Oh Boy…taking my dog for a walk in a paddock filled with clover, sheep sorrel, ribwort and various grasses, keeping my eye out for snakes (My partner accidentally mowed over a black snake a couple weeks ago) I was wearing long pants (good) and open sandal (not so good) when, suddenly I felt a sharp persistent stinging sensation under the ball of my foot…I whipped off my sandal, and there was a bee, well and truly stuck into my foot. I knocked it off, then threw myself down onto the ground to check for the stinger…carefully extracting it with my (thankfully) strong nails. OUCH

Now, I am one of the many lucky ones who is not allergic to bee stings, but I sure still feel the pain. I looked around me for relief, and realised I was surrounded by heaps and heaps of young ribwort…one of the herbal healers. I broke off a couple of leaves, with thanks, and chewed ‘em up a bit, then stuck the wet mass onto the affected part of my foot. As I sat there, I felt the pain subside in gentle decreasing waves. After 5minutes, I slipped my sandal back on as I had to make my way back home. I collected some more leaves on the way back, and then prepared some more herbmush with a little filtered water, and my mortar and pestle. I reapplied it three times over the next three hours. And it’s pretty well OK, just a little sore.

Thankyou, Ribwort for being there when I needed your herbal magic

Filed under: Herbs for Health by ravencraft
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Wordpress is fantastic free software for people who want to get a web presence. Once your blog is set up, you have complete control over your web presence. You don’t have to pay someone to make changes…you do it yourself. What better way to get started! You can upload pictures, and type about anything and everything. You can make it easy for others to comment and get real dialogue happening with people all over the world.

If you are new to webdesign, and nervous about how to get up and running, Ravensdawn Website Designs can help you get started.

Filed under: Web design by ravencraft
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WELL…they say that in order to build a new structure, you first have to get rid of the old structure. So, it is no surprise that we have global financial instability…look to the position of Pluto (death and rebirth) and you’ll see that our governments and our institutions (Capricorn) are all coming under scrutiny. If our needs are not being met by current structures, then those structures will be torn down one way or another. Best advice in times like these? Get out of debt and simplify your commitments.

Remember, the institutions that govern and organise our world are reliant on us to feed them…that means these institutions were dependent on our personal greed for their very survival. All we have to do is let go of our “wants” for newer ,bigger, “better” and start focussing on re-using, enhancing, creating and SHARING and we’ll be able to create a genuinely more sustainable and likeable world to live in.

Filed under: Astrogirl by ravencraft
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Exciting News for Art Lovers. John Scott is now producing beautiful giclee prints of his work. This is an affordable way to begin collecting his artwork. Check them out HERE

Filed under: Art by ravencraft
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I have been reborn into the world of music thanks to the musical genius of the early works of Finnish band: Nightwish.

I am totally addicted to their earlier music from the period 1997 to 2003 when the lead singer (and one of the founders) was Tarja Turunen. Have a look for them on youtube. The current lead is Anette Olzon and she has a different feel to her voice - a bit too “pop” for my liking , and it is difficult to get over the loss of Tarja. Maybe they should have renamed their band when Tarja left, rather than masquerade as Nightwish.

However, that said, I am slowly growing to appreciate the different style of Anette…

Filed under: Music by ravencraft
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You know those blasted weeds you keep pulling out of the garden? Chances are that the plant has useful medicinal properties.

Take the common dandelion - with those delightful puffballs that children blow on and make wishes as the tiny seeds disperse out across the garden.

How do you distinguish it from it’s impostor weed friends? The dandelion flower stem is a single stem and hollow.

So, what can we say about the dandelion ? The leaves are a very high source of potassium and can assist in reducing retention of fluid without diminishing your body’s potassium stores (compare to many pharmacy preparations for fluid retention, which deplete potassium and require you to also medicate with potassium supplements.)

The root of the dandelion has a very gentle cleansing action on the liver and the bowels.

So, if you must pull this plant out of your garden, do it respectfully.

Filed under: Herbs for Health by ravencraft
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Hello to those of you who hap upon this blog…

I have many interests, so watch this space for

• links to great art,
• references and links to great music,
• info about the healing wonders of the herbs, and
• astrological snippets to help you weave your own path

Blessed Be!

Filed under: General by ravencraft
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