asakiyume | roadside find

Mugwort was what I set out for, as I have become addicted to mugwort tea.

Exhibit One: Mugwort

It's taller than me, which is something I love in a wildflower or weed.

But on my return, I found something wonderful by the side of the road: a book

It turns out to be King Spruce, by Holman Day. It was published in 1908.

Holman Day (1865-1935) was a Maine native, a journalist and newspaper publisher, and the author of twenty-three novels and three books of ballads. A scholarly article that

wakanomori kindly procured for me dismisses the novels ("None of his publications, unfortunately, can be placed much above the level of the pot-boiler") but takes interest in the ballads. I think I'd like to find the ballads.

I think I'll try the book too, though. I opened at random and found this passage:

"And now, speaking of arresting in the name of the law," snarled the lumber baron, "and your duty that you seem so fond of, Rodlliff, get out your handcuffs for something that's worth while. It's three years in state-prison for maliciously setting fires on timber lands. It's a long vacation in the county jail for assaulting a man without provocation. There's the girl who set that fire; there's the man that struck me. So you see, Lane, your prisoner is going to have company."

Do you sense a villain?

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I was watching some videos today about herbs, weeds, and edible plants, and in one of them, the speaker mentioned mugwort and specifically their use in dream pillows. Someday, I shall have to have one.

I've made dream pillows with mugwort & other herbs. They're quite nice.

I sense a growing mugwort theme. What does the tea taste like?

Also, I have the distinct impression that lost things follow you. How else would you find a hundred year old book at the roadside?

I started drinking it in part in hopes of dreams! (Nothing yet to report, but I do love the flavor).

The leaves are so aromatic; I can see a dream pillow would be a good thing, too.

What other herbs do you put in?

There is definitely a mugwort theme! (scheme.... dream....)

The book is simply remarkable. When I discovered that the author was a Maine native and that it is set in Maine, I thought of

cinda_cite. (Do you read her journal? I think yes? She's a marvelous LJer.)

ETA: LOL main/Maine typo

Edited 2010-07-21 16:09 (UTC)

If you make a pillow, let me know how it turns out and if you see a difference in your dreams. :)

Will do!

I'm going to make one, too, as soon as I learn to identify mugwort. :P

If it's as rampant a weed in France as in the United States, you will find it's everywhere. It's in the genus Artemisia, same as wormwood--in fact, it's very similar to wormwood, except that wormwood is silvery colored on both sides of the leaves, whereas mugwort is green on one side and silvery white on the other.

The tea is a deep green, like absinthe :-)

I've read that the tea is not recommended for pregnant women, so I'll have to wait. However, I'll try it one of these days. :D

Oh yikes, yeah! Wait until after. I guess as your due date comes near, you can start drinking raspberry leaf tea. That's supposed to help contractions.

Well...I can see why someone might want to toss the book out a car window, but what a find for you! It may not be the treasure itself, but it LEADS to treasure--the ballads. I bet you'll enjoy that muchly.

And--THAT is mugwort?? Holy moly, woman! I have that stuff growing all over the place!

Holy moly, woman! I have that stuff growing all over the place!

Well you can brew delicious tea or make a dream pillow, then!

As for King Spruce, I rather liked the excerpt, in a ripping-yarn sort of way. It seems exciting! Not subtle, but fun.

Ooh! You must reviewthe book for us ;o)

My kids and I used to make dream pillows every first day of autumn. It was tradition. I'd gather all the herbs we either grew or bought, essential oils, flax seeds, and they'd fill their pillows with all those dreamy scents. They kept them under their bed pillows by day, then flipped the pillow at night so the scents would send them into fragrant slumber. I always included mugwort and hops as 'essential ingredients', along with the flax seed. If I'd known what mugwort looked like (these were the days before the interwebs, for me) in the wild, I wouldn't have had to buy it already dried for me!

What a lovely thing to do together!

What else did you put in besides mugwort and hops?

Well, I grew roses and lavender, so they were always available. One year I dried and grated lemon and orange rinds. It often depended upon what was available at the local "hippy shop." Cinnamon, basil, nutmeg, ginger--these were always favorites. Oh! dried apple too--though this one got a little funky if the apples weren't dried enough.

My favorite combo was always lavender and lemon peel.

Hops for restful slumber.
Mugwort for magical dreaming.
A pinch of orris root to preserve the scents.
Flax seed because it feels really cool in a pillow!

wow

Hops, lavender, rose petals, chamomile, and whatever else I have handy that seems to fit. I use lavender essential oil in them, too.

I make a little pillow (about 4" square) that you insert into your pillowcase. They work!

I'll have to make one for you someday. :)

What does mugwort tea taste like?

I used to drink sassafras tea. You know, it has that root beer flavor? It was soooo good.

I loooove sassafras--the leaf stems have a citrusy flavor. And yeah, if you get some sassafras root and scratch the bark of it--wham-o, root beer scent! I've never made tea of either the leaves or root, but I bet both would be delicious.

I can't really describe the flavor of the tea. It tastes the way it smells, which is a little like chrysanthemums, but the scent is stronger and richer than that.

j_cheney's suggestion, I'll post a review when I've read it.

I'm definitely going to make one of these! I made one with just cloves in, which I still have, but I'd like to do this too.

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