Gardening angst is a whole new experience for me. Since we moved to an acreage, I have been happily harvesting the incredible variety of medicinal plants that inhabit the space. Hawthorn, devil's club, cottonwood, fir, wild geranium - a living, breathing apothecary that I just bumbled into by chance. I can hardly believe my good … Continue reading Confessions of a newbie gardener
I broke my toe. Toe met doorjamb. Doorjamb won. I quickly discovered my appreciation for Western medicine, the Pemberton Urgent Care facility, our local doctors, X ray technicians, nurses, and for local anaesthetic, when the little tarsal was put back in its place. And then, I renewed my appreciation for adjunct therapies, as I smeared … Continue reading Boost your wellness arsenal with natural approaches to common infections: learn more on Thursday night
Based on observations I have made in the course of cleaning my short term rental suite over the past year, I have come to the following brilliant albeit totally unscientific and sweeping conclusions: Nobody knows your personal habits better than your housekeeper. When it comes to nature, Europeans use less and appreciate more. They use … Continue reading Less and More: what a European’s room on check-out reveals about them, us and the place we call home
Got aches and pains? Check out black cottonwood medicine. There are probably more black cottonwoods in our valley than there are people. Despite the fact that they provide welcome shade from our blistering summer sun and important wildlife habitat, some of us love to hate them because they have a nasty tendency to rot from … Continue reading Black Cottonwood – Good for What Ails You
Today I pressed a tincture of hawthorn leaf and flower, as I do many times throughout the year. I go through a large amount of it in my practice. It smells wonderful and its welcome aroma always lifts my spirits and brings a smile of recognition to my lips. In the Middle Ages the shrub … Continue reading Hawthorn: Medicine of hope
Every year, the same resolution floats back up to the top of my list, accusatory as an oil slick. Floss. Every day. There’s no excuse for not flossing daily, yet I make them. For some reason, a daily habit creates resistance in me. It’s why Polek Rybczynski’s Valley of Light photo journal entranced me from … Continue reading Column: One Day at a Time
Yet another email from Lisa with a short list of 250 questions to answer regarding the outcome of my personal #50DayWellnessChallenge plus a request for corroborating photos or even a slide show of my progress. As Wally Lamb would say, "I know this much is true." If you do not enjoy the wellness protocol you … Continue reading Sweat, Rules and Endless Nit Picking: Evelyn’s #50DayWellnessChallenge
It was a simple email - "Hey everyone, I'm inviting you and everyone I've ever known in this or past lives to devise your own wellness challenge and post a daily-ish running commentary on the ups & down's of following it." This prefaced a terse "Best Lisa" and a virtual maniacal giggle. How could I … Continue reading Lisa’s 50 Day Wellness Challenge
When I was a young married woman with no babies to cosset other than a huge, 100 pound dog, I took him for a walk in a local park that I had played in as a child. It was April and the path to the lake was deserted. I could see in every direction because … Continue reading Ways of a Child
I picked up a bag of trash from the ditch in front of my house today. For months, every time I’ve walked down the street pushing the chariot, I’d say, “Look at all that garbage. Next time we come out, we really should bring a plastic bag, maybe even some gloves and clean it up.” … Continue reading Column: Mind Your Mantras
The Wellness Almanac 