This Week's Herbal Project--Hops Concluded

There are some things that simply can't be done justice with photographs. Last night, I stayed over at a friend's house. She wasn't there, but she'll be back this afternoon. About five inches of snow fell during the night, and was still falling softly when I got up. So this morning I was out there wearing just a camisole, pants and a hat, shoveling snow from the driveway. When I started, it was too dark to take any kind of picture. By the time I was finished (it took just over an hour), we had gray, snowy daylight, a cleared driveway and high walls of snow on either side. I'm not sure what a picture would have told beyond my words.

In retrospect, I should at least have worn gloves. It was 24 degrees out there and although I was moving almost constantly, the shovel itself was always icy-cold. Mostly the snow was soft and light, easy to scoop up in a big pile, but since it was 24 degrees, if I left a pile for any length of time, it would compress into ice and become harder to move, seem heavier. Out where the driveway met the road, there were chunks of ice buried a couple inches down, thrown there from the road surface when the snow-plow came by earlier. Those were heavy. I sure earned my breakfast this morning! 

I know it's may not seem like a big deal to those of you who've always lived with snowy winters, but this is only my third. I'm still in awe of the choreography needed to make sure that roads are plowed whenever there's a big snowfall, the whole infrastructure, even in a place as self-sufficient as this, that ensures everyone can stay on the move. I'm still in awe that you can't just walk out the door into a familiar landscape: you may have to dig your way through.

Before I left Homer, I managed to finish up my "hops" herbal project. I'd mentioned before that since the active ingredients of hops are partly water-extractable and partly alcohol-extractable, I would probably make a syrup to go with the tincture. And so I did!

I made a reduced decoction of hops, peppermint and a little chamomile by simmering them with a quart of water on our neighbors' wood-burning stove until there was around a pint of liquid. I strained the herbs out of the liquid and made it into a syrup by adding an equal volume of sugar and bringing it just to the boil (I didn't want it to caramelize, so I didn't boil it long). Meanwhile, I had strained the herbs out of the tincture mentioned in the earlier post. When the syrup had cooled, I combined it with the tincture.

I got about three pints! (the two jars on the left)

I took a little taste and I think Phil, and whoever else I share this with, will be able to enjoy a spoonful as a counter to insomnia. There is a bitter aftertaste in there, but the other herbs actually make the overall taste quite pleasant.

On the right of the picture is a hops vinegar! That was a couple cups of hops blossoms steeped in apple cider vinegar for about three weeks. Hops are supposed to be really good for dry skin and dandruff: so much so that some people recommend using beer as a hair rinse! I don't think Phil would approve of that kind of beer-wasting, but I'm game to try a vinegar hair rinse--I've enjoyed them in the past.

I'm feeling the nearness of my journey now, and close here with this image of water flowing under ice--always transition.

Much love.