B is for Belladonna.....

A member of the Nightshade family of deadly plants that also, ironically, includes potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants and tobacco. Every bit of the Belladonna plant is toxic, especially it's berries which have often been ingested by many an unwary forest traveler.

A favorite of witches and Medieval ladies, though not for the same reasons.

A powerful potion additive, Belladonna was an effective and fast-acting poison, one that is reported to cause vivid hallucinations and purported to cause its victim's heart to pound so loudly that it can be heard several
feet away.

In folklore, witches were believed to mix Belladonna with other poisonous plants, like Monkshood and Hemlock to brew a flying ointment, which, when applied, would help them fly to the gatherings of other witches. Though, as strong a hallucinogenic as this ointment was, where they actual "flew" would have been questionable.

For the vain and beauty-seeking lady of the Middle Ages, the juice of the Belladonna berry was prized for its pupil dilating abilities-- a highly coveted attribute during the time, so highly coveted that it contributed to the naming of the plant... Bella (beautiful) + Donna (lady)....

Belladonna Dreams

Taste not the devil cherries, child,

sip not the nightshade wine.

Hold tight when walking through the wild,

seek not the witches' design.

Strange visions ache to steal life's light,

to take your final breath.

Cursed with beauty's soft enchanted sight,

the tragic resplendent lain in death.

-- e.a.s. demers

L is for Loch Ness Monster....

With Kelpie, for my 'K' entry, still fresh, I thought it'd be fun to stick to the water for a bit. So, while we're in the realm of Celtic water creatures, why not visit with the most famous and widely known of aquatic beasties---- the Loch Ness Monster. Though, Nessie, sort of skirts the line of supernatural creature as it is purported by many to be a cryptid, a creature whose existence has yet to be identified by the scientific community. Those who believe Nessie an unidentified animal, have speculated that it is from the line of Plesiosaurs, while the scientific community claims it's just a modern-day myth, or at the very worst--- a hoax. I've included the Loch Ness Monster as part of my Supernatural theme because, like Bigfoot, there's an, albeit EXTREMELY, remote chance that it's real, but, like ghosts, I won't believe it until I see it myself----- I'm a card-carrying skeptic, but, I can enjoy a smidgen of the illogical now-and-again-...

K is for Kelpie.....

Today's entry is dedicated to my wonderful social club pledge sister, who sent me off from our college sanctuary with a copy of "Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales", containing an inscription that the "magic and mischief of the Kelpie follow me".... She knew I had an affinity for water and for mischief...and for all-things Celtic--so the Kelpie seemed to suit---- though, I'm not quite as savage as many folktales paint Kelpies. Kelpies are Celtic water horses, believed to haunt the lochs and rivers of Scotland and Ireland. The Kelpie was known to appear as a "lost pony", though, its identity is given away by its constantly dripping mane. Most stories give the color of the Kelpie's coat as black, though there are a few that mention the color white. The texture of the Kelpie's skin is likened to the smoothness of a seal, but its temperature is "cold as death to the touch." Like many other tales of supernatural creatures, the Kelpie...

A to Z reflections....

Another A to Z challenge comes to an end--- another collection of posts and poetry have been written, another deep breath of relief is released. For my fellow bloggers that survived as well, it's another 'challenge-completed' notch carved into the writing desk. I've come to enjoy my yearly foray into the world of all things alphabetical. This was my third year, though it was only the second year I had a workable theme (which made the challenge substantially easier than the first year I attempted this challenge.) And, though my first year was difficult because my focus was so scattered, I found this year was more difficult because I lost the enthusiasm that came with the first year excitement----excitement which helped me plug along until the end of the challenge. Year 3 was a success in the sense that I completed the challenge, though, this was the year that almost wasn't---- Somewhere about a third of the way through the challenge, I seriously considered...

From the Inkwell, From the Vein.....

Search This Blog