The old woman don’t think she’s superstitious.
Careful is what she calls it.
I know what I know, she usually adds.
The winding vine around the left post of the front gate is five-leaf akebia, planted in summer ashes to ward off disease.
The wreath on the door entwined with sweetleaf and wolfbane, a combination she says pleases the house-spirits who guard against evil mists.
In the kitchen, she hangs strings of garlic woven together with wrenfetch and chalmsy, sprigs of rosemary and dried bishop’s hat.
Scoff if you like, but she has never been sick in all these years.
Couldn’t hurt and may help! Love this, especially the naming of the magic herbs.
Had no idea there was something called Bishop’s Hat until I looked it up, apparently also known as barrenwort. The cataloguing of herbs is a wonderful entrance into the old woman’s world of charms. Engaging story 🙂
Never been sick and never been visited by a vampire to boot!
She know what she know. 🙂
Fascinating. I’ve always been interested in the plants and herbs used by herbalists years ago–some now being used by Big Pharma. Interesting, isn’t it?
Is she a vampire? I bet you can ask any Italian grandma if garlic makes you live longer and they would say yes. I love cooking with garlic
A lovely reflection that you can feel as if you were walking through it.