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The Unplugged Family Activity Book

Herbal Adventures

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Rachel Jepson Wolf
The world hurts so much right now, that I don't ev The world hurts so much right now, that I don't even know what to say. I have nothing to add to the dialogue that hasn't been said a thousand times before. So instead, here are some creepy-cool pictures of an abandoned theme park we just explored, for your enjoyment. Find beauty in the decay, be gentle with one another and yourselves, and help tear down this broken world and build one that is kinder.
Oh, my what a weekend. I slipped away for a few da Oh, my what a weekend. I slipped away for a few days with some very special humans to learn the technique and nuance of weaving willow baskets. We shared food, stories, and helping hands as we wove magic in the north woods of Minnesota alongside teachers Anni @zestinferna and Zac @willow_and_ash_baskets. Yes to more weekends like this!
Driving to town yesterday, Lupine and I came upon Driving to town yesterday, Lupine and I came upon a dead indigo bunting in the road. His mate was standing over him, then rising up to swoop down repeatedly over his still body, seemingly in a panicked dance of grief. It broke my heart. This was the second time we have witnessed this intimate and heartbreaking display. The previous time was with oriels many years ago, with one diving and swooping over their mate on an otherwise quiet country lane. It had the same effect on us both times. Returning from town later that afternoon, I decided I would move him off the road to give them both a bit of dignity and peace. As we approached his body several hours later, there she was still hopping, diving, tending, grieving. Oh, my heart. I moved him to the grass (still close to where he died so his mate could find him) and fought back tears while we quietly drove home. Love is universal. And with it comes grief. Yes, even for wild things like buntings and oriels. The least we can do, I suppose, is to walk a bit more softly as we move through the world. Be gentle, be tender, be kind. And treat everyone we meet as though they've been through things we don't even want to imagine. Because, in all probability, they have.
Cardamom Date Balls Recipe Cardamom Date Balls ar Cardamom Date Balls Recipe Cardamom Date Balls are my go-to road trip treat. Flavorful, packed with protein, and not-too-sweet-but-just-sweet-enough for car trip cravings. Making them this morning I remembered promising you this recipe two years ago and never delivering. Ope! Sorry it took me so long. Better late than never? Feel free to substitute your own favorite sweet spices for the ginger and cardamom (cinnamon, clove, vanilla, black pepper, and fennel are all fun options). These are a great vehicle for dried herbs as well, so spike them with powdered dried nettle or other green friends to your heart's delight. (If you add fresh herbs, be sure to store them in the fridge or freezer or they'll spoil in a hurry.) Pro tip If your date balls don't want to hold together, simply process for a couple of extra minutes or add nut butter of your choice 1 Tbsp at a time until they stick. Recipe below! Cardamom Date Balls 3 C raw cashews 1 cup whole pitted dates 1/2 + 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom 1 Tbsp raw honey (optional) 1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa or carob powder (optional) * Blitz cashews in the food processor until finely ground and fairly uniform. Stop before they become nut butter! * Transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside. * Place dates in food processor (I learned from experience to check for rogue pits by gently squeezing each date before adding. Pits sometimes sneak into bags of dates, and trust me-you don't want to food process a date pit!). * Process until a relatively smooth paste is created and begins to form a ball. * Leaving the dates in the processor, return the cashew powder along with ground ginger and cardamom. * Process until it comes together into a mass. When you pinch a bit with your fingers it should hold together. * Give it a taste and decide if you want the optional honey. It will depend on how sweet your dates are. I went for it and added the full Tbsp. * Remove half and place in your mixing bowl (optional). To the half remaining in the processor, add cocoa powder, and process again. * Form each batch into bite-sized balls using a wee cookie scoop or scant 1 Tbsp measure. * Store
Lupine and I spent yesterday afternoon building th Lupine and I spent yesterday afternoon building this upcycled mailbox. Our original mailbox post was literally hanging on by a splinter (and had been cracked and compromised for most of a decade), and we'd been dreaming of this one for a while. As for construction, she and I made it up as we went along! We're both delighted with the results. And it didn't cost us a cent! * Mailbox: used the one we already had it * Wood: from our scrap pile and our original broken mailbox post * Bike: from our local community free page * T-posts: on hand * Misc: scrap wire, screws, & pipe strapping we had in the shop It felt like equal parts problem-solving, art installation, homeschooling, and play. And I supposed it was! Because this is life-learning. This is empowerment. This is sustainability. And holy heck ya'll: this. is. fun.
‘Tis the season! ‘Tis the season!
Many years ago while running errands, I heard a ne Many years ago while running errands, I heard a newborn start to cry. The crying went on and then escalated, and the parent did not respond. The crying further escalated into a startle response-punctuated wail. Several of us stood by distraught, not knowing what to do. The baby, just days old, was in a full-throated meltdown in a car seat on the floor. We stared. We whispered. And I (we?) judged that parent HARD. A new parent myself, my milk let down and I wanted to scream, "PICK UP YOUR BABY!" They never did. The crying went on until finally, they finished up, picked up the car seat, and left the store. I went home feeling disoriented and shaken not only by what happened, but most of all by my own quick, fierce judgment of another human. That wasn't who I thought I was. I reached out to a friend (a midwife) to process, and when she suggested that postpartum depression could have been at play, my harsh judgment was replaced with a deep well of regret for the lens through which I had viewed them. Postpartum or not, I had been so focused on my own conceptions of the "right" way of moving through the world, that I only saw what they were doing "wrong" and not how I might show them grace or support them on their journey. I felt a well of compassion rise within me. Because what I judged to be "bad parenting" through my own filters may well have been a parent in crisis and in need of support (surely not my scrutiny). So I committed then to move beyond judgment and, instead, offer my hands and heart in service. Just a few weeks later, another parent was wrangling a screaming baby at the coop. Instead of judgment, I felt compassion. In a hurry to get home to my own family and the dinner I had to make, I paused, remembering my commitment. I turned to her and offered my arms. "Can I hold him while you finish up," I asked? No judgment-just service, compassion, and love (what I should have done those weeks before). The mom burst into tears, then gratefully handed me her crying newborn... (continued in the comments)
Body sore, belly full, heart tender. After a rou Body sore, belly full, heart tender. After a rough week on my part, we all dug in yesterday on the business of life. Prepping garden beds, starting seeds, foraging the first nettles of the year, and binging on fresh air and sunshine. And, most important of all, showing up for our kids and each other. And it was just what this heart needed. Garden, forage, love, replenish. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat. Life is hard work, my friend. It's usually messy, often overwhelming, and nearly always way more than we bargained for or think we can even carry. But day after day we pick it all up and walk a few steps. We can do hard things. Life isn't always pretty. But it's raw and it's real and it's deep and frankly, it's what we came here for. So despite that rough week–or perhaps because of it–this weekend I'm drinking deep of this messy life in all the ways that I can. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat. What's filling you up this weekend, friend?
Here’s to sweet, simple birthday celebrations sn Here’s to sweet, simple birthday celebrations snuggled down here at home. How lucky I am to be able to gather with my partner of 25+ years, my octogenarian parents, and grown/nearly grown kids as I begin my 50th trip around the sun. I truly don’t take any of that for granted. Here’s to 49 and all the promise that it holds! (Shoutout to Lupine @lythari_arts and Sage @oakshedironworks for the homemade gifts shown in the first frame, and Sage’s partner B. for the mind-blowingly gorgeous and delicious cheese board—with a little help from @noblerind.)
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