Herbs and their medicinal uses are fascinating to me. Many herbs I’ve grown from seed, others have been wild-crafted from my neighborhood haunts and my own back yard. I make an insect repellent using ordinary catnip and alcohol. It’s very effective — especially against those little no-see-ums that seem to love me and it’s a perfect cooling spray on a hot summer evening.
I also make salves with herbs from my garden. Calendula salve is a favorite. These golden sticky blooms are infused in olive oil for several weeks, then heated gently with local beeswax to make a soothing salve. So much therapy, both growing, harvesting and making!