Dreary Day or not a Dreary Day-that is the question

OK, so this morning is gray, and quite dismal, however, it affords the Herbalist an opportunity to pull out the books, and study in an unrushed atmosphere. Being part of the corporate world for so long, I always feel like I'm 'wasting time' when I sitting over a book. Truth of the matter is, this is what arms me with information to disseminate when people come into the shop and shoot random questions at me. I've been to the shop several times this week already, primarily to make sure that my little herb seedlings weren't in need of water. A quick spritz over the Styrofoam cups, I grabbed the door sign to bring home and re-vamp. (The "re-vamp" actually looks SO much better than the original).
I could take an entire day a week, and just sit and either read or peruse the web to accrue information on my beloved herbs. That's part of the beauty of this particular field: there's always more to learn, and the info that you already know just doesn't change. We keep adding to it, but the info about plants remains the same for millenia. Wonderful!
So, now, I found some information regarding Bugle....that free growing blue flowered plant that comes back on my front lawn year after year after year.....it's a perennial, flowering from the end of April thru the beginning of July, with solitary, tapering flower-stalks, 6-9 inches high, and it's creeping scions or runners. As winter approaches the runners of this plant die, but at every point where the leaf pairs and the rootlets were formed, there is a dormant plant waiting to develop fully in the Spring.
The flowers are a purplish blue, crowded into a spike formed of about six or more ring of whorls, generally six flowers in a whorl.
In herbal treatment, an infusion of this plant is still considered very useful in arresting hemorrhages and is employed in coughs and spitting of blood in incipient consumption (Tuberculosis) and also in some biliary disorders, a wineglassful of the infusion-made from 1 OZ of the dried herb to 1 pint of boiling water-being given frequently.
In it's action, it rather resembles digitalis, lowering the pulse and lessening its frequency, it allays irritation and cough, and equalizes the circulation and has been termed 'one of the mildest and best narcotics in the world.' It has also been considered good for the bad effects of excessive drinking.
Green (Universal Herbal, 1832) gives as his opinion that 'the leaves may be advantageously used in fluxes and disorders of that kind as they do not, like many other plants of the same value, produce costiveness, but rather operate as gentle laxatives.'
He states that a decoction of the herb has been employed for quinsy on the Continent, where the herb has been more employed as a remedy than in this country.
The roots, by some authorities, have been more astringent than the rest of the plant.
Needless to say, immediately on finding this information, I found a flat basket, lined it with paper towel, took my kitchen shears, and proceeded to my front lawn.
I boiled water, pouring it over the fresh herb, and let it brew for about 10 minutes. Well, by my review, this herb is what's considered a 'bitter' but nonetheless, pleasant. It was quite mild, and would mix unobtrusively with any other herbal tea and be undetected.
I will keep using it, not for the benefits towards consumption, but for the reported benefits of reducing the pulse rate. For those with hypertension, this may prove to be an easy to take, mild aid.