My Grand Mother, The Herbalist

MY GRAND MOTHER, THE HERBALIST
(…and one of her remedies)

If you read this short story, I shall share with you one of the remedies passed down to me by this remarkable woman, who just happens to have been my magnificent grandmother. Then tell you of a few of her accomplishments in a period of time that was exceedingly unlikely for women to achieve on their own, and also give you the extremely common name of this antibiotic that grown wild as well as planted in many yards, then and now.

One hundred fifty years ago (or thereabouts) my Great-grandmother and my Grandmother searched through the woods for eatable items such as Polk, berries, acorns, etc., and for herbs, especially the ones that had "Healing Qualities". This information was passed down from mother to daughter for generations to those that saught this knowledge. My grandmother’s nickname was "Nicie’ or the "Healing Woman", she was a midwife and nursed the sick when the Old Country Dr. couldn’t be found and assisted him when he could. Her presence was always welcome, with gentle mannerisms and all knowing eyes, she was always there for those in need. Her Healing Hands were the first that touched this almost 70 year old woman when I came into this world. As a child I can remember clamping shut my lips when she wanted me to drink her teas she brewed, that is, unless there was lemon slices and fresh grown peppermint to go along with it. She also grew fig trees close to her Herb Garden. Not too long ago I remember reading of a experiment where it was discovered that there was a parasite in the blood stream of (can’t remember the amount of people in the experiment) that something in the content of fresh figs killed this particular parasite. It seemed to me that my Granny "Just Knew Things."

The name of the plant is the "Honeysuckle," The flower is the antibiotic part to be put in salads, float on top of punch bowls at parties, or simply crushed and taken for the antibiotic properties it contains.

In summation, Nicie was my inspiration, with her gentle and healing ways. I would never have studied Alternative Medicine, Pain Management, or the many other Modalities, etc., were it not for the Grace of the Lord and my Granny & the understanding and hunger for Knowledge and Truth that was passed down from her to me.