Lavender Mouse

For years I have had this delightful little pot in my studio.  It holds lavender and periodically I run my hands through the seeds just to enjoy the scent.

As you can see, my lavender pot has recently been invaded by a cheeky little mouse. Not only did she get into the pot, but she also sowed lavender all over the shelf.

What did I do?  Well of course I couldn't turn this darling over to the outdoors and all its dangers, so for now I've appointed her "Guardian of the Lavender".  I hope she takes her new position seriously!

"Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work." - Aristotle

The Sense of Smell

Every time I open a drawer in my bedroom there is that slight scent that takes me outdoors on a sunny day walking through fields of lavender.

In mid-afternoon I stop everything, if I can, and take up a small square of dark chocolate.  I break it in four pieces letting the scent speak for the taste I'm soon going to have.

How many beautiful scents can you think of?  Some of mine are new moan grass, herbal teas (any kind *smile*), sun warmed pine needles on the ground, anything sweet baking in the oven.

Sometimes a memory from the past comes flooding into my mind with just the slightest scent that represents that time.  

"Nothing is more memorable than a smell.  One scent can be unexpected, momentary and fleeting, yet conjure up a childhood summer beside a lake in the mountains." - Diane Ackerman

Singing in the Rain

In between rain showers I rushed outside to capture some of the intrepid flowers that are blooming.  These little Balloon plants are such a lovely, deep purple color and so abundant.

My Lavender is trying very hard to bloom -- but I suspect its wondering how it ended up here, instead of a dryer, Mediterranean climate.

The Echincea and Black Eyed Susans are working nicely together with their bright colors.

Oh and don't I love the Butterfly Weed (now how could anyone call this a weed) with its bright orange blooms.

Lastly, but certainly not least, come my Hydrangeas which are still standing tall, blooming beautifully and saying to the rain 'bring it on'!

"I'm singing in the rain

Just singing in the rain

What a beautiful feeling

I'm happy again..." 

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