lavender
If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you probably already know that I've been harvesting lavender.
I like to cut my lavender before the sun starts to shine on it in order to preserve the essential oils. For the past three mornings I've sat cutting stems until my basket was full. It's such a peaceful task. The smell of the lavender. The sounds of the birds (and other, less pleasant sounds... the traffic, a workman's blaring radio... but somehow those things didn't bother me). I let my mind wander into fantasy and I cut stem after stem stopping now and then to bury my nose in the flowers.
Lavender has such a soothing, Joy-filled fragrance and it's easy to daydream while you're working with it. I imagine that I'm living in Provence, or maybe Greece, somewhere near the sea. That I have a farm with row after row of lavender. I imagine walking barefoot with my basket into a cool, stone-tiled kitchen where I bundle the lavender and hang the bundles from the ceiling.
I like to cut my lavender before the sun starts to shine on it in order to preserve the essential oils. For the past three mornings I've sat cutting stems until my basket was full. It's such a peaceful task. The smell of the lavender. The sounds of the birds (and other, less pleasant sounds... the traffic, a workman's blaring radio... but somehow those things didn't bother me). I let my mind wander into fantasy and I cut stem after stem stopping now and then to bury my nose in the flowers.
Lavender has such a soothing, Joy-filled fragrance and it's easy to daydream while you're working with it. I imagine that I'm living in Provence, or maybe Greece, somewhere near the sea. That I have a farm with row after row of lavender. I imagine walking barefoot with my basket into a cool, stone-tiled kitchen where I bundle the lavender and hang the bundles from the ceiling.
In my fantasy I keep bees. Somehow lavender makes my thoughts stray to honey and beeswax. And sheep, or at least wool. Maybe because in real life I like to hang my lavender bundles with pieces of wool yarn, natural, undyed.
Even though my kitchen isn't nestled in the hills by the sea and it doesn't have a stone floor, standing at the center island bundling my lavender is such a pleasurable thing.
These past three days I've harvested a total of 13 bundles. They're hanging, drying in the closet in my studio. Along with the bundles of mint I also cut. I'm excited to be able to use it all once it dries.
Happy summer!
Nice.
ReplyDeleteIt's been years in the making, your lavender "field". And you're there at just the right time to harvest it. Good that you found such joy in this simple experience.
ReplyDeleteBees, sheep, sounds like a plan.
That is exactly what I am going to be doing this morning. Love. I don't have nearly as much to harvest but so happy to have some. Pretty pics of your time well spent.
ReplyDeleteHow gorgeous! My lavender isn't quite ready to be harvested yet. I love to make sachets with the buds for my linen closet. Sleep comes so much easier when the sheets release lavender's sweet scent!
ReplyDeleteSounds and looks wonderfull! What are you planning to do with all of them?
ReplyDeleteHappy Summer Anne! Your lavender is absolutely beautiful. Well done. Sending much love to you.
ReplyDeleteYou must have so much lavender Anne! I find lavender difficult to grow but it is one of my favourite plants. I bet your kitchen smells gorgeous at the moment!
ReplyDeleteHi!! I love lavender, too!
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of my grandmother She used to harvest the lavender on the 24th of June and fold it (lavender bottle), then she gave us one each and we had to keep it in our wardrobes.
I love your lavender daydream:)
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