Day 321 of 365

It smells like christmas

As I foraged through the park this morning I was struck by the fact that this experience might have been more of an adventure in the mountains of Colorado.

On day 321 I brewed pine needle tea.

We had a storm in the middle of the night and as I listened to the thunder my mind started running through the short list of 365 day ideas I have left. My original plan involved sunshine and as of 11:30 am it's overcast and the sky is still releasing those drops of rain.

So it's Tea Time!

I researched my trees to be sure that the pine needles I collected wouldn't create a toxic brew. Like many things I've experienced already, education is key.

I selected three needle types mostly because that's what is growing in and around my home. I cut pine, spruce and fir branches. I washed each piece and set the hitchhiking spiders and caterpillars free. I trimmed the pieces to fit inside pint jars and poured boiling water over the top. Each steeped for fifteen minutes.

If you've ever wondered what Christmas tastes like, this is it! All three have very distinct flavors. If I'm in the wild and low on vitamin C I'll look for the long pine needles. The flavor is perfect without needing honey or sweetener.

Day 321

Love & Light