The Real, Desperate Housewives of Orange County

let's face it...  there is NO chance any one of those housewives would ever ask me to create a healing tea blend, but...  i can't help but wonder what i would recommend...


blackberry- to strengthen the physical body AND, metaphysically, maintain healthy personal boundaries... because those husbands can be a handful!  
calendula- to help heal all that plastic surgery...
dandelion leaf- stimulates appetite, improves assimilation- since they really don't eat much (the root is awesome for the liver, but would need to be used in a decoction or overnight infusion)...

rose- to soften and open the heart...
peppermint- to synergize and bring all healing aspects together...

i guess this is my official "housewives blend"!  hmmmm...  i wonder if it will taste good with a shot of tequila...

An Open Letter to Cupid

dear cupid,

i love you.

i love your round, fleshy body that has decidedly consumed ample amounts of chocolate and truffle fries and lobster dipped in drawn butter...

i love that you target all of us with your magical arrows, hoping to dislodge any doubt or hatred or fear...
i love that you probably sleep on a cloud...
i love that you are friends with the sun and the moon...
i love your sense of humor, putting us in the most ridiculous of romantic situations...
i love that you test us, pairing us with friends who don't always treat us well...
i love that you also give us friends who are always amazing...
i love that you chose chocolate and roses as the "standard" valentine's gifts...

i love that you can heal a broken heart...
i love that you remind us to be kind...
i love that you give every animal an "unconditional love arrow" at birth...

i love that red wine is heart-healthy, and i'm sure you had something to do with that...
i love that you have hope...
i love that you give us hope...
i love you for loving us.  allllllll of us.

so, dear cupid, here's to wishing you a very, very happy heart day.

love,
the wandering herbalist

p.s.  i have a short list of people who may require an extra arrow or two.  i'll forward it.

A Perfect Gift- From the Heart, For the Heart

shop dog boo's voodooo dogs help you use GOOD voodoo to send love to your favorite four-legged companion.  just push the pin in the blooming heart to stimulate the heart chakra and your pooch will feel that loving energy!  more deets here:  www.tinyurl.com/doggyvoodoo

a great valentine's day gift for your favorite dog lover... or wanna-be dog lover!  hand-sewn with repurposed fabric and lots of intention by yours truly.  $10/each.  


available in chicago at willow- 850 north damen, or directly through me.  call me at 303.324.7323, or email thewanderingherbalist@gmail.com. 

From Oil to Salve... Magic!

i just finished a fresh batch of paw salve... check out how it's made!  


first the oil must be infused... i used the heat method- since chicago doesn't have a ton of sun right now... ;)
half of the oil i use is comfrey-infused...

and the other half a blend of rose, lavender, chamomile, and calendula...

look at that beautiful green comfrey oil!

i keep the infused oils in a mason jar until i'm ready to cook up some paw salve...

so when i'm ready...  it goes in a pan (a pan i ONLY use for my herbal products!) with some beeswax...

and when the beeswax is melted, it gets poured into a pyrex until it cools enough to add the vitamin e and essential oils... and then poured into the plastic jars.  and POOF!  boo boo goo paw salve is born!

simple is best!  this healing salve is perfect for anyone with paws- pooches, putty tats OR people!  www.tinyurl.com/booboogoofactsheet

If Lady Gaga Were an Herb...

... i think she'd be dandelion!  right?  right!  come on, we all know that dandelion is a very, VERY misunderstood  herb.  uniquely beautiful, golden, and FIERY, dandelion seems to be eeeeverrrywhere, yet the uninformed are always trying to get rid of it!  try as they may, dandelion never goes away, it just comes back bigger, better and more fabulous every time.  i mean, think about it...


dandelion grows through concrete!  concrete!  can't keep that beauty down....


dandelion adapts itself to grow lower than the lawnmower!  "oh, just try to cut me...  ha!"


bottom line, dandelion will surface and bloom, and always be able to express itself.  strong, determined and adaptable, i think we can all learn something from dandelion.  don't you?!  the wandering herbalist is going to tap into those qualities for the move from denver to chicago!  hell yeah!  so how can you connect with dandelion?  eat the leaves!  or... since it's winter... drink an infusion or a cup of tea.  the leaf is a great tonic for the kidneys, the root is amazing for the liver.


do an experiment with me-drink dandelion leaf infusions every day for two weeks, and let's see if our attitudes are altered.  strength, adaptability, determination!  and "poker face", of course.  ;)