Nettles & Spring April 2o24

Connecting with Spring

I went out to a favorite spot of mine today...through some old Cedars, Cottonwoods, Fir, blooming Bleeding Hearts, Salmonberry, newly unfurling Thimbleberry, and Nettle- among many others. Across a creek, to a spot on the banks of the Sandy River,  I ambled through the woods, taking my time to see what was coming up, breathing in deeply the sweet resin of the Cottonwood buds opening.  I went barefoot, walking on the sand, on fallen trees & rocks, and I put my feet in the water.  I knelt down to look closer and gently smell the soft sweet perfume of the Trillium. My body drank  in the sunlight as I laid on the sand &  listened to the song of that beautiful river.  It felt amazing to be there, to be in my body, to be in the harmony of that place on Earth.  

This kind of experience is one of the very best, if not THE very best medicine we have--  connecting to the Earth & the elemental rhythms.  The simple act of taking off your shoes, standing bare feet on the ground where you are (your back yard, a park...) is deep medicine.  Medicine of reconnection, remembering the Earth's sacred rhythm in your embodied being.  We need to prioritize this connection, the medicine that is right here, all the time, for us.  And to be out in/with the places we love, or be in sacred time with the place where you are right now.  This can bring us into the deep healing of connection with the Earth, and re-member that we need to love and protect this whole healing being.  

Nettles- green champion :)

Nettles, Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica)

If you are not yet acquainted with Nettles, I encourage you to find your way into relationship with them in some way this Spring! 

Nettles are abundant in our area, and most likely you've come across them while wandering in the forest or farmland- you might know them from their painful (according to some) sting.  I'm one of those that actually like or at least appreciates the sting of the nettle, as it can be relieving for joint and nerve pain.  

But as food-medicine, nettles abound in mineral content, and have a great deal of protein in the plant world.  They are rich in calcium, silica, iron, magnesium, and are a wonderful tonic for hair, nails, skin, blood, lungs, and overall health & energy  in general.  Nettles can be helpful in relieving allergy symptoms (taken over time).  These are a powerful mineral supplement to add to your diet...

+ make a strong tea (brewing a generous amount of dried nettles overnight & drink the infusion the next day). 

+ add fresh or dried nettles to soups, stir-fry, baked goods (a spinach-like flavor)

+ steam/ boil fresh (to remove the stinging hairs), then use the water in soup-stock, or cool & water your plants with it... they love the minerals, too!