Preparing for April and the Goddess Airmid

 The month of April for the 30 Days of Goddess or (365 days of Goddess) we will be covering the Celtic Goddess of Healing Airmid and the theme for the month is Heal.  This works well for me as I have recently been diagnosed with endometrial cancer and had a complete hysterectomy of March 18th. So my focus is on healing. Links are below for more information about the 30 Days of Goddess for those interested in a goddess spirituality path or just the goddess in general. 

I have always been partial to the goddess Airmid and herbal healing. Several years ago I came upon the wonderful artist, Jane Brideson's painting of Airmid

There was also a numbered map of the 60 herbs and flowers which over the years were used in Ireland as cures for various ailments. 

 Here is the list in full:

LEAVES OF BIRCH, ROWAN, ALDER, WILLOW, ASH, HOLLY, OAK, HAWTHORN & HAZEL AROUND HER NECK 

1 YARROW
2 HONEYSUCKLE
3 IVY
4 SPEEDWELL
5 RAMSONS - WILD GARLIC
6 TORMENTIL
7 DOG ROSE
8 MILKWORT
9 AGRIMONY
10 MEADOWSWEET
11 FOXGLOVE
12 MALLOW
13 YELLOW FLAG
14 GOLDEN ROD
15 POPPY
16 SHEPHERD'S PURSE
17 VALERIAN 
18 VERVAIN
19 PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE
20 CHARLOCK
21 SOAPWORT
22 CENTAURY
23 DAISY
24 PIMPERNEL
25 ST. JOHN'S WORT
26 BLUEBELL
27 COWSLIP
28 EYEBRIGHT
29 VIOLET
30 WOOD SORREL
31 PRIMROSE
32 MARSH MARIGOLD
33 CHICKWEED
34 CELANDINE
35 HARTS' TONGUE FERN
36 WATER CRESS
37 MAIDEN HAIR FERN
38 WATER AVENS
39 BOG BEAN
40 NETTLE
41 WORMWOOD
42 LADY'S MANTLE
43 MUGWORT
44 RAGWORT
45 DANDELION
46 SELF HEAL
47 DOCK
48 OATS
49 RUSH
50 ARUM LILY
51 WILD SAGE
52 MARJORAM
53 COLTSFOOT
54 GROUNDSEL
55 CLOVER
56 WILD THYME
57 MINT
58 BEARBERRY
59 BILBERRY
60 BRAMBLE

BUTTERFLIES:

A COMMON BLUE
B SMALL TORTOISESHELL
C SMALL WHITE
D PAINTED LADY & ASSORTED BEES

Here is the list of the uses with the Celtic name below each herb and flowers.  This is posted for information only on the herbs and uses and not as medical information.

1 YARROW:

Athair Thalún

Used to stop nosebleeds and as a cure for coughs, colds and fevers.

Yarrow was used in love divination when 10 sprigs were plucked and the tenth thrown over the shoulder at Samhain. The remaining nine sprigs were placed under the pillow to give dreams of a future spouse. Also nine leaves were placed in a cloth and tied around the neck to bring good luck at fairs and on journeys.

2 HONEYSUCKLE:

Féithleann

Powdered leaves of honeysuckle were thought to prevent fevers and were also used as a cure for toothache, whooping cough, inflammation of the mouth and thrush.

Also known as woodbine it was used to protect against evil spirits and when drunk would cure effects of the 'evil eye'.

3 IVY:

Eidhneán

Used to aid the healing of burns and scalds as well as staunching bleeding and reducing inflammation. Ivy also cured pains, coughs, colds and bronchitis as well as relieving the pain of corns.

Nine ivy leaves of ivy placed under the pillow would give dreams of a future partner. 

4 SPEEDWELL:

Lus Cré

Used to cure jaundice, colds and earache .

5 RAMSONS:

Creamh

Wild garlic was taken as a preventative for infections and was thought to cleanse the blood. It was used to clean wounds of infection as well as curing coughs and colds. 

6 TORMENTIL:

Néalfartach

Used to ease digestive problems and heart complaints. In conjunction with St. John's Wort it was used as a sleeping draught.

7 DOG ROSE:

Feirdhris

The hips of the Dog Rose were used in jam making to provide vitamin C during the winter. It was believed that if a new born didn't pass urine a handful of briars was burnt under the child would cure the problem.

8 MILKWORT:

Lus an Bhainne

Milkwort, known as Fairy Soap, was taken in the belief that it encouraged the flow of milk in new mothers and was a cure for warts.

9 AGRIMONY:

Marbhdhraighean

Used as a cure for scurvy and a jaundice treatment.

10 MEADOWSWEET:

Airgead Luachra

Used to cure fevers and colds was well as to ease pain and kidney problems. 

Meadowsweet, when placed under the bed of the afflicted,  was believed to have the power to cure wasting sickness which was brought on by the fairy folk.

The scent of Meadowsweet was given to the flower by the goddess Aíne.

11 FOXGLOVE:

Lus Mór

Used to cure heart problems, colds and fevers as well as being used as a salve on the skin to ease swellings and burns.

Foxglove was believed to cure childhood fits if it was collected at Midsummer then boiled in water from three boundaries and drunk.

A drink made from the leaves would counteract fairy strokes in adults whilst a fairy changeling could be detected by placing two drops on the babies' tongue then three in each ear. The child was then placed on a shovel which was swung out towards the front door  three times whilst saying "if you are a fairy away with you!" 

If the baby was a changeling it would die, if not it would recover.  

12 MALLOW:

Lus na meall Muire

Used as a poultice to cure sores, bruises, ulcers and sprains.

Mallow stems, known as Hocus Fiáin was used to strike people in order to protect them from illness. The stems were later burnt in bonfire at Midsummer.

13 YELLOW FLAG:

Feileastram

Yellow flag was used to cure jaundice and sore lips. In Kerry a cure for rheumatism was to heat the flags then put them in a hut where water would be thrown onto them. Those who had rheumatism stood for a few minutes in the rising vapour then went into a tub of cold water.  

It was believed that a fairy changeling when banished into a river or lake would become a yellow flag. On Cape Clear bunches of the flowers were placed in fishing boats to bring good luck and a large catch.

14 GOLDEN ROD:

Slat Óir

Used to relieve heart complaints, stomach upsets and kidney problems.

In folklore it was understood to be used by fairies in a similar way to Ragwort.

15 POPPY

Cailleach dhearg

Poppy was used as pain relief particularly for toothache and neuralgia.

16 SHEPHERD'S PURSE:

Lus na fola or Lus an sparáin

Used by women to stop excessive menstrual flow.

17 VALERIAN:

Caorthainn corraigh

A sedative used to calm nerves.

18 VERVAIN:

Beirbhéine

Although not a native plant, vervain was used to protect cattle from the fairies on May Eve 

by tying a spring to the tail or horn of the livestock. 

19 PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE:

Créachtach

Collected at Midsummer it was used to heal wounds and cure diarrhoea and dysentery. 

20 CHARLOCK:

Praiseach bhuí

Used as a spring tonic and to cure jaundice.

21 SOAPWORT:

Garbhán creagach

Used as a protection against illness in a similar way to mallow, to treat lung inflammation 

and in the making of soap used to wash wool.

22 CENTAURY:

Dréimire Mhuire

Used to relieve liver complaints and as a tonic.

23 DAISY:

Nóinín

Used to heal burns, as an eye lotion and a cure for chilblains and ringworm.

24 PIMPERNEL:

Falcaire Fiáin

Used to cure jaundice, kidney inflammation, tooth ache and eye complaints.

Scarlet pimpernel was understood to possess magical properties giving the power of second sight 

and the ability to understand the speech of birds and animals.

25 ST. JOHN'S WORT: 

Beathnua Baineann

Used a a cure for depression and insanity as well as to staunch bleeding.

Provided protection especially when harvested at noon on a bright day near the full moon or on Midsummers' day before sunrise. Its effectiveness could be increased by passing the leaves through the smoke of a bonfire.

26 BLUEBELL:

Coinnle Corra

Used as a cure for coughs and throat ailments.

27 COWSLIP:

Bainne Bó Bleachtáin

Used to help insomniacs and as a cure for palsy.

Cowslips were believed to protect the milk yield of cows from the fairies at Bealtaine when rubbed 

on the udders. 

28 EYEBRIGHT:

Glanrosc

Used to cure those who had suffered a stroke.

29 VIOLET:

Sailchuach chorraigh

Used as a poultice to cure headaches, tumours and boils.

30 SORRELL:

Seamsóg or Samhadh bó

Used as cleanser and blood tonic and to heal sores, bruises and boils.

31 PRIMROSE:

Sabhaircín

Used to aid insomnia and as a cure for burns, jaundice and tuberculosis.

Associated with Bealtaine when it was gathered by children before dusk and placed in posies over  

doors and on windowsills to protect against the faeries.

32 MARSH MARIGOLD:

Lus buí Bealtaine

Flowers used in an infusion to cure fits and boiled in soup for heart ailments. 

Its juice which is caustic was used to remove warts. Similarly to primrose, marigold was linked 

to May Eve when the flowers were used as a protection for the home and the well.

33 CHICKWEED:

Fliodh

Made into a poultice to treat sprains, inflammations and mumps.

Chickweed is one of the healing herbs used in Dían Cécht's 'porridge' which is the oldest known 

Irish medical remedy which was used to cure sore throats and colds.

34 LESSER CELANDINE:

Grán arcáin 

The roots of the lesser celandine, known as 'pilewort', was used in the treatment of haemorrhoids. 

It was also known as 'scurvywort' as its leaves contained vitamin C.

35 HART'S TONGUE FERN:

Creamh na muice fia

Used in an ointment on burns, scalds, stings, warts and dog bites.

In general fern seeds were considered to be lucky if carried.

36 WATER CRESS:

Biolar

Used as a remedy for coughs and colds, to cure rheumatism and to ease labour pains. 

It was also known as the "hair of the well or stream".

37 MAIDEN HAIR FERN:

Dúchosach

Used as a tea but not as a cure.

38 WATER AVENS:

Machall Uisce

Used as a cure for diarrhoea and stomach ache.

39 BOG BEAN:

Báchrán

Used as a tonic to cleanse the blood and as a poultice to reduce swellings and inflammation. 

Also used to ease symptoms of a cold.

40 NETTLE:

Neantóg

Used as a tea to cleanse the blood. Nettle stings were thought to to relieve rheumatism and poor circulation. 

It was believed that taking three meals of nettles in May and drinking the juice of nettles gathered at Bealtaine would guard against illness for a year.

41 WORMWOOD:

Mormónta

Used as a cure for an upset stomach.

42 LADY'S MANTLE:

Dearna Mhuire

Used for kidney problems and to treat burns and scalds but also known to aid women who wanted to 

conceive a child.

43 MUGWORT:

Mongach meisce

Known as the 'mother of herbs' it was used as a cure for epilepsy, to restore menstrual flow and 

ease delivery in childbirth. The beliefs attached to mugwort were similar to those of St. John's wort 

as it was also used as protection at Bealtaine.

44 RAGWORT:

Buachalán buí

Used as a poultice to ease cuts, sores and burns as well as placing the head of the plant over an ulcer

to heal it. Known as the 'fairy steed' because it was believed that fairies rode upon ragwort especially 

at Samhain.

45 DANDELION:

Caisearbhán

Used as a diuretic and a cure for  liver problems, jaundice, diabetes, tuberculosis and consumption. 

Dandelion was also known as Bearnán Bhríde, 'indented one of Bride' because it was the first flower 

to appear after Imbolg. It was believed that the juice of a dandelion would remove warts if rubbed 

on them for nine days. 

46 SELF HEAL:

Duán ceannchosach

Used to cure sore throats, fevers, tuberculosis and the effects of a stroke.

47 DOCK:

Copóg

Used as a cure for nettle stings, liver complaints, coughs and colds.

48 OATS:

Coirce

Oats were a component of Dían Cécht's porridge used to cure colds and sore throats.

49 RUSHES:

Luachra

Rushes had many everyday uses including thatching and were used all over Ireland to make Brigid's Crosses 

at Imbolg. The ashes of burnt rushes were used to cure ringworm and when mixed with lard and applied 

as an ointment they also cured shingles.

It was believed that the only cure for the effects of standing upon féar gorta, hungry grass, 

was drink the juice from nine rushes which had grown by a holy well.

50 ARUM LILY:

Clus chaoin

Known also a Lords and Ladies, the plant is poisonous but its roots were used as a cure for worms.

51 WOOD SAGE:

Iúr sléibhe

Used to ease rheumatism.  

52 MARJORAM:

Máirtín fiáin

Used to calm coughs and ease aches and strains.

53 COLTSFOOT:

Sponc

Drunk as a tea to cure asthma, sore throats and to soothe a dry cough.

54 GROUNDSEL:

Grúnlas 

Used as a cure for headaches as a hot poultice to ease toothache and to heal wounds caused by iron.

55 CLOVER:

Seamair Lochlannach 

White clover was a cure for coughs and liver ailments whilst red clover cured coughs, bee stings and 

an infusion of its flowers was thought to cure cancer.

Finding a four-leafed clover was believed to be lucky and was associated with obtaining the second sight. Rubbing a mixture of clover and whiskey over the eyes cured 'fairy blindness'.

56 WILD THYME:

Tím chreige

Used to ease respiratory ailments and as protection against infection.

57 MINT:

Mismín arbhair

Used as a remedy for  measles, indigestion, stomach ache and colds.

Mint was used in love charms and as protection against bad luck.

58 BEARBERRY:

Lus na Stalóg

Used as a cure for bladder ailments.

59 BILBERRY:

Fraochán

Used as a diuretic, a cure for jaundice and as a pain reliever. 

Bilberries were gathered at the start of August and associated with the festival of Lughnasadh. 

On Knochfeerina Co. They were laid, together with flowers upon the stone which was believed to be the entrance to the palace of Donn in the Otherworld.

60 BRAMBLE:

Dris

Used to cure diarrhea, swellings and sore feet.

Standing under an arch of brambles gave the power to curse another.

For more information of the 30 Days of Goddess Practice you can follow this link https://www.30daysofgoddess.com/

Molly Remer provides free resources each month for the practice and has a wonderful Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/brigidsgrovecreativespiritcircle

While I recover from surgery and wait my 1st post op appointment I continue to stitch my little goddess and work on completing the winter goddess.

My word of the year for 2025 is Tend and this is the little goddess I made for myself.

These work up pretty fast and before I knew it I have a little tribe of little goddesses: the bee goddess in the center and the spiral goddess with a little pocket on the back.

Inside the little pocket is a rolled up affirmation note.  I have 4 others in the making which I hope to work on today to continue on my Stitching the Goddess journey.

Happy Spring!

 

Welcome March!

 

Winds of March, we welcome you. 

There is work for you to do. 

Work and play and blow all day, 

Blow the Winter cold away!

Well the biopsy was done on Feb. 26th finally after waiting since July to get some answers, now I just wait for results and go from there.

I just ordered the Kathy Schmitz Bunny Bunch panel from Spoonflower, I thought it would be a nice addition to the Ostara decorations.  They only had it in green which is fine for what I am planning to do with it.  I will use spring colors for the embroidery. 

I am still working on the winter goddess slow stitch piece which seems to be taking me forever to stitch. I am just about done with the horizontal stitches, with a few strips on the head and the arm to complete. Then I will start the vertical stitches so she is secured and ready to be cut off the fabric and added to the background fabric so I can embellish it.  

I would like to have this done before Spring arrives but I am not sure that will happen.  We have much going on here and some days I'm too tired to see what I am stitching.

In the busyness of life, we are moving the business out of the house and into a warehouse. Finally found a place and only about 10  minutes from the house.

I am crocheting 2 baby blankets for twins, the first is done. This one is for the baby boy, yes that is gray yarn which I never thought I would use in a baby blanket but I love it.

 Well that's about it for now, lately I tire easily and sitting is still a bit uncomfortable for long periods of time after the biopsy, not from the procedure, its the after effects of the medication that causing the cramping.

 

I wish you a wonderful March and hope you are seeing early signs of  Spring here in the northern hemisphere.

Slow Stitching the Winter Goddess

Another month moving at a rapid speed, it seems like only yesterday I was light a candle for Imbolc and here we are half way through another.

The days are growing noticeably longer which is a sure sign Spring is on her way which I am looking forward to.  I finally had the time and energy to begin the Slow Stitch Winter goddess piece after gathering fabric scraps nearly a week ago.  I laid out the arrangement and pin each piece down on the backing fabric where I had traced the goddess template. This is the easy part of creating one of these goddess pieces.

For the winter goddess I am using fabric in the colors of the winter skies I see throughout the winter months here in Florida. Here is the fabrics pinned down.

This time the fabric scraps were not placed randomly, I selected each piece changing the layout and the colors until I liked what I saw. I pinned every piece down before I began to stitch.

I would first stitch each piece down across the center to be sure each piece was attached to the backing fabric, then I stitched around the traced line of the template from the back of the fabric so I know where my cut line will be once all the the stitching is complete.  I usually stitch horizontal and vertical lines of running stitch through the entire piece.

I'm just glad I have all the pieces in place once all the stitching is done I will cut her off the backing fabric and attached her to the background fabric and the embellishments can begin.  It's a slow process.  

I have another wonderful embroidery kit from Missouri Star Quilts Company, as soon as I laid eyes on it I knew I had to have.  It includes everything you need except the fabric. At first I thought I would just use the stick and stitch pieces on different embroideries but the more I looked at the pattern booklet and saw the set in my newsletters I bought the fabric kit as well.

The kit includes everything you need to make a  62” x 76 1/2” quilt.  The embroidery kit includes:

10 Missouri Star Perle Cotton 10-oz floss colors and 140 pre-printed Missouri Star Peel & Stitch designs,  7” birch wood hoop, embroidery scissors, two needles (#3 and #6), a needle threader, and a magnetic needle minder (1”).  

The Fabric kit includes:  Includes the quilt pattern, a large hexagon acrylic template, 99 precut 10” squares— Essex Yarn Dye Curry. Essex Ivory, Robert Kaufman Essex Natural and 5/8 yard of Essex Natural by Robert Kaufman for binding.  The fabric kit is also available in denim colorway.

This week I am reading the newest book in the China Bayles mystery series.

I had my consultation in Gainesville on Thursday after waiting 5 months for the appointment to set up a D&C so they can do the biopsy the other office couldn't do because of a miscommunication of a pill I was supposed to take before the procedure that could have been done in the office.  I was told to take it before the ultra sound which was wrong.  Anyway, this doctor is going to do the biopsy in his office, has given me proper instructions of when to take the medications so that I can hopefully avoid a hospital out patient surgery.  This is all fine and dandy but I am a bit miffed at why my doctor could just reschedule the biopsy for another time, on the record it just states it couldn't be done, so the doctor never inquired what happened with the Physician Assistant. 

I initially had to have the consult because I am high risk and my Gyn didn't want me to have the D&C at out local hospital.  

Where Does The Time GO?

 How are we on the 10th of February? (I have become so neglectful of my blog posting) It seems like only yesterday I was lighting a candle for Imbolc and bringing in a few yards of fabric I had lain about the shrubs for Brigid's blessing.   Here is a little info of why I do this:

It is believed that On midwinter’s eve (Imbolc) place a piece of linen or cloth outside. You could also lay out a shawl. It is said that on this night Brigid travels all over the land and if she sees this cloth she will bless it and give it healing powers.

Here is a blessing you can use when laying out your cloth: Let the cloth of life be mended. Let the thread be linked again, restored, cleansed. May we be blessed, and through our lives, Bless.

I will use this cloth as I have throughout the years for projects like these hand embroidery pieces I made over the years, both prayer flags for friends in need at the time. 

I finally have the consultation with the Gyn at Shands hospital on the 13th, I was so relieved when I  finally heard back, I've been waiting since Oct. 7th to have yet another D&C and biopsy.  Because of the blood thinners I take my Gyn thought it best to have this done at Shand's hospital rather than in the office surgery center.  I am considered high risk, I think I will be considered higher risk because of the Atrial Fibrillation which is nearly constant.  Either way I just want it done because at 69 having a menstrual cycle after being in menopause for over a decade just sucks.  You can not imagine how I wished I had the hysterectomy back in 1999 when the endometriosis was so bad, if it's an option now I will take it because I don't want to keep having to go back for another D&C or having periods at 80.

So far this year I have read the following books:

We had snow in the Florida panhandle Pensacola getting about 5 inches, I only wished it would have come down to the north central area, we did have some deep freeze days.  Now we are in the mid 80's with upper 80's by the end of the week.

Even though the day has passed, I wish you all a Blessed Imbolc.  I tend to see Imbolc as a seasonal time and not just a day.  The image is one of my favorites by Bonny Hut.  Spring is in the air, even if the ground hog saw his shadow.  The daylight hours are growing longer.

Happy New Year!

 

All Things Goddess and a Greenman.

 Happy Christmas Eve to All!

 With all the busyness of getting packages out all week and closing up shops until after the New Year I have finally found the time to take a photo of  the Autumn Goddess slow stitched piece.

I don't plan to start on the Winter goddess until late next week or in the new year.  Here is a look at the other seasonal goddesses I made this year. Spring is below and Summer below the Spring

Speaking of Goddess, you may know I have followed a Goddess Spirituality path for over 40 years, I'm always in search of unique items for my goddess altars. I have one across my my work space so when I look up from my computer I can gaze on it.  

Recently I found 2 lovely pieces from an Etsy Shop Laser Cuts and Curios, here is the link to the shop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/LaserCutsAndCurios?ref=yr_purchases&page=1#items 

This first one in the photo I will use year round, it comes with it's own stand and looks great set up on my altar.

Here is the shop link to this one https://www.etsy.com/listing/1662390403/spiral-goddess-wood-engraved-greeting?click_key=82640cd34952459788b5161f30c013665750b734%3A1662390403&click_sum=cba0ff9f&ref=shop_home_active_12&frs=1

This one is a Yule Ornament, I opted to hang it on my wall this year. Both have the option to be personalized if you are gifting them to someone. 

Here is the link for this one: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1603774311/spiral-goddess-ornament-yule-card?click_key=65a151ffc006fe2e44dbf303e44e2b3dc704b3d5%3A1603774311&click_sum=314c2c16&ref=shop_home_recs_2&frs=1

The shop has some lovely wood items.  There are several other Goddess items as well as some wonderful witch pieces. I know I will be a repeat customer.

I am currently reading two Goddess books for the 30 Days of Goddess I participate in, this month our goddess is Cerridwen, and in January our goddess for the month will be Circe.

I can't believe this January will be the 5th year of #30 Days of Goddess, what started out as a simple month long devotion to goddess, turned into years of practice.  Taking part has deepened my own goddess path in ways I never imagined.

Molly Remer created the 30 days of Goddess and offers free resources to members.  Here is the link to the Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/brigidsgrovecreativespiritcircle  If you are interested in or follow a goddess path or just want to be among women who are loving and supportive of one another check it out.

This coming new year I am once again going to create a few goddess embroidery pieces and more slow stitched goddess pieces. For the slow stitched pieces I'm thinking maybe the Elements or the 8 Sabbats of the Wheel of the Year; both if time allows. 

 I also want to focus on completing a few of the projects still unfinished.  Mainly the Greenman I started a few years ago.  

He has had quite a journey, he was left at a friends house last year and when he was being shipped back to me he bounced to a few post offices around the globe before finally arriving home.  He once sat beneath a pile of other works in progress and once on the bottom of a pile of magazines I hadn't had a chance to read.  A terrible habit I have with magazines so I cut back most of my subscriptions.  

When you find yourself reading the January issue in July it's time to decide do you really need this magazine? If  there is an issue of a magazine I want to read I will just buy a copy instead of subscribing knowing the issues will be unread for a few weeks and in some cases months.

The January 2025 issue of Art Journaling just arrived today. I let the subscription go along with the Somerset Studio, I still have the Summer and Autumn issues to read for both.