Sometimes the weather has a way of testing our patience. This weekend we were in Salacgrīva, my hometown, for a birthday celebration of a lovely boy! Unfortunately, the weather decided not to cooperate. It was cold, rainy, and windy, and since the celebration was outdoors, we spent most of the day trying to stay warm. … More A Rainy Day in Salacgrīva and a Field of Lupins
I’ve written about coltsfoot so many springs now. About waiting for them, about picking them, about drying them carefully for tea. It has become something like a rhythm — not a strict ritual, but a familiar return. 2017: https://latvianmom.com/2017/04/21/coltsfoot-is-blooming/2018: https://latvianmom.com/2018/04/25/coltsfoot-finally/2025: https://latvianmom.com/2025/04/02/coltsfoot-the-hidden-guardian-of-spring/ But this year feels… different. I have changed. And somehow, I feel like I … More Coltsfoot hasn’t changed. I have.
This morning began with something simple and lovely: fresh salad, dill, and crisp cucumbers from our garden, mixed with a touch of salt and kefir. Light, refreshing, and just right—especially before enjoying a coffee with a scoop of ice cream. I love mornings like this—unrushed, soft, a little bit magical. Afterward, I headed out to … More Vacation Day 2: Ice Cream & Coffee, Furrows & Flower Namesakes
It feels like spring never truly arrives until I see the first cowslips blooming. They’re early, humble, and bright—little golden bells dotting the meadows, as if the earth itself is waking up with a gentle yawn. There’s a kind of innocence in them. Soft, downy leaves close to the ground, and those sunny blooms nodding … More Cowslip (Primula veris) – Golden Bells of Spring
This is my first time trying – In a Vase on Monday! Thank you, Cathy at Rambling In The Garden. So this is my vase… Yesterday I was in the forest. I gathered what summer offered me: tiny wild strawberries and blueberries, nestled among fresh green leaves. There’s something magical about arranging edible finds—like bringing the … More In a Vase on Monday
There are many traditions tied to the Līgo flower crown. Some say it protects you from misfortune, others believe it brings good luck, love, or even helps you dream of your future. Some wear it just for beauty — to feel a part of nature, even if only for a night. But the one I … More The Crown That Stays
When it comes to making a ziedu vainags (flower crown), you don’t need wire, thread, string, or tape. Nature gives us everything we need. With just wildflowers and smilgas (bentgrass or other strong wild grass), you can make a crown that stays firm, holds its shape beautifully, and brings joy both in midsummer and long … More Make your own Flower Crown!
After the summer solstice celebrations, our home always feels a bit enchanted, filled with lingering scents of wilting birch trees – meijas (in Latvian), drying flower crowns, and wildflowers & grasses slowly fading in every vase. This year, my bouquet of Jāņu zāles brought a little extra magic I hadn’t expected. I had carefully gathered … More The Magic Dust of Līgo!
Lately, I’ve found myself pausing more often just to admire the fields around our home. It’s not a carefully planted garden or a designed landscape—it’s just nature doing its thing. And right now, that means wildflowers. A whole sea of them. Especially daisies. Some people call them oxeye daisies—Leucanthemum vulgare, if we’re being official. But … More The Wild Beauty Around Me: Oxeye Daisies—Leucanthemum Vulgare
Before spring fully awakens, a small yet powerful flower emerges. Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) resembles a dandelion but holds its own magic. Blooming before its leaves appear, it has long symbolized resilience and healing. A Plant of Many Names Known as son-before-father, horsehoof, and coughwort, coltsfoot’s Latin name Tussilago comes from tussis, meaning “cough.” Its flowers … More Coltsfoot: The Hidden Guardian of Spring
Primula veris I love to forage for tea! When I was little we did it together with my grandmother – Agafija. I thought it was hard work. The basket was too big and flowers were too small or not enough. Yesterday I did it with my girls and their grandma (my mom) and suddenly I … More Foraging for Tea: Cowslip
Finally, I stepped out to see what’s blooming around our house. We don’t have flower beds (ok, one small with daffodils) so all the beauty is from wildflowers. Like these ones… … I called my mom to ask the name. I know there are such flowers white and yellow (we had them in my grandma’s … More Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa)