What's Your Fragrance?

Lavender, my signature flower

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

A few days ago, I was reading in 2 Corinthians, chapter 2. Immersed in the words, it took me a moment to realize that I was reading with a scent in my nose.

Tantalizing wafts of fragrance swirled through my thoughts.

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing," (2 Corinthians 2:14-15, ESV).

As the words I read floated through my mind, they were accompanied by the memories and aroma of lavender.

Lavender.

In my heart, Christ (and therefore God) has the refreshing, calming, soothing, and beautiful fragrance of lavender. He smells like lavender! The Peace that fills my soul and permeates my life is that of lavender.

Quiet. Peace. Reverence.

Is it no wonder that lavender is one of my favorite blooming herbs? I am drawn to lavender as the bees, seeking scent and beauty. I gently brush my fingertips along the flowers and attempt to capture the faint scent. Or I crush and bruise petals and stem between these wretched fingers, forcing the flowers to release their fragrance. For my benefit.

Isn't that what happened so long ago? He was crushed and bruised, all to release the gift of His life, the fragrance of salvation. But that was not just for me. Rather, it was for all of us.

The fragrance of lavender.

Do you read with your nose? What fragrance is God to you?

Oh, to smell like lavender to those around us.

Gingerbread Delight

wafts of spice tickle
quivering noses and tongues
gingerbread delight

~ Angie Quantrell


There is most decidedly a reason that gingerbread has become synonomous with Christmas.

The scent.

The fragrance of warm spices, the steam of a hot oven, the soft melting of toasted cookies melting in your mouth...

Welcome, gingerbread. Welcome, Christmas.

Living in the Candle Drawer

If I could live anywhere in my house, it would be in the candle drawer.

Of course I would have to be much smaller. And install a bathroom, kitchen, and electricity. One living in the candle drawer would need tiny lights to read all of those mini books. A cozy chair and bed would be nice.

Oh, and while we are at it, how about a miniature fireplace and snuggly kitty?

You may be wondering why, of all things, would I want to live in the candle drawer? And what in the world is a candle drawer anyway?

In this house, the candle drawer is in the hall cupboard. It holds a horrible mess of mismatched candle holders, Christmas tree wires (why? - too tangled to clear them out), rocks, tealights, scented candle wax for burners, and interesting containers and knickknacks.

But why?

The smell. Every time I open that drawer to get a tealight or extra scented wax, I am greeted by the best fragrance in the world. A combination of pine, lavender, pumpkin spice, mulberry, and other scents rush out, wrapping smokey fingers of delight around my head and nose.

I want to live in that drawer.

I'll clean out a corner and set up my studio apartment. I'll decorate it with handcrafted quilts, watercolor paintings, fluffy pillows, and shimmering candles. That's me, good to go.

Just remember to check on me once in a while. I may need food, coffee, cat food, or more books.

I'll be as happy as a lark on a spring day in May.

Do come visit.

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Will Their Be Pine Trees in Heaven?

Ahhhh. I am that serious.

I surely hope there will be pine trees in Heaven. I love that scent so much, I think it is my absolute favorite. Even above chocolate and coffee and lavender.

We just added our final Christmas tree to our menagerie of decorated sticks. After a brief tree hunting episode that did not include heading into the mountains due to several restrictions, we ended up at Lowe's. I say their name because they gave us a great deal! I mean a really great deal.

Let's say the tree (Norfolk pine, folks, Norfolk pine) was originally priced at $34.99. And they welcomed us into the store with "We are willing to make you a deal!" and big smiles.

And they did.

We got over 50% off of a quality nearly 6-foot pine specimen; fresh, well-stuck-in-place needles, and an absolutely gorgeous tree. AND it had a disposable bag and tree food attached. AND they cut the trunk for us. AND they used one of those cool tree-wrapping-with-net machines. I was in awe.

And now? This final tree is standing proudly and fragrantly in our bedroom. Why not? We can enjoy the scents of being in the woods all night long. (And all of the other locations for a full size tree have been occupied this year due to my stunning win of a 9-foot fully decorated tree - see previous blog entries).

I love the fragrance of fresh pine trees. Ask Kevin. Last night I just stood there with my nose attached to the tree, declaring lifelong love and devotion. To a tree.

When I walk into a pine forest, or my bedroom, and gulp huge breaths of that piney scented air, my body and soul just relax. Stress unwinds from my body, my muscles ooze, and I enter a state of peace.

Here. I want you to experience my evergreen fragrance. Scratch and sniff the photo. That's our bedroom tree.

Did you do it?

How I wish we could do that on our computers. Well, thinking of other not so great scents, maybe not.

Back to my original question: Will there be pine trees in Heaven?

I hope so.

Apple Season - 3 Apple Treats to Fill the House with the Fragrance of Fall

Yesterday was one beautiful and aromatic day at the Quantrell household.

Princess Khloe and I attacked pounds of apples with gusto. Delicious flavors that rolled off the tongue were the results. The swirling autumn scents of cinnamon, nutmeg, and apples all but swirled before our eyes and tickled our noses.

Autumn is here. Embrace the season.

Dehydrated apple slices

Dried Apples
Oodles of apples, cored, peeled, sliced
Lemon water

Usually, I just peel, core, slice and add my apples to the running dehydrator. This year, they browned too fast.

To combat early browning, I experimented with dropping the slices into water that had been liberally doused with lemon juice. Worked like a little apple charm. I prepped apples until I thought I had enough for one tray, letting the apples soak until I placed them in the dehydrator.

Dry until slightly soft and flexible. Store in jars or sealed bags. Yummy! We devour dried apples all winter.

Cinnamon Applesauce

Cinnamon Applesauce
apples
cinnamon

I love filling the crockpot with peeled, cored, chunked apples and cinnamon. Add a bit of water to cover the bottom of the crockpot, turn it on, cover it, and let it cook. Test it every now and them for soft apples. Add water if needed. I use a potato masher at the end to squash the apples into sauce. Eat it now and freeze some for later.

Oh, this autumn treat fills the house with such great smells! Better than any fall scented candle. Plus, you can eat the applesauce when is done cooking - warm, tasty, and fragrant.

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp
apples
oatmeal
butter
brown sugar
whole wheat flower
cinnamon
nutmeg

Use any apple crisp recipe. But really pump up the apples! So far, in each recipe I've tried, there has been way too much topping and not enough apples. Susan Branch has a great recipe for apple crisp in her cookbook (and art book, as she does her own beautiful illustrations) Heart of the Home, Notes From a Vineyard Kitchen (Little, Brown and Company, 1986).

This time, I added apples to almost the top of the baking dish. Then I switched out white flour for whole wheat flour. The apples seemed really dry, so good for us, the apples in the crockpot were saucing away. I added several dippers of apple juice from the sauce pot. This really made the apple crisp juicy.

Delicious. No ice cream is necessary, but wouldn't that be a great addition?


How many ways can one prepare apples?
Apples, apples, oh how I do love you!
Let me count the ways . . .

Just the beginning of apple delight.

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