Recent photos~ growing like weeds!

Rabbits like catnip~ Happy 2 yr anniversary to The Herbalist's Path!!!

Above: Catnip before Rabbit got to it.

On Easter we noticed a rabbit was living under our deck (ahhh, how cute look at the Easter Bunny!). He has now made himself right at home, the kids and I watch him in the morning- we tap on the window and he just looks at us gingerly. I was just out in my yard this morning and noticed my Catnip plant is chewed to a nub. Bummer! I was looking forward to tincturing some soon!
I am kinda surprised he doesn't touch the lemon balm (right next to the catnip) He does also enjoy red clover.
If he lets me snap a picture of him I will add it to the blog (of course when I go to get the camera he is gone).
Our dog Koa has made friends with the rabbit (who I will now affectionately call Catnip), kinda funny he picks and chooses his friends, he chases away the blue jay that gets so territorial (he has dive bombed me a few times).
I guess I will be out to get some more Catnip, and this time it will be in a pot near the house.

More posts on Catnip, here, here, and here.

By the way, Happy 2 yr anniversary to The Herbalist's Path -OK one day late:)! Hard to believe it has already been 2 years since I first started blogging~ Still lovin' it! I have also started another blog Authentic Mama if you are interested in following your authentic path come on over!

If anyone is interested in reading my first post EVER on a blog you can find it HERE.

My home on earth day-

zig zag road

The Sandy River
The park we often walk to from our house
My home on Earth Day. Me and the kids at my favorite coffee shop Mountain Moka

The kids and I just got back from our morning outing - thought I would share some pictures.

Gardening on my mind, snow on the ground

Woke up to snow again this morning- according to forecasts, it is supposed to snow quite a bit this weekend.

I am so ready to start gardening! I am getting such an itch I am adding more herbs to my indoor kitchen garden! All my outdoor pots broke because I did not move them in during the first big freeze, so I may pick up some more today as well- If I find a good deal on some nice pots I will post pictures!

I am giving away Growing and Using Herbs Successfully by Betty Jacobs over at the Authentic Mama blog- head over and comment on the simple living challenge of the day- you just may win!

Challenge: guess ID 7 spring plants from my yard

I thought this may be fun. Can you guess the ID on these plants? These are all from my yard today:) Leave a comment with your guesses! From top to bottom 1-7.

No more naked gardening?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??

The town of Happy Valley here is Oregon is trying to pass an law against naked gardening. Come On! I can think of a lot better laws to try and put on the books- people are actually wasting their time with this?


That's it, I'm streaking the neighborhood in protest!

Hormone Changes

Oh how I long for the days when I first started nursing and had no menstruation. Sometime around the 6th month mark after the birth of my daughter, my periods began again. At first they were not so "bad" now that Ella is around 10 months they began to get back to "normal" emotional mood swings, flu like symptoms, cramping, tiredness. It is time to make a plan, although my nutritional and herbal part is in balance, I was leaving out lifestyle protocols and outside environmental influences. Because after all, we are all aware that our moons occur monthly, but for some reason it is only after the fact that we find ourselves having apologizing to family members, store clerks, and anyone else we decided to do a Jeckle and Hide on during that pre-menstrual week. Doing some research I have found a rather remarkable article that suggests that your partner may be contributing to your symptoms of PMS, astonishing.......read on. The article 'men to blame for PMS' quotes:

Caring partners can help ease the symptoms, but unsympathetic men make matters worse.

"What actually causes the symptoms is a combination of factors - what's happening in your body and what's happening in the environment.

"Men certainly play a significant role in PMS and can play a very significant role in women's depression and anger at that time of the cycle."

So Here is my plan of action for the following month.

* Disclaimer: I am in the midst of hormonal changes, if the following seems insensitive, bitchy, unprofessional, or whatever- I would suggest not emailing me about it (especially if you are male and don't get it) Yes my husband has read this and no he does not give a sh@#. On the other hand, if you are a male that does "get it" email away and I will be sure and forward the tips to my husband and anyone else who is interested.

Lifestyle Protocol

1. Get the irritating stimulus (It or Them) out of your life for a few days. I gave this a lot of thought, as convenient as it is to be reminded by my husband or relatives that your period must be arriving (or here), I decided a calender will do just fine thank you.
2. Have partner read "Men to Blame For PMS" I found this article quite convenient, I know I shouldn't blame others for my own reactions and problems, but if after 8 years my husband "gets it" it's worth a try.
3. Review my pocket handbook "what to do when you feel like strangling someone"
4. Give my partner a handy "what to do and how to do it" list, it seems unfortunately my husband has had a case of amnesia when it comes to housework, cooking, cleaning, or helping with the baby. He does miraculously remember how to watch football and change the channel- interesting.
5. Give my partner coping skills in the week prior to PMS, Here are some helpful hints (author unknown)

DANGEROUS: What's for dinner?
SAFER: Can I help you with dinner?
SAFEST: Where would you like to go for dinner?
ULTRASAFE: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: Are you wearing that?
SAFER: Gee, you look good in brown.
SAFEST: WOW! Look at you!
ULTRASAFE: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: What are you so worked up about?
SAFER: What did I do wrong?
SAFEST: Here's fifty dollars.
ULTRASAFE: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: Should you be eating that?
SAFER: You know, there are a lot of apples left.
SAFEST: Can I get you a glass of wine with that?
ULTRASAFE: Here, have some chocolate.

DANGEROUS: What did you do all day?
SAFER: I hope you didn't overdo it today.
SAFEST: I've always loved you in that robe!
ULTRASAFE: Here, have some more chocolate.

13 Things PMS Stands For:
1. Pass My Shotgun
2. Psychotic Mood Shift
3. Perpetual Munching Spree
4. Puffy Mid-Section
5. People Make me Sick
6. Provide Me with Sweets
7. Pardon My Sobbing
8. Pimples May Surface
9. Pass My Sweatpants
10. Pissy Mood Syndrome
11. Plainly; Men Suck
12. Pack My Stuff...... ..And my favorite one...
13. Potential Murder Suspect

Another thing to giggle about... My husband, not happy
with my mood swings, bought me a mood ring the other
day so he would be able to monitor my moods. When I'm
in a good mood, it turns green. When I'm in a bad
mood, it leaves a big red mark on his forehead. Maybe
next time he'll buy me diamonds.

Here have some chocolate.

Author Unkown

6. Schedule a spa weekend during PMS

Nasturtium As Promised

As promised here is my take on Nasturtium tincture.

I am quite fond of nasturtium as a food, as you already know if you read my nasturtium salad post. And a aside, the fresh plant does give off a cabbage sent when picked, this dissipates quickly.
I made a tincture of both the leaves and flowers, fresh plant 1:2. The taste is spicy, hot and peppery, with a slight cabbage like after taste, much like when you pick the plant, the cabbage aroma/slight taste is there and gone, you are left with a pepper taste. Not bad, then again I love spicy.

I experimented with small doses a few times throughout the day. It seems to have a adaptogen type effect, just an overall feel good type of feeling. I went to the store, and the owner gave me a free bottle of my favorite wine because "he like my smile". I had been pretty burned out doing a lot of writing on the computer, it seemed to lift my spirits. Later that evening I felt "lovey dovy" instead of tired and ready for bed(no I had not opened the wine). I think this is why I was attracted to the plant to tincture it, I have had a lot going on and my adrenals have been shot off and on. Funny how that works.

Olivia Boyce Abel makes an antibiotic tincture for her medicine chest using four parts fresh garlic . . . four parts fresh nasturtium leaves and flowers . . . and one part echinacea root. (You can also use echinacea's leaves or flowers.) she uses four ounces of this mixture per pint of vodka. According to Olivia, Nasturtium is an antiseptic and helps one expel mucus from the lungs and throat. This may come in handy this winter. I am looking forward to trying it. I have also heard from another herbalist that you can use the nasturtium tincture on it's own (not a blend), right when you feel a congestion coming on and it kicks it right away.

More uses to come........

Thoughts on collecting plants

Whether your goal is collecting medicinal plants or foraging for wild foods, a few approaches seem to work well (or sometimes not so well) for me.

1. Start with no expectations. I like to check out an area with no intentions of looking for a specific plant or food. Just enjoy yourself, bring a camera and take notes. Collecting the plants is not your objective. When you are not looking for anything in particular, you will be amazed what you will find, you are also a lot more likely to cover a larger area of land. If you start off on a quest for one particular plant, and you have never been there before you may be disappointed and you may also pass up some really good finds. Also, if you happen to run across that particular plant, and you begin to gather, you may find later that there was a much bigger patch or better quality patch else ware. Because you were not familiar with the area and you did not scout it out, you missed it. Use that day for taking in the plants that are there, cover a large area, take mental & hand written notes of the area and where the plants are located. Return at a later date (maybe even the next day if you found the perfect plant) when the plants are at optimum harvesting stage. This is also a good time to get permission to collect if it's private property.

2. Going out with the intention that you will just collect anything you find. This includes any edible or medicinal plant you know. Then when you get back home you improvise and cook up or dry, tincture, any thing you bring back. This can bring many pleasant surprises and off the wall recipes that you would not normally plan. Sometimes you may even hit the jackpot! Study up before you leave and bring a good plant key ( this is why I like the picture before you gather method, you can take plenty of time identifying, and the plant remains there for when you return) Remember the more you know the more you can gather!

3. Spontaneous eating of wild foods or sampling of medicinals. This occurs when you are in the middle of some other activity like a company picnic for example. You cannot control yourself when you see some sort of wild delicacy and you indulge! This is great, especially when bosses, or unknown employees see you and your spouse has to explain that you have obsessive compulsive wild food consumption and collection disorder. Your excitement is enough to justify any weird looks of disapproval from others.

4. Going on a medicinal or wild foods quest for a single plant. This is sort of like gambling and may or may not be rewarding if you are hyper focused on the one plant. You go on a quest for the one plant that you know (or suspect you know) is in season for that region and habitat where you are looking. Say you are looking for huckleberries. If you do find them, they may not be at the harvest stage, or someone or something may have gotten there before you. A lot of disappointment can occur if you search for one plant to the exclusion of all others. You could come home short or with nothing at all. Not to mention the disappointment you have caused the other plants that you ignored that were calling out to you to be gathered.

Hard rock and Milky Oats

Ok I have been away from the writing for a while. Yesterday I went to the store alone and had the radio on full blast, singing at the top of my lungs at the Hy way 26 intersection (my voice carries), 92.3 had 80's rock on. Thoughts flash back to cruising seaside loop with my boyfriend who's long hair took longer to feather than mine did LOL. I made sure I purposely went to the store that was 20 minutes away so I could sing all the way.

I have to say I feel much better.

Or could it be the milky oats that Jim Mcdonald sent for our trade?
This along with some relaxation (much needed) has really helped my post baby craziness. I noticed a difference immediately. Ella is going on 9 months old now. Since her birth I have been having some postpartum symptoms. Problems with thinking clearly (Ok a least I have something to blame that on). Moodiness (where in the hell did I put that other shoe!) tiredness (what a surprise the last time I slept in was sometime in 2006) lack of libido (what the?).

Milky oats tincture aventa sativa fresh unripe seed extract, have proved to be an excellent nervine for me. I have also experienced a new type of energy, I have been having some *exceptional* dreams, how can I put this without sounding unprofessional, Oh wait too late for that refer to first paragraph-, anyway lets just say my libido has also improved dramatically as well.

Heartsong farm has a good explantion of milky oats.
They also have some available for purchase. If you would like to make the tincture, jim mcdonald informed me that this is one of the few herbs he does use a blender for.

Wands Harry Potter Yew Vrs Holly

Yew Taxus Brevifolia Baccata

This post is a continuing series I will be writing about in the next few weeks, Harry Potter herbs & other Legends see Hazel

Lord Voldemort's wand is made of Yew. It is the only wand (so far) in the series made of yew.

Yew has been associated with death in legends. The Greeks and Romans used yew as fuel for their funeral pyres. Yew was also planted in church yards as a symbol of immortality (since it is an evergreen) Horcrux is the receptacle in which a Dark wizard has hidden a fragment of his soul for the purposes of attaining immortality. Yew was also useful in soaking up "poisonous vapors" escaping graves. To dream of yew meant an old person was about to die and leave the dreamer a large sum of money.

Yew is not a food source, the needles and leaves are poisonous. Some northwest Native American groups smoked the needles. The yew is unusual because it reproduces itself by means of "berries" actually they are aril, not true berries. The "berries" appear on the female plant.


Since the wood was strong according to the doctrine of signatures this strength could be imparted to humans. The Swinomish Native American tribe rubbed themselves with it to gain strength. The Cowlitz and th Quinalult tribes made poultices of the wet needles to apply to wounds.

The Latin name Taxus baccata means "bow yew" the very strong wood is excellent for making bows & yew was used by ancient armies for this purpose. So did Robin Hood, who was buried under a yew tree at his request.

Yew was one of the ingredients in witches' brew in MacBeth, and according to Pliny a natural history wine cups made of yew were the cause of death for some ancient Romans. He also reported the smoke from a yew tree would kill rats and mice.

Holly Ilex aquifolium

Harry Potter's
wand is made of Holly. In N Europe holly is called "Christ's thorn" because it was supposed to have first sprung up under Christ's footsteps as he wandered the earth. The Thorns and red berries resembling drops of blood symbolized his sufferings.
The use of holly for Christmas decorations dates back to Roman Christians, and the custom was brought to America from England, along with the plant.


Medicinal uses:

The tea from the leaves was used in the past to treat gout, stones, rheumatism, and arthritis. An application of the decocted root was used to extract objects embedded in the flesh. The bark and leaves were used as fomentation for broken bones.

Other: the wood is white (opposite of dark as in the "Dark Lord") it resembles ivory. It was sometimes used for piano and organ keys, handles of tools and metal tea pots.

The berries are poisonous.



Recourse Profiles of Northwest Plants Peggie Robinson
Pic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aril

Skunk Cabbage Lysichiton Americanum Legend

Time is short today, I will add more to this post at another time. This story really stuck with me and I wanted to share it. This is part of an continuing series of posts about folklore see Hazel

Native American Legend

In the days before there were any salmon, the Native Americans had only plants to eat including skunk cabbage root (very hot and peppery). The skunk cabbage decided to help the people and caused the first salmon run to occure. As a reward the skunk cabbage was given an elk skin blanket and a war club which he has kept to this day.

Photo by Pam Archer

Willow Salix Tails folklore & magical uses

This post is part of my continuing series about Harry Potter Herbs, & other herbal legends and folklore See Hazel

The Willow

The willow has fascinated people for centuries, it has so many legends and uses I could not possibly list them all. The bark of the willow is famous to most because of it's use in modern medicine, the extraction of one constituent to make a multi million dollar drug that continues to be marketed to this day, Aspirin gives us mixed feelings........ This was the beginning that led medical scientists to discover single constituents in plants, isolate them and create modern drugs, this would change peoples view of medicine forever. The pros and cons for this are for another post. Now on to the fun stuff!

Harry Potter Herbs

The Whomping Willow is planted right in the center of Hogworts grounds. It was planted when Remus Lupin first attended Hogworts. Remus would go in a hole under the tree and transform safely into a werewolf, with the tree guarding his entrance to the Shrieking Shack he did not have to worry about hurting anyone or being discovered. The students were not told the real purpose of the Whomping willow only to stay away from it because it would pummel anyone who came close to it. Harry and Ron had quite a ride when they hit the tree in the enchanted car.

Willow is also used to make wands.



Legends

The power of the willow Tree

The Legend of the Weeping Willow

There are literally hundreds of legends involving the ancient and beautiful willow. Here are a few more for you to enjoy.

There is a European legend about the origin of Alder and Willow. April 21st was the festival day for the Goddess Pales, Roman goddess of shepherds and herdsmen. Two men decided to spend the day fishing instead of participating in the required ceremonies. As a punishment the Goddess turned them into these trees so they would forever have to haunt the banks and streams leaning over watching for fish.

It has been a custom to plant willows in cemeteries, a symbol of sadness and death for some, I personally have always thought they were absolutely beautiful. The first recording of this custom is in China where the willow is also a symbol of immortality because of it's long life.

In European folklore the willow has been believed to be "planted by the devil to lure people to suicide by the restful swinging of it's branches"

According to Bible stories it was the tree where Judus hung himself after betraying Jesus.

It has been said that the willow produces snakes, while it's ashes will drive them away.

Witches give the tree special importance and use it as a meeting place.

In Louisiana folklore Willow leaves are used. You treat the fever by laying on the cool leaves, when the leaves become warm, it meant the fever had transferred into them.

Willow smoke is believed to sooth and guide the souls of the dead

Old Time Medicinal Uses

Henriette has some great info & pictures on her site: White Willow bark contains salicin . In 1827 a french chemist Named Leroux extracted the active substance that relieves pain and named it " Salicin." In 1899 Friedrich Bayer in Germany marketed aspirin.

Willow has been used for 1000's of years to treat pain & fever.
Pliny A Natural History records several other uses for willow: The ashes from the burnt bark of the tips of the branches was said to cure corns and calluses and to remove spots on the face. A decoction of the bark and leaves in wine was applied externally for gout. Earache was treated with willow sap warmed in pomegranate rind with rose oil or with boiled willow leaves beaten up with wax.
Both European herbalists and Rocky Mountain Native American tribes both independently discovered the use of the decoction as a hair rince removes dandruff, the English mixed the decoction with wine for their shampoo.
Native Americans also used the leaves for a poultice to apply to wounds & cuts, it was also used for making strings for baskets and other uses.
Hippocrates used white willow, the cuniform sign for the willow appears frequently in prescriptions on the 4000 year old Sumerian tablet from Nippur
The Ebers Papyrus lists a liquid from the tree which was mixed with figs, frankincense, beer, and other things, and "boiled, strained, and taken for four days to cause the stomach to receive bread"
Willow appears in Dr Thompson's translation of the Assyrian tablets
The Bible makes reference to the trees for comfort, shade and water.
Dioscorides pointed out Willows astringent qualities, and makes reference to it's use for gout, and the ashes steeped in vinegar used for corns on the feet
Galen a Greek physician who came along a century after Discorides (his name is where the term "galenicals" comes from) noted willow bark extract was helpful in cleansing & healing the eyes when infected.
In The Herball of John Gerard 1597 states " to stay the spitting of Bloud when boiled in wine and drunke."


The Wisdom of Trees
Meditation and the willow tree





Resource: Profiles of Northwest Plants by Peggy Robinson, Natures Healing Arts 1977 National Geographic

Herbal Legends, folklore & mediaval uses Hazel Corylus

OK, I just back from watching the new Harry Potter movie The Order Of the Pheoenix, the secret is out I am a huge Harry Potter Nerd! Maybe I am just a kid at heart but I love epic fantasy novels, old myths and lore, movies like Lord of The Rings, or similar fantasy. My relatives are from Arkansas and a lot of folklore comes from those mountains, my Grandpa was a "well witcher" he used a forked stick sometimes called a "divining rod" to find water for wells and my aunt (his daughter) still does this for our family to this day, she just witched my cousin's well when they built their home. She also does things like the "ring test" for paternity and is a master gardener. Maybe this planted the seed for my fascination with the mystical & magical. As I count down the days until the final book 7 in the Harry Potter series comes out on Saturday, I thought it would be fun to cover some unusual uses for herbs in the past and present, talk about some of the herbs in Harry Potter, & other fairy tales & mediaeval uses of herbs. Let me just tell you ahead of time these uses are legends, I either heard it from others or got the info from various books and stories I read, I have no way of proving them (except for my aunt using the divining rod) so if you are left brained or need "proof" just consider these writings a pleasant fiction. Another note, a lot of the time the old uses are not put into practice today by modern herbalists (some can be dangerous), they are however fun to read about & keep in mind that old legends do sometimes have a grain of truth them (laughs mischievously) !

I will start with the type of wood many used for the divining rod. Hazel Corylus
Henriette has great pictures here

My Grandpa and I would go out and gather the hazel nuts they are very good to eat. I heard from a friend that you can wear the shells to help with arthritic symptoms. After gathering the nuts, Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest would burn the stalks to increase the nut supply for the next year.

Old Time Medicinal Uses

Pliny's Natural History, hazel nuts can be used for catarrh and chronic cough
Europeans believed that a double hazel nut carried in your pocket would relieve a tooth ache.
Hazel nuts were believed to increase fertility, there is a Bohemian belief that the presence of a large number of hazel nuts fortels the birth of many illegitimate children.
Hazel was also used to drive out devils in cattle.

Henriette has more uses at here site here


Other Uses

Back in the day, schoolmasters would use the hazel rod for a switch to slap the hands or butts of children.
For many centuries the hazel is used for the divining rod to find water or metal (or other objects)
One end of the fork is held in each hand with the end pointed toward the ground. My aunt reports that the rod will begin to shake, sometimes so violently it hurts your hand, then the end will point to the exact spot to where the water or object you seek is there. There seems to be some people with the gift for well witching, it does not work for every person. Often it runs in families, I have not yet tried my hand at it, but I may if the need arises. Before you become skeptical, let me assure you well witching still goes on today here is an interesting article
It doesn't have to be a hazel tree, but this tree is famous for it's use.

Legends

Hazel in European folklore is said to to be immune from all damage from lightning. The holy family is said to have taken refuge under a hazel tree during flight into Egypt. You can place a hazel twig in your window during a storm, and in some places they are used as lightning rods. If you nail 3 hazel pins into the beams of your house it will save it from fire.
In Sweden hazel nuts were said to make the carrier invisible.
A hazel branch cut at midnight on Walpurgis Night would keep the person from falling into holes while drunk. If a branch was cut on Good Friday or St John's Eve, it gave the power to "lash your enemy with it in your own apartments and without seeing him. Merely name him and law stoutly about you, and your foe will dance and bellow, no matter if hi is a thousand miles away" (Skinner, Charles M Myths and legends of flowers, trees, fruits, and plants 1911 pg 132)

Summer Herb Salad taking it easy

Enjoying Summer, new house.

Just wanted to let everyone know that my posts will be spotty for the next month. I am enjoying the summer, outdoor activities, making my new home my own. Spending lots of time with the plants. I will leave you with this herb salad. Enjoy the summer!

Fresh Herb Salad
1 garlic clove halved
Juice of 2 fresh lemon and zest
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon hot water
4 cups arugula
1-2 cups miner's lettuce
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup chickweed
1/2 cup curly endive
1/2 cup dandelion leaves
handful (20 or so) small tarragon leaves
10 (or so) small sage leaves
1/4 cup basil leaves
handful or so of chives minced
Fresh tomatoes from the garden (to taste)
A few of your favorite nuts to taste (pine nuts, pecans, almonds are great)
A few wood sorrel leaves on top
pepper (ground)
Garnish with your favorite edible flowers

Rub the garlic halves all over a large wooden salad bowl. Whisk in the lemon & zest, salt, olive oil, and water. Add greens and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 4

One of the best remedies Gardening!

Well I made my order to Horizon herbs. Can't wait for it to arrive! Here is what I ordered

	Dragons Head, Siberian Seeds
	Poppy organic
	Sage, Chinese Red seeds, organic
	Gunnera, Giant seeds OK, Not medicinal but medicinal to the soul, huge whimsical looking plant.
	Kidzerbs Garden Kit This is an ideal hands-on educational gift for kids 5 to 12, and for the young at heart of any age. Designed to inspire children to garden medicinal herbs in a backyard plot or in pots on the windowsill. Contains: * The delightful book "Kidzerbs" written by Sena Cech, featuring Cheesie Herbalmouse. * 13 packets of organically grown seeds (Basil, Borage, Calendula, California Poppy, Catnip, Chamomile, Sage, Fennel, Feverfew, Flax, Johnny-Jump-Up, Lemon Balm and Love-in-the-Mist.) This part of the garden is going to be for Ella, she is going to get her own little sign and everything! I am also going to put a fairy castle and gnomes. She will have her own mini tools and watering jug. If you haven't noticed I am also a kid at heart, I will have fun with this plot! * 13 row markers Black Elderberry seeds Gift Blend Packet Calendula, Echinacea purpurea, Elecampane, Feverfew, Motherwort, Wood Betony and Yarrow. Organically grown 500 seeds/pkt. Just the anticipation for my seeds to arrive has gave me a new passion! Can't wait to tend to my plants and get started. Growing season is late up here, it is cool this week so I should be safe. I really believe growing, Harvesting and tending to your plants is one of the best overall remedies. There is really nothing like it. Great exercise, great stress relief, great for the soul, and the plants love it too! One bummer, they were all out of Osha plants and I really wanted some! I will have to wait for fall and order the seeds.

I'm Back Oregon adventure

3 days away from the computer, hate to say it but loved it! Went from this (picture left)- Multnomah falls on the Columbia River Gorge near where I grew up to (pic top) Crooked River in Prineville Central Oregon 2 hours drive away. Completely different climates. Prineville is very dry. Troutdale is windy and moist. Alot more diverse plants in Troutdale, but Prineville has some new friends that I plan on finding, you won't find cattails, sage brush or Junipers in Troutdale, along with a lot more plants I plan on getting to know in Prineville this summer. I took some pictures of plants near the Gorge that I plan on identifying, look for those in my next blog post!

Henriette has 7 dwarfs plus worker elves and perhaps a few fairies

From Henriette's blog: You have data on how many plants?

Some of the various herb-related sites out there proudly exhibit things like "7000 plants in our database" and similar.

So on a whim, I did a quick and dirty database query: count the number of unique latin names with URLs attached.
I have data on 4200 different plants, give or take a few.

And, lemmesee, I have photos of 2164 genera online

On a whim? Are you kidding me? How do you find time for this Henriette? I am suspicious. Let's see you have your site, your list (which is a very tight ship let me tell ya, she doesn't miss a beat) Your blog, You teach, you practice as an herbalist, and who knows what else. You have the perfect answer for everything herbal at the drop of a hat, your a computer wiz techi, I am sure I have left out 1000 more things you do.

Tell us, do you have elves, fairies, dwarfs, and several pixies you are not telling us about? You see I am conducting this little experiment to see if one of your elves finds my site. Waiting for comment.......should take approximately 2.2 seconds.

In case you have been under a rock some ware and missed it here is Henriette's site. Everything herbal, you can find it there. Oh and it is the best site, save your self some time and go there!

http://www.henriettesherbal.com