Lilacs and Love

by Jennifer McGuffin

In one of the most beautiful coincidences in nature, the unforgettably fragrant lilac bushes bloom every year around Mother’s Day. The timing of these annual twins makes for a holiday weekend filled with both lilacs and love… guaranteed to make any mom take a well-deserved, slow, deep breath.

Bring some of those lilacs indoors to fill your home with the sweet scent. This simple act of kindness for mom is both personal and inexpensive. But there is a trick to it, to preserve the lilac bush in your yard while getting the most out of the flowers in your vase.

How To Cut Lilac Stems
1. Cut stems in the morning, when the lilac bush is well hydrated and stems are strong.
2. Select stems that are just beginning to bloom, so they’ll continue to open after they’re cut.
3. Using a knife or garden shears (household scissors smash the lilac’s water absorbing system) make an angled cut one inch from the bottom of the stem. Place each stem in lukewarm water.
4. Prepare a wide-bottomed vase that can offset the weight of the heady flowers.
5. Fill vase with lukewarm water and add the following mixture as a preservative: 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp bleach and 1 tsp lemon or lime juice.
6. If you have cut several stems, cut them again to create an artistic arrangement in the vase. Leave the smallest flower on the longest stem. This one will go in the center of the vase. Cut other stems slightly shorter to surround the tallest one. Make all remaining stems even shorter, and place them around the edge of the vase.
7. Before putting the lilacs in the vase, use a knife to gently split the bottom ½ inch of the woody stems. This creates more surface area to absorb water.
8. Stand back, smell, and enjoy!

Moms also love the breakfast-in-bed treatment… provided the service does not create too many crumbs. Here’s one suggestion—bake this quick bread recipe. It’s simple enough for older kids (or any husband) to prepare. Plus, it can be made with many different fruits (or delicious chocolate chips) based on your mom’s favorite flavors.

Blueberry Bread
Ingredients:
1 egg
½ cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil or melted shortening
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup fresh blueberries.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease loaf pan. Beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk and oil. Blend all dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then stir into wet mixture. Gently fold in blueberries. Put batter into pan and bake for 40 minutes until top of loaf is a golden brown.

Variations: instead of 1 cup of blueberries, try 1 cup strawberries, fresh cranberries with canned mandarin oranges or even chocolate chips. (For the really adventurous, add 1/2 cup smashed, ripe bananas with those chocolate chips to create a new family favorite!)

Serve a slice of this warm bread with some fresh fruit and a cup of mom’s favorite hot coffee or tea. Place the freshly cut lilacs on her tray, too, for a beautiful mother’s day breakfast.

Or if your mom prefers dining in actual clothes instead of pajamas, take her out for one of the finest brunches in town. See the above box for a list of several tasty suggestions. But remember, Mother’s Day is one of the busiest days in the restaurant business, so plan ahead and make reservations.

It goes without saying (doesn’t it?) that mom would appreciate the royal treatment all day long, or at least she’d like a break from the most mundane tasks in the house; walking the dog, wiping off the kitchen counters, making the beds. All mom really wants is to feel appreciated on her special day, and doing these simple things would make a big statement.

And really, dads, if you think about it, it’s not only incredibly kind, but strategic and smart, to give mom the best Mother’s Day possible. Set the bar very high, my friends, because Father’s Day is just around the corner.