ramblings from an arkansas farm girl
Hello Sunday Letter friends!
I hope you’ve had a productive week of harvesting, gardening, reading, working, traveling, cooking, playingâall those things you do. Summer has returned to Arkansas, and the weather has been as hot as Hades and fog-up-your-glasses steamy. It can’t last too much longer though. At least I don’t think so.Continue Reading
I’m super excited to report that we finally have spicebush swallowtail caterpillars in our garden! In early spring, we planted four spicebush shrubs specifically for the butterflies. Then, almost every day since planting them, I’ve been inspecting our spicebushes, hoping to find caterpillars.
Up until last week, nothing. Each time I see a torn leaf, I look more closely hoping to find a hungry, hungry caterpillar. A folded leaf? I look again, hoping to find a hiding caterpillar.
Nope. Nothing.
I worried that our plants were too new. Maybe it takes a few seasons to be discovered? Continue Reading
We celebrated another 4th of July with good food, family and friends, and a mixture of pleasant, not-too-hot weather. Of course, I must post a few pics for posterity…
We made a trip to the Confederate Cemetery in Fayetteville which is only a few blocks from our house. I was in search of a particular tree (for an article I’m writing elsewhere). The cemetery is beautiful and peaceful and parklike and being there on the 4th of July seemed rightâdifferent battles yet integral American history no matter what you think about the Confederate flag.
Saturday in Fayetteville means the Farmer’s Market. Yes, we went. Yes, we conquered by buying local Arkansas peaches and blackberries.
And we bought Pedal Pops which are all natural, low-cal, made with simple ingredients, and sort of perfect for the 4th of July. I got banana-orange-strawberry. John got honeydew-peach. Delicious!
Our Sunday included a trip to the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks. Oh my, what a wonderful place. The botanical garden is only a few minutes from our house and SO EASY! (Parking, admissions, everything.)
Let me just say this about living in Fayettevilleâeverything is easy, every day’s the 4th of July.
This week I’ll be showing you what I made with those peaches and blackberriesâyum! And, I’ll be talking more about my garden (specifically about butterflies), plus Lucy and Annabelle have a post coming up. I may even do my first periscope broadcast. We’ll see. In other words, for once I’m not blogging by the seat of my pants. Crazytown.
Here’s to a great week!
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
[tweetthis]Another fab #4thofJuly! @BGOzarks @PedalPopsIce #Fayetteville #buylocal[/tweetthis]
Musical Pairing:
Chicago – Saturday in the Park
