Welcome to your Monday moment of pause...

This week is all about fabulous flowers.  Flowers to say 'Thank you'.  Flowers in the hedgerow that show fruit is on it's way.  And flower displays that will take my breath away at the end of the week.  What's not to love about the uplift we feel when we stop to appreciate nature and smell the flowers.   

I hope you see some beautiful blooms this week to brighten your day.  And if you don't, why not buy yourself some flowers.  You deserve it.  Research has shown that placing flowers in frequently visited rooms like the living room or kitchen lift the mood, boost energy and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. 

A beautiful blooming thank you

I was so delighted to receive these flowers from my massage client on Friday.  What a gorgeous surprise.  Especially as the bunch contained orange gerberas and purple irises, favourites of mine chosen for my bridal bouquet nearly 28 years ago.  My delight in receiving them definitely echoed the findings of the Human Emotions Lab at Rutgers University when they proved that appreciating a gift of flowers triggers the brain to release ''feel good'' chemicals like dopamine and results in more genuine smiling!  Participants of their study showed an immediate positive emotional reaction and felt happier for days after.  The gift of flowers keeps on giving when you can enjoy them day after day. 

Making elderflower cordial

Have you noticed all the white blossoms in the trees along the roadside or near car parks?  This is a great time of year to make Elderflower cordial from the flower heads.  It's best to wait for a dry day to go picking and factor in enough time to then prepare and soak the heads soon after.  If you go picking without planning I can probably guarantee you'll find your flowerheads looking limp and unusable too many days later.  

I have such nostalgia for my allotment days whenever I see elderflower blossoms.  I had more time and energy then for foraging and making.  When we had to let go of our allotment tenancy when Euan was a baby I appreciated still being able to forage for elderflowers with the boys.  Our local park is usually a good place to head for (I prefer not to pick from the roadside) and this blog post contains a recipe and photos of my fabulous 3 year old helper Luca.  I've not yet made cordial this year but I love that I have an archive of recipes to go back to.  If you'd like to make it start collecting a few glass bottles (or plastic bottles if making so much cordial you have plenty to freeze).  And yes, that's not a typo for how much sugar you will need to use!   Let me know if you try this recipe or if you have a favourite you like to use when foraging the hedgerows. 

If dried flower heads for tea are more your thing, Elderflower is excellent for opening the airways, clearing catarrh and resolving sinus issues. Drinking elderflower tea can be helpful at the first sign of flu and has an expectorant effect for bronchial or pulmonary disease.  Elderflowers were traditionally prescribed for eruptive diseases like scarlet fever and measles because they help to bring down a fever and assist elimination from the skin*

*ref. Lucy Jones ''A working Herbal Dispensary''

Weleda (and me) at Chelsea Flower show

I've always wanted to go to Chelsea Flower show but the price of a day ticket and getting to London kept it as an arms length dream. This year to Mark 100 years of Skin Food, Weleda have a 3 year partnership as the Flower show's official skincare sponsor.  Visitors will receive samples of Skin Food and and for the first time Weleda will have their own feature stand on Main Avenue inspired by the Weleda gardens in Derbyshire. 

I'm thrilled to be realising my dream on Saturday when I take the train to London and spend the day at the flower show. Weleda have gifted me a ticket as a thank you for my dedication to the Weleda way in my wellbeing practice and in supporting people in my community.  Another Weleda friend is also popping with excitement and will travel from Leicester to London.  Last month when we messaged each other I said I hoped we'd catch up in person at the Weleda gardens later this year.  I didn't for a minute image it would unfold like this but am so grateful it has!

If reading this has got you day dreaming too there is a chance to win 2 free tickets to the final day on Saturday + a £100 train voucher + 2 skin food goody bags.  Wouldn't it be ace if I saw you there because you had won!  For a chance to win visit the Weleda website here and enter your name and email address.

New treatment times available

Thank you to everyone who has booked a relaxation treatment this month or arranged a home visit.  I am so grateful for your trust and appreciation of how much aromatherapy massage supports you. 

Now that the boys are older I know longer need to arrange for them to leave the house when a client comes round.  Their own interest in hobbies and a bowl of tasty snacks ensures their quiet co-operation if someone needs to come for a treatment! 

Saturday morning sessions at 10am have been proving popular and work well for anyone who works full time and needs a restful start to their weekend.  I can offer an early evening session at 6pm on Tuesday.  I am open to experimenting with an 8pm slot on Wednesday evening if that would be of interest.   Feel free to share your thoughts if you would like support but still can't manage visiting during school hours or at these times.  If I can accommodate different times I will endeavour to do so.   

If you have loved ones in need of a home visit I am able to support you with that as well.  I have visited two care homes this month and supported two people who are housebound.  Wellbeing support during life's challenges is so valuable - gift vouchers are available.

This week's heart smile 

Continuing the garden theme, these lovely pots which are visible from the kitchen window bring me such joy.  For years our yard has been a playground for the boys and any attempt at having pot plants has ended in breakages.  Last month I spoke to Luca about banning ball bouncing in favour of relaxation and he kindly agreed that was a good idea.  I promise you I'm not being mean asking that of him when I spend many hours each week taxi-ing and waiting aroudn for him to play sport! 

I love that plants conjure up memories and these represent for me (left to right):

Rose and Ivy - a basket gift at Christmas from my brother and sister-in-law.  I really didn't expect this to survive the winter so I'm chuffed it has.  I transplanted the little fir tree that was with it into a larger pot so I'm quite excited to see how big that gets by Christmas time!

Chocolate mint - my new plant friend purchase in March on the way back from a family day out (during that really tricky time at work).  When you rub the leaves between your fingers it really does smell of mint chocolate. 

Lavender - a lovely reminder of a visit to the Cotswold Lavender field with my dear friend Jenny last year.  We both came away with a plant and I'm so pleased mine has made it through the winter.

Rosemary - for the eagle eyed reader you'll see there are two small rosemary plants in this picture.  One I bought from the garden centre last year and one was clipped as a sprig a few weeks ago.  I'm hoping the sprig one takes as I'd clipped one for a friend too when she said she didn't have any plants yet this year.  I love Rosemary and it's always a lovely reminder of when I first started training as a Weleda Advocate.  Weleda make the most amazing rosemary bath milk and whenever I smell it I feel instantly revived.  I used to add drops of rosemary bath milk to a mug of hot water when Luca was little to help him ride out fatigue as he started to outgrow an afternoon nap.  Rosemary is so good for gently boosting energy and circulation and has been proven to improve concentration and memory.  

Garden mint - this plant just keeps on giving.  I don't even remember where I first got it from.  Each winter it dies back to nothing and looks like it will never re-emerge.  And each year it does seemingly reappear overnight.  You can't beat fresh mint in salads or cooked with potatoes at this time of year. 

Wishing you a wonderful week and a nice view from your kitchen window x