THE QUEEN'S TEA

When I go on the radio show "Kickin' it with the Queen" on Off the Top Radio, I bring tea. The queen loves her tea. Here is the recipe she enjoys so much:
Black tea
slices of ginger
sliced lemon with peels
cinnamon
honey
lemon balm
cloves

Simmer all ingredients except the black tea for about an hour. Make the tea separately in a big pot. When it is done brewing (about 5 minutes) combine with the other ingredients, straining out the tea bags, spices, and fruit. Enjoy with great conversation!

IMMUNITEA

There are many varieties of a good tea for cold season. Most recipes include honey and lemon. I like to include astragalus, ginger, green tea and lemon balm along with my honey and lemon. You can change the make-up of the tea and include warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, and a pinch of allspice. Here is my version:
Two Tablespoons of Astragalus
One Tablespoon of Ginger (I like to use fresh slices- but dried can be used)
A few slices of fresh organic lemon peel.
If you want to uses spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and allspice you can add it here- remember to use sparingly -about 1/8 of a teaspoon- a little can go a long way.
One quart of water
Simmer 20 minutes-covered
Turn off the heat and add one tablespoon of Lemon Balm and two or three teabags of green tea - allowing to sit another 20 minutes. If you feel the green tea will be too bitter sitting for 20 minutes you can make it separately allowing it to steep for 2-3 minutes then add it to the rest of the tea. Add honey to taste and if you like it more "lemony" you can add a slice of lemon to your cup. This can keep in the refrigerator for 24 hours, just heat it up before drinking it. Remember that this tea might make you perspire, which is fine when you are really ill. It will soothe your throat and coughs too.

~Original Artwork by Hester~ Available on Cafe.press - Greenfirewoman.

St. Joan's Wort - Hypericum perforatum

Hypericum perforatum is a yellow-flowering perrenial herb that comes fro Europe. It grows wild in many meadows and it's common name is associated with its harvesting on St. John's day, which falls around the Summer Solstice. The genus name Hypericum is derived from the Greek words hyper (above) and eikon (picture), in reference to the traditional use of the plant to ward off evil, by hanging plants over a religious icon in the house during St John's day. The species name perforatum refers to the small oil glands in the leaves that look like holes, which can be seen when they are held against the light.

St John's wort folk names include Tipton's Weed or Klamath weed. It was named after the patron saint of nurses, St. John. Among feminist herbalists St. John's wort is called St. Joan's wort referring to it's ability to make a wonderful sunscreen. The reasoning behind the name is that St. Joan knew more about burning that St. John. This herb is assoicated with helping people with depression but it has so many more uses. It helps with shigles, sciatica, back pain, neuralgia, and headaches including migraines. St. Joan's wort is a very stron anti-viral and I use it when the stomach virus is going around or when I have a viral cold. This herb has long been valued for its expectorant action, clearing phlegm from the chest and speeding recovery from coughs and chest infections. St. Joan's wort is wonderful for treating cold sores and herpes outbreaks.

Used as a salve, this herbs heals burns, cuts, wounds, sores, ulcers and calms inflammation. It has antiviral and antibacterial action which is makes it effective in treating TB, and influenza. Because of these properties St. Joan's is being researched in treating HIV and AIDS.

Elderberry - Sambucus Nigra

Elderberry is known as the poor man's medicine. It is a tree of medicine and folklore. It's leaves are healing for wounds and sprains. The berries can be made in to wine, jam, or a tincture. One can use it in a tea. Elderberry has been documented to be a known cure for the bird flu. In my family we make elderberry tincture from harvested berries from our shrub in the back yard. To me, the tincture tastes very much like port wine. We use it every time the flu or a cold comes along. The flowers can be harvested and made into an infusion to break fevers. When the flowers are in bloom they have a slight anise scent to them. When my friend was undergoing chemo for breast cancer, she would take our homemade elderberry tincture every night to boost her immune system. She too loved the taste and looked forward to taking her medicine in the evening.

The folk lore associated with Elder varies; some tell of a witch that lives in every bush. One tale explains how a person can see the fey when they sit under the tree when the veil is thin during certain times of the year. Several cultures believe the Elder protects a home from being struck by lightening. We are always warned never to take from the Elder without asking. In Denmark, a dryad, Hylde-Moer, the Elder-tree Mother, lives in the tree. The Russians believed Elder would protect them from evil. And of course there is the old rhyme, "Elder be the ladies tree burn it not or cursed you'll be".

Looking Forward

I spoke to my father on the phone the other day; he's in his 80's. He just had a knee replacement and is planning to have the other done. He said, "You know if I can get around better, it can change our lifestyle. Travel more and work out in the yard, it will make a big difference." As difficult as the recuperation was from the first replacement, I felt terrific relief. What a wonderful thing to be able to always look forward to something and not say, "I'm too old, I can't do that". As I age, I will remember that I have things to look forward to also.

Welcome Blessed Spring

Spring morning marvel

lovely nameless little hill

on a sea of mist

Basho

I am listening to the birds each morning and enjoying the brighter days. The
garlic mustard greens, cinquefoil, and spring bulbs are popping their heads out
of the ground to assure me that the Cailleach really is in her white stone now.
Kore has come to bring changes into our garden and our lives again and I embrace
her. I love the gently spring rains and the feelings of the change in the air. Today
we will hang up birdhouses and invite birds to our garden. We love listening to them,
identifying them and watching their antics in the garden.

Live with intention

“Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.” Mary Anne Radmacher

On being a Friend or a Sister

"God defend me from my friends; from my enemies I can defend myself." (Friendship Proverb)

Friendship is delicate and fragile. It is like a garden and must be maintained ~ care, feeding, and weeding are a must. It can bring you great joy and beauty for a long time to come. Just like a garden there will be surprise annoyances; some strange weed that pops up from nowhere. But there will be wonderous flowers that grow up without being planted and happily grow into great beauties.

What do you do when someone you thought was a friend turns their back on you? What do you say? When you have accepted someone for all their faults and learned to love as well as appreciate them just as they are ~ what do you feel when they have not returned the favor? Loss of friendship hurts, there is no other way to say it. When I look at the loss I have recently suffered, I realize the person was behaving out of her own pain and fear.

It is the same with those you use the term "sister" or "sisterhood" to refer to a close kinship. Often in organizations or clubs one might come across these phrases.This is a term that makes you feel as though there should be safety and acceptance in the relationship. But just as when one calls someone a friend who does not behave as one, so can there be times when you are faced with women called "sister" who do not behave as such. Like friend, it is a word that is used loosely and should not be.

There is a responsibility to being called friend or sister. You are carrying someone's heart in your hands and should remember the precious cargo you hold. Perhaps it is the difference in values one is raised with or the difficulties one might be facing that makes them behave carelessly with this responsibility. But it is also true that one must be careful who they give the job of friendship or sisterhood to. Similar to choosing plants that do well in your type of garden, wise and patient choices in friends or sisters make for a better experience.

It is unhealthy to close your heart completely but it is wise to take your time with friendship and sisterhood. It is also wise to know when it is time to cut your losses and let people go. Like a healthy garden friendships should bring you great joys for your labors. Remembering that sometimes people are in a bad place at that time or they are making decisions from their pain and that the failure of the friendship may not have anything to do with you. Just like when I lose a plant, I review what I have learned and what I could have done differently ~then I move on. With each loss it still hurts, but it makes me grateful for those who love me just as I am and are glad to see or hear from me.

When a friend has hurt me so badly that I realize we cannot continue this relationship I say this Buddhist prayer:"I forgive you for the pain you caused me because the pain you caused me came from the pain you are in". Like the dead leaves from one of my failed attempts with a beloved plant, I release them into the wind.