for some type of practice. You incline your head toward him and lift a hand, crooking your pointer finger ever so slightly. At your gesture, the boy’s shoe rolls over a pen on the hallway tile and he stumbles, shoulder colliding with the back of the brown-skinned girl. Her eyeliner careens across her temple, leaving a dark line in its wake. She gasps, rearing backward.
“Hey, watch it!” She calls out to the football player as he scurries away, too concerned about being late to pay her a glance. She leans back into her locker, examining the damage in the mirror. “Aw, shit.”
The fair-skinned boy glances at the girl to his side, glances away, glances back again. Obviously weighing the pros and cons of speaking up. You place an encouraging hand on his back. Go on.
“Sorry about that,” the boy finally says, briefly pausing in his quest to find his books. “Jocks, am I right?”
“No shit,” the girl groans. She pulls a Q-tip from her purse and leans in close to the mirror, trying to salvage her look. “This was the worst possible day for this to happen to me. I’m supposed to audition for Catswith the drama club after school.”
The boy grins, turning to face her more fully. Gaining courage. “What , a cat eye wasn’t what you were going for?” he prods, eyebrow raised.
The girl pauses in her wiping to return his friendly gaze. A playful twinkle lights in her eye, dancing as a smile pulls across her face. “How do you even know what a cat eye is?” she laughs.
The boy shrugs, closing his locker with a stout clang. “I may or may not have three older sisters. My knowledge of makeup is vast and, quite frankly, a little embarrassing.”
You glance down at the thread between your fingers as the two chat. Once pale purple, the thread now glows brightly. You smile with satisfaction. Your work here is done.
. . .
The Fates know how to keep you busy, and you thank the powers that be for the millionth time that you love your work as much as you do. By lunch, you’ve traveled halfway across the world, fostering a rainbow of bonds. Theo gets a quick check-in at lunch, something that lifts your spirits as much as it does his, before you dive back into the fray. By dusk, there is only one final set of names on your list.
As you lift your fingertips from the page, you find yourself on the landing at the top of a staircase. A large window to your right reveals the quiet cul-de-sac outside. The hallway is dark with shadows, every door lining the corridor closed firmly. All is silent.
And then, a sniffle. You turn to the first door down the corridor to your left. While no light peeks through the crack at the bottom of the door, the sound of quiet sobbing is unmistakable. The pitch and tone tells you that it is the crying of a young girl. Through the door pass two distinct threads; one faded and green, the other a pulsating black. At the sight of the black thread, you grow very still, a lump forming in your throat.
Desire the Endless has been here.
You take the threads in your hands and follow them down the staircase, moving quickly. You find that the threads trail into the heart of a middle-aged man lying on the couch. A comforter has been thrown onto the floor beside him; he tosses and turns in his sleep, restless.
You swallow quickly and close your eyes, gripping the black thread tightly. Show me, you command. In response, dark images flash through your mind: A family of three, happily moving into their new home. The father taking a new job. Casual glances at a co-worker turning into sly ones. Desire boiling until the pot overflows. One early morning run turning into multiple. The fallout. A wife working late to push the pain away.
A daughter crying in the room upstairs. Your heart sinks, forming a pit in your stomach.
Slowly, you shift your hands to grip the green thread. Gazing down at the restless face of the adulterer below you, you can’t help but wonder whether he deserves your gift. Whether he deserves you re-enforcing his family’s unconditional love for him. You can’t help but wonder whether, with Desire around, he’ll make the same grave decision again. You almost let the thread go. And then, you remind yourself, You don’t decide who or what. You are here to choose the how and to ensure that all proceeds as it is meant to.
“You will awaken and call your wife at work,” you command slowly, voice barely more than a whisper. “You will grovel at her feet. You will do marriage counseling, family therapy, anything that she requests. You will become a father that your daughter can be proud of. All of this will be as I have spoken it.”
You pause. In your hands, the green thread solidifies and glows, warm and alive. As you turn to leave, you whisper one final wish, “And you will shut Desire out of your heart from this point onward.”
It’s the only thing out of your control. The only thing you can’t guarantee.
. . .
You step through an evening jogger and onto the sidewalk in front of your townhome, back in the regular Waking World once again. The colorful threads of the Realm of Attachment no longer leap into view. The street is quiet, dark, and mundane. Admittedly, after a long day of work, it’s a sight for sore eyes.
As you fumble through your pocket for your house keys, a bright bubble of laughter rings through the open window of the townhome next to yours. You can’t help but smile softly and take a slight step back, craning your neck to peek through the open curtains. Inside, a young husband and wife - Ava and Matt, you think fondly - sit on the couch watching a game show rerun on TV. Ava throws her head back and laughs, blonde hair spilling over her shoulders. Matt places an affectionate kiss on her temple. His broad hand shifts to rest on her stomach, cradling the small bump that has begun to rise there.
Your heart flutters at the sight. You’ve been guiding their love story for a long time. You were there for their first meeting, first date, first kiss. Blessing their vows, inhaling in excitement when they learned that they were pregnant. Some were moments the Fates required you there for, while others were for your own satisfaction. While you cared for all mortals that crossed your path, there was something special about these two. In retrospect, you suppose they were the closest thing to family that you had.
Well, besides for Theo.
“Theo!” you call as the front door squeaks closed behind you. At the jingle of your house keys falling into the catchall by the door, Theo rushes to your side, pawing at your ankles. “Hello, little love. How was the rest of your day?” You lift his tiny body into your arms, and he gives your cheek a long, rough lick. “That’s my boy. Let’s get cleaned up, shall we?”
You pad quietly through the living room, down the short hallway, into your bedroom. And nearly bite your tongue at the sight of a dark silhouette standing stark against the streetlights streaming through your curtains.
“For the love of -” You slap the lights on with one hand, gripping Theo a little tighter with the other. As light floods the room, your adrenaline rush halts, energy suddenly pent up with nowhere to go. “...Death?”
Death of the Endless turns from looking out your window, offering you a sweet, toothy smile. “Hello, Love. Long time, no see.”
You breathe out a laugh, setting Theo down on the floor. He promptly runs to lick at Death’s ankles, and she crouches to scratch behind his ears. “Yeah, long time no see. What has it been? A hundred years, at least?”
“More, my friend. Unless you count our brief encounters on the battlefield,” Death says, lifting Theo into her arms. He nudges his nose into her dark curls and licks her cheek. “You grow stronger with each passing century, Love. You’ve progressed so well. You should be proud.”
You think back on the past hundred years, remembering the wars, sicknesses, and tragedies that occured in that time. Certainly, it was a busy time for humanity. In those days, you and Death often worked side by side. The sight of her sweeping wings was well known to you then. You think of those she carried to eternal peace, of the battles that ended in the name of love. You tuck your chin, smiling sheepishly. “Thank you. Surely you didn’t serve me a heart attack simply to flatter me. What brings you here, Death?”
Death quirks an eyebrow, her dark lips dropping into a playful pout. “What, an Endless can’t drop in to see an old friend? And her adorable dog?” At your laugh, Death smiles kindly and sits herself and Theo down on your bed, patting the spot next to her. “But you’ve caught me. There is something we need to talk about,” she murmurs.
At her change of tone, your throat tightens with nerves. You breathe in deeply as you sit at her side, gazing at her expectantly. Your anxious fingers shift to scratch Theo’s head absentmindedly.
Death’s lips part slightly. She seems to contemplate for a moment. “I’ve spoken to my brother recently. Destiny. As well as the Fates,” she starts quietly. Another pause. “They seem to be worried about your scales.”
“Ah, I see,” you say, your throat suddenly dry. Your fingers move more quickly, and Theo inclines his head to peer up at you. You give him a half hearted smile.
Death leans in closer, eyes asking questions before her mouth does. “What’s going on, Love? Share with me. Let me help you.”
“I’m afraid it’s nothing you can help with,” you say quietly. “Desire and I have never seen eye to eye, but lately it’s become more and more difficult to keep up with their work. They’re moving more quickly, becoming more ambitious. They’ve been disrupting my romantic attachments and soul ties, in particular. They know what they mean to me.”
“As do I. Which is why I don’t want to see you lose them.” Death places a comforting hand on yours atop Theo’s head, stilling you. She dips her gaze to make eye contact, eyes searching yours. “I’ve come to warn you of this as your friend. You know I care for you. But if you are unable to keep your side of the scales balanced, I’m afraid of what may happen. Nothing is guaranteed for gods and goddesses. And your kind is not so easily replaced as the Endless.”
The lump in your throat rises higher. You swallow thickly. “I know. And thank you. I appreciate your friendship, appreciate everything that you’ve done for me, more than you’ll ever know.” You inhale deeply, exhale slowly. Grounding yourself, gathering your thoughts. The beauty of the Realm of Attachment burns brightly in your mind, a kaleidoscope of color that you created. “I won’t let them take it from me. It’s all I truly have left.”
Death feigns a gasp. “All you have left? What are we, Theo? Chopped liver?” You laugh, the weight of your heart becoming a little lighter in your chest. She elbows you in the ribs softly. “I’m kidding, of course, but I love the sentiment. Any thoughts on how to tip the scales back in your favor, my friend?”
One idea does immediately come to mind. Whether it’s a good or bad one, you’re not sure. You start to rethink it, but it’s evident when you lock eyes with Death that she’s already seen the thought register on your face. You smile hesitantly. “The last time we spoke, truly spoke, I did mention one idea of mine. However, you weren’t much for it at the time-”
“Ah, Dream! My dear, mopey brother,” Death exclaims, remembrance dawning on her face. “Of course I remember. Granted, at the time, I did not think it was likely to be successful. Dream was, well… being Dream, which does not mean much in the way of collaboration.” Her bright smile softens into a wistful one. “However, much has changed for Dream in the last hundred years. He’s gained a new perspective on things, I think. And Desire has done quite a bit of meddling in my brother’s affairs lately. He might be open to a partnership.”
Your heart rises, chest fluttering with hope. “You think so?”
“I think it’s worth a shot, if nothing else,” Death states matter-of-factly. With a loving pat on your hand, she rises, walking to the window. “And after all, you and my brother are not so different. You’re certainly the brighter ray of sunshine, but neither of you are much in the way of getting out. You spend all your time with mortals, and he spends all his time with - well, his librarian. And his raven. Perhaps this arrangement will be good for the both of you.” You open your mouth to protest, and she gives you a playful shh. “You know it’s true, Love. Now, I wouldn’t waste any time. The faster you can work to balance your scales, the better. And if my darling brother gives you any trouble, do let me know, yeah?”
You shake your head incredulously, giving her a small smile. “Yeah, I will. Thanks.”
“You can thank me later, when your scales are balanced. I’ll be seeing you, Love.” And with a grin and a swoop of black feathers, Death is gone.
All is quiet in your townhome. You release a breath you didn’t realize you’d been holding, falling back onto your pillows. Your hand trails over Theo’s fur absentmindedly as your mind races with possibilities. Besides Death and Desire, you’ve never associated with an Endless in person before. Despite his influence on your work, you’ve never met Destiny in the flesh, receiving your assignments through the Fates, instead. In fact, you rarely associate with any other deities at all. Let alone one with a reputation such as the Dream Lord’s.
You take a calming breath, closing your eyes. There’s no doubt in your mind that rest will elude you tonight.
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scotianostra · 3 months
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Up the close and doon the stair,
But and ben' wi' Burke and Hare.
Burke's the butcher, Hare's the thief,
Knox the boy that buys the beef.
A 19th century Edinburgh rhyme about the serial killers Burke and Hare.
William Burke was executed on 28th January 1829
I'll start this post as I always do for all the newer readers and let you know the main big fat fact about Burke and Hare, as the auld Edinburgh rhyme says, they did NOT rob graves!!! The pair were serial killers, but not in the true sense of the words as they killed their victims for financial gain.
Grave robbing was fashionable at the time many cemeteries even built watchtowers and employed people to guard the last resting places of their loved ones, there was a shortage of bodies for the Universities and Edinburgh was one of the leading cities in the world for teaching medicine, so people sold bodies to the schools, no questions asked.
William Burke and William Hare certainly did this but they were never known to get their hands dirty by digging up a corpse, this was too much like hard work for these two Irish Immigrants so they cut out the labouring part and decided to start their own wee industry, killing people and selling the bodies, the practice became known as Burking.
It all started when a lodger died at Hare's girlfriends house on the West Port not far from the Grassmarket in Edinburgh, he still owed his rent and the enterprising duo decided to fill his coffin with rocks and sell the body to pay this debt, they took the body to a Professor Robert Knox at Surgeon Square and were paid 7 pounds and 10 shillings for it, this is the nearest they got to stealing a body as their "trade" took a more sinister turn.
I wont go through all 16 murders I will just recite to you the one that was their undoing........
Fittingly it was Halloween 1828 and there was a party in Log's Lodgings in Tanner's Close where the duo lived, the following morning guests became suspicious at the disappearance of an old lady who had been very merry the night before. They discovered her corpse — stripped and ready for packing — in Burke's bedstraw. Mary Docherty had come to Edinburgh from Donegal in search of a long-lost son. She had chanced to beg at a gin-shop where Burke had befriended her. Like all the other victims, she was poor, hungry, and alone. Street folk were not missed immediately as more settled people would have been, and dissection ensured disposal of the evidence.
The mode of death was designed to leave no marks. Since only this last body was available to the authorities nothing could have been proven, despite strong suspicion, had not Hare agreed to give evidence for the prosecution in return for legal immunity.
His partner in crime was hanged on January 28th 1829, an event celebrated with carnival by the Edinburgh populace. His corpse, appropriately enough, was delivered up for public dissection at Surgeons' Hall. Hare left the city incognito, and his fate is unknown.
Burke's execution was witnessed by the novelist Sir Walter Scott, who sympathized with the general opinion that both men's wives had served as accomplices, and that the anatomists had been accessories to the murders. Burke's confessions were published after the execution, and they suggest that this view of the anatomists may not have been altogether misplaced. Burke and Hare were commended by Knox himself on the freshness of a corpse; they were never asked any questions about the derivation of the bodies they delivered to the school, were paid immediately, and were always urged to get more.
A pamphlet, later attributed to a doorkeeper at Knox's school, implicated both the anatomist and his staff in the crimes. According to this witness more than one of the bodies had blood at the mouth, nose, or ears. In at least one instance — that of a well-known Edinburgh beggar, Daft Jamie — identifying features were deliberately obliterated in the dissection room: when it became known that he was missing from the streets, his head and distinctive club feet were severed from his body and dissection was hastened.
Dr Knox was never charged with any crime, nor was he called to give evidence at the trial. He remained silent throughout the furore over the murders. He was burnt in effigy in the streets, ostracized by Edinburgh's medical community, and eventually left the city. He seems to have believed that murder could have been uncovered at any anatomy school, and the fact that it had happened to be his school was simply bad luck. Whether this belief had any objective basis will probably never be known.
The Burke and Hare murders are critically significant to the history of anatomy in Britain. They represent the apotheosis of the market in human flesh. The murders reveal that by the late 1820s, the poor were worth more dead than alive. A further 60 murders by the ‘London Burkers’ Bishop and Williams, in 1831 occurred before the Anatomy Act of 1832 provided the anatomists with a free supply of corpses requisitioned from Poor Law workhouses.
The photos include a contemporary drawing of Burke, a cast of how he might have looked, with a pocket book made from his skin, another card holder also made from his skin and his skeleton, still on display in Surgeons Hall 192 years after he took "The Last Drop"
The transcript of the Broadsheet below can be found here http://digital.nls.uk/.../broadside.../id/15228/transcript/1
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dansnaturepictures · 8 months
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25/08/23-Lakeside and home
Photos taken in this set: 1. An eyecatching Blue-tailed Damselfly which I enjoyed seeing at Lakeside, it's been great to see these increase in number recently, a lovely damselfly species. 2. A nice Light Brown Apple moth in the kitchen last night. 3. Woodpigeon in the sun this evening. 4. Some yarrow and dandelions on the green out the front, the tall clumps of yarrow a nice prominent sight on the green out the front from home of late. 5. Carrot by the flower bed area on the way to Lakeside. 6, 8 and 9. Vibrant views on the lovely Lakeside lunch time walk. 7. One of two charming Common Darters I enjoyed seeing landing in the southern fenced off area, I saw a fair few of both sexes on the walk as a whole. This one settled and I enjoyed a glorious few minutes watching and photographing it. It was lovely to just focus on looking at it and take in many details, the way it landed with its pellucid wings covering its eyes reminded me of a wedding veil and the eyes themselves were a source of my fascination, complex patterns and shaped like half a planet I felt privileged to see them move around to take in surroundings. This was a big moment feeling the joy of having a connection with nature, for a short time getting to share this insect's world. And on my first time out since Tuesday as I just felt well enough to do a walk in the midst of my bug this was a moment I needed with a classic summer species I'm loving seeing the past few weeks. 10. Some yellow leaves at Lakeside.
Another big point with insects in the southern fenced off area was seeing my first Small Heath here since spring, with Red Admiral, many marvelous views of Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and Migrant Hawker over the lake seen well. Great Crested Grebe, Carrion Crow and Magpie with Moorhen and Chiffchaff heard were other avian highlights of an enjoyable walk. Collared Dove, Starlings and Goldfinch including young were good to enjoy at home today. It was also nice to see a Small Dusty Wave moth again before bed last night. Bird's-foot trefoil, fresh vetch, dock, red bartsia, St. John's-wort, white and broad-leaved clover, great willowherb, purple loosestrife, immaculate looking bramble flower and some gorgeous lady's bedstraw which is fresh in the southern fenced off area were other key flowers seen on my lunch time walk. Ripe ruby guelder rose berries, hawthorn and rose hips and blackberries were nice to see.
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lycomorpha · 10 months
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Eivor's herbarium: Page 5 - grasses and yarrow from a cursed zone meadow
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“From a hill-top meadow west of Grantebridge, where the land breathes again”.
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Before changing county, I've been thinking about meadows and how agriculturally important they would have been to settlements like Grantebridge or Ravensthorpe. Handily there's a meadow not far from our previous stop outside Soma's longhouse, on a cursed hill-top just west of town.
Cursed zones are small areas on the map where a black roiling fog gathers, horses freak out, and Eivor talks of malevolence and cursed troll magic.
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This horse is questioning its life choices...
To dispel the curse you need to find and destroy a skull covered in glowing symbols. Shoot it and the dark fog dissipates, with Eivor saying that the land can breathe again.
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The cursed troll magic symbol
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Cursed zones are a slightly odd feature, in that it’s not clear how the ‘magic’ of the curse works. There isn’t an obvious link to Isu tech. We find some notes/snippets of story around suggesting they’re being placed there by Saxons in an attempt to hex away the Danes. In the Wrath of the Druids DLC, the druids are using a recipe that creates hallucinogenic vapor to induce visions of werewolves etc, so the cursed zones could work in a similar way, with the fog being part of the mechanism. But it’s not clear to me unless I’ve missed something.
However they’re supposed to work, cursed zones are good places to find fungi, plants, and honking great big trees. So I quite like them. (I know some gamers hated them and felt they were pointless collectibles; if that’s you, maybe some video game botany will improve them?!)
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Aerial view of the hill-top cursed zone west of Grantebridge
The hill-top cursed zone west of Grantebridge has a particularly nice view from above and is surrounded by meadow. Since Eivor is helping run a settlement with farms, I’m sure she’d appreciate the importance of hay meadows to agriculture, and as a source of herbaceous plants for medicinal uses.
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In the long grass
What is a meadow?
A meadow is an area of grassland where the vegetation is allowed to grow tall and isn’t cut in spring and summer. In late summer/autumn, the meadow is mowed to make hay, which then feeds farm animals over the winter. Until then, cut meadow is grazed by animals (sheep, cows, maybe goats) which poop as they go, dropping some handy fertiliser around the place. When gets too cold and wet for livestock to be out grazing, animals are brought in and fed on the hay, with the meadow left until spring for the cycle to start over again. This is in contrast to pasture, which is grazed in the growing seasons rather than allowing grasses to get long.
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The un-cursed meadow, ready for hay-making
Hay meadows are full of diverse grasses and wildflowers. In AC Valhalla we particularly see yarrow, ox-eye daisies, and grasses like Yorkshire fog (4th pressed grass from the left) and meadow foxtail (2nd from left.)
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On this page I’ve centred yarrow, mainly because I’m saving the daisies for another page! The grasses are from a couple of square metres in my back garden that I keep as a veeeery smol meadow. I’m lucky enough to have some outdoor space, and my priority in life is generally insects. So I leave some grass to get tall, and encourage a range of local wildflowers and grasses that serve as food for bees, moths, and beetles. In the un-cursed meadow, Eivor might have also seen clover, yellow rattle, lady’s bedstraw, and I’d bet on sweet vernal grass and crested dogstail too (3rd grass from the right.)
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Ox-eye daisies in my local cemetery meadow
Hay meadows are an amazing reservoir of wild plant and insect species, but are now a rare habitat. Apart from the obvious changes in agricultural practice, capitalism doesn’t value biodiversity in spaces it could build on, extract from, or intensively farm the crap out of. But hope is not lost for meadow species. Many conservation organisations here work with farming communities to restore former meadows or to create new ones. Churchyards and church lands that haven’t been developed are also important spaces for meadow preservation – and in AC Valhalla we see meadows around the monastery at Meldeburne.
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Meadow grasses and flowers around Meldeburne monastery
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Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Super-common and very tough, yarrow is a component of meadows but is found anywhere grassy – it’s found in lawns and verges all over the UK. In my area you'd be hard pressed not to see any in summer.
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Yarrow in my backyard
Feathery, finely divided leaves gave it another common name, milfoil or millefoil, meaning 1000 leaves. It has clusters of small white or pinkish flower heads with an interesting structure. The flat-topped clusters of flowers look like they’re made out of daisy(ish) shaped individual flowers...
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...But take a look at those daisy shapes and you’ll see that each is actually a cluster of many smaller tiiiiny flowers that just LOOK like a daisy. The centre is made of a bundle of tube-like ‘disc’ flowers that have 5 petals fused together. These are surrounded by a few ‘ray’ flowers, each with one large petal. So cool!
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Yarrow: flowers inside flowers
Ecologically, it’s an important source of nectar and pollen for bees, and a food plant for many other insects, including moths and beetles. Some cavity-nesting birds use it as lining material. I encourage it to grow in my lawn along with clover, self-heal and black medick, because it’s a lot hardier and more drought tolerant than any lawn grass.
Historically, yarrow used to be used medicinally to staunch bleeding, but weirdly was also called ‘nosebleed plant’ because of a myth that it caused nosebleeds. It also used to be used as a good luck charm.
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Yarrow and ferns
I'm going to move onto the autumnal ferns of Ledercesterscire for page 6, but I'll probably come back to Grantebridgescire for some of the other mysteries.
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heather-rajendran · 8 months
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Lady's bedstraw (Galium verum) wildflower photo I took recently, Askham Bog, North Yorkshire, UK
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rherlotshadow · 2 years
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Ladies' bedstraw, with purple Betony behind. Summer meadow flower, with a fermented-honey scent. I love it.
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fayrism · 2 years
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[ID: TMA fanart of a tarot card against a bed of tall grass. The tarot card is VI--The Lovers and features Jon and Martin's skeletons, covered by tattered clothing and curled together tenderly. Colorful flowers as named below bloom around and from them. Below them is the text "May you find your rest where no shadows are cast, and no eyes may see you slumber." Below the text is a closed eye. End ID]
thank you @princess-of-purple-prose for the ID!
Somewhere Else - made for the EXCELLENT fic by @pyrrhlc "vi. the lovers" seriously go read it, I haven't nearly done it justice, it is absolutely beautiful
flowers in the piece (taken directly from fic) and their meanings:
poppy - eternal sleep
wild primrose - youthful love
corn cockle - gentility
lady's bedstraw - peaceful rest
buttercup - joy, youth, purity, charm
chicory - faithful love, endless waiting
columbine - folly
musk mallow - healing, peace
harebell - constancy, everlasting love (scotland); death, grief (rest of uk)
cornflower - hope for the future
forget me not - do not forget me
honorary mention to cowslip (winning grace, pensiveness; divine beauty, you are my divinity[american]), yarrow (everlasting love, cure for a broken heart) and cow parsley/queen anne's lace (sanctuary) which didnt make it into the artwork but were included in the fic
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hellshee · 2 years
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In Romania, the Midsummer celebrations (23 - 24 June) are named Drăgaica or Sânziene. The term Sânziene originates in the Latin "Sancta Diana", the Roman goddess of the hunt and moon, also celebrated in Roman Dacia (ancient Romania).
The folk practices of Sânziene imply that the maidens in the village dress in white and spend all day searching for and picking flowers, of which one MUST be Galium verum (Lady's bedstraw or Yellow bedstraw) which in Romanian is also named "Sânziànă".
Using the flowers they picked during the day, the girls braid floral crowns which they wear upon returning to the village at nightfall. There they meet with their beloved and they dance around a bonfire. The crowns are thrown over the houses, and whenever the crown falls, it is said that someone will die in that house; if the crown stays on the roof of the house, then good harvest and wealth will be bestowed upon the owners.
As with other bonfire celebrations, jumping over the embers after the bonfire is not raging anymore is done to purify the person and also to bring health.
Another folk belief is that during the Sânziene Eve night, the heavens open up, making it the strongest night for magic spells, especially for the love spells. Also it is said that the plants harvested during this night will have tremendous magical powers.
It is not a good thing though to be a male and walk at night during Sanziene Eve night, as that is the time when the fairies dance in the air, blessing the crops and bestowing health on people - they do not like to be seen by males, and whomever sees them will be maimed, or the fairies will take their hearing/speech or make them mad.
In some areas of the Carpathians, the villagers then light a big wheel of hay from the ceremonial bonfire and push it down a hill. This has been interpreted as a symbol for the setting sun (from the solstice to come and until the midwinter solstice, the days will be getting shorter).
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