Wednesday, September 8, 2010

All that Autumn Brings

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for stopping by, and welcome to anyone who may be visiting us for the first time today!

As you can see, the sunflowers are as high as an elephant's eye right now, and we have much to thankful for at this time of the year. We have been the blessed recipients of produce from several of our neighbors, when we had felt sad at not being able to get a garden in this year.

We have also been learning about so many different wild things to eat, and to use as medicine, that our hearts are full as we think on how generous our Heavenly Father is to send these to us, free for the taking.

Lavender is a wonderful relaxant, as well as keeping moths out of woolens. Try a little lavender oil rubbed into your temples the next time you have a headache, and have fun experimenting with lavender in baked goods.


Moonwort (or Mugwort) is a nice digestive bitter, helping out the liver when digesting the heavier foods of fall.



Japanese knotweed has edible sprouts in the spring, and the roots can be dug in the fall and used as a source of the anti-oxidant resveratrol. It is also believed useful in the treatment of Lyme disease.


Hollyhock leaves and roots are soothing to the diuretic tract, and the green seed pods make yummy snacks.


If you are blessed to have raspberry plants, now is the time to harvest and dry them for winter teas. They are full of iron and calcium, and are a wonderful immune booster, as well as aiding the female organs in functioning properly. We like to mix them with mint leaves in an infusion.


And don't forget the old standby, garlic! Not only does eating it help fight the bad bugs going around, but you can also make it into a stylish necklace, as the Italians do!



The nights are getting cooler and cooler, with frost on the ground a few times, but the days are so beautiful and blue that we want to spend every minute we can outside, soaking up the healthful sunshine!


We hope to be moving sometime in the middle of October. If we do, we will have two autumns this year; September in Idaho and October in Missouri! We really want to be there in time to scout out the wild areas in the neighborhood and see what goodies Mother Nature has for us there.

May your family be blessed with peace during this harvest time of year.

Love,

Marqueta

6 comments:

  1. Thank you dear friend for the tip on the raspberry bushes. I do have them and I will cut them and dry them so that I can have them with my green tea.

    Your lovely daughter looks so happy...

    lots of love,

    Maria
    http://acalmspirit.wordpress.com

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  2. Wow! Marqueta!
    I can't believe you have had frost already! (though, I am secretly jealous!) I am hoping for an early fall because I am tired of all this dry weather. I am a true Washingtonian! ;~P
    I did not know that one could eat any part of the Hollyhock plant. I thought it was poisonous. No wonder the deer love to eat them! And I will be drying some of my raspberry leaves for tea! Thank you for the timely hint!

    Blessings, friend!

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  3. I have enjoyed learning about the different plants used for medicinal reasons.
    I have raspberry bushes in my garden...should the bigger/older leaves be used or the smaller/younger leaves, also how much do you use for making raspberry tea?
    Thank you!

    Blessings!
    ~Nadine

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  4. I didn't know about the raspberry plant either, thanks! Now my friend , I am Italian and I have never put a garlic necklace on...my Mum might have me committed if she found out !LOL!

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  5. Dear ♥Mama,
    Beckie looks so pretty in front of the sunflower!
    The lavender picture looks rather *Magical*,don't you think?
    I wish Summer was longer!
    I ♥ you and I like you!
    Love,
    Audrey♥

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  6. Dear Mama,
    I love you and I like you so much!
    Love,
    Graham Sisters
    ø¤º°¨¨¨°º¤ø ¸„ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø ø¤º°¨¨°º¤ø

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