The last few posts here on Creative Potager have been about the end of life – a necessary reflection in our creative and life journey, but not a place to dwell.
Today I want to shift us towards sustaining. What sustains us until the time of renewal? In the seasons the time of renewal is spring. The rosehip has always been a sustaining symbol and resource for me through fall and winter. When I was young, we were told we could eat rosehips if we got lost in the woods. My mother made apple-rosehip butter for a special treat on our hot porridge or toast. While playing outside, we would peel the rosehip skin off and nibble it sometimes pretending we were eating a piece of the sun, leaving the pithy insides for the mice and birds.
The nutritional and health attributes of rosehips are well known. They are used to make teas for the immune system and oils for the skin – just to name a few ways it is employed. So, when I see rosehips, I am filled with a “we can do it” attitude. I almost always smile and I sometimes laugh aloud when I see them. I feel hopeful. I feel able to reach into my stored reserves and snatch a piece of possibility right off one of those thorny branches.
Sprout Question: What sustains your creativity until a time of renewal?
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From Mayne Island, British Columbia, Canada
Creative Potager 
Ahhhhh Terrill, this is just what the doctor ordered — wonderful!
Sprout Question: What sustains your creativity until a time of renewal?
In STILLNESS my creative battery is recharged.
In BUSYNESS, it’s not poured out exactly, rather — it’s unleashed.
Today is a very busy day, I’m unleashing my creativity in a non-traditional way (deep cleaning our healing studio). This evening I will be still to recharge.
Laurie I feel the freshness and cleanliness from here! I can imagine your huge smile when you go in to work on Friday and feel the renewal with all your senses.
Your mother knew how to cook with rosehips. awesome. they are one of my favorite things in this world.
what sustains? watching and seeing nature go through it’s own changes. wide open spaces both inside and out. writing. reading. cooking.
xox
My mom did know how to cook with rosehips. She was even more of a rural girl than I am. They lived so far out of town with no reliable transportation that she took home schooling until grade six. I learned a lot about both plants and animals from her when I was growing up. Your sprout Tobin and wide open spaces inside and out… I like that. Now to make some oatmeal – maybe with a few raisins thrown in (rather than rosehips:).
Rosehip apple butter. Oh, how I would love to taste just a spoonful! Sounds so lucious.
What sustains my creativity until a time of renewal? Oh I love the questions that you ponder here. I guess–since I try to be creative every day–the writings and photographs about ordinary things, little things, things that look uninspired to the average eye–sustain me. When I don’t feel like writing or taking pictures, I usually take them anyway and, even though it doesn’t feel deeply satisfying like huge dives into creativity, it feels reassuring. Is this making sense? Hope so!
Sure does Kathy and I feel somewhat the same. Some days I only get as far as taking photographs. My brushes don’t dip into the paint at all. This is okay for a bit but then I just must! I think Creative Potager and my commitment to blogging is also sustaining. Thank you as always for coming by. I wonder how many hands have been raised to your question about if we come back to read the bloggers responses to our comments. I will will have to wonder over and see… First, groceries.