June brings us the Strawberry Moon, marking the time of year that strawberries ripen and we get to enjoy their sweet delicious flavor and fragrance.
Let's talk about these little beauties. Strawberries as some may know, are not actually berries, they are closer to roses. Those yellow "seeds" on the outside are it's fruit, we enjoy the swollen jewel toned supple flesh that contains it.
Something one might find interesting, the leaves and tops are also edible, and are said to have significant nutritional (and in some cases medicinal) value. The flowers are often used as garnish and on occasion in teas with the leaves.
Different parts of the Strawberry plant have been revered and used worldwide in ceremonies spells and rituals centered around: Abundance, Beauty, Fertility, Health, Love, Luck, Purity and Rebirth.
Strawberries are the first fruit to ripen in the year in some locations and so, in some cultures were highly celebrated as a sign of Renewal or Rebirth (Native American). The Berries (we will call them) were a love food in other cultures (Usually European), and were not only consumed off the plant but also used in teas and winemaking, it was thought to share a strawberry with someone would induce their love. Wine would aid in a seduction of a soon to be lover, tea to increase one's beauty in the eye of the beholder or attract true love. The leaves carried in the pocket for luck. In a playful nature for a little bit of a laugh- the leaves of the Strawberry Plant were said to aid in pregnancy pains (that one is going to end up with after some Strawberry Wine and love making). These plants are often associated with deities Aphrodite (Venus), Freya, occasionally Frigg, the element of water, the planet Venus and the Moon. The Seneca people believed that strawberries line the pathway to he heavens.
The Strawberry is a resilient beauty. She can grow in sub par conditions and triumph through. She self propagates and is a sign of perseverance and unyielding determination with poise. She is Beauty and She is Grace. I have an abundance in my yard and I am very grateful that I get to indulge in this delight. If you have the chance to grow your own, give it a shot. I am in the Northwest of the USA and they thrive here.
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