Harvest Time In A Witch's Garden _Smudge Sticks

Hand-rolled Sage & Yarrow Wands

 Late July and early August is my favorite time to harvest the herbs I will bundle and dry for smudges. The warmth in the air, the mellow slant of the sun and the deepened colors of the garden all call to me.
 Smudging is the act of burning dried resins and herbs to release a fragrant smoke that will cleanse the air, a person, a thing or a space both physically and aurically. These materials can be in loose incense form or bundled and tied together into wands. Recently there have been several articles floating about online touting how this is now 'scientifically verified' as being 'truth'. Those of us who have done this for decades just smile. I'm sure our Ancestors are out-right chuckling about being 'verified'.

 This is a short list of common smudging herbs:

Sage
Cedar
Tobacco Leaf
Pine
Yarrow
Lavender
Rosemary
Catmint

To create your own smudge wand bundle together the freshly cut herbs of your choice based on their properties and what you want to accomplish. Fold each end over the other to make a  chunky palm-sized 'packet' then wrap tightly top to bottom with thread in a color coordinating with the bundles intended purpose. Allow to dry in a cool well ventilated area for approximately 4-6 weeks.
  For more information on how use smudge sticks check in for next week's post.

Persephone Writes...

Good morning!
As many of you know I spent this past winter working within a different artistic pursuit. What started as Blog - Medium Tales - quickly morphed into a memoir now in Paperback and on Kindle. A signed Paperback is available on our etsy store now...

Divine Interference - Living with Angels, Demons, Fairies, and Ghosts

From the blog Medium Tales :

Here's your publishing update- Its done!! Yay!! The book Divine Interference-Living with Angels, Demons, Fairies, and Ghosts is now available in 2 forms- Kindle and Paperback through Amazon and a signed paperback edition through my etsy store. Go HERE and HERE for each venue. I've sent out the batch of pre-orders yesterday and am anxiously awaiting the responses.
 In the meantime....

Magical June

 

Fresh Lavender  Gathered From My Garden

Good Morning from Persephone's Folly! Its been one helluva winter and I am very very glad to see the Calendar turn towards the month of June. For details on all of that personal stuff check out my Northern Visions blog--

  Summer schedule here means fresh herb gathering, crafting of infused oils, magical garden planting and wrapping and drying Smudge Sticks for the rest of the year. This summer I have planted an entire walkway with alternating Lavender and Sage for those Smudge Sticks- I adore them! I guess some of you do as well since they are almost sold out!

  The Summer Solstice - June 21- is one of my favorite seasonal observances in that it is total play-time for me! I choose an 'only can do it in the summer' activity like canoeing or a day at the beach and revel in the fact that it is finally summer-time in the north. At home I will set a small altar and leave offerings and homage to my Gods and the Fae ,as well as other Land Spirits, will receive their gifts at their shrine in my back yard.



  St John's Day  - June 24- is an herb gathering day. St John's wort grows in abundance here in Northern Michigan and if the herb has flowered then I make a day of it with hiking and gathering the plant tops for future use in tinctures, soaps, and oils.

Are there summer magical milestones that you observe? I would love to hear about them in the comments section!