“. . . And at night the stars ask the day

if things aren’t other than they seem.”

Excerpt from “Jewelweed,” by Mary Rueffle

I am becoming compulsive, a weeder. I cannot seem to help myself. Frank returned, so as he’s leaving this morning for his meeting at 6:45 am I walk him to the door, but then I want to show him the weeding in the front I have accomplished, and he appreciates this and drives away, but I am left in my pajamas in the heat to see more weeds I have missed. Three wagons of weeds are pulled and dragged away before I stop myself and realize Charlie is waiting for our walk indoors. So, I have to clean up from the weeding before walking and then we are off to the river’s edge where I find this dragonfly perched over the tree that fell into the river this spring and it’s leaves are dying in a blaze of orange.Last night in my Monday night poetry workshop, one of our member’s shared a poem called “Jewelweed,” and I didn’t think I could picture what it looks like. And yet, I did know, I just wasn’t certain. I pass it every day in bloom by the brook. So, as I passed this morning I saw it posting with fresh dew drops and stopped to appreciate it and think about my friend’s poem. I also discovered that it is a remedy for poison ivy from this website: http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/medicinal_plants/pages/Jewelweed.htm

Description:
.91-1.52 meter (3-5ft) tall annual with oval, toothed leaves. Lower leaves are opposite, upper are alternate. Flowers are pendant-like, yellow-to-orange with red spots. Flowers June through September. Fruits grow in long green pods that pop when touched, dispersing seeds

Location:
Usually grows in dense stands in moist, shady soils along streams. Ranges across the United States, from the Pacific Northwest to the East coast, south through Georgia and Florida.

Parts Used and Uses:

Leaves:
Crushed leaves in poultice form are a traditional and well-known remedy for poison ivy. Leaf tea is a folk remedy in preventing poison ivy. Ice cubes made from tea are also rubbed topically on rashes.

Notes:
Jewelweed contains a compound called lawsone in its leaves proven to have anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties.

I walked even though I felt busy with my to-do list. My poetry book release event is in two days in Boston, and we are going away to Martha’s Vineyard right after. But I took the time to have conversations with two people who wanted some guidance about their creative lives; one, a writer, who is seeking a writing community, and one, a theater person and artist who was in one of my online classes who wanted input on her career and training in psychodrama. And later, to give my youngest a back rub because she was tired and had homework today after working all day. I emptied the many, many containers of scraps I keep in the extra refrigerator for the pigs and delivered two buckets of food for the pigs of Unity Farm Sanctuary. I packed my suitcase tonight with too many clothes which feels necessary always because my girls will also come looking to see what they can borrow. I am sad to leave my plants. They will be watered. They will be fine. The bunnies that have moved under the deck and the deer of our meadow will enjoy them I fear. I am thinking about how I want to introduce my book Thursday night, and which poems I will read, I am thinking about what it means to be bringing this book, girl in tree bark, into the world. I am warming up.