Where to turn when the trees are bare?

How to be neighborly to strangers

Investing in Rootedsky Homestead means investing in an education that produces lifelong skills transferable to anyone willing. One benefit of being intimately connected to a space is that I work with more than myself. I am developing a relationship with the land, and all that is being supported by the environment. Deepening the relationship with myself and my defaults that I have relied upon during different growth cycles in my life. Through consistent attention, I begin to get a sense of what is needed, where, and by whom. Plants have a way of moving around, going where they are needed and supporting us when we need them.

Years ago, I came home from a plant swap at our local library. I was super excited to bring lemon balm home. I didn’t know anything about the plant or its growing habits. I only knew I had to have it. The attraction was undeniable and strong. As the years wore on, lemon balm became the bane of my husband's summer garden care. They went all over the place, taking up space where it suited them. I appreciate their moxy; he, on the other hand, was becoming fatigued by trying to keep a mint family plant in one place. Mints are known for their unruly nature! But are they unruly, or highly intelligent? Don’t people move around to get their needs met?

Lemon balm stayed on the Homestead, patiently waiting for us to make use of it. After ten years, I had my first taste of it when friends made pesto out of their aromatic leaves. My mouth and mind were blown away by the bright, lemony goodness! I was hooked. How could we have been ignoring this treasure? From that day forward, it was lemon balm, everything. Initially, I thought going hog wild for lemon balm was because of the taste. What later became more obvious was the great work the herb was doing for my lymphatic system. It was moving excess fluid around, and I felt lighter and more enlivened in my body. The patience of lemon balm helped wake up the stagnation, which brought great relief to muscle aches and lethargy I’d been experiencing.

Thank you, Lemon balm!

There was a notable change once we began to respectfully harvest from the plants. My husband is no longer agitated at trying to keep them at bay, and they aren’t as prolific as in times past. My body is also processing fluids with far less stagnation. The interaction with the plants helped to wake up my system and my consciousness. That interaction helped me to see the generosity of plants.