grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Garvan Woodland Gardens

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Garvan Woodland Gardens

Before my pictures get lost in the black hole of Photo Feed Land—yes that’s a place I can’t begin to understand or organize—I thought I’d post a few shots from our recent visit to Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Here’s a fun fact: members of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks enjoy the perk of reciprocal membership with over 300 gardens across North America. It’s pretty satisfying to show our membership card and stroll right on through the gates without paying admission.

As an aside, I truly would like to visit all 320 gardens. John and I have only been to about ten (in Arkansas, Texas, and Colorado). This should keep our bucket list full for all our livelong days.

Anyway, with the holidays quickly approaching, I highly recommend a membership to the botanical garden closest to your home. Botanical gardens have become destinations for not only flowers and nature but also musical entertainment and special events throughout the year. Another perk!Continue Reading

Sunday Letter: 03.11.18

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This week's Sunday Letter includes baby sprouts, very crooked and steep, etc.

Dear Sunday Letter Friends,

Since my last Sunday letter, the whole week blurred right on by. And what I worried might happen with these Sunday letters is about to unfold… I didn’t blog about anything all week, and now I have two back-to-back letters.

Must do better.

John and I spent a couple of days in Hot Springs. A mid-week road trip messes with my brain. I had one of those, “What day is it?” type weeks. Add this morning’s time change to the equation, and I’m really out of sync.

I’ll keep this short and sweet.

In fact, this may be more Sunday postcard than Sunday letter.Continue Reading

AWBU: my conference takeaway

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Hot Springs, Ar

I returned home from Arkansas Women Blogger University (AWBU) with thoughts enough to fill ten blog posts. I scribbled ideas in my journal and attempted to reduce the weekend down to one key conference takeaway. Beyond the connections made and information absorbed and enjoyable time spent with like-minded bloggers, what was the primary benefit for me?

Everyone arrived at The Arlington Resort Hotel with different goals, different experience levels, different expectations. We attended the same educational classes, heard inspirational speakers and packed over 10,000 rice meals for the hungry (a definite highlight facilitated by The Pack Shack and Wells Fargo Advisors which you can read about HERE and HERE). We each left with more swag than anyone could imagine—thank you generous sponsors!

AWBU Sponsors for 2015
After spending a weekend together, I imagine we all took something slightly different home.Continue Reading

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!