China Bayles' Book of Days

by Susan Wittig Albert

  —THICH NHAT HANH

  Tinctures You Can Make

  If you’ve been reading about herbal healing, you’re no doubt aware of tinctures, preparations in which the herbs have been steeped in alcohol. Taking an herb in tincture form is often convenient, especially if you’re traveling. Purchased tinctures are usually fairly expensive, but you can make them at home, using herbs you’ve grown in the garden—and you’ll have the satisfaction of using your own herbs to create something that may benefit your health. This recipe recommends alcohol; you can also choose vinegar and glycerin. If that’s what you prefer, please consult one of the books below for instructions.

  WHAT YOU NEED:

  • a quart glass jar with a lid, and a wooden spoon

  • 2 cups alcohol (brandy, vodka, gin)

  • plastic strainer and unbleached coffee filter

  • bottles (dark amber with droppers preferred)

  • labels

  • herb of your choice: 4 oz. dry or 6 oz. fresh. Consult a reliable herbal for guidance (see the list below). Be sure to use the recommended part of the plant: i.e. for echinacea, you’ll use the root; for Saint-John’s-

  wort, the leaf.

  HOW TO DO IT:

  Fill the jar with the herb you’ve chosen. Pour the alcohol over the plant material, pushing it down with the wooden spoon until it is completely covered, adding more alcohol if necessary. Cover the jar and label it with the date, the herb, and the kind of alcohol you’ve used. Put it on a dark shelf for 3-4 weeks, shaking occasionally and checking to see whether you need to add alcohol. Make sure that the plant material remains covered at all times. Strain, using the plastic strainer first, and then the coffee filter. Discard the herbs. Rebottle and label.

  Read more about choosing herbs and making tinctures:

  Complete Illustrated Guide to the Holistic Herbal, by David Hoffmann

  Herbal Healing for Women: Simple Home Remedies for Women of All Ages, by Rosemary Gladstar

  Making Plant Medicine, by Richard Cech

  It’s a wonderful feeling to stock your medicine chest with herbal products you have made yourself. And it’s such a good feeling to know you’re helping carry on an ancient tradition of healing.

  —ROSEMARY GLADSTAR, HERBAL HEALING FOR WOMEN

  If you are not ready to alter your way of life, you cannot be healed.

  —HIPPOCRATES

  JUNE 5

  A garden of herbs is a garden of things loved for themselves in their wholeness and integrity. It is not a garden of flowers, but a garden of plants which are sometimes very lovely flowers and are always more than flowers.

  —HENRY BESTON, HERBS AND THE EARTH

  More than Flowers

  Aloe vera is one of our most helpful plant allies, but it’s certainly not treasured for its yellow or orange flowers (it only blooms under optimum conditions). It is highly valued because of the healing properties of its leaves, used since the dawn of history to treat infections, burns and wounds, bites and stings, acne, and as a laxative. Aloe even ignited a war. In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great learned that this pharmaceutical treasure was growing on an island off the coast of Somalia and dispatched his troops to capture the island—and the plant.

  GROWING ALOE VERA

  Aloe looks like a cactus, but it belongs to the lily family. It is a fine pot plant, ideal for a sunny kitchen window, and it requires little water or extra care. You can grow it outdoors in a well-drained patch of garden, if you’ll remember to bring it in when the temperature drops below about 40°F. The aloe will produce offshoots called pups, which you can repot and give to a grateful friend. Make that friends, plural. When an aloe is happy, it pups often.

  THE BAND-AID PLANT

  It’s the healing gel in aloe’s leaves that works its herbal magic. To treat a wound or a scrape, wash it with soap and water. Then cut off one of the aloe’s lower leaves, slice it lengthwise (as if you were filleting it) and apply. The gel forms a protective coating on the skin as it dries—hence its name: the Band-Aid plant. Modern scientific research confirms the plant’s efficacy as a wound healer. Aloe juice is no longer recommended as a laxative, and the aloe latex (the yellow sap from just beneath the skin) should not be taken internally.

  COSMETIC ALOE

  It is said that aloe was one of Cleopatra’s beauty secrets, and it is still used in cosmetics and soap. To make a nighttime aloe-enriched moisturizer, blend together thoroughly (use a blender or beater) 3 tablespoons almond oil and 2 tablespoons aloe gel. In a double boiler, melt 2 tablespoons liquid lanolin and blend in the aloe-almond mixture. (You can purchase liquid lanolin in a drugstore. It is a heavy-duty moisturizer with the consistency of petroleum jelly.) Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons rose water, beating until the mixture has cooled. Spoon into a small jar with a lid.

  Read more about the virtues of aloe:

  Aloe Vera: Nature’s Soothing Healer, by Diane Gage

  JUNE 6

  Sometimes the tiniest flowers smell the sweetest.

  —EMILIE BARNES

  The smell of sweet herbs and all kinds of wholesome growth made the whole air a great nosegay.

  —CHARLES DICKENS, BLEAK HOUSE

  Tussie-Mussies

  The word tusmose, or tussie-mussie, first appeared in English about 1440. By 1558, it was “tuzziemuzzie, a sweete posie, a nose-gay.” Around the same time, it was a “tuttie.” But whatever this small, handheld bouquet was called, it was always associated with the “sweet” herbs that warded off the unpleasant smells that offended sensitive noses in the heat of a London summer.

  By Victorian times, these little nosegays were not so necessary for “gaying” the nose, but had become popular personal gifts. Every lady who understood the language of flowers (probably a prerequisite to being a lady) would have understood the special, secret meaning of each herb or blossom. The small bouquet was arranged in a circlet of tidy symmetry, with an added ribbon or touch of lace, and presented in a silver holder.

  HOW TO MAKE A TUSSIE-MUSSIE

  Start with a single rose or a daisy, or a cluster of violets. Holding the stems, surround it with a circlet of small green leaves, such as rosemary, thyme, fern, or laurel. Tuck in a few forget-me-nots, lilies of the valley, violets, and silvery lambs ears. Other silver-gray sprigs, such as artemisia, add a nice accent, while scented geraniums, basil, and mint lend their sweet scent. Secure the stems with a rubber band or floral tape and push them through a slit in a lacy paper doily. For an elegant touch, use a silvery tussie-mussie holder (available at some florist shops and on-line). If you like, include a card with the meanings of the flowers and herbs. And be sure to point out to the recipient that when the tussie-mussie has dried, it can be used as an attention-getting table decoration.

  SOME SINISTER MEANINGS (PERFECT FOR ONE OF CHINA’S MYSTERIES!)

  Clematis: trickery

  Dead leaves: melancholy

  Hemlock: “You will be my death”

  Lettuce: “You have a cold heart”

  Monkshood: deceit

  Nettle: cruelty

  Read more about floral expressions:

  The Language of Flowers, by Kathleen Gips

  Tussie-Mussies: The Victorian Art of Expressing Yourself in Flowers, by Geraldine Laufer

  JUNE 7

  Since sexual abstinence was supposed to be a part of cloister life, the monks [of the Middle Ages] needed agents that could free them of all desire. What they needed was an anaphrodisiac, an agent that would silence all sexual appetite and transform any paroxysms of desire into chaste thoughts . . . Searching the ancient texts, they finally found what they wanted. . . . And thus, the chase tree, or agnus castus, became a common sight in cloister gardens.

  —CHRISTIAN RÄTSCH, PLANTS OF LOVE

  Chaste Trees

  Here at Meadow Knoll, the chaste trees (Vitex agnus-castus ) are heavy with purple blooms, to the enormous delight of hummingbirds and bees. Chaste trees are easily rooted from cuttings; we have a dozen, all daughter
s of a single chaste tree we planted in 1987. In the summer, these tree-herbs form a lovely hedge, about 14 feet high; they lose their leaves in the winter, but their bare branches are a pretty sight. Summer or winter, a fine addition to the garden.

  The herbal history and lore of the chaste tree is fascinating. The monks based their belief that the berries would inhibit sexual desire on the testimony of Dioscorides, a famous first-century BCE Greek herbalist whose De Materia Medica was the first systematic pharmacopoeia. He reported that “when drunk, [agnus-castus ] curbs the urge to cohabit,” while the Roman naturalist Pliny observed that “the dames of Athens . . . made their pallets and beds with the leaves thereof to cool the heat of lust, and to keep themselves chaste for the time.” With that kind of testimony, who can blame the monks for adding a handful of the spicy chaste berries—it came to be called monk’s pepper—to a dish of cooked greens, or brewing the ground seeds as a tea? Some monks even carried special protection against unchaste feelings: a knife with a handle made from the wood of the chaste tree.

  Through the centuries, the herb was widely used in Europe to treat digestive ailments, colic, and flatulence, and as a “female herb,” to treat pain and inflammation of the uterus. Today, it is often recommended as a treatment for PMS.

  If you’re looking for a pretty herbal tree with an intriguing history of human use, try the chaste tree. The bees will love you for it.

  Read more about the chaste tree:

  Plants of Love, by Christian Rätsch

  Vitex: The Women’s Herb, by Christopher Hobbs

  Do you see that lady wearing a crown

  And dressed all in white?

  She is Diana, goddess of chastity.

  She bears a branch of agnus castus in her hand

  As do all the ladies with her,

  All wearing chaplets of that herb,

  For they have kept always their maidenhead.

  —THE FLOWER AND THE LEAF (ONCE ASCRIBED TO CHAUCER)

  JUNE 8

  We had a kettle; we let it leak:

  Our not repairing made it worse.

  We haven’t had any tea for a week . . .

  The bottom is out of the Universe.

  —RUDYARD KIPLING, “NATURAL THEOLOGY”

  Tea: The Real Deal

  According to Chinese legend, the first cup of tea was brewed about five thousand years ago by Shen Nong, a.k.a. The Divine Cultivator. One day, he was boiling water outdoors when leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) blew off a nearby bush and dropped into the water. The Divine Cultivator tasted the brew and found that it hit the spot. A cup of tea was soon on everyone’s table.

  The Buddhists explain things differently. The monk Dharuma practiced meditation all day long. One drowsy afternoon, he found his eyelids drooping. So that this would not happen again, he sliced them off and threw them away. A tea plant sprang up where they fell, and after a little trial and error, Dharuma discovered the secret of brewing its leaves into a drink that would keep him awake—although one has to suppose that he learned to sleep with his eyes open.

  Tea became known in Europe in the 1600s, as British merchant ships made their way to the Orient and back again. The sprightly stimulant became immediately popular and a brisk trade developed. Tea helped to precipitate at least one war (the American Revolution began with the Boston Tea Party), served several governments as currency, and helped to build the British Empire. Americans have done their fair share, too. They invented iced tea (first served at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904) and the tea bag (first used in 1908 in New York City by Thomas Sullivan).

  Tea is more than just a delicious stimulant, however. In the last few years, scientists have compiled a convincing dossier on the therapeutic virtues of tea. Tea can help to protect the arteries against cholesterol clogs; inhibit the growth of cancers of the colon, stomach, and breast; reduce inflammation; and neutralize many viruses. You can drink black tea or green tea, hot tea or iced tea, with or without caffeine. But do drink brewed tea; scientists say that bottled tea and instant tea don’t have as many antioxidants. Herbal teas have different health benefits; you’ll want to check them out, as well.

  Kipling is right, of course. No tea for a week would turn our world upside down!

  Read more about the mysteries of tea:

  The New Tea Book: A Guide to Black, Green, Herbal, and Chai Tea, by Sara Perry

  If on the 8th of June it rain

  Then foretells a wet harvest, men sayen.

  —TRADITIONAL

  JUNE 9

  The hair that showed under Ruby’s hat was such a vibrant copper that it looked as if she had put on her hat to snuff out a blazing fire.

  I opened the door and got out, blinking. “What have you done to your hair?”

  She jammed her hat down on her head. “Why? Is something wrong with it?”

  “It’s very red.” At the look on her face, I repented. “But on you, very red is good. Gives you a little extra whoomf.” As if she needed it.

  “I henna-ed it last night,” she said. “With paprika and cinnamon.”

  I stood up on tiptoes to sniff. “You’re right. Definitely cinnamon. You smell like apple pie.”

  Ruby smiled modestly. “Next time I’m going to try nutmeg and allspice.”

  —MISTLETOE MAN: A CHINA BAYLES MYSTERY

  Henna, the Herb

  Ruby isn’t the first woman in the world to go gaga over henna. This semi-permanent botanical colorant enhances the hair tones of brunettes and redheads (Ruby certainly qualifies!). And because it coats and smoothes each strand, it protects the hair from damage. It is also said that the herb helps to relieve tension around the eyes and forehead, as well as condition the scalp and reduce dandruff and oiliness. And Ruby is right: Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, as well as cloves, tea, and coffee can all alter the basic henna treatment.

  Henna (Lawsonia inermis) is a tropical shrub whose green leaves are dried and ground into a fine powder, which is graded for color, purity, and fineness. Purchase henna powder from beauty supply houses and on-line.

  VERSATILE HENNA

  To color the hair, powdered henna is mixed with water to make a thick paste, which is applied to clean, towel-dried hair. The hair is covered with a shower cap and a towel, which is left on for 2-6 hours.

  Women of other times and other cultures have used henna on their fingernails and toenails. The herb colors and conditions the nails as it does the hair. Because henna paste has antifungal and antiseptic properties, it can also soothe damaged cuticles. Ancient herbals recommended using henna as a deodorant, and in Algeria, henna leaves were placed in shoes to sweeten sweaty feet. In the East, henna has been used to treat wounds, ease mild burns and stings, and heal acne. In Malaysia, a henna-leaf tea is gargled for sore throat and drunk for dysentery.

  All that from a hair coloring? No wonder that, when Lucy Arnaz thought her building was on fire, she thought first about rescuing her jugs of henna!

  Read more about the magic of henna:

  Henna, from Head to Toe, by Norma Pasekoff Weinbert

  “My God, I’m outliving my henna.”

  —LUCILLE BALL

  JUNE 10

  According to some, the Celtic Month of the Oak begins today.

  Fairy folks

  Are in old oaks.

  —ENGLISH SAYING

  The Sacred Oak

  Because of its great size, age, and dignity, the oak tree has been venerated by many cultures. According to Sir James Frazer, whose Golden Bough is a compendium of this sort of thing, the Greeks dedicated the oak to Zeus, the Romans to Jupiter, and the Norse to Thor. The Druids worshipped it too, performing their rites in sacred groves of old oaks. Perhaps, Frazer muses, the reverence these ancient people paid to the oak and the connection they traced to their sky-god was due to the fact that the oak appears to be struck by lightning more frequently than other trees.

  THE MEDICINAL OAK

  Many different cultures have used the oak as a sou
rce of plant medicine. Throughout Europe, the leaves, acorns, and bark were used as an astringent, tonic, and antiseptic. The inner bark, rich in tannic acid, was harvested in early spring, dried in the sun, and made into a decoction to be used as a gargle for throat and mouth infections. It was also employed as a hot compress for skin ulcers and hemorrhoids. It was drunk as a remedy for diarrhea. An astringent, it was powdered and used like snuff to stop nosebleeds.

  In America, Indians used the oak (there are some forty native species) in similar ways. It is mentioned often in accounts of early American medical practice as both astringent and antiseptic. Acorn coffee and acorn meal were also used.

  THE MAGICAL OAK

  The oak was often invoked in predicting the weather:

  If the oak is out before the ash, we will surely have a splash.

  If the ash is out before the oak, we shall surely have a soak.

  The herbalist John Gerard (1597) reported that the oak gall (Quercus infectoria) was predictive, too. If the gall was opened and an ant was found, it foretold a year of plentiful harvests; if a spider, there would be disease; if a worm, disease among the herds and flocks; if the worm crept, a poor harvest; if it turned, plague; if it flew, there would be war.