Five Months Later: In the Space Between Seasons

It’s been five months since I last wrote here, and what a five months it’s been. Sometimes life pulls you in directions you never expected, and you find yourself living rather than documenting. That’s where I’ve been.

The India Chapter

In March, I found myself in India, drawn by a deep curiosity about yoga and Ayurvedic medicine. What started as interest in elderberry tinctures and tonics had somehow led me thousands of miles away to ancient healing traditions. India was an experience that defies easy description – the kind that changes you from the inside out.

Now I practice yoga almost every day. At 60-something, I’m discovering what my body can do rather than what it cannot. The physical improvements are obvious – strength, flexibility, balance – but the mental shifts feel even more profound. I’m entering what feels like an entirely new chapter, one that my friend pointed out connects my elderberry work with this yoga practice in ways I’m still learning to see.

From Maths Teacher to… What?

My yoga teacher has invited me to join her teacher training program. Three years of learning and practice stretch ahead of me. Sometimes I wonder: who would I teach if I pass? At 70, I imagine I’ll be capable of asanas I can’t even attempt now. The thought both thrills and humbles me.

It’s strange how life unfolds. From maths teacher to elderberry maker to yoga student – each phase feeling so different from the last, yet somehow connected by threads I’m only beginning to see.

The Elderflower Abundance

While my mind was expanding with yoga philosophy, my hands stayed busy with this year’s incredible elderflower harvest. The abundance was breathtaking – and I mean that literally. I love the smell, love picking them, love saying thank you for being here. There’s something sacred in that gratitude.

The elderflower cordial is pure delight, and the elderflower oxymel proved wonderfully successful. This year I discovered an amazing recipe for elderflower fire cider too. Each creation feels like capturing summer in a jar.

Now the elderflower season has ended in my area, and I confess to feeling a bit sad that the flowers are gone. But the berries are there in their green stage, promising autumn’s harvest. Soon there will be elderberries.

The Time Between

I find myself cherishing this in-between time. It’s like finding new clothes or buying new shoes for a special event – there’s anticipation, preparation, a sense of readiness building. I feel like I’m preparing myself for the winter season with elderberries.

This space between seasons feels particularly precious. Not quite summer, not yet autumn. Not quite the person I was, not yet the person I’m becoming.

Ancient Wisdom, Local Roots

I’m endlessly intrigued by Indian traditional medicine, but I want to stay loyal to traditional European and English medicine too. There’s wisdom in both worlds, and perhaps my role is to bridge them, to honor the elderberry traditions of this land while incorporating what I’ve learned about healing from other traditions.

Staying Positive in Difficult Times

Life moves so fast. Awful things happen in the world, and it’s hard to stay positive sometimes. But I think the only way to stay sane is to choose hope, to trust that the energy of love will be stronger than the love of power. (I learned that phrase in my choir, which I’ve had to pause for yoga teacher training – another small sacrifice for this new path.)

The young people I tutor for their GCSE maths exams help restore my faith. They’re optimistic, full of energy and enthusiasm for life. They remind me that life goes on, that each generation brings its own gifts and possibilities.

The Learning Curve

Life is a constant learning curve. Here I am, decades into it, still discovering new capacities, still saying yes to unexpected invitations, still marveling at the way one passion leads to another.From elderberries to yoga to ancient medicine to teaching – it’s all connected in ways I’m still discovering.

Perhaps that’s the beauty of this stage of life: finally having the courage to follow the threads wherever they lead, trusting that the path will reveal itself as I walk it.

For now, I’m grateful for this time between seasons, this space to reflect and prepare for whatever comes next.

Fresh Salad Dressing with Elderflower Oxymel or Fire Cider

Give your greens a vibrant twist with this easy, nourishing dressing:

✨ Ingredients:

• 2–3 tablespoons elderflower oxymel or elderflower fire cider

• A splash (about 1–2 tablespoons) of good-quality olive oil

• Pinch of sea salt (optional)

• Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

✨ How to make it:

1. In a small bowl or jar, combine the elderflower oxymel or fire cider with the olive oil.

2. Whisk or shake well until it’s silky and blended.

3. Taste and adjust — add a bit more oxymel or oil as you like.

4. Drizzle generously over your favorite fresh salad greens.

This dressing is bright, tangy, and brimming with the wild goodness of elderflowers — a simple way to connect your plate to ancient herbal wisdom.

Looking Forward to Elderberry Season

I’m already looking forward to the new season of elderberries with growing excitement. I’m still intrigued by the incredible benefits these small dark berries offer – there’s so much depth to explore beyond what I already know.

This is going to be a year of abundance for the birds too, who need the energy from these berries to fuel their remarkable journeys across the world. There’s something deeply satisfying about sharing this harvest – gathering what we need for our winter health while leaving plenty for the creatures who depend on them for their epic migrations.

In my next chapter, I want to delve deeper into the health benefits elderberries offer humans, along with some treasured recipes I’ve been perfecting. I’m fascinated by how elderberries have been used traditionally in European folk medicine, and I can’t help but see parallels with what I learned about ancient healing traditions in India. Different cultures, different plants, but the same wisdom about using what grows locally to support immunity and wellness.

There’s elderberry syrup to make, elderberry gummies to experiment with, elderberry and honey preparations to perfect. I want to explore sustainable harvesting practices too – the art of taking what we need while ensuring there’s abundance left for our feathered friends.

I’m beginning to see how my blog posts might follow nature’s own rhythm. Spring yoga discoveries, summer elderflower abundance, autumn elderberry preparations – each season bringing its own gifts and reflections. The birds depending on those berries for migration energy feels like such a perfect metaphor for how we all need different kinds of nourishment for our own journeys.

The elderberries are still green now, but soon they’ll ripen into those deep purple gems that hold so much healing potential. I can almost taste the rich, tart syrup that will help carry us through winter, just as these same berries will carry the birds to warmer lands.