Just what a Bayou Lady needs!

My birthday was this past week which usually causes a bit of turmoil as no one knows how to celebrate it.  Well, maybe most folks do not..my oldest son has a knack of finding just the right gift for any occasion and he did not fail again this year.  He and my sweet daughter-in-law, Joanna, sent a box containing quite the surprise!  When I opened the box, the first thing I saw was a card that said "I bow to your oldness!"  Oh my...yep, I knew right then who had sent the box!  This sounded just like something that Mark would send!  (Come to find out..I was wrong!  The card was chosen by Joanna!!!  She knows Mark all too well and picked the card that she thought he would choose if he had been at the store with her!  She never ceases to surprise me!  I love my sweet Joanna!)  But..what was in the box, was chosen by Mark..and he did well. (Although, I am sure he most likely had some help from Sweet Joanna!)

The first thing I pulled from the box was a plastic container with the herb Mugwort!  Yes, Mugwort!  I use a lot of herbs but had never used Mugwort before!  This one would require a bit of research so I can use it properly!  Later, when I asked him why he chose Mugwort, he answered.."It sounded like something from the Harry Potter movie!" Good reasoning, I suppose.  Next out of the box came a container of Wormwood!  Again, I had no idea just how to use Wormwood and would have to research this one as well.  I opened the box and sniffed the Wormwood.  It smelled like tea with a hint of fennel!  I asked why Wormwood and he answered, "Because of Vincent Van Gogh."  Alrighty then..was this what made Van Gogh..ummm..a little wacko?  Maybe.  I guess Vincent Van Gogh's sanity could be questioned.  Perhaps it did have something to do with the Absinthe he so loved to drink and that does contain Wormwood but I also heard tales of how he would eat his oil paints and drink turpentine!  hmmmm?  I reached in the box one last time.  Myrrh!  Mark had chosen Myrrh as an herb to send me.  Myrrh. Ok, so now I have three herbs to research!  I have no idea what to do with Myrrh!  I do know is highly symbolic in the life of Jesus.  It represents the trials and tribulations of life.  I, also, know that it is used in the making of perfumes and cosmetics.  Myrrh is also used in embalming...umm...embalming?  Son??  I must research..I must research!  Now came the reasoning behind this choice.."I have never seen it on a spice rack!"  WELL, I WONDER WHY???

Actually, I am excited to receive new herbs no matter what type they are.  Not only will it be fun to find uses for them, the researching will keep my mind functioning well!  Learning new things is one way to keep the mind young.  Yep, I may have them bowing to my oldness but they are keeping my mind young and active!  Thank you, Kids!!!