Hello people of the hive.

I feel like I start every posts by saying how long it has been since I last shared here. So, I will continue using this tired introduction because ... well, posting every once in a while seems to be my new normal. My life has gotten so busy with work and homesteading and well, I have turned inward. In years past hive was basically my digital journal but, since the new year, I have felt the call to share less with the public and instead fill the pages of my journals with my thoughts.Still, there are times when I feel inspired to return to my favorite digital platform. And today is one such day. So ... hello, it has been a while, but, I haven't forgotten about you, dear reader. And, I certainly haven't forgotten about the herbal hive community. The thing is, winter is a slow season for herbalists. And winter has descended upon the southern hemisphere, where I reside. And it is a cold and gloomy winter indeed. There isn't much of anything to forage outside. Instead I have been doing a lot of indoor activities (or, patio activities, when weather permits).

And my favorite activity of all is to have a slow morning spent drinking tea and studying. I suppose that is the perk of working a job with odd hours, I can wake up slowly with a steaming mate in one hand and my notebook in the other. This is my way of making up for the fact that I never did end up studying herbalism formally. I was never a good student in school and had a bad habit of day dreaming constantly. Now though, as a 30 something year old adult, I find so much joy in studying the art of herbalism my way, and at my own pace.

The other day I felt inspired to create my own glossary of terms related to herbalism. I used trusted websites, like that of the Herbal Academy to source the definitions for herbal actions and preparations. And then I went to the garden to rake the fallen leaves, then to gather wood for the fire.

And here is another staple of my wintery routines; sitting by the fireplace. Sometimes holding a cat, sometimes chatting with my hubby, sometimes literally just staring into the fire, processing everything I have learned.

There are still so many pages left to fill in this personal textbook on all things natural. And in my study of herbalism there is still so much still to learn. And I am happy with both. How boring would it be if I knew all the answers already?

((all pictures are my own and not to be shared outside of this blog post.
As always, I never use AI images nor text in anything I create. My art is and always will be totally human))