The Memory of Scent

As I work on integrating this blog with my business, you can expect more lengthy wordy sorts of posts. Posts that will help tell you what I do as an herbal and intuitive healer.

I work with scent. A lot with scent. I think I always have. When I am thinking of teas to start working on one of the ways that I know I am on the right track is that I smell it. It does not matter where I am, I will smell the new thing I am working on and that is how I know it is done.

Scent is a powerful trigger. It reminds of us of good times and bad. The smell of a heirloom rose can remind us of the neighbor who used to babysit. We all have experienced our mouth watering at the scent of a well cooked meal. I would bet that most of us remember the smell of loved ones.

One of my first memories of scent is that of my grandmothers house. But not just her house. A very small tiny part of her house. One that reminds me of being safe. My grandmother had a gigantic king sized bed. When we visited I would nap there. The head board was where she kept some nick-nacks and perfume bottles and books and all the things one would keep on a head board. As a toddler I would play with them all. One of the perfumes was a paste style that was housed in a tiny little decorative birds nest. I would open it and smell it all the time.

And long ago when we were out and about running errands there was an explosion. We were actually quite close to where it happened. I remember watching the smoke and the fire. I remember turning around and going home to listen to the news. There was concern about future explosions and poison gas. So the news told us to stay away from windows. So they put us children down for a nap in grandma's room. I was 7 and too old to nap, but still to young to be in the glass filled living room of my grandmothers house. And I think it made my mother feel better to have me in with my younger siblings and cousin.

I was concerned. I had listened to Mom and Grammie talk. They could not get a hold of Dad. Or my aunt. So I calmed myself with smelling all of Grammies perfume. The little  bird nest was my favorite.

I still own the little bird nest. It sits on the desk in my studio. And when I am stressed I still sit with it and smell it. It still smells. It smells like Grammies, and saftey. And it reminds me of all of the things that Grammie means.

Healing is about finding what is good and whole and safe in us. That little bird nest is where I started.

Preparing for Autumn

It is the second day of grey skies here. It certainly brings to mind my favorite time of year...AUTUMN. When the days are still warm and lovely, but the nights are cold. When the first rain brings me petrichor. When the leaves change and light up the world around me in oranges and yellows.

I love autumn. And I love to decorate for it. So I make banners (those will be later) and pumpkins.
Because of who I am I also stuff those things with pouches of scent (pumpkin pie of course).

There will be more of these and they are all for sale. So feel free to message me if you want one.

Friendly reminder that I do commission work.

Check out www.urbantaoherbals.etsy.com

Just letting you know I am still alive. But might be moving the blog to my own website. I have one constructed, and almost complete. And boy wouldn't I love to have a shopping cart so I can sell directly from. 

Check out www.urbantaoherbals.etsy.com. I have some great new things in the shop. Like a meditation oil that promotes self love and acceptance. Some dream pillows that go along with the oil as well. 

And I am all set up for consultations. So email me at kfadich@gmail.com. 
Also... there is a facebook page.  Go like it.

I am in a place to make UrbanTao my full time business. And knowing that that is the path I am taking... there will be a shift in what this blog does. It will still be where I share what I am doing. But I think there will be some articles that I am writing. It may end up that the blog  becomes a catch all for the rapid running my brain will be doing in the next few months. 


Life is really good. The room in the garage is almost done, there is a line of stuff ready to go, and things are starting to calm down.

Baker Street Tea is now in the shop.

So go buy some!

I make small batches to keep the quality as high as I can. This is a delicious blend of black tea with light vanilla texture and citrus notes that lift it. It amazes me the play of flavors this tea has without overwhelming.

ATC's

I spent the weekend gaming. And then time on Sunday making some artist trading cards. There is not much to say about them. One focuses on texture and the other was more about me making something for the sake of doing it. 

Here are the pics. 

 

Blueberry Muffins

Know what makes them awesome? My homemade blueberry liquor. Yeah, I did that. Yeah, it makes them tasty. 

The recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. But... veganized and tweaked as usual. 

I used frozen blueberries and thawed them and drained them. I saved the liquid to add to the batter, but the process helps the blueberries hold up a bit better. They do not really need the extra blueberry juice, and I would leave it out next time. 

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup soy milk with 2 tablespoons flax seed (egg substitute) well whisked together
3/4 cup soy milk or other milk sub.
1/3 canola oil
(I also added 2 tablespoon of blueberry liquor. I will post the recipe in a later post). 
1 teaspoon or so finely grated lemon peel. 
1 cup well drained blueberries (thawed or fresh)

Oven at 400 degrees

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Combine wet ingredients and add to dry ingredients until just moist. Add blueberries. Fill greased or lined muffin pans 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 25 minutes.

If you wanted... just before baking you could add a bit of jelly or jam to the top of the batter.

Time to pamper through the allergies.

They kicked in early, those pesky allergies. I am sniffly and sneezy and maybe several other dwarves (like bitchy, by the end of the day). The thing about allergies is that, for me, I don't feel sick. I just sneeze and sniffle and swell up. But by the evening I am exhausted.

So time for a little herbal help. Eucalyptus to the rescue. It is refreshing and opens up all those respiratory passages. I found a recipe that makes shower pucks that I through into the shower. I made them super strong, and added dried eucalyptus leaves at the bottom of each puck. I through them into the freezer, and then when nice and solid, I put them in a jar to store in the bathroom. 

Here is a link to the pucks!

I really love a lot of the stuff at Livingonadime.com. 

Maybe a nice little gift idea...no?

 
 
What I love about this recipe is the ability to add other essential oils to it. Remember that aromatherapy is so good for the soul. For me, lavender (duh). For a refresher  a mint base with a citrus lift. I can't even think of a limit!

Blessings!