Lavender Lady

02/04/2026

CHUNKY HERBED POTATO-CORN CHOWDER WITH BACON

Heartwarming and hearty, this home-style chowder is perfect for a cool weather lunch or supper. The flavors of the bacon, potatoes, corn, lavender, and thyme mingle together for a very gratifying one-dish meal. Feel free to make the chowder ahead; the flavor improves during storage. Notice that I call for culinary lavender buds. Be sure to look for lavender varieties that are designed for cooking and especially tasty--called L angustifolia, or true lavender, or English lavender. You can learn more about culinary lavender if you check out the sample pdf of my book.
Author: Nancy Baggett
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Serves: 4 or 5 servings.
INGREDIENTS
* 6 or 7 slices smoked bacon
* 1 large onion and 1 large celery stalk, chopped
* ¾ teaspoon each coarsely ground dried culinary lavender buds and dried thyme leaves
* 3½ cups canned reduced-sodium chicken broth
* 2 cups peeled and cubed (1/3-inch) Yukon Gold, red bliss or other boiling potatoes
* ¼ tsp each black pepper and sea salt, plus more to taste
* 1½ cups rinsed and drained frozen yellow corn kernels
* 1 cup table cream or whipping cream

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Fry the bacon slices in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until they are just cooked through and nicely browned. Transfer them to paper towels; let drain until cool enough to handle, then finely crumble into bits. Put 2½ tablespoons rendered bacon fat in a 3- to 4-quart soup pot or saucepan; discard the rest.
2. Place the pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 or 4 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the lavender and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute longer.
3. Immediately stir in the broth, potatoes, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potato is cooked through.
4. If desired, with a potato masher, or the back of a large spoon, mash about ½ cup potatoes to slightly thicken the soup. Stir in the corn, crumbled bacon (reserve a little for garnish, if desired, and cream and continue cooking, uncovered, about 5 minutes longer to reheat and allow the flavors to mingle.
5. Taste and add salt and more pepper if desired. Thin the soup with a little hot water, if desired. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat, stirring frequently, to prevent burning. Garnish with reserved crumbled bacon, if desired. Makes 4 or 5 main-dish servings.

02/04/2026

Magnesium “Rest” Spray! As this contains water, it really needs a preservative. Sleep tight!

02/02/2026

Stress-Be-Gone Balm Recipe

Keep this Stress-Be-Gone Balm in your purse, by your nightstand, or in your pocket for easy access when feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or frustrated—however stress manifests for you. Apply it to pulse points, your temples, or just below the nostrils as needed.

Ingredients
45 mL (1.5 fl oz) lavender-infusedcoconut oil or olive oil (or mixture of both)�3.5-4.5 g (0.12 -0.16 oz) beeswax�14 drops total of calming essential oil(s) of choice: lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), neroli (Citrus x aurantium), sweet orange (Citrus x sinensis), vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora), German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla), rose geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), and/or rose otto (Rosa damascena).�3 0.5 oz metal salve tins
Directions
* Over low heat, warm coconut and/or olive oil in a double-boiler reserved specifically for cosmetic projects. Add the beeswax, warming until just melted.
* Remove double-boiler from heat.
* Add essential oils, stir, and then swiftly pour into tins before the mixture hardens. (This recipe should fill approximately 3 0.5 oz metal salve tins, or you can use lip-balm tubes if you already have some on hand).
* Label accordingly, and apply to temples as needed. Take a deep breath, and feel the relaxing effects of this soothing balm wash over you.
Clean up�Because oil and wax repel water, wipe down your double-boiler with a clean rag as much as possible before running it under warm, soapy water. If you have extra balm that didn’t fit in your tins, then use this opportunity to lavish yourself with warm salve on your hands, feet, and any other parts of your body that may need a soothing, moisturizing touch.
We hope you find this Stress-Be-Gone Balm recipe to be a helpful addition to your stress-support toolkit! To learn more, see Calming Tea Recipe & Natural Stress Management (With Video!) to ease feelings of stress and bring a sense of calm to your day-to-day life with a delicious, nervine tea and stress-reducing lifestyle practices.

https://theherbalacademy.com/blog/stress-be-gone-balm-recipe/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_smartloop&utm_content=smartloop&utm_term=55896740

Note from Lavender Lady: While I’ve included the recipe in this post for easy access, I strongly advise you to follow the link included for additional information regarding use and safety.

This Stress-Be-Gone Balm recipe is adapted from the Herbal Academy’s Intermediate Herbal Course and features calming essential oils in an herb-infused base.

02/01/2026

For Valentine’s Day, why not make that special card for your favorite gardener? Seed paper is a fun way to say you care! Scents could be added as well for an added luxury. A great way to use up scrap paper and a great project to try with the kiddies.

VALENTINES THAT GROW! SEED-PAPER VALENTINE’S DAY CARDS

Now here is a gift that sprouts up beautiful flowers or yummy veggies when planted: homemade seed-paper Valentine’s Day cards! This DIY project requires no special equipment and recycles paper into something much more attractive—pressed handmade paper with embedded seeds. The paper can be cut out in any shape you want, but for this project, I’ve turned seed paper into woodland critters that can be planted right in the ground!

HOW TO MAKE SEED-PAPER VALENTINE’S DAY CARDS
Materials:
* 8-10 sheets of shredded paper
* 1 packet of seeds
* 1 heaping tbsp dried lavender or other dried flowers/leaves
* Old towels, strainer, blender
* Stencils or cookie cutters of woodland creatures
* Cardstock
* Printer
* Scissors, glue, etc.

Make it!

1. Shred or tear up a bunch of paper. Scrap paper, old craft paper, or anything without a glossy finish will work best. To get colored paper like the pink shown in this project, add one sheet of shredded red paper to the mix. Or try using a drop or two of food coloring to the water. Place paper in a big bowl or the sink and soak in warm water for 45 minutes to an hour. The paper should be soft and break apart easily at the end of the hour.

2. Scoop paper into a blender until it is filled about halfway full and scoop a cup or so of the water it was soaking in into the blender. Pulse a few times until you get a mushy pulp. Add more water as needed to get the proper consistency.

3. Pour pulp through a strainer to remove some of the moisture. Don’t squeeze it all out or your paper will not form together very well.

4. Add the seeds and dried flowers and gently mix. Shown here are lavender buds, bergamot petals, and dried mint leaves for flecks of interest in the paper. Radicchio, Rhubarb chard, and Alta Globe radishes are the seeds that I have chosen, as each will produce an edible red plant and they can be planted at the same time (if started inside, they can be moved to the garden once they have true leaves). Other good choices are flower mixes like butterfly or bee blends that attract pollinators to the garden and produce a variety of flowers.

5. Set up a few towels on a flat surface where you can leave the paper for a day or more to dry. Dump the pulp out onto the towel and spread out, gently patting it down. You can use a rolling pin to flatten the paper out a bit, but be gentle so as not to crush the seeds or break the pulp. Leave undisturbed to dry.

6. Trace and cut out woodland creatures out of the dry seed paper. Decorate cards with cute messages and affix your seed paper critter with a few little glue dots. Include instructions on how to plant the seed paper by copy /pasting or writing the following on the card back:

The critter on this card is made of plantable seed paper containing (lavender, radicchio, rhubarb chard, Alta Globe radish seeds, etc)
Plant it!

Rip seed paper into many small pieces and spread throughout the garden or in a pot filled with good potting soil. Cover with 12 to 1” of soil and water regularly until you get yummy veggies, flowers, herbs, etc.

The finished product turned out really well, I thought. I used different sayings that corresponded to the critter for each one.

01/31/2026

01/30/2026

It’s the penultimate day of January! Minus 9.3 degrees F. here this morning. I can’t say goodbye to it fast enough! Here’s a recipe to help you get through the final days of January and ease you through the shortest month of the year. Can’t wait til Spring!

Lavender London Fog Drink (Earl Grey Tea Latte)

This is one of the tastiest versions of this Earl Gray drink you will find. It's extra creamy, flowery and foamed for good measure.

Servings: 2 cups
Calories: 446 kcal
Author: Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients
* 3 cups water
* 2 Earl Gray tea bags
* ½ cup water
* 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 3 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
* 1 cup half and half

Instructions
* Steep the tea. Bring 3 cups water to a boil. Divide evenly in 2 mugs and add 1 tea bag to each cup. Move the tea bag up and down a few times. Leave the tea bags to steep; you will be serving the tea with tea bags inside.�
* Infuse the lavender syrup. Bring ½ cup water and granulated sugar to a boil. Add the lavender flowers and stir. Boil and steep until the sugar dissolves and the water is very aromatic, about 4 minutes. Strain the lavender syrup over a sieve over each mug, dividing the infusion evenly.�
* Froth the half and half. Rinse and return the pot to the burner and set to low heat. Add the half and half and immediately whisk until frothy and just warm. Pour half the foam over each cup and serve immediately.�
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 642mg | Potassium: 593mg | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 441IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 1mg

01/29/2026

Winter takes its toll on hands and feet. This herb infused hand salve can help.

01/28/2026

I have not yet made this myself but I do think 2 tablespoons of dried lavender is a bit much. I will be using one tablespoon and omitting the spearmint. LL

SAVORY RICE PILAF WITH LAVENDER & APRICOTS

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons butter�1⁄2 cup chopped onion�1 cup thin sliced celery�1 garlic clove, peeled &, mashed �1 cup rice�2 1⁄2 cups chicken broth�1 tablespoon candied ginger�2 tablespoons dried lavender blossoms(4 tbsp fresh)�1 teaspoon salt�1⁄4 cup currants�1⁄2 cup snipped dried apricot�2 tablespoons lemon juice�1⁄2 cup toasted almonds or 1/2 cup chopped pistachios�2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley�2 1⁄2 tablespoons chopped fresh spearmint

DIRECTIONS
1. Melt butter in medium saucepan; gradually add onion and celery; cook until wilted. Add garlic and rice; stir until thoroughly coated with butter.
2. Add broth, ginger, lavender and salt.
3. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low.
4. Cover and cook without stirring until liquid is absorbed.
5. When rice is tender, stir in currants, apricots, and lemon juice.
6. Remove from heat and let stand covered to soften fruits.
7. Add nuts and herbs and mix well.
8. Serve immediately.

01/28/2026

Weddings take time and much careful planning. Getting the date just right, the perfect dress, the caters, the flowers and the venue lined up can frazzle any bride to be. Luckily lavender doesn’t care when you choose to marry- whether in season or dried, lavender is there for you with its calming properties and fabulous fragrance. In the language of flowers lavender symbolizes purity, devotion, calmness, and serenity, It’s the perfect addition to your special day! With proper care the fragrance can last for years!

01/26/2026

Winter wedding? You don’t have to skip the lavender. There are lots of things you can do with dried lavender-and with the proper care, the scent lasts for years!

01/25/2026

The directions don’t quite match the ingredient list, but you get the idea. Although I haven’t tried this yet, it sounds yummy! Yes, I did order the Valentine crate. 😊 Happy Valentine’s Day to me! My husband will thank me for doing his shopping. ☺️

01/25/2026

Yes, I’d love this for Valentines! Less expensive than roses and much longer lasting. A win in my book.

🚨Only 2 Left - Don’t Miss Out!!!!
💜 North Country Valentine’s Lavender Crates
💜 Only $35 | $60 Value

Fall in love with a little everyday luxury 💫
Our Valentine’s Crate is a thoughtfully curated collection of lavender favorites designed to help you slow down, reset, and feel refreshed, calm, and cared for—whether you’re gifting someone special or treating yourself.

🪻 Included in this crate:
• Dried Lavender Sachet
• Lavender Goat Milk Lotion
• Lavender Simple Syrup
• Lavender Hydrosol Spray
• Lavender Lemon Sugar
• Lavender Tranquilitea Tea
• Loose Tea Diffuser
• Pink Linen Tea Towel
• Reusable Wood Crate
• North Country Lavender Farm Sticker

Perfect for self-care, Valentine gifting, Galentine surprises, or starting the year with intention and calm 💜

✨ Limited availability — grab yours before they’re gone!
Shop Now northcountrylavenderfarm.com