The People and the Forest -- Spring Is Here by Jae Hall

Cat, Blackie and Kamisha

May is here and that means five birthdays in my family.
So starting today May 1, Happy Birthday to Carl, Scout, Venice, Migel, and Frank. I know we'll be celebrating on the ranch with cake and maybe a pizza or bbq.

The forest provides a wide variety of foods and medicines, so it's time to gather even more plants for future use.

I was going to spotlight chaparral, but due to my camera dying, I haven't taken enough good photos. Also the toxic bloom is raising cane with my allergies. I'll save that special herb and it's uses for later in the summer so this  blog is about a variety of spring topics, and of course plants.

I've been out gathering  and it's always fun to take the family out and learn something new. A plant we call Princess Pine has been used in our family for many generations. The tea can be used for arthritis and kidney illnesses. Always use caution and test for allergies.

Hunter picking Princess Pine

Scout

Great Grandma Betty and Scout 

Hunter and Scout

Princess Pine

Dogwood

Dogwood Tree

A tree that has beautiful blossoms in the spring is our wild Dogwood tree. This year due to a very mild winter, lack of water and impending drought, our Dogwood is blooming early.

Pussy Ears

We generally take a day drive up into the mountains at the end of May to gather Dogwood blossoms along with other wild flowers. We use them to decorate our family graves for Memorial Day. This year everything is blooming 4-6 weeks early so our flower supply will be limited.
Here are a few of our annual flowers that are currently blooming in the northern California  forests.

Mule Ear Daisy

Trillium

Siskiyou Lewisia

Miners Lettuce

Copper and blooming Chaparral

Red Bells

Lupine

 Spring Colds and flu have hit many hard around here.

Young Western Red Cedar

Mature Western Red Cedar

Cold and flu season has depleted my supply of  Western Red Cedar.

Cedar is our go to for chest congestion and respiratory illnesses. Always remember to identify plants correctly before using. We only use the Western Red Cedar. Other varieties may have similar or different properties and uses.

These photos are of  young Western Red Cedar and a mature tree.

I gather the green foliage and dry for a tea. We use it in place of, or in conjunction with, commercially produced flu remedies.
I gather the berries for decorations and jewelry. Again. know your plants and if possible go out with someone knowledgeable.

After 30+ years,  I'm still not used to the idea that my husband no longer fells timber and there will be no summer long camp-outs in the forest. The time I've spent living in the deep forest and taking pictures of trees and plants has contributed to the background information in many of my stories. Spending weeks away from modern conveniences is at the top of my fun list.

Some of my photos of my husband cutting down danger trees near roadways and tourists camps have become a part of on my book covers.

My children are also in the forest/logging industry and work to keep the forest healthy as our family has done for countless generations.

At the end of the day we all give thanks that we are able to spend our life out in nature passing down generations of knowledge and skills, enjoying good company, and watching the sun set on yet another great day in the northern California forest. It's our Shasta tradition.

Jae Hall lives in far Northern California with her husband, the Shasta tribal Chief, family, cats, dogs and over a dozen horses. She is the co-author of Arcadia Publishing history books Western Siskiyou, Gold and Dreams, and Shasta Nation. Through PRP is the novel TimberBeast and she has Indie published the second book in her TimberBeast series, DutchMan.
More fiction and non-fiction books are coming soon.

People and the Forest--Gathering Ichnish, A Tribal Tradition. by Jae Hall

Lomatium californicum. Also called Ich-nish

Getting ready for this blog I thought about wide variety of native plants and the stories connected with them.  

Then the warm weather turned cold and my camera came out. Our mountain tops were shrouded in clouds and snow furies. I knew the plant and the story that needed to be shared.

I gather many plants with my family through the year, but spring time is special. It's not only Ich-nish (Ick niche) Season but it's also Coyote Weather, and the Story of Coyote and Coyote Weather is told in my family as it has been told for thousands of years.

In the Shasta Language Lomatium californicum is called Ich-nish.

It's a species of plant related to the carrot and the parsnip which is known by the common names California rock parsnip, celery weed, and California lomatium. This plant is native to California and Oregon, where it is found in low elevation mountains and hills. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomatium_californicum )

Gathering among the Oak trees

As with all wild plants, please know what you are picking and eating. Most plants in the carrot/celery family are extremely toxic. There is no such thing as too much caution. I recommend if you are in Northern California/ Southern Oregon and do decide to gather this plant that you go with someone knowledgeable.

Ichnish is used by several tribes in the Southern Oregon/Northern California area. Some use the root as a part of their traditional medicine and religious ceremonies. It can be used for smudge and many Shasta people use it to protect their homes from evil spirits.

I'll focus on the edible aspects of the plant.

Bags of Ichnish Spring 2015

For most people it is simply a delicious herbal seasoning and only the leaf is used. It is a great addition to common seasonings like pepper and garlic. It tastes somewhere between celery tops and cilantro with a twist. The older the plants the hotter the leaves. I often add it to soups, stews, and any roasted meat. it also spices up deviled eggs, omelets and salads. It grows only in the spring and is only available for a few weeks so gathering and drying enough to last our family for the year is important.

Book By Mary Carpelan

When the late winter gets warm and the Ichnish starts to grow we watch the mountains for the distinct green color of the growing Ichnish. 

I'm going to share a Shasta Legend that has been handed down for many many generations. This story takes place during the 3 days of the spring equinox and the Sun and all the landmarks in this story line up perfectly on a map for those 3 days.

My sister-in-law, Mary Carpelan wrote and illustrated this ancient family story in a children's book called Coyote Fights the Sun (currently out of print) 

I'm using common names for places and please forgive some of the photos. It's hard to get clear pictures without getting power lines, houses and  other modern items in the shots.

  

The Shasta Legend: Coyote Fights the Sun

Winter was turning to spring and Coyote thought of eating fresh Ichnish. He was foolish and decided that the food they had stored to get through winter was no longer good enough. He had his daughters throw it out.

He looked outside and saw that the skies were clear. Calling his two daughters he told them to go up the mountain (Quartz Hill) and  pick some Ichnish.

His daughters were hungry too. They went up the mountain to gather in the Ichnish patch. It was growing tall and they began to fill their bags quickly so they could get home before dark. The kept their eyes on their work and didn't pay attention to the weather.

They didn't notice that the clouds started coming over the Marble Mountains and came across Quartz Valley.

The storm rolled up the ridges and covered Quartz Hill. Soon there was a terrible storm and several feet of snow covered the hill. Coyote's daughters realized too late that the sun was gone and they were trapped.

 When the storm was over and Coyote was able to climb Quartz Hill he found that his daughters had died in the storm. He was very angry. He blamed the Sun for going away and allowing the storm to take his daughters. He vowed to kill the Sun. He took his bows and arrows and climbed up on Quartz Hill to the Ichnish patch. He waited all night for the Sun to come up, but the Sun came up across Oro Fino over Chapparal Hill!  

Still angry Coyote walked all day and climbed to the top of Chapparal Hill. The next morning the sun came up over Duzel Rock. 

Now Coyote was really mad. The sun was teasing him. He walked all day and climbed to the top of Duzel Rock and waited for the sun to rise. But the sun came up over the Lime Stone Bluffs in Shasta Valley. 

Again he walked all day to the Lime Stone Bluffs. He was determined to kill the Sun.

 The next morning the Sun was now across the valley and came up behind Mount Shasta. Coyote looked down the bluffs and saw a big lake between him and Mt. Shasta. He dove down to swim across and get ready for the next morning. But the lake was really fog. Down he tumbled until he landed on a rocky ridge and was turned to stone. 

Coyote is still standing on the ridge south of Gazelle California.

He waits each morning hoping to get his chance to kill the Sun.

So when Sun shines brightly in February and March we don't go up the mountain to look for Ichnish. We call it Coyote Weather because Coyote is a trickster and the warm weather is not Spring. It is a false Spring that goes away as the late March and early April snowstorms come over the Marble Mountains and cross Quartz Valley to wrap our Ichnish patch on Quartz Hill in cold and ice and snow.

Jae Hall

Find my page and book TimberBeast at http://prairierosepublications.com "Kelsy is an environmental spy running from her troubles. Fox is an timber faller living his dream. They meet in a forest full of  danger, romance and the Timberbeast." What could possibly go wrong?
On Facebook at www.facebook.com/TimberBeastSaga

At twitter JaeHall @kelsyfoxx

Find my  PRP Firestar Press novels and Arcadia history books at  www.amazon.com/Jae-Hall/e/B00DPOQHSW

People and the Forest by Jae Hall

Comments posted on this blog between 10 pm pacific time Friday March 6, 2015 and  8 pm pacific time Sunday March 8th will go into a drawing for an e- copy of my contemporary romance novel TimberBeast. Published by Prairie Rose Press/Firestar Press. "Kelsy is an environmental spy running from her troubles. Fox is an timber faller living his dream. They meet in a forest full of  danger, romance and the Timberbeast." What could possibly go wrong?

People and the Forest. 

The herbal medicine in my novels helped inspire this blog.
It doesn't seem like winter but the cold/flu season is in full swing in northern California. It would be nice to have lots of snow and rain, but I’m enjoying the warm sunny days.

When it comes to health care I walk two worlds. One modern and full of common medicines and the other tribal where many of our health needs are taken care of with the plant pharmacy growing around us.

Every plant has a use and there is always a way to misuse plants. I get asked the most about the ones that can help with colds and flu. We have several native plants that help with the symptoms. Remember to thoroughly research a plant before gathering or using it. Plants can vary from one area to another so be sure to learn before you gather.

Your local herb store is a good place to learn to identify local plants. Books with pictures are helpful. The US Forest Service botanist or local county ag departments can also assist in identification of wild plants.

Don’t gather near roadways or other areas where pesticides are sprayed.  Just because it’s natural doesn't mean it’s always safe and it is possible to overdose. Much depends on your health, allergies and sensitivities. Here is a little about one plant that I always keep in stock.

Most of the medicine we use comes from the forest and we gather all throughout the year. Different plant uses have come to us through various relatives. 

My mother-in-law, Betty, is of Shasta and Cahuilla Indian descent. She spent her childhood with her aunt gathering plants and learning tribal history. The stories go with the plants. She has passed down this history to me and my family.

One of her favorite herbal stories is a time when her seven children were all down with a stomach illness. She was going through bottles of medicine from the doctor to try to stop the flu symptoms but as soon as one child got better another one would relapse. 

After many days of treating her very sick children, the washer was going nonstop to keep up with all the changes of pajamas and bedding.

Her mother-in-law, Mandy, a full-blood Shasta Indian had heard how sick the grandchildren were. She came to see how they were doing. She was one of those women you see in old pictures that has a permanent frown but her dark brown eyes would sparkle when she was pleased.

She immediately told Betty to ‘Go get some manzanita’. 

(Arctostaphylos)   (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzanita)

Not sure what was expected, Betty went up on the hill behind her house and cut a huge branch.

Mandy pulled a handful of leaves from the branch and washed them then handed each child 1-2 leaves with the instructions ‘chew them and swallow the juice’.

If you have ever chewed manzanita leaves you will know that they are very bitter. The children didn't argue with Grandma Mandy and did as she instructed.  By the next morning the worst symptoms had stopped and the children were feeling better and able to start eating broth. 

It taste much better to make tea with the manzanita leaves. It isn’t bitter and tastes very much like the water that comes with black olives but without the salt. When having tummy troubles  put 5-10 fresh or dried leaves in 2 cups of boiling hot water and let steep until the water turns from pale to medium green (5-10 minutes). It can be drank hot or cold. Remember to only try a little at first in case of allergies. 

The plant season can vary significantly from place to place. Our manzanita is just starting to put on buds, and soon the air will be humming with wild and domestic honey bees coming to take the sweet nectar. Only 20 miles away the manzanita in town is in full bloom and the smell is heavenly.The berries are small, powdery and edible. 

When I go outside I see our mountain full of manzanita bushes. I am thankful for the medicine the forest provides and the family knowledge that has been gathered and shared down through the generations.

It’s our tribal tradition.

Jae Hall

Find me at http://prairierosepublications.com
On Facebook at www.facebook.com/TimberBeastSaga

At twitter JaeHall @kelsyfoxx

Find my  PRP Firestar Press novels and Arcadia history books at  www.amazon.com/Jae-Hall/e/B00DPOQHSW

Fire Star Press -- New Release -- TIMBERBEAST by Jae Hall -- Giveaway

Leave a comment and your contact information for your name to be added to the drawing for a free ebook of Jae Hall's TimberBeast.

Kelsy Bowen takes life seriously, and she’s got it all: Family, Fiancé, Future...until she meets tall, dark, handsome--and dangerous.

Fox has secrets and demons of his own. With Kelsy in his forest, the Indian logger's job just got a lot more interesting--if he can manage to keep his mind on what he's doing.

Kelsy’s loyalties are torn. Becoming an environmental spy will ensure her rise within the workplace, but there's a price. From their first meeting, Fox manages to blur the lines between Kelsy's mission and desire. In the forest, everything changes...and the certain future she's planned is on rocky ground. The dangerous heat of temptation threatens to consume them both.

Destiny leads her headlong into the world of the Indian logger, and the dreams she's held tight to begin to fade. For Kelsy, searching for the Timberbeast becomes more than a mission as a spy--it becomes everything. Will she return to the corporate ladder she left behind--or will she embrace the unexpected life she's found within the forest?

EXCERPT

     His heart thumped faster. The painful words and truths were buried in the rhythmic pounding like a drum fighting to burst from his aching chest, sending painful pressure into his head until he thought his eyes would go blind and his ears would explode.

     Stumbling forward, he tore his way through the broken yard gate and the discouraged citizen firefighters to the burning building. Someone had to walk out of the ruins. But the inevitable truth was delayed as the fire found new fuel in a pitchy rafter. The last section of outside wall fell, bringing down the last rafters with a crash that echoed down the thickly forested mountain and across the valley to shake awake the entire town.

     The firefighters moved around the building trying to slow the blaze with the sizzling spray and maybe keep the water on long enough to save the old woodshed and woodworking shop.  Robert's knees buckled and he fell to the ground, momentarily resigned, letting the intense heat bite his face with every truth.

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