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Communicating about essential oils, nature, photography, chickens and inspirations along the way.

 

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Mint Tea

4/21/2016

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Mint Tea
by Cheryl L. McClure

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Infuse your homegrown spearmint to make a wonderful crisp iced tea which will be caffeine free. Spearmint is good for digestion and smell is energizing.

It’s very simple to make and no measuring necessary since you can brew a pot of tea and later dilute with cold water to taste.
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Mint is pretty in the garden. Keep it from blossoming to extend your harvest time. Top it off periodically and use for infusing or dry as potpourri for the henhouse!
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First, harvest your mint by cutting the stems and rinsing in a water bath.
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Boil the water in your tea kettle and pour over the mint stuffed carafe.
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We had a coffee pot that died but we kept the carafe which came in mighty handy for this! The pictures shows it about half full of hot water but I had filled it up some more.

Cover the top and let steep for a while - 5 minutes or more is fine. The longer it sets, the stronger it gets. Add honey or sweetener of your choice (or not) to your glass container. Strain and pour; chill... and then drink up!!
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Your jar will be full if you don't drink it all before you take a picture of it. Just sayin'.
Anyway, I added some honey to a glass jar that we saved from when we had bought apple juice. (Reduce, reuse, recycle!) This worked very well to strain the tea into. Actually, the tea was so strong I was able to make two of these jars full and then some. It’s all about your taste and what you prefer. You can always chill it and add water later if you find it too strong.

Depending on how many leaves you use, the resulting “tea” will have a lot of color in rich reddish golden tones with a hint of green mainly seen at the edge sort of next to the glass. See it? If you are not into color like I am it may just look brown to you. LOL

When we were painting the walls in our house and I said I wanted to paint them “Silver Drop” and “Dolphin Fin", Jan Paul said they were grey! I exclaimed they're NOT grey - they have a hint of green in them!! Ok, so you know where I’m coming from, right?
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What about essential oils?

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Spearmint essential oil is great for diffusing and since it is so useful I like it too. It supports a healthy digestive system and the aroma is uplifting. I can add a drop of Spearmint Vitality EO to my herbal tea and bump up the flavor. During winter, there are no fresh mint leaves to be had around here, so that is a good time add a drop of essential oil by Young Living and drink it hot!
​

You can purchase Spearmint Vitality EO here:

Spearmint Vitality EO
But to purchase at a 24% discount, become a member here> essenty.com/cherylintexas

Happy Diffusing, Infusing and Oiling!
Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch

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Feeding the Hummingbird

4/14/2016

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Feeding the Hummingbird
by Cheryl L. McClure

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Hummingbirds are so enjoyable to watch as they swoop in and hover at a flower or over a feeder. Their flapping wings rate at around 50 times per second. There are many species of hummingbirds and some travel 3,900-miles one-way from Alaska to Mexico. It’s no wonder that people love them so much they want to invite them to stop by for a feeding. That's all the more reason to put up hummingbird feeders for them!
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Over the years I have spent a lot of time at the ranch where we have a feeder on the front porch and was able to shoot pictures of them when they arrived.

It was neat even, from the inside of the cabin because we had the feeder hanging right in front of the window!
There was also a branch we had stuck in the fencing where they would land and then take off like a jet!
When I didn’t know better, I was giving the hummingbirds a premade mix that contained red dye. Yes, it was convenient, and like so many of us, it was at the store and I thought it was ok. I mean why would someone manufacture something that is unhealthy? Later I realized the dye is NOT good for them, it's toxic!! We are bombarded with toxic products everywhere we turn. I decided it was high time that I start paying attention to ingredients. Anyway, it’s just as easy to make it at home. 

Now that we live closer to the ranch, I have a different feeder that was given to me by a good friend. It sits outside the kitchen nook at home and we get to watch the hummingbirds come and go throughout the day. 
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It's very simple to make your own hummingbird nectar, so here you go>>>
Hummingbird Nectar Ingredients:
  • 1 part white granulated sugar
  • 4 parts water
​Instructions:
  1. Boil the water and pour into a glass container
  2. Add the sugar and mix till dissolved
  3. Allow mixture to cool
  4. Add mixture to the hummingbird feeder
  5. Store remainder in the refrigerator for a future refill

See! Simple!

Enjoy your birds and be confident they are getting just what they need while they are on their journey. Sure, they love the natural flowers but they like to stop at fresh, full feeders too! And you can be the one to make sure they are getting exactly what they need!
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Oh, and between refills, clean the feeder so it will be free from dirt and germs. 1 capful of Thieves Household Cleaner with 3 cups of water is all it takes for general cleaning. Spray and use a bottle brush to get it good and clean.

That's easy enough! 
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Enjoy!

​Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch


There are lots of great options for hummingbird feeders and I have seen some that have red glass. Here are a few examples of different feeders:
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Minty Cabbage Slaw

4/1/2016

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Minty Cabbage Slaw
​by Cheryl L. McClure

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I had a nice little crop of cabbages growing this year. First ever! I only grew 9 cabbages in all, but the last four were in a shady area next to the house and I figured I would give it a try anyway.

They didn’t get large and as spring approached I noticed that something started to nibble on one of them so I decided it was time to go ahead and harvest. I cut the large loose leaves off and fed them to the cows. Have you heard the phrase “how the cow ate the cabbage”? Well, they LOVE cabbage!! When they see me with cabbage they come bounding across the pasture to get a bite. And they eat it with a vengeance!
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So, I had these two cabbages and decided to use the small one first. This is the only one I needed to make a flavorful slaw. I was so excited because I found a recipe that used mint in it and I am growing mint!!
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First I chopped enough cabbage to make 4-5 cups. All it took was the smallest cabbage!
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Next, I shredded 3 large carrots to make 2 cups and added it to the cabbage.

We enjoy the different colored carrots we buy from Trader Joe's when we make a trip to Dallas. They are great chopped and steamed with powdered ginger and a little butter too! Mmmmm!
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Next, I sliced the 4 green onions to make a 1/2 cup. Then chopped the fresh mint to make a 1/2 cup. I think I went a little over, but it was still good! Note - if you are not going to serve it all at once you may want add the mint last before serving. Keep your mint as fresh for as long as possible!
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Combine all the dressing ingredients together, whisking till well blended. Then pour and toss with your chopped salad. 
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Doesn't it look pretty and colorful? It was a hit at our family gathering. So, here's the rundown:

Salad ingredients:
  • 4-5 cups sliced cabbage
  • 2 cups shredded carrots (3 large carrots from Trader Joe’s worked. Each one was a different color - purple, orange and yellow)
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (4 large green onions)
  • 1/2 chopped fresh mint
Dressing ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup regular mayonnaise 
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 drops Lemon essential oil (I only use this kind) 
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. JuvaSpice® (you can find here) 

Instructions:

Wash and slice cabbage to make 4 - 5 cups. Grate carrots to make 2 cups shredded carrots. It took three large carrots to do this. Chop or slice green onions to make a half cup. I had 4 large green onions for this. Then chop enough fresh mint to make half a cup. Combine all together. 

Whisk the dressing ingredients mayo, lemon juice, lemon essential oil, sugar, ground cumin and JuvaSpice. You can always change it up and use an alternative sweetener or additional spices.

Combine all together for a large salad but if you want to only use half, store the salad mixture separate from the dressing and it will stay fresh longer. You might even want to store the mint separately tool and add it in when you’re ready to serve.

I'm sure you will find this a pleasant dining experience if you have not ever tried it before!! It's good as a salad alone or topped with grilled chicken.

Happy dining, gardening and oiling!!
Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch


If you are not familiar with Young Living or essential oils, click on over to Seed to Seal and see what makes Young Living so unique. If you would like to purchase any of their products you can contact me or go here> http://bit.ly/1iBsmw9
Did you know you can get Young Living products at a 24% discount? I can show you how.
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    Cheryl L. McClure

    Young Living Distributor
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    I have retired from the corporate world and now enjoy keeping chickens, ducks, working in the garden and cooking more than ever before!

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    It's probably pretty obvious I love nature and art. Nature and landscape photography is a part of everyday life at the ranch. There are some pieces available as works of art that I would like to share with you!

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    Please consult with the medical professional of your choice whether using essential oils or not. Remember that being proactive and taking responsibility for your health is in your own best interest. Dig in, research and make wise choices. I encourage you to see what others have done with essential oils and supplements by visiting Oil-Testimonials at http://www.oil-testimonials.com/.

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