Of late I’ve really been getting into and enjoying herbal teas. I guess you could say they are my newest addiction. There’s just something about the “mystic” of the blends, the “calm” in waiting for the water to heat, the “melodic” whistle of the tea kettle calling your attention, the “clarity” of the hot water as you pour it into your cup, the “anticipation” of good things to come as the leaves and flowers “meld” together to become a “unity” of unique, earthy flavors and aromas, the “vision” of nature as I add a drop of raw honey to sweeten the moment, the feeling of “peace” that engulfs me as I wrap my hands around the warm cup and bring it to my lips to enjoy the fruition of my preparations.
Truly a zen moment and one I enjoy at least twice a day.
I’ve grown herbs, dried herbs but never really started growing and harvesting herbs for the purpose of medicinal and culinary uses.
Most of my herbs and tea blends I purchase on line from MountainRoseHerbs.com. I love their blends and their huge selection of herbs and more. And, I’ve quite the supply on hand.
For quite a while I’ve been on the lookout for a cool, vintage storage cabinet type piece to create an apothecary cabinet to display and store my earthy treasures. Every now and then I would stumble across something that I thought might work but never got that “this is it” feeling so I’d continue my search.
Recently, on a trip to Lisa’s Antique Mall in Auburn, Illinois I found another piece, actually three pieces, that I thought would be perfect. Now, Greg doesn’t share my enthusiasm for old, vintage furniture. So when I would point them out to him he’d just shrug and say, “get it if you want it”. Hmmm, that doesn’t help solidify a “this it it” feeling. So I hemmed and hawed with indecision. Greg went out to the jeep for a fit measurement to be sure we could haul it home. He came back and gave me the thumbs up. We put our heads together to discuss an offer and came up with a number. But in the end, as usual, I had talked myself out of it.
Well, all this took place about two weeks before our wedding anniversary. Imagine my surprise when Greg disappeared for a few hours and upon returning told me I “had” to go out to the jeep, he had something he wanted to show me. Yep, the cabinet. So cool but the real gift is the gem of a husband I have.
So now I have the start of an apothecary cabinet. I love it. And, I think MountainRoseHerbs.com has been loving me lately, too, as I fill my shelves with herbal goodness.
Now my goal is to expand my herbal knowledge and continue to work on creating my very own herb and flower garden that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also with culinary and medicinal benefits and regenerative in nature. Not to mention more foraging for beneficial plants that grow wild and untamed. Cool places in which to further enjoy some Zen moments.
Then there’s my love of incense which has piqued my creative curiosity with thoughts of blending and forming my own little cones of sensory delights. But I’ll save that for another day. Right now I am very happy with the incense from LeftOverHippies.etsy.com. Hazel’s blends are perfectly earthy and spicy and the best I have ever enoyed. And, enjoy them I do on a regular basis.
As I grow older I find myself changing my ideas and ways of living in ways I’d never imagined. It’s refreshing and peaceful and amazing this life. And, change can lead to growth and experiences and joy you’d never imagine.
And, so I leave you now with Blessings for a joyful journey, a few ideas for perfect Zen moments, and a fruity herbal iced tea recipe…..
- daily; read inspirational, deep, thought provoking books. I am currently reading Wayne W. Dyer’s “There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem” Great read!
- have a tea ritual like the one I explained in my opening here
- take a walk in the country, breathe deep, look beyond what you seen in front of you, and listen for the sounds that aren’t obvious
- think of someone you know, maybe even someone you don’t know well, look beyond their appearance and the little you know about them; think of their spirit and send them blessings
This recipe is from “The Medical Medium” by Anthony William and an excerpt from a recent post from his Facebook page.
“Lemon Balm Wild Blueberry Iced Tea
Ingredients:
1 cup frozen wild blueberries
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 lemon balm tea bags https://amzn.to/2FyeF04
4 cups of water
Ice, to serve
Handful of fresh lemon balm, for garnish
Directions:
Place the wild blueberries, maple syrup and lemon juice in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook over low heat until the wild blueberries are mushy, about 5 minutes.
Add the water and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat off, add the tea bags and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Pour everything through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher or bowl, using the back of a spoon to squeeze out juice from the blueberries and tea bags. Chill the tea for about an hour in the fridge, then serve over ice with fresh lemon balm for garnish.
Serves 4-6
Lemon balm: Kills viruses, bacteria, and other pathogenic microorganisms inside the liver. Makes a better environment in the intestinal tract, which supports the delivery of cleaner nutrients from the gut to the liver. Lemon balm calms the nerves of the liver, causing it to be less spasmodic, agitated, and angry, while also calming the nerves inside of the intestinal lining, which lowers toxic heat inside the liver. It also supports the adrenals, which makes the liver less toxic.
Wild blueberries: Contain dozens of undiscovered antioxidants, including anthocyanin varieties. There’s not just one pigment inside a wild blueberry; there are dozens of pigments not yet researched or studied. The wild blueberry is to the liver as mother’s milk is to a baby. Not only do wild blueberries have the ability to grab on to plenty of troublemakers, they also hold on to them as they leave the liver, in a way that most other healing foods cannot. The pigments in wild blueberries have the ability to saturate deep into liver cells and cross cell walls and membranes inside the liver, spreading their blue everywhere. Wild blueberries enhance the intestinal tract, feeding good bacteria there, which benefits the liver greatly.”
So, let your wild self free, enjoy new journeys and adventures and always look beyond for the glory of each and every moment.
Peace Love and Joy
Judy