Earth Day, Sunday, April 22, 2012

Earth Day
Sunday
April 22, 2012

Good morning, All!  Just wanted to share a few thoughts with you this morning on Earth Day.  I feel about Earth Day as Ray Stannard Baker felt about Christmas
Day.  See post entitled To All In Texas and Beyond, Merry Chirstmas, Ya'll.

With Mr. Stannard's blessing (I hope) this is how I would rewrite his quote to express my feelings about Earth Day.

I sometimes think we expect too much of Earth Day.  We try to crowd into it a whole years worth of loving Mother Earth and the plants and creatures that dwell on her.  As for me and mine, we like to take Earth Day a little at a time, all through the year.  And thus I walk my prairie and woodland path into the Spring, let it overtake me unexpectedly, waking up some fine morning and suddenly saying to myself:

Spider Lily
Hymenocallis liriosme

Why this and everyday is Earth Day!

The Native Plant Society of Texas, Winnsboro Chapter, will be meeting this Thursday!  We meet at 6:00 at Art & Espresso on Market Street in Winnsboro, Texas.  We would love for you to attend our meetings.  Feel free to bring your mystery plants, a field guide or two and a friend or loved one for a fun and fact filled hour about plants.  If you need more information, please call me at 903-866-3606.


Now come take a virtual walk with me and let's see what has been blooming around here this April.

Yarrow
Achillea millefolium

Yarrow is one of my favorite plants.  She is so versatile and beautiful in her own wild way.  You will see Yarrow blooming now along roadsides and in pastures.  From a distance it will look a little like Queen Anne's Lace.  The Yarrow leaves are feathery like a fern and the flower of the Queen Anne's Lace are claret-colored or pale pink before they open, then bright white and rounded when in full flower.


Milfoil (Yarrow) makes an excellent plant for the yard and is extensively cultivated.  A tea from the leaves is said to be good for fever and restful sleep.  Many other medicines are made from all parts of this plant, including a blood coagulant and a local anesthetic.  Wildflowers of Texas, G. Ajilvsgi

Showy Primrose or Pink Evening Primrose
Oenothera specios

The Pink Evening Primrose is not the Primrose so prized by herbalist for it's medicinal qualities.  But, this plant has taken up Spring residence in my garden.  So, I have been using her to make some oil and tincture.  If you come across this plant, gently pick a flower and do like any kid would do!  Hold it against your nose for a face full of butter colored pollen!

Pink Evening Primrose is anti-microbial (assists the body in resisting and destroying microbes), anti-inflammatory (reduces the redness, heat and swelling of inflammation when used internally or externally), anti-ulcer (herbs used to treat ulcers in the stomach and upper part of the small intestine), anti-pyretic (reduces fever), and analgesic (relieving pain, taken internally or applied externally).

The greens of this plant are edible but best used before flowering.

Prairie Spiderwort
Tradescantia occidentalis

Prairie Spiderwort is blooming in all sorts of colors this year.  I have seen violet to a dark purplish blue and have even seen a white one.  They are growing along the roadways now.  The leaves and flowers of this plant are edible, they can be eaten raw or boiled.  The root is poisonous!  Contains saponin so please avoid the root.  The Dakota Indians used this plant as a love charm while singing.  Information from Wildflowers of Texas, G. Ajilvsgi

Enough for today.  Time to get to work!  Remember, let everyday be Earth Day for you and yours.  Simple acts such as planting wildflowers, heck, even not mowing them down until they have seeded, helps the Earth

Salvia greggii
Autumn sage, Cherry sage,
Gregg salvia
Photo by Dana Michael

tremendously.  The bees will love you!  How about planting something the bees love like Salvia or Sage?  Now, Salvia will take over your garden, so be mindful where you plant her.  She is a great plant to share so if she gets a little unruly, just pull her up and put her in a pot and give her to someone that loves bees, butterflies and hummers!

Oh, and remember!
The Winnsboro Farmers Market opens this Saturday!  Visit the new website:  www.winnsborofarmersmarket.com.  The website is beautiful!

This month's herb class The Wild Side of Herbs will be Wednesday and Saturday of this week!  Let me know if you are interested in joining us for an afternoon herb walk, discussion and some simple herbal medicine making!  You can email or call me.  Susan....stdragonfly@yahoo.com or 903-866-3606.

As always, Herbally yours, Susan

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

Native American proverb

A Duck, A Dog, and A Darling!

DucDuc, A Duck!

My, My, My! You would think it is Springtime on the Ranch!  This week we have had so many new arrivals!  The first to arrive was the most gorgeous Duck.  She has been showing up at chore time to dine with the chickens.  She spends her time between here and the neighbors, who I have learned are also feeding her (but they are not feeding her biscuits!). DucDuc has definitely developed a fondness for sourdough biscuits.

Stuart, A Dog!

The next to arrive was Stuart.  Now Stuart is just a guest and will go home when Nancy gets back to town.  Stuart, also,  has a fondness for Sourdough biscuits.  Don't tell Nancy but we have been spoiling this little fellow all week!

Faye, A Darling!

And then there is Faye and her mom, Richelle.  They came for a visit this weekend.  Now, Faye's favorite thing to do on the ranch is feed the chickens.  This weekend we have had the best fed chickens in Hopkins County.

As you might have guessed it has been a fun week!  Not only have we had 2 legged and 4 legged guests but I am beginning to see a lot of plants making their appearance.  Now, I just want to let you know that I am not an expert at identifying plants!  But, I did check with my field guides and the Internet on the identification of these plants.  To learn about the plants growing around us is a great adventure for me!  If I am not always correct in my id's, please be patient with me!
Let me see, where will we start?  I have seen quite a few plants this week!

The large flower with the purple stripe is
Spring Beauty Claytonia caroliniana
The small white flower, I think is
Diamond flowers
Stenaria nigricans

I will just list the plants and you can enjoy the photos!

One of the prettiest is the Bluet which is a native plant.  It could, also, be called Star-Violet.

The little purple flower
on the left
I believe is,
Tiny Bluet, Small Bluet or Least Bluet
Houstonia pusilla

Spring Beauty is a member of the Greater Purslane family and is an edible plant.   The plant grows small roots that remind people of tiny potatoes, hence the nickname “Fairy Spuds.”  These roots are edible and said to be a littler sweeter than a potato.

I believe the tiny white flower that is all over the front lawn is Diamond flower, Stenaria nigricans.

Yellow flowers and a Puff Ball!
Dandelion!
Taraxacum officinale

The Dandelion!  Wow, what a power house of medicine and food is contained in this little plant.

"Historically, dandelion was prized for a variety of medicinal properties, and it contains a wide number of pharmacologically active compounds.^[23] Dandelion is used as folk remedies in Europe, North America and China.^[23] It was used to treat infections, bile and liver problems,^[23] as well as cancers,^{[citation needed]} and as a diuretic.^[23] There is evidence to suggest it may have anti-inflammatory effects and assist with urinary tract infections in women.^{[citation needed]" this information is from wikipedia}

Red Deadnettle, Purple Deadnettle,
Purple Archangel
Lamium purpureum

All parts of the Dandelion are edible.  The leaves are used in salad and the roots can be roasted and ground as a coffee replacement.  I really like the flowers and tend to munch on them as I am gardening.  (Remember, I am the only person Omer had ever met that planted the weeds in her garden!)  The flowers are made into a wine.

Just eating a Dandelion leaf a day provides quite a few vitamins and minerals!

 Henbit Deadnettle, Greater Henbit
Lamium amplexicaule

Though superficially similar to a nettle in appearance, it is not related and does not sting, hence the name "deadnettle".

Chickweed!
Stellaria media

Here in Northeast Texas Chickweed is prolific!  Chickweed is one of my favorite wild edibles.  It is great in salads.  We have used it in salads, soups, green smoothies, on pizza and as a pesto.

Chickweed is a wonderful folk medicine.  I make Chickweed oil and use the oil in my salves.   "The plant has uses in folk medicine. For example, 17th century herbalist John Gerard recommended it as a remedy for mange. Modern herbalists mainly prescribe it for skin diseases, and also for bronchitis, rheumatic pains, arthritis and period pain.^{[citation needed]} A poultice of chickweed can be applied to cuts, burns and bruises."^{information from wikipedia.}

^{Chickweed Pesto}

To make this wonderful early spring treat combine:
2 cloves of garlic, 
3 Tablespoons of pine nuts or sunflower seeds, 
¼ tsp. salt, 
2 packed cups chopped fresh chickweed, 
½ cup olive oil, and 
½ cup Parmesan cheese in a blender...
THEN...Blend well!   


This recipe is from Learningherbs.com

Yarrow!
Achillea millefolium
Yarrow can be used to
stop bleeding.  If you are outside and
cut yourself,  squish some Yarrow
leaves and apply to the cut.  Then
as soon as possible, clean and dress
the wound properly!

Sow Thistle!
Sonchus oleraceus

Dock!
(the largest plant in this photo)
The young leaves are edible.
The root is medicinal and edible.

This week I also saw Field Pansy, Plantain, Shepherd's Purse, Lyre-leaf Sage and Honeysuckle and several others.

Hope you are able to get out and enjoy this great weather.  Go for a stroll (your dog will love it!) and see how many spring plants you can see!  And remember some of them are a great addition to a salad.

Herbally yours, Susan







The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image.  Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.  

Thomas Merton

Brother Cody, Faye and Cousin Sandra

The Saga of the New Pet with the Stinky Disposition Part 3 and the End of the Story

Photo by
www.rangerville.com
Remember in the last segment
of the Saga, I talked about the
"little yeasties"?  Well, this
is what they become when they are
veeeery happy!

Good morning, All. 

I have heard from ya'll that leaving comments is a real pain because you have had to get a google account if you didn't have one, or go through some similar rigamorole.  The other day I was was playing with the blog layout and I think I have fixed the comment problem.  You should now be able to leave me a comment with out going to an account and signing in.  I would really love to hear from you!  And if there is still a problem leaving comments let me know (stdragonfly@yahoo.com) and I will see what I can do to fix it!

Well, sadly the Sourdough Saga will come to an end today, then we will get on to more subjects herbal.
If you have never tried baking your own bread, you really must give it a try someday.  Baking bread is such a satisfying hobby.  Besides the out come of your labors are quite delicious (well, most of the time!)  And to me it really does seem like the Sourdough bread recipe is the easiest and remember any yeast bread recipe just takes a little time.

We have studied the history of Sourdough and met some interesting characters involved with Sourdough.  We even touched on some Sourdough science and I have given you a recipe to start your own Starter.  So, now it is time to share some recipes.

The loaf on the left was baked in a
4 x 8 loaf pan and
the loaf on the right in a
1 quart casserole.

Sourdough Bread

The King Arthur Rustic Sourdough bread recipe has been successful every time I have baked it.  It produces 2 small loaves, just enough to be eaten up in a day or two.

King Arthur also has an extra-tangy sourdough bread recipe.  In the Extra Tangy recipe you do not add extra yeast but the rising times are very long.  And since I am not a very patient woman, well, put it this way, I need to get the bread baked, in the oven, and slathered with butter as quickly as possible!

Ingredients:

1 Cup (81/2 ounces) "fed" sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) luke warm water

2 1/2 tsps. salt

1 Tbls. sugar

2 tsps. instant yeast

5 cups (21 1/4 ounces) All-purpose Flour

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients, kneading to form a smooth, soft dough, adding a bit of additional flour if needed.  Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 90 minutes.

When first placed in bowl to
rise for 90 minutes.

After 90 minutes,
Doubled in size!

Divide the dough in half and shape into two oval loaves.   Place on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Cover and let rise til very puffy, about 60 minutes.  Slash the tops, and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from the oven, and cool on a rack. 

Yields:  2 loaves.

Sourdough Biscuits

Homemade Sourdough
Biscuits!!!!

This recipe is from the blog Sarah's Musings.  There is a trick to making good biscuits. DO NOT OVERWORK THE DOUGH! So, that being said, here are your ingredients....

2 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup lard, cold cut into chunks, or a mix of half lard and half cold/frozen butter

     Okay, we are making biscuits...so use lard...I am not sure biscuits were meant to be a health food.  And besides that, check into some of the new information on using lard and butter....oh, and remember, all things in moderation.  So, just eat one or two biscuits at a meal, preferable with some good local honey or StarDragonfly Herbals Elderberry Jelly!

1 Tbls. sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

2 tsps. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 C. sourdough starter, freshly fed a few hours earlier

Up to 1 C. milk

and

melted butter

Now there is nothing hard about making biscuits!

Measure all your dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a whisk.  Add the lard and smush and squeeze with your finger tips.  Incorporate good (well) but do this step as quickly as possible so the lard stays cold.  Then make a "well or hole" in the middle of the bowl.  Add the wet ingredients.

Now gently mix all of it together.  The dough should be kinda crumbly but should hold together....then turn out on a floured board and gently knead it a couple times.  Then I pat it out on the board, say about 1/2 inch thick.  Cut into circles with cookie cutter, I use an old tomato sauce can.

Let biscuits rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. Brush the tops with melted butter if you desire.  I don't because I like the tops crispy.  Then bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes.

There are other things you can do with your sourdough starter.  Make pancakes, waffles, cookies, crackers and pizza dough,   And if you have spilled some of the stuff on your counter, you may have noticed it makes really good glue!

And to Barbara, who sent me a great photo of her Sourdough bread, my apologies.  I downloaded the photo to where I though it should be and of course, it has disappeared.

And so the Saga of the Pet with the Stinky Disposition comes to an end.  I really was afraid that the Sourdough Starter would become too much trouble with I started on this adventure.  But, hey, nothing else around here only gets fed once a week.  All the other critters get fed twice daily, except Cousin Sandra and I, we eat 3 x daily plus snacks.  Could be why my jeans are a little tight?

Yarrow
Achillea millefolium

Have you been noticing the frost?  I love the frost, it makes the world all sparkly!  I almost missed this great shot of the frost on the Yarrow because as soon as the Sun gets anywhere near the shimmering crystals they disappear!

“The end of THE END is the best place to begin THE END, because if you read THE END from the beginning of the beginning of THE END to the end of the end of THE END, you will arrive at the end.”
― Lemony Snicket, The End

Sun shining through kitchen window.