Wormwood ~ Useful Bitter Herb

How many times have any of us come home from a great vacation, only to come home and be a little bloated and "draggie" from all the vacation foods we ate that are not normally in our diets? ESPECIALLY, if we went to a seaside area and enjoyed local seafood. 

Or do you eat a lot of sushi or under-cooked meat and have a bloat and maybe some gas that just won't go away?

Chances are that while enjoying the local seaside cuisine or under-cooked meat, you have unintentionally brought home a little "friend." 

For those of us who are normally land locked, eating sea food that is not from our geographical area or eating the raw fish in sushi or for those who do not properly cook through their meats, worms and parasites may have crept their way into your diet. 

Yes, sad but true. Eww.

But . . . there is a very easy way to rid yourself of those little "friends." A truly bitter herb called Wormwood.

The true bitterness of this herb is part of what helps to rid those varmints from our bodies. As with all bitter herbs, it stimulates the stomach, liver and gallbladder, making it an excellent parasitic and worm cleanse.

Even though Wormwood is best known as a parasitic cleanse, it also has other benefits . . . 

As mentioned, it stimulates the digestive juices in the digestive tract, stimulating bile to help with bloating, gas, reflux and other digestive issues. It is also known to ease stomach pain, help with anemia, ease a fever and is a mild antidepressant.

 From my own home apothacary

Wormwood may be used in several ways ~ blended with other bitter herbs in an infusion (a strongly brewed "tea" made from the leaves, made to sipped on throughout the day), a tincture (a liquid, medicinal herb or herb blend; very easy to make, just time consuming), a capsule or your own tea. When using as a tea or infusion DO NOT SWEETEN, the bitterness is part of the cure, and only take on a daily basis for 2-4 weeks at a time.

So, the next time you bring home a little uninvited "friend" from vacation or restaurant meal, remember that you can easily evict them with the bitter herb, Wormwood.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

**See obligatory disclaimer at bottom of blog**

**Please consider fully cooking your meat. As my husband has been known to say to rude waiters who turned their noses up at our request for "well done" meat: "I grew up on a cattle and hog farm, if you knew what they ate, you'd want yours well done, too."

Homemade Liquid Roll-On Deodorant

I am always on the lookout for my next favorite homemade personal care item. And I have found another one!

For years, I have made my own homemade SOLID deodorant and I absolutely love it. It works so very well and lasts a long time. But a couple of months ago, I saw a recipe from Mountain Rose Herbs for a LIQUID roll-on deodorant that was just too good not to try. And now, I think I have a new favorite.

And, of course, I HAD to play with it a little and make it more my own, so here is my recipe:

I changed 2 of the suggested essential oils . . . 

Clary Sage not only lends a yummy herbal fragrance, but it is a known odor-cutter. If you know someone who suffers from chronic body odor, clary sage will reduce the odor immensely. 

Lavender not only calms down our senses but calms down any skin issues. If you gave yourself a little knick while shaving your underarms, lavender will take the edge off of the pain, but it's anti-bacterial properties will helps stop any bacteria and inflammation.

Frankincense is ALWAYS good for skin. It also has anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and skin healing properties. Frankincense helps anything to do with the skin for any skin type.

You Will Need:

~1-1/2 TB witch hazel
~1/2 TB vegetable glycerin
~1/2 ts pink sea salt (aka: Himalayan, "real" salt)
~5 drops clary sage essential oil
~5 drops lavender essential oil
~4 drops frankincense essential oil
~1 oz. size roll-on bottle (mine is from Mountain Rose Herbs)

Directions:

1) Add oils to the bottle, first
2) Add sea salt
3) Add witch hazel and vegetable glycerin
4) attach the roll-ball top securely
5) shake before each use

Be sure to let me know who much you love your new deodorant.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Tea Party Shortbread Scones

Yesterday, I had some rare alone time. I had a day off of work, no binding commitments until later in the day, it was dark and rainy, so I decided to treat myself to a comfort food snack. 

After my morning coffee, I switch to tea for the rest of the day . . . hmmmm . . . now what kind of treat would go well with a few mugs of my Wellness Herbal Tea blend, a dreary day and something to read?

SCONES! And not only scones, but SHORTBREAD SCONES!

I enjoyed own private little tea party with my scones topped with butter and Elderberry jelly on my dear grandma's plate. Ahhhh . . . 

Now, there are two ways that I go about my scones. One is that quick way with a yummy tastes-like-homemade Fair Scone and Shortcake Mix by Fisher

The other way is to make them, of course.

You Will Need:

~2-1/2 c. flour, plus a little extra for kneading (I use unbleached bread flour)
~1/2 ts. sea salt
~1 ts. baking powder
~1/3 c. Turbinado sugar (Sugar-in-the-Raw) or coconut sugar (for a lower glycemic level)
~1 egg
~1/2 c. whole milk
~1 TB. vanilla extract
~3/4 c. cold butter, sliced (for my daughter who can't have butter, I use Earth Balance non-hydrogenated margarine. If you HAVE to have margarine, this is the one to get)
~medium mixing bowl
~small mixing bowl
~baking sheet
~parchment paper *optional*
~large mixing spoon
~whisk

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425*F, line baking sheet with paper, if desired
2) Mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar
3) Cut in pieces of butter into the dry mix until it is well mixed, dry and crumbly
4) In the smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and vanilla
5) Add wet mix to dry mix and stir together until moist and crumbly
6) On a clean surface, sprinkle about 2 TB. of flour and knead your dough. Fold and knead, fold and knead 4 or 5 times
7) Divide into 2 halves, pat them out onto the baking sheet roughly 5" round and just a little higher in the middle, cut into 4 quarters; do the same with the other half. If you like, sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top
8) Bake 12-14 minutes, until lightly browned
9) Let cool on baking rack
10) Serve with butter, jam or jelly and if you want the real English Tea Party experience, use clotted cream.

Be sure to make a delicious Earl Grey, Oolong or herbal tea to enjoy with your scones. 

Let me know how your next private tea party goes.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Sometimes You Wish . . .

"Sometimes, you wish they could come back for just one more conversation, one more laugh, one more hug, one more memory." ~Kim Wolf

 Clockwise ~ Bigmom, Daddy, Mother, Grandpa C.

 Our darling Jessica

Sometimes, you just miss people.

Don't you?

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<>< 

REVIEW ~ 101 Easy Homemade Products for your Skin, Health and Home

I was recently asked to review a brand new book on some of my favorite subjects: homemade skin care, health care and home care. And I need to tell you if EVER there were a great "what-book-would-you-recommend-for-newbies" book, THIS IS IT!

101 Easy Homemade Products for your Skin, Health and Home by Jan Berry, founder and blogger at The Nerdy Farm Wife.

It has EVERYTHING you are looking for in a book chock-full of information . . . 

~Right from the start, it has a sweet homey cover that just draws you to it

~Even the Table of Contents is exciting  to read: Getting Started . . . , Nontoxic Herbal Skin Care, Naturally Soothing Salves and Balms, Exotic Body Butters and Lotion Bars (oooo, ahhh), Easy, All-Natural Cream and Lotions, Garden-Fresh Bath Soaks and Salts, Beautiful Bath Melts and Scrubs, DIY Lip Care, Luscious Hair Care, Simple Homemade Soaps (any kind your little heart desires), Herbal Home Remedies, Nontoxic Solutions for the Home. And even All-Natural Pet Care!

~The book, itself, is made in such a way that all you have to do is lay it open . . . anywhere, on any page . . . and it will lay open. No laying something heavy on top, no bending or breaking the spine, it simply lays open so that you may read your recipes while your hands are busy.

~The photography is simply beautifully done and all photos were taken by Jan, herself.

~Jan has added a very detailed Resource List of some of her favorite websites.

~Something I don't believe I've ever seen anyone else do, in many of her recipes, Jan has included substitute ingredients and adjustments for using fresh or dried herbs.

~One of my favorite parts is her extensive listing of various herbs, their benefits and a list of recipes she has used them in along with the page number so that you can go right to the recipe.

Jan and her family live in rural Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and as mentioned above, is a writer and photographer for the popular blog: The Nerdy Farm Wife. She write for HobbyFarms.com and Natural Herbal Living Magazine and has been featured in many other publications.

You may follow Jan at these links:
https://thenerdyfarmwife
https://www.facebook.com/TheNerdyFarmWife/
https://instagram.com/nerdyfarmwife
https://pinterest.com/nerdyfarmwife/

I am SO very excited to recommend this book to you. If you know someone who is thinking about growing herbs and making their own homemade skin, health and home care THIS is the book you need to gift them with. And if you purchase a copy for yourself, BE SURE to let me know how much you LOVE this book! 

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Making Heap Big Medicine

I know I usually write about my medicinal teas, but I also like to make capsules for our family. 

THE Man was fighting off a virus-bug that is going around his office, so I needed to make some more goldenseal capsules and while I was at it, I made some more ashwagandha capsules. 

Just as an FYI, I like to use size 0 capsules which are generally 350-500 mg per capsule. You can get empty capsules at most health food markets.

Making your own medicine is easy-peasy. Make it ahead of time so that you always have it on hand.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

*Please see the obligatory disclaimer at the bottom of the page*

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#155~ Treasure

"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." ~John 21:25

I am a pushover for a good book. Oh, my goodness, how I can get sucked right into a captivating plot line or even researching something that I am passionate about.

It's hard to put the book down when your main character is accused of a wrong that they didn't do and are coming perilously close to being caught by the bad guys . . . 

Or a courtship or a suitor pursuing his love . . . 

Or some sort of miraculous escape from what looked like certain death . . . 

Or the return of the Hero to save the day!

Do you realize that ALL of that happens in the Bible?

The Bible is NOT some somber book. It's not just FULL of knowledge and truth, but it's FULL of adventure . . . and they are ALL TRUE!

Proverbs is a book of wisdom and godly knowledge.

Are you excited by stories of adventure?  Read about Moses and the Children of Israel and their dealings with Pharaoh. How God confounded Pharaoh and miraculously saved the Israelites. (~Exodus 2-14)

Do you think that there is no romance in the Bible? You obviously have never read the Song of Solomon. Not only is this a love story of a human level, but it parallels God's great wooing and love for us ~ The Bride of Christ. 

Do great escapes and miraculous interventions pique your interest? Be sure to read about how an angel of the Lord miraculously rescued Peter from prison. (~Acts 12:1-19)

And there's nothing like the return of a long-awaited defeat of a great enemy with the return of a great King to His kingdom. If that is what you are looking for, then be sure to read the last 4 chapters of Revelation. The ULTIMATE Return of the King! (~Rev. 18-22)

But the very best part of all of these stories in the Bible is that THEY ARE ALL TRUE . . . OR WILL BE.

If you do not read your Bible regularly, or if you have never read it, try it. You have been given a great gift ~ a treasure ~ the Word of God ~ a Book written in your own language that tells you things that THE ONE TRUE GOD wants YOU to know. He will use this precious Book to help you to get to know Him, to draw you closer to Himself, to show you His love for you and the sacrifice He has made so that YOU may spend eternity with Him.

He loves you. You are His treasure. 

Don't believe me? Read it for yourself.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Damiana Herb ~ So Many Uses

 Damiana from my home

apothecary

Every-now-and-then, you come across an herb that has a "certain reputation." And then, as your knowledge of herbs expands, you find out that it's reputation has really cut it's other benefits short. 

Such is the case with Damiana. Yes . . . it is well known among herbalists, and herbal enthusiasts, that this pretty little bitter herb can be useful as an aphrodisiac, and many people are quite insistent about it . . . but . . . that is nipping the OTHER benefits of this herb, right in the bud.

As a bitter herb, you can count on Damiana being very effective as a tonic herb. These herbs are great to restore digestive function, stimulating those digestive juices. Also restoring a tired and debilitated nervous system.

Something that our family uses it for is for are those nasty UTI's, also helping with cystitis. A generous amount blended with a little Uvi Ursi herb in a tea, 2-4 times a day, can do wonders for a UTI. For an even stronger dose, make your own tincture. Making tinctures is far easier than you may think.

Damiana tea is also a mild laxative. If you need something a little stronger, use your tea ball and make a tea blend of Damiana and Senna. **NOTE** Start with a small amount of Senna and use more only if you need more. It's a powerful laxative herb. 

This herb with the nearly perfect green leaves and pretty little yellow flowers can be used as a mild anti-depressant, helping with nervous tension and anxiety. If you are facing something pressing or have had a hard, hurried day, sit back with the pleasant, light herbal taste of Damiana tea. Feel your heartbeat easing back into a gentle rhythm and feel your head start clearing of all the clamor of the day. Along with this, Damiana also helps with menstrual cramps and headaches. 

And for our menfolk, Damiana has developed quite a reputation as a testosterone-builder, helping with impotence. So, if you don't want your dear husband to take those pharmaceuticals ~ that you can't control the dose and also bring many side-effects with them ~ give a daily tea of Damiana a try. He will enjoy a light, tasty mug of tea and he may just be pleasantly surprised. 

Our Lord is a very good God and He knows exactly what His children can benefit from.

Let me know how you enjoy this valuable little herb, Damiana.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

*Please see the obligatory disclaimer at bottom of page*  

Easy Peasy Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Every year, my family looks forward to the days of fall when we go to our favorite larger grocery stores and find our Duncan Doughnuts Pumpkin Spice Coffee. 
 
OH. MY. It is a seasonal delight.

But . . . for that last 2 years, it has been quite the challenge to find it before OTHERS who evidently also find it and hoard it for the cold Ohio winter like squirrels hoarding nuts.

What's a Pumpkin Spice Coffee lover to do?

Well, leave it to my dear friend, Balinda ~ who also knows that "necessity is the mother of invention" ~ to bless our family with the answer . . . Add pumpkin pie spice to your coffee!!!

This is so easy and you will LOVE it.

 

You Will Need:

~ drip coffee maker
~ your favorite drip coffee
~ powdered pumpkin pie spice (I use Frontier)
~ measuring spoon (for heaping TBs, we like ours strong)
~ any extras you prefer (sweeteners/creamer/milk)
~ a generously sized mug

 

Directions:

1) For every 2 heaping TBs of coffee you use, add 1 ts of pumpkin pie spice powder; I put my spice in the middle of my spoons of coffee, it seems to blend better.

2) Brew coffee as usual

3) pour into your mug, add any extras you prefer; we use coconut sugar OR sucanat and yummy, gorgeous, sweet milk from a local farm.

 

 This coffee is to yummy that I

had to post this picture

again :-D

4) Enjoy.

So now, our problem is salved forever!

Let me know how much LOVE this homemade pumpkin spice coffee. 

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Herbal Harvest

Well . . . I'll bet you thought I had dropped off the face of the earth. Nope. THE Man has been doing some projects from home and has needed the the computer ~ on top of that, I've been working crazy hours at the health food store. It has simply been a crazy fall for us.

BUT . . . I did want to show you that I had one of my best herbal harvests ever! 

One of my most abundant were my rosemary plants. Oh my, they were almost 3 feet high. I've never had such large, lovely rosemary.

I also had echinacea, sweet basil, lavender, sage, dill, oregano, cilantro. 

Here are some of my lavender, sage, sweet basil and rosemary.

I love the smell of my fresh herbs hanging up to dry in my kitchen. 

What was in your garden this year?

Thanks, again, for your patience with my absence. And thank you, to those of you who emailed or commented on my Facebook to make sure I am OK. Love you all.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><