Fear of fire is a colonial legacy, and in the contiguous US the practice was largely halted with the arrival of the Spanish. Blinded by an unquestioned commitment to European worldviews and the belief in natural hierarchy, settlers saw fire as a purely destructive force. However, controlled burns and naturally occurring wildfires were, and continue to be, a means of renewal and a catalyst for seeds embedded in cycles of burning for their subsequent rejuvenation. Indigenous peoples have long understood the use of fire as an important tool in maintaining critical resources.
Pines have played a significant role throughout our history for their wide range of utilities: pine pitch sealed vessels to make them waterproof, pine needle baskets were woven, pine sap was mixed with honey and chewed like gum, and even soap could be fashioned from pine tar.
Calendula is our pick for Enneagram Type 7, called the Optimist. This personality type is sunny, bright, positive and a best-case-scenario type of person. The yellow and orange, sunny-petaled calendula is a perfect match for the qualities of The Optimist. Type 7s like to be positive and optimistic above else, and criticize others for being “negative.”
As a gardener, aspiring ecologist, and plant lover I can't get enough information on native ecology to satisfy my curiosity. I'm grateful to have a number of local educational resources that work to provide and abundance of information to all age groups. If you're in the area, I hope you'll take advantage of the resources available at Bowman's Tower Wildflower Preserve in Buckscounty Pennsylvania.
The practice of building habitat for wildlife doesn’t have to be taxing on the gardener, much of it is aiding natural processes, which mean less work and more appreciation for seasonal plant cycles.
