Stepping outside to greet the days in April, it’s easy to tell the seasons are changing. Here in the Midwest, mornings are still cool and damp. However by midday, brisk breezes and warmth from the sun will have dried up the puddles found in fields and empty gardens. Drifting in through open windows and screen doors is my favorite scent – lilac. The old tree by the garden is covered with blooms that are just beginning to open; today I’ll take time to gather some and bring their fragrance inside. Pausing to listen carefully, I can hear the happy songs of the small peeper frogs in the woods just beyond the fields…they are the chorus that ushers in Spring!
Lilacs are my most favorite flower and scent! They take me back to my childhood and time spent with my aunt. She filled the emptiness losing my grandma at an early age left in me. She had a huge lilac bush just outside her back door and it perfumed the whole house when she left the windows open. We use the same recipe for laundry detergent. I enjoy making my own cleaners. I have heard if there are carpenter bees around and you spray the undiluted orange and vinegar mixture on the places they like, for us it is a decorative wooden frame around our garage door, they will leave. We are giving that a try this year.
I love your beautiful quilt on the line. Did you make it?
Thank you for sharing your days!
Agreed! I love the scent, and it passes all too soon. I’m thinking I’ll plant some that bloom at different times so I can hold onto that fragrance just a little longer! Isn’t it amazing the memories lilacs can bring back? I have similar childhood memories that are close to my heart. Thanks for the tip about the vinegar/orange spray, let me know if it works for you! Thank you so much – the 9-patch quilt pattern is my favorite, but no, I didn’t make this one. I was lucky to find it at a local vintage shop and I just felt like it needed to come home with me!
Thanks so much for stopping by,
Mary
What a Beautiful Quilt and such a wonderful find.
I love the smell of Lilac and I miss my Lilac bush at my old house. So when I can find them I will buy a Lilac Candles to remind me of the bush and enjoy the scent throughout the house.
I have made the Laundry soap and it is great and yes I love cleaning with Vinegar but I certain will add some orange scent to it thank you for sharing the tip.
Thank you for another interesting column see you next month!
Hi Debbie, it’s great to find a vintage piece that “needs a home” especially when the price is just right. Oh I agree…there are some terrific lilac candles – that’s a really good way to bring Spring indoors! I hope you like the vinegar fragrance…I haven’t tried it, but I’ve seen lilac essential oil. I have tried lavender, peppermint, and hyacinth and really liked them. Let me know what you try…thanks for visiting!
Mary
Your spring cleaning sounds like it’s off to a great start. I haven’t been very productive with mine quite yet, but I have cleared out a few shirts from my closet and passed them on to a friend. So it’s a start. My spring fever is in overdrive. I would love to start making my own laundry soap, but I haven’t moved onto that adventure yet. I have a bigger family with lots of laundry, so I worry about making a big mess out of it lol! I also use vinegar a lot with my cleaning, but I never thought to add another scent. I will have to give that a try sometime. Thanks for sharing some of your tips for cleaning.
Hi Krista, so glad to hear from you…I’ve been wanting to tell you how lovely the card was you sent for membership renewal…love the vintage look!
That’s okay…some days are better than others when it comes to the To-Do List, the days can get busy and they fly by. And passing your shirts on to a friend is a great start! If you try the laundry soap, drop me a note…truly, you’ll do just fine, the “hardest” part is finding a bowl big enough to stir it all up in!
Mary
I love the smell of lilacs! I have a Korean Lilac outside of my craft room window. The fragrance from the blooms, along with the sounds of little birds that land in the tree create a heavenly gift for the senses when the window is open, which is almost always while the tree is blooming. Thank you for a glimpse into your world! I may, too, need to find a buddy to keep me accountable in my spring cleaning. Thank you for sharing the recipes for the clothes soap and cleaner. 🙂
Smiles to you!
Thanks for your note, Karen! I just read up on the Korean Lilacs, they bloom after mine…just what I need so I can enjoy the fragrance even longer. I’ll see if I can find one locally, thanks for the tip! Yes, having a friend to keep me motivated is really helpful, some days I just need a little nudge…and it’s not a “Misery loves company” feeling, we’re echoing Rosie The Riveter: We Can Do It! You’re welcome for the recipes, they’re so simple to make, let me know if you try them.
Mary
Hi Mary!!! I couldn’t love this post more!!! My favorite thing EVER is that enamelware pitcher and the cup!!! What an absolutely perfect thing for home-made laundry soap. It’s just the sweetest!
Oh… and that quilt! Sigh….
Hugs,
Dori