Category Archives: Domestic Bliss

Let it be light

16 Thursday Feb 2017

Posted by in Domestic Bliss, Inspirations

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The world has felt a bit overwhelming recently. Every day my news feed refreshes itself and I feel one spade deeper into disquiet. The skies here have been gray and there has been a general feeling of downtrodden timelessness. Mornings that look like evenings that look like the beginning of night.

I have a tendency, especially on gray days, to take things pretty seriously. Human rights, the environment, the state of things. But perhaps the thing I hold with the most seriousness of all is my own self. The sacred crux of my personal work, my responsibility to grow. The knowledge that all change begins on an individual scale, with my agreement to continue to examine, to dismantle, to expand.

And it’s good, it’s needed. But sometimes I get so serious about the path of self work and personal responsibility that it begins to feel as if my growth is also my greatest confinement. Even my self care regime (yoga, meditation, reading, repeat!) starts to feel like just another To-Do.

That’s when I know, it’s time to just let it be light.

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I hear, often, the idea that self care is a kind of activism. And I agree. Tending the inner wells is a practice that nourishes a much larger reality. But what about the idea of self care without an end goal? Self care for its own sake, without it needing to be political, radical, or even useful?

What if, sometimes, taking care of ourselves doesn’t need to be utile at all?

What if, instead, you gave yourself permission to engage in a totally luxurious sabbatical of self joy? Now clearly, I’m not suggesting a whole scale permanent check out from the waves of the world, but sometimes our hearts need a great shock of goodness, of levity and joy, to be able to become a part of things once more.

So, for this week, ditch the various To-Do’s of self care, of being a good person, the  right person, for this world and just try cultivating self joy.

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In the midst of a hard week last week I started doing something revolutionary. An hour before bedtime I turned off my phone, my computer, my work mind and just felt into what I truly wanted. I even let go of my normal routine of what-I-do-in-my-down-time (yoga, mediation, reading, repeat!). And instead I just let, as Mary Oliver says, the soft animal of my body love what it loves.

So I ended up taking a lot of baths, a ridiculously luxurious amount of baths. I ended up eating chocolate tarts. I danced for a long time in front of the mirror and tried on different outfits for fun. I watercolored, a practice that feels so liberating simply because I have no idea what I’m doing.

My dreams have all been pointing me in this direction as well. Even though we are moving through such deep times lately, every night I’m dreaming of dinner parties, and strolls on the boardwalk, easeful gatherings and wine. Of pleasure as an important part of life. And every morning I wake up with the same quiet voice whispering… you are allowed to let it be light.

So many of us worry that if we let something be light (anything!) we’ll somehow fall off the bandwagon of our responsibility to reality. But what if our ability to respond to the world is intricately tied to our capacity to find, and ultimately embody, the light?

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To let something be light is to recognize the full spectrum of its identity, its essence and personhood. To let something be light is to allow the source behind all things to shine through. To allow the nature of nature to make itself known. To notice possibilities, to be open to the divinity that wants to glimmer up from within the deep. Whether it’s funny political commentary, or the way the winter sun feels warm on your face. Or your desire to put on a witch-cape and dance to Stevie Nicks.

Let it be light.

Let it be fun. Roll around in the yard and make pancakes. Wear something goofy for a day. Build a blanket fort in the living room and spend the night reading in there by flashlight. Get take-out. Open a fortune cookie. Remember what joyful living feels like.

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Shadow work may be active, but the only way we can truly stay sane (and potent) during this time is to remember the truth — that the shadow is simply a by-product of the light.

So take a vacation, even if it’s only for an afternoon.

Because isn’t this the very preciousness that we are working so hard to preserve — the dream that all beings may be free to experience the joy of their aliveness?

The ultimate goal of a vacation is not to whisk us away, it is to help us to return. So take a vacation of self joy this week. And you will be surprised how very bright, and powerful, you will feel when you come back.

Adaptogenic Snickerdoodles

15 Monday Dec 2014

Posted by in Crafting, Domestic Bliss

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Quartz crystalsThe frost is simply dazzling these days. Stretched out across the yard and far hills of moss like a sparkling net of stars. Lately, I’ve been mulling deeply into this time of cold winds and warm cheerful stoves. I recently moved into a new home far out in the hills and hollers of Appalachia and have found myself beginning each new day with such quiet appreciation — of the evergreens and rabbit tracks, silent does and rustic woolen clothes. I love this time of the year. When my breath begins to follow me around in little puffs of smoke and I’m allowed to simply stay inside with my cast irons and concoct. Between the rush of shipping medicine to every corner of the country, packaging blends for family and friends, and preparing for my Holiday magic + Medicine Making Class, I’ve been spending every other waking moment celebrating the season in the best room of any cozy cabin… the kitchen.

Rainbow with spoonThere’s a certain kind of magic hour in my new kitchen. A mid-afternoon faery-spell when the sun pours in and kisses my suncatcher window with light. For an hour every winter-noon my kitchen is lost in a dazzle of winking rainbow-light. Scattered across the bare wood floors and walls, a small flock of color ripples from left to right, anointing every surface with a ethereal crystal, before they simply disappear, take flight. This is my absolute favorite time to create new magic.

Snickerdoodle bowl with rainbowsMy good friend Juliet mentioned the idea of creating an adaptongenic sugar cookie a few months ago. At the time I thought, “By golly! What a fabulous idea!” Needless to say, the idea stuck to me like a burr to a gathering basket and I’ve been waiting until the holidays rolled around (aka. until it’s completely kosher to make…and eat…batch after batch of sugar cookies) to try it out.

Now, I love snickerdoodles. Not just because they are a fun word to throw out at a party and pretend you speak fluent German (despite having some deep German ancestry, I can’t lay claim to knowing much at all of the language! Regardless, I’ve been “snickerdoodling” in a heavy German accent every chance I get), but because they are everything a holiday cookie should be: Soft, chewy, crispy, cinnamon-y and sweet.

Snickerdoodles closeAs much as I adore the holidays– with all their bright lights and white pines, warm cinnamon and cheer– they can also be (a tad) stressful. In the midst of a serious north pole whirlwind of holiday to-do’s,  I was grateful for the chance to sit down and play with some of my favorite stress-relieving herbs (in cookie form, of course). Stress can come in lots of different guises– wintertime bugs and blues, an entire turkey to roast or a whole evening spent in itchy Christmas sweaters with your uncle Lou. Adaptogens, as defined by David Winston, are a kind of deep inner support, helping our bodies “adapt to stress, support normal metabolic processes and restore balance.” (If you are interested in learning more about adaptogens, definitely take a peek at David’s book Adaptogens). Often called rejuvenatives in other traditions, Adaptogens are herbs that help us to feel graceful, strong and energetic… no matter what stresses may be manifesting in our outward environment. In this recipe I’ve included my three favorite adaptogens for coasting through the holiday season: Ginseng, Shatavari and Astragalus. One a sunny day, kitchen-rainbowed day this past weekend I put on my flowery apron, turned up some swinging holiday tunes, and got to creating this truly scrumptious batch of relaxing holiday cookies.

Adaptogenic snickerdoodles with textCrafted with three different adatopgens for stress-release, stamina and overall good cheer this holiday season, these Snickerdoodles are as rejuvenative as a hot evergreen bath at the end of a long day. Paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and humbug-free, too! These rich cookies, sweetened with coconut sugar and dark amber maple syrup, are simply divine dipped into hot cocoa or paired with warmed apple brandy. Craft a batch for your next cookie swap or take the edge off a frenzied evening of present wrapping with these medicinal treats.

Dosage: 1-2… err 5 ? cookies (Take a load off, Mr. Claus).

Recipe makes about 30 cookies

Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 4 tsp Ginseng powder (Panax ginseng or P. quinquefolius. If using P. quinquefolius please make sure the root was organically grown and not wildcrafted! Our precious native ginseng continues to disappear at an alarming rate out of our forests)
  • 4 tsp Shatavari powder (Asparagus racemosus)
  • 4 tsp Astragalus powder (Astragalus membranaceus)
  • 3-4 tsp Cinnamon powder
  • For rolling in:
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon

Rolling snickerdoodles

Directions

  1. Let butter soften to room temperature. Using a mixer, beat together the butter, coconut sugar and maple syrup until creamy .
  2. Add in your egg, a dash of vanilla, and beat again until well mixed.
  3. Add in almond flour (making sure there are no large lumps), baking soda, salt, cinnamon and adaptogenic powders (Ginseng, Shatavari, Astragalus)
  4. Beat until mixture begins to ball up.
  5. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a spoon dole out large quarter-size semi-balls of cookie dough. They’ll be a bit sticky at this point.
  6. Place your cookie semi-balls on your baking sheet and refrigerator for at least an hour.
  7. Pull out your snickerdoodle semi-balls when they are thoroughly chilled.
  8. Preheat your oven to 350 depress. Shape your snickerdoodles into orderly balls and finish by rolling them in the cinnamon/coconut sugar mixture.
  9. Place each ball back on your baking sheet and flatten slightly with a spoon.
  10. Bake for 8-10 minutes. They’ll still feel pretty soft when you remove them. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Processed with VSCOcam with c1 presetSnickerdoodle astragalus squareGinseng (Panax ginseng or P. quinquefolius) – Perhaps the best known adaptogen on earth, Ginseng is a mighty root with a long history of use in both Asia and America. A powerful tonic to increase long-term energy and resiliency, the entire plant was considered sacred by many indigenous people (including our local Cherokee). The forests in our native Appalachia used to be carpeted with Ginseng, but the popularity of this medicine (particularly in the East) has led to the widespread practice of ‘Sang hunting, virtually decimating our native populations. For this reason I highly suggest only buying ethically cultivated ginseng! According to David Winston, both ginseng root and leaf was employed as a ceremonial medicine and called upon to help improve hunting, provide protection, improve the chances of the love-lorn and enhance the power of other herbs. Modern scientific trials have found ginseng to be particularly helpful with those who experience adrenal exhaustion (most outwardly identifiable as dark circles under the eyes) and chronic fatigue. It helps reset our immune system and de-tangle an overly stressed nervous system. Ginseng is also known to be quite stimulating in the bedroom. How’s that for some holiday festivity, Santa baby?

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)- An ancient Ayurvedic medicine, Shatavari has been in continuous usage for thousands of years. Known to help enhance physical strength and maintain youthfulness, Shatavari is considered a rasayana herb of longevity in Indian tradition. The name translates as “she who has a hundred husbands,” and thus has been used as an nourishing aphrodisiac and fertility enhancer for millennia. A wonderfully nutritive adatogpen, Shatavari root is particularly supportive for those with low appetite due to stress and chronic fatigue. Most commonly used today as a gentle hormone balancer, as well as mood regulator, Shatavari has a sweet and nutty taste that lends itself quite well to baked sugary goodies.

Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceus)- Sweet, moistening and nourishing, astragalus is a wonderful immune tonic as well as adaptogen. A premier herb in traditional Chinese medicine, astragalus deepens our own roots, giving us a strong foundation of robust health as we enter the winter months. A tonic in all senses of the word, astragalus is best taken on a regular basis (an adaptogenic cookie a day keeps the doctor away!). This nutritive rotos works to strengthen the overall functioning of our immune system, so we are more resilient to all those common wintertime coughs and colds. A mild adaptogen, astragalus is my favorite tonic for nourishing a healthy disposition all winter long.

Seasonal medicine square

Summer Cocktails: Herbal Syrups, Bitters + Recipes

25 Monday Aug 2014

Posted by in Domestic Bliss, Earth Medicine, Wildcrafting & Collecting

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Fresh herbs, warm breezes and evenings that come to life. Summer is one of my favorite seasons for luxury and languor. When the days are hot and the hours long I usually find myself gravitating toward nighttime kitchen crafting and, of course, cocktails.

Ingredients arrayI am a night owl by nature. I thrive like a moonflower in rich evening hues. When the clock strikes midnight something about those high shadows bring me to life. It’s been that way since before I can remember, I imagine it’ll remain that way for the rest of my life. Summer, in all its bounty of cucumber nights, tangy sunsets and sherbet-colored sunrises, is the one season where such late night behavior is not only condoned, it’s encouraged.

Last month we hosted our annual summer cocktail soiree. Every year we kick the gathering up another notch. Usually we put out at least several herbal cocktail potions for people to sample, often with a written invocation to read and a deep intention to set the mood. This year, inspired by the rainbowed bounty of our well-tended garden, we offered a whole bar of fresh squeezed juice, seasonal syrups, and medicinal bitters for our guests to peruse.Cocktail color canvasHerbs are the original liqueur accoutrements; they have the ability to give any drink a touch of the sensational. Long before herbalists were making tinctures, herb folk of all kinds were using plants to ferment meads, spice cordials, and smooth liquors. The whole ritual of a pre-dinner cordial originated as a way to improve digestion by imbibing medicinal digestive bitters.

Crafting your own bitters and syrups is simple, and sure to make a wave at your next soirée. I love to focus on what is most currently bursting into bloom. Medicine making, like superb hostessing skills, is about way more than just combining the ingredients. It is an alchemical mix of season and sensation, temptation and mood. I prefer to create my syrups and bitters in tune with nature’s own rhythm, encapsulating each herb at the height of their potency or bloom. By doing so each bottle becomes a kind of capsule, an entryway into a distinctively fragrant, intoxicatingly specific moment in time.Strawberry syrup photoAs a hostess, I am interested in creating an experience that can be remembered with every one of the senses. Unique, exploratory, and delicious—Herbal bitters and liqueurs will never be forgotten. Interested in crafting your own medicinal syrups and sensational brews? Read on for some simple how-to’s…

Tulsi syrup

+++ Medicinal Syrups +++

Medicinal syrups are simple, versatile and oh-so delicious. Syrups make wonderful medicine for young children or the picky of palate, and are simply divine when mixed with late-evening cocktails.

  1. Gather, Harvest, Chop. To start, harvest or gather your material. I like to collect what is most fresh, abundant and seasonally sensational. How much material you harvest will depend on how much syrup you’d like to create! In general, you can guesstimate by chopping or otherwise pressing your herb into a measuring cup. You can expect the finished product to produce about as much volume as the original fresh herb. (Ex: If I harvested ½ oz of fresh lavender flowers, I will generally expect ½ oz finished syrup)

Note on processing: Some small or delicate herbs, like lavender flowers for example, will not need to be further chopped or processed. Simply add them straight to your water. Bark, like black birch, will need to be stripped from the branches with a knife. Roots must be roughly chopped, a butchers knife or pair of pruners work well.

            Dry vs Fresh: Fresh herbs already have a good amount of water content inherent to them, so they will be fluffier, bigger, and more voluminous than dry herbs. As a general rule I use a 1:1 ratio of herb to water if using fresh herbs, and a 1:2 ratio of herb to water if using dried herbs.

  1. Make a strong tea. Once you have your herb chopped or otherwise processed you are ready to make the base of your syrup…a strong tea!

If using herbs + flowers: Make an infusion- bring your water to a boil separately, than turn the burner off completely. Remove from heat and add your herb content to the hot water. Cover the whole concoction for 20-30 minutes to steep. (Examples of herbs to infuse: lavender, lemonbalm, mint, basil)

If using bark, roots, berries or seeds (tougher material): Make a decoction- add your herb directly to your water and bring the whole mixture to a boil. Reduce the boil to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes. (Examples of herbs to decoct: sassafras, cinnamon, elderberries coriander, black birch, wild cherry)Early kitchen

  1.  Strain your tea. Once your tea is done steeping or simmering, run your tea through a strainer to filer out all the plant material. (A fine mesh spaghetti strainer perched over a wide mouthed bowl works supremely well)
  1. Gently reheat your tea (sans herb material) and add the sweetener. What makes a syrup so sweet? Why, sweetener of course! The sweetener is also a natural preservative, which is how syrup came about in the first place (and to get children to drink their medicine!). A general ratio is 1 cup sugar or honey per 1 cup water. But you can add the sugar/honey to your taste. The higher the sugar content the longer your syrup will keep.
  1. Storage. Plain syrups are best imbibed within two weeks of creation. If you’d like to keep your syrup for several seasons you can add alcohol to preserve. In general, a syrup with about 20% alcohol content will preserve long-term. If you have dipped into making infused liqueurs or tinctures it’s fun to experiment with preserving your syrup with an already altered alcohol (such as adding a dash of ginger tequila to a cinnamon syrup). If making syrup as medicine, adding a medicinal tincture to your syrup greatly increases its potency. When I make elderberry syrup I combine previously infused elderberry tincture to my freshly made concoction for full spectrum medicinal mixture. Store your syrups in the refrigerator to prolong their life.

 Sage and pestel

+++ Herbal Bitters +++

Herbal bitters are a hot commodity these days, as our modern diets are embarrassingly lacking in this traditional taste. Bitters are amazing agents of digestion, helping to increase the production of our digestive juices, dramatically improving processing, retention and even our mood! (If you haven’t already, check out the bevy of research illustrating our brain/gut connection) Bitter constituents are prevalent in many of our healing herbs, and can often be used as an indicator for a plant’s medicinal strength! Bitters are the prince who has been unceremoniously turned into a frog and I think it’s time to give all our bitters a good kiss on the lips and induct them back into the romance of our kitchens.

Making your own bitters can be as simple as covering a handful of dandelion roots in some alcohol, or as complex as creating your own Peychaud’s. I’m offering a very simple guide here, but feel free to be as creative as a butterfly between hibiscus leaves!

  1. Gather your bitter herbs. Some well known and deliciously effective, bitter roots include dandelion, sassafras, elecampagne, Oregon grape, angelica and ginger. You might also want to try citrus peels, vervain, cacao pods, coffee beans, fennel, and (the gold standard of bitters) gentian (I recommend using the flowers of gentian, rather than the root, as it is over-harvested)

            +Aromatic vs simple bitter: Aromatic bitters are bitters that have a warming, stimulating, often quite spicy flavor. They are bitter… with a kick! Some good examples include elecampagne, angelia, sassafras and ginger. Simple bitters are just that, simply bitter. Simple bitters include gentian, Oregon grape root, yellow root and dandelion .

  1. Create your tincture. Making bitters is basically just a process of making a tincture. You can choose to create single herb batches or throw it all together into one! The benefit of single herb batches is the ability to mix and match. Also, kitchen-sink batches can sometimes end up tasting dominantly like one herb or another, depending on what heavy hitters you’re using. If you are interest in a whole-shebang type of bitter I suggest looking up recipes for proportions online! (These recipes from The Kitchn look divine)

Chop or otherwise process your herb so it is in small pieces. The more surface area of herb touching your alcohol, the stronger your mixture will become. Put your herb into a glass mason jar and cover with booze of choice. Store your bitter brew in a dark place for 6 days up to 6 weeks! Sample your bitters frequently, their taste will change overtime. If you are in a hurry you can make your bitter batch the very week of your soiree. Just remember, bitter compounds often take a few days to really steep. I have a friend who found this out the hard way when he was making a stevia extract. He let the stevia leaf sit for longer than the recommended couple days and his extract turned out mouth puckeringly bitter, which would have been wonderful for some pre-dinner digestive, but not so stellar for making sweets!biden and fawn

A note on alcohols: I really enjoy vodka for my bitters. Vodka tends to have less of an innate flavor than other alcohols. If you want a fuller, huskier batch of bitters try brandy or even whiskey. Gin is already chocked full of herbs, but I bet it wouldn’t mind a few more companions!

  1. Press and Bottle your bitters. When your tincture brew has sat long enough to pucker your taste buds, it’s time to press and bottle your bitters. I like to pour my alcohol/herb slurry through a fine mesh strainer first to separate the alcohol from the herb. Then, I take the left-over herb content and press it in a potato masher to extract every last drop of juice. Conversely, if I don’t have such a press, I dish out the herb into a tight weave cloth and wring it by hand. Whatever method you choose, as long as you are separating the alcohol from the herb content you are doing it right!

Now is the time to add in any extras. Perhaps some fresh pressed OJ to your orange bitters brew? Mint syrup or wildflower honey? Is your bitter crafted for any specific drink in mind, or a simple pre-dinner sipping cordial? Your bitter is your tabula rasa, feel free to get wildly creative.

When you bitters are mixed to your taste filter them into a bottle for storage. I will often line the filer with some fine meshed cheese cloth to catch any last debris, and funnel directly into the bottle. Label, cap, store! Your bitters should last decades if they are a simple alcohol solution. If you added any additional juices or sweeteners you can refrigerate and keep your bitters for 2-5 years.

 Apple bitters

+++ Garnishes +++

Great cocktails (and parties for that matter) are all about the accoutrements. Here are some great hints to add some extra sparkle to your night.

Edible flowers: Summer is a bounty of edible flowers, including calendula, daylily, lavender, beebalm, mint, honeysuckle and sage. Don’t forget to scatter your bar with fresh flowers and garnish your drinks with their petals and blooms. Spilanthes makes a particularly striking edible flower when skewered on a tooth pick and floated into a drink. Sometimes called eyeball plant, this mouth-tingling (and immune enhancing) flower is an oddball cocktail garnish that has been gaining popularity amongst the herbally inclined.

Spilanthes drink

Creative citrus: Simple lemon wedges are so utilitarian. Try slicing a rainbow of citruses into wheels instead to illuminate your drink with vibrant moons. Zest your lemon or lime on top of a well mixed drink for some extra magic in your sipping experience.

Decorative ice cubes: Why should ice be boring? Anoint your ice cub trays with edible flowers from the garden like borage, bee balm or calendula. Just add your flowers to your ice cube tray, cover with water, and freeze. Use immediately to preserve the flowers color and flavor. (On that note, would you like to see the most gorgeous herbal ice cube blog post on the internet?)

Borage ice cubes

 

+++ Herbal Cocktail Recipes +++

You’ve sampled your syrups and bragged about your bitters, now is the time to become a maestro (and maybe get a bit tipsy) with your herbal creations! For our part we cajoled our friend, and esteemed cocktail Prometheus, Curtiss P. Martin to bartend at our party. After stealing fire (and sassafras syrup) from the gods he came up with the following cocktail mixes. Read on for details about how to shake up such treats, and what medicine is inherent to each drink.

This evening, or sometime very soon, I invited you to whip yourself up one of these drinks. Kick off the day’s to-dos. Let down your hair and get barefoot outside. Drink in the cool of these ephemeral summer evenings. Sip, enjoy, let go, luxuriate.

Watermelon drink

Watermelon Mojito
2oz Rum
1oz Fresh-pressed Watermelon Juice
1/2oz Fresh-pressed Lime Juice
1/2oz Tulsi Syrup
4-6 Mint leaves, Muddled
Dry Shake, Add Ice, Soda to Fill
Mint + Lime Garnish

Tequila Honeysuckle
2oz Tequila
1oz Fresh-pressed Lime Juice
3/4oz Local Honey Syrup
1/2oz Fresh Orange Bitters
Garnish with thin lime wheel and fresh honeysuckle flowers
Pineapple sage tequila
Birchbark Sassafras Daiquiri
2oz Spiced Rum
1oz Fresh-pressed Lime Juice
1/2oz Sassafras Syrup
1/2oz Black Birchbark Syrup
Thin Lime wheel Garnish

 
Black Birch bark: Wintergreen minty and delicious, Birch bark is a lovely remedy for muscle aches, joint pain, headaches and inflammation. The secret of Black Birch’s minty relief lies within its methyl salicylates—  the aromatic pain-relieving compound from which our modern day aspirin is derived.

Sassafras: One of the original ingredients in rootbeer (and America’s first wildly successful export) sassafras has a distinctly exotic flavor. The root bark of this yummy plant is known to help stimulate our bodies and minds, ease indigestion, alleviate inflammation and cleanse the blood. Used acutely for colds, flus, fever and rheumatism, Sassafras has been a beloved medicine in North America for thousands of years.

Tulsi drink blue
Pineapple Sage & Tulsi Tequila
2oz Tequila
1oz Fresh-Pressed Pineapple Juice
1/2oz Fresh-Pressed Lime Juice
3/4oz Tulsi Syrup
4-6 Sage leaves, Muddled
Sage Garnish

Tulsi Gin + Tonic
2oz Gin
3/4 Tulsi syrup
Tonic to Fill
Lime wedge +Tulsi sprig Garnish

 
Tulsi: One of the most sacred herb of India, this holy plant has been grown as a truly miraculous health tonic for thousands of years. Tulsi (or Holy Basil) is a gentle and effective adaptogen– it helps the body and mind to deal with stress, encouraging gracefulness in your every day dealings. Tulsi is also an antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antidepressant and immunomodulator. Traditionally, holy basil was called upon for colds and flus, indigestion, and as a tonic for asthma and sinus allergies. This sweet and tasty herb is also a supremely clearing tonic for the mind; it has found to be helpful in unfocused thinking, poor memory, forgetfulness, ADD and ADHD.  In Ayurvedic medicine, Tulsi is though to balance all seven chakras and considered to be a rasayanic herb, or a medicine that brings balance to the emotions and promotes the feelings of devotion, love and compassion.

Lavender Blueberry Ricky

2oz Vodka
1oz Fresh-pressed Blueberry Juice
1/2oz Fresh-pressed Lime Juice
3/4 Lavender Syrup
Soda to fill
Lavender flower Garnish

Lavender: Oh, the joys of fresh lavender. This much beloved flower is known to help soothe digestion, calm the spirit, and settle the nerves. Used for centuries to freshen dwellings, lavender is a renown antibacterial and antifungal, as well as a beloved herb for rest and relaxation.

Lavender for syrupCheers!

Avena Sativa: The Warm Weather Medicine of Milky Oats

03 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by in Domestic Bliss, Earth Medicine, Wild Foods, Wildcrafting & Collecting

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Milky oats on stone ledgeWe’ve slipped into one of the most delicious times of the year– that liminal, lofty space between spring and summer. The raucous rush of springtime ephemerals has died down, leaving a haphazard cascade of petals dissolving beneath the trees. And yet, the hot days of dry grasses and hibiscus have yet to arrive. Like the anticipation of a full moon, the coming of this new season has stirred something inside me that I can only recognize as a honeyed, exhilarating mixture of nostalgia and desire.

The plumping of the oats, sown in the earliest days of Spring, is yet another indicator that the heat of Summer is near.  Milky Oats is one of the most sensuous, enthralling and enchanting herbs I have ever had the pleasure to grow. (Even its scientific name is utterly delicious: Avena sativa). Most people are familiar with oats as a cover crop or a cereal grain. Growing up I, quite frankly, thought oats were supremely boring! (Although, having been raised as a Quaker, I did feel a strange modicum of pride in our small, oat-bound, claim-to-fame. There was something about that simply dressed Quaker character and his good old-fashioned stoicism…) Turns out, oats are wild, exciting and truly incredible medicine.

oats closeGrowing at breakneck pace, the green stalks of oats are unbeliveably nutritious and mineral-rich. Infused in hot tea, oat straw is considered a tonic nutritive, feeding our body and nourishing a calm state of mind. It is an excellent source of calcium and magnesium and can help ease the stress of rough transitions and dark moods. If you grow oats as a cover crop, you can snip the greens at anytime. Cut them into sections oats in basketfor easy drying and store as a delicious tea beverage throughout the year.

Let your oats keep growing, and their magic will continue to unfurl in the tiny, delicate wands of their seed heads. Soft, prancing, seriously delightful, the semi-mature oat seeds should be harvested for medicine at a very specific time. It requires finesse, and maybe a whispered hint from a fairy or two, to get it just right. You must develop a relationship with your oats, squeezing them gently every day until you see that telltale drop of “milk” appear at their tip. This milk is a naturally occurring latex, and signals us herb-worshipers that the time is ripe to gather this medicine.Oats on stalk

Blended with alcohol to make a tincture (using a ratio of one part herb to two parts alcohol), Milky Oats forms a vibrant, verdant green slurry of medicine. After it sits for at least 6 weeks, you can strain your alcohol off and enjoy the many blessings of Milky Milky oat tinctureOats. Note on Gluten: As someone with an extreme gluten-sensitivity, I have never had a reaction to any reliably grown oat medicine. Grown commercially, many oats are processed with wheat, rendering them unsafe for anyone with celiac or gluten sensitivities. I do not generally buy oat straw from the store. However, oats that I know have been grown and processed separately from wheat have always treated me kindly and should, technically, be completely gluten-free.

Milky Oats is known as a nervine and a trophorestorative for the nervous and endocrine systems (meaning that oats are a deeply nutritive restorative for these systems. I’ve heard people describe Milky Oats as “nerve food”). Milky Oats can work wonders for those who feel burnt out, exhausted, fried, tightly wound or scattered due to overwork and stress. They’ve been known to cool and relieve states of high anxiety and anger, irritability and addiction, grief, and panic disorders. Often indicated for those who are experiencing a loss of libido, Milky Oats can help plump up your general juciness and replenish deep reserves of energy. A steadfast and calming companion to help ease the transitions during major life passages. (Interested in Milky Oat Medicine? Check out our shop!)

Milky oats close

Personality wise, Milky Oats is akin to a sweet, round, sensuous water nymph…asking you to slow down, simply drink, and enjoy. Milky Oats is a tonic in the traditional sense, you will see the most profound shifts in physical and emotional states when taking Milky Oats over a longer period of time. I recommend 1-2 dropperfulls of Milky oats in basket on pathtincture up to 3x day taken for at least three months for long-term benefits (although, as a supremely safe herb, you could increase that dosage to 3-5 dropperfulls as needed).

One of my favorite expressions is the old adage of “sowing ones wild oats.” When you seed oats you broadcast them, recklessly and with abandon, knowing that at least one of them will take and, frankly, not caring very much which one! Recently, a younger friend of mine broke up with her long-term high school sweetheart and has had a string of brief love affairs and amorous encounters. When asked about it, her mom simply shrugged and smiled, “she’s just sowing her wild oats.” Far from the negative stereotyping of wild foolishness or reckless naivety, sowing one’s oats can be incredibly empowering. It’s about striking out into the world, finding levity and the space to play, trying new things and seeding the light of your curiosity and creativity in all kinds of crevices. (In this way it reminds me of the stone known as Fools Gold, or Pyrite).

Wild Oat Flower essence, a form of energetic plant medicine made from a wild variety, embellishes this same narrative. This sweet essence is also called the Vocation essence, as it can help those who feel distracted or distanced from their life purpose,Wild oats or squarely confused about the nature of their path, next step, or greater calling. Often indicated for those who feel consistently restless or dissatisfied with their life. Taken in drop dosages, Wild Oat flower essence can help you find and feel enlivened by the call of your individual destiny. Vivid and true, Oat essence shows you the uniqueness of your path and helps you to invoke and appreciate work as an expression of your true spirit and inner calling. A clearing of purpose and conviction, this essence is wonderful for those graduating from school, stagnating in a limiting or boring vocation, or perhaps even experiencing a mid-life crisis.

*         *           *

Yesterday, I went out to the garden to harvest my last batch of oats. Soft and slender, I held each one like a small dancer. On my knees, I clipped them slowly. I was in no hurry. I let them fall into an old willow basket and felt the late afternoon sun warm like orange on my skin. The breeze moved across my arms gently, carrying the distant scents of fresh grass, wet earth, and faraway roses. Summer was coming, and she was speaking to me with each methodic clip and quiver. She was whispering something that felt like a daydream and sounded, in hollows and vowels, like destiny.afternoon trees

How to Make Herbal Love Potions: Infused Honeys, Elixirs & Aphrodisiac Recipes

14 Thursday Feb 2013

Posted by in Domestic Bliss, Earth Medicine, Inspirations

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I thought I’d share some of the more delicious material from my Love Potions class last night at Villagers. It was an intimate group of old comrades and new friends, gathered together to smell and taste a whole chest of aphrodisiacs… as well as chocolates, elixirs, flower essences and the ambiance of a most exquisite night.  It was such a delightful way to start my Valentine’s celebrations! (as was the rest of my evening… when I got home I poured myself a glass of whiskey and watched How Stella Got her Groove Back. Doesn’t it feel amazing to dote on oneself after a “hard” days work?)

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! I hope you are surrounded by passion, love, and simply divine creativity!

chest of aphrodisiacs

What are Herbal Aphrodisiacs? Strictly speaking, herbal aphrodisiacs are any plant material (flower, seed, root or leaf) that excites, nourishes, sustains, or elevates sexual or sensual desire. But the story runs much deeper than that…

Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 6.32.48 PM

 How do Aphrodisiacs Work?  Like sexual desire itself, aphrodisiacs work mysteriously, often in a myriad of complicated ways. Some herbs are known for their ability to excite sexual arousal by directly increasing blood flow to your sweet spots, by toning and tightening genital tissue, or by enhancing general bodily juiciness. Many of our most commonly known aphrodisiac herbs are tonics, affecting the imbiber over a longer period of time to increase health, stamina and an overall hearty willingness to Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 6.40.02 PMget it on. In addition, some herbs help simply by relieving anxiety and quieting the mind, helping your body to cast aside stress and ease freely into intimacy.

Aphrodisiac Are Known To….

increase blood flow / relax as well as stimulate the nervous system / strengthen and tone the reproductive tract and other tissues / restore vitality and stamina / nourish the liver / balance hormones / support the endocrine system / calm anxiety/ stabilize mood / increase energy / nourish the heart / excite olfactory senses / increase sperm count and female fertility / calm digestion … the list goes on…

Where has all the Libido gone?

Common culprits: stress, depression, anxiety, pharmaceutical side effects, emotional disinterest, feelings of guilt or shame, lack of foreplay or compassionate communication, medical conditions and hormonal imbalance (for women, this often Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 6.45.18 PMmeans decreased estrogen, which occurs naturally in the latter half of their menstrual cycle or during menopause)

How Do I Choose the Right Aphrodisiac For Me? Taste them, smell them, try them. Take a single herb by itself for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference. Why do you want to try herbal aphrodisiacs? There might be a specific type of aphrodisiac that your body and its spirit are calling out for. Is your sex life lacking luster because of overwork? Maybe you just need a good old-fashioned nervine. Are you simply looking for a bit more…ahem…enhancement? Check out some yummy stimulants. Are you feeling flagged, tired, or general unease? You should look into a nourishing daily tonic. Maybe your heart simply isn’t in it. Explore some comforting heart healers and flower essences. If you have any health issues or illness make sure you do your reading to rule out any contraindications. Above all, go with your intuition. We have a “gut” instinct for a reason….

 Herbal Aphrodisiacs by Category

Screen shot 2013-02-14 at 11.05.24 AMScreen shot 2013-02-14 at 11.05.39 AM//Herbal Honeys//

Stove-top Method

This method is ideal for fresh herbs or if you are in a hurry.

1. Measure 1 cup honey per 2 tablespoon of chopped fresh herb (or 1 tbs dried)Screen shot 2013-02-12 at 7.54.32 PM

2. Pour your honey into a double boiler. (If you don’t have a double boiler you can easily create one by placing the ring part of the lid of a mason jar in a large pan. Fill with water until the ring is covered. Then, balance a smaller pot on top of the ring. The goal is to have the bottom of that smaller pot submerged in water, but not touching the very hot bottom of the pot containing the water).

3. Put your burner to medium/low heat. Once your honey is warm, add herbs and stir to distribute.

4. Let your honey sit for 1-6 hours. The longer it sits, the stronger it will be.

If you are leaving your honey for several hours, make sure to keep the smaller pot sitting in water. Add more water to your larger pot from time-to-time and don’t forget to stir! You want your honey to stay warm enough that you could comfortably put it on your skin.

5. When it tastes scrumptious, you are done. (Word of Warning: because the honey will be very warm, all the flavors won’t immediately jump out at you. Once it cools the taste will manifest 3-fold. If it’s still not strong enough for your tastes, try adding a fresh batch of herbs and reheating).

6. Strain your herb from the honey while it is still hot (once it cools down you ain’t ever gettin those herbs out). Use a piece of cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer and strain over a large bowl or directly into jars.

Sun Method

This method is lovely for any dried or delicate herbs

Screen shot 2013-02-12 at 8.00.27 PM1. Get a clean, DRY jar. (If the jar isn’t dry you risk inviting mold into your honey).

2. Put your herbs in the jar first and then pour honey over them. (It gets a lot messier the other way around)

3. Place your jar in a sunny window for one to two weeks…. or longer! If you’re feeling ambitious, turn the jar over each day to re-distribute the herbs.

4. I would recommending heating the honey just slightly in order to strain the herbs. (see   above)

//Elixirs//

Elixirs are basically a fancy name for an alcohol and honey infusion. There are several different ways to make an elixir and, as for combinations, the sky is the limit. Check out One Willow’s Amorous Hours Elixir for inspiration…

Amorous hours newsletter

Method 1: Separate but Equal

1. Make your infused honey (see process above)

2. Combine different tinctures (or just use a simple) to get the alcohol base.

3. Mix together your honey and tincture formula until it tastes just right. Fini!

Not sure how to make a tincture? Here is the fabulously easy folk method way of making alcohol extracts

1. Purchase the highest quality alcohol you can find (lots of people like using 190 proof vodka. If you prefer a milder extraction, try brandy or whiskey. If you plan on making a lot of tinctures I highly recommended buying pharmaceutical grade organic alcohol online. Alchemical solutions is a wonderful company!

2. If you are using fresh herbs chop finely (or grind) and put into a jar. Fill the jar 2/3-3/4 full with herbs (if using roots fill ¼-1/2 full)Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 7.44.28 PM

3. Pour enough alcohol into the jar to cover the herbs. Cap, label and store in a dark place for at least 6 weeks. Visit your tincture from time to time to give it a little shake and a good snuggle.

3. If you are using dry herb fill you jar only ½ to ¾ with herb (only ¼ to 1/3 if its roots). Pour alcohol over the herbs to fill the jar (You want about a 1:4 ratio of herb to liquid. If you want to get real fancy, have 60% of that liquid be alcohol and the remaining 40% water. Since dry herb lacks water, it will expand and take up some of that extra fluid.)

Method 2: All Together Now

1. Fill a jar with your herb material. It doesn’t have to be completely packed, but it should be full enough that there isn’t much airspace (fresh or dry is fine).

Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 7.44.22 PM2. Pour enough honey in to completely coat the herb. (Usually the ratio is about 1:3 volume for fresh herbs. So for a pint of lemonbalm you might use 1/3 pint of honey)

3. Once the herb is coated, pour your alcohol in to fill the remainder of the jar.

4. Cap your mixture and put in a cool dark place for 3-6 weeks. (You can use plastic wrap underneath the jar lid to make sure no extra air is sitting at the top and to avoid that metallic taste)

5. Strain, or don’t strain. It’s all up to you. If you do decide to strain and want to heat the honey, just be aware that some of the alcohol content will evaporate off.

//Recipes for Culinary Lovemaking//

Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 6.50.28 PM

Damiana Spice Tea
1 part damiana leaf
1 part rose petals
1/2 part spearmint leaf
¼ each: cinnamon chips, licorice root, ginger root, whole cloves

 Screen shot 2013-02-12 at 7.59.44 PM

<general tea ratio: 1 tsp-1 tbs dried herb per 1 cup water>

Sweet Heart Blend
1 part rose petals
1 part tulsi
½ part rose hips
½ part hawthorn berries
¼ each: ginger root, cinnamon & vanilla bean
pinch cardamom

Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 6.38.39 PM

Divine Love Honey                        Spice of Life Honey
1 part cinnamon                              1 part cinnamon
1 part star anise                              1 part ginger
1 part coriander                               ½ cardamom pods (if powder try ¼ ratio)
½ orange peel                                  ¼ cayenne
¼ ginger
¼ vanilla bean

Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 7.48.07 PMRosemary Gladstar’s
Damiana Chocolate Love Liqueur
1 ounce damiana leaves (dried)
2 cups vodka or brandy
1 ½ cups spring-water
1 cup honey
vanilla extract
rose water
chocolate syrup
almond extract

1. Soak the damiana leaves in the vodka or brandy for 5 days. Strain. Reserve the liquid in a bottle

2. Soak the alcohol-drenched leaves in the spring-water for 3 days. Stain and reserve the liquid

3. Over low heat, gently warm the water extract and dissolve honey in it. Remove the pan from the heat, then add the alcohol extract and stir well. Pour into a clean bottle and add a dash of vanilla and a touch of rose water for flavor. Let it mellow for 1 month or longer; it gets smoother with age

4. To each cup of damiana liqueur, add ½ cup of chocolate syrup, 2 or 3 drops of almond extract, and a touch more of rose water

Recipe from Rosemary Gladstar’s book: Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health

<<<<<<0>>>>>>>

Kiva Rose’s
Rose Petal Elixir

http://bearmedicineherbals.com/wild-rose-elixir-a-favorite-first-aid-remedy.html

1 pint Mason jar
Fresh wild or domestic rose petals to fill your jar (make sure they have not been Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 6.53.46 PMsprayed!)
A little less than 1 pint of good quality brandy (or vodka. if using higher proof booze dilute with 50% water)
Approximately 1/3 pint of raw honey

1. Fill your jar with fresh rose petals. They don’t have to be packed down, but they should fill the jar so that there isn’t a lot of empty space.

2. If you don’t have enough rose petals to fill the jar, you could add some bee balm petals, chopped fresh ginger, zest of orange, lime, or lemon, etc.

3. Next, add honey to coat the rose petals and fill about 1/3 of the jar. Add brandy or other alcohol to the top of the jar. Place plastic wrap over the top and then screw on your metal lid. (if you don’t your mixture might start tasting metallic. Alcohol and roses are particularly adept at taking on those flavors) Allow to sit in a cool, dark place for 3-6 weeks before using.

Check out Kiva’s other recipes and writing on her incredible blog: http://bearmedicineherbals.com/

Screen shot 2013-02-04 at 6.49.50 PM

Lost in the Garden

06 Wednesday Jun 2012

Posted by in Domestic Bliss, Earth Medicine, Inspirations

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For weeks now I have been utterly and completely lost in the garden. Planting, pruning, digging, and expanding– the pursuit of growing things has literally devoured my life. What began as a modest vegetable garden last year, is now in the midst of a transformation. For years I have been dreaming of pausing in one green place long enough to begin a real garden. It seems I have arrived.

Gardens are a continual effort, a perennially unfinished masterpiece of otherworldly patience and intense work. I try to keep this in mind as I am rushing out in every free moment I can muster, returning to my garden as surely as the tide. There is too much to do to! I try my hardest to be a powerful force– moving earth, willing new seeds to grow, and imagining abundance. I have wrapped my mind so tightly around the changing of the land; there have been nights when I have awoken calling out the names of plants in my sleep. The hills of herbs surrounding my house owe much of their beauty to the inspired designs of this mid-night dreamscaping.

This time last year, freshly washed up in these blue mountains, Owen and I were knee-deep in the backbreaking work of beginning our garden. We did everything by hand. Digging in the shapes we had imagined, peeling back the sod, knocking out the top soil and turning turning turning. It was a whirlwind. Most days felt like a sweet and heavy fog. By mid-summer we had a sizeable plot of land growing with our veggies and annual culinary herbs, as well as a few curving beds of perennial medicinals.

Behind our house leads a sunken path of stones and a quick angle of steps to the most precious sledding/twirling/sky gazing/cartwheel-turning hill you have ever seen. Last year, we didn’t do much up there besides dig a fire pit and mirthfully blunder around in the rain on late night bellies of wine. This year, we planned to transform part of that gentle slope into an abundant terrace of flowers and medicine.

In the fall I mapped out the places where I wanted to begin and covered them with a thick coat of leaves. When spring came the grass grew up so quickly my careful outlines became ghosts. Between an insurmountable stack of seeds, a wagon-load of plants from the Asheville Herb Festival, and many happy donations from friends in high (and abundantly growing) places… we were replete with the makings of a wonderland. Two months ago we began the painstaking process of digging, tilling, and leveling the land by hand. The more I worked, the more I wanted to work. My original plans multiplied and I continued to dig. Since then I’ve torn open both hands and been sunburned more times than I can count. My whole body has become stronger, I can visibly see it. What felt like a struggle a month ago, now just feels plain good.

With so many hours of quiet work, I’ve had a lot of time to think. The most incredible thing about gardening is how recklessly close it brings you to yourself. For long stretches of time, you do nothing but work with your body and roam the hills of your mind. The lucidity of sweat and the high sun can pierce through even the thickest tangle of thoughts. It is spectacularly clearing. Linger in the privacy of dirt and earth long enough, and tiny tunnels through the underbrush will undoubtedly appear. Over the past few weeks, physically breaking new ground has had a profound effect on me. Recently, I have been waking up on these cool mountain mornings with a lingering sadness. Seeds may be sprouting and weeds climbing back to reclaim their homelands, but life still goes on in its endings. No matter the origin of your grief, there is no stronger medicine than giving your troubles to ceaseless hours of intimacy with the ground. It is so exquisitely easy– with your knees in the soft soil and the worms pushing themselves back underneath the surface– to just let go. Bury yourself there.

Like the packed clay of unworked soil, sometimes the only way to dislodge a hard truth is to start digging. It hasn’t all been gulping and gritty lessons though. There’s been a lot of light and laughter and funny realizations as well. For example, I’ve recently recognized that I have a quite ridiculous tendency to circumnavigating outside help and do things the hard way. Ever since I’ve been a young child I’ve been a “do-it-myself-er.” (Apparently this was my mantra for a while. This “i-do-it-myself!” obstinacy culminated with a refusal to take food from my parents. For a brief period of time they actually had to leave my meals on a low, child’s size shelf. If unwatched, I would surreptitiously slink into the kitchen and then dash away with my hard earned dinner.)

I have had several friends visit in the midst of all this digging and gently suggest, “why don’t you just rent a rototiller?” An excellent idea. But also, for some bizarre reason, completely unappealing. I think I’d rather partake in the multi-step, very physically intensive, process of removing the sod, turning the soil, and then perpetually deweeding for weeks. Hm. Here’s another one: the wheelbarrow we bought last year has had a flat tire since the second week we used it. Instead of sourcing an air pump, I’ve just been carting compost and mulch around in a laundry bin for nine months. The other day, as Owen and I were lifting the wheelbarrow up and actually carrying it, full of sod, back and forth across the hill, it really hit me– it’s high time for change. Luckily, I am getting lost nowadays in the ultimate master of metamorphosis. The garden is a mighty teacher, and I feel so lucky just to be learning.

Surprise! The Easter Bunny Came!

08 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by in Crafting, Domestic Bliss, Inspirations

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Okay, so it was me. I couldn’t help it! I suprised my roommate and his friend this morning with an impromptu Easter Basket.

Chocolate, flowers, honey and lollipops. What more could you really want? Oh…and a wish lantern! Apparently you light a small flame inside this lovely paper creation and it will slowly rise to the sky. This evening we’re planning on pouring ourselves into the night with a bottle of wine, setting this delicate little globe alight, and watching as it billows up, up, and away with all of our new spring wishes…

The inspiration for this basket began with one little clay egg. It was perfect…. and isn’t that always how good ideas seem to sprout? With a tiny, delicate and perfect blueprint.

Happy Easter/Passover/Spring Everyone!

Flurry of Spring

05 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in Appalachian Beauty, Domestic Bliss, Earth Medicine

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Spring has rolled in as furious and quick as a midsummer storm. It seems every tree is rushing into bloom. The perrenials are stretching up like lazy giants and wild edibles abound. It’s been shocking and soothing and something quite like madness all at the same time. (I turned my back for a minute and the grass has already grown so high as to be unmanageable!)

Dogwoods in bloom

This early spring has conjured up a blinding flurry of activity. The garden is siren calling me day-in day-out to start digging. We have plans to double the size of our garden beds, adding in borders of flowers, wings of herbs to surround the exisiting vegetable garden and excavating terraces of wild herbal perrenials up on the hill. Maybe you’d like to check out the “before” in anticipation of a mid-summer “after”:

The Hill: Dreamscape for a Terraced Wonderland of Herbs

Palm reader and blossoms in PA

Honestly, I almost feel as though I can’t keep up! I’ve been so busy with planting and planning, I’ve barely gotten out with my camera to capture the sheer emphemeral loveliness of this season. Just when you settle into the famailar site of one flower or unfurling, the whole scene changes before your eyes. Such is the way of Spring I guess. Yesterday, I took a couple photos around the house of some of my favorite returning medicinals. Some of these beauties have been planted in my garden, while others will always grow wild on their own. Sweet heaven.

calamus arisen

Holy comfrey! They're huge!

On top of all the gardening, growing, and dreaming, I have made a resolute decision to change my life. I’m determined to start up my own business. In light of this resolve, I left my old, very stable, job for a more flexible part-time position as a plant caretaker. It was a big decision, and not just because my income was going to be cut in half. It’s never easy to give up a sure-thing, no matter how unfufilled you feel. But, sometimes you really have to leap out into the unknown, let the future swirl uncharted, allow fate to sweep you up into her windy beginnings. When it feels right, go with it. Spring is all about the deep reward of foolishness. Every living thing is throwing itself into life with abandon. So I did too. This spring, allow yourself to bloom, change, begin again. You never know what you might find– those old promises of love and passion, opportunity, or just the ability to feel free.  I, for one, am chasing it all.

First Day of Spring!

20 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Domestic Bliss, Inspirations

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Happy First day of Spring everyone! Today I am throwing open every window in my house. I am going to roll up the thick rugs on my bedroom floor, shake out every pillow, and walk in thoughtful circles around the garden. It’s spring! The birds have built nests in the elbows of the trees, the bees are busy encircling my house like a crown, and there are flowers flowers flowers everywhere! Let’s all agree– to drink in this day until we can drink no more. Cheers!

Such Singing in the Wild Branches (2003)

It was spring
and finally I heard him
among the first leaves—
then I saw him clutching the limb

in an island of shade
with his red-brown feathers
all trim and neat for the new year.
First, I stood still

and thought of nothing.
Then I began to listen.
Then I was filled with gladness—
and that’s when it happened,

when I seemed to float,
to be, myself, a wing or a tree—
and I began to understand
what the bird was saying,

and the sands in the glass
stopped
for a pure white moment
while gravity sprinkled upward

like rain, rising,
and in fact
it became difficult to tell just what it was that was singing—
it was the thrush for sure, but it seemed

not a single thrush, but himself, and all his brothers,
and also the trees around them,
as well as the gliding, long-tailed clouds
in the perfectly blue sky— all, all of them

were singing.
And, of course, yes, so it seemed,
so was I.
Such soft and solemn and perfect music doesn’t last

for more than a few moments.
It’s one of those magical places wise people
like to talk about.
One of the things they say about it, that is true,

is that, once you’ve been there,
you’re there forever.
Listen, everyone has a chance.
Is it spring, is it morning?

Are there trees near you,
and does your own soul need comforting?
Quick, then— open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song
may already be drifting away.

— Mary Oliver, “Such Singing in the Wild Branches”