HAPPY NEW YEAR!I pray that 2012 is filled with bountiful blessings for you and yours!We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pie...
End of the Year Inventory
Tomorrow I will finish up my End of the Year Inventory and continue working on my annual Herb Order. At the beginning of the year I like to order a supply of dried herbs and supplies to restock the still room herb pantry. I have some staple herbs that I always like to have on hand, such as:PeppermintSpearmintLemon VerbenaRosemaryThymeElderberriesYarrowEchinaceaCalendulaLavenderGingerArnicaComfreyNettle(this...
Lovely Printable Calendar
Alice Cantrell is offering a lovely, free, printable calendar featuring herbs on her site. A Small Collection of Useful Herbs is beautifully illustrated by her daughter and filled with those things we herbie folks love- herbs! Do visit her blog- a number of things and check out the other lovely things she has for sale in her etsy shoppe as well.She is very talented and very generous too! Blessings,Cather...
Best Recipes of 2011 Giveaway
You will want to visit Mountain Rose Herbs to enter their Best Recipes of 2011 Giveaway. I love Mountain Rose Herbs- always quality products, always great prices, always green :)...
Sweet Orange Lavender Mist
I made this simple fragrance mist to add a bit of aromatherapy to my day and also to refresh my skin which is feeling the effects of the dry air due from our heating system. Sweet Orange essential oil is said to be "brightening". I know that I enjoy the scent and find it useful for other householding tasks such as removing sticky junk left behind by labels. Lavender is soothing to skin and soul, and I use it...
Merry Christmas
Sending Christmas Blessingsfrom my home to your heart!I pray your holiday is filled with love and laught...
Oh dear ...
I thought I'd just make a few tweaks to my blog ... and well, there you have it!Tomorrow- I'll fix this ugly mess tomorrow ;) . (sigh) ...
Herbal Holidays
The holiday season is in full force at my house. We go from Thanksgiving right into the Christmas season around here. Herbs play a part in all of our holidays, just as they do in daily life. Spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, bay … all associated with Christmas whether in delicious baked goods, pomanders to scent and decorate the house, or fashioned into ornaments for the tree or gift giving, herbs...
Hello!
Sorry to be MIA for such a long stretch.Life has been busy- the good kind of busy, but too busy for comfort in many ways.My family moved a couple of weeks ago, that's a stress in itself; though we are very happy in our new home. The move was due to a new job for my husband, and that was a huge relief and answer to prayer.These days I'm unpacking boxes and trying to get life back to a workable routine, all the while thinking about...
The Wonders of Water
Water is the most healing of all remedies and the best of all cosmetics. ~Arab proverb I have to agree, water is indeed a wonderful remedy and cosmetic.Around our home, a bath is the first order of business when someone isn't feeling well.A lovely warm bath filled with lavender-scented water is soothing to both body and senses.Bubble...
The Herbal Pantry
The photo above shows what is serving as my still room and herbal pantry at present. Though I dream of a 'real' still room some day, I am a firm believer in making the best of what you have at the moment, rather than waiting for the someday that may never come. These items, tucked into a corner of the...
Hot Weather Herbs
Beautiful Blue BorageSadly, the borage that was blooming so beautifully in the photo is not a hot weather lover. My container grown borage died from heat exhaustion a few weeks ago. Even with frequent watering and pampering- it. just. died. Oh well, to be expected I suppose. I'll replant later when the weather is more suitable...
Herbal Helpers for Summer
Lavender LemonadeI'm posting at The Renegade Farmer today. Stop by to read about my Herbal Treats to Help Beat the Summer Heat. While you're there, don't miss Five Herbs for Safe Summer Skin, a great post by Briscoe White of The Grower's Exchange. I'll be posting more recipes and tips for the...
Summertime Herbal Teas and Treats
With a forecast of 108 (yes, really), I'll be focusing on keeping everyone cool and hydrated today.It is time for icy cold herbal treats, I do believe.This Lavender Lemon Quencher sounds refreshing. Lavender Lemonade is a favorite in our family, too. I think I'll brew up a batch and then freeze it in ice pop molds for an afternoon snack. My iced herb tea of choice is simply to go out early in...
Summer Days
Happy July! Sorry things have been so quiet in the stillroom lately, but summer beckons me outdoors to enjoy the beauty of the garden and nature. Herbs are growing by leaps and bounds, flowers are in bloom, and the bees, birds, and other small creatures are keeping me entertained with their daily visits to the garden and bird...
Herbal Tip of the Day
If your mint is growing by leaps and bounds (or even just a little bit), snip a few stems and put them in a little jar of water on a sunny windowsill. Check them daily and give them fresh water every couple of days and in no time you will have rooted cuttings to pot up or plant elsewhere. Pot them and let them continue to live...
Hello There!
I've not abandoned the stillroom ... I've been as busy as this little bee lately! I'll be back soon to share some great herbal treats for the lazy days of summe...
Herbal Words of Wisdom
Teeming in the countryside, the world over, are medicinal herbs and edible plants; it shows disbelief in the power of God to pass them by. ~ Common Herbs for Natural Health, Juliette de Bairacli L...
Arnica for Aches and Pains
Arnica is a great pain-reliever for when you have an aching back from working too long bent over in the herb garden!To banish an aching back or soothe a bruise, I make a very simple arnica oil by infusing dried arnica flowers in olive or grapeseed oil. I use the simplest method I know: place a cup of dried arnica flowers in a pint jarcover with olive oilstir welladd more oil to cover the herb by at least an inch (the...
Delightful Dandelion
Dandelion- a plant that is a delight to the herbalist but the dread of those in pursuit of a weed-free lawn. Dandelion is famous for those perky yellow flowers, the source of the famed Dandelion wine.Did you know that dandelion has a host of other benefits as well?Here are just a few that come to mind:great...
Eyebright Infusion for Bright Eyes
I’ve been spending way too much time sitting in front of a computer screen this week and my eyes are telling the tale all too well. It is time for me to brew up a batch of Eyebright infusion to give my eyes some rest and refreshment. This is as simple as brewing a cup of herb tea, but I will post the directions for you anyway.Eyebright Infusion to Brighten Tired Eyes2 tablespoons Eyebright herb, dried1 1/2 cups...
Nettle & Honey Allergy Relief
Allergy season is upon us. I have a simple herbal tonic that I make every year to help prevent and alleviate the misery of sneezing, itchy eyes, and so forth that plagues members of my family. First I make a nettle infused vinegar and then mix that with local honey to make Nettle Vinegar & Honey Allergy Tonic. You will need the following:apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg’s, but any good quality acv will do)dried nettles...
Remember Mom
with a gift of rosemary this Mother's Day, more on Rosemary for Remembrance at The Renegade Farmer! Happy Mother's D...
Catnip Tea Anyone?
(photo source: Wikipedia)Catnip, Nepeta cataria, the beloved herb of felines, also makes a soothing, if not particularly tasty, tea for humans. Adding lemon balm and honey will make it more palatable. Catnip is said to be calming, as well as helpful in lowering fevers, relieving the pain of teething and toothache, and a restorative...
First Aid from the Herb Garden
Two great herbs to grow for minor first-aid applications are-yarrow and mullein.Yarrow is excellent for stopping bleeding and healing cuts, and mullein makes a handy bandage if your children are prone to use all your band-aids on a weekly basis, as mine are. (Note to self: hide a box of band-aids somewhere they won't find it!) Today I cut my finger while washing my new "mini-chopper". This may be the...
May Day Herbal Fun!
Sunday is May Day, the halfway marker between spring and summer. My children are counting down the days until summer, anticipating swimming weather mostly! May Day is a holiday filled with lore and legend as well as fun. I like to celebrate by planting an herb or three on this day, and sometimes make up a few May baskets...
Creating Herb Infused Oils
Herb Infused OilsCreating your own herb infused oils is easy to do and only takes a few items.You will need herbs, a good quality oil like olive or almond, and a jar or other covered container (preferably glass).There are many herbs that can be used to create herbal oils for skincare, healing wounds, soothing bumps and bruises, and so forth. ...
Easter Wishes
May the Joy of Easter fill your heart and home with good things this weekend! Today I'm baking Hot Cross Buns (just as soon as I locate the recipe in my Recipe Pile) and planting seeds. We have a family tradition of planting something- a tree, flowers, seeds, on Easter weekend to celebrate the gift of Life. I'm planting...
Seed Sowing
"Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders." ~ Henry David ThoreauThere is a sense of wonder in a seed, isn’t there? What an infinite variety of beautiful and useful plants begin with...
Lemony Herbs
Lemon-scented herbs are at the top of my list of Lovely Things to Grow. Not only do they smell heavenly, they are very useful in a wide variety of ways. In everything from a simple cup of tea to scenting household cleaners, lemon-scented herbs are a great choice. Read more h...
Wild Weedy Herbs at The Renegade Farmer
Please drop by The Renegade Farmer to learn about one of my favorite wild weedy herbs this week!We've been a bit under the weather, but more herbal posts are coming soon.Blessings,Cather...
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