Month: December 2020

Winter Solstice Poem with Harp

I (Jane) wrote the following on the Winter Solstice itself — the sentiment remains!

It’s been pouring here on our little island, with no chance to see the Jupiter-Saturn “Christmas star” conjunction. But I want to wish you all a Merry Midwinter and Joyful Winter Solstice. Today was the shortest day of a very long year. May blessings and beauty abound through these hallowed nights and days when the “sun stands still,” and may they spin us into a year of bounty, health, peace, and well-being for absolutely one and all.

Poet Kevin McManus and I have been collaborating across land and sea (Ireland and the U.S., respectively), with me putting harp to his rich earth-based poems. Please enjoy this video that I put together today. Kevin narrates his poem. Harp music, art, and photos are by me.

This poem is from Spirits in the Forest: A Collection of Poetry by Kevin McManus, available on Amazon UK and Ireland and Amazon US.

Medicine from Our Yards: Autumn into Winter

It’s not too late to harvest medicine from your yard or neighborhood. I (Jane) continue to harvest edible/medicinal evergreen needles for tea and other herbal preparations, garden herbs that are still vibrant from an autumn resurgence of growth, and hawthorn berries and rose hips are still to be found. Lately I’ve harvested Dandelion roots and (from downed limbs) green Alder catkins and buds, and Alder bark.

Thank you to Vashon Resilience for hosting my session for their second Teach-In as part of the Vashon Island Time Exchange, an amazing community resource. While this is from autumn, the principles are important anytime, and the herbs mentioned are ones you from which you can still harvest. Enjoy!

Herbalist Jane Valencia’s presentation reconnects us to the place that we live and its capacity to heal body and soul. As an herbal educator, Jane brings makes her vast knowledge and deep relationship with plants and place easy to understand so that you can foster your own skills and well being.


Autumn Herbs – Medicine from Our Yards – with Jane Valencia (Teach-In#2Session#5) from Backbone Campaign on Vimeo.