ABOVE: Lynn Smythe AKA the Tea Diva
Herbs & Spices Writer
A few years ago I started writing articles for publications such as BackHome magazine, The
Herb Quarterly, Veggie Life, The Essential Herbal and Llewellyn Publications annual Herbal Almanac. I have been the Herbs & Spices Feature Writer for Suite101 since November, 2007.
Here is a little bit of information about my journey towards becoming a herbalist.
Natural Health Consultant
I am a trained Natural Health Consultant and perpetual
student of herbalism. I have conducted extensive research and continue
to study in the fields of alternative medicine, aromatherapy, herbal
medicine, homeopathy and naturopathy. My writing projects have included
topics covering the history, mythology and folklore of herbs, organic
gardening, butterfly gardening and cooking with herbs.
Teenage Wanderer
As a young preteen and teenager I spent many afternoons wandering the
undeveloped forests of the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. In
the fall I recall feasting on a variety of wild blueberries,
blackberries and raspberries. At Christmas time I would help to collect
pine boughs which were used to make aromatic balsam pillows and
garlands that were used to decorate the house.
In later years my mother
became interested in the identification and collecting of wild
mushrooms. I remember her serving plates full of wild puff balls which
had been sautéed with lots of sweet butter and fresh garlic. I remember
seeing and avoiding the hallucinogenic fly agaric mushroom (Amanita
muscaria) on many of my journeys. Although I have some experience in
the proper identification of wild mushrooms I would still rather buy my
mushrooms from the grocery store just to be safe!
Gardener and Cook
I have enjoyed cooking and gardening for many years. As a child I
helped my mother weed her vegetable garden and always dreaded the
zucchini harvest. We had so many zucchini from that garden that my mom
even found a cookbook with over a 101 ways to cook zucchini including a
recipe for chocolate zucchini cake. It was quite an interesting item
for a young girls palate to experience but it didn’t make the zucchini
disappear any faster.
When I was much older I commandeered my friends
front yard and turned it into a garden which I filled with a plethora
of bulbs and alpine plants. In the summer of 1991 I relocated to the
south which was a bit of a shock. I went from a zone 4 garden in the
Adirondack Mountains of New York to a zone 10 garden in south east,
Florida.
Medicinal Herbalist
A few years ago I began to suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome and
researched the many herbs such as dill, fennel, ginger, mint and
chamomile that could help with various digestive problems. I began
growing a multitude of herbs in order to keep a ready supply of
medicinal herbs on hand for making my own tea blends. I joined my local
herb society to learn what herbs grew well in the hot and humid south
and began to write a monthly column for their newsletter in order to
share my growing knowledge of herbs with my fellow society members.
My friends, neighbors and family members began to ask me for advice on
minor ailments such as upset stomachs, insomnia and headaches. They
also started to come to me whenever one of the recipes they were
following called for fresh herbs or for advice on growing their own
herbs and flowers.
Please enjoy yourself while visiting the Tea Diva. Do you have questions, comments or suggestions for the Tea Diva? She can be reached via email: lynn@teadiva.net.
Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Tea Diva
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