So I am definitely in self-quarantine due to possible exposure to COVID-19. It is only a slight possibility, but I feel like acting from an abundance of caution is the move here.

Side note: if you have ever wondered what the Baltimore accent sounds like, you could either come talk to my neighbor Clarence, who is Hampden born-and-raised, or you could simply say these two words out loud: corn teen. That’s what happens when you get the COVID, hon. You go inna corn teen.

As it was rainy and cold on Wednesday (the day of this missive), I asked KWeeks if he might like to meet me at Lake Roland for a no-contact social distancing hike in search of stinging nettle. We found some on our last walk there, but I was not prepared to harvest. Now, any excuse to walk around at a safe distance from all other bipeds was enticing.

Side note, part deux: There was only one empty car in the parking lot when I arrived, and although we did pass a total of four people on our way into the woods, I stepped way aside and held my breath. #SafetyFirst

If you are an herbalist or have even a passing fancy for plant medicine, you know that I should have started tincture making back in January, or last March when everything was popping out of the ground, well in advance of a time when I might actually need them. But today I am thinking of the Chinese proverb:

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.

So consider my wildcrafted tincture product the second-best time to plant a tree.

Stinging nettle is a powerhouse of a wild plant. If you forage only one plant, let it be this one. Just be careful – wear gloves to protect yourself during harvest.

KWeeks and I walked in the damp, empty woods and talked about how awful everything is. I found massive patches of nettle, which is great because I will return to harvest more for nettle pesto the next time it rains.

Another bonus of rainy woods is the lack of danger noodles. KWeeks and I saw two on our last foray to Lake Roland, a big one and a smaller one, and I am not a fan. So cold and damp + no people + no snek = fear-free foraging.

When we parted ways, I returned home and cleaned and roughly chopped most of the stinging nettle, packing it in a pint jar before covering it with an assortment of whiskeys.

This lovely human I found on the YouTube validated my choice of lower-proof whiskey but did point out that it will take six to eight weeks to fully extract the medicine of the plant – double what my last post said.

It’s ok. I am a learning robot and can make changes accordingly.

I started to dry the remaining handful of stinging nettle dry in the oven on a rack and will let it finish in my studio. Stinging nettle is good for wheezing and lung issues – perfect timing for a pandemic. It’s good for tea, but you can also smoke it – an excellent choice for the wavering former smoker that is me.

In nine days, with no symptoms, I can hold the hand of KWeeks again and walk in the sunshine. Until then, it’s rainy walks for me only.