Late Boneset aka Eupatorium serotinum. The flowers and leaves are anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic. They have been used to treat flu, colds, coughs, prostate problems, diabetes, bronchitis, indigestion, fevers, joint pain, sinus problems, and more. The late great herbalist Tommie Bass used it in his cough syrup recipe. It is also an important plant for our pollinators which flock to it. There were so many pollinators around this plant, it had three green tree frogs hidden within its leaves.
Contentment Acres
We are a Christian homeschooling family of 9 sharing experiences on our 14 acre farm in rural Virginia. Blog entries could feature anything going on in our lives: our walk with Christ, triumphs and struggles, homeschool, family life, helpful hints, tips for large family living, rural living, herbal medicine, etc. If you enjoyed your visit, please drop us a line at contentmentacres@yahoo.com
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Bible Verses Against Necromancy
Bible Verses Against Necromancy (speaking with/praying to the dead)
1. Leviticus 19:31
2. Deuteronomy 18:9-14
3. I Samuel 28:7-8
4. 2 Kings 21:6
5. I Chronicles 10:13
6. Isaiah 8:19-20
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
How to Help a Grieving Friend
I keep sharing this because so many have told me it has helped them on both sides of the table in different types of grief including divorce.
Believe me, it's no time for words when the wounds are fresh and bleeding; no time for homilies when the lightning's shaft has smitten, and the man lies stunned and stricken. Then let the comforter be silent; let him sustain by his presence, not by his preaching; by his sympathetic silence, not by his speech. -George C. Lorimer
One of the most hurtful things ever said to me, for example, was by a Christian in law who claimed to be pro-life who told me less than 24 hours after the loss of my baby that crying was "feeling sorry for myself." Their words created a lot of pain in my heart. They did not care what I was going through, and their words showed it. Their words suggested I was doing something wrong by mourning my baby. I share this with the goal that others won't say such hurtful things in a woman's time of great pain. It is not helpful, but it is very hurtful.
Crying is a normal, natural response to loss. Jesus cried in grief too. Would you have said, "It's self pity for you to cry since you are going to raise Lazarus anyway?" Or, would you have shown Him understanding and compassion? Think before you speak. Words hurt and can't be taken back, but they can be forgiven. Be gentle and kind with each other even when you do not understand what the other person is going through.
Please don't add your misplaced expectations to someone else's struggle. You will only burden them further. Acknowledge a person's right to feel as they do.
If you have had a pregnancy loss, I am praying for you today and offer my friendship. My email is in the header.
but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself.
-A.W. Tozer
Monday, October 14, 2024
Jeremy and Bethany Engaged!!
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Mt Olive, you can do better.
Wednesday, October 09, 2024
Sweet Pepperbush aka Poor Man's Soap
Sweet Pepperbush Clethra alnifolia aka Poor Man's Soap. The leaves produce a lather when mixed with water and rubbed vigorously. Most sources say it is the flowers, but I have never had success with the flowers lathering. The flowers smell spicy and sweet. Pollinators love it. It is an air purifier meaning it can take polluted air and give back pure oxygen. I am drying the leaves to see if I can extract a "soap" that will lather. It never hurts to try, and I might learn something new.
Monday, October 07, 2024
Prepping vs Hoarding and Knowledge
A friend of mine was encouraging others to prepare their homes for emergency situations. I shared this:
"To point out for those who do not know, hoarding is panic buying in the moment of a crisis. Prepping is buying a little extra each time you go to the store. This thing that time, another thing the next time, and so on. Hoarding/panic buying clears the shelves during a crisis. Prepping is done slow and steady so it does not have a noticeable impact on the store shelves.
How to Extract Limonene and Lemon Extract for Baking
You can extract limonene from organic lemon or other citrus peels). In addition to the incredible health benefits, it can also be used as a flavoring in food. In addition to this extract, I have also ground whole lemons (peel and all!) in the blender and used a couple of tablespoons at a time in a smoothie to get the health benefits. "The therapeutic effects of limonene have been extensively studied, proving anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antinociceptive, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihyperalgesic, antiviral, and gastroprotective effects, among other beneficial effects in health. In this review, we collected, presented, and analyzed evidence from the scientific literature regarding the usage of limonene and its activities and underlying mechanisms involved in combating diseases. The highlighting of limonene applications could develop a useful targeting of innovative research in this field as well as the development of a limonene-based phytomedicine which could be used in a variety of conditions of health and disease." Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29427589/
A friend asked me for more info:
Extract: You can extract limonene from the organic peels using 80-proof Vodka (a menstrumm). Vodka is the choice most herbalists make because it does not impart a flavor. You want the yellow part only for the extract. The white pith will make it bitter which is not good for baking. I like to make strong extracts, so I fill the jar up to the shoulder with lemon peels. Then I pour the vodka over it. I work out the air bubbles and add more vodka. Keep it in a dark place for at least 6 weeks but longer is better. There is nothing wrong with leaving the peels in while you start using it. It will keep extracting. You can keep topping it off with vodka for a while too. Some of the best herbalists in the world will leave the plant matter in the jar for a year or longer. Whole lemon: Chop the whole lemon and put it in the blender. I have a Ninja and it did quite well with it. It looks like tiny minced bits when it is done. This adds a bit of a bitter flavor to plain water, but it was still drinkable if I did not go too heavy. It is better in a smoothie though.
Friday, October 04, 2024
Thursday, October 03, 2024
Bethany's Birthday
Wednesday, October 02, 2024
Jewelweed
Jewelweed is mostly used externally by herbalists today. It makes a great salve that can treat skin irritations like insect bites, poison ivy, stinging nettle, hives, sunburn, and more. The cooled water from boiled leaves and flowers not only calms the itch and burning, it also helps the rash of poison ivy heal faster. The Cherokee, Iroquois, Chippewa, and other tribes used it internally and externally for a wide variety of ailments. Mine is being extracted in olive oil along with plantain for a salve I will make in the very near future.
Monday, September 30, 2024
Usnea spp
Friday, September 27, 2024
Great Blue Lobelia
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Goldenrod Better For You than Green Tea
Today's foraging harvest was goldenrod. My girls learned from me as we harvested and prepared it. Goldenrod is NOT what gives you allergies. It is insect-pollinated (heavy, sticky pollen). It is ragweed and other wind-pollinated plants that cause hayfever, etc. Goldenrod HELPS allergies. It also treats pain, sore muscles, colds, flu, and contains powerful saponins and antioxidants that we need for good health. Goldenrod tea is higher in antioxidants than vitamin C and green tea. The flowers and leaves can be used for tea, linaments, oil infusions, tinctures, etc. The tender leaves in the spring can be used in a salad or soups. Goldenrod is anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and has some antibacterial properties. It has been used for diabetes, enlarged prostates, liver problems, gout, arthritis, muscle strains and sprains, skin wounds, fungal infections, kidney issues, etc. It took us 30 minutes to pick and prepare enough of this natural medicine to last us a couple of years. We made a linament and a tincture. I have more drying in my attic for teas and a salve that I will make at a later date.
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
News coming?
If the person sticks to what they told Clint on the phone last night, we should have some exciting family news mid-October. That's all I can say atm.
Monday, September 23, 2024
Snakeweed aka Broomweed
I was excited to find this broomweed aka snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) which is in the Aster family. I plan on making traditional brooms out of what I collected. It has been used to treat fevers, snake bites, insect bites, diarrhea, colds, headaches, indigestion, and more. It was also used by different tribes to make ceremonial items. It is poisonous in larger quantities and should be kept from grazing animals. I watched the happy little bee for a few minutes before moving on.
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Sumac-ade from Winged Sumac
Friday, September 20, 2024
Please pray for Karen
9/20:The wound care doctor told Karen the same thing. She can no longer receive treatment there and needs to enter end of life care. I believe she has now had three doctors tell her that if she will not do the treatments they want instead of the treatments she wants then they will no longer help her. "Their way or the highway." She just had a Skype appointment with an alternative doctor. The visit went very well. Please pray God provides for her to be able to afford the appointments and treatments. Karen has survived stage four cancer quite a bit longer and much more comfortably than they predicted she would WITH their chosen treatments. Please keep praying for her and her family. I forgot to get an update about Myles but will check in with her again when I return home.
9/11: Karen was told by her oncologist that he will no longer see her since she will not submit to his order for end-of-life care. She wants to continue to fight for her life instead of giving up on it. He will no longer see her. She is going to see an alternative doctor to see if there is anything they can do for her. This will be very costly and out of pocket for her. Please pray this doctor gives her something that can help her. Myles is having seizures every other day right now. Please pray for him and for Karen's comfort and peace about Myles' care. She wants to tend to her son, but she is weak and unable.
9/5: Karen is hanging in there. She had two hard doctor's appointments yesterday. Myles is still having seizures. Please keep praying for her. She struggles more in the evenings when she is tired. Please keep praying for deep, restorative sleep. I was asked what was the "something else" she is using to ease her pain in the deep open wound with exposed nerve endings. It is DSMO (dimethylsulfoxide).
8/22: Karen saw the surgeon. The appointment was not what they were hoping. She was encouraged to think "End of Life Care." She says we are all already on End of Life care. She will keep fighting and looking for answers. Please join me in prayer that God will greatly multiply the good effects of everything she does to improve her health. She also needs prayer for deep restorative sleep. The arm with the open wounds is very painful and has a lot of edema. The exposed nerves are painful but she puts magnesium and something else on them to calm them down. Please pray Myles is completely healed of the seizures. He is having significantly fewer these days. Please also pray for her 21-year-old son's ministry to continue to thrive for God's glory. Then there are the financial needs and the work needs of their organic farm.
8/19: Karen said she could feel the prayers lifted for her. She thought she'd have to miss her alternative therapy treatment (biphotonic scanner), but she had the strength to go.
Update 8/14: Karen is asking for prayers for peace and strength. Things have continually become worse for her. Thank you for praying with me for my friend.
Update from Karen 8/12: Things have been getting worse every day, I saw a new doctor on Saturday and she was shocked. She sent to the lab for blood work and X-ray, couldn't get the X-ray done yet, on my way to wound care appointment. New doctor wants me in with a general surgeon asap and she thinks he's going to do a lumpectomy along with surgical debridement. Myles had a GM on Saturday morning, but he went 11 days without any which is tremendously incredible
thank you for praying and for continuing to lift me up. The pain and bandages twice daily have been agony and I really need strength to endure.July 12: Karen reached out to me last night and requested prayer for extreme pain and for her teenage special needs son's seizures, fainting, and vomiting. Would you please intercede with me on her behalf? Thank you and may the Lord bless you abundantly for praying for my friend.
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Active Shooter Near Us?
People have been asking which is how we were informed. Here is what I know. The sheriff and deputies responded to a situation that may be an active shooter on a major highway in our county. It is an area many of our family members pass through daily. However, it may just be someone practicing with a firearm. We live in a rural county. The area where they say the shooter is is also an area where people target practice. The shooter and the firearm have been apprehended. That is all the deputies will say. I'll try to follow up. We are all fine. We feel very safe. Thank you all for your concern. We love you too!
Update 7:09 p.m. It was a reckless person shooting at a wild animal. No charges were filed. Btw, it was a concerned citizen who used the word apprehended. Somehow that carried over as I made the post in an attempt to answer some questions. The deputies used the word "located."
Cattle Egret Visiting
We now have a cattle egret visiting. This is another rare bird. The last one I had on my property was some years ago and was mentioned in the blog. I'd take the time to look it up and post a link, but I am in the middle of preparing over 500* domestic birds and animals for us to be away for a couple of days. There is an off-roading adventure with some foraging in my very near future. (*The number is constantly changing with births, hatches, sales, harvests, and passings. The incubator SHOULD explode with 400-500 quail chicks in a couple of weeks, and there is a big harvest coming up.)
The animals will be looked over and cared for, but I do a lot of prep work to make it extremely easy on the helpers. I try to make it so the helpers can verify needs are met with a glance. Then they just make sure each critter is up and moving around and looking healthy. This makes it a quick and easy walk-through. It is more labor intensive for me, but I make it easy so people are very willing to do it for us.
If I can get a picture of it, I will post it here for my fellow bird-loving friends. If I am home or have an adult child available, I'll let you come onto the property to view it.
Beauty Berry
The berries, we used to make a beautiful jelly. We will be using the leaves to make an insect repellent. The leftover stems will become compost. The Native Americans used different parts of the plant to treat arthritis, colic, dysentery, and more. This plant contains an antibiotic that targets certain strains of MRSA and salmonella. Beauty Berry is a cooling astringent herb with diuretic, antibacterial, antiviral, astringent, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Thanks to a great friend who spent a day foraging with me in Suffolk and NC, I was able to harvest 20 cups of berries, a couple of paper bagfuls of leaves, and three bushes of my very own!
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
Update on Boid the Wood Stork
Monday, September 09, 2024
Friday, September 06, 2024
Canned Quail
I started pressure canning in my early 20s. I had no one to teach me, so I learned from books I purchased. Today it is easier and free with online resources. At first, I would not pressure can meat because I could not get around how it looked. It took a few years, but I grew up mentally. Today, I love it for the time-saving and convenience. It also doesn't cost me anything for it to sit on the shelf. Food in the freezer requires electricity (actual cost goes up as long as it is in your freezer) and is vulnerable to power outages. This is how I do "fast food" for my family. Open and add spices, heat, and eat. I can serve a meal faster than I can drive to the restaurants within 5 minutes of my home, wait for my food, and drive back home. This is part of the quail four of us harvested earlier this week.
Thursday, September 05, 2024
Wood Stork, A Rare Guest
Neil Med Eustachi
I have eustachian tube dysfunction. I learned about the Eustachi device from my friend Tom. While I usually have to use it a few times a session a few sessions a day, it works to help my ears drain. My Eustachi device failed after only a few uses. It would not turn on. It was one month out of warranty. Clint contacted Neil Med, the maker, and they are sending me a new one free of charge. So here is a shout-out to a company that stands by its products and treats its customers right!
I also use their sinus rinse bottles to prevent sinus infections. It is very helpful after I cut grass or work outdoors during peak allergy seasons.
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Cyberattacks on 911 systems
Because the 911 systems keep going down in different regions of the nation, I encourage you to put the nonemergency numbers for the police, fire, and rescue in your immediate and surrounding area in your phone. Making sure I can get help for my loved ones was worth the little bit of time it took.
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Who and What are your worshipping?
worship (n.)
Middle English worshippe, from Old English worðscip, wurðscip (Anglian), weorðscipe (West Saxon) "condition of being worthy, dignity, glory, distinction, honor, renown," from weorð "worthy" (see worth) + -scipe (see -ship).
The sense of "reverence paid to a supernatural or divine being" is attested by mid-13c.
The original sense is preserved in worshipful "claiming respect; worthy of honor by virtue of character or dignity" (c. 1300), preserved as a respectful epithet of address to magistrates, certain Freemasons, etc. source
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Who and what do you talk about the most? Who or what do you spend your money on? Who and what do you give your time, attention, and affection? Who and what do you put first in your life? Do you watch TV more than you read/study/listen to the Bible? Do you spend more on a vacation than you do ministry all year? Do you say you want more of Jesus in your life and less of you but then do nothing to spend time studying your Bible to learn how to be more like Him?
Monday, August 26, 2024
Brandon's New Tesla
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Giving Thanks in August for What God Has Done!
Sunday, August 18, 2024
Sunbeam at Our Vacation Cottage
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Please pray for Timmy
My neighbor had his life savings stolen from him AGAIN! The last time, it was 11k. He has been able to save $5k in the few years since. He is very distraught. Please pray for him. I have asked him to start a fundraiser through GiveSendGo and also suggested he contact the local news station.