Alarm Clocks & dandelions.
I woke this morning with a start. Ever since Motherhood ushered in broken sleep and early starts I’ve felt strongly that if I’m not being woken by a child, then I’m certainly not going to subject myself to the wail of an alarm clock. My eldest child’s start at high school however has laid waste to these best made plans. Every night as my head hits the pillow I repeat silently to myself in the inky blackness ‘wake up at 6, wake up at 6, wake up at 6…’ Sometimes I wake up at 6. Or 5. Other times I wake up at 2, or 3 at which point I concede defeat, reluctantly retrieve my phone from the kitchen and through blurry eyes I set my alarm. All in aid of my son making it to the bus stop before, 7:32am for the school commute.
This morning I woke at 6:18, the wind agitated and persistent, keen to be heard as the dawn gave way to day. It is past lunchtime now and still it carries on. The giant gums trees at the bottom of our garden are in perpetual motion as invisible fingers push and pull their smooth grey trunks. Bright green dandelion leaves tremble, their roots anchored deep in the earth while their clear yellow flowers nod restlessly above.
The dandelions I take note of. I know where they grow, where they thrive. Their jagged leaves are bitter, deeply nourishing and cleansing for the liver. The flowers of this common plant are edible too and look pretty in salads and the long tap root that reaches deep into the earth can be dried and ground and used as a coffee substitute.
We shared a potluck lunch with some beautiful friends a few days ago. We arrived and as food was short we went outside to gather what we could to make a salad. Before long our basket was full with dandelion leaves and flowers, chickweed, violet leaves (which are a wonderful source of vitamin C), Veronica Speedwell (a wonderful name for a plant I think!), rocket and salad greens. Whenever I put together a salad using ‘weeds’ people are fascinated to learn that they can eat many of the plants that they view are pests. And better yet, they enjoy them. Next time you are out in your garden I urge you to have a look for dandelion (as long as you know they haven’t been sprayed). Even if you just pick a handful of leaves and a few flowers and add them to your regular salad greens. Not only will you have been outside and connected with your garden, you will also be adding phytonutrients to your plate to nourish both body and soul.
Dandelion leaves, flower and Roots.
