Herbaceous

~~Social media holiday~~
I’ve been on a little break from social media lately, and I’m pleased to report that I have noticed some uplifting results. 🧡🦉
Although I don’t consider myself to be a big social media user, I definitely fell into the trap of checking my phone way more often than I “needed” to.
I’ve been reading more books, and generally feeling much calmer.🧡🦉
My little break is going to extend for a while longer.
If you need to get in touch to make a booking, or order remedies, you can contact me old school style via email: [email protected] or phone 0493 108 005.
Stay well and happy! 🧡 Gabriella 🦉

~~Reflection time~~
🤔✨☀️💛
I had a little ponder this morning about the reasons why I post the things I do on social media.

I really enjoy sprinkling light and information into the world via the wisdom of naturopathic principles, the natural world, and always remembering to have fun.

I am not a big social media user, so I figure the time I spend on here is best used for spreading good news, cheer and interesting snippets of information.

On that note, I wish you a light filled Tuesday! ✨☀️

~~Friday funny!~~
Are you ready to be carried away by owls?!
🦉🦉🦉
Thanks for sharing

~~This beautiful cornflower was picked early this morning.~~ 💙🌱
Her colour is simply stunning!💙🌱
Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday. 💙🌱

~~Herbaceous has news~~🦉

Equipped with a helmet, mask and safety goggles, I’m ready for whatever else 2021 wants to send my way.!
(What a day we had here in Victoria yesterday 😳)

Exciting news time now. 🥳

I am now working online 100% of the time, doing Telehealth consultations.
Pre-2020, I was very much a face to face Naturopath.

However, like for so many others, the pandemic has created change and shifts in the way we work.

I’ve decided to ride this exciting new wave, and embrace the opportunity to be of service and connect with patients Australia wide.🌊👋

It’s a win win. You can consult with me from your home🏡🛋….so easy and there is zero commute time for you! 🚗🚌

And I am super happy to be running the Herbaceous dispensary from home once more.🏡🌿
Something feels very right about having all of the herb friends, and supplements set up here….ready to work their magic when I send them out to patients. ✨🧙‍♂️🦉

Looking forward to connecting with you, Gabriella 🧡🦉🌿

~~Beautiful words by David Whyte, reminding us that we are never alone~~
Everything Is Waiting for You
🐚🧡
“Your great mistake is to act the drama as if you were alone.
As if life were a progressive and cunning crime
with no witness to the tiny hidden
transgressions.
To feel abandoned is to deny
the intimacy of your surroundings. Surely, even you, at times, have felt the grand array;
the swelling presence, and the chorus, crowding out your solo voice.
You must note the way the soap dish enables you, or the window latch grants you freedom.
Alertness is the hidden discipline of familiarity.
The stairs are your mentor of things
to come, the doors have always been there to frighten you and invite you, and the tiny speaker in the phone is your dream-ladder to divinity.
Put down the weight of your aloneness and ease into the
conversation.
The kettle is singing
even as it pours you a drink, the cooking pots have left their arrogant aloofness and seen the good in you at last.
All the birds and creatures of the world are unutterably themselves.
Everything is waiting for you.”
🐚🧡
Words by

~~Sunday fresh air and nature time~~ 💛☀️🌼
We stumbled across these fragrant freesia growing near the sea.
Their Spring arrival and delightful smell always reminds me of childhood.
What is your favourite childhood memory flower?! 💛☀️🌼

~~Beautiful words~~ 🐝🦉💛
“My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird -
equal seekers of sweetness.
Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.
Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young and still not half-perfect?
Let me keep my mind on what matters,
which is my work,
which is mostly standing still and learning to be astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all ingredients are here,
Which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart
and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,
telling them all, over and over, how it is
that we live forever.”
Author- Mary Oliver
Artist - .safer
🐝🦉💛

~~Some more pics of this stunning morning~~ ☀️🐶🐾🏝🌸🌷

~~Spring has arrived!~~
Looking forward to longer, lighter days, and lots of beach time.
I was up at dawn to welcome in the new season…..such a calm morning.
I hope Spring brings you a renewed sense of lightness and joy.
🌅☀️🌸🌷🌿

~~Meet my favourite herbs~~
Introducing another herbal gem today, with the brilliant burdock (arctium lappa).
How adorable is the image of the bird sleeping in the burdock?!
I could do with a little lockdown lie down amongst the burdock myself some days! 😜
Anyhow, onto some herb nerd info for you now:
I call on burdock in the Herbaceous dispensary for helping to resolve chronic skin conditions including eczema, acne, psoriasis and rosacea.

According to herbalist Matthew Wood, "burdock, with its brown, fur-like burs, would be classified in American Indian medicine as a ‘bear medicine.’ 🐻

The oily bear medicines usually stimulate the gallbladder, liver, thyroid and adrenal cortical functions, encouraging the digestion and metabolism of fats and proteins.
The metabolism of the bear, which swings greatly from winter hibernation to summer feeding, is dependent on these organs for storage and utilisation of fats and proteins.

In Japan the root is a popular vegetable called gobo. When it is cultivated, it bears thick, white coloured roots up to one metre long with a sweet aromatic flavour similar to carrots.

I hope you enjoyed these musings. If you would like to learn more about some of your favourite herbs, do let me know in the comments, and I will create a post! Gabriella x
🌿💕🐻🥕

References: Wood, Matthew “The Eatrhwise Herbal” and Materia medica lecture notes circa 2003
Image via .safer

~~Moving into the new week with a new burst of full moon and Spring charged energy~~ 🌕🔮🌷
Sending some of this feeling out into the world too. 🥰
Image via Crafting Witch on Instagram

~~Meet my favourite herbs~~ 💕🌿Today we have a true herbal gem....stachys officinalis.
Also known as wood betony, this beautiful herb was once truly revered as a tonic in Europe.
There is an old Italian saying "you should sell your coat and buy betony." These days stachys officinalis isn't as fashionable, but at the dispensary I love keeping our old herbal traditions alive. 💕🌿
This herb is an excellent tonic and friend of the nervous system. It helps to alleviate anxiety, headache, migraine and insomnia.
As you can see, stachys officinalis is a wonderful old fashioned herb which can be applied to many modern day afflictions. 💕🌿
Image via Etsy

The Geometry of Dandelions.

~~Meet my favourite herbs~~🌿
Continuing on with another of my all time favourite herbs.
The delightful lavender (Lavandula officinalis) is a much loved herb and is well regarded as a tonic to the nervous system.
I feel like Australia needs a big healing lavender infusion right about now! 💜🌿
Research indicates that lavender displays anti-depressant, anti-anxiety and mood enhancing activity.
It's relaxing smell is derived from volatile oils including linalool, geraniol and linalyl acetate. Historically, lavender can be traced back to ancient Egypt where is was used for embalming. And in ancient Rome soldiers carried lavender to assist with dressing war wounds.
The German Shepherd finds it very calming too! 🐶😜
What is your favourite way to use lavender?💜🌿

~~Meet my favourite herbs~~ 🌱
I’ve decided to resume posting about some of my favourite herbs. Lockdown no.6 means I’m constantly tuning into ideas to keep my mind fresh with fun and creativity…..especially when it comes to herbs and plants! 🌿👩‍🌾🌼🌱 Introducing taraxacum officinale (commonly known as dandelion).
How delightful is this picture?!
Now that it is almost spring, you will see dandelions popping up everywhere.
The familiar "large gossamer ball" (thanks Mrs M Grieve for this description) invites us to blow the seeds into the air and make a wish!
Or to tell the time based on the amount of puffs required to disperse the seeds. ⏰
Herbalists call upon the root of dandelion to assist with supporting liver function, whereas the leaves have an affinity with the kidneys. The roasted roots are made into dandelion "coffee" which is a caffeine free alternative to actual coffee. It's bitter aspect supports liver function and keeps the bowel functioning well, without the stimulating effect that coffee has on the nervous system. ☕️
As you can see, dandelion is a true herbal friend. I dispense it on a regular basis in clinic, and also encourage people to eat the young spring dandelion leaves, which can be added to salads. They can also be boiled, and then drained. Add some nutmeg, garlic and lemon peel - delicious. A fine example of food as medicine 🍋
The Lion image is via iguanamouth.tumblr.com 🦁

~~Fiji flashback~~🌴💚
Such happy and heartwarming memories of our time volunteering in Fiji.
Circa August 2018!
With the delightful & 🌴💚

~~Garden magic~~ ✨💫🌿
Loving this image by which I saw on stories.
It’s a reminder to spend as much time as possible in the garden during this lockdown. 👩‍🌾🪴
As well as exploring and observing local plants and gardens.
Hope you can enjoy some quality nature time this weekend too! 🌿💚

~~Never stop learning~~
My mind is full of fresh insights from yesterdays seminar : “The Exhaustion Crisis”. 🧠🌿
Topics included chronic fatigue syndrome and post-viral fatigue syndrome.
These presentations are becoming increasingly common, and herbal medicine plays such an important role in both management and recovery. 🌿💚
If you are feeling the effects of fatigue, then herbal help is here.
I offer online (zoom) and phone consultations, as well as in person consults in St Leonards, Vic. ☎️🦉

Now for a herb nerd moment!
I encountered this mega rosemary plant on Saturday.
It was alive with bees and stunning blue flowers. And it smelt incredible….and yes, I stuck my snoot in for several sniffs, and didn’t get stung! 🐝🌿☀️

~~It’s time for some mid-winter nonsense!~~🤪
These words by Dr Seuss are rather appropriate at the moment , don't you think?!
“Nonsense wakes up the brain cells.
And it helps develop a sense of humour, which is awfully important in this day and age.
Humour has a tremendous place in this sordid world.
It’s more than just a matter of laughing.
If you can see things out of whack, then you can see how things can be in whack.”❤️
Here are a few moments of silliness from the Herbaceous gallery.
I hope your Sunday contains some sprinklings of silliness and larking about!🤪

~~Lockdown gardening~~
👩‍🌾🏡🐛🐕
Being at home = bonus gardening time!
After all the cake eating (!) we dug out this new bed across to the fence. It’s going to be filled with colourful cottage flowers and some medicinal herbs.
🌸🌼🌻🍄
This side of the garden is bathed in full sun, so fingers crossed the plants will thrive….hopefully
the German shepherd keeps her snoot and paws to herself!
Have you been getting your hands in
the soil this lockdown?
🌞🌱🐝🥕

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRmwMOELZbM/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

~~Lockdown gardening~~ 👩‍🌾🏡🐛🐕 Being at home = bonus gardening time! After all the cake eating (!) we dug out this new bed across to the fence. it’s going to be filled with colourful cottage flowers and some medicinal herbs. 🌸🌼🌻🍄 This side of the garden is bathed in full sun, so fingers crossed the plants will thrive….hopefully the German shepherd keeps her snoot and paws to herself! Have you been getting your hands in the soil this lockdown? 🌞🌱🐝🥕

~~🌸🌸🌸~~
Flowers from my garden and Mum’s garden to brighten your Monday!

~~I’m fully Pfizered💉💪~~
And not at all concerned about revealing my age group online!
I had my second jab recently, and aside from a few flu like symptoms, I’m feeling great.
I feel happy to be playing my part in keeping the community safe. 🧡
PS I have needle phobia, and my blood pressure dropped super low, so I got a lollypop! ! 🍭😂

Such a beautiful photo taken by Andrea Fortune - Trusted Psychic Tarot Advisor. I hope it brings some magic to your Saturday. 🐬🌈🦉

Beautiful Aspendale beach this morning, and there were dolphins swimming underneath the rainbow. Thought I'd share as it's like a meditation. I hope it brings some serenity to your day :)

~~”May I suggest we abandon connection technologies and reconnect with the living world whenever possible.”~~
🍄🦊🐶🦔🐿🐻🐨🍄🍃🍂
Words by Loreena McKennitt
Image via
Saw a similar post on John Forti - The Heirloom Gardener page.

~~Sun tea~~🌞
This beautiful recipe is a sure fire way to bring some warmth to these chilly winter days.🌞

This is actually a “summer” tea, as the infusion takes on the energy of the sun’s warming rays.🌞

But, being a herbalist is all about being creative too, so why not make this on a sunny winter’s day?!

You can source the herbs in dried form from your local health food store.
My favourite supplier is 🌿
You can replace the red clover with fresh calendula….or any other sun loving herb. 🌼

Recipe:❤️
1 cup red clover blossoms
1 cup red raspberry leaf
1/2 cup hibiscus flowers
1/2 cup dried orange peel

Method:🌞
Mix the herbs and store in an airtight container
To make the tea, add 1/2 to 1 cup of the blend to a 1 litre jar.
Pour filtered water over the herbs and let it sit in the sun all day.
Strain and enjoy.
The tea lasts 3 days in the fridge.

Gorgeous image via .safer.
Recipe adapted from via 🙏🌞💛

~~A little sprinkling of magic for your Friday~~ ✨🪄🧙‍♂️🧚🏻
“The world is full of magic things patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”~~ W.B.Yeats

Image from The Heirloom Gardener John Forti FB page

~~Wednesday wisdom~~ 🌞🌿From Mr. Curly to Vasco Pyjama (circumnavigator)~~
Dear Vasco,
It is the shortest day here in Curly Flat - the winter solstice. We had a very interesting time trying to measure this shortest day. How does one measure a day? Length is one matter but depth and width are just as important. For instance, a short day may be very deep or a long day may be shallow and narrow. What seems to be vital is whether or not the day is spacious; in which case the roundedness of the day is perhaps the most important factor. After all, a round day holds happiness most successfully - happiness itself being of a rounded shape, as you have observed.
The shortest day always reminds me that life is short but no sooner am I conscious of that than I am reminded that life is also very long. This is a most comforting paradox, for when I know that it is short, life seems more precious and sweet; I am overcome with a great sense of forgiveness and my sufferings seems more bearable and fleeting - in fact they almost feel like blessings. And when I know that life is long I am reassured and contented that the great wheel will surely turn and natural justice will come to pass most certainly. But once again Vasco, it is not the length of life which is important, it is the shape and the spaciousness - for therein lies the potential for a beautiful freedom. It is the roundedness of life which matters. A round life is surely a happy life - and dare I say - it is a good life.
Please consider these reflections as a small picnic of thoughts we may share together - as we have shared picnics of sandwiches and wine on the shores of Lake Lacuna in summers past. Those were happy days - and they will come again. Fare well Vasco!
With salutes and smiles,
Mr. Curly.

I found this on Facebook. 🌞🌿