quote

"There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you ..... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself."
- Ruth Stout

Stop What You Are Doing and Take a Minute!

 

Whether you talk on your cell phone or text or tweet, I would like you to stop and think about who and what is around you. If you have kids or grandkids, stop what you are doing and spend time with them today if you can.  If you have a dog and it isn't too stormy or cold out, take it for a long walk.  If you are in the middle of a storm, get a cup of tea or coffee and curl up with a good book or your cat.   Hope you still have power!  Dust off those cobwebs and enjoy each other's company today.  Life is too short not to be together.

The Herbal Husband helped me by taking these photos.  I need to spend time reading my favorite blogs!  Will be doing that throughout the coming weeks and hope to get more in touch with all of you!  We are off to the movies in a little while to see "Crazy Heart" with Jeff Bridges.   The movie was very good and Jeff Bridges was great!  He should win the Oscar!

Bathing with Herbs

Bathing with Herbs
Jan/Feb '08 issue, The Essential Herbal
Now that the hectic holiday season is past, we have time to pamper ourselves a bit. Time to read those books we haven't had time for, try some new recipes, and maybe even enjoy some luxurious herbal baths. Many times baths are a nice change from showers, but are still just a quick "wash-up". However, they can be a relaxing, therapeutic experience! In times past the herbal bath was held in great regard, and in many cultures the bath was so important that social institutions were built around it. Herbs used in these baths were chosen depending on the benefits derived from them.
In Rome the bath waters were scented, but also disinfected, by tossing lavender into them. Catherine the Great had scouts traveling about in Europe and the Far East searching for herbs that would be beneficial skin tonics in her baths.
Adding herbs to the bath can be done in a couple of ways. Simply prepare a strong infusion of the herbs of your choosing. Strain and add about 4 cups to the bath water. You can also place a handful of herbs into a muslin bag with a long drawstring. Tie the string to the water tap and let the water flow through the bag as you fill the tub. Let the bag steep in the water and do its job as you relax and enjoy. To get some extra benefits from the herbs, scrub a bit with the bag.
As an added option when preparing your bath bags, mix an equal amount of oatmeal (not the quick kind) with the herbs. This will soften the water and soothe the skin.. Milk is also soothing to the skin. Mix some powdered milk with your herbs when making up the bags. Chamomile or calendula added to the milk will make skin especially soft.
Other ways to enjoy the addition of herbs to the bath are using an herb vinegar, herbal oil, or bath salts. Herb vinegar is excellent for softening the skin and it helps get rid of dry flaky, itchy skin. Bath salts soften the water and can be therapeutic when made with bicarbonate of soda, which neutralizes the acids of the skin. Essential oils added to a carrier oil make a fragrant and relaxing bath. Some ideas for bath blends:Herbs for relaxationChamomile, calendula, comfrey, lavenderStimulating herbal bathsRosemary, peppermint, sweet marjoram, parsleySoothing bath herbsCalendula, comfrey, catnip, rose, yarrow Try some of the following recipes, or experiment and see what you like the most. You will feel like you are visiting a healing spa!

Soothing Citrus Bath Blend
1-1/2 cups chamomile
1-1/4 cups comfrey
3/4 cups jasmine flowers
1-1/4 cups lemon balm
1-1/4 cups orange peel
Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container. Use a handful in a bath bag for each bath.Calming,

Warming Bath Blend
1 cup rosemary
1 cup lavender
1/2 cup thyme
1/2 cup lavender
1/2 cup rose geranium
Cover 1/2 cup of the mixture with 1 cup boiling water. Steep 20 minutes. Drain liquid into bath water. Tie herbs into a thin washcloth to use as an herbal scrub. This mixture will make 8 baths.

Herbal Vinegar Bath Recipe
Add 2 handfuls of your choice of herbs (individual or a combination) to 5 cups vinegar. Bring to a boil and let stand overnight. Strain and bottle. Add 1 capful to the bath. Refrigerate and use as desired.

Bath Oil with Essential Oils
4 parts Turkey Red Oil Note: Turkey Read Oil is a processed castor oil that will mix into the water rather than floating on top.
1 part essential oil (a single fragrance or a mixture) Add to the warm bath water to soften the skin as you bathe.
Mary Ellen WilcoxSouthRidge Treasures-Herbs

Let Him Eat Quiche!

The other night The Herbal Husband had a hankering for quiche.  So I made a Ricotta and Spinach Quiche from one of my favorite cookbooks, Three Rivers Cookbook II.  I only have the first two, but I think there are four in the series.

Ricotta and Spinach Quiche-Serves 8
"A quiche most everyone loves - this makes a large one."
 Original recipe by Marlene Parrish


pastry
1 bunch fresh spinach or 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach
1 cup Ricotta cheese
nutmeg, grated
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup cream & 1 cup milk or 2 cups half & half
4 eggs, lightly beaten
salt & pepper

Line a deep 10" quiche pan with your favorite tart pastry, prick and bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  Meanwhile, wash spinach and cook for a few minutes.  Squeeze out all liquid and chop: should be about 3/4 cup.  Combine spinach with Ricotta, a little nutmeg and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese.  Spread over the bottom of pie shell.  Combine eggs with cream, milk and salt and pepper.  Pour over Ricotta-spinach mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until puffed and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let quiche sit 10 minutes before serving.

Here is my additions and subtractions to the recipe.  I added a chopped onion sauteed in a little butter or olive oil, cooled, 1 t. of oregano (an Italian mixture or even dill) and an 1/8 t. garlic powder to the first mixture.   I also reduced the cream/milk mixture to 1-1/2 cups and used only 3 eggs not 4.  I also did not bake the pastry ahead, but I baked the quiche for 45 to 50 minutes total.  You need to let it sit for at least 10 minutes.  The Herbal Husband could not wait to dive in and it had a lot of liquid!  So don't listen to your family!  Wait until it rests before cutting it.  Hope you enjoy it!

P.S. I would like to thank the three brave souls who participated in my poll question about lemon verbena in the dark in the winter.  I think that one person is going to try it next season and the other two had not tried it.  I have never tried it, but I do keep our lemon verbena in a southern window in the winter.  Here is an earlier post about my favorite herb, lemon verbena.

Blue Skies, Snow and Mischief!

Remember we are in our gray period, winter.  So when we get a blue sky kind of day, it is the greatest!  So you have seen by the banner photo, we had snow again last night!  It is winter here and very cold again.  We had a brief taste spring on Monday when it was in the 50's!  So you have seen the blue sky, the snow and now on to the mischief!  I took this squirrel hunting in the snow for peanuts that might have been left behind.

Then it got a little bolder and jumped up on the bird feeder.  Fortunately the good news is it didn't get any birds or food!

Then I tapped on the window and off it went.

Never a dull moment!  Hope you are have a calm peaceful day wherever you may be!

quote

"If it's rare, we want it. If it's tiny and impossible to grow, we've got to have it. If it's brown, looks dead, and has black flowers, we'll kill for it."
- Ken Druse

A Lamp Post for the Faeries!

As you know, I have been reading Sharon Lovejoy's new book, Toad Cottages & Shooting Stars.  You should be reading it too.  She inspired me to find items that would be good for a faeries' landscape.  When I was out in my herb garden the other day, I spotted this sunflower and it reminded me of a lamp post for faeries.  A little cold for the faeries to be outside.  Maybe when they are, they will enjoy the sunflower lamp post!

A Surprise in the Winter Garden!

There is a little snow on the ground today, but early this week, it was mild.  I was poking around and looked over this viburnum and found, 'Graham Thomas.'  My favorite rose in the summer garden.  Here it is in its glory.  I was really afraid that it was the trumpet vine!  That would have been bad.  Dreaming of a warm summer day!  Hope it is a great day wherever you are.  

Visitor in the Garden!

Look who's tracking its breakfast.  Kitty/Ginger Snap was out in the front garden keeping the mole/vole population at bay.  It was chasing squirrels the other day.  Not with great success!  Those moments I wish I had a video.

Nervines

Another guest column today. This came from David Brill of The Rosemary House:

Education and information has always been one of the cornerstones of our busy business since day one in March of 1968. Originally, founder and mom, Bertha Reppert did all of the classes and workshops but as we matured and our customers herbal knowledge grew it became time to bring in additional herbal experts. So now our schedule of events includes herbal enthusiasts from The Rosemary House staff and we enjoy bringing in guest speakers from around the country. In 2007, our herbalist was the famed Rosemary Gladstar, author of The Family Herbal, we were thrilled to be able to get her “down off her Mountain” in Vermont to come to Mechanicsburg for a day long lecture on medicinal herbs. She presented two intensives, one on Chasing Away the Blues, Stress and Anxiety. Where she spoke on herbs for the nervous system.. Rosemary also provided an in depth handout on this subject and she cheerfully agreed to share a part of it with The Essential Herbal Readers.

The Nervous System is our link to our environment. It has three basic functions: to receive, to interpret, and to respond. Within the limited paradigm of modern western science this involves only our physical being and the physical world in which we live. We have our five basic senses to experience our external environment and countless internal sensory neurons to monitor our internal environment. Then there are the some 12 billion cells that constitute our brain, the central computer. If that is all there is to the NS, it is enough to make it, far and away, the most important system of our body. It is what provides integration and coordination to our lives. It allows us to see, feel, touch, create, act and react. Without this basic physical NS there could be no life. To the degree that it is impaired, the quality, tone, color, and richness of life are diminished. If for no other reasons than these we must commit ourselves to keeping our NS healthy if we want a full life.

Herbs and natural therapies play a vital role in the health and well‑being of the Nervous System. Not only are herbs full of concentrated nutrients that are important both nutritionally and medicinally to the nervous system, but herbs also form a direct link between the body, mind, spirit connection. It is important within the framework of the Nervous System, perhaps more so than with any other system of the body, to address health and lack thereof from more than just a treatment of physical symptoms.

Herbal Nervines
The following categories are helpful in defining the action of herbs on the Nervous System.

1. Nerve Tonics
Herbs that feed, tone, rehabilitate, and strengthen the NS are called Nerve Tonics. Nourish the nerve tissue; generally high in calcium, magnesium, B vitamins and protein. Though effective, most are mild in action and can be taken over a long period of time. Herbs from this category are included in every formula for Nervous System disorders.
Examples: Oatstraw (Avena sativa), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Wood Betony (Betonica officinalis), Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis and related species), Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Hops (Humulus lupulus), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Kava Kava.

2. Nerve Sedatives
Relax, help reduce pain, ease tension, aid in sleep. Do not deaden or block nerve endings.
Examples: California Poppy (Eschscholzia california), Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata), St. John_Wort (Hypericum perforatum), Catnip (Catnip cataria), Valerian (Valerian officinalis),, Hops (Humulus lupulus), Lobelia (Lobelia inflata),Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), Kava Kava, and Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus).

3. Nervine Demulcents
General action on the NS but are included in almost all nervine formulas for their soothing, healing qualities and nutritional concentration.
Examples: Slippery Elm Bark, Oats, Barley, Flax Seed, Marshmallow Root.

4. Nervine Stimulants
Mildly acting, herbal stimulants gently and nourishingly tone/activate the system. Often adaptogenic in action; feed entire system. Activate the nerve endings by increasing circulation, providing nutrients, increasing vitality. Examples: Peppermint, Gingko, Gota Kola, Spearmint, Wintergreen, Cayenne, Ginger, Bee Pollen, Eleococuccus, Ginseng, Spirulina, Rosemary, and Sage.

quote

"A gardener's best tool is the knowledge from previous seasons. And it can be recorded in a $2 notebook."
- Andy Tomolonis

New Life/Old Faithful in the Herb Garden!

In amongst the sticks of pineapple sage and lavender plants, new life is appearing in the herb garden!  The chives are coming up.  I wish spring was a little closer!  Chives can withstand the cold better than most herbs, but I dare not cut too much.  I have some frozen for use and they work really well on baked or mashed potatoes and that Saturday omelet or in stir fries.  It is still winter here and Mother Nature does not want us to forget that fact!  We are going to have a lot of rain today!  Just glad it is warm enough to be rain and not snow!  Hope you are enjoying the day wherever you may be!

A Sunny Day in the Herb Garden!

Really enjoy the sun quick because it is supposed to rain a lot here tomorrow.  One of California storms is headed this way.  The sun will be gone shortly!  Does not last too long in the winter!  Even the squirrels are enjoying the day and the peanut caddy!  Don't tell The Herbal Husband!  Have a new feature that I hope you will participate in.  It is the poll question of the week.  A reader e-mailed me to ask among other things about lemon verbena whether you should place it in the dark.  I have never heard that theory, but please let me know whether through an e-mail to me or a comment whether you have had success putting your lemon verbena in a dark place in your house.

Lookie What Came in the Mail!

I have started reading it already!  It is just the cutest!  I don't think you have to be a grandmother to enjoy this book.  I would say Sharon's message is to get families involved with their children.  Your children just want your time and I know that many families are stretched to the limit, but spend time with your children.  They will reward you with great joy!  Can hardly wait to read the rest!  Going to see Extraordinary Measures and have dinner out.  The Herbal Husband refuses to cook tonight!  I'm cooking tomorrow.  No really, I am!  Talk to you later.

Old Farmer's Advice

The following wisdom came in an email from a friend several years ago, and was included in the May/June '05 issue of The Essential Herbal magazine.
I'm a little pre-occupied with things here on the hill right now, so thought that these little gems could stand in for me until my own thoughts are a little clearer.

Old Farmers Advice

*Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong.
*Life ain't about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.
*Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.
*Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.
*A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
*Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.
*Meanness don't jest happen overnight.
*Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.
*Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.
*It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.
*You cannot unsay a cruel word.
*Every path has a few puddles.
*When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.
* The best sermons are lived, not preached.
* Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.
* Don't judge folks by their relatives.
* Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
* Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.
* Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.
* Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.
* The easiest way to eat crow is while it's still warm, 'cause the colder it gets, the harder it is to swaller.
* If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
* It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
* Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.
* The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with watches you shave his face in the mirror every mornin'.
* Always drink upstream from the herd.
* Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.
* Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in.
*If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Leave the rest to Nature.

An Herbal Jelly Recipe Marathon!

Here are the last three herbal jelly recipes that I made last year.  That sounds weird to say!  Here is the Pineapple Sage Jelly recipe:

LEMON VERBENA LADY'S PINEAPPLE SAGE JELLY

Makes four 8 oz. jars

1 12 oz. can of Old Orchard Pineapple Juice, frozen concentrate, reconstituted with 3 cans of water

(It makes three recipes of jelly once it is reconstituted.)

2 cups of pineapple juice

1-1/2 cups of pineapple sage leaves, packed

3-1/2 cups of sugar

2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar OR lemon juice, your choice of one

1 pinch of salt

1 pouch of liquid pectin

(Jars should be sterilized in boiling water for ten minutes and lids covered with hot water in a separate pan.) Wash and dry the pineapple sage in paper towels, then coarsely chop it.  Put the pineapple sage in a large saucepan, and crush the leaves, using the bottom of a glass.  I use a food processor.  Add the juice, bring slowly to a boil and boil for ten seconds.  Remove the saucepan from the heat; cover and let sit for 15 minutes to steep.

Strain 1-1/2 cups of liquid from the saucepan and pour through a fine strainer into another saucepan.  Add the one of the vinegars OR lemon juice, salt and sugar and bring to a hard boil, stirring.  When the boil can't be stirred down, add the pectin.  Return to a hard boil that can't be stirred down and boil for exactly 1 minute, then remove saucepan from heat.

Skim off the foam and pour the hot jelly into four hot, sterilized half-pint jelly jars.  Leave 1/2" (or less) head space and seal at once with sterilized 2-piece lids.  I just leave my lids in hot water not boiling until you need them.  Can the jars in a boiling water bath for five minutes.

I would use this jelly on thumbprint cookies, cream cheese and crackers for a quick appetizer and a teaspoon or two as a glaze for the last 15 minutes of baking chicken or pork.

Here is one of my favorite jellies, Lemon Verbena jelly.  Wonder why?


LEMON VERBENA LADY’S JELLY

Makes four 8 oz. jars

1-1/2 c. lemon verbena leaves, torn,

2 cups water

2 T. vinegar

3-1/2 c. sugar

3 oz. Certo liquid pectin

(Boil jars for 10 minutes and pour hot water over lids separate from jars.)  Put torn verbena leaves and water into a saucepan.  Bring to a boil for 10 seconds, remove from heat and let stand covered for 15 minutes.   Measure 1-1/2 cups of liquid, add vinegar and sugar to a 3-1/2 quart saucepan.  Mix well and bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down on high heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat briefly and add pectin.  Bring back to a rolling boil and boil for exactly 1 minute stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, skim foam with spoon and pour into sterilized jars.   Can the jars in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.  Use as directed above in the Pineapple Sage Jelly recipe.

The third and final recipe is Rosemary Sherry Jelly.  It is my version of a recipe from Herbs:  A Cookbook and More:

SHERRY ROSEMARY JELLY

Makes eight 8 oz. jars

1 bottle (750 mg.) cream sherry (original recipe)

Plus enough additional sherry to equal 3-3/4 cups (my version)

¼ c. strained lemon juice

2 t. crushed, dried rosemary in metal tea ball or 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary

7 c. sugar

6 oz. liquid Certo liquid pectin (I used just one pouch of Certo.)

8 small sprigs fresh rosemary, optional

Boil jars in large pot for 10 minutes and pour hot water over lids and keep them separate from jars.  Then combine sherry, lemon juice and rosemary and bring to a boil for 10 seconds in a medium to large saucepan.  Take pan off the heat and let stand covered for 15 minutes.  Strain liquid.

Use a 5 or 6 quart pan for the next process.  Add sugar to rosemary sherry mixture and mix until dissolved.  Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Remove from heat briefly, stir in both pouches of Certo and return to heat and boil for exactly 1 minute.  Have jars ready to go.  This mixture will not need to be skimmed, but because of the double Certo, it sets up quickly!  Place a sprig of rosemary in each sterilized jar before pouring the jelly in.  (I did not use the extra rosemary.)  (I used just one pouch of Certo.  So mine was more of a syrup than a jelly.)  From Herbs:  A Cookbook and More.  I would particularly use this as a glaze on ham, pork or chicken in the last 15 minutes of cooking time especially when baking in the oven.

quote

"The strongest, most productive garden implement you can ever obtain probably won't be for sale in tool catalogs or implement stores; you won't find it listed in seed catalogs or stocked in your favorite garden center. Yet this tool is far mightier than the hoe; it will dig deeper than a tiller and will lay off rows better than any wheel planter. It's the most valuable implement a gardener can ever use: a pencil."
- Jim Long

Guest Blogging for The Herb Companion Magazine!

The snow was gone in a blink of an eye!  My guest blog for The Herb Companion magazine is all about looking for some color this time of year, winter!  Here is the link.  Caught The Herbal Husband's cold!  Going to get a cup of tea and find the tissue box!  Talk to you later.

A Letter in The Herb Quarterly Magazine!

The mail after a holiday is always pretty good.  Today it was especially great.  I got my Herb Companion magazine, my Country Gardens magazine AND The Herb Quarterly magazine.  I write letters from time to time to The Herb Quarterly.  This is the second letter I have had appear in the magazine.  It is in the Spring 2010 issue.  Basically I was mentioning that jelly making was a category they missed in an column on preserving herbs.

Long and short, welcome to The Herb Quarterly magazine readers.  In the photo above, are my rose geranium jelly, rosemary garlic jelly, cinnamon basil and lemon basil jellies.  Here are the links to the recipes in this blog.  The rosemary garlic jelly recipe is here.   The rose geranium jelly recipe is here.  The cinnamon and lemon basil jellies recipes are at this link.  The other jelly recipes mentioned in my letter, lemon verbena, rosemary sherry and pineapple sage will be shared in the coming days.  Hope you enjoy my blog!

A Closeup of a Favorite Herb Flower!

Almost forgot!  Here is a closeup of the 'African Blue' basil flower.  This was late last year.  I think!  The plant is almost gone!   We have been having the leaves in salads and sauces.  The smell is amazing!  Hope you are having a wonderful day filled with herbal smells.  I know the girls in the west (You know who you are!) are enjoying their herb gardens!

quote

"There are two seasonal diversions that can ease the bite of any winter.
One is the January thaw. The other is the seed catalogues."
- Hal Borland

Musings on Candlemas, Bees, & Honey

Musings on Candlemas, Bees, & Honey
By Betsy May
from the Jan/Feb 09 issue of The Essential Herbal

With the arrival of February comes a relatively unknown holiday. February 2 is known in various cultures and religions as “Candlemas Day.” It is the Feast day of The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. According to the Gospel of Luke, Joseph and Mary took baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem forty days after his birth, a typical custom of the time. It was here that the prophet Simeon predicated that Jesus would “become the light of the world.” In modern day, in some Roman Catholic churches, the priest blesses beeswax candles with holy water on Candlemas Day. These candles are then taken home and used throughout the year. Some people suspect that Candlemas Day was an attempt by the Romans to Christianize the Gaelic festival of Imbolc. Imbolc was celebrated at the same time of the year and is sometimes called St. Brigid’s Day. St. Brigid is, ironically, associated with scared flames and holy wells and springs. We also have Groundhog’s Day which was another evolution of Candlemas, also celebrated on the same day. Ancient cultures believed that upcoming weather could be predicted on this day.
There are many different cultural customs associated with celebrating Candlemas Day besides the blessing of candles. In a high school French class I learned that in France Candlemas Day is celebrated by making crepes or very thin pancakes. These tasty round, golden orbs are considered symbols of the sun during one of the darkest times of the year. One of my favorite memories of my adolescent years is when I persuaded my grandparents to eat crepes by candlelight. I can still see them sitting at the dimly lit table, a “Charlie Brown” poinsettia leftover from Christmas in the center of the table, eating crepes with a snow-like dusting of powdered sugar on top. (see end of article for recipe)
In addition to making crepes, I use Candlemas Day as a day to make my own beeswax candles and to take stock of all of my other candles, trim wicks, and clean candle holders. In the evening I try to use only candlelight. Life by the soft glow of candlelight is a much more enchanting place, not to mention the fact that mirrors are much more forgiving! On evenings such as these, I’m reminded of the little pleasures that get lost in the pursuit of modern convenience. On a more personal level, I always re-read my favorite novel of all time, The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. It is a must read. The novel chronicles a young girl’s journey in the search for true motherhood, following her into the magical world of three sisters who not only keep bees and make honey, but who have created a world of nurturing ritual and worship.
This of course brings us to honey, that sweet syrupy liquid-gold medicine and food of the Gods. Zeus, the Father of the Gods, is said to have been raised on honey and goat’s milk. Honey has been used for thousands of years, at least as far back as the ancient Egyptians. They used honey as part of the mummification process to embalm bodies. Prized by herbalists, honey has many medicinal properties including being antiseptic and antibacterial. It can be used topically to treat wounds and small cuts as well as internally for sore throats, coughs, and allergies.
“The dandelions and buttercups gild all the lawn; the drowsy bee tumbles among the clover tops and sweetens all to me.” J.R. Lowell
Because it is astringent and a natural moisturizer, honey can also be used as a natural cosmetic. Both Jeanne Rose and Rosemary Gladstar recommend using honey as a face mask or “honey pat.” According to Jeanne, the acid in the honey helps to get rid of blackheads and blemishes. First, make sure the face is completely dry (this is essential) and that the hair is pulled back away from the face. Gently cover the face with honey and pat it lightly. Rinse well with warm water. This facial will create a warm and lasting glow! Rosemary also talks about how her mentor, the great herbalist Juliette de Baricli Levy, grinds herb seeds into meal and mixes them with honey, then leaves them in the sun to dry. These “honey cakes” can be given as treats to little children. Herbal infused honeys are easily made by adding medicinal herbs such as ginseng, garlic, or ginger root to a jar of honey and letting it set for several weeks or months. To speed up the process, gently heat the honey and herbs several times, letting it cool between each heating. The herb itself can be removed from the honey and eaten as a delicious medicinal treat and the honey can be savored by the spoonful, used to sweeten a medicinal tea, or slathered on a piece of toast. The best honey to use, especially for the treatment of allergies, is probably local honey, but I also prize my honey that I got from Mayans living in the jungle in Mexico on my vacation this past summer. There are also other yummy “gourmet” sounding honeys that I’m longing to try such as avocado, blueberry, lavender, pumpkin blossom, and sage.
In addition to producing honey, bees also leave behind tiny golden grains in their footprints, little gems known as bee pollen. According to Rosemary Gladstar’s Family Herbal, bee pollen is a highly nutritious substance. It is a complete protein, contains all 22 amino acids, has higher concentrations of the 8 amino acids that are essential to human health, has high levels of 27 minerals, enzymes & coenzymes, vitamins B1, B2, and B6, niacin, panthenic acid, folic acid, vitamins A, C, & E. Bee pollen can be sprinkled on yogurts, cereals, or salads. Rosemary recommends it as one of the top “super foods” but also cautions us to use it in small amounts with respect, as it takes 4.8 billion grains of bee pollen to equal just one teaspoon. “Herb balls” are an ingenious creation developed by Rosemary that utilize three main by-products of bees: honey, bee pollen, and royal jelly. (Royal jelly basically baby bee food with many nutritional attributes similar to bee pollen). I learned how to make these delicious treats when I apprenticed with her in Vermont. She uses a base of nut butters (almond or cashew) and sesame paste mixed with honey and then adds super foods such as bee pollen and royal jelly, perhaps a few chocolate chips and a little coconut, and then whatever herbal powders you want, including kola nut powder for a chocolaty taste. Her “zoom balls” contain guarana for that extra rush, her throat coat balls contain soothing herbs for sore throats, there are herbal balls with gingko for aging, even aphrodisiac herb balls. Use your imagination and the possibilities are endless! They are truly so delicious that it is hard to believe they are medicine and not dessert.
Warning: Honey is a natural, healthy food that most bacteria cannot grow in. However, it can carry a mild form of botulism and therefore should not be given to babies under the age of one year old because their immune systems are not yet fully developed and they may not be able to fight off this bacteria. Bee Pollen and Royal Jelly can sometimes cause allergy and asthma symptoms. Use with caution in small amounts until you know how your body will react.
“Then he fluttered in and out among the flowers, dipping into every dewy chalice and feasting on his fragrant honey.” Celia Thaxter

Basic Crepe Recipe
½ cup flour
1 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup milk
1 T vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or you may substitute almond, orange, lemon, or rum extract for vanilla)

1. Into a medium size mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, and salt. 2. In a separate bowl, combine beaten eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Gradually add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stirring constantly with a wire whisk or fork until batter is smooth. 3. Pour onto a griddle and cook like a pancake. Put on plate and spread your choice of jams and jellies, pudding, or pie filling on top, roll crepes and dust with powdered sugar.Yield: 10 six inch crepes

quote

"As I write, snow is falling outside my Maine window, and indoors all around me half a hundred garden catalogs are in bloom."
- Katharine S. White

Combining Sweet with the Sour: Oxymels

Oxymels: Herbal preparations for the Respiratory System

Oxymels are preparations using both vinegar and honey. These mixtures have a long history of use in western herbalism, dating as far back as the ancient Greeks.

Hippocrates spoke highly of oxymels for coughs but cautions against its use for people with a cold and dry constitution (these people are commonly always the coldest in the room, wearing sweaters when others have on t-shirts, and may have dry skin, dry eyes, etc.). He

also suggested heating these mixtures gently when they are being consumed during cold weather.

I learned from Paul Bergner that William Cook, a Physiomedicalist of the 1800s preferred vinegar as a menstruum for issues of the respiratory system. He felt that it concentrated the herb’s actions to the respiratory system.

Honey in itself offers us a wide range of benefits for coughs and sore throats. It’s anti-microbial, inhibiting the growth of pathogens as well as slightly expectorant. As most of us know, a spoonful of honey can soothe a sore throat.

There are a variety of ways to make oxymels. In this article we’ll explore these different preparations as well as different herbs to use.

#1. Oxymel preparation: Water, vinegar, honey

Decoct one ounce of herb in one quart of water, simmer until ¼ of the liquid remains. Strain and add four ounces of vinegar and four ounces of honey. Mix until it forms a syrupy consistency. This preparation works best with roots or leaves. Because of the long decoction it is not well suited for aromatic herbs because the simmering will boil away the volatile oils.

#2. Oxymel preparation: for aromatic herbs (no boiling involved)

If wanting to use aromatic herbs (those in the mint family for example) you can simply combine an herb-infused vinegar with an herb-infused honey. I would suggest the ratio of one part of vinegar to three parts of honey. You can determine ration of honey to vinegar to suit your own tastes.

#3. Oxymel preparation: Vinegar decoction with added honey

Lastly, another variation of oxymels is to simply decoct the herb of choice with vinegar and then add 5 parts of honey to each part of vinegar.

I recently made an oxymel preparation similar to example number 3 using fresh pine needles harvested from near my cabin.

You can follow the steps in this photo essay keeping in mind that many different herbs could be substituted for the pine needles. Ginger, onion, garlic, elecampane, cottonwood buds, and grindelia all come to mind.

More aromatic plants like bee balm, hyssop, thyme, etc may be better suited for method number #2.

This time of year most plants are slumbering in winter dreamland. I live in the middle of a pine and douglas fir forest however and so evergreen needles are a constant source of fresh plant material. Many evergreen needles are a stimulating expectorant, which lends itself well to insistent wet or mucous producing coughs. I would not use pine needles or an oxymel preparation for dry hacking coughs. Pine needles are also a good source of vitamin C, giving us another reason to use it during times of illness.

To cut the needles into small pieces I suggest using scissors, as it is much easier than cutting with a knife.

Add a generous handful of needles to one cup of organic apple cider vinegar.

Simmer this mixture gently. If at any time it turns into a vigorous boil, turn down the heat so that it simmers once again.

After the liquid is reduced by half, strain off the needles.

Add honey to the pine needle vinegar. Many oxymel recipes call for five parts of honey for each one par

t of vinegar. So, if you have a ½ cup of vinegar you would add 2 and ½ cups of honey. You could add less if this seems too sweet to you.

Stir this mixture well until the honey dissolves into the vinegar forming a syrup consistency. We keep our oxymel preparations in the fridge and take it by the teaspoon to tablespoon when experiencing sore throats or wet productive coughs. This mixture should keep for a long time in the fridge.

The Great Insulator in the Herb Garden!

I mentioned in previous posts around this time of year that snow is the great insulator!  Look at this feverfew!  Maybe it's difficult to see through the twigs and sticks.  Just click on it to enlarge it!  I was quite pleased to see it, bright green and ready to start growing!  The lavender to the left doesn't look to bad either. 

This is the plant that my friend's daughter is growing for her science project, garlic or Chinese chives growing up through the lavender.  I need to get in my garden in the spring and remove about 80% of the garlic chives because they will take over in the garden!  It is warming up here!  Hope it is warm and sunny wherever you may be!

quote

"Turn down the noise. Reduce the speed. Be like the somnolent bears, or those other animals that slow down and almost die in the cold season. Let it be the way it is. The magic is there in its power."
- Henry Mitchell

What A Difference A Day Makes!

It's gray again, but the snow is melting.  The male cardinal was hanging out waiting for his treats on the sunflower bird feeder this morning!  It's a popular place in the winter.  Click on the bottom photo to get a better view!  That arbor may not make it through the winter!  The cat climbing it has made it lean even more!  Hope you are OK wherever you may be.  Talk to you later.

It Has Been A Sunny Day!

Even though you may be shivering looking at my herb garden, there is a silver lining.  We had sunshine most of the day and in the wintertime in Pittsburgh, that is a great thing!!  Getting much warmer here over the next few days.  Taking our friends, Jim and Laverne out for dinner.  Next week will be their 65th wedding anniversary!  They are very special people.  Hope you are staying warm and you had sun wherever you may be.  Praying for those in Haiti!

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"A natural garden ... includes the wide, wild world as it is, warts and all."
- Jeff Cox

Rose Beads

Susanna Reppert from The Rosemary House is doing a series on her blog about botanical beads and asked me if I had an entry about Rose Beads. At the time, I did not, but quickly came up with one. Here goes...
Making beads from plant materials is fun and very rewarding. There are several methods, and the following is one of the time-honored traditions amongst herbies. I think most people try this one at least once and the beads that result are really special.

Rose Beads
Adapted from Incense, Oils, and Brews by Scott Cunningham

3 parts fresh Rose petals from the most fragrant variety available
1 part fresh Rose Geranium Leaves
Rose Water

Remove the white stem ends from the rose petals. Cover the petals and leaves with plain water in a nonmetallic pan (editor’s note: some sources suggest using cast iron. We did, and the beads were lovely). Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Ensure that the mixture doesn’t actually boil. Turn off the heat and let soak until the next day. Repeat the simmering again for a half hour. Repeat this for three days in all, adding rose water when necessary (particularly using rose water instead of plain water on the last day). On the last day squeeze out all liquid until you have a fragrant mess. The mixture should be dry enough to hold its shape. Form into small, round beads with your hands, each about 1/4 inch long. Push a large needle or stiff wire through each bead while it’s still wet to form holes for stringing. Let dry for a week or so, moving them around to ensure even drying.
The beads will be black when finished, and when worn on the body they release a delicious rose scent. The fragrance can be refreshed by rubbing a tiny amount of rose oil into the beads. Rose beads have been made and handed down through generations.

If you're more inclined to want a simpler version, try our pre-mixed botanical bead mixes, or learn to do them with our book on herb beads. Either way, it's a wonderful project for a day immersed in herbs!

quote

All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar.
- Helen Hayes

Breath of Life; Understanding our Respiratory System

This article is part of the Anatomy and Physiology section of www.HerbMentor.com.

When we draw in a breath, we share that air with all other human beings and all other life on our planet. Through respiration, our oneness with trees becomes a manifest fact, and our communion with the oceans has immediate impact. The reality of the planetary whole reveals itself, with implication for all human life, through the circulation of the gases and energy of the atmosphere. This vision underlies holistic healing as much as it does ecology. The anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system is a complex and beautiful embodiment of integration and wholeness.

-David Hoffman, Herbalist

The respiratory system is divided into the upper and lower respiratory tracts.

The upper respiratory system consists of the organs located above the thorax.

This includes:

Nose

Pharynx

Larynx

Part of the trachea

The lower respiratory system consists of:

Bronchial tree

Lungs

The respiratory system plays a crucial role in delivering oxygen to the cells of our body. The cells of the body require a continuous supply of oxygen; without this oxygen, we would die within minutes.

In this article we will explore the different organs of the respiratory system to better understand the physiological function of breathing. At the end of this article we will explore different pathologies or problems within the respiratory system by reading articles written by herbalists.

Nose

Bones and cartilage support the protruding portion of the nose, which is made up of connective tissue and skin. The nostrils, which form two external passages, are lined with hairs that help to filter out large particles in the air. The nostrils open up into the nasal cavity. The nasal cavity is separated from the mouth by the hard and soft palettes. It is lined with ciliated columnar epithelium and cells within these structures produce mucous that line the upper respiratory system. This mucous is an important defense mechanism of our immune system as it traps airborne particles, including pathogens. The cilia move the mucous with the entrapped particles to the throat where it is swallowed. Gastric juices from the stomach then kill most micro-organisms.

The mucous in the nasal cavity also moistens air as it moves through the nasal passageways. The mucous membranes are blood rich and serve to warm the inhaled air. In this way, air traveling through the nasal passageways are filtered, warmed, and moistened before heading to the lungs, which is why it is better to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Several bones that surround the nasal cavity contain air-filled hollow areas called paranasal sinuses. Sinuses in this area serve to lighten the weight of the skull and increase voice resonance. They are also lined with the same ciliated mucous membranes found within the nasal cavity.

Pharynx

More commonly called the throat, the pharynx is a short tube that extends from behind the nasal cavity to open to the larynx and esophagus. It is a muscular wall that is lined with mucosal tissue. The tonsils are located within the pharynx and we will be discussing those in greater detail when we look at the immune system.

Larynx

The larynx consists of cartilaginous tissues. It connects the pharynx to the trachea and the esophagus. The larynx houses the vocal chords whose vibrations produce the sounds of speech.

When swallowing, muscles lift the larynx, which causes the epiglottis to fold over and cover the opening to the trachea, which leads to the lungs. If food, water, or other particles somehow breach the trachea, a strong coughing reflex is produced that will expel the materials.

Trachea

The trachea, commonly known as the windpipe, is a tube that connects the larynx to the bronchial tree and allows for inhaled air to proceed to the lungs and exhaled air to leave the body. Cartilaginous rings support the trachea and hold it open despite the changing air pressure within this tube.

The trachea is lined with the same ciliated mucous membranes that we find in the rest of the respiratory system. It also traps airborne particles and then transports the mucous upwards towards the pharynx where it is swallowed and proceeds to go down the esophagus.

The trachea splits into two sections at about the mid-chest to form the left and right primary bronchi.

Bronchial Tree

The term bronchial tree refers to a series of structures within the lungs that actually resembles a tree! I find this incredibly fascinating. Trees transform CO2 into oxygen. Humans transform oxygen to CO2, and the human organ for performing this process looks like a tree!

The left and right primary bronchi further branch to form smaller secondary bronchi. There is a secondary bronchi in each lobe of the lung. These secondary bronchi continue to branch into smaller and smaller tubules.

All of these airways continue to be lined with ciliated mucous membranes that also trap and then remove airborne particles.

As these branches become tubules they are called bronchioles. Structures the size of bronchioles are not lined with the same mucosal tissue as the rest of the respiratory system. As a result, foreign particles that reach these sections are harder to remove. If the mucosal tissue that contains the ciliated mucous membranes becomes damaged, say from cigarette smoke, more particles can reach these vulnerable areas and create more bronchial infections.

Bronchioles continue to branch until finally leading to microscopic alveolar ducts that then terminate in alveoli. Back to our image of a tree, the primary bronchi is similar to the trunk of a tree, the secondary bronchi are the main branches, which then become smaller branches and, finally, leaves.

There are 300 million alveoli in each lung. They resemble a grape cluster on a vine and have a surface area of 75 square meters. A capillary network surrounds each alveolus.

The alveoli perform the magical task of infusing blood with oxygen, while removing excess CO2 from the body. This chemical process takes place between the alveoli membranes and the rich capillary network that surround them.

Lungs

The lungs are two large organs that fill much of the rib cage. The right lung is slightly larger than the left and is made up of three lobes. The smaller left lung is made up of two lobes. A secondary bronchus, blood and lymphatic vessels, and nerves support each lobe of the lungs. The heart and the mediasteinum separate the two lungs from each other.

The lungs are primarily made up of connective tissue, which gives them their soft and spongy texture. They also consist of blood, lymphatic tissue, air passageways, and alveoli.

Surrounding each lung is the serous membrane. It serves to protect and enclose each lung. The visceral pleura is the next layer of tissue around the lungs. The parietal pleura encases the inner wall of the rib cage. The space between the parietal pleura and the visceral pleura is referred to as the pleural cavity.

Breathing

Here’s an overview of the breathing process.

Air is inhaled through the nose and or mouth and travels down a series of tubes including the pharynx and trachea until it reaches the bronchi and finally down to the microscopic aveloi. At the membrane surface of each alveolus, a gas exchange between oxygen and CO2 takes place. The oxygen enters in the blood stream and binds to red blood cells while the CO2 is expelled back out of the respiratory system and exhaled into the atmosphere.

Inspiration – The act of inhalation

We breathe about 5,000 times a day or about 15 to 20 times each minute. With each inhalation the muscles of respiration contract. When the diaphragm, a flat skeletal muscle tissue at the base of the rib cage, contracts it flattens and creates more space in the thoracic cavity for the lungs to expand. Concurrently, the external intercostals elevate the ribs and sternum, creating even more space for lung expansion.

This expansion of the lungs increases the volume of internal air passageways, which then means that the air pressure inside the lungs decreases below the air pressure of the air outside the body. This change in air pressure causes the atmospheric air to rush into the lungs, because gas likes to move from regions of high pressure to low pressure.

Expiration – The act of exhaling

With each exhalation the diaphragm and external intercostal muscles relax. This causes the elastic fibers in lung tissue to recoil to their original volume. Air pressure is now reversed and so the air rushes out. During times of rapid breathing such as exercising, exhaling is further facilitated by the intercostals muscles and the abdominal muscles contracting.

“Chronic lung conditions compromise quality of life for millions of people around the world”

Dr. Michael Alberts

Support the health of your respiratory system

There are many things we can do to help encourage the health of our respiratory system and prevent any problems later on down the road. I’ve listed some important elements below and you may also find this comprehensive article informative as well.

Food and herbs

Many studies show that what we eat has a direct correlation with our respiration health. Diets high in fish (omega 3s) and anti-oxidants from fruits and vegetables seem to have the most positive benefits. ^{1, 2}

Vitamin D

Recent studies have shown that vitamin D has a huge impact on the health of our respiratory system. ¹ In one study the difference in people with normal levels of Vitamin D and low levels of Vitamin D was essentially the same difference as in people who do not smoke and those who do in terms of mortality rates.

Breathing Exercises

All around the world ancient traditions have supported the breath. Although the Anatomy and Physiology series on HerbMentor.com has been entirely focused on a Western view of the body systems, I would like to briefly go into how the Chinese view the Lungs. According to acupuncturist Suzanne E. Sky,

“Chinese medicine states the Lungs receive Pure Qi from the heavens. The air we breathe is an essential ingredient that sparks the formation of Qi, the life force that flows through our body. Qi flows throughout specific pathways in our bodies to nourish and vitalize all our organs, tissues, and systems and to energize biochemical and electrical activity in our body. Thus, the Lungs are the root of the body’s Qi and are said to dominate the Qi. The Lungs rule physical strength and stamina and are also called the Master of Breaths.”

Breathing exercises can be employed to support our health, reduce anxiety, promote meditation and mindfulness, and increase overall vitality.

Pranayama of Yoga, A fabulous overview of the importance of breath in the yogic tradition

Breathing Exercises, by Dennis Lewis (an expert on breathing)

Breathing article by herbalist Chanchal Cabrera

Another short but important article on Breathing by herbalist Todd Caldecott

Breathing Clean Air

The air we breathe directly influences the health of our respiratory system. Environmental pollution such as car exhaust and other toxins can weaken our lungs over time. Harsh household cleaners can do the same. Dust and smoke from a wood fire can taint even the most pristine country locations. And not only does smoking directly inhibit our lungs’ ability to work well, but second hand smoke (breathing smoke from someone else’s cigarette) and third hand smoke (breathing fumes on someone’s clothes, car, house) can also impact the health of the lungs. ¹

^{Reducing stress, including excessive grief}

Stress has a direct effect on our overall health and the respiratory system is no exception. Here is an article outlining Stress and Respiratory Health.

In Chinese medicine the lungs are where we hold our grief. If that sounds strange to you, think of how you feel when you are really sad and you may be reminded of that crushing or overwhelming feeling right in your lungs. Getting the support we need during times of grieving can go a long ways in supporting lung health.

Avoiding excessive mucous in the body

Mucosal membranes line the respiratory system and the digestive tract. These membranes and the mucous they produce are an integral part of our vitally functioning body. However, excess mucous in the body can create problems. Eating large amounts of cold foods (raw fruits, veggies, dairy), especially in the cold months can create this. For many people cold dairy food such as yogurt, milk, and cheese can create an overabundance of mucous. Fresh-from-the-farm milk, drank warm with warming herbs such as cinnamon, may reduce this effect.

Lung tonics

There are many herbs that affect the respiratory system. Some are even tonifying or strengthening to the respiratory system. A classic Chinese combination includes Astragalus root and Codonopsis root. In Western Herbalism, Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) and Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) are often used to strengthen respiratory health. In this pdf, 7song has listed a comprehensive materia medica for the respiratory system.

Common complaints within the respiratory system

Asthma

A pdf from David Winston outlining the eclectic protocols for asthma

David Hoffman gives an overview of asthma here

An overview of childhood asthma by Janet Zand

Bronchitis

David Hoffman has two articles delineating the difference between acute and chronic bronchitis.

Jill Stansbury discusses Bronchitis Recipes and Formulae

Sinusitis

jim mcdonald has written the ultimate view on surviving sinusitis here

An article by David Hoffman looking at sinusitis

Upper Respiratory Infections and Coughs

The Herbal Remedies for Cold and the Flu Ebook extensively covers coughs

Aviva Romm gives a comprehensive overview of Upper Respiratory Infections in Children (pdf)

An article on herbal expectorants by Shane Foley

Henriette looks at Herbs for Coughs and then at Lung Grunges and what you can do to strengthen your lungs.

Botanical Approaches to Winter Respiratory Complaints

by Jill Stansbury, N.D.

Tonics for the Upper Respiratory System by David Hoffman

Emphysema

An article by David Hoffman

Pertussis

An article by David Hoffman

Allergies

Henriette gives an overview of considerations

Guido Mase’ looks at asthma and allergies

David Hoffman explores Hay Fever

Laryngitis

An article by David Hoffman

Stop smoking cigarettes

A formula by David Winston

Neti Pot

Neti pots can be an important aid in maintaining respiratory health. Here is a pdf from Todd Caldecott explaining how to use a neti pot and other ayurvedic means to support the respiratory system.

Works Consulted

The anatomy of physiology of this article was extracted mainly from The Principles of Anatomy &f Physiology, Tortora, Grabowski. I also used Anatomy and Physiology by Stanley E. Gunstream 4^th ed.

The second half of this article giving us an herbal perspective on the nervous system would not have been possible without jim mcdonald’s Article Index. Thanks a thousand times to jim for putting this together.