One Lone Flower

In a sea of Lavender, if there is one lone flower that stands out, do you cut it down or let it bask in the beauty of purple? My thoughts - STAND OUT!

For anyone who loves Lavender, which is “the most versatile, best loved and most widely therapeutic of all essential oils,” you should find a farm to visit. We were fortunate to discover one overlooking Skaneateles Lake in New York. Although the fields were just perking up at Lockwood Farm, you can’t deny the scent of Lavender. The essential oils of Lavender are known as “adaptogens (translation) they do whatever the body requires of them at the time. The psychological response is triggered by the effect that the aromatic molecules have on the brain.”

In Karen Lockwood’s shop, I picked up a soothing herbal balm with Shea Butter, Lavender and Balsam. This balm has some other ingredients mixed in but when you dab it on your hands, it smells like a Christmas tree farm collided with a field of Lavender. I absolutely love the intensity of this balm. For any of you who may decide to dabble with the many medicinal uses of Lavender, Lavendula augustifolia is most important. Another pointer: if you rub the leaves of Lavender you may find yourself in scented bliss but only the flowers are used for essential oil.

So that wraps up my Monday morning scent overload. But before I sign off, I should give you the data file of properties and uses from my trusted Healing Remedies Book by C. Norman Shealy MD, PhD.

“Lavender is calming, (even for Border Collies) soothing, antidepressant, and emotionally balancing. Its antiseptic, antibacterial, and painkilling properties make it valuable in treating cuts, wounds, burns, bruises, spots, allergies, insect bites, and throat infections. Because it is a decongestant it is also effective against colds, flu, and catarrhal conditions (inflammation of mucous membranes). Lavender lowers blood pressure, prevents and eases digestive spasms, nausea, and indigestion. Tension, depression, insomnia, headaches, stress and hypertension respond particularly well to its soothing properties.”

So lather on the Lavender. And when you spot a lone flower within a sea of purple, there must be a reason that yellow brightness found its way to the Lavender field. But I cannot end without a quote for the day. So let’s take one from Judy Garland that fits perfectly with the image of this lone yellow flower amongst the sea of purple Lavender. “Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” Dedicated to the best guy I know that demonstrates this – my husband and partner, Greg.

Image of lone flower in a Lavender field from the Internet

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