Moment of Wonder cuticle balm

This balm was created for peace of mind and dry cuticles by plants, lichens, and women who love humans--that is, lavender, rosemary, dandelions, oatstraw, usnea lichen, and me, supported by more herbalists, women, ancestors, plants, and trees than I could ever name. Moment of Wonder cuticle balm contains four deeply trusted ancestral plants for me plus our local usnea lichen who's relatively new to me. I've been talking with usnea and studying them for only 7 years. They're a wonder and pure delight to get to know--like the most playful elder you've ever met.

The name "Moment of Wonder" is my wish for people who work so hard for others that they throw themselves under the not-getting-enough-rest-again bus regularly, and it also comes from my continued child-like responses to encountering old usnea in the woods. It's beautiful everywhere you come across it, and in really old forests it will stop even the busiest, most exhausted Me in her tracks and turn me into a curious, wonder-filled child for at least a few moments. "Who decorated the trees so beautifully?" my Kid Self wonders. Usnea is remarkably beautiful at any age, and at old age offers all the best that the word magical has to offer. (The older the forest, the longer the usnea lichen, the greater the unexpected beauty, the longer the mouth-dropped-open-in-wonder moment. Protect forests and old growth forests!!!)

We grow the lavender and rosemary and dandelions here at Ritual Mischief, and we gather dandelions from trusted nearby fields too. The oat straw I bought from Mountain Rose Herbs this year. Still waiting for a farmer on Whidbey to grow it, as we don't have room! We gather the usnea lichen off the forest floor here after winter windstorms. We never take this wise and slow-growing lichen off of standing trees--living or dead--because it is needed where it is. Instead, we pick it up off the ground and pull little bits off of windfall Douglas fir and cedar branches that we gather after winter windstorms. We leave plenty for the forest floor and the slugs who seem as in awe of it as I am. Usnea decorates trees here so beautifully. In truly old forests, it hangs loopingly down, from bow to bow, around and around, like the Christmas tree garland of my grandmothers' homes. Or, as I now understand: their Christmas tree garland mimicked wonder-inducing beautiful old lichens like usnea.  

To use: 1. Sit or stand beneath a tree or sky. 2. Look up. 3. Take a deep breath, rest a moment, and wonder. 4. Indulge your curiosity. What did/do you wonder? Name it. Say it out loud. Remember the value of being led by your own curiosity and wonder. 5. With clean fingers, rub a little of this balm into dry cuticles, as needed. 6. Take the You who breathes deeply, rests, wonders, and cares about tiny little things back inside with you. 7. Optional. When time, to extend these moments of wonder, learn more about the plants in this balm by visiting a local elder, reading a book, sitting with the plants and asking questions, or by leaning on a child's imagination.  

Ingredients: Whidbey-grown lavender and rosemary (grown here at Ritual Mischief), Whidbey dandelion flowers and windfall usnea lichen (from Ritual Mischief and gathered from neighboring fields and forests), and oatstraw from Mountain Rose Herbs infused in olive oil for 6 weeks to 4 months depending on the plant/lichen, plus local beeswax, and 1 drop per tin of lavender essential oil from Lavender Wind Farm on Whidbey. Topped with a little dried lavender and/or usnea lichen.

Size/packaging: Reusable 2-ounce, screw-top tin. See the Packaging page of this website for more details.

Medical Disclaimer: Wonder is good for you. Make time for it wherever and however you can. The information on this page is for general reference for further exploration and study. It is not intended as a replacement for professional medical advice. See the Medical Disclaimer page of this website for more details. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.