Chester is all snowed in everywhere, but there is still lots to explore. I have been here 2 weeks now and have explore the village. I now know where all the shops are. I shouldn't get too lost if I have to get somewhere in a pinch. The grounds of Lubscome proper and the nearby fields, frozen streams and marshways and around the mines have a plethora of stuff naturally growing that I can harvest, even in winter! With the bottles and pouches I got from the cook, I will absolutely have a small apothecry in my bedroom. For no other reason than it makes me happy and comfortable to do so.
I came with smelling salts and camphor, mint herb and essence, rose water, and orange blossom water. They stay in my satchel with a roll of bandage in case I might need them. I left my little mortar and pestle in my bedroom with the jars and pouched. I had salve from balm of gilead, but I gave that to Lucy for the horse that became lame. I will have to craft more... though... that is a LONG process.
Here is what I have found so far:
I came across cattails and wild parsnips. Noting the cattails, but I am not collecting them. They are bitter and really only emergency filler food if you must. The wild parsnips is a great winter find.... except the water and ground are frozen. I have to chip them out. They made a great gift for the cook for more supplies to make salves and whatnot. I needed some oil, grease and beeswax.
There were some milkweed pods, too. Not many, but I will remember their location for spring where I will be able to harvest more. The couple I did get will thaw and be rendered to help with kidney and gall stone problems, also for coughs (which is a likelihood as winter continues in the cold and damp of England).
Among the trees, I found lots of Juniper berries (delicious tea, also great tincture against infection to be used topically), Willow bark (infused as a pain and fever releif), White Pine (not as much as I hoped to find, can be made into tea for coughs and colds or the sap can be used as an anticeptic), Birch (I want to tap if for sap but I have no spigots), Hackberries (tiny berries that are nutty and good food additive, surprised no one was using them as they really are tasty), and hawthorn berries (the leaves are not available at the moment but the berries I can make into medicine for blood pressure problems).
I found both sweet cicely and hemlock. They are almost identical, except the former is good for coughs and ulcers while the latter is toxic.
I also found bush roses with a great many rosehips. I spent the day collecting them and injuring my hands a great deal to do so. But they are better than oranges for healing and boosting the immunity against illnesses. These too I gave some to the cook. I treated my thorn stabbed frozen fingers and enjoyed a fruity tea of rosehip and juniper berries with a hint of mint.
I also found balm of gilead! There was plenty after foraging through the grounds and even the town. I let people look at me funny while I collected it. Who cares if the deaf mute collects tree bits? That day was one of my happiest. The balm of gilead is now slowly rendering in oil. I will be able to use a weak version in 6 weeks, but better if I can let it sit for 6 months. I suppose the timing of that will really have to depend on what happens next now that Ewan is dead.
Ewan's body has been put in the snow while people search for a Will and try to sort things out and plan a funeral. I have not even been allowed to the frozen body. It just seems... suspicious... how he died. However, the people here do not know me nor trust me to be of any use. I understand. They want his body treated with the uttmost respect. This is where my persona ruse has hindered my ability to help.
A date has been set. The funeral will be February 24th.
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