From one of the founders of Hill Country Lavender comes this honest, funny, and poignant memoir of a woman who gives up a lot for the man she loves—her beloved blue state, bagels and all-night bodegas—only to wonder: Was it too much? In 1990, Jeannie Ralston was a successful magazine writer and bona fide city girl—the type of woman who couldn’t imagine living on soil not shaded by … imagine living on soil not shaded by skyscrapers. By 1994, she had called off an engagement, married Robb, a National Geographic photographer, and was living in Blanco Texas, population 1600.
In The Unlikely Lavender Queen, Ralston offers a lively chronicle of her life as a wife, new mother and an urban settler in rural Texas. As she labors to convert a dilapidated barn into a livable home, deal with scorpions and unbearably hot summers, and raise two young children while Robb is frequently away on assignment, she realizes her ultimate struggle is to reconcile her life plans and goals with her husband’s without coming out the proverbial loser. And just when it seems like she might be losing that fight—and herself—a little purple bloom changes her life.
For centuries lavender has been a mystical herb, so valuable to ancient Romans that a bushel would cost nearly a month’s wages. But when Robb returns from a trip to Provence with a plan for growing lavender on their land, Ralston is not convinced—in fact the last thing she needed or wanted was to take up farming on top of everything else. Then, much to her surprise, she slowly but surely falls in love with lavender, and in the course of growing and selling blooms, hosting the public at the farm, and creating lavender products, she discovers a new side of herself. A few short years later, Ralston had built Hill Country Lavender, a thriving commercial enterprise that transforms both her little corner of Texas and her life.
The Unlikely Lavender Queen will resonate with all women who have faced the tough choices that come with “having it all” and secretly (or not so secretly) hoped for great adventure to come along and surprise them. Ralston’s memoir is a testament to the fact that such adventures await us around every bend in life.
more
It was very interesting to read about a new enterprise in growing a new flower in the Texas Hill Country.
Good story of how life can change us as we move through it, and a good message about being open to new possibilities. Relationships aren’t always easy, but going through hard times or things doesn’t have to be the end.
I usually love books like this but just couldn’t get past the author’s attitude. She was such a complainer and comes off as self centered. It was too much. Hard to even give what could have been a good read two stars.
There is some interesting material. But I found the writer applied and whiney. Did not make it past the sample.
I love memoirs of people who are totally unlike me and this fits the bill. Way more brave than me. I was surprised that she followed her husband into most anything he wanted.
I already reviewed this book. It was excellent.
Loved the turns in the life of this writer and her husband. Shows how we need to be open to new experiences and even love that will send us on adventures in life we cannot imagine.
This book intrigued me because we recently moved to north Austin to be closer to our daughter. We’ve been visiting our daughter for the past several years and decided to retire to this lovely part of the world. The author’s elitist, liberal tendencies appear far too many times in this book. The story was spoiled for me. It would have been far more appealing without the constant reference to her political preferences. She took too many opportunities to denigrate and criticise conservative Texans from the small town of Blanco. Her minor change of heart later in the story was too little, too late. Celebrities, authors and so-called journalists need to entertain without incorporating their political opinions.
The author and her husband are just so unlikeable.
I hated this book. She is full of herself and put down Texas and Texans. She is so proud of being a New Yorker and then you find out she isn’t a New Yorker, she’s from the south. What a poser!
If you love self aggrandizement and self pity you will like this book
Great story of the transformation of a city girl to county farmer.
The author kept my attention throughout the book. The narrative was interesting, informative and delightful.
My wife and I own and live on a ranch near Blanco, Texas. We know some of the people in Blanco the author was referring too. I wasn’t pleased that she appeared to be a Liberal in Politics and was not very forgiving to people that were Primarily from another party and then they moved to Mexico just as the Gangs were starting
there, but they apparently went so their two sons would be very proficients in the Spanish language.
Amil
I LOVED this book. I’m thinking of growing lavender in East Texas and I stumbled on this book a couple of days into the “thinking.” It answered a lot of questions, and the autobiography intrigued me. I couldn’t put it down. Having lived in Austin for 7 years, in the last century, I felt like I had traveled back in time. I also understand her love for Mexico, having traveled and stayed many times in different parts of the interior. The author is an excellent writer. I enjoyed it immensely.
Interesting easy read.