Maggie: Aroma workshop at Jan's

Experience seems to be showing that January is not the best month in which to try to organize an activity.  Bad weather, prolonged vacations, and poor health can reduce the number of participants. 

Peggy, Clair S J, Hostess Jan, Susan Rey and Venus

 (Clair is the author of Revolution and Romance, who spoke at AWG's authors' panel last year)

Unfortunately there were only 7 of us (instead of 15) for the January 14th aroma workshop with Vénus Ticha, who has moved away from the Montpellier area and came all the way back from Béziers just to allow us to discover the fragrances and properties of some of the 42 essential oils that she had selected for us.  After some explanations about "emotion olfactive" and sniffing of the oils, we had to take a break outside to refresh and revive our olfactory nerves.

After the break we concocted our own personal scented creams.  Some of us concentrated on the fragrances (the standard lavender and mint, which Vénus says are an absolute necessity, as well as citrus, evergreens and resins, sandalwood, linden, juniper, rosemary, anis, geranium, patchouli, ylang ylang, jasmine) and others on the properties (physically or psychologically stimulating, relaxing, good for the immune system, good for the digestive system, good for the memory, comforting, anti-depressive).  When we were done, no jar of cream resembled any of the others.  Vénus asked each of us to create a name for our new scents.  I may have to find another name for mine.  One of my ingredients was 'pruche' (comforting, said to take away worries), which I mistranslated as spruce instead of hemlock, and named my cream 'Spruce Bringsteen.'  Perhaps I'll ask to try someone else's cream made with a stimulating oil, because at the moment all I can think of is 'Souvenir of Socrates.'  We also asked Vénus to prepare a special cream for Anne, who could not join us because of her recent hip replacement operation.  We named her cream 'Hip Hip Hooray.'

Vénus is available for guided visits to aromatic gardens and for other workshops, including one using essential oils for cooking.

Venus Ticha surrounded by her essential oils for fragrances

Thanks also to Jan for hosting this event, and for providing tea and cookies (all un-aromatic, in order not to conflict with the essential oils).

     -m

 Venus' website:   
  www.venus-ticha.eu.