Man in the Moon Herbs

All Purpose Salve This is an old fashioned salve that's good for insect bites, blisters and even for drawing out slivers and such due to the inclusion of plantain. Keep in the refrigerator for the longest shelf life. Plus a cool salve feel s so good! 1/2 cup fresh plantain 1/2 cup fresh sage 1/4 cup fresh mullein 1 cup of sunflower or olive oil 3-4 tablespoons grated beeswax (you can substitute 4-5 tablespoons of cocoa butter if you're vegan) 3-4 Vitamin E capsules Chop your herbs very coarsely.Gently heat the herbs and oil in a double boiler over simmering water for 35-40 minutes. Cool, then strain out the bits of herbs.(A few bits of herbs won't hurt a thing) Put back in the double boiler and add the beeswax (or cocoa butter) and heat until melted. Cool slightly. Prick the vitamin E capsules with a needle and squeeze into your salve, mix thoroughly then pour into a glass jar with a lid. I wipe the jar out with a little rubbing alcohol first to make...

The tradition of milk baths goes back to the time of Cleopatra. This bath is soothing, softening and makes a thoughtful gift. Package in a pretty jar with a muslin bag and directions for use. LAVENDER ROSE MILK BATH 1 cup of powdered milk 1/2 cup of powdered goat milk 1/2 cup of ground lavender 1/4 cup of rose petal powder 1 cup of finely ground oatmeal Thoroughly mix all ingredients and store in an air tight container. To use, place 1/4- 1/3 cup in a muslin bag and hang from the faucet as the tub is filling. You can find the lavender and muslin bags at lavendermim.com

Seeing as the roses are so prolific this year, I thought I would share the directions for making beads out of the petals! Years ago, rosaries were made out of these fragrant little nuggets and necklaces of rose beads were often given to brides to wear on their wedding day. Legend has it that the fragrance will last a hundred years! I'm not sure how accurate that is, but I know the first beads I made over 10 years ago still smell wonderful! Start by collecting a grocery bag full of fragrant rose petals. Rugosas are perfect for this project, but any fragrant rose will do. Petals that have fallen to the ground are fine also. Just make sure they are clean and dry. Mid morning is a good time to gather. Next, grind the petals until fine using a food proc essor that you never want to use for anything else. (Your processor is going to get stained black) Place your petals in a cast iron pan and cover with a lid. Each day for the next 14 days, regrind the petals in the food processor. They ...