A little of this and that . . .

I'm pretty sure that March came in like a lamb here in my neck of the woods!  The sun is shining, it's beautiful and It's not too cold outside. Right now, it's 45 beautiful degrees and in Idaho . . . that's suntan weather!!  I just talked to my daughter and she told me that she saw more than one car in town with it's top down!

March is a super busy month for us with birthdays.  Most of our grandchildren have birthdays in March, starting with March 1st and ending on March 30th.  Nathan was first!  He's a wonderful boy who is smart and kind and marches to his own drummer...we sure do love him!
 

March is also my mom's birthday month so I always feel a little nostalgic in this time of year.   I love this picture of her, it was taken on her on her 89th birthday, she was such a good sport to wear a crown...she really was a queen!  I miss her every single day.

I am almost 1/2  Irish ;0) so I thought I would make a traditional Irish dinner on St, Patrick's Day.  My mom loved to make corned beef, so in honor of her, that's what I'll make.  This is the recipe I use, it's super easy and super delicious! https://diethood.com/corned-beef-cabbage-recipe/

I'll make a loaf of Soda Bread to go along with it, you can find the recipe here.  This recipe is so easy and it just melts in your mouth.  I  always put a few raisins and caraway seeds in mine, it's so good.

Doesn't this cake look divine!?  This cake has been on my radar, so this is a perfect time to make it!  You can find the recipe here , enjoy...yum.

Now on to more serious things...the Coronavirus.  I will tell you a few of the things I'm doing personally.  I'm not a doctor, these are just the things that I am doing to stay healthy.

We make Elderberry syrup and take it every day.  I will share that recipe with you, but you can find it online, or you can also buy it at most drug stores.  We also drink milk kefir.  It's full of probiotics!  Here is a great article that can explain it's benefits of drinking kefir much better than I can.   It's delicious and well worth the investment of the kefir grains that you can purchase online or at most health food stores.  We love it!!  I feel like the Elder Berry syrup and the milk kefir have helped us boost our immune system a bit.  Neither of us has been sick this winter.

My recipe for Elderberry Syrup

2/3 cup of dried elderberries - up to a cup ( I order mine online)
3 1/2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger root (I have used powdered, just use 1/2 tabl.)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 cup of RAW honey

1. Add water, elderberries, ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a medium saucepan. Do not add the honey yet.

2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes until the liquid is reduced by almost half. Cool.

3. Mash the berries using a spoon or another utensil (I actually use a potato masher). Pour into a glass jar (mason jars work great!) using a strainer or a piece of cheesecloth, making sure to capture every last bit of liquid. Fill a mason jar about halfway, allowing room to add the honey after it cools. This recipe will generally make about one quart of syrup, so you can use either a quart sized mason jar or 2 pint sized ones.

4. Discard or compost the elderberries and let liquid cool a little then add the honey.

5. Mix the liquid and honey. The syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three months. Of course, three months is an estimate. If you notice it turning funky before then, discard it! You can also keep a small amount in the refrigerator and freeze the rest for later.
Caution: Do not eat the raw elderberries since they can cause nausea and vomiting.

We take this daily, so ours has never gone bad.  Make sure to start the increased dose at the first signs of flu symptoms!

Adults:

Prevention: 1 tablespoon once daily
Treatment: 1 tablespoon four times a day

Children:

Prevention: 1/2 – 1 teaspoon once daily
Treatment: 1/2 – 1 teaspoon four times a day

Caution: Do not give to infants less than one year old due to the honey content. Honey can contain spores of Clostridium botulinum which can cause botulism in infants under 12 months.

(Again, I am not a physician and this information should not be used to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease or condition. Please consult with your physician before using any herbal or dietary supplement.)

 I believe that we just need to use common sense, wash your hands and your cell phone, keep your hands away from your face, if you are sick...STAY HOME. Don't shake hands, elbow bump :0) 

I think it's important to be prepared and have a supply of food in your pantry.  I don't think you need to have a 2 year supply, but I do think you may need a 2 week supply in case you can't get out or you are quarantined. 

Stay calm. Don't panic.  Pray and count your blessings, because they are many!

Be safe XOXO

Hugs and Love,

Barb