panem et circenses

 "panem et circenses"

IYKYK

The Gale Windsnapped a Dead Tree

By the way she set to barking, I guess Penny saw the big dead tree fall across the driveway on the 16th. It upset her so much, you would have thought a horde was coming up the driveway to get us all! She only calmed down after I walked out there. I took pictures of it so Clint would know what he had to do when he came home. It must have scared the dog because she kept"murmuring" about it.

I asked Clint what items he needed ready and prepared them. I have tried to do that for anything I could over the years. He is always appreciative. He came home an hour early and made short work of it.

Lightning struck two of the tall pines lining our driveway many years ago. I have been watching them, wondering when they would fall. The remaining one is taller and is awaiting just the right storm. I will keep watching.

If the clouds are full, they pour out rain upon the earth; and whether a tree falls toward the south or toward the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies. Ecclesiastes 11:3 

Big changes ahead?

This year has brought a lot of changes, a lot of blessings, a little heartbreak, and a lot of answered prayers. As we have navigated through many challenging situations, the Lord has been faithful in providing and showing us the way. 

Now, Clint and I are trying to discern the Lord's will in a situation before us that would bring radical changes to our lives. It would take us out of our comfort zone, require a lot of physical labor, and, as things like this go, probably bring a lot of growth too. It's exciting and terrifying at the same time! 

We appreciate your prayers for us as we seek Him to open and close doors according to His will for us.

Please also keep praying for my dear friend, Karen. She is very tired and worn from the battle, but she continues to point others to Him. 

Tree Burls

Tree burls are rounded growths on trunks or branches caused by stress and hardship such as injury, fungus, viral infection, or insect infestation. Tree burls are ugly scars on the outside, but the wood has intricate, highly valued patterns on the inside. Just as the scars of a tree form burls that become some of the most beautiful and treasured wood, the scars of our lives can reveal God’s handiwork and bring out beauty in us. Scripture reminds us that He brings beauty from ashes and strength from weakness (Isaiah 61:3; 2 Corinthians 12:9). What once seemed broken becomes a testimony of His grace, turning trials into something both beautiful and useful for His glory! When life seems harsh and overwhelming, just trust that God is working to make you more like His image. Sometimes, He allows the hardship to make you so uncomfortable in the place you are, so you will move to the new place He has for you. My love to all!

Poison Ivy Exposure and No Jewelweed

This goes with the previous posts about Jewelweed:

I was asked what to do to remove the oils from exposure to poison ivy if you do not have jewelweed around. Using soap (not a detergent with synthetic surfactants, but actual soap made by saponification) within 2-3 hours of exposure or asap, and lathering up well and leaving it on for a minute or two in between, three times in a row, will almost always get rid of the urishol oil. I've used homemade goat's milk soap and, in an emergency, Fels-Naptha with good results. The goal is to pull the oil out of the skin. The process I shared above dries out the skin, but that's part of getting rid of the urishol oil. Plantain and witch hazel soothe and help heal a rash from poison ivy, too.

How to Preserve Jewelweed

One of the best ways is to make a fresh or slightly wilted plant tincture with 95% or higher grain alcohol. The high grain alcohol must be used because of the high water content of the jewelweed. Alcohol would be a long-term storage method. 

A fresh or slightly wilted plant vinegar extract will also preserve many of the medicinal properties. This would preserve the lawsone compound that removes urushiol oil for a few months, if stored in the fridge. 

A lot of herbalists let jewelweed wilt for a few hours to reduce water content and then make an infused oil. That oil can be used as is or made into a salve or ointment. This is where experience helps because if the water content is too high, it will cause spoilage of the ointment. The targeted compound, lawsone, should last 6-12 months if the oil/ointment is stored in the fridge. 

Blending leaves, flowers, and stems in a little water and freezing them in ice cubes is another way of preserving them for later use. You can rub a cube right on the exposed area where you want to remove the urushiol oil or apply it to the rash. 

For internal use, it can be dried for teas, but it loses a lot of the properties one would want for poison ivy prevention and treatment. The water content in the stems is so high that it can spoil during the drying process. 

 Lawsone is the chemical compound that binds with the urushiol oil and oxidizes it. This keeps urushiol from penetrating the skin. It is believed that the combination of lawsone and the saponins present in jewelweed work together as a poison ivy, oak, and sumac rash preventative. Again, it works best if used right after exposure. 

Henna also contains lawsone but not enough saponins. If you don't mind staining your skin, you can still use the lawsone in henna to deactivate urushiol if you combine it with a plant that has saponins (soapwort, chicory, pokeweed root, etc).

Jewelweed

Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is a lovely, lush plant that grows where there is plenty of moisture. It is in the Impatiens family, and depending on the variety, it can have bright orange, orange and yellow, or yellow flowers. The juicy stems are what most people are familiar with as medicine, but you can also use the leaves and flowers.

For exposure to poison plants (ivy, oak, sumac), crush the fresh stems with your hands and apply the juice to the area of exposure as soon as possible. Fresh juice or the crushed fresh plant as a poultice works better than prepared salves and ointments.

I am one of those people who can glance at poison ivy and get a rash all over. While out foraging with a small group, I used it immediately after I distractedly grabbed a fistful of poison ivy by mistake. I beat feet to the jewelweed and started mashing it in my hands until it was crushed and juicy. I then washed my hands with it and never got a rash.

Jewelweed can also be used to treat other skin irritations, such as nettle stings, sunburn, bug bites, scrapes, hives, and rashes. It can also treat burns, cuts, bruises, sprains, raw skin, and more. It is also an antifungal, so it can be used on ringworm, athlete's foot, etc. Internally, it has been used to treat fever, jaundice, stomach cramps, and as a liver and kidney tonic. Scientific research shows jewelweed has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anaphylaxis-modulating benefits. 

It's edible too. The stems can be eaten raw, but they are high in oxalic acid. Boiling them lowers the oxalic acid, so that is how they are usually consumed.

I have been studying and practicing herbal medicine and foraging for wild edibles since the early 1990s. My herbal education blends extensive self-directed study with formal training through two herbal schools, complemented by numerous classes and active engagement within the online herbal community. As a clinical herbalist and herbal educator, it is my joy and calling to help others discover the many benefits of the plants growing right beneath our feet. I encourage everyone to do their own research and always check for contraindications. -Wendy aka Wendy2Bear aka Mama Asbell

Cabin in a Hollow (Holler)

Clint took me on another adventure, and we found another very old log cabin. Even better than that, we found Gene, a kind and gentle 85-year-old man who seemed like he was in his early to mid-70s. As a boy, Gene knew the old man who built this cabin for his very large family. It is located in a hollow ("holler"), is two stories, and is in surprisingly good shape. There were fruit trees and a spring very close to it. This cabin might actually be able to be saved. Gene liked me so much, he kissed me on the top of my head! I hugged him and looked him in the eyes and told him how much I enjoyed meeting him before we left.

Devil's Backbone

Modern Day "Logs" for a Cabin