I will be gone tomorrow. We are going to the Lavender Festival. It is being held in the small town about 25 miles south of us.

The Festival itself will be held on the grounds of the Court House in the town square. We actually rented a house in this town when we first moved to Texas. We lived there for about ten months while my husband built our home here. It was so much what I had imagined Texas to be. I can remember how thrilled I was - a newly arrived Yankee (I now consider myself, after 25 years, to be an honest-to-goodness Texan!) to see actual cowboys roaming the streets, going into the bank, shopping in the one little grocery store or eating at the Bowling Alley where they served the best food in town. I felt like I had really arrived.

There were some down sides to this small town life, but I'm not going to dwell on that. Suffice it to say, life can be difficult when you're new in town. Especially when you're a young child. All of that is far behind us now. We love it here - really love it.

Apparently the soil and climate here are just right for the growing of Lavender. Who knew? Our electric company publishes a monthly magazine that is really brilliantly done. I have learned so much about this wonderful state from its pages. A couple of months ago they did an article on Lavender and mentioned the Festival. There are nine Lavender Farms within a twenty minute drive of this small town, and they are all open to the public not only for the Festival but during the whole growing season.

As soon as I saw the article I knew this would be something my Mom would love. She has two Lavender plants growing in her yard right now. She loves Lavender. I still have a few dried flowers she sent me long ago.

So bright and early tomorrow morning my husband and I, my Mom and Dad, and our daughter L. will be heading out to the Lavender Festival. We have decided on three farms we want to visit - depending on how long we can withstand the heat and humidity (summer is suddenly here with a vengeance). They all offer fields in which you can pick a bouquet, stores where you may purchase all things Lavender, craft classes involving (you guessed it) Lavender, food (having something to do with Lavender I'm sure), music and large shade trees. I think it will be a lovely day.

I shall report back on Sunday. In the meantime....

Blessings,