Aloe: Nature's Healing / Soothing Ointment

This past spring, the aloe garden (okay the collection of pots filled with aloe) had some surgical procedures and pot rearrangements. Aloe and cacti surgeries are always on the first day of spring or just thereafter, then the succulents are moved outside to a nice shady spot to live out spring, summer and fall in the tropical heat.

The plants winter inside as they do not like temps under 40 degrees.
During the transplants and surgeries, in which bad leaves (the thick arms) are removed so the plant can focus on new growth rather than trying to heal the old, I was able to harvest nearly a gallon of aloe gel.

It's a little tedious job. The spiky sides of the leaves removed, the leaf is filleted and the gel scraped out. I run all the gel through the blender to make it smooth and liquidy, so it is usable in bodywash, handsoap, lotions, or just using as is. I then poured my pureed aloe gel into ice cube trays and froze them. Once solid, I dumped my aloe cubes into a freezer bag and bam! instant sunburn / burn cooling cubes. These are the perfect size for unthawing to use in recipes or just grab a cube and apply to the burned, irritated or bug-bitten skin.

If you're at my house and get a boo-boo, don't ask for store bought creams, ointments, lotions or potions...but I do have plenty of aloe!

Other posts like this one: Cacti & Aloe and Aloe Surgeries.

Today, I am going to smile more and worry less. Cheers, Ramsey