The Sacred Herbs of Spring


Book Description

A practical guide to the celebration of Beltaine and the sacred herbs of spring • Explores the identification, harvest, and safe practical and ritual use of more than 90 plants and trees • Details rituals for honoring the traditional Gods and Goddesses of spring, such as the Goddess Chloris, the Goddess Flora, and the Daghda • Reveals which herbs to use for luck, magic, protection, purification, abundance, fertility, and love as well as the herbs of the Faeries and Elves and herbs for journeying to the Otherworld and for contacting the High Gods and Goddesses The festival of Beltaine, May Day, is a celebration of the return of spring and the promise of summer, a time for love magic and spells for increasing the fertility of the land and the plants that grow upon it. Like Samhain in autumn, Beltaine is also a time when the veil between the physical and spiritual world is at its most transparent and the ancestors and denizens of the Otherworld easily interact with the world of humans. Presenting a practical guide to the celebration of Beltaine, Ellen Evert Hopman examines the plants, customs, foods, drinks, and rituals of May Day across many cultures. Discussing the gods and goddesses of spring, Hopman details the rituals for honoring them as well as traditional poems, prayers, incantations, folk rhymes, and sayings related to this time of year. She explores well dressing, the custom of honoring the source of sacred water by decorating a well. She also looks at Beltaine’s association with Walpurgisnacht and Hexennacht, which fall the preceding evening. In the extensive section on the sacred plants of Beltaine, the author explores more than 90 herbs and trees, offering spells, rituals, and recipes alongside their medicinal healing uses. She reveals sacred woods suitable for the Beltaine fires and Beltaine flowers for rituals and spells. She explores herbs for luck, magic, purification, abundance, and love; herbs for protection, such as bindweed, elder, and St. John’s wort; herbs of the Faeries and Elves, such as burdock and dandelion; and herbs for journeying to the Otherworld and contacting the high gods and goddesses. She also details the identification, harvest, and preparation of seasonal edible herbs, greens, mushrooms, and flowers. Woven throughout with mystical tales of folk, Faery, and sacred herbs, this guide offers each of us practical and magical ways to connect with Nature, the plant kingdom, and the Spirits that surround us in the season of spring.




Seeing Like a State


Book Description

“One of the most profound and illuminating studies of this century to have been published in recent decades.”—John Gray, New York Times Book Review Hailed as “a magisterial critique of top-down social planning” by the New York Times, this essential work analyzes disasters from Russia to Tanzania to uncover why states so often fail—sometimes catastrophically—in grand efforts to engineer their society or their environment, and uncovers the conditions common to all such planning disasters. “Beautifully written, this book calls into sharp relief the nature of the world we now inhabit.”—New Yorker “A tour de force.”— Charles Tilly, Columbia University




Flora's Dictionary


Book Description

Do you know what you're saying when you give the gift of flowers or plants? What's the difference between a red rose & a white one? Why shouldn't you give your spouse a yellow carnation or a pumpkin flower? The answers to these questions lie in the traditional meaning of plants. Even fruits & vegetables have meanings - potato for beneficence, raspberry for apology - & all of them are historically documented in this book. You'll learn how to be cold & cruel or warm & caring just by choosing different plants for a bouquet. Ms. Gips has spent twenty years researching the historical meaning associated with plants. This updated, expanded version of her previous book contains authentic meanings for more than 700 plants, including 40 rose forms. Anyone - lay or professional - who designs theme gardens, floral arrangements, wreaths or any kind of herbal or floral gift will find this one-of-a-kind book an indispensable reference. Authentic Victorian illustrations with color plates of tussie mussies. Dictionary format, includes index. Order from: Village Herb Shop, 26 South Main St., Chagrin Falls, OH 44022. 800-836-9120. Trade discount.




Jude's Herbal Home Remedies


Book Description

Discover a simpler, more natural way of life. Pour yourself a cup of chamomile tea, find a quiet corner, and browse through the wealth of natural remedies, household tips, and beauty secrets presented in this tried and true guidebook. Now updated and expanded, "Jude''s Herbal Home Remedies" offers more than 800 treatments, tinctures, tonics, and teas, using many easy-to-find herbs, as well as a comprehensive herbal index with over 200 illustrations. "... her words ring with a voice of experience and common sense. She does not simply toss us a book full of symptomatic remedies and leave it at that. [She] takes a holistic approach to health and offers enough sensible reminders to make this book readable." "The Herb Companion " "This gentle, interesting book is a treasure chest of information on ''how to'' heal, cleanse, rejuvenate, plant, gather, and prevent. I, for one, am happy to have this herbal in my pantry." "Sweet Fern" ""Jude''s Herbal Home Remedies" is much more than just another book on the virtues of medicinal herbs. It is packed with information on natural and environmentally friendly concoctions that can save you hundreds [of dollars]." "The Growing Edge "




The Encyclopedia of Crystals, Herbs, and New Age Elements


Book Description

"From crystals and herbs to flowers and essential oils, this comprehensive guide shows you how to use a variety of New Age elements to enhance your life. Each page includes information on their attributes, healing properties, and how they can be applied in any situation. With detailed descriptions and an informative glossary, you can quickly discover the New Age element that best serves your purpose, whether it's promoting healing, activating creativity, or bringing about good fortune"--Amazon.com




A Taste for Herbs


Book Description

Think of this book as your herb-seasoning master class, filled with simple secrets for capturing the power of flavor from your herb garden. Herbs are easy to grow anywhere, indoors or out, but do you know which ones do what in your foods and beverages...or how flavors play off of each other? This book shows you how to become an herbal tastemaster, whether you're a home cook or a gourmet foodie. It all starts in the garden with fresh-picked herbs. Let dedicated herb lover Sue Goetz guide you into the delicious world of 20 essential, flavor-rich herbs and the pleasures they offer. With over 100 kitchen-tested herb recipes and full-color photographs throughout, you'll discover how to: grow and harvest the best flavor cultivars for culinary use preserve and package complement herbal flavors with spices, edible flowers, garlic, citrus, and other botanicals prepare easy recipes for mixes, salts, rubs, pestos, oils, vinegars, butters, sugars, dressings, teas, herb-infused beverages...and much more!




My New Roots


Book Description

Holistic nutritionist and highly-regarded blogger Sarah Britton presents a refreshing, straight-forward approach to balancing mind, body, and spirit through a diet made up of whole foods. Sarah Britton's approach to plant-based cuisine is about satisfaction--foods that satiate on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. Based on her knowledge of nutrition and her love of cooking, Sarah Britton crafts recipes made from organic vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. She explains how a diet based on whole foods allows the body to regulate itself, eliminating the need to count calories. My New Roots draws on the enormous appeal of Sarah Britton's blog, which strikes the perfect balance between healthy and delicious food. She is a "whole food lover," a cook who makes simple accessible plant-based meals that are a pleasure to eat and a joy to make. This book takes its cues from the rhythms of the earth, showcasing 100 seasonal recipes. Sarah simmers thinly sliced celery root until it mimics pasta for Butternut Squash Lasagna, and whips up easy raw chocolate to make homemade chocolate-nut butter candy cups. Her recipes are not about sacrifice, deprivation, or labels--they are about enjoying delicious food that's also good for you.




These Precious Days


Book Description

The beloved New York Times bestselling author reflects on home, family, friendships and writing in this deeply personal collection of essays. "The elegance of Patchett’s prose is seductive and inviting: with Patchett as a guide, readers will really get to grips with the power of struggles, failures, and triumphs alike." —Publisher's Weekly “Any story that starts will also end.” As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart. At the center of These Precious Days is the title essay, a surprising and moving meditation on an unexpected friendship that explores “what it means to be seen, to find someone with whom you can be your best and most complete self.” When Patchett chose an early galley of actor and producer Tom Hanks’ short story collection to read one night before bed, she had no idea that this single choice would be life changing. It would introduce her to a remarkable woman—Tom’s brilliant assistant Sooki—with whom she would form a profound bond that held monumental consequences for them both. A literary alchemist, Patchett plumbs the depths of her experiences to create gold: engaging and moving pieces that are both self-portrait and landscape, each vibrant with emotion and rich in insight. Turning her writer’s eye on her own experiences, she transforms the private into the universal, providing us all a way to look at our own worlds anew, and reminds how fleeting and enigmatic life can be. From the enchantments of Kate DiCamillo’s children’s books (author of The Beatryce Prophecy) to youthful memories of Paris; the cherished life gifts given by her three fathers to the unexpected influence of Charles Schultz’s Snoopy; the expansive vision of Eudora Welty to the importance of knitting, Patchett connects life and art as she illuminates what matters most. Infused with the author’s grace, wit, and warmth, the pieces in These Precious Days resonate deep in the soul, leaving an indelible mark—and demonstrate why Ann Patchett is one of the most celebrated writers of our time.




The Garden Journal, Planner and Log Book


Book Description

For the gardener who wants to enjoy the benefits of gardening, without the frustrations. FOR THE COST OF ONE SIMPLE GARDEN TOOL, you can OWN THE MOST VALUABLE GARDEN TOOL OF ALL; one that will save you hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars in mistakes. Even more valuable than your favorite garden trowel or spade is a written record of what works in your garden. WHILE GARDENING BOOKS AND THE INTERNET ARE FULL OF GREAT ADVICE, THEY CAN'T REPLACE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. Your garden is in your micro-climate, with your soil. Perennials in one part of the country aren't perennials in another. There are simply too many plants and too many variables for anyone to remember from year to year what worked where and what didn't and why. You need to remember WHAT WORKS FOR YOU-IN YOUR GARDEN. Every gardener faces repeat attacks of pests or disease and needs to remember which treatment worked and which did more harm than good. Every gardener has weeded out emerging perennials, forgetting what they planted where. Every gardener needs a memory! THE GARDEN JOURNAL, PLANNER & LOG BOOK is a book of garden forms with the flexibility needed to personalize your style of record keeping. With this one book you can track your purchases from store to harvest to propagation, and never waste money and labor again. What really makes the difference between a great and a mediocre garden is how well the gardener keeps track of all the information needed to enhance success and avoid repeated failures. GARDENING IS AN ART, BUT IT'S ALSO A SCIENCE. THE GARDEN JOURNAL , PLANNER & LOG BOOK is designed to make record-keeping simple and easy. Every form is designed to include all the pertinent information needed, while minimizing the amount of time required to record that information. Just on the individual plant pages alone, there are over fifty possible check boxes for each plant. Use as many or as few as you desire, and record as much or as little as you wish in the spaces for other information. * Fill out log pages for annuals, biennials and perennials, with the location of each plant * Keep track of the lifecycle of all your flowers, herbs, vines, etc. on log pages. * Fill in the times to prune, trim and tidy which plants by season, depending on your area. * Make a plan for up to four years on the planning pages. * Draw out garden plots for twenty beds on graph paper with notes on the pages opposite. * Keep records of hardscaping, weather, formulas, pests and diseases, cultivation and propagation, bloom and harvest times, flowers, bulbs, fruit, vegetables, herbs, vines, shrubs and trees. * Keep a diary for all the things you simply must write out using sentences or drawings, because as much as gardening is a science, it is an art above all. YOUR GARDEN WILL LOOK LIKE ART; but you will know thatTHE GARDEN JOURNAL, PLANNER & LOG BOOK is the science behind your success. Author's note: The book binding is hinged on the 11" top edge, to open like a calendar. Due to the fact that the printing company does not have in place protocols to handle an 11" landscape spine layout, the result is an incorrectly rotated image on the sales page.




Artisanal Small-Batch Brewing


Book Description

Home Brewing Just Got Easier and More Exciting with 1-Gallon Recipes Amber Shehan makes home brewing a breeze for beginners and experts alike with smaller 1-gallon (3.8-L) recipes that reduce the time, money and energy needed to create delicious brews all year long. Enjoy the nuanced flavors of homebrews like tart Orange-Hibiscus Cider, palate-cleansing Peppermint Wine or soothing Vanilla Bean and Chamomile Mead. As an herbalist, Amber showcases her knowledge of culinary and medicinal herbs, wildflowers and plants in this incredible collection of deliciously infused brews that are both intoxicating and tonic. Rosemary and Clementine Mead is the perfect refresher for a warm summer evening and Spiced Pomegranate Wine will warm you right up on the coldest of winter days. With inventive, potent recipes and all the brewing know-how you need to get started or build your skills, Artisanal Small-Batch Brewing is your go-to guide for creating memorable brews beloved by all.