I have an announcement to make…I’ve changed my name. It’s something important to me, a decision I didn’t run out and do on a whim. For the past year the story of my ancestor Thomas Savage has really been coming through for me. At age 13 he left England for the New World. Arriving on the second boat into Jamestown in 1607, he was shortly thereafter exchanged with Namontack (a Powhatan boy). The two boys were designated to learn the language and lifeways of each others respective cultures. It is said that Savage had a close relationship with Chief Powhatan, as well as his famous daughter Pocahontas. He was a valuable man to Jamestown, and worked for the remainder of his life as a translator and negotiator. I hope to carry on his spirit of adventure and diplomacy.
Tree-ring data from the Jamestown area shows that the region was in the midst of a 7-year drought when the settlers arrived. The colonists wanted to trade for food, but the Powhatan didn’t have enough reserves. Disputes began to arise around food, and it’s an area of history I don’t want to see repeated. War is not the answer. The above photo has catsear flowers (Hypochaeris radicata) in the center of the sun. In the rays of the sun, from top to bottom, are salal berries (Gaultheria shallon), salmonberries (Rubus spectabilis), thimbleberries (Rubus parviflorous), red huckleberries (Vaccinium parvifolium), and himalayan blackberries (Rubus discolor). I saw a bear while harvesting the salmonberries, and in the spirit of the bear I hope that you are always gifted with the sweetness of life.
So, Sunny Johnson is of times gone by…and Sunny Savage was birthed into existence at 10:43 am on August 17th, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA. I’d like to leave you with these words from Marianne Williamson:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented, and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightening about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
This is wonderful Sunny!
You go girl! Someday I
want to hear about your
life in CA. Love to
Salien. Love, Two Cooks
congratulations, it suits you well! i love logging onto your site when i can and reading what you’ve been up to, i hope one day that you will return to world of oz and come and visit my little world(hopefully by then i will have a few acres and the garden that i’m dreaming of) take care, and keep in touch!
love flick
Sunny, You continue to lead us all. It’s a wonderful thing that you’ve reached so far back to make the connection to your roots and to honor your ancestors with your name.
Take care,
Hugs to the young one,
Sonja
thanks for the amazing support ladies! It means a lot.
much love, ~sunny
Hi Sunny,
That is wonderful.. it is a beautiful name 🙂 I hope to talk to you soon and I enjoy reading about all the delicious food that you perpare !!
Hi Sunny!
Sarah and I are just looking at the website this is pretty cool way to go. Keep up the good work. Come and see us when you come back to Minnesota, Hope to see you soon.
Love,
Emily and Sarah
yey!!! So good to hear from you ladies…as in Emily Levine & Sarah Alexander? Give me some info 🙂
Happy New Year!
lotsa love, sunny
It was great meeting you guys in Hot Springs! I am amazed at your website and work Sunny. I am passing your name on to all my organic hippie friends! Good luck on your travels and hope to see you again!
thanks Harmony!
was great to meet you as well. What a fun weekend…learned so much and met so many great folks.
much love sent your way, ~sunny
Sunny, I would like to know more about horehound and its asthma and allergy relief properties.
Hi Ray!
That’s a bit beyond my scope. I would recommend doing some Google searches, or picking up some of Michael Moore or Dr. James Duke’s books to find out more info on using horehound medicinally.
good luck!
cheers, ~sunny
How are you related to Thomas Savage ? he is my ancestor also ?
Do you have any information on his wife Hannah Tyng ?
I am related to Thomas Savage through my grandfather’s mother. I do not have any information about Hannah Tyng. My grandfather holds all of the geneology for our family…and he is quite old and ill. Someday we will go through it again as a family in more depth. it’s fun…and i’m grateful to at least have a road to go down when connecting with my ancestors.
much love…cousin? 🙂
cheers, ~sunny
Dear Sonny,
I too, am a descendant of Ensign Thomas Savage and Hannah Tyng. I have thought long and hard about writing a book, but must make sure that it does not become a childrens’ book.
The reason that I am writing to you is that I am going to share with you, a discovery of a plant on the Eastern Shore which appears to be unique only to the area where Savage’s own plantation was. I traveled to the Eastern Shore fourteen yearas ago to do research on our mutual ancestor. I acquired a map which described the whole area of Cherrystone Creek. Upon riding in the car with my husband, along the road that leads toward the creek, I noticed a very tall plant prolifically growing continually along that road. I,( being an herbalist ) was spellbound at this huge and flowering Dill. I began to fantacize. I noticed that it grew nowhere else on the Eastern Shore as far as I could see. I began to wonder if long ago and far away, if perhaps, Hannah may have brought some dill over with her in her own personal chest. I know it is a stretch, but if I ever get this book completed, there will be a mention of this very versatile herb in it.
I just know that since you are a devoted plant person, you will be pleased to know about this. Don’t you think that it is kind of special?
Frances Hudelson
P.S. I do not believe that my line would be of any use to you, as I descend from a different granchild. Good luck on your own search though.
Got a few things for you. Some wild foods near my home in NJ. My grandmother used to make fresh jam by picking blackberries, smashing them up and mixing honey into them. I like it with little to no honey on toast. Broad-leafed plantain can be eaten as a green after being boiled in 2 changes of water; you can use it also to soothe insect stings by smashing and squeezing it up with your fingers then pressing it onto the sting site as hard as you can for a few minutes. The sap draws out the venom. I have a few other recipes and cures which you may find interesting. Got in touch with me if you can use anything I may know. Thanks, love your show.