I Love My State...however

Our family has loved living here in Oregon for the last 20 years. Here where we are it is always green and the summers are not unbearably hot. We live most of the summer without air conditioning, the evenings are so cool and the rain isn't as bad as people imagine it to be. God made a beautiful place when He created Oregon...However, the politics in our state are atrocious. It has always been a liberal state but lately things have been stepped up a bit. I am not on Facebook to share this but I felt that some how it needs to get out so I will do my very small part and share it here.

This is an article I received in my email this morning:

http://heidistjohn.com/blog/current-events/devastating-distraction-the-snare-of-offense

Please read it. Not only does it share what Governor Kate Brown is doing in our state but there are also lessons here for us as Christians. Feel free to share the article. Also in the last few days Gov. Brown has passed into law that guns may be confiscated if the owner is thought to be a threat to themselves or others . Our liberties are being taken away bit by bit while we aren't watching. What can we do? Pray, pray, pray! Teach our children to pray. When it feels like government is stepping on our every freedom we need to show our children by example to turn to the Lord!

Time on My Hands

Since stepping away from Facebook, two things have happened....I have more time on my hands now but I have lost a way to share my life with you all. I have picked knitting back up, which isn't such a big deal since all I can knit is dishcloths and baby blankets that are basically giant dishcloths.  And I have renewed an interest that I have had for a while in herbs. I think it is so amazing that God gave us plants that we can eat and use for medicine. I have been looking into herbal schools but the majority of them are extremely expensive. In my searching though, I found Heart of Herbs. They have affordable prices that actually allow people the opportunity to attend. It is all distance learning so that makes it even better.

On that vein, I decided to start harvesting and drying what herbs I have around my home, while waiting to take their courses and to encourage me to go ahead and start learning herbs and their uses.

Red Raspberry leaves, which are considered one of the oldest and wisest herbs for women's health and some yummy chocolate mint leaves drying on my front porch. The Raspberry leaves will be dried and stored for use as a tea for us Ladies of the house when that time of the month comes when life gets difficult.  One of my next projects for Hubby is to make me some herb drying racks.

If you are interested in herbs, one of the best books I have found so far is The Herbal Apothecary.  Be sure to get the book, not the Kindle version...books are so much better to hold and feel.

Anyone want to comment and share their experiences with herbs and some resources that have helped you along in your learning quest?