Hope Valley Herbal Solutions

29/03/2026

Interesting…

For the first time, scientists have captured high-speed video showing trees emitting a faint, electrical glow during thunderstorms. This extraordinary phenomenon, filmed in the Blue Ridge Mountains by researchers from Penn State University, reveals that trees can generate sparks in strong electric fields without being struck by lightning. The effect, known as corona discharge, produces a blue glow at the tips of branches and leaves. It occurs when the storm’s electric field is strong enough to ionize air molecules near the sharp edges of trees, causing electrons to move and emit energy in a plasma form. Unlike lightning, corona discharge is “cool” electricity, producing light without heat or damage to the tree.

This discovery not only offers a mesmerizing visual but also highlights the broader environmental impact of forests. The corona discharges generate hydroxyl radicals, key molecules that help clean the atmosphere by breaking down pollutants and greenhouse gases like methane. This suggests that forests may play a more significant role in maintaining the Earth’s electrical balance and reducing greenhouse gas concentrations than previously recognized.

The intensity of the glow varies among tree species and is influenced by factors such as canopy size and leaf shape. Evergreen conifers, with their pointed needle-like leaves, are particularly efficient at concentrating the electric field, producing brighter glows compared to broadleaf trees. Over time, as trees grow, their corona activity can increase, further enhancing their atmospheric impact.

Historically, sailors have observed similar glowing effects on ship masts during storms, but only now has modern technology confirmed the phenomenon in natural forested environments. By combining high-speed cameras and sensitive sensors, researchers have captured a visual testament to the hidden electrical activity of trees, providing a new perspective on the dynamic interactions between vegetation and the atmosphere. This study not only deepens our understanding of thunderstorms but also emphasizes the importance of forests in sustaining Earth’s environmental and atmospheric health.

12/02/2026

Something I've been mulling over recently. Your friend or therapist’s small business – hairdresser, crafts, PT, tree surgery, herbalist – might have 100, 500, 1000 followers on FB/Instagram. You’d assume that when they post something, all those followers would see it, right? But think – when did you last see so and so post – when you then go and click on them you realise there’s loads you’ve missed!

You may have heard of social media “algorithms”. Small businesses do all the work trying to make interesting posts and then tear their hair out as the analytics show that it only turned up in 40 people’s feed, despite them having 2000 followers. This is (I think) how it works.

When a small business posts, without paying to “boost” the post, it gets released to a handful of followers, this seems MAYBE to be the people who react most often – liking, sharing or commenting upon the posts. So my husband always sees my posts (to be fair he knows he’s in trouble if he doesn’t) and I know I have a handful of loyal followers who will almost always like/share/comment (you don’t know how grateful I am to you). When “enough” people interact – and that seems to be random – apparently FB/Instagram will release the post to more people, so another batch of followers will see it and so on. I think. So, yes, you might not get the post in the first place!

When you comment on your friend’s small business post, *your* friends might see that comment in their feed. Even if you just write something non-committal like “lovely photo” or “interesting!”. So this means more people will see the post = advertising.

It seems as well that FB/Insta are more likely to release a post to more people if there is a photo of a person in it. Hence occasional photos of me going “oh look, I’m on a beach”. (I hate doing this, I’m not a photo-sharing kind of person, but it’s a necessary evil!).

So anyway, I just thought I’d write a bit about this, not just to help me, but so you can help other small businesses you know. Often we can’t afford to advertise very much and social media is the only way. It’s “free” advertising technically but not free in terms of the time taken. I don’t think all this is common knowledge so please feel free to share! Like! Comment! 😄

And lastly THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for your support no matter what form it takes, I am always so very grateful!

25/11/2025



25/11/2025

Blackberry: tonal value in leaves… Botanical Art with Jennie Hinton 🥰 🍃🍁.

25/11/2025

Prickly & tangly, but generous & so good for you: do you know anyone like that? Blackberry: an excercise in tonal values of leaves, a new concept for me on my botanical Art class adventure…thanks Jennie Hinton, talented artist & teacher🥰🍃🍁

28/10/2025

Strawberry Tree… beautiful, delicious & medicinal…. Italian National Tree, Madrid Coat of arms, my new Muse & buddy, tasty treats growing down the road…

27/09/2025

New Botanical Hero Card fresh off the easel: introducing Acanthus, said to help with joint dislocations …ease them back in & keep them in place….
Apollo loved Acantha, she rebuffed him, so he turned her into this scratchy plant, in true Greek mythology style…. So the story goes.
Been a bit busy recently, so took me a few days to draw this one… You can see it was progressively more dead at each sitting! Makes an interesting study of a dying leaf…Fitting with the season….🍁🍃🍂