Author Archives: Mecia Raposa

more books

These books hit several of my interests: native plants, wild foods, adventurous cooking, and not starving because grocery store prices are high. Adding in the precolonial history aspect has me super excited

A New Direction (this was planned before that last post gave me a whole new angle on my existing work)

The Arts and Sciences ADHD Inspiration Fairy has been absent for quite some time. I’ve been putting a lot more energy into my native plant garden, mostly because native plants are way less work once they establish. About a week ago it FINALLY hit me: I don’t have to focus on Europe/the Near East/North Africa. I can work on learning and documenting local Indigenous food plants, starting with what I have already growing! This will necessitate learning a LOT more about oral traditions. I’m starting by reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer and looking at what public events the Duwamish Longhouse is putting on. Please enjoy photos of some of my native edibles:

A FENCING OUTFIT FOR SUMMER

I don’t handle heat well at all these days but I still want to look appropriately dressed. I was gifted some very light weight wool in raspberry and grey that I made into a doublet and slops. For the patterns I used The Tudor Tailor pages 99 and 103. They are about 90% hand sewn. I did trade a friend some fabric to make the buttonholes for me because mine are always sloppy. For the shirt I used the pattern from The Tudor Tailor page 54. I sewed that piece about 50% by machine and 50% by hand.

photo credit: Heather Parchen

Photo credit: Heather Parchen

The pants fabric is thin so I reinforced the seams with twill tape to hopefully avoid seam blow-out.

A decoction of elderberry

I had a bumper crop of blue elderberry this year so I made a huge batch of decoction of elderberry. Look at that purple color! Blue elderberry is a North American subspecies of the black elderberry that is native to Europe. Dioscorides has this to say about elderberry:

“A decoction (taken as a drink) helps those bitten by vipers. Boiled with water for bathing it softens the womb and opens the vagina, and sets to rights any disorders around it. A decoction of the fruit (taken as a drink with wine) does the same things, and rubbed on it darkens the hair.”

Maybe I will try using it as a hair dye.