Nypedram er godt! A shot from your (Rose-)hips!

My husband bought me a book from flee-marked, some time ago,about how to make your own snaps/dram. It is a Norwegian book written by Oskar Steingrimson. And it appealed a lot to me,since all the herbs used in the book as basis for the snaps,are great medicinal herbs. It is basically the same way that you would make a herbal tinctures,a mother tincture,and then diluted with some more of the strong alcohol and maybe some water to take down the alcohol per cent. Or till you think it tastes just right for you.

I had forgotten about the book,till this fall,when I for reasons I now don't remember, happened to have a lot more rose-hips than I could use,and ended up pouring some vodka over the rest in a jam-glass.like making a rose-hip tincture. I kept tasting the tincture,to see how it developed,and found it tasted really good! And then one day I had bought some Norwegian,strong tasting fermented fish for dinner...that kind of fish that really need a shot of snaps to go with it. As we did not have any aquavit ,I thought we could try my rose hip tincture. I put it in the freezer a little ahead to make sure the snaps would be ice cold. From my point of view,it tasted wonderful with the fish. We had been drinking it undiluted,like a herbal tincture.

Now I remembered the book and started reading it with renewed interest. In the book the tinctures are all diluted with some more alcohol,the stronger and more bitter herbs more than the mild and sweeter tasting herbs.

But this is how it goes in the book;

You fill a jar with with ripe rose-hips that are cleaned ( take off the flower rest and stems)and lightly dried.(I had harvested them a few days before I poured the alcohol over them..maybe that is lightly dried?)Pour over the 45% alcohol(I used 40%,because that was what I had) Close tight with a lid.

Let stand for around 30 days.(I used it already after a week...but longer is probably even better!)

Then you strain the alcohol off the berries, and then for one part mother tincture you mix in 4-5 times alcohol. If you have used 45% alcohol,you can now mix in a little cold ,boiled water,so that the drink has about 38% alcohol.You now have the ready snaps!

St Johns Wort/Johannesurt/Hypericum..liquid sunshine!

St JohansWort has for ages been used and regarded as a special and magic herb,because of its healing properties. And is also today used widely for its uplifting qualities,as it is a dependable reliever of blues, for sleeplessness, digestive problems, colic, liver problems, kidney and bladder discomforts,and for it's skin healing qualities.

For light depressions,feelings of sadness,difficult times,stressed times,this herb is a very safe and good ally. And in Germany,it is used more than all the other antideressiva together,and they can show many scientific studies that this herb is as effective as Prozac (Fontex in Norway) and other similar medications,and have none of the negative effects . For stronger depressions,though,it is advised to get professional help.

The beauty of using this herb compared to pharmaceutical medicines,is that through its constituents and many active ingredients plus the synergy effect of them together,it support and build us,instead of only suppressing symptoms.

The plant also strengthen our immune system,have natural antibiotics in it and kills bacteria.

Used externally, as an oil or salve, it is used to heal wounds, burns ,eczemas that respond well to sun treatment.

Also as a muscle relaxant,and pains in joints...

All together,this is a herb to have in your home pharmacy.

To make a oil of the St Johns Wort;

Pick the fresh flowers and buds on a dry and sunny day,chop them up and put in a clean glass jar with a lid. Pour over a good oil,like olive,almond or coconut oil(needs to be warm enough to keep in a fluid form). Put the lid on and leave in a warm place,like a sun drenched window sill,for 6 weeks,and shake it once in a while.

Then drain the oil out of the flowers, and it now should have a deep red color. Add some drops of vit.E oil to keep it from going rancid.

To make tincture of St Johns Wort;

Internally used,then preferably as a bright ,red tincture, (not as capsules as they are said to be creating sun sensitivity)..liquid sunshine,as Susan Weed calls it,it can be taken,one dropper full,1-3 times a day,for months or years if needed.

Do as above,but instead of oil,you pour over 60% alcohol. Put the lid on ,label it with name and date , and leave for two weeks ,again in a warm place. Drain the herbs out of the alcohol,and store on a clean glass/bottle.

Use directly on the skin for wound healing,eczema, and as a sun screen.

As a tea;

Take 2 tea-spoons of dried flowers in a cup of hot water and steep for 10 min. Drink one to three cups a day..will keep the doctor away!!

Rose oil...love,love,love

The rose as a fragrance, that is carried through it's essential oil,has a particular affinity to the heart. It has a deep psychological effect on all the matters of the heart,and is comforting in times of sorrow,helps to ease psychological pain, and open the doors to love ,friendship and empathy.

Rose works on all levels,beginning with balancing our physical body, and then penetrating our innermost being.

Rose oil is a tonic, and reduces infection and relieves cramps. And therefor very good in treating things caused by too strong contracting energies i.e. migraine headaches,in particular together with balm oil/ Melissa.

It is also particularly good to balance the females hormone system, as it strengthen the uterus,regulates menstruation,and relieves menstrual cramps.

Rose oil is said to be an aphrodisiac,and stimulating sensuality.

And in times of child bearing and birth ,rose oil is said to relieve mood swing and to support during difficult times and birth.

Any transitions is made easier with the help of the rose.

Now , many of these more medical effects may require that you use a pure essential oil of rose, which is much stronger and concentrated , and with the help of some one that knows the art of aroma therapy. But I think the more subtle effects of the rose oil will carry through and give some of the same comfort ,through infusing oil with rose petals from your own roses in your garden. And maybe even more so because of the love and attention that you have given your roses,and the pleasure of creating your own home made oil, and bringing the summer with you into the winter months.

An other aspect of this is that you have complete control over what goes ON your body and thereby IN your body. Within minutes the creams that you put on your body ,is in your blood stream,and feeding all your cells and internal organs. Today ,Norwegians are on the top of the world (not hurrah) having the highest amount of weird and toxic substances, in our bodies. Since I don't think the food and water we eat and drink in Norway is any worse than the rest of the world, it is obvious that it has to do with the amount of creams and body-care products we put on our body today. And since everybody can afford to "treat" our selves with lots of “nice” body care, our body is full of parabens,and other strange,unnatural agents that is put into all the “nice” body care products. Today we do not know the whole story of what all these really do to us, but one thing is sure, I don't think it is going to be very" nice"!

This is how I do it;

Since I use coconut oil,which is solid in low temperatures ,I warm it up till it is liquid ,in a water-bath. A good quality olive oil or almond oil can also be used.

Pick the roses on a dry and warm day,and when all water have evaporated from the roses. This is important,since water on the herb or in the glass, could make it grow moldy.

Put the rose petals into a clean ,sterile glass with a lid.

Slowly pour over the oil, while once in a while,poking with chopstick or a knife,to get all air out of the oil-rose mixture.Completely cover the rose petals,and fill the jar to the rim with the oil,so that there is no room for any air.

You may have to top up the jar with some more oil and rose petals next day,since the plant material will soak up some of the oil.

Put the lid on, label it with content and date,and let it sit for two weeks. Now you can strain the oil from the plant material,and put on a clean jar.

Ready to use, massages,baby massage,body care...so clean you can even use it for cooking!