Pioneer Woman at Heart

  Back in the June fo 2024, I waited patiently for my yarrow to spring forth flowers, so I could brew up a tincture.  In the end, I ended up putting both catnip and yarrow in one tincture, for a experimental mix for bug repellant spray (for us). I strained it and used it to make the every changing recipe that Mountain rose herbs keeps changing (on their website). You can read about the bug/mosquito repellant here on my blog.  Original post is here, but their link no longer works. (dried yarrow on a screen) We have added powdered yarrow to our "medicine chest" of remedies.   We learn something new every year.   We have already used macerated yarrow for a bleeding cut, and it is said to be great for wound healing.  If you haven't read up on yarrow, you really need to.  According to Learning  Herbs,  yarrow is also great for treating a fever.  In the past, we have grown and dried feverfew, but we now dry yarrow.  Yarrow salve...

The mosquitoes are terribly thick this year, and we are seeing swarms of them in areas we never saw before. So...... I decided to dig a bit deeper and found a recipe on Mountain Rose Herb's blog.  Less messy, and easier to tote along for possible camping trips. They posted one using catnip, other essential oils, and witch hazel extract. I had all of the ingredients but a few, and even found catnip to make the tincture for it. 

I know it's a bit late in the season, but I have been wanting to try a recipe using basil and vodka.  The temperatures soared up to the 90's this week.  It definitely feels like summer is still here.   I spent the early part of the week deep cleaning my kitchen.  That was a relief, and it kept me out of the heat. I also took some time to file recipes, pitch the ones that didn't make the cut, and recycle most of the paper.   The kids are still sick, and I am feeling better.  There is nothing worse than to have severe congestion when it's 95°F outside.