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I saw a hummingbird.#hummingbird #senseofwonder

I saw a hummingbird.#hummingbird #senseofwonder #walkingwithorna #optoutside #naturefix #vitaminN

My backyard trees were way overdue for serious pru

My backyard trees were way overdue for serious pruning, but I made sure to harvest my olive leaves first.Olives (Olea europea) and their oil are staples of a healthy diet. But the fruit is not the only benefit these trees can offer.Olive leaves are medicinal in their own right — and that’s a big boon to folks who want to grow their own.Olive leaves have been shown to:🕊Normalize blood pressure [PMID: 29383017]
🕊Reduce unhealthy cholesterol [PMID: 26951205, 28954421]
🕊Bust inflammation and reduce atherosclerosis [PMID: 18654736]
🕊Fight bacteria and viruses in vitro [PMID: 12878215, 32050880]
🕊Shorten duration of upper respiratory infections [PMID: 30744092]
🕊Contain potent antioxidants [PMID: 20106659]That’s a lot of medicine you can easily grow on a tree!The leaves are surprisingly palatable as a tea, with an artichoke-y flavor. Check out my garden medicine highlights to see what I did with this batch.With the emphasis on olive 🫒 fruit and oil, it’s easy to overlook the power of their leaves. Like many trees, so many parts are both beautiful and useful — and abundant.

Seriously, Calendula never ceases to astonish.🌼It helps heal wounds
🌼It helps move lymph
🌼 It helps beat back pathogens
🌼 It brings joy and color to gardens and teas.Calendula gets a lot of attention among herbalists and gardeners because it’s so easy, so pretty and so useful.But don’t be fooled into thinking something easy, safe and common isn’t incredibly useful.I used to do that, sort of looking down at the things that weren’t super strong or difficult to come by. Then a good friend pointed that out to me, and now I am mindful that common doesn’t mean ordinary.

Hellebore, the flower of winter.Poisonous, but n

Hellebore, the flower of winter.Poisonous, but nevertheless joyous.And this is your Wednesday morning reminder that Joy is medicine.

Here’s what I’m talking about when I tell folk

Here’s what I’m talking about when I tell folks to “eat the rainbow.”This is a purple headed broccoli growing in a neighborhood planting strip. It’s pretty much the same vegetable you’re already familiar with, but with a twist.not only is a beautiful and a nice break from the ordinary, the compounds that give it that beautiful purple color offer additional health benefits.If you’ve heard of antioxidants, the bright colors here tell you that this variety is loaded with them.I don’t know the gardeners here, so I can’t tell you specifically which variety this is. But it’s increasingly easy to find seeds for purple broccoli if you’re able to grow your own.I wrote the folks on my VIP email list about this last week. You can find a list of some of my favorite seed companies on the blog, via the link in my bio.(I’m also tagging a few of my favorites here to get you started.)What’s the weirdest fruit or veggie you grow? What do you love about it? Let me know in the comments below👇🏼.

Green is good.Whether you can make it to the woo

Green is good.Whether you can make it to the woods or just snuggle up close to a tree, being in nature is good for you.Good for you how?🌲Nature helps lower stress.
🌲Nature helps improve immunity.
🌲Nature boosts your mood.
🌲Nature helps relieve pain.
🌲Nature can help you achieve and maintain YOUR optimal weight through mechanisms both obvious and not.And you know what? You don’t even have to actually get outside to get the benefits — although it’s obviously better if you can.Looking at a tree through a window, in a book or on a computer can have therapeutic benefit.Want to learn more about this? Grab my free guide, “5 ways nature heals – and how to dose up during lockdown” through the link in my bio👆🏼. And tag/share with friends who need a reminder.What’s your favorite way to get a nature fix? Let me know below👇🏼!

Sometimes I think:“I should try growing a vari

Sometimes I think:“I should try growing a variety other than red Russian kale.”And I think:“Diversity! There are so many cool kinds of kale!”And I think:“There might be a variety I’d love more. I won’t know if I don’t try!“And then there’s a day like today.And I’m reminded why I don’t even bother.

It may be the depth of winter, but the garden is s

It may be the depth of winter, but the garden is stirring.Horseradish, chard, rhubarb and some more chard are pictured here.One of the beautiful things about living where I do is that there are excuses to get out in the garden 12 months out of the year.Plus, as an herbalist, even trimming the plants is an excuse to make medicine. I’ll have a story on olive leaf coming soon.How did you get your nature fix this weekend?

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