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journal entry #5

I repotted my plants all weekend, just to be surprised by a huge hailstorm saturday night - luckily it only damaged some leaves on my kiwi and fig trees, but my potted plants are safe. Just one terracotta vase was broken in the process, but I'll still find it some use!

On other news, a leaf cutter bee of some sort decided to inhabit one of my cactus vases. She's very fuzzy and pretty so I'll just leave her be(e). Hope to record her taking leaf pieces, she's so pretty! I'm glad she chose the one plant that does not need to be watered much cause I really don't want to soak her hard work in water.

I am working on propagating some plants this week, especially my jade plant and snake plant. I can't get enough of those! Meanwhile I think I'll get some more lemon balm and bay leaves for spellmaking, my bay tree is gigantic, it really is asking me to be used. Guess it's time to find a good container for the herbs.

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Sur la piste des Dryades . . .

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journal entry #4

Work and hot weather are really draining me, I've been extremely tired for weeks. At least I have some gardening to do that will keep me sane!

I have some hard repotting to do this weekend! When I moved here in spring I didn't have much time to do that, between unboxing stuff and painting walls there was too much to do. And many of the plants I found here definitely need to upgrade their vases or at least need a root check. It's gonna be intense!

I'm waiting for the next New Moon eagerly, I really need a big energy cleanse and recharge.

As a bonus, I got another cat baby. Three were not enough I guess.

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Some beauties from my garden 🌷

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Source

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🌈 happy pride to all who celebrate 🌈

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04/04/25

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journal entry #3

I'm thinking about filing up a little journal with all the plants and flowers in my garden.

I've never been one for physical Grimoires or BoS, I find my handwriting to be too messy (and also writing for too long makes my wrist hurt like crazy), but a little guide for my own garden could be nice and useful.

Meanwhile I'm trying to recover from charging back my tarot and pendulum after the big New Moon cleanse - I usually do that by having both under my pillow when I sleep, not sure why but this type of connection always proved to be the best, especially with my cards. But damn it is exhausting. I really feel drained.

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Angel wings

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Lemon Balm Infusion 🍃

Lemon balm is known for its soothing properties and making a tea or infusion out of it can help you reduce stress, insomnia and anxiety as well as improve your digestion and general mood.

INGREDIENTS: • lemon balm leaves (fresh or dried) • hot water • honey (if desired)

Prepare your water while washing and drying your lemon balm leaves (if fresh). Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and drop the leaves in the water for at least 10 minutes. I usually stir it a couple times as well.

After that, you can filter and serve your lemon balm infusion!

Adding a spoon of honey can make it delightfully sweeter; you can serve it hot or wait for it to get cooler and make a refreshing summer drink out of it.

🍃 Lemon Balm Properties

• attracting love • renewal • emotional healing • purification • warding off evil • attracting positivity • anxiety and stress relief • enhancing clairvoyance and intuition • promoting longevity • improving memory and focus • excellent help for digestion • antiviral • analgesic

🍃 What to do with the used leaves?

I personally always use fresh leaves and prefer to keep the used ones and let them dry for future works in spells - it's a pity to throw them away!

If you used fresh leaves and you too want to let them dry for future use, lay them in a single layer on a cloth, baking sheet or paper towel and place it in a dry and dark place away from direct sunlight. Good ventilation is important as much as flipping them from time to time. The leaves should dry in two-three weeks max.

Once you're sure they're dry (touch them to make sure) you can gently crush them and store them.

If you do not want to use fresh leaves, you can dry them beforehand and make the infusion later on!

⚠️Important: lemon balm is usually safe, but high doses may not be suitable for those affected with hypothyroidism. Also be careful in using it during pregnancy. Always be sure you're safe before handling any herb.

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journal entry #2

Living in the countryside proved to be the best thing ever for my constant need for nature, although being allergic to pollen really sucks (it's so fun being a witch and dying everytime I go outside in spring).

Last week I found a lot of snakes roaming around the neighbours' abandoned yard and some wandered through my garden as well. I do not fear snakes, but my partner is terrified.

It seems though they kind of disappeared after this New Moon - which also coincides with the moment I decided to open this blog and get back to the craft. I take it as a sign from Lady Hekate: she wanted me to get back to witchcraft, I worked with her before and it quite makes sense to me that snakes appeared out of nowhere at the time I was questioning whether or not to return to the craft. Each time I went off and on the craft she sent me some sign, a call to get back. An offering to her is quite necessary now, I want to thank her (again) for not abandoning me ever.

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New Moon: Aftermath

The day after a New Moon I always feel a bit drained from all the energy cleansing. New Moon is my favorite phase, but I often need to take a deep breath and recharge as well as cast again all my little spells around the house. Start anew, start fresh with the blank slate the dark moon offered to us. As the moon phase progresses to Waxing Crescent it is a good time to focus on growth.

What to do after a New Moon?

🧂 Protection Spells After the New Moon cleansing to get rid of stale energy, casting back your protection spells can be a nice fresh start.

TIPS & IDEAS: • sprinkle salt around your house/space - salt is the easiest way to cleanse and shield, and something very likely to have around the house! • placing objects (talismans, amulets etc) around your area or on yourself can work very well to ward off unwanted negativity • if you're into sigil making, try creating a new one or charge back the one(s) you previously used • if you have any, do not forget about your pets! they need protection too! • some herbs for protection: sage, nettle, thyme, rosemary, lavender, mugwort, basil, mint, bay • some crystals for protection: black tourmaline, smoky quartz, hematite, black agate, obsidian, tiger's eye, labradorite

💖 Focus on Yourself If you cleansed yourself along your space, take some time to focus on your well-being too! The roots of a new beginning start now. Think of yourself as a white canvas: you're clean, pure, ready to begin something new. What do you want to draw on that canvas?

TIPS & IDEAS: • growth is not something that can happen in a few days, it takes time and needs to be nurtured, so the first step is to plant the right seeds: do a little list of small goals you want to achieve that will ultimately lead you to the bigger goal • meditate and take some time to visualize your wishes coming to reality • take care of your body too! a beauty care, a spray of perfume, a little nap, anything that can help relax your nerves and charge you back • this is the perfect time to cast spells focused on growth and new beginnings: think about your goals and always keep them in mind to enhance your determination - place a post-it you can see everyday, keep a note on your phone, anything that works for you!

🪄 Charge back your tools Your favorite tools have been cleansed under the New Moon? Time to charge them back! You need them ready to be used, so why not taking some time to properly take care of them as well? Charging items is pretty self-explanatory and there are many ways to do so.

TIPS & IDEAS: • as charging items may take some time, I suggest you do that when you're 100% sure you can properly focus on your task, so maybe focus on yourself first and on your tools later • crystals and gems can be charged with the moon/sun - be careful though, not all gems likes to stay under direct sunlight! • you can also use your charged crystals and gems to charge other items too! • chant a spell to charge your items, or channel the wanted energy in your palms and hold the item as you do so - this is usually my to-go method! • a candle, some herbs or incense can make for a good ritual to charge back your items • envisioning and focusing your intention are the primary things to do when charging items, the rest is up to you! Your magic, your rules.