Entry 6 by Mikaela Miyamoto

Dear Dreadful Diary,

Mother always reminded me that I must tend to the plants and the garden while I’m home. They can feel your energy too so you must give them love and care! I also had a few remedies that needed restocking in the pantry so I decided to do some trimmings. We have the usuals stocked in our garden: herbs like rosemary and thyme, lots of roses and lavender, other things like ivy and periwinkle! We even have a few mushrooms around that have sprouted all on their own. Those and the ivy and periwinkle are, of course, quite common at the usual resting place but we keep it stocked and growing here as well! Lots of plants have many different qualities and uses and they also just make a place feel a bit more alive and beautiful. Whenever anyone had a persistent cough mother always made a little brew with the ivy and some cinnamon and it would help us get things out right away and feeling better in no time. And I recall when I was quite young and would end up with scrapes from climbing things I shouldn’t be, my grandmother would use the periwinkle to make a sort of paste and apply it to my wounds. “So they don’t scar, lovely!” She’d always say. I do miss them quite a lot but I’ll visit them after I depart. The roses have always been my favorite part of the garden though. We have so many varieties and colors. And wouldn’t you know, with the right intentions they can do different things. It’s actually quite amazing! Although it is very, very important to keep up with the garden and fill it with love. Your intentions while the plants are growing are just as important as when you add them to a potion! But the roses are my favorite because they are most always used for lovely things. Love and care and hope and beauty. Such lovely, lovely things. I’m not quite fond of curses, although all members of the family must learn about them and how to cast them. The more kind and giving spells have always been my favorite. Mother always said they come from a place of hope and love which makes them smoother for the caster. And because the magic you do will come back to you, they feel a little less scary. If I could, I would make kind and beautiful spells my specialty and have an entire garden dedicated just to roses! Of course those musings are simply daydreams for me now. I’ve already done much work for the family that’s rendered that particular thought into a complete fantasy. At least I have my time here, in this garden, and maybe even with a new lover! Perhaps I’ll invite Edward for some lovely rose tea in the garden soon. I’d love to share this atmosphere with him before I must go …. Well these thoughts have made me feel a bit melancholy so I’ll head to bed now. Goodnight!

Love,

Luna the Lively