grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Going on a Farm Walk (with Gracie Lee)

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One of my favorite things to do when I go home to northeast Arkansas is to spend time walking around the farm. Timing is the secret to a successful farm walk. The ideal spring farm walk must be wedged between monsoon-like floods, the beginning of mosquito season, winds roaring in from Midland, Texas, Oz-ish tornadoes, and blistering hot sun.

Last week, I managed one farm walk before the rain moved in, unpacked its bags, and stayed for a long weekend. One good walk is enough to re-set my body head to toe. One good walk clears my mind of clutter and allows important things to filter back in. One farm walk and all is well. Everything is as it’s meant to be.

Wanna walk with me? Come along and I’ll include a tour through the eyes of Gracie Lee. (Who’s Gracie Lee? Click HERE.)

Ready, set, and…

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Exhausted from the Rain

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Exhausted from the rain.

This was supposed to be my “Savoring April” post. The one where I recap April. I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted from the rain. And I’m happy to move on to May. I’m expecting TONS OF MAY FLOWERS. Aren’t you? April showers promise that much, you know.

We received around 15 inches of rain the past week which has resulted in flash flooding. The fierce storm is moving on across the country leaving death and destruction in its path. I’m always fascinated by the calm before the storm, not to mention the rainbow coloring the back end. Not that we’re done. If this morning’s wind and dismal skies are any indication, we seem to have more bad queued up.

Maybe T. S. Eliot got it right when he said April is the cruelest month.

For the most part, I can celebrate April. I savored the month with friends and family, book clubs and library events, and lots of time working in the garden in between rolling thunder. April brought a family reunion potluck and Easter ribs from the Rendezvous in Memphis. Like they say, you can’t beat that with a stick.

Here’s my recap in pictures.

Savoring April 2017
So a quick rundown for posterity.

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Spring Planting!

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spring planting

I love driving across Arkansas during spring. In the Ozarks, redbuds and dogwoods compete for attention, and roadsides are exploding with wildflowers. Spring planting is in full swing as farmers and gardeners put seeds in the ground. It’s no secret that harvest is my favorite time of year, but after a slow cold winter, spring planting is cause for celebration. Not that there’s time for a party.

Party in the field, maybe.

Of course, without spring planting, there would be no fall harvest. And timing is key. With spring comes wild weather bringing storms and hail, tornadoes, dust storms, a chance of frost? Rain, rain go away until we need another shower.

The soil is rich and wide awake, the fields leveled and hipped. The state is humming.

Here are a few spring planting pics from across Arkansas…Continue Reading

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

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