I’ve been looking for a rowan tree for a little while. They’re not uncommon in landscaping and parks. There’s a species or two that are native to my part of the US, and also some that were brought here from Europe. They have flashy orange berries and distinctive leaves, so they’re fairly easy to spot.
But of course, as soon as I actually wanted to find one, I couldn’t remember any of the specific places I’d seen them growing. I’ve been keeping an eye out everywhere I go for a few weeks, but I didn’t get lucky until today. An unexpected errand took me by a park with multiple rowan trees displaying their pretty berries.
And this is what I wanted to make. It’s an old protective charm made from crossed rowan twigs, woven together with red thread or yarn. The berries are often included, too, like I did here.
I didn’t just walk up and snap some bits off a tree, of course. I spent some time there, cleaned up some trash, removed some pests that were damaging the leaves, and gave the tree some water. I collected a handful of berries off the ground, plucked a few that were ripe and ready to fall off, and took a short branch that needed pruning.
When I got home, I spent a very cozy and peaceful evening making a few of these. I’ve never made them myself, so it took some practice. I’ve shared my favorite here, but they’ll all find places around the house or become gifts.
Jasmine Collins 