My Garden Cures

   For the past couple of weeks, some sort of illness settled in as a resident of the Little Bayou House.  It started with Mark and spread on to Son.  Each of them had full blown cold symptoms with sore throat, fever, congestion and a general bit of just feeling blah.  That mess hung around in each of them for nigh on a week or better.  Son is still congested.  There has to be something "going around" because my sweet sister-in-law had it the same time that Mark did and now Darling Daughter has it (and she lives several towns over).  When Mark first said he did not feel well, I was determined not to catch the mess.  Exposure to him meant it was likely but then exposure to his sister and Son put my chance of avoiding coming down sick to slim or none.  Three exposures to any contagious illness is not very good.  Still, I was determined so I headed to the garden.  I gathered herbs and went back to the kitchen to "stir up" a brew.  I am a firm believer that boosting the immune system can do wonders so most of the herbs were chosen because of that.  To the sage, rosemary and ginger, I added my standby of crape myrtle blossoms. (Those I had dehydrated last July.)  Steeping this in a base of fruit juice for Vitamin C gave me just what I needed.  My favorite juice to use was home-canned blueberry.  Crazy enough, the blueberry, sage and rosemary blended well!

  While some ridiculed me about drinking so much of the tisane, I never gave up hope.  For three weeks now, I downed this brew!  I went through several pots a day for the first ten days then eased off to just one pot per day.  Several times during those weeks, I thought sure I was coming down ill.  NOPE!  Not happening!  I made more tisane.  Now, both Mark and Son are mostly well.  Son still has a lingering cough but feels back to his old self.  Mark is doing fine.  My sister-in-law sounds much better and Darling Daughter is on her way to being well again.  Me?  Well, I am still as healthy as I was before all this started.  Perhaps, my garden "teas" are the answer.  I don't have time for that mess!  

On Fire!

  Well, it is that time of year again where folks don't use a lot of commonsense.  Sometimes I get slap frustrated at people who come to the Little Bayou House knowing they are ill.  Usually, they seem all fine and dandy but then will tell me something to the order of "I had the worse sore throat but I took 3 Tylenols so I am not sick."  Oh, come on!  Not sick???  You are still sick!  You just downed pain killers so don't feel it.  You have, now however, just exposed me.  Great.  Head smack!  This year, of all years, STAY HOME if you are sick, think you are sick, may possibly be sick or have even thought about being sick.  I do not want your illnesses!

  I am prepared, however, for the insensitive twerps that have no better sense than to share their sicknesses.  For the past several weeks, the Bayou Fire has been fermenting on the kitchen table and today was the day to bottle it.  Two quarts of the fiery brew is ready to be dosed out to anyone that even sniffles in my presence.  This stuff is good...at "fixin' what ails you".  In fact, one young man insists that all he has to do is "threaten" his colds/flus with a dose.  "I just think about coming to get a dose and suddenly everything goes away."  Well, it may not be that good but, hey, whatever works.

  For now, the two bottles sit alongside of a bottle of hot pepper vinegar.  The Bayou Fire will stand ready for action just in case I feel that telltale tickle in the back of the throat.  The hot pepper vinegar will stand ready for action in the next salad or seafood dish.  Both are fiery delicious...or, at least, fiery!

Dots of Blue

  Long ago when I was a mere tyke, Granddad seemed to tend to me a lot.  Of course, Grandmother was there but 90% of the entertainment was left up to Granddaddy.  I think by the time I came along, Mom was exhausted and needed a break from toddlers.  I spent countless days and nights with my grandparents.  I thought it was a special treat.  It never occurred to me until much later just why I was shuffled off to visit the relatives.  Like I said, most of the entertainment was left to Granddaddy.  He was a patient man that thought all playtime revolved around some type lesson.  I learned while I played.  We worked his gardens, he taught me a smattering of woodworking skills and taught me countless useful things about plants, rocks and critters.  These lessons linger in the far recesses of the brain and spill forth with the least bit of prompting.  A sight, smell, touch or sound can trigger a memory and those cobwebs in the brain are pushed aside while I examine a bit of information that was stored there.

  This morning, the garden needed tending so I spent several hours weeding and fertilizing.  Once everything was to my liking, I slipped down behind the greenhouse to find at least one "happy" for a day filled with work.  It was my goal to help Son replace the siding on the west side of the Little Bayou House.  Son was with the old dog which gave me a moment to explore.  As I traipsed to a favorite spot, a splash of blue jumped out at me.  Nestled up under the mimosa tree, a nice sized clump of spiderwort was gleaming in the early morning sunshine.  These small flowers never fail to make me smile.   Spiderwort!  It was the blooms that caused the memory of Granddaddy and his bits of wisdom.

  When I was about 4 years of age, Granddaddy decided that I needed to learn a few "survival" tactics.  One of his lessons revolved around plants and their uses.  He made sure I could recognize the plant during any season (not just when blooming), knew whether it was safe to eat and if there were any medicinal uses tied to the plant.  Spiderwort was one of my favorites.  Granddaddy also called it "Meet Me At The Gate" since he said it would spread like wildfire, if given the chance.  To this day, I recall him telling me that the sticky sap inside the stalk of the spiderwort was good for bug bites.  "Just peel open a little spot, squeeze the stalk until the goo comes out and then rub it into the bug bite!"  Do you know...that really works!  Thanks, Granddaddy!  See!  Your lessons have not all fallen to the wayside!  I still remember and use so many!

There Comes A Time

  While I love the wild look about the place, there comes a time when things need a bit of tidying.  Back behind the house where the remnants of the old peach orchard stands, I was a happy camper to find the lyre-leaf sage doing so well.  I thought to myself..."All is good.  The plants cannot take over too much back here and I shall have a ready source of the root if the need arises."  I was wrong.  The entire area is/was a  sea of purple.  The plants truly did take over the orchard.  In just one week's time, I went from a carpet of flat leaves to knee-deep purple blooms!  

  Son and I both cranked up the lawnmowers and gave the place a good trimming.  I went to the south side of the house while he cut on the north.  It never occurred to me that he would cut the sage.  He did.  In fact, he cut it all.  Now, the orchard is neat and trim.  It is no longer purple!  This is all good, however, as it takes more than a lawnmower to kill the sage.  It can be trimmed every week and still pop up with blooms.  And...I have to admit, it sure looks nice where he cut.

  Most folks find it strange that I say my medicine cabinet is in the yard but it seems that the wild herbs do a far better job at healing my ailments that most medicines.  While I am thankful for my doctors and their knowledge, for minor illnesses, I prefer to go the herbal route.  There comes the time, however, when I have to part with a few plants.  I guess that time was today.

Lyre-leaf Sage....Bane or Blessing?

  Today being St. Patrick's Day, I decided to "go green".  No, I did not don the green shirt nor cutesy up myself with shamrocks.  Instead, I went outside to work in the garden.  That was green enough for me.   I am not being stuffy here about those who do participate in the traditions.  It was just the fact that there was not much reason to do anything since I was the only one to appreciate it.  I did, however, have a grand time working the plot of ground set aside as my vegetable garden.  The tomato plants are doing fine so there was little tending to do to them but the potatoes were in dire need of fertilizer and hilling.  Once that was done, I started hunting for any volunteer herbs that may be sprouting through the ground.  The oregano was already spilling out of the container and the purple basil had hundreds of tiny plants where seeds had fallen.  I was not lucky enough to find any sweet basil, fennel nor mint up yet.  Wait and see.  Wait and see. I will follow the advice of Son.

  I did find an entire patch of lyre-leaf sage in bloom and that made me happy.  Most folks will recognize this herb as the "weed growing on the side of the road".  It is not a weed, folks!  It is a medicinal herb!  The whole plant can be used.  The leaves have a slightly minty taste (sage is in the mint family, by the way) and can be added to salads and soups.  It is the root that is important to me, though.  That root has pulled me through one cold after another in the past.  The cleaned root made into a tisane is supremely helpful in calming a sore throat.  The tisane can be used as a tea or as a warm gargle.  A wee touch of honey makes the tisane even more delectable.

  I find it humorous that recently, the lyre leaf-sage (Salvia lyrata) can be found at plant nurseries.  For years, it was deemed to be a nuisance plant or weed.  People who desired the well manicured yard (which is actually a waste of land, in my humble opinion), dumped gallons of weed killer to eradicate the plant.  The lyre-leaf sage was adamant about staying and that created headaches for those who are compulsive about such things.  Everything in the book was thrown at the hardy little plant but it was all to no avail.  The plant survived, regardless.  I guess some folks now see this as a plant "they cannot kill" so there is a demand for it.
  
  On the Bayou, the lyre-leaf sage can grow where it wishes.  When it blooms, the place is dotted with blue.  Then, when the blooms fade, I simply mow over the plants.  The base leaves are a great ground cover that can take a beating and still look great.  It is also mighty handy to have that sore throat cure just outside the door.  Lyre-leaf sage...the plant that creates headaches for some but cures sore throats for others.  

Not Too Sure....Nope!

  Being as I tromp around the marshes and woods a good bit, I have often wondered just how I would react if I ever met a foul tempered snake.  If bitten, would I go off the deep end and panic?  Would I calmly make my way back to the Little Bayou House and seek a ride to the hospital?  Or would I try some harebrained home remedy and hope for the best?  Unless it was a known venomous snake, chances are, I would opt for that home remedy.  Not that the idea is the best but "when in a pinch", you make do.  

  Stories abound of how different plants can fight the venom but logic tells us that it is not the wisest move to mess around with a venomous snakebite.  With that, definitely go to the hospital.  You would be stupid to try any purported home remedy.  However, with nonvenomous snakebites being non-life-threatening, I would be tempted to give some of the reputed remedies a go.  That said, I found yet another "cure-all" that supposedly heals snakebite.  Tales have been told that the Saltmarsh Morning Glory has healing powers.  Hmmm...well, maybe...who knows.  I really don't think this would be one I would try.

  This morning, I pondered about that healing power as I sat and admired the beauty of the morning glory blooms dotting the marsh.  Maybe our ancestors knew something about the medicinal powers of the plant but, it also occurred to me, that this plant is always growing IN THE MARSH!  Now, lets say I get bit by a snake...do you really think I would immediately have the thought "Let me traipse out in that moccasin infested marsh to fetch a posy!  It will heal me!"  Nope, I would be more inclined to say "Let me get away from those snakes!"  My brain would not even be thinking of Saltmarsh Morning Glories at all!  I think I would be more inclined to focus on identifying the snake that bit me.  Oh, and just so you will know, I have been bitten by a rat snake and a black racer years ago.  They do not really hurt.  The bites can maybe can be compared to a cat scratch.  Best bet?  Learn how to identify snakes and just be careful!  Avoid being bitten in the first place is always the best course of action.

A New Lesson

  It is sort of a southern thing to have crepe myrtles planted in your yard.  Most of the locals have at least one tree but there are those who have dozens.  Pop did.  All across the front lawn was a row of crepe myrtle trees lining the road.  He took remarkable care of all of his plants but his crepe myrtles were a thing of pride with him.  Each summer along about July, the entire row was a solid mass of blooms.  When planting the trees, he alternated the hot pink with a purple.  He would trim the trees each winter and by blooming time they were about 15 feet tall and thick with branches.  Each of those new limbs was loaded with the foot long clusters of crinkly flowers.  It was a sight to behold!  But...all of Pop's yard was.  I try but mine will never compare with his.

  However, the crepe myrtles are blooming!  I have about ten small trees all started from cuttings from Pop's.  While these do not do justice to their parent plants, the beauty is there.  As a tyke, the blooms reminded me of our favorite "bought" summertime treat...the snowball!  For those who are not familiar with a snowball, it is finely shaved ice flavored with sickly sweet syrups that come in a variety of flavors.  In early summer, snowball stands would pop up all over town and always had a long line of folks waiting for their turn to purchase the treats.  It was a family outing to "Go get a snowball!" Not only was eating the snowball tasty, the fun lasted for hours as we all could make fun of the syrup stained teeth and lips of our siblings.  I was smart.  I always got peach...it did not stain as much as say, blueberry. But now I have gotten off track of the crepe myrtle and I have found an interesting note about the tree.

  While sorting some items on the shelf, I came across an old farm manual.  As I flipped through the pages, I was stunned to find that many parts of the crepe myrtle tree were used in home remedies. Everything from fevers to cuts could be treated with parts of the tree.  I had never known this even though I am sure Pop was familiar with the uses.  Back in the day, there was no running to the corner drugs store or grocery store or department store on a daily basis.  Sometimes, it would be as long as a month or even six months before a "trip to town" was made.  (Not with Pop and his brothers as they had to deliver milk, vegetables and eggs to folks in town.  Their almost daily treks in the old farm wagon put them in the midst of town.)  But, using home remedies was far more prevalent then than now.  It was a matter of survival.  Folks knew what worked and how to use it.  They also knew what was toxic.  Not too many folks are aware that a lot of plants in their yards can be healing or can be deadly.  It may be a wise thing to read up on what is growing out there!  I am sure glad that my grandparents and parents taught me....but why omit the crepe myrtle from my training?  Perhaps, they did not.  Perhaps that was one of the days that I was a dawdling kid without a strong attention span. Ha!  But now I know!  And it is time for me to start studying up on the crepe myrtle!

As Good As Gold

  There is just no pleasing so folks.  A throughout the winter, they whined about the cold, ice and snow.  Now that springtime has come, they are whining about the pollen and their allergies.  Granted. folks have been having a rough time with allergies and the symptoms are no fun whatsoever.  Pop always used to say, "Whining just makes things worse.  Instead of complaining, do something to make things better."  He was a wise man.

  Contrary to what a lot of people think, their allergy flareups are not due to goldenrod.  This is another misconception just like the one about pine pollen.  Goldenrod, like pine, can be used to remedy the sniffles, excess mucus and headache that accompany the allergic reactions.  Before you think that I am off on a tangent here, I have tried goldenrod as a home remedy and it works.  Actually, it worked so well, that since the "trial run", I have had no allergy problems.   That was three years ago.  

  Goldenrod is oft maligned as the culprit by folks with allergy problems.  It is not the goldenrod but rather the ragweed that is doing the dirty business.  Ragweed is one of the plants whose pollen is scattered by the wind and, hence, right in your face!  Goldenrod, on the other hand is pollinated by bees and butterflies so the pollen is not "all up in the air". 

  It would not be a bad idea for folks to give the goldenrod a try but I do recommend consulting a doctor before just grabbing a handful of the beautiful blooms from the roadside.  It is best to be aware of any interactions with other medicines before starting a new regimen.

One of those "should have" moments

  For more years than I can count, I have been making a brew called Bayou Fire.  This is my home remedy for most every malady that hits during the winter months.  While a lot of folks will not find the results that I have, it works for me.  Each year when folks start to come down sick with bronchitis, flu, colds or you name it, I pull out the large pot and start my brew.  It is merely a concoction of roots and herbs from the garden.  These are fermented in a bath of apple cider vinegar.  Since the brew has a name like Bayou Fire, it stands to reason that it is a bit hot.  Besides the heat that fresh ginger root gives to the pot, I do throw in a mass of jalapeno and habanero peppers.  Every item that is included promotes healing.  I take it at the first hint of a cold or whatever.  This usually does the trick.  One or two doses and I have avoided illness.  Therein lies the problem with others.  Folks often come to the Bayou seeking an herbal remedy but not at the beginning of their illness.  They wait until they are so sick that even doctor prescribed medications have a hard time breaking the sickness.  Folks...with whatever medication you take, do not wait until you have some full blown illness before seeking help and then expect to be healed instantly. It does not work that way.  Go to your doctor and get help.  DO NOT COME TO THE BAYOU AND EXPECT MIRACLES!  If you do, I will give you a couple of heaping spoonfuls of the Bayou Fire and you may not be too happy.  While the Fire will help with symptoms, it is not for everyone. 

  As I was bottling my first batch of the Bayou Fire today, I was figuratively kicking myself for being lax.  While I have been making this concoction for a number of years and freely giving out my recipe or even bottles of the elixir itself, I now find that this stuff is being marketed as a cure all....and it ain't cheap!  The recipe for the marketed "Fire" is almost identical to the recipe that I shared so freely with folks.  I could have been rich!!!  If only I had the foresight to see that there would be this vast interest in herbal remedies, I would have marketed my stuff long ago.  Instead, because I was laughed at, called "Bayou Witch" and otherwise just plain ridiculed for my interest in and use of herbs, I withdrew into my own little kitchen and left well enough alone.  Still, each year, I brew up a batch or two to keep on hand if for no other reason than folks love sharing their illnesses with me.  It fully amazes me how many people will come to visit knowing full well they should be home in bed!  Nope! Ain't happenin'.   Here, open wide and take a dose of Bayou Fire!

Pretty in Purple!

  Today, storms shook the Little Bayou House as they roared through the area.  High winds blasted from the southeast, changed to coming from the southwest, turned to being a north wind and are now back from the south. We caught it from all angles.  With the winds, came torrential rains complete with waterspouts dancing about the Bay.  All in all, it was a rough day weather wise but satisfying in a weird sort of way.  The weather did keep me indoors, though.

  Yesterday, however, was a different story.  Knowing that a storm was brewing to our west, I was busy trying to prepare.  The plants in the greenhouse needed watering, the fishing gear needed storing and the last of the squash seeds needed to be put into the ground.  So much to do...so little time!  After gathering the fishing gear from the pier, I noticed a rather interesting plant in the board path.  How could I not notice it?  It was a gorgeous purple and hairy!  Aha!  Lyreleaf Sage! I love this plant. It is one of those neat little herbs that grows wild yet should be in every garden.  There are just so many uses for it in herbal medicines and even on the supper table. (It can be used just as any other garden green.)  Lyreleaf Sage has milder flavor than other sages but still has all of the good properties of the others.  Sage is in the mint family and there are over 900 different types of sage!

  Sage leaves can be brewed to make a tisane that relieves sore throats and mouth ulcers.  Lyreleaf Sage works as well as the others.  This is one of those herbal home remedies that actually works.  Granted, you have to drink several cups of the tisane or gargle with it numerous times but it does relieve the pain and has no side effects.   This is my "go to" remedy for sore throats and I, personally, never have one longer than a few hours.  Warm sage tisane soothes the body as it treats the throat.   Sage, in general, is being studied as a possibly treatment for Alzheimer's Disease, as an aid in restoring memory, as a treatment for high cholesterol and controlling blood sugar.  Hopefully, these studies will find that the plant does indeed help in these areas.  

  As I was hustling back up the hillside and spotted the Lyreleaf Sage, I made a mental note to transplant this one into the herb garden as soon as the storm passes.  Besides being a helpful plant, the thing is just too pretty to be cut down by my lawnmower!  

A Bit of Sage Advice

  Just a bit of sage advice here, folks.  If you are sick, stay away from the Little Bayou House or prepare to be medicated with some fine herbal tisanes.  It irks me to no end to have noticeably ill people come to the Bayou, claim that they are not sick in the least all the while coughing and sniffling up a storm.  That said, I am issuing a fair warning...if you come here sick, you will be treated and some home remedies are not, lets say, too tasty.  However, since I am not a doctor that can prescribe any of the helpful medicines of today, I can and will whip up a lovely cup of "tea"....and you will drink it...or I will send you on your merry way!

  I have been fighting the onset of a cold for the past four days.  It is not bad as I keep it at bay by using said remedies.  Today, however, I was exposed, not once but twice, to folks with full blown colds...nasty colds with sneezing, coughing, sniffling, sore throats and even fever.  I do not need this!  So...a tisane has been by my side all day.

  My bit of sage advice?  Sage!  Sage is an effective herb to use against the onset of a sore throat.  It works wonders as either a gargle or to sip as one would a tea.  As an added plus with this remedy, it tastes pretty good.  Personally, I love the taste and will drink this just as a warming drink after being outside in the cold and with the cold, rainy days we have been having for the past week, it is just the thing!

  To make this tisane, heat a cup of water until almost boiling.  While the water is heating, fill a tea infuser with about a teaspoon of dried sage leaves.  Once the water is hot, place the infuser in the cup and let steep for a good five minutes.  Sweeten the tisane with honey and stir.  Sip this as you would a cup of tea.  Repeat as often as necessary.  

  So, my advice for when you are feeling sick?  Stay home!  Make a cup of sage tisane.  Curl up with a good book and sip your drink.  This way, you will feel better and you will not share the nastiness with everyone else.  

 

Good for what ails you...

  It seems that Grandmother knew what she was talking about when she said a pot of chicken soup was "good for what ails you".  For that matter, most grandmothers and moms knew this.  Somehow, the idea was pushed to the wayside with the era of modern medicine and "miracle" pills.  The chicken soup remedy soon became a mockery and most folks depended on other methods.  The staple of soup soon became nothing more than a can on the shelf that could be used during an emergency or when a mom was too tired to cook.  THAT stuff (canned chicken soup) probably is not what our grandmothers had in mind anyway.  It, most likely, is not too good for you in the first place. Grandmother had the right idea when she made a big pot of homemade chicken soup for all the sick folks she knew. 

  Each recipe varied with each cook but the idea was the same.  In a large stockpot, boil down a chicken and reserve that wonderful broth.  Once the chicken was done, pull it out and start tossing veggies into the pot.  Usually, these were whatever was in the garden or on the pantry shelf filled with home-canned goodies.  Carrots, onions, beans, peas...take your choice!  Rarely was pasta or rice added...potatoes maybe but not the others.  That came with later cooks.  Herbs were tossed in at the last minute and the soup was served steaming hot.  That steam had a lot to do with the remedy. Now, the medical society has decided that there might be some validity to Grandma's idea.  Chicken soup can help you heal faster!  Way to go, Grandma!

  Since I am still feeling poorly, I decided that a pot of soup might at least make me feel some better.  It is not called "comfort food" without reason.  If nothing else, just being in the kitchen doing something would get my mind off of my ailments.  There is only one problem with this whole scheme.  Here lately, I am having difficulty eating meat so perhaps the soup shall be eaten without partaking of the chicken.  We shall see. At least, the kitchen smells divine!

Bayou Fire!

  Occasionally, something occurs that will irk me a bit.  I guess this is normal as, after all, I am only human.  What raises my ire is when folks come to the Bayou sick.   I figure that if I am ill with some contagious malady, I should keep that malady to myself and not share it.  I stay home.  I make a remedy.  I heal before.....BEFORE.....getting around other folks.  Too bad others do not feel the same.  Year after year, I have tolerated it.  I have hinted around to others that they do not need to share their illnesses with me but to no avail.  They still come and will actually deny feeling bad even though they are gagging while talking with me!  It has gotten to the point that I refuse to deal with this bit of stupidity any longer.  So....I armed myself.

  It is back that time of year when colds and flu seem to be the norm.  Get a lot of people together and, invariably, someone will be sneezing, sniffling or coughing.  This is why I tend to stick to the Bayou and steer clear of crowds.  It is terrible, though, when those crowds (or even a single person) invade my territory and bring their sickness into the Little Bayou House.  In the past, I have been nice and offered home remedies that actually are easy on the taste buds.  No longer.  After this past week of being bombarded by unthinking folks who insisted on sneezing at me, I will fight fire with fire. 

  To battle my winter woes, I stir up a cauldron....err, pot of what has been dubbed the "Bayou Fire Brew".  The name suits it well.  It is hot...spicy, spicy hot like any good Bayou Brew should be.  This is my take on the famous Thieves' Vinegar.  It just has a few added "secret herbs" that make it a tad more effective.  Most folks would complain and whine if they had to sip a bit but I find that spiciness soothing to the throat and chest.  Among those secret ingredients, is a healthy wad of Habanero Peppers. This adds capsaicin (and heat!) which aids in healing.  

  Now that I am armed to the max with this "high-tech" weapon, a threat has been issued!  "Do not come to the Little Bayou House if you are ill because you shall be treated with what I take!" Then the Bayou Fire Brew will be whipped out and folks will receive a dose.  There are two options that will help me here!  One...the brew will cure them and everything will be fine.  Two...they will not return to the Bayou while ill ever again!  Either way...I win!

Glossy Privet or just an Impostor?

  Down by the pier just on the edge of the property, a medium sized bush grows under an oak tree.  This shrub is known as Glossy Privet or Ligustrum Lucidum....I think...perhaps...I hope so anyway!  The shrub has been there as long as I can remember even before the Little Bayou House was built.  I remember this particular shrub simply because I was always fascinated by the thick heads of white blooms and their effect on certain folks.  I can remember Granddad telling me how a few visitors to his place (my grandparents lived on the Bayou long before I did) would start sneezing the moment they came in contact with the bush. Personally, I have never had that problem so I assume that allergies hit only certain folks.  I like the Privet Bush and all of its pollen-laden white flowers so it stays even though poor Mark is one of those folks who seem to be sneeze-prone when it is blooming. He understands and merely stays upwind of the bush.  

  I was looking at the list of invasive plants the other day and, lo and behold, my Glossy Privet was on that list!  I was aghast!  How can this shrub be invasive?  I had always imagined that to be considered "invasive" a plant needed to be able to spread with wild abandon!  My idea was that little sprouts would shoot up in the most inopportune places and soon take over an entire area.  This comes from the description of the most irritating of all "invasives" better known as Cogon Grass.  Now that junk is truly invasive as it is now the scourge of the South beating out the Kudzu Vine! (I have to admit...that is invasive!)  Anyway, like I said earlier, this shrub has been here long before I was even around which makes it as "old as the hills".  Not once have I seen a wee, little Privet showing its bright leaves about the hillside.  Why, I have even considered picking the berries to start a few more of the bushes but have never been able to beat the birds to them. As soon as the berries ripen, the birds devour them and obviously, after passing through the bird, not one of the seeds has sprouted.  I may have to try rooting some cuttings if I want more bushes.

  Now comes the kicker.  If this is true Glossy Privet and not some impostor, everyone might wish to grow them in their yards!  According to the WebMD site, Glossy Privet can be used as a remedy for any number of maladies from promoting hair growth to preventing certain cancers (by improving the immune system).  There are a number of good points about the use of Glossy Privet but, as far as studies go, only a few side effects with the number one being allergic reaction (like sneezing!).  To use the Glossy Privet for any remedy, I would need to get a positive identification (first and foremost!) and then beat the birds to the fruit!  It is the ripe berries that have all the good stuff in them that is helpful! So, now I need to find a botanist to identify my bush and perhaps it will become better liked by all of the inhabitants around here and not just me!  Why, my bush might just become high in demand!

A little of this and a little of that.....

   Exhausting!  So goes the battle with fleas.  I never thought that I would say that I am entirely sick of critters but this is a tad ridiculous!   Poor old Ms. Ez cannot find a bit of peace.  We treat her with the highly toxic stuff as recommended by the vet and yet, here she is being gnawed upon by fleas.  After they grow tired of her, they merely hippity hop around the house threatening to eat me alive! As much as I hate using the sprays, I finally relented.  Michael and I sprayed the yard and house...I choked.  It was all I could do to breathe!  I can only imagine what the dog was suffering.  It was most horrible but at least I thought we had rid the place of the varmints.  I told Michael that as soon as we can get into the marsh, I was going to pull up a ton of Fleabane to dry!  We really need to keep that on hand.

  Then last night, I heard Ms. Ez scratching and I found another flea.  Drats!  I cannot go much more of this!  All of this exasperating situation caused me to remember that last summer I had made a concoction.  Hmmm?  Early this morning, a large pot was steaming away on the stove.  I had thrown in just about every herb imaginable. Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, Cloves, Chamomile, Calendula, Peppermint, Citrus peel, Garlic along with a handful of Camphor leaves simmered in a couple of gallons of water.  Once this steeped for a while, I added six cups of apple cider vinegar.  As I stirred, the old line from MacBeth kept rolling through my brain. "Double double toil and trouble, Fire burn, cauldron bubble!"  This is stuff of nightmares! (Not really.  It was actually pretty nice!)  My "magic potion" was complete!  Once again, Michael and I worked as a team. He washed the dog's bedding while I washed the dog.  He sprayed the house while I mopped the floors.  All of this was done with my creation.  At first, Ms. Ez balked!  She did not really want to smell like a bouquet of flowers with a bit of fruit and veggies tossed in for good measure. After I sloshed the mixture on her, I started to rub it into her fur.  Ahhh, this she liked! I have yet to see a dog deny a good massage even if it was rather..ummm...aromatic!

  Since the bath and spraying, the old dog has slept soundly.  She has not scratched once.  Hopefully, this will do the trick and she will be flea-free.  At least I know that I have not done anything that will harm her even if she licks the stuff.  (There is not enough Camphor in it to hurt her.) Wish us luck!  Michael and I are not happy having to do this daily!  Double, double, toil and trouble......