My friend, Jean, just returned from a delightful cruise to some very exotic European ports of call. For the most part, it was her first taste of the continent, and she was enthralled by it. She came home full of sumptuous stories. For me, memories flooded back of my travels all those years ago. It lit a longing in my heart to go back and do it all over again!
Jeannie also brought home many delicious morsels .... for ME!! I swooned over the hand made, triple milled soap and potpourris from the lavender fields of France. Smell is a powerful stimulant, and lavender for me is very sensual. I simply can't resist it. I breathed in deeply and slowly and sighed ... and sighed ... and .... again. AHHHhhhh. The brilliant, sparkling, bracelet from Venice (from the famous Murano Glass Works) was next. It is soooooo very feminine! I don't want to take it off. It invites my very sensual wild woman side to emerge ... so look out! Next ... an orange silk embroidered scarf from Turkey .... look out again, 'cause here comes my Gypsy Woman. I simply long to wrap my head in it, place huge golden hoops in my ears, and dance naked in my bare feet by the night fire. (Who knew a scarf could be so dangerous!) The silk woven bookmark from the ruins of Ephesus topped it all off. I use it exclusively for my book, "Prayers to the Great Creator" by Julia Cameron. Exactly the right fit. The bookmark feels sacred.
So as you can see, I feel very spoiled. It is lovely to be remembered and thought of. Thank you for doing both of those things Jeannie. And ... thank you for the very special gifts.
WHAT MAKES MY HEART SING
LAVENDER. There is absolutely nothing quite like standing in the great outdoors, breathing in the intoxicating smell and seeing stretched out before you fields of lavender, in all their glory! Lavender has always driven me a little crazy. It blooms and is harvested in the fall, and often, as seen in this photo, the gold of ripened fields of grain are a backdrop. Purple and Gold??? What a combo - complementary colours in nature. It doesn't get better than that. Last time I visited my tribe in Australia, it was glorious to see lavender fields being grown and harvested there. Bark peeling off the trunks of magnificent gum trees in a field of lavender is an added bonus. Lavender is known for its properties of relaxation. An old friend of mine who owned a quilting shop believed in 'sniffing' lavender when stressed. If I popped into the shop and she was having a bad day, I would no doubt find her in the back room, her nose immersed deep in a paper bag full of lavender she kept for the occasion. That vision will always remind me of a horse with the oat bag strapped on! Don't laugh -- sniffing lavender works! It's good for headaches as well. I keep a bag by my bed, and always use the essential oil in my tub. Having a massage with lavender oil will put you to sleep in a minute. It's s'wonderful, it's s'marvellous! Lavender makes my heart sing.
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