Blossom's Wild Herb Lavender Farm

The magical powers of herbs are such.
one's eagerness prompts one to use too much;
But tis wiser to taunt than to tire the taste,
And a nice moderation guards against waste.

A good rule to follow, in seasonings, therefore,
Is a scant fourth teaspoon to each serving for four;
And you soon will discover that herbs used with care,
Will glorify all that you cook or prepare.

Dishes that simmer, or bubble or stew
For long patients house - like soup or ragout -
Should be given their herbs the last hour or so,
For too lengthy cooking lets herb flavors go.

But dishes that cook while you hurry and fix,
Should receive their herb quota right in the mix;
While cold things - like cocktail - really should sleep
Overnight with their herbs to allow them to steep.

Author - M. Dunnigan

FOR MORE VISIT WWW.BLOSSOMFARM.COM/RECIPES.HTM

Spring will be here before you know so I will be posting theme gardens to help bring flying art into your yard.

The creation of a successful hummingbird habitat in your garden is easy. Like other birds, they need food, water, and spots for nesting, roosting and perching. Hummingbird metabolism dictates a diet high in sugar. A ‘typical’ hummingbird consumes half of his weight each day in sugar requiring several feedings per hour. They obtain their sugar and many other nutrients from flower nectar.

Providing a steady succession of nectar flowers from early spring until late autumn is the key to attracting these birds. Hummingbirds are particular about their flowers. These ‘hummingbird flowers’ are often red, a color which is visible to the birds, but is indistinctive for insects competing for the nectar. They often have long tubular flowers which also discourages most bees which cannot reach down far enough to get the nectar. Red is the color that gets a hummingbirds attention, but they also sample flowers of other colors and frequent them if they are good nectar producers. Although attracted to the color red flowers they won't come back if they is a poor food source.

Hummingbirds also consume many small insects which they find in the flowers. A diversity of flowers promotes a healthy diversity of insect life that is necessary for their diet.

A complete habitat also includes trees and shrubs for shade roosting, perching and nest sites. It has been suggested that willows trees are a multipurpose plant. Their flowers are a source for both nectar and small insects while the downy filaments which aid in seed dispersal are a good nest building material for the hummingbird.

Hummingbirds get their nutritional water from nectar, but they do appreciate a bird bath. The water must be shallow, to accomplish this in a regular bird bath line the bottom of the basin with flat rocks and fill with water.

The ritual of smudging can be defined as "spiritual house cleaning" and to help center ourselves.  All ancient cultures burned various herbs and resins for spiritual reasons.  Incense is thought to have 'pleased the gods' with its fragrance.  Resins such as frankincense and myrrh were considered suitable gifts in the Christian religion.

HOW TO USE A SMUDGING WAND--
Light the end of your wand. After it is ignited for about 10-15 seconds, extinguish the flame. You may wish to use an abalone shell or some other heatproof container to catch falling ash and ember. You may also set the wand in the container and use a "smudging feather" or your hand to direct the smoke. 
We then smudge the room, slowly walking clockwise around the perimeter of the room, fanning the smudge pot, and keeping it lit and wafting the smoke about. Smudge any medicine tool you will be using such as pipe jewelry, outfit, etc.  "It is a good practice to smudge each person in a group. Starting from the East and holding the smudge pot lit, each person can bathe himself or herself in the smoke. Many people smudge the heart area first, next the head area, and then the arms, then downward toward the legs. This isn't the only way you can smudge. It is not wrong to smudge another way.
To smudge is to purify and cleanse oneself, and to make contact with the spirits- however you conceive them to be. From this we can see that Smudging is a powerful but simple way to use ceremony of connection and grounding in ones life.
Smudging is also prayer- many native people consider that the smoke of the smoldering smudge mix is taken by the spirits in good ways, and if you make such offerings then the spirits will know you and want to help you in your life. There is a principle that one should only ask for ‘help and healing’ through ceremony of this kind. So if you need help with problems, need guidance or direction, or ask for healing for yourself or others, then it is fine to ask the spirits for their help in these ways. You might want to smudge when: You’ve been feeling depressed, angry, and resentful. You've had an argument with someone. You're going to have a special ritual or ceremony or as part of a general spiritual housecleaning and to clear your crystals of any negative energy. 
(From "Smudging" by Elaine Lunham)

HOW TO USE LOOSE HERBS AND RESIN ON CHARCOAL---
Remove tablet from sealed roll and place charcoal, the round side down in a "fireproof" dish lined with sand.   Handle the charcoal with a pair of tongs, as it will become very hot.  Light the edge of the tablet by holding a match to the edge of the charcoal until it begins to sparkle. The sparkling will continue across the charcoal.  Once the tablet is lit, take a small amount (1/2-teaspoon) of burning herbs or resins and pour onto the lit cake of charcoal.  The incense will burn/melt and smoke, releasing its scent into the air.
You may use a "smudging feather" or your hand to direct the smoke as you move the smudge around the body and/or space you are smudging. These will burn for several minutes and then you may add more. You may want to remove residue before adding more material. The tablet should be left to burn out and cool in the center.

To extinguish a tablet before it has fully cooled, quench in a container of cold water.   NOTE-When you are finished, you need to be sure your smudge is COMPLETELY EXTINGUISHED.

SAGE smoke is used to bless, cleanse and heal the person or object being smudged. Sage is used to “wash off” the outside world when one enters ceremony or other sacred space. Objects are likewise washed off with sage medicine smoke to rid them of unwanted influences.

SWEETGRASS --Rich in scent, sweetgrass will infuse any space with its unique fragrance, even when not burned; it is the breath and blessing of the Earth mother. Sweetgrass is burned to remind that Mother Earth provides us with everything we need. Just as the sweet scent is attractive to people it is attractive to good spirits. Traditionally braided like hair by the Sioux and Cherokee nations and was use to smudge after sage or cedar to welcome in peace and harmony. When burned it does not produce an open flame but smolders, light the end of it or more economically by shaving little bits of it onto charcoal in a heatproof container. Hang in a musty closest or among linen to freshen.

CEDAR--Cedar trees are very old, wise and powerful spirits and are a medicine of protection against negative influences.

COPAL RESIN--Copal is sacred to the native peoples of Mexico, as it is a gift “pleasing to the gods.” Because copal is the blood of trees, it is offered to honor the enormous gift given to us by all of the tree people of our planet.

LAVENDER-- Lavender is a sacred plant, which shares it healing properties, and will bring inner calm and wisdom. Some Christians still regard the scent of lavender as a safeguard against evil.

FRANKINCENSE-- A tree resin is considered to cleanse and protect the soul. Frankincense became important to most every major religion in the world and is still used in Muslim, Jewish and Catholic rituals. Frankincense is said to ease depression and promote clairvoyance.

MYRRH-- A tree resin is said to help one maintain a state of enlightenment. It also connects one to the spirit of youth and clears the path of one’s truth.
JUNIPER-- Junipers gives us strength and purity in all endeavors.

SMUDGING FEATHER-- It is traditional to use a bird’s feather to wash around the smoke. Use the underside of the feather to wash the smoke, it is the underside of the bird and its wings that face the Mother Earth as it flies and it is this surface of the feather that offers the blessing medicine of the bird.

Please visit www.blossomfarm.com for a complete line of smudge wands and more.

     There is no end to the diversity of recipes for making your own chai at home. Brewing chai is fun and allows you to experiment until you get it 'just right' for your own personal taste.
     Chai is basically black tea brewed with selected spices and your chose of low fat, soy, or whole milk. The aroma of spices shouldn't be overpowering; it should be almost like an incense experience. 
Make and use your spice mix by weight. For best results, use whole or broken spices, not ground!
To make 3 ½ ounces, start with about an ounce of shelled green cardamon and a half ounce of cinnamon bark. Then make up the balance of the weight from your favorites from this list; Whole Black pepper HOT, Ginger HOT,  Cloves, Coriander seed, Mace, Nutmeg, Star anise, Fennel, Bay leaf or Vanilla bean (vanilla extract). Some folks stew/boil the tea with the spices. Others stew the spices with the sugar or honey, then add and brew the tea, then add the milk. I like this slightly thickened texture.  I make it this way, stews the spices, then adds and brews the tea, strain, add honey  (at this point I can put extra in fridge)then stir in the hot milk.  It's your choice.

CHAI TEA BASE (to prepare six servings).
 4 T. whole spices. 
 ½ cup dark brown sugar or honey
 4 cups water
Remove from heat. Stir in: 2 T black tea or 3 T rooiboos
Bring to boil, simmer 15 minutes, strain. You can refrigerate this base up to a week. To serve, heat the base, add 1/4 to ½ to an equal amount of heated milk, (you may preheat milk 5 minutes in microwave - it foams). Stir well, serve with a sprinkle of cardamom.

Last night I was invited to a Christmas tea, so what is a better way to introduce a roomful of ladies to eat some  lavender flowers.   I told my daughter and my neighbor who  invited us, do not let anyone know who made the lavender flower cookies just in case they were horrible.   GOOD NEWS! my bowl was empty at the end of the night, so that was a good sign?  Make a day ahead so the lavender can perfume the baked dough.  See my note BELOW on a great idea to fill the local food bank.

LAVENDER SUGAR COOKIES

• 4 -5 dozen
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 drops French Lavender (Lavender angustifolia) from blossom farm
• Essential  Oils  Do not use lavender intermedia!
• 5 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon Royal Lavender Flower Buds (from Blossom farm of course)
  

Cream sugar and shortning. Add sour cream, eggs, and Lavender EO/vanilla. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, lavender and salt.
Add to creamed mixture until well blended. Remember, the more you mix, the tougher your dough will be.

Chill for a few hours (at least 3-4). The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.

Roll out (I use a floured pastry cloth), and cut with a cookie cutter. Flour cutter between each cookie to prevent sticking. How I did it- I rolled in balls and flatten with bottom of glass.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10  minutes. Cookies shouldn't be brown, just done to the touch.

FROSTING

• 2 lbs. powdered sugar
  
• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup water
  
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
  
• I used purple food dye

Just mix ingredients until smooth.

This was a nice idea for a ladies church group - one person adopts a table of 8, brought their best china, tablecloths, tea bags, honey, sugar, and decorates the table with beautiful things from home, some ladies brought a special little gift or fruit or cheese tray for their table guests.  Everyone invited brings their favorite (3 dozen) cookies, and canned food for the local food bank....  Leftover cookies are used for other groups at the church....  We had a wonderful guest speaker and was a wonderful ladies night out, for the young and us old gals.

The wreath circle stands for eternity, the following is an explanation of herbs often found in an advent  wreath:

Juniper, cedar and pine protected the Holy Family on their flight from Egypt.

Ivy denotes the trinity.

Lavender represents purity and virtue, lavender is said to have received its lovely scent when it served as the drying rack for the Baby Jesus' swaddling clothes

Sage stands for immortality.

Horehound is a wish for good health.

Rue is a symbol or virtue and banishes evil.

Thyme another manger herb stands for bravery and strength of Christ.

Rosemary is for remembrance.

The story associated with rosemary is that its flowers changed from white to blue in Mary’s honor.

Bedstraw, is considered a manager herb.

Pennyroyal, is supposed to have bloomed at midnight on Christmas Eve in  Christ’s honor.

Costmary, also known as Bible leaf and used as a bookmark the fragrance chases insects, was used by Mary Magdalene to make an ointment for the baby Jesus.

Tansy is associated with immortality.

 We carry all the above plants in spring ready to ship to your door.

See more at www.blossomfarm.com

You will need:

one  8 by 10 inch soft fabric such as velor, satin or velvet
one cup of rice or flax seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup lavender flower buds (dried)

Fold the material in half with wrong sides together.
Sew two of the long side together and sew one short side. 1/2 inch seam allowance
(The pillow will be 4 by 9 when you are done sewing.)
Turn right side out and you will have a small pillow case.
Fill with bag lavender and your choice of flax or rice.
Turn the edges of the short side down and hem.

Now you can have an enjoyable pillow for relaxtion.
Simply place over your eyes to rest or meditate.

Gayle at www.blossomfarm.com