Throughout the past few weeks I’ve been harvesting seasonal flowers at the peak of their bloom. Most of the white violets have been dried for re-hydration in an oil infuser. The blue violets will be included in teas (especially lovely combined with spearmint leaves and lavender buds to ease headaches and the inner tension they evoke. Both dandelions and blue violets will be re-hydrated in a warm oil infusion I call Delicate Flower skin polish. I also include red clover flowers, calendula petals, and lavender buds as available.

Last year I didn’t harvest extra blue violets. I regretted that a handful of times throughout the winter and earliest spring season. This year I took just enough to feel amply prepared in the Blue Violet sense of things. I’ve made an initial harvest of the leaves for winter usage, and will be gathering fresh leaves for the next two to three months. Blue violets are a special childhood friend of mine.

What’s yours?

I’ve also been harvesting lemon balm as much as I can before the leaf miners descend. I’ve taken enough to use as the base of a tea blend a mixed yesterday afternoon, and apportioned into separate tea bags last night. Tomorrow morning we’ll give it a road test. I prepared a lemon balm elixir from shredded leaves and vegetable glycerite. I enjoy tipping the bottle back and forth, and turning it gently to swirl the plant matter throughout the glycerite…