This could be on my farm blog, as I came upon stinging nettle this morning while on a mission to clip back the thistle plants before they go to seed. However, I choose to write about it here, and hope the reason will be obvious.
Despite wearing gloves and using long handled clippers, some stinging nettle brushed my wrist. Oh darn! As I recall, the stinging feeling lasts for a few days followed by a period of numbness, then a return to normal. All for a moment of carelessness.
Then I remembered that where poison ivy grows, also grows the remedy for poison: jewel weed. So perhaps intertwined with the stinging nettle is a remedy? I quickly found a broad leafed plant, picked a few leaves and schmooshed them so their juices were available, and rubbed them on my wrist.
Stinging stopped. Stinging gone. No more stinging. No need to beat myself up as I looked ahead to days of suffering.
Nature is truly amazing.
OK, so why stinging nettle and remedy on this blog? Good question! I was about to write out a slew of ideas in response to this, but instead, I will leave a question for anyone's pondering...
Can you think of places in your life -- aside from the world of vegetation -- where the remedy essentially comes hand in hand with the stinging nettles?
2 comments:
For Florida stinging nettle, reportedly, you could pull up the root and crush it to rub on the stung area and soothe it. Now, years after living in stinging nettle territory, I can't remember how well it worked. I don't remember as severe a reaction as you have to them, so it may be a different variety.
In theory we have them in Oregon too, but I haven't lived on property where they are some how. I have a friend who harvests them for tinctures, I think. I'll have to ask what she does with them again, I haven't paid close enough attention.
"Can you think of places in your life...where the remedy essentially comes hand in hand with the stinging nettles?"
YES! Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
And I'm inspired. I think Laura and I should ride our horses into town to go grocery shopping.
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