Christianity – Page 3 – The Herbal Hare Tomestead and Animal Sanctuary

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Wednesday’s “Weed” Walk: A Re-Cap of My First “Live” Weed Walk

June 7, 2023August 30, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

On Saturday, June 3, 2023 I found myself staring down Imposter Syndrome with more resolve than real strength and conviction. I had prepared for this…but maybe not enough. Maybe I didn’t know enough herbs. Maybe I didn’t know enough about them. I took notes. Would they see me as more of a fraud if I had to use them? I didn’t study the notes enough. I didn’t memorize every fact, fable, or theory about each plant. I didn’t know every. Single. Plant. In the forest.

Dang! Who am I to call myself an herbalist?

Salvation came whilst standing in the short strip of meadow while waiting for everyone to join me for this “weed” walk. There at my feet were two of my best known—and loved—herbs: a dandelion, and plantain. This last is not the banana-shaped fruit found in many grocery stores. It is a type of crabgrass. And the dandelion? There’s a reason my Jillian is holding a dandelion in her mouth as part of The Herbal Hare icon. I’ve been drawn to dandelions since the day I took my first steps…or near abouts. My mother and grandmothers all had little Dixie cups filled with dandelion blossoms lining their windowsills when I was a kid.

Relax. Breathe. I’ve got this…at least with these two.

From there, I led a small group of 6—counting the lovely Australian shepherd who joined us for the walk; she said she got all of this, too—through myriad forest paths, up steep inclines and over rocky, dried-out streambeds. And, while there were a few stretches where that Imposter Syndrome kept trying to creep in again (we had about a 10 minute walk along paths lined with nothing but poison ivy, jewelweed, and Virginia creeper), I found enough to keep it interesting. There was even a note of praise on the library’s Facebook page later that day for the fun everyone had learning about some of the plants that share our little corner of Connecticut.

Here’s a recap of what we saw: Plantain (Plantago lanceolate), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis), Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora), Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), Cleavers (Galium aperine), Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), Hairy Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum pubescens), Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), Buttercup (Ranunculus acris), Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) and Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). It might be fun over the next few weeks to feature each of these for a Wednesday’s Weed Walk—except the Dandelion and Plantain. I think I’ve done at least two blog posts for each; I’ll have to put a link to them in the coming weeks. 😉

May God bless you & keep you!

Christianity, Compassion, Exhaustion, Faith, Forgiveness, God/Jesus, Gratitude, Healing, Prayer, Religion, Scripture, Spirituality

Remembering the Sabbath Day

June 5, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:8-11)

I missed church yesterday. I knew before I went to bed the night before that I probably wouldn’t make it to church in the morning. I guess you could say it was “pre-planned”.

No, fire and brimstone didn’t rain down upon my head but, the guilt crept in anyway. I have so much to be thankful for right now. I should be showing those thanks by going to worship Him, praising Him, for carrying me through one of the toughest storms I’ve ever weathered. The praise, the thanksgiving—all of it is in my heart. I think He knows that (hope?).

But I stayed home. I finished my homework and made a small dent in the laundry instead—secular concerns.

No, they’re not more important than Him. I hope He knows that, too. But I needed a break. Not from Jesus, not from God, or His grace, for nothing restores my soul like He does. I needed a break from simply having to be somewhere at a certain time. My get up and go, got up and went, as the saying goes. Life has been nonstop these days. It’s all good things: new job that I love; writing classes that are getting more and more interesting; getting back into a better blogging routine and seeing some uptick in subscribers, likes, and views; an old friend back in my life who is proving to be a rock, helping me to get back on my feet far quicker than I could ever do by myself…thanks be to God!

But I still missed church.

There’s still a part of me thinking I’m Supergirl. Instead, some better time management would solve most of my problems. I wouldn’t get overwhelmed as often. And my soul that is always thirsting for His word, would be quenched with those living waters each week. Also, remembering that He is a loving God. He rested on the 7^th day. Sometimes the body, mind, and/or spirit is weary and needs that 7^th day to rest, just as our Lord did. And that’s okay…as long as I don’t make it a habit.

I am reminded of Shel Silverstein’s most excellent children’s book, The Giving Tree. Like the old tree stump that is left at the end of the book, I’ve given all I have and there is nothing left to give. (That may be a paraphrase) Well, I’m not entirely at that point but, I am certainly familiar with that kind of burnout and, as I scratch and crawl my way back from total ruin, I am well aware that burnout could come back all too easily to bite me in the proverbial backside. Better time management, learning to pace myself, and remembering that He loves me even when I am weak, these are some of the many lessons He has taught me in this storm.

And I praise Him for it!

May God bless you & keep you!

Works Cited

Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree. Harper & Row, 1964.

Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Emergency Preparedness, Finances, Frugality, Homesteading, Minimalism, Prepping

Frugal Fridays – The Budget

May 19, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1 Timothy 17)

Washing out a bread wrapper to repurpose it as a sandwich wrap. Buying a book of matches to keep in the bathroom as a quick and inexpensive way to eliminate odors. Wearing a pair of jeans twice before washing them. Combining errands to save on gasoline. None of these practices by themselves will make a big dent in your budget. However, when combined with a host of other money saving practices, they may.

Another important practice—probably the most important one—is budgeting.

Yes, I know that’s almost a “dirty” word for many people. However, this is a skill that should be taught from grammar school on up through college until it is second nature. I cannot tell you how many people I know who don’t know how to manage money. The concept is completely foreign to them.

One of my ex-husbands (yeah, one of those rare times I’m bringing one of them up!) looked at his paycheck each month. For the sake of this exercise, let’s say he earned $2000 each month. His rent/mortgage payment was $1200. He paid $150 per month for electricity, $300 for groceries, $50 for his phone, and $150 for heat. A cable company offered him this great-sounding package for $150 each month, all the movie channels. He’d jump on it. He can afford it. He makes $2000 a month. Forgotten was the grand total for all the other expenses he had: $1850. Yes, there’s another $150 available there. But, he neglected to include gasoline for his car. Ditto for taxes, oil changes, tires, etc. He smoked. He drank beer. None of that was budgeted either. He maxed himself out and then, when something broke and needed repair or replacement, he had nothing to fall back on, and nothing saved. Instead, he’d fall behind, robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Sometimes that happens anyway, no matter how carefully we budget. Layoffs, recessions, injuries, illnesses, even some discriminatory actions that may crop up from time to time, may have an impact even with a budget. My own circumstances are like that. The new mortgage payment, amortizing in all the overdue payments from the injury in 2019, is quite high and doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room…especially with intermittent running water requiring Mom and I to buy it in. But, this overall circumstance didn’t arise from a lack of budgeting. It’s been a lack of income. You cannot budget what isn’t there in the first place. However, having a budget–complete with some sort of savings plan–certainly helps. Having a budget lets you see just where you might be able to cut some corners to ease some of the burden.

Having a budget can also help when looking for a new job. If you need $2000 a month just for your most basic needs, you need a job that pays at least that much. Or you need to find something you can do on the side to generate supplemental income.

I used to pet sit on the side. Having a budget helps with side hustles, too. The client may be willing to pay you $20 a day to take care of their pets for them but, if you have to drive an hour each way to care for them, you’ll lose money on the gasoline you’re using. If things are tight, will you even have the gas money to put into your tank in the first place so you can get to the job?

A budget is a means of preparing for as many eventualities as you can. It won’t shield you from every calamity but, having a budget—especially one that includes some sort of savings (even if it’s just spare change; amazing how quickly that adds up)—is one of the most empowering skills you can have. Budgeting takes you from being a victim of circumstance to being a survivor…and a confident one at that.

May God bless you & keep you!

Animals, Christianity, God/Jesus, Healing, Herbs, Holistic Health, Homesteading, illness, Nature, Plants

Wednesday Weed Walk – Oils & Salves

May 17, 2023May 17, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing herb on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” (Genesis 1:29)

Another way you can use herbs is by decocting them in oil. This can be for culinary purposes to dress up some salad greens, or used topically to help heal cuts and scrapes, and moisturize the skin.

A few weeks’ ago I talked about using the double-boiler method to decoct herbs for medicine. Here we will use the same method but, instead of covering the herbs in the top pan with water, as we did in the previous post, we will cover them with some sort of oil.

Please do NOT use canola, sunflower, safflower, corn, or vegetable oil for this purpose; ditto for Crisco. All burn too hot and risk scorching the herbs, rendering them useless. The idea is to gently warm the oil, not fry the herbs. Olive, sweet almond, and grapeseed oils work best for this.

For those who may have missed the earlier post, if you don’t have a double-boiler, using a pair of sauce pans where one is slightly smaller than the other will suffice. You fill the larger pan about 1 1/2” – 2” with water then nestle the smaller sauce pan inside. There should be enough water in the bottom pan that the smaller sauce pan floats, but not so much that any water comes over the rim of it. You then measure your herbs into the smaller pan and, in this case, cover them with your oil of choice. Put a lid on it and slowly simmer for approximately 45 minutes, taking care that the oil doesn’t evaporate too much and the herbs do not scorch (as can happen even with these lighter oils); feel free to give them the occasional stir while they simmer, taking care to put the lid back on them as soon as you’re done. The medicinal properties will escape with the steam if the lid is left off.

As with a regular decoction, we also don’t use Teflon-coated pans, or cast iron, when making oils or salves. Both can leach into the final product. Teflon, if I remember correctly, has carcinogenic properties. It also flakes and chips and, even if new, there are chemicals in it that are best left out of either food or medicine. Cast iron is a great tool for cooking, but it can alter the medicinal properties of herbs, possibly changing their efficacy. I recommend either stainless steel, or enamel, when working with herbs.

If making an oil, simply strain the oil into a clean and sterile jar once it cools and store it in a cool, dark place until needed.

Herbs, such as plantain (not the banana-like fruit but the oft-mistaken-as-crab-grass) (Plantago major or Plantago lanceolata), are good for drawing out infection, slivers, and other foreign matter. Calendula (Calendula officinalis) works well for treating bruises, cuts and burns, as well as the minor infections they cause. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) fights inflammation and has antibacterial properties; it’s also a good sunblock when used topically. Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) helps new skin cells grow, reducing scarring. Equal measures of each, simmered in an oil, and massaged into the skin before a shower, or bath, works as well as any spa treatment for combating dry skin, and even wrinkles, leaving your skin healthy, supple and glowing. The combination also works well for cuts, burns, scrapes, scratches, and rashes, including diaper rash, although you may want to take it a step further and make it into a salve, or ointment for this last purpose.

To turn your oil into a salve, once the oil has simmered for 45 minutes, leave it on low heat and melt approximately ¾” to 1” square of clean beeswax into the oil, stirring constantly to get a creamy consistency. Once the wax has melted completely, add a drop or two of vitamin E oil (2 capsules should suffice for an 8 oz. canning jar), stir, and pour it into clean jars (or tubes; you can make a great lip balm for chapped lips in winter this way, too).

A word of caution: do NOT pour any beeswax down your drain; you will stop it up. Do NOT wash any pans or utensils in the sink that have had beeswax melted in them; same reason. Take anything used for melting the beeswax outside and pour boiling water over it repeatedly until the wax has been scalded off. Beeswax is safe for the environment and will do no harm poured into the grass or dirt this way. Another thing to bear in mind is that beeswax is highly flammable. The little flame at the top of a candle is of little concern but, please pay close attention while heating on the stove. Put the phone down, avoid distractions. A friend of mine once burned his mother’s kitchen down because he left some beeswax melting unattended on the stove and went to answer the phone…back in the day when we still had push button and rotaries on the wall and were attached to a cord…(I’m showing my age…)

May God bless you & keep you!

PS You can modify the above salve to use for animals, too. Omit the calendula and St. John’s wort (they may lick the salve and these two should not be ingested by animals). Simply use equal parts of plantain and comfrey and follow the rest of the directions above. My Mom swears by it for our animals.

Calendula officinalis (Calendula) (Yahoo Images)

Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort) (Yahoo Images)

Works Cited

“Calendula.” Image. Yahoo Images, The Spruce, 2023. https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=images%2C+calendula&fr=mcafee&type=E211US0G0&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thespruce.com%2Fthmb%2Fya4XvTRXaP-lCwxTXQ89Zkmac7M%3D%2F1874x0%2Ffilters%3Ano_upscale%28%29%3Amax_bytes%28150000%29%3Astrip_icc%28%29%2Fgrowing-and-using-calendula-1402626-26-f3f6f07fcc594a79b1a792f863a4a8e6.jpg#id=19&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thespruce.com%2Fthmb%2Fya4XvTRXaP-lCwxTXQ89Zkmac7M%3D%2F1874x0%2Ffilters%3Ano_upscale%28%29%3Amax_bytes%28150000%29%3Astrip_icc%28%29%2Fgrowing-and-using-calendula-1402626-26-f3f6f07fcc594a79b1a792f863a4a8e6.jpg&action=click

“St. John’s wort.” Image. Yahoo Images, Premier Seeds Direct, 2023. https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=AwrNPwMJs2RkeVsfr.KJzbkF;_ylu=c2VjA3NlYXJjaARzbGsDYnV0dG9u;_ylc=X1MDOTYwNjI4NTcEX3IDMgRmcgNtY2FmZWUEZnIyA3A6cyx2OmksbTpzYi10b3AEZ3ByaWQDNXcyeVpSbWhUcmVGektGYlN2OENXQQRuX3JzbHQDMARuX3N1Z2cDMgRvcmlnaW4DaW1hZ2VzLnNlYXJjaC55YWhvby5jb20EcG9zAzAEcHFzdHIDBHBxc3RybAMwBHFzdHJsAzIzBHF1ZXJ5A2ltYWdlcyUyQyUyMFN0LiUyMEpvaG4ncyUyMFdvcnQEdF9zdG1wAzE2ODQzMjEyMjg-?p=images%2C+St.+John%27s+Wort&fr=mcafee&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Ai%2Cm%3Asb-top&ei=UTF-8&x=wrt&type=E211US0G0#id=5&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.premierseedsdirect.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F09%2F60501429.jpg&action=click

Abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animals, Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Compassion, Exhaustion, Faith, Frugality, God/Jesus, Gratitude, Herbs, Homesteading, Minimalism, Politics, Prayer, Prepping, Proofreading, Religion, Scripture, Spinning, Weaving, Writing, YouTube

Going Forward

May 8, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us; you have been angry–now restore us! You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fracturs, for it is quaking. You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger. But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow. Selah” (Psalm 60: 1-4)

The water’s out again. It’s happening more frequently these days. We’ll have running water for a few days, and then the taps will run dry for 2, 3…one time 9 days’ straight. We’ve considered that a combination of local drought, mixed with the flood we had last year, may have run the well dry—or semi-dry. That’s a scary thought but, a credible one. Of course, it could still be that I need to replace the pump, or the resident rodent population chewed a wire somewhere. At this point, we simply don’t know. And the means to find out exactly what’s wrong, and actually get it fixed, is beyond me at the moment. We could be talking tens of thousands of dollars when all is said and done.

As I said in a previous post, I am bodaciously tired of all of this. The struggle has become unbearable. Moving would be our best option. This may be home but, home needs way more TLC than I can give it to make it comfortable and safe again. The problem is my credit is toast at this point. Can I hang in here long enough to rebuild my credit before home becomes completely uninhabitable? We’re almost there now.

So many things, so many worries…I still have some juvenile felines that need spaying. The roof still leaks. Even when the water runs, there’s no hot water; the tank died a year and a half ago. We heat water for bathing on the stove…or rather the hot plate. The stove no longer works either. The house is a fright. This last because I’ve allowed depression to get the better of me. The task is too enormous and there never seems to be enough time. It’s nothing some serious elbow grease wouldn’t fix but, still, it can be overwhelming with all that needs doing and fixing. I’d love to rent the biggest dumpster imaginable and just toss almost everything in it, start anew, and less is best.

On the plus side, my friend’s little boy made his First Communion yesterday. What a cause for rejoicing! His little face was aglow as he accepted the body of Christ for the first time. Quite a lot of extended family came to church to celebrate with him, including his older brother home from college. The only downside was the low number of children making that First Communion. I praise God for the 5 who received it. However, I remember the long line of children making their First Communion when I was a child. Sad that people do not make religious education a priority today. Maybe we’d have fewer shootings, fewer suicides, less drug addiction and abuse. Maybe not but, even a tiny seed of hope planted in the heart can do wonders. That’s what Jesus does for you; He fills you with hope. When you have Him, no earthly concern can truly hurt you.

I’m also doing a weed walk next month, my first. I hope to create new business cards beforehand so I can pass them out to any who join the walk. I’m hoping to build a local following before I start uploading videos to YouTube. I want to get comfortable with the teaching aspect of it before I have to do it on camera. There’s also the whole technical learning curve before YouTube becomes a *thing* in my life. I will, of course, share the link once I finally do hit YouTube. In the meantime, there’s local weed walks and workshops…and a renewed commitment to build a brand through my blogs.

Yes, blogs…with an S.

Most who have been following me for a while know I also have an author’s page. I’m still working on the first novel but, I occasionally do book reviews on my author’s page. I am looking to get more intentional with that, too. The link is https://lisaburbank.wordpress.com

Then there’s the latest blog. This one started as a classroom assignment. We were asked to build a website for selling your product(s) and/or services online as a freelance writer. Well, I confess, I don’t sell any services as a freelance writer. Maybe in time I will. I’m pretty good at editing. And I’m gaining some experience with grant writing since becoming the director of a library. But, as a student, even having scaled back to part-time studies, the time needed to edit another’s work, or assist someone in the grant writing process, would be overwhelming. And, to be honest, when I consider selling those services, it makes more sense to me to do so through my author’s page.

However, that didn’t fly with the professor; I tried. It had to be a new website.

Now that the boring bibliography-about-nothing-in-particular is gone, I can revamp it.

Over the years, The Herbal Hare has been such a hodge-podge of *stuff*. I’m looking to get more intentional with what I include here vs. what should probably go somewhere else. For example, some years’ ago, I wrote a piece about growing up with alcoholism in the home and how it affects the whole family, sometimes for generations. I received a lot of new followers but, it didn’t have anything to do with homesteading, herbs, or prepping, and I lost a lot of those followers who didn’t like the new direction. I’ve also gotten social/political a time or two…and alienated some readers with that. I’m hoping that https://auntielisaspeaks.com will be an alternative. The Herbal Hare will remain a blog about herbs, homesteading, prepping, fiber arts, frugal living, minimalism, antiquated skills, animal husbandry and, yeah, still a bit of a hodge-podge. Homesteading encompasses a lot of ground.

Auntie Lisa Speaks will be one-part memoir, one-part social commentary, and one-part call to action to remember that no matter the issue, there’s a real person on the other end of the screen. Their thoughts and feelings do matter, and their struggles are real. Part of that call to action will also be a call to follow Christ; our country really needs God back at the center of things again.

May God bless you & keep you!

Christianity, Compassion, Emergency Preparedness, Frugality, God/Jesus, Prepping

Frugal Friday: Water Source

May 5, 2023August 30, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” (Proverbs 13:22)

Having to buy in water can get pretty costly, and it’s certainly not sustainable long-term. A gallon jug of water averages around $1.50 – $2.00 here in Connecticut. I’ve shared how Mom and I have had intermittent water service here at home due to either a faulty well-pump (it’s lasted over 20 years so I guess we’re due to replace soon…), or a chewed wire somewhere. In addition to providing drinking water for Mom and I, we have goats, chickens, ducks, cats, and a feisty old Cockatiel named Smoky Bones for which to provide. We also have to bathe and, well, yes, without a functioning water source, flushing becomes an issue, too.

I may have shared this before but, it bears repeating if I did. With inflation, the threat of both nuclear war, and at least a recession, on the horizon, knowing what to do when the most basic systems go down is pretty important. Of course, if systems go down, this particular source will not be there either but, for lesser disasters, such as the one Mom and I are currently experiencing, it works…at least for the short-term.

Walmart has a refill service.

They have one-, two- and five-gallon jugs that can be refilled in store. I normally take 15 jugs in to refill every couple of days. It’s still an expense I’d rather avoid but, until I can replace/repair everything, it’s considerably less than buying new gallons every few days. You can either purchase a few refillable jugs from the company that provides the reverse osmosis machine, or Walmart will also allow customers to refill their “Great Value” jugs for the same inexpensive price of .39 cents (at least the local Walmart allows this; hopefully, yours does, too). The same 15 gallons costs me less than $6.00…instead of almost $17.00 for new.

Incidentally, many of the cashiers have expressed appreciation for writing “REFILL” on the jugs when you bring them back for refilling; it helps with ringing them up. Otherwise, you might get charged for new ones. I use a regular Sharpie. It shows up big and bold.

I do not wish this existence on anyone but, it’s always good to know where to go, and what to do, when these things do happen.

May God bless you & keep you!

Alcoholism, Christianity, Cooking, Emergency Preparedness, Frugality, Healing, Herbs, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Organic, Prepping, Recipes, Religion, Scripture, Spices

Wednesday’s Weed Walk: Tinctures

May 3, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat” (Genesis 1:29)

Though it is a couple of weeks’ late, as promised, this week’s Wednesday Weed Walk isn’t so much about a specific herb but, about a way to preserve the herbs for future use when not in their growing, or harvest, seasons.

A tincture is, in my opinion anyway, the easiest way to make medicine. You can tincture a single herb, or blend them. I tend to do the latter…except when I’m making my own vanilla extract (recipe below).

To tincture herb(s), you need a clean, sterile container (repurposed glass Mason jars work well!) and, preferably, 100 proof alcohol of some kind. I use 100 proof vodka to tincture my herbs but other mediums, such as rum, would also work. You can use an 80 proof and broaden the selection of spirits but, you will need a few capsules of vitamin E oil added against spoilage, as anything less than 100 proof may mold. Apple cider vinegar (ACV), also with added vitamin E oil, will work for short-term storage. With ACV, you will have to store your tinctures in the refrigerator and they will only keep for 2 weeks, at best. When tincturing in 100 proof alcohol, your tinctures remain shelf-stable for up to 2 years. However, if you, or someone you love, is susceptible to alcoholism, or for young children, ACV may be the better option for you.

Tincturing is simple. You measure your herbs into a jar and pour the alcohol, or ACV, over them until they are covered with the liquid. Then you put a lid on the jar, label it with the contents, ingredients, the date you started the tincturing, and the batch #. This last isn’t 100% necessary but, if you decide to sell herbal products, having a running batch # is helpful should any adverse reactions occur. Depending upon the medium you used, you place the tincture into the refrigerator, or in a dark cabinet (too much light will destroy the healing properties), and shake it daily for two weeks. At the end of those two weeks, you can either leave the spent-herbs inside, and strain as you use it, or strain them now, at the two week mark, into another clean and sterile jar, or dark-colored bottle.

You can use fresh herbs, or dried. If using dried, remember the herbs will have a higher concentration of medicinal properties to them. 1/3 of the amount of dried herbs suffices. So, if you normally measure 1 tablespoon of, say, fresh chamomile, you would only use a teaspoon of the dried.

Making medicine is the part I like the best but, you can also use this method to create extracts for the kitchen, such as vanilla. To make vanilla extract, you will need a dark jar/bottle of some kind (you can find online, or many herb shops will sell them), or a dark cabinet to store them if using clear glass. It doesn’t need to be a large bottle. A couple of ounces suffices. Think of the tiny bottles that vanilla extract comes in at the grocery store. Anyway, take 2-3 vanilla beans, slice them in half lengthwise, and put them in the bottle (if bottle is short, you may also need to cut them in half the other way, too). Fill the bottle with 100 proof alcohol, screw on the cap, give it a shake and let it tincture for two weeks. Once the two weeks are over, however, in this case, you will NOT be straining the liquid into another container. Instead, keep the vanilla beans in the liquid. As you use it, you can simply top it off with more 100 proof alcohol, and/or add more vanilla beans over time. Also, in this case, the ACV will NOT work. However, any concerns over the alcohol content should be unfounded as the alcohol burns off in the cooking/baking process.

This same method will work for almonds, lemon peels, etc. too.

May God bless you & keep you!

Animals, Christianity, Emergency Preparedness, Exhaustion, Faith, gardening, Grief, Herbs, Holidays, Homesteading, Tradition

Wade in the Water

May 1, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in My Name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41)

First of all, I want to give a shout out to all of my Celtic, Wiccan, and Pagan friends reading this: Happy Beltane/Bealtaine! May 1st is the midpoint between the spring equinox and the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and it mark’s the first day of summer in Gaelic Ireland. Throughout Ireland, as well as Scotland and the Isle of Man, celebrations may include bonfires, the decorating of homes with early spring flowers, and a visit to some holy wells. As with any celebration, there is usually a feast involved.

Here in the U.S., May 1st is May Day. Though I don’t know of any schools still doing this, my mother remembers dancing around the maypole as a child. I’m guessing the real meaning of the dance (to increase and celebrate fertility) may be the reason this celebration has fallen out of popularity in the mainstream. But Happy May Day, as well!

Now for my usual Monday meanderings…

On a positive note, I managed to make the last of the three trial mortgage payments last week. Now I wait and see if the mortgage company is still willing to reinstate it. The proverbial bear crept into my bearing (no pun intended). Snippy, impatient, irritated—and that’s just for starters. On top of that, our intermittent water source decided to act up. We had no running water for much of the week. Once again I wished for one of those hand-pumps like Laura Ingalls Wilder would’ve used. They’re costly to install but then, so is a new well-pump, water softener, and hot water tank—all of which we desperately need. Ditto for new electrical lines to replace the ones chewed by our latest resident rodent population. The bathroom ceiling hasn’t leaked in some time (crossing fingers) but, the basement door has rotted out; there’s a gaping hole in the bottom…hence, the rodent population’s easy access in and out (among others). We need a new roof, gutters, and the barn door needs replacing along with the basement door.

To top things off, as many of you know, I lost one of my favorite aunts recently. Two of my best friends lost their aunt yesterday; I knew Carol, loved her as almost a second aunt. They say this comes in threes; I sincerely hope not.

I came home from work on Thursday to find Felicity, one of my geriatric goats, had somehow managed to get her head stuck between the stanchion and the wall next to it. I have no idea how long she was there but, she must’ve bumped and bruised her throat a bit trying to get loose. She wouldn’t eat. Nothing appeared broken but, I had to make a run up to the local Walmart for some baby food so that I could at least get some nourishment into her body while her sore throat healed. She is now back to her usual feisty self eating solid foods again. She also polished off quite a lot of Japanese knotweed yesterday, which contains a mucilage that will help her heal even faster. Thank God! But she had me worrying for a few days. The gap between stanchion and wall has since been blocked.

And now Luna, one of our cats, has something sticky all along her left side. No idea what it is but, Mom says she came flying out of the garage-turned-barn like a bat out of hell and has been a little neurotic ever since. We checked her over. She’s not injured in any way, just sticky and matted. We’ve only been allowed to clean her up in short spurts before she’s had enough but, in time, I’m sure we’ll sort it all out.

When I say I am bodaciously tired out, I sincerely mean it. Here’s to hoping the coming week will be a little better, fewer upsets, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll get a few things done.

On some positive notes, the rhubarb we planted a couple of years’ ago is growing beautifully; I can’t wait to make my first pie out of it. The broad-leaf chives have spread further and smell divine. The Egyptian onions are making a comeback. And the apple mint is threatening to take over the front yard. These are small victories that make some of the aforementioned hardships at least tolerable. And, thankfully, the heavy rains last night didn’t knock off all of the blossoms. Below is the magnolia tree in all of its glory! I planted it as a little 12” sapling over 10 years’ ago; I love seeing it in bloom.

I sincerely hope everyone reading this had a better week last week…and will have an even better week going forward.

May God bless you & keep you!

Bereavement, Christianity, Faith, Family, God/Jesus, Grief, Healing

Many Thanks…Again!

April 24, 2023August 30, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.” (Psalm 5:7)

First of all, I want to say “thank you” to everyone for your patience, and for the kind words in regard to the loss of my Auntie Sandra Chelak (nee Burbank). It’s never easy to lose someone you love, but some hit harder than others. This is one of those times.

My Auntie Sandy was a very special lady. Yes, I’m biased by my love for her. However, the outpouring of love from family, friends, her former students, neighbors, etc. is a measure of just how many lives she touched…and in profound ways. She loved people. She loved to laugh and have a good time. She was outgoing, funny, and a gifted artist who loved to play bridge. She was also an avid gardener and a spade was a shovel. You knew exactly where you stood with her…in a good way. She was open and honest, and didn’t take any b.s., but she was also kind and generous. She loved deeply and was the glue that held everyone together. She was also a woman of deep faith. And I have no doubt that she is with Jesus at this very moment.

Again, I may be a bit biased, but she deserves every accolade she has received this past week as news of her passing spreads across the U.S. And I do mean that in a literal sense. Throughout their many years of marriage, my aunt and uncle lived in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and most recently, Arizona. She was from Rhode Island. Her niece here (moi) is in Connecticut. Another niece is in Mississippi. And, I believe, her husband, my Uncle George, has family in Pennsylvania.

They say distance has a tendency to blunt grief. I suppose, on some levels, that’s true. Though she has never been far from my thoughts over the years, it’s true that I get up each morning and my days are still fairly the same. We didn’t live in the same house, the same town, or even the same region of the country. When they were younger, Auntie Sandy and Uncle George made frequent road trips East every couple of years to check on her eldest sister, Marjorie, who was in an assisted living facility, and to visit family and friends along the way. We would spend a wonderful day together, catching up, sharing laughs and memories, and making more. And there were always letters, cards, and phone calls back and forth.

It hurts every time I think, “Oh, I have to ask Auntie Sandy about that” or “I have to share this with her next time we talk”, etc. It hurts to know I will never have her wise counsel on the other end of the phone again…though I will always hear that beloved voice in my memories.

Her son, my cousin, Gary, called me last night. At first it was tough; words just seem so inadequate at times like this. But then the memories started pouring out. We laughed over an afternoon he and Auntie spent together learning how to make crepes for the first time…after she’d just promised her bridge club crepes for tea the next day! There was a bittersweet sigh over the paper dolls she drew for cousins, Miriam and Melanie, and I at a family gathering at our grandparents’ house; Gary was still a baby at the time. The laughter, the memories–both happy and bittersweet–were so healing. It’s exactly what she would’ve wanted.

There was a poem/letter read by actress Patricia Neal on an episode of Little House on the Prairie entitled: Remember Me.

“Remember me with smiles and laughter for that is how I will remember you. If you can only remember me with tears, then don’t remember me at all.”

That about sums it up, but my heart will still be quite heavy for a while. She used to read this blog; I hope she’s still reading it from heaven. I love you, Auntie Sandy…until we meet again:

Aunt Sandy, approx. 14 years of age, circa 1951? My grandmother in the background, hanging her clothes on the line.

Aunt Sandy is far left, standing as Maid-of-Honor for her sister, Janet (Not sure the year; early 1960s?)

Aunt Sandy and Uncle George on their wedding day.

Aunt Sandy and Uncle George some years’ later, still happily married

Aunt Sandy and Uncle George in more recent years.

The last photo I have of Aunt Sandy taken last year at age 84/85. She would’ve been 86 this August 1st.

May God bless you & keep you!

Works Cited

“Remember Me.” Little House on the Prairie, written and directed by Michael Landon, developed for television by Blanche Hanalis, Ed Friendly Productions, NBC, 1975.

Bereavement, Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Compassion, Family, Grief, Healing, Love

Many Thanks…

April 19, 2023August 30, 2023 Lisa Burbank

“We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 75:1)

…for your patience!

I had planned another Wednesday’s Weed Walk today but just received news last night from my cousin in Arizona of the passing of my beloved aunt, Sandra Chelak (nee Burbank). Wednesday’s Weed Walk may become either a Friday’s Flora and Fauna, or get pushed back to next week. I trust you will understand.

May God bless you & keep you!