grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

so much depends upon a… John Deere Tractor

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so much depends
upon

a john deere
tractor

coated with delta
soil

beside the grain
buggy.

My 16 word poem is styled in the format of William Carlos Williams’ famous work The Red Wheelbarrow.  Not familiar with it? click here—> The Red Wheelbarrow… (I would reprint it but don’t want to tangle with copyright issues…)

The Red Wheelbarrow is a simple poem, one long sentence broken down into couplets. Each phrase builds upon the next, each slows the reader down and raises questions. 

What depends upon the wheelbarrow? the john deere tractor? So much— farming, livelihood, everything? So much. 

I know. I’m being deep this morning. I get this way during harvest:)


talya

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




That Bookstore in Blytheville – New Owner!

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TBIB New Owner
Have you been to That Bookstore in Blytheville (TBIB) lately?
In 1976, Mary Gay Shipley opened That Bookstore on Main Street in Blytheville, Arkansas, as a place to swap one stack of used paperbacks for another stack of ‘un-read’ paperbacks. Only a little hole in the wall,  Mary Gay nurtured and grew her bookstore, which eventually attracted New York Times best-selling authors to her little spot along the Arkansas Delta Byways. 
When she announced her retirement, I worried. I don’t like change, especially when books are involved.
I am happy to report I still love it. The new owner of TBIB, Grant Hill, is book knowledgeable and friendly. He humored me as I ‘practiced’ being on book tour.
See? Here I am pretending to be at my very first book signing. The picture is blurry because I’m too excited to be still.
That Bookstore in Blytheville

My friend Harold says I’m the only person he’s ever heard of who promotes a book yet to be published. So? I’m just extreme vision boarding…

TBIB dedicates rows of shelving to regional books by local authors. There are many. I stared at the books lining this section and pictured copies of my book stacked right beside Reflections from the Black Lagoon by Julie Adams. (Julie, from Blytheville, was the Creature’s bathing beauty…) 
Grace Grits and Gardening Candle
Grace Grits candle posing at TBIB in front of Julie Adam’s Creature book…:)

If you live or travel anywhere in Northeast Arkansas or the bootheel of Missouri, be sure to stop by TBIB and buy a few great books (or a whole stack like my mother and I did). And be sure to follow TBIB on Facebook and Twitter. Wherever you live, go out today and support your local independent bookstore.
That bookstore in Blytheville

Now, I need to find a publisher…

talya

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

Are you alive?

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Congratulations.
If you are reading this post, you are alive.
Do you feel alive? Truly alive? Do you wake each morning excited, wondering what amazing things the day will bring, or do you merely go through the motions with no passion and zero enjoyment? While days disappear, do you wait for your life to begin?
Things will be better next year…when I get married or buy my dream house or publish a book.

We aren’t guaranteed five more seconds.
If you knew you only had one year to live, what would you do?
Still reading?
Guess what? You’re still alive.
talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life
Musical Pairing:
Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven
This was written for the Write Tribe 100 Words on Saturday. (Write exactly 100 words on the prompt – a story, a poem, a mini-essay). This week’s prompt: Truly Alive. 


Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!