A section of the beautiful mural outside of our Newberg shop | | |
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Spring is on the way friends, and I can hardly wait! I have never experienced springtime like here in Oregon. The earth is truly bursting with blossoms, birds, and bulbs. And so much more green than I've ever known. The buds on our fruit trees are getting plumper, and daffodils are popping up everywhere. The showery days keep everything always a little soggy. The robin outside of our office keeps running into the window, thinking that there is a competitor staring him down (don't worry, we figured out how to stop him). The gophers and squirrels are starting to make their presence known and the boxelder bugs are covering the windows and the chimney. (Ugh.) But I'll take it all! Beautiful, crazy, weird spring! Life is truly asserting itself everywhere I look!
My hope and prayer this month is that the good people of Ukraine will soon be able to enjoy their springs without the threat, and now the reality, of war. And that they will soon be able to enjoy the simple pleasures of mother nature's beauty, as we do.
Let there be peace on earth.
(If you are moved to donate to the unfolding Ukrainian refugee crisis, NPR has compiled a great list.)
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Looking for something different to snack on for movie night? Here are a few of my favorites! | |
Lavender-Herbed Seasoned Popcorn
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Recipe and photo by Nancy Baggett from Nancy's Lavender Place
Ingredients
Lavender-Herb Popcorn Seasoning
- 2½ tablespoons chopped dried chives
- 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon commercial lemon pepper seasoning, to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- Batch (2 quarts)
Lavender-Herbed Seasoned Popcorn
- 4 to 4½ tablespoons salted or unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 2 to 2½ teaspoons lavender-herb popcorn seasoning
- 8 cups unseasoned or very lightly salted popped popcorn
- Salt to taste, optional
Instructions
1. To make the seasoning mix: Combine all ingredients in a mini-chopper or food processor and chop or process 2 minutes or until ground. Store airtight in a dry cool spot for up to 6 months. Makes ⅓ cup seasoning mix, enough for 5 or 6 batches of popcorn. The recipe may be doubled if desired. It will keep in an airtight bottle in a cool, dark spot for at least a year.
2. To make a batch of popcorn: Combine the butter and seasoning mix in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat to hot but not boiling. Stir well, then let stand so flavors can mingle 2 or 3 minutes. Thoroughly stir into 2 quarts (8 cups) popcorn.
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Lavender and Orange Glazed Pecans | |
Slightly sweet and spicy with a hint of orange flavor, these pecans can be served as an appetizer, added to a salad, or nibbled as a quick snack.
Ingredients
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2 cups pecan halves (about 1/2 pound)
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1 cup lavender sugar (see below)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger
Directions
- Lightly toast pecans in large heavy pan over low heat.
- Line cookie sheet with waxed paper.
- Bring first four ingredients to boil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 30 seconds. Stir in pecans.
- Spread pecans in one layer on waxed paper and cool completely. Separate pecans if necessary.
(Prepare one day to one week ahead. Store in airtight container.)
To make lavender sugar, add a cup of granulated sugar to a jar. Mix in ½ tablespoon culinary lavender buds. Put a lid on the jar and set aside. The lavender sugar should be made at least three days before using to allow time for the lavender to infuse its flavor into the sugar. Sift the sugar to remove the lavender buds before adding the sugar to the recipe.
Makes 2 cups
(Recipe by Kathy Gerht from Discover Cooking with Lavender)
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For me, fresh smelling laundry is one of those simple pleasures that I look forward to, and lavender is my go-to for making my laundry smell clean and naturally floral. Here are a few options:
Option 1: Lavender dryer sachets. Store bought dryer sheets can contain some nasty chemicals, so why not try something that smells just as nice (or better!) without the chemicals and for a fraction of the cost!
Just fill a small muslin bag with lavender buds and throw it in the dryer. Just make sure to double or triple tie the bag shut so that it doesn't spill out (that happened to me...yes it makes a mess, but smells lovely). In most cases, these sachets will last for 8-10 loads before losing their scent. Just gently squeeze the sachets before throwing into the dryer. (Muslin dryer sachets are also available for purchase on our website and in our Newberg shop.)
Added bonus: You can sprinkle the spent sachets onto your carpet and then vacuum to freshen up your carpet!
Option 2: Lavender EO on dryer balls: Another great option is to place 4-5 drops of lavender essential oil onto reusable wool dryer balls. Essential oils are flammable, so to reduce risk of fire add the drops to wool balls and then run for about 10 minutes on "air dry" mode after your drying cycle has ended.
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Happy Shopartnerversary to Us! | |
On a rainy winter day in February 2020, I learned that a tiny little shop in an alley in downtown Newberg, Oregon, situated between a pizza place and an acupuncturist, was about to become available. I knew this because this was the tiny little salon I had been going to for the last few years and my hair stylist told me she was moving to a bigger space. Immediately, the wheels started turning -- because the first time I had walked into this space I had looked around and thought it was just about the perfect size for a lavender shop. So the next day I contacted the landlord, told him I was interested, and immediately started freaking out. This was a big commitment after all. I would be tied to the shop, I’d need to work all the time to keep it stocked, I’d have to remodel -- what in the world was I thinking? But I took a step forward.
I imagined that I could sell local flowers along with my lavender products, and I just so happened to know a couple of amazing flower farmers, John Peterson and Jeremi Carroll of Pollinate Flowers, who also happened to be neighbors. So I texted John and told him that I was thinking about opening a little shop and would they be interested in selling their flowers wholesale to me. He texted back a few minutes later asking, “Would you be interested in a partner?” I immediately texted back, “Yes I would.” This was one of the quickest and best decisions I’ve ever made. And now together we moved forward.
On March 1, 2020 I signed the lease and picked up the keys and the shop was ours. And then March 13th, schools shut down and on March 23rd our world came to a screeching halt. COVID had hit Oregon and our dream of opening our shop on May 1 (May Day) was put on hold. But as we looked around at the teal ceiling, the pink chandeliers, the warped white floor, and the light mustard colored walls, we figured that while we were waiting for the world to open back up, we might as well remodel. So we planned and dreamed and Pinterested our way into a look that we all loved and then with the incredible talent, vision, and crucial guidance of another member of the Pollinate team, Zach Goff, we got to work demo-ing, painting, building, and sewing so that we could keep moving forward.
Read more...
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I hope you've enjoyed our March newsletter! Feel free to forward our newsletter to any lavender-loving friends who you think might enjoy it!
Pam
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