Protection Plants

It's November 14. One week ago we learned we will have a very new kind of president here in the states. And I'm full of fear. For myself, my family, and this country. The shock is wearing off, and it's time to get moving. I have many tasks ahead to ensure our family unit is protected, starting with making sure my daughter's own father retains his parental rights in the months and years ahead.

So while I'll be talking with all sorts of people regarding lawyers, adoption, birth certificates, and more, I have also been trying to find some sort of peace in my days. I had some time off last week and made sure I took at least a small amount most days to take care of my body, mind, and spirit. Now it's Monday, and I'm so glad to be heading to a class tonight on healing herbs. I have been interested in the medicinal properties of plants for as long as I can remember, but have never seriously pursued learning more than the basics. Until I found this series, which includes the spiritual aspects of working with the plants. I love this connection.

I have been thinking more recently about Hawthorne and Oplopanax (devil's club). Warrior herbs. Thorny plants. My sister mentioned getting botanical tattoos together and she wants a blackberry. As someone interested in the invasive vs. native nature of our PNW plants, I was surprised that she wanted an invasive plant. But then this morning, I saw this link to a "surprise box of boundary, self-hood and protection," which includes the very herbs I've been drawn to lately, including blackberry.


I'm lucky to work in a naturopathic office, where we stock all sorts of herbal medicine. This is a new job for me, and I'm so excited to be in this world right now. In front of me right now is a Hawthorne solid extract and Oplopanax tincture, both unopened. Today is the day I will begin working with these herbs more seriously, in hopes that I can keep strong, while calling protection to myself, my family, and all others who are as scared as I am right now. I'll keep you posted on how it's going.

February's Find of the Month (in Forks!)

Two weeks ago we visited Forks for the long weekend - our first getaway as a family since Willa was born (what?!? way too long). It was a great, mostly relaxing weekend. The beaches were amazingly blustery - we watched as the foam flew horizontally well beyond the beach borders, and we took a beautiful hike through the Hoh rainforest. Being in Forks was a trip, especially in the winter. So much was closed, but I could picture what the summer must be like for Twilight fans. Although very sleepy this particular weekend, the people we did run into were all moms with their daughters (I assume), taking pictures next to the characters' cardboard cutouts and buying Forks shirts, necklaces, etc.

At one point I took a walk into "town" (really just a block away) looking for a thrift store. The only one I found was closed for the weekend, but as I walked I realized that many of the stores on the main strip very advertising "collectibles." I checked a few out and ended up buying a $3 pitcher (above) and a bread box for my craft area (to hold my current projects and misc. supplies). Two weeks later, I took the pitcher to clean and noticed it's a Dansk Kobenstyle, which sounded intriguing. I looked it up and easily found the same pitchers being sold on etsy and ebay for between $32-$95. Not bad. I love it and am excited to add it to my living room!

I want these!

valentines

Well, the Fun-A-Day project lost steam before half of the month was through. I felt OK about it, actually. I decided to make some things for Valentines, and to focus on some other parts of life, like the people in it.

The weird thing about that project was that I was recording all of these words - these things that I wanted to bring into my life, but I was more focused on making something to hang on the wall, and less on appreciating those things in my life.

Anyway, I made a banner for the living room, then made a wall-hanging (not quite done in this picture). It's been fun!

day nine: forgiveness (fun-a-day)

I love working with maps, and thought it was a perfect background for my intention of the day:  forgiveness. Forgiveness for roads traveled, and forgiveness for acts by those who were with me on those roads. I had a big moment several weeks ago when I realized how much shame was eating away at me. I realized I need to forgive myself for my past. It's not even that I've done terrible things - it's more about things I regret saying to someone, or something I did in my life that may have hurt someone. I can't change the things in my past, but I can learn from them. And forgive myself for them.

(I did pick Chicago on purpose, since that's where a lot of my past was spent, but I don't have to forgive Chicago for anything - I still love that town!)

day eight: motivation (fun-a-day)

This is Mount Rainier - can you tell?

This came to me today while I was attending the public memorial service for the ranger I mentioned earlier. It was a beautiful and heart-breaking service, and one that I don't think I'll ever forget.

The mountain itself, combined with Motivation, makes a ton of sense to me. It represents many things:

- It's my view from my office. I somehow got a fantastic, unobstructed view of Mt. Rainier out my window, and 14 years into living here, it still makes my heart skip a beat whenever I see it

- I heard someone state today that the mountain stands as a permanent memorial to Margaret Anderson. When leaving the service, the previously cloudy view was stunning in clear, blue skies. As a memorial, it reminds me to appreciate my life because you never know how long you have.

- The mountain itself is somewhere I want to spend more time - it represents a spiritual and physical health that I need more of in my life.

day seven: perspective (fun-a-day)

(I'll post a better picture later - I keep
finishing these projects at night and I don't 
have great lighting inside for photos.)

Everyone could use a little perspective.

This is Willa's onesie from when she when a bit under 5 lbs. It's incredibly tiny!

Fourteen months later she's almost 20 pounds. She blows raspberries on our bellies, says "tickle tickle," knows some sign language....I could go on and on. She's completely amazing and is constantly reminding me to pay attention to what matters.