LAVENDER # 2
Now that summer is coming to an end and I'm imagining fields of lavender in Provence with blue skies...the "simplicity" this image and the fresh smell of this plant... Obsess my desire for lavender all year round...I want to prolong this fragance as much as possible..I have therefore been thinking of ways of satisfying my obsession with dried lavender flowers:
Lavender Pot Pourri:
put dried flowers in beautiful bowls around the house...when you walk by, ruffle them with your hands to release the fragrance and memories of summer.
Lavender Salt:
mix lavender with sea salt 1/8 and put into air tight containers.......use it to flavor meats....also good for marinating fish: on a bed of lavender salt lay a whole fish and cover again with the lavender salt, put it in the fridge overnight - wash and poach fish as desired.
Sachets and Little Pillows:
stuff the dried flowers into exquisite silks to perfume your linen cupboard, drawers or just as relaxing head rests...especially if you suffer from insomnia!
Lavender Oil:
add to pot pourri to enhance the fragrance.
add to radiator humidifiers to perfume the room
add to an ashtray
add to the core of a toilet roll as an air freshener in the bathroom
add a few drops to your washing machine for a nice smelling laundry
add a few drops to water and sprinkle the ironing to be done
Lavender Stems:
don't throw these away burn them in your fireplace this winter to prolong the taste of summer.

And to evoke memories of childhood, do you remember?

Lavender's blue dilly, dilly,
Lavender's green;
When I am king, dilly, dilly,
You shall be Queen.
Call up your men dilly, dilly,
Set them to work,
Some to the plough, dilly, dilly,
Some to the cart.
Some to make hay, dilly, dilly,
Some to thresh corn,
Whilst you and I, dilly, dilly,
Keep ourselves warm. (by the fire of lavender stems!)

Photograph by Manfredi Bellati