grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Blue and the Bluebonnets

By

Blue and the Bluebonnets, Austin, TxMeet Blue. Blue belongs to my daughter, Kelsey, and she belongs to him, and they live in Austin where the bluebonnets are in full bloom. It’s a great relationship except for the fact that she broke her ankle and he’s a puppy with tons of energy and they live in an upstairs apartment and she’s in law school and I’m sure you can understand why I might be in Austin for a few days. While there’s never a good time to have a broken ankle, it worked out well for me considering the bluebonnets.

So Blue and I go for walks in the bluebonnets.

U.S. News and World Report named Austin, Texas the #2 place to live just ahead of #3 Fayetteville, Arkansas (where I live). I’m pretty sure the bluebonnets pushed Austin ahead of Northwest Arkansas. Bluebonnets and Tex-Mex food, no doubt. And, of course, all of South Congress.Continue Reading

the trees of New York City

By

A Tree Grows in New York

Have you missed me? I’ve been in New York City. I don’t travel to New York very often, and in between trips it’s easy to forget the sheer massiveness of it all, the pulsating energy, the throngs of people, the noise. I wonder what it must be like for New Yorkers, to actually “be” from New York. Where do they go to be impressed by a skyline. Is that even possible? If New Yorkers vacation in the country or at the beach, do they long for all the concrete? Because I get antsy without stars and fresh air and wide open space.

I have lots to share with you about our New York trip—more than one post worth—but as I look back through all the pictures I took, I realize I snapped lots of tree shots. All sorts of New York trees.

I suppose that’s not surprising for anyone who knows me.Continue Reading

my favorite Trees in Literature

By

Lately, I’ve been on a tree hunt of sorts. I searched out a few of the largest trees in Arkansas to write THIS article about Arkansas Champion Trees for OnlyinArkansas(dot)com. My tree journey led me to think about my favorite trees in literature. And thinking about my favorite trees in literature made me realize how these particular trees likely influenced my overall love of trees. At least partially.

I bet some of these are your favorite trees, too.

The Giving Tree – Once there was a tree, and she loved a boy. That first sentence gets me every time. Shel Silverstein’s classic provides the ultimate story of unconditional love and selflessness. The older I get, the more poignant this book becomes.

the giving tree

morgueFile

Continue Reading

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!