#pollination method

[togament]

𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬. sakura, ume, kaji, suo, kiryu, togame.

"ever caught yourself fantasizing how they'd be as your lover? ever wanted to smooch them so badly you just wanna-- look no further, sweetie."

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒: general FLUFF NATION BABIIIEEEE, a bit of language but only if you squint a little, I made it as gender neutral as possible but pls lmk if I made some mistakes!, our men are lovesick and absolutely down bad BAD, quick mention of bumping uglies, kaji the crowdkiller, brainworm infestation things, bibi went to yap town with togame's.

𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐫𝐚.

- big on acts of service BUT IS HORRIBLE AT HIDING HOW MUCH HE LIKES DOING STUFF FOR YOU. hear me out. he’d be the one opening doors for you, covering your head with his jacket when it’s raining outside (he’s getting soaked and you nag him about getting sick)…. all that. He’s blushing profusely. When you smile up at him, he immediately smiles back but then he claps a hand over his mouth to hide it. Give him time ok he’ll come around.

- he loves you. of course that’s a given because you’re his lover BUT BUT. he love LOVES you. like a lot. so much that it’s kind of painful, you know what I mean? Like he wants to express it so friggin bad, but he doesn’t know how to. His words escape him, he panics when he makes a move. He’s spent many a night just staring down at you with the most lovestruck eyes while you’re fast asleep. Tears falling from his eyes because he’s so happy you chose HIM of all people. He never thought he’d be worthy of being loved, of being trusted, of being CONSIDERED. You gave all of that to him and more. GOD he loves you.

- is super conflicted about PDA lol sometimes he wants to hold your hand in public, kiss you all over, hug you, but god damn it he’s blushing from head to toe whenever he’s around you. He’s got the cuteness aggression fever but he can’t let it ouuuttttt 🗣️🗣️🗣️

𝐮𝐦𝐞.

- EVERYTHING IS HIS LOVE LANGUAGE. Like, if you’re not into physical touch, he’d do something else for you. If you’re not the acts of service type and you wanna do stuff yourself, that’s cool too!!! He can manage!!!! Although he’d want to help you out so bad but…. He’s cheering on you from the sidelines. On that note, he’s your biggest (and loudest) cheerleader! You’d have an achievement and no matter how small or big it is, his friends and neighbors and the random strangers he passes by know about it and how amazing you are. BECAUSE YOU ARE.

- loves it when you help him out in the garden hehehe loves it extra if you know how to take care of the veggies and fruits hehehehe like, you’d be tending to the potted plants and he’s checking for aphids on the other side of the garden. You’re actively pruning the basil the right way so it’d grow bushier, you’re hand pollinating the pumpkins, you even suggested on doing the three sisters method so you’d yield more harvest in the coming months. He may or may not have begged you to marry him once or fifty times every time he’s caught you doing that. (Ofc you’ve said yes once or fifty times lol)

- WORST CUTENESS AGGRESSION FEVER SUFFERER. You cannot convince me otherwise. You’d be doing the most mundane things, walking down the road with him, lounging on the couch with your belly out and body contorted in the most unattractive position, just STANDING THERE….. he’s immediately on you, peppering kisses everywhere his lips can reach, hugging you so close, rubbing his face all over youdbjfjdndnnd CUTENESS AGGRESSION IS UMEMIYA AND UMEMIYA IS CUTENESS AGGRESSION. If he could he’d bite you. He has btw. On multiple occasions. The tiniest, softest chomp though.

- never fails to tell you how much he loves you. On the daily, on the fly, every time he meets your eyes. “I love you” so easily slips from his lips, he expresses it so easily but it never loses its meaning with him. He means it every time he utters those three words. You can feel it too. Just… don’t ask him to elaborate because he’d drop anything he’s doing just to explain to you as to how and why and what and where and—uh oh is he crying?????

𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐓.

𝐤𝐚𝐣𝐢.

- WOULD MAKE PLAYLISTS FOR YOU. Hear me out again. He’s horrible with words ok? Like he’s thorny. He’d say the meanest things accidentally sometimes without him realizing that. So, he makes playlists for you. He’s made one for himself when he first realized he had a crush on you, btw. Don’t tell him I told you. Notice how he’s had his headphones on his head whenever you first started talking to him? Yeah he was listening to it when he saw you passing by. Best music taste btw. Listens to all genres too like he doesn’t discriminate. Get him started on some hardcore bands though, he’s yapping. Eyebrows furrowed. (He likes rowdy places but doesn’t get rowdy? Canonically too? Yeah the man’s outside the pit pushing the crowdkillers away from you. CATCH HIM IN THE PIT THOUGH OH MY GOD THAT’S A CROWDKILLER RIGHT THERE.) on that note, he loves going to gigs with you. You wanna go check a local band? He’s immediately got ticket stubs for their next gig.

- another acts of service guy. You see those tiktoks of girls grabbing something under the table and the guy holding the corner of the table so she wouldn’t accidentally hit it? Or like when you got full hands and you can’t go to open the door, the guy’s materialized beside you, opening it for you? Yeah that’s him. Real subtle about it though. Don’t bring attention to it pls unless you want him to not look at you for a couple of minutes (he’s blushing pls be patient)

- the type to nag at you when you get hurt. Man oh MAN does he nag. He’s gone through one too many fights already so he knows how to patch himself up real nice. But when YOU get hurt, he’s immediately digging through his first aid kit, cleaning your wound and patching you up while nagging you to be more careful next time, what if he wasn’t around to help, what if this what if that grumble grumble. He’s got his lollipop in his mouth btw. Pull it out for a second and GIVE HIM THE BIGGEST SMOOCH TO SHUT HIM UP PLEASE. Sweetest kisses. Both literally and figuratively 🥹

𝐬𝐮𝐨.

- GENTLEMAN GENTLEMAN GENTLEMAN. Oh my god if you don’t want attention drawn to the both of you, never bring Suo out in public!!!!!!!! He does the most for you so effortlessly, so beautifully, people swoon and get jealous because of it. The type to give you flowers too. Not just on special occasions too. And not just flowers in a bouquet. No. The flowers are already arranged in a vase so you wouldn’t have to worry about grabbing a vase yourself. Goodness your normal dates would seem so extravagant when he’s around. You’d be eating at a McDonald’s and you’re looking over at your lover and he looks so dashing and he smells so good and he’s got the softest smile anfjdjjdj UGHHHHHH!!!!!! But if you’re not into flowers, he’d find some other way to express his love for you in a different way. Whatever you’re comfortable with, he’s down for.

- big tease. He likes seeing you squirm and pout when he’s playing a little prank on you. You swear you can see a slight blush on his cheeks when you pout but it’s so so subtle you think it’s the lighting.

- is not afraid to express how much he absolutely LOVES you. If you need reassurance, he’s pulling you to the side to talk about it. If you need him to kiss you more, oh he’s doing THAT AND MORE. If you’re the jealous type, even better. He’s smooching you in front of the person you think is flirting with him. But if you’re not into that intense stuff, he’s pulling you into the conversation, keeping a hand on your waist and looking over to you for an extra opinion. Lays on the “dove”, “my love”, “my sweet”, “my heart”, T H I C K . And I fucking mean THICK.

𝐤𝐢𝐫𝐲𝐮.

- *dreamy sigh* a fucking dreamboat is what he is. You could never, EVER go wrong with kiryu, man. I swear. A gentleman through and through. Takes you on spontaneous dates, likes going to arcades with you and winning you the biggest plushie!!!! (he’s really good at it), would take you on perfume dates (HE SMELLS GOOD CANONICALLY UGH), would even do your make up for you. Ugh. UGH. He’d be the best partner you could ever ask for. Y’know those perfect couples on tiktok? That’s you and him. But it’s all genuine, baby. That’s just how he loves.

- big on matching outfits. But not the blatant matching ones, no. Like, same color palettes, same textures, YES. YES. The outfit brainstorming is part of your dates too. He’d let you borrow his clothes if you want, he’d even let you spritz some of his most expensive perfumes 😭!!!!

- SKINCARE DATES TOO. WOAH WOAH WOAH. like, he has a AM/PM routine but he'd love to do it with you! he'd suggest all the best stuff for your skin, check if your skin's more on the dry side, oily side, yes. your man knows his shit and it SHOWS. your skin's practically glowing when you're with him. boyfriend air doesn't exist.

- IF YOU NEED REASSURANCE AND A HYPEMAN HE IS YOUR FUCKING GUY I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. God he’d see you looking at yourself in the mirror, fussing over how you look and practically putting yourself down, his heart would break. Like, how could you not see how he sees you? He’s taking you in his arms and telling you everything he absolutely adores about you, how beautiful you are, showering you with praise on the sweetest most kiryu way possible. He’s peppering kisses along your tear streaked cheeks until you’re smiling again. “There’s that smile,” he says as he pulls away, cupping your face in his hands. Ugh he even has the most lovesick puppydog eyes for you. “I love you, alright? So much,” he kisses your forehead, “So, So much.” He whispers into your hairline. GOOOOODDDDDDD 🫂 and did I say HYPEMAN? I mean it. Do a little spin for him in your new clothes and he’s screaming and yelling and taking so much pictures of you!!!!! His instagram feed’s full of you, your couple photos, your dates… practically a fan account of your relationship. He loves you and he loves loving you!!!!!!!!! and if you're the jealous type, he'd be so patient with you. he'd reassure you to the moon and back!!! ofc since he's popular with girls, he'd do his best to reassure you that he only has his eyes on you and you alone.

- gaming nights with kiryu. Oh Gaming Nights With Kiryu please save me gaming nights with kiryu. He’s got a whole set up ready for the both of you, his PS5 hot and ready, snacks opened. It’s a special thing for the both of you too! He decorates his apartment in the theme of the game you’re both playing, horror game? His apartment looks like a horror house. Smash bros? BET. (He’ll be smashing you by the end of the night gehrhhrhehehehHgdhdhs). I know he’s got LED strips so he’s using that to his advantage too. Ok I’m getting carried away. Kiryu best partner best lover best everything.

𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞.

- *RIPS SHIRT OPEN LIKE A WEREWOLF GRGEGGRHEHE BARKING!!!!!* TOGAMEEEEE!!!!!!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️ I am apologizing for this part, love. I’m gonna go hard.

- canonically doesn’t text. Only leaves you on read. Calling him though? CALLING HIM?? 🫠 he’s answering as soon as it rings. None of that “wait until the third ring” baloney. His baby’s calling. If he’s doing something before you called, HE’S DROPPING IT FOR YOU. And he answers in that deep voice of his and 🫠🫠🫠 sigh. You guys stay on the phone for hours. He’s the type to do things while he’s calling you too. If you’re away and he can’t be with you, he’d love it if you could stay on the phone with him for way longer too. Big on facetiming too. He’s fallen asleep with facetime on. You have a collection of screenshots of his pretty sleeping face. You’ve fallen asleep on facetime too. He doesn’t have as much screenshots though and he haaaates himself for it because he spends so much time just staring at you through his phone, smiling to himself like. FUCK he’s so in love with you!!!!! YOU!!!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️ plus he’s got nervous shaky hands so hehe first time you guys facetimed you weren’t a couple yet. You fell asleep and he tried taking a screenshot and dropped his phone. The sound woke you up lol you give him shit about that moment sometimes, teasing him. He’s a blushing mess, elbowing you gently so you’d stop.

- AWKWARD TOGAME WHEN YOU GUYS FIRST DATED UGH SHIIIITTTTT!!!!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️ he’s canonically bad with groups of people and people in general. Choji had to adopt him forcefully into shishitoren ok? So that translates so SO well to you and your relationship with him. He may or may not have (allegedly, for legal reasons) asked for romance advice from Choji. He may or may not have (again, allegedly) tried that yawning and stretching trick so he could rest his arm behind you. No. Nope. Didn’t hear it from me.

- awkward and SHY togame when he made the first move on you!!!!!!! He had a ramune bottle in his hand because it was shaking so bad he couldn’t control it. You GAVE HIM HIS FIRST KISS DHHRHDHRRRRAAAAGHHH 🗣️🗣️🐺 you had to hold his other hand to stop it from trembling. Yours were too tbh hehe made him feel a bit better because you were just as nervous as he is.

- once you both are super into the relationship though, my goodness expect togame to be THE BEST PARTNER. See how he was with Choji? Did anything and everything to keep his smile? He’d do that for you too. Amp it up to a 100. His surprises are simple, never was one for grand gestures. But goodness you can feel the effort. Even employed some help from his old man pals at the community baths 🫠

- speaking of the old men, THEY WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT HIS CRUSH ON YOU!!!!! Like, they were doting on togame when he expressed he’s never felt this way for someone before, how he can feel his heart racing and his face heating up when you’re around. They knew he was in love with you before he knew for himself.

- OF COURSE THEY KNEW YOUUU. So when you wanted to get into a relationship with togame, knowing it’s serious now, you went out of your way to meet up with the group of old men!!!! There, you discovered that togame has been talking about you nonstop. They already loved you for him before you formally met!!!!! They gave you their collective blessing, of course. You both are their grandchildren in their eyes.

- togame CAN COOK. EXPECT HIM TO COOK FOR YOU CONSTANTLY. And if you can cook, EVEN BETTER. Cooking dates, farmer’s market dates, izakaya dates, GASTRONOMY! You often surprise each other with decorated lunch boxes.

- nap dates all the time. Like, when you’re not bumping uglies or cooking or bonding with your friends, you both are asleep in each other’s arms. He gives the best hugs too. Like, those hugs that just cover you, you know?

- obviously, he loves you. But god damn it he wants to scream it into the world!!!! With the way he treats you though, constantly worrying about you, being there at your beck and call, pressing kisses into the crown of your head whenever you’re next to each other, he doesn’t need to scream it or utter a single word. You can just see the love he has for you. Everyone knows it.

- has thought about marrying you a couple times already. The type to call you his spouse teasingly too just to see you blush. He cannot wait to call you that officially. If he were good at technology, he would definitely have a pinterest board ready lol

a/n: wehehehehajsdkj hehehe togame. i missed writing for him, guys. THANK YOU FOR READING THROUGH TO THE END. some of the togame headcanons were from my convo with @yisxn!!! the ramune bottle detail was so perfect I couldn't skip it! also the asking for advice from the old men. YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL MIND ILYSM. thank you to @brainrot-of-a-thot for helping me clear up my brainfog last nightttt. also to you, reader, ILY. thank you for reading my word vomit!!!!!!!!!

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from The Scotsman:

The bumblebee population has made an impressive comeback in a developed area by increasing to 116 times what it was two years ago thanks to a nature restoration group.

Rewilding Denmarkfield, a 90-acre project based just north of Perth, has been working to restore nature to green spaces in an increasingly built up area for the past two years.

Statistics from the charity show in 2021, when some of the fields managed by the project were still barley monoculture, only 35 bumblebees were counted.

But by 2023, after just two years of nature restoration work in the same fields, the population increased to 4,056. The diversity of bumblebee also doubled, according to the charity, from five to ten different species.

Weekly pollinator surveys using the BeeWalk method, a national recording scheme run by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to monitor the abundance of bumblebees on transects across the country, enabled Rewilding Denmarkfield to quantify some of the changes happening.

Ecologist Ellie Corsie, who has been managing the project since it began in 2021, said: “Letting nature lead has had a massive positive impact for bumblebees. Within two years, the bare soil and barley stubble was naturally colonised by 84 different plant species.

[reasonsforhope]

"An environmental toxicologist in California is cleaning up areas contaminated with heavy metals or other pollutants using fungi and native plants in a win-win for nature.

Where once toxic soils in industrial lots sat bare or weed-ridden, there are now flowering meadows of plants and mushrooms, frequented by birds and pollinators: and it’s thanks to Danielle Stevenson.

Founder of DIY Fungi, the 37-year-old ecologist from UC Riverside recently spoke with Yale Press about her ongoing work restoring ‘brownfields,’ a term that describes a contaminated environment, abandoned by industrial, extraction, or transportation operations.

A brownfield could be an old railway yard or the grounds of an abandoned oil refinery, but the uniting factor is the presence of a toxic containment, whether that’s a petrochemical, heavy metal, or something else.

Noting that she had read studies about mushrooms growing around the Chernobyl nuclear plant, she came to understand further, through her work, that fungi are an extraordinarily resilient species of life that consume carbon, and even though petroleum products are toxic to plants, to mushrooms they are essentially a kind of carbon.

In fact, mushrooms break down several categories of toxic waste with the same enzymes they use to consume a dead tree. They can also eat plastic and other things made out of oil, like agrochemicals.

At the Los Angeles railyard, as part of a pilot project, Stevenson and colleagues planted a variety of native grass and flower species alongside dead wood that would incubate specific fungi species called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, which assists plants in extracting heavy metals like lead and arsenic from the soil.

Alongside traditional decomposer fungi, the mixture of life forms demonstrated tremendous results in this brownfield.

“In three months we saw a more than 50 percent reduction in all pollutants. By 12 months, they were pretty much not detectable,” Stevenson told Yale 360.

Decontaminating soil like this typically involves bringing in a bulldozer and digging it all up for transportation to a landfill. This method is not only hugely expensive, but also dangerous, as contaminated material can scatter on the winds and fall out of the backs of trucks carting it away.

By contrast, the plants that draw out the toxic metals can be harvested and incinerated down to a small pile of ash before cheap transportation to a hazardous waste facility.

The technique, which Stevenson says has some scaling issues and issues with approval from regulators, is known officially as bioremediation, and she’s even used it to safely break down bags of lubricant-soaked rags from bicycle repair shops.

“People who live in a place impacted by pollution need to have a say in how their neighborhood is being cleaned up. We need to empower them with the tools to do this,” she said."

-via Good News Network, July 16, 2024

[doctorsfavorite]

🌿✨ Reblog game: I’ll match your F/O with a plant! ✨🌿

Hiya! Looking to make new self-shipper friends and mutuals! Reblog this post with one or two of your F/Os and I’ll assign each of them a plant I think suits them, along with a little fun fact or symbolism behind that plant and why I think it fits their vibe! Here's an example with Zandik and Harley:

For Zandik, I chose the Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum). It blooms infrequently, resulting in a spectacular yet unsettling event, much like his rare breakthroughs. It smells like rotting flesh to attract pollinators, reflecting how his methods may be seen as unethical or revolting by others, but he doesn’t care for morality, much like how this flower doesn’t care for pleasing scents. His obsession with pushing boundaries might be "foul" to some but he sees value in it.

And for Harley I picked the Venus flytrap because, like him, it has a deadly mechanism concealed behind an aesthetically pleasing exterior. Harley's charming personality draws people in before exposing his ruthless side. Just as the flytrap’s hidden triggers make it dangerous, his secret plans and manipulative tactics remain concealed until it’s too late. Its hairs, which signal the traps to snap shut after being touched twice, reflect his obsession with control and using others for his own gain.

divider by animatedglittergraphics-n-more

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - July 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735! (Or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!)

1. Thai tiger numbers swell as prey populations stabilize in western forests

“The tiger population density in a series of protected areas in western Thailand has more than doubled over the past two decades, according to new survey data. […] The most recent year of surveys, which concluded in November 2023, photographed 94 individual tigers, up from 75 individuals in the previous year, and from fewer than 40 in 2007. […] A total of 291 individual tigers older than 1 year were recorded, as well as 67 cubs younger than 1 year.”

2. Work starts to rewild former cattle farm

“Ecologists have started work to turn a former livestock farm into a nature reserve [… which] will become a "mosaic of habitats" for insects, birds and mammals. [… R]ewilding farmland could benefit food security locally by encouraging pollinators, improving soil health and soaking up flood water. [… “N]ature restoration doesn't preclude food production. We want to address [food security] by using nature-based solutions."”

3. Harnessing ‘invisible forests in plain view’ to reforest the world

“[… T]he degraded land contained numerous such stumps with intact root systems capable of regenerating themselves, plus millions of tree seeds hidden in the soil, which farmers could simply encourage to grow and reforest the landscape[….] Today, the technique of letting trees resprout and protecting their growth from livestock and wildlife [… has] massive potential to help tackle biodiversity loss and food insecurity through resilient agroforestry systems. [… The UN’s] reported solution includes investing in land restoration, “nature-positive” food production, and rewilding, which could return between $7 and $30 for every dollar spent.”

4. California bars school districts from outing LGBTQ+ kids to their parents

“Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the SAFETY Act today – a bill that prohibits the forced outing of transgender and gay students, making California the first state to explicitly prohibit school districts from doing so. […] Matt Adams, a head of department at a West London state school, told PinkNews at the time: “Teachers and schools do not have all the information about every child’s home environment and instead of supporting a pupil to be themselves in school, we could be putting them at risk of harm.””

5. 85% of new electricity built in 2023 came from renewables

“Electricity supplied by renewables, like hydropower, solar, and wind, has increased gradually over the past few decades — but rapidly in recent years. [… C]lean energy now makes up around 43 percent of global electricity capacity. In terms of generation — the actual power produced by energy sources — renewables were responsible for 30 percent of electricity production last year. […] Along with the rise of renewable sources has come a slowdown in construction of non-renewable power plants as well as a move to decommission more fossil fuel facilities.”

6. Deadly cobra bites to "drastically reduce" as scientists discover new antivenom

“After successful human trials, the snake venom antidote could be rolled out relatively quickly to become a "cheap, safe and effective drug for treating cobra bites" and saving lives around the globe, say scientists. Scientists have found that a commonly used blood thinner known as heparin can be repurposed as an inexpensive antidote for cobra venom. […] Using CRISPR gene-editing technology […] they successfully repurposed heparin, proving that the common blood thinner can stop the necrosis caused by cobra bites.”

7. FruitFlow: a new citizen science initiative unlocks orchard secrets

“"FruitWatch" has significantly refined phenological models by integrating extensive citizen-sourced data, which spans a wider geographical area than traditional methods. These enhanced models offer growers precise, location-specific predictions, essential for optimizing agricultural planning and interventions. […] By improving the accuracy of phenological models, farmers can better align their operations with natural biological cycles, enhancing both yield and quality.”

8. July 4th Means Freedom for Humpback Whale Near Valdez, Alaska

“The NOAA Fisheries Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Hotline received numerous reports late afternoon on July 3. A young humpback whale was entangled in the middle of the Port of Valdez[….] “The success of this mission was due to the support of the community, as they were the foundation of the effort,” said Moran. [… Members of the community] were able to fill the critical role of acting as first responders to a marine mammal emergency. “Calling in these reports is extremely valuable as it allows us to respond when safe and appropriate, and also helps us gain information on various threats affecting the animals,” said Lyman.”

9. Elephants Receive First of Its Kind Vaccine

“Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus is the leading cause of death for Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) born in facilities in North America and also causes calf deaths in the wild in Asia. A 40-year-old female received the new mRNA vaccine, which is expected to help the animal boost immunity[….]”

10. Conservation partners and Indigenous communities working together to restore forests in Guatemala

“The K’iche have successfully managed their natural resources for centuries using their traditional governing body and ancestral knowledge. As a result, Totonicapán is home to Guatemala’s largest remaining stand of conifer forest. […] EcoLogic has spearheaded a large-scale forest restoration project at Totonicapán, where 13 greenhouses now hold about 16,000 plants apiece, including native cypresses, pines, firs, and alders. […] The process begins each November when community members gather seeds. These seeds then go into planters that include upcycled coconut fibers and mycorrhizal fungi, which help kickstart fertilization. When the plantings reach about 12 inches, they’re ready for distribution.”

July 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[rederiswrites]

I'm reviewing entomology still for my Master Gardener's exam, and here are some key slides from the presentation on that subject, teacher Madeline E. Potter. But first, a word from my low effort meme!

In short: There are far more insect species that are beneficial or neutral to human life than can be considered pests. Even those that are considered pests by humans have a role in the food web. So encouraging insects, even if it also encourages pest insects, will net you a more complex, more resilient insect population that can perform more ecosystem services (decomposition, nutrient cycling, cleaning water, pollination, food sources for birds, frogs, reptiles, etc.)

Finding a pest insect on your plants doesn't automatically mean you should spray or treat for pests. Completely eliminating a given pest in a given season may even backfire seriously, because then you cause a crash in the population of predators for that insect. Typically, plant pest populations can recover much faster than the populations of their predators, meaning that you might experience a surge in the population of pest insects in their next breeding cycle. You should seek to treat pest insects only when they are causing more damage to a plant than you are willing to tolerate, and then treat it with the least invasive/toxic methods first, like hand-picking or a directed jet of water, before resorting to more toxic methods.

When you encourage insects, you have to think about not only their obvious adult life stages, but also their breeding and overwintering life stages. They might need leaf litter or flower stems or rotting wood in your environment, for example. Learn about the insects in your area and what they need.

Start working to learn more about the insects you see before you have an emotional reaction! Insects really really really need our help, and we need them.

[path-of-grass-and-leaves]

Bioregional Magic: Sustainable Ways to Work with Native Plants

Note: Post Contains Personal Anecdotes and UPG

As someone with a nature-based practice, I completely understand the desire to work with native plants. Many of us are deeply compelled to foster a connection with our land spirits and the local flora and fauna.

But with the normalization of consumption in witchcraft spaces paired with unethical wildcrafting and foraging practices, it's important to be careful. We don't want to harm the native plant populations and the wildlife that depends on them in our quest for a more localized practice.

Learning which plants are safe to harvest

By safe, I don't mean safe to handle or consume, though this is also crucial knowledge for anyone harvesting wild plants in general. I'm specifically referring to whether or not the collection of native plant matter will make a negative impact on the local ecosystem.

Think of it this way, if your practice is spirit-focused. Will the collective spirits of certain plants really want to assist you if you're devastating their population for your own gain? IME the answer is a hard no.

Take a look at a field guide and start identifying some of the native plants in your region. Are some of them listed as endangered, threatened, or special concern? Now you know which plants you should never disturb or collect materials from.

If not threatened, are some species generally harder to find? Are they present only in a certain type of environment? Do they take a long time to mature and/or have a very specific method of seed dispersal? Proceed with caution.

Example:

Common Blue Violets are one of the first plants to bloom in my garden during springtime. I also consider them very important in my practice and like to harvest them for certain rituals. But like I said, they're one of the first native plants to bloom during spring. Which means there are going to be pollinating insects, songbirds, and small mammals which rely on these plants for food. And predators who rely on those animals.

Since this is a hardy plant that usually grows in abundance, it's okay for me to harvest some from the garden for personal use. But I still need to leave enough to serve as a resource for wildlife and allow it to reproduce for the following year.

On the contrary, I never touch my wild Bloodroot. I only have two or three plants in the garden, their seeds have double dormancy germination requirements, and they take 2-3 years to reach blooming size. I have only ever collected seeds for propagation, and even then do it rarely because I know that the ants do a much better job at this than I could.

So when we can't harvest materials to use for tools and ingredients in workings, how do we utilize these plants in our practice?

Physical Representations and Symbolism

Images, objects, and symbols representing the plant can be used to substitute organic matter that you would otherwise collect and use for workings. Consider art pieces or photos, sculptures, sigils and seals, paper cut or folded into the shape of leaves or flowers, etc.

If the plant is your main component or energy source, consider designing the working to cater to this. For example, if I'm petitioning the spirit of milkweed, I might want to incorporate aspects of air and wind, since this is how their seeds are distributed. Or I may want to add some lunar energies knowing that this is the planetary correspondence for milkweed. This is would completely depend on my intent for the specific working and which physical or spiritual aspects of the plant I choose to work with.

If you're seeking a more long-term effect, try getting crafty and using symbols of the plant to decorate your own tools. I'm talking homemade oracle cards, painted jars or boxes for container spells, decorated offering bowls, ritual jewelry, and so on.

Working with Living Plants

This one is for the spirit workers. While it's entirely possible to petition plant spirits, especially collectives, solely using imagery, working carefully with a living plant can help establish a more direct spiritual connection.

This can be done by conducting your working outdoors, inviting the spirit of the plant into your space, and asking for assistance. During this time you would leave an offering, usually fresh water, but you can also offer things like soil or compost. Obtaining a working knowledge of certain plants can help inspire ideas for more creative, species-appropriate offerings, giving your spells and rituals an extra boost.

Now if this were a plant that was on a special concern or endangered species list, I would avoid offerings and actions that could potentially disturb the plant in any way. I may work within a few feet of the plant and present my offering in a bowl, removing it at the end of the working. I would definitely avoid touching it or say, pouring out water over the soil where it grows.

While we're on the subject of offerings, consider acts of service. Once again, we're going to use milkweed as an example. If I want to leave a nice offering for the spirit of milkweed and I know that Black Swallowtails feed on the nectar and pollinate it, I may offer a potted plant of dill placed in the wildflower garden. This is because Black Swallowtail caterpillars love to eat dill and will later pupate into adults, which will be beneficial for the plant. Consider different species and their relationship with each other. You may even get multiple spirit allies out of the deal.

Cultivation and Seed Distribution

Now, we've talked about ways to avoid harm when incorporating native plant species into our practices, but what about making a positive impact?

The Act of Growing Things is actually my favorite part of plant magic. Sure, I love harvesting my vegetables, fruit, and herbs to use in various recipes, and wild plants I find in the yard are excellent allies. But there really is something special about watching a tiny seedling grow into a full-sized plant, or seeing that delicate young native perennial thrive during its first year outdoors.

Whether transplanting or growing from seed, you're inevitably going to develop a strong relationship with that specific plant. You'll learn all about its growth rate, ecological benefits, soil requirements, and more. This will lead to folklore, correspondences, and later on your own UPG related to where this plant fits within your practice.

Another option, if you don't have the energy for more hands-on cultivation, is seed scattering. Disturbed areas like roadside ditches or even your backyard are perfect for this. Whether scattering or growing in starter pots, seeds can be charmed or enchanted with a specific intent and planted as a sort of living spell.

I use Prarie Moon Nursery for my seeds, but there are plenty of other affordable online vendors. You can also check out what's available locally. There are a few native-focused nurseries in my area that have a nice variety of options depending on the season.

[sheydmade]

Rose Magic: Using Roses in Spells & Divination

by Keziah

Spring is rolling right along, and my garden is blooming like mad. I noticed the other day that some of my rosebushes are already budding, and I look forward to their blossoms every year, not only because I enjoy the vibrant hues of my rose shrubs and roses are favorites of the pollinators in my neighborhood (who doesn't love to see happy bees and butterflies hanging around?), but also because roses are a versatile magical ally that can be put to use in a number of ways.

Perhaps best known for their use in love magic, roses can also be utilized in spells for luck, beauty, health, protection, or binding, or in divination work. In this piece, we'll explore some magical uses for roses, including spells and divination methods for all experience levels.

Rose season varies depending on the variety of rose in question and the growing area in which one lives, but many rose varieties bloom (sometimes once or twice and sometimes continually) from midspring through fall, which means that the days of rose blooms are nearly upon us in the northern hemisphere. Hopefully there's something for everyone in this piece, and we can all take advantage of the rose season to come this year.

SPELLS

WISHING SPELLS

There are a few ways to use roses in wish spells. Roses, known for the sweetness of their scent, are believed to attract goodness and positivity, making them the perfect addition to any wishing or fortune spell. Perhaps their sweet scent will be just the thing to attract the outcome you seek.

Planting the Wish

What you’ll need:

A rose petal / rose petals

Pen or marker (optional)

What to do: Share your wish with a rose petal. You can do this by whispering the wish to the petal, by holding the petal to your chest as you think on the wish, or even by writing the wish upon the petal.

Now all you need to do is bury the petal. It’s preferred that you ‘plant’ the rose petal at the base of something growing – a rosebush, a tree, flowers. This adds strength to your spell and helps your wish to grow into being.

Casting the Wish

What you’ll need:

A rose petal / rose petals

Pen or marker (optional)

What to do: This spell is to be done on a windy day. Much like the spell above, you can share your wish(es) with your rose petal in whatever way you prefer.

Hold the rose petal(s) up above your head between your forefinger and your thumb. When you’re ready (and when the wind is blowing), release the petal(s) into the wind and let it carry your wish(es) to fruition.

the Wisher’s Bag

What you’ll need: You can use any combination of the plants listed or all of them! It's entirely up to you!

Drawstring bag or a square of cloth and a ribbon or string to make your own bag with

Bay leaves

Clover flowers and/or clover leaves

Dandelion flowers and/or dandelion roots

Purple loosestrife petals and/or purple loosestrife flowers

Rose petals, rose buds, and/or whole rose flowers

Yarrow flowers   

What to do: Fill your drawstring bag (preferably made of something breathable, like organza or cotton) with any, or all, of the above plants. As you fill your bag, think about what you’re wishing for, thinking about it coming true and pouring your hopes into the bag. If the plants were already dried when you put them in the bag, you can go ahead and put the bag in your purse or wear it around your neck, or you can hang the bag up near your door, above your bed, in an area in your home associated with your wish (for example, in an office or study space if your wish has something to do with your work or academics). If the plants were fresh, hang your bag up where sunlight will hit it to dry the plants – on a porch, in the window, anywhere that gets good sunlight. After the plants have dried, you can put the bag in any of the above listed places, or you can carry the bag with you. Every now and then, or every day if you like, hold the bag in your hands and think about your wish, filling the bag of plants with your hopeful energy.

the Wisher’s Working Oil & the Wisher’s Jar

The ingredients listed above in the Wisher’s Bag spell can also be used with a jar instead of a bag.

What to do (the Wisher's Jar): You can either fill the jar with dried plants to make a Wisher’s Jar, or you put fresh or dried plants into the jar and then fill the jar with an oil of your choosing. Grapeseed oil is commonly used. Now you not only have made a wisher’s jar spell, but you’re also making a Wisher’s Working Oil. What to do (the Wisher's Working Oil): You can use this oil as added oomph in any spell pertaining to you meeting your goals or obtaining your wishes. You can use it to:

anoint candles you’re using in the spell,

anoint yourself while working,

anoint tools used in said spell.

Rosa centifolia (cabbage rose); Pierre-Joseph Redouté

GLAMORS & BEAUTY

Rosewater & Rose Oil

Rosewater can be used in a number of magical ways as part of any glamor or spell to amplify attraction or beauty. It can be used as a facial toner, can be used to anoint mirrors and beauty application tools, can be sprayed upon clothing or fabric, can be used to wash hair, and has many other uses and applications.

NOTE: If you wish to use rosewater in any food or drink, be sure to use petals from edible rose variations. Older heirloom varieties are said to be best for cooking with and for rosehip teas. Lady of Shallot, Rosa Blanc Double de Coubert, Rosa Centifolia, Rosa Damascena, Rosa Gallica are popular varieties to use for cooking and teas, as are Wild Roses. And remember, the more fragrant the rose, the stronger the flavor. You can always purchase food-safe dried rosehips, leaves, and petals from tea stores. When collecting hips and petals yourself, always be sure that you’re not using anything that’s been exposed to pesticides or herbicides.

Making rosewater can be incredibly easy as well! You’ll find a few methods of making rosewater here, and of making rose oil here.

It’s said that dabbing a bit of rose oil or rosewater behind your ears magically enhances your beauty, making your best features stand out to those around you and giving you a vibrant, effortless glow that attracts people to you.

Rosewater, rose petals, and/or rose oil are all also a great foundation to build a beautifying bath spell on.

Color Me Pretty Sympathetic Magic

Here’s a little ditty from my childhood. This spell is one that wasn’t at all odd to come across in a schoolyard or classroom where I'm from. It’s something that we partook in as youths before we were really old enough to understand or realize that we were practicing sympathetic magic, which is a fairly common method of magic in that region. This was something that we used to do during recess and at sleepovers or camp as a ‘game’.

What you’ll need:

Paper

Drawing/painting utensils (pencil, pen, crayon, paint, marker, charcoal, etc.)

Rose petals – they must be red or dark or bright pink

What to do: Draw a picture of yourself – it can be a simple picture, but you should include identifying details (freckles, haircut, standout features).

Then, take the rose petal(s) and smear it upon the paper to add color to the cheeks (and lips, if you want to). It’s as simple as that, folks.

We used to fold the pictures up and tuck them away somewhere. At sleepovers, we’d sleep with them under our pillows. Sometimes we’d just hang the picture up in our rooms or on the refrigerator. The beautifying effects of this easy spell aren’t meant to last too long, nor is it intended to drastically change anything about your appearance; it’s just to give you that added glow to your natural beauty.

LOVE

Roses are a well-known aid in love magic and there's a plethora of information around as to how to use roses to such ends, so I'll not spend too much time in this piece dedicated to the matter.

Scattering Rose Petals

It's said that walking through a garden or field and scattering rose petals as you go along could attract new love into your life. Beyerl specifies in the Master Book of Herbalism that doing so unclothed is preferred, but it's also said that doing so whilst wearing white (further symbolizing newness, hope, beginnings) or pink (symbolizing love and happiness) is ideal.

Preserving Love & Promoting Romance and Harmony

What you'll need:

Rose petals (fresh or dried)

A photo of your love

A photo album (optional)

A safety pin or rape (optional)

What to do: Place rose petals near or on an image of your love, encouraging harmonious love and affection between you.

You can pin the petals to a photo, tape them around a frame holding a picture of your love, or keep them on or around a picture in a photo album or billfold.

There is another variation of this work -

What you'll need:

A jar, tin, or box (it should have a lid, so as to keep from attracting ants or other bug or mice friends)

A photo of your love

Rose petals

Sugar

What to do:

Pour your sugar and rose petals into the jar, tin, or box. Place the photo of you love in the bed of sugar and rose petals. This promotes love and sweetness, keeping your relationship happy and romantic. It can also be used for those wishing to draw someone their way in a romantic sense, perhaps someone they wish to date that they feel might not yet see their romantic feelings.

Rose Water, Perfume, Potpourri, or Incense to Attract Your Desired

In Gillian Kmep's the Good Spell Book she features a spell using rose-scented incense to encourage attraction from someone you have interest in. It's also said, outside of Kemp's work, that wearing rose-scented perfumes or dabbing rose water behind one's ears or at one's neck before going to see the person you desire will encourage their attraction. Burning potpourri or incense featuring rose as an ingredient whilst you ready yourself to see that person can also have the same effect.

Rosa moschata (musk rose); Pierre-Joseph Redouté

PROTECTION, BANISHING, & BINDING

Door Warding for Protection of the Home

DISCLAIMER: If you have cats or other pets that will swat at something hanging or try to chew on something hanging on your wall or door, this is not the spell for you. The rose thorns may cause injury.

What you’ll need:

Rose thorns

Yarn or ribbon (preferably red or black, or both)

Bells (optional)

Nails (optional)

What to do: Cut good, long lengths of yarn or ribbon (red and black are great colors to use for protection, warding, and banishing work). You’ll need at least 9 strands for this spell, but you can add (in multiples of three) as many as you’d like.

With your yarn or ribbon all cut roughly the same length, separate them into groups of three. Braid each group of yarn or ribbon using a simple three-strand braid technique.

Gather the top of the braids together in one hand and secure a knot, tying all of your braids together. You’ll end up with something that sort of resembles the end of a cat of nine tails now. You can either leave your braids like this or you can braid each of the braids together until you’ve formed one thick braided cable.

Whether you’ve chosen to keep your braids separate or braid them together, now is the time to add your rose thorns. Taking care not to poke yourself, pierce the braids with the sharp end of the rose thorns. You want to push it in far enough that your rose thorns are secure and will not fall out. If you like, you can push it far enough in that the sharp end of the thorns poke out the other side of the braid.

If you want, you can add bells (small jingle bells or whichever bells you like) to the door warding – bells are known to ring and alert one to the presence of evil or malicious figures or energy. Tie your bells to the ends of your braid(s).

For added protection, you can insert nails into the braid(s), especially iron nails, in the same way you did the thorns.

Now all that’s left is to hang this protective charm up either on your door, on your doorframe, or on the wall near your door to keep your home safe and sound, protected from malevolent spirits, energies, and people alike.

Protection & Banishing Candle Spell

What you’ll need:

1 candle (preferably red or black)

Rose thorns

Salt (optional)

What to do: If you choose to include salt in this spell, form a ring of salt around the candleholder and unlit candle.

Add a ring of thorns, placing them on top of the ring of salt.

Light your candle and sit for a while, thinking on what you want to protect from/what you wish to banish or cast out. Pour that energy into the candleflame, imagining it growing stronger and hotter and being fed by your energy and your wishes.

Let the candle burn down on its own.

Binding Spell

What you’ll need:

Thread, yarn, or ribbon (preferably red or black, or both)

Rose thorns

What to do: Cut nine lengths of thread, yarn, or ribbon. Separate those nine lengths into groups of three.

Braid each group of three, resulting in three braids.

You can now either braid those three braids together to form one thick braid, or you can tie the ends of the braids together to form one long braid (but don’t gather the top and tail of the braid and tie it; we don’t want it to form a circle because we still have tying yet to do).

Tie knots into your braid. You can tie either three or nine knots. Most people tie nine if they’re braid is long enough, but I’ve known it to be done with three as well. Think about who it is you’re binding with this spell and what you’re binding them from doing, and, as you tie each knot, say (either aloud or to yourself) –

As I tie this, so I tie you. As I knot this, so I knot you. As I bind this, so I bind you. (Insert what you’re trying to keep this person from doing here), no more you’ll do.

You can also use the person's name in place of "you."

For added oomph, pierce each knot with a rose thorn. Work the rose thorn into the knot, making sure its securely fixed in the knot. It's not meant to cause physical injury or harm to whomever you’re binding. Think of it as using a nail to fix something into place. You’re using the rose thorns in the same way, pinning down the magic and helping it stick. That being said, you absolutely can use thorns (in this spell or otherwise) with intention of sewing injury or harm (see the curses section of this post).

As for what you do with the braid after, that’s up to you. Some folk hang it from a tree for nine days. Some bury it (this isn't recommended if you live in an area where an animal or child may dig this up). Some hang it in their home or keep it in their home, in a box or jar somewhere. Some simply discard it. It's up to you.

Protection Jar Spell

What you’ll need:

1 jar

Rose vinegar

Rose thorns

Star anise

Rowan berries and/or rowan bark

Apple seeds

Candlewax (preferably red or black; optional)

What to do: For this spell, you’ll need rose vinegar. If you don’t know how to make rose vinegar, the recipe will be included just after this spell. It’s very easy, so stick around for that. Until then…

Take your jar and fill it at least ¾ of the way with rose vinegar. Remember, you don’t want to fill it completely, just in case anything we add raises the vinegar to the point of spilling.

Add your rose thorns, star anise, rowan berries and/or rowan bark, and apple seeds to the jar.

Close the lid of the jar. Many people like to further seal the jar with melted candle wax. If you’d like to do this, it’s best to use a red or black candle (or both!) as they’re both colors frequently used for protection work. All you have to do is light your candle(s) and hold it over your jar, tilting it to drip the wax onto the top of the jar and its lid. Drip to your heart’s content.

And that’s that! You have a protection jar.

Some people keep their jars on a shelf or table in the main room of their house or near their door. Others bury their jars in their yard or stash it under a porch. Do whatever feels right to you.

Rose Vinegar Recipe

Rose vinegar is a great addition to your magical work and to your kitchen. It can be used in protection, cleansing, and banishing magic, and can be used in some curse work. It can also be used to take the inflammation and itch out of bug bites or some rashes, can be used as a temple massage to treat headaches, and as a hair rinse.

What you’ll need:

Vinegar (any kind works, but most prefer to use apple cider vinegar)

Red or vibrant pink rose petals (they make the prettiest colored rose vinegar)

1 saucepan or kettle

1 jar (IMPORTANT: While infusing, you don’t want to use a metal lid on your jar. Metal and vinegar are not friends. You can use a makeshift lid of plastic wrap over the top of the jar. If you use a metal lid whilst you store the vinegar once it’s cooled, be sure to not fill the jar all the way up with your vinegar. Vinegar is corrosive and exposing the metal to vinegar can lead to chemicals of the metal breaking down in your rose vinegar, which we don’t want. It’s best just to avoid using a metal lid altogether.)

1 glass bottle (optional) or decanter to move your rose vinegar to after it’s steeped and ready to use

What to do: Heat your vinegar in the saucepan on the stove. Heating the vinegar will give you a head start on the infusion process, as the heated vinegar begins drawing the color, flavor, and properties from the rose petals faster than cold vinegar does. But you absolutely can do this without heating the vinegar, it will just take a little longer.

While your vinegar is warming up, place your rose petals in the jar. You can use either fresh or dried petals, though fresh will give you a much prettier and more vivid finished product. Fresh petals also strengthen the fragrance.

With your vinegar heated (you want to cut the heat just before it starts to simmer), pour it into the jar. You want the roses to be completely covered and submerged in vinegar – not one bit of dry rose left.

Cover the top of the jar with a plastic or cork top or your makeshift lid of plastic wrap.

Leave your vinegar to cool. Once cooled, you want to store your vinegar in a dark, cool place to infuse. This process usually takes about 2-3 weeks. Remember, do not let your rose vinegar contact any metal lids! Whether it’s hot or cold, vinegar simply does not like metal.

After 2-3 weeks, your vinegar should be a pretty hue of reddish-pink. Now you want to strain the vinegar into glass bottles for storing, keeping the rose petals out of the now finished rose vinegar.

Your rose vinegar will keep for at least 1 year. I recommend storing your vinegar in the dark, perhaps in a pantry or cabinet. You just don’t want to leave it out in direct sunlight, as that will fade the color of the vinegar faster and potentially shorten your vinegar’s shelf life.

Rosa gallica 'Evêque'; Pierre-Joseph Redouté

DIVINATION

Roses can be used as divinatory aids in many ways. One easy way is to wash one's hands in rosewater before working divinatory practices, most especially if the divination pertains to matters of the heart.

Phyllorhodomancy

Phyllordomancy is divining via rose petals and leaves. There are various ways of doing this, but any method of divination using rose petals, roses, or rose leaves is technically phyllordomancy. Here are a couple of methods –

Method One: By Clapping

What you’ll need:

Rose leaf or rose petal

What to do: This method was practiced by the Ancient Greeks. Take a rose leaf or petal and lay it upon your palm.

Ask or think on the question at hand, then clap your hands together.

If the sound produced was clear, loud, or full, this means that a positive outcome is at hand. If the sound was dull or quiet, the odds aren’t in your favor and the outcome will be a negative one.

Method Two: By Water

What you’ll need:

Rose petals

A bowl or vessel of some kind

Water

What to do: Fill your bowl or vessel with water.

Take your rose petals in hand and ask or think on your question.

Lay or drop the rose petals down onto the water. If the rose petals pull away from each other, the answer to your question is no. If the petals stay together, the answer is yes.

You can continue asking questions. After each question, tap the water with your fingertip, or shake the bowl or vessel, to make the rose petals move. Again, if the petals move away from one another, your answer is no; and if they stay together, your answer is yes.

There is another variation of this method in which you place the roses atop the water before asking your question. With the roses floating on the water, close your eyes and gently swirl the bowl or vessel of water whilst asking your question. Remove your hands from the bowl or vessel and open your eyes, observing the behavior of the rose petals. As before, if they disperse upon the water, the answer to your question in no; but if they stay together, your answer is yes.

Method Three: By Air

What you’ll need:

Rose petals

What to do: Your hands full of rose petals, think on or ask your question.

Cast the petals high into the air and observe how they fall.

This method has many variations of its own. Some read the symbols or shapes they see in the rose petals as they fall. Others read where the rose petals lay – Do they form any patterns or symbols? Do they cluster together or fan out? Are there any distinct piles or mounds of petals? And what do these symbols or patterns mean to you? This method is one that intuitive readers will likely take to quicker than those who prefer a set system for their divinatory practices.

Method Four: By Burning

What you’ll need:

Dried rose petals

A fire-safe cauldron, bowl, or pot

What to do: Burn dried rose petals in your room before going to sleep to promote a good night's sleep but also to encourage divinatory dreams to come forth in the night.

Method Five: By Sleeping

What you’ll need:

Rose petals (fresh or dried)

A pillow with a pillowcase

What to do: Before going to bed, tuck rose petals into your pillowcase. This can bring on dreams revealing the identity of your true love or soulmate.

SOURCES & FURTHER READING:

In this post, you’ll find a collection of spells that anyone can try for themselves. I should note, I am a practitioner of a regional traditional magic and a good portion of the spells that I’ve written here are either spells that are heavily inspired by the practice I’ve grown up with or directly from that practice. That being said, none of what is written here is exclusive to that practice, so it can be used by anyone, anywhere without encroaching upon a practice they’re not a part of.

Making Rosewater

Making Rose Oil

‘A Compendium of Herbal Magick’ – Beryl, Paul

'Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs' - Cunningham, Scott

'Doctoring the Devil: Notebooks of an Appalachian Conjure Man' - Richards, Jake

'the Good Spell Book: Love Charms, Magical Cures, and Other Practical Sorcery' - Kemp, Gillian

'Magical Folkhealing: Herbs, Oils, and Recipes for Health, Healing, and Magic' - Conway, DJ

[pokemonshelterstories]

possibly a stupid question: do the seeds of grass types actually grow into more of that pokemon species? I thought pokemon all came from eggs?

yes, they often do, depending on the pokemon! some grass types reproduce through more plantlike methods such as pollination or the spreading of spores, while others lay eggs. not all pokemon reproduce through eggs! that's a simplification that unfortunately tends to get told to kids when they're growing up.

[rottenpumpkin13]

The fabulous firsts and co visit a local farmers market

Sephiroth: He's living his best life, faced with naturally grown produce for the first time and turns into a fascinated child. He spends a good thirty minutes mesmerized by bell peppers with the intensity usually reserved for military strategies, methodically collecting one of every color. "These pigments are completely natural?" he asks, breathless. The vendor nods. Sephiroth buys one of every color. Then two. Then a crate.

He halts at a flower stand, transfixed by a sunflower that moves, tracks his movement and makes him feel safe. Later he spots an old lady hauling groceries with one of those plaid-wheeled trolleys, he stares for a long moment, then buys the exact same one. He happily drags it behind him, off to procure a pumpkin to make soup.

Angeal: He's transformed into everyone's favorite market grandson. He bounces from stall to stall, earnestly discussing crop rotation with elderly vendors, helping them rearrange their displays, and somehow ending up with everyone's family recipes. He's accumulated enough produce to feed a small army, lecturing anyone within earshot about supporting local businesses and the honor in homegrown vegetables. "Mrs. Chen, your tomatoes are absolutely spectacular this year! Oh, and is that organic fertilizer you're using?" *proceeds to have a 20-minute conversation about soil pH levels*

Cloud: Wanders off immediately. Reappears twenty minutes later swaddled in a comically chunky, deep-purple wool scarf that covers half his face and most of his dignity. It's 87 degrees. He explained that he fixated on a stall where an old woman from the western continent was selling handmade wool items. He purchased the thick purple scarf in a moment of hometown nostalgia, and now he's a walking sauna for the rest of the day.

Genesis: Absolutely thriving. Stalks through the market delivering scathing critiques of vegetable quality. He discusses heirloom tomato strains effortlessly, critiques carrot curvature, and nearly starts a duel with a vendor over the proper pH balance for rhubarb. "This basil is young," he declares, sniffing a bunch with disdain. "It's green, yes, but not mature. Much like half the poets of this age." He throws open a crate of plums from a shady vendor like a cop. "These are not from Mideel. I'd stake my entire SOLDIER pension on it." A small crowd gathers as he dramatically lectures a man selling zucchini. "Have you ever pollinated by hand? No? Then don't talk to me about flavor profiles." He buys a single apple, bites into it, closes his eyes, and sighs like he's just tasted the memory of his first heartbreak.

Kunsel: Moonlights as the market's own intelligence network. Somehow knows everyone's life story and is seen trading gossip like currency. By the end of the day, he acquires three new conspiracy theories and five secret recipes. "Did you know the lady at stall 3 used to be a Shinra secretary? She's got dirt on Palmer you wouldn't believe... Oh, and that guy selling honey? Ex-Avalanche, but the cool kind." He moves through the market acquiring skewers and eavesdropping on local gossip at every booth. "Got us half-off jerky," he announces proudly to Angeal. "Also there's a guy over there selling materia out of a sock."

Zack: At some point, Zack vanishes for seven minutes. When he returns, he's carrying a watermelon the size of a second-grader. He's managed to find the biggest watermelon in the slums and is parading it around like he's just discovered a new species of materia. "Guys, GUYS! This is like, at least fifty regular watermelons in one! Think of all the juice! Think of the SEEDS we could plant!"

Angeal, watching his student swing around this massive fruit like it's a soccer ball, keeps trying to intervene with increasingly desperate warnings. "Zack, that's not— no, don't flip it! Stop trying to— it's not a sword, you can't practice your forms with— ZACK FAIR PUT THAT WATERMELON DOWN THIS INSTANT!"

But it's too late. In what can only be described as slow-motion horror, Zack attempts his signature squats while holding the watermelon. The inevitable happens: the fruit slips from his grip, hits the ground with a spectacular SPLAT, and creates what local vendors would later describe as "The Great Watermelon Massacre of Sector 5."

Pink juice floods the marketplace like a sugary tsunami. Zack stands in the middle of the carnage, surrounded by watermelon chunks, looking like he just witnessed the death of his firstborn. He drops to his knees dramatically in the puddle, raises his fists to the sector plate above, and lets out a dramatic "WHYYYYYY????"

[anxiousapplepie]

You know what? I think I'm crazy enough to try giving out some quick Rose lore! You guys wanna go on a lil trip? we'll we're doing it anyway because I spent all this effort drawing a powerpoint presentation so lets go! XD

So: GENDER. Most Roses are born Bigender, having both male and female reproductive parts. Of course there are exceptions, but as a rule Roses are a perfect packaged deal that with all the bits you could want for life!

As a result of their bodies, a Rose has many ways of creating new life. Including getting hooked up with a partner, or doing everything by themselves!

If a Rose wants to make a kid without any outside help, there are two main methods of doing so: Self-pollinating and Cutting. Self-pollinating is more safer and quicker to the individual, while Cutting requires a lot more magic and flesh/wood to successfully make a new Rose

The development of Buds from asexual parents heavily differs depending on the method. Buds from a self-pollinating parent grow up faster, but their magic takes longer to develop as their personality connects to their color. Buds from a parent who used the cutting method grow slower, but start developing strong colors almost immediately.

For those Roses that want their friends or lovers to get involved with creating a child, as many as a dozen Roses sharing their pollen and magic can make a new Rose. It's common for teams or groups to co-parent any children in their social circles anyway, so it makes sense for them to share the love from the start. Higher class Roses tend to favor asexual ways to create children (as a way to "keep the child pure" from outside sources) while Roses from lower classes prefer to combine strengths with other Roses and give a child as many chances to become as strong as possible. And... yeah! I think that's all I wanted to say for now.

I've thought about this way too much over the last few weeks and figured I didn't need to wait for someone else to ask what was going on in my head XD

[outofangband]

roses in Beleriand and Valinor

Continuing my flower world building from last year where I do flower related world building! More in the spring flower game tag! This was a request from last year, from a couple people!

Note: this focuses primarily on wild roses but it has some on garden or cultivated roses too! I did a lot of research into the history of rose domestication for that!

The rose genus is a gigantic one containing hundreds of species. Most roses that are of the kind that people picture when they think of roses are cultivated hybrids that were bred as ornamental flowers. The history of ornamental roses goes back thousands of years; the most simple methods involve transferring pollen from one species to another, something that can be done intentionally or through insect or wind pollination.

Wild roses are found throughout Beleriand and Valinor. Rosa acicularis, the wild prickly rose, is the most common, being found around Tirion and throughout northern Beleriand. The hips (berries) and leaves of these flowers are eaten by the Sindar of Mithrim and Nevrast.

The banks rose is a flowering vine that is found in the Ered Wethrin and parts of the Ered Gorgoroth. It is a pale yellow flower that blooms earlier than most of its kin.

The field rose, a white wild rose is found in deciduous forests in central Beleriand including the region of Nargothrond, Brethil and Doriath. (Note: in canon texts, Lúthien is associated with wild white roses; it was likely this species or a similar one). It’s often used in flower crowns and appears as a motif in Menengroth’s architecture

The first hybrid flowers were created naturally, through insect pollination. In observance of this, elven gardeners and botanists, some of them studying under Maiar specifically of Yavanna, Vána and Irmo began to experiment with creating hybrids.

Light pink and peach roses are the most common in the gardens of Valinor with red roses being extremely rare and often have dark symbology.

Ornamental ground roses are found in Vanyar and Noldor gardens and climbing roses are beloved by the Teleri, often encircling arches. Like in today’s world, different colors have different meanings.

Ornamental roses are not commonly found in Beleriand however a few experimental species are found in the gardens of Melian. These are creeping roses, winding up the stone boundaries of the garden. They're pale colored and somewhat eerie

Roses in a crown are often given as rewards for Hadorian children and their horses for awards during their spring and summer ceremonies. The games I talked about here when Húrin and Aerin were children had a crown of wild roses as a reward! Aerin’s horse subsequently ate it which is a common enough occurrence that species with thorns often have them removed

[colinweek]

♡ — possessive / lover boy : edition

To kickstart our #ColinWeek, here is a thread of recommended fics for the theme possessive / lover boy. If you have other recommendations, feel free to post them and tag us!

The Chronicles of Jealous Colin Bridgerton by Pollination

People just keep testing Colin’s patience — from bold gentlemen flirting with his wife to situations that stir up all his jealous instincts.

To Fife and Back by PeachPalm

A re-imagined bridgerton season 3.

What do you think our lover boy is capable of doing to not lose Penelope to other suitor?

A Stranger for a Friend by WhisperInk

After hearing Colin's comments, Pen decides to end the friendship and become a spinter, but not without experiencing pleasure. Colin accidentally discovers her plan to lose her innocence and realizes he needs to put in extra effort to prevent her from carrying it out.

Kintsugi by Metamorphases

Watch as Colin Bridgerton goes to increasingly mad lengths to keep Penelope Featherington safe and sound (and away from other suitors).

The Art of Falling Backward by FeedingDucks

"It is aggravating, he hisses, to watch the woman you desire with every bone in your body, dance around with other men."

At least it wasn’t a Duel by Sugmak

When Penelope sends Colin out of the house so she can focus on his journals, he hears Fife and the Toxic Lord crew talking about Penelope's breasts. He doesn't take it well.

But is Golden by TheSushiMonster

When news reaches Colin that Penelope may be getting engaged, he flies home and realizes he may be an idiot.

Ruination by Mousehound

Colin returns from his travels to discover Pen has become engaged in the off-season as part of her mother's heir race. Faced with the prospect of losing Penelope to a loveless marriage, he takes desperate and ruinous measures to claim her for himself.

Emeral by Fire_Lily89

When Penelope gets engaged to Lord Debling, Colin has to act fast before he loses her forever. His methods are... questionable to say the least, but time is of the essence, especially when he discovers that Penelope is hiding not one, but two secrets that change everything.

The Letter by kaileidoscofics

The one where after finding Penelope’s letter mentioning an annulment, Colin decided to trap her for good.

Still Mine by ArdentCastle

"Why is that Bridgerton looking at me like he wants to kill me?"

Penelope didn’t need to ask who he meant. It was clear enough. There was only one person at the table looking their way, and only one who would ever look at him that way. Whilst Colin continued to glare at Harry, Penelope hadn’t taken her eyes off Colin.

His Diamond by Stillpink

When the marriage of convenience makes him far happier than he could have imagined, Colin begins to treasure Penelope as the precious jewel that she is.

[rjzimmerman]

This National Geographic story focuses on the really weird (ugly?) creatures that are ignored, avoided, killed maybe, and so on. I'm focusing here on just a few of them, starting with the aye-aye, an animal that has always intrigued me since I saw one at a zoo (I think it was the San Diego Zoo, but I can't be sure).

Aye-Aye

Madagascar has its share of charismatic primates, like the rambunctious ring-tailed lemur, but the island’s most captivating characters may be the eerie aye-ayes. The scraggly animals, including this 16-day-old baby, have piercing eyes, a long tail, and coarse fur. Aye-ayes, Earth’s largest nocturnal primates, are so visually off-putting that some people consider them bad luck and kill them on sight, which has put the animals’ population in jeopardy. Fortunately, efforts to rehabilitate their image are under way, with conservationists and farmers helping local communities recognize that aye-ayes are effective predators of leaf miner larvae that are ravaging clove trees along the east coast.

Enormous ears: Massive, batlike ears can pick up the sounds of grubs and other insects wriggling deep inside tree trunks.

Keen peepers: Unlike other nocturnal primates, aye-ayes are genetically adapted to see a wider spectrum of the color blue, which helps them spot appetizing blue flowers in twilight conditions.

Tricky fingers: Aye-ayes’ slender middle fingers are equipped with a unique ball-and-socket joint for increased range of motion. They tap these fingers on tree trunks to locate insect tunnels and scoop out beetle larvae, a method called percussive foraging.

Indian Flying Fox

Bats can thank author Bram Stoker and various tales of vampire folklore for their reputation as bloodsucking monsters. The Indian flying foxes’ intimidating size—they’re one of the biggest bat species—dark eyes, sharp teeth, and propensity to congregate in large numbers don’t help their image. Found in forests and marshes throughout South Asia, extending into Myanmar, these bats roost in huge colonies, some exceeding a thousand individuals. With a diet of mostly fruits and nectar, they’re also one of the world’s largest natural pollinators.

Goliath wingspan: Fully spread, the wings of Indian flying foxes can stretch over five feet. By comparison, common vampire bats in Central and South America have a wingspan that can reach 15 inches.

Heightened senses: As fruit-eaters, these bats rely on sight and smell, sharpened over years of evolution, rather than echolocation, which tends to be used by insectivores.

African Bullfrog

Often overlooked, slimy amphibians like frogs and salamanders are the focus of meager conservation funding, considering how many species are threatened or endangered. The bulbous African bullfrog is the world’s second largest frog species—males can be 10 inches long and weigh as much as four pounds. And they can look even bigger: When the frogs feel threatened, they puff up their lumpy bodies to intimidate predators.  

Sturdy kickers: Muscular hind legs help bullfrogs dig burrows to better surprise prey like lizards and birds.

Super spit: Frog saliva changes consistency when force is applied to it. While bullfrogs rest, their spit is thick, sticky, and gloopy, but when the tongue shoots out and latches on to prey, the spit transforms into a watery substance that coats the target.

[crypticsketchpad]

Common & Rare Wubbox: Basic Species Information

Scientific name: Monstracantus electricor (rarus; “rare”) - “electric-hearted singing monster”

Average size (bipedal stance): 13' for Commons, 12'-11' for Rares

Diet: omnivorous, with a preference for vegetation and processed food; however, if choosing to eat meat, they are capable of swallowing small prey whole if desired

Habitat: all Natural islands, as well as Fire Haven and Fire Oasis (artificially introduced)

A recent addition to the Monstralia taxonomic tree, wubboxes are an unusual species of monster well-known for their booming roars and massive size. Presumed extinct after the Cataclysm, the species was reintroduced to the modern era after the discovery of dormant wubbox eggs found in underground nests. Unlike other monsters, the Rare variant did not evolve naturally, instead being a product of genetic modification in order to introduce more diversity to the species.*

HIIIII HEY who remembers my old organic/spec bio wubbox concepts?? been reworking them + the "organic monsters" AU a lot recently, so here's some references for the commons and rares! part ape, part reptile, with a little big cat thrown in there lol. very happy with these designs, hope y'all like them! i'll probably post more about them and the whole organic au world in general once i have more actual art to share, ha

More info and random concept sketches below the cut! :D

*in this context, monster rarities are the closest thing to biological "sexes" in species; Common monsters can reproduce asexually, creating other Commons, while Rares cannot reproduce on their own unless they cross-pollinate with a Common. Epics are the result of a rare and unusual genetic mutation in all species, and are unable to self-replicate.

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Detail of a Common Wubbox's eye and nostril area. The purpose of the under-eye scale is unknown, as it doesn't seem to provide much protection to the face, and seems to be a primarily cosmetic feature.

*right sketch is older but it's pretty much the same structurally, figured it's a little clearer than the new one so i included it

Wubboxes’ primary method of communication consists of almost mechanical-sounding trills, clicks, and chirps, as well as deep roars, growls, and purrs; in addition to this, they are capable of learning and speaking plain Monstrous as well as any other monster. The (typically) bright blue, tympanum-like structure on their chests functions as part of a sort of natural speaker. Behind it, their chests have a large, hollow area in the center, which connects to the larynx and windpipe. When vocalizing, the sound passes through this chamber, which amplifies it significantly, often giving their voices a bass-boosted effect. 

Notoriously loud monsters, an enraged wubbox’s roar can not only be heard but felt from a long distance away, and in close range can not only cause hearing damage but physical pain due to the vibration of the sound waves. On the other end, a content one’s purr is quite powerful as well; while the noise itself is too low pitched for most monsters to perceive, the vibrations it produces are very strong, though not enough to cause physical damage or anything other than mild discomfort in others.

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now for the disorganized sketch pile LMAO

1-3: older concept sketches that i still kinda like! i kept them as color reference for the final versions :]

4: ride wife, life good

5: sneak peek at an epic wub design i may or may not end up using. they're significantly larger than commons and rares, with adaptations that allow them to both blend into and survive the conditions of their native environments. they're rare anomalies in the wild, and little is known about them.

[gardenwithgrace]

My seeds have arrived! I’m excited to share what I ordered with you.

In my package, I received:

Artist Gherkin Coated Pickles

Callaloo (leafy greens)

Derby Bush Beans

Eiffel Scallion (Onion)

French Breakfast Radishes

Pollinator Companions Pack (Tomatoes and Chamomile)

Scarlet Nantes Carrots

Sugar Baby Organic Watermelon

Table Queen Acorn Squash

Tom Thumb Lettuce

Vegetable Spaghetti Squash

Windsor Broad Beans

Zebrune Shallot (Onion)

I'm particularly enthusiastic about trying the Indigenous three sisters gardening method, and growing sugar baby watermelons.

I haven’t bought seeds since 2020. I also haven’t been taking the whole sustainable living thing as seriously as I'd really like to since then. There should be a huge difference in my results, and the amount of food I'm able to yield from my garden this year.🤞

This blog will run on transparency. For that reason, I’m okay to share that this order cost me about $70CAD ($48.52USD).

All of these seeds were ordered from West Coast Seeds.

Disclaimer: I'm in no way sponsored by them. I just like their seeds and gardening resources. I'm sure other companies are just as good!

Thanks for reading:)

- Grace 👩🏾‍🌾💚