It has officially set in for me. Spring fever! I walked through the community garden I am a part of yesterday and it was budding. Little shoots and buds popping up all over the place. We have had a good amount of rain here in Los Angeles over the last two months. It shows in all the greens blanketing the ground. Chickweed, Miner’s lettuce, Buttercup, and something I specifically love, Nettle!
I wore a calf length skirt with tennis shoes and as I passed through overgrown patches in the paths winding through the plots of the garden, I felt nipping and stabbing at my ankles! I looked down and there she was. Nettles are some of the first heralds of spring. They are bitey little things, and oh so delicious. They are also nutritious and make a wonderful pesto. For this reason, I have harvested a bundle and can’t wait to make some!
Nettle provides antioxidants, reducing harmful free radicals in your system. It is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and various minerals such as iron, magnesium, and potassium. This powerhouse of an herb can be eaten, brewed as tea, and extracted into oil for pain relief. Each method has a different concentration of the vitamins and minerals, but any way you get them in is good! Eating them can’t be beat. This is a good time of year to keep your eyes out for fresh Nettle as spring arrives. It can be frozen for later use if you want to stock up!
One of my favorite authors wrote one of my favorite books about herbs and ritual. Her name is
, and her book is The Illustrated Herbiary. Each time I have a major encounter with an herb, I go directly to this book to see what it is I can do to get deeper in relationship with this plant and the message it has for me. I remembered that Nettle was in the book and couldn’t wait to find out what our meeting could mean, besides just an aggressive hello in the garden!“Nettle says, see me, and really, isn’t that what each of us wants? To be seen and acknowledged?” Toll says this of Nettle. After that she prescribes a ritual to connect you to the medicine of Nettle. She suggests that you walk through your day noticing the people you encounter and to mentally make note of two unique things about them. This helps to ground us into the present, bringing us into union with those around us. It turns our focus outward as it is easy to remain inward most of the time. Is there anyone you may be forgetting? Is there any person or persons you may have left on the outskirts of your life without meaning to? Maia Toll invites us to explore these questions. Her insight about Nettle is a wonderful example of a way to check in with your consciousness to see where a little dust may have settled and could use a spring cleaning!
The next abundant herb in the garden is at the top of my all-time favorite list. Oh sweet, sensual, misty eyed, mysterious seductress… Rosemary. She is such a dream to me. Her intoxicating scent, abundant needle leaves, so precious and succulent. Those tiny, cute, bluish flowers twinkling in the sun, and glowing from the moon. Oh my, smitten every time! So are the bees; they just hover and gather. I can only imagine the honey that is being produced somewhere nearby. Sheesh! I’m gaga.
Rosemary is very helpful in many ways. She aids in ailments such as digestive issues, headaches, sleep issues, and emotional well-being. Rosemary is also known to have antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. There is a whole list of uses and benefits that this herb can provide for our health and wellness. I continue to come back to Rosemary because the scent has so much power over me. For this reason, I love to include her in my food. I often enjoy cups of tea with just Rosemary, though I do include her in tea blends as well.
My experience is that of a grounding into myself. Not necessarily into the present outwardly but pulled inwards and then away to dream states and places I forgot about that meant so much to me. When I feel nostalgic or purposely feel like connecting with the photo album of my subconscious, like connecting with former selves, I sit with Rosemary. I have found myself over and over again through our teatime. Discovering feelings, objects, and memories that I had lost. The scent of burning her from a bundle, smudging my home and my auric field also help me to ground into who I am, who I have been, and who I can be.
Once again, Maia Toll for the win in bringing us a way to connect with this herb and to give us insight to how Rosemary shows up for us. She says, “Rosemary is the smell of deja vu and the after breath of nostalgia.” She reveals to us that the “magic lies in her scent.” It is undeniable that Rosemary is a presence when cooking or passing her in the garden. For the simplest engagement, press the leaves with your fingers to release the oil. I have an essential oil diffuser bracelet that helps me to connect to scents that I find helpful in my day. Most often, I am carrying Rosemary.
So, wow what a day in the garden right at the beginning of March! I am so excited to get planting. This week I will finalize my list of seeds that I need to get started. Time is flying and the time is now! Or maybe I am just spazzing out a bit with spring fever lol… My partner can attest to my propensity for spazzing over flowers and plants! She loves me anyway; she loves me because.
Head outside and see what little plants are waking and being born! I know it’s still a little too cold in some places in the country, but I am certain there are little buds and whispers of green everywhere starting to peek up towards the warmth. Can’t wait to tell you about the seeds I choose and why. I would love to hear about yours too!
With seeds of hope, health, and remembrance,
Violet
Song for the day: Love and Happiness