Rosemary Blooming at Purple Ranch

Have you ever seen Rosemary blooming? Did you even know that Rosemary bloomed? I know I didn't, but it does. Actually "Mom" Hand can get anything to grow that she touches, including Rosemary. I'm not sure if it is Mom Magic or she just has that special green thumb that everything she touches blooms! Got Lavender?

Its Beginning to Look Alot Like a Lavender Christmas!

As the Purple Ranch Hands are busy winterizing the Purple Ranch Lavender Farm, we are preparing for the Christmas Season as well. All of our products can be sold individually or in ready to go Christmas Gift Boxes. Got Lavender?

Purple Ranch Booth, New Photos

Recently the Purple Ranch Hands participated in the State Fair of Texas and various other fairs in and around Texas. We have updated our booth so I thought I would show you a few photos. Got Lavender?

Purple Ranch Lavender Wands in Living Color

Well as I previously stated, weaving lavender wands can only be done during harvest time when the lavender is cut fresh; otherwise the stems are way too brittle and can break. So, I thought I would share some photos of Bren and Mom actually weaving the wands to give you an idea what it looks like. On average a wand can take up to an hour to weave, but when you have a bunch of people weaving, the time just seems to fly by. Got Lavender?

Purple Ranch as Far as the Eyes Can See!

Today was all about cutting lavender and weaving wands (see blog on June 8th) and with so much fresh lavender to choose from, it was pretty easy. We had a bunch of Purple Ranchers on site today to weave including my friend Jewels. She is quite the weaver and her wands put mine to shame. Actually I am beginning to think that the lavender fields are magical because you can go through and cut an entire row (did I mention that you have to cut each lavender bloom by hand with a pair of scissors?) and turn around and it looks like you didn't even touch it. Bizarre. Got Lavender?

Purple Ranch Moseys to the Waxahachie Gingerbread Trail

This weekend was the 40th Annual Gingerbread Trail and Arts Show in Waxahachie, Texas and the Purple Ranch Hands decided to mosey south to partake in the festivities. As usual, we had a great time, met lots of fine folks, and eduated many on the art of lavender wand making. Since the lavender is in bloom, and wands can only be made when it is fresh, we were able to start making wands at the booth. Many curious people stopped by to see our talents and we were able to teach them how to weave. Since I used to live and work in Waxahachie, I was able to visit with many people that I haven't seen in years....it was like a reunion of sorts.....and I was very glad we made the trip. Also lets not forget the yummy dinner we had at The Rockett Cafe, home of the Best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas! Got Lavender?

Abe Standing Tall

Now how cool is this? Abe Bigoda standing very proud and tall overlooking the lavender fields? He is almost complete except for some cosmetic improvements, but for the most part it would take more than a Level 5 tornado to rock his world. My favorite part of the day has always been sunset and now with the fields in bloom and Abe available, I love to sit on one of his benches and smell the lavender and watch the sky turn the same color. Got Lavender?

Lavender Field of Dreams

Do you remember the movie, "Field of Dreams" with Kevin Costner? One of my favorite movies....anyway, towards the end of the movie, the voice says, "if you build it, they will come." Well yesterday at the official Purple Ranch Lavender Farm Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with the Royse City Chamber of Commerce, exactly that happened. It was straight out of the end of the movie. We were preparing for the arrival of everyone and suddenly we went from having no one at the farm, to a stream of cars coming from both directions turning into the driveway. It was an amazing sight. As you can see from the photo to the right, Abe Bigoda served as a great gathering place and the lavender in full bloom behind him, served as a great backdrop. Got Lavender?

Purple Ranch Tribute to Mandy Puppy

No you aren't losing your mind.....Mandy Puppy was not raised from the dead. This is the official Purple Ranch Tribute to Amanda May II, a.k.a, Mandy Puppy.....a life size ceramic of Mandy that is by her gravesite. It is so life-like that people who have visited the Ranch have actually sat in their cars and watched her to see if it is ok to proceed as they did not realize that she wasn't real. I am very proud that she has a prominent place on the Ranch guarding the lavender and the inhabitants. I want to personally thank all the Purple Ranch Hands that contributed to Mandy's tribute. You will never truly know how much this means to me. Got lavender?

Purple Ranch Sleeper

Well as a Purple Rancher, your job is never done. Some times, we get so tired, we just fall asleep standing up! Ok, just kidding. Here is Bren modeling our Purple Ranch Lavender Mask. It is filled with lavender buds and is used in spas and for home therapy. Bren put it on and wham! she was relaxed. Got Lavender?

Lavender Grapefruit Has Arrived!

At Purple Ranch Lavender Farm we try to be innovative and listen
to our customers with regards to new products and services. One of the many requests was a new soap using a combination of lavender and grapefruit to compliment our very popular Lavender Lemongrass Liquid Soap. Well not only did we create a new Lavender Grapefruit Liquid Soap, but a new bar soap as well. It is very light and refreshing and we have many men customers who just love it! If you haven't swung by any of our booths to try it, you can always order it on line at www.purpleranch.com. Got Lavender?

Purple Ranch Hits a Double Hitter

Today was a double hitter for the Purple Ranch Lavender Farm. Some of the Purple Ranch Hands stayed in the Dallas area and worked the Swiss Avenue Tour of Homes Arts and Crafts Fair and some traveled to the 118th Annual Maifest in Brenham. Mother's Day weekend turned out to be a great weekend for all. If you missed us, you can always order products on line at http://www.purpleranch.com/ or see our calender for details of our next event: the 40th Annual Gingerbread Trail in Waxahachie, Texas in June. Got Lavender?

Ladies Night Out in The Woodlands Included Purple Ranch

Last night Purple Ranch Lavender Farm ventured down to The Woodlands, outside of Houston, for the The Ladies Night Out which is held each year to benefit the Montgomery County Youth Services. We had a fantastic turnout and met a lot of great people. If you missed this event, the Purple Ranch Hands are taken it to the streets once again this Mother's Day weekend in both Dallas, the Swiss Avenue Home Tour and Arts Festival, and in Brenham at the 118th Maifest. You can get more details at http://www.purpleranch.com/calendar/ Got Lavender?

Purple Ranch Lavender Buds

The fields are all a buzz at Purple Ranch Lavender Farm as the first signs of lavender are starting to bud out. As the month of May progresses, more and more lavender will show up on the plants and before you know it, the entire field will be purple with color. I just love springtime on Purple Ranch! Got Lavender?

Abe Bigoda or is it Abe Pergola?

For those of you who are under 35, you most likely don't remember the mid-1970s TV show "Barney Miller" that starred Abe Vigoda as "Fish". Fish was a great, fun loving cop that had a dry sense of humor and wit. Some of you may know that Abe Vigoda, the man, is still alive at the age of 87, but few of you know that Abe Bigoda is now living on Purple Ranch Lavender Farm. Here he is.....
The real name of this structure is a Pergola. This is an outdoor structure, like an arbor, that can be traced back architecturally to 1645 in Italy. It is made of a series of beams and supports, but does not have a complete covered roof to protect from the weather. Instead it has plants, typically vines, that will weave between the wood to create an elaborate array of greenery and flowers. Well Purple Ranch now has its very own Pergola, a.k.a. Abe Bigoda. The reason that I started calling the structure this, is because 1. I have a hard time with the real pronunciation of Pergola (pur-guh-luh), 2. it is a really tall structure so it reminded me of both Abe Vigoda AND Abe Lincoln who were and are very tall men, and 3. it sounded funny and we try to have a good time at Purple Ranch when at all possible. Got Lavender?

Soul Sisters at Purple Ranch

As we pass through this life we will meet many people. Some people meet for a moment in time, some are for a season, some are for a lifetime. Some people have friends forever and some have fleeting friends. When you find your best friend, you know it. Brenda is just that friend. Bren and I have known each other since 2002 and were work friends....you know, the type of friend you see just at work and every once in a while you would go out to dinner or something. In 2005 when Bren was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, that all changed. Unbeknownst to us, we became Soul Sisters over her cancer. When Bren asked me why I was there during her chemo treatments, I thought that was odd.....why wouldn't I be there? I never thought twice about it. Friends shouldn't be there in only the good times, but also the bad.

I have 3 biological sisters and she has 2 biological sisters and 1 brother. It isn't like we were searching for another sibling, but that is just what happened. Since then we have cried together, prayed together, had our disagreements together, but most of all we have laughed together. Bren and I laugh at life, at ourselves, and at situations that arise. She knows what I'm thinking before I say it. When I hurt, she hurts. When she hurts, I hurt. When I act like an idiot, she tells me. So if you are wondering why I am so involved in Purple Ranch Lavender Farm; think Soul Sisters. Got Lavender?