May was a lovely month full of sunshine for the plants here! So it’s time for another flower update on the blog. This month was full of Dutch Iris blooming in golds, blues, purples, and antique shades. These were something I planted last fall on a whim just to try out and I really enjoy them as cut flowers. The Lion King variety has been my favorite so far. It has a beautiful light fragrance that I notice every time I sit near the vase, so I’ll be planting more for next ye

It’s April and the sun has returned after several weeks of rain. I think this blog will be a great place to document things that go right and wrong for myself as well as keeping everyone updated. So here’s the latest news from the flowers this month! Unfortunately, my anemones never perked up and I decided to dig them up to try and save the corms for use again this fall. I think a combination of not properly pre-sprouting the corms and not protecting them from the snow mad

April in the Pacific Northwest always brings a wave of blooms with it. The cherry trees burst into pink and white snow-like drifts, dandelions explode into their cheerful yellow across the landscape, and tulips, daffodils, and anemones herald the change in season. It’s a wonderful time of year for walking in the forest (let’s be honest, any time is, though) and watching different plants awaken from their slumber. So many have sprung up lately that I’ve been experimenting wi

Within the last few weeks the Forest has truly woken up from it's long quiet Winter time. Each year I feel astonished when this happens. Suddenly I realize that all the leaves have returned by the thousands upon thousands to give their cool dappled shade like a gift to all the Forest in the newly bright sun. Fringecups, Salmonberry, Bleeding Hearts, and Stinging Nettles flood the under-story with their blossoms and foliage drooping over the path. Huge bumble bees hum by l

As an artist that works in the Nature Realms it feels especially important to make oblations to the spirits that surround me every day. Making offerings to the spirits of spring is one of the ways I like to show my gratitude to the abundance the land affords us here in the Pacific Northwest. Our tradition is to wrap eggs in plants that I've gathered over the year and hard boil them to impart the dyes on the shells and then take them out to the forest to hide as food offerings

I don't recall experiencing a wetter Spring here in the Pacific Northwest. The restless energy of our long arriving Spring can affect my moods, even though I am a staunch lover of our cloudy skies and of wandering in the drizzle. I can't deny my body's discomfort from the long dark months. This April blend felt like it should be Nervine heavy (an herb that nourishes and calms the nervous system) with tonic properties to help soothe and bolster my spirit as my body craves mor

Here in the Pacific Northwest Winter is beginning to fade into Spring. The cusps of seasons are times of intense change for our bodies as we acclimate to different weather patterns. It's so easy to become ill during these times that I like to be proactive. I also just like tea :D The taste and smell of an herb can give us immediate insight into how it will interact with us. For example, Astragalus scent immediately makes me feel calmer, and supported. I settle back into my