Home » Plants & Animals » Weeds & Wild Plants » I HEAR the Violets callin'.......

I HEAR the Violets callin'.......

© Barbara Hall

I went out today to gather Violet blossoms in hopes that the dear and lovely things can help with the RINGING in my ear. I intend to make an infused oil of them, to soak them in olive oil for 6 weeks and then put the drops in my left ear which seems to have so much squealing and RINGING to do.

Fortunately I don't always NOTICE the ringing in my ear, but of course now that I'm WRITING about it, it's absolutely SHRIEKING. The ringing in MY ear is no doubt the result of a semi-botched surgery something like 15 years ago to improve the hearing in that ear which suffered from a calcified 'stirrup' bone. Dr 'InaHurry' took out the calcified stirrup and put in a plastic one, but he goofed and it was the wrong size. He went back in to GET it, and touched my middle ear which made me nauseous. This caused much shouting in the OR and a need to take me COMPLETELY out in a HURRY. Just see how long it takes to RECOVER if you go OUT to the sound of everyone shouting "Don't let her get sick!!! Take her OUT, NOW!!!" I did eventually regain a good deal of hearing in that ear, but it came with a hitchiker, the squealing alien that lives in there. (Affectionately called Tinnitus of planet Screech)

So. To the violet blossoms. It comes from Susun Weed that we get the suggestion that violet blossom infused oil CAN help with ringing in the ears. Will it erase mine? I'll let you KNOW in a couple of months.

But could there be a pleasanter task than gathering Violet blossoms? Since the very first time I went hunting Violets, I have always felt that a jar full of Violet blossoms looks like a jar full of ballet costumes. Don't know why, they just DO. As I lovingly popped their dear little heads off, I felt a bit of moisture from yesterday's rain. They will need to lounge about on a paper towel for a bit before they get bathed in oil. The smallest bit of moisture can spoil the whole thing.

Once they're dry (but not DRIED) I'll put them into the VERY clean, dry babyfood jar and then pour olive oil over them. Once I work all the air bubbles out with a chopstick, I'll put a lid on it, mark the LID with today's date, the contents and the date six weeks from now, and sit the whole thing in a saucer to catch any oil that slobbers over the side. That is why we mark the LID. Slobbering oil erases labels. We really want NO air in the jar, so I'll check it and top it off with oil if the level goes down for some reason. If it goes moldy, it goes OUT.

The copyright of the article I HEAR the Violets callin'....... in Weeds & Wild Plants is owned by . Permission to republish I HEAR the Violets callin'....... in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.