The "seed brain" and my brain seems to have the same argument? Is it time yet? No, not yet. With the peculiar weather we're having, it seems there is a lot of confusion around this question this month. Grateful for a good rain earlier this week. And yes, I see sprouts coming up in lawn that would normally have snow on it.
I think all beings have that same argument as winter begins to give way. And climate change does not help the seasonal confusion. How lovely that you had rain (even if it "should be" snow)! We are desperately dry here, and could use any moisture. Sigh....
I really enjoyed reading this. You answered many questions that have occurred to me when observing my garden, and I appreciate the meanings you consider here.
Thank you! I always have fun writing about plants, and all we are learning they are capable of. Such a good lesson that "different" doesn't mean "less than."
Too early for veggie seedlings here, but there's a hint of green here and there outside, hardy forb seedlings, cheatgrass (green during the day, red-pink after a freezing night) and perennial natives. Despite my feelings for them as they grow, the bright green is so welcome right now. I'm also grateful for signs that my little trees and shrubs have survived the winter--their bud tips are starting to swell and slightly change color. And the Red winged Blackbirds have returned, singing their songs in the face of cold and wind. Hope you're feeling better, Susan
It's too early here too, but I got excited and got ahead of myself. Such is life. Enjoy the red-winged blackbirds and the bud tips on your trees and shrubs swelling in anticipation of spring! And thanks for the good wishes.
Thank you. I have walking pneumonia, which I have had twice before, so I know it takes a long time to really get better, but I'll keep working at it. :)
I couldn't wait to start seeds so as usual very early in the basement on a heat mat under grow lights they got to start. Today I transplanted what I had started into bigger and deeper pots. Depending on the weather, which is very warm for Michigan, sometime over the next 8 weeks they will go outside to meet the world.
It's hard to wait, when we all look forward to spring so much! These seedlings are on a heat mat just as yours are, but they get to have natural light (although that means I have to turn the trays every day so they don't grow crooked!). Isn't it wonderful to see new green appear?
Seed brains! What exciting news! Also exciting (and new to humans of the modern persuasion) is the ability to recognize decision making in cells that don’t look like our brains. I love this story. And I’m looking forward to what came out of your contemplative time. That darn contemplation!
Isn't it cool research? One of the most exciting things about botany these days is how much we are realizing that plants do: move, respond, communicate, learn, remember. These are all attributes we would have laughed at when I was in graduate school. I hope this kind of research will help us recognize and re-think all of our prejudices about those who are "different" and stop thinking of them as "less than."
That is so fascinating! I love learning the marvelous mechanics of germination! I am also reminded of Suzanne Simard’s work on how trees communicate,
I am grateful for the ongoing research that helps us eat healthier. How gluten and sugar are inflammatory, how the nutrients in fruits and vegetables are absorbed better whole than as juices, how we have different metabolic rates for things like caffeine…this helps me provide a healing environment for my own cells.
Suzanne Simard is amazing--I had the gift of interviewing her for a profile in the magazine WILDFLOWER, and we talked for two hours. She's an inspiration!
Food is our first medicine, something we're coming to understand more deeply than ever before. I am glad that you are using that learning to provide a healing environment for your own cells, a lovely practice we could all emulate.
It was amazing, in part because we're about the same age, and we both had the experience of extreme harassment as young women in field science. It was so validating to talk about our experiences.
Perfect, Cheryl Grey Bostrom! That was exactly my first thought. Susan so willingly shares her knowledge of The Terraphilia, her time, and certainly her love for all of creation.
Thank you, Cheryl. I've got walking pneumonia, and in my experience, it takes my lungs weeks to clear it out. C'est la vie, at least if you live with Lupus like I do.
Thank you for that steamy-lung-clearing mug/hug! I inhale big sagebrush. Camporine, one of the dozen or so aromatic compounds big sagebrush makes and uses to communicate, is a powerful lung-opener. As for Lupus, it's been my greatest teacher in my life, and inspired my 12th book, Walking Nature Home, also a memoir.
At 79 I've slowed down more than ever. That's one of the things to be grateful for about old age. I just reread Ram Dass's book "Still Here," which is about entering old age gracefully by letting go of Ego and entering into Soul. I've been caught in a migraine cycle and reading this, a little at a time, has helped tremendously. One thing I've had to let go of is gardening—much less than I used to.
Karen, I am sorry about the migraine cycle you've been in, and I hope that slowing down and letting go of striving and ego is helping. Reading Ram Dass's Still Here is a wonderful thing to do to help learn new pace and way of seeing life. I read it years ago when I learned I have Lupus and I would need to adapt my life to live with it. He's funny in his own way, and very calming.
I am very grateful for the many wonderful gardeners who share their knowledge about plants, seed starting, etc. Right now I have native seeds in the refrigerator, outside in milk jugs, and under lights in the basement. Very fun! I also started a few tomato plants that are doing quite well. I get many of my seeds from Miss Penn’s mountain seeds. Very short season here. My last average frost date is June 13th.
Two questions, what is yours and I’m curious about your seed starting trays. They look really nice!
I read this as I was out watering my still dormant shrubs. We’re in a drought here, and even though I have many natives and drought tolerant plants, these are young and need a boost. I hope you are well and rested soon. Oh, and I’m grateful the water we do have here!
Hi, Emily, I hope your young shrubs make it through the drought and thrive for many years. And I'm glad you have water to give them a drink! Blessings to you and yours.
Wishing the full return of wellness back to your living and being. Like Cheryl Grey Bostrom, YOU first came to mind. Giving is a powerful force, for the community and the giver. As always I thank you for sharing so much, not unlike casting wildflower seeds. “Wildflowers In The Median” is the title of a book about restorative justice a friend wrote. Agnes Fury was/is her name.
What else inspires me right now? Spring is arriving rapidly in north Florida. Migratory song birds of many species. Hawks that always accompany the migrations. Trees freshly abud! A good deal of splashing in our bird bath. An Osprey sighted on my morning pond walk. Such a presence of Great Spirit that I hear the brass section of Life’s orchestra proclaiming Spring, Spring, as the woodwinds and strings murmur Yes, Yes. Tickets free of charge. Requiring our stewardship in return.
Lovely evocation of your north Florida spring, Gary. Enjoy that orchestra, and the panoply of lives around you. Just witnessing the flowering of life and doing your bit to nurture it is a wonderful way to reciprocate for the gift.
A wonderful message of gratitude! I am sorry to hear you are ill; I spent the last week forcing myself to rest while recovering from a virus that took hold of my body and taught me all kinds of lessons.
Seeds on the brain and seed brains! I will be starting seeds in mid-March; I am still trudging through just under a foot of snow and it was 20 degrees this morning thanks to a clear night sky and a cold front. I generally can't plant seedlings until mid-May but climate change continues to skew the norms.
The research you shared is fascinating! I started a Seed Library in my little village and last night, we hosted a Sowing Seed presentation so I will be sharing the "seed brains" article with my 89 Seed Library members. My most recent essay was also on seeds: Seeds of Hope, Wellness & Resilience.
Rest, Recuperate, and Contemplate. Orders from your readers!
Sue, I hope you have fully recovered from the virus, and that the lessons are useful ones. I live with Lupus, an autoimmune condition which has been my greatest teacher (and the inspiration for my 12th book, Walking Nature Home, a memoir). So I am used to learning from my various times of less-than-optimal health.
I think the seed-brains are communicating their urgency to us, and just the thought makes me smile. I envy you your snow--the soil is dry and dusty here, lofted easily on the wind, and spring will be brown unless we get some moisture soon.
How cool that you started a seed library that is so active! What a wonderful gift to your community. As for your essay, I'll read it after I rest.... ;)
The "seed brain" and my brain seems to have the same argument? Is it time yet? No, not yet. With the peculiar weather we're having, it seems there is a lot of confusion around this question this month. Grateful for a good rain earlier this week. And yes, I see sprouts coming up in lawn that would normally have snow on it.
I think all beings have that same argument as winter begins to give way. And climate change does not help the seasonal confusion. How lovely that you had rain (even if it "should be" snow)! We are desperately dry here, and could use any moisture. Sigh....
I really enjoyed reading this. You answered many questions that have occurred to me when observing my garden, and I appreciate the meanings you consider here.
Thank you! I always have fun writing about plants, and all we are learning they are capable of. Such a good lesson that "different" doesn't mean "less than."
Too early for veggie seedlings here, but there's a hint of green here and there outside, hardy forb seedlings, cheatgrass (green during the day, red-pink after a freezing night) and perennial natives. Despite my feelings for them as they grow, the bright green is so welcome right now. I'm also grateful for signs that my little trees and shrubs have survived the winter--their bud tips are starting to swell and slightly change color. And the Red winged Blackbirds have returned, singing their songs in the face of cold and wind. Hope you're feeling better, Susan
It's too early here too, but I got excited and got ahead of myself. Such is life. Enjoy the red-winged blackbirds and the bud tips on your trees and shrubs swelling in anticipation of spring! And thanks for the good wishes.
I hope you feel better soon.
Thank you. I have walking pneumonia, which I have had twice before, so I know it takes a long time to really get better, but I'll keep working at it. :)
Rest easy , Susan!
I couldn't wait to start seeds so as usual very early in the basement on a heat mat under grow lights they got to start. Today I transplanted what I had started into bigger and deeper pots. Depending on the weather, which is very warm for Michigan, sometime over the next 8 weeks they will go outside to meet the world.
It's hard to wait, when we all look forward to spring so much! These seedlings are on a heat mat just as yours are, but they get to have natural light (although that means I have to turn the trays every day so they don't grow crooked!). Isn't it wonderful to see new green appear?
I love the green and my hands getting dirty!
Me too. :)
Seed brains! What exciting news! Also exciting (and new to humans of the modern persuasion) is the ability to recognize decision making in cells that don’t look like our brains. I love this story. And I’m looking forward to what came out of your contemplative time. That darn contemplation!
Isn't it cool research? One of the most exciting things about botany these days is how much we are realizing that plants do: move, respond, communicate, learn, remember. These are all attributes we would have laughed at when I was in graduate school. I hope this kind of research will help us recognize and re-think all of our prejudices about those who are "different" and stop thinking of them as "less than."
I love all this research so much! I follow Monica Gagliano's work too, to see what she's up to.
That is so fascinating! I love learning the marvelous mechanics of germination! I am also reminded of Suzanne Simard’s work on how trees communicate,
I am grateful for the ongoing research that helps us eat healthier. How gluten and sugar are inflammatory, how the nutrients in fruits and vegetables are absorbed better whole than as juices, how we have different metabolic rates for things like caffeine…this helps me provide a healing environment for my own cells.
Suzanne Simard is amazing--I had the gift of interviewing her for a profile in the magazine WILDFLOWER, and we talked for two hours. She's an inspiration!
Food is our first medicine, something we're coming to understand more deeply than ever before. I am glad that you are using that learning to provide a healing environment for your own cells, a lovely practice we could all emulate.
I would have loved to eavesdrop on that conversation!
It was amazing, in part because we're about the same age, and we both had the experience of extreme harassment as young women in field science. It was so validating to talk about our experiences.
I'm grateful for YOU—and these beautiful posts of yours. Hope you're up and running (literally) in no time.
Perfect, Cheryl Grey Bostrom! That was exactly my first thought. Susan so willingly shares her knowledge of The Terraphilia, her time, and certainly her love for all of creation.
Thank you, Gary.
Thank you, Cheryl. I've got walking pneumonia, and in my experience, it takes my lungs weeks to clear it out. C'est la vie, at least if you live with Lupus like I do.
Boo to lupus & its thuggy tag-alongs. Consider my “like” click in reply as a steamy lung-clearing mug—eucalyptus maybe. 🧡
Thank you for that steamy-lung-clearing mug/hug! I inhale big sagebrush. Camporine, one of the dozen or so aromatic compounds big sagebrush makes and uses to communicate, is a powerful lung-opener. As for Lupus, it's been my greatest teacher in my life, and inspired my 12th book, Walking Nature Home, also a memoir.
Nothing, nothing wasted. Blessings friend.
At 79 I've slowed down more than ever. That's one of the things to be grateful for about old age. I just reread Ram Dass's book "Still Here," which is about entering old age gracefully by letting go of Ego and entering into Soul. I've been caught in a migraine cycle and reading this, a little at a time, has helped tremendously. One thing I've had to let go of is gardening—much less than I used to.
Karen, I am sorry about the migraine cycle you've been in, and I hope that slowing down and letting go of striving and ego is helping. Reading Ram Dass's Still Here is a wonderful thing to do to help learn new pace and way of seeing life. I read it years ago when I learned I have Lupus and I would need to adapt my life to live with it. He's funny in his own way, and very calming.
I am very grateful for the many wonderful gardeners who share their knowledge about plants, seed starting, etc. Right now I have native seeds in the refrigerator, outside in milk jugs, and under lights in the basement. Very fun! I also started a few tomato plants that are doing quite well. I get many of my seeds from Miss Penn’s mountain seeds. Very short season here. My last average frost date is June 13th.
Two questions, what is yours and I’m curious about your seed starting trays. They look really nice!
Hi Susan,
I read this as I was out watering my still dormant shrubs. We’re in a drought here, and even though I have many natives and drought tolerant plants, these are young and need a boost. I hope you are well and rested soon. Oh, and I’m grateful the water we do have here!
Hi, Emily, I hope your young shrubs make it through the drought and thrive for many years. And I'm glad you have water to give them a drink! Blessings to you and yours.
Thank you Susan. Me too!
Wishing the full return of wellness back to your living and being. Like Cheryl Grey Bostrom, YOU first came to mind. Giving is a powerful force, for the community and the giver. As always I thank you for sharing so much, not unlike casting wildflower seeds. “Wildflowers In The Median” is the title of a book about restorative justice a friend wrote. Agnes Fury was/is her name.
What else inspires me right now? Spring is arriving rapidly in north Florida. Migratory song birds of many species. Hawks that always accompany the migrations. Trees freshly abud! A good deal of splashing in our bird bath. An Osprey sighted on my morning pond walk. Such a presence of Great Spirit that I hear the brass section of Life’s orchestra proclaiming Spring, Spring, as the woodwinds and strings murmur Yes, Yes. Tickets free of charge. Requiring our stewardship in return.
Lovely evocation of your north Florida spring, Gary. Enjoy that orchestra, and the panoply of lives around you. Just witnessing the flowering of life and doing your bit to nurture it is a wonderful way to reciprocate for the gift.
A wonderful message of gratitude! I am sorry to hear you are ill; I spent the last week forcing myself to rest while recovering from a virus that took hold of my body and taught me all kinds of lessons.
Seeds on the brain and seed brains! I will be starting seeds in mid-March; I am still trudging through just under a foot of snow and it was 20 degrees this morning thanks to a clear night sky and a cold front. I generally can't plant seedlings until mid-May but climate change continues to skew the norms.
The research you shared is fascinating! I started a Seed Library in my little village and last night, we hosted a Sowing Seed presentation so I will be sharing the "seed brains" article with my 89 Seed Library members. My most recent essay was also on seeds: Seeds of Hope, Wellness & Resilience.
Rest, Recuperate, and Contemplate. Orders from your readers!
Sue, I hope you have fully recovered from the virus, and that the lessons are useful ones. I live with Lupus, an autoimmune condition which has been my greatest teacher (and the inspiration for my 12th book, Walking Nature Home, a memoir). So I am used to learning from my various times of less-than-optimal health.
I think the seed-brains are communicating their urgency to us, and just the thought makes me smile. I envy you your snow--the soil is dry and dusty here, lofted easily on the wind, and spring will be brown unless we get some moisture soon.
How cool that you started a seed library that is so active! What a wonderful gift to your community. As for your essay, I'll read it after I rest.... ;)
Love seeing spring blooming...feel better. I am grateful for getting a date for my book publication. This is going to be fast and fun!
Congratulations on the date for your upcoming book! I'll look forward to seeing it when it comes out. :)
Geeking out on this , thanks!😊
You're so welcome! It's always good to learn new things, I think, especially ones with the potential to shift our overall perspective. <3
Amazing! Thank you.
You are welcome! Thanks for reading. :)