 Monarda didyma Scarlet Beebalm Gender: Feminine Element: Water Planet: Mercury The brilliant scarlet bee balm, is a perennial herb and belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. My fondest memories are the patches that grew at Camp Arcona, a much loved Girl Scout Camp in Mechanicsburg, PA. Sadly, the camp was sold for real estate development. Our beloved camp may be gone, but our memories remain. When day camp began in June, the gorgeous crimson flowers were always there to greet us!
There are two reasons bergamot has the folk name bee balm. One is bees are attracted to it, and another is the leaves are soothing when rubbed on a bee sting. The flowers are edible and the petals add a tangy flavor, in addition to a splash of color, to garden salads and fruit salads. Add to corn muffins or corn bread for unexpected zest! They compliment sweet as well as savory. Use your imagination and make this versatile herb a part of your welcoming summer ritual!
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In celebration of the Summer Solstice, I made a wreath of some of the herbs currently in my garden. Lamb’s Ears Lavender Rosemary on a Silver King Artemisia base  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.
 Wrap the ribbon diagonally down the stem, secure at the base of the stem with a couple of knots, then cut the ribbon.
 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.
 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.
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 Say this prayer as you guide the smoke toward your heart, over and around your body. |  Gather your materials. A feather for directing the smoke and a brass bell to awaken the energy in each room are optional but lovely if you have them. |
The next step is to gather your materials. If possible, use natural materials.
- Smudge Stick
- Candle, preferably lit with a wooden match
- Shell to catch the embers, or you can also use a pottery dish
- Feather to direct the smoke - you can also use your hand
- Brass bell to wake up the energy in each room as you move through the house
It is best to declutter each room before you begin. Open all of the doors, closet doors and windows so you can move from room to room easily and without interruption.
1. Light the candle and set your intention. You may use the prayer above or something you have written or found that expresses your personal perspective.
2. Use the candle flame to light the sage. Once the sage has caught fire, blow it out and watch for glowing embers. When you see the smoke begin to roll off of the smudge stick, it is ready.
3. Guide the smoke toward your heart, over your head and around your body to purify yourself before you begin.
4. Go the the lowest area you will be smudging. You will be working clockwise in each room. Use your feather, or your hand, to direct the smoke from the lowest part of the room to the highest as you move in a circle around the room Be certain to direct smoke into the corners of the room. Direct the smoke out the door or windows before you move on to the next room.
5. KEEP THE SHELL CLOSE BY TO COLLECT BURNING EMBERS. I tap the smudge stick on the shell when I begin in each room and usually another time or two as the leaves burn.
6. After you have completed smudging each room extinguish the sage by rubbing it onto the shell or on sand or dirt. Check to see that there are no burning red embers.
DO NOT wet the sage. If you do, you won't be able to use the sage again.
After the smoke clears and the negative energy has been released, fill the space with love. You can say prayers, meditate or journal about love, have dear friends over, read inspirational materials or do what ever feels best for you!
DO NOT wet the sage. If you do, you won't be able to use the sage again.
After the smoke clears and the negative energy has been released, fill the space with love. You can say prayers, meditate or journal about love, have dear friends over, read inspirational materials or do what ever feels best for you!
This post is from January 2021. I’m reposting and hoping to find someone who can provide directions to the Losh Run Box Huckleberry. I’ve visited the Hoverter & Sholl BoxHuckleberry but have never found the Losh Run. Please send me a message if you know how to find it. Thank you!
The Hoverter & Sholl Box Huckleberry
(Gaylussacia brachycera)
(Gaylussacia brachycera)
Can you name a plant that covers 8 acres of land, is 1300 years old,
will protect you and bring you luck as you enter the new year?
will protect you and bring you luck as you enter the new year?
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Gender: Feminine
Element: Water
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Planet: Venus
My quest to find an herb worthy of being featured as the first in a series for 2021 unfolded magically! My daughter Mycenea self quarantined for 14 days, as did I, so we could be together for Christmas. We spent a lot of time outdoors, and one of our favorite jaunts was to visit the Hoverter and Sholl Box Huckleberry in Perry County, Pennsylvania.
The box huckleberry is a member of the acidic soil loving Ericaceae family, which include azaleas, rhododendron, trailing arbutus, cranberries and blueberries, among others. Unlike the giant Sequoias and the Bristlecone pines, also known for their their age, the box huckleberry is only about a half a foot tall. It covers the forest floor and can easily be overlooked.
The box huckleberry and blueberry are often confused, but there are differences. The blueberry grows in clusters, and the box huckleberry, as well as the huckleberry, has more singular berries, with occasional small clusters. Though the skin of all of the berries are blue, the blueberry is white or light green inside, and the huckleberry and box huckleberries have a deep red violet or purple inner flesh with a tendency to stain.
There are several folk names for the Huckleberries, including Blaeberry, Whortleberry, Bilberry and Hurtleberry. Bilberry is a folk name for the Blueberry. It gets confusing. Fortunately, scientists use Latin names to provide clarification. We are referring to the box huckleberry (Gaylussacia brachycera) in this case.
There were two box huckleberry plants in the area we visited. One, at Losh Run, is thought to be over 13,000 years old! Bristlecone pines, at 5,000 years old, were considered to be the oldest living organisms on earth, yet the box huckleberry is significantly older. The age is determined by the rate of growth, approximately 6 inches a year, and was calculated by the size of the plants.
The Losh Run Box Huckleberry, which at one time covered an area of about 100 acres, nearly 10 times larger than the Hoveter Sholl, was damaged by a forest fire in 1963, then partially destroyed during the 1970s due to road construction of U.S. 22/322. The remainder is in an area difficult to access.
The younger plant is estimated to be 1,200 to 1,300 years old, and fortunately has been in a protected area as a National Natural Landmark since 1929. The 8 plus acre box huckleberry, named because its leaves resemble boxwood, is situated within a 10 acres area in Tuscarora State Forest with a quarter mile path around the plant. Twenty-seven stations along the loop give an educational overview.
The Hoveter Sholl plant was discovered in 1845 by Spencer Fullerton Baird, a professor at Dickinson College in Carlisle. He was a naturalist and later became the first curator of the Smithsonian Institution, advancing to become the second Secretary of the institution.
The box huckleberries were almost forgotten until 1948 when Dr. Fredrick Coville, a graduate of Cornell University working for the Department of Agriculture, determined the plants, one covering over 8 acres, and the other nearly 100 acres, were each individual massive plants! The relict species, miraculously surviving the ice age, is considered self-sterile, and reproduces through a system of root stalks.
This remarkable plant has not always been well revered. Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is probably the most well know of the huckleberries, and in an interview in an interview in 1895, Twain said he used the name to indicate Finn was a boy “of lower distraction” than Mark Twain.
A more positive huckleberry reference was featured in the song Moon River in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It is beautifully explained by Jessica Dang, Single Girl Dinner. “For years I had no idea what it meant: "My huckleberry friend." It hung in my mind. I searched Paul Varjak's relationship with Holly Golightly for the answer. Theirs was a mutual adoration laced with innocent flirtation; there was a certain playfulness that freed them from being neither friends nor lovers."
On New Year’s Eve, the residents of New Bloomfield, PA traditionally assemble to pay homage to their oldest resident. They lower a huge huckleberry from the courthouse clock tower at midnight to pay tribute to this humble herb. This year’s pandemic will prevent the assemblage, but they will hopefully meet on New Year’s Eve next year to honor this enormous, ancient plant.
The box huckleberry is a member of the acidic soil loving Ericaceae family, which include azaleas, rhododendron, trailing arbutus, cranberries and blueberries, among others. Unlike the giant Sequoias and the Bristlecone pines, also known for their their age, the box huckleberry is only about a half a foot tall. It covers the forest floor and can easily be overlooked.
The box huckleberry and blueberry are often confused, but there are differences. The blueberry grows in clusters, and the box huckleberry, as well as the huckleberry, has more singular berries, with occasional small clusters. Though the skin of all of the berries are blue, the blueberry is white or light green inside, and the huckleberry and box huckleberries have a deep red violet or purple inner flesh with a tendency to stain.
There are several folk names for the Huckleberries, including Blaeberry, Whortleberry, Bilberry and Hurtleberry. Bilberry is a folk name for the Blueberry. It gets confusing. Fortunately, scientists use Latin names to provide clarification. We are referring to the box huckleberry (Gaylussacia brachycera) in this case.
There were two box huckleberry plants in the area we visited. One, at Losh Run, is thought to be over 13,000 years old! Bristlecone pines, at 5,000 years old, were considered to be the oldest living organisms on earth, yet the box huckleberry is significantly older. The age is determined by the rate of growth, approximately 6 inches a year, and was calculated by the size of the plants.
The Losh Run Box Huckleberry, which at one time covered an area of about 100 acres, nearly 10 times larger than the Hoveter Sholl, was damaged by a forest fire in 1963, then partially destroyed during the 1970s due to road construction of U.S. 22/322. The remainder is in an area difficult to access.
The younger plant is estimated to be 1,200 to 1,300 years old, and fortunately has been in a protected area as a National Natural Landmark since 1929. The 8 plus acre box huckleberry, named because its leaves resemble boxwood, is situated within a 10 acres area in Tuscarora State Forest with a quarter mile path around the plant. Twenty-seven stations along the loop give an educational overview.
The Hoveter Sholl plant was discovered in 1845 by Spencer Fullerton Baird, a professor at Dickinson College in Carlisle. He was a naturalist and later became the first curator of the Smithsonian Institution, advancing to become the second Secretary of the institution.
The box huckleberries were almost forgotten until 1948 when Dr. Fredrick Coville, a graduate of Cornell University working for the Department of Agriculture, determined the plants, one covering over 8 acres, and the other nearly 100 acres, were each individual massive plants! The relict species, miraculously surviving the ice age, is considered self-sterile, and reproduces through a system of root stalks.
This remarkable plant has not always been well revered. Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is probably the most well know of the huckleberries, and in an interview in an interview in 1895, Twain said he used the name to indicate Finn was a boy “of lower distraction” than Mark Twain.
A more positive huckleberry reference was featured in the song Moon River in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It is beautifully explained by Jessica Dang, Single Girl Dinner. “For years I had no idea what it meant: "My huckleberry friend." It hung in my mind. I searched Paul Varjak's relationship with Holly Golightly for the answer. Theirs was a mutual adoration laced with innocent flirtation; there was a certain playfulness that freed them from being neither friends nor lovers."
On New Year’s Eve, the residents of New Bloomfield, PA traditionally assemble to pay homage to their oldest resident. They lower a huge huckleberry from the courthouse clock tower at midnight to pay tribute to this humble herb. This year’s pandemic will prevent the assemblage, but they will hopefully meet on New Year’s Eve next year to honor this enormous, ancient plant.
As you enter 2021, I wish you the blessings of huckleberry! May you gather magic and find luck and protection in “berried treasures”, I’m hoping there will be unexpected blessings and virtues all around you. And may each of you find a ‘Huckleberry friend”!
“Everyone should have a huckleberry friend at one point or another.
It is an experience that showers your life with magic for as long as it lasts,
whether it be for a couple of weeks or a couple of years.”
~ Jessica Dang, Single Girl Dinner, #SingleGirlDinner
It is an experience that showers your life with magic for as long as it lasts,
whether it be for a couple of weeks or a couple of years.”
~ Jessica Dang, Single Girl Dinner, #SingleGirlDinner
The legend states, "those who kiss under the mistletoe
will fall in love and stay in love."
Memories of mistletoe may be pleasant for some, but my most frequent experiences were sheer panic, as I realized, often too late, there was a cluster over head and the wrong guy standing next to me.
Romantic novels, and some friend’s stories, give a different perspective. They describe an opportunity to finally have an innocent kiss with your heart's desire and find out if there is a special spark. If the legend holds true, this is followed by a guaranteed happily ever after.
MISTLETOE Caution - POISON
Gender: Masculine
Element: Air
Planet: Sun
Element: Air
Planet: Sun
But this year, the coronavirus, masks, and distancing will eliminate what we have probably all thought of as mistletoe’s one and only role in holiday celebrations. We think of it as the ‘kissing herb” and further examination probably ends. When we apply labels, positive or negative, we tend to stop looking for other characteristics. 2020 has given us the opportunity to view almost everything from a different perspectives, and taking a closer look at mistletoe may be surprising and beneficial!
Mistletoe, like most herbs, has a variety of folk names. One is All Heal, referring to its long, historic role in providing protection and healing. It has been carried to prevent, or cure, plague. It also ensures safety from fires and lightning, and will bring about good luck and fortune. Some sources go so far as to suggest there are spells using mistletoe to help you obtain immortality!
If you see mistletoe this year, I suggest you abstain from kissing, but give some thought to attributes you might not have considered. We could all use a bit of protection and healing from the plague, and mistletoe, all heal, will serve us well.
You might want to use the same approach with friends and family. What gifts and talents have been hidden in others because they are over shadowed by a more dominant label? Holidays will be less hectic this year and we’ll have more time to hunt for previously unnoticed treasures. Are there people in your life who have gifts and talents you hadn’t noticed? Look beyond their most obvious talents and discover what you’ve been missing!
Have you discovered aspects in yourself that you have kept hidden? Do you have interests you’ve wanted to explore but haven’t taken the time to research or practice? You may have an affinity for music, but focused only on team sports. You might want to learn a language and study another culture so you’ll be ready to visit exotic lands when its safe to travel again. You might have considered writing a novel but never made the commitment to follow through. These long dark days of isolation can give us an opportunity to explore and develop new, or dormant, talents and skills.
Nature is filled with lessons. Being more aware of mistletoe’s role in lesser known virtues may guide us to insights about ourselves and others we might not have considered.
Mistletoe, like most herbs, has a variety of folk names. One is All Heal, referring to its long, historic role in providing protection and healing. It has been carried to prevent, or cure, plague. It also ensures safety from fires and lightning, and will bring about good luck and fortune. Some sources go so far as to suggest there are spells using mistletoe to help you obtain immortality!
If you see mistletoe this year, I suggest you abstain from kissing, but give some thought to attributes you might not have considered. We could all use a bit of protection and healing from the plague, and mistletoe, all heal, will serve us well.
You might want to use the same approach with friends and family. What gifts and talents have been hidden in others because they are over shadowed by a more dominant label? Holidays will be less hectic this year and we’ll have more time to hunt for previously unnoticed treasures. Are there people in your life who have gifts and talents you hadn’t noticed? Look beyond their most obvious talents and discover what you’ve been missing!
Have you discovered aspects in yourself that you have kept hidden? Do you have interests you’ve wanted to explore but haven’t taken the time to research or practice? You may have an affinity for music, but focused only on team sports. You might want to learn a language and study another culture so you’ll be ready to visit exotic lands when its safe to travel again. You might have considered writing a novel but never made the commitment to follow through. These long dark days of isolation can give us an opportunity to explore and develop new, or dormant, talents and skills.
Nature is filled with lessons. Being more aware of mistletoe’s role in lesser known virtues may guide us to insights about ourselves and others we might not have considered.
St. Lucy's Day is currently most often associated with Sweden, one of the celebrations of light in the midst of winter's darkness. Little Christmas, or the Feats of Saint Lucy, is a favorite advent celebration. In the early morning, the Lucia Bride, usually the youngest daughter, is dressed in a long white gown with a myrtle or bilberry crown and lighted candles. She awakens the family, often bringing coffee and tea, and braided Lucia twists, flavored with saffron and cardamon. After the family is served, she visits the barns, taking food to the animals.
In addition to the home celebration, the young girls attend services at the church dressed in their lighted crowns. St. Lucy represents the promise of the light in the darkness and the sun's return.
In addition to the home celebration, the young girls attend services at the church dressed in their lighted crowns. St. Lucy represents the promise of the light in the darkness and the sun's return.
Saint Lucy is the patron saint of the blind and those with visual challenges. Lucy was born in Syracuse, Sicily in the 3rd century. She was born to wealthy Christian parents and at an early age she secretly vowed to remain a virgin and serve God by helping others.
Her father died when she was young. When she came of age, her mother arranged her marriage to a pagan but Lucy rejected him. It was the time of the Diocletian persecutions and when her suitor denounced her as a Christian, she seemed destined to death by burning or life in the brothels. Her fate was to be martyred by a sword through her throat.
In another story she escapes the marriage by tearing her eyes out in frightful desperation. She is often depicted carrying her eyes on a tray.
Miraculously, her sight was restored and she was able to serve God and mankind as she has intended. She is celebrated for giving sight to the blind, food to the hungry, and light to the darkness. The name Lucy comes from the root word Lux, meaning light.
Her father died when she was young. When she came of age, her mother arranged her marriage to a pagan but Lucy rejected him. It was the time of the Diocletian persecutions and when her suitor denounced her as a Christian, she seemed destined to death by burning or life in the brothels. Her fate was to be martyred by a sword through her throat.
In another story she escapes the marriage by tearing her eyes out in frightful desperation. She is often depicted carrying her eyes on a tray.
Miraculously, her sight was restored and she was able to serve God and mankind as she has intended. She is celebrated for giving sight to the blind, food to the hungry, and light to the darkness. The name Lucy comes from the root word Lux, meaning light.
Herbs associated with St. Lucy's Day
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Saffron Myrtle Dill Goldenrod Bilberry
St. Lucia's Saffron Braided Bread
Bread
I teaspoon saffron, soaked in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Let cool
2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
4 T softened butter
3 eggs
3 T sugar
1 teaspoon salt
I cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried bilberries (blueberries) or raisins
5 to 6 cups unbleached flour
1. Prepare saffron.
2. Dissolve yeast in water.
3. Mix the butter with eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
4. Add milk to butter and eggs.
5. Add almonds and dried fruit
6. Stir in saffron mixture.
7. Add flour gradually and stir with wooden spoon until it is is smooth and forms a ball.
8. Place on floured board or counter and knead until smooth - about 5 minutes.
9.Put into a greased bowl, turn it over and cover with a towel in a warm place until double, about an hour and a half.
10. Punch down dough, divide into 3 sections. Braid and form into a circle shape.
11. Place on cookie sheet and let rise until double - about 30 minutes.
12. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
13. Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
14. Remove from oven, cool and ice.
Icing
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
Combine and gradually add water until it is the consistency of icing.
Drizzle on to bread.
Decorate with slivered toasted almonds and/or dried fruit if desired.
Top with candles
I teaspoon saffron, soaked in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes. Let cool
2 packages dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
4 T softened butter
3 eggs
3 T sugar
1 teaspoon salt
I cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried bilberries (blueberries) or raisins
5 to 6 cups unbleached flour
1. Prepare saffron.
2. Dissolve yeast in water.
3. Mix the butter with eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
4. Add milk to butter and eggs.
5. Add almonds and dried fruit
6. Stir in saffron mixture.
7. Add flour gradually and stir with wooden spoon until it is is smooth and forms a ball.
8. Place on floured board or counter and knead until smooth - about 5 minutes.
9.Put into a greased bowl, turn it over and cover with a towel in a warm place until double, about an hour and a half.
10. Punch down dough, divide into 3 sections. Braid and form into a circle shape.
11. Place on cookie sheet and let rise until double - about 30 minutes.
12. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
13. Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
14. Remove from oven, cool and ice.
Icing
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
Combine and gradually add water until it is the consistency of icing.
Drizzle on to bread.
Decorate with slivered toasted almonds and/or dried fruit if desired.
Top with candles
St. Nicholas was born in the 4th Century in Lycia, Asia Minor to very wealthy parents. Even as a child he was very religious. He was very young when he became a priest and he went on to become a bishop. Sadly, his parents died shortly after he was ordained. He inherited a great fortune, and he shared it generously with people in need. His giving was from the heart - he was not interested in credit or compensation. He often gave unanimously. He was dedicated to common people and emperors alike.
St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, laborers, merchants, pawn brokers, and particularly sailors and those who work near water.
There are many stories describing his generosity. A nobleman who had lost his fortune was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters so planned to sell them into slavery. St. Nicholas galloped by their castle in the dark of night and threw a bag of gold in the window. He did this three nights in a row, providing each daughter with a dowry. Eventually, it was discovered that he had been the generous benefactor. His fame as a gift giver spread through out many lands and he has been credited with the concepts of Father Christmas and Santa Claus.
The three bags of gold represent the three golden balls found on the signage outside pawn broker's shops.
In another more gruesome story, he saved three babies, often pictured beside him. During a famine, an inn keeper had no meat to feed his customers so he cut up three children and tossed them into a brine filled pickling tub. Thankfully, St. Nicholas walked in just in time to bless the boys and bring them back to life!
During that same famine, he convinced sailors on a ship filled with grain to unload some of their cargo to feed those who were starving. They were initially reluctant since the grain had been weighed and they wanted to deliver the entire shipment. He assured them that the cargo would weigh exactly the same amount when it was delivered. It did.
As you celebrate St. Nicholas Day, give a gift from the heart. It doesn't need to be expensive. It could be a kind word, a quote that would make someone feel valued, a thank you. Or is could be a poem, or a recipe! Here's my gift to you!
Golden Bishop's Tea
4 cups black or green tea
4 cups apricot nectar
Serve hot with a honey if desired and a sprig of rosemary
and a sprinkling of nutmeg
Optional: 1 Tablespoon apricot brandy per cup
St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children, laborers, merchants, pawn brokers, and particularly sailors and those who work near water.
There are many stories describing his generosity. A nobleman who had lost his fortune was unable to provide dowries for his three daughters so planned to sell them into slavery. St. Nicholas galloped by their castle in the dark of night and threw a bag of gold in the window. He did this three nights in a row, providing each daughter with a dowry. Eventually, it was discovered that he had been the generous benefactor. His fame as a gift giver spread through out many lands and he has been credited with the concepts of Father Christmas and Santa Claus.
The three bags of gold represent the three golden balls found on the signage outside pawn broker's shops.
In another more gruesome story, he saved three babies, often pictured beside him. During a famine, an inn keeper had no meat to feed his customers so he cut up three children and tossed them into a brine filled pickling tub. Thankfully, St. Nicholas walked in just in time to bless the boys and bring them back to life!
During that same famine, he convinced sailors on a ship filled with grain to unload some of their cargo to feed those who were starving. They were initially reluctant since the grain had been weighed and they wanted to deliver the entire shipment. He assured them that the cargo would weigh exactly the same amount when it was delivered. It did.
As you celebrate St. Nicholas Day, give a gift from the heart. It doesn't need to be expensive. It could be a kind word, a quote that would make someone feel valued, a thank you. Or is could be a poem, or a recipe! Here's my gift to you!
Golden Bishop's Tea
4 cups black or green tea
4 cups apricot nectar
Serve hot with a honey if desired and a sprig of rosemary
and a sprinkling of nutmeg
Optional: 1 Tablespoon apricot brandy per cup
Golden Apricots, Tansy and Wheat
As you celebrate St. Nicholas Day, think gold! Decorate with golden wheat and tansy! Serve apricot or orange nut bread with Golden Bishop's Tea. Create your own golden delights!
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"My mission is
to help others see and cherish the beauty,
romance and treasures within and around them
that are often dismissed or completely overlooked."
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