On thoughts...

Photo by MAV

My package from Mountain Rose Herbs came today and I have all equipment at hand now to make my salve.  However, it's been gloomy this past week and probably will continue to be for the majority of this week.  Hoping it'll get sunny soon so I can use the sun's solar rays to make my infused herbal oil.  I've decided to use comfrey leaves for the infused oil.

I haven't been to the farm in two weeks now.  It's sad but there is nothing I can do right now but focus on school and find a balance between school, work, and doing projects that keep me grounded.  I've finally found the motivation to cook whole foods again.  I've been subsisting on basics such as legumes and eggs or "healthy" processed foods because I've been pressed for time or I'm too exhausted by the day's end to cook.  It's nice to finally create a meal with more than two ingredients!  It eases my mind and allows my body to slow down, work with my hands, use my senses and savor the moment... and eat wholesome, healthy food to boot.

I ordered seed catalogs eons ago and they all just came in at the same time at my doorstep.  Overwhelming considering I haven't even set up a proper garden plot yet, much less contacted the head of the community garden where I plan on growing veggies.  I hope I'll have time to set this all up in about two weeks after my midterms.  I plan on waking up super early on weekdays (ha!) or on my free time on weekends to survey soil fertility and set-up needed irrigation (which, I think, is already set up?).

I drank a yarrow herbal infusion two nights ago and I have to say it tastes absolutely disgusting.  Albeit very bitter, I drank it straight (with much will power) knowing it would be more beneficial than with added sweetener.  The taste is akin to fermented, floral-y alcohol.  Its benefits, however, outweighs its disgustingly bitter taste.  Here are some of the benefits as quoted:

Yarrow is often put in the category of "bitter herbs" because of the powerful, volatile oil it contains. This oil, called Achillein, together with tannin (tannic acid), gives a stimulating, astringent, and bitter edge to the flavor and action. These properties, along with many others, act on the liver to strengthen its efficiency and stimulate bile production. Yarrow also functions as a strong antiseptic and viral inhibitor. Yarrow's action as an astringent means that it firms and tones tissues, including the tissues of internal organs that might have become flaccid, inefficient, or tired out by abuse from unhealthy habits and/or a toxic environment. While Yarrow tones the tissues, its stimulating property also rehabilitates the body's systems into renewed alertness and immunity. As an antiseptic and antiviral agent, Yarrow kills many harmful microorganisms upon contact. Its volatile oil collects and absorbs many impurities (I think of it as gathering the toxins into little packets) and then, somewhat like a detergent, breaks down these "corralled" toxins into forms much easier for the body to eliminate without the usual illness symptoms. In many ways, Yarrow's inhibiting action is similar to an oil spill cleanup job. (Source) 

It's true.  After drinking yarrow tea before bed, I woke up the next morning unlike my normally sluggish self and felt alert and ready to conquer the day!  I'll have to see if this works again (perhaps it was mentally driven or I don't know).  But I'm very trustworthy of the efficacy of herbal healing, so I'm leaning more on the tea itself as the result of my mental alertness than on my psychology.

I have many more updates yet to post in the coming days  so stay tuned!

Okay, off to bed now with my bitter tea~

xo

p.s. thoughts to add

• thinking of doing a detox (know of any good ones?) my detox limit is 3 weeks. last years detox (using the clean program) only lasted 2 weeks but hoping to go all the way this time. 
• discovered the joys of natural building and cob houses
• WWOOF'ing in North Carolina at a farming collective this summer.  Anyone want to join me?  I have a friend who might accompany me temporarily, but I'm still in search for a WWOOF'ing buddy.  I'm thinking a one month stay but that is all yet to be determined.
• my agriculture photo project will soon be under way.  spring is the perfect season for this project!