Medicines I made in early May

First thing I did this morning was to collect the rain drops off of the gardenias, making a gardenia water that smells like perfume. 

Cherry bounce with wild fruit gathered in St. Landry Parish Louisiana

Perfume sprays: bee balm, baume et vinéraire, life everlasting

Dried baume in my journal

Cinnamon and clove alcohol

Lavender oil alcohol

Gardenia enfleurage oil from the gardens 

Lightening pine sap 

Clearest swamp rose hydrosol before I left for New Orleans

Native Ethnobotany Uses of Life Everlasting

 Native American Uses of Life Everlasting According to the Native Ethnobotany Database

Alabama

Sedative

Compound decoction of plant used many ways for nervousness or sleeplessness.

 Decoction of plant used as a face wash for nerves and insomnia.

Cherokee

Analgesic

Compound used for local pains, muscular cramps and twitching.

Infusion of plant rubbed into scratches made over muscle cramp pain.

Antirheumatic (Internal)

Used with Carolina vetch for rheumatism.

Cold Remedy

Decoction taken for colds.

Misc. Disease Remedy

Used in a sweatbath for various diseases.

Cough Medicine

Used as a cough syrup.

Misc. Disease Remedy

Warm liquid blown down throat for clogged throat (diphtheria).

Throat Aid

Chewed for sore throat.

Respiratory Aid

Smoked for asthma.

Choctaw

Analgesic

Decoction of leaves and blossoms taken for lung pain.

Cold Remedy

Decoction of leaves and blossoms taken for colds.

Creek

Cold Remedy

Compound decoction of plant tops taken and used as inhalant for colds.

Adjuvant

Leaves added to medicines as a perfume.

Antiemetic

Decoction of leaves taken for vomiting.

Misc. Disease Remedy

Decoction of leaves used as a throat wash for mumps.

Psychological Aid

Decoction of plant used as a wash for persons who 'wanted to run away.'

Sedative

Decoction of plant tops taken and used as a wash for old people unable to sleep.

Witchcraft Medicine

Decoction of plant used as a wash for persons afflicted by ghosts.

Koasati

Febrifuge

Decoction of leaves taken for fevers.

Pediatric Aid

Notes: Decoction of leaves used as a bath and given to children with fevers.

Menominee

Analgesic

Dried leaves steamed as an inhalant for headache.

Disinfectant

Smudge of leaves used to fumigate premises to dispel ghost of a dead person.

Psychological Aid

Dried leaves steamed as an inhalant for 'foolishness.'

Stimulant

Leaf smoke blown into nostrils to revive one who had fainted.

Meskwaki

Psychological Aid

Smudge of herb used to 'bring back a loss of mind.'

Stimulant

Smudged and used to revive an unconscious patient.

Montagnais

Cough Medicine

Decoction of plant taken for coughing.

Tuberculosis Remedy

Decoction of plant taken for consumption.

Rappahannock

Febrifuge

Infusion of roots taken for chills.

Respiratory Aid

Infusion of dried stems or dried leaves smoked in a pipe for asthma.

Candy

Leaves chewed for 'fun.'

Compiled from Native American Ethnobotany Database

Sprouts and comparisons

Life Everlasting

AMOWK

Aidez Moi Obi Wan

Purple cud-weed and venéraire

Thing they should sell at the Prairie des Femmes Store

I went there once on la Fete de la Chandeleur to grab nearly all of their eggs and milk because we were short for crepe making at Beau Chene High School. I think I also bought a Mexican coke. They should sell basics like that at the Prairie des Femmes store, and other stuff like bags of Creole Rose rice and cans of Rotel, white cherry icees and boudin balls and boules rouges in big glass jars on the counter, of course, but if I had my way, this is what they would also sell at the Prairie des Femmes store (on the old Indian footpath that is now Hwy 93) but because that spot is built on an ancient mound site, everyone around here says nothing takes there and stores can't stay in business. No business, no matter how successful, lasts more than a year or two at that location. 

1. powder puffs of thistle tops used to apply powder of the crushed Cherokee rose
2. fresh pucks of wax-myrtle wax 
3. bay and beeswax candles
4. cypress blood, tincture of cypress sap, bottled and corked
5. Spanish moss in a can, match included 
6. iron tines of the plow for t-fer making
7. hats and fans of the latanier for ladies to keep cool in the summertime
8. smudge sticks of indian sage, lemonbalm, rabbit tobacco
9. dried teas of herbe a cabri, mugwort, mongrea
10. sasafrass root
11. file' powder
12. comb-in prairie des femmes honey
13. pecan shell berceuses pour les ti-catins
14. dried French mulberries by the lb
15. fresh mulberries, dewberries, blackberries in season
16. white mulberries of the Bayou Bourbeau in season
17. elderberry syrup for the winter and dried elderberry flowers
18. wooden beads and raw leather for leather work
19. Laguiole knives with the bee and goat punch
20. black taribi, cabresse
21. bousillage soap bar
22. red powder made from the crushed shells of lady bugs
23. job's tear and chinaberry rosaries
24. blow guns of lilas parasol
25. shovels
26. seeds
27. Poo yaille fertilizer
28. hammers
29. basins and buckets of all sizes
30. rolls of thick brown paper
31. cast iron cookware
32. a directory of the names of local traiteurs on a cork board
33. Louisiana literature and music
34. quilts
    
35. A Prairie des Femmes Field Guide
36. ceramic shards from the field, embossed with gold
37. plantain t-fer salve
38. homgrown fruits and vegetables
39. lemonbalm tingture
40. loose manglier tea

Don't try to pull in or turn around at the old Prairie des Femmes store, though! They got the driveway lined with nail boards.