How To Prepare Herbal Baths

On Sundays, my rhythm is to prepare an herbal bath for myself and the kids. We take turns soaking in the hot herbal sanctuary. The scented steam of rose, chamomile, lavender, and marjoram fills my house.

My life is more peaceful, calmer when I collect, brew, ingest and soak in the delicate yet profound essence of plants. Their absence is noted, when I am too busy to make a cup of tea, or pick roses to dry.

To prepare an herbal bath:

I combine whatever fresh herbs are growing in my yard at the time, for example today I have rose, lavender, marjoram, spearmint, dried St johns wort I foraged, wilted calendula and store bought dried comfrey.

I put them all in a pot and fill with water. I bring the tea to boil and let simmer for about 1 hour.

I draw a bath, add some essential oils such as lavender and chamomile. When the bath is full, I bring my pot of herbal tea and a strainer. I strain the tea as I pour it into my bath. and voila, a most marvelous soak.

The bath will cheer up even the most grumpy baby.

Do share your favorite herbs.

How to Make Your Own After Sun and Burn Lotion

Aloe vera and lavender calms and heals burns. The Aloe vera is soothing and cool and the lavender just smells so good. I love to use it on my sunburns after a day in the sun.

What you need:

Aloe Vera Gel

Lavender Essential Oil

Container

Fill the container with the aloe vera gel. I buy my aloe vera gel in bulk from Eureka's local herb store.  I like to use a peri bottle as a dispenser, however the bottle top does not seal, so its not really travel friendly.  The peri bottle infuses the air with lavender, so I keep it out within easy reach of my nose.

Add the lavender essential oil. I estimate the volume of lavender based on the strenght of the fragrance.  I usually add about 40 drops to 8 oz of aloe. I will keep adding the lavender to the aloe until the smell of lavender is pleasing to me.

Shake, label and smother, you have now a burn and after sun lotion.

Waste Stream Wednesday

Each Wednesday, I take inventory of my waste stream and think of ways to reduce my garbage. Inspired by Zero Waste Home and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, I hope to lead a sustainable and minimal waste producing household.

Progress

I have been canning farmer's market beans.  These are my first exploration of pickling dilly beans.

These biocompostable items made of corn were generated at the free folklife  festival on Saturday. 

The cup and spoons will make their way into our compost bin (and I will observe how long they take to compost).

-I am donated used books to the local library so they can be enjoyed by others

-I am donating a box of cloth and other household items to our local Rescue Mission.

-I made blackberry jam from blackberries I picked myself.

-I buy my fabric for sewing from thrift stores.

To Be Improved

-Plastic waste is generated by our cheeses. Not quite sure how to replace them yet. I can only eat raw goat feta.

-I had to purchase a plastic bottle of stain remover, our clothes were getting too stained to wear - baby and toddler stain every outfit they wear. 

-Need to declutter- house is full of stuff.

Landfill Waste

- butcher wax paper --we buy meat in bulk

- broken glass and bowl

- unusable fabric

- produce twisty ties--not sure how to avoid,I love veggies

- beer bottle caps--not ready to give up beer (8/14/12 recycle beer caps in a tin can- crimp top together when can is full, dispose in recycling- Tip from mama Allison)

-plastic wrappers for almonds, TP, cheese, bacon, wipes, snacks--keep buying in bulk

- used paper towel--can be composted, need to educate hubby and mom

- plastic packaging for a used puzzle for Eva

- emergency packets

- milk carton--supporting locally raised, grass fed cows

- torn produce plastic bag

- plastic dixie cup--snack for Eva

- plastic packaging for my crafting supplies--I now have all the supplies I need.

One bagfull of diapers and wipes.

So......

Love and give plenty of hugs

Waste Stream Wednesday

Each Wednesday, I take inventory of my waste stream and think of ways to reduce my garbage. Inspired by Zero Waste Home and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, I hope to lead a sustainable and minimal waste producing household.

Thoughts

My favorite wine, inexpensive, and delicious now started packaging itself with plastic.  Of course, I didn't notice until I was home (still an unconscious consumer) and took a good look. Two glass bottles (good) wrapped together with plastic (useless).  So today I am writing my first complaint letter to the makers of  Menage a Trois  -  Folie a Deux winery and Costco. I am also not buying their wine anymore (voting with my dollar).

Folie A Deux,
I have been faithfully enjoying your Menage a Trois red wine for years. I would buy six to ten bottles at a time at Costco. Unfortunately I choose to no longer consume your wine as you have started packaging your wine in plastic. So now I have to dispose of plastic packaging when I buy Menage a Trois red wine at Costco. Using plastic packaging to sell two bottles of wine at a time is contributing to plastic waste which may end up in the ocean and choking sea life. The plastic packaging serves no purpose but to join two bottles of wine, which limits the choice of the consumer. Perhaps I want five bottles but now I will just buy four and inherit two useless plastic wrappers to throw away. Such a shame. Please use cardboard or just sell single bottles.

Thank you
Elisa Meyer
 

Week Summary

 

--Avoiding plastic packaging is a challenge, negotiating cost versus function versus waste product!

--I had my first reused and washed plastic bag rip and spill sugar. I must transition to cloth soon as all my plastic bags will eventually rip.
--Jason is trying out the Preserve toothbrush.  A toothbrush made of yogurt containers and (brilliant) comes in its own recyclable packaging.  Just slip the used toothbrush in its packaging  (which includes the address and stamp) and mail it back to its producers. So simple and convenient. No waste is generated on our end.
--Scrap paper making from used envelope and paper.

To Work On

--Choose to purchase products in glass instead of plastic containers.
--I need to make bags (researching).
--Do not make Jam from 12 plastic containers of raspberries (not sure what I was thinking)

 

Waste Reducing Activities of the Week

 

Letter Writing,

I wrote a letter via a comment form to Costco and an email to Folie a Deux winery regarding their plastic wrapped wine glass bottles.

Biodegradable Diapers and Wipes

Julien is now diapered in biodegradable diapers which have almost no plastic.  Healthier for Julien and the planet.

This Weeks Waste

Landfill

Plastics: Plastic paper towel packaging, shipping packaging, food wrappers, meat, pasta, and other food packaging, plastic plate, two toothbrushes.


Need to reduce bacon plastic packaging (bulk)

Paper (non recyclable): Rice milk container, meat butcher paper, tea bags, butter wrapper.


I am now making my own almond milk (so yummy)

Misc: sponge, cloth scraps.

1 trash bag of diapers and biodegradable wipes.

Waste Stream Wednesday

Each Wednesday, I take inventory of my waste stream and think of ways to reduce my garbage. Inspired by Zero Waste Home and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, I hope to lead a sustainable and minimal waste producing household.

Thoughts

Habits, the unconscious patterns of behavior, are pervasive. I forget to use my Chico bag, and end up with a plastic bag, as I reach the car. I grab some food samples that are individually wrapped in plastic, and realize it as as I am eating them. I buy a product and realize that it came with plastic hangers and plastic tags, as I am throwing them away.

I am replacing habits. I always bring my stainless steal water bottle with me. Shopping trips are now a planned and prepared outing. I write my shopping list, bring all my containers to refill, bring my plastic bags (which I will be replacing with cloths bags when they wear out), and cloth shopping bags. I am refining my process and discovering what works. I am having to change grocery stores to purchase bulk items. I am so fortunate to have an amazing Coop, that has all household items in bulk, but replacing household favorites (like chips), requires that I shop at three different stores to replace throwaway plastic packaging with bulk foods.

Week Summary

--I am focusing on reducing my plastic consumption.

--Washing, drying, reusing all my produce plastic bags.

--Choosing products that are not packaged in plastic (challenging), and I am seeing a cost increase to buy non plastic packaging. Individual paper wrapped TP rolls and bulk maple syrup is more expensive compared to Costco prices.

--Reduced my disposable diaper use in half, Eva is voluntarily reducing her diaper use by using the potty.

--Waste stream still has plenty of plastics as the household purges previously purchased throwaway items.

--Buying used items from thrift store.

Waste Reducing Activities of the Week

Junk Mail Stopping,

Each day when I receive those colorful mailers, advertisements, catalogue. I grab the junk mail, and my phone and call customer service to remove my name off the list. It take time, and I get frustrated however the customer service representatives have all been very courteous.

Kleenex forever gone

Jason's torn flannel shirts has transformed into cloth Kleenexes. The straight line of the flannel allowed for easy sewing. My first sewing project. I made five, and they will live within easy reach of runny noses.

This Weeks Waste

Landfill

Plastics: Plastic TP packaging, shipping packaging, baby wipe packaging, food packaging.

Paper (non recyclable): Drink containers, meat butcher paper, tea bags, butter wrapper.

Misc: Stained bib, cloth scarps, dvd.

1/2 trash bag of diapers and biodegradable wipes.

River Fun and Foraging

A trip from Humboldt County's foggy coast inland to hot Willow Creek brought about an unexpected surprise. The family was headed for the Trinity River, where we can soak up the heat (yes I have come to enjoy sunburns) and play in the sun baked frigid river.  We left the 60 degree coastline to sweat in  the 90 degree temperature of Willow Creek.

 

 

 

I spotted a yellow flower and to my delight discovered the powerful Saint John's Wort plant.  I knew what the plant looked like.  I had just searched Saint John's Wort images, on the Internet to determine if  the sorry looking dried herb I had just purchased, was indeed Saint John's Wort, as the label indicated.   I scurried the landscape, searching for the fresh herb.

The medicinal flower was growing in the fertile soil of a rock.

Next to the river.

On the gravel bar.

I used an empty tupperware container from our lunch earlier, and filled it with the bright yellow flower.  

Once home I quickly made an olive oil infusion. I will wait six weeks for the herbs to infuse the oil before I make a salve. I will apply the salve to burns, insect bites, scratches and minor cuts.

Waste Stream Wednesday

The Weeks Waste:
Landfill

Plastics : plastic wrappers for meat, cheese, chips, bread, Kleenexes,and sewing supply, avocado mesh bag, TP plastic bag, disposable wipe package, straw, foam toys.

Packaging contributed to all plastic waste.

 

Paper (non recyclable) : Kleenex, rice and soymilk container, ice cream container, tea wrappers, meat wrapper, coffee container, juice box.

Use hankies, make rice milk, use bulk herbs for tea.

Misc : Fabric waste, scrubber sponge, broken dish, leaking pen, chocolate bar aluminum foil.

Replace disposable sponge with microfiber cloth and stainless steel scrubber.

One trash bag of disposal diapers and biodegradable wipes.

Recyclables

Paper: Cardboard packaging, junk mail, TP rolls, newspaper.

Put a stop to junk mail. Called a couple of catalogues to request deletion from their mailing list.

Other: Aluminium cans, fruit plastic containers.

Progress this week
I have reused all my plastic bags
Purchased milk in a glass bottle
Refilled a glass bottle with maple syrup
Perused the local health food store's bulk bins
Diapered Julien mostly in cloth
I have decluttered my cloth closet and donated all clothing items that do not fit, and that I haven't worn in years, so that someone else may use them. (I may never be that size again)

To be improved
I need to organize and declutter my pantry, so I am eating food from my pantry and freezer.
I need to make muslin bags to replace my plastics once they are used up.
Keep avoiding plastic packaging, choose products packaged in glass or paper.

Limited choices simplify my decision making. There are only two types of rice pasta in the bulk food section. I choose products with glass or paper packaging. Effortless choices bring peace of mind and I can focus on more important aspects of my live. How is your waste stream?

Garlic Harvest

July brings the excitement of harvesting the garlic we planted in October.We watch the garlic patch grow from little cloves to deep magnificent green plants and unfortunately this year to a withered grasslike stock. Our garlic patch was attacked by a fungus that left rust on the leaves and stunted the cloves.

The fungus prevents us from planting another garlic patch this year. The garlic cloves are too small, not worth the effort to peel them. The garlic can't be composted. To prevent spreading the fungus, the garlic will need to be burned, perhaps a bonfire at the beach...

Jason rallied us to harvest our garlic at 8:00 at night, before another summer storm.

The poor fungus ridden garlic.

The family did enjoy digging up the garlic.