My Walk In The Woods

I love everything there is about the woods near our home ~ the sky, the trees, the bubbling creek nearby and the light falling through the branches.

Such beauty ~ magical ~ suspended all around me.

“Our life is a faint tracing
on the surface of mystery” . . .
~ Annie Dillard

Here are some photos I would like to share with you from my morning walk in the woods.  The landscape so quiet  and tranquil, with tree leaves vibrant with color like stained glass windows filtering the autumn light.

Precious moments  ~ serene ~  my church in the woods.

Looking up into the  clouds overhead immersing myself in the wonders of the natural world. The warmth of the sun penetrates me as I reach to embrace the sky. The earth is my mother, my home, my teacher

quote for the day;

“I, the song
I walk here.”
~ Indian Poem

“Everyday Goddessing  is about sharing magical techniques and sacred wisdom with other beautiful Goddess women. I believe that within every woman there is a goddess, a wise woman, beautiful, creative, powerful, with a deep soul, and that everything we need and are looking for is already inside  each of us.” – Rose Arizmendi

Echinacea

When we practice the art of herbalism, we touch the heart of Gaia, mother earth and learn a unique way of communicating with plants.

I love the magical feeling of enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, and the rich aroma of plants and flowers wafting throughout the garden.

As an Herbalist, I enjoy making tinctures and one of my favorites is echinacea. We use it to stimulate the immune system during the cold & flu season.

I use the dried roots of E. augustifolia roots when making my tincture.

I fill a quart jar about 1/3  full of dried, chopped echinacea roots. Next, I add enough menstruum (100 proof vodka) to fill the jar completely and seal with a tight fitting lid.

I label it with the date and ingredients and place the jar in a cool, dark place and shake the jar daily for two weeks, and then let it macerate for about a year. I make a batch each year, so that we have a continuous supply of echinacea tincture.

quote for the day;

“Native Americans learned of Echinacea angustifolia by observing elk seeking out the plants and consuming them when sick or wounded, and identified those plants as elk root.” – Wikipedia

Read Our Disclaimer

Please consult a licensed medical health care provider for your health care needs.

You should not use herbs in place of your normal medical care or take them with current prescriptions or medicines without first obtaining professional advice by consulting a trained medical practitioner or qualified herbalist. Herbs should not be taken while pregnant or breastfeeding without checking with your medical practitioner first.

Herbal Tea Thyme

I love making herbal teas. We have lavender, lemon balm, chocolate mint, and an assortment of other types of mint growing in our back yard. Today I went to the garden to get some herbs and found the lemon balm was taking over my beloved chocolate mint plants. Yikes!

Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen . . .

To make this tea combine equal parts of chamomile, red clover blossoms, calendula, organic roses, rose hips, and stevia for sweetening. Use one tsp. of herbal tea mix per 8 oz cup of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes, strain and drink.

If your looking for bulk organic herbs & spices. Visit  Mountain Rose Herbs

Happiness is . . . a fragrant cup of herbal tea.

One of my other favorite tea blends is 1 part Earl Grey loose tea leaves mixed with 1/2 to 1 part organic rose petals. It’s great for those days when you need a little pick me up. Delicious!

Infused Herbal Oils

Today I used the last of my facial oil and when I went to replenish my bottle, I discovered I was out of my favorite infused herbal flower oil. It was definitely time to make some more!

I use the old simpler’s method for making my herbal preparations. I prefer this method because it’s easy and the way it’s been done by folk herbalists for hundreds of years.

The whole process of growing my own herbs or collecting what I need from a local herb store is very enjoyable for me. I like making my own tincture preparations instead of going to the store and buying them off the shelf, never mind the fact that I save a lot of money by doing this. I also make my own facial oils, creams, skin toners, facial cleansers and herbal masks for the same reason.

How to make my herbal flower infused oil

• Fill a clean, dry jar half way with dried organic calendula flowers, rose petals, and lavender flowers.
• Pour the menstrum (olive oil) over the flowers. Fill the jar to the top, making sure the olive oil completely covers the dried flowers. Seal with a tight fitting lid.
• Place the container in a dry, warm dark place. Let the oil & flowers macerate for six weeks.
• Place your jar in a bowl to collect any seepage.
• When it’s ready,  strain the oil into a clean dry jar. Squeeze the saturated herbal flowers, extracting as much of the remaining oil as you can.
• Store the oil in a cool dark place.

I use this infused oil to clean and moisturize my face daily. I apply a teaspoon or so of the oil to my face and massage it gently into my forehead, cheeks, chin, then wipe it off with a warm damp wash cloth. I follow this with a herbal infused witch hazel toner, and repeat this process daily in the morning and before bedtime.

Olive oil has been used for centuries to nourish and moisturize the skin and it’s been one of my favorite for years.

Herbal Hair Balm

I have been making my own hair shampoos, hair balms, and conditioners since the early 80’s, and I need to make a new batch of hair balm today because I used all of what was left this morning.

I have several recipes I use for making hair balms which vary from simple to more complicated. The one I am making today is very easy. For this recipe you will need organic coconut oil, grade A olive oil, shea butter and essential oils. You will also need chamomile, lavender, rosemary and tea tree essential oils which you can find at your local Health Food Store and a container with a lid in which to store your hair balm.

Mix together 3 tablespoons of coconut oil with a 1/4 teaspoon of grade A olive oil and shea butter and blend well, and then add 2 – 4 drops of each essential oil according to your taste and mix thoroughly. The end product should look like whipped cream.

Making A Herbal Hair Balm.

Your finished product should be thick but not solid. It may take a couple of times before you get it just right. However, it’s well worth the effort because you will have made a  product for your hair that has no harmful additives.