The trees are calling for you

Dear clients and fellow nature lovers,

Those of us who have experienced and been deeply nourished by the trees and forests in our lives, may share my experiences of helplessness and despair when realizing that our natural wild spaces have been systematically destroyed for fleeting monetary profit just in our lifetimes. The act of replanting rows of financially profitable species of fast growing trees with the goal of “harvesting them” does nothing to correct the error of disturbing centuries old forest communities. These elder forests do so much we still don’t understand, but some of what we do know shows them sequestering carbon and harboring multitudes of beings, including undiscovered and rare or possibly lost species. The medicines contained therein are incalculable.

If you need a more greedy perspective, there are many discovered and many more undiscovered human and animal medical cures in the plants and trees of the forest that heal and cure and prevent diseases. These could realistically save your and your loved ones lives one day, if they haven’t already. Also, because of the amount of carbon they sequester, they are vital to help insulate us against the catastrophic weather events that may continue to occur more frequently than in the past. Most of us feel deep in our hearts the inherent value of respecting and protecting the trees of the Earth.

Any of you who grew up, as I did, climbing trees and sitting for hours in their strong protective branches, who watched forest creatures become increasingly comfortable with us as we sat in their worlds, will know the truth of this and want to do everything we can to keep mature and old growth forests in all of our environments. These are vital to all Life.

Now is your chance to do something that will make a difference for both forest and human communities for generations to come- for we are inextricably linked and bound.

Hopefully, this is one step on a path of ever increasing human awareness and respect for our small but vital part in the web of Life. If we want to survive as a species on this gem of a blue green planet, we have to act as a people who are willing to cooperate with each other to protect and expand mature and old growth forest ecosystems.

Here is a link for ways to help reverse a logging contract into our pristine lungs, the forest ecosystems along the US – Canadian border- some of our last remaining mature forest communities.

https://protectancientforests.org/stopblackram

Here is a short film about this project to stop the black ram project

https://protectancientforests.org/

Here is a links to learn more about the proposes Curtain of Green and

https://protectancientforests.org/curtain-of-green

Celebrating Old Growth with Robin Wall Kimmerer and more

https://protectancientforests.org/learn-more

Thank you for caring and doing and being part of the solution. I appreciate all of you!

Peace in every step.

Love is in your hearts.

Breathe in and out

Feel the harmony of Nature.

Love to you ALL

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Thyme in the Garden

Thyme in the Garden

More ways to navigate the world as an empathic person.

Peppermint is so vibrant and so good for us.

Puttering in the garden.
I’ve never really been able, or more likely, chosen, to sustain a vigorous aerobic exercise routine, like running or biking miles each day. We each have to know what works for us to maintain our health – physical, mental emotional and spiritual. Most of my life that had meant long hikes in wilderness areas. Now, as I (try to-lol) age gracefully, I realize that long hikes are not as enjoyable and neighborhood walks are fine. I can appreciate the details of where I live, meet my neighbors and relax without having to drive somewhere. Walking a mile or two each day is a baseline I try to follow and it feels good to do so.

And…

Where I really shine is in the Garden.

St John’s wort, capturing the spirit of sunny summertime

When the world of people and culture and expectations and missed opportunities collide with what feels best in the present, sitting in a garden with green growing things can be the answer we need to relax and refresh and center again.

Queen Anne’s Lace, showcasing the beauty of Nature and centered symmetry.

Relationship with the plant world is something we each can define on our own, find what that means for us individually and to encourage healing in our world. We can do this by exploring and getting to know the plants that grow in our backyards and on our walks. Learning in books about them is a start. Sitting with them and feeling their green freshness and the enthusiasm of blooming flowers is vital, and we learn on a whole different level about them when we sit with them. How are we refreshed after this action?

Echinacea in bloom and Basil smiling up at us

In the city or the country, there will always be green beings. 

Strawberry Mint growing in hard dirt

For me.
Beauty refreshes the Soul.
Gentle movement refreshes the body. Focusing on the heart, and what nourishes a happy heart, enriches our life every moment, and keeps us on the path to continued health.

Borage and honeybee in the eternal dance

Communicating with plant worlds compliments and enhances my ability to communicate with animals. It is one way to nurture heart energy and feel more connected to the Pulse of Life.

Impatiens flowering

What are the ways that you connect with your heart and your inner soul, and how do you express that in the world?

Please feel free to comment below with ideas for others to find peace and centeredness in the ever-changing world around us.

Borage again – herbally I had always been told that Borage was able to “gladden the heart”, so I love having it around!

Thank you for caring.

Ways to reconnect with gratitude and joy

Appreciating the beauty

I’d like to share some techniques to encourage a state of contentedness or joy or something better than the winter blues. I’d love to hear back from any of you who have other ideas that I haven’t covered here. Winter can be a tough time for many people, and the holidays can be triggering for many. Please know there are others who feel like you do, you are not alone! Reach out and connect with others who care, especially your animal friends, and your human friends too.

What keeps you going during the cold dark months of Winter? This could be a time that is natural for reflection, for inner nurturing.

. Here’s some ideas.

1. Journal on gratitude. Journaling in general is a great way to get out your feelings and express yourself in a safe and totally private way. I’ve been told that the actual act of putting pen or pencil to paper and physically making marks is healing to our brains. Sometimes typing into a computer feels most satisfying. After you pour your heart out to the paper or digital machine, you can either burn or erase what you wrote, or save the words to review and get perspective on your life another day.
2. Exercise. There are tons of studies showing that exercise releases natural endorphins and is good for mood regulation and circulatory health, among other things. I’ve found the key for me is being realistic about what kind and how frequent and long each session needs to be. If you have an already active life, with alot of walking and stairs in your day, that counts too. It seems to matter that at least some of your exercise is cardio- active, or getting your heart rate up to a level that is appropriate for your age and fitness level. One of my favorite ways to do cardio is to put on some of my favorite music, then sing and dance to my  heart’s content!
3. This brings me to the next great idea- Music! Music is the great healer for people. It connects us and brings many different emotions to the surface. What emotions are strengthened is up to you. Upbeat happy music, soulful evocative music, R&B, Funk, Country, Classical, all of the above might be right on one day and not another. I have my favorites. Spotify has some great playlists that they have created. Check out some recent ones around a Giving Thanks theme
4. Notice dietary habits that may be helping or suppressing your natural Joy and satisfaction with Life. I’ve been taking a course with Charis Lindrooth and Paul Bergner called Food for Optimal Health. It’s been really good to reconnect with what I put into my body, including the power of plants and flower essences. I highly recommend this course or something similar.
5. If anxiety is part of the mix for you, you could try some farm grown individual whole plant high CBD plant tincture. I think anything we are going to put into our bodies needs to be researched and either made with our own hands so we know what is going into it each step of the way, or buying from someone, in this case an herbalist, whom you know and trust.
6. Connect with old friends or make new ones. I know this can feel  hard for introverts like myself. I also realize how nourished I feel when I make connections with other people or animals. Sometimes pushing past your comfort boundaries just a little bit can be very rewarding. Take baby steps and retreat if it doesn’t feel good. You can suggest a project to help others in the community and see who signs up with you, this can be the basis for a new friendship.
7. Do Art. I am a watercolorist – and I have a very individual style. What is your way of expressing yourself creatively? It could be sculpy animals, knitting, dancing, and so many other possibilities.
8. I’ll be updating this post as I think of any more ideas to share. Please reach out and connect. 💓💗💕💜🌈

Soon the endless stars will come out!