The breath of life rises green from the earth. I imagine ancestors rising at dawn to witness the sun marking their ancient calendars. Giving them hope for the seasonal dawning of new life. Giving them hope for food, medicine, the materials for shelter, and the melting of snow and ice. Watching the nascent buds and […]

I’ve learned more about my ancestors, who they might have been and their traditional practices, the seasonal and local foods they probably ate, the wild medicines they likely used. Once upon a time some of my ancestors would have been preparing for the Quarter Days during this part of the year. These were days that […]

My first lesson in ethnobotany was in 6th grade. Mr. Robbins took the entire class on a field trip into the hills across the street from the school. We scurried across the highway chaperoned by Mr. Robbins and his assistant. I’m sure he talked about the ecology of the region. It’s frequently visited by geologists […]

That shining object in the night sky has been the subject of poetry. Some good, some bad. Some inspirational, some laughable. I once played a fortune-telling tightrope walker in an experimental play. Experimental in that none of the actors were actually actors. We were a hodge-podge of artistic folks. Painters, writers, sculptors. With a few […]

Try this: Imagine that you’ve come to my house and I am making you tea. It’s a warming tea with a bit of honey. But it won’t be complete without the lemon. I take a lemon and slice it into wedges. I take a wedge and squeeze it over my cup. But to make my point, […]

“There are many ancient superstitions regarding this herb. Its name Hypericum is derived from the Greek and means ‘over an apparition,’ a reference to the belief that the herb was so obnoxious to evil spirits that a whiff of it would cause them to fly.” ~ Maude Grieve, A Modern Herbal, 1931 Tracy’s not the only person […]

The hills spread out in all directions, undulating into mountains in the distance. It is dry and cold. The weeds crisped by overnight frosts. The breeze is chilly, but not as frigid as expected for late November. I’ve never been to this part of Idaho. Two of us walk through the valley on a old […]

Some tidbits from our newsletter and upcoming events below! The word “medicine” as we know it today is derived from older words such as the middle English word “medicin,” the old French word “medecine,” and the Latin word “medicina.” These words meant “healing art,” “a remedy,” and “a physician’s shop.” Up until the last few hundred […]

I started writing a song or prayer many years ago. It’s very short, only 4 lines, and sometimes one of those lines changes. But it carries the depth of poetry because the meaning of it depends on what is going on at any given moment. In this version of it, I honor the life and […]