I am gestatiing a new practice. The seeds are there, slowly growing towards their mature forms. It's hard to have patience, to be with the present phase of development when I so want the full bloom to have burst forth yesterday. I bet you can relate!
    My experience as a midwife and mother tells me that there is no rushing the process unless you want to create problems. I need a midwife myself to guide and remind me when I forget, to know that I have the answers withing and help me get to them, to believe in me when I do not. I do this for others in my healing practice but it is hard to midwife oneself.
    I must make time to focus on what I am bringing forth, nourish it in many ways, keep away from what would harm it. Asking questions, gathering information, trusting my instincts and intuition give me confidence to make decisions about what is best for me. Embracing my fears and what they teach me removes blocks to my progress. Having a flexible plan gives structure to my actions and choices. I wait for the time of quickening, then for the time to bring forth, alert for the signs.
    Now, the time is so close. Still, I wait and feel the stirrings that tell me soon my "baby" will be born. Then labor- the sweat of hard work, the test of all I believe and all my preparation. One way or another it will come forth. Elation! Awe! Disappointment! all mingle in this intense experience of birth but it has been accomplished the best I can.
    Tender time of postpartum adjustments. New life with a new life. Crazy good. Crazy just crazy. I still need support to see it through in good health as I become comfortable and confident in my new state of being.
    Now I've got the swing of things! On we go to more experiences, gestations, births and postpartums, ever creating.
    I see life as a series of birthing experiences, a natural cycle of evolution and development. I have birthed children, businesses, craft projects, garden projects and other creations. Healing can be seen this way too. As a midwife, I know how to help you through the process. We work together to bring forth a more whole you. It is a pleasure for me to serve as midwife to healing.

Feeling like you need some space from others' energy or that you need some protection or nurturing? When I feel like this I call on Hemlock tree flower essence. If you have ever walked beneath these graceful trees you know the peaceful atmosphere they create. It feels like an outdoor temple or sanctuary to me. Enfolded in the sweeping branches, supported by their strong trunks, quieted by the duff they have at their feet, nibbling on their lemony needles makes me settle into the peace within myself. I call it "instant sanctuary".

I am so excited to be working with the flower essences and the Partnership Energy Treatment! Together, they are effective, deep and powerful aids to healing. I love that working in partnership with the flowers and healing energies does not involve killing other beings (even if they are causing you pain) rather changing the energy of the host (you) so that the bacteria, virus or other energy does not resonate with yours any more.

The partnership is with the patient, the Spirit of Healing, the plants (gems, environmental essences, etc.) our spiritual guides and myself. All participate in changing the conditions so we can move towards greater well being.

Physical, emotional and spiritual ailments can be helped with flower essences and the PET.

Reiki is another form of energy work I now bring to you for healing. The universal healing energy goes where it needs to go! You can also schedule a distance session.

Good Medicine is here for you! Contact me for an appointment. Let the healing begin!

The plants are gloriously growing and it is time to harvest flowers and leaves for medicine. St. John's Wort, Yarrow, Comfrey leaves, Rose flowers and leaves, Evening Primroses, Elder flower, Self-Heal and so much more. Such abundance!

How to get to know plants-
Take some time to notice which plants you seem attracted to. Sit with them. Use your senses to get to know them. Smell them, feel them, nibble them. Notice how they look, how and where they grow, what other plants are they growing with. Is it in sun or shade? You can start a plant journal to record your experiences with the plant. Draw it. Identify it, eat it if it is edible, make medicine with it, dream with it. Visit with it in all seasons. Getting to know a plant, just like a person, takes time and attention.

Wild food resource-
Linda Runyon has great books on eating wild food. You can check out her website http://ofthefield.com/

Food-
Hibiscus makes a refreshing tea for hot days. I like to make it really strong and add mint or basil.
When making pesto with basil, add other wild greens for more nutrition. Mallow leaves, Violet leaves, young Plantain, Bishops weed, and many others are good additions.
Gather wild seeds of Lamb's Quarters, Plantain, Amaranths, Nettles, Burdock, etc. to add to your grains and flours. Ancient peoples ate seeds of many plants before there was agriculture.
Day Lily buds can be used in stir fries or soups and dried for use in the winter.

First aid-
Plantain leaves make a great poultice for bites and stings. Chew up the leaf and put it on the sting. It will take away the pain and swelling.
Jewelweed tinctured makes a great poison ivy remedy. It dries it up really fast. I have had students also use it on athlete's foot and the blisters from poison Parsnip.

Flower Essences-
I love Rose. It comforts and opens the heart. You can experiment with different colored roses and see if you can feel a difference. Report back to us!

Connections-
This spring some caterpillars were eating the nettles. I wondered if I would get any to harvest. The plants seem to be growing back so humans will just have a later harvest.
Skullcap was being nibbled by some kind of insect and is also coming back.
I considered doing something like spraying insecticidal soap but decided to just let it be and watch. I want my garden to be a place that welcomes all. This experience seems to be teaching me that there can be plenty for all.
I am learning about this. Will the deer leave me enough sugar snap peas?

Here is where I can share inspiration, useful things, my own opinion with you. Discussion welcomed!

I love spring! Here are some quotes about flowers.

Perfumes are the feelings of flowers.
-Heinrich Heine

Where flowers bloom so does hope.
- Lady Bird Johnson

The Earth laughs in flowers
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Break open
A cherry tree
And there are no flowers,
But the spring breeze
Brings forth myriad blossoms.
-  Ikkyu Sojun, 1394-1481

“The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks.”
-Tennessee Williams

About violets as medicine:

Are high in vitamin C and A
Are cooling and moistening for the body helping with cough, congestion, headache, inflammation, swelling
The leaves have been used for breast cysts, lumps, cancer.
Make a wonderful moistening and softening oil or creme
Help heal wounds and broken hearts
Pansies or Johnny-Jump-Ups can be used the same way.
Violet flower essence helps one to let one’s essence flow to others without fear of losing the Self, to “trust that the Self will be warmed and revealed by others, so that their beautiful soul nature may be shared with the world.”  (Flower Essence Repertory)


Here’s a recipe using Violet leaves:
Creamy Violet Green Soup from Susun Weed
serves 6
2 Tbs. Olive oil
1 cup sliced wild leeks
4 cups violet leaves
4 cups water
salt to taste
4 cups organic milk
Saute leeks in oil for 3 minutes. Add chopped violet leaves. Stir for a minute. Add water and salt and bring to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes then puree in a blender or through a seive. Reheat, adding milk. Garnish with a few violet blossoms and a dusting of nutmeg before serving. Also good cold.

Leaves are great in salad, mixed in with the basil for pesto.

Here’s a great science experiment to do with your kids:
Violet Leaf Litmus Test
2 jars full of violet blossoms
boiling water
lemon juice
baking soda
Fill 2 jars of any size with violet blossoms. Make an infusion by filling the jars of violets with boiling water, capping and steeping overnight. Divide the contents of one jar into 3 containers. Add lemon juice to one. It will turn purple/red- this is your acid indicator. Add baking soda to another. It will turn green/yellow- this is your base or alkaline indicator. Set these aside. Pour contents of second jar of violet infusion into as many small containers as you have soil or other samples to test. Mix the soil or substance to be tested with the plain violet infusion in the container and see what color it turns. Match colors to indicator jars to see if it is acid or alkaline.

Please share your violet recipes and experiences!