Living with Lavender

I often feel so very thankful for those 'little' things in my life, those joys and pleasures that are but a microscopic portion of a day but which I treasure.  One of these pleasures is my long love affair with lavender.  This pitcher of dried lavender resides in the bedroom and I have raided it (which probably accounts for its not so tidy arrangement) to place sprigs of this lovely plant in other spots around the house -- the old bottle that sits on the window sill above the sink, the blown glass vase on the dining table, the crushed dried flowers that I often place in my used thread bowl.  We won't even mention the bars of lavender scented soap that are placed in amongst clothes in my dresser.  I'm not a perfume wearer - but I cannot resist the scent of lavender.

The name lavender comes from the Latin root lavare, which means "to wash." Lavender may have earned this name because it was frequently used in baths to help purify the body and spirit. It has also been used when doing laundry and it has become somewhat of a tradition to include this scent in amongst bed linens.  Lavender is also used as a remedy for a range of ailments from insomnia and anxiety to depression and fatigue. Research has confirmed that lavender produces slight calming, soothing, and sedative effects when its scent is inhaled.  That is certainly the case with me, just one whiff of lavender pleasantly relaxes me - tells me its time to slow down and smell the herb (if you will).

My dear husband has planted a small plot of lavender for me -- right now it is starting to bloom.  Perhaps one day I'll have enough of my very own lavender to place here and there about the house. 

"I think that the ideal space must contain elements of magic, serenity, sorcery and mystery". - Luis Barragan