Re: Alrighty...more questions!

Never heard that about vodka, who'd a thunk it, but it's a good thing to know!

I thought Tennessee (my state) was the only one where liquor stores didn't open on Sunday.  We don't drink either but I've heard that even in a convenience store they aren't allowed to sell beer until after noon on Sundays, must be a southern thang.

Yep, that'd be fine to just cover the herbs but you'll need more for the echinacea than for the cayenne.  

I think the reason you sometimes add distilled water is if you have more than 100 proof vodka.  I've heard they have 190 proof and for that you'd add enough distilled water to make it 100 proof.  It get confusing for me too when I see different directions for the same thing. 

One thing I saw in the link that I don't agree with is this.  Strain this Mixture through an UNBLEACHED Coffee Filter   I don't drink coffee but aren't coffee filters paper?  I would never stain a tincture through paper, I'd be afraid that the vodka would make the paper fall apart and allow little pieces of paper to get in my tincture.

I opened my first batch of tinctures almost daily lol.  I just had to smell them and taste them and they still turned out great!  I don't think it makes any difference at all.