elder medicine

Last week I had a day alone after everyone else left to do their things. I took a few slices of freshly made bread and some water, my knife, basket, and journal and went to the creek where there are several old elderberry plants whom I like to visit. They are huge spreading clumps with, as is often the case with elderberry, other trees growing right up through their branch skirts. I think elderberry offers good protection for I often find her growing in a way that allows other plants to flourish right beside her. I've heard that elder teaches the other plants how to grow in a good and healthy way and it seems she's always nurturing somebody.

I collected a small basket of flowers, most of which I will tincture, to have on hand for fevers. Some I am drying, to try in bathwater and later I'll gather more to make an infused oil.

Later in the summer, after the flowers have turned to ripening berries, elderberry can be hard to spot, but spring is a great time to find them. No matter how many I've found in previous years, I'm surprised each new spring to find a tall, established plant. They seem to be good at hiding until they want to be seen.