Stop to smell the Witch Hazel
The shiny decorations are gone, the skies are grey and the weather is cold.
This time of year, I am drawn to anything that exudes warmth ~ colors, scents, tastes… one of the outdoor sights that really stirs my senses is the lovely display of Witch Hazel. I love the pile of delicate yellow ribbons, ruby at the bases, which create these unusual fluffs of flowers.
It’s so interesting to see the contrast between these delicate puffs and the rough brown nubs (buds) from which they emerge. What an unlikely home for these delicate ribbon clusters to form within ~ can you see the first ribbons, just coming out of the bud in the upper left section?
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| Witch Hazel (Hamamelis molis) |
Making this plant even more splendid is the refreshing fragrance which spills out from the flowers. It is slightly sweet, and extremely fresh smelling. If you can’t find a flower to smell, pick up a bottle of Witch Hazel at the drugstore, it makes a nice toner, and I think you’ll love the fresh scent.
On another important note, we have shipped off the restaurant readers to the winner of our drawing. Lisa Lemieur, a “reluctant foodie” from North Carolina is the splendid reader who’s name was drawn. Lisa writes a great blog called Pickles and Cheese. I hope you will take a visit, it is about life, food and family in the south and is home to many delicious recipes. In fact, I am thinking of trying her version of French Onion Soup for dinner tonight!
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| Restaurant Readers |
After leafing through her recipe file, I am now more eagerly awaiting summer. She has fabulous looking recipe for refrigerator pickles too.
Congratulations Lisa, enjoy!
I have never seen the actual plant – how fascinating!! The scent of witch hazel will always remind me of my mother who did indeed use it as a toner. She had beautiful skin – perhaps the witch hazel contributed!!