Neck Pillow & Garden news

Here's the finished pillow. I had some old ( like 20 year old) pillow ticking fabric that was very nice for a beginner like me to work with. My Mom did most of the sewing when we had the gift basket store to work and she's very good. The little sachets I made were hand stitched.

My next pillow will get hand stitched in a less obvious place like the inside area where the back of your neck would rest.

I used it and it works every bit as good as the old one. I'm happy with it.

Then we have the latest basil picture. Notice that there are 2 varieties in the pot? Lettuce leaf and Mammoth Leaf. I like the Mammoth type for looks but it's the flavor that will decide what I'll grow next year.














Last but not least, Guardian of the parsley root.

Basil and Pillows

I rode by the Tomato Pie Cafe today on my way to Target. I went that way purposely so that I could see how their basil is doing. They've let it go to seed!! I was surprised. Not looking so spry these days at all. It doesn't look as if they used it at all either.

Once mine has matured I will unfortunately need to harvest it all. I really did like the idea of saving some seed though because I like how this variety has grown. I don't know ~ perhaps one plant can go to seed. I have some time to think on it a little longer.

I purchased my first sewing machine today! Nothing fancy of course, being a beginner. I'm looking forward to using it. In fact I've already got a project started that I began by hand, which is why I started a search for a sewing machine! I'm making a barley husk neck pillow, the U shaped kind. I have had neck problems for years and the best relief I found was this pillow. Well, I seemed to have left it at one of the places we vacationed at last year. It was great for traveling as well as getting the kinks out. I don't really know what started my neck pain but I think it began around the time I got married......hmmmm. (snicker, snicker....only kidding). I do know though that this is where I seem to carry stress, in my neck and shoulder area which always ends in a headache.

I would lay on the floor with my neck in the pillow and relax. This would take about 10 minutes. Then I would move my body down while trying to keep my neck situated in the pillow and it would crack. Seriously. Instant relief. A little stretching out doesn't hurt after this either. You can image how miserable I've been without my pillow and after searching the stores around here for a new one with no luck, decided to make it.

Once I told friends and people I work with about it they showed interest and now I'm thinking they might make nice Christmas gifts. Since I've got pillows on my mind, some hop pillows might be nice! It looks as though I've found my "winter time keep me busy" projects planned. This is the machine I purchased :

http://www.target.com/Singer-Portable-Sewing-Machine-2250/dp/B0018KVLYK

I'll take a picture of the pillow once it's done.

BASIL UPDATE

Well, it's a slow grower but looking much better than any basil I ever grew before.

Herbs and Spices

Sara, from over at Farming Friends, asked to know more about my herbal teas.

My herb and spice rack:














My interest in herbs began in the early 90's when I purchased a small paperback book which gave a fairly brief history of the usage and importance herbs and spices have had through the ages. The author shared various recipes (called receipts) for medicinal, culinary, cosmetic and household uses. Herbs played such an important role in the lives of people, (of particular interest to me was the Victorian era), and sounded so easy and enjoyable to work with that I began to experiment with them myself.

I grew as many as I could and located places to purchase them in bulk. I must say it can be quite an investment if you choose to make this a hobby. I read every book on the subject that our library had and began to purchase others. My Mother became very interested as she saw what I was doing and so we decided to have a little business together. We went to craft festivals, flea markets (boot sales in the UK)? and consignment stores. Then my cousin invited us to help him manage his gift basket store where we also sold our herb and spice products.

I think it is important to purchase anything that you will eat or drink from places who have good growing practices or advertise that they grow organic. How can something benefit your body if it is filled with toxins?

Some of my favorite teas are one ingredient such as: lemon balm, chamomile, rosehip. A combination of hibiscus and rosehip is good and loaded with vitamin C. Since I have been involved with tea making I have found articles written about some people having suffered side effects from one herb or another. It makes sense that too much of one thing might not be good for a person, even natural, so it would be good practice to use blends.

For example, wood betony, skullcap and white willow bark are known to relieve headaches. Add a little chamomile and peppermint which have soothing properties and you have a great relaxing, yet medicinal tea blend using small amounts of everything. You'll not likely have a side affect from using very small amounts of each herb. Also, I don't drink any one of my teas everyday, but I would consider using a blend if I had a need for it.

St. John's Wort has been over used and many people have had trouble with it. They offer it in capsule form as well and it is said to be a mood stabilizer and work as an antidepressant. Using a blend is much safer.

Keep in mind also that you should never boil or simmer the herbs leaf, fruit or flower, but the bark or root, may require it. It could destroy the properties of the more tender leaf, flower and fruit.

To prepare a leaf, flower and fruit tea you would allow the boiling water to sit for a bit and then steep your tea. Add a little stevia to your blend and you have no need for sugar or honey. Although if you use local honey you could solve some allergy problems ;)

I highly recommend the well known herbalist Rosemary Gladstar's book, "Family Herbal". I would like to quote a recipe of hers which is good for the heart:

HAWTHORN BERRY CONSERVE

Dried seedless hawthorn berries
Apple juice
Honey
Ginger (grated or powder)
Cinnamon

1. Place the hawthorn berries in a pan with just enough apple juice to cover them. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Cover and let sit overnight.

2. Sweeten with honey, ginger, and cinnamon to taste. Store in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

(the addition of some orange slices or chunks is tasty)

She also tells how to make a syrup of hawthorn berries in her book and how to make tonics, tinctures, salves, ointments and elixirs.

I will leave you with a couple tea blends, the headache recipe and upset stomach recipe:

Headache Blend recipe

1/4 Cup peppermint leaves
1/4 Cup skullcap herb
1/4 Cup chamomile flowers
1/8 Cup wood betony herb
1/8 Cup white willow bark finely chopped for steeping

Makes 32 servings. Put blend in a glass jar and store in a dark place for up to a year.

To brew 1 cup:

1 heaping tsp.
1-1/2 cup boiling water left to sit for a minute or so

Steep blend for 15 minutes in a teapot or French coffee press. Drink while warm.

Upset Tummy Tea Blend

3/4 Cup dried peppermint leaves
1/2 Cup dried chamomile flowers

Makes 40 servings. Store in a glass jar away from light for up to a year.

To brew a cup

1 heaping tsp. of blend
1-1/2 cup boiling water

Steep in boiling water which has sat for a minute or two. The addition of honey to sweeten compliments the blend.

Back to the Grind

Tomorrow I go back to work. I had intended to post everyday of my vacation but I got all relaxed and just went with the flow. I did have a great time in the garden and also clearing up some things in the house. Too much time has gone by since I cleaned out cupboards and closets and drawers. I even had to clean out my buffet As a result of all my cleaning I have a few stacks of odds and ends waiting to be donated to the Salvation Army Thrift Store.

Another job that I am in the middle of is to jar and label my herbs and spices. I just love them. I am making a resolution to myself to devote more of my time to the things I enjoy. Making herbal teas and seasoning blends is one of my favorites.

I have a few pictures to share, an update of the garden:














This bed is a fast growing bush bean named Masai. In about one month I'll be harvesting loads of slender green beans. I like to freeze these whole. They look so nice on a dinner plate.

This is the bean I usually start in the end of
May and then when they are in full production, harvest them and pull up all the plants to replace them with another crop[of seedlings that has been waiting in the wings. It's the only way I get a good variety of veggies out of this small plot!














Can you believe how full
of peppers this little plant is?!
My husband loves hot peppers
and he's got a couple more
plants just like this one, but not
quite so full of fruit as they are
full of blooms.














This is my basil that I decided to grow in a pot after seeing how beautiful the basil was at the Tomato Pie Cafe.
I'll post more throughout the week, I better get to bed since I've got to get up early.