charcoal from local circle fire with stone, vegetation, Water & Earth cosmology

French Broad River

Hot Springs NC

again the presence on site of the seedpods of Sweetgum tree Liquidambar sp. atop the ice indicating they have recently dropped...

"...Both leaves and stems are fragrant when crushed, thus it's common name, sweetgum. Sweetgum's golden, pleasant-smelling sap also is responsible for it's genus name of Liquidambar. The sap is used to scent gloves in France. The sweet, resinous sap was also used to make gum, which was used both medicinally and as chewing gum. As such, the gum was chewed to ease sore throats, coughs and colds. The gum was also used during World Wars I and II to produce soaps, drugs and adhesives. Ointments made from sweetgum were used on wounds, cuts and skin disorders. The inner bark was often boiled in milk to cure diarrhea. In the southern states, twigs were dipped in whiskey and chewed for the same purpose. Oriental sweetgum, L. orientalis, also produces a sweetly scented resin known as storax, which is used commercially in the production of perfumes, soaps, and medicines as well as flavoring for candy, soft drinks and chewing gum. ..." ...

http://www.hort.cornell.edu/bjorkman/lab/arboretum/trees/sweetgum.html

Love, Peace & CoCreativity

Water is Life

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