grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

three days in New York City

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Sisters in NY

We just returned from a whirlwind three days in New York City, and by “we” I mean my sister, Staci, my niece, Taylor, and me. It was Taylor’s Sweet 16 birthday trip, and I’ve declared from here on out, this is destined to be an annual girls’ trip. Not necessarily to New York, but to somewhere.

Because travel is important. And family is important. And life is over in a New York minute. For real.

We hash-tagged it up with #TaylorisSweet16 and #SistersinNY which looked a little like “sister sin” every time we typed it, so we’ll let y’all wonder about that.Continue Reading

Remembering You

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I remember you in vibrant
twelve year old eyes, hidden 
behind a curtain of silk, never
quite long or straight
enough. Giggling, singing,
mad at the world. Call me
maybe? Leave.Me.Alone.
I remember you
in soulful eyes, dark and fervent, 
connecting the dots
with a humorous twist. Studious
yet playful, I believe I can fly.
I remember you in determined
eyes, brilliant and focused, mature
beyond your days. 
I could have done better. I will
do better. Oh the places I’ll go.
Watch and see.
I remember you
in conflicted eyes,
knowing, harried,
busy kids, busy work.
Here there everywhere.
How will I get through the day?
I remember you through
future eyes, steadfast,
amusing,
occasionally forgetful.
 My most devoted
fan. How did it get so late so soon?
Sometimes I can’t remember you at all.
talya

For Taylor

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Taylor Sandquist, my beautiful, twelve-year-old niece, wrote the following poem for her English class. 

Where Poetry Hides

In my fat, black and white cat’s crazy, teeny tiny
brain.
In the small #1 cabin on a lake in Arkansas.
In a nice, pretty resort in San Diego.
In my strange brother’s mind, who acts like a
crazy monkey.
In my pink Dell laptop.
In my nonie’s old, torn-up house.
In my dad’s clean, neat house.
In my oval/heart-shaped pool.
In the twisty, hilly and dirty campground of
Wyoming.
In the old basement of my other grandparents’
house.
Taylor Sandquist
Musical Pairing:
Taylor and Talya at the BAT cave.
Sammie

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!