Learning about Yarrow

the children and i are exploring yarrow this month. learning so many new things thanks to several sources. i have to give a shout out to kristine brown and her herbal series herbal roots, which is sold as a printable pdf file for just $6!! so far this year, we have enjoyed exploring marshmallow, chickweed, violet, dandelion, plantain and now yarrow! i have to encourage everyone to check out herbal roots. the file is just gorgeous with everything created and illustrated gorgeously by kristine. every month we enjoy legend and lore, crafts, recipes for herbal tinctures, salves etc. or even some recipes to eat! there are crafts, puzzles, crosswords, and so much to do packed into each lesson. i have to say this is just such an awesome product anyone, whether seasoned herbalist, beginning herbalist, gardner, lore lover or teacher of children will love herbal roots. here is a link to the page with info on yarrow and how to order herbal roots!

this link has a great article about yarrow from susan weed. it explains the differences between the yellow, white and red yarrow. both susan and kristine explain about using yarrow as a bug repellant. kristine"s herbal roots gives the recipe.
this lin is for another article in which susan talks about yarrow

Daisy the Baby Wood duck!

the other day i saw some boys running through the neighborhood with a baby bird in their hands. i went dashing out to explain to them that fledglings run around on the ground for a day or so learning to fly, and that the babies mom was probably close by where they found it. i was so surprised to see it was a baby wood duck! they said a momma duck had been going through the backyards and got in one yard that had dogs! the dogs killed two of the babies, and the momma got away with other ones, and this little darling was trying to get through the fence and the boys grabbed it before the dogs did! unfortunately, they couldn't find momma again! we searched and searched, but couldn't find her. i ended up taking her to a rehabilitator that had 5 other baby wood ducks under a heat lamp. hopefully she survives. i guess wood ducks are especially hard to save, and they do best when with several others. she was sooo cute and those little webbed feet were too cute!