Garden, Tincture Disaster, and Willow

Goodness, it's been much too long since I've posted here!  Our pocket garden out back is doing beautifully, as you can see here.  We may never see the corn actually mature enough to produce ears, but I am getting enough Asian greens to create small salads every day.

Rosemary and Lemon Balm are doing well in pots, as is Spearmint.  I love to take nibbles of the leaves as I pass by!

Hawthorn Tincture

At the end of August I plucked the lovely haws from our old hawthorn tree.

After collecting a small jar full I poured them out and chopped them up.

Back into the jar, which I then filled with kirsch.

Megan, Lila, and the horses gaze at the red mush thingamy, just after it's prepared.

During the first few days I was pretty good about shaking the mixture.  Unfortunately I totally forgot about this project.  Checking it today, I realized I'd overfilled the jar with the haws.  They perched above the kirsch-line, and look pretty disgusting.  I don't think I dare give it a taste! 

Ah well.   Live and learn!

Pacific Willow

At 4-H yesterday, we visited a rabbit breeder in the area.  The rabbits were so very lovely and cute (I will not often describe anything in print as "cute",but I'll make an exception here!), as you can see if you visit Plain Old Chickens.  But during our visit I continually felt tugged in another direction.  Alongside a gorgeous swimming pool were a series of graceful towering trees.

After studying them for a bit, I realized why I was so drawn to them.  The ridge-y bark, the drape of leaves--and even more, the feel of the trees themselves.  I knew them!  They are Pacific Willow, the tree I sat at back in Joseph, Oregon last year in the depths of winter.  This was the tree that served as the image of my "medicine tree" on my blog Jane's Medicine Tree until a few days ago.   Realizing this, I just soaked in the energy of the trees -- their rooted presence, the clear mind essence (such as Lemon Balm offers), their gently magnificent grace (a very different feel from Lemon Balm!).

I'm not sure I've ever energetically noticed the particular presence of a tree before, at least not consciously.   I'm in awe!

My "medicine tree" back in Joseph, Oregon