Skip to main content

Witch Hazel

Image
By

Good morning everyone. We hope you folks all survived the Thanksgiving holiday without too much in the way of personal growth. When folks ask me what kind of shape I am in I can reply, with great confidence, round! We travelled over the river and through the woods to the Adirondacks for some time with family. Happy to be back after a few days of slow time we are once again at it in full force.

Winter cold temperatures have arrived with teens and low 20s the rule each morning. Frost is slowly working its way into the ground. The last of the leaves have blown from the trees (yeah... we get to rake again) and witch hazel blossoms still cling to a few of the trees along our drive. Witch hazel is a most amazing small tree (or big shrub) that is the very last blossoming plant in the woods. As a matter of fact the flower petals can even hang on through the long snowy winter. Seeds are dispersed almost a full year later when the ground is dry. The magical branch from the tree is used for "water witching" with the most sensitive divining forks reportedly coming from a north/south orientation on the trunk. Most folks are aware of the astringent properties of witch hazel and how well that helps to soothe rashes, bug bites, poison ivy, minor bruises and scratches and even hemorrhoids. All of this cool stuff aside I find inspiration in the idea that even with the dark days of winter upon us this late flowering tree affirms life blossoming and spreading it leaves when everyone else has given up the ghost.

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.
Labels:

Comments

Michele B said…
That is an amazing plant, not only for its astringent properties, but for its tenacity. It's also very beautiful. I'm glad you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday. As for being in good, round shape, join the club. The holidays are officially here. Let the feeding frenzy begin! The colder days are perfect for firing up the oven, pulling out recipe books, and filling the home with the mouth-watering smells of pies, cakes, and cookies. :)
December 1, 2010 at 1:44 PM
Unknown said…
Witch Hazel is great. I loved it when as a kid the barber finished up my 25 cent haircut with a splash of witch hazel. I thought it made me a real man because he had shaved my neck and I got to have some "aftershave." I don't have much use for aftershave these days.

But what about Bean Hole Beans?
December 1, 2010 at 7:53 PM
Anonymous said…
I had a few Witch Hazel bushes along a fence row in New Salem MA. They kept flowers all winter, were a pleasant contrast to just bare branches. It should be used by more people, hard to find.
Thanks for the picture,
BC
December 2, 2010 at 5:50 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hail Mary

By
My heart is heavy with sadness as I write this particular blog. Since the beginning of August our dear friend and cook for the last 12 years, Mary Barney, had been struggling with cancer. I have intentionally respected Mary’s privacy and I apologize to you for not sharing any news about Mary’s health sooner. On Monday afternoon Mary passed away very peacefully at home, surrounded by friends and “family”. Her departure was as graceful as the rest of her life. Many people, including Jen, have been doing heroic work to support Mary these last few weeks. Oddly enough Mary was never very excited about transitions though this was about the fastest transition she ever made. And as I struggle to let go of Mary I realize I am terrible with transitions as well. We used to joke about how we liked things just the way they are, thank you very much, so why change what is working already even if it might be less labor intensive. Hard works is its own reward. I used to joke about getting Mary a Cui...
28 comments
Read more

We are Nuts

By
Good morning everyone. Well I just had to say it before you did. Yes, we are truly nuts. Now we have gone and added one more adventure to our already full lives. As you can see she is some cunnin'. We have named her Colby. We had a sign... literally. We were in the car brainstorming names on the way to get her at WalMart (yes, you heard it right) and there at the Waterville exit was a sign for Colby College. Colby just happens to be dear Mary's alma mater. It is also the name of one of my favorite ledges in Jericho Bay, the Colby Pup. It just seemed to fit just like the way she came to us. Nothing about our Sunday was going to be different than any other except that I just happened to be helping a friend get her generator back in the barn while Jen and the kids met her new puppy Sherman. They fell in love... so easy to do. We called and there were had two pups from the same litter available... no commitments yet. We had been having the long family debate for weeks about the k...
11 comments
Read more

Darkness and Light

By
Good morning everyone. OK, so this blog does not have a whole lot to do with schooners or windjammers or sailing vacations so if you want to leave now I will not be offended. Today is the winter solstice, as you know, the shortest amount of daylight in our calendar year here in the northern hemisphere. Of course it is the summer solstice on the other side of the equator. So I guess if you wanted to celebrate the summer solstice you wouldn't be at all in the wrong. I would applaud your ability to see outside the box. Map from Wikipedia commons Living and sailing in the mid latitudes (remember, Maine is half way to the North Pole) as we do, we experience a balance that spans a year's time, maybe many years' time. To feel the darkness of winter creeping quietly into our homes is not as bad it may appear from the outside. This is our season to rest... emotionally if not physically. We know it takes more physical energy to live and work here in winter. But when the sun goes down...
6 comments
Read more