I have been out in the garden everyday recently. Sometimes I am overwhelmed with all the weeds. This happens mostly when I take just a bit of time, when I am in a hurry. If I take the time to breathe and listen I begin to notice more and appreciate what I am witnessing.
Today I spent 3 hours weeding the Goddess Garden. This is a space within our garden shaped like a goddess. I created this just over two years ago from stones. She's about 20 feet long.
In this garden we planted oatstraw. And today I found, little plants, lamb's quarters, shephard's purse, chamomile, borage, burdock, red and yellow dock, catch-fly, couch grass and every other kind of grass.
When I stepped out of the classroom just over 13 years ago and stepped onto
the spiral path, I discovered my wildness. I was a little frightened of it and to
be honest sometimes very frightened of it. But I also loved it.
I remember discovering a weed that was growing in my garden in Ballard (Seattle)
was Nipplewort, Lapsana communis and that this plant was utilized as a poultice for
dried, cracked nipples on breast-feeding moms.
This plant that I had thought was a problem, was actually a solution.
It has only gotten better from here. Tadd and I moved from our lovely Ballard home to
a place in South West Washington called Enchanted Valley. I apprenticed with Susun Weed and
returned to our little cabin in the woods where I began my journeys into my wildness. I certainly
did cultivate plants there and in the next places I lived, but I started a practice of never weeding a plant until I knew what it was. And some wild plants that I wanted to eat in my salad and put in my soups, well, I let them grow all over the garden.
I have learned about a lot of wild plants over the last 13 years, and I have grown very fond of my wildness. I have allowed it to flourish and I have grown comfortable with those places in me
that were so frightening long ago.
Just about a week ago, I noticed that I have a strong desire to cultivate, to weed and remove many of the wild plants so that I can grow more medicinals herbs and vegetables. I have a vision of strong-rooted fruit trees as well as lindens and Hawthornes and a old growth forest of cedar and hemlock. I would love to invite, Meadowsweet, Pleurisy Root, more lavenders and thymes, and garden roses of all kinds into the garden. It is time for me to fully cultivate the garden and land here.
And as I begin this quest, this journey, I feel a little nervous that I will tame the wild, wise woman and she won't be any fun, won't know the voices of the unseen world anymore. I am sure I am headed into the mystery again. I am excited this time as I step into the wilds of cultivation and begin to plant seeds there.
Goddess only know what can happen now.
May it be in beauty.
Today I spent 3 hours weeding the Goddess Garden. This is a space within our garden shaped like a goddess. I created this just over two years ago from stones. She's about 20 feet long.
In this garden we planted oatstraw. And today I found, little plants, lamb's quarters, shephard's purse, chamomile, borage, burdock, red and yellow dock, catch-fly, couch grass and every other kind of grass.
When I stepped out of the classroom just over 13 years ago and stepped onto
the spiral path, I discovered my wildness. I was a little frightened of it and to
be honest sometimes very frightened of it. But I also loved it.
I remember discovering a weed that was growing in my garden in Ballard (Seattle)
was Nipplewort, Lapsana communis and that this plant was utilized as a poultice for
dried, cracked nipples on breast-feeding moms.
This plant that I had thought was a problem, was actually a solution.
It has only gotten better from here. Tadd and I moved from our lovely Ballard home to
a place in South West Washington called Enchanted Valley. I apprenticed with Susun Weed and
returned to our little cabin in the woods where I began my journeys into my wildness. I certainly
did cultivate plants there and in the next places I lived, but I started a practice of never weeding a plant until I knew what it was. And some wild plants that I wanted to eat in my salad and put in my soups, well, I let them grow all over the garden.
I have learned about a lot of wild plants over the last 13 years, and I have grown very fond of my wildness. I have allowed it to flourish and I have grown comfortable with those places in me
that were so frightening long ago.
Just about a week ago, I noticed that I have a strong desire to cultivate, to weed and remove many of the wild plants so that I can grow more medicinals herbs and vegetables. I have a vision of strong-rooted fruit trees as well as lindens and Hawthornes and a old growth forest of cedar and hemlock. I would love to invite, Meadowsweet, Pleurisy Root, more lavenders and thymes, and garden roses of all kinds into the garden. It is time for me to fully cultivate the garden and land here.
And as I begin this quest, this journey, I feel a little nervous that I will tame the wild, wise woman and she won't be any fun, won't know the voices of the unseen world anymore. I am sure I am headed into the mystery again. I am excited this time as I step into the wilds of cultivation and begin to plant seeds there.
Goddess only know what can happen now.
May it be in beauty.
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