Category: Homesteading

Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Environment, Faith, God/Jesus, Herbs, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Nature, Plants, Prayer, Self-esteem

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

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.

Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)

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!

Brothers & Sisters, Emergency Preparedness, God/Jesus, Healing, Herbs, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Nature, Plants, Prepping, Scripture

Wednesday’s Weed Walk: (Toxicodendron radicans)

Lisa Burbank

Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, for they did not know what they were. So they poured it out for the men to eat. And as they were eating of the stew, they cried out and said, ‘O man of God, there is death in the pot.’ And they were unable to eat.” (2 Kings 4:39-40)

No, I’m not poisoning anyone. I’ve been poisoned…by poison ivy.

I spent the three day weekend doing yardwork with a friend. As many of you know, we’ve had both intermittent running water and an intermittent electrical line. Sometimes we have lights upstairs; sometimes, not. It seems to be most prevalent when it’s windy out. So our friend, who noticed some tree limbs hitting the power line coming into the house, decided to climb up the ladder and cut the offending limbs. I held the ladder…while standing in a patch of poison ivy.

So far, it’s not too bad. Itchy, yes. But it’s staying around the calf area only…unlike a few years ago when arms, legs, and even my face got nailed with it.

So what does an herbalist do?

Most of you probably know this little beauty:

It is (Impatiens capensis) or, as it is more commonly known, Jewelweed. Jewelweed is quite the prolific spreader. It likes both woodland and moist areas, or so I’ve heard, though it seems just as content growing along roadsides, too. Interestingly, it is also often found growing alongside poison ivy; nature, when left to her own devices, often provides both the malady and cure side-by-side. But that’s neither here nor there. Inside it’s hollow stem is a watery mucilage. Just break it open and pat (do not rub) along any skin that may have come in contact with poison ivy (use a new stem for each area if more than one possibly infected). Often it is enough to prevent a breakout of the dreaded rash to begin with.

I, unfortunately, did not do that.

However, the stems can be chopped up, placed in a double boiler (see how to improvise without a double boiler Here) and slow simmered with a lid on for a couple of hours (keep a close eye that they do not scorch). Gently dab on the offending rash.

An alternative is to make an infusion (you can learn more about infusions at the same hyperlink above) of spearmint (Mentha spicata) leaves. You can gently dab the infusion on the same as with Jewelweed or, as I did this morning, I poured half of the infusion into a cup and added enough baking soda to make a paste. This keeps the infusion from dripping and the baking soda will help to dry it up the rash. Sadly, while this last will help clear it up faster, it has to be reapplied frequently to reduce the itch.

(Mentha spicata) Spearmint leaves

May God bless you & keep you!

Creativity, Emergency Preparedness, Faith, Folklore, Gaia, gardening, God/Jesus, Healing, Herbs, History, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Nature, Plants, Self-esteem, Self-improvement

A Saturday Weed Walk

Lisa Burbank

“The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” (Psalm 16: 5-6)

This one is live! As in, in-person…my first!

To say that I’m not feeling a bit of that “Imposter Syndrome” would be a lie. Yes, I am a certified herbalist…and a Master Gardener. Yes, I do know how to use herbs and make medicine, health & beauty aids. I know how to use herbs for scent and I have at least a rudimentary knowledge of how to make dyes with some. And, yes, there are certain ones I can readily identify in the wild.

However, a recent walk through the nature trail that I will be working from at this live event revealed there are a lot of plants I don’t know. And, in this particular setting, there wasn’t a huge variety of plants…outside of some invasive species. That being said, I identified enough that I can put together an interesting walk.

At least I hope so…

Again, “Imposter Syndrome”–I am plagued with doubts. However, if I was too cocky and sure of myself, that would be the road to failure. A little nervousness is to be expected and, like all things, the more often I do this, the more comfortable I’ll get with it…and, in the future, I’ll make it a point to plan more “weed” walks through abandoned lots and sunny meadows rather than deep woods and dappled sunlight since most of the herbs I’m most familiar with are typically grown in sunnier locales. ;o)

Despite my nerves, I’m looking forward to the challenge of creating a fun and interesting experience for everyone who decides to join me on the walk.

If you live in northeastern Connecticut, the “weed” walk is part of an event being hosted by the Brooklyn Middle School in Brooklyn, CT between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 3, 2023. Wear your walking shoes because the terrain is uneven, rocky in places, full of roots ready to trip you up, and steep in some areas.

May God bless you & keep you!

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

Frugal Fridays – The Budget

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

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.

Plantago major (Plantain)
Symphytum officinale (Comfrey)
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

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!

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

Wednesday’s Weed Walk: Tinctures

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

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.

Rotted out 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.

Rhubarb
Magnolia 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!

19th century, Animals, Christianity, Exhaustion, Faith, Family, God/Jesus, Gratitude, Healing, Herbs, History, Homesteading, Memories, Nostalgia, Prayer, Religion, Sleep Deprivation, Writing, Yoga & Fitness

Getting Back To My Roots

Lisa Burbank

“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.” (Psalm 8:1)

Sunday was Palm Sunday. I went to Mass and served as Lector, reading through Judas’ betrayal of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s one of those rare moments when Mass becomes almost a play, with Father Ben reading the words of Jesus; Lectors, like myself, reading the parts of the narrator and “voice”, and the rest of the congregation reading the parts labeled “crowd”.

I sometimes kick myself for not pursuing a career in acting. I studied acting in high school and, again, in community college. I’m quite good at it. And, after several years of serving as Lector, my knees no longer knock together in front of a crowd.

But I wasn’t really thinking about acting as I stood in front of the congregation on Sunday and read for the “voice”. My mind was reflecting over the last 5 weeks of Lent. I gave up junk food, at least the more popular definition of it (candy, sweets, chips, etc.). Living with the definitive junk food junkie (Mom), it’s tough to resist. However, as a measure of Mom’s sweetness and solidarity, she also gave up junk food for Lent so it wouldn’t be so hard for me. She didn’t want to eat chips and cookies in front of me.

Less mindful after Mass, I took Mom out for Chinese food and broke that Lenten vow by eating a fortune cookie (sigh!)

I also vowed to get back to reading a chapter of the Bible each morning and focusing more on my prayer life.

I’ve failed miserably on that score.

It’s amazing how hard it is to rekindle a habit once it’s been broken. It’s also amazing these epiphany moments.

Earlier blog posts have often sung the praises of working for a living history museum. It was the dream job come true. And, in many ways, that statement was true. I learned all sorts of things that will aid me on my homesteading journey, things that have been a major blessing already. Perhaps the sin of pride, but there was recognition as a herbalist…because that was my title: Herb Garden Lead. And, in many ways, I got to act. There were “scripts” to memorize (i.e. historical facts) when interpreting for visitors to the museum. There were skills to learn so we could demonstrate life in the 19th century.

It was also a very demanding position.

Prior to getting this job, I had a habit of rising everyday at 3:30 a.m. I blogged, prayed the rosary, and hit the yoga mat. Then I headed downstairs and outside to the barn to take care of the animals. I didn’t have to be to work until 3:30 in the afternoon at the dealership so I spent late-morning, early-afternoon writing. If the dealership had been a full-time position, it would’ve been ideal for this writer. I got home at 7:30 in the evening, spent some time caring for my animals again, and then went to bed.

Living history, however, demanded swing shifts. Evening programs on a Saturday didn’t see me driving over an hour home until after midnight…only to have to get up again a few hours’ later to work Sunday morning. 3:30 a.m. and writing became an impossible dream. The rides into work each morning found me playing “beat the school bus” because every route into work seemed to be a school bus route…no matter what time I left for work. I spent my mornings literally running through the barnyard, 19th century skirts hiked up over my knees as I threw hay and feed at the animals and yelled at them to get out of my way (we had to be fully dressed in period attire walking into the museum). Even changing the animals’ feeding time didn’t help because of how late I often got home at night.

And then I got my wrists slapped a few times for what few blog posts I still managed to create. I wrote about something unethical I witnessed in regard to the animals kept at the museum. I lamented being unable to attend Mass on a Sunday morning because of a conflict of hours. I own my bad on the first but, the lamentation over Mass was simply that: a lamentation. Not a dig against the museum.

I remember coming home from one of those evening programs, collapsing in the easy chair in the living room, still fully dressed in period garb, getting up 4 hours’ later and going back in, rumpled plaid still hanging from weary shoulders. I drove home the following evening praying, telling Him how I simply couldn’t do this anymore. As much as I loved interpreting, as much as I loved wearing the period clothing and learning all of these antiquated skills, I simply couldn’t devote every ounce of my being to it, as it seemed to be required.

I slipped while shoveling snow the following Tuesday so I could go into work on Wednesday and fractured my shoulder. The rest is history.

I may not have kept my Lenten vows as well as I would have liked this year. However, this Lenten season has been a time of reflection. How did I stray so far away from all that I hold dear? Writing, herbs, animals and homesteading…the things that make me, well, me. More importantly, family, friends, and above all, faith. I feel like this has been a long lesson in the sin of idolatry.

Because I truly idolized what seemed an idyllic job. If I had lived closer, if I didn’t have farm animals and pets, if, if, if…it might’ve remained a dream job–despite the grueling work schedule. But, perhaps, it was also a lesson that I’m not Supergirl. Like every other human being, I am gifted with 24 hours each day. How am I spending them?

As I continue to reflect during this Lenten season, I’m starting to go deeper. I feel like Job, questioning the why and the how. Maybe it’s time to re-read that book from the Bible.

However, for the moment, I seem caught up with the Psalms, finding balm for my spirit in shorter verses that always seem to pack a punch. It’s a reflection on my life these days: slow and steady, short and sweet. Baby steps forward, learning to take those steps and not being too hard on myself for being unable to handle anything bigger these days; it’s too overwhelming because of how far I’ve fallen behind in, well, everything. The good habits will return, or morph into something better. The life I dream of living will become a reality…or He will mold and shape it into something beyond my wildest dreams.

Amazingly, He’s been using my work at the library to teach me this very valuable lesson in taking things one step at a time. Rome isn’t built in a day but, those baby steps make a difference. It’s time to apply them at home. I can’t twitch my nose and do it all in a blink. But, each baby step will take me that much closer to that dream life…and maybe I’ll finally have time to enjoy some of that journey doing what I love, sharing it with those I love, and above all, praising Him whom I love above all else. In short, getting back to my roots.

May God bless you & keep you!

19th century, Christianity, compost, Culture, Emergency Preparedness, Faith, Frugality, Homesteading, Minimalism, Prepping, Spinning, Straw Braiding, Tradition, Weaving, Zero Waste

Living in an Amish Paradise?

Lisa Burbank

“Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before, and God will call the past to account.” (Ecclesiastes 3:15)

A year ago November, the hot water tank blew a hole. We had a major flood in the basement and I got the equivalent of sticker shock when my electric bill, which is normally around $80-$90 a month, shot up into the thousands. With the hole in the tank, my well-pump was perpetually running, trying to fill the tank…until I discovered the flood and mitigated the loss of water. We’ve been heating water on the stove to bathe ever since. The damage, besides just being an old unit, was further impacted by the water softener, which had also died a slow, watery death (no pun intended). The build-up of too much iron on pipes and fittings had hastened its end.

Well, all that added wear and tear from perpetually running may have escalated the well-pump’s rumble towards its eternal death, too. Since last fall, we have had intermittent periods where all of a sudden, you go to turn on a tap and nothing comes out. However, within a couple of hours, we have running water again. It’s been touch and go.

Wednesday night, I went to fill a couple of gallon jugs to run through the water purifier before I went to bed…and nothing. As it was late, I went to bed assuming it would be back on in the morning.

It wasn’t.

36 hours later, we are still without running water. I’m thinking Wednesday night’s last run was, well, it’s last. However, I have done some trouble shooting online. It may also be a tripped circuit breaker. As my basement is a dark, dusty crawl space, I am waiting for the sun to fully rise and Mom to come downstairs with our only working flashlight so that I may go check. Recommendations also suggest shutting off the circuit breaker and then flipping it back on. We do have some electrical repairs that need to be done so, that could also be the issue. I had an electrician out to inspect but, he will have to take out a few walls to find out what it is…which will be a costly repair.

Ugh! It’s all happening at once.

I had a moment the other day where my nostalgia for the place got under the skin and I started thinking about repairs and remodels and landscaping projects, etc. I’ve had 20+ years of imagining how much this place could shine if I could finally get the needed repairs done. There’s the added bonus that I can walk to work. I can walk to the super Walmart if needed. I can walk to church. Six years’ ago, for anybody who has been following that long, walking was all I did due to not having a car for several months. In short, despite it’s derelict state of affairs, this house is centrally located to everything relevant to my life.

Of course, there’s still a zoning issue to consider…but I was doing just that. Can I find that attorney who can pull the proverbial rabbit out of a hat?

And, lo and behold, the pump gave out. Clearly, He is telling me, it is time to move on. It’s time to take up my cross and follow Him to wherever He leads. I don’t know where that is. Or how it will happen. I think it’s called walking by faith. I suspect, when the right place/situation comes along He’ll let me know…even as I flounder with uncertainty that such a place even exists.

It is incredibly quiet in the house now…except for a bunch of juvenile felines batting around their ping-pong track (not sure what else to call it; donut-shaped apparatus with tracks for blinking ping-pong like balls).

Apparatus with flashing ping-pong balls; don’t look too closely, a lot of dust and grubby paw prints, needs another scrubbing!

Amazing how quiet a home can be without the modern white noises running incessantly in the background.

That was one of the things that I loved about my job in living history museums: the peace and tranquility inside the antiquated houses. Like here, there was still the occasional pop-on of a furnace (the heat is needed to preserve the old houses) but, the incessant buzz of all the other modern-day “guts” was absent. Hence, my romanticization of 19th century life was reaffirmed.

Of course, in the 19th century, homes may not have had running water (unless they lived in a valley and could situate their well at the top of a hill…). Instead, they had a hand-pump to get water from their wells. There’s a company in Kidron, Ohio called Lehman’s that sells mostly Amish, and definitely American, made products. One of those products is hand-pumps. If I was staying, or if I’m ever lucky enough to obtain that backwoods home in Maine/New Hampshire/Vermont (Missouri?), there will be a hand-pump installed. If for no other reason, then for power outages when the electric pump does not work. While modern “conveniences” are nice, we have grown too dependent upon them–in my opinion anyway–and go into a panic every time a natural disaster, or other hiccough in the system, comes along.

However, even lacking the necessary infrastructure, so many water-saving lessons that I learned in living history museums are being put to use. I used to laugh that not too many modern employers would look at a resume and think, “Let’s hire this girl!” because my previous duties included spinning, weaving, straw braiding, and cooking on a hearth. But life–home life–appears to benefitting from those lessons.

Who knew?

Yesterday I set up the pitcher and wash bowl so we could brush our teeth and wash our hands. We actually use much, much less water that way. A couple of wash tubs filled with hot water to wash and then rinse dishes also saved more water than turning on a tap to rinse. Granted, a shower would be nice but, bowl baths will suffice in this pinch. And, while we’re using 19th century practices to conserve, from a financial standpoint, this won’t be sustainable in the long-run as, without the hand-pump, we are buying in water again. But we can get by for now…until I call around to some of the energy assistance facilities to see if there’s any help available to resolve some of this. (Please send lots of prayers!)

Of course, I can almost hear the elephant in the room: without water, you also cannot flush. Composting toilets are the new thing today, especially with tinyhouse owners. We have a crude, 19th century “composting toilet” (bucket with an old toilet seat atop it), with a bag of sawdust/shavings beside it to sprinkle over the top after we use it. Amazingly, any odor is quickly doused and less offensive than the flushing toilet. We have a canister out back for composting it later. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. This, too, shall pass.

May God bless you & keep you!