Metanoia

10/01/2026

Hey friends,

As you may have noticed, I have been mighty quiet here the last few months. It was not my intention to disappear on you. I assure you Metanoia is not over and I will be back crafting away shortly!

Sometimes life gets lifing and requires our attention fully in another direction for a season.

Thank you to everyone who stayed and all your patience while I re-organize myself and adapt to some new responsibilities that took some time to integrate into daily life.

As the seasons change, so must we…

10/01/2026

✨ 🌱 ✨

🌿 Phytochemical Deep Dive: The Molecular Architecture of Catnip 🔬

When you look at a patch of Catnip (Nepeta cataria) growing in the apothecary garden, it is easy to see just a simple, velvety garden mint. But beneath those soft, heart-shaped leaves lies a sophisticated natural pharmacy—a dynamic matrix of secondary metabolites crafted to protect the plant and bring deep restorative balance to human physiology.

In our ongoing Grow, Gather, Heal series, we explore the clinical phytochemistry validating ancient herbal wisdom. Modern pharmacological evaluations show that Catnip’s multifaceted healing benefits stem from four major chemical classes working in exquisite botanical synergy:

✨ The Nepetalactones (Iridoid Monoterpenes): The signature heavy lifters of Catnip’s volatile oil, these unique bicyclic monoterpenes—most notably the trans,trans and trans,cis isomers—account for up to 90%+ of the pure essential oil. Beyond driving the famous feline euphoric response, these compounds act in humans as powerful spasmolytics, natural bronchodilators (via calcium-channel blocking), and antimicrobial shields against opportunistic pathogens .

🛡️ Protective Flavonoids: Concentrated throughout the flowering tops and upper leaves, flavonoids such as luteolin, apigenin, cirsimaritin, and genkwanin provide deep anti-inflammatory and cellular support. These golden plant pigments modulate over-firing immune signals, quiet systemic inflammation, and protect cellular integrity from daily stressors.

💧 Restorative Phenolic Acids: Catnip leaves are packed with potent water-soluble polyphenols, led by rosmarinic acid, alongside caffeic and chlorogenic acids. These powerful antioxidants rapidly neutralize free radicals, reinforce delicate cellular membranes, and provide protective organ support during times of physical toxic stress.

🌿 Supportive Terpenes & Triterpenes: Working quietly in the background, compounds like ursolic acid, 1,8-cineole, $\alpha$-humulene, and $\beta$-caryophyllene give Catnip its rounded herbal depth. They contribute to smooth-muscle relaxation, peripheral tissue comfort, and synergistic antimicrobial defense.

💡 Apothecary Insight: Notice how Catnip balances both volatile, lipid-soluble oils (nepetalactones, sesquiterpenes) and water-soluble polyphenols (rosmarinic acid, flavonoid glycosides) ! To get the complete whole-plant synergy on the homestead:

A warm, covered infusion extracts the rich spectrum of rosmarinic acid and soothing flavonoids while preserving the calming volatile oils.

A hydroethanolic tincture captures the concentrated nepetalactones and triterpenes for deeper antispasmodic and nervine support !

👉 Which plant’s phytochemistry should we break down next in the series? Let us know below! 👇

07/07/2026

🫶

07/05/2026

🌱 Your Weeds May Be Telling You What Your Soil Needs 👀

Before you pull every w**d from your garden, take a closer look. 🌿
Many common w**ds grow best in specific soil conditions, which means they can sometimes give you clues about what’s happening underground.
🌼 Dandelions may point to compacted soil.
🍀 Clover often appears where nitrogen is low.
🌿 Plantain can show heavy compaction or poor drainage.
🌱 Chickw**d may mean rich, moist soil.
💧 Dock and buttercup often show wet or poorly drained areas.
Weeds are not always just “problems” — sometimes they are messengers. If you fix the soil condition, the same w**d pressure may naturally reduce over time.
Which w**d shows up most often in your garden? 👇

06/04/2026

This weekend!!!

This amazing event is one you won’t want to miss. Full of amazing vendors, fun activities and animals galore 😍

All monies raised goes towards an amazing cause close to my, and many other hearts.

06/01/2026

One of the main ingredients in our healing salve.

Mother Nature is amazing 🙌🏻

Somewhere in almost every British lawn there's a plant most people mow without noticing.

Small. Creeping. Easy to overlook.

Its name is Self-Heal.

That name is not merely descriptive. It's a philosophical claim containing an entire theory of healing.

Not that the plant heals you. That it helps you heal yourself.

The agency stays with the body. The plant is an ally, a restorer of conditions, a supporter of a process the body already knows how to run.

Our ancestors believed this plant did that job with unusual breadth. They gave it not one name but several:

Heal-All. All-Heal. Heart of the Earth. Carpenter's Herb.

Four hundred years ago, self-heal was considered one of the finest herbs in Britain and Europe. A medicine of first importance.
Then it was forgotten.

The same plant is now unknown to most people who grow it.
Here's the puzzle: How does the plant named Heal-All become the plant nobody knows?

Part of the answer lies in the plant itself. Self-heal grows low, presses close to ground, spreads sideways rather than upward. Survives repeated cutting. Comes back.

All-Heal sounds like the most dramatic herb imaginable. The plant is easy to overlook.

But a herb that heals quietly and persistently, that works at tissue integrity rather than acute crisis, might reasonably wear its virtues in its behaviour rather than its appearance.

Its action: cooling, astringent, toning. For hot, inflamed, damaged surfaces, mouth ulcers, sore throats, inflamed gut lining, open wounds. Works slowly, tightening what's leaky, cooling what's overheated, restoring integrity to damaged tissue.

The Carpenter's Herb. The carpenter who cut himself needed something close at hand. This plant was it.

The most instructive thing about self-heal isn't its chemistry or history. It's this:

The plant is in the lawn. It has always been there.
The lost thing is the relationship.

https://greenguild.co.uk/the-name-in-the-lawn-what-self-heal-knows-about-healing/

05/26/2026

Good morning friends…

It’s been a whirlwind here the last couple of months and I’ve been quite quiet. To be honest, I’ve been so busy with our home, kids, work and other business I’ve not been able to spend near as much time with my plants and herbs as I would like.

Please stay with me though, our favourite time of the year has finally arrived and the stir to create is taking over…

Thank you for being here. Enjoy this beautiful day 🌺

05/23/2026

The dandelions are infusing….

Bug off bars, LOADING…

05/16/2026

Dandelion picking day! 🌼

We put a good dent in a generous followers front yard today. These beauties will be an integral part of our ‘bug off’ bars

Coming soon….

05/12/2026

Sure to be another great event in support of a great cause!
Hope to see you there ☺️