Crappy Elderberry Wine–I’ll take it!
For the last three or four months I have been trying to find some Elderberry wine in the local shops. Yesterday I spoke with my herb instructor/olist and was feeling the plant energy strongly. Afterwards I ran to Fred Meyer’s to get some last minute avocados. After grabbing one, I wander, feeling a bit guided, into the wine area. It is not an area that I normally go to as I’m not a drinker. I will, however, make an exception/create an opportunity for an exception, if the alcohol is herbal. (I had some Wild Wines Lemon Balm wine last year, very heating and strong.) I found myself directly in front of all sorts of fruit wines. Hmmm…I asked myself, “Could it be…here in Fred Meyer’s of all places?” I look and look through all the bottles, and sure enough there is some crappy Manischewitz Elderberry wine. Oy vey! I know it’s going to taste like juice, but I am totally game. I’m just hoping that the “artifical colors and flavors” that they so prominently advertise on the front of the bottle are not what makes it elderberry.
Later that night I drank a glass with a couple friends. It has been a long time since I drank regular wine, but it seemed more mellow, warmly expansive, and less of a bonk over the head than straight-up grape wine. It had a more subtle flavor than welch’s, although not too far off. And–yeah! for me–it did not give me the feeling that my limbs are falling off that I get from most alcohols, including a strong kombucha. I liked it, but very much look forward to trying some that is not so sweet. The let down from the sugar high was probably worse than the let down from the alcohol.
To add to the excitement of my super herby day my friends and I spent some time talking excitedly about nettles (but, how else can you talk about nettles–they are so exciting!). We’re planning a little nettle party, that will include, as I so eloquently put it in my happy tipsy state:
‘I hope there will be beer making, soup, and that I get to flagelate people.’ 
Thank you to Martha Stewart, here’s a great Nettle soup recipe. I can’t wait to make it again. We’ll be experimenting on my balding friends to see if the nettles will bring back their hair.
Later that night I slept with my crystal for the first time in a while and at one point woke up with it by my left hip (it tends to wander to where it’s needed). I had visions of little children and babies all night long. All in all making it was an exciting day and night.