Monday at the (Green) Office

Each time I go to Forest Halls, I choose a new route in. Today I climb a steep slope. I have to take my backpack off and shove it and the ground cloth ahead of myself so I can climb through the tangle of branches.

Looking down the slope.

I settle in at the fire circle …

… and light a fairy fire of Mugwort and Lichen.

Back to work on Paloma and Wings: An Herbal Comic. I’ve rewritten and reorganized the beginning material.  Now for more copy edits. It looks like I need to digitally edit some of the images.  Feels like I’ll never finish this part of putting the book together!

Luckily, I’m in Forest Halls. And while the book production part of this project is (for me) tedious, I can hear the babble of the creek below, and I’m companioned by trees. The beauty and quiet of the place soothes me when the tech-work gets to be too much.

Nature News: The other day, here in the office, I heard shrieks and squeaks. Moments later, Hawk flew by, bearing a large rodent in their talons: life and death in the forest. Later that morning, small birds stirred into a chatter. A minute later, Barred Owl made an appearance. Bird language!

Banana Slug has been a regular roamer on this land.

 

Welcome to my Green Office

With the weather so beautiful, and with my promise to myself to be outside as much as possible, I am now working mornings in Forest Halls.  Come join me in  my green office!

As I park my car down the slope, I notice that my keys reflect what the Forest is to me.

Here are some of my colleagues in Forest Halls.

I light a candle to help me center further into the magic.

I’m creating a mini-comic based on the first part of my children’s fantasy novel, Because of the Red Fox. This is the text I’m sketching today.

I also take time to work on Paloma and Wings: An Herbal Comic.  This book is so very close to being ready for me to order a proof.

The work right now on Paloma and Wings is excruciating: lots of wrestling with my word processing program to set up a “master document,” and then fixing glitches that inevitably show up or reveal themselves as I put the files together. Argggg!

When I finish with the word processing for the morning, I take time to lay down and stare at the sky. Good medicine to follow such aggravating work!

Before I head home, I look for a tree who could serve as a reference for the Tree of Tales in the mini-comic — and:

I find the Tree of Tales!

Thanks for joining me!

 

Discover Plant Remedies and Lore from Ireland, Scotland, and Wales

I just put the finishing touches on my 24 page full-color Celtic Illuminations Herbal Healing Guidebook — part of the Celtic Illuminations Herbal Healing Bundle that I’ve donated as a Silent Auction item for the Vashon Wilderness Program’s fundraiser. I am an instructor at VWP, helping kids connect with nature and one another — precious learning right now — and I’m delighted to support the incredible work of this organization.

My herbal healing bundle contains ten herbal remedies — some featuring plants from my local Pacific Northwest — harvested and crafted with ceremony and care by me, the guidebook filled with illustrations (several which I painted for this book) and Celtic plant lore, stories, and prayers, plus my own practices for connecting with the plants. Also included is short meditation audio that I recorded with harp, a harp and song CD, and more. Visit here for more details 

And while you’re at it, check out the other auction items!

24 page full-color guide book cover. Illustration by Jane