Bringing in the new Year

Hello 2011! That's right all, new year means new template, means new look. I have moved on from being an unconventional gardener, who knows nothing about plants. To someone who really wants to learn what to do with these things I've grown. Now no worries, I am certainly NOT going to be leaving out the growing sections, because I plan to get more elaborate and attempt all new herbs and plants. I plan on though, adding to what I'm going to do with them and have been called a poor man's apothecary. Which for those of you who don't know, means that I am using my herbs and plants to help with healing and such. Which for others who are just beginning to watch this, I have been in search of many a helpful remedies to help out my brave and strong fellow, Mikki. I have already proved that the basil tea does its job because as of yesterday my tea was drank by a truly head achy and stomach achy individual (mom), and after giving her my new basil tea with honey, she felt instantly better. So we know I can at least do this. Unconventional uses, rather than an unconventional garden.So thus is what I am, and you are joining me in the adventures of my life. A passion I have yet to be bored with this the beginning of time.

This year, I want to makes soaps, shampoos, and teas. Essential oils even if I manage to either build or receive a still for getting the oils out of the plants. This means lots of new flavor complexes and experimenting with new sights and smells. I really am quite excited about this new endeavor and hope that you will all add a little something on your preferred smells and flavors. Lets all hope that this is a good growing year!

Tomorrow begins the planning!

Christmas smells great!!

You know what I realized? Pine is an amazing smell. I mean I just got home from Florida and let me tell you something, I love that warm weather, but something about walking through the pine tree section at Menard's just makes my heart flutter. Its all the right time of year for pine trees and know what? All the more right time for Basil! Yes I know its been ages, but well to be perfectly honest, it doesn't matter. All my plants have passed on by now, I had to allow them to take their last breathes before leaving on vacation, but that didn't stop me from drying the final plants and guess what this happy camper got to bring home with her for Christmas?

A MORTAR and PESTLE!

That's right! My dad bought me that gorgeous little stone there that says very sweetly, 'Bless this Garden.' I was very wobbly eyed when I received it because as we all know this little hobby of mine really matters to me and it makes my heart light up to see that others notice that as well. The mortar and pestle were a gift from my grandma Judy. Who let me get it while we discovered a quaint little cooking store at the mall in Bradenton. Its small and perfectly fits in my hands. And that's right you know what I made with it? I made Christmas presents!

Sure I can't buy things since we all know that aside from being rather frugal I am also about to lose my job and can't really afford gifts, but! I can make gifts. I took that little pestle and ground up that basil and mixed it with my mom's favorite generic tea blend and repackaged it for gifting to whomever it fits best. As we are playing secret santa this year I have to be careful who I gift to because I don't want to seem unfair. I think my person will enjoy them though... I hope. Speaking of gifts though!

I am sending Dad the basil oil. I made it and now it has someone who will appreciate it. He was very excited when I mentioned it because he likes to cook. One of the best cooks I've known actually, so I am gifting him a bottle. Bottle two went to friend Josh, as he now eats only organic foods and thought it was super cool. At least I hope he thought so... Bottle three is going to my sister. We all knew that was coming though right? The culinary queen should certainly have a bottle. So that covers that.

Now as for this tea, I'm hoping that I did it right, but I'm pretty certain that I did. I first, slowly took apart a tea bag and emptied it's contents. Afterward I used a teaspoon scooper to figure out how much was in there and replaced it 2/3 with basil and 1/3 with the original blend, so its still tea like of course. The next kind of basil I grow (hopefully a bigger variety), I'll try mixing with chamomile and that might give it a nice blend. All I know is it smells amazing!

That's it for now on the gardening end of things,
I'll update you all later with the outcome!

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The Gardening Bunny.

Basil Tea

When life gives you lemons... go out to walmart at 2 in the morning and buy some fresh basil. Yeah, I know, not really a great catchy term, but I figure that since life has decided that for not one evening can I get along with my family, that I should return here to my happy place. It seems that every time you try to branch out, there's a weed pulling you back down. That's alright though, I have fresh basil, and what could be better?

Anyway, I'm not always the most intelligent person, and for the most part can't always remember what it is that I have said or done, but! I hung the last of the first basil plants that I planted last night and thus leaving me with only baby plants to work with in the terms of fresh and undried basil. So I went about googling, looking for a nice basil tea since I've heard such great things about it. To speak plainly, I don't really know if its working because I just finished stirring in half a teaspoon of honey since without it it just doesn't taste like tea to me. I will say though, next time I'll follow a recipe, since this time around all I did was read a few and take the general idea from all of them. It's certainly different, but its suppose to to settle my stomach after that round I went with the weeds not too long ago. Hopefully it works out, if it does I'll try again and jot down the recipe for all. It looks nice if that's any conciliation, and in THREE, TWO, ONE!

Tastes pretty darn good. I mean I love the smell of basil to begin with, though some people tend to compare it to a certain illicit herb. To be honest I don't smell the similarities they are talking about, but it doesn't matter, this basil infused with honey tastes great as a tea. And should settle my stomach without the aid of some other random pharmaceutical. This gardener has never done well with those kinds of remedies, so its nice to actually try something from my own garden to save me from the battle of belly way. I wonder if savory can be turned into a tea...

Oh well. Now on to the reasons behind this wonderful tea. I mean the reasons that everyone else should try it. I myself started looking into it since I read a stint in my giant book of herbs that it does the following: sedate gastric spasms, expectorant, and can allay mental fatigue. Three very good things for my currently sick Sunflower. See, Sunflower is sick with an autoimmune disease known as Henoch Schonlein Purpura and let me tell you his stomach is not always the easiest to settle, but there is no harm in trying the easy little home remedies. Anyway when I started reading my herb book, The Complete Herb Book by: Jekka McVicar and noting all these medicinal properties, it was fascinating. My sister's of the litter's mate for life also has a pretty bad stomach problem which finds him unable to eat as well as she'd like and they've been trying what they can to fix his problems, so it'd be nice if anyone has any suggestions for the tea so that I can try them out on the pain of Sunflower's belly problems.

Any suggestions are appreciated!