Smells Like Spring

A beautiful picture of lilacs to make you smile

As I sit in my dad's den, looking out the large front window at the barn, the snow is falling, the barn roof is covered, and it looks grey and miserable. I am over winter. It can go away. Despite the single-digit temperature and blowing snow, the soap studio today will smell like spring. The scent of spring gives me hope that warmer weather is not far away and also reinforces that Old Man Winter is just being an a**hole.

Today, The Bibbed Wonder and I will make Lilac and Honeysuckle soaps. Honeysuckle is my absolute favorite seasonal soap, and I know many of you feel the same way. My friend and mail person, Cynthia....said in a sing-songy voice every time she enters the studio to pick up packages...Sinnnnnnnnn-Theeeeeeeee-AAAAA! asked me for a small vial of honeysuckle essential oil because she recently purchased a diffuser. She has purchased several vials of honeysuckle essential oil but claims none smell as good as the one we use in our soap. Of course, I will bottle a small vial for Cindy to enjoy. Our honeysuckle essential oil comes directly from the processor in India. Someday, I hope to travel to India to meet the lovely family who owns the essential oil company. Their emails and communications are beautiful and personable, and their practices align with my beliefs; I connect with them even though we are worlds apart. Isn't it odd that we can feel connected to people across the globe whom we have never met? Perhaps I am just weird.

Anyhow, I digress. We are making the first of our spring scents, and I am quite excited. The Bibbed Wonder is fighting me about bringing the Honeysuckle soap on full-time. He believes it is popular and special because it is only available for a limited time. I believe it has proven to be a top seller year after year and earned a permanent spot in our inventory. We shall see who wins this battle. What is your opinion? Truly, I would love to have my trusted soap family's input. You may take comfort in knowing you will have saved us several days/weeks/months of heated arguments and frustration by sharing your opinion in the comments section. Don't be shy. We value your feedback.

Along with Honeysuckle, we will also make Lilac soap. I was on the fence about making the lilac soap this year. I had the idea of replacing it with a beautiful violet-scented soap. However, so many of you have requested the lilac soap that I felt I could not disappoint you. Personally, I am not a fan of lilac-scented products. There is a twenty-year-old lilac bush that grows near the barn. I believe this was a Mother's Day gift to my mom from me many years ago. I love the scent of lilacs wafting in the air for the brief time they gloriously bloom. However, in my early twenties, my mom used to burn a lilac-scented candle. For almost a year, the stress of leaving the farm to drive to Marionville, PA, every Sunday evening to return to my teaching job at a juvenile treatment facility created so much stress that I would vomit at least once before I left. I will forever associate the scent of lilacs with the stress and vomiting during that period of my life. Regardless of how I feel about lilac scents, many of you have lovely memories and enjoy the fragrance. So, you will have lilac-scented soap and moisturizer this spring.

I spent all day yesterday creating little one-inch lilacs from soap frosting to place atop the lilac-scented soap. Although I am satisfied with the results, I know I have much to learn and can do better. They look a bit amateurish, but I believe they pass as lilacs. I foresee a cake decorating class in my future. I dabble, but I am a long way from being proficient. If you know of a good cake decorating class, please share. I watch videos, but there is nothing like one-on-one instruction to learn artistic techniques. The Bibbed Wonder thinks they look good and are passable. I take that as a win.

We will enjoy the scents of spring on this grey, snowy day. The meteorological spring is March 1st, and the official start of spring is March 20th. Spring is less than a month away, dear reader. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Although I genuinely feel like Old Man Winter is indeed an a**hole and will happily escort him out, I trust in the natural rhythm and respect that everything needs to pause to regenerate. I don't understand why taking a pause can't be a mild 40+ degrees. Sigh. My new mantra is: spring is coming, spring is coming, spring is coming. Repeat until you believe it.

On this snowy winter day, stay safe and be smart. Spring is coming, and your favorite spring scents are coming. Please share your opinions in the comments, and keep washing your hands.