Sometimes You Lose

Springtime has hit Austin this weekend, and the wildflowers are in bloom. Bluebonnets decorate the shaggy sides and medians of the highway. There are brown-eyed susans, meadow pinks, and butterweed all over the place. That means splashes of purple, yellow, white, and a little dab of red here and there.

It's Texas's way of apologizing in advance for what's going to happen this summer: brown dead stuff, hot, brown dead stuff, hot, and here's a little more hot to go with the brown dead stuff.

I had the (I thought) brilliant idea to pick an assortment of Texas wildflowers and then to float them in bars of scented homemade soap. What a great gift idea for the next round of holidays, especially with so many people I know who live out of state.

The supplies were easy and cheap: soap block ($9.99), scented oil ($2.49), molds ($2.49), and flowers (free). I was responsible with the flowers and left at least two-thirds of each stand. I cooked it all up, but...

Here's where the scientific minds who read my blog can step in, if they wish. As soon as I put the first meadow pink in the hot liquid soap, it turned green and the pollen went everywhere. (I may also have killed a fire ant accidentally.) I'm going to count that as Not a Good Gift.




I'll find something else -- silk flowers, perhaps -- to float in the soap bars, so all shall not be lost. Just melty and gross.