I Walk With Giants...sometimes---Tales of a multi-tasker

This month has nearly passed me by, but I have come up from the weed pile to take one last look. Ok, so it is only mid-July, but if I'm not careful, August will be on my doorstep before this post sees the light of day. I also want to admit my multi-tasking brain couldn't make a choice this month of who would take center stage, so I will throw out some favorites of mine for the month. 

Early July brought me the joyful purplish pink blossoms of red clover. Last year, I saw the beginnings of a nice little patch that volunteered between boxes in my veggie garden. This year, the red clover spread her wings and now occupies the entire space. No problem, right? Wrong. I cannot get a wheelbarrow or a hose in between the aisles now without trampling on Red. She's a charmer though! I gave her an inch and she took that, laughed at me, and said, "Just wait till next year!" This is why people pull weeds. They can get so bossy! Anyway, since I love her so much, I let her have her way. I have been picking the plucky flowerheads nearly every morning this month. I bring them in to dry on a tray and use them in a tea occasionally. They seem to help with my ever-increasing hot flashes, as well as some skin irritations I am prone to get this time of year. Red clover is said to "relieve symptoms of menopause, due to their phytoestrogen isoflavone content," which includes reducing frequency of hot flashes and night sweats. They also are said to act as a natural hormone replacement, even slowing down bone loss and boosting bone density. Seemingly, they have an affinity for older women! They are said to increase HDL (the good) cholesterol in pre- and post-menopausal women, too. You should be warned, though, that it contains coumarin and does have blood-thinning properties. While this can be a good thing, it may not be the right thing for everyone. 

Another head turner in my back garden is Marsha. Marsha Mallow that is.  She didn't volunteer but has been my faithful guard at the gate to Casa Veggie.  This year, I think she got together with Red and said, "Watch what I can do!" In the three previous seasons that she's lived there, she was a polite, stately guardian who towered over everything. This year, the little wench spread her seeds from one side of the garden to the other. I mean, she really piled it on thick.  But, like red clover, she wooed me a bit. I had to show her who was boss though and reigned her in quite mightily. Yet, she stands over me serenely still. She is really one of my favorites, but I just can't find the space to let her reign as she deserves.

For good reason, medicinally, her roots, leaves and flowers can be used for a number of things. In the past, I have taken marshamallow for excess stomach acid. It is good to use for dry coughs, bronchial irritation and other respiratory problems. The root can be useful in ointment for skin irritations as well as aiding in extraction and healing skin from foreign objects, like splinters. If you've never seen marshmallow in this form, you need to! Marshmallow is very mucilaginous, like the candy made from it can be. It forms a thick substance which would make a very memorable tincture if you attempted it. Don't! This is one of the herbs that does not tincture well and is best used other ways. She is one of the joys of July though. You need to see it to really appreciate it, like I do.

The last herb in my wanderings is perhaps an all-time favorite. I would be remiss if I didn't share with you my friend, purslane. Do you know her? And are you wondering why all my friends are girls? I guess I see them that way. They may not be I suppose. But I digress. Purslane is one whom I like to regale to my closest friends. I generally pick it out of my garden beds when it is hot and moist. Moistness may be the key factor, because I could find very little of it during the dry spell we had.  It is one I add to salads, soups and stirfrys, as it is one of the most powerful of dark greens, high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins E,C, and K, beta-carotene, magnesium, potassium, copper and more. Yep, how can you beat that??? I know, you had me at omega-3s! Usually, you'd find this in fish or fish oils. There is just so much to love about purslane. Forget all those high class greens at the grocers because this nutrient packed powerhouse will likely be infesting your gardens. Infestation of a good kind though! Last year, I had it nearly every day for lunch and what I could, I pickled so I could have it when I could not find it. You may think, "Where has it been all my life?" and "Why has no one told me about it until now?" Or, you may be thinking, "I owe you a big one. What can I give you in return?" The answer to the last one is your undying gratitude.  I know many people think eating wild plants is dangerous. We've been conditioned, literally, to be afraid, or at least wary, of most everything it seems. We should be wary but mainly because of pesticides and other chemicals that often are sprayed or added to everything these days. If you have a garden and do not use any chemicals, your plants should be safe. They may be dirty, though, so wash them for that reason, but some say dirt is good for you. Plants like dirt, so maybe they are on to something. Either way, purslane may be one of the best things you could put into your mouth.  Like Al Yankovic said, "Just eat it! Eat it! Open up your mouth and feed it!"