Thyme Well Spent

08/10/2025

🌿 Know Before You Forage: Queen Anne’s Lace (aka Wild Carrot), Yarrow & Poison Hemlock

It’s August, and nature is blooming in full glory. That means wildflower walks, roadside blossoms, and herb gathering are calling to many of us 🌸🍃

But this time of year, one small mistake can have big consequences!

Several white, lace-like plants are popping up—and while some are healing herbs, others are deadly poisons. Let’s break it down clearly:

🌼 Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota)

👉 Also called Wild Carrot🥕

Umbrella-shaped white flower clusters (umbels)

Often has a tiny purple dot in the center

Leaves: Lacy, carrot-top style

Smell: Crush the root—it smells like carrot 🥕

Edibility: Young roots can be edible, but only with absolute certainty.

💡 Note: This plant is a cousin to cultivated carrots—and also a cousin to poison hemlock. They're in the same family (Apiaceae)!

°°°°°°°
🌿 Wild Carrot

This is just another name for Queen Anne’s Lace! One plant, two identities.
🌸 When it’s flowering, people call it Queen Anne’s Lace.
🥕 When it’s in early stages or root-focused, it’s Wild Carrot.

°°°°°°°
🌾 Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Flat-topped flower clusters (not umbrella-shaped)

Usually pure white, sometimes pale pink

Leaves: Soft, feathery, like tiny ferns or combs

Smell: Earthy and medicinal

Uses: Herbal first aid favorite—great for wounds, fevers, and circulation.

°°°°°°°
⚠️ ☠️ POISON HEMLOCK (Conium maculatum)
This is the one that should stop you in your tracks.

Flowers: Also umbrella-shaped and white, like Queen Anne’s Lace

NO purple dot in the center

Stem: Smooth, hairless, with purple blotches or streaks (major giveaway!)

Leaves: Similar to parsley—NOT carrot-top shaped

Smell: Mousy, unpleasant—NOT like carrot

Toxicity: Every part is deadly. Even touching it and then rubbing your eyes or mouth can be dangerous!

💀 There is no safe way to use OR handle Poison Hemlock as a beginner.

°°°°°°°
🔍 Why This Matters — Especially in Late Summer

This time of year, mature plants all look similar as they bloom and go to seed. It’s easy to confuse lookalikes!

Even experienced foragers have made tragic mistakes.

🛑 Don’t rely on flower shape alone!

Check stems, leaves, scent, and growth pattern—and never, EVER harvest unless you’re absolutely certain!

°°°°°°°
✨ When in Doubt—Leave It Out!
Your safety matters more than any remedy. Nature is generous, but she asks for discernment. 🙏

Forage with care,
~Renee
Thyme Well Spent🌿

08/08/2025

🌿 DIY Garlic Honey: Nature’s Immune Tonic for Cold & Flu Season

August is here, and with cold and flu season quietly approaching, it’s the perfect time to start building our herbal defenses. My garlic has finally cured—and today, I felt inspired to prep one of my favorite kitchen remedies: Garlic Honey. 🍯

🧄I’m using my own homegrown garlic and pairing it with raw local honey from Jar the zero waste store Somerset PA —a sweet, golden blend straight from the bees to the jar. (There’s something sacred about making your own medicine from the land around you.) 🌾🐝

This age-old remedy is as simple as it is powerful—supporting the immune system, soothing sore throats, and even acting as a gentle antimicrobial ally during those first signs of illness. Let’s walk through how to make your own!

🧄 Why Garlic + Honey?
Raw garlic is loaded with allicin, a potent natural compound with antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.

Raw honey offers soothing, immune-boosting enzymes and antioxidants, while acting as a natural preservative.

Together? They create a sweet and spicy powerhouse your body will thank you for.

🛠 How to Make Garlic Honey
What you’ll need:
>1 small sterile jar (or glass with a lid)
>Raw local honey (enough to fill the jar)
>1 head of raw garlic (organic if possible)

Steps:
1. Peel and smash several cloves of garlic to activate allicin. Let sit 10–15 minutes.

2. Place garlic cloves in your clean jar.

3. Pour raw honey over the garlic until fully covered.

4. Stir gently to remove air bubbles and seal the jar loosely (to allow gases to escape during natural fermentation).

5. Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.

🌬️ After a few days, you may notice small bubbles—this is normal! That’s the mild fermentation at work.

🫙 How to Store It~
Keep it at room temperature for up to a month.

After that, move it to the fridge to slow the process and extend shelf life (due to the natural pH of honey it can last for years!)

As long as the garlic stays submerged and no mold is present, it's safe and active.

🍯 How to Use Garlic Honey
At first sign of a cold: take a spoonful of the honey (with the diced-cloves) every 3-4x per day.

For prevention: Take a small spoonful daily during cold/flu season.

In teas: Add the honey (not the garlic) to warm (not boiling) herbal tea.

In cooking: Use the infused honey in marinades, dressings, or over roasted veggies for a savory-sweet kick!

💡 Note: Heating the honey or garlic destroys some beneficial enzymes and allicin, so keep it raw when using medicinally.

⚠️ Contraindications & Precautions
While garlic honey is generally safe for most people, it may not be right for everyone. So please consider the following:

Infants under 12 months should not consume raw honey due to the risk of botulism.

Those on blood thinners (like Warfarin) should consult a healthcare provider before using garlic in medicinal amounts—it may increase bleeding risk.

People with stomach ulcers, acid reflux, or sensitive digestion may find raw garlic irritating.

Garlic may interact with certain medications, including immunosuppressants, and some antibiotics.

Allergic to garlic or honey? Skip this remedy and explore other gentle immune tonics.

🌼 A Gentle Reminder~
This post is for educational and inspirational purposes only. Always listen to your body, and consult with a trusted healthcare provider—especially if you’re pregnant, nursing, managing a health condition, or taking medications.

Use your wisdom. Trust your intuition. 🌿

Wishing you vibrant health this season—naturally.

With love and wellness,
Renee Gardner, RN, Holistic Nurse-BC
~Thyme Well Spent🌿

08/08/2025

✨ LION’S GATE PORTAL – 8/8 ✨
Today, the stars align in a way ancient mystics celebrated as a cosmic gateway — where Earth, the star Sirius, and the Sun in Leo activate powerful frequencies of transformation, intuition, and soul remembrance.

This is not just astrology hype. This is sacred energy. A moment where we’re invited to realign with our heart’s truth, release old limitations, and call in higher timelines of purpose, power, and peace.

🦁 Leo brings fire.
🔥 Sirius brings light codes.
💫 And your soul? It brings the blueprint.

If you've been feeling the heat—emotionally, spiritually, or even physically—it’s no coincidence. We’re all being asked to shed what no longer serves and roar a little louder for what does!

Today is a beautiful time to: 🌻 Meditate or journal on your soul’s deepest desires
🕯 Light a candle and set intentions from the heart, not fear
🌌 Visualize your highest self and how they move through this world
🧘‍♀️ Ground into the body

Repeat after me:
“I remember who I am. I reclaim what is mine. I rise in love, not fear.”

Take a breath.
Feel your spine straighten.
That’s the lion in you.
That’s the remembrance.

Welcome to the gate, wild one. 😉
Walk through it with grace, courage, and deep knowing.

Love,
Renee
~Thyme Well Spent🌿

07/25/2025

07/25/2025

🌳The realization that changed the way I care for myself is that healing isn’t linear—it's layered.

For years, I approached my healing like a checklist.
Drink more water ✔️
Spend more time in nature ✔️
Meditate. ✔️
Pray. ✔️
Take the herbs ✔️
Get better ✔️

But then I’d hit a wall.
Like my motivation evaporated or my energy just... stalled.
Id feel like crying for no apparent "reason".
Then I’d wonder:
“I thought I was doing everything right. Why do I feel like this again?”

And I’d think things like:
“I thought I was past this.”
“Why am I back here again?”
“What’s wrong with me?”

Those thoughts created feelings of:
Defeat
Shame
Impatience

(Which, of course, made everything feel worse.)

Until I understood this:

Healing doesn’t happen in straight lines.
It happens in spirals.
In layers.
In returns.
It evolves.
Like nature.
Like seasons-
Like life.🌱

Now, when old wounds resurface or my energy dips, I've learned to ask:
What layer am I meeting this time?
Im reminded that it will too will evolve-change. And I will grow...

This shift in perspective brings:
Gentleness
Self-compassion
Trust
Curiosity

It’s a completely different relationship with myself.

I can now meet my “off” days with herbal tea instead of judgment. With rest instead of shame. With faith that healing is still happening—even if it doesn’t look like progress.

Because the truth is:
We don’t fail at healing.
We just revisit what’s ready to be met again.

🌿What layer are you meeting today?

~Renee
Thyme Well Spent 🌿

07/02/2025

🌿Kraut Mistake #1: Too Much Salt… and the Moldy Crock Catastrophe

Let me tell you about the time I made a massive batch of sauerkraut in my 10-gallon crock.
I was so proud—24 beautiful cabbages, grown with love and TLC from my garden.

My daughter & I cut them, salted them, massaged them, packed the crock… and waited.
But when I opened the crock days, then weeks later, my heart sank.

💔 A thick layer of blue-green mold covered the top. The whole batch had to be thrown away. Every last bit.
Gone.
It was heartbreaking.

Here’s what I learned (the hard way):
Mold can happen when:
🔸 The cabbage isn’t fully submerged under the brine
🔸 There’s air exposure—no weight, no lid, or too much headspace
🔸 The room is too warm (ideally keep it around 65–72°F)
🔸 The salt ratio is off—too little salt lets the wrong bacteria thrive (this is where I went wrong.)
🔸️Too Much salt slows or stalls fermentation & can inhibit the growth of beneficial lactobacillus bacteria (the very thing you should be going for).

Other tips I've learned:
🧂 Use the right salt (sea salt or pickling (kosher) salt—not iodized).
🧂 Start with about 1½–2 tsp salt per pound of cabbage.
🧂 Taste as you go. Your hands are your best tool here. If it tastes like a salted potato chip, youre probably on track here 😋.

Bonus Tip: Too salty? You can often dilute the brine with filtered water or mix in more cabbage to balance it out.

🌿It’s a living process… but it’s also sensitive.

Have you ever had a ferment go bad? Tell me your lessons below.
We’re in this together, one cabbage at a time. 💚

With (hard-earned) love,
Renee
🌿Thyme Well Spent

06/30/2025

Okay, so let’s Talk Flavor: Spicing Up Your Kraut!

Plain cabbage is great—but why stop there? ✨
Herbs and spices don’t just add flavor—they bring their own healing magic to the jar.

This week, I tried something new (and old):
🫙 Juniper berry, caraway, and mustard seed—a beautiful blend from an old German recipe I stumbled upon. I have German roots, so this recipes flavor excites me! 😋

Want to experiment too? Try these flavor combos I discovered (full disclosure: I have not tried these, so if you have or do, please share the results!):

🥕 Carrot + Ginger = bright + zesty
🍎 Apple + Fennel Seed = sweet + savory
🌶️ Jalapeño + Garlic = spicy + bold
🍋 Lemon Zest + Dill = light + tangy
🌸 Rose Petal + Beet = earthy + floral (yep—it works!)

💬 What’s your kraut flavor style? Classic, spicy, fruity, or bold?
Or have you ever added herbs from your garden?

Love,
Renee 🌿

06/30/2025

🌱 Plant Power Sundays 🌱
Fermentation is a form of herbal alchemy. 🧂✨

Today’s spotlight isn’t a wild herb I foraged… it’s a humble cabbage I transformed.

This morning, I harvested from the garden and got my hands salty—massaging those crisp green leaves into a bubbling jar of homemade sauerkraut.

That’s the magic of fermentation:
🌿 It’s a natural way to preserve food.
🌿 It’s deeply gut-healing.
🌿 It turns ordinary plants into extraordinary medicine.

Cabbage may not seem glamorous, but once fermented?
It becomes a probiotic powerhouse—supporting digestion, mood, immunity, and more.

🌀 This is plant power in its most ancient, living form.
🫙 A jar of sauerkraut is more than a side dish…
It’s a bubbling reminder that nature always knows how to nourish and restore.

💬 Ever made your own? Have a family recipe? Drop it below!👇
Or stay tuned—I’ll be sharing tips this week on how to flavor your kraut & avoid beginner mistakes (like too much salt… ask me how I know 😉).

With love and good bacteria,
Renee 🌿
Renee Gardner, RN, Holistic Nurse-BC
~Thyme Well Spent🌿

06/08/2025

🌿Plant Power Sundays
This Week’s Spotlight: Lamb’s Ear🐑

Softness you can feel—and heal with.☁️

You know those fuzzy silver leaves kids love to touch?
That’s Lamb’s Ear.🌱

It literally feels like petting a soft animal ear. 🐑And as it turns out… it’s not just fun to touch—it’s also full of healing magic.✨️

Traditionally, Lamb’s Ear was used as a natural bandage.
Its leaves are antibacterial, antiseptic, and absorbent—
making it perfect for scrapes, bites, and small wounds when you’re out in nature.

It’s soft, yes—but strong in its own way.💪
(A gentle reminder that sometimes the most powerful healing comes from the simplest things.😉)

With nature’s touch,
Renee
Thyme Well Spent🌿

06/05/2025

🌿Thyme to Reflect Thursday:
Soulful Self-Care

Permission to Pause✋️

This week, I gave myself permission to do something radical.

I slowed down...

Even when the laundry wasn’t done.
Even when the dishes sat in the sink.
Even when the un-opened mail piled up.
Even when my inner critic whispered, “You’re falling behind.”

Instead of pushing harder, I made a cup of tea.
Instead of multitasking, I sat on my porch swing.
Instead of running on fumes, I rested… and listened.

And do you know what I heard in the stillness?

“You don’t need to earn your rest.”
“You don’t have to prove your worth through productivity.”
“You are already enough.”

It’s a message I needed—and maybe you do too.

So if you're tired, overwhelmed, or quietly unraveling behind the scenes…
This is your permission slip:

Pause.
Breathe.
Be.

Let that be enough for today.

Love,
Renee
Thyme Well Spent🌿