Lavandula angustifolia

Last weekend my friend, E, and I made a return visit to the Finger Lakes Lavender Festival (last year's post can be seen here). We had such a nice time at the 2011 festival that we decided then and there to visit again. The drive from our little area of New York to the town the festival is in takes about 3.5 hours, but it's barely noticeable with all the pretty farmland and countryside to look at. Interstate-90 even runs along the Erie Canal for a while and we amused ourselves trying to recall the Erie Canal song we learned way back in grade school (we laughed more than we sang!).

Hat: Target, Sunglasses: TJ Maxx, Cardigan: H&M, Dress: J.Crew outlet 

Unfortunately, we've been experiencing really high temperatures (think 90F and above) lately with little-to-no rain, so the otherwise lovely lawns and pastures at the farm were dull and brown this year. And in my adamant refusal to use sunblock anywhere other than on my legs, I walked around nearly all day in long sleeves. I did bring a short sleeved tie-front blousey-thing to wear, in intervals, when the heat got unbearable and am pleased to say I made it through the day without getting sunburned (or a farmer's tan).

 

I picked another bundle of Royal Velvet culinary lavender to bring home along with a few other small purchases: soaps, a tote bag, honey, and lavender fudge sauce. One of the food vendors this year was selling lavender ice cream, so naturally I had to get some of that as well. It was delicious! Now, from food to funny: while I was sitting in the grass picking my lavender two different people approached me to take my photo. I found it rather amusing as one tried twice to get my attention before I realized what was happening while the other didn't. I just happened to look up and there her lens was staring me down. I have yet to come across any of these other photos on the internet - haha!

Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly

 

Bluebird of happiness

It wasn't my intention to stop blogging so abruptly, but as eluded to in my last post the life I knew up until this past spring changed in an instant. I couldn't think much further beyond meeting my basic needs, hence hitting the pause button on this little space of mine. In the days and weeks that followed I was deeply touched by the messages I received via e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and even regular mail expressing concern when the reason behind my hasty departure wasn't even known. Your kindness helped to lift my heart and for that I genuinely thank you and yet wonder if those two simple words are really enough to express the gratitude I feel.

I have taken the last few weeks to get to know myself again. I am slowly finding joy and comfort in my own interests and hobbies. It feels strange to even think that the life I led before a certain day in April no longer exists. It has become part of my past and now I have to use all that it holds to guide my future.

All of this has been to preface the following, and it isn't easy for me to say by any means: for the last 2 months+ I have been grieving the loss of someone I love dearly and deeply. I am grieving the loss of someone I never thought I'd have to grieve over so early in our lives. I am learning that my grief will be a lifelong process, that even though I will always feel an emptiness, my life will begin to work around it and regain a sense of peace.

Despite my sadness, the summer holds many promises of fun that I can happily say I am looking forward to: day trips and long weekends with friends, baseball games and free plays in the park, the new Batman movie, lots and lots of ice cream, family time, kayaking, flea markets, parties, concerts, etc.

Thank you for sticking around to read this. I hope to resume blogging here at Resplendent Tranquility soon.

Until then,
Emily