I've been driving around alot lately and one thing I've been noticing this year are alot of bushes along the roadside covered with white flowers.  These happen to be elders, the ones that produce elderberries and elder flowers.  Maybe it's all the rain we've had this year, but I've never noticed quite so many before...

This year the yarrow in the backyard has also taken off... it seems that the less care you give it and the worse the soil, the better it grows.

Elder and yarrow... This got me thinking that now is a good time to think about getting ready for fall and winter. 

One of my favorite remedies is the Children's Composition.  This formula contains equal parts of peppermint, yarrow, and elderflowers.  This herbal combination is a great one to start with if you've never made your own herbal preparations.  If you don't feel comfortable with identifying herbs, these are all easy found at stores with bulk herbs.
I use this formula whenever sniffles start up, tummy aches appear, or whenever someone says that they don't feel well.  This is a good formula for your common cold and flu.

I've made it as a tincture using fresh and also dried herbs in both alcohol and glycerin. Generally it's best to have the herbs to all be either fresh or to all be dried, but elderflowers are the exception.  They are pretty delicate and fragile so when gathering your own it is best to dry them immediately. 

For kids I have found that a mixture of the glycerin and vodka tinctures makes a good mixture that is effective and tolerable.  You can also make an infusion of the herbs in the form of a tea. 

Most all of the parts of the elder can be used medicinally, but the bark, leaves and roots are generally considered to be unsafe as they are very potent.  Even elderberries should be used sparingly, but the flowers are considered safe for use with no limit on doses.  The actions of elder flowers include diaphoretic, anti-catarrhal, anti-spasmodic, febrifuge, aperient, and anti-inflammatory  meaning that they are good for fevers and infections along with the symptoms that go with them.

The above ground parts of the yarrow plant can be used medicinally; who wouldn't love to drink a brew of such pretty flowers.  It is best to gather in full flower in the summer, but I have to admit that our warm-ish winters keep this plant green all year, and I have gone and snipped at it when needed during this time.

Yarrow is an amazing plant with many uses.  It usually ends up in most salves that I make, and also in most teas as well as it is just so good for you.  I use it with colds, but it also good for any bleeding issues as well.   It is a diaphoretic, hypotensive, astringent, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, anti-microbial, anti-viral, bitter, hepatic, vulnerary, and emmenagogue.

Peppermint has long been used as a tonic for digestive issues, but this plant has so many more uses.  Most mints look alot alike, but they also have similar propeties so if you have spearmint growing in your yard feel free to use it as you would peppermint.  Peppermint's properties include it being useful in colds and flu, due to its anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, anti-emetic, anti-microbial, analgesic, and stimulant properties.

Again, you can use these herbs safely in almost unlimited amounts, please use common sense, and gauge how your patient is reacting.  Teas are simple with either dried or fresh herbs, or you could choose to make a tincture.  I was going to link to how to make specific tinctures at this point, but I don't believe that I've ever posted this before.  I guess I know what I need to do next....