Tug on This Thread (a poem)

Tug on This Thread The love you didn’t give me……you were never given…The strength you never showed me……you were never shown… The tears you did not wipeas they rolled down my face……just reminded you ofhow you suffered, alone……and that, so should I… The nourishing foodsseemed like a hassle.The songs……you didn’t remember the words… The dreams,you … Continue reading →

Wonder Woman Remembers Grandma (a poem)

My Mississippi grandma and her friendshad superpowers.Not the comic strip kind,but the surreal, Southern, storied kind. What made them fantasticalwas how they stood outagainst the sobering backdropof modernity. My grandma taught herself to play the pianoand could play and sing dozens of hymnals by memoryas if the gospel was flowing right through her.Her hands had … Continue reading →

Mallow Mallow and more Mallow Soup

Really, though. What has taken me so long to learn about molokhia (mulukhiyyeh) soup (Egypt, Lebanon, etc)??? A recent post in a foraging group led me on an adventure with our local, invasive cheesewheel mallow plant (Malva parviflora or Malva neglecta). Although the mallow used in molokhia soup is a different species (jute mallow or … Continue reading →

Creativity and the Handmade Life

“…”I love my creative life more than I love cooperating with my own oppression.” If we were to abuse our children, Social Services would show up at our doors. If we were to abuse our pets, the Humane Society would come to take us away. But there is no Creativity Patrol or Soul Police if … Continue reading →

Pumpkin Spice Marrow Custard

It is that time of year. Imbolc. The mid-point between Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox of the Old Celtic Wheel of the Year. It’s at this time that eggs are starting to be laid. Eggs of all kinds. Wombs are full. Nature is preparing for birth. Years ago, in Mississippi, I cooked and prepared … Continue reading →

Wheel of Life 2021

I stepped into the new year (based on the Julian then Gregorian calendars, that is) by taking a hike. I stepped away from motherhood duties and did just that. A hike. With a girlfriend. We talked. We sat on sandstone and gazed at the horizon. We looked at vultures circling in the sky. We saw … Continue reading →

Big-berry Manzanita, Forage & Craft

It has been awhile since I last wrote a blog post. Mostly, the reason is that WordPress shifted the tools for creating a blog post and I was disgruntled to have to figure it out. Sigh. I tend to be really resistant to change when it comes to technology. Grumble. Grumble. Grumble. Anyway. Now that … Continue reading →

Trail Marker Trees: Remembering Land Language

The story of stumbling upon the meaning and significance of these living artifacts started about 10 years ago. I had been running an apothecary in Mississippi (2012-2017) and, of course, spent a lot of time outdoors walking trails. I eventually started to notice these unusually shaped trees, most of them bent at 90 degree angles. … Continue reading →