A New Beginning...

So here I am at the beginning of a blog and the big question is what will this blog be about?  Mostly, it will be about my adventures in trying to go back to basics with food, cleaning products and beauty products to improve my health and lifestyle. 

I’ll let you know all about my journey to simplifying my life and removing unnecessary chemicals.  I’ll list recipes for product creation and I’ll let you know if they worked or not (and any horrible disasters I may have along the way – yikes!) and any tweaks I make to them.

Finally, I hope to encourage you to stop and slow down and think.  Think about what you are eating, what products you are using and how they impact your health.

You may be wondering why I chose the name "Lavender at the Gate" and the answer is simple.  I love the scent of lavender and I love what lavender stands for throughout history.  When given as a gift, lavender flowers represent purity, silence and luck. Lavender flowers also convey a message of devotion. Lavender essence oil can be used to convey a sense of calm.

One of my favorite lines regarding lavender is from author Alice Hoffman:

There are some things, after all, Sally Owens knows for certain: Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Plant roses and lavender, for luck. Fall in love whenever you can.

~Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic

What can be better than luck and love?

It’s a new beginning for the blog and for each of us. I like to think of a blog as a conversation between writer and reader.  A conversation is a two way street so please comment and let me know your thoughts. Won’t you join me on my journey and join the conversation?

~michelle