Merry Rose Garden Herbs : Dill

The Alchemy Works webpage has details about the legends and uses for Dill.
http://www.alchemy-works.com/anethum_graveolens.html

Merry Rose Herbal Recipes : Trefoil , John's Wort , Vervain , Dill

In Mary Stewart's novel Thornyhold, the heroine Geillis Ramsey, known as Gilly, inherits an isolated but magical home from her cousin. When she looks through her new home, she finds a "still room." On the center table is a bowl containing four herbs: trefoil, John's Wort, Vervain, Dill. Then she remembers the old rhyme: "Trefoil, John's-wort, Vervain, Dill, hinder witches of their will."

This gentle protection charm is easy to make with ingredients from the kitchen, the yard, or the local herbal store. Trefoil is common three leaf clover. Dill is usually in everyone's kitchen. St. John's Wort and Blue Vervain are available in most health food stores that stock herbs.

Mix up a lovely batch of sweet-smelling herbs and keep in your home, office, or car: anywhere for fresh scent and legendary protection.

"[Trefoil] has a long tradition of use as a protection against magic: an old rhyme says, "Vervaine and dill/ Hinder witches of their will." (Another version says, "Trefoil, vervain, St. John's Wort, dill/ Hinder witches of their will." In either case, this is specifically meant against evil witches: the healers actually used all of these herbs.) http://windspirit57.tripod.com/id4.html

Here are some hints and guidelines when gathering herbs.

Before picking trefoil, make sure to have either a small amount of milk or some ginger, fresh or powdered. Leave the milk or ginger as gifts for the Little People to thank them for the herb. This practice keeps humans on good terms with these faery folk.

Be careful about stepping on St. John's Wort after the sun sets:
"...true it is alleged to be that, if on the Isle of Man you tread on St. John's wort after sunset, a fairy horse will rise from the earth and bear you about the whole long night, only leaving you when dawn comes."

Dill seeds are said to help with love, to help with court cases, and to help with health.

Vervain requires honey, which should be left after picking. Many people wait until the new moon, to pick this herb.
http://www.janih.com/lady/herbs/magick/V.html

Resources
http://books.google.com/books?id=2JYF1Uj2o2QC&pg=PA237&lpg=PA237&dq=trefoil+johns+wort+vervain+dill&source=bl&ots=XBcWh-dn8N&sig=CnPfP-8fX_eaVPh1XHdCUCqztcw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UhXXUq7POM-QyQHO8YHQCA&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=trefoil%20johns%20wort%20vervain%20dill&f=false

How to Display and Store Antique Books : Vertical, Supported, Out of Sunlight, Out of Dust

There are guidelines to storing and displaying antique books.

On shelves, it's best to store them vertically, supported by other, stronger books or boxes.
At the same time, allow for air circulation, as much as possible.
Books over 18 inches should be stored flat.
You can carefully place other similar-sized large books on top.
Avoid over-burdening stacked books.
For more suggestions, you can visit this website on How Stuff Works:

http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/family/care-for-antique-books.htm

A November Day with Fresh Flowers and a Kitty

This is a beautiful, windy November day, as warm as an October Indian Summer day.
Inside the Merry Rose home, we have fresh flowers from loved ones for special occasions.
The kitty is not supposed to be on the table, but looked so cute that there was time for a photo.
Have a Wonderful November!

Happy Halloween from Witch and Friends 2013

Happy Halloween from
Witch and Friends

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Witch_and_Friends.jpg

1884
Source	http://www.reusableart.com/d/1682-2/witch-images-03.jpg Gallery page http://www.reusableart.com/v/holidays/halloween/witch-images-03.jpg.html
Author	unknown, author is Kriss Kringle aka Clement Clark Moore (1779-1863)

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Illustrations by Arthur Rackham

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Illustrations by Arthur Rackham

 

http://theartofchildrenspicturebooks.blogspot.com/2011/09/legend-of-sleepy-hollow.html

October 01, 2013 "...Now for October Eves!" by Humbert Wolfe

“Listen! The wind is rising,

and the air is wild with leaves,
We have had our summer evenings,

now for October eves!”

 

A poem by Humbert Wolfe (January 5, 1885 to January 5 1940)

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/107268-listen-the-wind-is-rising-and-the-air-is-wild