grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Porch People

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I love walking in our new Fayetteville neighborhood. So much to see. Rolling hills, stone walls, old trees, yard art. Flowers barely glimpsed in Dallas’ early short spring are still blooming here… A row of pale pink geraniums(!) flourishing beside autumn sedum and spider lilies stretches my mind beyond normal. One of these things just doesn’t belong… 

In Dallas by the 4th of July, I pull up burnt geraniums and plant plastic American flags… They are amazingly drought tolerant, completely disease resistant and provide a burst of color throughout summer. Xeriscaping at its finest.

The houses in Fayetteville are historical and charming, much like our Dallas neighborhood, but the porches are not perfectly aligned nor are the yards evenly edged. It takes me a day or so to breathe it in and unwind. Natural and peaceful expands my boundaries as well.

As I stroll I think I am completely incognito. Invisible. But probably not. They likely know we are those people from Texas… only here part-time…. who let their yard grow up between mowings…. probably Republicans.… Longhorns?! 
It is very strange to be the ‘new people’. I don’t know which vehicle goes with which neighbor. We don’t even know the dogs’ names yet! 
Yesterday I walked pass a lady, and we exchanged hellos as I restrained an over-exuberant Annabelle. I wondered if we would become friends?

I can’t imagine another neighborhood as cool as Munger Place, with wine walks, New Year’s crawls, Harry’s porch. But I do think this could be porch party community. Maybe they just need someone to be the first host. Plus I need to buy a Razorback flag immediately.

talya

Musical Pairings:

Turn! Turn! Turn! – The Byrds



La Casa Pintada

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For five consecutive days I have been showering with a strange hombre hanging outside my bathroom window. Although there is a thin shade drawn between us, perhaps we are no longer strangers. But star-crossed most definitely. We do not speak the same language.

Like a circus performer, he balances on an aluminum extension ladder two stories up, sanding and scraping and calking and hammering, always timing his work projects to appear in that spot just as I begin shampooing my hair. Maybe that corner of the house has the best early morning sunlight?

Unnerving at first, barely noticeable now.

Finally, after the spring hail storm, the installation of our new roof is complete. But still the workers cling to the walls and scale the columns like superheroes, prepping the outside for paint. Second nature to them, breathing. The constant noise and commotion bores into my brain. I can’t concentrate. A fine layer of sawdust floats on the surface of the pool. 

Lucy y Annabelle son muy locos. 
For two days, they power washed the outside. Every window leaked…. Seems blow flies don’t like water. They’ve migrated on to dryer, sunnier windowsills….

At high noon the men lounge in the driveway, lunching and enjoying a brief siesta. Recharging. 

All afternoon Latino music blares, blends with the grinding music of the electric sander, filling the air around our home, down our block, reverberating into all of East Dallas. A painting party. A week long fiesta.

Suddenly I crave a margarita.

talya

Musical Pairing:

Methinks I see thee.- William Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet

Lakewood Advocate

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Yes! That’s my Lucy on the cover…. (July 2010)
I will soon be blogging for the Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate! The Advocate has been a local news source for Dallas neighborhoods for 20 years with a monthly magazine, daily website and social media covering dining, schools, business, history, nonprofits, development and stories of interesting people.
My weekly or bi-monthly pieces will feature neighborhood history mixed with my personal experiences.
I hope you will read, follow, like, share, tweet, comment, pin,  and/or digg my blog posts:)  Even if you don’t live in East Dallas….

Thanks!

talya

Musical Pairings:

Paperback Writer – The Beatles

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!