I am so proud to live in a GreenStep City. In my hometown we have the “magnificent 7” that have been instrumental in working with the city and educating the public. At a recent meeting one of the members was saying that she was supervised to learn how damaging micro bead scrubbers are so the environment. Those little synthetic beads don’t biodegrade and get washed down the drain and into our water supply.

Since GreenStep is all about identifying small and doable action steps that build to big change this member said looking for an alternative was an action step she wanted to start with.

Unfortunately, our city’s Earth Day Celebration (April 22) was canceled, so I thought in honor of Earth Day I would share my own favorite DIY facial scrub.

This is based off of Rosemary Gladstar’s Basic scrub, also called “Miracle Grains” in some sources. Gladstar’s original recipe has spread far and wide, and I am not sure what the original looked like, but here is the recipe I came up with using what I have on hand.

3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup brown rice
1/4 cup almond meal
1/8 cup dried lavender flowers
1/8 cup dried calendula flowers
1/8 cup poppy seeds
2 cups cosmetic clay

The flowers might be the hardest items to source but our natural food coop has these in the bulk herb/spice section. You can use whatever your favorites are (rose would be really nice) and even dry some flowers that will soon be coming up.

Clay can also be hard to find. I got mine from Mountain Rose Herbs. But your coop would probably have some as well.

I have a vitamix with a dry/grain attachment I used to grind this up. I store the dry mix in a quart jar, but keep a smaller 1/2 pint jar in the shower (use a plastic lid). For the smaller jar I mix 4-5 TBSP of the mix with 1 1/2 Tbsp honey and enough filtered water to make a paste.

This is what I use to wash my face–no soap. When I was younger I was very acne prone. I don’t know if I would have felt comfortable only using this scrub on a daily basis then but now I love it, it is not so drying and is beautifully exfoliating. Plus not only is it biodegradable but you could eat it is you really wanted to, though the clay is a bit yucky.

More Earth Festivities include planning our new medicinal herb garden. How are you celebrating Earth Day?

I was reading on Facebook how if we are able to be under quarantine in a warm house with a well stocked fridge and pantry, plus plenty of books and TV options we really should be thankful.

This morning I was standing at my kitchen sink washing dishes. A bluejay flew by. Our cats were playing and running in the backyard, ducks were swimming in every little puddle, chickens were scratching and baby goats are in the barn. So I am feeling extra extra blessed. Here are some pictures of our cuteness to bless you.

I was shopping this week looking for a new house plant. It wasn’t on my radar at the time to buy an Easter Lily, though I had thought about it before, until I asked the clerk if they had plants and she mentioned that they had just gotten Easter Lilies in.

My family had always bought Easter Lilies when I was growing up, but it wasn’t until reading Matthew Wood’s The Book of Herbal Wisdom that I realized that you could make an botanical treatment with it. Wood says, “Easter Lily as a remedy for fibro-cystic disease of the breasts, cysts in the ovaries and under the skin, and menstrual problems.”

He goes on to write about its use in Chinese Medincine for respiratory issues and “It cleared the mind (fine, phlegmatous particles are thought to obstruct consciouness in Chinese and other systems of folk medicine).” The interesting part is his case studies that brought him to these conclusions or which he lists several.

I am currently taking a class on Herbs of Women’s Health is Erin Piorier. At a recent class, March 5th–right before everything went crazy– Lise Wolff was a guest speaker on the topic of fertility. Wolff again talked about taking Easter Lily saying it was good for cysts, acne, light or heavy periods and sexuality issues whether promiscuity or the opposite extreme of shame around sexuality to the point where the person is unable to pee in public restrooms.

In my notes from this class I wrote in big letters across the top–Make Easter Lily Flower Essence–Use Brandy! What makes this remedy so interesting is that it is a Flower Essence, not a traditional tea or tincture.

I was introduced to Flower Essences through Barbara Olive’s recent Book Flower Essences for Health and Well-Being. I also learned more about it through classes at the Green Wisdom School of Natural and Botanical Medicine. For good instructions on how to make flower essences go here.

Matthew Wood says of dosing in The Book of Herbal Wisdom, “Three drops of the flower essence dosage tincture, one to three times a day, as needed, is usually sufficient. Response is usually prompt. Women with menstrual problems should take it for seven to ten days before the period, for three periods. It usually takes a few days, or three periods, to complete its cleansing action on the organism.” He also right more extensively about Easter Lily in his book Seven Herbs: Plants as Teachers though I have not read this book.

So that is a long way of saying I felt that divine nudge reminding me to make my Easter Lily Flower Essence. So I prompt bought one.

It hasn’t opened yet but I am anxious to try it out. I have a growing list of herbs I want to turn into flower essences, oils and salves, tincture, dry for tea and more. Last year I made dandelion, violet, lilac and crab apple flower essence. The Flower Essence Society has a great guide about what characteristics each flower essence carries.

In any case why not get an Easter Lily?