Sharing
March into April of 2023:
Spring has marched right into our lives. I have built my own seed starting mixture this year. Using a well known mixture of 3 parts compost, 2 parts peat moss and 1 part perlite. The blend is now melding in my garage and I'll be starting all my seeds over the next week. I have moving heavy into more herbs so those will be first to sow. Right behind them will be peppers ( and I'm rather late starting them) then tomatoes, nukes an squash. Once I get the seeds in, I'll be posting what I'm starting and why each one has a special place in my raised beds.
The elderberry bushes are starting to bud - and even my loooong root sprouted up 5 new plants. As soon as the rain stops, I'll post a pic of them. As most of us know, elderberry is a great herb for building immunity and helping when one is feeling yucky or a cold coming on. With our immune systems still a bit out of whack with C** folks are struggling with more colds and some of them nasty. Elderberry is a great add to any medicine cabinet.
Spring also brings seasonal allergies. I have catnip infused tincture I'll be adding to my bug spray this year. Catnip has a long history of being known for it's powerful repellent action on insects, especially mosquitoes. A blend that is helpful for seasonal allergies is Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint. This is a powerful blend that can help open up sinuses and give a boost to your immunity and while soothing and calming.
I'm off till the rains stop and I can pics.. In honor of my best friend - Love and Light to all.
December 2022
Here in New England we haven't had snow yet in the suburbs, but the mountains of NH and ME have. But as what has become normal, the snows take longer to come. Snow is critical to the land and flowers/herbs. It helps the plants to grow strong bones to grow big and strong. Our winter herbs will go dormant and look 'sad' , but they are building strong bones for the harvest that will come.
On the Dec 21st at 4:47pm, we enter the Winter Solstice. Hunkering down, counting blessing and planning planning for the harvest that will come. Seeds start as early at mid-February, right after the big ski trip north. To me winter is lovely.. A beautiful winter Wedding or celebrating the new life with a baby shower to gifting your best friend a basket full of love!
Here's to your happy Winter Solstice - celebrate the Winter and all the blessing Spring will give us!
Love and Light
/Penny
November 2022
I'd like to talk about how I winter over and how I use warm months to help get through the coming cold months. Bringing in herbs can help warm your home up by their beauty and stamina. A trait I admire in the plant world.
As a complete aside - I am lover of all things winter - I ski, snowshoe and play as much as I can in the cold months. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the darkness - which leads me to share this:
Winter brings cold, stillness and almost a loss. This is where summer or the warmer months come into play. Our garden harvests can be brought inside - either as dried herbs or by transplanting.
If transplanting -
Choose 1 or 2 herbs that were in the ground or in containers, bring them inside and you have the beginnings of a strong winter warmth. If dried, let them sit for approximately 3 weeks, then remove from stems and store them in a jar. These can be added, as needed to any food choices you need.
Good choices to transplant/container are parsley, rosemary they will winter over nicely. Give them a sunny window a little drink once a week and they will be fine.
Basil does not winter over easily but sometimes they produce up February. In February things start to swing back. mmm...
If you bring herbs in -
Any container herb can come in during the winter and will go dormant in the winter, water every week or 2, because they need to sleep and grow strong. They will tell you when it's time to water more - you will see new growth, a shoot here or there or the ever loving new bloom!
There is a unique difference between the plant and the essential oil that I would like to share:
This is the Rosemary I have brought in - 2 plants that are sitting in a sunny window. Fresh Rosemary is a great herb to add to many winter meals - chili, stew, soups. It can be safely used unless you have a previous sensitivity to the herb.
Rosemary essential oil that has been distilled, it's potency will be, as with all Practitioner grade Essential Oils, much more intense than the herb . It is recommended to start slow and research.
Rosemary EO is great Immune support, Respiratory Support and Nervous system. It may stimulate memory and may help clear the conscious mind. Caution is required as this oil is not recommended for pregnant women or folks with high blood pressure on medication - it is a great oil to help with low blood pressure. It helps tremendously when there is transition occurring - a new home, new school, relationship.
Essential Oils are wonderful powerhouses to help in so many ways. Different than an herb or flower's strength and each has it's purpose. If you have any questions or want to ask more in depth questions or just have a conversation - send me an email. I'm growing my herbal collection and learning daily - just like a lot of us.
In the words of my favorite person - Love and Light
/Penny
Spring has marched right into our lives. I have built my own seed starting mixture this year. Using a well known mixture of 3 parts compost, 2 parts peat moss and 1 part perlite. The blend is now melding in my garage and I'll be starting all my seeds over the next week. I have moving heavy into more herbs so those will be first to sow. Right behind them will be peppers ( and I'm rather late starting them) then tomatoes, nukes an squash. Once I get the seeds in, I'll be posting what I'm starting and why each one has a special place in my raised beds.
The elderberry bushes are starting to bud - and even my loooong root sprouted up 5 new plants. As soon as the rain stops, I'll post a pic of them. As most of us know, elderberry is a great herb for building immunity and helping when one is feeling yucky or a cold coming on. With our immune systems still a bit out of whack with C** folks are struggling with more colds and some of them nasty. Elderberry is a great add to any medicine cabinet.
Spring also brings seasonal allergies. I have catnip infused tincture I'll be adding to my bug spray this year. Catnip has a long history of being known for it's powerful repellent action on insects, especially mosquitoes. A blend that is helpful for seasonal allergies is Lemon, Lavender and Peppermint. This is a powerful blend that can help open up sinuses and give a boost to your immunity and while soothing and calming.
I'm off till the rains stop and I can pics.. In honor of my best friend - Love and Light to all.
December 2022
Here in New England we haven't had snow yet in the suburbs, but the mountains of NH and ME have. But as what has become normal, the snows take longer to come. Snow is critical to the land and flowers/herbs. It helps the plants to grow strong bones to grow big and strong. Our winter herbs will go dormant and look 'sad' , but they are building strong bones for the harvest that will come.
On the Dec 21st at 4:47pm, we enter the Winter Solstice. Hunkering down, counting blessing and planning planning for the harvest that will come. Seeds start as early at mid-February, right after the big ski trip north. To me winter is lovely.. A beautiful winter Wedding or celebrating the new life with a baby shower to gifting your best friend a basket full of love!
Here's to your happy Winter Solstice - celebrate the Winter and all the blessing Spring will give us!
Love and Light
/Penny
November 2022
I'd like to talk about how I winter over and how I use warm months to help get through the coming cold months. Bringing in herbs can help warm your home up by their beauty and stamina. A trait I admire in the plant world.
As a complete aside - I am lover of all things winter - I ski, snowshoe and play as much as I can in the cold months. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with the darkness - which leads me to share this:
Winter brings cold, stillness and almost a loss. This is where summer or the warmer months come into play. Our garden harvests can be brought inside - either as dried herbs or by transplanting.
If transplanting -
Choose 1 or 2 herbs that were in the ground or in containers, bring them inside and you have the beginnings of a strong winter warmth. If dried, let them sit for approximately 3 weeks, then remove from stems and store them in a jar. These can be added, as needed to any food choices you need.
Good choices to transplant/container are parsley, rosemary they will winter over nicely. Give them a sunny window a little drink once a week and they will be fine.
Basil does not winter over easily but sometimes they produce up February. In February things start to swing back. mmm...
If you bring herbs in -
Any container herb can come in during the winter and will go dormant in the winter, water every week or 2, because they need to sleep and grow strong. They will tell you when it's time to water more - you will see new growth, a shoot here or there or the ever loving new bloom!
There is a unique difference between the plant and the essential oil that I would like to share:
This is the Rosemary I have brought in - 2 plants that are sitting in a sunny window. Fresh Rosemary is a great herb to add to many winter meals - chili, stew, soups. It can be safely used unless you have a previous sensitivity to the herb.
Rosemary essential oil that has been distilled, it's potency will be, as with all Practitioner grade Essential Oils, much more intense than the herb . It is recommended to start slow and research.
Rosemary EO is great Immune support, Respiratory Support and Nervous system. It may stimulate memory and may help clear the conscious mind. Caution is required as this oil is not recommended for pregnant women or folks with high blood pressure on medication - it is a great oil to help with low blood pressure. It helps tremendously when there is transition occurring - a new home, new school, relationship.
Essential Oils are wonderful powerhouses to help in so many ways. Different than an herb or flower's strength and each has it's purpose. If you have any questions or want to ask more in depth questions or just have a conversation - send me an email. I'm growing my herbal collection and learning daily - just like a lot of us.
In the words of my favorite person - Love and Light
/Penny