Living By The Pen: It's a little early for lavenders but...

Living By The Pen: It's a little early for lavenders but...: "There is something magical about this deep purple herb that is simply mesmerising. Even as you sit back and enjoy your experience at ..."

It's a little early for lavenders but...

There is something magical about this deep purple herb that is simply mesmerising. Even as you sit  back and enjoy your experience at your favourite spa, you cannot help but wonder about the beautiful way in which nature created the lovely lavender. Visually, lavender fields are a sight to behold as you walk through them, especially on a beautiful summer’s day.  As you stoop a little to examine these delightful shrubs, you will be overwhelmed by the enticing scent that comes from simply running your fingers over the little flowers.

To think that these delicate petals will be pressed and distilled to produce the pure essential lavender oils that superbly soak away all the stresses of daily life. Some of the best varieties of the English lavender, namely Maillette and Folgate are well-known for their high quality scents which are a pure joy to experience.

Beyond the tantalising scents, are the remarkable therapeutic features of this relaxing wonder. Its name Lavandula, comes from the Latin word ‘lavare’, which means ‘to wash’. In ancient times and in countries as far as Egypt, the lavender herb was sought for its healing and antiseptic properties. Today, the lavender has become more important than you would imagine, in our daily lives.  

In the bedroom:

• If you find it difficult to sleep at night, simply place a few drops of essential lavender oil on your pillow and before long you will be in slumber land. You could also massage it gently onto your forehead and neck to stimulate your senses and bring about sleep.
• On another note, this is a truly alluring herb that was used by Cleopatra to win the affection of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Young girls have been known to associate it with romance and it is the perfect gift to create great passion between newlyweds.

In the household:

• Lavender oil is also known to be a natural antiseptic that prevents infection. Dab a little lavender oil on minor burns to prevent blistering. You could also use it on wasp or bee stings to reduce the pain and soothe the itching.
• If you have a horse, a few drops of lavender oil on its eyelids will keep the flies away from its eyes. For a cat or dog, lavender oil on its collar will keep fleas at bay.

In the kitchen:

• The English Lavender (Augustifolia) with its sweet, floral flavour is most commonly used in cooking. Use the flowers fresh or dried, a little at a time, in your salads, casseroles and even roast lamb dish instead of rosemary.

Finally, if both Queen Elizabeth I and II of England, not forgetting Queen Victoria found this attractive herb too good to resist as they went about their daily lives, it must be good enough for you to indulge in at least once in a while. Hence, enjoy the pleasures the lavender brings, whenever you can!

For a true lavender experience, why not visit the Lavender Fields in Hampshire. They are located at Hartley Park Farm, Selborne, Alton, Hants GU34 3HP, Hampshire, England. The fields are open from 9.30 am to 5.00pm from Mondays to Fridays and 10.30am to 4.30pm on Saturdays and Sundays. From January to March, the fields are closed on Sundays and Mondays.

               

The writer finally has a blog!

I have been a professional writer for more than twenty years now but only just got around to starting my own blog. You must have gathered by now that I am most certainly not from generation tweet. Having said that, in order to progress as an independent copywriter here in England in these difficult economic times, I have started to tweet, skype and network in order to generate an income, however small.

So here goes, I have no idea what I am going to blog about in future. But for today, the subject matter is inevitably food. I never once thought while sitting in my posh, skyscraper office block as an accomplished, well-paid Copywriter that I would be making homemade 'thosai' or as they call it here 'dosa' one day!

Well, I have done it and am proud to say in England too! I refuse to go out and allow my husband to pay lots of money for something I can learn to make at home. My daughter, husband and I enjoyed this Indian pancake which was accompanied by a delightful green chilly chutney that was prepared by my better half.

Here's to light, happy,spring days and perhaps more 'thosai' times!