Wednesday, June 6, 2012

April's Tasks


April was filled with much work and planning here at Three Moons and though the chickweed was out and the plantain and comfrey and such, we really did not work with any of it as we were  trying to organize our huge garden area, and the remodeling continues.  We had read that when planting potatoes it is good to put a compfrey leaf in with  to deter potato bugs and such. Since the comfrey was up we did this. Other than that I have not done too much Herbie at all in April.
Theoretical task: Understanding pain

Peripheral nerves are nerves that start in the spinal cord and innervate the skin, muscles, bones, joints and internal organs. The peripheral nerves are the starting point for receiving the sensation of pain and sending it up toward the brain.

As a nurse I have used pain scales with patients to assess how severe their pain is.
Pain scales are additional pain assessment tools to help you describe the intensity of someone's pain and to help diagnose or measure the level of pain. These include numeric, verbal or visual scales.
With numerical scales, you use numbers from 0-10 (0 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain ever) to rate the intensity of your pain.
Verbal scales are pain assessment tools that contain commonly used words such as "mild", "moderate" and "severe" to help you describe the severity of your pain.
Visual scales are pain assessment tools that use aids like pictures of facial expressions, colors or gaming objects, such as poker chips, to help explain the severity of your pain. One type, the Wong Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale, shows six different facial expressions from happy (no hurt) to agony (hurts the worst) to help show your healthcare professional how much pain you feel. Body diagrams may also be used to help pinpoint where your pain occurs.


My family is generally pretty healthy, but taking the flowers of Mullein and infusing in olive oil is a handy thing to have on hand when an occassional ear ache comes up.  I can say that I have used Mullein oil for both kids and adults for ear aches with great success. Just a few drops in the affected ear is enough to ease the pain. I then place a cotton ball int he ear canal to keep excess oil from running out. It can be repeated as needed. Of course if an earache ever persists beyond a few day or worsens then you need to use you best judgement on if you need to seek medical treatment.

For adults who have general aches and pain or nerve pain as with fibromyalgia I have had good sucess with St. John's wort oil both infused in oil and tinctured. Rub the oil on the affected area and it can be repeated every few hours if necessary. The tincture is also nice to use when it is not conveinent to apply the oil or to use in conjunction with it. I usually dose between 10-20 drops every hour or so until  relief is had.
*St John's wort is one herb that you need to check out for interactions with other medications before you use it to be on  the safe side. 

wong pain scale
Which scale you use depends on the age and/ or the cognitive level of the person you are working with.

Pain can be either classified as Acute or chronic.
 Acute pain is associated with an injury or sudden onset. This usually warrants being checked out by a physician.
Chronic pain is any pain that persists greater than 6 months. Many people suffer with chronic pain and over time it can be debilatating and lead to depression and limit their lifestyle.
There are many herbs that can help with different types of pain, the following list are just a few that may be helpful in releiving these different types of pain.
Acute/ bone pain - skullcap,
Torn Muscles - willow bark
Nerve Pain - St. John's wort
Arthritic pain - Willow bark, ginger, ginseng, angelica, wild yam, and black cohosh skullcap, valerian, turmeric, poppy,  St. John's wort, motherwort, lavender, cayenne,  and rose  
Ear Aches - mullein, garlic

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Violet Jelly

The violets are out in full bloom right now and so beautiful! I just adore the purple blue color and they always cheer me up somehow. My husband and I gathered up a big bowl of violet blossoms and I decided I would make some violet jelly.
They are beautiful! I rinsed them off, and filled a quart jar full. The more blossoms you add to the jar the darker your jelly will be.
Once the jar was full, I boiled water and placed a table knife in the jar. This is a trick I learned so that when pouring in the boiling water the knife conducts the heat and keeps the jar from breaking. I forgot to do this once  and I was sure sorry! The bottom of my jar blew out and I lost all my infusion all over the counter. So this is  well worth doing to prevent that from happening!
I then filled the jar with boiling water and  took the knife and made sure that all the blossoms were covered with water. I placed a cap on the jar and I will let in now infuse for the next 24 hrs. At the very least over night. Then I strained the blossoms making sure that I had at least 2 1/2 cups of infusion. To this I added the juice of 1 lemon which should be approximately 1/2 cup. In a large pot mix together 1 box of sure jell ( low sugar kind) and the infused violet liquid and the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, and then add 3 cups of sugar and boil for 3 minutes. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.
The end results, lots of beautiful Violet Jelly!
The hard part was waiting 24 hrs to taste it. Since I had never actually tasted violet jelly. But I can truthfully say now that it is wonderful! My daughter has already snagged some for the grandkids and I plan on making at least one more batch before the violets are gone!




Wednesday, March 14, 2012

March Lesson- Herbs that I will grow this year

This month's Practical task:
At my main home, in my herb garden I currently have motherwort, marshmallow, calendula, St. John's Wort, Rose, lavender, nettle, Bergomot, Echinacea. In and about my yard I have lots of violets and plantain. Since last June we have been in the process of moving several garden favorites to our new cottage garden, which is in it's beginning process. So slowly things have been transplanted with more to go this spring. I have noticed some of my roses are leafing already and the marshmallow is just starting to come up. Here is some  pictures of just a few things that have already popped up.
This is Calendula
Dandelion
Lavender
Stinging Nettles
And Violets - Thie violets were so plentyful for us this year, I decided to pick a big bowl ful and make jelly.
My husband and I have joined a local Transition group that we are very excited to be part of since there are many people we are finding that have similar interests as we do. Part of our last meeting was devoted to a shared seed swap with others. We also had one at the cottage at the end of February that was open to the public and was a way for us to network with others in the community.
I was able to obtain some Rosa Rugosa seeds along with sunflower and several bean varieties. We plan to plant some elderberry bushes, and I would also like to do a container patch of dandelion so I can be sure to have a nice clean patch. I also want to plant some of the plants out of my 20 selected to study this year that I currently do not have in my garden, such as rosemary, milkthistle, yarrow and evening of primrose.

Theoretical Task:
Digestion is the process where the food is broken down by enzymes secreted by the body, so it can be absorbed by the body.
The process of digestion is a four step process that begins with Ingestion of food in our mouth. As soon as the food particle enters the mouth, they are subjected to various enzymes secreted by digestive glands. These enzymes work upon the food particle to break it into simpler substances.
Once the food is swallowed, it is passed on to the stomach. The food passes through the esophagus where it is broken down into much simpler substances.
The food reaches the stomach where all the essential elements from the food are absorbed, by mechanical breakdown of the food.
The next step of digestion comprises of chemical digestion which takes places in the large and small intestine. Here the food’s pH balance is achieved in order to extract necessary nutrients and minerals from it. After the process of absorption is complete by the actions of various digestive glands and secretions, the left over food substance is transformed in the form of feces.This waste material is eliminated from the body through anus, thus completing the process of elimination.

Constipation occurs when bowel movements become difficult or less frequent. The normal length of time between bowel movements ranges widely from person to person. Some people have bowel movements three times a day; others, only one or two times a week. Going longer than three days without a bowel movement is too long. After three days, the stool or feces become harder and more difficult to pass.
You are considered constipated if you have two or more of the following for at least 3 months:
  • Straining during a bowel movement more than 25% of the time.
  • Hard stools more than 25% of the time.
  • Incomplete evacuation more than 25% of the time.
  • Two or fewer bowel movements in a week.
Constipation is usually caused by a disorder of bowel function rather than a structural problem.  A few common causes of constipation include:
  • Inadequate water intake.
  • Inadequate fiber in the diet.
  • A disruption of regular diet or routine; traveling.
  • Inadequate activity or exercise or immobility.
  • Eating large amounts of dairy products.
  • Stress.
  • Resisting the urge to have a bowel movement, which is sometimes the result of pain from  hemorrhoids.
  • Overuse of laxatives
  •  Certain health conditions such as Hypothyroidism, Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Antacid medicines containing calcium or aluminum.
  • Medicines (especially strong pain medicines, such as narcotics)
  • Depression.
  • Eating disorders.
  • Pregnancy.
Source of information: http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-constipation

Herbs that could be used for this condition:
 There are three classes of herbal laxatives - bulk, mild (but not bulk) and purgative.
Bulk laxatives would include adding flaxseed to and psyllium daily to the diet, but you need to be sure to drink plenty of water when taking them.

Dandelion root is a mild laxative often recommended by practicing herbalists for those with chronic constipation and in older adults. According to Susun Weed "The root in tea will have little effect on constipation due to nervousness, diet, fevers, and such occasional causes, but acts reliably when it is chronic, related to age, long-term illness, or general intestinal blahs; a teaspoon of the root boiled in water three or four times a day." Use dandelion leaves in salad, or 1-2 teaspoons of dandelion vinegar or 10 - 20 drops of tincture taken with meals. Susun  also recommends  Daily doses of 1 teaspoonful vinegar or 5 - 10 drops tincture of yellow dock eliminate constipation, indigestion, and gas.

Purgative Laxatives would include aloe, buckthorn, cascara sagrada, rhubarb, and senna. All the herbs in this category contain anthraquinones, strong and irritating chemical compounds that force the bowels to evacuate. They should be used only as a last resort. Senna is used in many of the over the counter bowel products. The concern with laxatives in this catagory is that over use of them can create a lazy bowel syndrome and can also create a dependancy on the product to be able to evacuate the bowel.
Mucilage  acting herbs such as Slippery Elm, Aloe, Marshmallow all contain-  gelatinous properties and will often have demulcent actions. These too can be used to get things moving so to speak!

The source of this information comes from http://www.henriettesherbal.com/faqs/medi-3-13-constipation.html
There are also several recipes listed to help with constipation and even a few for children on this site.
I have had 3 kids, and never have I had to deal with constipation with them. They were all good about drinking plenty of water and eating lots of fruit and veggies so they got their fiber, they were also extremely active. But if I did need to resort to an herbal remedy for a child I would try the elderberry jam or violet flower jam, as I am pretty sure you would be able to get them to take the "medicine" without any problem as both are so tasty!  See my Blog post about making Violet Jelly.With Spring starting early this year the violets were out in full bloom and I was able to take advantage and made 2 batches of Violet Jelly!

If anything the kids would have a problem with occasional Diarrhea.
The causes of Diarrhea can be many and diarrhea can be classified as occassional or chronic. For this discussion we will just talk about occassional diarrhea and its treatment.
Diarrhea  is a fairly common digestive disorder that can be casued by  viruses, bacteria, parasites, greasy foods, some medications, and nervous stomachs just to name a few. Teas made from herbs such as agrimony, the leaves of blackberry or raspberry leaves can help with diarrhea. They all contain tannins that have a binding effect on the mucous membranes lining the intestine, resulting in better absorbtion of fuids therefore diminishing the fluids lost during a case of diarrhea. This will also help prevent you from becoming dehydrated, which  can become a life threatening concern in the case of severe fluid loss with prolonged diarrhea.
 
Herbal Terminology

Spring tonics are special tonics made with early spring herbs and plants that help cleanse the body and supply it with important vitamins and minerals.  Long ago before fruits and veggies were as plentiful year round like they are now, people were not able to eat the vast amount of vitamins and minerals in the foods in the winter months. When Spring arrived along with all the first spring herbs folks were more than ready to rebuild their bodies after being depleated over the long winters. The spring tonics of the past were made from a wide variety of plants. Nettles, dandelions, sassafras, violet leaves, watercress, wild onions, rhubarb, asparagus, hawthorn, rosemary, parsley, burdock, sarsaparilla and many, many other first plants of spring were all used in spring tonics. The newly grown dandelion leaves, violets, watercress, and wild onions were ingredients in large salads or soups. The first herbs or roots and bark were often  steeped in water to make strong, bitter teas. They can also be cooked down into thick syrup with sulfur and molasses. Any way they are prepared, spring tonics are full of wonderful nutrients and healing properties.  Bitter herbs can help food digest better, and make you feel like you have more energy. These beautiful and bitter herbs are once again becoming popular as people learn more about the wealth of nutrients and healing properties they contain. Source: http://voices.yahoo.com/what-spring-tonics-10989742.html?cat=5

Mucilaginous Herbs contain mucilage and are made up of  polysaccharides ( sugars). One way to identify a Mucilaginous herb is that it tastes sweet, slippery mouth feel, makes slippery solutions and often swell in water. They have a soothing effect on inflammatory problems of the stomach and intestines, perhaps helping such conditions as ulcers, colitis and Chron's disease. The have a soothing effect of mucous membranes. They can also be applied topically on the skin as they have a cooling effect. Most mucilages are not broken down by the human digestive system but absorb toxins from the bowel and give bulk to the stool. Mucilaginous herbs are most effective topically as poultices and knitting agents, and topically in the digestive tract. If used as a lozenge or extract, they have demulcent action effecting on the throat.
The major effects of mucilaginous herbs are:
1. lower bowel transit time. 2. absorb toxins. 3. regulates intestinal flora. 4. demulcent / vulnerary action.
Examples of Mucilaginous Herbs are: Aloe, burdock, comfrey, dandelion, echinacea, slippery elm, and mullein

Source: http://www.grandmas-herbal-remedies.com/herb-guide.html
Diaphoretic Herbs  induce involuntary perspiration that helps to reduce fever, cool the body and speed the elimination of toxins from the system. These herbs are useful in fevers, colds, and detoxification . Source: www.anniesremedy.com
Diaphoretic herbs increase blood flow throughout the body by dilating superficial capiliaries & blood vessels. Some examples of Diaphoretic Herbs are:  
angelica, anise, bayberry, black cohosh, black currant, catnip, dill, Enchinacea, elder, fennel, ginseng, horehound, lemon balm, motherwort, peppermint, valerian, and wormwood.









Sunday, February 5, 2012

Lesson 2 Assignment

February Task List

Practical Task: Discovering what herbs are growing around you
Year 1: Walk around your “harvesting space” (this may be your garden, a local park or field, hedgerows, allotment, canalside etc) and identify what plants are growing. If you can find them, pick and make tea with cleavers, chickweed and young nettles. If you can gather enough, add chickweed to a salad or stir-fry and make an oil and/or salve. With nettles make an iron tonic and/or soup. (Make sure the area you are picking from is not frequented by dog walkers and rinse your harvest thoroughly before eating/cooking.)
Theoretical task
Year 1: Research the function of blood and skin, looking particularly at why people develop acne and eczema. What herbs could be used to help control and alleviate these conditions?

The functions of blood are numerous but can essentially be broken down into two subsets. Blood transports things to the various tissues of the body, and it removes things from the tissues of the body.   
As a delivery system, there are numerous functions of blood. Key among these is to deliver oxygen to all tissues, since no area of the body survives without a regular supply of oxygen. Other things that travel in blood include hormones, nutrients, temperature regulating elements, and various forms of nourishment, such as minerals and vitamins. Source: Wisegeek

The skin is the largest organ in the integumentary system of the body. The integumentary system is composed of skin, hair and nails. The function of skin Regulation of temperature, excretion of waste, immune response and protection of the underlying tissues are among the many functions of the skin.Source:   Functions of the Skin | eHow.com
Why people get Acne: There are three main reasons which come together to cause this irritating skin disease. High hormonal activity during puberty, excess oil (sebum) production by sebaceous glands and a bacteria residing on the surface of human skin. Source: Acne Resource Center online
Herbs that are good for treating Ance:
   Witch Hazel is good  astringent to blot on the affected areas 2-3 times a day.
   Lavender essential oil is antibacterial and can also be applied to the affected areas, it is also beneficial to prevent scarring from acne.
   1 tsp. of chasteberry leaves with 1 tsp. of calendula leaves covered with boiling water and allowed to steep for 10 minutes will make a tea that is beneficial in regulating hormones progestrone and estrogen in women that can affect the skin and cause acne breakouts. Drinking 1-2 cups per day as a hot tea. It may take 2-3 menstral cycles to notice a difference in the appearance of skin. Source: www.ehow.com
    Saw Palmetto tincture can be used to clear up acne.
    Rose petals are good for the skin as are chamomile. There is a very nice Acne wash recipe in The Herbal Kitchen by Tami McBride, that would be nice to try.
Why People get Eczema: Eczema, which looks like dermatitis or inflammation on the skin, is characterized by swollen, itchy and reddened skin.The main reasons of Eczema have a lot to do with the lack of nourishment or caring about your body, and mainly the skin. Germs, toxins, pests, and bacteria are common sources that can cause inflammation on the skin that is typical to Eczema. Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
Herbs for Eczema: Red clover alleviates eczema and other chronic skin conditions. Gotu Kola helps treat rashes and helps reduce itching and redness.  Burdock root, Stinging nettle, Chamomile are also beneficial in treating eczema.

Herbal terminology
Research and note the meaning of the following terms: astringent and carminative
Astringent - is a tightening or toning of the skin tissues, often reducing secretions and eliminations. It can occur in such herbs as blackberry, Lady's mantle, Plantain, Raspberry,Sage, Self Heal, Willow and Yarrow.
Carminative- often rich in volatile oils, they support digestion, reduce and relieve flatulence as Catnip, Chamomile, Lemon Balm, Spearmint and Thyme will
Definitions as given by another Herbal teacher I had, whom I shall not name -as to name her would offer honor and she, though knowledgable has dishonored herself. But that was another lesson...... 
Your herbal ally: Continue with the tasks sent out last month
 Finishing up with a January task.... Oh slow though I am, I finally got the pith removed from my elderberry branch and sanded and cut each piece to make my necklace. Nothing fancy, but since I love Elder I can wear it during ceremony.
My Herbal Ally this year is Danelion, I have been reading about Ms Dandy in Susan Weed's book Healing Wise. Susan makes it fun to read about herbs and I get a kick out of how she speaks out in the "personality " that she feels that the herb is. There is not one part of the dandelion that is not useful. I have made tinctures of her roots before, and eaten her flowers and leaves, but I must have missed the part where she tells about the sap being a great external eraser. The sap can be dabbed on warts, corns, calluses,bee stings, blisters, and pimples to help them dissolve. Since this month we are learning about skin issues, this was a timely lesson to learn.  
Seasonal task: Collect an amount of horsechestnut/sticky buds and make a flower essence using the heating method. If you don’t have access to horse chestnut, find some cottonwood or balsam poplar (balm of gilead poplar) and make an infused oil.

I have not been able to clearly identify any chestnut trees in my area as of yet. I still have some cottonwood salve that I made from last season, better use that up first, or gift it before making more- waste nothing! Oh but I still remmeber the heavenly smell as i was making the infused oil. So very nice!

The winter weather has been odd this year here in Michigan. One day it is in the 40's and the next you get 6 or more inches of snow, only to have it melt all off again in just a couple of days. This has been a repeat performance all winter. Has been a little difficult for those of us with sinus issues. All in all I am very much looking forward to spring and to the rebirth of many of our plant friends.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Lesson 1 Theoretical Task

As part of the Theoretical Tasks for Lesson 1 we were asked to:
 Research the structure and function of skin. How does a bruise form? What other herbs can be used to help bruises?
The skin has three layers. The inner most layer is known as the lower dermis, the middle layer is called the dermis, and the outer layer is known as the epidermis.

The Lower Dermis contains oil and sweat glands  and help the skin to eliminate waste. It also acts as a cushion for the rest of the skin. It contains the finely distributed muscles of the skin which regulate body temperature.

 The dermis is the layer that lies underneath the epidermis. It consists of bundles of tough fibers which give your skin its elasticity, firmness and strength. The most important function of dermis is respiration. Tiny blood vessels, or capillaries  feed the outer skin layer. Dermis also determines the tone of the skin.

Epidermis is the top layer of skin and protects your body from invasion and infection and helps seal in moisture. Dead skin cells flake away and are replaced by new skin cells all the time. the epidermis holds the pigment of the skin.

Blood oozes out until clotting stops the flow, and as the blood is broken down, it will turn from a purple color to an orange color from the remaining iron and hemoglobin.In other words, your vains break under the skin but your skin doesn't break, so it's kind of like bleeding on the inside.

Some Herbs that are especially helpful for bruises are arnica, lavender, St. johns wort, calendula, bilberry, comfrey, and of course in this lesson we used elderbark. Arnica is probably the most widely used herb for bruises, but when looking to treat an inflicted area it is wise to know of more than one possible treatment and make the best choice as to what is on hand at the moment.
In my research I was unable to come up with a clear answer as to why elderbark would be beneficial for bruises. It does aide in reducing inflamation and that is always helpful when there has been trauma to an area. It may not be the best choice for treatment of a bruise, but as I found out it was beneficial to my husband's bruised foot.

I

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Lesson 1 Assignment

Practical Task: Recognising winter trees and harvesting bark.
Year 1: Find and map all the hawthorn, elder trees and wild rose bushes in a one mile radius from where you live. Notice the shape of the tree/bush and any different colorations/lichen growth on different sides of the tree/bush. Identify whether the rose bush is a dog rose, briar rose or rosa rugosa. Cut some elder twigs and peel off the bark. Use this bark to make a double infused bruise salve.
If you have time and inclination, sandpaper the white elder twigs until smooth, then cut into 1cm/1/2” sections, remove the pith and thread on ribbon, string or elastic to make a necklace or bracelet. You could also make a hawthorn wand/meditation stick if you have time. (See http://kitchenherbwife.blogspot.com/2011/11/working-with-wood.html for instructions)


Elder Tree Branches in January. I have visited this tree many times but this is the first time in winter. The Elder is honoring me tonight with offering me one of her branches so that I can make plant medicine.

At the base of the Elder tree it pushes through the ground in a bush like feature. I took a branch that was approximatly 2 foot in length. As part of Lesson 1 we are to take the branch and remove the bark to make a double infused decoction.


My husband is holding the branch while I am taking a picture of the inner view of the branch. You can see the inner pith there in the center. Next to remove the bark in preparation to make the decoction.
I removed the bark from the Elder branch. I divided it into two equal piles and placed half the bark into a pot and covered it with olive oil so that the bark was completly sumersed.
Since I do not have a double boiler, I improvised and placed the pot with the bark and oil inside another pot that was half filled with water. I made sure to have a lid on the bark and oil, and brought the water to a soft boil. Set the timer for 2 hrs. and make sure that the water does not boil off............

I forgot to take a picture of the next step. Actually once it has boiled for 2 hrs you strain the oil from the first half of the  bark and place the the 2nd pile of bark into the pan and pour the strained oil over the bark. I had to add just a tad more olive oil to make sure the bark was completely covered. Now you do the same process  all over and bring the water to a boil and set the timer for 2 more hrs. ( It pays to be a good multi- tasker during this process otherwise 4 hrs will feel like forever!- Just don't let the pot got dry!) The picture above shows the straining of the oil after the second infusion. The first straining I did not use  a coffee filter, but with the second straining I did. This helped with trapping the more minute particles.
Once strained I had approximately 12 oz. of double infused Elderbark oil. It has a pleasant smell. At this point I have not decided how I want to use this oil- as a massage oil, or if I want to make a salve. So for now....
The oil was placed in a jar and I labled the jar "Elderbark w/ olive oil, double infused with todays date.
I did save the debarked branch and while I am thinking how I want to use this, I think I am going to work on sanding that branch......

Later....After thinking about Elder bark salve being good for bruises, I wanted to experiment with different essential oils that would enhance the salves effectiveness to treat bruises, so I decided to make a few differnt salves with the oil to see which I might like best.

First I measured out 8 oz. of the Elder bark oil and 1 oz of grated beeswax.

Again I improvised on the double boiler, and places a pyrex glass  inside a pan of water and brought it to a slow boil.  I then combined the Elder oil and the beeswax. The next time I make salve I will make sure to use a slightly bigger pyrex glass, as I needed to be very carful not to get it boiling to hard and get water into the mixture of oil and wax.

Once the beeswax was completely melted I took a spoon and dropped a few drops onto my glass cutting board to see if the salve would be the consistency that I wanted.

If it would not have been hard enough I could  have added a little more beeswax, if too hard, just add a little bit more oil. I find that with most salves I have made that the combination of 8 oz of oil to 1 oz of beeswax works well to get the salve to the consistency that I like. But you decide what works best for you.

At this point I poured the mixture into my containers. The two containers to the left of the picture I made Elder salve plain. To the right starting at the top, I added Lavender essential oil, as Lavender is antisceptic and has an analgesic effect. The middle one I added Lemongrass essential oil. Lemongrass is a good pain reliever and I have to admit that I just love the smell. The bottom right I added Geranium essential oil. I had not worked with geranium essential oil before when making salve. However when I looked in my reference guide for essential oils, geranium oil was listed as being beneficial for bruises. So the combination felt right. I let the salve set up and cool completely and then placed the lid on it and labeled each kind. Now to find someone with a bruise. With all of the house renovation we have been doing here at Three Moons I am sure a bump or bruise will be coming along soon. But for the moment my house smells heavenly...........







Monday, January 2, 2012

Twenty Herbs of study for my apprenticeship

Sarah had us choose  20 herbs that we wanted to learn about in this apprenticeship, and to identify 1 as our herbal ally. The following list are the 20 herbs that I have chosen. We were asked to give their common name along with their latin names so that we could better learn down the road, as some people refer to an herb in one way or the other.
Common name                    Scientific name

1. dandelion                                        Taraxacum officinale ( herbal ally)
                             
2. motherwort                                      Leonurus cardiaca
                               
3. marshmallow                                  Althea officinalis
                          
4. calendula                                        Calendula officinalis
                      
5. violet                                              Viola odorata
                                                                                                 
6. saint john's wort                             Hypericum perforatum
                                          
7. rose                                                Rosa damascena, Rosa gallica, Rosa rugosa
                                                   
8. self heal                                         Prunella vulgaris
                                       
9. lavender                                        Lavandula angustifolia
                     
10. evening of primrose                   Oenothera biennis
                           
11. elder                                           Sambucus nigra
                   
12. rosemary                                    Rosmarinus officinalis
                          
13. bergomont                                  Monarda didyma
                                                 
14. yarrow                                       Achillea millefolium
                                         
15. burdock                                     Arctium lappa
                                                           
16. mullein                                     Verbascum thapsus
                                         
17. nettle                                         Urtica dioica
                                                 
                                             








18. milkthistle                                Carduus marianus
                                
19. oatstraw                                   Avena sativa
                                             







20. coneflower                               Echinacea purpurea