grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

August

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August

August is stifling, a string of one hundred plus degree days.

Plants wilt and scream to be cut back or yanked from the soil.

I open the kitchen door and heat billows.  Before sunrise.

The dogs stop and sniff and stare, refusing to move from the back step. They wonder what’s going on in this place we live?

Yes, they wonder, I can tell by their cocked heads and sincere eyes.

I enjoy August, even with her sultry days bringing frizzy hair and skin damp enough to sprout seeds.

August marks the bittersweet end of summer.

Maybe sneak in one last vacation?

I anticipate fall and cotton harvest.

School supplies fill store shelves.

Number two pencils.

Clean white notebook paper.

I wait for college football and pumpkin lattes.

I wait for that first brilliant leaf.

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.  ~Sam Keen

Lake Day!

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Lake day!

Once we left the flat delta, we studied the trees, searching for the lake. The first one to see the water shimmering through the Ozark trees won. There wasn’t a real prize, the thrill of that first glimpse was prize enough.
“I see it!”
“Girls, it’s still at least an hour away.”
I returned to my book but only read a few paragraphs before looking out the window again. The trees grew denser and taller and shaded the roadway weaving through the mountains. With each flip of the page, Momma drove closer to our favorite place.
“The Lake!” We screamed at the same time. Alice in Wonderland fell to the floorboard.
“Jinx!” We yelled in unison.
“Double jinx!”
We idled behind the long line of cars waiting to board the ferry.
“Staci, let’s run down to the water until it’s our turn…” The ferry unloaded cars on the opposite shore giving us at least twenty minutes to explore.
She poked my arm. “Okay but you owe me a coke.”
“Crap I was so excited, I forgot about the jinx game.”
“Don’t say crap,” Momma reminded.
My sister and I raced to the water’s edge, breathing in the beginning of summer.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

July Summer

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Spread long and lazy
Under a starry sky
Memories of childhood
Memories of summer days
Early morning hikes around the shore
Race you to that tree!
Tell me a story
It will live with
Me always
Especially in July

photo courtesy of morgueFile

talya

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!