One Woman Lavender Festival

 

Yesterday, right before the storms,
 I had my very own
one woman Lavender Festival.
I have dreamed of attending a actual festival,
 but with many far far away,  I had my own.
I didn't have a band, or booths,
 the parade was cancelled...
It was just me harvesting my first real crop of lavender.

 

I've grown, or attempted to grow lavender for over 20 years
with little success.
This year I found the secret to growing a healthy crop...
NEGLECT!

 

Find it a sunny place, and leave it alone. 
Mine is on the south side of my home.  It gets baked by the sun,
and I do not water it.
I filled my basket and was overjoyed.
Instead of the 15 stems I usually get, I got hundreds of stems.

 

Enough to make these Lavender Wands.
 I first saw them in Victoria magazine,
back in the day.
 I always wanted to try to make them.
 So after the harvest...
( There was some singing, I was crowned Lavender Queen,
 photos with local dignitaries
 you know how these things work ;-)
I made my first Lavender Wands.
You can find instuctional videos on YouTube,
and instructions all over the web.

 

My very first wand.

 

I made a second...

 

and a third!


 

I still had a big bunch for drying...


 

A little bunch for display and a bowl of leaves to add to my potpourri.

 

It's the little things that make me truly happy!

 

We got hammered yesterday afternoon and
through the night with storms.
No damage, just a little cleanup.

 

It looks like a grizzly bear took a nap in the center
of the Annabelle, but she will perk up. 

Oh I almost forgot...How about those Blackhawks?  I watched the first few games, but they made me anxious.  Can't they be nicer to each other?  Silly I know, but I decided to sit the maybe last game out.  I was watching a very interesting show about Moose on PBS in bed. (Yes, really about Moose) I turned the channel when I heard my guys whooping and hollering, there were 50 some odd seconds left...  seriously,  I went back to the Moose until I heard my guys yell and the neighborhood erupt in fireworks. My sweetie recently traveled to Boston and brought me home a Boston Strong tee shirt, that I had hanging right next to Mikey's Blackhawk jersey. I kept it upstairs for my personal enjoyment. (Not popular with the real hockey fans...I don't know why...)  My favorite part is when they shake hands at the end.  (Right after they regain consciousness, nurse their wounds...)  Oh well, civic pride takes over, you know I am a proud Chicagoan.


Take care my friends, have a great day, and thanks for stopping by.