I thought when I woke up today I might be sick. When we visited with the kids last week my granddaughter had this terrible croupy cough, and little red cheeks but it didn't seem to dim her glee one bit.
Last night, I came home from work more tired than usual and I had a scratchy throat so needless to say I jumped to the conclusion that I was getting sick. I haven't made all my cough and cold remedies for myself yet this year and I need to step on it . . . but I went to my frig and got out some fresh ginger, sliced about 5 pieces of it off, put it in my 2-qt. kettle, which was a little over half full, and brought it to a boil. When you're making tea, remember, "you may boil roots, berries, seeds and bark, but leaves and flowers must soak." That's generally the rule of thumb, so I brought my water to a boil and then let the ginger simmer, oh about 5-10 minutes - taste it and you'll taste the peppery flavor and you can choose when to stop simmering. While that was on the stove, I cut a lemon in half and got out my cut hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus sabdariffa). I turned the ginger water off, squeezed juice from the lemon half into the pot and then threw that same half in too, then added 4 Tbs. of hibiscus flowers and stirred. I let it sit for about 20 minutes, stirring a couple times, then turned the stove on and brought it all back up to almost a boil. I stirred and let it sit again for about 5 minutes, then strained a cup out for myself and added honey. If you look up the ingredients I have just given you, you will see that each one of them is medicinal in and of itself, including the water!! I feel okay this morning - now whether it was the tea or not, who can tell, but at this point, it doesn't matter. It was a tasty and healthy tea and I enjoyed it.
I'm not sure I've mentioned it in my other posts, but I eat as much organic produce as I can. I also grow all my food organically. Now please, I'm a home grower for my own family, I am not certified, but I do the very best I can. I don't put anything on my plants but organic products (if anything at all), I try to use all heirloom seeds and the ground gets nothing but good old compost and horse manure, among a few other things. So, that being said, when I buy I also try to buy organic, but I'm not blind either. Organic-grown food is expensive!! It's kind of balancing act when you really think about it. Do you want to be healthy thereby not being sick or needing a doctor that costs an arm and a leg or not?! What's it worth to you? Also, one does like to be able to feed their family and so many are on fixed budgets in this economy - so just do your best. Consider the fact that the more you grow organically the less you have to possibly buy organically. That's how I do it. Hey, I'm on a budget too!!!
Since Wednesday, through the Winter months is always Bread Day and laundry day, I must get back at it - but Mmmmm!!! The banana nut bread smells glorious and my laundry is almost finished and the sun shines on!