Friday 29 June 2012

Exquisite Elderflower

There is something so beautiful about the Elderflower. Not only is its stunning little flower so intricate & beautiful, but its taste & distinctive fragrance is so evocative & beautiful. June has shared plenty of exquisite  sprigs of Elderflower with us. During early dawn walks I've tenderly picked the beautiful flowers, brought them home, rinsed them & made the most delicious drink. No additions, simply & purely just the elderflowers, water & a refrigerator :) Creating the most glorious rays of sunshine, the most happy Summery feeling all captured in flavour in a glass to drink :)




Also made Elderflower Tea but much preferred the cold summer drink from the refrigerator.  Collected enough from different bushes so I could press/dry some too.
The qualities of the Elderflower I imagine mean different things to different folk. I don't suffer from hay fever so I unable to say how much it could help with  the suffering. For me, the Elderflower's energy vibration  is playful, pure, childlike, delicate & happy. It actually makes me laugh out loud when I taste its beautiful aromatic flavours. My husband actually said I was quite mad when I asked him if it made him smile when he tasted the happiness of the flowers!!
I popped the Elderflowers into a glass jug, serving the drink to clients & customers made the drink more appealing as they could also see the flowers swell as tasting them. Something quite elegant, yet rustic & gorgeous about the refreshing water with stunning little petals & flowers in. We also ate the flowers & had some sprinkled on our salad.

Thank you Nature, just loving the Seasonal gifts :)



Thursday 28 June 2012

Just about June!

Today saw the extremes of our weather system in England. We enjoyed glorious sunshine , 27C here upon the hill in the South of the country & back in my home town uptd North absolutely the most horrendous floods & thunder storms.  Never seen anything like it in my life. Avenues of houses looking like lakes, water up to windscreens, a Mum & baby sitting on the roof of their car to escape the flooding until rescued. Hailstones the size of golf balls smashing car windscreens.
Oblivious to the atrocious weather in other parts of the country I enjoyed a lunch break wandering in the garden, armed with camera to capture the changing growth.

My Hawthorn ally is a great source of inspiration. We are planning great changes in our working life, big changes need to be tackled in my personal life too. Health, fitness & nutrition etc need upgrading, so many things need readdressing. As I observed the Hawthorn's changes I noticed & seemingly without any hesitation, with great courage the blossom drops, the little buds remain & the life force just flows steadfastly & congruently through all the varying phases of growth & change. Vibrant, steady & secure as if knowing such loss & change is necessary for all which is yet to come.  I need to embrace those qualities as I embark upon a new fitness regime as work has been soo busy we're just not getting out & about exercising as much, coffee & biscuits with customers far too readily available. So when I saw these two beautiful little companions, entwined & united, prepared for change I took heart, grasped the symbolic meaning of the unity & strength, persistence & trust & laughed as if they were sharing the most loving support in being my ally!!  I too have to work hard, know that the best is yet to come even though at the minute I feel as if I've lost all of my petals & usual pretty appearance lol. Aren't these little buds so beautiful, the shape, the colours I can't wait to see them ripen & change into the red berry.


Hawthorn Ally

Also will share some of the unexpected gifts in the garden, like this gorgeous long tall flower which has sprung up amongst the hedge trees. No idea what it is not where its come from but its absolutely gorgeous.

The Hydrangeas are bursting into flower, the most gorgeous intricate blossom. The colours change so quickly, apparently depending upon the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. I adore each & every stage of these flowers.

We must have both acid & alkaline soil :) Here below are some random photographs taken because the subject looked pretty or interesting or both! Not sure what any of them are but they're some of the overgrown weeds at the bottom of the garden.

Hedge Woundwort
Woody Nightshade
Bramble
Fumitory



They're all sooo beautiful, such gorgeous colours, shapes & awesome intricate designs. Any identification would be greatly appreciated.

Jubilant June

Almost at the end of June,  half way through the year. June is often a stop, take stock month & draw your breath time.  A moment to reflect how time truly does pass/expand at such an incredible pace.  I'm truly enjoying the Seasonal gifts June brings. Embracing the energetic  inspiration but time to sit & write, garden or create is just manifesting itself into other chores, necessities & family commitments. My organisation skills need upgrading.
The early dawn walks seem to fill me with sustainable energy to draw upon during the busy working day. Its lunchtime, the sun is gorgeous but soon rain is forecast. I thought I'd enjoy a writing lunch. Share the gorgeous little flowers which are adorning the chalky North Downs like a colourful blanket. The sun commencing its daily quest, when so low in the sky creates such a magical tapestry of colours. the heavy seductive floral scents hang beautifully in the morning air just waiting to fill your senses with all things celebratory. The Elderflower I appreciatively pick - at around 5.30am - makes me chuckle when I drink it. Its playful deliciousness always bring a sense of happy Summertime feelings from the inside out. Cheeky little magical Elderflower, has the energy of a rousing mischievous fairy.  When I make our Elderflower juice, I love its awesome simplicity. I never add anything at all. The early morning Elderflower is bursting with fragrance & flavour. A glass jug, half a dozen sprigs of Elderflower, jug filled with water & pop it in the fridge all day;  serves the most delightful & delicious Summer drink. 
The surprise gift of Honeysuckle - which has blossomed amongst the Hawthorn bush - is in full bloom & smelling quite beautiful. I must read up all which can be shared from the exotic looking Honeysuckle.
The red clover, the dandelion, burdock, thistle, nettles.. all have so much to share.  One day at a time, although I am not sowing & growing much. i am still attuned to the glorious seasons, offerings & changes & utilising all of them to the best of my abilities.

With Love from the chalky North Downs, here are some morning glories to share.

I have my pocket size  Gem book to try to help me identify the little flowers & herbs. The morning walk is full of surprise, such an array of hedgerow bouquets.  All so beautiful & all so unique.