Warm, Soothing Love from My Mothers to You...and "Wives and Daughters"

Happy Friday evening to all! Today was L-O-N-G!!! It's really not fun to be manning a table at a craft fair all day when you just want to be home in your flannel jammies...know what I mean? Oh, well! I had some lovely conversations, saw some wonderful friends, a delicious lunch with my dear friend Barb, and sniffled all day long!


Last night, as my daughter, Sarah, and I were feeling miserable, I remembered something my Mom would brew up when someone in the family had a cold...Honey Lemon Drink is all I ever remember calling it. It was thick, pulpy, dowsed with golden, thick honey, and it felt like heaven going down...


Well, it seemed like just the thing last night, but I'd never made it for myself or my family--sometimes we forget the most wonderful, simple things, don't we? I called up my mom--pretty late in the evening, but never too late for a mom, right?!


We started talking about this lovely concoction, how I remembered her and Grammie (her mother, Velda) making it. Then I asked if she knew where it originated....then I got the goosebumps...(if you read my blog, you know I LOVE family history--it's just steeped into me--and little stories that connect are my favorite!) Mom said that Velda's mother, Estella used to make it, as did HER mother, Sarah (who my Sarah is named for).



It got more interesting to me as I reflected that Sarah Indiaetta Young Vance, my great-great grandmother, was born in Virginia during the Civil War and lived on her family's plantation (without slaves, by the way...her father believed slavery was absolutely wrong...I love knowing that!)


Her father, Absalom McDonald Young, was a travelling country doctor, and would go around to all the farms and other plantations caring for people. I started wondering last night, as I brewed my little concoction...just how far back did this little healing drink go? We'll never know, but isn't it wonderful to contemplate just how long mothers have been standing over a stove or at the fire, making this simple potion of lemons, honey and water for their children when they're ill?


(Can't you just smell the honey-lemonness of this beautiful(?) stuff!)

Here's all you do: Cut up as many lemons as you have--I used 5. Cut them into smallish pieces so they'll fall apart easily while boiling...get out as many seeds as you can without losing all the juice! Add enough water to cover lemons, then squeeze in more honey than you think you should (I just took off the squeeze-top!). Mom said you want to lemon/honey ratio to be almost equal, if that makes sense! Just boil it for about 30 minutes, then just let it steep on low heat, then mash it up with a potato masher to really get the pulp out...leave the rinds in the pot, however! Now you're ready for a mug full!


Drink it--pulp and all--and enjoy how soothing it feels going down that sore throat of yours (wait, that's mine!)


I wondered if my Sarah would like it, as it's pretty strong, but she loved it! My Mom called me later and said she was making a batch, too--she wasn't sick, but it just sounded good and comforting, and it was!


Just save the rest for later, add a bit more water, and honey, if needed, warm it up and enjoy some more! There... a little love from my mothers (and me!) to you!

The layout up above was a little tribute I made at Mother's Day just for me...to have all of my mother-line on one page--aren't they beautiful? The roses and some of the papers are from Crafty Secrets' paper pads (can't remember which ones right now, sorry! The postcard image at the top and the beautiful Mothers' poem were free downloads from Sandy Redburn, the wonderful owner of Crafty Secrets.

Here they are close up: first, my wonderful mother, Karen...


Karen's mother, Velda, along with her mother Estella:


And finally, Sarah with her mother Matilda, wife of Absalom, the country doctor:


These are my beautiful mothers...I love them all!

Speaking of mothers, I have another favorite movie to share with you...I might as well do this every week--I seem to be doing it already, so why not?!

Have you seen "Wives and Daughters" yet? Oh, I hope so!!! If not, please rush right out and rent or just buy it! It's one you'll want to watch again and again!


This beautifully filmed movie is just about as soothing as a generations-old drink meant to cure you body and soul...! I won't give you any details, except that the cast is perfect; some of my favorite British actors, the scenery gorgeous, and the plot, delightfully funny and sad, all mixed perfectly together!

This is one that my girls and I want to watch every few months or so...it's a long multi-part movie, so take a few days and fall in love with "Wives and Daughters", and let me know what you think!

To close out tonight, I want to share a beautiful vintage postcard from my collection--a gift to you, my lovely blogging friends! I just finished another mug of honey lemon drink and I'm feeling dowsy and happy. Hope you have a wonderful evening, and, as always, sweet dreams! (And may all of my sick friends feel better VERY soon!)