Cananga odorata is a fast-growing tree of the custard-apple family, Annonaceae, that exceeds 15 ft per year and attains an average height of 40 ft. It grows in full or partial sun, and prefers the acidic soils of its native rain forest habitat. The evergreen leaves are smooth and glossy, oval, pointed, with wavy margins, and 5–8 in long. The flower is drooping, long-stalked with six narrow greenish yellow (rarely pink) petals, rather like a sea star in appearance, and yields a highly fragrant essential oil which is used in making Chanel #5 perfume. Its clusters of black fruit are an important food item for birds, pigeons and doves.

Ylang Ylang has therapeutic properties, too: Antidepressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac and hypotensive, sedative.

The name ylang-ylang is derived either from the word "ilang" meaning "wilderness", alluding to its natural habitat, or the word "ilang-ilan," meaning "rare", suggestive of its exceptionally delicate scent. A more widely accepted translation is "flower of flowers". The plant is native to the Philippines and Indonesia and is commonly grown in Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. And here in South Florida.

Ylang Ylang, Cananga odorata

Biscayne Park, FL

www.susanfordcollins.com

'This roadtrip is going to be great!', they had said.

Well, here I was, driving down a seemingly endless road in Kansas, and had been doing so for over two hours. I could hardly remember the last time I touched the wheel - this road just kept going straight ahead with not even the slightest hint of a curve. The scenery was no better and could be summed up in one word: plains. Green, flat, never-ending plains. Sure, ahead you had the majestic outline of the Rockies, and yes, it seemed to be pretty close. But it had already seemed close two hours ago. Like a mirage, taunting you with the promise of something better just to remain out of reach, and at this point I had stopped hoping.

Behind me, eight of my travel companions were all snoozing. Odd, since it was only mid-afternoon, but it seemed this environment had a sedative effect on everyone, not just me. Next to me sat my designated map reader who was the only reason I had not yet gone crazy. There was obviously no map reading to be done. Here there was only one direction: straight ahead. To his credit, he had instead taken it upon himself to keep me occupied and we had had some pretty interesting conversations. Ultimately though, even he had been reduced to just sitting there staring blindly into the distance. We were two friends suffering together in this seemingly static nightmare.

But wait! Surely the mountians were closer now? And we could even spot some of the hills coming up. This was it! It had to be! Yes, the road started to bend, and soon we found ourselves cruising through the foothills! The road flowing with the terrain around it - something new to see around every corner. And trees! Glorious trees!

I looked over at my fellow companion with a smile and he was smiling too. Finally we had some enjoyable driving ahead of us! Our perserverence had paid off!

- 'Good job Emil' I heard a voice from the back. 'Pull over as soon as you can and we'll switch drivers'.

It seemed I was destined to enjoy the foothills through a heavily tinted window in the back of an overcrowded van instead of of having the pleasure of driving through this wonderful landscape.

This was from a road trip I took in university with some friends, and although perhaps a bit exaggerated here, the road through Kansas into Colorado is certainly not the most exciting driving to be had ;) Boring driving aside, the trip was loads of fun and I would love to go back with the family some time. But yeah, I'm a trees and mountains kinda guy, and open landscapes, though pretty in its own way, is not where I feel at home. Trees please!

PLEASE DO NOT FAVE WITHOUT LEAVING A COMMENT. THANK YOU.

IF YOU DO, MY PHOTOS WILL BE REMOVED FROM YOUR FAVES AND/OR YOU WILL BE BLOCKED

Latin Name: Centranthus ruber - Red Valerian

A lovely rich pink Valerian growing in an area of our tiered section of garden leading down to our garden river walkway.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis, Caprifoliaceae) is a perennial flowering herb plant native to Europe and Asia. In the summer when the mature plant may have a height of 1.5 metres (5 ft), it bears sweetly scented pink or white flowers that attract many fly species, especially hoverflies of the genus Eristalis. It is consumed as food by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species, including the Grey Pug and Hummingbird Hawk Moth.

Crude extract of valerian root may have sedative and anxiolytic effects, and is commonly sold in dietary supplement capsules to promote sleep.

Taken with my Canon EOS 7D and Canon EF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens, and framed in Photoshop.

Better viewed in light box - click on the image or press 'L' on your keyboard.

The California Poppy is the official state flower of California, renowned for its brilliant golden-orange blooms that blanket hillsides and roadsides.

A resilient and drought-tolerant wildflower, it is a quintessential symbol of the state's natural beauty.

This hardy plant thrives in full sun and well-draining soil, needing little care once established.

The silky, cup-shaped flowers, which are typically orange or yellow, have four petals and are famous for opening in the sunlight and closing at night.

Its distinctive blue-green, fern-like foliage sets it apart. The poppy can be either an annual or a perennial, often blooming from February to September.

In years with heavy rainfall, it produces spectacular "superblooms" that attract bees and butterflies.

Designated as the state flower on March 2, 1903, the poppy also has a history of use in traditional medicine by Native American tribes for its mild sedative properties.

(Sony a9, Sony 100-400/5.6 + TC 1.4, 1/500 @ f/9.0, ISO 200, edited to taste)

California poppy (Eschscholzia californica). It looks brilliant, is no fuss to grow, is drought-tolerant, pest- and disease-free and it’s a medicinal herb par excellence.

The botanical name is in honour of Dr Johann Friedrich Eschscholtz, a surgeon and naturalist on a Russian expedition to circumnavigate the globe in 1815. Docked for a time in San Francisco, Eschscholtz and fellow team botanist, Adelbert von Chamisso, took to the countryside and found a wonderful, golden-coloured poppy, utilised by the natives as a sedative.

The golden poppy would become the official, designated state flower of California, in 1890.

if you ride your white horse like the wind; if what you see is what you get, well then we should be friends

another photoshoot with heidi! deets all up on her blog. maybe one day i'll start my own...

Great Mullein has been used as an alternative medicine for centuries, and in many countries throughout the world, the value of Great Mullein as a proven medicinal herb is now backed by scientific evidence. Some valuable constituents contained in Mullein are Coumarin and Hesperidin, they exhibit many healing abilities. Research indicates some of the uses as analgesic, antihistaminic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, bacteristat, cardio-depressant, estrogenic, fungicide, hypnotic, sedative and pesticide are valid.

Today (10/28/15) I had a procedure (at Mission Hospital in Asheville NC) to remove a filter that had been placed in the inferior vena cava (IVC) vein after I had a pulmonary embolism on June 26, 2015. This was the second attempt to remove it; both attempts were unsuccessful. The doc today said he could get it out, but since it had migrated from the IVC to a neighboring vein in which it was now embedded, forcing a removal would risk damaging the vein. Stressful, especially since before the first attempt one week ago, I was given two sedatives, one a narcotic, that knocked me for a loop; it took almost a week to recover. Today, thank God, they used only Lidocaine at the site in my neck where the instruments intended to remove the filter were inserted. So, I'm now the bionic woman with an IVC filter for the remainder of this lifetime. I came home and ate 2 cups of ice cream and 17 ginger snaps! I've resolved not to enter the hospital again for any reason.

Well he's dead, I got my nachos and my slushee....and as the sound of those approaching sirens indicate the desert is on the way rapidly.

I understand the difference between truth and desire my good man. The Public would find more comfort in me making an excuse for my behavior than they would from hearing the truth. The truth has never had the reputation as a sedative, an aid towards achieving restful, solid sleep at night.

The people want to hear me explain that I was broken, driven mad by the cruelty of mean and bullying individuals. individuals they can blame and also claim no affiliation with or responsibility for, oh "that's horrible, we aren't like them"...they want to hear me sobbing, apologizing, relating the stories of my abuse from these misanthropes, the dozens of times they dangled worms in front of my jar or even a chicken leg, the names , "Guppy Head", "Fish Man", "Mackerel Mullet", "Mister Limpet", "Rolly Polly Fish Head" and so many other nick names. In fact the repetition of so many calling me "Freaky Fishy" was the obvious influence on the creation of my "new" name .

Yes the public want an explanation, a motive and a shortcut back to believing everything is logical in the world and that we have rules and that things are in order.

A "poor me" play from the "criminal offender" is a tried and true method of facilitating them being able to begin internally reconstructing the delusion of their fragile security. Which in truth is sadly nothing but illusory self denial.

Perhaps they want to hear a first hand account of the day that one of these miscreants driving by me sitting in the back of a pick-up truck, using a surf fishing rod, "cast" at me and hooked me by my filter and dragged me four miles down the road! What a horrible day. There was one bright spot that day, it was the day I began to understand the beauty, the power, the SUPERIORITY of these beautiful new arms of mine. When they finally stopped dragging me down the road. the surf caster and his associates, got out of their motor vehicle and approached me, battered, lying in the road bleeding and broken. They were laughing hysterically, my suffering providing them with sadistic enjoyment. I grabbed this "fisherman" by his forehead and I squeezed his temple until his eyes popped out and his skull broke into bits. The sound of his screaming was music to my tortured soul.

If I don't use abuse as my explanation, how about addiction? Drugs. I became hooked after all the medication I needed after my unfortunate accident and that sort of thing.

The commoner needs a reason for my horrible deeds that makes sense to them. But the truth is the opposite of what they want.

I do what I do because I like doing it, I like how it makes me feel satisfied and whole. The addiction I have isn't to any substance. I am addicted to the fear of my targets. I am addicted to causing them pain and I am addicted to seeing dumb quick mart clerks and mean cops die...and I am fond of slushees and nachos from gas stations.

I am living a perfect life for me and I like it.

You better "take cover" as they say on the television box, here they come...excuse me...

California poppy (Eschscholzia californica). It looks brilliant, is no fuss to grow, is drought-tolerant, pest- and disease-free and it’s a medicinal herb par excellence.

The botanical name is in honour of Dr Johann Friedrich Eschscholtz, a surgeon and naturalist on a Russian expedition to circumnavigate the globe in 1815. Docked for a time in San Francisco, Eschscholtz and fellow team botanist, Adelbert von Chamisso, took to the countryside and found a wonderful, golden-coloured poppy, utilised by the natives as a sedative.

The golden poppy would become the official, designated state flower of California, in 1890.

Happy Birthday to the United States of America!!! I feel so blessed to live in this Nation...thankful to God for it! Have a safe and fun day everyone...gobble til you wobble!!! I have to work in the morning so I won't be doing much...going to a barbeque if they'll let me bring my doggies...they're so afraid of fireworks and I won't leave them. Got some sedatives from the vet for them...hopefully they'll be able to sleep, but somehow I doubt it!

self depicting pleasure

"Siempre hizo lo que quería hacer. Y lo quería hacer a su manera y lo quería hacer de la mejor manera. Su muerte no fue diferente a su vida – un trabajo de arte. Hizo Blackstar para nosotros, su regalo de despedida"

Tony Visconti

RIP

David Bowie

Blackstar

youtu.be/kszLwBaC4Sw

Something happened on the day he died

Spirit rose a metre and stepped aside

Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried

(I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar)

​

How many times does an angel fall?

How many people lie instead of talking tall?

He trod on sacred ground, he cried loud into the crowd

(I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar, I’m not a gangstar)

​

I can’t answer why (I’m a blackstar)

Just go with me (I’m not a filmstar)

I’m-a take you home (I’m a blackstar)

Take your passport and shoes (I’m not a popstar)

And your sedatives, boo (I’m a blackstar)

You’re a flash in the pan (I’m not a marvel star)

I’m the great I am (I’m a blackstar)

​

I’m a blackstar, way up, on money, I’ve got game

I see right, so wide, so open-hearted pain

I want eagles in my daydreams, diamonds in my eyes

(I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar)

​

Something happened on the day he died

Spirit rose a metre and stepped aside

Somebody else took his place, and bravely cried

(I’m a blackstar, I’m a star's star, I’m a blackstar)

​

I can’t answer why (I’m not a gangstar)

But I can tell you how (I’m not a flam star)

We were born upside-down (I’m a star's star)

Born the wrong way ‘round (I’m not a white star)

(I’m a blackstar, I’m not a gangstar

I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar

I’m not a pornstar, I’m not a wandering star

I’m a blackstar, I’m a blackstar)

A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colorful flowers. One species of poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the source of the crude drug opium which contains powerful medicinal alkaloids such as morphine and has been used since ancient times as an analgesic and narcotic medicinal and recreational drugs. It also produces edible seeds. Following the trench warfare which took place in the poppy fields of Flanders during World War I, poppies have become a symbol of remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime.

Poppies are herbaceous annual, biennial or short-lived perennial plants. Some species are monocarpic, dying after flowering. Poppies can be over 4 feet tall with flowers up to six inches across. Flowers of species (not cultivars) have 4 to 6 petals, many stamens forming a conspicuous whorl in the center of the flower and an ovary of from 2 to many fused carpels. The petals are showy, may be of almost any color in the and some have markings. The petals are crumpled in the bud and as blooming finishes, the petals often lie flat before falling away. In the temperate zones, poppies bloom from spring into early summer. Most species secrete latex when injured. Bees use poppies as a pollen source. The pollen of the oriental poppy, Papaver orientale, is dark blue, that of the field or corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is grey to dark green. The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, grows wild in eastern and southern Asia, and South Eastern Europe. It is believed that it originated in the Mediterranean region.

Poppies belong to the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae, which includes the following genera:

Papaver – Papaver rhoeas, Papaver somniferum, Papaver orientale, Papaver nudicaule

Eschscholzia – Eschscholzia californica

Meconopsis – Meconopsis cambrica, Meconopsis napaulensis

Stylophorum – celandine poppy

Argemone – prickly poppy

Romneya – matilija poppy and relatives

Canbya – pygmy poppy

Stylomecon – wind poppy

Arctomecon – desert bearpaw poppy

Hunnemannia – tulip poppy

Dendromecon – tree poppy

The flowers of most poppy species are attractive and are widely cultivated as annual or perennial ornamental plants. This has resulted in a number of commercially important cultivars, such as the Shirley poppy, a cultivar of Papaver rhoeas and semi-double or double (flore plena) forms of the opium poppy Papaver somniferum and oriental poppy (Papaver orientale). Poppies of several other genera are also cultivated in gardens. A few species have other uses, principally as sources of drugs and foods. The opium poppy is widely cultivated and its worldwide production is monitored by international agencies. It is used for production of dried latex and opium, the principal precursor of narcotic and analgesic opiates such as morphine, heroin and codeine. Poppy seeds are rich in oil, carbohydrates, calcium and protein. Poppy oil is often used as cooking oil, salad dressing oil, or in products such as margarine. Poppy oil can also be added to spices for cakes, or breads. Poppy products are also used in different paints, varnishes, and some cosmetics.

Poppies have long been used as a symbol of sleep, peace, and death: Sleep because the opium extracted from them is a sedative, and death because of the common blood-red color of the red poppy in particular. In Greek and Roman myths, poppies were used as offerings to the dead. Poppies used as emblems on tombstones symbolize eternal sleep. This symbolism was evoked in the children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which a magical poppy field threatened to make the protagonists sleep forever.

The poppy of wartime remembrance is Papaver rhoeas, the red-flowered corn poppy. This poppy is a common weed in Europe and is found in many locations, including Flanders, which is the setting of the famous poem "In Flanders Fields" by the Canadian surgeon and soldier John McCrae. In Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, artificial poppies (plastic in Canada, paper in the UK, Australia, South Africa, Malta and New Zealand) are worn to commemorate those who died in war. This form of commemoration is associated with Remembrance Day, which falls on November 11. In Canada, Australia and the UK, poppies are often worn from the beginning of November through to the 11th, or Remembrance Sunday if that falls on a later date. In New Zealand and Australia, soldiers are commemorated on ANZAC day (April 25), although the poppy is still commonly worn around Remembrance Day. Wearing of poppies has been a custom since 1924 in the United States. Miss Moina Michael of Georgia is credited as the founder of the Memorial Poppy in the United States.

For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppy

Cowslips are present across the UK, in meadows, grassland, woodland and verges as well as in gardens.

Cowslips are important for wildlife, their flowers an early source of nectar for various insects including bees, beetles and butterflies such as the brimstone.

The plant was traditionally used to treat sleeping problems as it is said to have a sedative quality, as well as the flowers being used to help treat coughs.

Cowslips were traditionally picked on May Day to adorn garlands but also for other celebrations, such as weddings. Cowslips have also been called ‘St. Peter’s keys’ or ‘keys of heaven’ because the one-sided flower heads looked like a set of keys, and it was said that cowslips grew where St. Peter dropped the Key of Earth.

Radicchio is a perennial cultivated form of leaf chicory (Cichorium intybus, Asteraceae) sometimes known as Italian chicory because of its common use in Italian cuisine. It is grown as a leaf vegetable and usually has colorful, white-veined red leaves that form a head. Radicchio has a bitter and spicy taste that mellows if it is grilled or roasted.

Pliny the Elder wrote in Naturalis Historia that radicchio was useful as a blood purifier and an aid for insomniacs. Radicchio contains intybin, a sedative/analgesic, as well as a type of flavonoid, called anthocyanin.

Petit gars va chez la vétérinaire demain, l'horreur, pour son rappel de vaccins. Cette fois il aura un calmant + la muselière car l'année passée on n'a même pas pu lui écouter son coeur tellement il ruait comme un cheval sauvage. Je n'aime pas le droguer, mais je ne veux pas non plus qu'on passe à côté de quelque chose, il a 8 ans déjà.

Little guy is going to the vet tomorrow, the horror, for his vaccine booster. This time he will have a sedative + the muzzle, last year the vet couldn't even listen to his heart because he kicked like a wild horse. I don't like drugging him, but I don't want to miss any health problem either, he's 8 years old already.

Something a little different.

Nature provides such soothing and calming scenes like this that helps one feel at peace and harmony. I find it necessary for my soul. Best drug around. Glad it's addicting.....

This is a well-known whitebark pine snag standing proud over Many Glacier's Swiftcurrent Falls. The sunrise provided some nice pastel blue and pink tones to highlight it. A daylight view of this well-positioned old pine in comments.

Hope you're enjoying a wonderful weekend!

SN/NC: Erythrina Mulungu, Fabaceae Family

Several Erythrina tree species are used by indigenous peoples in the Amazon as medicines, insecticides and fish poisons. Tinctures and decoctions made from the leaves or barks of Mulungu are often used in Brazilian traditional medicine as a sedative, to calm an overexcited nervous system, to lower blood pressure and for insomnia and depression.

Commercial preparations of Mulungu are available in Brazilian drugstores, but is not very widely known in North America and almost unknown in Europe; mostly appearing as an ingredient in only a few herbal formulas for anxiety or depression.

Ahuejote, también conocida por Bucare (Venezuela) es parte del grupo de Erythrinas. Son de unos colores que no pasan desapercebidos. Impresionante como son bellos estos árboles y decoran las márgenes del camino hacia La Pedra Grande, en Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, en Cuba.

Mulungu, planta da familia das Eritrinas. Cores chamativas e nao podem passar despercebidas. Elas estão no caminho que leva a chamada "Pedra Grande" que fica na famosa Sierra Maestra, em Santiago de Cuba, a segunda cidade mais importante do país, depois de La Havana y donde está sepultado Fidel Castro.

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico

The perennial purple sand verbena is a member of the Four o’clock family and is often the only conspicuous wildflower in the heart of the dunes. This low-growing plant produces pale pink to purple flowers with white centers and blooms from late April into May. Sand grains stick to its oval hairy leaves, giving it a silvery appearance. The purple sand verbena was used by American Indians as a mild sedative, which had a calming effect and was useful in reducing nervousness, anxiety, and tension. (NPS website)

Catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides)

Catalpa trees grow to 12–18 metres (39–59 ft) tall and 6–12 metres (20–39 ft) wide.

Catalpa wood is occasionally used as a tonewood in guitars.

When made into a tea the bark of the Southern catalpa tree has been used an antiseptic, supposedly used as a snake bite antidote, treatment for malaria and also for whooping cough.

The flowers and pods have been used as a light sedative while the flowers have also been used for treating asthma. Also, because of the antiseptic properties of the tree, the leaves can be used as a poultice for wounds.

The California poppy has gentle antispasmodic, sedative and analgesic actions making it a valuable herbal medicine for treating physical and psychological problems. It may also prove beneficial in attempts to overcome difficulty in sleeping and nervous tension and anxiety.

The wide range of psychoactive effects have been variously described as depressant, sedative-hypnotic, psychedelic, dissociative, or deliriant; paradoxical effects such as stimulation may occur however. Perceptual phenomena such as synesthesia, macropsia, and micropsia may occur; the latter two effects may occur either simultaneously or alternatingly, as part of Alice in Wonderland syndrome, collectively known as dysmetropsia, along with related distortions pelopsia and teleopsia. Some users report lucid dreaming under the influence of its hypnotic effects. Unlike Psilocybe cubensis, A. muscaria cannot be commercially cultivated, due to its mycorrhizal relationship with the roots of pine trees. However, following the outlawing of psilocybin mushrooms in the United Kingdom in 2006, the sale of the still legal A. muscaria began increasing

Please press L (or simply click the image) to view on black.

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The splendour of a blooming water lily brightens up a rainy day on Bluebird Estates. It is the first of several waterlilies, given to us by a cousin, that we planted this spring in our lake!

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Nymphaea alba, also known as the European White Waterlily, White Lotus, or Nenuphar, is an aquatic flowering plant of the family Nymphaeaceae.

It grows in water from 30-150 centimeters deep and likes large ponds and lakes. The leaves can be up to thirty centimeters in diameter and they take up a spread of 150 centimeters per plant. The flowers are white and they have many small stamens inside.

[...].

It is found all over Europe and in parts of North Africa and the Middle East in freshwater.

[...].

It contains the active alkaloids nupharine and nymphaeine, and is a sedative and an aphrodisiac/anaphrodisiac depending on sources. Although roots and stalks are used in traditional herbal medicine along with the flower, the petals and other flower parts are the most potent. Alcohol can be used to extract the active alkaloids, and it also boosts the sedative effects. The root of the plant was used by monks and nuns for hundreds of years as an anaphrodisiac, being crushed and mixed with wine. In the earliest printed medical textbooks, authors would maintain this area of use, though warning against consuming large and frequent doses.[1]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphaea_alba

Pleasant dreams and thanks for visiting!

Imagen y música van unidos...adjunto una suave y deliciosa música china.

Pulsar CTRL al mismo tiempo que el símbolo ♫♫

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

www.linkingoo.com/foto/

www.fotoandros.com

www.fluidr.com/photos/35196188@N03

www.youtube.com/user/25elgaucho

www.youtube.com/user/25elgaucho/videos?tag_id=&view=0...

Para calmar el dolor . La amapola a pesar de no contener morfina, como se pensó por mucho tiempo, posee cualidades sedantes, las cuales sirven para calmar el dolor de quemaduras, cortadas e inflamaciones...

VER video de ruta de montaña por donde abunda esta flor:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA829jbMihk

To soothe the pain. Poppy despite not contain morphine, as long thought, has sedative qualities which serve to relieve the pain of burns, cuts and swellings

"Unite, Wardens of Varulev, fill your hearts with strength!

-Warden Toru Hue, during the Battle of the Long Knives.

_______________________________________________

The Varulev Wardens are the primary operators and soldiers of the Varulev nation. Sometimes refereed to as the 'Wardies' these brave men and women traverse the weary world as protectors of their own lands and unifiers to those on foreign soil.

The Wardens primarily operate in small teams of six, and are accompanied by a small speeder known as a 'Raskulv Tactical Interceptor', or 'RTI' for short.

These speeders are fast, highly manoeuvrable and able to provide quick fire support should the Warden Squad fall under attack. Their pilots are often just as quick in terms of thought, able to react to changing battle environments in seconds.

In addition to this, each Warden Team has an assigned leader; their Sergeant, whose primary purpose is to direct their team in the best possible manner.

Each Sergeant is granted the use of a personal universal datapad, designed to give the user instant access to helpful information such as the local terrain, position of nearby enemies and even the weather, should the team be operating in extreme conditions.

The Warden Team also has a Vomaster, responsible for long range communication with fellow Warden Teams and the Varulev nation, and a Medic.

Though all Wardens train heavily in the healing arts, and carry medi-kits to aid themselves or injured civilians, the Team's Medic is the true expert when it comes to medicine.

Each Medic, whilst being the most proficient and efficient healer of the group, also carries the heavier sedatives and equipment for serious battle injuries, to ensure that their fellow Wardens make it safely off each battlefield.

Besides these necessary roles, the remaining two slots of a Team are filled by a common Trooper and a Heavy Weapon Specialist.

The Troopers carry the standardised Varulev Beam Rifle, whilst the Specialists prefer the more powerful Pulse Caster.

In truth, without the strength of the Wardens, the Varulev Nation would never have been able to protect and hold their freedom from their tyrannical masters.

Thus, the Varulev Empire respects them deeply, especially in the current times, as the Wardens began marching to face a conflict the likes of which the world has never seen before...

Your support of the Varulev Empire is greatly appreciated.

Live for unity before conquest, friends.

I love how messy a forest can get without heavy logging. It looks to be overbrowsed by deer though and thoroughly invaded by earthworms - the grass is a giveaway, there should be a more varied understory.

Valeriana officinalis, Common Valerian, Ljekoviti odoljen, 7747 Bot, 3.V.2020. Rijeka, Veli vrh

www.inaturalist.org/observations/45008522

+

www.inaturalist.org/observations/45076682

----------------------

7.VI.2020. Klana 20200607 KlanErvPre

www.inaturalist.org/observations/60507437

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Because of valerian's historical use in traditional medicine for diverse purposes, such as for sedation or pain relief, laboratory research has been directed at the GABAA receptor, a class of receptors on which benzodiazepines act.

Valerian also contains isovaltrate, which has been shown to be an inverse agonist for adenosine A1 receptor sites. This action likely does not contribute to the herb's possible sedative effects, which would be expected from an agonist, rather than an inverse agonist, at this particular binding site. Hydrophilic extractions of the herb commonly sold over the counter, however, probably do not contain significant amounts of isovaltrate. Valerenic acid in valerian stimulates serotonin receptors as a partial agonist, including 5-HT5A which is implicated in the sleep-wake cycle

An overcast, dreary morning here today, 14 December 2015, Temperature is -5C (windchill -11C). There was s slight dusting of snow overnight. And Flickr is being a real pain this morning - one problem after another.

Yet again, I'm having to dig into my archives. I've only been able to get out on two walks since the car accident I was involved in (but not at fault) on 28 November 2015, and barely got any new photos. My car has been repaired (damaged heat shield from the impact), my very last overseas Christmas letter was written last night - and now I'm good to go! Just in time for the start of the various Audubon Christmas Bird Counts, too, so hopefully I'll be able to get some new shots.

Meanwhile, this is a macro of the beautiful, vibrant, red berries of the Baneberry plant, seen here at the Reader Rock Garden on 23 July 2014, but it also grows wild. Some Baneberry plants produce white berries, which are also attractive.

"All parts of the plant are poisonous. However, accidental poisoning is not likely since the berries are extremely bitter. The berries are the most toxic part of the plant. A healthy adult will experience poisoning from as few as six berries. Ingestion of the berries causes nausea, dizziness, increased pulse and severe gastrointestinal discomfort. The toxins can also have an immediate sedative effect on the cardiac muscle tissue possibly leading to cardiac arrest if introduced into the bloodstream. As few as two berries may be fatal to a child. All parts of the plant contain an irritant oil that is most concentrated within the roots and berries." From Wikipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaea_rubra

After a volunteer shift that day, I wasn't too far away from the Erlton/Roxboro Natural Area, where I was finally going to go on a botany walk with a few friends. Having been to that location quite a few times before, I knew it was a short, easy, flat trail, and that I could go as far as I wanted and then turn back early, which is what I did. The main thing I wanted to see there were the Nodding / Musk Thistles, as these are my favourite species of Thistle. They are called a weed, but I love to see them.

With a couple of hours to "kill" till the botany walk, I spent them at the Reader Rock Garden, which was just a few minutes' drive away from the evening botany walk location.

Zoom in and you can see two fisherman are sleeping on the boat as they were waiting for the moment to pull up the net...

A couple of days ago, on 13 August 2014, I had a volunteer shift and afterwards, as I sometimes do, drove to the Reader Rock Garden. Thought I'd better see what flowers were in bloom, as summer is slipping away so fast and I haven't taken all that many colourful images of flowers, garden or wild. They come in so handy during the seven long months of winter that are not all that far away now, breaking the monotony of "white" photos. Some of the flowers were well past their prime, but can still make an interesting shot. A lot of the Baneberry plants were putting on a great display of these gorgeous red, shiny berries. Some of the Baneberry plants had clusters of white berries (Actaea pachypoda). I saw something move and when I looked closer at this cluster, I noticed this tiny black and white Jumping Spider. Got a shot just before he jumped and disappeared. I've added a previously posted photo of the beautiful white flower in a comment box below, for anyone not familiar with this plant.

"All parts of the plant are poisonous. However, accidental poisoning is not likely since the berries are extremely bitter. The berries are the most toxic part of the plant. A healthy adult will experience poisoning from as few as six berries. Ingestion of the berries causes nausea, dizziness, increased pulse and severe gastrointestinal discomfort. The toxins can also have an immediate sedative effect on the cardiac muscle tissue possibly leading to cardiac arrest if introduced into the bloodstream. As few as two berries may be fatal to a child. All parts of the plant contain an irritant oil that is most concentrated within the roots and berries." From Wikipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaea_rubra

... At the end of Winter....

the "Winter cherry"...

The Exotic sweet taste in the smallest delicious fruit....

Physalis alkekengi (bladder cherry, Chinese lantern, Japanese-lantern, strawberry groundcherry, or winter cherry;) is a relative of P. peruviana (Cape gooseberry). It is easily identifiable by the large, bright orange to red papery covering over its fruit, which resembles paper lanterns. It grows naturally in the regions covering Southern Europe to South Asia and Northeast Asia. It is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 40–60 cm tall, with spirally arranged leaves 6–12 cm long and 4–9 cm broad. The flowers are white, with a five-lobed corolla 10–15 mm across, with an inflated basal calyx which matures into the papery orange fruit covering, 4–5 cm long and broad.

The dried fruit of P. alkekengi is called the golden flower in the Unani system of medicine, and used as a diuretic, antiseptic, liver corrective, and sedative.

© All rights reserved

*usually appear after sedatives start wearing off; the one above is called "molotov cocktail"

p.s. we cowardly artists can never figure out wether to drink or throw them.

From the Press Newspaper:

"Christchurch's killer quake gave a jolt to the country's nerves, with doctors issuing a record number of sedatives and other pills to calm mental anguish.

In the wake of last February's 6.3 quake, which killed 182 people and devastated Christchurch, figures from national pharmaceutical management agency Pharmac show prescriptions for mental health-related conditions rocketed to a national record increasing by 41,000 scripts.

The Canterbury district health board saw the single biggest lift, from 38,000 scripts in February to 47,000 in March, a rise of 9000.

But the same increase in scripts were issued by Auckland's three health boards.

Eighteen district health board regions reported increases.

New Zealand Psychological Society president Frank O'Connor was not surprised by the figures. ''It's not the earthquake itself, its that everything's changed, everything's different,'' he said.

''It's a reminder that we don't know what's going to happen.''

In February there were 256,000 prescriptions but by March that had risen to a record 297,000, a 16 per cent jump, with the bulk of the increase coming in sedatives and antidepressants."

Sredstvo za smirenje: sjećanje na Postira, puni Mjesec i valove

The sedative: memory of Postira, the full Moon and the waves

'This roadtrip is going to be great!', they had said.

Well, here I was, driving down a seemingly endless road in Kansas, and had been doing so for over two hours. I could hardly remember the last time I touched the wheel - this road just kept going straight ahead with not even the slightest hint of a curve. The scenery was no better and could be summed up in one word: plains. Green, flat, never-ending plains. Sure, ahead you had the majestic outline of the Rockies, and yes, it seemed to be pretty close. But it had already seemed close two hours ago. Like a mirage, taunting you with the promise of something better just to remain out of reach, and at this point I had stopped hoping.

Behind me, eight of my travel companions were all snoozing. Odd, since it was only mid-afternoon, but it seemed this environment had a sedative effect on everyone, not just me. Next to me sat my designated map reader who was the only reason I had not yet gone crazy. There was obviously no map reading to be done. Here there was only one direction: straight ahead. To his credit, he had instead taken it upon himself to keep me occupied and we had had some pretty interesting conversations. Ultimately though, even he had been reduced to just sitting there staring blindly into the distance. We were two friends suffering together in this seemingly static nightmare.

But wait! Surely the mountians were closer now? And we could even spot some of the hills coming up. This was it! It had to be! Yes, the road started to bend, and soon we found ourselves cruising through the foothills! The road flowing with the terrain around it - something new to see around every corner. And trees! Glorious trees!

I looked over at my fellow companion with a smile and he was smiling too. Finally we had some enjoyable driving ahead of us! Our perserverence had paid off!

- 'Good job Emil' I heard a voice from the back. 'Pull over as soon as you can and we'll switch drivers'.

It seemed I was destined to enjoy the foothills through a heavily tinted window in the back of an overcrowded van instead of of having the pleasure of driving through this wonderful landscape.

This was from a road trip I took in university with some friends, and although perhaps a bit exaggerated here, the road through Kansas into Colorado is certainly not the most exciting driving to be had ;) Boring driving aside, the trip was loads of fun and I would love to go back with the family some time. But yeah, I'm a trees and mountains kinda guy, and open landscapes, though pretty in its own way, is not where I feel at home. Trees please!

The power of yellow ... power of light...

Poppies

are herbaceous annual, biennial or short-lived perennial plants. Some species are monocarpic, dying after flowering. Poppies can be over 4 feet tall with flowers up to six inches across. The flowers have 4 to 6 petals, many stamens forming a conspicuous whorl in the centre of the flower and an ovary consisting of from 2 to many fused carpels. The petals are showy, may be of almost any color and some have markings. The petals are crumpled in the bud and as blooming finishes, the petals often lie flat before falling away. Poppies are in full bloom late spring to early summer.[1] Most species secrete latex when injured. Bees use poppies as a pollen source. The pollen of the oriental poppy, Papaver orientale, is dark blue, that of the field or corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is grey to dark green. The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is mainly grown in eastern and southern Asia, and South Eastern Europe. It is believed that it originated in the Mediterranean region.

© All rights reserved

The photos I present on Flickr probably represent less than one percent of my total output. I shoot everywhere and anywhere. Not everything works out. Some things work out okay, but simply don't fit the narrative. Mostly I try to curate this page like a gallery. I study each prospective image and decide if it's really compelling in some way. This is not about filling space. I've been inspired by Flickr members with really great streams. You know them the minute you land on them. You want to go through each and every page no matter how many. Each photo is like finding a jewel. Great photos to appreciate in their own right and perhaps inspire your own future endeavors. Anyway there's a part of my life where I set out to capture photos to feed my own narrative. The foggy days, the cemeteries, abandonments, the dark places as I refer to them. Love all of that, both for the images that result, but also the life experiences and memories. For me it all ties in. But I love the happenstance photos; slices of everyday life that somehow (often inadvertently) reflect that mentality. Case in point is this forlorn brush pile. I made this myself. Wasn't setting out for a photo; furthest thing from my mind in fact. I just wanted to get and do some yard work. Despite the lingering cold air, the calendar showed it was time to get moving. I got it in my mind to clear some brush. I do this once each year, working in the back woods before it gets overgrown. I love being in a forest during the time of bare branches. It feels so closed in during the summer, but in winter and spring you can see pretty much right through the trunks. Anyway this all started with a single stick. I set one down, then another, and another, and several OCD hours later this was the result. When I finally stopped working and looked at the stack in the late afternoon light, my first thought was to grab the camera. There was just something about this scene that was visually appealing. The sense of texture; the shadows; I'm never entirely sure and it really doesn't matter. It's mostly about a feeling. In this case fueled by the sort of meditative state of mind the results from stacking these branches. Great mental therapy.

The Latin valere from whence the common name of this plant originated means "to be strong or healthy" and it may refer to the healing applications of the plant or it may refer to its strong odour. Indeed the ancient Greeks called this plant "Phu" (like phew!).

It was believed that this plant had the properties of turning anything bad into good.

Valerian is sedative to humans, but excites both cats and mice. In the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamlin, he baited the rodents with valerian to drive them out of the city. The flowers are used in charm bags to encourage love, protection and sleep.

My wife & I often notice how quiet everything becomes in the midst of a good snowfall. It's Mother Nature's sedative.

This is a flower stem from one of a number of self-sown Valerian plants that have appeared in our garden over the years.

Valerian bears sweetly scented pink or white flowers that attract many fly species, especially hoverflies. It is also consumed as food by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species.

Crude extract of valerian root may have sedative and anxiolytic effects, and is commonly sold in dietary supplement capsules to promote sleep. Its roots and leaves cause a catnip-like response in cats.

flickriver.com/photos/juanito1948/

No tengo ni idea de como se llama. Si algun amig@...

GRACIAS. a

M Martin Vicente

Y si quieres saber mas, mira en Wikipedia

I have no idea of his name. If any friends ...

THANKS. to M.Martin vicente. This flower is the flower of chicory, which is used to make a type of Bach Flowers.

Cichorium intybus, common chicory, radicchio or radishes, is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Asteraceae family.

Since the seventeenth century infusion of roasted root is used as a coffee substitute.

As a salad vegetable use dates back only to the nineteenth century.

From the Middle Ages the Cichorium intybus is used to medicinal effects.

properties

stimulates the proper functioning of the liver;

stimulates the secretion of bile,

detoxifying and cleansing (cholagogues and choleretic);

healing;

sedative;

diuretic.

expulsion of intestinal worms.

And if you want to know more, look in Wikipedia

Sam had a particularly bad seizure episode a couple of days ago and had to visit his vet later where I snapped this photo. which I later ran through Dreamscope. Looking at the results from the filter I can not help but wonder if Sam does not feel as if he has stepped into an alien world visiting the vet when he is sedated (very) and disoriented as he was that day. Even though he spent the first 6 months of his life in their care he still hates doctor visits on a good day. It seems his good memories of the place have faded in the 18 or so months he has been in my home and many of the vet techs he knew and loved are gone so he is not the best behaved kitty on a well visit now. He spent a day recovering from the seizure and sedatives he was given and is doing well for the moment.

Beautiful Butterfly Scarce Swallowtail, Sail Swallowtail, Pear-tree Swallowtail, Podalirius. Butterfly sailboats family Papilionidae. Latin Iphiclides podaliriu. Butterfly collects nectar on flower

Bushy lippia (Lippia alba), Verbenaceae family, is an herb whose leaves are used as a popular tea. "The plant is used medicinally for its somatic, sedative, antidepressant, and analgesic properties."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lippia_alba

C-State asylum.

"The passionate red, the sedative blue, the racy yellow. No problem: go for the schizophrenic black and include them all. In case your mood has a quick shift, you are always prepared."

-Michael Simon

If there was one thing I promised when I started this 365, is that it would be honest. it would be about me, whether good bad or indifferent....it would be about me.

Well all the smiles of the previous 51 days had to have a little break today.

As some of you know, I suffer from depression and have done for some time. Nothing serious, regular medication keeps the worst of it at bay now, I'm glad to say.

However, I still have some bad days.

Today was one of those days.

I'm not sure what triggers it, if anything at all, but every so often I get to a certain part of the day and bang, it hits me like a train into a brick wall. The feeling of "meh" just washes over me and absolutely everything in my life suddenly becomes extremely unappealing. (Think of having a favourite film to watch, but being bored...then amplify it by 100000x, thats the only way I can describe it). Unfortunately, this then affects my daily life. Tasks I need to be getting on with don't get done because I really just can't get on with anything, and all I can do is sit back and take a break from 'life' and hope it passes soon.

It's these times too, that I just want to hide away and eat. The 'diet' or 'healthy eating lifestyle' takes a big back seat, and everything else becomes unimportant. I have no motivation to spend time with my kids or wife. I get increasingly narky and crabby (even more so than usual...). This is where I know my wife is a diamond, I just have to say to her I'm having a bad day and she understands and leaves me to it.

I know I'm lucky, my depression, compared to some, is extremely mild, and I'm also lucky that the medication, while doesn't rid me of my problems, it does help (and it's non-sedative too, which is a bonus).

But I'm a big advocate that mental illness, especially in this country is seriously misunderstood and in many cases goes undiagnosed.

So for anyone out there with any history of mental problems, however slight or serious, this 365 today is for you.

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