STINGING NETTLE  Colloquial names for stinging nettle are burn nettle, burn weed, or burn hazel. After harvesting grapevines last afternoon my arm became itchy with a stinging sensation. I had bumped into a patch of Stinging Nettle without realizing it! Learning to identify this wild herb is important if you want to avoid its pain while gathering! The plant usually appears in the same places year after year, and thrives in moist woodlands and thickets. It grows three to seven feet tall with hairy-textured leaves and stems. When touched, tiny needle-like hairs prick the skin injecting a mixture of chemical compounds causing a painful sting (from my experience it is very unpleasant). This annoying, yet harmless, sensation will last several hours if not attended to. A simple treatment for removing Nettle's painful itch is to rub the burning area with one of the following plants: - Jewelweed
- Dock Leaves
- Fern (the underside with spores)
- Plantain
Note: These plants are found growing in the same area as nettle and will remove the itch almost immediately. Try it for yourself- It works! Nettle is a miracle herb known for its healing wonders. Herbalists claim the antihistamine found in nettle is an excellent resource for treating hay fever and common allergies. Native Americans consumed cooked nettle leaves for its rich minerals and vitamins, and today people gather Nettle to make a healthy detox tea. Just remember to wear gloves and always cook the plant (to remove all its stinging properties) before eating.
PRESSED FLOWER CARDS Why give storebought cards when you can make your own? Handmade cards are easy to create with pressed flowers. If you begin pressing spring flowers in late April or early May, you will have plenty of material for making Mother's Day cards. Violets, pansies, buttercups, and ferns are some of my favorite plants to press. Most flowers take about two weeks in pressing time.
Gather flowers in the afternoon when the flowers are dry. Take along a thick book to press the flowers immediately after picking. Place flowers between two sheets of 8 x 11 paper then insert the paper back into the book. To press, place weights on the book (more heavy books) and leave undisturbed for two weeks until flowers are completely dry. When ready to create cards, simply pull sheets of paper from the book and begin designing. Handmade cards are special.
PRESSED FIDDLEHEAD FERN CARD | Materials: Q-tip, white glue, paper/card Arrange ferns on card before starting to glue. | Apply glue to back of fern in several spots. Keep the designs simple. | | PRESSED VIOLET CARD | Materials: Q-tip, white glue, card/paper Position and glue the leaf on the card. | Apply white glue to back of leaf. Next, glue on the violet. |
SPRING DANDELION NECKLACE Nothing is more relaxing than sitting on a hill and taking in the warmth of the sun on an April day. To share it with a child is even more fun. This time of year fields and meadows are covered with a glow of yellow dandelions. It's a child's delight to pick bouquets and play with flowers, so with a little guidance, even young children can make flower chains and necklaces- maybe the "adults" will join in too!
HOW-TO MAKE A DANDELION NECKLACE:- Gather 12 dandelion flowers (that are similar in size) with 3 inch stems. Make sure the stems are thick and hardy.
- With a fingernail, make a half inch slit in the stem just under the flower.
- Take another flower and slip its stem into the slit of the first flower.
- Make a slit in the second flower and add the third flower as if making a chain.
- Continue until you have the desired length.
NOTE: Smaller flowers work best for braclets and larger flowers for necklace. S I M P L E I D E A S F O R W E A R I N G "Everyone deserves some fun in the sun especially if you share it with a little one."
THE BABY BIRDS ARE HERE Saturday morning the baby birds arrived. Their eyes are closed and the feathers are still drying. I think it was less than two weeks since the mother bird began sitting on the nest. It is amazing how life begins.
WILD GRASS NEST I tried for years to make a bird's nest. The ones sold in craft shops and florist supply stores look as unnatural and fake as the birds they sell. With determination to craft a natural looking nest, I observed the gathering material birds collect in nature and examined every nest found on my walks. Dried grass from the prior summer, bleached by the sun and still pliable from winter snow, is the most prominent element of nest construction. I experimented with common weeds by spiraling them into a ball, as if starting to make a wreath, and discovered that some would bend, and others would break. After successfully creating a nest with wild grasses, I went to the garden for other botanical materials, such as Day Lilies and Iris Blades which are extremely tough for wrapping as well. The following is a basic guide for creating a beautiful nest in just minutes.
STEP ONE: Pick a handful of grasses ranging from 12 inches in length. Then, twist the grasses into a U-shape. This will show
if the grass is flexible enough to use. STEP TWO: Continue twisting the grasses into a curled circle for the base and building up the sides about one inch. STEP THREE: Tuck remaining pieces under and around the center of the nest. Secure them by folding strays underneath each other. If crafted well, the nest should remain tightly woven. Until the skill is perfected, use florist wire to keep the nest together.
STEP FOUR: Add a little variation of grasses for natural texture to cushion the nest. Here I used a wispy wild grass growing nearby the other weeds I gathered. Its delicate stems resemble fine hair or string. STEP FOUR: Insert the grass into the center of the nest and twist it in a circular motion. This adds a touch of realism and downy softness. The nest is finished! Place it in a wreath, a flower pot, or let it sit on your window sill for a little springtime happiness!
FRONT DOOR GUESTS |  The House Finches have made their nest in the planter at the front door. |  Mr. and Mrs. Finch on the look out. | |
Mrs. Finch is spending her day sitting on the family nest. Every time our front door opens she frantically flys away. This afternoon she will be flustered as the piano students come and go. Here are a few pictures we're documenting of the eggs (everyday there's a new one). We'll keep you informed as to when the babies arrive! Happy Spring Gathering!  After days of the Finches gathering materials for their home, we discovered an egg!  The next day another egg appeared.  With anticipation, we checked on the third day to find three eggs in the nest.  Another delivery on the fourth day! Will there be more?  Day 5 revealed one more egg! Now the sitting begins.
WOODPECKERS The tapping of woodpeckers
and the occasional call of the Northern Flicker
are sounds of spring-time gathering
in the woods. It is difficult to imagine how long it would take for
a bird to create a cavity of this size in a tree. Freshly carved holes,
made by the woodpeckers in search of bugs,
are easy to find when strolling the woodlands this time of year.
Nature accomplishes its purposes
even in the dying stages of a tree
as it gives feed for the birds, fuel for mankind, and compost for the earth.
There is consolation in the fact
that a human soul is far greater than the worth of a tree,
and that the last stages of life
are as purposeful as the beginning days.
FISKARS PRUNERS I love FISKARS tools. They're the most prominent cutters in my gathering arsenal, and make other products pale in comparison. With their sharp blades and "perfect grip," I can tackle any project in a few swift moves. The pruners stay-put in my back pocket while gathering in the woods, and if I do get carried away, the brightly-colored handles are easy to spot when I drop them. After ten years of using these tools, I have yet to have one break. You know how the ol' saying goes, "Many hands make light work." Well, at least for me I'd like to add, "The right tool makes lighter work!" Wouldn't you agree? Read more about my tool selection here.
Garden Scissors
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Garden Pruners
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The FISKARS name is a leading global supplier of consumer products for the home, garden, and outdoors. To my surprise, they have celebrated 360 years of operation. That's a long time! As Finland's oldest company, they were founded in 1649 and began producing garden products for the USA in 1985. It's no wonder these tools are backed with years of precision and knowledge. Check'em out at your local garden center!
MAINTAINING TOOLS Pruning season is here! Tools that are clean and sharp save both time and muscle (and painful joints). A few minutes of time pays great dividends. Spend your winter days preparing for spring-trimming with these three easy steps: - Clean blades with ammonia and a soft cloth to remove dirt and sticky sap residue. (May use Windex).
- Sharpen tools or have someone sharpen them for you. (Hardware stores provide this service).
- Oil blades and moving parts with W-D 40 (May use Vegetable oil).
Once your tools are sharpened be very carful not to cut yourself. I know this may sound like a "no brainer," but I'm wearing a bandaid as proof of this! Happy Pruning, Sally
GATHERING IN THE WOODS February has been unusually mild this year. The sun is warm and the birds are beginning to sing springtime melodies. The birch and witch hazel trees are pushing fresh buds, and the ground is not frozen. It's the prime time to gather, especially since the snakes are still hibernating from lurking cold weather predictions. I was able to sneak out a few days to collect grapevines, moss, and lichens. What a treat in the middle of winter! Here are a few tips to make your time in the woods more resourceful.
Grapevines
Instead of dragging enormous bundles of vines out of the thicket, wrap grapevines into wreaths to keep the mess away from your car, backyard, or garage. Nature takes care of the clean up.
Sheet Moss
Put moss and lichens in separate bags when gathering. For maximum lasting quality, dry both materials on a mesh tray before storing in containers.
Lichens
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