Lessons from Leaves
"I believe that a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of stars."
-Walt Whitman
As an herbal tea farmer, I see leaves
In autumn, I find myself looking at each deeper
This photo was shared with me my by a dear friend, Scott McIntire.
What Scott captured takes my breath away.
It is:
Structural
Delicate
Robust
Entirely Interconnected
To me:
Beautiful
This month... come see what I see.
I am learning lessons from the leaves.
The Base
The place where the leaf is nourished + sustained
The focal point of every leaf.
Where the stem delivers water + nutrients.
Where the outstretched web structure of the leaf is grounded.
For me:
My farm
The space where I am nourished. Alongside each ingredient.
From their base, the ingredients spread wide.
To Teacups Around the World
*including yours*
The Veins
"The more something is shared, the greater its value."
-Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
The purpose of those veins:
to Receive
-then-
to Give
If not, the whole leaf suffers.
"[A gift] is kept in motion. It has passed from hand to hand. Growing richer as it is honored in every exchange."
-Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
For me:
a Vein
a Channel
To freely yield that which has been graciously given to me.
Do you taste it? In this tea?
Generosity passed from my plants' leaves... through my hands... to your teacup.
The Transpiration
How does water reach the crown of a tree nearly 300-feet tall?
Capillary action? Not enough
It is by transpiration.
An exhale.
"Leaves transpire by steadily 'breathing out' water vapor."
-Peter Wohllenben, The Hidden Life of Trees
Strong water molecule bonds then create upward suction.
All parts of the plant are refreshed when a leaf exhales.
For me:
I am reminded...
to exhale is to release.
And when I do, I am refreshed.
As are those around me.
How many leaves pass through my hands and into your teacup?
Too many to count.
But, they are a gift.
And I am learning:
"When something is given as a gift, an ongoing relationship opens between us."
-Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
As always:
Thank you
I'm honored to be your herbal tea farmer.
Be well,
Shannon