We’ve had a spate of cloudless days recently, filled with gentle yellow sunshine. It’s been perfect weather for viewing our local raptors soaring into the bright blue. Bald eagles seem to be everywhere, and the crows croak their displeasure at it all. Another favorite Spring herald of mine is the Red-winged Blackbird, and I’ve begun to hear their mating calls down by the wetlands again! The cold still lingers on through the nights, but the Spring Equinox is approaching. I l

It’s been a quiet few weeks here at home as we avoided going out into the unusual amount of snow that fell on the Pacific Northwest. Some reports said the 20” we received was the most this region has seen in 70 years! While beautiful and other worldly in its ability to morph the landscape into something totally unrecognizable, I am glad it’s melting away. Thankfully, the flower bulbs in the garden seem unfazed and continue stubbornly to push upward! So, our rainy grey skies

As a child I always struggled with the fact that my birthday was in the depths of Winter. It seemed incredibly cruel to me that I could never have a swimming party, with a slip'n'slide in the heat of summer. However, as an adult I coordinate an annual bathhouse spa day, so I get my swimming party after all! I’ve truly come to cherish the winter months and their quiet contemplative beauty. It’s a lovely time of year to walk in the forest completely alone with a chill breeze

The Winter Solstice is the flip side of the Summer Solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere it is the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is the climax of dark on the wheel of seasons and once it passes, the sun begins to wax and bring light back to our world. Hopman says in A Druid’s Herbal, “Traditionally, at Yule or Mean Geimhridh, the dark force, with which the Sun battles all winter, gives way. The first rays of light pierce the hollow dark in preparation for t

Many cold days and wind storms have descended upon us already this December in the Pacific Northwest. Frost covers the land like snow and cold winds numb my face on my morning explorations into this dark and silent time of year. I feel myself yearning for more naps and quiet times under blankets working on small projects. I try to allow myself the pleasure of hibernation. It’s also a time of year that I am unable to resist small gatherings of friends and the warmth it bring

The evenings come quickly now as we near the Winter Solstice. Looking at my weather app, I see we’re averaging just nine hours of daylight and the sun is below the horizon at 4:30pm. Often our nights here on the Salish Sea are cold and clear with sparkling stars, the frost creeping crystalline over everything. The full moon of November is traditionally called the Frost Moon since this month usually brings the first frosts of the season, turning all the crops and plants brown

Alder species are widely distributed throughout North America and Europe. Here in the Pacific Northwest we have an abundance of Red Alder. Alder is a deciduous tree. It drops it's leaves while still green in the fall but it's small female cones and male catkins hang like lanterns on the tree throughout the winter and late into spring. They are easy to find scattered by the wind all over the ground and I've often still found the cones into summer. Alders are noted for adding n

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