#cattail pictures incoming

[bss-samsiyye]

Adeia 2023

- The gods have been very good to my garden this year. I even had four plants make a miraculous recovery after I was certain they would die. So this year I'm thanking them for it with honey libations and by repotting everyone to air out the soil and fertilize it, and focusing mostly on asking for regular rain. We had some rain this winter, which should NOT happen, and on the other hand I've never seen less rain in a wet season...which of course did not stop my city from flooding because it used to be a wetland. I'm asking Ba'al for lots of rain next summer.

Pictured here: wild amaranth, rosemary, marigold, arnica + lavender, wild Mexican tea and a baby chayote.

- I also prayed for Demeter's blessings for the sustainable urban designs I'm submitting to the relevant government departments some time next week, and for a proposal I want to introduce in my neighborhood to switch to native grass species, plant more flowers for native pollinators and upgrade outside lighting to be more firefly-friendly. I also asked her, and Persephone, to protect agricultural land, which is being threatened by both global warming and an increasingly violent political situation.

- Collected organic waste in a jar for three days to mix with the plants' new potting soil. A friend of my grandmother's gave us chicken eggs from his sustainable farm so I felt more pressed to not just throw the egg shells away and show my thanks.

Pictured here: a grinding stone shaped like a pig, for Demeter, and crushed eggshells in a jar mixed with wilted carrots.

- The wheat I planted last year suffered an untimely death by pet rabbit (his name is Apollo) and the one I planted in March to replace it is taking it's time, so I offered it only in spirit.

Pictured here: rabbit-appropriate wheat (with some chickweed) and a green wheat stalk for the gods.

- I also planted cattails (ethically sourced from my local zoo's restored wetland habitat) to keep it water-themed. Some will go in my garden, others to friends' gardens, and a few to my grandmother's artificial pond.

- For the food offering, I wanted to prepare chiles en nogada, stuffed (big) peppers with walnut and goat cheese sauce and pomegranates for decoration. The ingredients for it are in season so I thought it was appropriate, but it's also a reminder that we have to think about where our food comes from and protect those sources. Chiles en nogada are a traditional September dish; unfortunately, the recipe has changed in recent years because one of the ingredients used in the stuffing, called acitrón, comes from a barrel cactus species which is now endangered. Alas, it's quite a labor-intensive dish and it's a busy weekend for my family, so we're making it next week instead.