i hardly know where to begin with this loveliness. roses have been consuming my life, and i am very okay with that. picking wild roses, yellow roses, white roses, and pink roses have consumed my life. and i basically did the same thing with all of them.
roses are growing everywhere in our little mountain town, i found this lovely bush of white roses growing down by the river. a yellow rose bush growing in a vacant lot in town, along with my yard.....i also have one growing in my yard, settlers rose. the pink roses where in a friends yard, and the wild ones are everywhere. roses are in the rosaceae family, along with hawthorn and raspberry to name a few. they are all edible.
lets start with water. i have been putting them in water to consume daily. put a few springs of fresh mint or lemon balm in water with fresh flowers. drink throughout the day, its a wonderful treat. i also filled a jar with flowers, capped it and placed it in the sun for a few days. making a stronger brew of rose water for lotions and potions. you can also put it in a spray bottle for your face and body. wonderful on a hot day.
i did a double infusion, first soaking the white roses in sun for a few days. straining the water and adding that to pink roses, and placing that in the sun for a few days......such a lovely strong brew. roses do not care how you use the medicine, you can pull off all the petals or throw the whole flower in the jar
strain and compost the petals or flowers. the liquid will last longer if its stored in the fridge, i keep mine on the counter its easy to use up quickly in my opinion. you can also use this rose water in any sort of body care recipe.
every year i make a rose honey, its so delicious. wonderful on toast with the petals too. place just the petals in a jar, cover with honey. local preferred, if you suffer from allergies. i used all the petals, pink, white, yellow, and wild.
everyday i gather a few more and stir them in.
just to the right of the honey jar, is the rose vinegar. wow is all i can say about that. i love making vinegars, and i put them liberally on salads, cooked greens, beans, and rice. fill a jar about 3/4 full with petals or flowers, cover with apple cider vinegar. place a breathable cover on top. let it sit for as long as you like, a few weeks is fine. strain and bottle. i sometimes start using my vinegar right away, while the plant material is still in the jar. you can also put some in a spray bottle with water, for misting on your face. i don't mind smelling like vinegar, but this may not be for everyone. petals are a wonderful flower addition to salads.
i also like to dry rose petals on screens, for future body care products. they can be crushed in bath salts, or added to soaps and facial steams.
i also infused this flower medicine is olive and avocado oil for future soapmaking. soapmaking in paradise i must say. i have been making soaps with infused oils rather than essential oils. if you weren't into making soap, you can infuse the oil for a nice body oil. or even a salve. its the same process pretty much, fill a jar 3/4 full with petals, cover with oil, place a breathable cloth on top and place in a sunny window. i usually leave the oils infusing for at least a month. take the cloth off after a few day and stir, making sure its not molding under there. this is an important step.
another fun project to do with the roses, is to string them. with a needle and thread. i use the rose buds for this. string them up as if they were beads, its a great thing to do with the little women in your life.
fun stuff to do with the little people. i refer to it as hippie goddess camp, i also wrote a past post sharing a lot of those ideas here craft ideas for the perfect getaway i love to hang the rose buds all over the house
well i hope i have inspired you to grab your harvest basket, and hit the nearest rose bush. to stay connected you can follow me on instagram or subscribe at simplyjosephine.com wishing you all a wonderful summer full of happiness and wild things
I really liked your Information. Keep up the good work. Flavored Sea Moss Gel
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