Sunday Letter ~ May 2024

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

Don’t you just love May? While I don’t know the history behind the maypole, I love the idea of it, girls dressed in floaty, flouncy dresses wrapping Easter-colored ribbons around and around and under and over. Hair woven with flowers—clover and daisies and baby’s breath.

May feeds me and fuels me; fills me now with words to use later. If I could, I would spend all of my time crawling on my hands and knees looking for every tiny change in each plant budding and blooming. (I do spend quite a bit of time doing this very thing—ha.)

The past few weeks have been excellent for migration. We’ve had goldfinches and rose-breasted grosbeaks at our feeder (always a thrill!), and the monarchs have been passing through laying eggs on our milkweed. Yay!

I know Christmas wears the moniker of being the most wonderful time of the year, but really, spring is hard to top.

The Power of Awe

I believe in the power of awe. Looking for and noticing awe can be life-changing. I automatically did this as a child (and you probably did too) because new delights and wonder filled each day. Life wasn’t perfect, but my sister and I found goodness easily: the ditches surrounding our fields held tadpoles and turtles; the turnrow was a racetrack for our Matchbox cars; the backyard cherry trees provided afternoon snacking in late July.

Somewhere along the way we became more serious about school, spending more time solving for “x” and less time pondering roly poly bugs underneath rocks. But I’m here to remind you that even as adults, life is large enough for both. Balancing the adult things we are called to do with those magical childhood pursuits can coexist. In fact, they complement each other nicely, one making the other more doable.

Awe is out there, everywhere, waiting to be seen and felt and heard. It’s up to us to slow down, look for it, and channel that inner child. We have to allow ourselves to be amazed every single day.

I’m not a doctor or psychologist, and I preach about the power of awe based solely on my personal experience and common sense. But for me, carving out a few minutes to notice awe provides fuel and positivity throughout my day. And it’s true—how you spend your days is how you spend your life. That’s Annie Dillard’s quote, not mine. And it’s maybe the truest thing ever said.

A few things that awed me last week:

• The first hummingbird of the season;
• Rain after a dry spell;
• A hawk soaring just over our house;
• First coneflower bloom of the season;
• Aroma of iris;
• Gift of a plant from a neighbor;
• Watching a neighbor’s dog play in his plastic swimming pool;
• A Momma robin’s determination to build her nest on our porch;
• The sound of tree frogs;
• First bloom on a relocated rose;
• Teeny monarch caterpillars!

What has awed you lately?

Wisconsin Book Club

I had the pleasure of hosting The Happy Bookers in my home a few weeks ago.

These ladies came for a book discussion of my third book, Bernice Runs Away. It was an amazing treat for me, and yes, I’m still in great awe that they traveled from Wisconsin to northwest Arkansas for this event.

How did this come to be?

I had donated a book club discussion for ten people to the Arkansas Master Gardener State conference’s silent auction last year. A Little Rock master gardener purchased it and invited her former Wisconsin book club group to participate. Wow.

We had a wonderful time and not only discussed the book, but also my writing process, publishing, marketing—all the things. When someone asked me which of my three books is my favorite, I said I couldn’t possibly choose. This may sound trite, but it’s true—they are all my favorites for different reasons.

Several days later, I continued to think about this question as I was working in the garden. We have a variety of iris blooming and every color is gorgeous to me. I couldn’t choose a favorite from my three books any more easily than I could choose a favorite iris.

Do you have a favorite?

Chili Lime Sugar Cookies

I shared this recipe on the blog almost nine years ago, and I think it’s high time to re-share for those who may have missed it or forgotten its yumminess. These are super-easy to bake because I use pre-packaged sugar cookies! A little heat with a twist of lime, seriously, these are yummy any time of year but quite perfect for the Cinco de Mayo Eve / Derby Day party we had yesterday.

Click HERE for the recipe.

Things Momma Says

I just like plain vodka.

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Thanks for reading today’s May Sunday Letter. Now, go find some awe this week and please report back:)

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.