To Remove Freckles....

If you have even a single freckle you will probably relate to this post. If you have red hair or fair skin, I know you will REALLY relate to this post. As a red head, fair skin and freckles come with the territory, there is no way around it. As a young person I was called "freckle face" or people would say, "Can I play connect the dots on your face?" These comments made me ashamed of my freckles (very sensitive person). My mom (fair skinned blonde) told me the story of how she tried to rid of her freckles with lemon juice when she was a teenager. Of course it didn't work, but as a stubborn teenager I still had great faith in the lemon juice and just knew it would fade my freckles away. Well, once again the lemon juice didn't work; but now that I am 39 years old I love my freckles and my red hair!

I haven't thought about my freckles for a long time until just today. I received this very fun book "The Herb and Spice Book for Kids" by Alice Siegel and Margo McLoone. It's an old library book from 1978 which I found through one of Amazon's private sellers. I kid you not, the first recipe I opened to was titled "To Remove Freckles." I read it to my mom and we both had a good laugh; I guess we were missing some important ingredients to mix with the lemon juice!

Here's exactly what it says:

Ingredients

1/2 C watercress leaves

1 pint white vinegar

juice of 1 lemon

lots of freckles

Tools

large bowl

strainer

wide-mouth jar

What You Do

1. Mix all ingredients in bowl.

2. Set bowl uncovered in the sun for 3 days.

3. Pour mixture through strainer into jar.

4. Wash freckled area with mixture daily. Keep out of eyes.

5. Hope for freckles to disappear in 5 days. If not, try something else. (HA! Love it!)

Well, this is a little on the crazy side and I would never in the world want the freckles on my lovely Fauna's face to disappear. I cherish each and every "chocolate pixie kiss" she has received! So I don't think we will be trying this recipe anytime soon. We'll stick with the sunscreen and try to prevent more from appearing. But just in case she wants a freckle removal recipe when she is a teenager, she will know the book to get it from. ;)

Freckles are called many different things all over the world, here's a few: (from cafebabel.com): France: taches (stains); Germany: sommersprossen (summer stains); Spanish: pecas from picar (to make holes); Polish: piegi (delicately sprinkled by chocolate drops); Italy: lentiggini (lentils)

Freckles By Amber Peacock

Freckles, freckles everywhere,

Tannish brownish spots,

Some people don't have any freckles.

I have lots of dots!

I used to scrub with lemon juice,

Wishing them away.

What a silly waste of time,

These pals are here to stay.

Though they never say good-bye,

In winter they may fade.

But in the yellow summer sun,

They come back out to play.

My freckles are like favorite friends.

They make me look like me.

They're pretty, fun, and unique,

The way I want to be!

I will leave you with a very sweet story from frecklecheek.com:
An elderly woman and her little grandson, whose face was sprinkled with bright freckles, spent the day at the zoo. Lots of children were waiting in line to get their cheeks painted by a local artist who was decorating them with tiger paws.“You’ve got so many freckles, there’s no place to paint!” A girl in the line said to the little fella. Embarrassed, the little boy dropped his head. His grandmother knelt down next to him. “I love your freckles. When I was a little girl I always wanted freckles,” she said, while tracing her finger across the child’s cheek. “Freckles are beautiful!”
The boy looked up, “Really?”
“Of course,” said the grandmother. “Why, just name me one thing that’s prettier than freckles.”
The little boy thought for a moment, peered intensely into his grandma’s face, and softly whispered, “Wrinkles.”

And if you have a freckle story or call freckles something else, I would love for you to leave a comment telling me. Have a lovely weekend!

Homemade Herb Croutons and Wilted Swiss Chard Salad

My sweet mama gave us leftover bread crusts from the finger sandwiches she made for the shower. She knew I would find something to do with them. I have always wanted to make herb croutons so we tried it. I thought I would share the recipe.

You need:
3 T olive oil
4 minced garlic cloves
rosemary
thyme or any other herb fresh or dried herb you have on hand
salt and pepper to taste
bread (we used mostly crust because that is what we had and it was stale bread, we left it out overnight)

Steps:
1. Cut the bread into cubes. Araina loved that I trusted her with a knife. She did a great job!

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped herbs. Saute until fragrant.
4. Remove from heat, add bread and toss it in the garlic oil until evenly coated.
5. Put bread onto rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Put in oven, bake for 10 minutes, stir, cook for another 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Then you have croutons! Yea!


While the croutons were baking we wanted to whip up a yummy salad to sprinkle them on. Now, my granny has been getting on my case about not posting some of our vegetarian cooking. So here you have it Granny. My girls are raw foods kind of girls, they will eat any leaf offered to them. When they tried Swiss chard for the first time Araina liked it; Fauna, not so much. Fauna thought that she would like it better if we "herbed" it up a bit. So we went out to the garden and gathered some radish sprouts and Swiss chard. Then put our heads together and came up with this recipe for "Wilted Swiss Chard Salad."

This is what we used in our salad:
Swiss chard
radish sprouts
garbanzo beans
little red tomatoes
olive oil
garlic
salt and pepper to taste
rosemary
thyme
croutons

*I didn't include amounts because Fauna actually put most of this recipe together. Boy, was she HEAVY on the rosemary, she always says, "you can never have too much rosemary!"

1. In a medium skillet saute garlic, rosemary and thyme in olive oil until fragrant.
2. Add the garbanzo beans and tomatoes. Stir for about 8 minutes, depending on how crispy you want the beans. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Tear up the Swiss chard and add to the bean mixture. Wilt the chard and remove from the heat. 4. Add the croutons and radish sprouts and you have "Wilted Swiss Chard Salad."

It was very yummy, even with the large amount of rosemary! The girls added black olives on the side.

*Don't let their faces fool you, they ate every last bit and plan on making more in the future. See all of the laundry in the background? That is the part of my life that I like to ignore!

An Owl, a Sea Otter, A Bedtime Blessing and a Baby Shower

A dear friend of mine is due to have her first baby in July. We had a surprise baby shower for her yesterday. The little ladies and I gave her a basketful of homemade gifts.

The girls decorated an apron for her with leaf prints ( I actually forgot to photograph it...that's how crazy yesterday had been). I made the little babe this little lavender scented sea otter made out of an old cashmere sweater. Oh, he is soooooo soft! The little ladies have each put in orders for one.

I also made the baby an owl that makes a crinkly sound when squeezed.

More handmade gifts by my family.....here is the beautiful mama to be with an octopus quilt made by my sister Robin.

My sister Katrina made her some beautiful homemade books. One book full of parental wisdom (filled out by the shower guests) and one book to write dreams and wishes for the babe.

My mom got creative with her gift by making this baby out of burp cloths, onesies and a little cap. Then she placed the cloth babe in a Boppy sling. It was very hard for the mama to be to take this babe apart!

The little ladies had cupcake duty. They gathered violets, clovers and mint then gently placed each flower onto a cupcake. They were so proud of the finished product (and themselves).

Here is my sister Katrina and my mom with the little ladies.

Robin (another sister) didn't make it into the picture, she was busy writing wishes to the new babe. She wrote down the little saying I say to my girls each night while tucking them into bed:

A star for you to wish on (say this while you draw the star with your finger on the child's forehead),
The sun for warmth and light (draw the sun),

The moon for you to think on (draw the moon),

Pleasant dreams,
And a hug and kiss goodnight (give a hug and kiss).

Homemade book made by Katrina

This little lady LOVES her chocolate! I think this was her favorite moment of the shower. She also guzzled down the lavender lemonade.

This one LOVES her fruit! The poor little thing was so confused about what exactly a baby shower was. She was a little afraid that the baby might be born at the shower and we would all bathe it. She's pretty sure she's not ready for that kind of womanhood!

We were so happy to celebrate the new babe with our lovely Shawna. We wish her many blessings and happiness with the new joy on the way!

Corner View- Ohio "Cityscapes"

Flowers to you my corner view friends, we did not make it to the city.

We are more country mice kind of people. We are herb eatin'.....

Watermelon eatin'.....

Tree worshippin'.....

Nature hikin'.....

Barefoot tree climbin' ....

The "can I make it all the way to the Robin's nest?" tree climbin' kind of people!

We have our fair amount of cities around here in SW Ohio, we just didn't wander to any worth photographing this week. Check out the other cityscapes from around the world:

jane, ian, bonnie,esti, sophie, cele, modsquad,caitlin, joyce, ani, kim, a day that is dessert, natsumi, epe, kaylovesvintage, trinsch,c.t.,jeannette, outi, schanett, ritva, dongdong, francesca, state of bliss, jennifer, dana, denise,cabrizette, bohemia girl, dianna, isabelle, amber, a girl in the yellow shoes, mister e, janis, kari,jgy, jenna, skymring, elizabeth, audrey, allison, lise, cate, mon, victoria, crescent moon, erin,otli, ida, caroline, lisa, dorte, kimmie, la lune dans le ciel, nicola, malo, vanessa, britta, virgina,april, rebecca, b, sunnymama, kyndale, samantha, karen, kristina, angelina, dorit, goldensunfamily, sophie, janet, nicki, ruth, mcgillicutty,desiree, di, travelingmama, aimee

Making Rosewater Method #2

Last week, I showed you how to make rosewater using a homemade still. Here is method #2, (from Rosemary Gladstar's "Herbs for Natural Beauty") a VERY simple way to make rosewater, but you must wait 2-3 weeks for results.

To make rosewater you need:
fresh roses or rose petals- the stronger the scent the better
3 parts vodka, gin, or witch hazel extract
1 part distilled water
glass jar with lid

Steps:
1. Mix the 3 parts vodka with 1 part water.
2. Place rose petals in the glass jar.
3. Completely cover the roses with the alcohol/water solution, leaving 2-3 inches of liquid above the roses.


4. Cover and seal the lid tightly.
5. Place your rosewater in a warm shaded area. After a few days, add more rose petals to the mixture (you might have to add a little more vodka as well). Doing this will make your rosewater more fragrant.


6. After two or three weeks, strain out the roses and rebottle for use. Store in a cool place to prolong shelf life.

*My favorite thing to do with rosewater in the summer is to put it in a mister to use after a bath or shower. I especially love to spray it in my hair! Or try this recipe for rosewater cookies. Enjoy!

Interview Me??

The very talented and creative felt artist D, The Magic Onions, asked to interview yours truly. I am so honored and touched that she took the time to dedicate a post about me. I have been following her since my first week blogging and have been addicted to her posts ever since. Hop over to The Magic Onions to see the beautiful felt work she does and how she brings magic into her little ones' lives daily (and read my interview here, she asked me some fun questions).

She also has an Etsy shop where she sells her gorgeous creations.

By the way, she is having her first giveaway. She is giving away one of her beautiful fairy godmothers. So be sure to leave a comment on her giveaway post.

Thank you D!

Our Evening Hike in Poems

Uphill by Christina Rossetti

Does the road wind up-hill all the way?

Yes, to the very end.

Will the day's journey take the whole long day?

From morn to night, my friend.

Could it Have Been a Shadow? by Monica Shannon

What ran under the rosebush?

What ran under the stone?

Could it have been a shadow,

Running away alone?

Maybe a fariy's shadow,

Slipping away at dawn

To guard a gleaming pot of gold

For a busy leprechaun.

A Bird by Emily Dickinson

A bird came down the walk:

He did not know I saw;

He bit an angleworm in halves

And ate the fellow, raw.

And then he drank the dew

From a convenient grass,

And then hopped sidewise to the wall

To let a beetle pass.

Snail by Langston Hughes

Little snail,

Dreaming you go.

Weather and rose

Is all you know.

Weather and rose

Is all you see,

Drinking

The dewdrop's

Mystery.

Robin Egg Springtime by Don Iannone
So much to delight about in springtime—

Fresh green buds on trees, crocuses, daffodils, tulips

But nothing matches a pastel blue robin egg

To ignite spring feelings within me.

The Song of the Toad by John Burroughs

Have you heard the blinking toad

Sing his solo by the river

When April nights are soft and warm,

And spring is all a-quiver?

If there are jewels in his head

His wits they often muddle

For his mate will lay her eggs

Into a drying puddle.

Tiny Seed by Cathy Drinkwater

Tiny seed, here in my hand,

Where do you hide your plant?

I've tried to find your roots and leaves,

But somehow I just can't.

It must be magic, I believe,

That a tree so big and tall

Could sprout up from this tiny seed

So very, very small.

Be Different to Trees by Mary Carolyn Davies

The talking oak

To the ancients spoke.

But any tree

Will talk to me.

What truths I know

I garnered so.

But those who want to talk and tell,

And those who will not listeners be,

Will never hear a syllable

From out the lips of any tree.

Cycle by Langston Hughes

So many little flowers

Drop their tiny heads

But newer buds come to bloom

In their place instead.

I miss the little flowers

That have gone away.

But the newly budding blossoms

Are equally gay.

From Nature with Love!

I'd Love to be A Fairy's Child by Robert Graves

Children born of fairy stock

Never need for shirt or frock,

Never want for food or fire,

Always get their heart's desire:

Jingle pockets full of gold,

Marry when they're seven years old.

Every fariy child may keep

Two strong ponies and ten sheep;

All have houses, each his own,

Built of brick or granite stone;

They live on cherries, they run wild-

I'd love to ba a Fariy's child.

100 Species #2 Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)

Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) is also known as spotted touch-me-not. This incredible plant is usually found near posion ivy and stinging nettle. This is very important to know because the juice from jewelweed's crushed leaves can stop posion ivy itch and stinging nettle burn. Also, it can be used as a preventitive to posion ivy; should you touch poision ivy, crush up a jewelweed leaf and apply it to the area.

Plant Type: This is a herbaceous plant, it is a annual which can reach 60 inches in height. The stem is somewhat translucent.
Leaves: The leaves are alternate. Leaves can reach 3.5 inches in length. Each leaf is toothed, thin, glaucous on the underside and may be partly ciliate.
Flowers: The flowers are irregular in shape and are about 1 inch long. They are orange and yellow with darker splotches. Blooms first appear in early summer and continue into late summer. The flowers have a wet, delicate appearance. The sack like back of the flower is actually the larger of three sepals which has a turned down spur to 0.4" long.
Fruit: A dehiscent capsule that pops open at maturity dispersing the seeds.
Habitat: Low or moist openings in woods and bottom lands.
Range: From the Rocky Mountains east and in the Pacific Northwest.
Medical Uses: Juice used to treat many types of skin eruptions and injuries and is especially touted as a cure and even a preventative for poison ivy. The Cherokees would rub "the juice of seven blossoms" on the rash. They also used the plant as an ingredient in an aid in childbirth and as a tea to treat measles.
-From 2bn The Wild.com


Fun Stuff: Children LOVE the seeds of jewelweed. Pick the seed capsule off the plant, rub it between your fingers and POP! The seeds should shoot out. Depending on the ripeness of the capsule, the seeds could shoot out with just a brush of your hand; hence the name "Touch-me-not." Also, if you are by a creek, pick off a leaf and put it under the water (bottom side up); the oils of the jewelweed produce a very pretty, silver shimmery color that glistens in the water.

Here is a sonnet by Sir Thomas Wyatt, about his beloved untouchable Anne Boleyn. The latin term "Noli me tangere" translates into "Touch-me-not."

'Whoso List to Hunt, I Know Where Is An Hind'
By Sir Thomas Wyatt

Whoso list to hunt, I know where is an hind,

But as for me, hélas, I may no more.

The vain travail hath wearied me so sore,

I am of them that farthest cometh behind.

Yet may I by no means my wearied mind

Draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore

Fainting I follow. I leave off therefore,

Sithens in a net I seek to hold the wind.

Who list her hunt, I put him out of doubt,

As well as I may spend his time in vain.

And graven with diamonds in letters plain

There is written, her fair neck round about:

Noli me tangere, for Caesar's I am,

And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.

Make a Portable Flower Press for Your Herbarium

Here's the perfect little flower press to carry with you whenever you go for a hike or even a walk around your own backyard. We keep one in the car too because we always come across plants which we find pretty, want to remember a special event, or can't identify so we can bring them home and look them up.



To make one you need:
newspaper
corrugated cardboard from an old box
rubberbands (at least 3 thick rubberbands)
scissors
flowers
leaves
package tape or clear contact paper

STEPS:

1. Cut the cardboard into 3 rectangles that are 8"L x 5 1/2"W.

2. Cut the newspaper into 8" x 5 1/2" rectangles. These are your pressing papers.

3. Decorate the cover with stamps, flowers, and/or leaves. I used clear contact paper and packing tape to press the leaves and flowers onto the cover.

4. Gather your favorite flowers and leaves to press.

5. Place the bottom cardboard cover down first, layer a couple sheets of newspaper on top of the cardboard and place your flowers face down while smoothing them out as much as possilble. We usually write the location, date and name of the plants we are pressing onto the newspaper to keep a record of them.

6. Layer a few more sheets of newspaper on top of the first layer of flowers, then place more flowers or leaves face down onto the press.

7. Put on the middle piece of cardboard after you have about 5 layers of plants; continue to layer until you run out of flowers. Put the cardboard cover on top and put the rubberbands around the press. You can make the press as thick or thin as you want, just add more newspaper and cardboard as you go.

After a week or two, the flowers should be pressed and ready to remove. Please don't forget the nature rule....."if there's more than 10 you may collect a few, less then 10 don't be a greedy fool!" We NEVER pick any of our endangered plants and wildflowers. Enjoy!