February is the shortest month of the year, but somehow it always feels the longest. This is not the best time of year in our part of the world; wet and miserable. The primroses and snowdrops peeping through give me hope that spring is on its way.
Thank goodness we have Valentines Day, February 14th, Chinese New Year, February 8th, Ground Hog Day and Family Day to cheer us up. Did anyone manage to see the Super Blue Blood Moon on January 31st? People used to say about things that rarely happened that it was once in a blue moon. If you look it up, a blue moon appears every 40 years. The last time all 3 appeared together was in 1865. That is 152 years ago.
I have an inspirational calendar at Green Valley. Each page shows a beautiful picture of flowers and an inspiring quote. February’s quote is:
“A heart that loves is always young.”
I really like these short, straight to the point quotes. I didn’t quite agree with the picture on the calendar of Bleeding Hearts growing abundantly. Mine do not appear in February. It is not until at least March and sometimes April when they decide to show themselves.
Our new website is still being worked on. We should be going live soon, so that will be exciting. I have to take this opportunity to thank all of the Green Valley staff for all of their hard work in making this website a reality and hopefully making it easier for you to navigate.
All the best,
Barb
Profile on Clove Bud Essential Oil
I like the aroma of Clove Bud essential oil, which helps when it has such an abundance of useful properties. It is easy to remember to use the oil
Clove Bud is best known as a toothache remedy and is used by many manufacturers of mouth remedies, toothpaste and mouth washes.
Apart from dental care, Clove Bud essential oil can help to protect the liver, preserve bone quality, boost the immune system, lower stress, eliminate headaches, and help treat indigestion and respiratory problems.
You do have to remember, with all of its wonderful properties, Clove Bud is a very potent oil and should be used with extreme care. Do not use in the bath as it may irritate the skin and mucous membranes. Avoid while pregnant and around children under 3 years old.
Clove Bud essential oil can be found in our Essential Smile blend, Solar Plexus blend and Brian’s Arthritis Cream.
Profile on Rose
(Hydrosol, Abosolute and Steam Distilled)
All throughout history Rose has been hailed as the Queen of all aromas. One of the earliest mentions is in the Ayurveda, a series of books written in ancient Sanskrit that may be 7000 years old.
Rose has an affinity with women’s conditions and is known for promoting balance in female hormones. It is also remembered around Valentines Day for its aphrodisiac properties. It seems like many of our customers are making their own Rose massage oil.
Rose Hydrosol and the steam distilled
Rose essential oil are produced using the same rose petals. The steam goes through the still, along copper pipes, ending up in a large container. The hydrosol sinks to the bottom and the essential oil floats to the top. Rose Hydrosol can be used by any age group and makes a wonderful body spray.
recipe for Dry Skin
10 drops of Rose (either Steam Distilled or Absolute)
10 drops of Palmarosa essential oil
5 drops of Carrot Seed essential oil
5 drops of Myrrh essential oil
Add the above to 30mls of Sweet Almond Oil. Shake well. The best time to use this blend is right after a shower or bath. It will soak right in and make your skin feel like silk.
Tips for out-dated essential oils
If you are tidying out your essential oil box, bear in mind that essential oils never lose their aroma, they lose their properties. So, use up old essential oils in your cleaning, in the washing machine, in the dryer for sprays and crafts or anywhere a little bit of aroma is needed.
Quotes
“Why, what’s the matter, that you have such a February face, so full of frost, of storm and cloudiness.” -William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing
“Winter is the time of promise because there is so little to do or because you can now and then permit yourself the luxury of thinking so.” -Stanley Crawford
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