The weeds of Ecuador

There are many ways to look at weeds. You could say that weeds are plants that choke out more "useful", "productive" plants. You could also say that weeds are plants that are in the way, they block the view. I like to look at all things with a different point of view, not only about plants but other beings too, but today I will keep it just about plants but I suppose it could be about other things too, depends how you look at things, I suppose.
I had in the past studied and took classes on herbalism and preparation of those herbs and their uses. I went into the woods and harvested plants, spent quiet time in the forests of Canada looking for them. I talked with various peoples about them and tried to understand them. I looked for ways to use them in my therapy to help others. When you ask different people about those plants some will call them weeds. Biologists often call them apart of the web of life. I like the last one best, but my feeling for them is "gift", and utter beauty. They are also natures balancers and indicators of natures state.
However much that I love these gifts, I am not entirely connected to them, meaning that I am not of the person or character to "grow", them. I love them, respect them, incorporated healing with them, studied them and I photograph them but I am not in synch with them. I truely have a black thumb. Here in Ecuador, the earth here has been called "Generous". It is really, even I can keep plants alive here. Often when someone likes a plant, they take a cutting from it and just stick it in the ground and wha-la, it grows and lives happily there. It makes up for my personal lack, connection to the plant kingdom.
Here in Ecuador, you could never ever possibly see all the plants and learn all their part of nature, there are just toooooooooo many of them. I have had the pleasure of seeing orchids growing in the jungle that are only 4 or 5 mm big, thank god I had my glasses with me or I would have missed the whole event. I have tasted and seen plant and fruits I never dreamed of, whose names I can't pronounce or even remember. I was told of and tried the "magic" fruit. When you bit this fruit and chew it, it tastes .....okay. But the trick is next, now you bite a lemon or other super sour fruit and it is sweet. I didn't even realize it was supposed to be sour till someone pointed it out later. I am embarassed about my powers of observation sometimes, but back to the main topic of this blog.
I have been overwhelmed about the plants here and the peoples attitudes about them. I have yet to visit a shaman, I know of one in Salasaca, where I have seen severe burn wounds on a child almost completely gone in 1 month, all with plants. I do have to say I am not tremendously interested in the "trip" without leaving the farm using certain popular plants. Ayahuasca or San Pedro are not high on my list of things to do, although I think that that kind of experience has worth, many people spend lots of money to experience and come here just to experience them with shaman.
I, in the past and even now, I have been intimidated to paint these wonders. I have hundreds of photos of the plants here, most of which are considered "weeds". The colors are endless, and shapes amazing. I have seen some plants that look like aliens (even some bugs). Rob and I have purchased garden plants even that look unusual and breath taking. From my collection, I have taken the simplest plant to paint.
Now, I am for the first time going to attempt to paint a flower, one that I found in a rubble pile. Often in Ecuador the people throw their garbage in the side of the road or dump their building rubble where ever. There in this pile of yuck was this flower. The light shone behind it making it glow, it was in peachy/pinks. I have to say I am not a "Pink" girl.... ever but this was nature giving pink from life. After a few days the flower had finished and was gone. The locals would not remember or even noticed it, but I did. The attempt is on the canvas now and I am trying to make the flower bloom for all to remember. A local friend came over for a visit and for the first time asked to see my art as she had heard about it but had never seen it. She asked where this flower came from and was shocked to hear that it was from here. I hope that she will remember what she didn't see, after all it is one of the treasures from her own country. I think that after this experience here I will be looking at Canada from a different perspective. I learned from working with severe "Special" kids how to love and appreciate life more, now I have been given the opportunity to appreciate my environment more.
I am trying to connect with this plant by painting it. When I paint, I connect to the being, the energy of its life. I am hoping that by painting them I will connect more. I would like to paint more "weeds" in the future as they are so many and so unappreciated. It is hard to paint from these plants as the most remarkable and fantastic are almost impossible to capture and have them look "real", like they are apart of this earth. The jungle is like the deep sea, there are creatures that look alien there too, but the jungle is easier to get to. The other day. Rob and I found a......hmmmm..... a fungus or orchid.....plant that grew on the side of a tree that was round orange.... about the half the size of Rob's melon (head) and was made up of bright orange with a multitude of blossoms..... with a number of delicate yellowish tendrils sticking straight out. Now this description is with words that are failing, now try and paint it. Yikes. It was fabulous and impossible to describe to give it full and complete honor and accuracy.
So this is my first attempt, it is a simple flower and fortunately on a large canvas. Another thing that I am trying to capture is the yellow light that is here. In Canada there is a pink light but here in Ecuador there is a yellow light. I am finding it a challenge and I have to take many breaks to deal with it. So wish me luck with this attempt. I will photo the painting when done. Wish me luck on trying to capture nature at its best.
Talk with you all later, be brave and honest
Robin