It's a Berry Good Time Of Year

OK, so the title is a bit cheesy.  But, I am in awe of the abundance Nature provides, and for the lessons she is willing to share with me.  When I really start lamenting the lack of progress, I get a new teaching right between the eyes.  That's the way my MooseBoots path works ... I am given what I need when it is appropriate!

This past weekend, I was out mowing the lawn.  Not so interesting?  Perhaps.  While wandering around the yard ... er, mowing ... I saw that we had some ripe strawberries.  I have been paying closer attention because I found ripe blue berries a few days before.  Anyway, I picked them and brought them in for Wendy and the girls.  Then, a short time later, I noticed that the serviceberry bushes had some ripe for the picking.  These ended up as a handful of sweet bliss for Wendy and the girls ... after I sampled one.  Continuing on, I spied red raspberries.  You guessed it, Wendy and the girls got a few more berries.  I also took note that the Black Raspberries are not yet ready.

It occurred to me at some point between all of the whine of the electric blade and the shouts of "Girls!" that I may have identified another tree in the blueberry patch in the woods behind the house.  By this time, I was grinning maniacally and itching to get into the woods to confirm my suspicion - this as opposed to itching because I had been in the woods, which is a completely different situation.

I asked if anyone wanted to come with me, but was eager to go and could not wait while everyone got ready.  We did decide that we needed to go strawberry picking at the local PYO place anyway.  So, I snuck off down the road, stopping to check on the hazel nut bushes.  I also wandered around the neighbor's yard and found a few more hazelnuts.  According to the other neighbor, hazelnut grew with abandon right here not so many years ago.

As I neared the field, I checked on the bunchberries, which are not even close to ready.  I entered the field carefully checking the blueberry bushes for ripening.  Those plants in the full sun have a few berries ready, but most do not.  It will be another week I guess.  I approached the tree with anxious hope and I was rewarded for my efforts ... a 12' (4 m) tall serviceberry with ripening berries.  It has been growing here for years and I had never been aware enough to see it.  The difference is that this year I saw the flowers and remember not knowing what the tree was.  It is growing in a small clump with some aspen and so I had never really seen the tree itself.

I must have returned home with a grin to rival the Cheshire Cat, because Wendy just stopped and smiled, saying, "I love your face."  I can only guess she was seeing the glee and exuberance and not necessarily the pleasing physical features.  Of course, we then packed up the girls and went to the strawberry fields to pick.

One of the lessons that I take from all of this is a re-enforcement of something our Nature Teacher has mentioned - we pattern on what we know.  These simple words ring so true in so many more ways than just nature.   I have noticed that I tend to find the same plants everywhere after I have "met" them - hazelnut, mugwort, serviceberry, sarsasparilla.

So, in honor of this abundance, and of my continued growth and learning, I declare this to be the Berry Moon.  Enjoy all the sweetness the month has to give.  Oh, don't forget to spread the sweetness, and share some berries, too.

NOTE:  All of the photos, except the last, were taken in our little 1/4 acre farm.

Simply Incredible

Sometimes, I am frustrated by the pace of these MooseBoots travels ... the learning, the living, the knowing.  Other times can provide unanticipated visions and glimpses.  This morning, after taking care of the animals, I looked up to see a red-tailed hawk soaring over head.  It was a beautiful Father's Day gift.  The sun back lit the wings, showing a red-orange glow through the feathers on the wings, providing a striking view of the black bands near the wing tips.  It looked similar to this.

I tried to follow it as long as I could, but lost it behind some trees.  I was very grateful for the gift.  Then, it got better.  I turned and spotted another lower and closer.  I watched it for a few seconds and decided to share the gift.  I ran into the house and shouted, "Come outside quickly!"  The whole family got to see this beautiful sight.

Red-tailed hawk medicine includes seeing the bigger picture while staying grounded.  The message is that one needs to open his/her eyes and pay attention, be aware. It is something I have been trying to be mindful of.  I thought about the message, but really there was really nothing unusual other than the fact that we don't see them every day.  I chalked it up to a being given a precious gift of seeing these beautiful creatures.
 
Wendy and I have been trying to make our yard more environmentally friendly ... composting, chem-free gardening, reusing and recycling.  Wendy purchased this book and has started a forest garden.  One of the things she's been talking about for years is hazelnut.  They grow wild in our area, but we never seem to find them ... except once in a friends recently purchased yard.  Last fall, we planted two ... silly people thinking Mother Nature needs our help!

We have had a plant growing under our oil tank for years.  Initially, we mowed it down.  Of course, it was more resilient than we were persistent.  So, as we were admiring the billions of immature black raspberries, we noticed something on this particular plant.  Here are some photos.

Apparently, all of this time, even after we planted two more hazelnut bushes, we had wild hazelnut growing in our yard.  At this point, Wendy squealed with delight.  It seems that the Universe, Great Spirit, provides the things we ask for.  She quipped that we should ask fro something cool ... like avacado.

Little Fire Faery and I walked down the road looking at the things growing in the brook behind the house.  We noticed all of the Jewelweed, Goldenrod, Violet, and some raspberry canes, that we threw down there, thriving.  I continued to wander down the road and found this.

More hazelnut, growing wild just 50' from our yard, right on the edge of the road.  So, I turned around and saw this, on the other side of the road.

I guess the Earth does know what to do.  Nature is incredibly resilient and will, like our bodies, heal herself, when given a chance.  She is also generous with her abundance and love.  I am awestruck by the things I see and learn on this, my MooseBoots journey.  Thank you, Earth Mother and Great Spirit for helping me, and encouraging me, to grow to my fullest potential and for allowing me to share these blessings and teachings with those open to receive these gifts.

Ravens Vs. Crows

I stumbled upon a web site, eNature.com, a while ago, when I was looking for some plant identification stuff.  I also found they have a lot of good information about animals.  By entering you zip code, you can get specific listings about the plants and animals in your area.  Check out the site. Leave a comment here, at MooseBoots, and let me know what you think - maybe you know of similar sites specializing in certain topics.  I would appreciate the link.

Regardless, I signed up for their mailing list.  I just received the latest mailing and thought I would share this article, because I mentioned Ravens a few posts ago. 

 
Raven, if you did not know, is a trickster like Coyote in many traditions.  Here are a couple of stories I found to demonstrate this point. 

Have I mentioned that I want to learn to tell stories?  I am convinced that storytelling will be important for my growth and subsequent sharing of this wisdom, especially healing stories.  I would enjoy any stories you might have and wish to post here to share.  And so, my journey continues.