dryad's blog: easter's violet lemonade 💜

This Saturday, I gathered violets from the field across the creek to make into violet syrup, to make into lemonade, just like last year. I went right as the sun was touching the horizon.



Last year my dad made us a bonfire and and we all shared the bright purple elixir around it.

All in all I harvested about a half cup of petals this year.




I stripped the petals from the sepals and washed them. I found this guy in the process..



After washing the petals, I brought one cup of water to boil on the stove, and put the petals into a mason jar. I then poured the boiling water over the petals and covered the top of the mason jar with a bit of foil and a rubber band.

The color immediately begins to seep from the petals, making deeper streaks of blue every second. It's magical to watch.



The whole of this violet lemonade making process is magic to me. Picking the purple flowers, which stand out like jewels in the lush green grass in the field, seeing the precious purple pile inside your basket as you move through the field, taking a few flowers here and there. Stripping the petals and feeling their delicate and alive, skin-like softness. Watching them give color to the water, in such an explosion you almost wonder if it's natural, but of course it is! Making it into simple syrup, where the heat may turn it's delicate blue color a bit green if you aren't careful, but I don't mind. And then the best part, pouring your violet syrup into the fresh squeezed lemon juice and water and watching the pH of the lemons change the color of the syrup, literally like making a magic potion. A dazzling spring ritual.











I miss you Dad! ♡

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