Raspberry Leaves

edible_weeds_raspberry_leafRaspberry-leaf tea is great all year round. In summer, we mix it with mint or Japanese green tea and serve it cold. In winter, we mix it with camomile and drink it hot. Raspberry-leaf tea is claimed to have various medical benefits, particularly for women.

In July, we harvest the new shoots of our wild raspberry. We air dry the leaves on the branches indoors, and finish by placing the leaves in a dehydrator. The tea is light and sweet. Wild raspberry spreads quickly and is considered a weed, but we value it as a herb and source of soft fruit. We have several varieties. Click on the image for a larger view.

Waiting . . .

life_in_maine_waitingAfter a long winter, waiting for springs can be hard—waiting for the last of the snow to disappear, waiting for the trees to bud, waiting for the crocuses to break the ground. You notice the wildlife return first, birds mostly. But even the annual residents seem to be more visible, more active, as if the avian and mammalian world is cheering the flora on.

This is one of my favorite places on our land—a small grove of young trees that are pioneering a corner of a field we have. At dusk, the sun illuminates these tender trunks. Unlike the more established trees in our forest, these project a kind of optimism for the future. Click on the image for a larger view.