Hello Sunday letter friends and happy April to you! April is one of my favorite months for so many reasons. The dogwoods in our neighborhood are in full bloom making a dog walk downright magical. Isn’t it incredible how quickly the world greens up when the right time comes?
Finally, we can spend lots of time in the garden.
Butterflies and bees are back, milkweed is coming up, and although I’ve not yet seen a hummingbird, my feeder is hanging just outside our kitchen window.
My sister’s birthday is this month, so there’s a party in our future. Yay!
Earth Day happens in April too. Of course, everyday is Earth Day at our house.
With so much craziness in the world, April came along just in time. I stop to inhale the familiar fragrance of a deep purple iris and remember there is still plenty of good all around. Because good isn’t loud and rude, sometimes we have to step away from the fray to see it.
Eclipse Excitement
As a moon nerd, I’m excited about the total solar eclipse TOMORROW. I’ve even been studying my houseplants for strange pre-eclipse behavior. There’s a perverse part of me that expects my Thanksgiving cactus might morph into Audrey II. 😂
Feeeeed me!!
I recently spent an entire afternoon repotting most of my houseplants, combining a few succulents and rejuvenating our orchids. When the total eclipse darkens our house, my strange and interesting plants will be waiting.
But seriously, it’s no wonder eclipse fever has hit our area. There have only been two total solar eclipses in Arkansas history—in 1834 and 1918. If you miss this one, you’ll have to wait until 2045 to catch the next one.
Rare things are often cool simply because they are rare.
Lucky Marble
It has been eight years since my first book came out, so let me refresh your memory about a detail in The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee: Gracie finds a marble at Boon Chapel and considers it lucky.
“It looked like the earth, deep blue and bright white with a green swirl in the center. I took it home and placed it inside my jewelry box. I considered it valuable and a sign of good luck.”
The marble becomes an important symbol in the story. I won’t say more in case you’ve not read Gracie Lee’s story yet.
When I’m home on the farm, I love to walk around the field behind our house. It’s a great way to get in my daily steps, and I always find treasures on the turnrow, like cool shells and bits of glass. Once I found an entire baseball bat half buried on the ditch bank! A couple of weeks ago, my sister and I were out walking, and I found a marble right in our path.
The earliest marbles were clay or stone; later, glass came along and color was added. When I find an old marble, I wonder how it came to be wherever I found it. Especially this one!
Some people believe a marble is symbolic of communication and clarity. Others believe a found marble is a message from a loved one, much like seeing a cardinal or a feather floating by. I think marbles are cool to find, and finding this one at the back of our field (the setting for my 1st book) while working on my 4th book? Like Gracie Lee, I consider it a sign of good luck.
This Clematis!
Have you ever seen such show-stopping color in a clematis?
The variety is Mrs. N. Thompson, and I saw her at Westwood Gardens in Fayetteville.
I don’t know who Mrs. N. Thompson was, but she must have been a colorful lady.
Things Momma Says:
God steps in when I’m doing foolish things.
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Thanks for reading today’s April Sunday Letter. I’ll be back next week with an update. Stay safe, everyone!
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
Enjoyed your Sunday letter today, looking forward to next Sunday.
I wish that marble could talk, tell us of all her adventures, how she got in the field. 😎
What a sweet story.
What a sweet story. I found my hubby’s marbles while Spring cleaning last year and wound up pouring them into my pants pockets. The kids next door had no idea what to do with them.
It’s so good to see you still healthy and happy living in the mountains. Sorry, but I’m not jealous. I have learned to love living in South Florida and being able to go to the beach any time I want—all year long! You made a lasting impression at that writers’ conference so long ago. And it has been so much fun getting your newsletters and catching up on how good it is to be a grace and grits guy. Keep up the good work.
Love your Sunday letters and especially enjoyed the eclipse music!
EIGHT YEARS! You came to my house a few months after Gracie was published for our Faith Methodist Church bookclub meeting. You were a hit & we’ve enjoyed all your books. Time really does fly!
My grandfather made clay marbles for his five boys. The three sisters were not allowed to play with them nor were the grandchildren. We thought all the clay marbles had been lost, but one of my uncles (one of the five boys) found one at the old home site. What a treasure tied in with so many memories!
Love to hear all your stories. Waiting on next book!
Loved this letter! You perfectly captured nostalgic daydreams of remembered springs.
I have a jar of marbles my brother and cousin played with when we were children. Treasures to me now.
Looking forward to your next book.
Thanks, friend!