Monthly Archives: December 2012

Gardening, Plants, The Land, Writings on the Land

Today’s Forage in the Vegetable Patch

Leave a comment

DSC09514

With the Christmas rush of shopping and getting all the parcels out in time from the orders in my eBay Store, time has been very limited. I haven’t had the time I need and also desire to get my hands in the soil and investigate whats happening, I get feeling guilty leaving the vegetable patch rather neglected, and the weeding is going to also be a big job, and is already out of control, yet again!

It’s bitter sweet, as now becomes the busy time for me, for some reason Pagans tend to do most of their shopping in January and February, they are always my busiest months, more so than December. So it great getting the sales, but it also drags me away from my love and passion of my gardens.

DSC00281

We have had plenty of rain and after fertilizing with chicken manure in all the top paddocks, its so lush and lovely, when its like this I roll around in the grass with my dog Boofie, we have a lot of fun, its so thick and comforting.

Talking of bitter sweet, I haven’t got around to making names on all my herbs yet and this morning, I saw a herb there and pondered on what it was, so I took a leaf and tasted it!, wow that Stevia sure packs a sweet punch, the leaves are amazing what a sugar hit that was!

The Lebanese Eggplants are my first harvest today they look so lovely and smell delicious. We have an over abundance of tomatoes, so its sauce time for sure, with last weekends garlic harvest and the Basil doing well, I’m thinking something rather Italian.

And with so many cucumbers I think I’ll do a salad of them in coconut milk, as I enjoy that combination, so much food for thought today!

DSC09519

Folk Magic, Magick, Mystery's, Paganism, The Land, Witchcraft, Workshops & Events

13 Mystery Gatherings for Women in the Hunter Valley of NSW

Leave a comment

Thirteen Mystery Gatherings for Women

 

Meeting on the 13th of each month throughout 2013.

(at different times depending on the day of the week)

A gathering to celebrate and deepen women’s intuitive ways of knowing, linked to Nature, the body, and the mystery of transformation.

Here we will honour a fourfold divinity, the ancestors, the seven sacred directions, and the Australian seasons.

Travel with us through the wheel of life from the Daughter to Blood Sister, Mother to Amazon, Sorceress to Crone

Join us for more powerful living and Women’s Wisdom.

Cost: $10.00

Things to bring:

1. chair or cushion

2. drum or musical instrument

3. drinks to sustain you

4. sensible footwear for a farm

5. outside things, hat, sunscreen , bug repellent

6. notebook & pen

To RSVP please press here

The farm where this event will be run monthly.

13991603_02_x

Family, My Photography, Workshops & Events

OUR MEDIA PRODUCTIONS

Leave a comment

DSC05756

Ever wanted to advertise your business but thought the cost was too prohibitive?

Have you wondered how to get your point across through Social Networking and electronic media?

There is an easy solution.

At Earthwise Media Productions we can tailor a Youtube video of your business that will guarantee you will get the attention you are after.

We specialise in:

  • Promotional videos
  • Training/Safety videos
  • Sporting events
  • Celebrations
  • Life Stories and Funeral presentations
  • Conversion of Power Point into video
  • Inductions
  • Recording of procedures

We have over 6 years experience and have serviced the mining, manufacturing, heavy industry, and retail sectors and pride ourselves in the repeat business we get.

DSC05735

We shoot in full HD with the latest equipment and can give a video any look you desire, with the right music of your choosing, to make it the perfect fit for you.

Have a look  below at a few of examples of what we do.

Clarence Town Cafe

The Funny Farm

Nicholas Spitzmacher – Mosaic Artist

Paws – The Killing Machine

Brewing, Divination, Earthwise Store Products, Folk Medicine, Gardening, Herbalism, Herbs, Magick, Plants, The Land, Tinctures, Wildcrafting, Witchcraft

Mugwort Herbal Tincture Now Ready!

2 Comments

13991603_03_x

These are the paddocks that surround my home, where we have gathered the wild Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) Herb.

It grows down by the river and in some other spots as well, what an absolute find!

Where you see the line of trees in the photo above, behind the cows is the river and it goes right around us in a lush semi-circle, cutting us off from everyone and making this place isolated and rather pristine.

We drink the water and we also shower and wash in this water, and it tastes good too!

DSC07758

So the Mugwort above in the picture was gathered back in early September and has been brewing away very nicely in a home made brew off 100% alcohol, provided by one of the Paradise People that visit the farm.

I’ve been doing lot’s of research and it seems to be an amazing herb that does so very much.

I have a large plant here in the herb garden also as well as a beautiful variegated variety at the front of the house that I picked up a couple of years ago, it has transplanted very nicely and is doing much better here than in it’s old home.

484292_563894250293087_1077924926_n

I sell plenty of dried Mugwort in my store too, many people seem to enjoy it as a legal high, or for scrying and divination work.  Many customers buy the herb Damiana as well, both sell continually, here is a link to the current Mugwort supplies.

http://stores.ebay.com.au/Astarte-Earthwise/_i.html?_nkw=mugwort&submit=Search&_sid=46208024

I have made up a beautiful oil a few months ago now to enhance astral work and dreaming.

It has been selling madly and has been shipped all over the world, the colour itself is so calming, its a stunning natural lushous green!

DSC07886

I am making an Flying Ointment very soon for dream work and astral travel in the next few days, hopefully!

But today I just wanted to let you know that the Tinctures are now ready!

DSC09494

It’s very rewarding and satisfying to be able to make these products I am so passionate about.

Presenting to you a natural organic wild-crafted product to aid you in your magickal work, and bending!

Wise & Blessed Be

Astarte xXx

As a tincture: 1-2 ml or 20-40 drops can be taken two times a day.

Stimulates the secretion of gastric juices to speed up digestion and relieve flatulence and bloating.

Many have reported that if this herbal remedy is used as a tea before bed, or even just sprinkled around your pillow, a person may have lucid dreams that night.

Specifically, mugwort tincture is used for anxiety, stress, insomnia, asthma, bacterial and fungal infections, diarrhoea, cramps, headache, irritability, restlessness, menopause symptoms, menstrual complaints, mild depression.

The tincture is also used in therapeutic ways to relieve aches and pains in muscles, joints, skin scratches, ulcers and tired swollen feet.

Analgesic: Tincture (1/2 to 1 tsp.) can be taken in warm water to ease minor pain and discomfort.

Cold remedy:  The tincture in warm water helps with the discomfort of colds and flu. Add 1 to 2 tsp. in hot tea or water.

Disinfectant: One tbsp. of the tincture can be added to 1 pint of warm water and used to cleanse wounds and infections.

 Gast-intestinal aid: Two tsp. in 1/2 cup of warm water can be taken for indigestion and to aid acid reflux.

Mugwort is known to be milder in action than most other species of Artemisia, and this means that it can be taken for improving appetite, digestive functions, and absorption of nutrients over long periods of time, in small dosages.

 The elimination of worms within the body is achieved, and whenever needed, it can be used to induce menstruation as well.

 In Europe, Mugwort is assumed to be a uterine stimulant, but this idea is in direct opposition to the Chinese concept of using mugwort to prevent miscarriage in a woman, and also to reduce and to stop excessive and heavy menstrual bleeding.

 The herb is also widely used as an antiseptic, and is known to provide relief in cases of malaria.

**DO NOT TAKE OR USE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT**

 Mugwort has very strong emmenagogic properties and can be used to help induce menses and can be combined with herbs such as cramp bark to ease menstrual cramps.

However this herbal oil should be avoided during pregnancy.

Earthwise Store Products, Plants, The Land, Trees, Wildcrafting, Witchcraft

Australian Bush-Crafted Besoms

Leave a comment

DSC09484

This was wild-crafted by me, from fallen Gum Tree branches and Casuarina (She Oak) leaves. Here on the farm where I live.

A very Australian Besom!

I’ve tied it all together with Australian spun and died wool, dabbed some craft glue and fastened a sterling silver pentacle to the front!

On one of my walks through the paddocks this week I noticed a large dead branch of a Casuarina Tree had come down and had dried out nicely. I though what a waste of such a lovely big branch. So I was inspired to think of something I could do to honour these lovely windbreaks that protect my home when the winds come in strongly from the West.

DSC09485

I was thinking about the fact that the leaves look so much like a little broom, and so that is what I decided they could become, and that I’d make up a few just to see if anyone liked them, so I crafted them. and they are now for sale in my store, I think I might make some more as time permits and as branches become available.

DSC09486

Every witch needs a besom, a good besom, and these are just great!

Handcrafted & Wild-crafted broom crafted of 100% organic materials.

Here is a really useful ritual tool, this sweet little besom will enhance altar space, or may also be used simply as a decoration.

Besom is the old-world term for a broom which is used for more than just sweeping.

Here is a link to the store if you are interested, just type besom into the search box and what is available will come up.

http://stores.ebay.com.au/Astarte-Earthwise

Ancestors, Animal Totems, Magick, Spiders, The Land, Totems, Witchcraft

Spider Land!

1 Comment

DSC06033

Finally I got some time to myself yesterday; it’s been ages since I’ve had that, to indulge myself. I unpacked a few items I had recently purchased, a wonderful Merino sheep’s skull with beautiful rounded horns, and made a place for him and honoured Pan. I also unpacked some hawks legs and a turkey’s leg for my altar, I spent the most part of the day doing research and watching some videos by a British witch Peter Paddon, I used one of the exercises he teaches to go here onto the land and find the original ancestor, so that I could work with them for the sake of this land and dedicate myself to this place in the way they wished so that I could respect and honour this beautiful place to its fullest. I got a connection and my answer and it was not at all what I expected (funny that!)

What showed itself to me was a small spider, that left me deep in thought, and wondering the significance as I headed back into the house to do some googling on the totem of spiders, I was curious, and started to think how spiders have shown up in my life, as I approached the house the phone was ringing. I answered and it was my aboriginal friend Ross ringing to wish me a Happy Christmas even though I don’t celebrate it as he said and it made me laugh.

What timing I thought, Ross was the first aboriginal man I really befriended back in 1990, and I’ve just returned from an exercise to connect with the original ancestor of this place, a girl has got to love synchronicity! I shared with Ross what I had experienced and he was also amazed that I got a spider. Ross is totally blind and a musician, and often has lovely deep intuition, without sight he sees so much more, I’ve often bought things to him to process when I have been at a loss or required a deeper insight from a different perspective, but this left him stumped also.

He is a Scorpio, and the November Full Moon to me has always been about spiders too! The woman that birthed and nourished me, my Mum, is also a Scorpio, as are my best male and female friends…ummmmm interesting!

DSC06032

I then remembered when I was initiated into women’s business I was given 2 choices after the initiation, I had to spend time in a cave, I could choose the cave that was up some rocks overlooking the ocean or I could choose the spider cave on the beach, can you guess what I choose? Yes the spider cave! I was the first to enter and spend time alone, there were small spiders everywhere around me, I had to break some webs to enter, and spend time there quietly meditating, I remember having no fear, and believing these sisters would look out for me, I felt some crawl on me, but I was not afraid, It was all part of the initiation. After a long time, when I opened my eyes I saw dolphins playing and leaping up into the air and then diving in the water before me, an eagle flying on the wind above the waves, and butterflies fluttered outside the caves entrance, it was both magickal and moving.

So yes Spider has been significant, and spider is the keeper of these 100 acres here where I live now. So now I am sourcing any information I can find on the totem of spider any help from you my dear friends would really help, if you find anything please share it with me so that I may honour the keeper of this land and the original ancestor here. When I get time I will share the process I used of connecting with the ancestral fire, and bringing it into your heart it’s a simple enough process, and as I have found both potent and rewarding, thank you dearly Peter Paddon, you have rocked my world this weekend!

DSC06055

“In the beginning, there was the dark purple light at
the dawn of being. Spider Woman spun a line to form
the east, west, north, and south. Breath entered man
at the time of the yellow light. At the time of the
red light, man proudly faced his creator.Spider Woman used the clay of the earth, red, yellow,
white, and black, to create people. To each she attached
a thread of her web which came from the doorway at
the top of her head. This thread was the gift of
creative wisdom.
Three times she sent a great flood to
destroy those who had forgotten the gift of her thread.
Those who remembered floated to the new world and climbed
to safety through the Sipapu Pole the womb of Mother Earth.”~Navajo Creation Story~