The Spices of Life

Although my travel and other plans have been siderailed this year I still have many home based hobbies I enjoy. One of these is herb gardening. I LOVE planting and using my herbs. I began years ago simply with some basic culinary herbs: rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley and thyme. Since that time I have branched out into other less common herbs and this year I went a little further into foraging a few wild plants. 

Herb gardening is so versatile. You can incorporate herbs in your vegetable garden either in a separate area or used as companion plants. Container gardening is a good option for anybody that does not have the space for even a small garden and herbs work very well in containers. I also mix herbs in with my flowers and shrubs in my landscaping borders around the house. In fact, anywhere I find a bare spot where I used to plant perennials I now plant herbs. 

rosemary and basil growing with annual flowers

container of rosemary, basil and cherry tomatoes

I still grow those same culinary herbs I started with but now I've added savory, sage and chives. I have 4 kinds of mint as well as lemon balm for making teas or adding a sprig in water or lemonade. My grandkids love picking fresh mint leaves to munch on. I've never been as good growing vegetables and they can be very time and space intensive so I grow a limited number of vegetables. So I usually stick some onions, cherry tomatoes, peppers, leeks and/or leaf lettuce in some of my herb beds. I have a patch of sorrel also which is a perennial green that can be used in soups or salads. 

container of mint

Other herbs are planted for medicinal uses. Currently I have a large patch of comfrey, yarrow, feverfew, echinacea, lavender, chamomile and horehound. Various parts of the plants can be used depending on the plant. Usually I dry what is needed and then make herb infused oils which I make into salves or ointments. The dried herbs can also be infused in alcohol (vodka) or vinegar to make a tincture. There are many health problems that can benefit from herbal preparations but they shouldn't replace modern medical health care and you shouldn't ingest anything without knowing about the plant's benefits, possible side effects and interactions with medication. Personally I like to grow these more for demonstration purposes when I'm talking about health in the 18th century.

Foraging has been new to me this year. I haven't found a good place for harvesting many wild herbs yet but I keep looking. One thing that anyone should be able to find is plantain. This is a very abundant weed found everywhere in the US. It is not native to the US but has been here for centuries and spreads easily. There are two main types: narrow and broad leaf. Both types are good for bug bites. Again, I dry the leaves and then infuse oil with them for making a salve. Lacking that ability you can pull a leaf and chew it or crush it before applying fresh to a bite or sting. 

narrow leaf plantain

When foraging for any plants make sure you are in areas that are not sprayed with chemicals or at the side of the road (exhaust fumes). Always leave enough plant that it can continue to grow. Native Americans had beliefs about harvesting plants. One belief was to never take more than one third of the plant. In the plant world there are many look-a-likes, some poisonous. So make sure you know what you are gathering whether you are ingesting it or using it on your skin. If you aren't sure leave it alone. 

My culinary herbs are still my favorite and most useful. Some I gather and dry to use throughout the year. Some I chop fresh and freeze in olive oil in ice cube trays. Basil works very well this way. This week I made a bunch of herb salt. This has become one of my favorite ways to preserve my herbs. I begin with garlic chopped very fine. Usually one head of garlic is a good amount. Once it is chopped I add about an equal amount of sea salt. I continue to chop and work the salt into the garlic and then begin adding my fresh herbs. I have not ever measured these and so far I've not noticed a bad batch of herb salt. Sometimes I have more of one herb or another. My favorite combination always consists of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme and savory. You could add other spices, peppers or grated citrus fruit peel also. By the time all the herbs are chopped into the garlic and salt it looks more green than white. I spread this out and let it dry for several days before putting it up in small jars. This makes a very coarse herb salt so if you want something finer you can run it through a spice grinder or grind with a mortar and pestle. I use this on so many foods: meats, soups, and vegetables. One of my favorite uses is sprinkled on corn on the cob! I give it as gifts and always get requests for more. 

I love the perennial herbs that return year after year but it's not hard to find the usual culinary herbs in the spring at your local nursery to plant those that are annual. Seeds are also available but I prefer to get plants to set out. The less common herbs you will have to find from a mail order company. These are usually perennial so you shouldn't have to reorder them every year. Some people move their annual herbs inside to continue growing during the winter. I try to get what I need dried or otherwise preserved so that I don't have to keep them all winter. In my region the perennials will be available throughout the winter for harvesting. Basil being my favorite herb tends to get away from me about this time of year. I've found I can stick some in water until it roots and start with a fresh plant for later in the year or even to grow indoors in the winter since it is annual.

Whether you have a green thumb or not I'm sure you could grow herbs. You'll be surprised how easy they can be to grow and how much better your food is when cooked with fresh herbs. 

fresh herbs ready to cook called a "bouquet garni"

herbs dried and stored in bags

yarrow

volunteer cherry tomato in a bed of hostas

squash basil and thyme in landscape borders

Living Historically

Living history is one my passions and I was fortunate to be able to attend an event last weekend. For me participating in living history events checks all the boxes. I am outdoors, camping, spending time with friends, and learning history. 

I wasn't always so enamored with history. During high school I thought it rather boring because it seemed to be more memorization of dates and important events. It wasn't until I was required to take some history classes in college that I learned the real interest in history to me is not those details but in learning about how people lived and how these events affected their daily lives. I remember when it first hit me. My instructor tossed a raw cotton boll on my desk and asked me to clean it. His point was to demonstrate how important the invention of the cotton gin was to cotton growers. Since that time I have been hooked on history. 

My favorite reading for years has been historical fiction. I especially love it when the author puts his characters in important events in time and demonstrates how these events impacted the persons living through them. At the same time as I was reading and soaking in as much as I could about the time periods I thought most fascinating I was also attending the annual living history event or reenactment in my home town. As a visitor I loved walking the grounds and seeing the reenactor's camps, clothing, and supplies. Some told their stories and others demonstrated a skill or task. I yearned to be one of them but didn't think it possible with kids, work and all my obligations. Years later I belonged to an organization that sponsored a food booth at the local reenactment and I was soon making and wearing my own historical costume. 

Then about seven years ago a casual friend who knew of my interests invited me to attend an event as a participant. What a life changing experience that turned out to be. I was hooked even harder on history but this time on living and interpreting history and I also found a treasured friend. My friend portrayed a captive of the Native Americans and so this is the role I was to assume also. I slept on the ground under a tarp and couldn't have been happier. We made our meals over the fire, hauled wood and water and talked to school kids telling them the story of our captivity. I could hardly wait to do this again. 

Soon after this I contacted our local reenactment unit. At first I felt I was being put off but looking back I understand now how my eagerness is so common during events but most people soon forget once they get home and resume normal life. Having found my new  passion I was not to be deterred. I continued to come to their meetings and make a pest of myself. I realized they needed somebody to work the neglected historic garden and I happily volunteered and began managing that. I asked thousands of questions, began making better clothes and buying supplies for camping. After about a year of this I finally began feeling like I belonged. I learned so much and made some wonderful friendships along the way. Now I eagerly anticipate the next event and continuously think about how to improve my presentation. My reading has evolved from historical fiction to reading actual historical accounts and perusing primary and secondary sources of information in order to more accurately portray a person from another time. 

As with any hobby or interest this year of Corona Virus has not been good for the reenacting community. Events are being postponed or cancelled all over. Even major historical sites are having problems with how they interact with the public. So I was elated to find an event near enough to attend last weekend and I began trying to gather my group of fellow reenactors together. The event is called Colonial Market Days and is held in Lebanon, IN. This was only the second year for this event and I expected it would not be a large event so social distancing concerns could be easily managed. The sponsors of the event did an excellent job and we had a wonderful time. It was so good to be able to get together with my historical friends, put up our tents and transition back to a simpler time. I'm thankful we took a chance and attended as now it looks as if this may have been our only opportunity for reenacting this year. 

The time period that my group interprets is the French and Indian War or Seven Years War as it is known in other areas of the world. This conflict is not as well known in the US as the Revolutionary War and many people never learn the importance of this war. Prior to the war the French occupied the lands west of the Appalachian mountains and north of the Ohio River into Canada. Their main interest there at that time was the fur trade, a very lucrative business. The French made efforts to colonize the region but aside from certain locations the region was not as heavily populated as the English controlled east coast. Between the fur trade and the desire for land the English colonists began infiltrating the region claimed by the French in attempts to establish trade for themselves. George Washington as a young officer was actually the spark that ignited the war when he led a unit of English militia in firing on a French diplomatic mission. In the end the English defeated the French and gained control of lands west to the Mississippi River and north to the Lakes region. This war, however, incurred a huge debt for England and their parliament subsequently began imposing taxes on the colonies to reduce this debt. The rest as they say is history. Some believe that if the French had won the Seven Years War there may never have been a revolution and a United States of America. 

While I can never fully experience what life was like in the 1750's I try to get as close as I can. I am always wanting to make it as real as possible. I do this by starting fires with flint and steel, cooking over a fire, and hand sewing my clothes with period appropriate patterns and fabrics. I've learned how to load and shoot a flint lock musket, which herbs are used medicinally, and many other things. I portray different persons from that time period. Most of the time I am a widow that follows the French troops. My primary interests in this role are cooking and herbal medicines so if I'm telling my story I am working as a nurse with the Army. Other times I portray a white woman that was captured as a child and adopted by the Natives. As this person I dress in Native American clothing and live as a Native. The French had closer associations with the Natives than the English and many French men found Native wives. My daughter's family including my grandchildren have also joined me at some events and thoroughly enjoy the living history lifestyle. 

In a usual year there are numerous living history events throughout the United States and this hobby is enjoyed in other countries also. Each event focuses on a specific time period from early colonial times to the War of 1812, westward expansion, Civil War, etc. Different regions of the country interpret the history associated with their region. There is truly something for everyone. If you have the opportunity to visit an event in your area or while you are traveling I encourage you to attend. But don't stop at just attending and observing. Strike up a conversation with some of the interpreters and ask questions. You'll be surprised how knowledgeable most interpreters are about history and how they love to talk about it. 

Hiking to Mt. LeConte Lodge

Years ago when my children were smaller we took a few trips to Mt. LeConte Lodge for an overnight. My oldest daughter just turned 39 and it was her wish to go back and stay with her kids. So last weekend that is what we did. 

Mt. LeConte is a mountain located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is the third highest peak in the park at 6,593 feet. The LeConte Lodge sits near the peak and contains primitive cabins, a dining lodge and office. Dinner and breakfast are served to all guests staying overnight in one of the cabins as well as hot chocolate or lemonade in the afternoon on arrival. Single cabins hold 4-5 persons with a double bunk and some with an additional twin bed. There are a few larger cabins with multiple bunk rooms that hold up to 13. There is no running water, bathrooms or even electricity in the cabins. There is an oil lamp, gas heater and a bucket and wash basin for your use. Hot water is available near the kitchen and drinking water near the office. There are flush toilets for guest's use. Day hikers have access to the pit toilets only. 

Sounds very picturesque and I'm sure some of you are thinking this sounds nice for an overnight and wondering how to get there. That's the hard part. The Lodge is only reachable by foot. There are no roads leading there. Several trails are available to take ranging from 5 to 9.1 miles and 2,700 to 4,600 feet up. Some trails have a small amount of downhill but you have to hike up to get there. 

Now, I'm a good walker. I could walk all day on flat land or even with a gentle rise and fall in the trail. But this about did me in this year. I was not nearly in as good a shape as I needed to be to tackle the ascent but I did make it without having to send for a ranger. The last mile or so was definitely beyond difficult. Having arrived I was happy to find the rocking chair on the porch of our cabin and sit. Thankfully, the kids were only too happy to fetch the lemonade or hot chocolate for me. 

When we visited here 25+ years ago we went to the dining hall for meals and met fellow hikers and had a wonderful time. This year was different due to Covid 19 restrictions. The meals were brought to our cabin which seemed like a lot of problems for the staff but they didn't seem to mind. The food was delicious after hiking all day (it took me just over 6 hours to get there). Roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, fried apples and a chocolate chip cookie bar is always on the menu. On check-in you can opt for wine with your meal. It's all you can drink for one price. In the morning it was pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage and grits. Coffee was available before breakfast was served. 

When you're tired you generally have no problem sleeping and it worked for me this trip. My bed was comfortable and the cabin was warm despite the cooler temps on top of the mountain (low 50s). It was very cozy with clean sheets and wool blankets. They warned us that mice could get into the rooms and to hang or store any food appropriately. I did wake to some plastic rustling in the middle of the night. Whether that was a mouse or just the kids up late and snacking I'll never know but I didn't lose any sleep over it. 

As we tucked ourselves in for the night it had begun to drizzle. The Smoky Mountains is a rain forest and Mt. LeConte has an average rainfall of 85 inches per year. This year they have already recorded over 76 inches. The rain pattered on the roof off and on all night and continued into the morning. We were advised to take a different trail down due to the amount of rain that had fallen overnight. The trails were similar in distance and elevation so we took their advice. 

With ponchos on we started our descent. My husband had texted saying "It's all downhill from there". That may sound like a good thing but really it's not. Continuous downhill hiking is so hard on the joints that I question if it wasn't more difficult than the uphill. Hard to say but it wasn't any easier and once again I found myself pushing to finish on weak legs and painful joints. We descended only a little faster finishing at about 5 hours. The rain stopped after about an hour on the trail but the fog had set in and there were not many views on the way down as we had seen hiking up. But I made it back to the car without being carried out on a stretcher so that's something. 

You might be wondering, "Why would anyone want to do that?" I can't answer that simply because there are so many reasons. The beauty of the trails, the physical challenge, time with my daughter and grandkids away from video games and other conflicts, love of the mountains - all seemed good reasons to me. Despite how difficult it was for me this trip I'm so overjoyed to have made this trip at least one more time. My only regret is that I didn't prepare myself for the strenuous hiking that had to be done. When I last made this trip 25 years ago it didn't seem that hard so I didn't worry too much. I had been walking at home and felt comfortable with a 6-7 mile distance. I found out quick enough that 25 years has taken some toll on my abilities. Would I try it again? Definitely! But next time I would take a little easier trail and get myself in better shape before attempting it. 

As I mentioned there are several trails to the top of Mt. LeConte. One of the most popular is Alum Cave Trail which is 5 miles, 2,700 feet up and 100 feet down. Some parts of the trail are very steep. This is the shortest trail and one of the most used. We intended to take Trillium Gap Trail which is 6.7 miles, 3,300 feet up and 100 feet down. This is the trail used by the llamas which bring new supplies three times a week to the Lodge and is considered to have the most gradual ascent. We didn't read our directions well enough and stopped at the Rainbow Falls Trail instead. This trail is 6.7 miles, 3,900 feet up and 100 feet down. It is also a very popular trail but is noted to be one of the most strenuous. On our return we took the Bull Head Trail which is 6.9 miles, 4,000 feet up and 150 feet down. Both these trails can be accessed from the same parking lot. Other trails include the Boulevard Trail which is 8.1 miles with 2,700 feet up and 1,300 feet down and the Brushy Mountain Trail which is 9.1 miles, 4,600 feet up and 100 feet down. 

Overall this is a wonderful trip to take and I highly recommend it if you're a nature lover and your health allows. More information about the lodge and reservations can be made on their website: http://www.lecontelodge.com/reservations/

Typically if you have a reservation you are entitled to the same date year to year. A lottery for unused dates occurs sometime around the first of the year if you've never been before. You can also visit http://www.highonleconte.com/trail-guide.html for daily weather information and blog post as well as a trail guide.  

Happy Birthday!