As much as I love being a Pisces, the herbs of Venus, representing the zodiac signs of Libra, an air sign (September 23 - October 22) and Taurus, an earth sign (April 20 - May 20), include some of my favorite herbs!

During the pandemic, I made 12 collages featuring Taurus herbs for my oldest daughter. My biggest challenge was deciding which herbs to highlight, since there are an abundance of herbs ruled by Venus. Some signs have a more limited selection.

Other Libra herbs, herbs of Venus, include African violet, apple, apricot, aster, avocado, cardamon, cherry, coltsfoot, columbine, daffodil, daisy, foxglove, goldenrod, iris, lilac, and violet. There are many  more. 

Nicholas Culpeper (Oct. 18-1616 to January 10, 1654), a physician, botanist, herbalist and astrologer, is credited with identifying the planets and their zodiac sign affiliations. Each zodiac sign is ruled by a planet and  the herbs under that planet’s influence are  assigned to the corresponding zodiac  signs. 

Other than Earth, the planets discovered before the 1700 were given the names of Roman deities. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto came after the 1700s and were assigned to planet who previously shared plants with other signs. 

Signs and their planets are

• Aries, ruled by Mars
• Taurus, ruled by Venus
• Gemini, ruled by  Mercury
• Cancer, ruled by the  moon
• Leo, ruled by the sun
• Virgo, ruled by Mercury
• Libra, ruled by Venus
• Scorpio, ruled by Pluto. Ancient ruler was  Mars
• Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter
• Capricorn, ruled by Saturn
• Aquarius, ruled by Uranus. Ancient ruler was Saturn
• Pisces, ruled by Neptune. Ancient ruler was Jupiter

I’ll be including  more on the Zodiac herbs in my blog posts  and my e-book, Enhancing Your Life with Herbs, named after a course I’ve delivered numerous times over the last decade. I’ll be finalizing the illustrations and releasing  it by the end of October. Watch for it!

Phytolacca americana
Poisonous

Gender: Masculine
Element: Mars
Planet: Fire
​

 Mabon, the Autumn Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, is a time to give thanks for the many blessings of harvest. We often think of drying  herbs, canning, preserving, making wines and robs, freezing and storing root vegetables in root cellars. One method of harvesting you may not have thought of is to make ink! Poke berries are ripe and ready now!

There is a jar in my 'fridge labeled POISON because the juice is a luscious magenta color, clove scented to preserve it, and it could be very tempting! This is the ink that was rumored to have been used to write the Declaration of Independence. Further research indicates that it was used for the draft, but the actual document was written with iron gall ink made from ferrous sulfate and ink extracted from the oak galls. 

In the spring, the immature leaves of the poke plant, said to be similar to turnip, collard or mustard greens, are cooked with bay leaves, Cajun spices, and a ham bone.  Unlike the other greens, poke is considered to be poisonous until 'thoroughly cooked", a process that requires boiling it for at least five minutes for three times and throwing out the water to replace it with new, uncontaminated water each time. After the final boiling, the instructions are to wring as much water out of the plant as humanly possible. Because the plant is poisonous, so you have to cook it. A lot.

I grew up in the mountains of West Virginia and knew people of considerable age (note - I was 12 at the time - anyone over 40 was of 'considerable age' in my perception) who ate poke annually, praising it for it's role in reducing or eliminating joint inflammation, arthritis, and numerous types of cancer.

Personally, I'm reluctant to cook plants that have been declared poisonous. I can go to the grocery store or farmer's market and buy plants that are safe . . . and edible.

NOTE: As I was "poking" - pun intended - fun at poke during one of my  “Enhancing Your Life with Herbs” classes, one of my participants mentioned that she grew up eating poke and they simply gathered and cooked the young plants in early spring. She convinced me to give it a try, but Gil, another participant, asked that I wait until my class was over!  Loved that class!!!

There are other ways to use poke. If anyone has put a hex on you, use hydrangea and poke to remove it. Call me. I'm not getting into all of that here.

And you  could  always write a song about poke, as Tony Joe White did in 1969. He wrote Polk Salad Annie.  He did a fabulous job and I adore his version, but I'm featuring Elvis because his use of crib notes is truly hilarious. So I apologize to you Tony. After all, Elvis is King! Enjoy!

​Monarda didyma
Scarlet Beebalm

Gender: Feminine
Element: Water
Planet: Mercury
​

The brilliant scarlet bee balm,  is a perennial herb and belongs to  the mint family, Lamiaceae. My fondest memories  are the patches that grew at Camp  Arcona, a much loved Girl Scout Camp in Mechanicsburg,  PA. Sadly, the camp was sold for real estate development. Our beloved camp  may be gone,  but our memories remain. When day camp began in June, the gorgeous crimson flowers were always there  to  greet us!
There are two reasons bergamot  has the folk name bee  balm. One is  bees are attracted to it, and another  is the leaves are soothing  when rubbed on a bee sting. 
The  flowers are edible and the petals add a tangy flavor, in  addition to a  splash of color, to garden salads and fruit salads. Add to corn muffins or corn bread for unexpected zest! They compliment sweet as well as savory.   Use your imagination and  make  this versatile herb a part of  your welcoming  summer ritual! 

Salvia comes from the Latin word “salvere”, to heal. 
Officinalis refers to having been used medicinally.

Gender: Masculine
Element: Air
Planet: Jupiter

Sage, salvia, is the largest genus of the mint family, Lamiaceae. 

Sage has numerous  powers. In addition to its healing properties, it is associated with wisdom, longevity and protection. It’s a delightful and healing tea, and the Thanksgiving turkey wouldn’t be the same without it. With the present concerns about the coronavirus, it seems a good time to focus  on sage’s clearing, cleansing, protective qualities. 

Instructions for creating your own smudging bundles from sage grown in your garden and here. The steps to the process are  in my  illustrated journal, above. After the sage was harvested and  wrapped it needed  to dry. That  process takes about 4 - 6 weeks.
 
​We smudge for a variety of reasons. One may be a general cleansing or  you may want to remove germs and bacteria.  You may want to clear  your space to become more open to creative ideas and beautiful thoughts. 

If you are smudging because someone had violated your  space or made your angry or uncomfortable,  it is imperative that you center  yourself and  come to a more positive frame of mind before you begin. It  you need support, find a friend or two to help you feel  positive and  loved.  You are clearing negative energy  and adding positive to replace it so keeping a positive frame of mind during  the ritual and following are vital. 

It  might be helpful  to find, or write a prayer or poem to express your intentions. When I was in Stone Harbor, my friend Lisa had a book with a beautiful prayer to  accompany  a smudging ritual.I hurriedly copied  it into my illustrated journal and will probably redo it on parchment, but for now, it gives you the words you need.  ​ I'm not  sure  who wrote it.   I looked on line and found several people acknowledged. Thank you to who ever wrote such  a lovely piece.  

​The next step is to gather your materials. If possible, use natural  materials. 

• Smudge Stick
• Candle, preferably lit with a wooden match
• Shell  to catch the embers, or you can  also  use a pottery dish

​Optional

• Feather  to direct the smoke - you can  also  use your hand
• Brass bell to wake  up the energy in each  room as you move  through the house

​

 
1. Light the candle and set your intention. You  may use  the prayer above or something you have written or found that expresses your personal perspective.  
2. Use the candle flame  to  light the sage. Once the sage has caught fire, blow it out and watch for glowing embers. When you see the smoke begin to roll off of the smudge stick, it is ready. 
3. Guide the smoke toward your heart, over  your head and around your body to  purify  yourself before you begin.
​4. Go the the lowest area you will be smudging. You will be working clockwise in each room. Use your feather, or your hand, to direct the smoke from the lowest part  of the room to the highest as you move in  a circle around  the room Be certain to direct smoke into the corners of the room.  Direct the smoke out the door or windows before you move on to the next room. 

5. KEEP THE SHELL CLOSE BY TO COLLECT BURNING EMBERS.  I tap the smudge stick on the shell when I begin in each room and usually another time or two as the leaves burn. 
​

6. After you have completed smudging each room extinguish the sage by rubbing it onto the shell or on sand or dirt. Check to see that there are no burning red embers.

DO NOT wet the sage. If you do, you won't be able to use the sage again. 

After the smoke clears and the negative energy has been released, fill the  space with love. You can say  prayers, meditate or journal about love, have dear friends over, read inspirational materials or do what ever feels best for you! 

​

St. Lucy's Day is currently most often associated with Sweden, one of the celebrations of light in the midst of winter's darkness. Little Christmas, or the Feats of Saint Lucy, is a favorite advent celebration. In the early morning, the Lucia Bride, usually the youngest daughter, is dressed in a long white gown with a myrtle or bilberry crown and lighted candles. She awakens the family, often bringing coffee and tea, and braided Lucia twists, flavored with saffron and cardamon. After the family is served, she visits the barns, taking food to the animals.

In addition to the home celebration, the young girls attend services at the church dressed in their lighted crowns. St. Lucy represents the promise of the light in the darkness and the sun's return. 

Saint Lucy is the patron saint of the blind and those with visual challenges. Lucy was born in Syracuse, Sicily in the 3rd century. She was born to wealthy Christian parents and at an early age she secretly vowed to remain a virgin and serve God by helping others. 

Her father died when she was young. When she came of age, her mother arranged her marriage to a pagan but Lucy rejected him. It was the time of the Diocletian persecutions and when her suitor denounced her as a Christian, she seemed destined to death by burning or life in the brothels. Her fate was to be martyred by a sword through her throat. 

In another story she escapes the marriage by tearing her eyes out in frightful desperation. She is often depicted carrying her eyes on a tray. 
Miraculously, her sight was restored and she was able to serve God and mankind as she has intended. She is celebrated for giving sight to the blind, food to the hungry, and light to the darkness. The name Lucy comes from the root word Lux, meaning light. 

Bread

I teaspoon saffron, soaked in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Let cool

2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
4 T softened butter
3 eggs
3 T sugar
1 teaspoon salt
I cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried bilberries (blueberries) or raisins
5 to 6 cups unbleached flour

1. Prepare saffron.
2. Dissolve yeast in water. 
3. Mix the butter with eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl. 
4. Add milk to butter and eggs.
5. Add almonds and dried fruit
6. Stir in saffron mixture.
7. Add flour gradually and stir with wooden spoon until it is is smooth and forms a ball. 
8. Place on floured board or counter and knead until smooth - about 5 minutes.
9.Put into a greased bowl, turn it over and cover with a towel in a warm place until double, about an hour and a half. 
10. Punch down dough, divide into 3 sections. Braid and form into a circle shape. 
11. Place on cookie sheet and let rise until double - about 30 minutes.
12. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
13. Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
14. Remove from oven, cool and ice.

Icing

2 cups confectioner's sugar 
1 teaspoon almond extract
Combine and gradually add water until it is the consistency of icing. 
Drizzle on to bread. 
Decorate with slivered toasted almonds and/or dried fruit if desired. 
Top with candles