Category: Herbs

Sweet Annie Wreath Base

9/15/2017

My Sweet Annie dried much more quickly than expected. I brought it in on the 10th and yesterday when I checked I was surprised to see it was at the right stage to make arrangements. It only took four days! I put everything else on hold to work with her for a couple of hours, and she is finished and ready for more herbs and berries to be added. The rowan and beauty berries are still in the garden and not quite ready. The secret of beautiful herbal wreaths is layering.

The wreath is layered with 5 to 6 inch bunches of herbs, and each one is attached with u shaped floral pins.

There were two very distinct color differences in the herb so I worked that into the design in layers around the wreath. You could also mix them in the small bunches if you prefer.

I began with a ring of the green leaves around the center of the straw base.

This shows the completion of the layer of green, with the addition of the more golden bunches being added towards the center of the wreath.

My Sweet Annie wreath is now inside and waiting to be embellished with more treasures from the garden. She will continue to share her beauty and fragrance for many years to come!

Harvesting Rosemary

9/11/2017

I just brought in some rosemary to dry for the winter. Zippy joined me in the garden, then on the porch as I cut and sorted it into bunches. As you can see, he is not happy about coming inside!
Living in Maryland has it's advantages. Last year I had rosemary available all year long. The plant is an evergreen and it flourished, even though it was a little worse for wear by midwinter. The reason I cut it was to clear the path my daughter is beginning to call a jungle so it would be easier to get through for our evening walks with Zippy! I'll dry some and share with friends.
Rosemary can be hung to dry in a cool dark place, similar to what I described for Sweet Annie. Smaller bunches can be dried in an oven if you can remember not to turn your oven on for a couple of days! Place springs of rosemary on baking sheets covered with parchment paper, set to warm or simply use the pilot light if you have a gas oven, and in a day or two the sprigs should be ready to cool and store.
If you'll go to my welcome page and type in Rosemary in the search bar, you'll find a few more uses for Rosemary! As always, my treasures are hidden so it's up to you to search!

Herbal Gifts from a Friend

9/6/2017

"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance", Shakespeare's Ophelia reminds us.
Herbs are delightful in so many ways - fragrance, flavor, visually. When we add symbolism, and they are gifts from a friend, it lifts them to an even higher level.
My friend Janet is moving and she is sharing special gifts with friends as she downsizes. She took my class on Enhancing Your Life with Herbs and she knows how I love them, so she offered me a set of herbal pots. In addition, she brought a bag filled with colorful beads, two copies of Flow magazine, a favorite, and a book on Ancient Herbs for the J. Paul Getty Museum.
This morning I transplanted oregano, rosemary and basil from my garden to the pots. The herbs seem to know they've gotten a reprieve from winter's cold and are happily looking out the dining room window at their less fortunate friends, still in the garden. If only I had a greenhouse and could bring them all indoors.
Thank you Janet! These delightful gifts are not only today's treasures, but will be loved and enjoyed for a long time to come.

Lavender Overview

6/22/2017

Lavendula officianlae, L. vera

Folk Names: Elf Leaf, Nard, Nardus, Spike
Gender: Masculine
Element: Air
Planet: Mercury
Zodiac: Virgo, Gemini
Meaning: Love, Devotion, Luck

Health Benefits:
Lavender has been used to cure acne, anxiety, burns, colds, depression, headaches, hypertension, and insomnia.

Attributes:
Attracts love and romance, protects, brings luck, happiness, peace and restful sleep. And if that isn’t enough, it ensures a long life for those who regularly seek out its aroma.

Uses:

Make a tea and sweeten with honey for a restful night’s sleep.
Place lavender under your pillow to make a wish before going to sleep.
Make a sleep pillow with lavender, catnip, chamomile, mint, rosemary and rose petals.
Rub lavender on your fore head to relive a headache.
Rub fresh flowers on your arms and legs to repel mosquitos.
Rub fresh flowers on your pet to discourage fleas and ticks.
Make lavender wands, lavender hearts, or tie flowers together to make sachets for your lingerie drawers or to scent and preserve heirloom garments or wedding gowns. The fragrance repels moths, silverfish and other insects.
Add a Tablespoon of fresh lavender flowers and a sprinkling of cinnamon to vanilla ice cream or your favorite sugar cookie recipe.
Make a lavender syrup. Simmer 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 Tablespoons lavender flowers for 15 minutes. Pour over fresh berries or use to flavor ice tea.
Add 1 Tablespoon flowers to your favorite oil and vinegar salad dressing.
Make a sugar scrub to use after gardening. Mix together 1 cup white sugar, ½ cup oil, 10-15 drops lavender essential oil, 2 Tbsp dried lavender buds.
Freshen your carpet by sprinkling lavender flowers on your rugs, wait for a couple of hours and then vacuum.

Lavender Almond Cookies

6/20/2017

1/2 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh lavender blossoms
I cup (two sticks) butter at room temperature
2 cups almond flour
1 cup flour

Combine the sugar and fresh lavender blossoms using a food processor.
Add the butter and combine. Next add the flours.
Mix until thoroughly combined.
The batter will be soft.
Chill for 30 minutes.

Flour both sides of the dough and place between two long sheets of waxed paper.
Using a rolling pin, roll to 1/4 inch thickness. Work quickly. The dough will get soft again as you work with it.
Cut cookies with a floured cookie cutter.
Remove all the excess dough and return to the 'fridge. This will make it easier to move your shaped cookies.

Gently lift cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with baking parchment paper.
Chill the cookies on the baking sheets for 30 minutes

Set oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
Once the oven is preheated, bake for about 30 minutes. Begin checking at 20 minutes and don't let the edges of the cookies brown.
Cool on a wire rack placed.

Glaze
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 Tablespoon water.
Mix thoroughly with a fork. Add a little more water if needed.

Keeping the cookies on the wire rack, move them over the sink if your rack fits, or place waxed paper under neath for easy clean up. This can get messy!

Use a spoon to lightly glaze the cookies. Top with lavender blossoms. Let the glaze set up and serve.

My last harvest of lavender and almond lavender cookies to celebrate the summer solstice.

More on Lavender

6/20/2017

One of the simplest ways to use lavender is to simply gather the stalks of lavender and tie with a ribbon. It's best to cut them as soon as the flowers are in bloom in the spring. Cut them a few inches above the woody growth so you won't harm the plant. Gather first thing in the morning after the dew has dried but before the sun becomes intense.
Hang to dry in a cool dark place.

Lavender hearts
You'll need 6 stalks of lavender
Ribbon - I've been using 3/16 inch lavender satin ribbon for all my projects. It's not too large to over power the lightness of the flowers.

Make two lavender braids using 3 stalks for each braid. When they are braided, bend into a loop. Put the two loops together to form a heart, keeping the flowers on top. Cut off the stems in the back and tie with a ribbon.

Lavender garnishes
12 to 18 stalks of lavender
One egg white, beaten until frothy
1/3 Granulated sugar
Waxed paper or parchment paper

Dip just the flowers of the lavender into the egg whites to completely cover, then dip them into the sugar. Place on waxed paper or parchment paper and let dry away from heat or sun. Use as a garnish with fruit salad, lemonade, or iced tea.

Stir some fresh lavender flowers into your favorite sugar cookie recipe, vanilla ice cream or lemon sherbet.

A few more thoughts on lavender

I've always thought of lavender as an herb of the night.
Lavender is associated with peace, nocturnal wishes, sweet dreams and restful sleep.The fragrance has been used for centuries to create a restful night's sleep.

Sip a cup of lavender tea before bed time. Use two tablespoons lavender flowers in 4 cups of boiling water and steep for 15 minutes. Strain. (Makes 4 servings). Sweeten with honey.
Lavender baths are delightful! Place the dried lavender blossoms in a bath bag and place in the tub. Soak for about 15 minutes. There are numerous recipes for herbal baths on the internet, ranging from pure lavender flowers to herbal blends and additions of epson salts, sea salts or oatmeal, so I won't add them here. There is only one way to do this incorrectly! If you read about adding lavender flowers, rose petals and other herbs directly to the water, consider the clean up and use the bath bags.
A sprig of lavender under your pillow provides a restful fragrance and an added bonus! You can make a wish right before you go to sleep and if you dream of your wish, it will come true!
You'll find a recipe for a sleep pillow using lavender if you take the time to search under herbs in the categories to the right on my blog. This is Hidden Treasures, after all, and there are many treasures worth the search!

As we continue to explore lavender's nocturnal charms, keep in mind that not everyone sleeps at night. Lavender is also very useful if you plan to stay awake!

Lavender is the only herb I know attributed to aiding those who want to attract ghosts! Simply carry a sprig with you and ghosts will become visible! It also provides protection so no worries! You'll find more about lavender and other herbs associated with witches and goblins and ghosts - oh my! - in my free Haunting Herbs e-book.
Attracting love, passion, and romance have long been associated with lavender. It is used in perfumes and oils. love spells, sachets, potpourris, to scent stationery for love letters, and to scent lingerie and sheets. It is also recommend to place lavender in lingerie drawers or when storing wedding gowns and other heirloom quality clothes, to prevent moths and insects from harming delicates and to add fragrance.
There are accounts of it being misused though. Prostitutes have used it to attract clients, and reputedly had success luring even the unwilling.

Whether you plan to stay awake or sleep, lavender will make your experiences more enjoyable!

Herbal Bouquet

6/14/2017

Lavender, rosemary, dusty miller, spirea, artemisia silver mound, and santolina.

Lavender Wands

6/14/2017

Lavender wands are easy to make and a Facebook friend just old me she has had one for
40 years and it still holds its fragrance!
Begin the wands immediately after the stems are cut so they will be flexible when you bend them.
You will need 15 stalks of lavender, ribbon (buy good quality satin - I used about 3 yards of 3/16 inches wide, but amounts will vary depending on the length of the lavender stalks.

Cut lavender stems as close to the base as possible. Remove the leaves to use for potpourris or other projects. Gather and loosely tie the flowers at the base with thread. Trim the stalks to an even length.

Begin weaving the ribbon over and under each stalk.

Tuck the end of the ribbon into the stalks to secure it. Gently turn each of the stems over the lavender flowers.

Continue weaving to the base of the flowers.Secure the ribbon in a knot but don't cut it.

Wrap the ribbon diagonally down the stem, secure at the base of the stem with a couple of knots, then cut the ribbon.

Pineapple Salsa

6/13/2017

2 cups very ripe fresh pineapple, chopped
1 large cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped,
4 scallions, chopped
red pepper flakes, to taste

Mix ingredients together, let blend for at least an hour and serve with blue corn chips.

The Passing of a Very Special Friend and Teacher

4/12/2016

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When I first moved to Baltimore I took a course called "Authentic Hauntings" by Dorothy Levinson, one of the most delightful instructors I've ever experienced. Dorothy had spent a life time studying parapsychology and collecting numerous stories of famous, and not-so-famous, ghosts, spirits, and hauntings. Her stories mesmerized us.

During the course I frequently wanted to interrupt to say, “Oh, I know what herb would work to keep a ghost in the grave!” or “This herb will keep the poltergeists under control.” So as the course progressed through the weeks I began to take notes and eventually created a little book for her that hopefully contained everything she would ever need to know about how to repel, or, if she preferred, attract ghosts.

Creating that mini-book was the inspiration to illustrate a larger e-book on herbs, called Haunting Herbs, free below.

haunting_herbs.pdf
File Size:	1640 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

As result of Dorothy's encouragement and inspiration, I created a course on Enhancing Your Life with Herbs, and I'll be teaching it for the third time this fall.

Dorothy left this world over the weekend, but I'm certain her kindness, spiritual approach and open heart will lead her to a better place.

Today, the first day back in classes after Dorothy's passing, the halls were filled with stories of her teaching, guiding, inspiring and encouraging, from both students and instructors. She was well loved and deeply appreciated. Her impact was boundless. She will live on in all who knew her as well as those who continue to share and teach as a result of her example. I'm certain Dorothy is smiling down on us, pleased to know that her spirit is living on in these halls she loved so dearly.

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Sweet Annie Wreath Base

The wreath is layered with 5 to 6 inch bunches of herbs, and each one is attached with u shaped floral pins.

There were two very distinct color differences in the herb so I worked that into the design in layers around the wreath. You could also mix them in the small bunches if you prefer.

I began with a ring of the green leaves around the center of the straw base.

This shows the completion of the layer of green, with the addition of the more golden bunches being added towards the center of the wreath.

Harvesting Rosemary

Herbal Gifts from a Friend

Lavender Overview

Lavender Almond Cookies

More on Lavender

A few more thoughts on lavender

Herbal Bouquet

Lavender Wands

Pineapple Salsa

The Passing of a Very Special Friend and Teacher

Categories

Mikell

For Earlier Posts visit
http://mikellsgems.livejournal.com

Archives

The wreath is layered with 5 to 6 inch bunches of herbs, and each one is attached with u shaped floral pins.

There were two very distinct color differences in the herb so I worked that into the design in layers around the wreath. You could also mix them in the small bunches if you prefer.

I began with a ring of the green leaves around the center of the straw base.

This shows the completion of the layer of green, with the addition of the more golden bunches being added towards the center of the wreath.

​A few more thoughts on lavender

Categories

Mikell

For Earlier Posts visithttp://mikellsgems.livejournal.com

Archives

A few more thoughts on lavender

For Earlier Posts visit
http://mikellsgems.livejournal.com