China Bayles' Book of Days

by Susan Wittig Albert

  Herbs that complement vegetables:

  Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie

  —GARFIELD

  JUNE 18

  I am thinking of the lilac-trees that shook their purple plumes, and when the sash was open, shed fragrance through the room.

  —ANNA S. STEPHENS

  Make Mine Misty

  Sometimes just the simple memory of a fragrance is enough to lift our spirits; at other times, it takes something a little more substantial. You can create a daily “spa experience” for yourself if you have a supply of fragrant herbal mists in your refrigerator, ready for a cooling, spirit-raising face and body spritz made of a therapeutic hydrosol, or flower water. Hydrosols are produced from herbal material by a steam-distillation process and preserve many of the healing qualities of the herb or flower. Inexpensive as a facial and body splash, hydrosols are moisturizing, fragrant, and cooling. What’s more, you can use them as a base to create your own fragrances.

  You can spritz with the flower water alone, or add aloe vera juice (the juice, not the gel) as an additional moisturizer. Here are a couple of easy formulas to help you get started; experiment by adding a few drops of essential oil until you have created a personal favorite. Hydrosols are available from herb shops, or on-line. Aloe vera juice is available at the drugstore.

  LUSCIOUS LEMONY MIST

  ½ cup lemon verbena hydrosol

  2 teaspoons aloe vera juice

  5 drops lemongrass essential oil

  Pour all ingredients into a 4-ounce glass spray bottle and shake vigorously. Refrigerate. To use, shake, then spray skin lightly, avoiding the eyes.

  INVIGORATING MEADOW MIST

  (try this on hot, tired feet at the end of a long day)

  ½ cup rosemary hydrosol

  2 teaspoons aloe vera juice

  4 drops orange essential oil

  2 drops grapefruit essential oil

  CALMING CHAMOMILE MIST

  (just right after a stressful day)

  ½ cup chamomile hydrosol

  2 teaspoons aloe vera juice

  4 drops rose essential oil

  4 drops lavender essential oil

  To take away freckles: Distil Elder Leaves in June and wash with a Spunge with this Liquor Morning and Evening.

  —THE RECEIPT BOOK OF CHARLES CARTER, COOK TO THE

  DUKE OF ARGYLL, 1732

  Read more about creating a “spa experience”:

  Secrets of the Spas: Pamper and Vitalize Yourself at Home, by Catherine Bardey

  JUNE 19

  Father’s Day is usually celebrated about this time.

  There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance . . . I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died.

  —WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, HAMLET

  Rosemary: Preserving Memories

  The knowledge of rosemary’s special preserving capabilities goes back a long way. Thousands of years ago, people who lived around the Mediterranean noticed that rosemary leaves slowed spoilage in fresh meat. About the same time, in Egypt, embalmers began using rosemary to make mummies. These demonstrations of the herb’s ability to preserve led people to believe that rosemary could also preserve memory. Which is why Greek and Roman students wore garlands of rosemary when they studied.

  It wasn’t long before the plant became associated with the idea of remembrance. A funeral wreath included rosemary as a sign that the living would always remember the dead. Rosemary in a bridal bouquet symbolized the couple’s lifelong remembrance of their wedding vow. During the Middle Ages, this association transformed rosemary into a love charm. If you were tapped by a rosemary sprig, there was no way out: It was love until death. So by the late sixteenth century, when Ophelia hands Hamlet a rosemary sprig “for remembrance,” the play’s audience understood that Ophelia was in love with him and could guess that his rejection—coupled with her grief at the death of her beloved father—meant her death. The plant was irretrievably linked to love and death, and to the eternal recollection of both.

  Modern science has explained rosemary’s remarkable preservative properties, and tells us why this herb may actually help us to remember. It turns out that the plant contains powerful antioxidants which slow the cell breakdown that causes decay and spoilage—antioxidants so potent that Japanese researchers have demonstrated rosemary’s efficacy as a replacement for chemical preservatives. Importantly, German scientists have found that these same chemicals also help to slow the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain, and may retard memory loss in early-stage Alzheimer’s victims. One American herbalist even suggests that the traditional rosemary rinse that makes your hair shiny may also help you remember to buy shampoo.

  So there you are—rosemary, a remarkably helpful herb.

  Remember it.

  Read more about rosemary:

  Growing and Using Rosemary, Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-116, by Bertha P. Reppert

  Make thyself a box of rosemary wood and smell it oft and it will keep thee youngly.

  —BANCKES HERBAL, 1525

  JUNE 20

  The summer solstice occurs about this time: the shortest night and the longest day of the year.

  You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

  —MAX EHRMANN, DESIDERATA

  Midsummer Magic

  On the Summer Solstice, the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and begins its downward plunge into the darkness of winter. For pagan peoples, this was an awe-inspiring event of profound significance, and herbs and flowers gathered at this time were thought to have magical qualities. Fern seeds could make you rich, and maybe even make you invisible. Mugwort could bring you a valuable dream—and whatever you dream on Midsummer’s Night is sure to come true. And the sprightly yellow blossoms of chase-devil, or Saint-John’s-wort (Hypericum perforatum) would shield you from the power of evil spirits during the coming dark.

  CHASING THE DEVIL

  Hypericum has been in use for more than 2,000 years. Early people hung it over their doors and above their religious icons to ward off evil spirits. In Northern Europe, it was worn to repel demon lovers and burned in Midsummer ritual bonfires as a protective incense. In some areas, cattle, sheep, and horses were driven through the smoke to protect them, as well. After the Catholic Church established the Feast of St. John as a substitute for the pagan midsummer celebration, chase-devil was still tossed into the ritual flames but under its new and more politically-correct name—Saint-John’s-wort. (Wort is the Anglo-Saxon word for herb or plant.) During medieval times, the Europeans used Saint-John’s-wort to treat melancholia, which they viewed as a form of possession by the devil. A thirteenth-century list of medicinal plants referred to it as herba demonis fuga—an herb to chase away devils. In 1630, Italian physician Angelo Sala wrote that Saint-John’s-wort had an excellent reputation for treating illnesses of the imagination, melancholia, and anxiety. By the nineteenth century, it was being regularly prescribed as a mood-enhancer, to treat depression.

  And of course, that is chiefly why we use it today—and with confidence, for numerous clinical studies have demonstrated its usefulness in treating mild depression. The next time you reach for Saint-John’s-wort to banish the blues, remember that people have been using this remarkable herb to chase this particular devil for centuries.

  Read more about the magic of St. John’s wort:

  St. John’s Wort: The Mood-Enhancing Herb, by Christopher Hobbs

  Saint-John’s-wort, scaring from the midnight heath

  The witch and goblin with its spicy breath.

  —TRADITIONAL CHARM

  JUNE 21

  Today or tomorrow, the Sun enters the sign of Cancer.

  The fourth sign of the zodiac, the feminine sign Cancer (the Crab) is ruled by the Moon, which governs feelings and the sense of belonging. Ca
ncer is a cardinal water sign, suggesting that Cancer people are sensitive, nurturing, and likely to place a high value on home and family. They may also be occasionally moody, avoid change, and withdraw from painful situations.

  —RUBY WILCOX, “ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS”

  Cancer Herbs

  Nurturing, maternal Cancer, ruled by the Moon, governs the breasts, womb, and ovaries, as well as the esophagus and the stomach. It also rules all fluid secretions, including menstrual blood, fluids, and tears. The Moon is often associated with conditions involving irregular periodicity: irregular menstruation and menstruation-related moods, insomnia, hysteria, and epilepsy. Lunar herbs tend to have white or yellow flowers and soft, juicy leaves. The seventeenth-century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper described the following plants as ruled by the Moon. The descriptions are Culpeper’s, and reflect the herbs’ historical uses.

  • Saxifrage (Pimpinella major). The root is good for the colic and expels wind. The roots or the seed are used in powder or in decoction to help the mother, procure the courses, remove phlegm and cure venom.

  • Lettuce (Lactuca sativa). The juice of the plant is mixed with Oil of Roses and applied to the temples to procure sleep and to cure a headache arising from a hot cause. Eaten boiled, lettuce loosens the belly, helps digestion, quenches thirst, increases milk in nursing mothers, and eases griping pains in the stomach.

  • Lily (Lilium candidum). The root made into a decoction gives delivery to women in travail and expels the afterbirth.

  • Chickweed (Stellaria media). The juice or distilled water is good for all heats and redness in the eyes if some is dropped into them . . . it is also used in hot and virulent ulcers and sores in the privy parts of men and women, or on the legs or elsewhere.

  Read more about Nicholas Culpeper’s astrological herbalism:

  Culpeper’s Medicine: A Practice of Western Holistic Medicine, by Graeme Tobyn

  In the beginning He formed the Heavens and adorned them with goodly, shining stars, to which He gave power and might to influence everything under heaven . . . so that everything which has its being under Heaven receives it from the stars, and keeps it by their health.

  —ANONYMOUS FIFTEENTH-CENTURY GERMAN PHILOSOPHER

  JUNE 22

  Our kids are more familiar with computers and cell phones than they are with grass or fireflies. They are seldom outdoors. They think food comes in a box or a bag. It makes me wonder what the future holds for gardeners. Are we a dying breed, soon to become extinct? I like to cook, I like to garden. I just may be a dinosaur.

  —CAROLEE SNYDER

  Going Places: Carolee’s Herb Farm, Hartford City Indiana

  I love my visits to Carolee’s Herb Farm, not just because of its wonderful gardens, or its fields of pick-your-own lavender, or even the big barn, stuffed full of herbal treasures. I love to go there just to visit with Carolee Snyder and hear all about her latest adventure into herbs. When it comes to herbs, Carolee (whom I met when we both served on the board of the International Herb Association) is one of the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic people I know.

  Carolee’s special passion is lavender. She grows more than sixty different varieties in her lavender field, from the compact, eight-inch “Baby Blue” to the tall, spectacular “Hidcote Giant.” And in most years, Carolee and her visiting lavender specialists offer Lavender Daze, a two-day lavender festival, with classes and workshops on cooking, crafting, and growing this delightful plant. You can learn to make a wreath or a sorbet, relax with a lavender massage, or stroll through the lavender fields, warm and fragrant under the Indiana sun.

  While you’re there, you’ll want to browse through Carolee’s delightful gardens, twenty of them, each organized around a particular theme: a Sunrise Garden of bright orange and yellow plants, a Cook’s Garden, a Cottage Garden, a Thyme Garden. If you live in the vicinity, you can tune in her weekly radio show, where she answers callers’ questions and shares gardening information (details on her web site). And if Carolee’s life as a gardener and educator tempts you to drop everything and buy a farm, you might check her online personal journal (also on her web site). It will give you an idea of the daily and seasonal challenges she faces and the many different kinds of work she does.

  Come lavender time, though, you’ll find Carolee in her lavender field, enjoying the scent and sweetness of nature at its finest. Join her.

  For Carolee’s Cranberry Cordial see November 26.

  Read more about Carolee’s gardening life:

  Carolee’s Herb Farm web site, www.caroleesherbfarm.com, for directions, photos, recipes, and tips

  Thyme and Thyme Again: Celebrating Good Thymes in the Garden, by Carolee Snyder (available at the farm, or from the web site)

  JUNE 23

  Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made.

  —HENRY BEECHER (1858)

  Candied Blossoms

  So many flowers are in bloom in China’s garden right now that she and Ruby are dazzled. It’s time to preserve some for summertime sweet treats, so they’re planning to get together on Sunday afternoon and spend a few pleasant hours making their flowers even sweeter. Candied blossoms add elegance to cakes, petit fours, cheesecakes, candies, and other dainties. This is a family-friendly project you can do at home, so gather the kids and get started!

  CANDYING FLOWERS AND HERBS

  Gather flowers and herb leaves. Good choices: Borage flowers, violas (pansies, violets, Johnny-jump-ups), redbud and lilac florets, rose petals, plum and apple blossoms, mint leaves, lemon balm leaves. Nip off the stems, wash them, and dry them on a towel. Transfer to paper towels to ensure that they are thoroughly dry.

  Gather ingredients and equipment. You will need 2 room-temperature egg whites, water, a cup or more of superfine sugar in a flat bowl or saucer, a clean tweezers, and a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet or tray.

  Candy the flowers. Beat the egg whites until they just froth. Holding a flower or leaf with the tweezers, dip it into the egg white. Hold it over the sugar, and gently sprinkle sugar over the whole flower, turning it as you work to coat all the surfaces. Place the candied blossom on the wax paper. Repeat until you’ve candied all your flowers and leaves. Put the cookie sheet in a warm, dry place to dry. If the humidity is high, this may take up to 36 hours. Alternatives: Put the blossoms in an oven with the pilot light lit overnight; or set the oven at 150° and dry them with the door open for several hours; or use a dehydrator. Store in airtight containers (tins or plastic), separating the layers with waxed paper.

  Read more about edible blossoms:

  Flowers in the Kitchen: A Bouquet of Tasty Recipes, by Susan Belsinger

  Using flowers in the kitchen is fun, so be creative and experiment. If you think that dill and chives go well together, then try combining their flowers in an unusual vinegar or a savory butter. . . . Sample each bloom to see how it tastes and which foods it goes well with. If you don’t like it, don’t eat it again; if you do, plant a lot in your garden!

  —SUSAN BELSINGER, FLOWERS IN THE KITCHEN

  JUNE 24

  “Clippers, bags, and wet paper towels?” I asked, startled. I stared at Sheila [the Pecan Springs Chief of Police]. “I think I know what Mrs. Barton was doing in that cemetery! She was a rose rustler!”

  Now it was Sheila’s turn to stare. “A rose rustler? What in the world is that?”

  “People who want to propagate old roses,” I said. “Mrs. Barton brought the clippers in order to take cuttings, and the wet paper towels to wrap around the stems before she put them into the plastic bags.”

  —“DEATH OF A ROSE RUSTLER,” IN AN UNTHYMELY DEATH AND OTHER GARDEN MYSTERIES

  Rose Rustling

  Rose rustling? Call the cops!

  No, don’t. Rose rustling is an honorable profession, engaged in by some of the most law-abiding citizens you’d ever hope to meet. It is the name given to folks who preserve heirloom roses by taking cuttings wherever they happen to find them: in cemeteries, forgotten gardens, aband
oned churchyards.

  Why old roses? Because their historic interest, color, form, and most of all, their fragrance, make antique roses a valuable addition to contemporary gardens. Early rose cultivars have a much greater adaptability and disease resistance than do modern hybrids. They are especially suited to Southern gardens, where roses sometimes have a hard time of it.

  What may be more important, many of these old roses are no longer commercially available. There’s enormous excitement, rose rustlers say, in discovering a “found” rose that has not been noticed for a half century or more.

  So if you happen to see a rose blooming in a forgotten cemetery, bring clippers, wet paper towels, and a plastic bag, and start rustling!

  HERE’S HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL ROSE RUSTLER: