Rosemary

This time of year, it seems there are very few greens outside. Lately, it seems even THOSE aren't green- they are white with snow! If you'll dig under that snow just a little, you'll find that your rosemary plant you put out last spring is still there and still green and still fragrant. Gather some! Bring it indoors, give it a gentle rinsing, spread it on newspaper and let it dry for a week or two.

Once you've done that, what do you do with it? Ohhhhh so many things!

• Potpourri- You can't buy dried herbs as fresh as this! And this is the season for such wonderful fragrances!


• Cooking- Have you ever cooked chicken or fish with fresh rosemary? Mmmmm!


• Tea- Ok, I'll admit that rosemary tea isn't my first choice if I'm just sitting down to enjoy a cup of hot tea. I'm pretty finicky about what I taste. BUT... if you have a terrible headache, it just might not taste all that bad! Plus you will get some vitamin c from it and sinus-ease.


• Bath- Go ahead and make up that tea, make a good bit of it too. (By that, I mean about 4 cups.) Let it cool for a little while, then strain out the herb particles. Take that rosemary tea to the tub with you and soak in a nice hot bath with rosemary tea added to the water. This is a great muscle soak for those tired aching muscles!


• Hot oil hair treatment- You can make a hot oil treatment for your hair using rosemary and improve the condition of your scalp AND hair! This is a great option for those who need its astringent action.


• Flower arrangements- Fresh plants invite warmth and comfort to our atmosphere, so add a few sprigs to your floral arrangements! Enjoy the benefits of its fragrance AND beauty!

There are many things that are well complimented by the use of rosemary. If you don't have a fresh plant to pick from, try visiting the produce section of your local grocery store. If you find that rosemary is amazing but the work isn't for you, well stop in to your friendly neighborhood herb shop and pick up a bottle of rosemary essential oil! The work is done for you, the rosemary is concentrated (so it takes very little) and the fragrance is just as divine!

For a little more information about rosemary, try whfoods.com (or click this link to go directly to the source).