Plants – Valerie's Voice

Braiding Sweetgrass

I am reading a good book…savoring it is more like it: Braiding Sweetgrass. A few months ago, I ordered the book from the Northfield Library, and by mistake, I got the book on CD. I was immediately captivated by it and hadn’t finished listening to by the time it was due, so I ordered it again, both the CD’s and the book. I have enjoyed reading the book and listening to the audio version.

The book on CD, read by the author…always a special treat.

The book, Braiding Sweetgrass, is written by Robin Wall Kimmerer; a mother, scientist, decorated professor and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation.

The book is described as “A hymn of love to the world” by Elizabeth Gilbert. It is a book on “Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.”

A basket of sweetgrass (and one bee balm stem). photo by LR.

Robin Wall Kimmerer’s vivid descriptions, explanations and metaphors delight the reader. It is a book for nature lovers and anyone interested in learning about the indigenous ways, and teachings from the land and plants. It’s fascinating.

The recurring theme is sweetgrass, Mother Earth’s hair, one of the four sacred grasses for the indigenous people (sweetgrass, sage, tobacco, cedar). Braiding sweetgrass is a tradition, and they believe having braids in the home, or given as gifts, brings positivity and goodwill and kindness…and wards off negativity. Traditionalists also “smudge” the braids, that is burn them, in ceremonies.

Gathering sweetgrass in the basket. Photo by LR.

While reading through the book I was inspired to braid sweetgrass. I was talking with a friend, an herbalist (her website is https://www.cannonvalleyherbals.com – check out her website for a recent article on sweetgrass under the “Blog” section) and she told me she had sweetgrass growing in her gardens. She said I was welcome to come and pick some sweetgrass for braiding. So I did.

I placed the sweetgrass on an amber, antique glass plate and made herbal, ice tea to create my workspace to braid.

She showed me what sweetgrass looked like (always a good first step!), then how to pull it out by the roots. It has a light vanilla fragrance…and if you taste the root you can taste sweetness. She left me alone to pull a basketful of sweet grass. Afterwards, she took a minute to show me how she has braided sweetgrass. I took my good fortune home and started in.

Having fun, braiding sweetgrass. Photo by GB.

I had great fun braiding the grasses, using large clumps, and strands of seven in each clump. The scent is pleasant and subtle, and the results of the braids were rewarding.

Beebalm blooms, an added touch, to my first braid, now on my front porch.

A braid of sweetgrass wraps around the bottom of my aloe vera pot.

I recommend this book. It is a fascinating read.

Revived

My aloe vera plant started to show signs of distress last winter. In June I set it outside as it’s last hope.

June 16 is when I took this picture of my dying aloe vera plant.

I guess it loved the hot summer sun. It thrived, and I’m glad. Now I hope it will survive another winter indoors…

This is my healthy aloe vera plant today. It’s in a ceramic pot I bought over forty years ago when a friend and I went to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Another Indoor Plant Story

Once upon a time there was a young man and a young woman who met and fell in love. A few months after they met the young man was transferred out of state with his job. He offered his dieffenbachia plant to the young maiden, which she kept, and it continued to grow.

The tall plant on the left – the dieffenbachia plant – is over 40 years old (1976).

Their long distance relationship continued to grow and they got married. But his job took both of them to another state so she left the dieffenbachia behind with her mother to care for it. Her mother was very good with houseplants. And it continued to grow. It eventually reached the ceiling, so her mother cut a branch and rooted it and it started to grow again.

Two years later the couple moved back to Minnesota and once again took the dieffenbachia back into their care. It continued to grow and when it reached a certain height they cut it back and it continued to grow. The young family grew too…the couple raised two sons and lived in Burnsville for fourteen years. The dieffenbachia grew right along with the family.

Then the family moved to Northfield and they took the plant with them…and it continued to grow. After many years the middle-aged woman decided she didn’t have room for the plant any longer, so she brought it to her church and placed it in the fellowship hall between two large windows. Some mystery person watered it and tended to it and it continued to grow.

And someone has watered the dieffenbachia and cared for it for many, many years now and it continues to grow (the couple has attended this church in Northfield for 25 years, the plant has been in the church about 10 years, or more). The plant has been moved to various spots around the church building but it continues to grow.

Nobody at church knows the story behind this beautiful, faithful, dieffenbachia plant that continues to grow and bloom where it is planted… a lesson for us all.

Amen.