The Happy Hawthorn
by Connie Handscomb
Title
The Happy Hawthorn
Artist
Connie Handscomb
Medium
Photograph - Photography - Fine Art
Description
The only way on earth to multiply happiness is to divide it.
~ Paul Scherer
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Whenever I smell a May tree, I think of going to bed by daylight.
~Wm. Morris
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Taken in natural light ; Undedited; Uncropped, : Nature in all its natural splendour.
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Hawthorn
Crataegus oxyacantha (common hawthorn, native to Europe)
Crataegus laevigata (native to Europe and Asia)
Family : Rosaceae
(commonly known as May tree; quickset; whitethorn)
This small barb-covered tree - or large shrub - can live for several hundred years. It flowers heavily-scented blossoms in May. There is a single seed in each berry (a 'haw'). Over 1,000 species have been identified in North America alone.
Medicinally, it is used for lowering cholesterol, normalizing blood pressure, restoring weakened, aging or inflamed heart muscle, and other heart problems such as angina. Hawthorn use for physical ailments dates back to AD 659, where it was used in China. The dried fruit was also used to treat scurvy, and stomach ailments.
Some folklore: the early Romans used to tie sprigs on baby cradles to protect the infant against evil and disease, and during medieval times, branches were hung over doorways to protect against evil spirits.
The hawthorn does not have a specific shape; rather, it adapts itself to the circumstances it finds itself in and thus, spiritually, it represents 'alignment' - being centred, in the present - rather than being pulled in several directions.
Hawthorn Tea
Soak 2-3 tsp. of crushed hawthorn berries in 8-2 oz. (1/4 litre or qt) of cold water
Let sit for 7-8 hours
Heat quickly to a boil; cover & let steep for a few mins.
Strain & drink.
Hawthorn berries can also be used to bulk up potpourris with colour and texture.
Sources:
Your Natural Medicine Chest [Jeanne Marie Martin]
Medicinal Herbs: Complete Guide For N. Am. Herb Gardeners [Turcotte]
The International Book Of Trees [H.Johnson]
The Healing Energies Of Trees [Bouchardon]
Desk Ref. To Nature's Medicines [Nat.Geo:Foster & Johnson]
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♥ Heartfelt Gratitude to FAA groups for featuring this image :
Visions Of Spring
Flower Mania
This Way Arts
Global Flowers Photography
Uploaded
April 29th, 2015
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Viewed 206 Times - Last Visitor from Ottawa, ON - Canada on 04/18/2024 at 9:49 AM
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