Midday rosemary infusion - Conversation with Anna Brooks

I meet Anna in her lovely countryside home, sitting perfectly between the silent hills of San Miguel and rural campo land still worked by the local farmers. She welcomes me warmly putting the kettle on for a midday, freshly cut, rosemary infusion. She serves it in a cute vintage tea pot dressed in white cloth tea cozy, which reminds me of my childhood.

We sit in the sunshine on her front terrace overlooking ever evolving garden full of herbs, plants and flowers...

We talk about Mediterranean weather patterns and how its used to rain much more than now. We talk about changing climate, growth of plants, water resources and we moan for a split second about the island rapidly transforming thanks to its increasing tourism.

We agree that our island is so small and vulnerable and that's ought to be protected. We dream of sustainable solutions, people using water consciously, governments making recycling obligatory and clean beaches free of plastic straws. 
I ask Anna to show me her workshop where she extracts medicinal plants.
It's like stepping into a magic laboratory of elixirs and potions. She mixes a Stomach Soother herbal remedy in front of my eyes. She tells me how much I would benefit from sipping it everyday, especially in the summer when my eating habits change, working hours vary, stress levels rise and all I want to do is eat sugar and drink wine :)

I smell each bottle. It smells strong and powerful. It smells healthy and it feels increadibly soothing.
Anna talks about time and how everything that’s good for us takes time to grow and process.
She mentions each remedy takes 6 weeks of love, constant mixing and developing for it to work and heal. When I ask how she learned all this she tells me tales of the old ladies of the Mediterranean, Morocco and Africa who used the ancient knowledge, passed on from Mother to Daughter, as medicine.

People would observe nature, learn from nature. The observation was the key to developing profound knowledge of self healing and usage of plants and herbs for healing reasons.
Anna believes that everything is connected. Plants, animals, humans. With the air we breathe and the water that keeps us alive all chemical compounds work together to sustain and support life.

It feels like we have forgotten this innate, ancient connection.
But everything that is nature and comes from nature is here on this planet for a reason. Everything is One. Life supported by the universe.

We drift away watching the bees come and go, listening to the birds and trees moving softly in the wind. I finish my rosemary infusion, for some reason I can't get enough of it, and Anna rushes off to make it to town before siesta.
I get in the car and feeling peaceful and grateful for the time we had spent together. You don't get to chat about such important and real issues everyday with everyone. It feels very special.

I arrive home happy and decide today I won't do anything. I will just be. I will sit in the garden with my dogs, enjoying the sun on my face, breath the air slowly, drink hot herbal infusions, rubbing essential oils on my temples. Day of stillness and silence. Best moments ever...

You can reach Anna HERE