What is it about witch hazel that likely makes Hazel Barnett feel so happy to look upon it in her old garden?

Witch hazel grows even in the wintertime, when many plants die out or are not visible above the surface of the ground. Since it has so many medicinal properties, its presence in a garden in the middle of winter was historically a very useful thing, thus Hazel Barnett views it as a small reminder that though times may seem dark, there is always something bright -- in this case, useful to humanity -- to look upon and remember the good times.

What are some of the ways in which being a mother influenced Kimmerer's zealous transformation of the pond?

Being a mother to two children influenced Kimmerer's view of the pond behind her house, since she began to see it as a potential source of...