Nothing New Under The Sun
Blog # 3
Hello Dear Friends!
How can it be mid April?
The thrill of spring is upon us!
All of the shoots emerging from the ground, the warmer days, and one of my absolute favorites, the PEEPERS!!! How is it that no matter how I may be feeling, the peepers always make me smile?
I am still in the midst of my prayer & fasting time and still up to my eyeballs, as they say, in boxes and piles of the remains of last years move from the Elixir space! Clearing, cleaning , and organizing are so cathartic, but not always smooth going.
Before I can fully engage in the wonder of spring outside my door, I must complete the indoor work and the inner work. Alas, the final letting go...
It was a year ago that I left the Elixir space and as much as I would love to say it was bittersweet, the sweet was never really present during that time.
I poured my heart and soul into that space and to each person who entered it.
Grief is a strange and powerful emotion with its own timing.
Yesterday I came upon the huge collection of mushrooms, pine cones and other woodland beauties that created much of the ambiance of Elixir. People always commented on how they felt cozy and as if they were out in the forest when they were in Elixir.
Well, I took the many boxes full of these nature memories to my fire pit, struck the ceremonial match, and sat with tears streaming down my face, while those memories literally went up in smoke.
As I was crying, an incredible feeling of peace came over me. I was thinking of what a beautiful
creative and soulful expression the Elixir space was and how it touched and inspired so many people. Setting aside my ego, which is really where the pain exists, I can free myself of attachment and clear the way for ongoing creativity.
By the time the fire had died down and most of the boxes were transformed into ash, I knew that I was finally ready to let go...I also had the comforting thought that the ash from this burning would feed my rose bushes and create beautiful vibrant roses!
“Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.”
-Rumi
“True beings are lived in the present, the life of objects is lived in the past.”
- Martin Buber
It was evening and getting a bit stormy when I decided to drive to the store. I had a hankering for a kombucha, hoped to find some Easter lilies, and needed more white vinegar that I use to make my natural cleaning solutions.
Just after I took the turn onto the main road from mine, I saw to the right, off the road, a bunny, and it leapt out and hit my car.
Of course I was mortified, turned around and went back to see if it was still there and I would move it off the road.
It was there in the road, not moving, but alive, so I picked it up and held it and stroked it while apologizing for humans and cars, checking its little body for injury. No bleeding, neck seemed fine, I brought it to the grass and set it down, but it did not hop away. I thought I might take it home to keep it safe from predators if it was injured and could not move fast enough, and would return it the next day. I got a box from my car, picked the bunny up again and now it was scratching me with its back paws, which was a good sign. It calmed down when I put the box down and allowed me to continue stroking it. This went on for another 10 minutes or so and then I set it down in the grass again. This time it started to hop away quite naturally, stopping once to look me in the eye and say thank you!
So, it seems that the little bunny was just stunned and needed a moment and some encouragement before going on its way. What a relief! One does not want to be responsible for the life of a bunny so close to Easter!
Home again, still so thankful for the good ending bunny encounter, I sipped my kombucha, put my new lilies in clay pots, went to my seed collection to get out my peas and covered them with water to soak because in some folklore traditions, peas must be planted on Good Friday!
I did plant them today, but it was too dark to take a picture to share here of the beautiful straight lines of plump peas. I will be sure to capture them when they sprout!
Meanwhile, many of my favorite friends are popping up and I will soon be making some delicious medicinal creations with them!
Next blog will have recipes and lots of nutritional info on many spring wild edibles!
Spring Hopes Eternal
Ramps and nettle underfoot
trout lily near the rushing brook
coltsfoot by the beaten path
dandelions push through new grass
Moss and lichen
glow and brighten
dead fall in the wood
all is good
Snowdrop crocus daffodil
budding lilac waiting still
then when finally in bloom
all will stop breath in and swoon
Robin chickadee and sparrow
in a dither here and there
mallard family back again
from who knows where
Spring beckons us to
breath and see and hear
as we are gifted with this miracle
but once a year
NLT 2022
"Looking at life from a different perspective makes you realize that it's not the deer(bunny) that is crossing the road, rather it's the road that is crossing the forest."
-unknown
Whatever your tradition/belief, this season is all about transformation, renewal, & hope!
May we all embrace the opportunity to participate fully in these!
Until soon,
Much love!
photos:
Elixir space
Mushrooms & roses
Ramps
