Been gone Sassafras harvesting!!

Sometimes when I go out for a spontaneous walk on the mountain that backs up to my home I haven't brought my basket...then I find some wonderful plant medicine I simply have to bring home...uh-oh...what to do? I've learned to make "baskets" out of whatever I'm wearing! Here's how it worked with a recent sassafras leaf harvest. Rolled and tied up the front of my shirt, then when that was completely full, I rolled up the back of it, then the pants cuffs were employed…it worked!

I was amazed how many leaves I was actually able to carry. And I also uncovered beautiful yellow flicker feathers from under the leaves…

I have no idea what creature caught and ate the lovely yellow flicker, but at least the feathers will be honored by being crafted into a beautiful item one day…and for now they grace one of the altars in my home. I found this great pic of the yellow shafted flicker in flight, and was delighted to discover that it was taken in NJ this month!

And the sassafras is spread out to dry in numerous baskets all over the place...herbalists houses do not tend to be very "orderly" but they do tend to be filled with nature's beauty everywhere you look.