A True Hero

Creepiest or the most disturbing episodes of Courage the Cowardly Dog. They are from the following episodes:

The Clathrus Archeri fungus, also called “Devils Fingers”

Bring Nature Inside: Part 1

Last Spring I delved into gardening more than I ever had before. I planted all kinds of flowers, trees, herbs, shrubs, and more! It was fantastical to dig in the dirt and care for these plants, watching them bloom and grow and stretch toward the sun.

Then winter came and one by one many of my plants began to whiter or stop giving off blooms. This is obviously upsetting but also a reminder to contemplate the nature of life and death and everything in-between. 

However, there is a simple way to help bring that joy of plants and growing into the home through houseplants! Below I have provided some house plants that I personally care for as well as both mundane and magical properties of the plant.  

💐 Devil’s Ivy (Pothos)💐

Devil’s Ivy is one of the easiest plants to care for in the home.

Mundane Properties (Devil’s Ivy):

Magical Properties (Devil’s Ivy):

💐 Spider Plant💐

Mundane Properties (Spider Plant):

Magical Properties (Spider Plant):

💐 String of Pearls💐

Mundane Properties (String of Pearls):

Magical Properties (String of Pearls):

(Disclaimer: This is by no means a comprehensive guide to each of these plants. Doing research on any plant before attempting to grow it yourself is highly advised. The magical properties of these plants are my own interpretations and you may find different or alternative uses for them.)

Melt The Frost--An Imbolc Spread

Imbolc helps us say farewell to the hibernation of winter and usher in the bountiful months of spring. I hope that this spread can help you determine what areas of your own lives are stagnant, and how to bring them back to life!

1. Frost: This position represents that which has frozen over in your life. Where do you see stagnation? In what ways have you become stuck?

2. Flame: This position symbolizes the spark that will help you usher in your productive season. What can help you move forward with your goals? What will thaw out your frozen motivation?

3. Flower: This position marks the joys that await you in the spring season. What seeds lie dormant, waiting for the spring to let them blossom? What gifts will arrive with the changing season?

A three-year-old white tiger named Ishu that died in the Van Vihar National Park is cremated in a funeral pyre. The tiger was brought to the National Park from Delhi Zoo in 2005 and suffered from fever and other chronic diseases

Given a heroes funeral. Rest easy divine beast

Since I hit my latest goal on patreon, I can now post longer comics on Saturdays. When I reach my next goal, I can add even more things to the project. If you want to help, you can pledge for just 1$ here, and in exchange, you’ll get access to a completely different project where I attempt to create the coziest/warmest art collection on the internet.

This is how a lobotomy was performed in the early 1900’s. In case you didn’t already know, a lobotomy is when doctors severed the frontal cortex from the rest of the brain. They believed they could calm a person’s emotions & stabilize their personalities. We now know lobotomies were more harmful than helpful.

One method was the “ice pick” method. Doctors used an orbitoclast, that resembled an ice pick, to go through the top of the eye socket.  They could enter the brain just by tapping lightly on the orbitoclast with a hammer to break through the thin layer of bone. Then they would twirl it to cut through the fibers. After pulling out the orbitoclast, the procedure was repeated on the other side. The transorbital lobotomy took 10 minutes or less. (Source & More Information)

Holy shit

How dolphins see!

The woman in white also called  “Cascada La Novia “ located in Peru

Maybe you’ve heard the saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” It means that some information is best conveyed visually. And that’s especially true in many research fields, says electrical engineer Dan Gardner.

But what if you can’t see?

Dan’s dad learned firsthand just how hard some science work can be when he could no longer see pictures, graphs or other visual displays of his data.

The spray you use to keep bugs from biting can end up in local waterways. From there, the chemical can make its way to baby mosquitoes and the young salamanders that eat them. Insect repellant doesn’t do much to the larval mosquitoes. But it can harm salamanders, a new study shows.

Around the world, indigenous languages are disappearing, as are their associated histories, traditions and memories.

Learn more about why 2019 has been named the International Year of Indigenous Languages: http://en.iyil2019.org/

I’m not sure why anyone would desert their tasty dessert in the desert.. but you get the point.

Czech artist, Jaroslav Panuška (1872-1958).

Winter Warmth & Ethical Consumption

Winter can be a harsh, and unforgiving time for many peoples.  What may seem cruel, and unethical to some, is a necessity for survival for others. 

There’s a lot of controversy regarding hunting, and furs in general within the Pagan community.  Above are two photographs of deer fur.  One is a real hide, and the other is faux hide.  I personally own both real, and faux fur hides/blankets.  My real deer hide was gifted to me by my sister’s boyfriend who is a hunter, and uses all that he can, while selling the rest to parties which can utilize that which he can’t.  What we must understand is that hunting is important to keep animal populations in check, and the DNR has regulations in place to prevent overhunting.  

Hunting is a vital part of many cultures’/peoples’ sustainability in regions which have short growing seasons, and may be far removed, or isolated from major population areas.  For many of these communities, the use of animal fur/hides and meat is vital to their survival as a food source, and protection against a harsh, and unforgiving climate.  A major difference between these communities, and ours is that they only take what they need, and utilize their resources to their fullest potential, often reusing, and repairing what they already have, where many of us live in a “throw-away” society, centered around “designed obsolescence,” and easily obtainable replacements.  

I find a beauty in hunting for necessity, and tragedy in hunting for sport.  Honoring, and respecting the animal, utilizing as much as one can of the kill, and only taking what one needs is an understanding of the value of the animal, and the hunt.  Native Americans and other indigenous peoples around the world, and our pagan ancestors understood this.  They honored the spirit of the animal, and gave thanks for its sustaining force, and its sacrifice so that they could live.  Hunting also required skill, and if a member of the community did not have the skill, they did not deserve the kill, and were not ready for the hunt. 

For many modern day Pagans, having animal products such as furs, horns or antlers, and skulls or bones brings a connection to the animal, and its spirit, and offers an aesthetic connection to the lives of our ancestors, and ancient Pagan living.  We often see this connection to our past, and to animal spirits reflected in talismans, charms, runes, and other Magickal tools carved from bone, antler, and/or horn, and altar cloths, totem/witch/shaman bags, or pouches crafted from leather or hides.  Natural, or real products also resonate at a greater frequency to synthetic counterparts, which often have a dull, muddy energy if any at all. 

Today, we have the luxury of enjoying the aesthetic, warmth, and appeal of faux fur while keeping our conscience clear if we have a personal aversion to the killing of animals.  There are also venues which sell ethically obtained animal products such as furs, antlers and horns, and skulls naturally shed by the animal, or procured after natural death.  

There is also the argument for use of plant-based products instead of animal products.  However, science is beginning to understand and record plant awareness not understood previously.  We are learning of (or perhaps only rediscovering) plant life’s awareness of what it experiences though energy vibration, and fungal and pheromone communication with neighboring flora, which is changing our perception of the natural world around us.  Whole forests have developed a network of communication, and plants vibrate at different frequencies when in danger.  Many plants also share resources through root systems, and care for saplings, sick, or smaller plants by sending them sugars.   Recent recordings have even indicated that some plants dislike human touch, and react negatively when handled.  So, while we may advocate against the use of animal products, perhaps we are ignoring the damage we inflict on plant life.  We turn a blind eye, or rationalize our use of plant products out of necessity. 

As humans, we must remember that we are a part of the natural world, rather than apart from it, and life on this planet can be cruel, but more often than not, for one life to exist, another must perish.  As Pagans we can understand this trade off, and honor it by taking only what we need, utilizing and reusing what we have, replacing what we’ve taken, and reducing our carbon footprint as much as possible. 

This publication is not intended to stir controversy, or advocate for or against any one side to the use of animal, or plant products.  I’m sure there are many who will agree, and disagree with any part of this post.  We are a varied community, so remember to live, and let live, fairly take, and fairly give. 

Brightest Blessings

Are you a #sproutlover or a #sprouthater? If the latter, there’s a possible chemical explanation: http://bit.ly/2AbxWCU http://bit.ly/2SmZLiI

SLPT: Learn how to read braille and create a cheat/answer sheet for a test and put it in your hoodie pocket. You can feel the answers with your fingers without looking away from your test.

This is actually good advice for cheating

These colourful flames are awesome! Mixing different compounds with flammable substances causes the different colours… just don’t try this at home.