California Dreaming
As the days begin to warm up here in San Diego, I get more and more excited about the potential of my garden. It is the first year since my childhood that I have attempted to grow just about anything and I dove right in. For the last 18+ years I have either been in the military, or a military spouse moving every 2-3 years. It is a strange lifestyle sometimes when I sit down and think about it. When I was younger I loved moving all of the time. I dreamed about always having a fresh start, a new place to explore and new things to learn. It called to me. We have also had some incredible opportunities to live in Europe, and all over the United States. That is an entirely separate topic I should write about, but I’ve learned so much about people, cultures, foods, you name it. However one thing I began to envy was peoples ability to live their normal lives. I began to crave the closeness with my family. My travel bug may have taken a back seat. Fast-forward to now, I have two kiddos, and live in sunny California where the possibilities are endless.
I decided that I am tired of waiting until we decide that its time for my husband to retire, and where that may be. I am tired of putting off the many dreams I have. Don’t get me wrong, I have spent a considerable amount of time in school with the support of my husband. I decided that if I wasn’t going to open my shop, and eventually my spa any time soon, I was going to learn sets of skills that would support those dreams in the future. So I went back to school. I have a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology which is wonderful for understanding the body from a Western medicine standpoint. And it is the basis on which I wanted to build. I then completed my certification in Aromatherapy. I followed that up with graduating from a 700 hour Holistic Massage Therapy Program and continue to learn all about Herbalism through The Herbal Academy courses. Which brings me back to my garden.
May husband is still in the Navy so we may only be here for a couple years, but the itch needs to be scratched. We are renting a home and so I needed to ask the landlord if I could build a raised garden bed and place a small greenhouse in the back yard. I needed to get my hands dirty. I want to understand how to help cultivate the food and the herbs that we so casually put in and on our bodies. I need to make that final connection for it all to come full circle. So, while this could be a huge disaster, it will definitely be a super fulfilling experience. I am sure I will have to start over in a year or two, but at least I will have a starting point finally.
So I got to work. I get to play in the dirt whenever I like and that makes me happy. My hands however are constantly dry and craving support which led me to creating my Lavender Hand Repair Salve. It is by far one of my best sellers in the shop. Lavender is such an approachable aroma. But more than that it offers us that calm moment. That moment to breathe deep and connect to the task at hand. It was an easy choice for my blend.
I began by infusing both Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and Calendula (Calendula officinalis) herbs in Jojoba Oil for 8 weeks. This would be the main carrier oil in my salve. The other is Moringa Oil (Moringa oleifera). It has a nutty aroma and is well known for deeply penetrating the skin providing ample hydration. Mix that will a little Beeswax and some Lavender essential oil and viola! You have exactly what you need to take care of those hands. This blend is great for soothing inflammation, joint care and more. I encourage you to give it a try. Let me know how you like it!
Blessings,
