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Welcome to another weekly Curation from the amazing Passengers of the EcoTrain.

As always, I have picked one post from each of the passengers that remain active on the platform. A post that gives us all a small glimpse into their lives. We certainly are a diverse bunch and that is always reflected within our creations. So much of our content promotes skill sharing, living in harmony with the earth and the values of community. This week we have something to suit everyone, from natural medicine, permaculture, rituals, natural building and poetry. Content to inspire and nurture us.

It is our goal within the EcoTrain to make the world a better place and we are all very passionate about doing just that, which is reflected in the content we create. So sit back, enjoy and remember to show your support by upvoting, following and resteeming the content that you enjoy and lets all work towards making the world a better place together!

WELCOME!

Hive account@hopehuggs

Poem: The Duck that Dreamed He was a Flamingo

We walked past some sleeping ducks last night on the way home and my daughters thought it was quite funny that they slept on one leg. And my youngest said they are like flamingos and the idea for this poem popped in my head.

It is really about how often we compare ourselves to others, or want to be something or someone else.

We are just fine as we are. This always seems to take a lifetime to learn.

Hive account@mountainjewel

Elderberries in the Food Forest: New Varieties!

Elders have captured my attention for years.
What attracts me most about this glorious plant is the strength I can feel emanating from this being.

Being medicinally rich, delicious, hardy and easy to propagate, I’m sold. These hardwood cuttings are from selected cultivars (wydewood and marge, pictured above) which are chosen for first year fruiting tendencies and high flower yield respectively. They’re ready for a new home.

Hive account@walkerland

Cooking with Lavender | Herbes De Provence & Other Recipes

Cooking with edible flowers is one of those beautiful culinary experiences that has a way of delighting and surprising both the eyes and the palette.

For the cook, the act of brushing your fingers against petals, gathering up a basket of aromatic herbs, breathing in the therapeutic aroma and then tasting the flavors as you create something unique, has a touch of indulgence and sensuality to it.

This week I have been diving into one of my favorite flowers/herbs Lavender. I want to share some recipes and inspire you to explore lavender as a seasoning for your sweet and savory recipes.

Hive account@riverflows

Mindful Life: Honoured to Bring this New Community to Steemit

When I started Natural Medicine, I did so with the express intent of involving meditators and yogis into the fold. Meditation and yoga has had by far the biggest impact on my life, and is often my saviour, so despite all the wonderful plant medicines, a healthy diet, exercise and all those OTHER natural medicines, it was this aspect that was in the forefront of my mind. However, Natural Medicine is a busy place, with lots going on, and it was hard to separate that aspect of 'natural health' from meditation or mindfulness practices.

Hive account@trucklife-family

Celebrating The Mother

Today I created and held a Mother Blessing for my friend, she recently became a mother and I wanted to take the time to acknowledge and honour this transition, from maiden into motherhood, with her and her close friends. There is a huge lack of supportive and creative rituals taking place today in western society, leaving us unprepared for the many rites of passage throughout our lives. When we preform rituals we bring awareness an understanding, we bring clarity and respect to those different stages within our lives.

Hive account@senorcoconut

Thoughts on Transformational Festivals and Costa Rica | Part 1

As some of you already know, we've made our way down to Costa Rica to get away from the winter a bit, but also because we wanted to go to a festival!!!

My wife was teaching a couple kid's workshops, one on making Unicorn Headbands and the other on Dreams and Vision Boards!!! Both workshops went great, the first one perhaps a bit overwhelming but everyone was super impressed with the quality of the horns we were making.

Before the festival we visisted Rancho Mastatal and I was inspired beyond belief with all the natural constructions and community they had built. The festival had stages, gates, dwellings, shops and art that were in their own way just as inspiring.

Hive account@porters

Of Mullein for the Natural Medicine Plant Medicine Challenge

Mullein first came into my life when I was a member of the Perennial Society working in their demonstration gardens. I saw this lovely tall spike flower - "What's that?" I inquired and found it was the Mullein (Verbascum Thapsus).
And, low and behold there was a few plants being offered in their plant exchange (which I quickly snagged up.)

Knowing it is classified as a herb I put it in my herb garden. It is not a true perennial but self-seeds pretty good. In fact, these few plants that I was babying to get established in my garden, grew plentiful wild, in a bit warmer climates.

Hive account@nainaztengra

Positive Thinking - How it is Perceived

Positive Thinking, this is the word we keep hearing about all the time. People say think positive and everything will be fine. So is it that just thinking positive will change our life?

Positive Thinking is good and required but just thinking positive without taking any action is like dooming oneself further. Eventually what happens is frustration builds up and you fall further from where you were.

Hive account@eco-alex

Earthship Biotecture 101: Learn with Michael Reynolds: Part 1

If you have heard of Earthships and Really want to understand what they are about, and how Biotecture works then this series is for you! What you will read below are my transcribed words of two very special videos that were filmed during an Earthship Seminar in Taos, New Mexico, USA. No one has ever transcribed these videos before, and they are very long at around 4 hours! So what I have done is to get this all in text, edited and a lot of ums and uhs removed so that you can get to this information very quickly! You can also watch the first part of the video at the end of this if you would like to see his crazy drawings as well! The people who attend these seminars pay a lot of money to attend and learn this valuable knowledge, but by the magic of the Internet and Steem I am bringing it to you and the blockchain to be preserved!

Hive account@artemislives

Mini Mango or Weird Eggs? No, it's Mayom Chit Season Here in Northern Thailand!

Think a lush flavour somewhere between a mango, a peach, a plum and an apricot.

Oh. Wow.
At first glance they might be eggs. About the same size and shape, albeit with a peach-mango coloured blush.

Firm but juicy texture.
This exotic fruit goes by many names: Gandaria, Marian Plum, Plum Mango, or, in Thai, Mayom Chit. Botanically Bouea macrophylla A cousin, if you will, of both the mango and the cashew.