News — Flower Power

Here in Maine, spring is sometimes really late coming.  For months now my Facebook feed has been full of flowers and green grass from my friends further south.  But after a week of rain, the sun finally came out and it feels like spring has arrived.  The first daffodils have unfolded, the forsythia is blooming, and the symphony of lawnmowers and chainsaws has begun.

For us, the promise of spring started months and months ago, back when there were still snow drifts on the ground. We grow all the botanicals, flowers and herbs that go into our products but we also grow most of the veggies that we eat all season long and through the winter.  Back in February the first seeds were sown for this summer’s harvest.  Three trays of onions that steadily grew and grew as the days got longer and longer.  Four weeks ago we moved them to the outside greenhouse to make room for the trays of flowers, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs.  Our living room is filled with green, busting at the seams, as the plants grow.  In a few short weeks, once we are sure that the nighttime frost will not return, they will be carefully placed outside and the hard work of summer will begin.

This weekend we celebrated spring by transplanting or potting up the majority of our vegetables and flowers.  We cleared off the picnic table, mixed batches and batches of potting soil and rooted through the shed to find the right size pots for our precious babies.  As we worked together the barbecue was going in the background with the promise of an amazing dinner once the work was done.  One person worked, gently uprooting the small plant, while the other prepared its new home.  Once the plant was snugly tucked into its new abode we gently watered them before bringing them back inside.  Its still too cold here in Maine for some of tender plants that we grow to live outside…just yet.

It’s a labor of love to grow these plants from seed all the way through till the end.  It would be much easier to just buy the tomatoes, the onions, the lavender, the thyme.  But that is not what we believe in here at Dulse & Rugosa.  We know that the tomatoes that you grow will taste better than any other.  In the depths of winter when we reach into the root cellar and pull out our onions, potatoes, and squash something magical happens.  Even though its winter a glimmer of summer shows through.  The same magic happens each time I go to make our shower shots or our seaweed shampoo bars.  I open the glass jar filled with rugosa rose petals and I am back on Gotts Island, next to the ocean reaching for the petals, avoiding the thorns, and breathing in the heavy scents of roses, salt, and the summer sun.

 

There is a magic in growing plants.  And each spring as the small, hard, dry seeds magically turn into bountiful flowers, succulent fruits and verdant vegetables I am reminded of how lucky I am to a part of this process.  I cherish spring for its power, magic and most of all the return of GREEN.  Spring has finally sprung here in Maine and we are sooo excited. 

We’re having a BOGO Sale on our Solid Perfumes.  Our sale ends Aug 1st and quantities are limited.

Shop here for solid perfumes.

Designed to be aromatherapy for you not the room, solid perfumes are an effective way to “escape” if only temporarily.  I find they are an easy tool in my daily stress management kit.  Perfect for pulse points, I also use directly under my nose when I want help in taking a deep, calming yoga breath.  I keep one in the car, one on my purse and one by my bed.  A friend rubs a dab in her hair when she needs a lift.  And with two for the price of one- you can too!

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS- for each tin of solid perfume you order we will ship two of exactly the same scent.  If you want to mix it up, send a message via the contact us page or email us at dulseandrugosa@gmail.com.

Don’t you love when a colleague brings in donuts, cake or muffins?  Except for the calories and the willpower needed to resist a second helping.  Why not take in an assortment of solid perfume instead?  Put them in an attractive platter right next to the coffee and spread some joy.

Solid perfumes also make great stocking stuffers.  I love to stockpile goodies all year.  It’s important to have a special storage area because you want to find them again.  It’s such a joy to unpack my goodie box and see all my special treats.  It also helps cut down on the stress of last minute gift giving. Our Lilac solid perfume in particular is a lovely treat for a New Englander who has moved South.  They have the sun and short winters but they miss, miss, miss the fresh, sweet scent of spring in New England.

Solid perfumes also make wonderful thank you gifts.  Brighten someone’s day by leaving a tin as a thank you token.  The tins are wonderful for teachers, health care professionals or just leave on a desk or in a mailbox.  Especially thoughtful if someone is going through a stressful event.

 Adjusting to the "fall back" time change is rough for me.  Around 4:15 I go into Henny Penny mode and think the sky is falling.  It just gets dark way to early.  Unfortunately stress is a fact of life and at times everyday stress can be difficult to manage.  How often do you hear someone moan, “I’m so stressed out?”.  “I don’t have enough time.”  “My house is a mess” and so on and so on.

Finding some routines, a ritual can help us deal with everyday stress and helps to lay a foundation for when times get really rough.  One step to help fight the war on stress is to be sure you exercise.  Not only does exercise keep your body healthy but it is good for your brain.  Sleep is another important factor.  Recently two loved ones struggled with lack of sleep.  They lost weight, were anxious, had trouble focusing and got irritated quickly.  Finally, don’t forget to stay hydrated.  I notice when my routine changes the first thing to go is making sure I drink my water and herb teas.

One part of stress management is breathing.  Being able to take deep breaths, what I call “Yoga Breaths” can help calm the “flight or fight” syndrome.  One way to encourage the habit of breathing is Aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy is using the scents of plants, fresh, dried or in essential oils to help change your mood.  Certain plants and scents are associated with desirable qualities.  Lavender and Chamomile are relaxing.  Mints can energize.  Eucalyptus can be clearing and so on.

I tell our customers that one important factor is to choose a scent that smells good to them.  Quite a few years ago, Carly had a severe case of stress.  She was living overseas, lonely, scared and certain smells from her science classroom made her nausea.  When she moved back home, some smells were still a trigger.   She fought back by finding smells that relaxed and calmed her.  She carried around vials of essential oils for years and would  use them liberally whenever she felt a panic attack coming.  At Dulse & Rugosa, the almost magical relief from scents is one of the reason we love to make and sell our unique products.

Therapeutic and beautiful, Botanical Essence Oils will lift your spirits gently and naturally.  If you are looking for a natural way to help maintain a healthy mind and body discover our Botanical Essence Oils.  Simple, easy to use and beautiful our hand blended botanical essence oils are packed full of flower power! Our three carefully crafted blends will help you manage everyday stress and help you adjust to the time change.

We often get asked, “How long will this last?”  The idea behind Aromatherapy is not to find something that last a long time.  Rather it is to develop a ritual, a habit to help you be your best self.  Find a scent you love and give yourself some sweet flower therapy.