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| You may have seen this in my main journal. If so, I apologize. But, we are trying to do things to get extra money for a down payment on a house. One of the ways I'm doing this is writing on the internet. This is my referral url for myLot. If you sign up on myLot and participate in the discussions, not only do you get paid, but I get a bonus which is 25% of what you are getting.So, the thing to do is to get other people to sign up using your referral link and then the money adds up faster. So, here is my link. And thanks to the person who signed up. http://www.mylot.com/?ref=myfanwy65Thanks. :D | |
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| FDA Regulators Using Legal Trickery to Kill Alternative Procedures and Products
The FDA is using legal maneuvering to end your access to natural health products (like vitamins, minerals and herbs) and natural health therapies of all sorts. Again. This time, their ploy is to declare the therapies are "Medicine" so any non-physician who uses them will be practicing medicine without a license. Since these practices are "Medicine", any products used would be untested drugs and therefore forbidden. Go here to find out more.
http://tinyurl.com/2u7ghc I'm not sure if this site is legit, but, I thought it wouldn't hurt to spread the word if it turns out to be. | |
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| Divide any larger clumps of your perennial herbs such as lovage, catnip, mint, chives, thyme, sage, lemon balm, winter savory or oregano. Give them away if you don't have room for another plant or leave one in the ground and try one in a pot that you can bring in later. Remember that some herbs like the mints and horseradish can be invasive, so grow them in very large containers that are buried in the ground if you need them to be contained. I've grown many of the mints without a problem, but one year I planted pineapple mint and didn't pay attention to it. It took over the herb bed! Chocolate mint starts out fairly tame and then wanders every which way, so don't be fooled by mints that start out slowly. You can bury other "dividers" such as pieces of tin or other metal around the mint to contain it too. Horseradish roots are hard to dig up because they are so long, so use the buried pot method to contain it. By the way, if you want the horseradish a little milder, try digging the root in the spring instead of waiting til later in the summer or fall. Once the frost has passed there are many herbs you can direct sow. Herbs that are fairly easy to grow from seed are: dill, chives, calendula, basil, fennel (grow away from dill), salad burnet, sweet cicely, nasturtium, borage, cilantro, and cress are a few. Always pick the rocks and large clumps out of the soil where you direct seeds. If you are just beginning with herb gardening, remember that Mediterranean herbs such as oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme and lavender prefer a dry, very well drained soil in a hot, sunny location. Other herbs like mint, basil, parsley, lemon balm like the soil fertile and are not as drought tolerant. Group together herbs that like the same type of environment when planning out your garden. MORE: Tips on including herbs within your flower beds! http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/herbgarden3.html | |
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| y Bernard Schofield
To raise strawberries with the finest flavor, plant them in topsoil
taken from around pine or spruce trees. Once established, mulch the
strawberry plants with needles from these trees.
Plant crocus bulbs near lavender, the birds won't touch them.
Garlic will grow bigger and with a stronger flavor if you bruise the
cloves a little before you plant them.
The golden rule for setting out plants was always after 4 pm. From
this time of day the sun's beat is decreasing in intensity and plants
will have the benefit of settling in during the coolest part of the
day.
Bananas are a rich source of magnesium, sulphur, calcium, phosphates,
silica, and sodium-trace elements which plants need in order to grow
healthier and which are often missing from soils.
Try lard or meat fats as another additive to the soil. Roses love it!
Cabbages respond particularly well to a dose of beer. Try it on your
other vegetables to see how well they grow.
Make a habit of emptying the residue from your teapot (cold tea,
leaves and bags) onto the soil around the roses to increase the
strength and quality of their fragrance.
Make your own liquid houseplant food by rinsing empty milk containers
with water. Use the slightly milky water like a proprietary liquid
manure.
Adding a pinch of salt to water in a vase will increase the life of
cut flowers.
Never arrange daffodils together with other cut flowers. Their sap is
detrimental to anything standing with them in a vase of water.
Stand tulips in boiling water for one minute before placing them in a
vase.
Ordinary baking yeast is quite lethal to ants.
A scare crow is more effective when dressed in red clothing.
Plant one or two garlic cloves among rose bushes and they will remain
aphid free. Likewise, an infusion of garlic crushed into water and
sprayed over affected plants will dispel these pests.
A thin layer of newly mown grass cuttings spread over cabbages,
broccoli and similar plants will keep them caterpillar free.
To keep cats and other animals from damaging seed beds, bury several
bottles up to their necks in soil. Fill bottles with a few spoonfuls
of ammonia or other noxious liquids. Cats will stay away | |
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| This year, I will probably not try to use seeds for my herb garden. I tried that last year, and had limited success. So, I plan to buy plants and hopefully I will have better luck. I might use seeds if there is a type of herb that I want to grow and can't find a plant anywhere.
So far, I have rosemary and sweet marjoram in containers. They seem to be doing very well.
I also plan to get oregano, parsley, cilantro, chives. Maybe some more that I can't remember right now. LOL
I got parsley, feverfew, garlic chives, sweet basil and lemon basil to grow from seeds last year. But, I had probably more than twice that attempted. | |
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| ~author unknown
Bluebells have both a good and bad magical reputation. Long
associated as harbingers of death, it is said that if you hear
bluebells ringing someone close to you will die. Nevertheless,
bluebells are commonly thought to be lucky. Carrying bluebells
compels you to tell the truth.
Cedar branches hung around your house protects it against lightning
strikes. Cedar, in your wallet, attracts money. This spell really
works. For years, I've had cedar in my wallet. No matter what the
situation or circumstance, somehow or other, money comes my way.
If you've been cursed, scatter chili pepper {or seeds} around your
house to break the spell. This also is a great spell for kids who
are afraid of the boogey man. Put the chili peppers in a child's
room, tell the child about the spell, and watch the nightmares
and "afraid ness" start to disappear.
Growing elder trees near your house will bring you prosperity in
addition to delightful elder flower champagne, elderberry jam, and a
plethora of hungry birds. Elder branches and twigs make perfect
wands.
Garlic is nature's antibiotic and an excellent pest control in the
garden. It's also a protection against shipwrecks for sailors,
against foul weather and monsters for mountaineers, and against
assaults by bullies. Garlic rubbed into your pots and pans gets rid
of negative vibrations that might ruin your food, and if you eat
garlic, you'll become lusty.
If you're a witch, plant geraniums around your house to foretell
coming visitors.
Grapes have long been considered symbols of fertility and money.
Wine, which is made from grapes, was often treated as sacred in
ancient cultures. In Tarot, the Ace of Cups can mean possible
wealth - both money-wise and for new friends.
Gather holly leaves on a Friday night - but beware, make absolutely
no sound when you pick the holly leaves or this spell will not work.
Wrap the leaves in a white cloth, knot the cloth nine times, and
place it under your pillow. Your dreams will come true!
Honesty or money plants {and chili peppers} when scattered about
your house will repel all monsters.
Finding the first white lily of the season will give you strength.
Wearing a fresh lily will break any love spells cast against you,
particularly when the love is unwanted.
Marigold and/or orange flowers added to your bath will make you
respected, admired, and attractive. Hang marigolds on your doorpost
to stop evil from entering your house (and stop those evil pests
from entering your garden)!
Mint is not just any ordinary garden herb used for mint juleps in
summer and relaxing teas in winter. Mint kept in the house protects
you and your loved ones. Putting a few leaves of mint in your wallet
will attract money. And mint leaves rubbed against your temples will
relieve headaches {same as smelling peppermint essential oil}.
If you catch a falling oak leaf, you won't have a cold in the
winter.
Onions protect against venomous beasts and grown in your garden
protects your plants (against those venomous pests!). Quarter an
onion and place the quarters in the four corners of your house,
you'll get rid of any disease. Replace the onion quarters when they
turn black.
Pick pansies or johnny-jump-ups, when the dew is still on them and
it will soon rain.
Eating parsley makes you lusty but wearing parsley on your head
stops you from getting drunk.
Roses and myrtle stand for love. Red roses mean passion, pink
roses - friendship, and white roses - pure love.
Rowan planted on a grave stops Hauntings and planted around your
house protects you and planted in stone circle makes the protection
stronger. (Too, rowanberries make wicked jam and wine.) {Ditto for
flint {a crystal} - both rowan and flint were used in ancient
rituals.}
Rue grows best when stolen and then makes your garden grow better.
Toads don't like rue. Romans used to drink rue juice to guard
against werewolves.
Thyme placed beneath a pillow ensures a pleasant night's sleep.
Thyme worn in a woman's hair will make her irresistible, and if you
both carry and smell thyme, you'll gain courage, but if you wear
thyme, then you'll see faeries.
On New Year's Eve, cast one of the shoes you're wearing up into a
willow tree {you have 9 tries}. If your shoe stays up in the tree,
then you'll be married within the year. To complete the spell, you
need to climb up into the willow tree and retrieve your shoe.
That horrid witch grass of garden wrecking fame, scattered under
your bed, attracts new lovers. An infusion of witch grass
sprinkled around your house repels depression (probably because
you'll have lots of new lovers!).
Washing your head with a yarrow infusion will prevent baldness, and
carrying it, will attract love and friendship.
Yew (poison) will help you raise the dead. | |
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| Scientific and medicinal info
</td></tr><tr><td></td><td class="snv" width="100%">Sage is a very variable family of plants, with white sage being only one form. The waxy green leaves have a white coating on them, making it very easily identified. The smell is also distinctive, and quite spicy. The flowers of the white sage are very attractive to bees, and the plant is often called Bee Sage. White sage is a perennial that grows between 2 and 5 feet tall, and is common along the west coast of the USA. </td></tr> | |
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| (Thymus species)Thyme comes from the Latin word, thymum, meaning to make a burnt offering. According to myth, thyme grew where Helen of Troy's tears hit the ground. Ancient Romans burned thyme to keep away poisonous snakes and insects. Ancient Greeks used it as a perfume to give them energy. Ancient Egyptians placed it around mummies. During the time of knights, ladies-in-waiting would embroider scarves with thyme as a symbol of courage. The scarves were then given to knights to wear into battle. During the Renaissance period, people believed that fairies made their homes in beds of thyme. In the past, thyme was used in wash water and between linens for its sweet smell. It was also used to cure the flu, gas, hair loss, and bad moods. And it was planted on paths so when people walked on the thyme, they could smell its sweet scent. Today, oil from thyme (called thymol) is used in some cough medicines. How to Grow ThymeThyme is a perennial plant that grows well in ordinary, well-drained soil in a sunny location. You can start thyme seeds outside or in a container in a sunny window. In three to four weeks, you should have red-colored seedlings that you can take leaves from for cooking and other uses. Thyme plants can grow 9 to 12 inches tall. The color of thyme leaves can be green or yellow or red. There are over 300 species of thyme! And there are many different flavors of thyme that can be spicy or fruity -- like caraway or lemon. Using ThymeThyme is used for flavoring food and for fragrance. The oil is used in deodorants, anesthetics, and perfumes. Thyme leaves are used in sachets and potpourri. Leaves are used to flavor sauces for meats and fish, in soups, with vegetables, and in vinegars and oils. Fruit-flavored and spice-flavored thymes can even be used in desserts. Thyme RecipesCitrus Thyme Dressing - is a good salad dressing. Mix together 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 tsp. fresh ginger (minced), 1 tsp. fresh lemon thyme leaves (minced), 1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon leaves (minced), 1 Tbsp. vinegar, 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, and 1/4 C. olive oil. Pour over your favorite green salad. Thyme-Onion Relish - You may need an adult to help with this recipe. In a skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and 3 C. yellow or red onions that have been thinly sliced. Cook until the onions are translucent or clear looking (15 to 20 minutes). Stir in 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon thyme leaves (minced), 3 Tbsp. vinegar, 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce, and 1/2 tsp. honey. Cook for 5 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature on your favorite fish or seafood. | |
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(Salvia species)Sage comes from the Latin word, salvare, meaning "to save." It has historically been used in medicine. Ancient Romans collected their sacred sage in a special ceremony. The person gathering the sage wore all white and no shoes. The gatherer had to offer wine and bread to the ground where the sage grew before gathering in the sage. In Europe, some people thought eating sage would stop poisonous snakes from biting them. People in the Middle East thought they would be smarter if they ate sage. After the Boston Tea Party, colonial Americans made sage tea as a substitute for the imported tea. American Indians chewed on sage to clean their teeth. How to Grow SageSage is a perennial plant that grows well in ordinary garden soil. There are 700 different types of sage, even one that has a pineapple smell! Sage grows from 6 inches to 3 feet tall, depending on the kind you have. You can plant sage seeds outside after the last frost date for your area (May 15 in Virginia). Or you can plant seeds in a container and place it in a sunny windowsill. Plant the sage seed 1/4 inch deep in the soil, and add water. Be sure to keep the soil moist, but not too wet, while you wait for the seeds to germinate. You should see seedlings in about 14 to 21 days. After several weeks, you should have large enough leaves to pick and use some in cooking. Be sure to pinch off any flowers that develop since you are only interested in using the leaves. Using SageSage leaves are chopped up and used in cottage cheese or pickles. The leaves can also be ground or powdered and used in stuffing, stewed tomatoes, sausages, and green beans. Sage is used to flavor chicken and pork, plus oils and vinegars. And, it can be used to make tea! You can also use sage for its fragrance, as a dye, even as a hair tonic. Sage RecipesSage Stuffing - Mix together 3 C. of slightly dry bread crumbs, 1 Tbsp. parsley (chopped into tiny pieces), 1 Tbsp. onion (finely chopped), 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. sage (ground), 1/4 tsp. rosemary (dried, crushed), 1/4 tsp. thyme (dried, crushed), and 1 1/2 Tbsp. melted butter. Mix in 1/4 C. chicken broth. Put the stuffing in a casserole or baking dish. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Sage stuffing goes great with turkey and chicken! Herb Bread - Mix together 1 1/2 C. flour, 1 pkg. active dry yeast, 2 tsp. celery seed, 1 tsp. sage (ground), and 1/2 tsp. nutmeg (ground). Heat 1 C. milk, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. shortening, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt, stirring constantly until just warm (the shortening should just be starting to melt; 115 to 120F). Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture. Add 1 egg, then beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 1/2 minute. Beat at high speed for 3 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or other large spoon to stir in another 1 1/2 C. of flour to make a soft dough. Knead the dough for 5 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turn dough once to cover both sides with shortening. Cover with a clean cloth, and put in a warm place to rise until double (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch down the dough, cover, and let it "rest" for 10 minutes. Shape the dough into a round loaf, and place in a 9-inch, greased pie pan. Cover and put in a warm place until the dough doubles in size (about 1 hour). Bake at 400F for 35 minutes. Serve warm with butter. | |
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