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April 9, 2025

Happy Day, Reader!

Here's one of my favorite spring poems to start us off today:

“There is no glory in star or blossom till looked upon by a loving eye; There is no fragrance in April breezes till breathed with joy as they wander by.”

---William Cullen Bryant

This poem helps me to be more mindful and grateful when I see all the new flowers bursting forth!

Just this week, my daffodils are blooming, our forsythia bush burst into golden glow with all the blossoms, the wild violet flowers are emerging in the backyard, and the catkins are out en masse on our willow tree---

And more are on their way! It's such a beautiful time of year for herbalists, isn't it?

Are you out there enjoying the blooms too? It's a great way to enhance your endorphins!

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Spring Gift #1: Taco Spice Blend Recipe

Homemade herbal spice blends are SO much better for you and also tastier than buying them in the store. They're incredibly easy to make, too. And, they save you a LOT of money in the long term.

Besides all those perks, spice blends have a large number of health benefits that can't be ignored.

Using herbs and spices in my cooking are one of my favorite ways to use herbs in our home. I never cook without my herbs because they are first of all, just plain delicious!

Secondly, it's the BEST way to add healthy benefits to your family's foods, even without them knowing.

Finally, you can make a number of herbal spice blends and have them out while you're cooking so you don't forget about them, or perhaps even keep a few on your dining table to encourage everyone to partake as they please.

Here's a GREAT recipe for homemade taco seasoning that's a no-fail winner!

Taco Seasoning Recipe (I love it on rice and other savory dishes)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup chili powder

2 1/2 tbsp cumin powder

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons powdered red pepper flakes

1 tbsp finely crushed oregano leaves or powdered oregano

1 tbsp smoked paprika powder (I love the smoked version--it adds some special depth)

1 tsp black pepper

Optional: 1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

Combine all the powders well. Store in an airtight shaker jar and enjoy liberally!

TIP: Want a little more heat? Try 1/2 tsp of cayenne powder or to taste, and enjoy extra heart-healthy benefits!

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Spring Gift #2: Inhaler for Tension & Stress

Aroma De-stress Inhaler Blend

This is such an easy and fabulous blend for helping with reducing tension in shoulders and thoughts. It also helps to promote focus and clarity when you need to think.

Bergamot is mood-boosting; lavender calms the mind; and the black spruce grounds you if you're feeling frazzled.

Aromatherapy isn't magical---it's about the chemistry of these special volatile oils that only come from certain plants and plant parts.

🌿 Bergamot is high in a chemical called limonene---uplifting.

🪻 Lavender is high in both linalool and linalyl acetate---both relaxing and calming

🌲 Black spruce is high in another ester compount called bornyl acetate, contributing to healthy immune support while also grounding and calming.

To make your inhaler, just take a small ceramic or glass bowl and drop 12 drops of bergamot, 5 drops of lavender, and 5 drops of black spruce into it and swirl them together.

Add the wick from your personal inhaler, and allow it to absorb the essential oils. Using tweezers, add the wick to the body of the inhaler, snap on the top, and enjoy peace of thoughts whenever you need it!

​You can find metal inhalers here. They are my favorites and are reusable.

Ready to take aromatherapy seriously?

Take a look at our

​Aromatherapy Specialist Certification Program​

It's still on Special Beta Pricing, but won't be for long!

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Watch me make an aromatherapy inhaler--

This video is how to make an inhaler for children's stress and anxiety, but you can definitely adjust it for adults (or use the blend above). **It's not just for back to school!

You'll add about 20 ish drops for adults, and of course, there are different essential oils you can use, too, but that's a huge topic beyond this short note! In this video, we're using kidsafe essential oils, and I explain what they are and how they work.

Here's a quick video:

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Spring Gift #3: The BEST DIY Every Day Cleaner

Ready for Spring Cleaning? Here's one of my favorite herbal cleaning recipes, and it's SO simple!

Powerful Herbal Cleaning Vinegar

I love this cleaner, and I use it a LOT. It smells amazing, and works like a charm! You can use it for windows (diluted with water- 1/4 vinegar and 3/4 water), as well as on counter tops, sinks, toilets, and for non-wood flooring. Do not use on granite, marble or other natural stone surfaces either because the acid in the vinegar can break them down.

You can adjust your diluted cleaner to be more powerful by adding more vinegar, and dial it down by adding more water.

The main herb in this cleaner is lemon! The peel and the juice are what you want.

You see, the acid in the juice as well as the volatile oils (essential oil) found in high amounts in the peels are clinically shown to have antimicrobial actions.

The acid also helps remove tarnish, while the essential oil helps remove stuck grime.

Lemon is also wonderfully deodorizing!

Thyme is another antimicrobial herb, and the combination is just beautiful!

Ingredients and Directions to Make the Cleaning Vinegar:

• About 1 1/2 cups lemon slices or just the peels and fresh thyme sprigs.
• Add the herbs to your wide-mouthed pint jar.
• Cover to the top with white distilled vinegar.
• Use a plastic lid to seal the jar (acid in the vinegar and lemon juice will horribly corrode metal--and you don't want that)
• Let this mixture infuse for three to six weeks. Shake as often as you think about it. The agitation helps the plants release their properties into the vinegar.
• Strain the liquid off, and bottle it up!
• Dilute it with water to make your cleaning sprays.

Play around with the ratio of cleaning vinegar to water for the results you like the best.

To use, just spray on surfaces (do a test first on a small area, and again, avoid wood and natural stone), let sit for a few moments, then wipe off!

You might also enjoy this article:

​10 Ways to Use Lemon Essential Oil​

(Number Eight may surprise you!)

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Spring Gift #4: FREE Access to the Homegrown Living Summit!

My great friend, Shelby DeVore of Garden.Farm.Thrive. is having her annual spring summit, and it's ALL about all things modern homesteading.

With a variety of topics including:

• Traditional cooking
• Sour Dough Bread
• ALL the garden information to know for spring
• Information on including children
• Eating for a more healthy life
• Beekeeping
• And MORE

You'll definitely want to save your seat!

​Homegrown Living Summit​

It begins April 21st, and there will be replays for a short time!

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Herbalists Day is here on April 17th, so stay tuned! I have a special surprise coming.

Also, as we get ready to move our home, livestock (poultry), business, and the apothecary as well as get ready to plant a ton of medicinals on the new property, is there anything you'd like me to chronicle for you on YouTube?

I often don't set up the tripod when I'm doing things, and then I'll think later: "OH! I should have recorded that for you!"

Hit "reply" and let me know if you'd like topics like going through my herbs in the apothecary, dividing plants in the garden to take with us, what we're doing in the basement in town (medicinals are growing), or other?

I hope you have a beautiful and blessed day, and enjoy making some of these wonderful spring things!

Hugs, Health, and Herbs,

Heidi

P.S. Another Gift! Get my FREE Five Favorite Remedies for Animals download! Click the link above, and I'll send it to you! Be sure to use the same email address you're using for this note.

P.P.S. I'd love if you'd forward this note along to a friend!

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This note is proudly sponsored by the

​Confident Herbalist Tribe​

It's still open for a VERY short window of time!

You don't want to miss this opening because prices will be going up, and we're making some very awesome upgrades! Click the orange link above or the image below to learn more about what it is and includes!

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