Picture
Picture

The goats think I'm their mom, and I'm OK with that. PC: IFM photography

May 2022

There are all kinds of mommas out there. Dog mommas, neighborhood mommas, and even goat mommas.  I don’t mean to take anything away from the biological mothers of human children (I am one after all), but I think motherhood in all of its forms is so precious, so valuable, so needed.  Maybe it’s actually the “mothering” that is so valuable.  “Mothering” to me means acceptance, nurturing, persistence, and selflessness.  I know some of you may have mothers who are like that (I certainly did) and some of you who have mothers who aren’t quite so supportive.  And that’s where I think the “mothering” steps in, because it isn't limited to biological motherhood.  Even if you have the most wonderful mom in the world, it could be that you’ve had many other “mothers” in your life: the grandmother who helps you find the lesson in even the hardest situation, the friend who has your back and offers encouragement when you need it most; the sister who celebrates your successes and helps you get up when you get knocked down, the single dad who goes to every soccer game, parent-teacher conference, and play.  A wise woman once said” it takes a village to raise a child” and I think she’s right.  Part of that village consists of those other “mothers” in our lives.  We need them all.  Even when we’re adults. 

So while next weekend is all about celebrating and thanking our moms  (as we should), let's also celebrate and thank the other "moms" in our lives as well!    

As always, if you should need any lavender products this month, (maybe for the moms in your life?) I hope you'll take a look at our online store or our downtown Newberg shop!  For a little calming, a little beauty. Products made with love. 

Have a wonderful month!


Lavender Cocktails and Mocktails

Perfect for a Mother's Day brunch...or any time you want something a little extra special! 


Lavender Champagne Cocktail

Picture
PC: selfproclaimedfoodie.com

Bubbly with a twist! This is a surprisingly easy way to make your brunch or any occasion more festive!

Ingredients:

  • Lavender Simple Syrup
  • Champagne, Prosecco, or other sparkling wine
  • St Germaine (optional)
  • Berries (optional)

Instructions

In its most simple form, a lavender Champagne cocktails is just adding a splash of lavender simple syrup to a flute of champagne.  If you want to get a little fancier, add a splash of St Germaine and some berries.  And even better, if you have a few sprigs of dried lavender hanging around, add one to each glass.  Cheers!


Lavender Martini

Picture
PC: shortgirltallorder.com

Ingredients

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker about 3/4 full of ice. Secure the lid and shake well.

Rim the glasses with sugar and frost them in the freezer first. Strain into two martini glasses and garnish with a sprig of lavender.


 Lavender Pig Mocktail

Picture
PC: Pam Baker

This drink is a non-alcoholic variation I concocted of the Pig War Martini, made famous at Roche Harbor on San Juan Island.  

Ingredients

  • Ice
  • 1/3 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/3 cup pomegranate or cranberry juice
  • Juice from 1/2 orange
  • 1.5 tablespoons Lavender Simple Syrup
  • 2/3 cup chilled sparkling water
  • 1 fresh lavender sprig (and a plastic toy pig if you have one)

Directions

Fill a cocktail shaker 3/4 full of ice. Add the juices and lavender syrup and shake well. Strain into your favorite cocktail glass, add club soda and garnish with lavender sprig and a pig (though it's delicious with or without the pig).


Gift Idea: Lavender Sugar Scrub

Picture

PC: Pam Baker

You may have heard of salt scrubs, but did you know about sugar scrubs?  While salt scrubs are wonderfully exfoliating, sugar scrubs, while also exfoliating, are more gentle on the skin since the granules are smaller. 

And it’s easy to make using things you already have around the house –  basically just sugar, oil and essential oil.  Any kind of sugar will do (I just use the sugar I have in my cupboard).  And there are many different kinds of oils that you can use – sweet almond or coconut are a few.  I like to use grapeseed oil though because it’s odorless, it doesn’t clog pores, and it has a high amount of antioxidants. As for the last ingredient, you can add any skin-safe essential oil, but the best one (IMHO) is lavender.

Lavender Sugar Scrub

  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup grapeseed oil
  • 10-12 drops lavender essential oil
  • ½ tablespoon lavender bud


Mix it all together and then spoon into a cute jar. I like my scrub a tad on the dry side but if you want it to be a little more moist, add more oil. To use, wait until the end of your shower or bath.  Grab a small amount of sugar scrub and gently rub onto your skin in a circular motion.  Leave it on your skin for a few minutes and then rinse off with warm water.

Avoid using on the face since even small granules can damage the sensitive areas of the face.

Your sugar scrub will be good in an airtight container for a few months, but if you want to extend its shelf-life, you can put it in the refrigerator for about 6 months

Note: the grapeseed oil will make your tub or shower very slippery so plan accordingly! (Sorry…I’m a worrier)

Culinary Lavender

What is it? How is it used?

Picture

A field of L. angustifolia Royal Velvet -- my favorite culinary lavender

You may be growing lavender in your garden and dreaming of all of the lavender drinks and desserts you’ll be making this summer: lavender lemonade, lavender shortbread cookies, lavender brownies. Yum!  But before you start concocting, it’s important to know that all lavender is not created equal – at least when it comes to culinary creations.  

So which lavenders should you choose? Well, L. x  intermedia and L. stoechas lavenders contain a lot of camphor so you won’t want to use them.  (Intermedias are the really large, long-stemmed lavenders that are great for bouquets.  Stoechas are the early blooming, rabbit-eared lavenders that are great in the landscape.)  They won’t hurt you if you eat them – but they will make your creations taste like soap.  Instead, look for the angustifolia lavenders.  These are the small to medium sized plants that bloom in June and early July.  A few of the more common varieties are Royal Velvet, French Fields, Folgate, Mellisa, and Buena Vista. But really, any angustifolia will do.  And within this group there’s still some choosing to do since different varieties have different notes.  Read More....

I hope you've enjoyed our May newsletter! Feel free to forward our newsletter to any lavender-loving friends who you think might enjoy it!  

​Pam 

Picture