august 1, continuing the process for making salve and the summer is really beautiful!

here is a pic of the full moon the other night - look how low it is in the sky!

it is called the Blue Moon and you can learn more about it here. i just think it is lovely and love the chance to sit in the hottub and stare at it.

for any friends out there who are interested in the continuing process of making the comfrey/plantain/heal-all salve.....check out my previous post for the first steps. after heating the leaves and flowers all day long, i let the salve sit overnight in the cool basement. this is what it looks like after sitting all night.

 i then bring the oil back up to almost a boil and the leaves and flowers will start making a crunchy sound - that's when you know that it is done.

immediately strain the leaves and flowers through a colander.

if you strain using only a colander and no cheesecloth, you will get some sediment. i don't mind sediment so i only strain once.

it should be a beautiful green colour. next, put the oil back in the pan and chuck in some beeswax.

you will learn to eyeball how much beeswax is needed after you have made the salve a few times. i started with 3 chunks as seen above and ended up adding another chunk. heat the oil and beeswax on low heat until the beeswax melts. remove from heat and then dip a spoon into the mixture, set the spoon aside and let it set for about 10 minutes.

check the consistency of the salve on the spoon. if you like a heavy beeswax salve, add more beeswax. if the salve on the spoon is difficult to rub off, add more oil. once you are happy with the consistency, pour your salve into big, or little jars.

here's my salve in 12 little jars with a chamomile flower in each one.

and here is the salve set. these will be sent to internet friends and given as gifts to friends. i love making healing salves.

this salve is good for bug bites, burns, small cuts, abrasions, bruises, chapped lips, elbows and feet and you can melt a teaspoon of it in a double broiler and ingest it when you have congestion, a sore throat or a cold.

what a beautiful day!

august and september are our true summer months.

when your basil is going crazy - what to do? what to do?

pesto of course!

toast some almonds (or pine nuts - too expensive here! walnuts or hazelnuts). the almonds that we used were a gift from our friend W - he sent us like 4lbs of california almonds and they are soooo delicious! next, add olive oil, a ton of garlic and fresh shaved parmesan - yummeh!

here's the finished product with spaghetinni, more shaved parmesan, some sliced hot peppers from the greenhouse (for jam - not for me - too hot!) and some local tomatoes! deevine, i say!

here i am wearing my brand new cup-hat that we learned to make from our friend, eagergridlessbeaver.

it's crazy but the darn things work!

we went down to the river, didn't get bit once and here are our cups.

it's gross, it's awful but it works!

here's my beautiful river. i take this pic for my friend C.

when i dive in i always thank God and the river. i always take a mouthfull of river water and swallow it. so that i can have a piece of the river inside me. i think it's medicine. and i think it works.

we are now entering the best time of the year - proper summer!the next 2 months are going to be awesome! i hope that wherever you are - it's awesome there too!