violet vinegar

Another little moondala is on its way. The black color held nicely -- it's been rinsed, dried and basted onto a greenish background cut from last month's tulip-dyed wool.

Did you know that the violet blossoms we see in the spring are not seed-bearing? That violet plants bloom again to bear seed? We don't see them unless we search because the seed-bearing violet blossoms don't have petals or a scent and are hidden under the leaves. What this means is that I/you/we can pick and enjoy petaled violet flowers with total abandon in the spring!

I made a small batch of fresh violet, Viola odorata, vinegar this morning -- Earth Day Violet Vinegar to be added one tablespoon per glass of water. I love a little herbal vinegar added to cool water when I'm really thirsty.

The viola species is considered anti-cancer, antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and can act as a diuretic, a digestive, a heart tonic and a sedative. And this isn't all. There is a saying that an herbalist should know 40 uses for one plant rather than one use for each of 40 plants. This herbalist is sure there are at least 40 ways to use violets.

Earth Day Violet Vinegar
Fill any-size jar with violet flowers and leaves almost to the top, as firm as a fairy bed I was told. Fill again with apple cider vinegar. Cover with a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap and cap with a lid and ring. (The vinegar will corrode the metal on the lid.) Let steep in a cool dark place for 2-6 weeks, strain, and store in the cupboard. At this point it has been transformed into a medicinal violet vinegar rich in vitamins and minerals. I try to make my food my medicine so I either add a tablespoon to a glass of water or use it in recipes.

Even though the gardening season has only just begun, my sewing and knitting time has already dwindled and I don't want that to happen. Figuring this out.

And our bees swarmed last week, too. There was a happy ending, more on that later.