Advice from a Tree
By Ilan Shamir Dear Friend, Stand Tall and Proud Sink your roots deeply into the Earth Reflect the light of a greater source Think long term Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings Embrace with joy the changing seasons For each yields its own abundance The Energy and Birth of Spring The Growth and Contentment of Summer The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter
Feel the wind and the sun And delight in their presence Look up at the moon that shines down upon you And the mystery of the stars at night. Seek nourishment from the good things in life Simple pleasures Earth, fresh air, light
Be content with your natural beauty Drink plenty of water Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes Be flexible Remember your roots Enjoy the view!
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My favorite spring early-bloomer is a diminutive non-native called Creeping Speedwell (Veronica filiformis), also known as slender speedwell, threadstalk speedwell and Whetzel weed.
To truly enjoy them you need to get down on your hands-and-knees, with your glasses on, and look closely at their tiny light-blue blossoms, just a quarter-inch across.
Up this close they appear as though they might be related to cacti, but the tiny spines on the leaves are not the least bit sharp.
Native to the Caucasus, between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, it can now be found in nearly any yard in Delaware that isn’t carefully manicured. Shunned by picky gardeners, Creeping Speedwell can be used as a groundcover in flower beds, can tolorate light foot traffic and makes a nice display between paving stones and in rock gardens. However, it is easily spread into undesirable areas if you are not careful during weeding or mowing. It prefers loamy, sandy, well-drained, and moist soil, and does best in partial shade.
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Another little-noticed early-bloomer is Henbit (Lamium. amplexicaule), also a non-native plant, so named because it's a favorite of foraging chickens. A close-up photograph of a henbit blossom could easily be mistaken for a fancy orchid but, like the creeping speedwell, the tiny blossoms are not much over a quarter of an inch tall, although the entire plant can reach 12 inches.
The square-stemed Henbit is completely eatable, and can be consumed fresh or cooked as an edible herb, and it can be used in teas. The stem, flowers, and leaves are edible, and although this is in the mint family, many people say it tastes slightly like raw kale, not like mint. It is very nutritious, high in iron, vitamins and fibre. You can add it raw to salads, soups, wraps, or green smoothies. https://www.ediblewildfood.com/henbit
Pictures by myself with my Samsung Galaxy S9+ cell-phone.