wild foods outing Wednesday the 28th

[Alan Muskat]

Hi folks,

I'm taking folks out near Asheville on Wednesday from 1:30-4:30. We might find chaga, or in this warm weather, other mushrooms (see chaga and wood ears images from last month's outing below). I'm also planning to gather burdock root, cleavers, and chickweed. We'll probably meet at one and be back by five. The cost is $40/person. Register at No Taste Like Home.

Also, I got kidney stones last week and I'm writing an article about the oxalate dangers of lambsquarter and even chickweed, so watch out for that. For the more spiritual lessons I learned, see below. To unsubscribe just let me know. 

Alan

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.

Thorton Wilder

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Wednesday I was hospitalized for the first time in my life. I went home that afternoon but had even worse pain the next morning. Tests and symptoms point to kidney stones. I've been drinking herbs and doing yoga for it (here's a pose Steve was so kind to demonstrate), and so far I'm ok. They say passing kidney stones is like childbirth, and I don't know if and when it will happen again. It's so humbling.

I've always been afraid of hospitals more than anything. Lately I see that I've always been afraid of just being alive. Friday morning, I woke from a dream of driving too fast, having poor brakes, and skidding all over the place. I've been running to or from something, in "fight or flight," for most of my life. I could literally feel that fear in my kidneys. Maybe now I can finally let go of this "hardening against life" and really let life flow through me. 

What I'm about to say you've probably heard 1,000 times, but when something like this happens to you, you know it's true and that it's the most important thing. I still haven't taken off my hospital wristband because I want to stay "patient" from now on. All I want to do is to slow down, to appreciate just being healthy, and to always be kind to everyone, because you never know what they have been through, what they are going through, or what they -- or you -- are about to face.

This season and all seasons, I hope that if you must suffer, you can see and remember the gift that comes through it.