"Suzuran, Muguet, Lily of Valley"

Yesterday, I saw my favorite spring flowers for the first time this season.  I'm so in love with these tiny white flowers.  It is call "SUZURAN" in Japanese, meaning "Bell Lily", when you look closely at these tiny flowers they look like tiny bells.
My late mother loved them as well.  When I visited her in Japan, I almost always took with me "Lily of the Valley Soap from Penhaligon" for her.  I believe I also gave her perfume "Lily of the Valley" from them as well.  
If you never tried it before you must.  At least try to smell this Soap.  
First of all, I think they extract fragrance from these flowers best, then packaged them simply yet most elegantly.  You should see the bottle of the perfume "Lily of the Vally"  Even the Box for the candle with that same sent.  
Every year at the end of winter I change candles in the bathroom from "Mariage Freres' Pluie Candle" to "Penhaligon's Lily of the Valley Candle"  By doing that I can be ready for spring's arrival.  But, this year spring came to us so early I didn't have a chance to do that.  Besides I was so busy making the wedding dress till 2 weeks ago, so I didn't have time for small things like that !
But yesterday morning I had to bring that candle out.  I've got real tiny white flowers from the market.  The Tea candle from Paris just doesn't go with it !  
I think they showed up at the market at least 3~4 weeks earlier than last year. They will keep coming to us another 4~6 weeks, so I'll be getting them till they disappear.  
My home will  smell like garden  filled with this lovely fragrance for while.....   

   The thing you have to do with them is Sorting.

Bunches you get from farmers at Union Square are straight from their field. 

Untied the bunches, then remove the leaves which don't contain flowers.

Here, Jonathan is doing that tedious work.

But, by doing that, you will be able to see more flowers than green leaves.

Discarded Leaves.

Flowers are sticking out from middle of these leaves.

It is very easy to pull out stem with flowers out from them,

if you do not want to have leaves in your bouquet.

3 small bouquets from 2 bunches.

Now, I have to decide where they will go ?

One must go by the bed.

So that I will be awaking with glorious scent on spring mornings.

I chose to put the other one in the bathroom.

With Penhaligon's Candle that room will be filled with that Scent.

The last one is on the table.

Yesterday afternoon, we had a very special tea.

Accompanied by 3 Flavored Marshmallows we got at our neighborhood shop.

They are with Yuzu, Passion Fruit, Raspberry & Rosemary. 

This is the Tea.

Yuki got this for me from Paris last fall.

I have been saved this for the right occasion to taste.  And now is the time !

White Tea with Lily of  Valley flavor and sent.

When you sip, you'll taste fields of Muguet !

It is a very very special Tea, I must say.....

I must end this entry with PENHALIGON'S.

 It is the English company that makes such Exquisite Fragrance Products.

You must visit their small shop on Madison Avenue, or at Saks' Fifth Avenue.

Besides the scents of each product, packageing is just elegant.

I think they make better products than Floris, the other British Company.

Even though I posted the box of the Candle last spring,

I must show it again, so you can see what I meant !

Flowers are everywhere now, I saw White and Pink Camellia Blossoms in the next block from here.  As well as Purple Wisteria.  Cherry Blossoms are gone after that rain we had last week, but we had a glorious SAKURA season.  Tulips are still opening with variation of colors.  We should enjoy these flowers when we can with our dear ones....

At the Union Square Market, we started to see fresh green leafy vegetables.  And from this weekend you can also find Lilacs, Peonies, Iris, and Lily of Valley.

Let's eat fresh vegetables and smell the flowers, whatever is in season !