Fennel ~ An Herb with Many Uses

Fennel is an herb that is growing in popularity ~ probably because it seems that almost everyday shines light on some new way to use it. And you can use every part of the plant.

Fennel has long been used as a cooking herb. The leaves make a yummy, slightly sharp addition to any salad, puts new spark in many favorite sauces and can be used as easily at rosemary with many meats, particularly fish, pork dishes and chicken. Put a few sprigs of Fennel leaves in your dog's bed to keep fleas away.

The root can be cut up and used in salads or stir fried in olive oil as a veggie. Slice into cucumber-like slices, sprinkle a little salt & pepper ~ maybe a little Spike seasoning ~ and you have a new favorite veggie.

The seeds are probably used most. In some European countries they will put out a very small dish of Fennel seeds to use after meals instead of toothpicks. Chewing Fennel seeds will help release tartar from your teeth, sweeten your breath, and greatly helps with digestion and after-the-meal gas and bloating. And back to the dogs ~ put a few seeds in your dog's food as another way to help keep fleas away. Dogs love the taste, fleas don't. It is also said that making a paste from crushed Fennel seeds and honey will get rid of freckles ~ leave the paste on your face for at least 20 minutes & wash off with warm water.

Make a Fennel tea out of the seeds to help with such things as: improving eye-sight, urinary tract problems, increasing the milk flow of nursing mommys, reflux and stomach acid, migraine headaches, sinusitis, colic in babies, keeping the liver cleanse and in good working order, arthritis relief. Make a strong Fennel tea, moisten a cotton ball with it and use topically for insect bites. 

Fennel essential oil can be blended with a good carrier oil, like grapeseed (my favorite) or jojoba, and used for muscle pain/strain relief. Use the oil sparingly ~ 3-5 drops per 4 oz of carrier oil.

The Lord is so good to give us healing and tasty herbs. What fun it is to learn to use them.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><  

  

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#78~ God's Unconditional Love ~ It's Personal

"God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." ~Romans 5:8

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued My faithfulness to you." ~Jeremiah 31:3

Hes-sed: God's unfailing, everlasting, never ending love and commitment for each of us; personally.

We live in a world that goes by so fast and is getting more and more impersonal. Social media can be a great way to reconnect with long lost relatives and friends, business contacts, and to make new friends. But if we are not careful, we can lose relationships with those who are near to us, even with those whom we love the most. 

And that includes God. 

God is all about relationships, our relationship with Him, in particular. God LOVES us; He loves us with His Hes-sed ~ His incredible love combined with His commitment for my (and your) PERSONAL welfare and relationship with Him and Him only. He cares so much about us ~ on an intimate, personal level ~ that it is a type of love with a name all it's own. 

That kind of personal, unfailing, everlasting, never ending love is the kind that loves you and I SO MUCH that He would do anything to draw us to Himself ~ including sending His One and Only Son to die for our sins, including causing circumstances in our lives that will draw us closer to Himself, including the breath of life to live for Him every morning and eyes to see His work all around us every day.

Hes-sed.

Isn't that incredible?  God loves YOU so much, so personally, that He had to give that love it's very own word.

O, what a Savior!

Blessings, Kim<>< 

 

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~#176~ 1/28/13

For Today . . . 

Outside my window . . . grey, gloomy & rainy. Will be up into the 50's today, back in the teens by Friday. Welcome to winter in Ohio :-?

I am thinking . . . of all the things I need to do before I have to go to work tonight.

I am thankful . . . to be an American.

From the kitchen . . . Walnut Creek peppered bacon. Oh...my :-P

I am wearing . . . jeans, plum turtle neck shirt.

I am creating . . . a peaceful, CHRIST-centered home.

I am going . . . to check out a location.

I am wondering . . . at all I have to do to prepare.

I am hoping . . . that the Lord will make my paths straight & smooth & grant me wisdom.

I am reading . . . Bible: Genesis; the new issue of Country Sampler magazine.

I am looking forward to . . . getting started with my new venture.

I am learning . . . that this old dog needs to learn some new tricks. :-)

Around the house . . . general pick-up. Taking down my Christmas/winter tins & putting the others back out.

One of my favorite things . . . eat out with friends after church.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . family time, work, planning for my new venture, article writing, blogging, worship with the saints on Sunday . . .

A favorite quote for the day . . . "Jesus didn't come to "fix" the old system, He came to give us a WHOLE NEW system based on GRACE & HOPE ~ to heal the broken ~ like me." ~From my Sunday sermon notes.

Scripture thought . . . "Jesus answered them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." ~Luke 5:31-32

A picture thought for you . . . 

 The beginning of Horse-Love

Read 100's of other Daybooks at Peggy's Simple Woman's Daybook!

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><    

Dream Kitchen . . .

Vintage stove, farmer's sink, painted cupboards, old hard-wood floors . . . Yep . . . This is it.  

COTTAGE LOVE *sigh*

Have a great weekend.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Homemade Baby (and Adult) Skin Care

OK . . . I know my "babies" are grown & ~ as of this writing ~ I'm not aware that DD#1 is expecting, but we all love baby skin care. Anyone ~ no matter what age ~ can benefit from the gentleness of baby skin care items.

Baby Powder ~ 

Wonderful for that sweet little baby bum, & also great for hot, sweaty feet. 

You will need:
~1/2 lb cornstarch (organic, if possible)
~1/2 ts. lavender essential oil (anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-biotic)

Directions:
1) Pour cornstarch into a gallon-sized zip-lock plastic bag, add essential oil just a drop or two at a time. 
2) Shake well to distribute & break up any clumps.
3) Let stand for 4 days. 
4) Shake lightly, wait until "dust" settles & then pour powder into a clean Parmesan cheese shaker bottle. Use at each diaper change.

Sweet Baby Oil~

For dry areas on their sweet little hands & feet, or if baby has been at the pool or out in the wind to help with chapped cheeks.

You will need:
~1/2 c (EACH) of dried lavender flowers, elder flowers, calendula flowers
~1/2 c comfrey leaf
~3 c sweet almond oil (or grapeseed oil if baby tends to be oily)
~glass jar (for mixing)
~small glass jars (for finished product)

Directions:
1) Put all herbs in a clean glass canning jar. 
2) Cover herbs with almond oil, stir gently & remove all air bubbles
3) Put in a warm place ~ by a heating vent or out in the sun ~ for 3 days
4) Pour oil into a clean glass jar (or more than one jar if you prefer smaller jars) by straining the herbs through cheese cloth or a very fine sieve. Keep in a cool place.

Teething Oil~

I'm so glad we adults can't remember when our 1st teeth came in. None of us like seeing our sweet babies suffer with teething pain. This is also excellent for adult tooth aches and canker sores.

You will need:
~1 handful of Chamomile flowers (I prefer German)
~1/2 handful shredded willow bark
~6 drops of clove essential oil
~1 drop of peppermint essential oil
~sweet almond oil
~1 TB vitamin E oil (for later)
~pint-sized canning jar
~crock pot 

Directions:
1) Combine all of the herb & essential oils in a clean pint-sized canning jar, cover with the sweet almond oil
2) Set the jar in the crock pot & fill the crock pot with hot, but not boiling, water right up to the neck of the jar. 
3) Heat on low heat for 2 days.
4) Strain oil through cheese cloth or sieve into a clean jar
5) Add the vitamin E to stop spoiling
6) Apply to sore area with a clean finger or a q-tip

Great products to have on-hand.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><