by Nadine Johnson

In the early 1980s, I got out of bed at midnight to write the first column I ever had published. I had made pepper jelly. The fumes from this endeavor had been both inhaled and settled on my skin. I was tingling both inside and out. I couldn’t turn my brain-switch off or my sleep-switch on.

My farmer-turned-railroad husband was out of town; therefore, I was home alone. My thoughts went back in time to an event which took place in our early marriage. (I got married in August 1948 at the age of seventeen.) The pepper jelly triggered these memories.

At the time Richard, my husband, was a farmer…a mule-plowing farmer. One day when his knees were hurting, he massaged them well with Sloan’s liniment. This gave outstanding relief. Another day, his feet were hurting. Since the liniment had performed so well on his knees, he had no hesitation in applying an application to his feet.

He did this. Then he put on his brogans, hitched up Ole Ada and went out to plow in the early morning. About ten a.m., I saw them coming toward the house. Both Richard and Ada looked like they were trying not to let their feet touch the ground. That Sloan’s liniment had literally set his feet on fire. (I must add here that I never again heard him say, "My feet hurt.")

Sloan’s liniment is/was made from cayenne pepper (also called capsicum) which is one of the most beneficial of all herbs. This is how I referred to this herb with the very first article I ever had published. My intense interest in herbs came later.

I wrote several of these human interest stories and took them to the editor of a small newspaper in Mobile.

I asked, "Do you think anyone would want to print these?"

She quickly answered, "Yes, I do."

Little did I know, at the time, this was the beginning of a mission. Since that time I have written for several other publishers including Baldwin Times, Mobile Press-Register, Montgomery Advertiser, Troy Messenger, AFC Cooperative Farming News and Southern Farm and Land Almanac.

Sometime in 2007, I wrote a column and said, "That’s it. I’ll never write again."

I was wrong. In November 2010, my 80th birthday party was planned.

I said to my friend, "I spent my first 20 years here in Pike County, my second 20 years in Montgomery and Elmore Counties, my third 20 years in Mobile and Baldwin Counties and my fourth 20 years back here in Pike County. Now I wonder what the future holds in store for me."

About 48 hours later, as quickly and sharply as a streak of lightening, I knew it was time to move back to Baldwin County. Back near my children and grandchildren. I also knew at that moment I would write again.

Four months later, I’m relocated and writing has begun. I’m renewing old friendships and creating new ones. But never forgetting the ones I left behind. Primarily I’ll write about herbs and other natural products. However, I’ll occasionally write about other topics of interest.

My husband ended his earthly journey on February 21, 2006. My discovery of the use of herbs made it possible for me to be his special nurse during those final days. This continues to keep me a very active 80-year-old lady…still on a mission.

As always, I advise you to check with your doctor before taking herbal products.

Nadine Johnson can be reached at PO Box 7425, Spanish Fort, AL 36577 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .