Herbs & Flowers in My Garden: Spring 2016

A new spring is here, and brisk weather to match!  Some days have been sunny and warm, others covered in clouds with dreich rain. But today there's a lovely Spring Shower! Not dull and windy like dreary Winter days, nor strong and pouring like a Summer storm; just pleasant and soft, like a mother's gentle kisses. All around, flowers are budding and blooming!

Spring is here!

Last year, I was enjoying herbs in my backyard. This year, I'm excited to say I have a bit of a real garden of my own! Do you have any space for a garden? Maybe you should consider starting one this spring if you haven't one yet. It could be tiny potted window-boxes or a huge backyard spread.

These are herbs and flowers I have already growing in my garden:

• Lavender  (read about lavender at Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth and at Vintage Remedies)
• Rosemary
• Mullein
• Yarrow

These I have to plant in my garden this spring:

• Calendula (read about calendula at Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth and at Vintage Remedies)
• Thyme (read about thyme at Vintage Remedies)
• Garlic Chives
• Basil (read about basil at Vintage Remedies)
• Garlic (read about garlic at Vintage Remedies)
• Mint

And these flowers are blooming all about, in my garden and around where we see them:

• daffodils
• lilacs
• fruit trees
• flowering quince
• red bud
• hen-bit
• red maid
• chickweed
• stock

 They share such pretty colors; bright yellow heads, white crowns, soft purples, cheery pink, deep violet, something between purple and red (though not maroon), sweet little white faces. Don't you love the spring time too?

 

 What flowers and herbs are growing in your garden this spring? Will you start a new garden if you don't have one going already?

Winter 2016: a Time of Tending Homefires

Winter 2016

We're in our cold winter season; tending fires to keep warm, making candles for light and fun, and gathering in extra supplies to supplement our provisions.  Winter can be a great time for indoor projects, studying, reading, and planning for Spring gardening.

 

My New Season

 My home has changed from the little studio with the tiny kitchenette - I've married and moved!
We have a wonderful place, which comes with a lot of responsibilities and work. But oh how I love living here with my husband, keeping our home, and planning for our future together! How blessed we are!

 We've been married for a few months now, and we've had a lot going on. We've built shelving in our shed and moved all my things, we keep adding wood to the woodshed, have been working out the budget and figuring out housework schedules & planning our daily routine. I enjoy helping my husband with his work when I can.

 Most fun of all? He's encouraging me to restart my online course at Vintage Remedies. So I'm preparing to start up my herbal studies again, as soon as we have a few more plans in place for the home - and I can hardly wait!  I'm so excited to add to my herbal knowledge and be better preparing to help my family be healthy and well!

Leave me a comment - what are you working on and studying this Winter?

Photo by Kendra T. 

Our Favorite Autumn Idea and Recipe lists {2015}

  There have been some major changes behind the scenes here at A Gypsy Herbal ...but more on that later. Fall is back, and we're so happy! Here are all of our 2013-2014 Fall Round-ups and Autumn posts linked together in one post so you can find old favorite lists and links. Enjoy!

Photo by Kendra T. 

To Cook and Eat

Simple Butternut Soup
Warm & Cozy Fall Foods 15+ links
60+ Warm and Cozy Fall Foods & Recipes

To Drink

Mexican "Red Hot" Tea
More Fall Links: 10 Fall-Time Spices

To Do

Another Awesome Autumn Link List - Links for over 10 Fall Activities!
Autumn Potpourri A DIY Mason Jar Gift Idea
Homemade Candle Info & DIY Candle Instructions Round-up

Share your favorite Fall Time links in the comments!

This post shared on The Art of Home-Making Monday

Our Favorite Summer Remedies: 2015 {short} list

 It's official; summer is here!

   Well, as you can see, my June 21st post has been waiting around a while too, not just the Bath Salts posts!

Dealing with bugs, summer heat, sunshine and traveling, these are some of our favorite remedies to have on hand. Enjoy!

• Managing Bug Bites with Herbal Remedies
• Soothing Flower Bug-Bite Salve
• How-to Start Using and Saving Fresh Plantain Today
• 100+ Cold Drinks You Can Make for Hot Days!

• Health & Safety Traveling Tip: Seat Belt Story (and how it saved my friends life!)
• Health & Safety Traveling Tip: Drink Clean Water (duh, right?)
• Don't Be Stuffy About Flying (and why I regetting doing so)
• A Little Travel Tip (hardly worth mentioning, but hey, might help someone) :)

Also, see our Summer Pinboard for a lot more links and ideas.

How do you deal with Summer time heat, bugs and sun? 

 

This post has been share at The Art of Home-Making Mondays link-up #63

Bath Salts: 3 Easy Recipes, 3 Easy Steps

A simple basic recipe of bath salts involves a combination of salts, Epsom salts, and whichever other soothing, healing, calming, invigorating ingredients you'd like to add.  We were looking for gentle and versatile; here are the 3 recipes we chose for our June 27th-28th event.

Photo by Kendra T. 

Lavender-Rose Pink Bath Salts

• 1 cup Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1/2 cup Rock Sea Salt
• 1 cup Epsom Salts
• *Oils: almond oil carrier with lavender essential oil

Peppermint-Green Tea Bath Salts

• 1/2 Pink Himalayan Salt
• 1/2 cup Rock Sea Salt
• 1 cup Epsom Salts
• 1/8 - 1/2 cup dried Peppermint and Green Tea

Chamomile-Lavender Bath Salts

• 3/4 cup Pink Himalayan Salt
•  1/2 cup Rock Sea Salt
• 1 - 1 1/2 cup Epsom Salts
• 1/2 cup dried Chamomile and Lavender Flowers
• optional: lavender oil*

Directions: 

 First scoop your salts into your container. Then add in any dried flowers or teas (optionally, you can put them in a fine cotton bag, if you don't want "floaties" in your bath). Finally, mix in any oils. There you have it; three easy recipes, with three easy steps! Enjoy your bath salts by placing ~1/2 -1 cup in under warm running water as tub fills. 


 For many other ideas and bath salt recipes, see our Bath Salt Round-up post.

How do you like your bath salts? (Loose leaf herbs, or bagged with easy clean up?)

This post shared on Wildcrafting Wednesday

Bath Salts: Recipe Round-up

Soaking in the tub can be a such a relief at the end of a long hot day. Here are some recipes we've gathered up from around the web for you, with a variety of needs and situations in mind.

We'll be sharing more information on bath salts very soon along with our own recipes (3 Easy Recipes, in 3 Easy Steps!) and some photos from our event on June 27-28.   

Bath Salt Recipes

A Gypsy Herbal: Bath Salts; 3 Easy Recipes, 3 Easy Steps
Vintage Remedies: "Unwind" Bath Salts
Strangers and Pilgrims: Make Your Own Luxurious Lavender Bath Salts (with sachet idea and printable label)
Jill's Home Remedies: Warming Cinnamon Salt Bath
Growing Up Herbal: Relaxing Bath Salts that will Help Your Children Sleep
Garden Therapy:  Bath Salts Recipe (lavender with printable labels for canning jars) 
Simply Designing:  Vanilla Rose Petal Bath Salts
Classy Clutter: DIY Warm Cocoa Bath Soak
Adventures in Coupons: DIY Green Tea and Peppermint Bath Soak
The Wonder Forest: Orange Green Tea Bath Salt Recipe
A Pumpkin and a Princess:  Homemade Citrus Bath Salts Recipe
Tidy Mom: Lemon Rosemary Bath Salts
Pioneer Thinking: Lavender Rosemary Scented bath Salts
So... Let's Hang Out:  Homemade Rosemary Bath Salts
Love and Marriage Blog: DIY Sinus Congestion Bath Soak
A Pumpkin and a Princess: Homemade Peppermint Bath Salts
Running with Sisters:  Eucalyptus Bath Salts (with label and bottle decorating idea) 
The Herbal Healing Mama: Mountain Man Herbal Bath Blend
Tipnut: Homemade Bath Salts and Soaks (bunch of recipes)