BOOK: A Lady and her Lavender

A LADY and her LAVENDER from sunrise to sunset

A LADY and her LAVENDER from sunrise to sunset

PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN jeremy ryan STORY gavin o’neill

copyright © 2011-2012 Jeremy Ryan Hatfield. All rights reserverd.

A LADY LAVENDER and her

from sunrise to sunset

This is a story of a day at a farm.

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sunrise

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the farm

As the old sun rises and wakes the land, Yule Love It Lavender Farm takes a big stretch and a yawn. The morning is here and the day has begun. But what to do? Oh, so much on a farm.

While morning shadows gently nudge the fields awake, lavender is seen in the light. From light to dark hues, the colors range boldly. The day will be filled with priming, plucking, growing and snipping in the sun.

When rays of gold hit the ground, the fields can be known by name. Signs say anything from Hidcote, Grosso, to Mystery Blue. Let’s not forget Provence, it’s a house favorite.

Green thumbs go long ways for the lady, she’s got a gorgeous garden too! In the early morning light, the manicured flowerbeds are fit for a fairytale.

Once the greenhouse and its little buds meets its morning warmth, a cheery sign welcomes guests to a tour. Hurry up they start at ten o’clock sharp!

Yule Love it.

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the orchestra The orchestra begins to tune its buzz when breakfast is served. This isn’t a regular symphony of sorts, folks, we’re looking at a full eight hours of melodious humming.

These honey bees zig and zag from post to pedal carrying pollen as they please. The first workers in the field are our friendly yellow-jacket friends that make sure the flowers are served with personal attention.

Though the process seems at random, I assure the results are great. With precision and patience, the bees gently swoop in and swoon the flower, gathering great amounts of pollen along the way.

It’s a whole new tune of whistle while you work.

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the harvest

Although it’s still early, the farm has been hard at work to greet the lady and her friends. Just like a proper Thanksgiving table, the lady brings family and close friends each day to work with her favorite flower. They’ve got pruning, and picking, and bundlng to do ever before they think of hanging the purple locks to dry.

There is still so much day left and plenty to get done before guests arrive so this lady gets to work!

With a joke, a jig, a smile, and some helping hands, the gang gathers around the fragrent fields and gets busy. It’s a famously hot day in July here on the farm, which makes it just about the busiest time of year.

Something about this lady, makes everyone a little more happy. Or maybe it’s the lavender. I’ve got a feeling it’s a little bit of both.

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The lavender was so pretty for the lady that morning, the sky began to compete to spite it...

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the guests Just as the last bundle is bunched and hanging, the guests come eager for their promise of a tour. Some are neighbors, while others have taken special day trips just to see the lady and her favorite flower. Everyone’s a jitter at what they’ll learn and the lady beams as she begins her story.

As they wander and weave along the grounds it becomes clear that the flower isn’t just this lady’s favorite, it’s an old friend. The facts soften to secrets and the lavender shows that its true colors run much deeper than lilac.

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high tea As the sun reaches upward, high in the sky, it must be tea time. After giving the guests their own hand with the lushes locks, the lady invites all her new comrades to an old fashioned english tea setting.

Not one setting will match thank you very much, and that’s just the way the lady likes it.

Each teapot and cup holds a story of thrifty adventure and exploration. It’s an invitation to use her treasures.

The lady swiftly serves her sweets to the guests under the farm’s very own pergola. Everyone enjoys a homemade scone while swapping stories of their victories and mishaps of binding lavender on their own.

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the pavilion Right as the heat of the day reaches its brink, off they march to the pavilion! It’s a place of refuge and relief from the hot July sun. Here guests, and workers alike, sip tea and cool water in the afternoons.

When tea time is finished, the lady invites guests to the pavilion to learn how lavender does indeed, belong in the kitchen. With a delectable truffle demonstration, the guests are taught how to impress their loved ones back home.

The pavilion is a place where bundles hang to dry. Guests also participate in a town tradition of braiding colorful thread through their bouquets of beautiful lavender.

Don’t forget the menu she’s got! It’s regionally known. From ice cream, to cookies, brownies, and lemonade, everything’s a delight. You better believe each one is a showcase of her favorite flower, lavender.

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the gift shop Just behind the canopy of the pavilion is the farm gift shop. It is here that guests can take home a piece of their day to share the wonders of lavender first hand.

This place has everything! From lavender cinnamon sugar, to lavender-lemon pepper, fresh lavender honey, to flowers by the bunch.

It’s not just for the kitchen either, she’s got bath salts, lotions, room sprays, and more.

It truly is a community effort here. The lady even showcases local art and homemade crafts from neighbors, loved ones, and friends.

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the sunset

What a mystery it is when the sky turns that effortless pink and purple. People all around the world holler to one another to gather around so they don’t miss it. What a treat it is to see the sun set each day. Just imagine it, surrounded by lavender.

The farm has had a long, busy day, and as the fireflies begin to turn on their night lights, short jokes and long stories are exchanged around the dinner table. The lady knows her day is done. Another day full of friends and new events, of memories reminding her of what has happened and what is yet to come. However this day, regretfully and thankfully, is over.

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Originally tilled with tears, the farm was a cry of sorrow.

Today its soft and soothing fragrance not only heals the loss of last yesterdays, but remedies the aching souls of the guests that visit. No one came that day expecting help, but everyone left with the most comforting medicine no doctor has ever prescribed.

the end

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the lady...

Iris Lee Underwood

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A LADY and her LAVENDER

from sunrise to sunset

This book is a photo journal from my week on Yule Love It Lavender Farm in Leonard, Michigan during the peak harvest in July of 2011. The week brought many incredible memories and inspiration. There’s really nothing quite like lying in a field of lavender with the tranquil sound of honey bees filling the air.

I tried to harvest as much as I could to justify my free stay on the farm, but I would often drop my scissors and basket and run for my camera. I couldn’t put it down.

By the end of the week, I walked away with over 4,000 photographs and blisters from clipping my puny contribution of harvested bundles.!

I was beyond impressed with what my Aunt Iris had accomplished on her farm and within her community.

I look up to her in so many ways. Creating this book for her was the very least I could do to show my thanks for a week on a lavender farm that I’ll never forget!

Jeremy Ryan