Sunday, June 22, 2008

Lavender Bliss


The bees and I had a lovely time in the lavender today. Silvery green stems with lavender buds in an assortment of colors were fragrant and fresh. The hum of bees could be heard as I cut stems by the handful. They were so busy gathering nectar, they didn't have time to bother with me and we co-existed compatibly.

A special cutter is used for efficient cutting. Using a small hand-scythe, the lavender stems are gathered in a bundle and then cut in one swift movement. They are cut at the base of the stems and right above the leafy green foliage.


Lavender Herb Tea

1 tablespoon of dried lavender flowers
A couple sprigs of fresh or dried sage
A couple sprigs of pineapple mint or apple mint
A little rosemary

Use herbs fresh or dried. Toss together in a teapot and pour hot water over the top. Steep for 5 - 8 minutes. Decant with a strainer and serve in a pretty teacup. Add a touch of stevia for sweetness if you like. Enjoy.





Lavender Citrus Salt

1 cup sea salt
4 Tbsp. lavender buds
2 Tbsp. lemon peel, finely ground
2 Tbsp. orange peel, finely ground

Blend together and store in an air-tight jar. Enjoy as a seasoning for your favorite vegetables and salads.

Today wasn't a day for lavender wands or baskets, but little bundles of lavender were trimmed and wrapped in satin ribbon and bow. They are now ready to dry into fragrant little mussie-tussies that will last year around.

15 comments:

  1. Oh! How lovely is that. I'll get to see my lavender bushes next week. Yippee.

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  2. That tea sounds divine! I must add lavender to my shopping list for the farmer's market. Thanks!

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  3. Anonymous8:31 PM

    I don't think I've ever seen white lavender before. I love the contrast tot he purple. This type of shape is my favorite. For some reason, I just don't like the lavender plants with the big, 'fluffy' tops. My peony buds haven't even opened yet and the people just a few streets away at the lower altitude have huge bushes with big blooms already open and gorgeous. Sigh, that's mountain living for ya!

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  4. So pretty, love all of the different shades!
    Nikki

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  5. Wow, I am in envy of your Lavender. That first photo is superb.

    Thanks for featuring my blog as Blog of the Week. It is quite an honor.

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  6. What beautiful little bundles...I can only imagine how fragrant your task was!

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  7. So beautiful! I can almost smell the lavendar and taste the tea. ~Adrienne~

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  8. I love that last photo, all gathered and tied.
    Sadly,I am allergic to lavender and a few other flowers:(
    I wonder if drinking the tea would do the same or build up a resistance?

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  9. I am envious of your lavender... I would love to live in an area where lavender grows and I could harvest bundles and bundles! Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos and the recipes!

    Karen

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  10. Our lavendar is literally buzzing with honey bees today, too! I will have to try some of these recipes-- thanks for sharing!

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  11. Anonymous11:23 AM

    If you are interested, I have a writing exercise on my blog. Anyone who wants to may participate.

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  12. Oh, I would love to have my nose down in all those little bundles!!!

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  13. I can almost smell the little lavender bundles. I didn't realize the stems were so long and I've never seen white before either.

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  14. This looks so lovely! And those recipes are very interesting.

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  15. Ooooh! I could smell the lavender as I was reading this!!!

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