Lemon Balm wild edible, medicine, culinary

Name That Plant

She prefers to live in the NWwoods scattered in the shade,

But thrives anywhere she is laid.

When she is invited to tea she has an uplifting and soothing demeanor.

She tastes of fragrance of lemon faint and so pure. 

When sick she is trusted upon to be strong,

She helps our immune defenses along.

Wear her and rub yourself with her smell.

And her protection will befell,

for she repels misquotes and attract bees.

Can you name her please?

Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis

Do you have lemon balm growing?

It is a good time to harvest lemon balm just before it blooms. This is getting close at my place. Lemon balm can be cut to a couple inches off the ground without hurting it. That is unless it is a plant in stress and one more hardship would kill it.

The easy way to dry it for me is to punch some holes in a paper bag with the scissors and put the lemon balm in it. Label and hang the bag in a warm ventilated room.
Or put it in a hot summer car for a short time. The car is a low energy food dryer on hot low humidity days.
Label the paper bag trust me!
Once dry pick the leaves from he stem and put in a jar for today.

label, label.label

Perfect Possible Magical

I am Grateful that all things are Perfect Possible and Magical!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I chant daily this prayer two amazing little girls gave me
The magical stories of how my life has changed are radical
How Perfect Possible and Magical our lives are if we believe!

My name is LaPlante and I speak for the plants
Come and meet them with me if you please!

This web site and blog is a magic carpet to facilitate my passion.
I am very grateful to everyone who is checking out our site and giving input. 

I have always found that standing barefoot in an herb garden picking and introducing herbs and weeds to the young and old  is my 'fountain of youth.'

Hours pass and I never notice because I am IN THE NOW.

Humor, Headaches and Humidity

 Friends and family are not having any luck getting rid of their headaches with pills, herbs or rest. Truth is the Sahara Desert has more moisture than most of our homes this time of year. Comfortable humidity according to the EPA is 30-50%.  I don't have a hygrometer yet to test our home but with a wood stove we keep two pans of water on at all times. Bacteria can't grow well in the 50% humidity range that is where I want it. Airplanes keep the humidity at around 4% humidity, that is part of the reason we often get sick after a flight.
What I have found after living in the Mojave Desert is nothing gets rid of a dry sinus headache but a hot shower , hanging out over a cup of something hot and steamy or pouring water in my head, the Netti pot.
Hench the humor. If you haven't tried a Netti pot to rinse and hydrate your nostrils you are missing a wild ride. No it doesn't hurt if you use body temperature water and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt dissolved completely in your pot. "YouTube", using the Netti pot and if you can get over the gross factor it is amazing. Allergy and hay fever sufferers find rinsing the physical irritant from their breathing pathways a cheap safe easy method of getting rid of their symptoms. If the headache from, well you know, lands on your face go wash it out with a warm saline solution.  Oh and if you have had a broken nose, or deviated septum you may want to skip this idea. Now head down over your sink and pots up and let it flow.
love ya Pixie

New Moon Harvest Time

New Moon Root Harvesting

It was the night of the new moon and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even my dog Buddy.
The night was freezing and the wind was wild.
I hoped falls first freeze  had made my roots mild..
The dandelions where all tucked all snug in my raised bed
While flashlight shovel and hat on my head.
And me with my bucket and offering in hand.
Had just knelt down to release roots from the land.
When out of nowhere such an odor arose
That it hit me like a punch on the nose.

Away to the porch I flew lick a flash
Tore open the door and threw in my gathering stash.
What to my wondering eyes should appear I guarantee you it wasn't eight reindeer.
With shit on my shoes I moved lively and quick.
I had to I was about to get sick.
I love that dam dog I'll spare him my heel.
But he may never get another blasted meal.
Laying a finger beside my nose and giving a jerk
washed my hands, and declared "I'm done",with a smirk.
As I sprang out of my jacket scarf and hat
Well I've had enough of that.
But I was heard to exclaim as I dropped out of sight
Who the hells idea was it to go out gathering roots tonite?

PS I will share how I make dandelion roots into a delicious coffee enhancer, later.