Dear Yogis,
Here we are again, another Monday. This new normal is hard to get used to. Because people have been locked down and now let free, with more freedoms every day, nothing is set. Appointments are no longer appointments, classes are no longer classes – life is a moveable feast. It is “interesting”, but difficult if like me you are self employed and trying to organise the week in front. It is always a catch up – for me too.
I like communities and all that implies. Everything is in flux, even your Doctor is no longer YOUR doctor, they come and go, and every appointment is a different doctor, dentist, etc. It’s lovely for students and I know they have to train, but I can read a computer screen, I don’t need a student doctor in order to do that. They don’t know me, they only know the screen. Time was when a student was accompanied by your usual doctor, now a student is all you get. What do you think?
SCHEDULE
YOGA STUDIO> Monday 1pm, Wednesday 5.30pm Restorative, Friday 6.30 Hatha
ZOOM> Monday 6.30 Gita, Tuesday 7.30 Herbal Workshop, Friday 6.45 Tarot – I am going to record these (please remind me) so that you can rerun it anytime. I am not madly keen on this, but many people don’t read or know how to take notes, so it will cover this).
FRIDAY YOGA LUNCHEON. Our usual Monthly get together (interrupted by Covid), Friday 25th February, 12noon Mt. Macedon Hotel. Please email me if you would like to join us. All welcome. yogafirst2@bigpond.com
HERBAL WALK – learn how to forage and how to cook with what you have collected. Tuesday 1st March 10.30 start at the Studio. Winter is around the corner. Let’s get a backup store of produce before winter.
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN MAKING
I have been exploring my WIX site to learn the ins and outs. Not easy. But I have got it up and running and I now can do a lovely blog, I just need the time to get the list in order…… Please go to www.jhwilliams.online
Over the weekend I have been gathering, making and storing.
Dock is beautiful around my way at the moment. You will notice from the picture that there is no potting mix under these beauties. The ground is hard, and you would scarcely think anything could grow, but it is. Big patches of Dock.
I picked the young and juicy early shoots and have put a few bags in the freezer. Last night I made a herb omelette and sprinkled it with dock, it was delicious, and hugely nutritious. It doesn’t keep its colour when you cook it, so you have to mix it with other greens – parsley or nettles (or my favourite Herb Robert) keep their colour in cooking.
MAKING BOOZY HERBAL GINS, VODKA AND WINES – the easy way I must add. I gather and then infuse. I don’t actually have a still 
(and you probably don’t either) and you need a still to actually make alcohol. I buy vodka, wine and gin, and I infuse it with herbs. The result is herbal tonics, drinks and vinegars. I am going to put a small book on Etsy and on my herb web site www.jhwilliams.online so you can make them too.
It is so easy and even if you haven’t got access to somewhere to forage, you can buy the cheap fruits and veggies at the grocer and use those.
The picture on the right is the beginning of my APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. It is so easy to make. All you need is apples and patience. Even if you buy apples from your grocer when they are cheaper, you can make your own vinegar much more cheaply than buying a good quality vinegar with a “other”. All the directions will be in my little booklet.
THE FREEDOM OF SIMPLICITY. Finding, foraging and making is all about living simply. Not making as many visits to the store, getting the family involved in all stages of food and eating. Living responsibly. Learn to eat sensibly and sensitively. Reject products full of chemicals and colours. Eliminate pre-packaged dinners. Eat foods that do no violence to the balance of things. Get in on the joy of the garden, even if this means pots on a window ledge. Forage, dry, freeze and ferment your foods. Compost all you can. Recycle all you can. Grow all the fresh items you can. Eat out less and when you do, make it a celebration. Buy less food rather than food replacement drinks or diet pills.
I will see you on the mat,
NAMASTE. JAHNE