My Garden

So, this is how my garden started...

I've been wanting a veggie/herb and fairy garden and just could never seem to bring it all together.

So, surprise to me, my hubs took it upon himself to gift me with a 5th year anniversary gift 😊

I just didn't get a small fairy garden, he enlarged it😁 and then said, it needs something more...

So he built on to it 😊 and we planted.

It's funny to me the planting seasons from where I grew up in Mass to Florida. 

I don't think they've even broken ground yet and here we are, in March planting.

It's April 29th now and I have squash, lemons, limes and peppers showing their fruits, while the Ocra, Onions, Tomatoes and carrots are coming along.

Then he tells me this morning, it's to hot down here to grow anything but Ocra in the summer. 😐

I don't mind Ocra, but love my other fresh veggies too, guess I'm gonna have to can or freeze😉 until October.

Pic from last night

The fairies and gnomes are loving the foliage and you can see the squash blossoms peeking up through the leaves.

The mints (mint, chocolate mint and spearmint) thrive, the basil and Italian parsley not liking the weather here so much, the sage and chives, they're in the middle on how they like the Florida weather right now 😜

Read lots and Stay Spicy peeps!!

C ~

💋

www.authorcasalo.com

Indulge in the Spicy Side of Romance

Wednesday's Herb - Chamomile

German Chamomile

Chamomile is best known for being in an infusion in a tea to drink.

I've used chamomile in my tea with cat nip and other herbs during a cold or after a stressful day. 

When I make an herbal tea, I usually forgo sugar for something more natural like local honey to add a bit of sweetness.

Not to long after I met my husband, he became sick with the flu. High fever included.

I used the rest of my dried herbs I had in the cupboard and made him a tea. which included chamomile and catnip, along with spearmint for taste, rose hips and a few other herbs. he grumbled at first, because it wasn't 'Lipton' and I made him drink it without sugar, LOL. After drinking two cups, he fell back asleep and when he woke up he said he was feeling better. :-) So I gave him what I had left with some local honey I had bought at a farmers stand. He liked that cup much better LOL.

 Chamomile inactivates bacterial toxins. Small quantities of chamomile oil inhibit staphylococcal and streptococcal strains of bacteria. You can drink chamomile tea combined with other antimicrobials, such as thyme, echinacea, and goldenseal, for internal infections.

The tops of the chamomile plant are gathered in the early stages of flowering.

Chamomile reduces cramping and spastic pain in the bowels and also relieves excessive gas and bloating in the intestines. 

Chamomile is often used to relieve irritable bowel syndrome, nausea, and the stomach flu. I have used Chamomile and ginger root together in a tea to help with nausea.

Chamomile is also an excellent calming agent, well suited for irritable babies and restless children. Moreover, most children tolerate its taste. Chamomile also can help a child fall asleep. 

Chamomile is calming to adults as well, but don't hesitate to sip it throughout the day. Chamomile does not have the affects as prescription drugs or sedatives where they can interfere with your abilities, such as driving a car or completing tasks.

Chamomile is good for those with ulcers or other stomach problems aggravated by anxiety. 

Muscle pain that results from stress and worry is another indication for chamomile. Twitching and tics in muscles may respond to chamomile tea or other chamomile medications.

You can use chamomile topically, too, to treat infections and inflammations. The Ancient Egyptians would put honey on an open wound to stop infection. I suppose you could mix the two together to make a poultice.

WARNING: The U.S National Institutes of Health recommends that pregnant and nursing mothers not consume chamomile, as it may cause uterine contractions which could lead to a miscarriage.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.

As always, please consult your physician before using anything.

Roman Chamomile

Wednesday Blogging is now about...

Ok, so not sure if you know this, but I am a horrible blogger. 

Yes, a horrible blogger, so besides blogging about my books, I try to pick interesting topics. I've also gone from blogging one day a week to three days a week. 

Sunday, Wednesday & Friday.

Sundays I try to keep geared toward my writing as I also blog over at The Nice & Naughty Authors Blog.

Fridays I've made into Fun Drink Friday so what to do with Wednesday to keep me on track...

I've always had an interest in herbalism and practiced it quite extensively when I lived in Massachusetts. I grew up with my mother and her herb gardens along with a wonderful place in Mason, New Hampshire called The Pickity Place. LOVE THEM (and their Raspberry Orange Tea)!!

I had a garden and plenty of space. Since moving around, I haven't been so lucky. Herbs in pots just ... I don't know *sigh* and using dried herbs for everything, it's just not the same.

BUT, with the building of our new house, I will have an area so I can once again grow my herbs, veggies and anything I like to cook with or can use for other purposes. *YAY*

So, I think on Wednesdays I'm going to blog about herbs and spices. There's plenty to chose from world wide and it's something I enjoy, so why not right?? 

Let's start off with, Cat Nip. An easy peesy little herb. I bet you're thinking WTF is she talking about?? Cat Nip is for cats. Right??

WRONG.

Cat Nip can be used for plenty of other things beside getting your kitty feeling good. 

And sometimes it doesn't affect them. 

Now some people have said they feel a slight 'numbing' affect from Cat Nip, but I personally have never had this feeling or any of my family that I'm aware of. Then again, I always use it with other herbs and in small quantities.

BUT, always keep in mind that no matter what you use, herbs, spices or pharmaceutical drugs, everyone is different so everyone will have a different reaction to the item in question.

I'm not a doctor nor do I ever claim to be (unless it's a hero or heroine in one of my books - which is FANTASY), so keep in mind, that you should always check with your physician before trying something new.

Cat Nip can be used in teas with other herbs for colds. That's how I've always used the leaves, right beside my Chamomile, Spearmint, Rose Hips and other goodies.

Cat Nip has been known to help with: Sleep, relaxation, and stress reduction, and is used as a culinary herb for many dishes.

For more information try these sites:

Wikipedia

Web MD

Herb Society

Spring Planting...

I picked up the compost and the potting soil yesterday morning after signing up for my concealed weapons permit class :-) so when the heat of the day (Yes, Florida, it was in the 80's and higher) went down around 6, I started planting my herbs and some flowers last night.
So far I have Lavender, Rosemary, Basil, Spearmint and few flowers planted in my flower box and in pots.
Today's another day and I'll be tackling the seeding of carrots, beans and some other flowers and planting my three different kinds of pepper plants, zucchini and yellow squash.

For the seedlings I'm not going to start them in ground, I'm going to use a few old egg cartons and my grocery store sells salads in these large containers, so I figured what better way to recycle than to start growing some flowers in them.

I'm also going to be starting Lily of The Valley for my wedding next March. Such a beautiful little plant, it's not only my birth flower, but I remember my Grandma Salo had a large circle of nothing but Lily of the Valley with a rock in the center. (The things we remember as kids right :-) She'd carved a twelve foot totem pole as well.)

Well have a great day all!!!! I'm off and running--with coffee in hand :-)

Crazy Store Prices

With veggies becoming much more expensive in the stores, I've decided to take matters into my own hands.

YUP...I planted a garden.

Now farming is in my blood, my grandfather had a huge farm up north (people down here call them ranches.) It was a pig farm, but there was every animal you could think of, including work horses to pull out the fallen trees in the fall to heat the house for the entire einter. Huge fields of corn, hey if it didn't sell it went to make cow corn for the winter.

My grandmothers personal garden was nothing to sneeze at. It was a good half acre and had everything from corn to strawberries. We never went without a good pickle or blackberries in the winter time. Yummy!! And there was an apple orchard about about an acre in size.

So I've done what I can and we have two raised beds, one herbs, one veggies. The romaine lettuce is coming very well and we've been snipping leaves off for sandwiches. The sweet banana peppers and cubana peppers are belling. I'm waiting for the 72 bell pepper seeds planted to start peeking up out of the soil and the only tomato plant to start doing it's thing.

I can't wait to start with the summer squash and zucchini!!

My herbs, I love fresh herbs!! There's nothing like walking out doors in the morning before the heat of the sun, OK it's Florida, so I go out after the sun has gone down to gather my mint or sweet basil or chives for baked potatoes that night with dinner.

Fresh grown goodies...it's a good thing :-)