Right now my garden is frozen over with snow, a beautiful sight. I am excited for another year to play in the garden and see what she will communicate with me. Right now earth says, “Not yet….wait a little longer.” A number of years ago, I had a helper in my garden and she quit […]

There is a beautiful and powerful tree that grows in our Pacific Northwest called Cottonwood Populus balsamifera. It grows in many other places as well and all over the Southwest. It is the gooey, resinous buds of Cottonwood that offer deep healing physically and spiritually. These leaf buds are gathered before opening in late fall […]

I wrote this poem on February 6, 2007 There is a slight stirring in the garden these past few days. As our frozen Earth warms, I have enjoyed venturing out to look for plants emerging from the dark soil. Just a little bit here so far, catnip, oregano, bergamot, lady’s mantle, oxe-eye daisy, And there […]

It’s winter and the garden is quiet. The plants have pretty much stopped growing. It would appear that everything is either dead or dormant. But under the earth, the roots are vibrant. One of the plants that I love to gather in the winter is Elecampane Inula helenium. It is the root I seek. I […]

A deep intimacy has been cultivated with the land and the plants here at our farm through my relationship with the roses. Through a daily practice of listening, breathing, and the exchange of wisdom teachings, the roses, the trees and the plants have shaped and expanded the ground of connection here. It is not only […]

The Autumn Equinox has brought cool nights and graciously is bringing us warm days. The maples are turning yellow, golden and brown. The seeds of many plants are ripening as are the bountiful apples. What a blessing the earth brings to us for the season of returning. This time of the equinox is the time […]

Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, has been a potent ally of mine for many years now. I have grown fond of finding this plant where ever I go, growing up through cracks in the sidewalk, near compost heaps, and now here on the farm. She is an integral part of our garden, growing here and there along […]

This is a companion piece to my blog post, “I am a Wildcrafter”. There are many simple herbal preparations that can be made at home, in your kitchen utilizing the plants that live right outside your door. The art of gathering and preparing herbs can change you and deepen your experience with the plants that […]

I have been exploring bitters lately. The bitter taste and how it support good health. I have always liked the taste of something bitter. A few years ago, I began to wonder about motherwort and her bitterness and if she would support my digestion as well as my nervous system, heart and womb. I began […]

Oh, Mother, bless our being Oh, Mother, bless our being Oh, Mother, bless our being We are fully wise Within your heart Within your womb Within your heart. *** I began to write about motherwort as a way of writing about the folk method of herbal crafting. The messy, simple, common way to craft a […]