grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Daylight Saving Time: Let’s Take a Vote!

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Daylight Savings Time

At 2:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, we officially turn our clocks forward one hour. The good thing: more daylight to garden. The bad thing: I lose another hour changing all those clocks around the house. Thankfully the iPhone and computer automagically reset without my assistance. The microwave…not so smart.

I grew up in the 1970s in rural Northeast Arkansas. As far back as I can remember, I attended Brinkley Chapel Church. The church looked as you might imagine with towering pecan trees, a circle gravel driveway and a carpet of clover growing from the back door to the surrounding cotton fields. Inside, a mixture of friends and family filled the pews each time the doors were open.

Daylight Savings Time

One year before Sunday school, Uncle Rosie addressed the congregation with important new business. He proposed Brinkley Chapel NOT follow Daylight Savings Time. He felt daylight savings time was unnecessary, and put the issue up for vote.

After much consideration and debate, Brinkley Chapel decided not following daylight savings time would be too confusing for everyone else. So we reluctantly went along with it.

I love that our faithful congregation of forty-five thought such a decision could be made with no regard for the rest of the county, state, nation.
Is it time for another vote?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Grace Grits and Gardening


Musical Pairing:

Walking on Sunshine, Katrina & The Waves
 

Keiser Cowboy

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GBE 2: Blog On – Writing Prompt #92 – Gusto!
My hometown looked like every other small southern town with a looming water tower, a cafe serving homemade chocolate pies, and a two pump gas station where hometown boys gathered, telling tall tales and waving to those who slowed at the four-way stop. 
But Keiser was different.
Each day between Gryner wall and Keiser Junior High, the town bore witness to a Wild, Wild West re-enactment provided by her own resident, Howard Ray Dawson.

Howard Ray Dawson

Howard Ray, a grown man who never aged, served as the town’s mascot. Each day no matter the weather, he galloped in on his beloved Trigger through a cloud of dust to the middle of Main Street. 

Howard Ray’s daily western show often stopped traffic and school children, all who were friends, all who cheered his zest for life. 
When Trigger was hit by a car and Howard Ray ended up in the hospital, the town rallied. The Graham family paid extra for him to have a television in his hospital room. Someone bought him a new horse. Everyone visited him in the hospital.

Abraham Lincoln said, “Whatever you are, be the best one.” Howard Ray was special in many ways. And he was the best cowboy to ever come out of Keiser, Arkansas. His enthusiastic spirit still lingers. 

talya
Musical Pairing:

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!