My Review Of A Wonderful, New Herbal Book!

Have you been burning to learn to make your own herbal remedies? There are so many herbal books out there I am sure it is difficult to know which to purchase or where to start.

I feel honored to have been invited to do a pre-release digital copy review of The Healing Power Of Herbs, by Tina Sams. I so wish this book had been available when I first started learning about herbs and I heartily recommend it to you. It contains a wealth of knowledge about 30 often used herbs and plenty of projects to hold the interest of even a well seasoned herbalist. The book is available for pre-order on Amazon and the official release date is January 15th.

As you move through the pages you will feel as though you are learning from Tina directly, hands-on, in her kitchen.  She has a friendly, clear writing style and the photography is beautiful.

I have been studying medicinal herbs, learning to make herbal medicine and growing herbs for nearly twenty years. I learned a lot of what I know from Tina Sams, the author of The Healing Power Of Herbs and the owner/editor of The Essential Herbal Magazine.

Here is the link:

http://bit.ly/HealingPowerofHerbs

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Perchance To Dream

Herbal Sleep Pillow

Do you know anyone who has trouble getting to sleep?  A friend has recently had heart surgery and is on a prescription medication regimen.  Her physician advised her against using herbs orally, even mildly relaxing, herbal teas that might possibly interact with the medicine.  Her sleep is often fitful, at best.  I recently made  sleep pillow for her, and the sleepy scent of it has helped her relax enough to drift off to a deeper sleep.

These little sleep pillows are naturally and beautifully scented with organically grown, relaxing herbs.  The finished size is 6 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ x 1/2″ (or any size you like), and designed to be placed on or next to your regular bed pillow.  Sew an inner liner case of gauzy cotton,  1/2″-3/4″ smaller all around than the outer case.   Fill it with about 1/2 cup of herbs so it easily slips inside the outer cover.  Attach a velcro closure to the liner so the herbs can be replaced and both parts of the pillow can be washed.  If you have a sewing machine, you can make the liner and the pillow case in about 30 minutes.

Relaxing, dried herbal blend

I assembled the above collection of herbs from those I dried at harvest last fall.  They include Rosa rugosa petals, Chamomile, Lavender, Hops and Lemon Balm.  The herbs hold their vibrancy and scent very well if stored in a jar, out of direct light.  Sleep pillows make great gifts for sleepless friends and relatives!

Rosa rugosa

If you don’t grow herbs yourself, you can purchase them in small amounts from a local, reputable herb store or even order them online.   The dried herbs should be vibrant, recognizable and appear to still contain the life force of the living plant.  Two of my favorite dried herb suppliers are Mountain Rose Herbs or Dandelion Botanical Company, both in the Pacific Northwest.

Fresh, dried hops

Dried hops are only potent for as long as they retain a green hue.  Once they turn tan or brown, they are no longer useful for this purpose.

Are you growing herbs this year?

Provence Lavender

 

Welcome

I live with my husband and best friend in an old farmhouse on two acres, in a small, unincorporated Ag town in the Pacific Northwest.   We grow culinary and medicinal herbs, and I wildcraft for several plants that we don’t grow.  Since I recently retired from my day job, I am thrilled to have more time to just be.

Nature magic just IS.  It exists, for you, the very moment you are open to seeing it.  It’s near you in the city, in the forest, by the sea, by the light of the sun and moon, in a baby’s first breath, in deep love or the flash of a lightning bolt.  It’s a magical life!

Nature spirits ride the airwaves of the playful breeze that weaves through our valley, and the currents of the wild river just the other side of a wetland preserve that parallels our property.    Pear orchards border two sides of our property, offering our two feline friends lots of room to chase meeses.  The sky is dark at night, except for the stars.  Frogs and crickets rule!   This place, more than any area we’ve lived, is balm to my soul.

Our large vegetable garden and composting keep us busy in the warm weather.   In the winter, knitting, quilting and other crafts make the enforced indoor time enjoyable. Putting food by, making herbal remedies, soap, lotions and potions creates a cozy, handcrafted life.  We have always been interested in learning as many homesteading and country skills as time permits.

I embrace sustainability and am categorically against all genetically modified foods, Big Pharm and much of what our government is up to.  If you visit my blog and are of a similar mind, please leave a comment so I can visit yours, too.  I look forward to connecting with you!