HERB PROFILE ~ Lemon Balm

 Hello again my herbal friends,

I hope you are all keeping well and ready to do a mini-deep-dive into another herb with me - this time it is the wonderfully scented LEMON BALM....

Lemon Balm drying on my patio.

BOTANIC NAME: Melissa officinalis.
AKA: Honeybee
GENDER: Feminine (Cold)
ELEMENT: Water
DEITY: Artemis, Diana, Hecate
PLANET: Jupiter (and sometimes Venus & Moon)
CRYSTAL: Citrine

Lemon Balm is noted for it's calming affect on the brain, but also for helping the mind stay focused.

FOLKLORE: Lemon Balm was used to keep the sacred honeybees cultivated at the Temple of Artemis happy and returning home... hence the name Honeybee..

ALLERGIES: If you have issues with the mint family of plants, then I would give this one a miss too..

MEDICINAL USES:
Lemon Balm is good for stomach issues, it soothes away tension - which forms in the gut.  Can be used in a tea, tincture and decoction to take internally - or an oil infusion to use topically.
Lemon balm is good for shingles / chicken pox / herpes 2 zoster viruses.  It is used as a mild nervine, which helps you to relax and is also good for hormone support.
It has anti-inflammatory properties, so it is good for upper respiratory infections and sore throats.

WITCHCRAFT USES:
Lemon balm is used in spells and rituals which are focused on emotional healing, purification and attracting positivity.
It is a herb of Love, Light and Renewal.
It is said to keep evil away, ushers in health and love, boosts memory and interaction with the spirit world.

Lemon balm can be dried and used in herbal sachets/pillows, in incense blends, in bath bombs or just loose leaf for any ritual that you wan to enhance in a positive way.

As always I have put it in my plant grimoire

LEMON BALM TINCTURE:

Requirements:
1 Jar with a plastic lid
100% proof Vodka
Lemon Balm (fresh or dried)
Chopstick or a knife

Method :
Cut up the lemon balm and fill the jar 3/4 of the way up (you can push it down a bit to get more in there).
Fill with Vodka to around 1/2 inch (1 cm) from the top of the jar.
Remove any air bubbles with the chopstick (or knife) and make sure that the plant material is under the fluid - top up if necessary.
Put the lid on and label your tincture with the name and the date.
Place in a dark cupboard for 8 weeks.
Shake twice a day for a week.
Shake 1 - 2 times a week after that.

After 8 weeks, strain and store into a dark glass bottle (hopefully one with a dropper).

Dosage:
ADULT: 1-5 drops in a glass of water each day (start slow until you can tolerate it)
Increase to a full dropper nearer to winter to keep your immune system healthy.
CHILD: 1-2 drops in a glass of water each day.

GARDENING:

Lemon balm likes full sun with plenty of water (but very good drainage - she doesn't like soggy feet..) Can be grown in partial shade too.
Make sure you grow it in a pot because being of the mint family, it will spread 
throughout your garden very quickly - unless of course, that is what you want.

Loves a good feed in Spring and Summer, and the bees love it when it flowers.

I hope you enjoyed that mini-deep-dive into the lovely
lemon balm - join me again next time as I take another mini-deep-dive into either
a herb, flower or tree that is in my garden.

Until then, stay safe - take care & many blessings to you.

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal profile ~ Lavender

 Hello my lovelies,

Well I am sneaking in one more Herbal profile into my last day of my week off, especially for you - this time it is the wonderfully scent filled, calming LAVENDER... I will be working with this beautiful plant in the coming week.

BOTANIC NAME ~ Lavendula officinale / L vera

AKA ~ Spike, Elf leaf, Lavender angustifolia, English lavender, French lavender.

GENDER ~ Male (Hot).

ELEMENT ~ Air & Water.

PLANET ~ Mercury.

DEITY ~ Artemis, Hecate, Isis, Freya, Hermes, Quan-Yin, Virgin Mary.

CRYSTAL ~ Moonstone.

NOTED ~  For its sense of calm, it also conjures happiness and can transport the mind to a sunny mediterranean type field all abloom.  Lavender's message is of Loyalty.                                                               

FOLKLORE ~ At one time Lavender was carried with Rosemary to preserve chastity.  Many a young girl's "Hope Chest" had little sachets of Lavender amongst the linens, to keep them fresh until the young lady was married.  Lavender was also used during the War when surgical supplies were scarce, for cleansing and purification.

USES ~ Can be used in baths, bath bombs, oils and salves.  Good for healing of the skin.  It is a relaxant, calming, sleep inducing, antibacterial plant - can be used in tea mixes for pain relief.  Often used to enhance tranquility. Also used as a disinfectant to purify and cleanse areas within the home.

You can also use the flowers in baking - steep the flowers in milk and add it to baked goods.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Used for Protection, purification and Love.

Thrown onto a Midsummer fire by Witches as a sacrifice to the ancient Gods.

Lavender is a frequent addition to healing sachets, and especially bath mixtures and added to incense to cause sleep.

Carry the herb to visualise ghosts.

Used in purification sachets, incenses and spell bags.

Used widely to attract men for sexual favours!!!

Can be added to smoke blends to enhance the meditative state.

And YES - I did add a couple of pages to my book:

I even added a little secret panel, which lifts to reveal a pressed lavender plant.

GARDENERS ~ Lavender likes a chalky alkaline soil, so use plenty of dolomite or lime mixed into the soil  - work one or two handfuls into the soil just under the roots as well, plus sprinkle it through the topsoil as well, forking it in slightly.  They also need plenty of water plus good drainage.  Trim the flowers to encourage the plant to get bushy and produce more flowers.  If planting in the soil, just watch out because it can go feral and spread.  

Can be kept in a pot, but will need constant care:

I hope you enjoyed this little deep-dive into the life of Lavender ~ there is still many, many things to learn about this plant, this is just what I have come to learn in a couple of days. 

Thanks for reading and until next time ~ take care of yourselves and those you love ❤️ 🧡 🫶 🥰 

Blessings to you all,

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profile - SAGE

 Hello my lovelies,

I hope you are all enjoying this Herbal Profile series this week whilst I am on holidays ~ I hope it gives you an insight into what I have been doing over the past few weeks ~ getting to know herbs and flowers that I have growing in my garden.  This is going to be the last one for the week, as it is a herb that I am working with whilst on holidays.  Today I bring you the wonderfully wise SAGE.

BOTANIC NAME ~ Salvia Officinalis / Salvia spp.

AKA ~ Common Sage, Garden Sage.

GENDER ~ Male (Hot).

PLANET ~ Jupiter & Moon.

DEITY ~ Jupiter, Venus, Artemis, Diana, Huggeia.

CRYSTAL ~ Clear Quartz.

NOTED ~ For its wisdom - hence the saying "wise old sage". Sage is well named coming from the Latin salvere, to save.

Used by Native American Indians in smudging ceremonies.

FOLKLORE ~ The Chinese drank sage tea as often as possible, and their records show how high a value was placed on the health giving properties - 4lb of china tea was exchanged for 1lb of sage by the merchants of the time.

Sage was used in the Middle Ages to treat many maladies including fevers, liver disease and epilepsy.  It was a common belief that sage strengthened one's memory.

USES ~ Sage can be used for any culinary purpose and is usually mixed with Rosemary and Thyme to be put on meats, pies, baked goods etc.  In a tea, it improves digestion, supports cognitive function and helps with anxiety.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Sage is used for Protection, Purification, Wisdom, Longevity & Health, and Prosperity.

Add to healing and prosperity sachets, incenses and amulets.

Sage is used to cleanse a magical space via burning the herb.

It is used to ease grief from the loss of a loved one.

Burn a black candle that has been dressed with sage essential oil for cleansing negative energies from your home.

White Sage was the most common sage used by Witches for these purposes, but due to the unethical over harvesting of white sage, it has now become very hard to get and very expensive.  I have had mine for years and use it sparingly (see picture to the right) I find normal garden sage is just as powerful.

Yes - I did another entry into my little book too...

(My writing is not getting any neater LOL)

GARDENERS ~ Sage needs an alkaline soil, so put plenty of dolomite into the soil and throughout the topsoil when planting.  Sage loves hot sun and dryness so it will give you a sturdy little bush in no time.  She doesn't like wet feet - so make sure drainage is excellent.  She can be a bit like a spoilt child at times and can turn up toes overnight without any apparent reason if the weather or the soil condition is not to her liking.  Talk to her gently, whisper how lovely she is, keep an eye on her needs, and she will love you back.

So this ends my week of blogs on Herbal Profiles.  I will be doing more as I do them, just not all in one week hahaha.... I hope you have enjoyed this brief interlude into the flowers and herbs in my garden and what they are used for.

Until next time, please take care (especially as we are in the Silly Season...),

Blessings to you all.

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profile ~ YARROW

 Hello again for the fourth time this week (can you tell I am on holidays???).  

Today I am bringing you another herbal profile - this is another plant that I have growing in my garden, and I am currently drying - it is YARROW.

BOTANIC NAME ~ Achillea millefolium

AKA ~ Herbal Militaris, The Soldier's herb, Seven year's love, sanguinary, thousand seal, woundwort, stench weed, ladies mantle, milfoil, field hops and many, many more..

GENDER ~ Female (cold).

ELEMENT ~ Water.

PLANET ~ Mars & Venus.

DEITY ~ Achilles, Venus, Quan-Yin.

CRYSTAL ~ Bloodstone.

NOTED ~ For its healing properties both internally and externally.  It is a herb of peace and friendship.

FOLKLORE ~ It was used on battlefields during times of war and conflict to stop wounds from bleeding out.  The Druids used yarrow stems to divine the weather for each coming season, and according to the ancient writings, they were more accurate than those of our satellite pictures today. Used by Chiron the Centaur to cure the heel wound of Achilles

USES ~ Internally it has a calming affect and can also increase perspiration.  Yarrow tea can be taken to relieve all bodily weaknesses caused by infectious diseases like colds and flu, or any other prolonged debilitating illness, it is often mixed with other herbs to speed up its work.  Externally it is an antiseptic and speeds up wound healing.  Can be used in oils and salves for a healing balm.  Great for men who cut themselves shaving - just go out to the herb garden, grab some Yarrow leaf and press it firmly against the spot - the bleeding will stop.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ It is used in workings for Healing, Courage, Friendship, Psychic abilities, Hex breaking, Love, Clairvoyance, Exorcism and keeping negative energies at bay.

Used in Love sachets and marriage charms.

If worn as an amulet it will ward off negativity.

A tea of Yarrow drunk before divination will enhance one's powers of perception.

Can be added to incense blends to keep evil at bay.

FOR GARDENERS ~ it is a great thing to mix Yarrow and Comfrey into your compost bin to speed up the compost activation.  All you need is a few leaves chopped up and mixed in to your compost.  Yarrow will also enhance the flavour, strength and health of any other herb gown near it (but beware - it spreads like the mint family does, so be careful where you put it in your garden).  I have a white variety (as seen in these pictures) growing by my Sage and WOW - that sage (& Yarrow) is potent..  I would love to find the pink or red variety to grow as well - but I haven't seen any for sale yet.

YES - I did another entry into my little book of Mischief,

even has a little secret addition:

Yarrow pressed onto the page from my garden..

Yarrow has to be one of my favourites in the garden, not only is it handy to have, but it looks pretty with its feathery leaves and stems of flowers in the spring and summer.

So there you have it - a run down on the wonderful YARROW.

Join me next time when I will be looking into another herb from my witches garden.

Until then, take care of yourself and those you love,

Blessings to you all.

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profiles ~ ROSEMARY

 Hello there you mighty bunch of lovely people,

Today I am doing a herb profile on ROSEMARY....

BOTANIC NAME ~ Rosemarinus officinalis

AKA ~ Dew of the sea, Sea dew, Rosmaris, Rosemarine, Rosemarie, Guardrobe, Libanotis.

GENDER ~ Male (Hot).

ELEMENT ~ Fire.

PLANET ~ Sun.

DEITY ~ Jupiter & Hecate.

CRYSTAL ~ Aventurine.

NOTED ~ For remembrance, for it's unique taste and smell, as a "clear all" for your health.

FOLKLORE ~ Rosemary evokes sweet remembrance, and is often used at funerals, also ANZAC day parades (Australia) to remember those who fell in the wars.  It is believed that it grows where the sea can be seen, where the righteous abide, or where a woman rules the house.

USES ~ Rosemary is an all purpose herb which can be used in all sorts of culinary dishes from seasoning meats, to adding to bread, stews, soups and seasonings.  It makes a wonderful tonic and is great for both hair and skin.  Using a Rosemary toner will tighten up your skin and heal it of any acne nor skin irritations.  Rosemary can be made into an oil and put into salves, skin creams, soaps, shampoos and conditioners.  The parts used are the leaves ~ dried, powdered and fresh.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Can be used to cleanse your work or ritual area.

(Smoke stick like in the picture here -------->)

It is used for purification, love, protection, to improve the intellectual aspects.

Add to all purification workings, bath sachets, love incenses, protection incenses.

Wear a sprig of Rosemary to aid memory, use in Sea rituals or in sachets to ensure sage passage whilst travelling.

Use Rosemary soap to wash hands before a ritual.

Burn a Rosemary & Juniper mix as a healing/recuperation aid.

Use in baths to sooth the body.

Drink Rosemary Tea to help your liver function, and open up the mind for meditation.

Again here is what I wrote in my book with my scruffy writing LOL (Hopefully one day my writing will be neat and tidy....but don't hold your breath haha).

Rosemary is very easy to grow and is always a handy herb to have on hand.  I have two plants growing, one in my front garden, and one in a pot out in my back garden - it grows well in either the ground or a pot, so it's easy to grow if you don't have a yard, or if you live in an apartment- just grow some on your window sill or balcony if you have one.  It loves a good prune every now and again, but be sure to only take about a quarter of the plant so as not to kill it.  It also loves a good soak of SEASOL fertiliser every now and again.

AND as always, please consult your medical practitioner before you use ANY herbal remedy as they may have contraindications to any medications you may be taking.

I hope you enjoyed this little delve into Rosemary.

Let me know in the comments below how you use Rosemary - what is your favourite thing to do with it (be it culinary or Witchy..)

Until next time, please take care of yourselves and each other.

Blessings to you all,

Annette )O( xxx

Herbal Profiles ~ Chamomile

 Hello my lovelies,

Here I am again with another Herbal Profile from the plants in my garden ~ this time it is the beautiful calming CHAMOMILE...

Roman Chamomile

BOTANIC NAME: Anthemis nobilis.

AKA: Maythen, Manzanilla, Whig plant, Roman chamomile, German chamomile, Ground Apple, Chamaimelon, Camamyle, Camomile.

GENDER: Male (Hot).

ELEMENT: Water.

PLANET: Sun.

DEITY: Ra, Helios, Apollo, Balder, Cernunnos.

NOTED ~ For it's calmative, purification and meditative states.

FOLKLORE ~ Egyptian women mixed it with rose petals to apply it to their skin for a youthful appeal.  Cooks used to soak rancid meat in to mask the odour (way before modern food preservation techniques).  In the Middle Ages they use to scatter the flower on the floor to repel vermin and pests, plus as to serve as a natural deodoriser. 

About my 4th harvest of 2025

USES ~ Make into a tea for a good night's sleep. Make into an infusion to cleanse your house (windows, door frames, floors) by adding the infusion to a bucket of water.  You can make a hair rinse (infusion same as cleaning for your house) or add powdered chamomile to your shampoo mix. You can soak it in milk to add to baked goods.

Plant near other plants to dispel pests.

Drying it on paper

ALLERGIES ~ If you are allergic to ragweed, daisies, chrysanthemums, marigold, or any plants related to the Asteraceae or Compositea species ~ best avoid this one.

If you are pregnant ~ then consult your medical practitioner before using any herbal remedy.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Use in prosperity charms to draw in money.  Add to incenses to bring on restful states for meditation, it induces sleep if burned.

Used for purification, love, evil eye protection, strength in difficult times.

Here is the excerpt in my book - not a really good picture because of the shadow in my room and the fact that I did a drawing on the other side of the page which sort of buckled the paper a bit...hence why I have taken to drawing on a piece of paper, cutting it out and sticking it in my book...

Again - please don't mind my scribble hahaha..

I keep mine in a jar so that I can use it when I need to (for tea, or tea blends, for using in incenses, oils, washes etc).

I also have an deck of cards called "The Green Witch's Deck of Magical Herbalism" by Arin Murphy-Hiscock, which has the most beautiful cards of all the herbs and flowers that a Green Witch would use. Each card has a load of information as to what it is used magically for - but also the booklet has a lot more.

I am finding them handy as I research the information for my own purposes.

I use it to find a plant to work with for the week - when I say "work with" it's more like a get to know in depth - though I feel like I have only skimmed the surface with these plants as I go - there is much, much more to know about them.

So this is CHAMOMILE, I am sure you are all familiar with it, or have used it in one capacity or another.  Maybe I have told you something you didn't know ~ maybe not.

AND - if you have any further information on the wonderful Chamomile, I would be only too happy to receive that in the comments.

Until next time take care,

Blessing to you all,

Annette )O(

Herbal Profiles ~ Cornflower

 Hello my Magical Unicorns,

I came up with this brilliant idea a month ago about doing herbal profiles for plants that I have growing in my garden.  I thought I would draw a picture, put all the correspondences in, both Muggle and Witchy, and all at the same time build up my apothecary stock.

I decided to work one week with each flower, plant, herb etc and build up a relationship with said plant, dry them or have them on my Altar, put them in oils, use them in teas etc,, looking up in my reference books all the details of them.

Then I decided (quite recently) - Maybe I should put them on my blog for all to see!!  Now mind you, as my writing is not that neat in my book (I will show pictures of it anyway), I have decided to write all the correspondences down in text (so you don't have to read my awful writing).

So my first offering is the humble CORNFLOWER:

BOTANIC NAME: Centaurea cyanus.

AKA: Bachelor's Buttons.

Gender: Female (Cold).

Element(s): Air and Earth.

Planet: Venus & Saturn.

Deity: Venus, Brigid.

Crystal: Blue Sapphire.

NOTED ~ for its calmness, serenity, peace, tranquility and openness.  It's a real beauty of the natural world. It is a symbol of hope.

FOLKLORE ~ They were said to be worn by unmarried young men in love ~ they would wear them in their lapels and if the flower faded quickly, it was taken as a sign that the man's love was not returned.  If it lasted, then the man was in luck and could pursue the lady in question.

                                                                                    

  

USES ~ Used in traditional medicines, the dried flower can help reduce swelling, it helps with menstrual cramps, yeast infections, and many other conditions.

You can make a tea with either fresh or dried flowers (has a spicy flavour similar to Cloves), you can add the petals to a salad.

You can also make a tincture from the flowers by immersing 1/2 jar of dried petals in 80-100 proof vodka for 6-8 weeks in a dark cupboard.

This tincture can then be strained and used as a pick-me-up when your moods are down and you need self love.

ALLERGIES ~ If you are allergic to ragweed, daisies, chrysanthemums, marigold, or any plants related to the Asteraceae or Compositea species ~ best avoid this one.

If you are pregnant ~ then consult your medical practitioner before using any herbal remedy.

WITCHCRAFT USES ~ Sprinkle petals in your right shoe to draw in love.  It is used to draw love to yourself. Use Cornflower to enhance psychic awakening.  It helps access self knowledge and enhances meditation or divination sessions (if drunk as a tea). Use it in incense blends. Make ink out of the blue petals to write in your Grimoire. Can be used to dye eggs or materials.  Use in workings that require LOVE, carry a sachet with Cornflower in to invite love to YOU...

This is my book that I am writing my herbal profiles in - yeah - my handwriting leaves a lot to be desired

So there you have it, my little delve into this beautiful Cornflower.  I love watching these come 

up in the garden each year in Spring, their flowers always remind me of fairy wings, which always brings a smile to my face - they are so cheery.

I hope you will love this series that I am about to embark on, I was going to do video's on 

YouTube, but I am still very camera shy.

Until next time, take care my loves,

Blessings to you all 

)O( Annette

Gloomy's Garden Vlog # 19 - First week of Winter

Hello my little Winter Wonders,

It has been the first week of Winter - according to the Gregorian (Christian) Calendar - and my goodness, did it come in cold all of a sudden or what!!

We had to put heaters on and break out the long sleeves, sweaters and jackets this week - plus put the electric blankets on!!

I feel it's going to be a very cold Winter this year - cold enough for snow??? We will see...

So here is my first Video for Winter...

What is happening in your neck of the woods at the moment?  Are you in Winter or Summer?

What is happening in your garden?

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the video.

Have a great week ahead,

Take care,

Annette )O( xxx

Witch Vlog # 7 - Samhain (Southern Hemisphere)

Hello my Magickal Unicorns,

It is coming up to Samhain this week (April 30th - May 1st), so I decided to do an Altar cleaning and repurposing it for the Samhain "End of Summer" season.

I do not talk in this one as I have a toothache/sore gum infection at the moment - which is giving me the heebie-jeebies I can tell you.  I am doing everything I can to get rid of it, but it will take time because I don't use "normal" pharmaceutical medicines, I use herbal remedies - which takes a bit longer but is more acceptable for my body.

Anyway - enough of me griping about my gob!!

I hope you enjoy the video 😁

As always,

Blessings to you all

)O( xxx

Gloomy's Garden - Vlog # 14 - Easter

Hello my lovelies,

HAPPY EASTER if you are celebrating..

I have another Garden Vlog Catch-up thingy video on my YouTube channel...

I hope you will enjoy it!!

Catch you next week,

Annette )O( xxx

Tea & Chat - Herbal Remedies - Gut Health

Hello my lovelies,

I have another video up on YouTube all about Gut health, and what I use to help my IBS.

I hope you will enjoy this little "different" video!!

Take care and have a great week!

Blessings,

Annette )O( xxx

New Year - New Moon - New Beginning - First blog of 2025!!!

 Greetings and Salutations All & A Happy New Year!!

I bet a few of you have hangovers today hahaha - a few parties and few too many drinks later!

Did you make any New Year's resolutions?

We spent our New Year's Eve at home, nothing special really - I managed to clean out my Greenhouse of all plants and give it a good sweep through.  We then sat under the gazebo and Paul wrote a couple of new guitar tracks, so we listened to him and sang along whilst I was repotting a fern and ripping up cardboard/paper for composting.  Caetlyn was doing her knitting (swearing a lot because she miss counted or dropped a stitch... hahaha) and Mavis the dog was just following anyone around to see if she could help or sleeping under the table!

Later in the day we just had a normal meal, watched a bit of telly and then played scrabble until it was time to wish each other a HAPPY NEW YEAR.  We did consume a lot of sweets and biscuits/cookies though - which we con't normally do as we have reduced our sugar and salt intake over 2024 quite substantially, so when we have a burst of sugar like this, it does disrupt our bodily patterns somewhat!

As it was also the New Moon, a time to start something new, a fresh beginning as it is the start of the new moon cycle.  I did light my huge candle and some incense to welcome in the new year - however, I don't really get excited about it because our (witchy) new year isn't until Samhain on 1st May.

This year in the Chinese Horoscope it is the year of the Wood Snake (which means it's Paul's year this year). That doesn't come into effect until 29th January 2025.

Thinking of 2025 - I do hope that this year will be a better year than the previous 3 years, which have been a bit rough - and even though I do not make resolutions (as I am always disappointed in myself when they all fall apart), there are a few things (goals perhaps?) I would like to do:

1. Keep trying to get fitter and healthier - as I am getting older I need to make sure that I maintain my flexibility and fitness levels so that I don't end up on the "Medication Merry-go-Round".  I believe that Mother Nature has provided us with all the help we need in the forms of herbs and food for medicine.  I have created a spreadsheet for the next 6 months with every detail I need to form an opinion on patterns (good or bad) so that I can tweak my fitness progress:

Front Page of my Fitness Plan

I have included things like exercise, rest, daily health assessments, supplements taken, fortnightly weight and monthly body measurements.  With this information I should be able to see what progress I am making, and if I am not making progress, I should be able to see where I am failing with all the collected information.  I also have a page for NOTES after each month and on there - well it's like a journal - I put my feelings on certain days so I can see if there are any cycles or patterns there.

It should be all very interesting!!

2.  I would like to progress my YouTube channel by varying the content on there, hoping I will get more followers (but if I don't, ah well C'est Lavie), I will still have fun documenting my journey in life...

My YouTube Banner
Annette McLean's YouTube

So if you want to see more videos on Gloomy's Garden, or on my witchcraft practice, herbal remedies, book reviews, Q&A's and Tea & Chat videos, hop along on the bad foot to my channel and press subscribe, and ring the bell so you are notified of when I upload.  It would be greatly appreciated!!

3.  I would like to learn how to make my own soap - from scratch - right now I have done the melt and pour soap, and I am about to embark on the reusing the old soap bits that usually get thrown away - to make soap bars... but I would really love to learn how to make pure soap from scratch, using the oils I have infused with herbs and flowers from my garden.  I am a bit wary about the Lye though - I have heard that can be quite a thing to get used to!!

Melt & Pour Lavender Soap

I thought that the soap and pour ones were very easy to do and with the soap colours, they looked quite pretty (plus I did put some Lavender blossoms and oil in the mix as well).  For my first try I was quite pleased with them - I  did some flowers and some stars - it was a gift for a friend (along with a load of other witchy items) that was moving interstate.

4.  I want to repaint and redecorate my witchy room come office.... I want to make it feel more mystical and magickal, full of beautiful things that make me feel peaceful and joyful.

My messy work desk and Altar

My witchy cupboards and a load of mess

My bookshelves filled with odds & sods (mess)

However, if I don't get to these things this year - there is always a next, I am not going to be putting undue pressure on myself just to prove a point. 

To do my room I will probably have a month off in either April or May so that I can take my time and get it how I want it.

Isn't it lovely to have a new year, a fresh start?  To get rid of ALL the negative aspects out of your life (as much as possible - unless you live in a cottage deep in the heart of a wild forest somewhere, where nobody visits and you have no media to drag you down, just nature) and just breathe a sigh of relief, knowing YOU are in FULL control of what happens in your life - sure, those around you or situations can influence that and how you react, but at the end of the day - YOU are the one who makes the decisions for YOU!!

Take control of that aspect this year - say NO more to things that you don't want to do - even at the risk of upsetting someone you love or the boss at work!

This year is a time of YOU

Now you might think that this is self-centred... and maybe it is to a point, but we have all been living under a man made stress for so long despite our mental and physical health.  Self Care is NOT self-centred, it is hard to be everything to everyone if your health is on the brink of crumbling around you.... To be strong, you NEED to concentrate on getting YOU right FIRST.  That is why NO is going to be the word of 2025....

If you don't want to go to a party and you would rather stay home in your PJ's with your cat/dog, watching something on TV or reading a book - then say NO.

If you don't want to take on more responsibility at work, tell them that you don't have the capacity to do that - say NO.

If you have a gut feeling that something isn't right and you don't want to proceed - then NO!!

It just amounts to prioritising YOU first.

Anyway, enough of me ranting - I'm off to spend some time in nature (my back garden), so have a lovely first day of January 2025 - get some rest, eat well, spend some time in nature and breathe in all that goodness, and I will catch you in the next blog or vlog on YouTube.

Blessings to you all )O( xxx

I have started a YouTube channel...

 Hello my little wild ones,

Well, it's been a hot minute since I last posted, so I thought I would update you on what I have been doing in the cyberworld...

I have started up a YouTube channel:

It only has 4 videos on at the moment and it will be a mixture of gardening, health, herbal remedies, green witchery and anything else I feel like sharing with you all as time goes by.

I hope you will join me and maybe pop over to see my latest Gloomy's Garden Vlog (well, it's actually the first one ever) - right here.........

Gloomy's Garden Vlog # 1 

At this stage I do not know how often I will be posting - it depends on how much time I have at any given time, but I hope to post at least once a month at this stage, as I work up the nerve to actually talk live in front of the camera (I am very shy!!).

Anyway - ENJOY!!!

Blessings to you as always,

Annette (Gloomy) XxX )O(

 

GLOOMY'S HERBALS - A RECIPE FOR BITTERS

In today's society there are a LOT of illnesses that can be prevented by having good gut flora.  The so called "Foods" we eat today are making us very sick (and surely killing us quicker than normal).  To prevent getting ill, we need to get our gut flora in check, and to do this we need to stay away from processed and packaged foods, junk food, excessive sugar, flavourings and colourings.

Look at the list of ingredients packaged foods in the supermarkets and you will notice a load of numbers and words that you don't even know what they are - this is wrong, so very, very wrong.  You should be able to tell what is in your food.

Herbal Bitters can really aid the digestive system and it is a good practice to take them just before a large meal - (like the sort we eat at Christmas time, where we stuff ourselves silly and then can't move...hahaha).  

Herbal Bitters can also have a very positive effect on all the body systems, as there are bitter receptors throughout the body and it will help to stimulate these systems.  

This herbal concoction can be used all year round if required - before any large meal, greasy fried meal, or a rich meal, (though it does pay to limit these kinds of meals) to help in the digestion of such foods through your body.

 

INGREDIENTS:
Dandelion Leaves and Roots,

Yarrow, 

Chamomile, 

Calendula/Marigold Flowers, 

Wormwood,

Elecampane (can be fresh or dried), 

Fennel Seeds,

Peppermint, 
Brandy.

 

METHOD:

Simply chop them all up and place in a Kilner/Mason jar.  Cover with brandy, stir to remove any bubbles then leave to infuse for 3-4 weeks in a cool, dark cupboard. 

 

You can also use Vervain, Agrimony, Ginger, Hops, Burdock Root, Dock Root, Stinging Nettle and many others.  

 

When infusion is complete, strain out the herbs and put the bitters into a dark bottle, and store in a dark pantry or cupboard.

 

 

DOSE:

 

 Take 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon about 15-20 minutes before eating (work your way up to a tablespoon full if you do not like bitters).  It is best to take bitters straight on to the tongue but perhaps add the bitters to a little drop of water until you get used to the bitter taste.  

This concoction will last up to 6 months. 

 

NOTE:

 

You can either grow these herbs in your garden or purchase them dried online from a reputable source.  But I prefer to grow my own herbs so I know that they are fresh and have not been sprayed with any pesticides or other nasties.

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:

If you are under a Health Practitioner's supervision, always check with them first before embarking to take anything herbal, just to make sure there are no herbs in the mix that might be contra-indicated for you (will clash), with the prescription medication you are already on. Better to be safe than sorry!

I hope you found this helpful in your quest for a healthy gut flora.

Keep well my friends.

It's been a hot minute (or two - hahaha)

 Greetings Beautiful people of the interwebs,

I hope you are all keeping well and life is going great guns for you!!

As the heading say's - It's been a hot minute or two since I last did a blog (Spring was the last time - it is now Autumn!!), but life has a very interesting way of prioritising your time and what you can do.

In other words - life got in the way!!!

So just a quick catch up from me 😁

I am happy to report that Paul is doing well, he is off all the drugs that he was on for 5 months and he is walking everyday and trying to get fit.  He has even roped me into doing more fitness and going for walks with him - which has really helped my stress a lot.

My work has been very stressful this last couple of months due to 2 new system integrations, which generally speaking, are not going well - even with 4 years of testing and things not going as planned, the powers that be decided to go live with it, and we have all sorts of issues arising (as we knew we would) - so the systems saga continues.

I have to keep telling myself - 3 more years to retirement, just 3 more years........

This last summer we have been doing our house up a bit too - we have new carpets in the lounge and Caetlyn's office plus new flooring in the kitchen.  We are waiting for our new lounge suite to be made and delivered - which is supposed to be late April, then we are getting the roller shutters replaced on the front of the house (as the old one ones on the front window are broken).  Then we are thinking of putting tint on the front room window, to stop the heat from coming in too much in the summer.... but that might be another year away.

I also want to take a month off of work to repaint and re-floor my office and turn it into a space that I want to work in - at the moment there is just everything everywhere, as it is our library, my office, my witchy room, my sewing room, my art room, my harvesting room and as you can imagine - it is chockers full in every part - so I want to sort it out, eliminate stuff I don't use or need anymore, paint the walls and put new carpet on the floor.  Maybe move a couple of cabinets out and make more room.

The weather is starting to get cooler now, with daylight savings ending in a few hours - we revert to winter time.  That means that I have to move my chilli plants to the patio area at the front of the house so they don't get too cold, and so I can overwinter them - they are still producing heaps of chillies, so hopefully they will still ripen once I put them out the front.

I have trimmed all my roses, fertilised and put compost on all the plants out in the front garden and got them ready for their winter hibernation.

I still have to do the back garden - and I am running out of time (always the way for me!!).

I have two tomato plants that are still producing cherry tomatoes - so I don't really want to pull them out just yet - but I might have to to make way for the brassicas - and I planted a whole bunch of seeds in the vegepods a couple of weeks ago - some of them are starting to pop through now!!

I have 4 beds to prepare (I am so behind schedule!!!) for winter crops, and the back garden to tidy up - once all the trees have lost their leaves (Granny Smith Apple, Pink Lady Apple, O'Henry Peach, Stella Cherry & Apricot) - I am going to collect the leaves for leaf mulch.  I then have to harshly prune the apple trees back, compost around their roots for winter too.

I also have to compost and mulch around the banana plantation too, as they will need a bit of warmth for the oncoming winter months.

I also have a few things in pots that I need to plant out before it gets too cold!!

See - busy, busy, busy and no time to do it in - but we will see how far we can get this year LOL.

Harvesting and preserving all the fruits and veggies has taken some time as well - I still have a tonne of pomegranates and apples to preserve - plus some beets to bottle as well. (I think I need more like a year off of work hahahaha).

Anyhow - enough of me grumbling about lack of time ⏰ - it's 11.45pm on Saturday 6th April and I really should go to bed if I am going to have a full day of "doing much needed jobs around the garden" tomorrow.

So thanks for catching up with me again, hopefully I will be able to chat more to you all soon.

Blessings to you all )O( stay safe and healthy!

Cheers,

Gloomy xxx

Hello and Welcome!!

Hello and Welcome to Gloomy's Garden,

I hope you will enjoy your time here and maybe learn a little from what I am doing, be it gardening, cooking, sewing, trying to find better ways to live off our land, herbal remedies, green witchery or a number of other things that this household in the "Burbs" of Adelaide, South Australia are interested in. Discoveries in Nature, road trips, music (My Super-Hubby is a musician), and maybe even an appearance from our Doggo Rudy!!

So excuse me whilst I set up this page to get it to a more "user friendly" type of thing - I'm not good with this stuff, but I am willing to give it a crack!!

Until next time (when I will introduce myself a bit better),
Stay safe, healthy and happy!

Cheers,
Gloomy