Despite the warmer weather we are merely days from December and, even if the temperature is mild, the low winter sun orientates me at the change of season. I love to go out walking on days like these when the sun gleams through the leaves and even the dead stems of roadside plants are lit up with beauty.
The juxtaposition of vibrantly green grass, golden leaves and bare grey/brown branches against a bright blue sky makes for a starkness that is at once deathly and vibrantly alive.
The Burdock seeds catch on my coat and ensure I slow down enough to appreciate their perfect form and subtle beauty. Can you see all the little hooks they use to ensure they are carried near and far? Look a little closer…
Rosehips still bedeck the hedgerows with little flashes of colour whilst Hawthorns are now browning and becoming dull. Their sinewy branches and great thorns look somehow prehistoric and wild as the leaves die back and expose them fully in all their savage beauty.
One of the plants that catches my eye most at this time of year is the wonderfully witchy Black Bryony which winds and twines amongst the branches of other plants. She dangles temptingly juicy red berries like little Christmas ornaments draped through the trees, just ready to seduce the unwary passer by into an eternal sleep. Though it was once used sparingly in herbal medicine, the whole plant is highly poisonous. Maude Grieve tells us, “Death in most painful form is the result of an overdose, while the effect of a small quantity, varying not with the age only, but according to the idiosyncrasies of the patient, leaves little room for determining the limit between safety and destruction.”
And on the subject of Christmas decorations. It’s almost time to hang some mistletoe in our house, just to ensure a maximum number of kisses throughout the month of December!
Wonderful photos, as always. I had someone tell me once that I needed to pull the burdock up because it was a ‘weed’, but I love the deep purple in summer, and the heads that stick to the dog’s fur and end up on the couch. Thought I was the only one who liked that plant! By the way, I’ve never seen Bryony, so thoroughly enjoyed that stroll with you.
Hi Lisa,
Yes I love Burdock too. It’s funny how entirely subjective the concept of weeds is isn’t it. Most people see the plants I cultivate and say, “but they are weeds’. However I have some incredibly tenacious thistles growing in my herb garden and I always seem to leave just a little bit of root in the ground from which they grow back. I was musing the other day how I love so many weeds because they are useful as herbs or for insects but these thistles just annoy me and only because they are growing where I don’t want them to be. It was a humbling moment to realise I’m just as much of a weed policeman as others, just in a less obvious way! I’m still not sure I can live with the thistles though.🙂
A beautiful journey through the countryside with you in that lovely winter light🙂 The landscape does seem to be festive in it’s own right this time of year, doesn’t it? I’ve never been able to find mistletoe here, though rumor has it that there is a species that lives here in the Eastern U.S. Such a fascinating plant though, steeped in so much myth and mystery – and of course you have to appreciate it simply on the merit of increasing kissing frequency the world over all December🙂
Lots of love,
D
Hey Danielle,
I feel sorry for mistletoe sometimes, going from the most sacred plant of all to merely an excuse for kissing! Though of course that in itself is a pretty special thing.🙂
I would like to say I cut this with a golden sickle but unfortunately that was not the case. There is something so magical about it though isn’t there. Perhaps a festive post on mistletoe is in order before Christmas is out.
Are you still snowy out there?
Lots of love xxxx
Thank you for sharing your lovely photos and thoughts. How I wish I could pick such gorgeous mistletoe! Enjoy.
Konstantina
Thanks Konstantina x
My goodness, I’ve never noticed those hooks on the burdock. They remind me of my mother’s crochet hooks!
Your pics are so clear and do portray the striking contrast of alive red berries and fading brown leaves and grasses we see at this time of year. I don’t think we grow mistletoe here in this part of Canada – it’s too cold! But we can purchase it in stores around Christmas time or at the florist.
I have a question to ask and I couldn’t find an email for you, so I’ll just ask here. My granddaughter is having bladder spasms (she’s 4 years) and goes every few minutes. The doctor has prescribed a medication, but with the warning that it might not help. Is there anything natural she could take? Thank you.
Hi Wendy,
The burdock hooks are great aren’t they… no wonder they get stuck on things!
I’m sorry to hear about your granddaughter. It’s difficult to recommend anything without hearing a few more details about what is going on. For example how long has this been going on and what preceded it, any physical or emotional trauma etc? If you email me on whisperingearth@gmail.com we can discuss it further. In the meantime I would just do something very gentle like a warm compress of chamomile and horsetail tea on a flannel laid over the lower abdomen area a couple of times a day and small amounts of chamomile taken as tea (she is a bit young for horsetail tea so I would just use that externally.) I would say it’s best to check with a local herbalist who can examine her and give you specific advice according to her individual symptoms though.
All the best.
Oops, forgot to say – there is no infection.
Your photos were beautiful as ever…..the bryony here in my valley is prolific this year…I’m acutely aware of the poisonous plants this year as we have a 10 week old pup who thinks that everything is food…so far she has munched a third of my aloe plant!!!!! I seem to be constantly taking things from her mouth…ho hum….
Hi Mezaree,
It’s funny isn’t it, some animals are so aware of what plants to eat and what to avoid and others just munch through everything. One of our cats was like that as a kitten, all our houseplants were half devoured and I’m sure some of them were quite toxic! She has calmed down a little as she’s got older, I hope your pup does too. Until then definitely a good idea to keep her away from the bryony!
Enjoy all that bouncy puppy energy.🙂
Dear Lucinda,
I love the photos of the prickly-pokies! My dad used to grow burdock in his garden, which my mother hated. Wouldn’t you know she cursed herself, and now her children do the same thing?🙂
In Idaho we were “cursed” with thistles in the garden, till I bought a high tech blender and started pureeing them and putting them in smoothies and muffins (I DID get a prickle in my mouth every once in a while). They were rather tasty, and I actually miss them now.
Love,
Marqueta
Hi Marqueta, Wow thistle smoothies! That is something I had not thought of. Do you remember what type yours were?
There’s always a way of co-existing with everything isn’t there. Thanks for the timely reminder! xxx
Amazing photographs Lucinda! What a nice bunch of mistletoe:) I had a burdock pop up in the brick walkway by the front door this year. As she grew to full height and width my hubby says one day, “I am guessing since you didn’t remove this that it is one you use medicinally”, and then asked me to tell him about it! Which is such leaps and bounds from when I first started studying and growing herbs and he went around looking at the gardens with a funny look as if to say, “shouldn’t you weed so you can see your flowers?” lol So I especially appreciate the close up of the burdock today:) Love you saying “savage beauty”!🙂 big hugs xxx
Just goes to show it’s all perception doesn’t it! How lovely that your hubby is interested in the plants now and what they do. You are inspiring your whole family with your wonderful work.🙂
xxxxx