Wild Rose Flower
Queen of flowers, thorned protectress, balm of my heart. Rose has a mythic presence. She is associated with gods and saints – a symbol of beauty, love, protection, and grace. Wherever she grows – from China, to the Middle East to Europe to the Americas – stories are intimately entwined in human history. She is an old soul after all – she has been here for 35-million years and has seen us through the rise and fall of many civilizations. Her influence has reigned in art, in poetry, in song, in religious ceremony since ancient times, and her powerful presence continues to reign today. In this...
Read MoreFir, Hemlock and Spruce Tips
It is May and I am bedazzled by the lime-green tips emerging from evergreen trees. I have been waiting patiently. First the tiny brown buds, tight fists at the tips of branches. Slowly they swell, and then papery brown coating falls away in wind or rain, revealing tender nubs of baby needles. Now they are everywhere – waving on the tips of branches like bejeweled dancers. My mouth waters as I imagine the bounty they offer – spruce lemonade, Douglas fir sorbet or hemlock tip sun tea – all so refreshing on a warm spring day. Evergreen conifer trees define our Pacific Northwest landscape. They...
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