Lilacs. Lilacs everywhere. Ahhh, Spring lilacs. Yes, it’s true, the smell of dreamy lilacs in the breeze just doesn't last long enough. So that’s why I love to preserve its floral essence in a delectable, wiggly jiggly, spreadable, sticky sweet jelly. It’s perfect smeared atop some crunchy buttery toast or biscuits, but I like it on warm lilac muffins with steamy black tea.

My boys kept me super warm last night with their perfectly running fevers and kept me up with their irritating coughs. So I'm off to give hugs and make soups, and syrups, and herbal pastilles and sleepy teas and probably some kinda cookies, maybe big soft ginger molasses cookies....because you've gotta have lots of herbaly goodness and hugs and kisses and cookies when this kinda madness goes down.

Herbal medicine is the medicine of the people, and plant medicines are not only simple, but safe, effective, and pretty much free. Our ancestors used plant medicines, and our neighbors around the world use plant medicines, and you can use plant medicines for healing just the same. It's super easy and super fun and I even let my littles help sometimes.

The rose hip, or rose haw, is the fruit of the rose plant, and typically is red or orangeish, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form in spring, and ripen in late summer through autumn.  And me, I like to get them while I can, and eat them up!

Rose hips are a very rich source of Vitamin C and are free for the picking. Three average hips have as much Vitamin C as a medium-sized orange so they are definitely a good fruit to incorporate into the diet. The food value is found in their skin and their taste is similar to that of an apple. If you plan on harvesting, pick only the ripe berries that are vivid red and slightly soft. They have a much better flavor if picked after the first frost…preferably late August through October. You can harvest them from your garden, but they’re more plentiful from old-time shrub varieties such as rugosas and wild rose bushes. To collect your own, and to encourage your roses to develop them, don’t trim the blossoms and leave them to naturally fade and fall. Or you can buy dried cut and sifted rose hips ready to use.

"Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired."  ~Robert Frost
 
What better day to be irresistibly desired than on Valentines day, the day of lovers. The day to express love for each other whether it be giving flowers, poems, offering confectionery or sipping luscious love elixirs. I remember reading something once ...something like: Sometimes we make love with our eyes. Sometimes we make love with our hands. Sometimes we make love with our bodies. But always we make love with our hearts.  I couldn't agree more and what better than to have around a delicious sensual lip smacking love potion to share...to make you more 'touchy feely'.

Chocolate, roses, patchouli, warm baths, sensual oils, love potions and liqueurs are some of my favorite things and I've decided to share one of my favorite recipes with you. You can enjoy this irresistible elixer anytime of the year but it makes an especially lovely gift and love potion to share with your lover. Damiana love elixir with vanilla and rose...because you can never make to much love....right!