Have You Gotten Caught - Reading that is!

A lovely spring day, a beautiful garden, a hammock and a good book - does that sound heavenly or what? Books can transport you to other times and places. They can educate and inspire. Books can make you laugh, cry, dream and sigh.

May is Get Caught Reading Month. Not reading Facebook - but a real book. (Kindles and Nooks are good too.) I grew up in a home filled with books. There were overstuffed book cases in every room. My home now is much the same. Mysteries, science fiction, science, romance, adventure, children's stories, poetry, biographies, how to's - if it looks interesting, it winds up on our shelves. We've got hardcover and softcover. There's one whole book case for herb guides and books on aromatherapy, herbal studies and herbal home care.

This doesn't even count the magazines we have kept!

Get Caught Reading Month is the chance to recognize the amazing gift that reading can be. I always make sure to compliment children and young people that I see reading books and magazines. And it's a wonderful conversation starter with people (unless they are reading at that moment. Then leave them alone and let them read!)

These are some of my current favorite reads.

The Harry Potter books. That's the books - not the movies. I do like the movies, but the books are so much better and intricate. I've read them all at least 3 times.

China Bayles Series by Susan Wittig Albert. China Bayles, the lead character, lives in a small town in Texas and runs an herb shop. She has interesting friends and seems to find murder and mayhem about her. Susan writes with detail and clarity, but with a inviting, inclusive manner that makes you a part of the adventure. Herbs play an integral part of the story. And there's the herb shop. I have to admit, it's the shop of my dreams.

The Brother Cadfael mysteries. These historical murder mysteries feature Brother Cadfael, a Welsh Monk in Shrewsbury, England in the 12th century. He is the abbey herbalist and has a keen eye for clues.

Every now and then I find myself going back to James Herriot stories, a British country vet. These stories make me laugh and cry and love animals all the more.

Richard Scarry books and Animalia by Graeme Base. Not by myself, mind you. But these are my favorite books to read and give to children. No. Really.
Have you been caught? And what are you reading now?  Me? I'm going to grab my copy of The Essential Herbal Magazine and head out to the hammock. You can catch me there.

From Apples to Wine - It's All Divine! It's National Vinegar Month!

For something that was created by accident (about 3,000 years ago no less), vinegar is the most versatile ingredient to have in the kitchen. May is National Vinegar Month and is the perfect time to discover the innocuous, inexpensive, indispensable wonder that is vinegar.

There are many types of vinegar - apple cider, distilled white, wine (which can be made from any wine including champagne) and a variety of specialty vinegars like malt, balsamic, honey and fruits. Cooking, health, gardening and cleaning - vinegar can be used anywhere. It has long been used to boost health and medicinally.* Plus it's tasty!

Sour wine (which is what the word vinegar means) is the stuff of legend, poem, song, as well as dissertations and scientific research. Rather than just regurgitate (which a little vinegar in water can help you from doing), I'll share some of my favorite uses with you.

• Long before we started Celtic Chairde Creations, I used an infusion of herbs in apple cider vinegar as a face toner. It felt so refreshing and kept my skin from over drying as some toners and skin cleaners can. It was only natural to include it as one of our first products with our new company. Face Toner is one of my absolute favorite uses for vinegar.

• Baking soda and vinegar, besides making cool volcanoes, is a good way to clear mildly clogged or slow running drains. Pour as much baking soda as you can into the drain. Add vinegar a 1/2 cup or so at a time. Quickly cover (I use a wash cloth) the drain and hold it down tightly. When the fizzing stops, add a little more vinegar and cover again. Do this until you don't hear any fizzing when you pour the vinegar in. All natural, inexpensive and easy.

• Barbeque sauce, salad dressing, marinade, cole slaw, pickles ... what's not to love! Infusing your vinegars with herbs and fruits adds a lovely interesting twist to any recipe.

• I make a lot of my own vinegars. It's relatively easy to do. It just requires patience. I've made it with leftover wine (yes, we occasionally have left over wine in our house)and apples. I've also made it with pomegranate juice, with limited success. Here's a great resource for making your own apple cider vinegar.

• 
  Although I'm more of a shower girl, vinegar is great to use in your bath. It's so nice and balancing for your skin. We make two types of bath vinegars - with maybe more on the way!

• Vinegar is a wonderful treatment for bug bites and sunburn. We've got that covered too with our Do Greine Spray. But in a pinch, just wet a cloth with vinegar and put it on the burn. It helps take out the sting and reduce swelling.

• Blend a nice flavored vinegar with an infused honey and water and you have an oxymel. I like to add a splash of club soda for fizz. It's wonderfully refreshing and good for you, too.

• Take some lemon or orange peels, some thyme or rosemary and put it into a jar. Cover with white distilled vinegar. Seal the jar and let it set for 2 weeks or longer. Strain and put into a spray bottle. Best cleaner you'll ever have! use it on sinks, counters, tubs, windows and more. Smells great and disinfects and no chemicals.

Try vinegar in a new way during National Vinegar Month. Or share your favorite way to use vinegar with us. Viva le vinegar!


* Please keep in mind that any information is shared for educational purposes. If you have any questions, check with your doctor or health care professional. And do your own research, too.