Next on my list of books every green witch should have on their bookshelf is A Modern Herbal (Volume 1, A-H)and A Modern Herbal (Volume 2)by M. Grieve. Yep, it’s so good, it comes in 2 volumes. These volumes are also online at Botanical.com, but I still prefer a book to a computer.

Originally published in 1931, reprinted in 1971 and indexed in 1982, these volumes contain information on something over 800 herbs. Admittedly, we now know more about the medicinal uses of many herbs than was known back in the 30′s but what’s so great about these books is not only does Mrs. Grieve give a really good description of the plant, how and where it’s cultivated, and the medicinal uses and actions; she also gives a lot of historical information, superstitions, quotations, and the like. From some of the historical citations we can even extract some magical uses. This is one of the books I turn to for tidbits of interesting information when I’m writing about a particular herb.

Opening to the pages on Garlic, for example: “Garlic was placed by the ancient Greeks on the piles of stones at cross-roads as a supper for Hecate, and according to Pliny garlic and onion were invocated as deities by the Egyptians at the taking of oaths.” And further down: “…if a morsel of the bulb be chewed by a man running a race it will prevent his competitors from getting ahead of him…” That’s just a sampling from one herb whose entry encompasses about three pages. There are some that run six or more.

As I said before, we know more about the medicinal uses of herbs nearly 80 years later but this is an invaluable reference for anyone interested in herbs. One caveat: Mrs. Grieve was English, some of her common names don’t match what I know them as, and her use of the Linnaeus names (the Latin binomial) is sometimes outdated from today. Sometimes you need to do a little hunting.

While not exactly herbal related, a couple of weeks ago, I posted a link about an eco-friendly item on my Facebook page (are you a fan, yet?). In case you missed it, the link is here.

Anyways, I was excited about this product. I’m always looking for ways to help the environment and cut down on my expenses. So, I ordered a pair of these recycled wool dryer balls. Service was prompt – I received a notice of shipment within a couple of hours of placing my order and they arrived within a few days.

Pros: at about 4¢ each for a dryer sheet, the balls would have paid for themselves in about five years – there’s only two of us so we don’t do a lot of laundry.  But in larger households, they’ll pay for themselves much quicker. Time is precious in our household and the balls cut down on the drying time by about 15%. Saves time and electricity. Plus, I’m lazy.  I just left the balls in the dryer. No remembering to put the dryer sheet into the dryer.

Cons: Fabrics aren’t quite a soft as with a dryer sheet or liquid fabric softener. The only thing about this that really bugs me is the towels. I like my towels fluffy soft. And today, with probably less than a dozen loads of use, I found wool pilling the same color as the balls (red & green) in with my dried (ivory) sheets. This makes me wonder just how long they’d really last.

So, my rating: 2 out of 5 stars. I’d be interested to hear if anyone has any better experiences with them.

Throughout the US, Juniper is used as ground cover. Experts differ but existing records show between 52 and 67 different species. A member of the Cypress family, it is actually a shrub that can grow into a tree up to 25 feet high! The part you’re looking to use is the berries. It can take up to three years for the berries to reach maturity on some species, although the average maturity rate is 18 months. The berries are blue-black when ripe. Although all Juniper species have some medicinal qualities, the most widely-used is Juniperus communis.

Probably the best-known use for Juniper berries is as an ingredient in gin (“gin” is a derivative of the Dutch word “geniver”, or “juniper”). Gin was first distilled in Holland in the 17th century and was originally produced as medicine. (As an aside, what we know today as tonic water was originally known as quinine water and made from the bark of the Cinchona tree  – it’s synthesized today. So, if you’re a gin & tonic drinker, I guess you could use the excuse you’re taking your medicine?) Herbally, we generally drink an infusion, although with proper use the essential oil is a basis for several remedies.

An infusion of Juniper is made by crushing one tablespoon of berries in two cups hot water. Steep about ten minutes and strain. This infusion has long been used in Germany to treat heartburn, indigestion, urinary tract infections, and bronchitis. Juniper has also been credited with inhibiting several viruses, including the flu and herpes. If you are pregnant, nursing, or have kidney problems, don’t use Juniper at all, and it’s not recommended for children. Be aware that Juniper is a diuretic so if you’re taking it for a particular problem, be sure to drink plenty of water and eat a few bananas to replace the potassium you’re losing. Juniper may also potentiate (increase the efficacy of) hypoglycemic and diuretic therapies.

You can use Juniper essential oil topically (dilute well in a base oil such as grapeseed or almond) as an inhalant for colds & coughs – rub on the chest just like you would Vicks VapoRub. The diluted oil can also be used for certain skin conditions such as psoriasis. (Juniper oil can be toxic in small doses so don’t ingest it.)

If you’re really into sharp flavors in your cooking, Juniper berries can be used in poultry dishes and to flavor wild game. They’re an ingredient in many Scandinavian and German dishes, including sauerkraut (which, by the way, is also good for colds).

Juniper berries, when pierced and strung, provide a strong protection for valuables. Wrap your string of berries around your jewelry box or important papers. It’s also said that wearing that same string as a necklace will keep illness at bay as it banishes dark energies and attracts healthy energy. Burning the berries as “incense” will help increase psychic powers and break hexes & curses.

So, if you or your neighbors have Juniper helping to hold a hillside down, don’t let the birds get the berries! Put netting over them as soon as you see the berries emerge – the birds will eat even the green ones. If you pick them, be sure you’re at least 50-100 feet away from the road (so you don’t get the car exhaust fumes the plants will absorb) and if the plants are on your neighbor’s property, be sure to get their permission to pick. Lay them out on a screen to dry: they will take up to a month to dry thoroughly.

In the meantime, order me a gin & tonic with a wedge of lime, please.  I’ll be right there.