blackbirdsbackyard

Sore Muscle Liniment with Juniper

I have a lot of friends with aches and pains due to accidents, injuries, sore/tight muscles or aging. A liniment is similar to a tincture but you are extracting the medcinal properties using rubbing alcohol (as your menstrum) instead of something like vodka. Liniments are for external use only! Liniments feel cooling when there isContinue reading “Sore Muscle Liniment with Juniper”

Yummy Elder Berry Gummies

Elder berry syrup is not popular in my household. I had to come up with an alternative that my girls would like. Shall I say love, because to them these gummies are almost like candy. This recipes makes a lot, enough for weeks if you can keep them from growing mold and bacteria. Microbes love gelatinContinue reading “Yummy Elder Berry Gummies”

Special Delivery of Winter Salves

One of the things that I enjoy most about being an herbalist is gifting to others the things that I have made. This week there were many special deliveries to friends in need. An iron tonic, a headache tincture, an immune glycerite, a liniment, and of course lots of salves. I hope that herbal productsContinue reading “Special Delivery of Winter Salves”

Homemade Skin Astringent *(Blackberry)

I try to find the advantages of aging when I can. If I was not moving into menopause I would have no cause to experiment with things like a “skin astringent”. No one ever warns you or talks about what happens to your body despite all the exercise and healthy foods you eat. Women are especially ignorantContinue reading “Homemade Skin Astringent *(Blackberry)”

Homegrown Oregano

One day I needed to go to the local herb store to buy some dried nettle for my husband. He was having issues with allergies and my garden was still in winter hibernation. The employee opened up the jar to dispense what I wanted and immediately I could smell Nettle from across the room. It was anContinue reading “Homegrown Oregano”