There you see my once-lopped-off thumb (it happened the same week as the Gulf oil spill, which means that in this photo the wound is almost three months healed) with the next batch of my Flower Balm (not the salve that saved the thumb, but close).

St John’s Wort from a neglected yard down the street, Mullein from my favorite alley (a word that doesn’t do my walking path to 30th and Killingsworth justice; it acts and looks more like an old world country lane), Plantain from my front lawn, and Lavender, Red Roses, Rose Geranium, Rosemary, and Thyme Flowers from my garden, all chopped, blended, loosely packed into mason jars, and covered in organic olive oil, grapeseed oil, or both (fill it all the way to the top! Let it spill over!).

Six weeks later, I’ll strain the infused oils, melt some beeswax into them, add shea butter, almond oil, and vitamin e to the Flower Balm (which my niece’s diapered bottom is fond of), and package them into pints and 4 oz jars for sharing and selling.

Edited to add a photo of the chopped off thumb one month into healing, for dramatic effect.  Have I mentioned that it still hurts if I bump it directly and that it has not regained full function?