Wild Violet

For the last couple of years, I have done the Plant Spirit Ally Challenge with a group of like minded friends, starting on May Day, it's become a thing. It's a 30 day project, where you to connect with a specific plant of your choosing, working with a series of prompts devised by Michelle Simkins, a witch and writer from the Pacific Northwest  of the US, and very lovely she is  too, happily answering several questions I messaged her about her work! 

You can read more about it here - Plant Spirit Ally Challenge I would totally recommend it for getting to know plant. Anyway I  digress..

Plant Spirit Ally Challenge

So this year I chose to work Violet, mainly because we had an absolute abundance, that and I had to make my mind up quickly, as I'd  run out of time. Violet's supposed  gentle and shrinking image, soon fell  by the wayside and I fell in love with this wild, feral and free spirited wild flower along the way...

Goddess and Violet

So what did I learn about Violet? Well for a start they have a wide range of medicinal benefits, the root can be used to treat coughs, colds and sore throats and the leaves can used as an antiseptic, drunk as a tea, or made into a poultice, they were even used for a headache or hangover cure in Medieval times! I made some art, digging out my paints and chalks, something I haven't done for a long a time, and felt a childish delight in just going for it, not worrying about it being perfect or polished enough for Instagram, it was Art and I posted it anyway!

Day 10 Make Sacred Smoke

For sacred smoke, I wrote a letter to the ancestors and those who had gone before, including my precious cat Floki, who died suddenly and unexpectedly on Day 4 of the challenge, I've added a picture of him, just because I can. Funnily enough he used to lounge amongst the Violets too, probably stalking the birds on the bird feeders, bless him! I burnt the letter and sent my messages of love skyward.

Floki

Another groovy thing that I learnt, is that Violets have horizontal roots, called rhizomes, that spread out far and wide, these roots actually choke out other plants - so, far from being shy and retiring, they are actually tough and resilient little cookies! They keep their heads low and hang out with lots of big tough plants like brambles and nettles, quietly taking over the garden and generally doing shady sh*t! 

They are also best friends with ants, who carry their seeds off to feed their larvae as it's wrapped in a particularly desirable substance called elaiosome, and that inadvertently spreads and sows them! It's called myrmecochory, who knew? There are always lots of ants where the violets are, and they joined me for many of the little rituals and when I was sitting out there contemplating the general wonderfulness of Violet.

Violet Spirit Doll

I made a spirit doll, with an old fashioned Dolly peg and scraps from other past projects, and also went down memory lane with the remembered smell of Devon Violets that I  brought back from holiday for my lovely Nan, I created a little myth about Wild Violet and her parents Mother Earth and Father Sky. 

It's a truly wonderful way to connect to a plant, flower or herb and learn more about it on so many levels, and himself didn't even bat an eyelid as I wandered in and out  of the back door, with candles, bottled moon water, scrap books, peg dolls or the delicious violet and blueberry cake I made, just occasionally huffed when he had to move his scooter out of the way for me to sit and connect with Violet ! He's a good 'un...

Have A Blessed Week x x 

Returning to Ritual

A couple of weeks ago, we had the garden done. When I say we had the garden done, I mean we had new turf laid. Now, I knew at the back of my mind that fresh turf needed extra care and watering, but it hadn't occurred to me that it would need watering in the morning and night for several weeks to make sure that it doesn't dry up, obviously it makes sense when you think about it.

The first few days were a bit of novelty, firing the hose away and laughing to myself, shooting the fence or the barbecue, but I did think how on earth am I going to fit this in before work and when I've got meetings in the evening etc and I could see it becoming a bit of a chore. However, when you've invested quite a lot of money in something, you try and look after it so, I kept it up and I'm happy to report that the lawn, apart from a few tiny patches, it is bedding in beautifully. 

So this last week I've been getting up at quarter an hour early to make sure I've got time to go and nourish this beautiful green lawn, taking my morning cup of tea out there, usually joined by curious cats, and listening to the birds, and to be honest quite enjoying it. Himself was home yesterday, and checked the lawn and said that they probably didn't need to water it so much, so this morning. I thought do I need to go out there? 

Do I need to attach the hose pipe and do it, and it surprised me that I wanted to be out there. I wanted to be sat up there with my mug of tea, feet getting wet from the spray of the hose, listening to the birds and gently easing myself into my day, and those quiet reflective moments at the end of the day, where I sat pondering on my wild violets, which have seeded themselves in the border, the ones I have been studying and working with, in the Plant Spirit Ally Challenge throughout May. It surprised me how quickly had become a welcome ritual, one that I had happily, and surreptitiously fallen into, and one I had quietly come to love. The thought of not having to do it, was actually a disappointment. 

So I sat out there this morning, with my second cup of tea, and  Lily the cat for company and I listened to all the birds that I've learned to identify over the last few weeks; the gentle cooing of woodpigeons and collared doves, the trilling of wrens, and goldfinches, blackbird's clear tones, as well as the raucous cawing of some crows, and it occurred to me that I'd learnt something and not just the distinct and different bird calls. In these quiet moments of enforced ritual, that found there was a piece, I'd found a small sanctuary that I was missing from my busy life. 

So I suppose my point of all these ramblings, is that like many people, I sometimes struggle with the consistency and maintaining ritual or devotions, yes, I always have a quiet chat with Goddess, even if it is in my car as I'm hurtling to work or to the next meeting, yes, I do a grounding most days, sometimes more rushed than others, but I don't always have time for the sitting still and the just being, or drumming or meditating. However it seems that Goddess had a plan, and my lawn was in it. It seems that the stillness and contemplation, the rhythmic sound of the birds was a gift that I needed and She made sure it happened, She made sure that it was woven into my day, and reminded me what I needed, and for that, I am truly grateful.

                                         Have a Blessed Week x x