Kind greetings at this window just before the Equinox, 

We are in the final stretch til Spring; I feel high with anticipation. Frenzied with longing for the tree buds to open, the smell of the young willow bark in the air. We have had two days in a row of brilliant sunshine which has sent my body into frenetic impatience. I was telling some friends at dinner the other night about one of my most important rituals at this final stretch of winter: watching videos of Diana Ross dramatically entering a performance in dazzling attire; usually throwing one layer off with a flair of glam eleganza. I know I even sent one of these videos out to the newsletter last year around this time of winter, but here are a few for you, compiled as a small list: DIANA EMERGES. My tunnel-vision thirst for Spring equates each sequin on her glittering gown with a field of snowdrops shimmering in the sun. As she gets up on stage and tosses off her fur coat, she conjures Spring in my heart:

 

 

It’s true, the snowdrops are coming and we are arriving; with garlic mustard leafing out, forsythia branching, tulip bulbs pushing, witch hazel beaming, the great chorus of starlings above the house buzzing and calling and singing, orienting us toward Spring taking center stage.

In our final Tending The Hearth class on Sunday, we spoke how about this point in the season feels so manic to so many of us and we covered a lot of herbs to support us finding our gentle groove. Grounding the frantic desire to surge into action with oatstraw and lemon balm, easing the feeling of “Spring is just starting and I’m already behind!” with violet leaf and sloughing off the winter blues with rosemary and nettle. I start dosing on my Flora formula at this time of year; it has been formulated to welcome Spring into the body, to provide nourishment and blessing from the flowers. Some have told me it helps them listen to the plants; I believe it.

 

What a joy, to feel excitement again for the plants that are to come! There is nothing that expands my heart like Spring does. I am so moved by the beauty of this season, that I am offering a four part class on herbal magic for the heart that begins next month called Treasure Chest. It is a class for tending to the sacred Beloved, for creating rituals, for meeting the plants that make our hearts sing. We will write, we will trance, we will make medicine, we will offer blessings:

 

 

I will send all participants a package of herbal goodies, all for blessing the heart. Will you join us? There are only 13 spots and I would love to have you join in.