grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Go Texan! Buy Local.

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Soon I’ll be heading to Helena, Arkansas to spend time with a few of my fellow Arkansas Women Bloggers. If you know anything about me, you know I love going home to the Delta. 
Since I’m the only Texas girl attending this event—(yes, I claim dual citizenship…)—I thought it would be fun to take a bit of Texas with me to share with my blogger friends. And, since I happened to be in the Food and Fiber Building at the State Fair of Texas when this genius of an idea struck me, what better gift for these ladies than locally made Texas goodies? 
Go Texan! Buy Local.
I began snapping pictures of various products in the Go Texan General Store, grabbing business cards and tasting samples when available. The Food and Fiber Building is known for bountiful samples…plus while grazing, there are educational exhibits to peruse about cotton farming. (Need I say more?) 
Later that night I contacted four of the businesses represented at the State Fair. Would you like to donate something to a great group of Arkansas blogger gals? 
Texas local businesses

Every Single Business enthusiastically agreed to provide something for my blogger friends. These small businesses blew me away with their generosity providing marvelous candies and soaps and lotions and lip balms. 
I was reminded of how important it is to buy local. These are the local businesses that keep our country ticking, even when it isn’t… 
Feast your eyes on these gorgeous offerings.
Go Texas! Buy Local.
Berdoll Pecan Candy & Gift Company
Cedar Creek, Texas
Seriously? Candy corn + Chocolate = Heaven.

Go Texan! Buy Local. Main Street Soap Company
 Main Street Soap Company
Richland Hills, Texas

I wonder if I could trade rosemary for soap? 

Go Texan! Buy Local. Goat Haus Dairy
Goat Haus Dairy
Bryan, Texas
I slathered goat milk lotion all over my arms at the fair and considered drinking it… 
Go Texan! Buy Local. Two Girls Toffery
 Two Girls Toffery
Addison, Texas

I’ve had a thing for toffee since my first trick-or-treating Heath bar. THIS is slap yo momma greatness.

There’s still time to buy these goodies in person at the State Fair of Texas General Store in the Food and Fiber Building. (The fair runs through Sunday, October 20.) 

Or, visit online by clicking on the company names below:  

Berdoll Pecan Candy
Main Street Soap
Goat Haus Dairy
Two Girls Toffery

Are you making out your Christmas list yet?

talya

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

P.S. There are many, many other Go Texan companies represented at the State Fair. For a complete listing, click HERE. 

(The companies mentioned in this post provided gifts for a blogger tourism event at my request. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions and comments are my own.)

Columbus Day and Me

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State Bank friends

In Fourteen Hundred Ninety-Two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. And not that long ago, I worked at State Bank and Trust.  During my tenure at State Bank and Trust, Columbus Day was one of my absolute favorite holidays. Not because of my overwhelming love for the man (although he could rock a hat), but because it was the only bank holiday when my kids still attended school.

I think Columbus would have appreciated education. After all, he was an explorer with an incredible thirst for knowledge.

Columbus Day

That one Monday in October carried extra special meaning to me. It represented An Entire Day To Myself.

Lordy.

I was gleeful.

It was the best day of the year.

Busy moms understand.

I showered and dressed at my regular pre-crack-of-dawn-time, dropped the kids off as though it was a normal eight-to-five day, then headed straight to Starbucks for my first Gingerbread Latte of the season.

I sat in the stillness of Barnes and Noble surrounded by books and read the newspaper cover to cover until Toys R Us opened. With the bulk of my Christmas shopping completed at a leisurely pace, I reveled in an entire afternoon of gardening.

Columbus Day was my special secret.

Can you imagine what it must have been like to load up on a ship and set sail for parts unknown? Thank God for brave souls who laid the groundwork for my easy, comfortable life.
I suppose today we can compare Columbus to space explorers or cavers who descend into black, bottomless abysses. But really,  it’s completely different. Today we have information and technology and state of the art equipment. Columbus had trade winds and a compass.
I hope all my bank friends are doing something special today. Remember to reflect on Columbus today and think about how lucky we are to live in the New World.

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

[tweetthis]Columbus Day and me. Reflecting on how lucky I am to live in the New World. #ColumbusDay[/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:
Sam Cooke, Chain Gang

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!