Escape

Christmas is almost upon us.

l know this because the afternoons are becoming increasingly drab and l'm lighting my fragrant candles to cheer the place up at every opportunity.

lt is mild for the time of year though. Yesterday the average temperature was 15 degrees and it should be down to 8 degrees. l even have a few flowers merrily blooming, and l've been able to get out into the garden to reduce three very large shrubs to a more manageable size with the aid of some borrowed loppers.

There was an interesting herbalism related article in the December edition of my local Gazette magazine relating to those favourite seasonal plants - Holly, Ivy and Mistletoe.

Holly derives it's name from a Saxon word 'holegn'. lt is not used for medicinal purposes by herbalists today. However, in Anglo-Saxon times, Holly leaves were boiled in milk until tender and eaten to remedy a 'soured and over swollen stomach.' (Might come in useful after Christmas dinner!) Folk medicine also used the powdered berries mixed with lard to treat chilblains. Holly had the reputation, if self sown near a house, to protect it from lightning and witchcraft.

Ivy flowers late in the season, well into Autumn, and it's flowers seem to attract wasps. The berries, green at first, ripen slowly until they are black in colour, and provide food for birds in the Winter.The foliage is also important for over-wintering insects, and contrary to popular opinion, does not 'strangle'  it's host tree as it has it's own root system. Ivy is toxic, and this was recognised by Culpepper (a reknowned herbalist) who said the plant was 'an enemy to the nerves and sinews ...'

Mistletoe is a plant that is used medicinally be herbalists today. lt was the most sacred plant to the Druids, as it grows between Heaven and earth. The custom of kissing under a sprig of Mistletoe is an echo of the plant's use in fertility rites. The part of Mistletoe used today is the twigs. When used in therapeutic amounts it is an excellent remedy to use where over-excitability is affecting the nervous system and heart.

Anyway, changing the subject, Ralph has recently updated his blog after a few annoying technical problems, but it's now working fine. Click on Lamentions on my 'Links l Like' list to read all about it.