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Northeast School of Botanical Medicine

Northeast School of Botanical Medicine

Northeast School of Botanical Medicine

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SCHOOL | 7SONG | | Blog

Rattlesnake Master

October 21, 2017 by 7Song

Balsam Fir
Rattlesnake Master

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No Widgets

"Secondary" needs some widgets.

Friends One of the things that becomes ever more a

Friends
One of the things that becomes ever more apparent to me is the value of friendship. Perhaps due to this damned pandemic, or the years moving past me like Dandelion fluff on a windy day, I find that it is the people in my life that bring me the greatest solace. Whether it is the weight of melancholy or confusion from too many bad choices, knowing that there are folks I can reach out to (even if I don’t) lifts the load and helps me to press on.
Lately, I have been writing more in this forlorn vein, but I want to say that I also feel very fortunate. There are people I care about who care about me. I have the finances to eat well, and live and sleep sheltered. And one of my greatest interests is how I support myself (I’m looking at you 25,000 species of plants).
But I often feel the desire to share life’s downsides as well. They seem universal. Just as I like to share my enthusiasm for plants and herbal medicine, I also feel spurred on to bring in some of the gloom and listen back to my fellow humans and their feelings.
You likely know this, but I work as a clinical herbalist at the Ithaca Free Clinic. We do telehealth if you are ever looking for plant medicine suggestions. All consultations are free (though we do not ship medicines).
I hope each of you finds a danceable tune this evening and moves your body in whatever way brings you pleasure. ~7Song

I recently went back to Long Island to see my thre

I recently went back to Long Island to see my three siblings, which is the first time we have all been together since the pandemic started. We also began the process of deciding what each of us wants from our deceased parents’ belongings. Fortunately, there was very little conflict between the 4 of us dividing up these material goods. But now that I have some of them here with me in Ithaca, they can be difficult to be around. They unlock so many memories. This feeling is not continual, but sometimes when I stop my daily tinkering and look at a statue or memento the emotions wash over me like a heavy downpour.
This is a photo of me and my mom dancing. I don’t remember when it was taken, but I remember wearing that style of cargo pants sometime in the early 2000s.
I sure miss her. October 15, 2021.

So innocent-looking. Hello Poison ivy (Toxicodendr

So innocent-looking. Hello Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans, Anacardiaceae). Perhaps you should be called Allergic ivy since that is the nature of your dermatitis-causing oils (looking at you urushiol).
Answer me quick, can you name three other plants in the same family as Poison ivy? And which of these do not contain skin-irritating compounds

Sumac (Rhus species)
Pistachio (Pistacia vera)
Mango (Mangifera indica)
Cashew (Anacardium occidentale)

Pistachio and Sumac do not have skin irritating oils.

In the Northeast, there is one other Toxicodendron species, and that is Poison sumac (T. vernix). This plant is much less common and generally found in swamps, and hence humans come into contact with it less often.
And that is today’s quick know-what-plant-you-are-touching lesson. ~7Song

I like to sit alone perched high looking down I f

I like to sit alone
perched high
looking down

I find this vantage point
comforting
…reassuring

There is a lot to be taken in
birds, air, water
and the far-off distance

I sit for a long time
and my thoughts arrive
and leave just as quickly

They follow my line of sight
and descend
to the bottom of the chasm

From this distance
I can unscramble them
and learn
a new way (Pre touched-up photo by thesailorsdaughter)

Taughannock Falls State Park, Ulysses, NY. October

Taughannock Falls State Park, Ulysses, NY. October 5, 2021

Today is my mother’s birthday, and it is a very

Today is my mother’s birthday, and it is a very sad one as she died over a year ago. She is missed by me every day. There are so many memories of her buried in my life. The shoes we purchased together, the bed she slept in when she visited, or just thinking about her slightly uncomfortable but comforting laugh when I talked about my encounters with spiders, snakes, and other creepy crawlies.
My mother was devoted to her children, she offered us support in our various ventures even when she thought they might not be the best idea. (“Hey mom, I am thinking about hitchhiking around Europe for a year or two” says 27 year old 7Song. She and my dad drove me to the airport. Damn, that is a visceral memory).
My mom was also dedicated to her work as a school nurse, she would not have fared well staying at home. She liked to use her nursing skills as well as bringing home income (she and my father had struggled financially during the early years of their marriage). She was a social person, she had many friends and belonged to several groups. Until recently, she was still involved in her ‘nurses study group’ which started when she went to nursing school at Bellevue Hospital in NYC in the early 1950s. She often talked about those days (and how nurses don’t get the acknowledgment they deserve).
My mother was important to her inner nuclear family circle as well as extended family and friends. I think this was largely due to her being able to stay centered and offer practical suggestions as various shits hit various fans. She was many people’s foundation when things did not go well. She was certainly one of mine. She was a beautiful woman.
These tears are for you mom, they hold all the love you have given me. ~7Song

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