Lavender Farm

If my arm was longer, this would've been a better photo!

As I was perusing the paper over the weekend, I found an idea for a little road trip for Fermin and I to take on Memorial Day.  I love lavender-- I put lavender essential oil in my bathtub every night and it's a great addiction!  So when I saw an article about the "Lavender Festival" going on at a Lavender Farm in Gainsville, Texas I told Fermin about it.  He wasn't anywhere near as excited as me.  In  fact, I don't really think he was excited at all.  When he would hear me tell someone what our plans were for Monday, he'd say, "Well, we might go there!" But somehow, I convinced him to go along with it.  And he did. Yay!

All that was left of the lavender...Nothing!

In the article I read, it said that for just $8, you could go out into the fields and pick a bunch of lavender.  When we arrived, there wasn't any lavender left to pick.  Evidently, it all got picked by other lavender lovers on Saturday.  Boo.

But they did have a craft area, sort of like the article had said.  But it was mainly old stuff that looked like maybe it had been picked up at a garage sale.  But believe it or not, I was able to find some stuff I wanted!  We didn't make an hour and a half drive for nothing!!  I found a wall clock for $5 and a little heart shaped trinket holder for $2.

There was also a cafe at the Lavender Farm.  I had read about this in the article as well.  Pretty much everything seemed to have at least a little lavender in it.  The iced tea had a little too much.  It tasted sort of  like we were drinking my bath water.  Yum? But the Lavender cheesecake made the whole thing worth it!

There was also a tiny little gift shop where they sold some soaps, oils, etc. all made with lavender.  I wasn't leaving this place with out some kind of lavender so I bought some bath salts!

So yes, it was a bit disappointing that we didn't get to pick fresh lavender- but it was still a fun little day trip and we're glad we took it!  (Of course, on speaking for both of us here and making the assumption that he agrees....)

Tonight at Opening Bell Coffee

I'm playing at Opening Bell Coffee tonight at 8pm- Just one set, so please get there at 8:00!  Sarah will be accompanying me on cello!

Sweet Kisses

This is the cutest little video I've seen in a while...  We all have had this wonderful feeling before, and it's just such sweetness to see how happy Elliot is after kissing his friend on the lips!  High Five!!!

"Happy Anniversary, Baby!"

At one of our favorite Mexican food spots on our anniversary yesterday!

The world didn't end (yay!) and so Fermin and I made it to our 17 year anniversary yesterday!  17 years sounds like a long time, but it doesn't feel like it.  And it's weird to me now that we got married at the age of 15!  (wink-wink)

I'll be playing out on the lovely patio at Cafe Lago this Friday, May 20th from 7-9pm.  If it's raining, we'll bring it inside of course!  Hope to see you there!

This Sucks

What I paid to fill my car yesterday--- Urgh.  :(

Raising a Family

When people ask me what I've been up to lately, altho I don't say it, what I want to say is:

"I'm raising my family."

Lucy

I am consumed, like any new mother, with these 2 sweet little puppies that have come into our lives.  Having a puppy and trying to train and raise him to be a good citizen takes a lot of time.  And doing that with 2 puppies takes so much time that right now, there's not much left for anything else.

And besides, I have very little interest in doing much else that I don't have to do right now.  Puppyhood is a brief moment in time, and I'm happy to devote myself to them above all else right now.

Ricky

But I am still playing music.  Lucy and I share my studio...She sleeps in there, and I play in there.  I usually play when she's resting.  I think of it as singing lullabies to my girl.  I'm pretty sure she likes it.  Ricky rests next door in Fermin's office, and he seems to like the music as well.  Lately, I've been editing thru a lot of previously written songs- Songs I've written over the past year and a half.  Mining for songs for my next CD.

I'm pretty sure there are new songs marinating inside of me about our puppies... How could this kind of love not inspire?

I want to get back to writing for this blog, but lately, my other blog is top banana.  But I'll try to get back to posting a couple of times a week.  Jump over here if you'd like to read my blog about all things Ricky and Lucy.  Or just stay tuned here, and I intend to get back to checking in more regularly...

Thank you for being patient while I'm raising my family!

No better way to spend the day...

Illin' and Chillin'

I never get sick.  I mean never.  But well....I've been sick this week.  And I breathed all over my husband and made him sick too.  BOO.

So for these things, Casa Arista is thankful:

My Sinuses would like to thank my Neti Pot!

Something disgusting and magnificent at the same time!

Lucy and Ricky would like to thank their Bully Sticks!

Long lasting chew toys for the pups when we didn't feel like entertaining them.   Just a gross little tidbit: Bully Sticks are made from bull penises. Yum.

And I speak for both my also sick husband, Fermin, and myself when I say the biggest thank you goes to our puppies, Lucy and Ricky.  Because even on the sickest of sick days, they make us feel really lucky and really happy!

"I love Lucy and she loves me...we're as happy as two can be..."