Engraving Words: Balm of Gilead... Nature in our Backyard!

NATURE IN OUR BACKYARD!

Issue 1!

Balm of Gilead!

Yes!

That's exactly what I said, we do indeed have this right here in our very own backyard, what a nice pleasant discovery and benefit of living in the Strathcona neighborhood! And oh so much more, so come along with me to rediscover where you live all over again and learn deeper and exciting things that are beneficial in health and food, through the gift of nature that grows oh so naturally all around us! :-)

Black Cottonwood!

(Populous trichocarpa)

Cottonwood is an important aboriginal tree with the inner bark used for both food and medicine. The shining brown, pointed, sticky and fragrant buds in winter are an ID clue! If you boil them to release the sweet resin and mix it with olive oil and beeswax you`ll have Balm of Gilead!!! Good for soothing aches! This tree is part of the willow family (salicaceae) which has been used since ancient Sumerians in 2000 BC to reduce pain and fever! (Salicin from willow bark was turned into aspirin in 1897).

*footnote: for inquiring minds that might want to know! Bees collect the resin from black cottonwood to make propolis, an antibacterial agent that protects the hives from invaders! :-)

It`s Flower!

Male catkins are 4-6 cm long,

Female catkins 6-9 cm long,

Release tiny seeds covered in white fluff that can fill the air like early summer snow! :)

(Its wind-borne seeds have a knack for growing in difficult conditions) meaning a newly cleared lot in Vancouver is likely to be head-high in Cottonwoods a few years later! Grow trees grow!

So if you want to venture out and try your hand at producing a home made remedy of Balm of Gilead for yourself, that`s free and accessible right here in Strathcona, then you`ll be happy to know that all you have to do is find your way over to Strathcona park, next to Cottonwood Community Garden (name clearly a perfect connecting fit) and go to Raymur Ave & Malkin Ave. And there you will find a row of tall Cottonwood Trees at the South end, and there ya have it you can try your own hand at the challenge, but be sure to report back here to Strathcona Conversations or me directly to let us know the results of your efforts? You are welcome to send in pics along with your story, and I'd be happy to share the fun newsworthy results in future issues of the zine!

As for the other trees and ongoing neighborhood adventures, just keep on reading the zines and watch for those ongoing entries to help continue to make your long outdoor walks or excursions right in your own backyard and community continual ongoing fun! :-)

But if you really want to do things a little bit faster and reach more Strathcona/DTES healthy, outdoor adventures to compliment your active and vital lifestyle to disconnect from the noise and stress of the 24 hour world that never sleeps! Then you can find links to my Vocal page at the end of these articles that will lead you to more information I`ve written and shared in a place to help readers continue on their merry way of neighborhood/city healthy, outdoor, flower and fruit, and health remedy learning journey, at your fingertips almost as soon as you step outside your home right here in our community!

Balm of Gilead in the Strathcona Park and our glorious Vancouver neighborhood, WHO KNEW? :-)

The Writer!

Jennifer Cooley!

[email protected]

Additional link to further writing and information for your learning and nature activities about Vancouver trees is as follows: https://vocal.media/authors/jennifer-cooley-48hfjk0yqk

The tree stories to come will be on the: 1. Sweet Cherry Tree, 2. Ornamental Cherry Tree, 3. Pink Cloud! (Notes taken from the Vancouver Tree Book, written by, David Tracey)

The following is the poem that was published with my finished Carnegie Newsletter Article, I hope you all enjoy the work I`ve written and shared here with all of you! TY! :D

~Environmentally Speaking~

Winter Covers = No one discovers?

Spring shows = Garbage Flows

Summer Shines = Skin killing Rays

Fall winds blow = What have we to show?

Destroying the land

Make you feel grand?

Killing the grass = Waste of land mass

Cutting the tree’s = Homeless birds and

Homeless bee’s

To many animals everywhere

Are dying,

We’re depleting their lives and

Means for surviving,

Polluting the Sea’s = Filling them with

Germ killing disease

Our children will soon cease to see,

The beauty the earth Once Enlightened

Us with,

So willingly and free

It took care of us,

Undoubtedly

But we took advantage

It’s Murder = Simply,

Unnecessary destruction of such

Blissful beauty,

Who are ‘WE’ to be doing such Damage?

It’s, Unjustly!

Written by,

Jennifer Cooley!