the ever growing infusion

my gathering basket

 I keep telling myself that it would be totally okay to start posting again, my posts don't necessarily have to be all herbal.  At any rate here I am.  I hope you forgive me.  

stellaria media - chickweed

Our week began with conjunctivitis.  It was painful and gross.  My middle one R had it the week before.  That's when the infusion began.  It started with chickweed and violet leaf.  I read a lovely article written by Susun Weed all about chickweed.  She writes, "Chickweed's ability to break cells open helps it get rid of bacterial infections when applied as a poultice."  Stellaria media is really the best thing I could ever come up with for pinkeye.  Violet, well she just wanted in that infusion, so she came along too.  I used several different applications for us all.  A hot compress, eye cup and eye dropper, depending on who it was I was applying it to.

chickweed, violet leaf and plantain

 A few nights later, in bed that I found that middle son R, four, has a nasty looking scratch on his foot.  The night of the scratch I sent him down to my mother to have his wound cleaned and bandaged.  She washed it and applied Sovereign Silver gel, my new favorite.  The next day I began soaking his foot three times a day. I added yarrow, red clover and plantain to our infusion.

Achillea millefolium - yarrow

 My first son I who is seven, yesterday about 4:30 began to complain of pain in his ear.  Well, we were planning to head to Chipotle at 4:30.  We were waiting for their father to come and pick us up, he didn't get there until 5:30.  By the time we were sitting down with our dinner it must have been 6:30 and Isaac was in too much pain to eat.  We ate outside because I knew being inside would be too overwhelming.  The rest of us crammed down our food while I sat in the car doing some bunny mazes.  When we got home immediately I boiled some water for a hot compress.  I had him lay down on a sleeping bag.  Into his ear I put several drops of olive oil infused with garlic and mullien.  I folded up a hot wet wash cloth into a dish cloth and put it over his ear while he watched a little TV.  It wasn't until we laid down in bed that I found the pain was mostly in his lymphs under and behind his ears.  

Galium verum - Lady’s Bedstraw 

So this morning I went out with my basket to gather the herbs for our ever growing infusion.  That's when she appeared to me.  Our Lady's Bedstraw.  I was gathering chickweed from the same spot I have been all week and there she was. Our Lady's Bedstraw is best know as a lymph mover, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to find her.  

violet leaf, lesser and greater plantain, dandelion

 I didn't put our lady's bedstraw in R's infusion.  His has chickweed, plantain, dandelion, violet leaf, yarrow and red clover.  Red clover is he only herb I didn't wildcraft from my own yard.  In I's I put chickweed, plantain, dandelion, violet leaf and our lady's bedstraw.  

one for you and one for me

                 This is how our infusion grew from two herbs to many.  They just kept jumping in the basket! 

foot bath to be

Sunday Favorites : five links from around the web

Rachel Wolf from Lusa Organics post on her Manifestation Board.

Great stories of Vision Boards at work from CrazySexyLife blog.

How to Start Your Day  Like a Rockstar!  Oh how I love a list!

Great information on Crafting Wild Smudge Wands.

Valentine's Day is coming up and I have a ton of ideas rumbling around in my head and on Pinterest.  Valentine's Day Thoughts.

this moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  Inspired by soulemama

wolf moon intentions

 Lately I've been thinking about the sacred nature of our daily lives.  I sometimes find myself saving things for a special day.  Okay, hoarding.  This doesn't mean buying a special treat for Valentines day a month in advance.  This mean have a stack of pretty soaps in a drawer, "nice" pens or the "good" towels.  I thought about what I was telling myself by saving these things.  Was today not nice?  I think this may be called Living Juicy.  That sounds pretty good to me.  I used to eat a lot of candy, a l o t.  A lot for me any how.  Movie theater boxes of junior mints and nonpareils add up.  My husband said to me, "why don't you use the money you're using to buy candy and buy flowers?"  This was hard, because I didn't want to be buying so much candy and I did want to buy flowers.  I love having fresh cut flowers and live plants in my house.  We lived within walking distance from Produce Junction a ginormous bouquet of spray roses and three pots of live primroses may set you back about $8.  The problem was that I was addicted to the candy, feeling guilty for eating something so unhealthful and for spending the cash.  Spending the money on flowers was to only feel guilty for the money aspect.  But our whole family would be enjoying the plants, whereas no one was really enjoying the candy.

Something in my brain changed when I had my third child.  My kindhearted midwife and doula helped me encapsulate my placenta.  I was planning to take four capsules daily, two at breakfast, tow at dinner.  I can't tell you how incredible a difference there was for me after ingesting my placenta.  Life changing.  I recommend this practice to all.  But then I had a very silly thought, "maybe I should save these capsules just in case."   Then I thought, how does postpartum depression happen?  Does it happen over time?  Does it hit you in surprise?  I had some very severe PPD symptoms nearly six month after my second son was born.  (enter candy)  If I had had placenta pills to take then things would have been different.  But what about heading things off at the pass? That's the tact I chose to take.  I took all of my placenta pills, four a day until I ran out.

Sometimes I feel like my mind is so filled up by all the tasks and noises and children I forget that I've now decided to live juicy.  I forget that there is no reason to hoard the ideas and good times.  That's when I find myself saying no more than yes.  What I really want to say is yes!  Yes, yes YES!  Let's paint!  Let's make whatever you want!  Yes please, may I read you a story?!  This is why I want to set an intention for this moon, Wolf Moon to Snow moon, to say yes.  Starting with tonight, I'm saying yes, let's go to Chipotle for dinner.  This also meas saying yes to myself.  Not trying to force myself to live a certain way or go with out.  I think we'll all be happier this way.

Do try to live your life with intention?  Will you share with us?

Sunday Favorites: five links from around the web

*

Aviva  Romm is offering this great, free, little e-book, Herbsfor Kids.

Do you hate to toss or even compost the herbs when your preparation is complete?  Here are some great ideas on what to do with your herbal marc.

I’m really enjoying The Parenting Passageways current series, Eight Facets Of A Healthy Family Culture.

The boys have been enjoying filling out this weather treeprintable.

Lastly, I really like the idea of wood burning on peg people!  I’m picturing something wintery, but there are so many things you could do with this idea. 

* I found this photograph on tumblr through Pinterest.  If you know who to credit please let me know.

this moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.  Inspired by soulemama

Virtual herb walk: Plantain

(This is the first in a series I plan to write all about the wonderfully healthful, helpful and nutritious herbs in your own backyard.)                   

Plantain

Plantain is a common lawn “weed” almost as common as dandelion.  However, you may never have noticed it!  Plantain is squat green plant, with long petioles The leaves are usually either the broad or the lesser or lance variety.  In the center there are the flower stalks, with either flowers growing up the whole stalk or brown compact seed heads. I've seen plantain growing just about everywhere.  In national parks, zoos, playgrounds, out the car window, my own yard, et cetera.  In fact there is a tale that Native Americans called plantain, “white mans footprint.”  Whether that is true I am not sure.  

Now that you know where to find plantain, here's the why.  Plantain has wonderful properties.  The foremost being that it is drawing.  If you find yourself or your child with a bees sting or sting from nettles get yourself some plantain!  Have a splinter?  Plantain!  Find a leaf and either chew it up and apply the chewed herb directly to the skin, this is called a “spit poultice.”  Mosquito bite?  Plantain yo self!  You can either use gauze; wrap it around the affected area.  Or use a band aid.  Change your leaf every few hours until the splinter or stinger is out.  You will see the splinter and be amazed. 

Plantain also has healing properties.  It’s known to heal the same skin it’s just removed the sting from.  I’ve heard of it healing sprained ankles, diaper rash and eczema outbreaks.  I use plantain in my all purpose greenaide salve.  You can even use an infusion as a hot compress on your eyes for conjunctivitis or a sty. 

Now that you know how to find it and how amazing it is, here are simple ways to prepare the herb.  So you can use it all year long and when you are away from home.  The two best ways I can think of are to create and infused oil and then either use that oil to create a salve or use the oil directly. 

To create an infused oil of plantain you need only to harvest enough leaves to mostly fill a jar of your choosing.  The leaves must be dry so it’s best to do this later in the day when the sun has had a chance to evaporate any moisture.  You can chop the plantain if you like, crush it, or leave it whole, then pour over olive oil.  In a little while check to make sure the oil is still covering the herb, then cap your jar, label it, and put it away in the cupboard.  You must wait at least 6 weeks to use this oil.  Strain the oil using a fine mesh strainer or you can use cheese cloth in a larger colander. Store it in your cupboard.  Do not be stingy with your oil, there will be more plantain.  You can do a quickie version by putting the herb and oil into a double boiler and gently heating for a few hours.  You will notice the oil turns greenish.  Be careful not to overheat and scorch your oil or herbs. 

Now you have a very useful oil to apply to wounds, sore spots, stings and splinters.

If you want to make a salve, just add a few shavings of beeswax to the oil after it’s been heated. 

I also keep some dried plantain in the herb cabinet to make last minute poultices.  You can harvest the leaves and dry them on a cookie sheet in the sun.  It doesn’t take long to dry plantain. 

Cicly Mary Barker

I hope I’ve encouraged you to give plantain a try or at least to look for it next time you are outside.  It really is a wonderful herb. 

talking 'bout crazy cool wild herbs

Some nights I don’t have a lot to say.  I’ve been going through a rough patch the last few years.  It seems to have gotten a whole lot rougher in the last few months.  I hope to come out on the other side a much stronger person.  I’m a slow learner, slow to process, late bloomer, kapha, bear person, pisces.  I have been given one great gift, which is to know myself.  I don’t always know what I want, that’s true.  But I know who I am.

I think this is why I love nettles so much.  My first experience with nettles was as a child.  I’d heard them called “seven minute itch”.  I didn’t really know what that meant.  One day I was at a park with my family.  I seem to think it was after church because I was wearing a dress.  I don’t remember how, but I ended up falling down, and, one leg was in a patch of nettles.  My leg was burning.  I was crying.  After what seemed like much more than seven minutes, my parents took me to the ER.  Eventually the sting wore off.  The memory never has. 

You can imagine my shock, years later, when I saw women harvesting nettles with their bare hands.  Rosemary was going to show us how to make her delicious nettle spanakopita recipe.    She told us when you steam the nettles to make sure you leave the lid on until they are totally done.  At least ten minutes.  Make sure not to peek because the sting will be in the steam and it will sting your face.  Until then it had never occurred to me that the 7 minute itch that stung me so harshly was the same as the nettles I read about.  I have since come to love nettles.  Nettle has always loved me.  Melanie (Rosemary’s beautiful daughter) and her husband Jeff were selling potted herbs.  I bought some nettles thinking I might grow them in a bed in my yard.  I never had time to do so.  A few months later I chucked all the dead herbs and other yard compost into a fenced area.  Flash forward almost four years - I now I had enough nettles in my yard to make two batches of spanakopita and then some!   

 

Nettles to me speak of tenacity, an ability to adapt, and strength though adversity.  That’s why today when I went to blend a tea for a friend of mine I included nettles, not just for their vitamin content, which I discussed before, but for the spirit.  This is what I mean when I say the herbs get to know us and we get to know them.  There is a personality or spirit to each herb.  We can learn about this from observing where the herb grows,  tastes and smells like.  What it looks like.  There are little hairs on the stem and the undersides of the leaves.  These hairs have formic acid.  That’s what stings us.  Formic acid can also be found in bee and ant stings.  But guess what else is in them?   Serotonin!  Nettles are serious about happiness.  This is what nettles are to me.  I don’t know what they are to you. 

How can you get to know an herb?  There are a few ways, as mentioned above:  observe it in its natural habitat, read about the herb from several herbalists, make an infusion and drink it every day for a week.  Taste the infusion; listen to what it tells you.    

I've Got Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

We needed a bit of sunshine on this turn down day.  I put out a few herbs in smaller containers and let them go at it.  Today we are trying Isaac's blend.  The herbs we used are nettles, raspberry leaf, calendula, spearmint, elder flower and lavender.  I didn't give them spoons or a canning funnel, just the herbs, their own jars and their hands.  There was smelling and talking about the herbs.  Exclamations!  "This one smells good!"  "Look how yellow it is."  Isaac wanted to make one brew from his blend.  We watched the water change to an infusion before ours eyes.  We watched it get darker.  Then we all drank some.  "Phew," said Isaac!  "This is strong tasting!"  "Why do you think it may be that it's so strong?"  "Probably because we used so many, I mean so much, herbs."  Then we added a bit of local honey.  Much better they said.  Then they added cream.  I hope you'll let your kids into your herb cabinet.  Let them feel he herbs in their fingers, smell them, taste them.  Let them get to know the herbs.

drink your greens

Often when people call or text me for herbal advice, it’s for a friend.  Recently a friend texted me for a friend of hers who is pregnant.  She is experiencing nausea and heartburn. 

Usually I would call the texter and ask more direct questions.  However in this case I was otherwise occupied with the tasks of the day.  So I chose to respond with a “prescription” of a few of the most innocuous and most healthful herbs I know of. 

Nettles, red clover, red raspberry leaf and hawthorn.  Take two mason jars and call me in the morning.  I chose these herbs for two reasons.  The first being my own experience with the herbs.  After I birthed my second in ’07 I felt, well, let’s just say, not good.  I read in an issue of Mothering magazine (moment of silence RIP Mothering magazine) about a sleepless mother who had medicated herself with calcium/magnesium drops.  I thought that’s what I need!  But I didn’t know where to get the drops and frankly didn’t have the wherewithal to pursue them.  What I did have was a well worn copy of one of my favorite herbals of all time, Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, by Susun Weed.  This book has an extremely informative Apendix 1 which lists vitamins and mineral and the herbs they can be commonly found in.  So first I looked to the Calcium list:

alfalfa, red clover, raspberry leaf, comfrey, nettles, parsley, watercress, cleavers, horsetail, coltsfoot, plantain, chamomile, shepard’s purse, borage, chicory, dulse, dandelion and kelp.

  Lovely info, if not extremely overwhelming.  Okay, let’s look at what she lists for magnesium:

Alfalfa, bladder wrack, catnip, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, dandelion, eyebright, fennel, fenugreek, hops, horsetail, lemongrass, licorice, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, raspberry leaf, red clover, sage, shepherd's purse, yarrow, yellow dock.  

Do you see what I see?  Nettles, raspberry leaf and red clover are in both lists!  In ’07 I got out my highlighter, at this time I had a three year old and a baby so I still had highlighters.   I went through the list of vitamins and minerals highlighting those three herbs.

I found that nettles are a source of, vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, C, D, E and K.  As well as a source for the minerals calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc.

Red Clover is a source for A, B1, B2, B3 and C.  Minerals Calcium, chromium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum and potassium.

Raspberry leaf is a source for A, B1, B2, B3, C and E.  As well as a source for the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and selenium. 

Here is a similar list I found online.  

It’s impossible to overdose on any of these herbs, they are safe for children, the elderly and the infirm.  I feel safe advising anyone at all to ingest them and they are extremely healthful.  A person can only eat so much kale in a day.  The same person however can drink herbal infusions throughout the day.  Morning sickness is often caused by hunger that is past the point of no return, or vitamin deficiency.  That is why I felt this friend of a friend who I’ve never met or even spoken to, should take nettle, raspberry leaf and red clover. 

As for the hawthorn, well, that’s a different story.  Hawthorn has a long history as a heart support herb.  It is indicated for hypertension and even early stages of hear disease.  Why would I tell a completely stranger to try this herb?  Well, because I felt like it fit.  I don’t want to hang myself out here as a complete woo woo herbalist.  I’m following my intuition on this one.  Secondly and this is also the second reason my mind immediately went to raspberry, nettles and clover, secondly hawthorn is my herbal ally.  These herbs are my friends.  I want to introduce you to the idea of herbal allies because I feel it’s an important concept.  These are the herbs you consistently choose.  These herbs are most likely no further than 3 or 4 minutes walking distance from your home.  I’ll be talking more about this idea in the future, I want to get you warmed up to the idea that plants love us back and want to be our friends. 

For now though let me share with you my not so much as a recipe but a method for making herbal infusions.  First things first you are going to need some heatproof containers that have lids.  I use mason jars, you probably do too.  Fill your tea pot to the brim and get your water good and hot.  In the meantime, stuff those mason jars with herbs.  Use a canning funnel, it’s much easier.  I usually fill my jars a quarter to a third of the way.  I use a handful or two of each herb!  No more that two or three different herbs.  When the water is hot, pour it into the jars slowly, the dried herbs can expand and take you by surprise.  When you’ve got your jars full, quickly put a lid on them.  I do this at night.  Then in the morning I strain my now cool herbal infusions into a pitcher.  I put the herbs into my compost bucket, then pour the infusion back into the jars that I’ll be drinking it from all day.  I drink 2-3 jars of infusion a day when the spirit moves me.  This is strong stuff and the flavor is strong too.  You may want to water it down or add honey.  That’s okay, do what works for you.  Start small and get to know the herbs you are ingesting. 

Herbs for the Public Meltdown

There is a great blog post bouncing around my FB newsfeed these days. Perhaps you've read it as well, Dear Shopper Staring at my Child Having a Meldown in the Grocery Store. It’s fabulous even if you don’t have a child in the autism spectrum. It got me thinking, what’s a mother to do beside hang on for dear life and hope your flight or fright reflex doesn't drive you to flee? I can’t tell you how many times we've had meltdowns in public. Where else do you have a meltdown, I mean really? The quote that sticks in my mind the most from the post is this,

Problem is — I have to feed my family, deposit my paycheck, pick up prescriptions, etc. just like you do. And, unfortunately, no one arrived at my house today to watch my child so that his autistic behavior wouldn't upset anyone in public.

I think this goes without saying for any child. Any child can be pushed beyond their limits. I am the lucky mama to three boys, seven, four and eighteen months. We are a one car family. Sometimes, we must go grocery shopping and everyone has to come. Then we have to go to the library and Target. All in THE SAME DAY. I give myself chills just thinking about it.

Anyway, I thought I’d put my two cents in, with five simple things you can do to help your child and yourself calm down.

I’m going to start with the most obvious.

Make Sure No One is Hungry – How many times have I wanted to scream back, WHY ARE YOU SO UPSET? YOU ARE GETTING EVERYTHING YOU WANT?! It’s because he’s hungry. It’s always because he’s hungry. There are lots of little things you can keep in your bag or car. Jerky, crispy nuts, a few pieces of hard fruit. It often doesn’t take much. In my experience high fat, high protein foods help sustain blood sugar in the long run. However, it’s not always convenient to keep these foods on hand when you’re out and about. This is where it pays to be prepared. Although most of us don’t plan a meltdown into our day.

Five Flower Formula – Five Flower formula was developed by Dr. Bach in the 1930s. It contains a combination of Rock Rose, Impatiens,Clematis, Star of Bethlehem and Cherry Plum. Flower essences are made by placing flowers and other plant material in water then setting them in the sun. They rely on the idea of water memory. These are vibrational or energetic remedies and I swear by them. I really do. I have a bottle of Five Flower in every bag. If we are traveling I make up a spritz bottle of clean water, Five Flower and a few drops of lavender essential oil. To administer flower essences you simply place 1-4 drops under the tongue and that’s it! I find my kids are game for this. If not put it under your own tongue and take a deep breath.

Nervine tinctures – Tinctures are fast and easy. Tinctures are extremely simple to make and even simpler to take. For a child you need only to place a few drops under the tongue or in a small glass of water or juice. A few purse herbs to keep on hand for stressful situations are skullcap, milky oats or catnip. These are proven to effectively sooth frayed nerves without causing drowsiness. Refer to this chart for proper dosage information.

Homeopathy – Hylands makes a wonderful product called CalmsForte and luckily they now also make Calms4Kids. This is a combination with eight different remedies rolled into one. To administer you put the tablet in the mouth of the person screaming at you. They melt almost instantly so there’s no worry of choking.

Danger! Danger! Approaching meltdown!

Aromatherapy – This is a great method to use because you don’t have to convince your child to take anything in the middle of the wrapping paper aisle. You only need to have a little bottle of something on hand. I mentioned above that I use a spritz bottle with lavender essential oil and water in it. Spray the air above your child and yourself. Another idea is to have a little lovey or a bean bag with calming herbs and flax seeds inside. A few years ago I bought a cow eye pillow. We called it smelly cow. Smelly cow came with us every where until he was too filthy. Then I opened his seam, emptied him and washed him. I refilled him with a combination dried rose petals, chamomile, lavender, lemon balm and flax seeds. You can sew two squares of clean fabric together and do the same. Just leave a bit of the seam open so you can put the filling in and then sew shut.

Meltdown averted, safe to proceed.

In the long run there is no substitute for lunch, a story and a nap. These are a few suggestions for when you absolutely must be out in public, when you simply must pick something up despite all opposition. Any remedy suggested must be used with thoughtfulness and viewed through the lens of your own experience with your children.

Do you have a tried and true meltdown trick you are willing to share? Do you only frequent 24 hour grocery stores so you can shop while your family is asleep?

Kicking off my new blog with an introduction.

Hi! It’s funny to think that I’ve been interested in herbs for 15 years. Especially because it will always be more than half of my life. When I was 13 I wanted to have a spa themed birthday party. Even at 13 I was very cheap and suspicious of body products long ingredient list. So I did what any normal, home- schooled, 13 year-old would do. I went to the library! There is a “beauty” section, I’m not sure if anyone goes there anymore. After Aucoin, Kevyn and Brown, Bobbi was Jeanne Rose, Stephanie L. Tourles and Janice Cox. That’s who I remember the most anyway. I brought these books home and I poured over them for days. I don’t remember at all what I was studying in school, but I can still make hand lotion. Those books were the gateway to what many people call The Green World.

The Green World is a place where ordinary people live. People who believe that they should be in charge of their own health decisions. People who love plants even if they don’t have a garden or kill everything they’ve ever tried to grow. Those who love to think, be challenged and learn new things. Those that want to make their own shampoos and hand lotions. Those who think they can do it better or cheaper or that it will just be fun to make your own cough syrup (it is!). People who see beauty around them.

You don’t have to believe fairies are real to believe that you are the hero of your own story. There are medical doctors, home birth midwives, mothers, fathers, even animals!

I’ve created this blog because I hope to share some of the lesson I’ve learned, recipes and ideas with you.


Just for fun, here is a cellphone picture of me. Can you tell that I'm at the Brandywine River Museum being talked to all at once by three little boys who are extremely excited about trains?