The Ultimate Guide to Crystals and Stones by Uma Silbey

A practical path to personal power, self-development and healing

 

It has twelve chapters – and on contents page it tells what will be in each chapter. The purple boxes have a mantra, sentence, proverb. A meditation or exercise in a green box. Information for using crystals not about crystals (like this what the crystals mean and where they come from and hardness, etc). Talks about chakras, basics of quartz crystal energy works. Crystal shapes/formations and crystal readings are also talk about. So this is a book more of information on using them rather than an introduction to individual crystals.

This wont go from one crystal to the next but again is more informational.

Influencer by Brittany Hennessy

There are four parts – with chapters within them. Talks about finding your name, setting up and putting together a blog and YouTube channel. It does have Instagram tips – in gray boxes – from others. As well there are influencer insights – similar to the tips. A section of 'don't be that girl' of things not to do. She puts a spotlight in someone in the Influencer Icon sections. She does talk about audience also. Part two deals with packaging your brand, part three – monetizing your influence and part four is planning your future. So this can be a help to many different people who want to be a person that is called an influencer or wanting to know some tricks to do better.

Garden Builder by JoAnn Moser

There are thirty-five projects to make in this book. It is divided into four sections: decorative elements, small projects, planters and accessories, and a large section. Also, there is a bonus section of mason jar 'garden builder' projects. In the end, there is a metric conversion. In the introduction, there is helpful information. With each project, there is a photo of the end result and a diagram of the pieces needed to make the item. It lists the tools needed to make it with photos with the steps. It is not a long book. Steps seem easy to understand and follow.

So if want a quick book of project ideas this is one to look into.

DIY Hydroponic Gardens by Tyler Baras

The book discusses equipment needed, hydroponic growing systems, starting seeds and cuttings, plant nutrition, maintenance, common problems, and troubleshooting. The introduction shows you how it is useful. Shows you what you need to make your own and different projects. Informative and straight to the point on the process and goes from one to the next without connection. Images are put to the steps, so you have a visual as well on what to do. There is a glossary, crop selection charts – which would be good for what system and metric conversions.

This is good if you want to do gardening all year or having to do it in a building or smaller space.

Drawing School Fundamentals for the Beginner by Jim Dawdalls

In the procedure section, there are things like how to hold a pencil and transferring an image. There is also 'your homework' sections and exercises for practices. Like other beginner books, there is a section on materials like pencils and erasers. Photos are placed throughout products and examples – eyesight, perspective and more. There are helpful tips and how to draw an image. A lot of detail in pictures being shown – so for some not a total beginner book but is a good continuation. I did not get too much out of it, some might get more.

Corn Dollies

This is a fun project to do with kids. Take dried-out corn husks and tie them together in the shape of a woman. She’s your visual representation of the harvest. As you work on her, think about what you harvested this year. Give your corn dolly a name, perhaps one of the names of the Grain Goddess or one that symbolizes your personal harvest. Dress her in a skirt, apron, and bonnet and give her a special place in your house. She is all yours till the spring when you will plant her with the new corn, returning to the Earth that which She has given to you.

The Celts celebrate this festival from sunset August 1 until sunset August 2 and call it Lughnasad after the God Lugh. It is the wake of Lugh, the Sun-King, whose light begins to dwindle after the summer solstice. The Saxon holiday of Lammas celebrates the harvesting of the grain. The first sheaf of wheat is ceremonially reaped, threshed, milled and baked into a loaf. The grain dies so that the people might live. Eating this bread, the bread of the Gods, gives us life. If all this sounds vaguely Christian, it is. In the sacrament of Communion, bread is blessed, becomes the body of God and is eaten to nourish the faithful. This Christian Mystery echoes the pagan Mystery of the Grain God.

Grain has always been associated with Gods who are killed and dismembered and then resurrected from the Underworld by the Goddess-Gods like Tammuz, Osiris, and Adonis. The story of Demeter and Persephone is a story about the cycle of death and rebirth associated with grain. Demeter, the fertility Goddess, will not allow anything to grow until she finds her daughter who has been carried off to the Underworld. The Eleusinian Mysteries, celebrated around the Autumn Equinox, culminated in the revelation of a single ear of corn, a symbol to the initiate of the cyclical nature of life, for the corn is both seed and fruit, promise and fulfillment.

In an agrarian culture, the success of the crop is all-important and in Northern Europe, the harvest produce was essential to survival during the winter period. It was the generally held belief that the spirit of the harvest—in this case, the versatile grain crop—resided in the plant, and once the plant was cut down then the spirit effectively became homeless. In order to provide a new home for this spirit, the farmers made a corn dolly from the very last stalks of the crop. The dolly would spend her time indoors over the winter, waiting to be plowed back into the ground at the start of the new season. In places where the corn dolly custom was not established, the last few stalks of corn were violently beaten into the ground, thus driving the spirit back into the Earth.

The dolly was made into the shape of an old woman, representing the Crone aspect of the Harvest Goddess. She was drenched in water as a further propitiation to the Gods and to ensure that plenty of rain would feed the harvest to come. Different areas had different styles of corn dollies.

However, the custom of preserving the spirit of the harvest was not always carried out in such a genteel way. The Phrygians, who lived in central Asia Minor and worshipped the Mother of the Gods, Cybele, carried out a different sort of ceremony. Their “corn dolly” was formed from thickly plaited sheaves of corn formed into a tall column. Any stranger found in the vicinity was captured in the belief that his presence there would mean that the spirit of the harvest had possessed his body and caused him to wander into the area. The hapless stranger was then trapped within this cage of corn and then beheaded in the belief that the blood that fell upon the ground contained the valuable “soul” of the crop.

The making of corn dollies goes back many thousands of years. It was a Pagan custom and evolved from the beliefs of the corn growing people who believed in the Corn Spirit.

What were corn dollies traditionally made from?

Corn dollies were made at Harvest time from the last sheaf of corn cut.

The Corn Spirit was supposed to live or be reborn in the plaited straw ornament or corn doll and was kept until the following spring to ensure a good harvest. The corn dolly often had a place of honour at the harvest banquet table.

The craft was brought to a halt by the advent of mechanization in the 1800s but is now being revived as a fascinating hobby.

Other harvest rituals and ceremonies

In the past .....

Church bells could be heard on each day of the harvest.

The horse, bringing the last cart load, was decorated with garlands of flowers and colourful ribbons.

A magnificent Harvest feast was held at the farmer's house and games played to celebrate the end of the harvest.

The corn dolly has been a traditional feature of rural life since before Christ. Pagans believed (and many still do) that cornfields had spirits and that after the harvest these spirits were made homeless. To protect the spirits, corn dollies were made from the corn and kept in people’s households, giving the spirit a warm home over winter. The dolly was then ploughed into the first furrow of the new season to guarantee a bumper crop. The dollies themselves were named after counties or place names. In Norfolk: The Burton Turf dolly and the Norfolk Lantern. In Suffolk: The Suffolk Bell, Suffolk Horseshoe and The Whip. In Cambridgeshire: The Handbell, and in Essex: The Terret.

To Make A Dolly

When the last fall grain harvest was gathered in, ancient farmers in Europe (from England to the Baltics) always kept a few sheaves aside to be woven into “corn dollies,” shapes and figures thought to manifest the spirit of grain. Called the corn mother in Northern Europe, the hag in Ireland, and the corn maiden in parts of England, the spirit inhabited the fertile fields, and once the grain was harvested, needed a place to dwell until replanting time in the spring. Those final sheaves kept her spirit alive through the fallow winter.

Despite their name (corn evolved from ‘kern,’ the old English word for grain, and “dolly” is thought to have evolved from “idol”), corn dollies weren’t made of corn and didn’t always resemble the human form. More often, they were interpreted as circles, hearts, loops, goats, and stars that could be displayed in the home during the dormant winter, then plowed back into the earth in spring. When modern mechanical threshers came into use, the art of making corn dollies was almost lost. But in the past few decades, it has experienced a revival, usually under the name of wheat weavings,

Waverly published an article about wheat weaving in this magazine last year. You can also interpret the spirit of the grain in your own way. We chose to make ours look a bit like a proud, wild goddess with a head and hands of seedheads and a corn husk dress. This style is easy to make with older children, although an adult should be present for wire cutting.

Start with a four-ounce bundle of wheat and cut the seedheads off, leaving a little of the stalk intact for a base. Separate the taller seedheads from the shorter ones, then make two piles of short ones for the hands and one pile of big ones for the head. Wire the seedheads into bundles with 22 to 24-gauge wire.

Soak the long stalks for a few hours so that they’re pliable, then cut two piles of stalks: one for the body and one for the arms. Bind off each pile at each end, then wire the ‘hands’ to the end of the arms, the ‘head’ to the top of the body, and the arms to  the body. Hide the wire under raffia. Cut a piece of paper and secure into a cone shape. Anchor body in the cone either by poking wire through the paper and wrapping it around the body stalk or any other method that works for you. Now you can make the dress. We used corn husks and pinned them to the paper cone. This is just one simple way to make a corn dolly without being skilled at wheat weaving. Even without those skills, my daughter and I felt like we were taking part in an ancient tradition as we made our dolly.

More Blog Resources

pdf: The_Oak_Tree_Facts

2.2.1 Seed Forecasting

WyreFOD_oak-combined-acc

"Oak." Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine. . Retrieved December 31, 2017 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/medicine/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/oak APA citation

Oak Tree Facts, 2005-2017, http://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/oak_tree_facts/505/

Top 10 facts about oak trees, By William Hartston, https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/top10facts/580618/oak-trees-top-facts

Interesting Facts About Oak Trees, Just Fun Facts Copyright © 2017. http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-oak-trees/

Amethyst:

Amethyst Meaning, http://beadage.net/gemstones/amethyst/

Amethyst Meaning, Powers and History, https://www.jewelsforme.com/amethyst-meaning

Amethyst Healing Properties, http://www.charmsoflight.com/amethyst-healing-properties.html

Amethyst, https://www.energymuse.com/ameth-meaning

Amethyst Meanings and Uses, https://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/amethyst

Amethyst Gemstone Meaning, https://crystal-cure.com/amethyst.html

The world's most popular purple gemstone, Author: Hobart M. King, Ph.D., https://geology.com/gemstones/amethyst/

How Wearing Amethyst Can Change Your Life, December 08, 2016, https://shamansisters.com/blogs/blog/amethyst

Daffodils

https://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/mostpopularflowers/morepopularflowers/daffodil

The Daffodil Flower: Its Meanings and Symbolism, http://www.flowermeaning.com/daffodil-flower-meaning/

Meaning & Symbolism of Narcissus / Daffodils, https://www.teleflora.com/meaning-of-flowers/daffodil

https://www.ftd.com/blog/share/daffodil-meaning-and-symbolism

Kitchen Witchcraft

“An Introduction to Kitchen Witchery,”Updated on February 2, 2018, Claire, https://exemplore.com/wicca-witchcraft/An-Introductio-to-Kitchen-Witchery

“What Is Kitchen Witchcraft?,” Patti Wigington, Updated April 24, 2017, https://www.thoughtco.com › ... › Religion & Spirituality › Paganism / Wicca › Basics

PDF: mrsb “Mrs. B’s Guide to HOUSEHOLD WITCHERY Everyday Magic, Spells, and Recipes,” KRIS BRADLEY, 2012

Panties:

“Pansy,”https://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/growingflowers/flowersandseasons/pansy

“Fun Flower Facts: Pansy,” May 1, 2013, Connor Lowry, https://funflowerfacts.com/2013/05/01/fun-flower-facts-pansy/

“Facts About Pansy Flowers,” http://homeguides.sfgate.com/pansy-flowers-26130.html

“Beneath the Petals: Fun Facts About Pansies and Violas,” August 15, 2013, Lela Szondy, https://theplantfarm.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/beneath-the-petals-fun-facts-about-pansies-and-violas/

“10 things all pansy lovers need to embrace,”Apr 26, 2017, Pernilla Bergdahl, https://www.countryliving.com/uk/homes-interiors/gardens/a1715/how-to-grow-pansies/

“Pansy,” https://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/annual/pansy/

“Pansies, The Flower With a Face,” http://www.designsbysusan.com/fl_PansyFacts.html

“The Pansy Flower: Its Meaning & Symbolism,” www.flowermeaning.com/pansy-flower-meaning/

“Pansy,” The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/plant/pansy-plant

“Facts about pansies,” Leigh Walker, Updated July 19, 2017, www.ehow.co.uk/about_5079923_pansies.html

Rain Water:

Rain Facts For Kids, http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/weather/rain.html

Top Facts about Rain, www.infobarrel.com/10_Facts_about_Rain

Fun rain facts, www.scienceforkidsclub.com/rain-facts.html

Citrus

“7 Reasons to Eat More Citrus Fruits,” Written by Kerri-Ann Jennings, MS, RD on January 27, 2017, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/citrus-fruit-benefits

“Health Benefits of Citrus Fruit,” https://www.healthyeating.org/Healthy-Eating/All-Star-Foods/Fruits/Article-Viewer/Article/204/health-benefits-of-citrus-fruit

“What Are the Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits?” https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-citrus-fruits-7925.html

“7 Ways Citrus Can Benefit Your Body,” Natasha Burton, http://stylecaster.com/beauty/citrus-for-beauty-benefits/

“Nutritional and health benefits of citrus fruits,” C. Economos and W.D. Clay, http://www.fao.org/docrep/x2650t/x2650t03.htm

“What Are the Benefits of Citrus Fruits?” AMY LONG CARRERA Oct. 03, 2017, https://www.livestrong.com/article/331860-health-hazards-of-citrus-fruits/

“Nutrition: The Health Benefits of Citrus Peels,” Aileen Brabazon, http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-eats/nutrition/nutrition-the-health-benefits-of-citrus-peels/

“The Health Benefits of Citrus Teas For Cold Mornings,”http://naturehacks.com/the-health-benefits-of-citrus-teas-for-cold-mornings/

“Fit Food: the Benefits of Citrus,” by Kim Tranell, https://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/fit-food-the-benefits-of-citrus/

“Health benefits of Citron,” https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/citron/

“Citrus facts,” https://kids.kiddle.co/Citrus

“10 Fun Facts About Citrus,” Courtesy of Capay Valley Farm Shop https://fruitguys.com/almanac/2013/12/11/10-fun-facts-about-citrus

“9 Surprising Health Benefits of Citrus Fruit,” Kristin Canning https://www.health.com/nutrition/citrus-fruit-health-benefits#weight-loss-citrus-fruit-salmon-lemon

Reading:

“12 Interesting Facts About Reading,” Mar 15, 2016, https://diply.com/culture-reading-facts?config=13

“10 Scientific Facts About Reading Books And How Could It Really Improve Your Life,” Sep 28, 2013, https://www.unbelievable-facts.com/2013/09/10-scientific-facts-about-reading-books.html

“11 random facts about books that are weirdly interesting,” Jill Layton, February 18, 2017, https://hellogiggles.com/reviews-coverage/books/random-facts-books/

“Reading facts,” https://readingagency.org.uk/about/impact/002-reading-facts-1/

“25 Random Things About Reading,” https://www.abebooks.com/blog/index.php/2009/02/12/25-random-things-about-reading/

“5 Facts about reading books,”March 2, https://frogasia.com/thepond/5-facts-about-readng-books/

“Top 10 Things You Should Know About Reading,” Reading Rockets, http://www.readingrockets.org/article/top-10-things-you-should-know-about-reading

“What are some interesting facts about books or reading in general?” https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-interesting-facts-about-books-or-reading-in-general

“10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT READING,” https://www.beautyandtips.com/interesting/10-interesting-facts-about-reading/

“10 Fast Facts About Literacy Around the World,” September 8, 2015 by Kassia, https://readingvillage.org/2015/09/10-fast-facts-about-literacy-around-the-world/

Nineteen:

“Number 19,” https://mysticalnumbers.com/number-19/

“Spiritual Meaning of Number 19,” https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/number-19-meaning/

“NUMBER 19,” 5.22.2011, Joanne Walmsley, http://numerology-thenumbersandtheirmeanings.blogspot.com/2011/05/number-19.html

“Number 19 Meaning,” https://affinitynumerology.com/number-meanings/number-19-meaning.php

“Numerology Number 19,” May 21, 2017 by Eugene, https://thesecretofthetarot.com/numerology-number-19/

“Properties of the number 19,”http://www.ridingthebeast.com/numbers/nu19.php

“Numerology – Number 19, Nineteen,” http://numerologystars.com/numerology-number-19-nineteen/

Corn Dollies:

“Corn Dollies,” http://projectbritain.com/harvest/corndollies.html

“Lammas/Lughnasa,” https://www.livinginseason.com/tag/corn-dolly/

“Making a Corn Dolly,” Jo Sullivan, August 29, 2010, https://www.livinginseason.com/tag/corn-dolly/

“Weaving Wheat,” Waverly Fitzgerald, July 20, 2009, https://www.livinginseason.com/tag/corn-dolly/

“Corn Dolly,” http://www.onlandguardpoint.com/2011/09/23/corn-dolly/

“The Meaning of Claddagh and Corn Dolly Symbols,” 4/30/2015, https://www.articlemostwanted.com/2015/04/the-meaning-of-claddagh-and-corn-dolly-symbols.html

“Corn Dolly,”http://symboldictionary.net/?p=409

“The Corn Dolly - The Spirit Of The Grain,” https://www.sabbatbox.com/blogs/sabbat-box-blog/39173505-the-corn-dolly-the-spirit-of-the-grain