It sure seemed like a long winter. Spring has come and we’re starting to see a few green plant poking their heads up.
The daffodils bloomed this week:
spring flowers
and I noticed ’some’ of the mullens were up.
mullen
It won’t be long now.
Archive for the ‘Herbs & Herbals’ Category
Tonik for Health
No, that’s not a typo.
There’s a new health plan called Tonik California that specializes in health plans for Generations X & Y.
The people in these generations are still relatively young and many of them choose to go without health insurance thinking it unaffordable.e Tonik decided to create a plan just for them. Tonik’s new plans are easy to understand, include medical, dental and vision, offer a flexible ppo and 3 simple deductions.
Plans are affordable, starting at under $80 per month.
Tonik is a Blue Cross product.
Chew on…
Got your chew on?
Do you know what people did people there were commercial toothbrushes? What? You didn’t realize there ‘was’ a time before toothbrushes? Well, yes! Long before toothbrushes were invented people used twigs to brush their teeth with.
People would cut off a young branch of trees, strip away the outer bark and chew them down until they the fibers begin to seperate and then brush and use them. Dogwood branches were a great brush! Dogfood sticks reach around and between your teeth pretty darn good.
Course these days, most people opt to see their dentist regularly and that’s a good thing. Hopefully you’ll have a great checkup but when you don’t you’ll want to have good dental insurance.
So get your chew on and visit your dentist, but first be sure to visit United Dental Insurance for your own dental insurance policy.
Herb Fest
It seems that herbal festivals are few and far between, so when you hear about one – be sure to add it to your calendar!
The 8th Annual Herb Days Sale at Missouri Botanical Garden is Apr. 29 Through May 1
The St Louis Herb Society is putting on it’s annual Herb Days at the Missouri Botanical Garden. It’s the 8th year for this grand event. Herbs will be offered for sale. Not just a few either, over 14,000 potted herbs including some hard to find varieties too.
Rumor has it that there will be 13 different basils, 8 mints, 13 different lavenders, 5 kinds of rosemary, a dozen thymes and 10 sages. Prices will range from $2.75 to $4.50.
Sounds like Herb Heaven!
St. Louis Herb Society volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and give personalized advice and guidance on selecting, planting, growing and using herbs.
Several healthy herbs will be available, including the 2010 Herb of the Year: dill. Three different varieties of dill will be offered at this year’s Herb Days including Hercules, Bouquet, and Fernleaf.
There also will be offered an herbal cooking class, instructions for growing herbs locally, as well as how to propagate, transplant, grow and use.
The St. Louis Herb Society is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1941,
Herb Days is included with Garden admission of $8; St. Louis City and County residents enjoy discounted admission of $4 and free admission on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until noon. Children ages 12 and under and Garden members are free.
The Missouri Botanical Garden is located at 4344 Shaw Blvd. in south St. Louis, accessible from Interstate 44 at the Vandeventer exit and from Interstate 64 at the Kingshighway North & South exit. Free parking is available on-site at the west lot and two blocks west at the corner of Shaw and Vandeventer.
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Lavender Fields
If you’re like me you have the idea of the perfect house somewhere in that head of yours. And if you’re like me that ‘image’ in your head changes from time to time.
I’ve discovered that I’m drawn to houses made from rough hewn lumber and natural rock.
Over the years I’ve accumulated a small stack of photos of ‘dream houses’ and within my own computer’s bookmarks, there’s a folder called ‘Houses I like”!
Going through the stack and the folder lets me see the recurring theme. Some of those houses I’ve bookmarked were craftsman house plans strong sturdy homes built to withstand the ages. Some of the home plans are more laid back, down home, almost farm type homes. Over the years the roof styles have changed, I’m now partial to the metal roof where in years past it was cedar shingles. Porches seem to play an important them too. Sometimes it’s a massive covered deck with a natural stone fireplace. Sometimes I’ll see a huge porch with a massive pergola and every now and then, it’s a wrap around porch (inspired by my childhood music teachers old Victorian).
I’ve even bookmarked some more modern house plans, futuristic concrete structures meant to withstand hurricanes and tornadoes.
The time comes when all of us must choose “one” out of the multitude of home plans and hopefully I’ll get to incorporate my favorites all into one house. Maybe a craftsman style bungalow with rock pillars and cedar planking with an enameled metal roof incorporated onto a hillside overlooking a field full of rows of lavender and basil…
That’s what dreams are for – to dream…
lavender fields
Incorporating Herbs Into Your Wedding
Suppose you, an herbal enthusiast, were getting married. How would you incorporate your love of herbs into your wedding plans?
Did you know that historically different herbs have different meanings? Basil is the herb of love!
How sweet it would be to include a small packet of basil seeds incorporated into your save the date cards. Some card manufacturers have paper that has flower and herb seeds blended into the paper. After the wedding, you plant the card and your love grows!
In keeping with the theme you could include a packet of marjoram seeds in your wedding invitations. Marjoram signifies joy.
Look into the language of flowers and herbs. You might try Grandmother Used to Say: A Year of Recipes and Remembrance by Audrey Thibodeau or The Meaning of Herbs: Myth, Language & Lore by Anne Fields for further study.
Once you’ve decided on which herbs to include in your wedding invitations follow through on the design in your floral arrangements. You might include mugwort for happiness, telow roses for loving and myrtle for love and passion. Lavender is frequently used as a wedding toss instead of rice as it’s meaning is devotion.
Ladies long ago added thyme to their warriors person for strength and courage. Rue is used for grace, chamomile for patience and sage for a long life.
All these herbs incorporated into your wedding plans will show your passion of plant lore and their deeper meanings will be subtle reminders of your love.
basil
Dill – Herb of the Year
Dill was recently named “Herb of the Year” for 2010 by the International Herb Association.
Dill (Anethum graveolens) is a member of the carrot and parsley family. Graveolens means strong scented. The common name ‘dill’ comes from the Norse word dilla meaning to soothe or lull.
Dill is an annual and is a most useful herb!
Medically speaking, dill is used as a stimulant, an aromatic, and as a carminative for stomach issues such as wind, colic and indigestion. Dill and lavender are sometimes blended into dream pillows to aid in falling asleep.
In the kitchen, we use dill in pickling, and in sauces, salads and breads.
Dill – We’d be in a pickle without it!
