The All You Can Dream Buffet (42 page)

Any mistakes are entirely my own. I hope I got it mostly right.

The second person I must thank effusively is Debbie Gorham, at Willakenzie Lavender (and Alpaca) Farm, also in Yamhill County (
www.willakenzielavender.com
).

It was Debbie who provided the background for the growing of lavender, the various forms of oil and products, the challenges and joys of growing lavender. Not only did she generously offer all this detail with humor and deep passion, she did it on an afternoon when she was preparing for the massively popular Yamhill Lavender Festival, which was only two weeks away. Thank you, Debbie! Again, all mistakes are my own.

I also want to tip my hat to the magazine
Artful Blogging,
which provides me with many hours of reading pleasure, and from which the seeds of this novel began. Over and over women in those lovely pages say, “Starting this blog changed my life.…”

Finally, I’m grateful as ever to my publishing team, especially Shauna Summers and Meg Ruley, who encourage me and push me and (gently) roll their eyes when I get off track. I am a far, far better writer because of you both.

Grateful acknowledgment is given for permission to reprint the following photographs:

Lavender Honey Farms blog:
Agata Luczak (bee on lavender)
;
Ewa Dacko (lavender bouquet)
;
Helmet Gevert (lavender sprig)
;
Luke Miller (sheep)

The Flavor of a Blue Moon blog:
Joe Biafore/iStock (close up of cherries)
;
Joseph Hoban (cherries in bowl)
;
Matthias Lutsch (cherries on table)
;
Saulo Dourado/iStock (cashews)
;
Dora Pete (onions and garlic)
;
Carlos Rios (dry white beans)
;
Liv Friis-Larsen/iStock (bowl of honey)
;
Kriss Szkurlatowski (honey comb, wooden honey spoons)
;
Dušan Kostič (split watermelon)
;
Marta Rostek (whole melons)
;
Andrea Kratzenberg (cut watermelon)
;
Jean Scheijen (champagne cork)
;
Alaina Cherup (peaches)

Cake of Dreams blog:
VeselovaElena/iStock (streusel cake)
;
Robert Linton/iStock (black forest cake)
;
Nicky Gordon/iStock (cake in bowl topped with whipped cream)
;
Kevin Mills/iStock (Columbia Gorge)
;
Sherri Camp/iStock (lavender cake)
;
Marc Espolet/iStock (bakery storefront)

Steve Krull/iStock (Pikes Peak)

Barbara O’Neal fell in love with food and restaurants at the age of fifteen, when she landed a job in a Greek café and served baklava for the first time. She sold her first novel in her twenties, and has since won a plethora of awards, including two Colorado Book Awards and six prestigious RITAs, including one for
The Lost Recipe for Happiness.
Her novels have been widely published in Europe and Australia, and she travels all over the world presenting workshops, hiking hundreds of miles, and, of course, eating. She lives with her partner, a British endurance athlete, and their collection of cats and dogs, in Colorado Springs.