Herbal Winter Warm-Ups

Wintry weather is making an appearance this weekend, causing me to seek out warming cups of herb tea and other ways to keep the cold at bay. 
A cup of ginger tea is a simple way to bring warmth to a cold body. 
I add a couple of slices of fresh ginger to my tea cup, pour in boiling water and let it steep for a few minutes.  Then I add a spoonful of honey and maybe a squeeze of lemon to the cup.  Simply delicious.

Spices such as cinnamon and cardamom are also good for warming things up.  I often add a dash of one or both of these to my cup of morning tea or bowl of oatmeal. 

And for something a little more filling, how about a bowl of Curried Mixed Vegetable Stew or Creamy Sweet Potato Ginger Soup?  There's just something about a pot of soup or stew simmering on the stovetop on a winter's day to warm things up. 

So tell me ... what are some of your favorite winter warm-ups? 

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Within Your Reach

This spoke to me today-


Mend the parts of the world that are "within your reach".  ~ Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Lovely.  And so wise.  If we each mend what is in our reach, we can indeed change the world, one life, one home, one community at a time.
I'm thinking of roses today- of planting a few  to grow along the fence, bringing beauty and healing herbs to my own place in this world.  Of making a sanctuary of sorts right here ... where I live, where I am, working with what is within my reach. 

What is within your reach that you can mend, that you can bring beauty to today?  

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Simple Home Remedies ~ Elderberry Honey

This herbal home remedy or tonic is one that I make frequently, especially during cold and flu season.

Elderberry Honey is so simple to make, all you need are 3 ingredients:

Elderberries-1 cup fresh, or 1/2 cup dried (I used dried)
Water- 3 cups
Honey- 1 cup

Place elderberries and water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook slowly for 30-45 minutes. Strain warm juice into a quart jar. Pour in honey and stir well. Done!

Store the Elderberry Honey in the refrigerator where it should stay fresh for 2-3 months.

I take one tablespoonful daily as a tonic to help build immunity and keep colds at bay before and during cold and flu season.
When a cold or flu does sneak up on me, I take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

As a bonus, Elderberry Honey tastes great! I sometimes add a spoonful to my cup of tea in place of plain honey just because I enjoy it.

* I'm not a doctor, please use your own common sense when using herbs or other home remedies, etc., etc.!!!

I buy my elderberries from Amazon, my favorite place for buying all things herbal. They also sell Elder Berry Syrup if you'd rather not make it yourself.

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Rose ~ Herb of the Year 2012

The rose, favorite flower of many, is the Herb of the Year for 2012. 

Each year the International Herb Association chooses one herb to be featured for the year.  Last year it was horseradish, and you will note that my blog was largely silent on that one other than perhaps a post announcing it being the Herb of the Year.  Horseradish isn't something I use often or grow (though I did consider planting it just for fun ... it never happened, and it's probably just as well).  Roses, however, are just up my herbal alley so to speak.  I love roses- growing them, creating with them, even cooking with them to some extent.  This year you will likely find quite a few rosey posts here at Still Room Herbs.  

I only have one rose bush growing at our home at present, but plan to remedy that in just a few short weeks.  My family moved in October and the yard here is sadly devoid of roses or most any other useful herbs. It is a blessing in some ways since I have a blank canvas for designing and planting to my heart's content.
The rose pictured above is called Nearly Wild and is the one I planted here this fall.  It grew in a large terracotta pot for several years before I put it into the ground this October, and seemed to be quite content being container grown.  It blooms off and on throughout the year, even sometimes in the midst of winter (of course, that would be a heart of Texas winter).  I'll be sharing more about growing roses in a few weeks, but in the meantime here is a link to some great rose info. at the International Herb Association site. Lots of helpful advice on herbs can be found on their webpage.

Since it isn't planting season for most of us, I thought I'd repost a simple recipe that features roses, in the form of rosewater today.  The ingredients are fairly easy to come by, either from visiting a local herb shop or natural foods store or by mail order.  This is one of the first things I made when I started learning about creating my own herbal bath and body products, and something I still make and use today.  It smells lovely, soothes and softens the skin, and only takes minutes to mix up.

Rosewater Moisturizer

Mix together:

4 oz. rosewater
1 tsp. glycerin
1/2 tsp. grapeseed oil (you could add a bit more if you have dry skin)
a few drops of rose and/or lavender essential oil (optional)

I mix this in a small plastic bottle with a squirt type lid.  

Shake well before using.

Note: this doesn't make a thick, creamy lotion .. but it's very soothing to the skin and smells lovely. 

If you have a favorite variety of rose growing in your garden, please share it with me.  I am spending cold winter evenings with cups of tea and my garden catalogs making my yearly wish list!  

Winter Blessings,

Catherine 

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