Mullein

What is Mullein used for?

Traditional/Ethnobotanical uses

Mullein boasts an illustrious history as a favored herbal remedy and, consequently, has found use in various disorders. Its traditional uses generally have focused on the management of respiratory disorders where it was used to treat asthma, coughs, tuberculosis, and related respiratory problems. However, in its various forms, the plant has been used to treat hemorrhoids, burns, bruises, and gout. Preparations of the plant have been ingested, applied topically, and smoked. The yellow flowers once were used as a source of yellow hair dye. In Appalachia, the plant has been used to treat colds and the boiled root administered for croup. Leaves were applied topically to soften and protect the skin. An oil derived from the flowers has been used to soothe earaches.

I thought today I would share with you one of my favorite plants. When the kids were small it was always amazing to see how fast it acted after they drank a tea that we made, with honey and lemon and mullein leaves. It would break up the cough and they would sleep so much better and would seem to get over the cold faster.

I was thinking that if the Obama health care plan passes, I am going to become more of a herbalist than I ever wanted just for medical care. :)

I Found a Leaf!

I know it isn't much and this color is more brown than red, but it is a leaf that has changed color.
I am hoping for a breath of cool air.
I was thinking today, that Mondays are just busy and I don't think anyone really has time to just enjoy Monday for Monday, But Tuesday, now that is a day that is filled with promise. On Tuesdays I can find time to stop and I could buy a handful of magic beans to plant a giant beanstalk on Tuesdays. If I just happened by a peddler and I was leading a cow. :) ( Guess what I was reading.)

On Mondays I get so busy I forget to be thankful, and find myself grumbling as I run through the day.
Today I am reminded, " And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." Colossians 3:15

I wonder if I sat down and did a small little study how many times would I be told to be thankful?
I will be thankful today.

Checking Bees

We checked the honey today and
we found lots of honey, but it was
not capped. It was all good and pretty
The bees looked good!

A Peck of Picked Peppers!

I know lame, but it was nice to type out. This is what we picked on Saturday. Lots of peppers! We took out the tomatoes and the flowers. Rolled up the hoses and plowed things under. We still got our weekend 4 green trash cans filled. Now we just have two garden areas left. The peppers with the morning glories and the bed with the spices and the luffas and the bird house gourds. Which we won't take out until the frost kills the vines in the case of the bird house gourds they dry and mold; it is the mold that gives the birdhouse gourds the distinctive look. So sometimes I guess mold is good.

I thought I would feel sad because I have enjoyed this experiment so much. I am looking forward to just having a house to keep clean. Having all these areas to keep clean has kept me jumping. I think that is why for the first time in my life I am not afraid of it getting dark earlier and it getting cold and rainy. I think it will be nice to be in the house for awhile, I have been enjoying sewing so much.
I am looking forward to making Cinnamon rolls and all kinds of goodies.
Have a very restful Sunday

Pumpkins on the Porch

I love pictures of pumpkins. I have enjoyed so much, the having of so many pumpkins to play with to my hearts content. I found out this week, that if you use pumpkin in a recipe as you would applesauce to make it lower in calories and to add more fiber, I never get hungry. It is great. I made a brownie in a cup and only used 3 tablespoons of pumpkin and it was great. I didn't get hungry!

The boys found this cute you tube video with a guy playing the theme to Duck Tales, so now all through my house is the sound of guitars playing the song. It's cute.

One of my favorite authors is named Francois De la Mothe Fenelon He was born in 1651 in France and I always love his books. I found this prayer and it is a good prayer and means so much to me, I thought I would share it today.
"Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee; Thou only knowest when I need; thou lovest me better than I know how to love myself. O Father! Give to thy child that which he himself knows not how to ask. I dare not ask either for crosses or consolations; I simply present myself before Thee, I open my heart to Thee. Behold my needs which I know not myself; see and do according to thy tender mercy. Smite or heal; depress me or raise me up; I adore all Thy purposes without knowing them; I am silent; I offer myself in sacrifice; I yield myself to Thee; I would have no other desire than to accomplish Thy will. Teach me to pray. Pray thyself in me Amen."

I love that part, "Teach me to pray. Pray thyself in me."

Don't you just love Saturday Mornings! :)

Do The Next Thing

I woke up this morning with this poem going around in my head.

Do The Next Thing

From an old English parsonage,
Down by the sea,
There came in the twilight,
A message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend,
Deeply engraven,
Hath, as it seems to me,
Teaching from Heaven.
And on through the hours
The quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration-
DO THE NEXT THING

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment,
Let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity,
Guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows,
Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus,
DO THE NEXT THING

Do it immediately;
Do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence,
Tracing His Hand,
Who placed it before thee with
Earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence,
Safe 'neath His wing,
Leave all resultings,
DO THE NEXT THING

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
(Working or suffering)
Be thy demeanor,
In His dear presence,
The rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance
Be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness,
Praise and sing,
Then, as He beckons thee,
DO THE NEXT THING

-Author unknown

Elisabeth explained how she didn't know which way to turn and what to do. The words of this above poem came to her mind. So she got busy and did the next thing that came her way.

So today my next thing, is cleaning my chicken coop. :)

Thankful Thursday

I am always happy when Thursday rolls around. Even though a good part of my household is out the door by 7:00 am, I am more relaxed and when I am doing school, I don't have the feeling of we have to get this done and this done. On Thursdays, I can enjoy my jobs just for the joy of them. Today, I am thankful that the mornings are so cool. I am thankful that I have dogs to take for walks. I am thankful that I have this incredible book, that is full of love letters, written to me, from outside our time domain. I have a Father, who sent His son to die for me, so when times get hard, I can crawl up in His lap, and cry Abba Father.
I am thankful that God and maybe most of all today, that God did not give me what I asked for.
I am thankful that I still live in a free country, and we can criticize our elected officials and not go to prison. Notice I said elected, because that is how they got there. We the people did it. So we are responsible for it.
I am thankful that I am a wife, mother, grandmother and school teacher. I was thinking the other day, I am thankful that I have hands. Pretty important hands, I feed myself, and I can get dressed by myself, I can pet animals and pick up chickens and hold them. I can type this blog on a computer. I can pick up a cup with coffee in it. I can sew and I can cook and I can scrub floors and I can do laundry. So I am a pretty happy camper today.
That aside I have to add one more picture.

I love to sew, but I am not the best seamstress, I had found this really cute picture of a doll I wanted to make. So I made it. It didn't turn out like the picture but it was still kinda cute in a Dr. Seuss kind of way.
Yesterday, I went in to the living room and this is what I found.

See the doll with the pillow over the face? The kids all think she is scary, and think she is related to Chucky. I guess I will give up on the dolls and assign her to my hope chest where all of my other "scary dolls live." Have a great Thursday.!

Wednesday Random Thoughts.

The part of the garden that we still have are all of the peppers and the tomatoes. The peppers are going great guns and producing like crazy. This is just one plant there are many more plants just as loaded.
Standing out in the garden, I did not realize what a noisy community it was with all of the sunflowers sighing at the smallest breeze. Or the flocks of birds that were always talking and chattering. Even the old corn stocks made sounds like there were people out walking through them. Now when I am out there it is just silent. It makes me kind of sad because it seems so empty and even when I am out there I find myself shying away from the garden area, just because the silence is so deafening. I suppose I will get used to it. It seems like a very lonely place. What has always drawn me to the pasture was that time of solitude that I had, now I long for the sound of the wind making the sunflowers dance and sing as I went about my day. O well there is always next year.

The First Day of Fall!

I know this picture of the Hollyhocks should be a spring picture but I thought it was so pretty.
We made it through the summer and it was a very pleasant summer I think. I have a skunk story today. About 2:00 am I woke up because I kept hearing this banging sound. I got up and went around the house, listening at kids bedroom doors and all was quiet. I got back in bed and the banging this time R. heard. He jumped up and went out in the house and I went out the back door to see if something was getting my chickens. It was very peaceful and quiet in the back yard. R. came in and said, to not go out in the back yard. He said there was a skunk in the front yard.
He thought the banging sound might have been the air conditioning unit on the side of the house, so as he went out on the front porch to listen he looked out and right there was a skunk, minding it's own business digging in the yard. I turned on the porch light and it just kinda looked up and seemed to say, " Oh, thanks, now I can see better." We just let it be but one good thing we thought of was since we have skunks, we don't have gophers. I almost wish for the foxes to come back, because when we had foxes we didn't have skunks. Foxes eat chickens so I am not crazy about them coming back either.
I guess you could say, I am no longer a tree-hugger type. Dogs, cats, but not wild animals.

My Wreath

I have hung my first wreath of fall. I keep telling myself to wait until October, but I thought one won't hurt. One of the things that is nice about having two weddings at your house, is that I have so many wreaths left over. I can change them and make the different ones for each season. I guess when I run out of wreaths, it will be time for new weddings. :) It is a good thing I have so many left over, it will be a while yet.
I could call this post, a boring Monday morning post. My hay fever from taking out the sunflowers is making my mind so foggy.
So anyway, have a very blessed Monday.

Clean Pasture

Kinda sad isn't it? All the flowers gone. But it is all clean and ready for new dreams. I should have taken pictures as we tore it out. Wow! what a ton of work. I am rethinking the whole planting sunflowers on the whole two acres now. I think maybe something more permanent. Like more trees. Then just a small plot of sunflowers. R. used his tractor to knock every thing down, then he brought out his garden shredder. Sunflowers have a smell like over-ripe pumpkin pie when they get shredded. All day yesterday, every thing I ate tasted like those shredded sunflowers smelled. I did feel sorry for all of the finches that have eaten all summer in the sunflowers, they sat up on branches and made these little questioning peeps, and it sounded like why? why? what will we do now? The bees were pretty upset too. They kept wanting to fight. We have such aggressive bees. I am going to have to think about getting them some food, for the winter.
So it is all clean and I am really glad that part of farming is finished.
So glad it is Sunday.

Good-bye Sunflowers

Today is the day, the sunflowers or what is left of the sunflowers will be pulled out and then what is left will be plowed under by the tractor. I feel a bit like tucking a baby to bed. My dirt out here is so precious to me after living years and years with that hard packed clay junk that molded and grew nothing unless you spent hours putting mulch iin the ground. Out here we have this perfect sandy soil and I can't stand the idea of just letting it go. So it will go to bed and be ready again in the spring.
I do love fall!

Happy Rosh Hashannah!

I always wish I could celebrate the Jewish New Year, by making booths and living in the backyard for a week. I think it would be fun to spend the day getting ready and then at sundown start a real party. Well, Next year in Jerusalem!
Today, I thought I would share the things I have read this morning.
Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, without end. Amen (Ephesians 3:20-21)

I thought this was a important thought to keep in mind as I go about my day. I love the words exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or think. I think that is such a good promise for today.

Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God. (William Carey)
I am not a great fan of William Carey, but I do like his saying. I never knew he was the one who said that until today. I think how I would say it if I was writing pithy quotes mine would be, Go out on the limb with God and watch what happens. :)

And then one of my favorites that I sang over and over when I was in labor with my kids. We had a old tape with Bible verses set to music that I had in my car and it still comes to me in times when I am scared.

" Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You."
(Psalm 56:3)

I got up this morning being so happy it was Friday, I just wanted to dance. Maybe I will think about a booth in the back yard after all. :) Happy Friday!

I do finally have one tree changing color. I feel like a miser going around checking trees to see if they have any yellow or red leaves hiding in the green. I have found a couple of trees that are sneaking in the color but you have to look really close. It is only the 17th of September so I will let it slide. I hope that we get a early frost so that we could have a nice bit of fall. I remember once we were having a really green fall and I was talking to a lady from Ohio and I asked her had the leaves changed color yet and she said yes they had. I must have sounded really pitiful because when I opened the box of what ever I had ordered she sent a envelope of fall leaves. You know, I don't remember what it was I ordered that day, but I still have the envelope with the leaves that I still take out and look at and remember that sweet lady. Isn't it nice how sometimes a perfect stranger can bless you in a totally unexpected way. As Father Tim's says so often, " Lord, Let me be a blessing to someone today." I think that is a good Thursday thought.

Wow! It's Wednesday!

This is another picture of a rose that I took on the day it rained. I do love that rosebush, the funny thing about it though, when you cut them to bring them in the house, they loose the pretty color. So they are better left on the bush.
This week is flying by. I can't believe it is already Wednesday. I get to see all of my grandchildren today!! So it is happy day for me.
The dog wants to be walked so have to go, have a great day!

Rain drops on Roses

I looked out this morning and my roses looked so pretty with the rain drops all over their petals.

I won't break into song and dance about whiskers on kittens either, but rain is so rare in September that I just had to take pictures of the raindrops.


I know on Sunday when it is back to 98 degrees, this will be but a nice memory.

It is just so nice to have pictures of other things besides sunshine. :)
It has been nice to have a day when I did get cold.

We Have Clouds!

Isn't this beautiful! This is what I saw this morning. To finally see dark clouds is just amazing to me. I could just sit and stare and watch them as they change. I loved the pink in this picture. Only a week left till the first day of fall. I am okay with this starting a bit early.

Oh Happy Monday!

Sunday Random Thoughts

I was looking at the calendar and it said, Grandparents Day. Wow grandparents have a day? I never knew this until this moment. What do people do on grandparents day? I was just curious.
I keep hoping the weather will cool off enough to turn these pumpkins into pies. I haven't got to the point of wanting pumpkin pie so bad I will eat it under a fan, but I am getting close.

I read a couple of things that have stuck with me this week and I have thought about them whenever I am just being quiet. Or, yesterday wanting to go shopping for antiques, this came to me, or while I was looking through a clothes catalog with really cool boots.
"When the mind thinks nothing,
When the soul covets nothing,
and the body acteth nothing that
is contrary to the will of God,
this is perfect sanctification."
Anonymous, (in an old Bible, 1599)

This is from Elisabeth Elliot
God shields us from most things we fear,
But when He chooses not to shield us, He unfailingly allots
grace in the measure needed.
It is for us to choose to receive or refuse it. Our joy or
our misery will depend on that choice.
(Secure in the Everlasting Arms.)

Just my random thoughts for a beautiful Sunday morning,

Blue and White Morning Glories

This is my first picture of the blue and white Morning Glories. I have some Moon Flowers in there too but I don't go out at night because I am afraid of running into a skunk. Then I haven't got up early enough in the morning to take one then, also afraid of a skunk who hasn't gone home to bed.
Not to mention seeing a hawk kill a dove and eat it with it's mate standing by watching. So I haven't been real wild about getting up real early to take a picture of Moon Flowers. Not to mention they are kind of creepy to me. They look like this except they are huge and have these really white creepy looking delicate flowers. They remind me of something you would see in a graveyard, if you were in the habit of visiting graveyards at night. I always thought I would like a garden with only night blooming flowers in it but after the little skunk fiasco I may wait on that. NO moonlight strolls for me.

Almost Chickens

This is a new picture of my new chickens. They have really grown up. I know I have a couple of roosters in the flock. They will have to go visit the feed store soon. One rooster is enough! Sometimes he is to much.


I think this is two little hens. I have thought maybe of getting rid of the hens too but in pairs with the roosters. I have too many chickens. Not to mention they are really wild. I am still undecided.
Have a great Friday!

Luffa Sponges

It is Thursday and I thought I would share one of the oddest crops, we grew this year.
It is called a Luffa Sponge or a dish rag sponge in some catalogs.


This doesn't look like much, if fact if I just saw it on the ground, I might just pick it up and throw it away.

If you pick it up, tear off the bottom and take out the seeds. Look at all of the seeds! You could grow tons of them from just one sponge.


Then you tear off the brown, crunchy stuff and throw it away.


Then you have this very nice sponge.
After I did this I just threw it in the washing machine and washed it with my dish rags and it washed up really nice. Now I am using it in the shower. When it isn't scrubby anymore, and too soft, just throw it away. It is completely bio-degradable.
They are still growing and I just pick them and lay them on the fence to finish drying. I like that kind of crop.

Wednesday

Having a short week has made me loopy. I keep thinking I need to be doing either Tuesday stuff or Thursday stuff. It just makes things so different with a holiday on Monday. My flowers are all getting tired and I have been looking for some Mums to plant but it is all to early for them too. The dog is barking, waiting for her walk so I will end this post. It is funny that a dog can rule your life so much. Sometimes I feel like my whole life is ruled by animals. I never want to get away from my kids. It is just from the animals. Here is a thought, maybe I have too many. :)

Tuesday Morning

No I don't have a single tree that looks like this, this is from last year. The tree this came from is still very green and pretty. I was just in the mood to see colored leaves. One of the things I am addicted to is lists. Give me 3 easy steps and I am a happy camper. So this morning, I ran across my favorite list in the Bible. It is in Thessalonians 5, the whole chapter is good but this list that is in it is even better.
1. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always see after that which is good for one another and for all men.
2. Rejoice Always;
3. Pray without ceasing;
4. In Everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
5. Do not quench the Spirit;

I think it is interesting in the order Paul has them, first, don't repay evil, then rejoice, then pray without ceasing, then give thanks for this is God's will for you. It is always hard but in the end when I follow the steps instead of reaching for the machine gun, I am good. It is just remembering to follow the steps.

Have a great Tuesday!

A Beautiful Day

This morning when I woke up, it is the way I love to see fall begin. I could open the windows, the sunrise was yellow and the sky was blue. It makes me a bit crazy, like when I was a kid I would just want to run around really fast. My legs turned into horse legs, and I could run all day. Then when I got older and I did get a horse, he did run all day. I never walked anywhere I could ride a horse. So those are the things I think of when I get up and it is going to be a beautiful day.
What is a nice thought for me today, if the trash men come and they pick up the very full green trash cans, I will have four, empty green trash cans, and a free day to work in a flower bed filled with old sunflowers, so I might get that cleaned out as a way of celebration of Labor Day. :) I always thought it would be a good day to have a baby, you know, Labor Day. :)

Bumblebees

Can you see the bumble bee in the picture? One of my favorite bees is a bumble bee, I have been sad the last couple of summers because I didn't see very many. This year, with the gourds growing they have been around. I sit out by the spices and watch them every morning. I will be sad when summer is over and the bumble bees are gone. I didn't think they would like yellow flowers much because they seem to prefer purple. I have sat and watched how our honey bees are kinda bossy, the bumble bee will be minding it's own business in a flower and the honey bee will fly up and buzz the bumble bee and the bumble bee always flies off to another flower, but the honey bee didn't want that flower they are just power hungry because they can make the bigger bee leave. The bumble bee seems gentle. I am not going to get close enough, to see if that is a true statement though.
We have to check the hive today. I will see if I can juggle a camera and a bee smoker for some pictures. Our bees have been very angry these last few days so I think something is going on. I can't even get very close to the hive without getting warned off. It should be interesting.

The Rising Moon

Last night as I looked out my window, this is what I saw. The rising of the moon. Remember from last post, my comment about my view? When I see a moon like this in September it is called a Harvest moon. I have a calendar that names all of the moons each month. One month the moon is called a wolf moon. The moon in December is called a blue moon. The last time we had a blue moon was when in snowed. Wouldn't it be nice to have snow again.

The View Outside My Window

This was what I saw this morning when I looked out.

Just a bit later it looked like this.


When I looked out again there was this gorgeous sunrise.



It is such a beautiful morning. I love clouds. This is one of my favorite poems by Ruth Graham.
"Clouds are the dust of His Feet
and watching the evening sky
I chuckled to think. "How neat.
God just passed by."
When we moved here and the tax lady came to asses the house for taxes, she kept remarking about our "dream house." I finally said, "Why do you keep calling it our dream house?" She replied," because you over built for the neighborhood, you don't have a view." I have thought about that many times since, most mornings I see the sunrise and the sun set which was all I ever wanted. I have that and I laugh now because I always have a view.

Thankful Thursday

This is one of the things that makes me happy. I love the blue with the yellow. Today I am very thankful it is Thursday. R. is taking Friday off and he is off on Monday so I will have a 4 day weekend. I read this this morning " Don't ever despise work. Make it an offering unto God. Learn to love your work. If you can't do what you like, then like what you do. (From Let Me Be a Woman.) " When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work---this is a gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:19)
One of the things I have been so conscious of lately of all of the privileges I have that I have taken for granted. Like getting to be at home and R. having a job. Not to mention living and working in a place I love. I have learned or have been made aware, how fast we could loose everything and it is only God's grace and mercy that keeps a roof over our heads. So it has made me so thankful for every day that God allows me to enjoy all that He has blessed us with.

First Day of School

I am finally getting around to publishing this, I wanted to ask permission before I did it. This is E on her first day of school. She is enjoying it and likes all her teachers and her classes. She does come home tired though. I am glad she can drive herself and it isn't like if I was taking a 5 year old and dropping her off. I never did like that part.
I was watching one of my hens last night.

This one, and she has decided that the mothering thing has gone on long enough. So she stood up here and as each chick tried to jump up to her to sleep under her wing, she pecked them like a crazy person and then would knock them off onto the ground. The chicks have no idea why all of a sudden "Mom" had taken such a terrible dislike for them. They finally gave up and climbed in the nesting box and settled down.
I am so glad I have never had to peck my chicks in the head or knock them off the top of the roost. I am so glad they leave the nest on their own. :)
Happy Wednesday, or other wise known as Woden Day. (Guess what we are studying in History?)

It's September!!

I had to share something I have been working on. I know it is silly to spend so much time on a mouse. But, it used so many mediums it was fun to be crafty again. It is nice to use a part of my brain that has been dormant. I had forgot what it was like to paint and sew and use wire. I guess I am so tired of hot weather, it is nice to dream of fall.
It is called a candy corn mouse. So Happy September!