Coming Back to Herbs

Looking back, they were always there in small ways:

mint growing near the porch,

lemon balm passed down from a family friend,

tiny balcony herb gardens,

the smell of basil in summer.

But somewhere along the way, herbs became something I admired from a distance instead of something I actively used.

I think I accidentally made herbalism feel more complicated than it needed to be.

Like I needed:

the perfect knowledge,

the perfect garden,

the perfect setup,

the perfect skill set.

And then pregnancy changed something for me.

A simple jar of NORA tea quietly reopened a door I didn’t realize I had closed.

Not because it was dramatic.

Not because it instantly turned me into an herbalist.

But because it made herbs feel approachable again.

Reachable.

Useful.

Practical.

It reminded me that sometimes healing rhythms begin with very small things:

pouring hot water into a jar,

letting herbs steep overnight,

slowing down long enough to pay attention.

Since then, I’ve been slowly building an herbal pantry, planting more intentionally, reading more deeply, and reconnecting with knowledge that used to feel distant.

Not perfectly.

Not expertly.

Just curiously.

And maybe that’s part of what Practically Crunchy is really becoming for me:

not mastering everything all at once,

but slowly coming back to the things that make life feel more rooted.

The new episode of Practically Crunchy is now live:

“Coming Back to Herbs.