It's Always Tea Time Somewhere!: May Day Tea Time

We've started a new project at the Apothecary based on our firm belief that It's Always Tea Time Somewhere!  We'll be featuring monthly posts on tea time recipes as well as stories for discussion to feed the mind and soul as well as the belly.  Our first guest post is by K. Heron of Bloody Showwho writes about her first experiences of activism by marching through the streets of Olympia, WA.  Her Gluten-free Vegan Blueberry Corn Muffin Recipe is a great one to have when planning a protest, a picnic, or a lazy springtime tea time.  

You, too, can join in on the It's Always Tea Time Somewhere!movement.  Write up your own tea time musings and recipes and let us know about them via Twitter (#It'sAlwaysTeaTimeSomewhere! or #IATTS!), on Facebook, and below in the comments.  We would love to start a collection of tea-timer photos on Pinterest, too, so take photos of your tea time lovelies if you so desire! 

Enjoy!

☆ It’s Always Tea Time Somewhere: May Day Tea Time ☆by: K. Heron of Bloody Show

Blessed Beltaine and Happy May Day to all! On May 1, we celebrated the ancient fire holiday of Beltaine. We had a very lovely and sweet time around the fire on the actual day of Beltaine and enjoyed the Supermoon on May 5, which also happens to be Lunar Beltaine. It is hands down one of my most favorite times of the year.

from Shelton Blog: Mason County Washington's Progressive Voices

On May 1, we also remember the Haymarket Riots here in the U.S. In high school, I had an incredible social studies teacher who gave you credit for things like standing on a street corner in my small one-horse town, holding signs and advocating for the candidate of your choice. So it was a snap to get credit to skip school for a day and head to my very first protest ever, May Day. We (the marchers and critical mass bikers) met at Rainy Day Records, the coolest music store on the west side of Olympia. We gathered and marched, shutting down the streets and wending our way all over town. We handed out leaflets, danced, and had a great time.

source unknown - please let us know if this is your artwork!

It was exhilarating. It was also scary. It was just a few months after the WTO protest in Seattle and cops showed up in full riot gear. Doggedly, we boogied on down the street. At our final destination we shut down the busiest intersection in Olympia, barring hundreds of people from easy access to the freeway. Our goal? Take back the streets. Remind other people and ourselves that people are meant to come and gather, create community, and not just ride in cars as we drive to shop at big box stores that don’t care about the environment and treat their workers terribly. (Yes, I realize this is a gross oversimplification of the reality of things. But I was also 16 and idealistic and in my head at the time it really was that easy.) Basically, we had a big party. We planted a community garden in an abandoned lot (it got bulldozed later that week by the owners of the lot who just let it sit vacant and empty for another several years). We had music and dancing. There was naked mud wrestling(!) and stilt walkers and face painting. I stayed for hours and hours and still carry that celebratory spirit within me when I think about creating positive social change.

In honor of that, I bring you a recipe for Vegan Blueberry Corn Muffins! They are completely delicious warm, great with a little bit of vegan butter (or non-vegan butter if you please), and they freeze well for a brilliant on-the-go snack (great for protests and marches!).

☆ Gluten-free Vegan Blueberry Corn Muffins ☆ (Adapted from the Blueberry Corn Muffin recipe from the brilliant Gluten-Free Goddess herself)

Preheat yer oven. 350 degrees will do ya just fine. Either line a muffin tin or grease it with a bit of oil.

You will need the following:

Dry ingredients: ¾ cup cornmeal (I like to use polenta for grainier muffins, but feel free to use any kind you want) ¼ cup buckwheat flour ¾ cup brown rice flour ½ cup potato starch 2 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 ½ tsp xanthan gum ¾ cup brown sugar 1 tsp cinnamon

Wet ingredient: ¼ oil (canola, melted coconut oil, etc. I tend to avoid extra virgin olive oil in baking for its distinct flavor) 1 Tb honey 2 tsp vanilla ½ tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 Tb Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked with ¼ cup warm water until foamy ¾ cup warm water

And finally, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Here’s how you make these tasty gems:

Mix or whisk together all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of your batter and add the wet to that well. Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until well-combined and sticky. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon batter into your muffin tins, pop them in the oven for 20 minutes or so. As with most gluten-free baked goods, allowing them to cool for 5 minutes or so will help them keep their integrity. Eat them hot or let them rest on a wire rack until room temperature. Grab your sweetie (or mom or best friend or favorite puppy dog companion) and enjoy your tea time!

The "G" Word : Honoring the Roma

Today is International Roma Day which celebrates Romani culture and contribution to society as well as raising awareness of the ongoing issues that the Romani people face throughout the world. As herbalists, herb folks, herbal medicine users, and people who like Nettles, we have an opportunity to make our communities more inclusive, more kind, and more just by simply adjusting our language to honor a culture that many feel inspired by.

The term “Gypsy” is a pejorative and offensive word used to describe the diverse population of people known as the Roma / Romani / Romany / Rroma, depending on local Roma dialect.  While many folks on view “Gypsy” as just another descriptive term to be used to describe a situation, a person or to sell items it is important to recognize that words are the framework that hold together institutional racism. Words and their connotations are necessary tools of oppression, so they do hurt, they do matter, and they are worth questioning and hopefully dismantling.

As herbalists, especially those who practice Western herbalism, we have a particular responsibility to honor cultures that have perserved herbal knowledge through the centuries and that we now use today.  In my practice and devotional work with our plant kindred, I have watched how we become more like the plants we work with and the plants become more like us in turn.  So when there is a plant that plays particular importance within a culture or a remedy that is associated with a certain people, I pay attention to both the stories of the plants and of the people they are so closely intwined with.  There are many plants and remedies associated with Romani culture, from the mythic Queen of Hungary Water to "Gypsy" cold cures featuring Peppermint, Yarrow, and Elder, many herbalists have not only heard about these remedies, but make them as well.  What's more is that there is so much romanticizing that goes on about Romani culture and the Roma themselves, that learning historical Romani herbal remedies can be a hard thing to do, especially since Romani culture is beautifully diverse.

As a humyn creature of mixed ancestry, I am particularly invested in changing the ways we talk about, around, and over Roma peoples, like myself.  In the United States there is not a lot of real information about Romani culture and it has been my experience that most Americans aren't even aware of the Roma of an actual ethnic group, so sometimes it can be harder for folks to understand that Gypsy is a pejorative word used passively as a form of ignorance and actively as a form of violence.  For me, the foundation of changing language is wanting to more authentically describe the world and our experiences in it to better understand ourselves and each other.  So if you use the word "Gypsy," I would ask for you to let it go, put it in the compost, allow it to decompose, be transformed, and fertilize your garden of knowledge resting in that noggin of yours.  It's easy, honorable, and a whole lot of fun coming up with a new vocabulary to replaced outdated terms that no longer serve us.

Interested in learning more? I recommend the following article by Professor Ian Hancock. He is of Romani descent, teaches at the University of Texas Austin, and writes about the history of the use of the word “Gypsy” and why it is a term that is offensive and oppressive to the Roma people.

What's In A Name?

As a final note, I hope that any conversations that ensue from this post are from a place of compassion, willingness to learn, and understanding that words hold power so we should celebrate that gift and use them respectively.

Opre Roma!

I, Courage: Borage

John Gerard, a popular herbalist of the 16th and 17th century (and becoming popular again on Facebook), provides us with the translation of wonderful maxim of Borage which was said to be recited by Roman soldiers preparing for contests of strength:

Ego borago gaudia semper ago. I, Borage, always bring courage.

The blue flower of the courageous Borage was embroidered onto the clothing on knights going off to battle to protect them and strengthen their resolve and worn in buttonholes to the same effect.  Spike the tea of the one who you wish to propose to you with Borage to infuse them with the courage to finally ask.  Known also as  Cool-tankard, the flowers were used in drinks for their cooling effect before ice was a widely available and used commodity.  A tea will induce psychic powers as well as improve one's outlook in life.

Borage can be, in many ways, the "shining armor" we need to assume our warriorhood, reclaim our lives, and our sense of self.  For those who are suffering nervous exhaustion, especially "menopausal women who are overworked and totally exhausted," but any person who seems to be suffering from adrenal burnout and is emotionally spent will benefit from Borage.(1)  Borage has an uplifting and lightening affect that is a wonderful remedy for despondency and those who might say often, "I just can't take it anymore" but aren't entirely sure who "I" is or what it is they can't take.  Borage is an  herbal ally that strengthens the will and the knowing of self, reinforcing crumbling boundary walls and infusing the spirit with the brilliant hope that comes from uninhibited courage.  

When the body is overworked, the mind muddled, and the emotions frantic, the steady drumbeat of Borage can help to restore an overwhelmed nervous system and rebuilding strained adrenals.  With its cooling mucilaginous abilities, Borage is helpful for overheated conditions such as fevers and infections, as well as asthma, general colds, and hot, dry coughs.  Borage keeps the sweat pores toned which protects against chills and fevers that try and settle in a wet, stagnant environment.  For the pregnancy, Borage ripens the cervix for labor and supports breastfeeding by increasing milk flow

Borage is of course useful for depression and I am especially fond of using it for depression that situates itself during transition periods: the postpartum periods, departures (such as leaving home or college or going off to war), and general life passages that require us to look honestly at who we are and what we are doing.  The shift that Borage is particularly good at triggering in persons of a melancholic persuasion is the ability to love what we are responsible and accountable to which may mean a reassessment of priorities to be able to come to that emotional space.

Externally, Borage is good for dry skin as well as rashes, eczema, varicose veins, and can be used as an eyewash for irritated and inflamed eyes.  The flowers are delicious and can be added to salads and drinking water.

(1)  Rosari Kingston, MNIHM as cited in Wood, Matthew. The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic, 2008. (2008): 146.

::right now::

Right now, I am...

:: welcoming in the spring by opening all the windows and doors.

:: thinking over the recent housing mess and knowing that we won't be renters forever.

:: wearing a floral thrift store skirt and two headscarves.  Fancy!

:: considering new semi-regular blog post topics that will combine my love of radical feminist history and tea.

:: hoping that the whether will remain nice and cool for a little while longer.

:: loving the smell of orange blossoms outside our front and back door.

:: singing songs of spring! For She will bring the buds in the spring and laugh amidst the flowers...

:: laughing at the inexhaustible presence of joy in our lives if we just take part in its effervescent laughter!

:: enjoying quite hours in a quiet house.

:: smiling at my puppy who is covered in bits of flowers and leaves after time spent dutifully exploring what the winds have stirred up in our backyard adventure park.

:: deciding what recipes to invest more time in next - Chai blends?  Cacao creations?  Special oils blends for wellness?

:: feeling excited by the arrival of family later this week and going to the RV show!

:: readying myself for that same RV show and the strong urge to get on the road now.

:: brewing teas for fertility and to support all different sorts of reproductive bits.

:: considering the all important question of what color to paint my nails - and then back to the issue of neighborhood peace, city peace, state peace, country peace, and eventually, of course, world peace.  But first, the nails.

:: working on that same Materia Medica for Borage (Borago officinalis).

:: reading new herb books that I got for my birthday (and have been checking out of the library for years):  A City Herbal by Maida Silverman, Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier, and The Book of Herbal Wisdom by Matthew Wood.

:: listening to my birthday mix still.  Birthday month dance party!

:: grateful for the incredible support of folks who are experiencing similar struggle as us and yet, without hesitation, offer more than we could ever ask for.

:: remembering that the promise of spring is a gift freely given and one that should be freely received.

:: feeling all sorts of good stretch and soreness by a regular yoga practice made possible by an early birthday gift.

:: wanting to say thanks for the ever-growing support of our quirky Apothecary.

:: wishing everyone a moment today to know balance as we step firmly into spring.

Spring Equinox: Herbs of Balance

The Spring Equinox is the promise of Imbolc finally come!  We are in a time with the wheel of the year turning with wind, often rain, the last chill breath of winter, but also bud, flower, and bird song.  Today also marks the time when night greets day as an equal and then retreats back to let the hours of light grow longer and longer.  As with the Autumnal Equinox, the early spring is an excellent time to strengthen the body’s natural abilities of wellness and health through gentle cleansing of our winter body into a spring one.

The early spring is a good time to turn our attention to our liver and our gallbladder.  The liver is our body’s largest internal organ and a great deal of our body’s detoxifying processes happen through the liver.  As the life warms to the surface of our greening planet, so too does our body’s energy and blood warm to our own skin’s surface.  Our liver cleanses our blood of impurities and distributes nourishment throughout our body.

Our gallbladder stores and secretes bile to help us digest nourishment from our food.  An imbalanced gallbladder can lead to flatulence, gallstones, and general indigestion, and it is important to consider our mental and emotional health, especially our stress levels, when supporting our gallbladder.

There are many herbal allies that we might find useful in supporting the liver and gallbladder.  Take time to learn what herbs best fit your constitution in order to get the most benefit from the medicine our green allies have to offer as well as build a more meaningful relationship to the plant kingdom.

DANDELION ROOT, LEAF + FLOWER Taraxacum officinale: A classic, long-used, and well-regarded remedy of the liver, Dandelion makes its triumphant spring return on hillsides and through cracks in the pavement.  A blood purifier and tonic, Dandelion disperses excess heat that can manifest as inflammation, indigestion, meanness, and anger.  Dandelion helps to increase the production and distribution of bile.  I like using the leaf especially when there is water retention present.  A remedy particularly suited for those who are experiencing sluggishness with moments of intense anger and irritation.  Read our full Dandelion Plant Profile.

BURDOCK ROOT Arctium lappa: An excellent cleansing herb that is skilled at removing excess waste products from the body, including heavy metals.  The root is bitter, sweet, and oily, and, therefore, wonderful for treating imbalances of the liver and gallbladder where indigestion and constipation are present.  A good remedy for those whose skin is dry and flaky and prone to skin problems like acne and rashes and who may also have issues with blood sugar imbalances.

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NETTLES Urtica dioica: Ah!  Everyone should be taking Nettles – ok, I know, not everyone, but gosh darn it they are pretty good medicine.  Young spring Nettles are exceptionally potent medicine for waking our bodies up from their winter respite by jogging our muscles, filling us with vitamins and minerals, and generally returning life to our aching joints.  It helps the liver build blood proteins which helps transport nutrients throughout the body and also support a healthy immune system.  A person whom Nettles may be a good remedy might be experiencing hair loss, brittle nails, dull skin, anemia, and, in general, seems to be in a state of stagnation.

Try using these plant allies as teas, tinctures, essences, in baths, hang them about your home and carry them with you to imbue your senses with balance, your spirit with the grace of changing.