The Sap is Running

The Cottonwood trees are budding, the Pink Filaree is already blooming and the Mugwort and Mallow are growing so rapidly I can hardly keep up with them. We had Spring Nettle soup a few nights ago and I'm eagerly anticipating the return of the Watercress (provided the Spring floods don't come early this year). The river is up from recent precipitation in the form of snow and rain, and probably a bit of snow melt from higher up as well.

Of course, I'm already plotting about what new plants I might find this Spring (I know there's Spikenard around here SOMEWHERE), what greens and herbs I want to grow (amazingly hard here on a lot of levels, but worth it) and what plants I need to harvest and propagate. I've got extra help with the gardens this year since I found Lisa Rayner's book Growing Food in the Southwest Mountains, an amazing permaculture guide to arid mountain ecology.

I'm also already planning this May's Medicine Woman's Wild Plant Workshop, a four day intensive on relationship with the plants. I expect this workshop will turn into one long wonderful rambling plant walk. Those interested can write to me or register at the above link.

I'm also leading a plant walk, and teaching a Medicine Woman workshop with my partner Loba at this year's Women's Retreat at 3SidedWhole in the desert outside of Albuquerque in early May.

I love Spring in the Gila!