"Takin' Time Out"

Definition:  A wise through reflection and experience. To proceed from or characterized by wisdom, prudence, and good judgment.

An aromatic plant with grayish-green leaves that are used as a culinary herb, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean.  Either of two bushy North American plants with silvery-gray leaves.

 

Hmmm, I am sitting here in my favorite chair in the corner of my room, where my husband calls it my nesting place.  I am staring at a blank screen sipping on a luscious cup of warm inviting organic SAGE tea…it soothes the throat and has a peppery mint flavor.  Just thinkin of what I should blog about this week.  I have a couple topics started but it just isn’t flowing then I look up and these precious brown eyes belonging to my favorite four legged friend is staring at me and cocking her head.  Wow, she answers my dilemma…why not write about SAGE!

 

For those who do not know me personally, we have a beautiful chocolate lab we got from our neighbors over 12 years ago and we named her SAGE.  We were told a good hunting dog should have only one syllable name, even though we never trained her for that we had the best intensions but I am so glad she stayed behind to keep me company all those many weekends my hubby and son go on their hunting excursions.   We have had many pets but she is the absolutely the best dog we have ever had.  In her younger days she loved to dive for the torpedo in the pool, play ball in the front yard with the kids and chase the squirrels up the tree in the neighborhood.  As she has gotten older she still loves to run down to the neighbors and check on her friend Buck (another Chocolate lab belonging to our dear friends), she will lay at the foot of the crib or bed when the grandchildren are napping and letting them hug all over her pulling on her ears and tail and she never lets out a peep.  She is my constant companion when I am at home…she doesn’t like the vacuum very well, she will always hide in farthest part of the house when I am cleaning, pretty smart I must say, she knows to stay out of my way when I am on a mission!  It makes me sad to see the gray coming in around her mouth and as each year passes she is moving a little slower but I guess that is part of the cycle of life.

 

I love to cook and using fresh herbs seem to make the food more flavorsome and scrumptious.  A couple weeks back I had the privilege to be on an enrollment at a place that grew their own herbs and veggies for many of their delicious dishes they prepared in their restaurant.  I loved walking through the garden, learning about the various types and differences in herbs and SAGE was one of them.  Did you know there are more than 900 species of SAGE or Salvias that grows worldwide?  Living in the South we have a beautiful Mexican SAGE that grows to be about 5 to 6 feet and has a blue to purple tint bloom, Autumn SAGE that has a red or pink bloom, Pineapple SAGE that has yellow leaves but bright red bloom, and Forsythia SAGE that has green leaves but a bright yellow bloom.  However the one Chef’s most often use is a clary SAGE it has roundish oblong leaves.  I mainly use SAGE during Thanksgiving and Christmas after brining our turkey I use just a pinch of SAGE along with the poultry seasoning and Emeril Essence to add flavor to the big bird…can’t wait just a couple months away.  I also use in a few Italian dishes and it goes well with pork loin, veal and poultry.  I also like to add to baked squash, sautéed onions or mushrooms and sweet potatoes.  Since fall is approaching what about some roasted pumpkin SAGE soup or butternut squash and crispy SAGE pizza?  Yummm…

 

I personally like to find a holistic approach too many common ailments and looking through a few of my books I found that the following conditions can be treated with SAGE:

 

•asthma

•bacterial & fungal infections

•calming and stimulating the nervous system

•candida

•colds

•coughs

•encouraging healing

•gastrointestinal upset

•gingivitis

•headache (nervous)

•hot flashes (menopausal sweats)

•improving memory

•indigestion

•intestinal infection

•insect bites

•joint paint

•liver complaints

•oral inflammation

•rheumatism

•skin, throat, mouth and gum infections

•soothing the digestive tract

•stimulating upper digestive secretions

•strengthening the nervous system

•throat infections

•Taken internally or as a gargle or mouthwash

*note that SAGE should not be used by pregnant or nursing women or by people who have epilepsy

 

I also love the color SAGE.  I have a couple rooms in my house we have painted with a beautiful tint of green on the walls.  One of the bathrooms have SAGE mossy stone and a glaze on the walls, to me it is soothing and peaceful.  My kids gave me two wonderful Arondyke chairs for Mother’s Day to sit in the front yard this year and guess what color I painted them?  Yes, you guessed it SAGE green and I added a rusty oblong pillow for the back perfect for “Takin Time Out” and sitting with a glass of sweet tea with lemon or orange while watching my precious grandkids ride up and down the sidewalk on their scooters and tricycle’s or coloring with chalk on the pavement.  I can’t wait for this weekend as I will drag out the pumpkins and add some fall foliage to the yard.  Autumn is my second favorite season of the year.

 

SAGE also means a profoundly wise person or someone who has sound judgment and experience.   There have been many scholars throughout history that have taught us many things…for the most part I lean on the biblical truth and Solomon was one of the wisest as we find in scripture 2 Chronicles 1:7-8 he actually asked God for wisdom and knowledge to lead his people.  I love in verse 11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, possessions or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge this will I give you.  And I will also give you wealth, possession and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”  Wow, how simple was that.  Just as James 1:5 states, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”  In my daily prayers I ask for wisdom to help make the right decisions and be all God has created me to be.

 

It is important throughout life to seek wise counsel.  We all need mentors or people who have experience.  I personally have a couple of accountability partners that are truly honest with me, they don’t always tell me what I want to hear but what I need to hear.  I feel God has placed them in my life to help me become a better person and hopefully I can do the same for a few friends along the way.

 

Well it is time to get a few more things done on my “To Do List” and make time for “Takin Time Out” this weekend as life is moving way too fast…I hope you have enjoyed reading about the various topics of SAGE this week…just a gentle reminder we need to realize it is true, it is said that there is no lasting satisfaction in pleasure; but the SAGE may mean to point out that, though there is no permanent outcome to life it is the part of common-sense to enjoy what one has…So Let’s Enjoy our many blessings until next time my dear friends….

 

 

 

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