The Unlikely Lavender Queen
By Jeannie Ralston
Broadway, 2008
$23.95; available atwww.amazon.com.
Looking for a great holiday gift for your herb-loving sister (or yourself)? I highly recommend The Unlikely Lavender Queen, the true story of Jeannie Ralston and Hill Country Lavender, a business she landed in unexpectedly.
A high-profile New York writer and editor, Jeannie was not excited about moving to Blanco, Texas, to start a lavender farm–her husband’s dream–but went along with it, anyway. Once there, she found herself raising most of the lavender herself, while her husband, a photographer, traveled on work assign-ments. Over time, Jeannie not only became comfortable in her new environment, but learned to love it. Since then, several other lavender farms have started in Texas, and Blanco holds an annual Lavender Festival. Jeannie and Robb sold Hill Country Lavender in 2006, but the business continues to thrive.
A gifted story-teller, Jeannie weaves universal themes throughout this intriguing tale, while capturing the sometimes surprising power of herbs.
Cindy Jones, Ph.D., is owner of SageScript Institute (www.SageScript.com).