A sojourn in consensus reality

I’ve gone there and back again. The year 2020 promised so much, then turned very quickly into an alternate reality. I took a job at the local arts center and after two years, I’ve stepped down. Now I’m slipping into the liminal space of keeping time by the angle of the sun and measuring the season by […]

Herbal Resilience

Resilience is the ability stand strong in the face of crisis. Resilience is overcoming obstacles and limitations. Resilience is accepting the challenge and moving forward anyway. Resilience is bouncing back with new experiences and knowledge. Community Resilience As I work toward building resilience in my community, it is necessary to maintain resilience in my own […]

Possessing Teff in NE Ohio

Did you know that possessing teff might get you in trouble? I guess I need to start at the beginning… for instance, what is teff? Teff is a grain that is native to the Horn of Africa. It is used as food, fodder for livestock, and as a building material (probably as a binding agent […]

The Hungry Ghost in the Backyard

Every time I emerged from the back door for much of the summer, I was haunted by the sounds of the Hungry Ghost. I look up and all I see is a white face floating in the backyard. Reminiscent of No-Face from the movie Spirited Away (2001). Her name is Thelia. She is a white-faced […]

A Story of Hawthorn

“There are only two things: energy and its direction. One needs both energy and a direction, the direction is the dream you have, and you have plenty of energy – knowing you. So “Never Give Up!” for me is to continue to attempt to build the dream, the love life, the Path with Heart. I […]

Mirror, Mirror…

…on the wall,Which herbal ally shall I call? I’m hosting a class this Saturday on how to self-assess according to constitutional indicators, energetic patterns and imbalances, and environmental and social factors. “What does all that mean?” Well, I’ve learned that many folks have experiences that lead them to believe that herbs don’t really work that […]

Green Blood

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 […]

Sweet Blood

Through Love all that is bitter will be sweet, through Love all that is copper will be gold, through Love all dregs will become wine, through Love all pain will turn to medicine. Rumi I’ve spent many hours breathing the steam of boiling maple sap in the last month. Making syrup isn’t just about boiling […]

Midden Making

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 […]

Herb of the Saints

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 […]