Christmas Ice Storm 2013 Thank You Electrical Workers.

Santa came wearing a hard hat and driving a truck. There were more than one Santa this year and the hard hat and heavy clothing made it hard to tell in the darkness if it was a man or a woman teetering on the icy bucket reaching into the sky. The branch laden wires creaking and groaning as their cold heavy tools restored just a spark. The spark grew like magic and lit up the town and the switches that clicked , and heard all over town turned upside down smiles all back around. The coffee aroma is wafting all through the air , cookies are backing in ovens a flare. The danger they faced turned the furnaces on the heat hit the pipes and water restored. I thank you each one of you on the electrical crews each woman and man in your big heavy shoes. Be careful out there and know as you work through the cold and the ice and the darkness high above our roof. Each of us is grateful and so much in awe at the bravery and commitment you have shown through this storm. God Bless you and keep you each safe and Please God take each of them home to their own Christmas lights. Sincerely, Robin and many, many others in Maine.

Ice Storm Christmas 2013

Yarrow Achillea millefolium Dispel the melancholy drink your tea!!

Yarrow tea is a herbal tea that has been used for many generations. Yarrow or (Achillea millefolium) was mentioned in ancient Greek mythology, it was the herb of the story of Achilles in Greek mythology. Achilles, the Greek God, many stories are told of him and his Mother and his “Achilles heel” and the river Styx. As many variations of the story as colors of Yarrow have been told and retold through the generations. “Achilles heel” is also used to reference an “area of weakness”, a vulnerable spot. Yarrow the plant is also known as soldier's woundwort, knight's milfoil and carpenter's weed. Being tagged the “blood stopping bandage” by those Soldiers, Knights and Carpenters. The anti - inflammatory properties in the oils it contains camphor, eugenol, saponin among others is also benifit to have on the inside of the bandage. Last but not least the use of Achillea Millefolium is said to bring on sweating because of its, polyphenol flavonoids, some of the same polyphenol found in the red wine of the French is said to be a contributing factor to the low numbers of heart disease of the French people, which I am certain is also a reason it is coined as tea or tonic used for depression and memory maintenance. The stories are as many and more of many colors of Yarrow. I grow the white one.  It has a magical light that seems to come from within and shows off quite nicely in a photo.  I have tincture bottles readied and tea bags and tins lined up.  There will be plenty of Yarrow on the shelves this year! Check in often I'll put the shopping list up and you can check off the yarrow its in the bag. By the way bring a snack, it is also said to stimulate and appetite!

P.S. Everything is better with Chaga.

                                              Chaga, " It's a way of life."