Homemade Oxymels

(Elderberry Oxymel and club soda)

I had no idea these even existed, and read about them at Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth.  They mention more information is at Mountain Rose Herbs (where I do buy my elderberries when they are in stock).  If you get a chance, go to their site and read about it.  It's basically a fancy name for a honey/vinegar mixture to help herbs taste better going down (and healthy).  I know honey makes mullein tea taste much better, but anyway.....


Evidently it can be made with many different herbs, as well as by itself as a honey/vinegar mixture.  This is known as a "medicinal drink."

I used a pint jar, filled it 1/4 with dried organic elderberries, filled it the half way mark with Bragg's organic raw apple cider vinegar, then filled the remaining space in the jar with raw honey.

According to their website, you let this sit for two weeks in a cool, dark location, and then strain. 

I've just learned something new - oxymel.  It's going to come in handy this winter.  All this time that I've been taking honey and vinegar every day for allergies, and it actually had a name. 

Yesterday was a long, busy, packed-with-work day.  Garden work, freezing more green and red peppers, cleaning the carpet, taking a dog to the vet....you get the picture.  

The temperature got up in the high 70's making garden work end early. I am looking forward to a few days of rain. One, I get more free time and two, the plants and weeds pull out so much easier, making that job quicker.

I was thankful the bean field not far from us, was not taken out until after I went inside.  I have been very careful to avoid the outdoor air when a crop is harvested (dirt, dust).  Maybe that is why I've felt poorly - allergies. 

I woke up with sciatic nerve pain.  Not fun.  I think I aggravated it from pulling tomato plants.  I swear those things were anchored into the ground with cement.  

As for Jesse, there is good news and bad news.  He has a fatty tumor under the upper joint of his front leg.  The good news, it is a "fatty" tumor (most are never removed according to our vet).  The bad news, is that it must be removed regardless.  It's in a position where it will get larger and cause problems for him, which it already has.  We've seen him have trouble walking and laying down, which alerted his master (17 year-old daughter) to check him over.   Surgery is scheduled late this month.

I'm digging into my wallet again today - one daughter needs $5 for a school "bash" and one needs $4 for a foot ball game (unless it's rained out).   I still need to pay $10 for the choir dress deposit, which I forgot about until now.  The oldest needed $20 to put gas in the car she drives (we don't want her working a job, we learned that with her older sister, her grades will suffer).

On a better note, Hubby fixed the leak under the sink, however we don't know the extent of the damage under the flooring.  We may have to clean up under the sink, and pray that all is well.  We can't afford to rip it up until spring (if it's needed).  I dried it out pretty good.  I should have looked there sooner, because I kept hearing the pump kick on and could not figure out what was running.  Here, all this time, it was that leak.

Hubby also fixed the stove burner.  Say a prayer it lasts this time.  I plan to can potatoes this weekend with Hubby. Although the potatoes are the last of the last to come out of the garden for canning, I still have pepper plants producing, so I'm not pulling them yet.

Sorry for the long post, I guess I felt a bit chatty this morning.  The sunrise was very pretty today.  Despite rain, the clouds, formations and colors were spectacular.