Blood & Guts

 Dragon's Blood in the Garden! 

Day 3: 30 Days Wild: I thought I'd investigate Herb Robert, growing in my front & back garden. I discovered it's also known as Wild Crane's Bill; Fox Geranium; Dragon's Blood; Bloodwort, oh, and 'Stinky Bob' on account of its smell. Crush the leaves & rub them on your skin & it's an insect (& people?) repellent. Packed full of calcium; iron; magnesium; potassium; phosphorous; Vits A, B, C. It's antiviral; antibiotic; antioxidant; a tonic & blood purifier. It's been used to improve the immune system, and treat cancer! The latter because it makes oxygen more available to cells; and the ellagic acid it contains, has slowed the growth of certain tumours.           Add some of the crushed herb to your footbath to help remove toxins, radiation & heavy metals from your system; at the other end, it makes a good mouthwash, apparently (I'll have to try making some). I'm cutting short its benefits there or the post will never stop.

More Bloody Associations

Day 3: #30DaysWild2022 I was stopped in my tracks by some Love-in-a-Mist flowers in someone's front garden, which sent me on a journey of discovery. I learned that Nigella Damascena/Sativa (Nigella = black) produces very black seeds, some of which were put in Tutankhamun's tomb for his journey into the afterlife. According to Muhammad they can heal every disease, except death. My brother raved about the health properties of black seed oil so much, I bought several bottles! And add the seeds to rice & salads.

I had no idea the flower is dedicated to 4th Century Christian Martyr, St. Catherine, due to the spiky ring of ferny foliage around the delicate blue flower, looking like the spiked ring Emperor Maxentius had constructed on which to torture his reluctant love interest. She had converted on seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary, and wasn't prepared to give up her new faith to please her suitor. He arranged for 50 philosophers to change her mind, but it back-fired; they all converted to Catherine's Faith! For this they were burned alive. The wheel of death intended for Catherine, was destroyed by a thunderbolt before it could harm her. She was beheaded instead.

I could never have guessed such a pretty, delicate flower would lead to such a gruesome story, or represent such heartfelt, indomitable faith. I Loved the art-led story about her fate found here:

I also enjoyed listening to a band called Indigenous play: Love-in-a-Mist, here:



Enjoy!

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