Dakota’s Medicine Bath and More

Sometimes my fear is that our children will never get to know the lessons that the plants are here to teach us. What if we neglect her and replace her with screens, landfills, bickering, fast fashion, fast food and unappreciation until she finally stops trying to get us to see her value.

What would I do if a Fall came that the Rabbit To***co didn’t turn deep brown and cream to transform into its most aromatic and fragrant form… Reminding us that sometimes there must be a complete destruction of self, a full departure of who we are- to become the most beneficial and rewarding version of ourselves.

What if one day I wake up and the wild sunflowers aren’t scattered in impressive clusters, springing up in the most splintered soil and unlikely circumstances- to teach us to stand tall. That majestic beauty rises out of the most broken grounds.

How sad a Fall that the blue mist flower didn’t come in all of her sweetness. Pillowly blue tops and delicate features reminding us that in order to stay soft- we have to keep the destructive influences away. We have to protect our energy, maintain our own authority. Only then will we know true elegance and grace.

And what would a morning be- if we never opened our eyes to the sunrise highlighting the deep purple channels of the morning glories sit a top every fenceline and cover every inch of open fields… Reminding us that sometimes all we need is one good sleep to recover. Joy really does come in the morning.

Let her know how much you value her while you have her. Love her honestly, integrating her deepest and most notable storms with her softness, will to survive and nurturing spirit.

Mother Earth is a woman, after all.

It feels like nobody lost more unjustly this season than this dude. We had such very specific things that we have avoided because it will just remind him of what’s missing. We dove headfirst into a love story that we thought would never stop writing itself with ease.

The memories hit him and I recognize the same pain in his eyes that I see in mine. When he cried about Artwalk and the memories we used to make- I decided to take one day with him to try and rewrite the hard chapters

I said Kota, why don’t we go to all the places that we love, make new memories and stories? And then the places where it hurts can be the places that we love again? We can write the ending baby. We were only in the hard chapters-

And so we did.

Bobs Diner, Haunted Bookshop, Artwalk, just me and Kota writing the next few chapters with a little more empathy for one another, a lot of appreciation for the people that were still there like a little time capsule to love us- and a lot more experience and wisdom than we had before.

It’s hard to acknowledge the way that his little heart has been jaded. There is a layer of innocence and ability to love honestly gone- but it is replaced with a sensitive and empathic child that can see around corners now.

There are days and moments that it feels like the pain will never end. But then there are days that the sun shines on us just a little more golden, the flowers find his hands so easily, his skips are right on que and never touch a crack in the sidewalk… and I have a glimmer of hope for the little boy that could light the world with his heart and bring down land masses with his pain.

Morning walk before I figure out how to survive another day.

In your darkest trials when you have nobody to rely on but you- that’s when you are going to find out what kind of fabric you are made of.

Your reputation is what people think happened or who they think you are. Your souls story is what really happened. Every nuanced detail, every slide of hand. Every deal made behind your back. Every time you took heat for someone else. Don’t fret. Karma always comes around.

You can’t wait on her though-the teacher arrives when the student is ready. You may not even be around to witness it. But she does come. What makes YOU is what you take accountability for, what you did to help yourself and what you did to fight. I know plenty of rotten people with glowing reputations. It means nothing.

Nobody knows the battles that you fight every single night to stay earthside. Nobody knows that the smile you’re wearing today is masking a mind that told you all night that there was a simpler way out.

You chose to get up another day and face what you know will be an uphill battle of staying alive.

Great obstacles make great people. But you have to stay here for them. You have to believe something different than what the numbers, tangible evidence and other people say will happen and will it another way with only your mind.

You can wave a white flag and beg for mercy and it won’t stop. So you have to outlive your storms. My god is it hard.

When life backs you into a corner- get rabid. Get cunningly resourceful and honestly relentless about getting out. When you get hungry, be a scavenger. Your feast is coming.

When you get down, get spiteful. Show them who you are and by your example alone you will show them who they’re not.

Survive. One day at a time is all you have to get through. Those tables could turn tomorrow. They always turn. I prefer to flip them.

Survive today. See you tomorrow.

It has been unbelievably busy around here.

We have around 20 orders leaving this weekend. Every late order is packed with extra medicine. Hand picked just for you.

One of the extra items is a smoke cleansing bundle made from this land right here. This is a sacred haven that possibly was going to be a neighborhood- but has now overgrown into my very own secret garden.

Rabbit to***co, morning glories, hairy vines, mint, wild sunflowers grow abundantly and it is where I have found reprieve from the agony that has been the year 2024.

I pray that it brings clarity and peace, love and fullness to each home that finds one in its box as I work tirelessly and alone one on on with the medicine that belongs in your hands.

I am grateful to the grace that has been shown and know that I am work in diligently but thoroughly to get this where it is needs to go.

Our family lives and loves for this land and for you.

To reconnect with the medicine is to serve the medicine.

Alone, me and the medicine. Furiously preparing orders that took a back seat to the waves of life crashing furiously into us, nurturing a growing life inside of a body that is admirably sustaining her as she does me. She is a lighthouse holding true as a light to focus on and follow. To her, I owe my life.

Only because of her have I held on. She is a rooted soul, calmly wispering to a stormy womb to just ride each wave, not over preparing for the the one that may or may not come, nor to focus on the waves that rocked us into our life boat. Just get to the shore, mama. I will be here.

It’s not a heroic tale. Nobody is walking on water here. We are holding water in our lungs, but we are doggie paddling to the banks that hold our girl and our future.

The universe knew that we would all need the gift of a lifetime to cherish, look to and connect deeply to. How we have linked arms to walk into the shallow tides together. I am humbled by this family.

I am humbled by my children, by my own failures, but held together by eight arms and four sets of cinder colored eyes that need their mama. I may have been in the deepest, coldest waters- but they were my life raft.

I found a beautiful, lush yucca plant this morning and almost screamed.. and then another.. almost went right into a ditch to grab her and I was so so happy to share a little bit about this lovely plant.

💕Fiber and Cordage: The Choctaw utilized yucca fibers to create cordage, which was then used for making ropes, nets, baskets, and other items essential for daily life. The fibers are strong and durable, making them ideal for these purposes.

💕Soap and Cleansing: The roots of the yucca plant contain saponins, which can be used to create a natural soap. This soap was used for cleansing the body, washing hair, and cleaning clothing. It was also valued for its medicinal properties, particularly in treating skin conditions.

💕Edible Roots: The roots of the yucca plant were also used as a food source. While not as common as other staples, yucca roots were sometimes boiled or roasted.

💕Pain Relief and Healing: The Choctaw, like many other tribes, recognized the yucca’s medicinal properties. The plant was used to treat various ailments, including headaches, inflammation, and wounds. The leaves or roots might be applied directly to the skin, or prepared as a tea or poultice.

💕Rheumatism and Arthritis: Yucca was also believed to be beneficial for joint pain and arthritis, conditions that were common in a physically demanding lifestyle. The saponins in the plant were thought to help reduce inflammation.

💕The yucca plant held spiritual significance for many Native American tribes, including the Choctaw. It was sometimes used in ceremonies or as part of traditional rituals. The plant’s resilience and versatility made it a symbol of endurance and adaptability, qualities highly valued by the Choctaw.

💕The Choctaw and other tribes traded yucca products, particularly fibers and cordage, with neighboring tribes. This trade helped establish and maintain connections between different Native American communities.

In summary, the yucca plant was a versatile and valuable resource for the Choctaw people, providing them with materials for everyday life, medicine, and spiritual practices. Its role in their history is a testament to the Choctaw’s deep knowledge of their environment and their ability to utilize natural resources sustainably.

Week 17