As cold and flu season approach I turn to the garden to stock up on Mother Nature’s medicine. This time I am foraging on a sunny dry day, in my own yard, collecting the last of the silvery green sage and lavender. Sage is known not just for its heady scent, but for its antibacterial, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, digestive and tonic properties (just to name a few!), and a lavender sachet on the pillow is as good as any lullaby 
Any hint of a cold in this house will be met with sage tea and snuggles, and will not stand a chance of staying around for long.
The herbs are hanging in a well-ventilated area with a paper bag over them to avoid dust settling on the leaves. It is preferable to keep them away from sunlight to protect the volatile oils and therefore the effects and the flavour. I keep the dried herbs in large mason jars in the dark. The following sage tea recipe is the one I had by the sea in Turkey (another good way to escape the winter cold!).
Sage Tea with Lemon and Honey*
A generous handful of sage leaves (I leave the stems on too) in a cup with boiled water.
Let it cool down a bit and add:
A half a lemon, squeezed (I leave the lemon half in the cup)
Unpasteurized honey to taste (Coniferous tree honey is the best!)
Enjoy and be well!
*Sage is not recommended for pregnant women and NEVER give unpasteurized honey to a child under 1 year old.