My Herb Happenings

I have a friend in town, Julia, who has resparked my interest in all things herbal.

So far, I've made some lotion and some black drawing salve (to pull out splinters/spider venom/glass/basically anything you want pulled out of your skin).

We decided to start a little herb club, with just the two of us. :) We meet once a month, learn about an herb and make something together. Last month was the drawing salve. This month we are making cough drops for the winter (two different kinds) and so far on the list we want to make dit dow ja (muscles/bruising-which requires buying vodka-gasp! Haha it's to be used externally-see D&C 89 for the proper use of alcohol: to wash our bodies!), she wants to make calendula salve, which I'll be making in Utah too, and we are planning out the rest of our herbal adventures this Thursday.

I decided to start some tinctures for this winter. The first is what I'm calling "The get better tincture" it should be pretty calming/maybe even sleepy tincture-echinacea (for the cold/flu/immunity booster), raspberry leaf (same, and all the beneficial minerals and vitamins), rosehips (vitamin c, among other exciting things), chamomile (to calm), catnip (calming/upset stomach).

The second tincture is with elderberries... And only elderberries. It is smaller, but it will probably only be used if we get the flu.

I'm planning to make an 'herbal day-quil' for Jordan. He has to work, he needs energy and something to actually HELP the sickness, not just boost his energy enough to get him through the day (although, I'm hoping this tincture does do that too). It will have astragalus (need to order-this I'm hoping boosts him), mint (clean sinuses), elderberry, raspberry leaf, rosehips.

What an exciting summer! It feels good to once again be prepared for winter and have things in my cabinet to help my family.