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Nettles, The Heart Opener

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Nettles at Root House 2018  One of my dearest plant allies is Nettles! Most people think of the sting and the burning itch but if we get past that we find it is such an amazing tonic herb for the entire body. It is high in all kinds of minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and more. Which is truly excellent since most of the soil our foods are grown in is so depleted we need some of these wild redeemers to help us find the minerals we are lacking in our diets. It is a blood builder and a helpful healer of the liver as well as a reproductive tonic. It helps to strengthen kidneys and the adrenals, which like our minerals get depleted in modern culture. Nettles boosts the metabolism and the immune system. I have used it in a tea to help my daughter mend her broken leg faster and it may be mama and child's best friend during growing pains. Nettles is used a lot as a tea and if well steamed or sauteed is a delicious alternative to spinach. Susun Weed talks often of overnigh...
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Motherwort, The Lionhearted

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 A Chinese Motherwort (Leonurus japonicus) that I had the honor of growing in Sims, NC in 2015. Notice the sharp spikes around the flowers.  In continuing with the theme of summer heart herbs I wanted to talk about Motherwort. The Latin name for the most commonly used species of Motherwort is Leonurus cardiaca or Lion Hearted. It's many names speaks of its many uses. Motherwort is a superb heart tonic. It is a cardiac nervine which means it relaxes the heart and helps it deal with side effects of stress like high blood pressure and palpitations from anxiety. It has been said that there is no better herb for strengthening and gladdening the heart. A beautiful female lion we saw at the Buffalo Zoo in 2009 Along with the heart, Motherwort is particularly good for women troubles. It brings blood flow to the uterus so it is excellent for bringing on stuck moontimes helping with cramps and spotty flow. Due to Motherwort's ability to bring on menses it is not safe to use...
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Hawthorn, The Heart's Protector

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Hawthorn I have been doing an herb of the week for a local shop, Aries Moon in Lenoir, for almost a year now and thought it might be wonderful to expand the info! Not to mention it would make me use my blog more which has been needed for a while!  I am teaching a class on the Heart this weekend and thought it would be perfect to start this new venture with a strong heart and faerie plant!  Dried Hawthorn Berries Hawthorn trees are in the rose family. They have beautiful white 5 petaled flowers and HUGE thorns! This completely speaks to the spiritual uses of this plant. Protection of the heart! Hawthorn is an excellent protector and wards off evil while at the same time healing the emotional heart, bringing back the hope and happiness we might have lost. Particularly after a very bad heart break, death, or betrayal. Put the protection together with the heart healing and you have a very strong spiritual medicine. This tree loves the in between places at the ed...
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Colorful Explosions in the Garden

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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!  My parents flag flying in their yard under the loblolly pines I grew up with. As I was mowing the lawn, I noticed all the colors that the garden is bursting with today! I wanted to share all these beauties with you! If you have some amazing plant pretties in your garden please share them in the comments!!  Beautiful Huge Zinnia I think this is a Snow in Summer but I am not 100%. It came in a packet of wildflower seeds. Delicious Spiderwort Flowers Butterfly Bush Flowers with their heavenly, honey scent. Smaller Zinnia in our wagon garden. Small baby Marigold Flower. The Elder is in bloom big time! It is HUGE! Our purple Crepe Myrtle. Blazing Star is glorious! Yummy and Beautiful Nasturtium. Virginia Dayflowers that happily grow where ever you don't mow. Our pink Crepe Myrtle. I absolutely love how the Crepe Myrtles always bloom this year! It is like fireworks in our backyard! ...
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Garden Therapy and Seeing Fall

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I just hacked my garden all up. There is something about garden therapy that is so very healing. When I can control nothing in my life, I can go to the plants and find peace. I ripped down the old passionflower vines that are dying back. The blue flag iris has been divided, part was moved to another garden area and I trimmed the rest back with the old lilies. The rosemary and sage have been pruned. The poor tomato vine that didn't handle the wind we had a week ago is gone and in compost heaven. Everything weeded and in order. Passionflower at the first of the season Ripping and pulling and trimming....the things I sometimes want to do in my daily life. Ripping down the problems that can be so overwhelming I feel I can't breathe. Pulling out the anxiety and tension and tossing it away. Trimming the parts that I need to change to grow stronger. Letting go completely of things that no longer serve me. Knowing that after the work there is always some rest. The dreaming of ...
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Why I Became An Herbalist (and a 6 month journey to remembering that)

Back in January I came down with the flu and had a few bouts with kidney stones. Due to an unexpected series of events for our family, I didn't care for myself the way I normally would. I ended up in the hospital with no insurance and I want to finally share my experience. My family is not super well off in the ways of money. We never really have been. Insurance for my husband and I is a luxury. I know for some that sounds absolutely crazy. I was excited when Obama Care first came out. I wanted to believe that finally insurance would be affordable for us. It didn't work out that way. We are one of those middle cases. Somewhere in between poverty and middle ground. So just for me insurance would be over $400 a month. JUST FOR ME! This was the reason I became an herbalist in the first place. I knew we couldn't afford insurance but if I could keep us well and strong. If I could take care of the small things. Maybe the big things would be so few and far between that we c...
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Cocoa Dirts aka Adaptogen Pills

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When I was learning how to make herbal pills I had an idea that came together deliciously! Made with two of my favorite adaptogens and chocolate so there is a lot to love!  So adaptogens are herbs that help us deal with the stresses of life. Stress from working too hard or too long, stressful moments life throws our way, stress of illness, stress of loss...for ANY stress these herbs will come in handy! They help us cope, maintain wellness, and keep moving. I make these for my dad who works swing shift in his 60s and he swears by them! So does my mom since he stops falling asleep all the time and they can actually go do things on his days off. He is the one who loving calls them "Cocoa Dirts" because that is what he thinks they taste like. My own husband loves them too and will pass them out at work on a hard day. Herbal pills are messy fun to make! Here is my recipe: COCOA DIRTS 1 oz. Ashwagandha powder 1 oz. Eleuthro powder aka Siberian Ginseng 2.5 o...
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