Picking, Plucking, Perspiring and Praying

Well I doggedly continue on here, going about my daily routines. The heat and lack of rain have been oppressive.  I feed the animals, water the garden beds and harvest my herbs as they reach the correct stage. Persimmon leaf plucking has come to an end just in time for serious mint harvesting. The lemon balm and St. John's are an ongoing gathering process, like the chamomile. The only difference is I like to catch the lemon and St. John's just as they are coming into bloom, and the chamomile I am waiting for maximum bloom. The stevia has had a first cutting. Just enough to trim the plants back to ensure air flow among the leaves and branches so they stay nice and healthy and do not become an attractive overly moist habitat for snails. This years bunch is exceptionally sweet. I have gathered approximately 2 1/2 lbs of prime clover heads. It has been so hot and dry now I will have to wait until we get a good rain to gather more. Currently the clovers,  struggling with these drought conditions are not up to my standards at this time. Most are very undersized, and tend to dry out before they develop all the way. Glad I was a busy beaver or ant, and gathered a lot already. Through the spring season is clover and honeysuckle picking time. To everything turn turn turn there is a season turn turn.... I hope that Kev and I can come out on the other side of this whole cancer trip and get a turn to recover financially

It is sad that there are so many of us that have to stress over meeting our financial obligations. The thought of losing your home in the near future is a heavy, constant fear beyond words to describe. We have worked so hard here, and it is heartbreaking to allow myself to face the very real prospect that unless we can get back to a two income household we can not make it. Our savings have carried us as far as they can, it now time to sink or swim.

Love of money is said to be the root of all evil, I personally have reached a point in my life that I hate money. If it were not for money concerns I could be the happiest person in the world.  I don't go out to eat, or spend money on clothes, jewelry or shoes and travel, we have ALWAYS lived simply, we do not go out, we have been happy homebodies, and HOME means a lot to us.

In closing I would just like to say, if you are an herbal tea drinker please do stop by Deb's Loose Leaf Herbal Teas. I just received my first bulk order of size 1 tea filters for the single serve Better Body Blend and Pure Persimmon Leaf Herbal Tea, so now I Hope and Pray that the orders follow close behind.