St. Nicholas was born in the 4th Century in Lycia, Asia Minor to very wealthy parents. Even as a child he was very religious. He was very young when he became a priest and he went on to become a bishop. Sadly, his parents died shortly after he was ordained. He inherited a great fortune, and he shared it generously with people in need. His giving was from the heart - he was not interested in credit or compensation. He often gave unanimously. He was dedicated to common people and emperors alike.

St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, laborers, merchants, pawn brokers, and particularly sailors and those who work near water. 

There are many stories describing his generosity. A nobleman who had lost his fortune was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters so planned to sell them into slavery. St. Nicholas galloped by their castle in the dark of night and threw a bag of gold in the window. He did this three nights in a row, providing each daughter with a dowry. Eventually, it was discovered that he had been the generous benefactor. His fame as a gift giver spread through out many lands and he has been credited with the concepts of Father Christmas and Santa Claus.

The three bags of gold represent the three golden balls found on the signage outside pawn broker's shops.

In another more gruesome story, he saved three babies, often pictured beside him. During a famine, an inn keeper had no meat to feed his customers so he cut up three children and tossed them into a brine filled pickling tub. Thankfully, St. Nicholas walked in just in time to bless the boys and bring them back to life!

During that same famine, he convinced sailors on a ship filled with grain to unload some of their cargo to feed those who were starving. They were initially reluctant since the grain had been weighed and they wanted to deliver the entire shipment. He assured them that the cargo would weigh exactly the same amount when it was delivered. It did.

As you celebrate St. Nicholas Day, give a gift from the heart. It doesn't need to be expensive. It could be a kind word, a quote that would make someone feel valued, a thank you. Or is could be a poem, or a recipe! Here's my gift to you!

Golden Bishop's Tea

4 cups black or green tea
4 cups apricot nectar
Serve hot with a honey if desired and a sprig of rosemary 
and a sprinkling of nutmeg

Optional: 1 Tablespoon apricot brandy per cup

As you celebrate St. Nicholas Day, think gold! Decorate with golden wheat and tansy! Serve apricot or orange nut bread with Golden Bishop's Tea. Create your own golden delights! 

Wheat and roses are both beautiful additions to the Feast of Saint Barbara for decorations and for your meal. Freshly baked bread with rose petal jelly is sublime!

My dear friend Nancy  celebrated  her 75th Birthday in late November and we threw her a surprise  party at one of my favorite restaurants  in Baltimore, the Bygone, located  in Harbor East. Nancy  and I  decided on the date and time together which fortunately gave me plenty of   time to collaborate with her daughters who created and sent out gorgeous  invitation by snail mail.

Since the Bygone has a 1920s theme, coming in period garb was suggested but not mandatory. I encouraged Nancy to wear the Roaring 20s outfit she had worn for Halloween. The creativity and variety of costumes were impressive and the restaurant, with it's Art Deco theme and spectacular views was a worthy backdrop!

Yet as the time of the  party drew near, Nancy began to ask about changing the day and/or the time of the celebration.  She thought only the two of us were going and seemed confused that I was so adamant about keeping it at the designated time. 

Everything worked out well and she was  undoubtedly surprised.  Later she said it was the best birthday of her life so the efforts were certainly worth it!

If you live in Baltimore, or plan to visit, the Bygone's spectacular views,  scrumptious cuisine and superlative customer service  and attention to detail will provide the perfect setting for your most memorable moments!

Yesterday I presented an overview of my course scheduled for spring at Renaissance Institute!  It was wonderful to see so many friends and hear about the other presentations being offered! The amount of creativity and talent in this world never ceases to amaze me! 

I'm presenting Seeds, Roots and Routes - 
Our lives are rich with miraculous seeds - a thought, a smile, a class . . .  Roots gather nutrients to help seeds grow. We will explore stories, legends and symbolism, protection and  conservation, paintings, songs, short videos to illustrate parallels to our life experiences and journey. Bring a journal to reflect on your life’s seeds, roots and routes - past, present and future.

When I journal, I add seeds at the bottom of the page. A seed may represent a new friend, a class, an idea, etc. When I review my pages at the end of the year it's interesting to see which have flourished, which have remained dormant and may sprout at a later time, and which are best to let fade away. 

Decades ago I attended a Brownie registration event in a church basement. I wanted to enroll my oldest daughter, Mycala, in a Girl Scout Brownie troop but they didn't have a leader. I was somehow recruited and loved working with the girls. That led to numerous volunteer positions and I was later hired as a training specialist, then adult education director. The seeds sprouted into numerous friendships that are alive and thriving today! 

My training in Girl Scouts was superlative.Francis Hesselbein, our CEO, raised the bar on every aspect of leadership. "Peter F. Drucker, the founding father of management, proclaimed Frances Hesselbein “the best CEO in America.” “She could manage any company in America, even General Motors, and do a great job,” Drucker said."                                            ~ Management Matters Network

When she was called to lead the Girl Scouts, Hesselbein sent all the troop leaders to a leadership training program at Harvard. She believed that it made the leaders feel better about themselves, commenting, “We thought they deserved to go to Harvard that they were the best.” 

That seed provided me with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to deliver fun and effective training with SMART goals and objectives,  always using the experiential learning cycle as the base. 

One unexpected experience in a church basement changed every aspect of my  life, leading me to complete my masters in training and become a certified instructor of trainers. It provided me with the opportunity to work with women and girls who were striving to live up to their best potential. 

Watching the girls in my Girl Scout Brownie troop, and others in our community, grow into community leaders has been a joy! Continuing friendships and experiences with women of sterling character has been one of the greatest gifts of my life. 

The seeds of opportunity are everywhere. Have you had an experience that changed every aspect of your life? Please share in the comments below! 

 The lights in the harbor in Baltimore are always spectacular, but the city really lights up when Light City Baltimore comes to town! It's an event I don't miss - one of my favorite city  spectaculars! This is the third year and every year the displays vary. 

The first step in preparing the pumpkin seeds is to cut open your pumpkin! If you can find a peanut pumpkin,I think you'll be delighted! I was! They look like they are covered with peanuts and are a little sweeter than most pumpkins. And baking your own pumpkin, instead of using canned, is always worth the effort. What a difference!
​Directions for baking the pumpkin are in an earlier post. 

Add one or two tablespoons of olive oil to thoroughly coat. 
The final amount will depend on the size of your pumpkin and the amount of seeds.
(about 1 teas. oil per 1/2 cup of seeds) 

Add 1 teaspoon pink  Himalayan sea salt and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
(inspired by Kevin  Lee Jacobs - a favorite!)
​

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
Spread on a cookie sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool and serve warm!

VARIATION - If a friend shows up and she's in a rush to get to class and you want to share but they  aren't quite done, you can turn the heat up to 450 degrees. Watch closely so they won't burn, stir to coat evenly and remove to a foil packet with a vent. Send her out the door!
​

This is on of many options. You'll find a lot of recipes for savory, as well as sweet, roasted pumpkin seeds! If you come up with your own variation, add it in the comments below! Enjoy!

Folk names for aconite - blue rocket devil's helmet, leopard's mane,
monkshood, mousebane, wolf's bane, woman's bane, 
​

A thirty-three year old gardener, Nathan Greenaway, died of multiple organ failures after touching monkshood. If that doesn't convince you to keep your distance, there is no hope.

Wolf's bane is a member of the Ranunculus family, as is the seemingly innocent buttercup. But beware. All members of this family, over 500 varieties, are poisonous. 

Aconite, from the Greek work akon, meaning dart or javelin, was used on the tips of arrows to kill wolves. Legend states that the arrows never missed their mark and death from the plant's poison was immediate. I can't help but wonder who gathered and prepared the arrows, as all parts of the plant are extremely poisonous even to the the touch. 

Monkshood remind me of delphiniums - same family - and both are grown in gardens as ornamental flowers. You won't find them in mine. The story of the gardener is more than enough to deter me.  The original headline was that he had merely brushed past the plant and the result was death, The reputation for the herb's toxicity is enough to convince me to keep my distance. 
​

Most beautiful of poisons,
border-plant,
wearing your small green cowl,
little friar, little murderer,
aconitine flows
from your roots
to your deep purple flowers,
small deceiver,
centerpiece
for a poisonous
feast.

A few leaves
in the salad,
a few seeds
in the soup,
a thick root
to flavor
the stock--
& it is all over.
Let the lover beware
who buys you
for love philters;
the dose is deceptive.
One pinch may lead to passion
but two will surely lead
to death.
Yet you twinkle
little blue bell
at the edge
of the garden,
wearing no warning
about your slim green neck.
Wolfbane, Friar’s cap,
Chariot of Venus--
how many may claim
to be poisonous
head to toe?
That honor--
Friar Death--
belongs to you.

The seeds are poisonous to chickens, giving Henbane its common name,. The Latin name, Hyoscyamus - from the Greek 'hous' meaning pig and kuamos meaning bean -  has been interpreted as a reference to the noxious smell, but it could well be, as Erica Jong notes below, that the 'sickly flowers turn men into swine."  Turning men into pigs must have been more common in the past than it is presently.. In addition to Henbane's special powers, changing men into hogs was also attributed to mandrake - check my 10-6-2019 post.

With the current misogyny in the U.S., it seems some men don't need any herbal assistance. Fortunately in my recent travels, this hasn't been a concern but I have no plans to move to D.C. or Hollywood so maybe my geographical location has spared me. Ha!

Henbane is not used often because it is so highly poisonous. As with some of the other members of the Solanaceae family, it contains the propane alkaloids and it best left alone..
(Note: Non-poisonous tomatoes and potatoes are in the Solanaceae family.)

Simply smelling the herb can have derogatory effects. Legend states the dead who wander along the banks of the river Styx wear wreathes of henbane flowers to prevent them from remembering their previous lives, according to Greek mythology. 

Scott Cunningham, herbalist extraordinaire, noted  

​"Henbane, another poisonous plant largely ignored in herb magic today
due to its toxicity, is still sometimes utilized as a love bringing herb in the following 
manner: to bring love, a man should gather henbane, naked, early in the morning
while standing on one foot. Worn, it will bring love."

Once again, I am puzzled. This entire plant is poisonous, yet there are accounts of man gathering this vilely fragranced plant, unprotected by clothes, and then actually wearing it?  (For several reasons, I hope they get dressed first!) 

Cunningham also notes the herb can be burned to attract rain and this should be best done outdoors - they need to tell people this? - as the fumes are poisonous. He then notes that fern can be used as a substitute. Hopefully the fern cam be used in the love spell as well!

Once again I got sidetracked - easy to do with the versatile and many faceted herbs! In reference to Halloween, witches rubbed an ointment which included henbane and other herbs on the handles of their  broom sticks to enable them to fly. And allegedly, there were evil witches  - most aren't, you know - who used the herb to inflict convulsions, delirium and even death on their victims. 

Henbane should best be avoided unless under the supervision of a well trained herbalist,  Witches, Henbane and Brooms, 

​It has inspired American poet and novelist Erica Jong, probably best known for her 1973 novel Fear of Flying. This poem is from her book Witches. 

Herba Apollinaris,
Circe’s herb,
The Delphic Priestesses’
wine--
is it you
with your jagged leaves
& sickly flowers
who turn men
to swine,
is it you
who pluck the prophecies
from smoke,
above the great Omphalos
in the gorge?

Common as the lowly potato,
but with the power
to bring oblivion or death,
Ulysses lost
his sailors
to your spell,
while that mild witch, Circe,
wove harmonies
upon her magic loom
where the fabric
flickered
like firelight.
Sleepy beasts
beneath her shuttlecock,
the wolves & lions loll
like aging dogs;
the witch tickles
their bellies.
Half girl, half goddess,
all enchantress,
Circe dreams of her Odysseus,
luring him
with bright thoughts,
bright threads,
& honeyed wine.
Was it you, Henbane,
turning beastly men
to loving beasts--
is that why Circe
loved you so?
—Until Ulysses
stormed in
with his broadsword,
the master mariner,
the son of gods
of old;
& used
to taming women to his will.
He took the witch
to bed--
not out of lust
for Hermes himself had ordered it--
(& Odysseus always
had a god at hand).
Was it Henbane
they smoked
before they went to bed?
Was it Henbane
that let their loving slip
from one slim night
into a whole fat year?
She sent him home
the long way
from her famous
bed of love,
Through Death’s cold vastnesses,
& pale Persephone’s glacial halls.
Was it you
Henbane
who made the journey slow--
or was it Circe,
half girl, half goddess,
harmonizing on her lovely loom
while men lolled at her feet
like sleepy beasts…
O Circe
you knew
a thing or two!

​Jong, Erica (1997), Witches, Abradale Press

One of the challenges when studying herbs is the confusion that arrises from folk and common names. The nightshades are a perfect example. In this post we will look at two, Both are from the Solanaceae family, as were the previous Deadly Halloween Herbs, excluding Aconite. 

The lesson from this is that it is critical to know the latin name when studying herbs. For that reason I'll list the latin name first, with the paintings, and additional folk names below. Also, please beware of what you find on the internet. I've seen sketches with black berries on the bittersweet night shade and I have never seen the plant or a photo of the plant with black berries. They can be green, yellow, orange or red, but I've never seen black. 

Both of the herbs are poisonous and all parts should be avoided.. They have both been attributed to enabling witches to fly. "Bella Donna" means beautiful lady in Italian and at one time women were rumored to use the herb to enlarge their pupils so they would look more desirable. Sadly as with many herbs, the amount needed was almost the same as the lethal dose so there were accidental deaths as a result. I'll stick with eyeliner and mascara for my eye make up. If that's not good enough, the guy can take a hike!  
​

When the Deadly Nightshade flowers,
dreamy-eyed girls
open their lids
for their lovers;
Maenads fall upon men
dripping with dreams;
& children die
from the sweetest
of inky fruits.

Belladonna,
wine of the Bacchanals,
you are indeed the witch’s berry,
I look into your open eye & see
Dionysian orgies,
women in love with death,
dying with the widest
& brightest of eyes.
Have you no shame at all
Atropa belladonna?
The other herbs
pretend to be angelic,
but you freely play
the Devil’s part.
Dwaleberry, Sorcerer’s cherry,
Murderer’s berry--
your sweetness bursts
on the tongue,
the lungs relax,
& death comes
merely
from refusing
air.

© Mikell Y. Worley, Jimsonweed, Watercolor, 5" x 7"

Today's herb is Jimsonweed, also called devil's trumpet, Hell's bells, thorn apple and moon flower, from the genus Datura. It belongs to the Solanacease (nightshade) family. Its toxic ingredients include tropane alkaloids, including atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine, and it is particularly dangerous because the amount needed for a high is nearly the same as the lethal over dose which greatly increases the chance of accidental fatal overdose. ​

There are times I simply must pause when I do herbal research. These are the kinds of things that have guided me to avoid deadly herbs for so long. I've been sharing information on haunting herbs for years and it has all been in fun, using only herbs found in the gardens of the white witches. But there can be a dark and serious side to herbal use. The lists of illness and most often death associated with this herb are readily available on the internet so I won't list them here. 

That being said, I have been in awe of the gorgeous Jimsonweed for years and would not be anymore inclined to eat it than I would poison ivy. I can enjoy it at a distance and as with all the deadly herbs, I strongly advise you look but don't touch!

References:
Bliss, M. (2001), Datura Plant Poisoning, Clinical Toxicology Review

Datura stramonium

of the poisonous flowers--
even your smallest buds
are said to cause
madness, sleep & death,
but your spiny ″apples,″
prickly & stiff as porcupines,
are the real villains,
& were much beloved
by Kali’s worshipers,
the Thugs.

(O kill, kill
but kill
in a goddess’ name!)
Deadly poison
for arrow tips
& sacrificial victims’ hearts--
you were also used
in love philters!
The cynic laughs,
knowing that love
is the first poison--
the poison
that takes the soul,
the mind,
& all the organs
down below.
(O kill, kill
but kill
in a goddess’ name!)
Venus, Kali, the Great Mother
the God of the Witches--
what does it matter?
Love potion or poison,
it is the same drink
that brings oblivion
in the end.
Love-will, Sorcerer’s herb,
Jimson weed,
you were used by brothel keepers
to seduce the innocent,
& witches brewed you
for their flying ointments.
The soldiers of Jamestown
made merry with your juice.
It was a new country
but the herbs were old.
The poisons link us
to antiquity--
the poisons & the love philters.
Down through the Ages
we are joined by vines;
we wear garlands
of poisonous berries
like jewels.
Green as innocence,
green as love of death,
we bud, we flower, we fall--
& ancient herbs
grow
out of our blind
eyes.