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#common st johns wort

wildflowers-of-southern-ontario · 6 months

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Common St. John's-Wort Hypericum perforatum Hypericaceae

Photograph taken on July 3, 2023, at Marmora and Lake, Ontario, Canada.

#wildflowers of southern ontario #yellow #Common St. John's-Wort #common st johns wort #st johns wort #St. John's Wort #Hypericum perforatum #Hypericum #Hypericaceae #wildflowers #wildflower #marmora #marmora and lake #ontario #canada

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dansnaturepictures · 2 years

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25/09/2022-Shatterford in the New Forest and some bits at home

We came to Shatterford for a walk today for my first visit for a long time. I can just about recall when I was last in the vicinity of this area we sometimes head this way from Denny Wood, but can’t recall how long it’s been since I actually walked from this car park it could be as much as six years ago. So it was great to be back and have a lovely walk around this beautiful spot which we once went to regularly. We took in some smashing views in this open walk, which blends heathland today covered in nice bright bits of purple heather still, bog adorned by cotton grass today, a muddy lake, varied woodland with great birch, pine and other trees looking nice bringing a green glow to the landscape with a few bits of autumnal colour. There were great layers in the landscape with grass and heather mixing well. Seeing the sun sat at the edge of the clouds created nice creamy light here today and there were some nice sky scenes. I took the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh pictures in this photoset of views here today.

Pretty bogbean, lovely yellow tormentil, hawksbeard type flowers, some water mint in the water, gorse, some marsh St. John’s-wort leaves I believe and devil’s-bit scabious a stunning flower seen for the third weekend running added to cotton grass and heather in a nice array of plants seen today. Bracken including some going orange, rose hips and some lovely little mushrooms of brown and a medium one of purple were lovely to see today as well. Insect wise a Migrant Hawker and Common Darters both on the grass near the bog and on the sand and a crane fly in the heath were smashing sights on the walk.

It was a walk where we saw a lot of great birds, including lots of Stonechats again lately chatting well and Swallows with one parading intimately over us. Two or three Stock Doves with their stark colours made pleasant sights in the middle of the landscape by the pond seen flying and high on bare trees where they can often be seen it is a good area for them in the forest we have seen them at Pig Bush and Denny Wood either side of this walk. A gem flitting between the sandy path and surrounding vegetation were olive coloured Willow Warblers a bird I have loved seeing a lot this year. It was good to see/hear a Grey Wagtail too near the wetter areas. A possible Whinchat seen was a good one and another that we saw quite quickly and believe it was this was a striking Woodlark.

I saw the other day that pannage had begun, where New Forest commoners can exercise their right to turn out pigs to eat the threatening to ponies and cattle fallen acorns and other fruit in the autumn. I have seen a fair few acorns this year already. I just had a funny feeling when deciding to come for a forest walk today and I suggested Shatterford that we might come across a pig. And at the pine clad car park at the end of the walk we noticed three small pigs. It was amazing to watch these characteristic animals trot around merrily and feed. They are such entertaining and captivating animals to watch and it was a pleasure to be immersed into their world for a bit. It’s quirky that they are quite a difficult mammal to photograph as you can barely see their eyes as their handkerchief like ears dangle down to cover them. I did manage the eighth and ninth pictures in this photoset of these pigs among others which I tweeted tonight on Dans_Pictures though. A wonderful few minutes that as always gave me that special New Forest feeling and raw feeling of the excitement of autumn.

At home today I enjoyed Collared Doves in the sun against the pristine blue sky, the plume moth again tonight, scenes of bright green trees out the window, fuchsia some of which I took the first picture in this photoset of before going out today, dahlia, sedum and other flowers. There were some exquisite sky scenes seen from home this evening which looked really beautiful with frizzy bits of cloud, long light and dark clouds and a variety of other clouds and great bits of light from the sun behind. I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of a sky scene at home tonight. A key weekend of my year and a brilliant and relaxing one comes to an end, I hope you all have a good new week.

Wildlife Sightings Summary for Shatterford: Stonechat, possible Whinchat, possible Woodlark, Willow Warbler, Grey Wagtail, Swallow, Stock Dove, Magpie, Common Darter, Migrant Hawker, crane fly, another fly and I heard Meadow Pipit I believe. It was nice to see one of my favourite mammals the New Forest Pony too on a good walk for mammals and see a young one feeding from its mother on the way back with Fallow Deer seen on the way home in the forest too. I saw a nice couple of Ravens I believe going past Denny Wood on the way in.

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biteofcherry · 7 months

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Yours to have

Bad Moon Rising Masterlist

Alpha!Ari Levinson x omega female reader

summary: It's the ceremony of your mating with Ari.

warnings: mystical vibes of ancient rituals; a/b/o dynamics; a pinch of exhibitionism; slight breeding kink; primal kink; shifters; shifter!Ari; wolf!Ari; shifter!Reader; no bestiality

word count: 5.4k

Author's Note: This is a tad different take on the usual claiming/biting in the a/b/o universe. The magic is more at play here in forming the mating bond, not the actual biting. As you read, you'll understand what exactly I changed about it and why. Also, a person called godi appears in this piece. The title of godi refers to a priest/ess of old pagan religions, leading mystical rituals (it's mostly Old Norse origin, but here it's simply used as a term to name the pack's sort of priestess).

The little sip of black currant liqueur you took before all the guests gathered in the wide, unfenced backyard didn’t help easing the tempo of your heart rate, as you finally took a step outside.

The silvery sphere of the full moon rose above the treetops, crowned in a gold and reddish halo as if the goddess herself knew of the special celebration about to take place.

Both packs were present - or you should say one pack, as now your people were merged into one under the rule of Ari. People stood to the sides, making a wide path for you to cross toward the arch weaved of evergreen branches, where your future mate awaited along with the pack’s godi.

It was the redhead who stole curious glances your way ever since Ari’s pack started mingling with yours. What you saw at first as some sort of jealousy, because Ari kept his claim on you known right away, relentlessly so, turned out to be mere curiosity. Perhaps also a mystical knowledge, which a godi was supposed to possess.

Her name was Alara and she was going to lead the ceremony of your mating.

Times were modern, shifters tended to bind themselves in very human-style weddings, but the Alpha had to honor old traditions. Especially if he chose to mate with an Omega. It was a stereotype as old as time and as such was expected to follow the ancient traditions.

In the weeks leading to the ceremony you spent some time with Alara, who taught you every step of the ceremony. It wasn't common knowledge, though there were parts of it passed on through generations via spoken tales. Like you were aware of the fact the ceremony had two phases and only a very few, selected shifters would be present for the second part.

The rather primal part.

Tiredness should weigh on your tense body, since you woke before dawn, but the anticipation and shot of excitement kept you fully energized. The early morning was part of tradition, as well. You walked into the woods with the first rays of sun to gather greens for the wreaths you were going to weave for yourself and your mate.

Mugwort, chamomile, wild ferns, St. John’s wort and a few twigs of juniper. You wore yours on your head as you slowly crossed through the backyard. In your hands you carried the twin wreath for Ari.

You were going to crown him with it, as a symbol of you choosing him to be yours. Later, when the second part of the ceremony started, he would take yours off of your head, as a symbol of taking your nonexistent virginity.

It was laughable, if you were cynically honest. Neither did you choose Ari, not really, nor were you a virgin. Not for a long time.

Something that Ari didn’t seem to care about.

Like he didn’t care that you were much older than overly fertile young women he could have chosen from. A small part of you found it quite pleasing, that he didn’t chase after girls half his age, but voiced his interest in you - someone who was merely a few years younger than him.

You walked barefoot, your simple white dress flowing around your ankles. It was no point in buying an actual, elegant wedding dress, considering you wouldn’t be wearing it for long once you got to the second part of the ceremony.

You wore no undergarments either.

You didn’t think Ari’s aware of that fact, but the way his gaze slid up your body as you approached him suggested he might be.

Then his eyes settled on your face and a certain lightness seemed to turn his irises aglow. There was seriousness and respect for the traditions carved onto his handsome face, but his mouth curved at the corners slightly, soothing and encouraging you.

Ari was barefoot, just like you; wearing elegant, linen pants and white shirt that was buttoned only halfway up.

It was so characteristic of him, you noticed. Over the weeks leading to your mating you’ve had enough opportunities to spend time with Ari - usually not out of your own volition, but because he was crossing into your space and inviting himself over. And most of the time at least two top buttons of his shirts were undone.

You wondered if it was some poor style choice, or if he ran so hot that he needed them unbuttoned.

Those thoughts invited others, more brazen. If he’d walk around the house without a shirt? If he slept naked? Questions you tried to convince yourself you didn’t care for, but which you’d very soon learn the answers to.

You stopped in front of Ari, lifting the wreath in your hands for him to admire. When he bowed his head, you put it on him. A startling flutter to your heart sprinkled warmth through your limbs as you looked at him crowned with a wreath you weaved.

Lanterns cast amber glow across your bodies as you placed your hands in Ari’s. It was neither their warmth, nor the evening’s sweet dispersing incalescence, but a simmer of heat ignited in your belly when you touched him.

Ever since he marked you with his cum, feeding you a dollop of it, it seemed your body attuned to his closeness with growing hunger.

You tried not to imagine how worse it could get once he fully claimed you.

Alara bound your hands with colorful ribbons; each for a different vow you spoke. Then she lifted an ornamental chalice, filled with sweetly smelling mead and a pinch of herbs.

With your hands bound, both you and Ari carefully took the chalice. He lifted it to your lips first. Pleasant thickness of it coated your tongue and slid down your throat, leaving a burning sensation that only spurred the fire in your belly.

In the books regarding mating ceremonies you read about a particular ingredient that used to be added to wine or mead for the bride to drink. According to Alara that hasn’t been done in at least a century and you really hoped she was truthful. It would be really disgusting if you were made to drink Ari’s cum in front of everyone, even if it was only a splash of it.

Apparently it used to be added to strengthen the bride’s desire for her mate.

You knew it would work. You still remembered how your body responded to the taste of Ari when he caught you.

You tipped the chalice slightly when it was Ari’s turn to take a sip; his eyes a glowing blue that seared through you as he held your gaze over the rim.

With your hands still bound, Ari pulled you forward. He took your mouth in a bold kiss that burned stronger than the rich alcohol you just consumed. Loud cheers resounded around, but were faded compared to the pounding of your own blood rushing through vessels as you melted under the demand of Ari’s lips.

There was amusement and giggles as you and Ari worked your hands free of the bindings. No scissors or claws could be used to cut through them, you had to work the knots together. Then the bundle of colorful ribbons was placed in a small, carved box.

You gasped in surprise - the sound dispersing on your palate - when Ari kissed you again.

Hands completely free, he grabbed you fully, dipping you backwards as his tongue dipped between your lips. The chorus of applause included a few howls.

You felt a little dizzy (and a lot hot) when Ari pulled back. If not for his arm loosely wrapped around your middle, you may have swayed. Eyes glazed, though you weren’t certain if it was due to the potent mead, or the reality of mating Ari hitting you suddenly; you stared up at him.

With the spark in his iridescent irises, you sensed he was equally excited for the next part as you were terrified of it.

But your fear didn’t make you flee; not this time, at least. It was that kind of fear that lured to follow into the darkness and experience the thrill of being consumed. Curiosity and apprehension combined into an addictive kind of sensation.

Was it why you felt that spark of arousal whenever you ran away and Ari gave chase?

The first thought making you run could be of rebellion, of trying to free yourself of the Alpha’s clutches. But the chase made it into heady titillation.

The unknown of the mystical, sacred part of the ceremony spiked that fear, but the aspect of doing it with Ari - whatever raw, dirty act it would be - heated your body in anticipation.

Alara addressed the gathered people, calling upon them to feast in joy for your union. Then she took one of the lanterns and led a small procession deep into the woods. Five other shifters fell into step behind her - three of Ari’s pack and two of yours. Chosen for their hierarchy in the pack, they were granted great honor to be witnesses to the second part of the ceremony.

Though you briefly wondered, if Dante wasn’t asked to do it also as some sort of twisted power play. He was a member of your old pack and it seemed Ari respected his knowledge, experience and dedication to protect people. However, there was no doubt Ari would have learned that you and Dante used to date.

It ended more than three years ago, the two of you remaining somewhat friendly if distanced. But male shifters tended to be extremely possessive. Ari was borderline so. It wouldn’t surprise you if the honor to participate in your ceremony wasn’t also Ari’s way of emasculating Dante in case he harbored any lustful thoughts of you.

Ari’s fingers intertwined with yours as you followed Alara through the darkness of the woods. The lantern was merely symbolic, as your shifter senses allowed all of you to move through the night quite easily.

When you reached a wide clearing, the five shifters spread around, taking positions in a spread semi-circle. Alara led you forward to the middle of the meadow where a few items had been prepared in advance.

“You shall undress each other, so the Moon can bathe you in her glow,” Alara’s voice was soft and melodic, her lips curved in a gentle smile, but her eyes were sharp and wild. Gold swirls painted on her face seemed to pulse with life.

Breath hitched in your throat when Ari’s hands smoothed along your shoulders, the straps of your dress easily giving in as he pushed them off. Leaning close, he reached behind you and unzipped the short zipper of your dress, then pulled the delicate fabric off your body.

Trying not to think of being completely naked in front of him - and in front of five other shifters! - you unbuttoned his shirt, one small button after another. Your fingers itched to explore the expanse of Ari’s chest, but you stifled that craving and managed to touch as little of his skin as possible as you pushed the shirt off his shoulders.

Staring at his chest, you popped the button of his pants open and lowered the zipper. You couldn’t make yourself look Ari into the eyes, fearing to see the heat in them and perhaps a sense of dark, lustful victory.

It was better not to peek down, too. The glimpse of Ari’s cock you got when he came all over you after he caught you in the woods was enough of torment in the past few weeks; tempting your body into overdrive as you dreamt of it.

You stepped away from the pile of clothes and faced each other. Heart pounding in your chest, you finally lifted your gaze to Ari’s face. Without Alara’s prompting, as if he knew each step of the ceremony by heart, Ari took off his wreath and placed it at godi’s feet.

Then he reached for your wreath. In a slow, gentle move, he took it off.

It was only a symbol, one you previously rolled your eyes at, but the moment Ari’s fingers gripped the green weaves and deprived you of them, a light, pleasant sting pierced your core.

Your wreath was offered at Alara’s feet as well; the godi served as a conduit of the Moon goddess.

“Shift.” The command was simple, unyielding enough that you didn’t protest, even though you were surprised by it.

When Alara taught you stages of the ceremony, she didn’t mention letting your wolf out. You hesitated only a few seconds, before you gave in to the pull itching beneath your skin. For a split of a second you got to admire Ari’s wolf with your human eyes, then you were seeing him through your wolf’s.

You were a streak of silver, light coloring that some of your former partners expressed to be the moonlight itself crushed into fur. Though you weren’t the smallest of wolves, placing yourself as rather average among shifters, you seemed tiny compared to Ari’s wolf.

Your Alpha was a beast of fairy tales. So big and domineering. His thick fur was a spectrum of bronze, with some streaks glinting gold, some reddish, the tip of his tail as dark as black.

In that moment it hit you how perfect of a predator he was. As a human you noticed his scent that blended him so easily with the forest - pine and moss and resin. His wolf form blended into the woods even deeper, allowing him to gain the upper hand in any season, any part of the land.

Ari’s paw dug into soil as he made a move toward you. Something flicked through your hindbrain, or perhaps it was your human side all along, but you suddenly felt the need to bolt.

To tease him, maybe. Or perhaps you couldn’t suppress that remnant of rebellion against this union.

Your wolf barely managed to turn around and start forward when Ari leaped. The massive wolf crushed you to the ground, your wolf yipping as he trapped you beneath him. Then his jaw locked on your neck, sharp teeth piercing enough to be a warning.

A shudder rippled through you, your head dropping down in submission. Ari snarled and for a moment you found yourself scrambling to understand what he wanted. But your wolf knew. With another pitiful yip she went lax, surrendering completely. A lick of approval soothed the spot where his fangs nipped you.

Slowly, Ari eased back. You remained in your position, not daring yet to move. Then suddenly a low growl of his reverberated through your bones.

It yanked on that shifter thread inside you, forcing an immediate shift.

Never before had anything like it happened, it was always your own volition to change into wolf form and back into human. And Ari just proved to you how much power he held.

Alphas supposedly possessed that ability - to force any shifter into immediate change, but you never saw Dimitri do it to anyone. You didn’t think Ari’s done it to scare you, or belittle you in any way, rather you felt it as his help to guide you into the next step of the ceremony.

Yet it still elicited a scary realization, how truly he could overpower you. If you ever ran away in your wolf form, he could command your immediate shift into human and gain more advantage.

Ari gently helped you up onto your feet, having shifted into human form himself. The care and respect he showed contrasted with the display of raw power.

Your gaze shifted to Alara, a glint of offense at not being prepared for that part of the proceedings. She only smiled as she beckoned the two of you closer.

“The wolf’s submission had to be natural, had to be earned,” she explained. “If I warned you of it, then it could provoke you to either fake it, or fight it just out of spite.”

You wouldn’t tell her that you felt your wolf submit to Ari weeks ago, when he tackled you to the ground after chasing you through the woods. The bitch gave in then.

Alara picked a bowl filled with sweet scented mixture. Linden honey, cloves, lovage and crushed cranberries for the red color. She lifted it up to the sky, muttering a string of blessings, or spells, or whatever curse. Then she lowered it towards Ari.

“Under the Moon’s keen eye, brand what’s yours to have.”

She held the bowl as Ari dipped his hand in the mixture. He marked a spot on your temple first. Then smeared the honey across your mouth. Your lips parted, letting the sweet taste in. And letting a little gasp out when Ari’s hand left streaks of sticky concoction across your breasts.

You couldn’t tear your gaze away from Ari’s eyes when he dipped both his hands for more mixture and then splayed one on your ass and his other palm over your abdomen.

He crouched down to better drive his fingers up the inside of your thigh and then along the juncture in your hip, before ending the sweet swirl in the thatch of your hair right above your softly pulsing clit.

Each streak he painted on your naked body seemed to seep into your skin and feed to the fire already burning you with need.

A thought to chase Ari’s fingers with your mouth, to suck them clean so he could slip them into your wet pussy, flashed in your mind. It was Alara’s voice addressing you that stopped you from making a fool of yourself.

“Under the Moon’s keen eye, brand what’s yours to have.” She tipped the bowl your way.

Fingers dripping with red stained honey, you reached up to touch Ari’s temple. When you brushed your fingertips across his mouth, you almost pouted in disappointment he didn’t nip at any of your digits.

Focusing on regulating your breath, so you didn’t pant, you used both of your hands to mark Ari’s huge biceps. Then, just because you were getting needy and annoyed with yourself because of that, you scratched his chest a bit as you smeared the mixture across his pectorals.

Perhaps you saw it in the way Ari’s eyes darkened, or maybe it was already the bond building between the two of you, but you felt certain that he liked when you scratched him.

Your eyes followed the line your fingers drew along the thatch of hair leading down Ari’s belly and lower. Scooping more honey from the bowl, you knelt at Ari’s feet and dragged both hands up his muscular legs, until you gripped his ass.

Your breath quickened as you stared at the half-hard cock rising toward Ari’s belly. Slowly, you swiped your hands from the back of his thighs to the front, using all of your melting will to not taste him right away.

Instead, you boldly looked up. Ari’s pupils were blown wide as he stared at you - on your knees, lips inches away from his cock, about to mark it as a part of him for you to have. Holding his gaze, you wrapped your fingers around him.

If it wasn’t for Ari’s self restraint, you probably would follow the instinct, the hunger tempting you to move your hand and start what would inevitably happen in a few minutes anyway. After all, sex was the culmination of the ceremony. But Ari’s own fingers gently caught your wrist.

He helped you up. Again that night.

For as amused as she had to be, Alara didn’t spare you a knowing, mocking look. She put the bowl away and picked another dish. This one a simple terracotta pot, bearing marks of time.

“For Nature, the Mother of us all,” Alara intoned, “make a pledge to the earth to show your readiness to fall in with the cycle.”

Ari knelt down and started digging with his bare hands while you filled both hands with seeds and flower bulbs from the terracotta pot. Kneeling on the ground as well, you planted them in the furrow created by Ari. Then both of you covered the seeds with soil, your hands joined as you did so.

You washed your hands in the bassinet with fresh water that Alara placed beside you. She poured into it what was left of the honey mixture, then dipped a small bouquet of ferns in it and used them to sprinkle the mixture over you and Ari.

“Blessed be this union!” Alara bellowed, hands stretched high toward the night sky. “Moon, our goddess! As you cast your light upon your favored, embrace his mate. Through the eyes of the witnesses gathered here, watch as they seal their claim on each other.”

Arms slowly dropping, Alara stared at you as she took a few steps backwards. Silence stretched in tense anticipation.

It dawned on you then. That was the most important part. The culmination.

And there were people around, about to witness your coupling.

Ari’s hand cupped your chin, preventing you from looking anywhere else but him. No one else should matter now. No other shifter, no woodland creature, nor the stars peppering the sky. There was only your mate.

He tilted your head back slightly and leaned in. Tip of Ari’s tongue flicked against your bottom lip, licking off the sweetness. Lips trailed sticky kisses across your cheek, until his breath tickled the shell of your ear.

“You’re ready, little Omega,” he purred, slipping a hand between your thighs.

At the bold touch of his fingers spreading your slick folds, your hands flew to Ari’s shoulders. Fingernails of your right hand needled his skin, while you gripped a fistful of his hair with the other.

“You’re already mine,” he sounded more than pleased; he sounded drunk on victory after months of chase. “But I’ll pound it into your tight pussy, so you feel that bond with every step.”

He growled in satisfaction as you moaned, rocking your hips into his hand. He stretched you with a firm stroke of his fingers, driving in two at once and pressing the heel of his palm into your clit.

Gripping the back of your neck with his other hand, Ari kept pumping his fingers and curling them until your juices were spilling over his palm.

“Ask me!” He demanded, licking off more of the honey around your mouth.

“Alpha,” your voice was raspy and breathy, “fuck me! Knot me. Claim me!”

It was only your heart soaring and fluttering like a hummingbird trapped in grip, though it felt as if the earth itself shuddered beneath you from the force and heat of Ari’s kiss.

Perhaps there were more potent, illegal roots added to the mead Alara made you drink earlier, or to the honey mixture that soaked your bodies. Or maybe it was the vowed bond that grew taut and intense in its demand to be fulfilled in the most primal way.

Whatever spurred it, made you desperate. Needy. Your mouth opened pliant to Ari’s, ready to swallow whatever he fed you, ready to offer pleasure in return. Your hands roamed over his body; touching and squeezing and scratching.

When he eased his fingers out of your fluttering cunt, you almost whined in protest. But then he was gripping your hips and flipping you onto your hands and knees.

Your hindbrain took over, the wolf bitch coming to the surface just beneath your human skin. But it wasn’t only the wolf side that craved the warmth of Ari’s thighs pressing against the back of yours. Your human side wanted it to. The woman who resisted his claim was eager to bend forward and offer herself.

One of Ari’s big hands gripped your hip, the other moved between your bodies to guid the tip of his cock into your entrance.

With a broad lick up your spine, Ari laid his weight above you. He nipped the nape of your neck, more playful than he did in his wolf form, and you instinctively followed the unspoken command. You stretched your arms forward and dipped your upper body low, cheek pressed to the ground.

“Good little Omega,” Ari purred, kissing your neck.

A loud cry spilled from your lips, resounding through the clearing, maybe through the whole forest, when Ari sheathed himself inside you in one stroke.

He paused. To relish in the feeling, or to give you a moment to adjust - if it was the latter, you didn’t think it would help. Ari wasn’t some monstrous beast to have a dick you couldn’t take. It was impressive, but in very reasonable size. And yet, something about it made you quiver in fear (and excitement) of being split in half.

The first languid thrusts drew moans from both of you. Ari drove deep on each push, forcing your pussy to give up completely and nudging your cervix on a few passes. Then his pace increased, his filled heavy sack slapping against your clit.

Rough fingers dug into your hip, undoubtedly leaving bruises that would bloom later. His other hand roamed below your body, squeezing your breasts, teasing your belly. Ari’s mouth was in constant movement along your neck and shoulders: kissing and licking, teeth grazing your skin in a prelude to the bite.

You pushed up against him eagerly; the embarrassment at the sound of the skin slapping and wetness squelching on each thrust burned away. You didn’t care! Didn’t care who watched, or how loud you were, how you dripped. There was only need for more of Ari; need for him to help you chase that release you’ve been yearning for since your lips touched his.

Fingers gouging the soil, you keened when on the next thrust Ari’s cock grazed a spot that instantly had you clenching around him.

He groaned; the sound deep and low, sinking into your skin where Ari’s mouth hovered on your shoulder.

Your pussy pulsed, tightening around his dick, and he only made things worse still fucking into you relentlessly; prolonging the madness of your fizzing pleasure and tipping you into another climax.

Your scream rose as the blinding aftershocks of your orgasm were joined by the pain-and-pleasure shot of Ari’s teeth piercing your skin.

He bit into the crook of your neck, his jaw locked mercilessly as he drew blood and mauled your skin. Few seconds later Ari gurgled his growl of pleasure with a mouthful of your blood, as he bottomed out inside your quivering cunt and his knot inflated.

Another tremor rocked you, albeit softer, but stretching into infinity. A simmering orgasm that seemed to go on and on and on as spurts of thick cum filled you. As if each splash of Ari’s spend instigated a tiny climax.

Harmonized howls resounded in the night, for the first time reminding you of the audience you had. The five chosen shifters who had to change their form into wolves at some point, though you didn’t even register when.

You stayed locked with Ari for long minutes, your labored breaths synchronizing. Ari’s teeth retracted, his tongue soothing the wound.

You’d be wearing that scar for months. Many more would be added, you suspected. Due to his possessiveness, or his primal nature so close to the surface, but you were certain Ari would be biting you every time he fucked you. He was going to leave marks of possession so visible other shifters would instantly drop their gaze upon catching a sight of them.

Only you would be wearing the bite. While mates tended to exchange bites, so each was marked as claimed, an Alpha couldn’t be bitten. Not even by his mate.

For an Alpha a bite meant a loss of status, a chink in his power; it would be a sign of weakness and submission. Traits an Alpha couldn’t display.

But there were other ways a mate could mark an Alpha. Which is why you felt that need to scratch him from the beginning. To rake your nails down his back and over his chest, leaving deep red lines of your own possession.

Still a little breathless, you reached one of your dirty hands behind you. Prickling Ari’s neck with your nails, you turned your head enough to kiss him.

Slowly, Ari pulled back and moved your body along with him. You rose onto your hands and knees. Knot almost deflated, he withdrew from you inch by inch. Copious amount of fluid spilled out of you; a glistening mixture of your slick and Ari’s cum.

It splashed onto the soil in thick drops; right over the seeds you planted earlier.

With his arm across your front, Ari helped you up into a sitting position, serving for you as his recliner. Your head rested against his shoulder as he kept you spread; kept you exposed so the Moon and the others could see you dripping down.

Alara knelt at your side, bowing her forehead almost to the ground then lifting it. She placed her right hand on top of Ari’s where it rested low on your belly.

“As your essence has fertilized the seeds in the soil, may the Moon’s glow bless your fruitful coupling.”

Her hand didn’t linger, but Ari’s stayed splayed on your abdomen as Alara scooted back. You didn’t roll your eyes at the obvious eagerness to get you pregnant (both from Ari and the pack’s godi) only because you were still quite overwhelmed with the intensity of the whole ceremony.

Also because there was still need thrumming in your pulse.

Alara signaled the other shifters and they approached in a practiced formation, back in their human forms. They each picked the dishes that were used in the ceremony, then followed Alara out of the clearing.

You and Ari were left alone.

His hand stayed on your belly, the other sliding up between your breasts, fingers curling around the front of your neck. Ari trailed small, soft kisses along your shoulder, then scraped your jaw with his teeth.

“This is what I imagined from the moment my eyes set on you for the first time,” he confessed, the undertone of pure satisfaction clear in his voice.

“You wore a crown of flowers for the festivities and I knew I’d be taking off your bridal wreath and locking you on my knot.”

A tremor blew goosebumps on your skin. That very first evening you sensed trouble from catching the attention of an Alpha, but then you didn’t yet know how severe his determination was. He’d chase you to the end of the world to claim you.

You twisted in his arms, facing him and climbing into his lap. You cupped Ari’s face, smudging dirt over his cheeks. You could’ve held onto your resentment and rebellion, making the whole experience and nearest future a very miserable for you both. Somehow, you couldn’t make yourself do that. Not even that morning, when fleeting thoughts of giving a last run crossed your mind.

You were Ari’s now. As he was yours.

He’s shown you over the weeks that he’s ready to build this relationship with you. If the way he led the pack was any indication of how he’d be as a mate, you had a chance of creating something indestructible.

“And now you have me.” You rolled your hips, enjoying the twitch of his cock against your thigh. “Are you going to gloat?”

“A little bit,” Ari shrugged, flashing you a sexy grin.

“Mostly-” he palmed your ass and pulled your hips upward- “I’m going to worship you.”

He dropped you down onto his cock, hissing in pleasure as your heat enveloped him again. Your small moan at the stretch made his eyes ignite.

“Come, little Omega,” Ari laid down on his back and you braced your hands against his chest as you sank fully onto his cock. “Take me. Take your mate.”

Ari groaned as your nails drew more lines across his body, leaving pink trails that would gain in color in a few hours.

With his hands squeezing your ass, he urged you down as he thrust up into you. Your nails needled deeper, giving him a meek reflection of the sting you felt each time he bottomed out. When he knotted you again, you’d undoubtedly draw blood.

Then he’d sink his teeth into you again, stating his undisputed dominance even as he allowed you to claw him.

Your wolf growled her pleasure at the prospect.

#Ari Levinson x reader #Ari Levinson x you #Ari Levinson x female reader #Alpha!Ari Levinson #Alpha!Ari Levinson x you #shifter!Ari Levinson #wolf!Ari Levinson #Ari Levinson imagine #Ari Levinson fic #bad moon rising

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piscesseer · 11 months

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Honor the Sun: Summer Solstice ☀️

As the warm rays of the sun envelope us, we find ourselves at the Summer Solstice, also known as Litha or Midsummer. This holiday celebrates the sun’s power.

Summer Solstice is observed on June 21, 2023. This is the longest day of the year, and the shortest night. Litha is about the power of the sun. Before we welcome the dark side of the year, we acknowledge the peak of the solar year.

Many see Litha as a time of balance between light and dark, masculine and feminine energies, and our realm and the other. It’s a time to connect with nature, and enjoy the company of others.

The sun is shining the brightest on this day, symbolizing the peak of light and the triumph of the sun over darkness. The warmth of the sun gives us a sense of renewed strength and inspiration. It’s a reminder to embrace the abundance of beauty and nature surrounding us.

The Anglo-Saxons brought Litha with them to the British Isles when they settled in the 5th and 6th centuries. The Celts celebrated Litha, with the planting season just passing and wanting to call in a great harvest. It was essential to appease the solar Gods in some way. They would have hilltop bonfires and dancing. Many people would jump over the bonfires for good luck.

Many cultures have honored Gods and Goddesses of the Sun. These deities can be worshiped during Litha.

Some traditions believe in the battle of light and dark, where the Oak King and Holly King fight for control. During each Solstice, they battle for power and the balance shifts. The Oak King, who represents daylight, rules from the Winter Solstice to Litha. During this time, the day steadily gets longer. During Litha, when the Holly King wins, the days get darker until Yule.

Litha Correspondences:

Key Words: Warmth, Manifestation, Love, Light, Fertility, Unity, Success, Strength

Symbols: Sun, Flowers, Trees, Mushrooms, Honey, Bees

Herbs & Plants: Chamomile, Lavender, St. John’s Wort, Rosemary, Sunflowers, Daisy, Oranges

Colors: Gold, Green, Light Blue, Orange, Pink

Animals: Bees, Cows, Horses, Dragonfly, Songbirds

How to Celebrate Litha:

For most modern-day Pagans, Litha is a day of inner power and brightness. Fire rituals and barbecues are a common way to celebrate. This holiday celebrates Earth’s abundance and personal power.

Decorate the House and your altar. Adorn your altar with symbols of the sun, flowers, herbs and items that represent Litha. Some ideas: gold objects or coins, yellow and white flowers, lavender, circular items, symbols of the sun, seasonal flowers, fruits or crops (strawberries, sunflowers), citrus fruits.

Gather loved ones for a Litha feast, abundant with seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs. Having a summer barbecue counts! Savor the flavors of the Earth’s bounty and share in the joy of community. As you dine, express gratitude to the land for the nourishment.

Kindling a bonfire is a time-honored tradition of Litha. Traditionally, people stayed up all night on Midsummer’s Eve to welcome and watch the sunrises. Bonfires were lit on tops of hills and at sacred places to honor the Sun. A bonfire represents the Sun at the peak of its strength. People danced and leaped around them. Coals from the Midsummer fire were scattered on the fields to ensure good harvest. Today, you can gather friends and family to hold a Midsummer Night’s Fire Ritual. Celebrate the season with a big bonfire and form a circle around the dancing flames. As the fire crackles, offer gratitude for the sun’s life-giving energy. Release any burdens of negativity into the fire, allowing the power of flames to cleanse or renew your spirit. In addition, you can write these things down and burn them in the fire to symbolically let go of what is no longer serving you.

If you prefer spending your time alone this Summer Solstice, there are plenty of small ways you can celebrate.

Craft a beautiful flower crown using vibrant blossoms or herbs that correlate to the holiday. Wear it as a symbol of your connection to nature.

Take a stroll through a blooming garden, a lush forest, or a sunkissed meadow. Listen to the melody of a birdsong, breathe in the fresh air, and take in the majesty of nature. Allow yourself to be in the present moment, embracing the interconnectedness of all beings. Gather flowers, herbs, or stones that resonate with you to use in rituals or as decoration.

Meditate about the light and dark forces in the world or in yourself. Find ways that you can bring more lightness into your life and get in touch with the joyful parts of life. Journal, do yoga, practice self-care or take a walk. Stargazing is another way to reflect on yourself.

Focus on your goals and nurture your intentions. You should see results in the harvest season.

Find a natural body of water such as a river, lake or ocean and immerse yourself in the waters, or at least a part of your body. As you do this, visualize negative energies or emotions being washed away. Offer a prayer of gratitude to the water element for its purifying properties.

Cast spells of fruition. It’s a great time for spells of success, abundance, love, purification, protection and parenthood.

This celebration beckons us to embrace the power of the sun and revel in the abundance of the summer season. Celebrate life, growth, and the eternal cycle of nature. May the blessings of Litha fill our hearts with warmth and inspiration through the year!

For more detail on this celebration, visit this post!

#litha #midsummer #summer solstice #holidays #celebrations #summer

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ofthecrowsandcranes · 4 months

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52 herbs/plants for the @2024-grimoire-challenge

including: some of my favourites, some local plants, and some i know are in my cabinet

bay

echinacea

crape myrtle

sorrel

nettle/deadnettle

sunflower

lemongrass

mullein

mugwort

star anise

olive leaf

hibiscus petals

hawthorn berry

st. john's wort

dandelion root

eucalyptus

calamus root

anise seed

angelica root

hyssop

orange peel

cedar

calendula

lemon peel

jasmine

chamomile

rosemary

thyme

sumac

basil

sesame

garlic

oak

dogwood

magnolia

juniper

sage

dandelion

willow

ginger

cinnamon

maple

clove

ragwort

salvia

hackberry

rose

violet

ironweed

cattails

sweetgum

lemon balm

what i'll be looking for while researching/how i'll be structuring my research entries under the cut

name of plant: scientific and most common names

location: current locale, origin, climate it prefers, invasive status

identifying characteristics: leaves, flowers, stem, smell, colour, all that

method of acquisition: how easy is it to get/where to get it

use: medical, agricultural, industrial, culinary, cultural, magical

personal notes: my experiences with this plant + any salient UPG

image: best artistic rendition i can manage

#plants #2024 grimoire challenge #mine

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turtlesandfrogs · 4 months

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One of the interesting things I've noticed (been frustrated by) is that while some herbs have a whole bunch of studies done of them, and have multiple systematic reviews and are generally well studied (*cough* St. John's Wort *cough*) others have very little research done on them.

One example of this is red Raspberry leaf and its use for treating menstrual cramps, or dysmenorrhea in the literature. Red raspberry leaf is pretty well known by people in general where I am, to the point that people who don't know anything about herbalism at all know about raspberry leaf tea for menstrual cramps. It is in many herbal books, and if you look at online forums, loads of people are saying it's effective for them, some even going so far as to say it is the only thing that works for their cramps.

Seems like something worth looking into the science of, right?

But when I go to look at the research that I can access (as a non-student, non-researcher), there's very little on raspberry for this use. I found:

One article* in the Lancet from 1941 that looked at the effects of raspberry leaf on animal uteruses, which I would recommend not reading if you're squeamish about descriptions of animal experimentation.

A paper** that referenced the above and the traditional medicinal use of raspberry, and then treated human patients with dysmenorrhea with a combination of five different herbs in one pill. It did find a positive effect, but also one of the other herbs themselves are well studied in this and has a good amount of evidence to back it up.

A review*** that says they found both mild and effective herbal treatments in the literature, but doesn't let you actually read what they are without purchasing the article, which is a massive barrier. And it doesn't reference any clinical studies on raspberry leaf. Any. Which makes me suspect there aren't any studies to reference.

Another article that just references the 1941 article and traditional knowledge.

Finally, a paper in 2002****, this time on guinea-pig ileum. They did find that it had an antispasmodic effect on the guinea pig's small intestine in test tubes.

And that is it. That's all I can find through Science Direct or Google Scholar. No large scale, double-blind, placebo controlled studies in humans. No single-herb studies in humans. No in vivo studies in humans. No review articles, because there is nothing to review. To be clear, these things all exist for other herbs, and I'm super stoked to read them.

And I'm kinda really frustrated, because menstrual cramps are really common, monthly occurrence for about half the population. They suck. If you listen to people who drink raspberry leaf tea, they say it is very effective, going so far as to prevent menstrual cramps from ever happening. You would think that this would be something that scientists have studied, because that's a huge amount of possibly preventable pain.

And yeah, we have over the counter pain medication now, but it still seems like someone would have looked into it. Because I don't think I'm the only one who would prefer having a cup of tea over the other options.

* https://www.sciencedirect.com/sdfe/pdf/download/eid/1-s2.0-S0140673600713481/first-page-pdf JH Burn, ER Withell "A principle in raspberry leaves which relaxes uterine muscle" The Lancet, 1941

** Bone, Kerry. "Phytotherapy for pain management in dysmenorrhea." Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients 258 (2005): 57-60.

*** https://www.eurekaselect.com/article/95649 Rashmi Saxena Pal*, Yogendra Pal, Pranay Wal, Nikita Saraswat and Ankita Wal, "A Novel Approach on Review of Herbal Menstrual Cramps Relievers" Current Women`s Health Reviews 2019

**** https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ptr.1040 Janne Rojas-Vera, Asmita V. Patel, "Relaxant activity of raspberry ( Rubus idaeus) leaf extract in guinea-pig ileum in vitro" Phytotherapy Research, 2002

#herbalism #menstrual cramps #red raspberry

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project-sekai-facts · 9 months

Note

any chance you happen to have a list of flowers in everyones 1st year birthday cards?

i just got these off the wiki so apologies if any of this is wrong

Virtual Singer

Miku: sunflowers, gentians, hibiscus, chinese milk-vetch (on her dress)

Rin & Len: pansies, lady slipper orchid (on blazer)

Luka: grape hyacinth, sagebrush buttercups, society garlic flowers

MEIKO: egyptian star cluster, moss roses

KAITO: hyacinths, snowflake flowers

Leo/need

Ichika: geraniums, creeping zinnias (also some small flowers I couldn't identify)

Saki: dogwood flowers, white clovers

Honami: gerberas, chocolate cosmos, multiflora rose

Shiho: magnolias, violets (on her accessories)

MORE MORE JUMP!

Minori: daisy fleabanes, scotch broom, blue milkweed

Haruka: yellow cosmos, spider flowers

Airi: star jasmines

Shizuku: strawberry begonias, blossoms (the wiki said this was firethorn but imo it looks closer to some sort of blossom. the leaves aren't the right shape)

Vivid BAD SQUAD

Kohane: persian buttercup/ranunculus, iceland poppies

An: larkspur, tickseed

Akito: elatior begonias, lemon flowers

Toya: persian buttercup/ranunculus, yuzu flower (on blazer), pansies, wisteria (in the background)

WonderlandsxShowtime

Tsukasa: yellow tulips, persian violets, peonies

Emu: sea asters, skunkvine, chrysanthemum (ogiku style)

Nene: bougainvilleas/paperflowers, sunflowers, prairie gentians

Rui: common vervains/verbena, astrantia/great masterwort, hypericum erectum (a type of St John's Wort native to Japan, China and Korea. It doesn't have a common name)

25-ji, Nightcord de.

Kanade: crocuses, winter daphne

Mafuyu: cape marguerite, japanese rowan flowers, and i believe plumeria rubra

Ena: mountain laurels, baby blue eyes

Mizuki: bottle gourd flower, st john's wort, garden balsams. i'm not sure what the flower in their hair is, possibly some sort of lily?

the flowers are mostly the same on the second set of cards, though some are changed (notably Len who now has different flowers to Rin), and a few others gain or lose a flower or two. Tsukasa has fuchsias, An has paperflowers, airi i think has blossom and ena i think has yellow lupins now and that's as far as my flower knowledge goes.

#asks #cards #project sekai #you can probably be really delusional about the flower language in some of the cards. shippers have fun with that.#does it even count as delusional if it's something they put in the game? idk you guys have fun though

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emeraldlotusdivination · 11 months

Photo

How to Celebrate the Summer Solstice | Witch Tips

How should you celebrate the summer solstice? Also known as Litha, the summer solstice is one of the best times of year to manifest. It’s great for performing spells to increase abundance, passion, creativity, health and protection. With the vital power of the sun at its highest point, we have the longest day of the year to embrace life.

What can you do to celebrate the Summer Solstice?

Here are some tips you can practice as a witch or spiritual being who wants to get the most out of this special time.

Go outside & soak in the suns energy

Spend time enjoying the sun and its energy as it can purify and restore you spiritually.

Watch a sunrise or sunset

Embrace time outside by seeing the sun at its highest point, when it rises or when it sets. Regardless of when you’re able to get outside, take a second to appreciate the suns glow.

Light candles or have a bonfire

Traditionally, a bonfire and fire jumping were common practices during the Celtics celebrations of Litha. It was said that jumping or crossing through the fire would bring good luck. Please be mindful not to burn yourself, but it can be great to sit near a fire during this time. If a fire is not possible, lighting of a candle can also be done to invoke the energy of the sun.

Infuse solar water by leaving a glass of water in sunlight

Letting the suns rays infuse water can be done for many reasons. Some witches use Sun water similar to the popular Moon water where they will use the infused water in rituals and spellwork. You can opt to drink your solar water for the benefits of the sun (although please do not drink stagnant water and be mindful to refrigerate the water and drink it only within a day or two). You can use the solar water to water plants, cleanse crystals, cleanse your home, make sprays and infusions, etc.

Decorate with gold, yellow, red, orange, green, blue and white

Gold and yellow represent the suns rays. They also symbolize abundance, joy, confidence and optimism.

Red for passion. strength and courage.

Orange for vitality, health, joy and creativity.

Green represents the grass, nature, and the flourishing of new life.

Blue as an opposing color for the flames of the solstice to help balance with the calming, relaxing, watery colors of blue.

White because it is aways appropriate as it purifies and represents all colors.

Use herbs like rosemary, marigold, calendula

Herbs best used during the summer solstice include Rosemary, Marigold, Calendula, Rose, St. John's Wort (do not ingest if you take SSRI medication), Chamomile, Mugwort, Lavender, Hemp, Vervain, Sage, Mint and Thyme.

Use crystals like citrine, carnelian or sunstone

The best crystals to use during the summer solstice include citrine, carnelian, sunstone, golden healer quartz, amber, tiger’s eye, topaz, pyrite, peridot.

Use fire elements in your magickal rituals

Using the colors, herbs and crystals listed above. As well as incorporating flames, candle magick, fire related sigils, flame readings, etc.

Incorporate fire elements in your altar

See above for colors, herbs, and crystals to consider including in your altar. Having gold decoration pieces on your altar can be great at this time. You can also include fairies and Fae themed items on your altar to represents the connection to Fae at this time.

Pratice magick & gratitude

Summer solstice is a heightened time for magickal workings making it perfect to do your spell work, rituals and manifestations. It’s also important to practice gratitude for what the first half of the year has given us, for the seeds that have bloomed from the spring, and for the remainder of the year still ahead of us. Taking time to be grateful for all that we have in life is always a blessed opportunity and the summer solstice is a great time for reflection and shining a light on areas of our lives we want to improve upon.

Strengthen your connection with Faeries / Fae

Summer solstice is known as one of the best times of year for the veil to thin between our realm and the realm of the Fae. With the veil thin, it can be a great time to strengthen your relationship with the Fae by leaving them offerings and paying attention to notice their presence as you enjoy your blissful and abundant day. You can invite them to live in your garden or plants around your property. There is also the dance of the Fae, where many practitioners will dance and let loose to help invoke your intentions an inviting the Fae to join.

Please do note, the Fae can be quite impish and mischievous, so it is important to wear protection and do your research beforehand if you haven’t worked with them before.

Some lovely offerings to leave the Faeries include:

Mead

Honey

Wine

Milk

Herbs (see list above)

Sweets

Candles

Flowers / Flower Crowns

#witch tips #summer solstice #summer solstice ritual #ritual #new moon #litha #midsummer #witchy #faeries #fae #witchcraft #witch #witchcraft beginner #astrology #divine guidance

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shepherds-of-haven · 7 months

Note

Is saltwort 100% effective? Is there anything that would make it less effective (like how grapefruit and charcoal can interfere with birth control pills?) or are accidental pregnancies just the result of human error when one is taking it? Also along this vein would Tallys and Chase (since they’re the ones taking it regularly) insist MC also take it when they’re regularly sleeping together?

Hi, as mentioned here, saltwort has an 80% efficacy rate if only one partner takes it! I don't think Tallys and Chase would insist on MC taking it--it would certainly be a conversation, but it wouldn't be something they'd need to enforce in order to continue having regular relations with MC, but other steps might be taken on their end (like pulling out, etc.). I haven't personally thought of things that would interfere with saltwort in the way that charcoal does with BC pills (did not know about grapefruit though...!!), other than human error/timing (taking it irregularly or too close to sexy times to 'kick in') or allergies, but if I could see certain rare herbs tampering with its efficacy--not on a "common-as-grapefruit" level, but it would be like taking two kinds of prescribed medicines at the same time, or like taking st. john's wort and elderberry supplements simultaneously, something like that! So not super easy to accidentally do, or simple enough to catch ahead of time--it wouldn't be like eating a poppyseed bagel and then suddenly you're pregnant or something like that!

#Shepherds of Haven #saltwort #pregnancy #birth control #worldbuilding

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wildflowers-of-southern-ontario · 7 months

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Common St. John's-Wort Hypericum perforatum Hypericaceae

Photograph taken on July 3, 2023, at Marmora and Lake, Ontario, Canada.

#wildflowers of southern ontario #yellow #Common St. John's-Wort #common st johns wort #st johns wort #St. John's Wort #wildflowers #wildflower #Hypericum perforatum #Hypericaceae #Marmora #Marmora and Lake #Ontario #Canada #flora #nature

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dansnaturepictures · 9 months

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Round up of my wild week 6th-13th August 2023

Starting with butterflies this week and I had many more strong butterfly moments. Red Admiral, Comma and Holly Blue were among the highlights as I waved goodbye to another very enjoyable Big Butterfly Count period this year on a walk at Hook-with-Warsash on Sunday. Small Heath was a good one to see on that walk re-emerging into my year, which effervescent Brown Argus has done of late one I enjoyed at Lakeside this week and on Friday evening my first Small Copper locally since the spring was a memorable moment. I enjoyed Red Admirals immensely this week again what a year for them, and on a bonus evening walk this week at Lakeside on Thursday to my relative surprise I managed to see two or three Purple Hairstreaks flitting high over the northern oaks of the site. Transfixing butterflies which I've enjoyed an extraordinary run of seeing them so many times here since late June. Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, bright Brimstone and of course Small White, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown have been other key players for me across this week. Two standout moments of my week was being spellbound by a dainty Holly Blue in the front garden on Monday and getting valuable looks at a glorious Grayling at Milkham in the New Forest yesterday.

The Holly Blue in the garden

Green-veined White at Lakeside on Friday lunch time

Sticking with insects and it's been a good moth week as well with a few seen, with one I do like Double-striped Pug seen last night and only my second ever The White-point this morning seen at home. Two key species in an upturn in seeing moths of late. I have enjoyed delving into other areas of insects with some nice hoverflies seen including Thick-legged Hoverfly at Hook-with-Warsash, and I liked seeing Common Red Soldier beetle at Milkham yesterday and ladybird by Lakeside on Friday. It was very much a dragonfly week with both Migrant Hawker and Southern Hawker (dancing over me on Thursday evening) seen at Lakeside with migrant at Milkham too. At Milkham and Lakeside I also enjoyed Common Darters, especially seeing males well this week this ever present species of this time of year has started to take hold at Lakeside. In the way of mammals it was a really good week of Roe Deers I got some epic views of them at Lakeside this week and saw two at Hook-with-Warsash, with Grey Squirrel and New Forest Pony including foal seen well this week too.

The White-point

Common Darter at Lakeside on Friday evening

At Lakeside this week leading the way for bird sightings was getting to enjoy the two thriving families of Great Crested Grebes so much again, I never tire of seeing them with the humbugs coming on very nicely now with some showing bits of brown, as well as gulls. Black-headed Gull including some with winter plumage now are an ever present and at Lakeside and home it has been a joy not only this week but for a little while to see Lesser Black-backed Gulls including a juvenile. This is a species I am fond of. I also enjoyed Herring Gull including juvenile. It was a good week for seeing Peregrines on my Winchester office working days enjoying excellent views of both adults at Winchester Cathedral and St. Thomas Church. Moorhen was another one I saw well locally this week with as often happens this time of year starting to hear Ring-necked Parakeets again. Starlings in their massive gatherings which is always nice to see, House Sparrows, Collared Dove and Goldfinch have been key garden/from home birds this week. At Milkham I loved seeing a group of juvenile Goldfinches and some Great Tits, with Robin one I've seen a bit of this week seen too. Stonechat a highlight there as well as Hook-with-Warsash where I marveled at rustic and attractive Linnets a summer treat seeing them well including at puddles, there I also liked seeing Whitethroat and Buzzard. A slice of nautical bliss was brought by a late sighting of a dashing Sandwich Tern on a far reaching walk round there. I made the most of Swift and House Martin when seeing the former in Winchester this week and the latter across the week.

A nice view of a Greylag Goose in some time spent at Lakeside on Monday evening, I believe one of the ever growing youngsters.

One of the Hook-with-Warsash Linnets

For flowers I have seen some interesting different and new to me species this week including mugwort at Lakeside and marsh St. John's-wort at Milkham, as well as sneezewort there, lady's thumb aka redshank at Hook-with-Warsash and my first tansy of the year at Lakeside on Friday a unique and pretty one. Nothing represents the time of year better for me at Lakeside than a watery quartet of hemp agrimony, purple loosestrife, water mint and great willowherb, all of which it was great to see well this week. Oxeye daisy was a surprise package this week making a bit of a comeback locally. Red bartsia, scarlet pimpernel, St. John's-wort, pineappleweed and nightshade were other standouts this week. And then of course there is heather, in a cluster of New Forest walks lately I have seen it get ever more purple and yesterday at Milkham it was at its peak ripe colour adorning the undulating landscape. One of many great views taken in this week, in a week it was precious to be outside so much in different habitats. Also of note this week was a lot of fruit especially hawthorn berries seen again and enigmatic mossy rose galls, as well as the increased presence of mushrooms with many fascinating ones seen.

Common daisy, also a treat this week

A mushroom and wood avens in Winchester on Wednesday

A Thursday evening view at a bit of Lakeside I spent a lot of time this week.

Heathland on the walk at Milkham

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southernmermaidsgrotto · 7 months

Note

do you know of any herbalism resources specifically for mood swings/hormonal related mood issues?

Hi dear! First of all, the mandatory reminder that I am not a doctor so you should always pair your consultations to traditional authorities and folk healers (curanderos, yerberos, rootworkers, etc) with a visit to the corresponding doctor or licensed medical professional.

Also, always, always research each of these herbal allies before consumption and look for dosages, contraindications and drug interactions. You need to be making educated choices regarding what you're drinking and why, and how it's going to affect your body. Check with a professional when in doubt, describe to them your goals and why you want to use said herbal ally.

With that being said, yes, I have some recommendations. If you're the type to enjoy tea (and who isn't!) you can try drinking adaptogens in the morning, that is, herbal allies that help your body deal with inner and outer stressors and normalize everything. There's an immense variety of them, my personal favorite is mate (Ilex paraguariensis), which is common here in south america but other popular choices are ginseng (Panax ginseng) and ashwagandha (Withania somnifera).

Depending on what the other symptoms are (if you're anxious, depressed, have headaches or bleeding between periods, etc) there's different herbs that may help to adress the source of each of those issues. St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is common for depression, irritability and anxiety related to hormonal and reproductive health issues but has many drug interactions so consult with a doctor first. Chamomile works better for me personally, and has almost to no side effects or contraindications, but it is milder than st. john's wort and works in your body differently too. Each person's needs are different. Damiana (Turnera aphrodisiaca, Turnera diffusa) is a good hormone balancer and nervine, but it's not recommended for long-term use. Hoffmann recommends Vitex agnus-castus as a overall hormonal normalizer regardless of what hormone is causing issues, but says any bitter tonic can help, and there's many depending on which systems and symptoms you want to adress alongside the mood swings.

Basically, we'd need to see what other symptoms alongside mood swings you have and what the source of the issue is (if it's a specific hormone or stressor or what's the trigger to the problems you're facing, so we can know which systems we need to be addressing more holistically), while also being careful to not cause any harmful interactions with drugs or medication you may already be taking for these or other issues. Hope that helps!

Sources: Medical Herbalism by David Hoffmann, The Art and Practice of Spiritual Herbalism by Karen M Rose. Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness or symptoms, and should not be taken as, or instead of, professional medical advice.

#rootwork #herbalism #yerbera #curandera #curanderismo #mood swings #hormonal balance

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love-elizabeth · 6 months

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Field journal 📔

ID: Hypericum fasciculatum

Common name: Peelbark St. John’s wort, sandweed

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You may have heard of St. John’s wort as a supplement, but that does not come from any of our Florida native species of St. John’s wort. This particular species does contain the hypericin compound that is supposed to be healing in the right dose, but can cause dermatitis or photosensitization if not taken correctly.

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I always wondered why so many plants have “wort” in their name, and the answer is pretty simple: in Old English “wyrt” meant “plant.” At some point, the spelling changed to “wort” and was used commonly until the mid 1600s. So if you have a plant with “wort” in its name, it was probably first described and named more than 300 years ago.

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The Old English “wyrt” actually came from the Germanic word “wurtiz.” In addition to giving us “wyrt,” the word “wurtiz” also evolved into “Wurzel,” which is the modern German word for “root.”

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Shoutout to @geraldsavesflorida whose posts often dig into the language history of species names, which inspires me to do the same in my own research!

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📍Volusia County, FL

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#florida #hike #nature #naturelovers #outsideisfree #naturalist #volusiacounty #LoveFL #botany #westvolusiaFLA #visitwestvolusia #oldfloridanewvibe #stjohnswort #etymology #flawildflowers #autumn #fall #floridanativeplants #flowers #wildflowers @flawildflowerwatch

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cedar-glade · 1 year

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A hairy star chickweed with multiple flowers and stems with cauline petiolate foliage arises out of a choss pocket with rich mesic mineral soil.

An ode’ to Stellaria spp. a brand new group of interest to me.

I want to talk about this I do, These are from last year, here we have a case of me learning that I was just accepting these as just starry chickweed and realizing that I never learned to ID past that point. This is S. pubera but, why and how, usually I associate this plant with mesic woods only but in truth we see “it” as a complex everywhere, there are only a few legit Identifiers for this. These won’t show you good examples of this issue of ID or the complex but I took plenty of photos this year that I haven't uploaded on my cpu yet. The S. pubera complex seems to revolve more around site, height, morphology, and range restrictions, the flowers are the same in the complex and tend to be large, the issue with some minor distinctions are clumping populations with multiple stems and single stems individuals with one flower only per plant, the leafs tend to either be cauline entirely sessile or having lower petioles that are cauline with almost near clasping sessile leaves t’word the top. The interesting thing is I can still make a claim that it is S. pubera and not S. corei due to a few minor differences, It definitely helps to have a well backed range map too but these are somewhat incomplete due to mis-ID and un-updated herbarium specimens.

Two key characters Ive focused on are length of sepals being much longer on Core’s and the petals being almost fully dissected down to it’s attachment point.

Its more clear to see this S. pubera, the sepals are not longer than the petals and you can clearly see the 5 dissected petals that are bifidate instead of core’s which really looks like 10 petals at first glance. So, with that said, I can only ID these when they are in bloom. Most Key texts/ flora’s are also only up to par with this ID limit.

Stellaria corei, Tenessee chickweed, a cool species for sure now that I know it correlates with ecotone in many cases.

Stellaria corei, an interesting common name for something who’s core is the Ohio River Valley, Its one of those common gripes you learn to deal with because you have to accept a described from location as common name instead of just calling it Core’s starweed or chickweed. Ecotone rich mesic alkaline hill to dry alkaline species. Really a generalist but does occur more often in these specific woodland ecotones.

Stellaria fontinalis, I literally went to TN and was at Mays prairie, I was distracted and I feel really dumb too many distracting endemics imo, At the same time, I was very distracted by snowy orchids, blue rattlesnake master, 10 species of st. johns worts, Silphium mohrii and many other cool species. This is a wet karst species that I managed to overlook :/ learned about it this year, rather 2 months ago in prep with plant walks.

Stellaria pubera, starry as a complex, common chickweed, Coastal, Great Plains, Pacific, Atlantic, Upper Midwest, Rocky, and Mesic, SIngle flowered sessile, Cauline petioled multiflower are still all deciding factors.

Stellaria longifolia, narrow long leaf species, might as well look like it should be angustifolia or longifolia or linaris would of also been good names for it.

#Stellaria #ohio #stellaria corei #stellaria pubera #stellaria pubera complex #stellaria longifolia #stellaria fontinalis #plantblr #botany #wildflowers #species complex

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em-writes-stuff-sometimes · 2 months

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Also in the medieval times they could have said Babey was depressed due to demonic possession so time to call the exorcist (?)

THAT IS ANOTHER QUESTION IS DEMONIC POSSESSION A COMMON FEAR IN WESTEROS

I know not

To be safe I might go with another herb that won’t be as icky grotty as st John’s wort could beeeeeee

MARISE MY LOVE YOU HAVE ALL THE IDEAS AT THIS PERILOUS TIME OF NIGHT

#spreading my arsie for marsie #em’s WIP talks

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