6 Apr 2013

A - Z Challenge - F



Fumaria officinalis.  Common Fumitory. Friendly.

The smell of the roots brings tears to the eyes as smoke does like the name common name suggests.  Fumaria's flowers have long pinkish petals tipped with black in Britain. A cousin, Fumitory, grows on cultivated, disturbed ground. It is used in herb medicine to treat constipation and to prevent water retention by stimulating the kidneys.

I love to think there is a cure in nature to treat every condition. In the old days, plants were the only things available. Friendly women would devote their lives to helping with people's ailments and delivering babies. The power of their cures must have frightened people. Some poor healers were accused of witchery and treated harshly, tied to a stake and burned amidst smoke inhalations like the fumes given off by the Fumaria. In truth, most of the women must have had friendly intentions to want to cure others.


Proverb: First impressions are the most lasting.

13 comments:

  1. I used to know lots about plants as a youngster, my aunt had a farm with lots of wild flowers, but I seem to have forgotten it all. Thank you for bringing back those memories.

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    1. Strange how flowers can trigger past associations. I guess, there's no reason to remember the names.

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  2. I've never heard the name of this flower before. It looks very pretty.

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  3. I love reading stories where the characters use native plants. There is something appearing about living in harmony with our environment.

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    1. Thanks for bringing the subject up, Cindy. In our Higher Ground Series, Edith Parzefall and I tell about Cerridwen, who often uses the leaves of wild garlic to heal those who are injured. Wind Over Troubled Waters is the first book, followed by Knights in Dark Leather and just released, Golden Submarine.http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.php?ISBN=1-77115-082-3

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  4. Francene, lovely theme you've chosen for A to Z. I almost chose a similar theme using the "language of flowers" idea from the Victorian era. Maybe next year. :) Lovely images, lovely flowers. Thank you for bringing these to gray, wet, rainy Oregon today!

    Sherrey at Healing by Writing

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    1. I like the idea of the language of flowers. There's a certain magic in the beautiful petals.

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  5. Hey Francine! Just came to your blog in the A-Z link list. I think we met LAST year during the a-z. I still follow you. Hope you are enjoying the challenge! God bless you, mare.
    from The Dugout

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    1. Good to meet up again, Mare. I've visited your site and left a comment, as I do for anyone who comments on my effort.

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  6. Thank you Francene! Lovely post and great to hear about these plants being used as natural medicines and the history of them. Though it is true I believe that this is exactly what our medicines are composed of - from plants. Sad about women being labelled as heretics and paying with their lives.
    I love your quote thank you!

    Susan Scott's Soul Stuff

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  7. Hi Francene .. cruel times - but only because misunderstood and power and control ruled ... funny old life ... interesting about the root smell ... didn't know that -

    Cheers Hilary

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  8. I love healers. And I love that there are now herabalists using the same plants to cure people the same ways as thousands of years ago.

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