My husband and I have been blessed to have lived in a variety of beautiful places. We started off out marriage by traveling north to British Columbia, Canada where I began my schooling as an herbalist. It was here that my foundation of herbal knowledge was built. I studied under an amazing herbalist who had received her training in Europe. She would take us on fabulous herb walks where we would learn to identify a number of wild herbs (many of which did not grow where I was from.) My classmates were astonished to learn that I had never seen plants like nettles or horsetail growing in the wild. It was a wonderful adventure. A time to discover, what was to me, an unknown world.
near our home in BC
From Canada we traveled south again to our home: New Mexico. Here I was able to rediscover where I was raised. The world of cactus and succulents like nopal, aloe vera and yucca. I found a new appreciation for the desert and the herbalists there. I became aware of the richness of the land and the amount of healing it could provide, even with its lack of water.
enchanting New Mexico sunset
Now we have moved on once again, and arrived in Florida about nine minutes from the ocean. Another adventure awaits as I am challenged with a new world of plants to discover. As the popular cruise commercial puts it, I feel as if "the sea is calling." I look forward to diving into the world of kelp, bladderwrack, spiralina and sea salt as well as the other tropical herbs that await.
me, standing in awe of the waves
From the cool calm mountains of Canada, to the enchanting deserts of New Mexico and the wild yet relaxing waves of the ocean, my training as an herbalist has truly been non-ceasing. I have learned not only healing plants of different regions, but also that wherever you are, if you are listening, the land will always teach her students and never fail to show them her beauty.
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