Houseleek

You will bring trouble to the house
if you pull up the houseleek from the roof.
Sussex saying(educating.com)

And the gardener shall have house-leeks growing on his house.
Charlemagne, Holy Roman Emperor

Believed to be protection from lightning (hence, Romans called it Jupiter’s beard) and fire, houseleek looks as if it were leaking out of the rooftops of rustic European houses. Representing vivacity and domestic industry, houseleek is a first-aid herb, used in much the same way  as an aloe vera; I recently broke off a leaf to rub its elixir over a nettle sting!

Best known, perhaps, by its moniker “hens and chicks,” houseleek boasts the singular phenomenon of the Fibonacci sequence: the “mother hen” rosette sends off clones which cluster around her base like clucking chicks. It is a monocarpic plant, a fascinating feature that means it flowers once in its lifetime, a kind of glorious existential epiphany. It casts its otherworldly, towering cluster of colorful flowers over its chicks before decaying into the life cycle of plant death, leaving its heirs to carry on the legacy; hence, its Latin name sempervivum, translated “live forever.”

The analogy isn’t lost on me. Proverbs 17:6 poetically ascribes the glory of our offspring, who in turn reflect that same glorious image back to their parents:

“Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,
and the glory of children is their fathers.”
~English Standard Version~

When we cultivate a culture of honor and humble concern for one another, we breed offspring who will in turn minister to us. When we give the best of our labors to our little ones, the return on our investment in those tender years is manifold. I’m grateful to testify to this process. My children can see when I’m weary with the demands of their schedules or my own “domestic industry” or under the yoke of a migraine, and their compassion toward me has blessed me when they respond to my requests for household help without complaining or, as my youngest does when I tuck her into bed, praying for me. This is Matthew 11:28’s promise played out in a family on a daily basis:

“Come to Me,
all you who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.”
~New King James Version~

The eternal promise is salvation for our souls:  sempervivum.

 

Believe it or not, you can eat houseleeks! I haven’t given this a try yet, so if any of my dear readers are brave enough, let me know how it tastes, and I will come back and edit my post when I get around to cooking up a few of my own houseleeks!

Salmon With Houseleeks
Salmon
Thyme
Houseleek rosette
Onion
Salt Lemon juice & honey
Fresh dill, if desired

Lay parchment paper on 8×13 baking pan, followed by salmon. Arrange houseleeks and onion among filets and drizzle with olive oil or coconut oil. Sprinkle liberally with salt, thyme, and lemon juice. Drizzle with honey, if desired. Bake and 425 for 20 minutes.