Seeds of Gratitude

Two years ago, I bought my first plant at the RFCV Exotic Plant Sale.

I planted Mrs. Passiflora along the fence dividing me from my neighbors. The first year it sprouted a little and covered a few inches of the fence. When Mrs. P and I had a heart to heart , she told me that I was not paying enough attention to her and the sacred ground in which I had created her home. I understood that without intimate connection to Earth Mother there could not be any meaningful growth.

Over the last year, Zeko and I play by Mrs. PassiFlora. He led me out one day and began to roll around and play near her leaves. And now we sing to her and commune with the Earth. And how she has grown!!! Her leafy tendrils reach for the sky and spread onto the metal mesh as she expands and grows.

This year, I was truly open to hearing her and learning her language. I lay my body on the ground next to her and allowed my heart beat to flow with her rhythm.



Mrs. Passiflora rewarded me amply. Beautiful purple and white flowers, with hairy tendrils that tickle the nose and give just a hint of aroma. What sweet nectar!!! Her flowers blossomed all over the vine. And then, her flowers closed up after a few days of exquisite beauty. A week later, they reopened to emerge swollen with green fruit.


In my many travels in the Carribean, I have had the pleasure of drinking her juice and tasting her fruit - however, I knew of her as Maracudja and she was purple.

When this fruit ripens, it becomes a reddish/purple color and all wrinkly and old looking. And that is when Mrs. Passiflora's seed is ready to yield her fruit and sweet juice. We were blessed this summer with an abundant crop. We scooped her seeds and yummy juice on top of vanilla frozen yogurt for an ultimate taste treat.

My seed of gratitude to Eric LaBrum, unofficial caretaker of the Gardens, who showed me his way of taking care of Mother Earth. I am so grateful. I am so blessed.