An old saying goes something like this: every taste and every smell tells a tale...
OK then, dear friend, if you close your eyes and let the scent tell you where you are, which fragrance would whisper in your head " You are in Provence, dear, you are in Provence ..."
Call it a lack of imagination, but I can only think of LAVENDER. Right, lavender!
Instantly, this calming smell brings me to a Sought France Provence scenery of a pale purple rolling field envelops an old tiny medieval house which remains alone in the middle... and I feel like getting back on my old bike, peddling as fast as I can through these endless lavender fields - the lavender-laced wind is all over my face, nothing in front of me, only the horizon...







We all know that the smell of lavender has significant effects on our moods, but an article in Psychology Today claims that it is finally being recognized for activating our memory, helping us make pleasant associations and alloying our minds to travel freely in time.


What a magical power!





 So, are you coming with me 
or you are already there?

France seems to be the choice of destination these days in the blog land; many of my blogger friends have been blogging and have just come from there, posting amazing photos and sharing wonderful experiences. I got genuinely inspired by this French fever and because I will not have a chance to travel to France any time soon ( who knows ), I decided to take delight in this enchanting and alluring place by simply " SMELLING the LAVENDER "...







and
by losing myself in its magic ...

Do you remember "Practical Magic", the movie ( not so genius, though ) or the book about those two sister witches who carried the family curse - the man they fall in love with will die tragically;
yet, you probably wouldn't  recall one of the famous sayings of Sally Owen:
"Can love really travel back in time and heal a broken heart? I'd like to think so. But there are some things I know for certain: always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, plant lavender for luck, 
and fall in love whenever you can".






Also if you were in Provence, you may notice that it had been the absolute norm to spoon a few dried lavender flowers (Herbs de Provence) in your dishes. So, I've just did it, simple as it is - put dried organic lavender flowers into milk in order to prepare all the ingredients needed for a simple lavender cupcake recipe as I promised to follow Melanie's ( My Union Jack) advice : if you find yourself craving your own taste of Provence (oh, tell me about it ) these are more than worth the effort. Be warned though, you will be booking a flight to Marseille before you know what hit you!









Frankly, I have never tried lavender-infused cupcakes before, but what can be a better time for it than NOW. It is a recipe from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook and you can find it HERE.
It is easy to make and what a divine result you will have! There is no doubt you will see yourself in Provence enjoying these sweethearts with a glass of rose - why not.









If a trip to Provence is not in our immediate future, that doesn't mean we can't indulge in these fabulous lavender cakes with a very delicate lavender taste.
 The old saying is correct as always -
we just have to be sure to STOP and SMELL the flowers LAVENDER.
"We are only here for a short time" 
( W. Hagen)







P. S.  As the Holidays approach, I thought what can be the better gift for our neighbors and friends than a magical smell and taste of lavender-infused cupcakes that tells a tale !? And why not adding a DIY stamped lavender sachet like the one that I made by the pure linen fabric given to me by my granny, filled with an organic lavender. 



   




Place these sweet delicious treasures in a box, write the ingredients and the recipe in a card 
and knock on your neighbor's door!






 





There are some things I know for certain: the simple pleasures are the precious moments.



THANK YOU for reading and sharing your thoughts!



I am meeting Suzanne for Monday Moments 
   Kathy   for A Return to Loveliness 
  Sarah  for Good Life Wednesdays 
Cherry for Home Sweet Home 
Debra for Vintage Inspiration Friday