Sunday, June 13, 2010
JR's list: Item #5 - Attend the 6th Annual Lavender Fest in Blanco, Texas on June 11, 2010.
Candace, Cindy, and I attend the 6th Annual Blanco Lavender Fest in Blanco, Texas yesterday, which is usually the second weekend in June each year. We began the day with a stop at Target and then a drive north from San Antonio.
Once in Blanco we had breakfast at the famous Blanco Bowling Club Diner. Candace may consider it more "infamous" when her scrambled egg arrived looking like a beat up fried egg.
We then headed across the road to the festival which is held on the Blanco County Courthouse grounds. This is the third year we have attended the Lavender Fest. Everything lavender and much more is on display or available for purchase.
Like many of the courthouses in Texas, the Blanco County Courthouse is elegant in its simple design.
We wandered and looked. We sampled toasted, flavored pecans and ate Dark Chocolate Lavender Ice Cream. We bought.spices and lavender products for both ourselves and our pets. We each enjoyed a lavender lemonade. I even bought a potato bag for cooking potatoes in a microwave.
Kennie Smith and friend at the Blanco River Lavender Company graciously took pictures of us while we were at their booth. They even provided a bouquet of lavender to dress up the shots.
We left the festival and headed out for the Hill Country Lavender Store north of Blanco.
Here we purchased a few more things. Our next stop was the Blanco River Lavender Company farm. When we were at their booth, they had plants for sale, but Kennie Smith said there were also plants for sale out at their farm. Candace wanted to pick up a few, so we made that our last stop.
On our way we followed the signs that said "1st Lavender Farm in Texas." We discovered the converted-barn home of Jeanne Ralston and Robb Kendrick, who did indeed establish the first lavender farm in Texas, Hill Country Lavender.
They have since sold their home and their farm. In The Unlikely Lavender Queen, Jeanne tells their story and chronicles the beginnings of the lavender industry in Texas.
We finally made it to the Blanco River Lavender Company farm.
Co-owner Stephen Smith showed us around their 100+ ranch. Candace bought three beautiful Provence lavender plants and Stephen gave us a beautiful bunch of cut lavender. Stephen and Kennie have recently hosted a wedding in their beautiful facility. The Smith Ranch is a great event spot.
While on the drive to the Smith Ranch we noticed a wildflower I had never seen before. Stephen called it "horse mint." Beautiful!
It was a wonderful day and another wonderful Lavender Fest made even better because the experience was shared with friends. I'm ready for next year.
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