Poison Ivy

🦋 Poison Ivy

My brother used to tell me that you only get
poison ivy for seven years in a row. He called it the Seven Year Itch!
I'm here to tell you that
this is bunk! I have been getting poison ivy for the last 17 years
consistently.

Why, well I'm surrounded by it. Having 4 furry children who spend
their time frolicking in the bush get it all over me with their affectionate
rubs. Sigh!

For those of us who get the bubbly, itchy, painful rashes every year we've
come to expect it. Does that mean we attract it? Now there is a thought.

I now respect this plant. I make a tobacco offering along with a prayer
for it every June. I thank it for it's medicine of protection. It protects us in our
little forest and protects some of the other plants too. When I was sage picking
a couple of weeks ago, one of my soul sisters shared that poison ivy will often
be found by sage to protect it from being over picked.

What a beautiful way our plant spirits live.
We could learn a few things from these amazing ancestors.

---