Lavender is Life

/
Oregon Lavender Farm | 2017 Lavender Festival

Last weekend, Tim and I braved the 100℉ weather and ventured out to Oregon City for the Lavender Festival at the Oregon Lavender Farm. With views of Mount Hood and bright purple lavender all around us, it was so, so beautiful. Not to mention the scent! Imagine taking a luxurious lavender-soaked bath - that's what the fragrance was like walking through the fields.

While wandering the farm listening to the awesome local bands, I sipped on lavender lemonade, which is probably the most refreshing drink I've ever had - yes, it was really that good. I mean, just look at the photo from my Instagram! The festival also hosted vendors - everything from handmade rugs, jewelry, and artwork to candles and natural beauty products. There was lavender wreath making and a distillation demonstration, which was so interesting! I've read about the process, but I've never seen it in person.

Tim and I also enjoyed lavender beer and lavender cider - serious yum. And on our way out we picked up a Killa Dilla, a quesadilla larger than our faces, to share 😋 It was absolutely delicious. We ordered the "basic dilla," which comes with mozzarella, cabbage, marinated red onions, and a "secret tangy dressing," and we added grilled veggies. Holy moly, you guys. I can't do its tastiness justice.

Oregon Lavender Farm | 2017 Lavender Festival

As the title of this blog post suggests, I use lavender constantly, so I thought I'd share how I work it into my daily and weekly routine.

My favorite ways to use lavender essential oil:

  1. Combine your favorite non-scented, natural lotion with one drop of lavender to moisturize and treat yourself to a little at-home spa experience 💜
  2. Put one drop into your mascara bottle to support strong, healthy lashes 💜
  3. Diffuse 3-4 drops at night to aid sound sleeping or make a pillow spray with it for the same benefits 💜
  4. Add 2-3 drops to your laundry detergent, especially when washing sheets or towels 💜
  5. Add 3 drops to your wool dryer balls when drying laundry 💜
  6. Use a roller bottle to experience lavender's calming properties on-the-go 💜

Do you love lavender essential oil? What are your favorite ways to use it?

 

Adventures // Eagle Creek Trail

/

One of Tim's passions is the outdoors - hiking, camping, you name it, he loves it. So we vowed to do more of that this past summer, especially day hikes. One weekend, we adventured on a short hike through Eagle Creek Trail to Punch Bowl Falls. We had done this hike before 2 years ago, but it was nice to do it again, this time more prepared with a little picnic at the falls. Getting outdoors really does calm the soul; it was nice escaping reality if just for the day. Here's a fun little video of our adventure and a few photos that just really don't do its beauty justice.

Tim and I recently hiked the Eagle Creek Trail to Punch Bowl Falls in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Read more about our day adventure at Along the Way blog: http://alongthewayblog.com/blog/2016/6/12/pdx-eagle-creek-trail

 

Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

/

We're living in a winter wonderland right now! Snow started falling around 5 p.m. yesterday and continued falling throughout the night. Some parts of the city saw 15 inches! We definitely got around 8 inches in parts of our area, so I took advantage of my lunch break and documented some of this winter beauty.

The rest of the country probably looks at us like babies every time it snows, but here's the deal: there are no snow plows in Portland! We don't have enough snowstorms to warrant our own plows, so we normally borrow them from other parts of the state. The problem is they're also having a hard winter. And most of the state doesn't use rock salt because of the environmental and corrosive damage it can cause. So we're just hangin' about in our winter wonderland and NOT complaining. Tim and I LOVE it!

I truly can't do the beauty justice with these photos, but I'm certainly trying! Everything is blanketed in white. Tree branches are trying not to succumb to the weight of the snow, kids are sledding at the parks, there are snowmen in random places throughout downtown. The snow is in its most fluffy, perfect form. So, so gorgeous. I don't want it to disappear!