Wildcraft Holidays

A wee break from my Science Fraud and Fantasy series of posts to encourage creativity over consumerism this holiday season.

I’m not sure what spirits of the land ignited me yesterday, but I was suddenly driven to create my first wildcraft wreaths.  We took a short walk and gathered my supplies: blackberry vines, eucalyptus, rosemary, bay laurel, lemongrass, rose hips and buds, and the ever-pervasive yaupon.  (BTW, yaupon leaves browned and crushed makes a tea so similar to black tea it might even fool a real Englishman.)  Within a few hours I’d crafted these little gems, no experience necessary.

I’m not saying they’d win any awards, but I had fun and I’m happy to be bringing in the natural beauty of the great outdoors and not be purchasing more imported artificial crap.

A few are convinced, as am I, that the creative force connects us to something greater than the self.  There is an awareness that seems to imbibe a non-temporal, non-spatial state of being.  I had no idea how to do this, yet I did it, without a coach, or a class, or any advice from the internet or my far more crafty sister.  I did almost call her, I’ll admit.  But then a still small voice said, “No, you’ve got this.”

I consider myself very lucky that my family and friends are not ones who expect gifts from me.  But this Christmas I’m going to step it up a notch–I will purchase nothing, at all.  I will forage and create.  And who knows, in a few years maybe you will find me at the local Arts & Crafts fair, with my own stall, sharing my wildcrafts with other lovers of nature.

I invite y’all to rethink your purchases these holidays and consider getting crafty instead.

Author: KenshoHomestead

Creatively working toward self-sufficiency on the land. View all posts by KenshoHomestead