Herbal

I love learning about what connects our neighbors here to their gardens, to the trees growing nearby, to age-old remedies and to their families and communities.  Aside from the love of olive oil, I find friends love to talk about herbs and to use them liberally.  Foraging seems to come naturally. Our neighbors might pluck some sage or mint from the garden to make me a delicious cup of tea.  They might nestle thyme into a pot of boiling water on the stove to make a sinus-cleaning steam treatment.  It all seems to come with life here.

I’ve had a chance to visit a bit with a kind couple who cultivates, imports and forages herbs.  They educate the community on their age-old uses.  I came home with a few samples after one visit, perfect for setting in just-boiled water for 5 minutes to steep before straining and taking as a tea…Moringa is actually from India but is considered a vitamin-filled cure-all, best combined with locally foraged Hawthorne, which aids circulation.  My friend threw in some Oshrock plant to settle the stomach and some Natali plan to keep the liver clean.  He added some Turmeric for it’s anti-inflammatory benefits.  He and his wife drink a cup of olive oil daily to keep their bodies healthy.  Forever I believe I will associate our adopted homeland with the smell of herbs, lemon and olive oil…