Letter 31

This weekend I began my course in Herbal Medicine at Dilston Physic Garden. The course and the group of people I'm with are all massively inspiring. The magic itself really has a very strong force surrounding it - maybe like a rainforest its all those different species rubbing their shoulders so closely means you can almost feel them transpiring.

It made me think about a friend who I've not seen for a few years and how in a lot of ways, she was the first person to open me up to thinking about different ways of living. People affect us across time, maybe you've not spoken for a while, but that doesn't mean that you don't think about them, or that you don't recognise that you are in a place that they have had a hand in bringing you to.

So I thought and write and say so. It made me think how inspiration shouldn't be linear: "you gave me that, I am doing this". But that it should have a much more reflexive action. I gues that's what artistic communities work towards, and maybe why some artists work as partnerships. I don't really know very much about that. I did however feel very humble. To be doing an amazing thing, to tell someone they had a part in sowing the seeds.

So yes, another thank you letter, but of a different sort this time.

Who do you have an inspirational relationship with?

My newest inspirational relationship is with Dilston Physic Garden. Go. Please. It's beautiful. 

Entering through the Shinto Gate

And all the herbs were before me ...

The Chamomile Lawn

Mugwort Leaf - the first herb we encountered - nervine, emmenagogue, diuretuc, diaphoretic and tonic properties

The view from my tent. Some grey wagtails visited in the morning.

Rape through a budding hedge AKA my evening walk

Letter 24

Letter 24 is hidden at the back of this pile of post! This week I sent a letter to a hospital. That was exciting, it's been a very long time since I wrote Ward X on an envelope. My Grandpa is in the hospital at the moment, but is fine, just waiting for the next step. I wrote a cheerful note to let him know I was thinking of him even though I hadn't been able to visit.

The pile also includes an application letter for a course I want to go on across the summer in herbal medicine at Dilston Physic Garden. And then there is of course, the usual Postcrossing crop! The cards reflect the geography of where I've been recently pretty well: York for my birthday; Boston for Pa Allen; Scarborough and Filey just for fun the other week. I can see that and you can see that, but I don't explain that on the back of the cards. That for me, the cards form a group, since I tend to write a few at a time. It makes you think about all the links between people.

Another card I got today reminded me about the things people share. Letters can often become confessional as what you write pours out and feelings order themselves against biro on paper. A postcard came today that told me a secret from a person - they'd not ever been kissed romantically. I fall prey to this too (not the unkissing) where I'll write a card to a stranger and well not tell a secret, but say something that is probably not suitable postcard discussion - someone in the Netherlands doesn't want to know about the price of a cup of PG Tips (not even Yorkshire) at the hospital. With the secret, is the revelation for them, or me?