China Bayles' Book of Days (54 page)

And then there’s pennyroyal (
Mentha pulegium
). It has long had a reputation as a flea-fighter;
pulegium
means flea. It was used in bedding, as a strewing herb, and as an insect spray. However, it is also a powerful abortifacient, and can be toxic. You’ll sometimes find it recommended as a culinary herb, but it’s safer to avoid internal use, especially during pregnancy.

MINTED WATERMELON AND CUCUMBER SALAD

4 cucumbers, peeled, halved, seeded, sliced
8 cups watermelon, seeded, cubed
¼ red onion, sliced thin
salt

Slice cucumbers and toss with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let sit in colander about 30 minutes, then pat dry. Just before serving, place cubed watermelon in large bowl and sprinkle with salt to taste. Toss with cucumbers, red onions, and mint dressing.

Learn about mint and other herbs of the Southern garden:

Southern Herb Growing,
by Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay

SEPTEMBER 19

Dead man’s bones is the folk name given to the herb Greater stitchwort (
Stellaria holostea
) . . . The name was perhaps derived from a confusion with another plant that was traditionally used to treat fractures, or because the stems were brittle and easily snapped, like the dried bones of the dead.

—DEAD MAN’S BONES: A CHINA BAYLES MYSTERY

Dead Man’s Bones: About China’s Books:

Dead Man’s Bones
is about . . . well, bones. There’s a skeleton in a cave, and skeletons in several closets, and a great many hidden things that must be discovered. The signature herb (
Stellaria holostea
) is only tangentially connected to bones, but many of the other herbs that appear in the book play a role in helping to treat skeletal disorders.

Declining estrogen is one of the causes of bone loss. Herbs that have estrogenic effects include black cohosh, dong quai, burdock root, Chinese ox knee root, alfalfa, and motherwort. Red clover has been shown to increase cortical bone, while numerous studies have confirmed that soy slows bone loss. Nettle, alfalfa, oatstraw, horsetail, and slippery elm have been traditionally recommended to enhance the body’s minerals.

Other herbs are prescribed to reduce inflammation and relieve the pain of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Turmeric, Devil’s claw (an African herb), and boswellia (a tree native to India, Africa, and the Middle East, which yields a resin known as sallai guggal) are among these. Recent scientific studies have confirmed the traditional use of willow bark, ginger, Saint-John’s-wort, evening primrose, borage, and black current as effective inflammation suppressors. The remedy most thoroughly studied is capsaicin, the highly regarded pain-reliever in chile peppers.

Foods play a therapeutic role in maintaining strong bones. Green leafy vegetables such as kale, parsley, collard greens, and mustard greens offer significant protection against osteoporosis, “brittle bone disease.” Ruby Wilcox (who believes that every little bit helps) came up with a soup that includes some of these phytomedicines. You’ll find her recipe in
Dead Man’s Bones.

Learn more about better bones:

Healthy Bones & Joints: A Natural Approach to Treating Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Tendonitis, Myalgia & Bursitis
, by David Hoffman

SEPTEMBER 20

Symbolizing eternal hope, the wreath goes round and
round,
And where it starts or ends cannot be found.
—AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Sweet Annie Wreaths

When I first began crafting with herbs, I took a class in wreath-making that inspired me to design and create my own herbal wreaths. I like to work with grapevine wreath forms. To cover the form, I use sweet Annie (
Artemisia annua
), which has also been used extensively in China as a treatment for malaria.

Valuable as sweet Annie is medicinally, I prize the decorative properties of its feathery, fragrant foliage, which is as attractive dried as fresh. Used fresh, when it’s pliant, it’s a perfect filler material for my wreaths. I simply let it dry on the wreath, along with the fresh decorative and accent herbs I’ve tucked among its ferny branches. It turns a lovely brown, a perfect background. If you prefer a silvery wreath, you’ll want to choose Silver King or Silver Queen artemisia; if a pale green, try oregano.

YOU’LL NEED:

filler herb: sweet Annie, Silver King or Silver Queen artemisia, or oregano

decorative herbs: lavender, rosemary, statice, baby’s breath, ornamental oreganos, vitex, butterfly weed

accent herbs: roses, lamb’s-ears leaves and flowers, gold yarrow, gold tansy buttons, strawflowers, bay

a wreath form, 12‘-16‘ in diameter (grapevine is my favorite)

a wire coat hanger, to make the hanging loop
flexible florist’s wire
wire wreath pins
needle-nosed pliers and wire nippers
glue gun (optional)
decorative ribbon bow (optional)
newspaper to cover working surface

HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR WREATH:

Collect herbs (filler, decorative, and accent) on a dry, cool day. Cover your working surface with newspaper, and lay the wreath form flat. With the nippers, cut the coat hanger into an 8-inch length, bend it into the shape of a hanger hook and insert it firmly into the grapevine form. Beginning at the bottom and working in both directions, push the stiff stem ends of the filler herb into the form, covering it very thickly. (All herbs shrink as they dry.) If the filler seems loose, secure with wire pins. Then hang the wreath and begin inserting the decorative herbs, pinning or gluing where necessary. Finally, insert the accent herbs. If you’re using a bow, add it now. Hang and admire!

Read more about wreath-making:

The Complete Book of Wreaths,
by Chris Rankin

SEPTEMBER 21

In some years, this is the joyous Jewish holiday, Rosh Hashanah, celebrated on the first day of the month of Tishri.

Rosh Hashanah

Over the centuries, the first dinner of this harvest festival celebrated God’s gift of food in abundance, the seven blessed species that are cited in Deuteronomy 8:8: wheat and barley, vine and fig trees and pomegranates, olive trees, and honey. The celebration begins with a festive meal at which these foods are eaten, and always includes the
challah
, a loaf of bread that commemorates the offerings of the High Priest in the Temple at Jerusalem.

There are as many recipes for
challah
as there are Jewish families, but most include wheat flour, yeast, oil, honey, salt, and eggs. Raisins are often included, and in some families, there is a tradition of using seven seeds, echoing the theme of seven blessings. Here are the seeds frequently used:

• Sesame seeds are among the oldest condiments, dating to 1600 BCE. Tiny, flat oval seeds with a nutty taste, they may be white, yellow, black, and red. They are pressed to release a valuable oil.

• Poppy seeds were used as a condiment as early as the first century CE. It is derived from the opium poppy, but the seeds contain none of the narcotic.

• Nigella’s black seeds are spicy with a licorice fragrance, like anise or fennel. A favorite of early Egyptians, they have been used as a digestive aid, an appetite stimulant, and a cure-all remedy.

• Caraway, distinctively aromatic, is often recognized as the most typical spice of German-speaking countries, used in baked goods, as well vegetables, especially cabbage. The “seeds” are really small fruits.

• Anise seeds (fruits) are mostly used to flavor baked goods and liqueurs.

• Fennel seeds (fruits), native to the Mediterranean, were known to the earliest peoples. It is used in breads, sauces, and in pickling.

• Coriander seeds (fruits) taste like lemony sage. In Exodus 16:31, the manna that fell from heaven is described as “white like coriander seed.”

Read more about Jewish food:

Eat and Be Satisfied : A Social History of Jewish Food
, by John Cooper

SEPTEMBER 22

I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening. His mother put him to bed, and made some camomile tea; and she gave a dose of it to Peter! “One table-spoonful to be taken at bed-time.”

—BEATRIX POTTER, THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT

Comforting Chamomile

Chamomile (
Matricaria chamamilla
) is a sweet-smelling herb that has been used for centuries to heal and soothe, both inside and out. Even though the plant is small, its pervasive, long-lasting fragrance—it smells like ripe apples—made it a favorite strewing herb. It was often planted around benches in pleasure gardens, so that the scent filled the air and comforted the weary garden-goer. And a sprig of apple-sweet chamomile tucked into the lapel or carried in a tussie-mussie provided a good antidote to the uglier smells of the city.

Although chamomile was never used as a culinary herb, it has had a long reputation as a medicinal plant. The Egyptians and Romans made it into a wound ointment and drank it as a tea to treat liver and bladder ailments. In England, the Saxons used it to ease the eyes and to treat toothache. But chamomile’s most important medicinal application does not appear until the sixteenth century, when it began to be used for children’s colic, for dysentery, and as a calmative—just what poor Peter needed, after his exhausting adventures in Mr. McGregor’s garden!

Chamomile is also valued as a cosmetic. In a facial steam, Ruby Wilcox finds that it soothes and refreshes tired skin. She places a half cup of dried flowers in a bowl and covers them with boiling water. Then she drapes her head with a towel and sits for ten minutes over the bowl, as she listens to her favorite country-western music. Other herbs she sometimes adds to this reviving facial steam: comfrey, fennel, sage, peppermint.

And in case you’re wondering, there are various ways to spell the word: chamomile and camomile—and camomella, camayle, canalilla, and canamille. However you spell its name, the herb still smells sweet!

Read more about chamomile and other herbs:

Old Time Herbs for Northern Gardens,
by Minnie Watson Kamm

If acorns abound in September, snow will be deep in December.

—TRADITIONAL WEATHER LORE

SEPTEMBER 23

Today, the Sun enters the sign of Libra. It is also the Fall Equinox, and the first day of autumn.

The seventh sign of the zodiac, the feminine sign Libra (the Scales) is ruled by Venus. A cardinal sign, Libra is associated with aesthetic beauty, balance, culture, harmony, and enjoyment of social pleasures. It is an air sign, suggesting that while Libra people may be urbane, diplomatic, and charming, they may also be indecisive, changeable, and unreliable.

—RUBY WILCOX, “ASTROLOGICAL SIGNS”

Libra Herbs

Venus-ruled Libra has traditionally been related to the endocrine system, the thyroid, kidneys, urinary tract, and bladder. Venus (which also rules Taurus) is responsible for the harmonious interrelationships among the various body systems. Here are some Libra herbs:

• Thyme (
Thyme vulgaris
). Thyme is a powerful antiseptic used in many medicinal preparations. A tea may relieve menstrual cramps and help relax the muscles of the gastrointestinal tract. Thymol (thyme’s powerful phytochemical) has valuable antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It is currently used as an ingredient in mouth-care products and feminine douche powders.