Today is the Day of Mugwort in the French Revolutionary Calendar. 10 things you might not know about mugwort:
Mugwort is a perennial plant that is native to Europe and parts of Asia and Africa. It’s an herbaceous shrub that averages one to two meters in height.
One theory as to how mugwort got its name is from the facts that in ancient times, before hops were introduced, it was used to produce beer which was served in mugs.
Other sources say the word is derived from the Old Norse muggi meaning "marsh" and the German wuertz, meaning "root", referring to its use since ancient times to repel insects, especially Moths.
The Latin name for it is Artemisia vulgaris, and it belongs to the Daisy family. Common names include: common wormwood, wild wormwood, felon herb, chrysanthemum weed, St. John’s plant and sailor’s tobacco.
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that St John the Baptist wore it to protect himself while in the wilderness. People believed that mugwort gathered on St John’s Eve gave protection from disease and misfortune.
In the Isle of Man, mugwort is known as bollan bane, and is worn on the lapel at the Tynwald Day celebrations.
It has been widely used for spiritual and medicinal purposes. Californian Indian tribes as a ceremonial herb, burned and inhaled to promote healthy sleep, sacred dreams, and to keep ghosts and evil spirits away. A ceremonial wash made from the herb was used after ritual dances.
Roman soldiers put mugwort in their sandals to protect their feet against fatigue and cramps.
In traditional Chinese medicine, mugwort is used in a pulverised form known as moxa in a process called – to perform moxibustion, that is, to burn on specific acupuncture points on the patient's body to achieve therapeutic effects.
In Germany, known as Beifuß, it is mainly used to season goose, especially the roast goose traditionally eaten for Christmas.
The first in a new series! It has invading aliens, gladiator-style contests, rivalry and romance.
The six richest people in Britain decide to hold a contest to settle the question of which of them is most successful. It will be a gladiator style contest with each entrant fielding a team of ten super-powered combatants. Entrepreneur Llew Powell sets out to put together his team, which includes his former lover, an employee of his company with a fascinating hobby, two refugees from another dimension (a lonely giant and a drunken sailor), two sisters bound together by a promise, a diminutive doctor, a former Tibetan monk initiate and two androids with a history. As the team train together, alliances form, friendships and more develop, while others find the past is not easy to leave behind.
Meanwhile, a ruthless race of aliens has its eyes on the Earth. Already abducting and enslaving humans, they work towards the final invasion which would destroy life on Earth as we know it. Powell’s group, Combat Team Alpha, stumble upon one of the wormholes the aliens use to travel to Earth and witness for themselves the horrors in store if the aliens aren’t stopped. Barely escaping with their lives, they realise there are more important things to worry about than a fighting competition.
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