Finding Our Way Home- An Angel in the Sunshine

I am so glad that my little blog is still just here, like a faithful dog- patiently waiting for my return. An angel in the garden saved my life, really...when I think about it. It was right here that I figured out who I was truly meant to be. And just like all great relationships, things change & we grow.
My last post here was pretty ragged & raw.
Life was very hard.
But through the grittiness & the challenges we've gone deep- my love & I .
We've been brave & persistent. We've done the sifting, refining work & we've evolved through this time- emerging in to the people we were always meant to be.
We are looking at each other in wonder these days & seeing the fresh new people that we have become, with grateful hearts. I firmly believe that there is an authentic self in all of us & that it is our job to unearth that beloved one from the layers of our family history, shapings of society and wrong turnings that we make- to bring home that genuine soul- the reason why we are here. Perhaps that's our only job.
Life is either a series of grand & small adventures lived day by day or it's just not worth living.

And for much of my life it just wasn't- worth living, that is.

Until...I came home to herbs and a relationship with the land.

Not just growing flowers and keeping a garden, but going out in to the landscape and realising that the land is truly, vibrantly alive- just like we are. The seasons come and then they go and always the land is offering us gifts and opportunities for gathering food and finding healing leaves and trees and spaces. Her steady generosity overwhelms me with it's very magnanimity.  

All we have to do is show up- that's it!

On an adventure down River road a month or so ago, I discovered a whole fence line of rugosa roses- their fragrance heady & sensuous, but also wonderfully healing. 

I've made a glorious tincture from the fragrant petals- oh what glory!

I've been taking notice of the flowers that the bees and butterflies love to visit

 and it surprised me to find that the dahlias are quite so beloved.

I've discovered that I love to learn by asking a million questions every day and just trying new ideas- too bad if they don't work out or I can't pronounce it- just laugh & keep going.
I sowed 50 cents worth of oat seed in to an old hot water tank down in the back garden in winter, by late spring I was able to harvest the milky oats to make a tincture- so gloriously green and ever so healing to the nervous system.

As we have ventured out into the landscape we have both found a sense of anchorage and belonging. Taking a picnic with us wherever we go allows us to explore and wild craft happily as we make ourselves at home.

And it's the gifts that get me the most- like finding these ripe kawakawa fruit out at Waipatiki beach just recently. It's said that they pair very well with chocolate. I can tell you that that's quite true- the anise hyssop and Texas tarragon are also a lovely edition.

The very best and most unexpected thing is finding that my dear husband loves to wildcraft too- a surprise to us both. How fitting that he has found Self Heal.

Honeysuckle growing wild by the river at Sacred Hill in the Dartmoor valley was the perfect grace note for this picnic.

Folklore says that Queen Anne's Lace will thrive in the garden of a woman that is true to herself.

Ever inspired by the landscape artist Sabine de Barra and the scene of the Wishing Tree in the movie A Little Chaos I refashioned this little installation once again. It brings me so much joy with it's sense of whimsy. 

We've been eating colourful and wonderful food.

Gloriously beautiful food makes eating so much more satisfying!

We've even been to the bi-annual Wildflower and Sculpture exhibition 

held in the Russell's magnificent garden to raise money for our local Hospice.

We've also picnicked in the old Napier cemetery again and oh what a joy the wild flowers are!

We've learnt to make new things like elderflower fizz.

And it was there that we realised that the metamorphosis had truly happened, at last.

But still a flower girl.

40 years later- after all these years of being together we headed out to Clifton to spend some time glamping at Clifton Station. 

What a wonderful adventure we had

despite the rain!

And look who else was there- our beloved elderflowers!

And sweet wild dog roses- rosa canina.

Goodness and now it's mid-summer and it's time to harvest the elder-berries & keep an eye out for the rose hips. The more that we go to the land, the more the past sloughs off and the more peaceful our lives become.

 Full moon tonight.

Believing for a long Indian summer time in our lives.

Seems about time to write An angel in the Sunshine- there's so much to learn each day and so much to record and share. Pop on over any time if you're interested in finding out more about learning how to gather and use the plants around you for food and medicine.