ramblings from an arkansas farm girl
When I was a kid, Momma always said “Home again, home again, jiggity jig,” whenever we pulled into the carport. Actually, she still does, and so of course, sometimes I do too. After a week in Austin with my daughter, it feels good to be home from Texas.
But Austin was fantastic as Austin always is. I felt a tinge of nostalgia driving home, and realize there are definitely things I miss about living in Texas. Things that are uniquely Texas. A feeling more than anything else.
Meet Blue. Blue belongs to my daughter, Kelsey, and she belongs to him, and they live in Austin where the bluebonnets are in full bloom. It’s a great relationship except for the fact that she broke her ankle and he’s a puppy with tons of energy and they live in an upstairs apartment and she’s in law school and I’m sure you can understand why I might be in Austin for a few days. While there’s never a good time to have a broken ankle, it worked out well for me considering the bluebonnets.
So Blue and I go for walks in the bluebonnets.
U.S. News and World Report named Austin, Texas the #2 place to live just ahead of #3 Fayetteville, Arkansas (where I live). I’m pretty sure the bluebonnets pushed Austin ahead of Northwest Arkansas. Bluebonnets and Tex-Mex food, no doubt. And, of course, all of South Congress.Continue Reading
All my life, American Greetings has been a magical mystery to me. A rather serious looking building, it spreads low on the flat delta landscape even wrapping around its own private lake. And although located only a few miles from where I grew up, I’d never stepped foot inside. Until a few weeks ago.
Being a writer sometimes has its perks. At long last, I wormed my way inside and confirmed lots of things I’d always heard like employees really do ride bicycles inside. And they buzz around in golf cart-type vehicles, too. Internal transportation is a necessary thing because the plant occupies nearly 2.6 million square feet, or 60 acres.
60 acres is the equivalent of 54 football fields, and that’s a big chunk of real estate.Continue Reading
