grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

a change of Perspective

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Change of perspective - arkansas riverA change of perspective is a good thing, a jolt to the mind and body. We often get so wrapped up in our own reality, we forget there’s a whole world out there.

Driving from Dallas to Little Rock, I watch the landscape rush past my window. High above winter fields and railroad tracks, clumps of bird and squirrel nests perch in bare branches. I think about those birds and squirrels and the vistas they enjoy completely different from my typical view five-feet-seven-inches from the ground.

As children we draw, sing, create stories for dolls and battles for army men. Each day is new as we live life from different places. Literally. Underneath the bed, atop the highest tree branches, inside the attic, beneath a fort made of freshly laundered sheets. Within our minds…

The windows of The Garden Cafe are papered with snowflakes, each one as unique as the child behind the scissors. The monster snowflake catches my eye first. Whimsical, fun.

A change of perspective - snowflakes

The Garden Cafe, Dallas, Tx – Snowflakes…

 

Today I hope to see life from a different angle, stretch my mind, be the girl who colors outside the lines. Only maybe I’ll cut out funny flowers instead of silly snowflakes.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Musical Pairing:

Sheryl Crow, A Change Will Do You Good

Depression—the worst of days

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depression

I had one of those blah days, you know the sort, a day when everything drags along a bit out of sync. It all began with a gush of stagnant water from my front load washing machine—a frozen pipe. Luckily the pipe didn’t burst, so things could have been worse. Much worse.

The afternoon brought news of yet another short story rejection. I’ve learned to dismiss these rejections as quickly as spam—it’s all part of the roller coaster. But even so, sometimes I wonder why I bother.

There were other things about the day too. Dull, drab sort of things I won’t bore you with, but the sum of which added up to a complete waste of makeup sort of day.

That is…until I learned my friend’s long-time partner committed suicide. He lost his battle with depression.

In that split second I realized I’ve never had a bad day. Not really.

I don’t understand depression. I haven’t had to, not directly, and for that I’m thankful. As I try to wrap my hands around this horror, I think depression must be like cancer, something that takes hold, slowly eats away until the bad outweighs the good. Or maybe depression is like the weather. Something that can’t be turned on or off or controlled. It just is.

I don’t pretend to know. I only know we are all connected, and one person’s death has affected so many.

The morning after this shocking news, I watched the sun rise above the Live Oaks in our neighborhood. The glow spread extra pink, extra bright, so exuberant it seemed disrespectful. Yet the sun doesn’t comprehend life’s tragedies.

Or maybe it does.

Maybe sunrise is our most visible sign of hope.

Depression - The worst day

Grace Grits and Gardening

“So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.”
― E.A. Bucchianeri 

depression

 

Bourbon & Boots: Eat Like a Local in Dallas

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Eat Like a Local in Dallas - Pecan Lodge

(This post is sponsored by Bourbon & Boots. All opinions are my own.)

When Bourbon & Boots asked me to write a story on How to Eat Like a Local in Dallas, I gotta say I was thrilled to bring attention to my neck of the woods. But with soooo many great places serving every food type and price range, how could I whittle down my list of favorites?

Here’s what I did. I included those places my husband and I return to time and time again, the spots I take my out of town friends, and the restaurants my kids drive straight to when returning home from college. I didn’t include chains. I didn’t include that certain place (ahem) that wouldn’t allow me to take pictures… (another story)

If you occasionally travel through Dallas or plan to visit soon, pack your fat jeans and add a few of these stops to your itinerary. If you already live here, let’s talk about how lucky we are to be surrounded by such amazing food. (Feel free to add your favorites to the comment section.) Click HERE to check out my list and local tips at Bourbon & Boots…

Trailercakes - Eat Like a Local

 

Grace Grits and Gardening

P.S. Bourbon & Boots can also recommend local eats in Little Rock, Austin, Birmingham, and others southern hot spots!

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!