Category: Blogger of the Month

Miss July 2014 Dorothy Johnson {Blogger of the Month}

by Dorothy Johnson, Miss July
Reflections from Dorothy’s Ridge

I love July. I know it’s Hot, Hot, Hot, but the prospect of celebrating our country’s birthday and our wedding anniversary makes it one of my favorite months. Serving as Miss July for Arkansas Women Bloggers tops it off like a fireworks’ grand finale.

Courtesy of Steve Rucker

The invitation for this gig was a wonderful surprise. However, I must confess I feel a bit like I did on my wedding day—beyond happy yet just a little afraid of stumbling as I walked down the aisle. Even though I’ve been blogging for two years, I must confess that I’m still a novice at navigating social media. You probably already know that because I’m fairly certain my unwitting gaffs pop up on a regular basis. Thank you, Arkansas Women Bloggers, for your wonderfully inclusive platform.

I love this phase of my life (except for the way my body has begun to betray me). My husband, Terry, and I are enjoying the freedom of retirement. He encourages me in my writing while I support his pursuits in music and radio-controlled airplanes. We have three wonderful children and eight fabulous grandchildren. How could I not love it?

I had worked as a writer and editor but had been out of publishing a long time when I attended my first Hemingway-Pfeiffer writers’ retreat several years ago. That’s where I met our Miss May, Talya Boerner of Grace Grits and Gardening. We became friends and she encouraged me to start a blog. But I had lots of excuses. Life was busy. I knew nothing about the process and wasn’t sure I’d even enjoy it. Talya was persistent though, so I eventually chose a name, watched a YouTube video and set up an unimpressive page that slept in my computer until I saw her again, At the next retreat, she took me by the hand, tweaked the design and pushed me out into the ether. I’m happy to report that I was hooked almost immediately, and I’ll be forever grateful for my friend’s mentoring. So, Fellow Bloggers, never underestimate the value of your encouragement and assistance to other writers.

Last year, I joined ARWB and attended my first conference which provided encouragement and more information than my brain could contain. Our Facebook forum is expanding my knowledge, too. I’m hoping to meet the online friends I’ve connected with there at this year’s conference. If you haven’t registered, do it now. It’s definitely worth the time, money and travel.

But back to the joys of this month, July 7 is Terry’s and my 40th wedding anniversary. By the time you read this, we’ll be on our way to one of our favorite destinations, Navarre Beach, for ten days. We discovered Florida’s Emerald Coast shortly before we married and have returned nearly every year on vacation. There’s no better spot to celebrate our life together.

We love beach sitting. For us, a canopy, comfortable chairs, gulf breezes, a good book and lots of sunscreen add up to contentment. When the beach gets too hot, we escape to the cool of the condo or take in a movie. Sometimes I crank up the car air conditioner and check out the flea markets and shops. Part of the appeal of the beach is being spontaneous.

This Fourth of July, we’ll be watching fireworks from our balcony. Then, on Monday, we’ll go out for an anniversary dinner at a special restaurant. You’re bound to read about it here.

I’m so grateful for my life with this good man. We married when my son was ten, my daughter was eight, and his son was three. Early on, they became our children. As with all families, we’ve had our rough patches. But, as I look back, I can sum it all up with a simple quote from my favorite T-shirt. Life is Good. And I must add, God is good. I know it could change in an instant, but right now, that’s how it feels. Maybe my growing collection of those shirts has something to do with their message. When I see a new color and design, I just can’t help buying it. (I often find them for half price mixed in with the exercise apparel at TJMaxx.)

I hope life feels good to you today and that you mark the Fourth of July with your own celebration. For all our troubling issues, our country is still the best place in the world to live. I’m thankful I was born here.

May God bless the United States of America.

And you, too, my friends.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
Ps. 16:6

Everything Old is New Again {Blogger of the Month}

Everything Old is New Again
Written by Laurie Marshall, Miss June 2014

I was chatting with a friend recently and we started listing movies that we loved as kids that we could introduce our own children to. We were fortunate in the 1980s (and 90s… in the case of my friend), that Hollywood started cranking out movies specifically for kids that were really good films, not just extended versions of cartoons or cheesy fluff. Now that my kids are adults, there are even more films that I would recommend to them… classics like The Godfather trilogy and favorite little movies like Crossing Delancey. Of course, I’m a bit of a movie nut…

So, knowing that days are going to get long and kids will get bored this summer, I’ve put together a list of movies you can look for on Netflix or maybe even pick up at thrift stores or cheaply on Amazon to add to your viewing pleasure. Hopefully, there are some here that are new to you as well!

Please note that I am probably more forgiving of ratings when it comes to my kids… I have included the rating info and IMDB link for all of these suggestions so that you can decide for yourself if they are suitable for your kiddos.

The Black Stallion (1979) Rated G

I remember loving this film for more than just the story, it was one of the first movies I watched that moved with its cinematography. It’s the classic story of a boy who is stranded alone with a wild stallion when the ship they are riding on sinks in a storm. Just a beautiful movie.

Babe (1995) Rated G

This movie came out when my girls were small, and we watched it over and over again. Thank goodness it is fun for parents as well as kids! Babe is a pig raised by sheepdogs, and he becomes a hero when a pack of wild dogs is harassing the sheep and he takes the time to talk to the sheep to find out what is going on. Includes important themes about trust, belief in oneself, and not judging a book by its cover. Also, the performance of veteran character actor, James Cromwell, is perfection.

The Land Before Time (1988) Rated G

It seems they made a million of these movies, but this was the first one that started it all. Little Foot is an orphaned young Brontosaurus who sets off to find a mythical valley he’s heard about. Along the way he meets some other young dinosaurs, and there is ensuing mischief and adventure. The story includes some lessons about friendship and teamwork.

The Brave Little Toaster (1987) Not Rated – but I’d give it a G

This animated movie is chock-full of themes about the power of friendship, overcoming fear and believing in oneself and trusting others, and the characters are a lot of fun as well. It’s an animated film that stands the test of time.

Benji (1974) Rated G

This movie charmed and enchanted everyone when it was released. I was nine, and my younger brothers and I loved it. The story has Benji, a little mutt of a dog, saving two kidnapped children. This plot line may be uncomfortable for some of you, but it never bothered us. Since the release date is the early 70s, there is a great amount of entertainment to be gleaned from the clothing and scenery as well.

Free Willy (1993) Rated PG

One of my oldest daughters’ favorites. A troubled boy goes to work in a local aquarium for the summer and becomes fascinated with an Orca whale. When he finds out that the whale has been labeled as a troublemaker and is going to be killed, he convinces his supervisor to help him free the whale instead. It’s a sweet story with the familiar theme of a child connecting with an animal more than with the humans around him.

The Dark Crystal (1982) Rated PG

I love me some classic Muppet Movies, but this film is really Jim Henson’s masterpiece. The story is classic good vs. evil and the sets and costumes are a feast for the eyes. The “Gelflings” are brought together to save their world by repairing a shard that has kept their world divided for generations.

Short Circuit (1985) Rated PG

This is a cute film about a robot that develops a conscience and self-awareness when he is struck by lightning. It’s kind of like Free Willy for robots, as there are folks who want to disable “Number 5”, and the humans close to him work to change their mind and save him. The film is a lot of fun, but there are deeper themes about the value of “life” and what constitutes sentient thought that can also be explored with older kids.

Annie (1982) Rated PG

There have been a lot of adaptations of this story, but this one, starring Carol Burnett, Bernadette Peters and Tim Curry, is my all-time favorite. You probably know the story – sweet orphaned girl is temporarily “adopted” by a millionaire as a public relations scheme. Evil orphanage manager tries to get her back along with some cash from Daddy Warbucks, but the plot fails and Annie and all the rest of the orphaned girls live happily ever after with her new Daddy and his assistant-turned-wife. The story was written to include a lot of references to the politics of the era (1930s) but the musical can easily be watched as just a fun story full of great music.

E.T. (1982) Rated PG

If you haven’t watched this with your kids yet I might think you’re a terrible parent. But you can fix that! Steven Spielberg is known for the amazing characters he created in his early films, and E.T. is no exception. Drew Barrymore is adorable, and the visual of the kids flying on their bikes is one of my favorite movie moments. The pre-teen boys in the story do use some rough language, so take that into consideration.

Last Starfighter (1984) Rated PG

Alex is living in a trailer park with his mom where he beats all the levels of a stand-up video game called Starfighter. He faces some personal challenges, then meets a man who makes fantasy become reality as he takes him on a real-life space adventure. This is a fun story for your kids who love their game consoles. Like many movies of the 1980s, it may not be the best production value or writing, but it’s fun and imaginative.

Willow (1988) Rated PG

This is one of my personal favorites. A sweet little baby is found and it’s determined by the elders of the village that it should be returned immediately to its people. Willow, a kind-hearted and soft-spoken character, is chosen to take the trip. It’s full of adventure, kingdoms and lessons about good and evil and doing what’s right over what’s personally beneficial, and Warwick Davis is a hero.

Princess Bride (1987) Rated PG

Another film with crazy characters and fantasy and good and evil… and it throws in some pirates and princesses to boot. Wesley and Buttercup have the perfect love story, and Mandy Patinkin is the perfect swashbuckler. So much awesome. It’s another one that’s probably better for pre-teens to teens.

Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998) Rated PG-13

Drew Barrymore is all grown up and playing the classic role as the step-daughter who is forced to be a maid when her father dies. She has a really terrible accent, but after a while you don’t notice. There are lovely costumes, a great performance by Angelica Huston as the not-to-be-trusted stepmother, and handsome Dougray Scott as the prince. It’s a fun re-telling of the story.

What movies are you watching this summer? Do you have any favorites from your childhood that aren’t on this list? Please share!

Creek Walking {Blogger of the Month}

By Miss June 2014, Laurie Marshall of Junque Rethunque and See Laurie Write

I’ll admit it: I have a fascination with creeks. It seems there have always been creeks around, no matter where I lived. When I was a child, we visited my grandparents in Goshen, Arkansas every summer and my grandmother would take me and my brothers for walks in the seasonal creek behind her house. We would hunt for turtles and learn about lichen and fungi and choose rocks to take back to her painting studio to decorate.

In a way, a creek helped define my role as a female.

When I was nine years old, I lived on a suburban street in Little Rock. That summer, a little gaggle of neighborhood kids gathered daily as soon as breakfast was eaten, and we would spend the day in someone’s carport, then someone else’s basement, then someone’s backyard… but I was soon to learn there was also a creek.

Laurie at 9 years old. Judging by the coat, we were outside in ALL seasons back in the dark ages.

The yards behind the houses at the end of the street backed up to a large privacy fence, and on the other side of the fence were the Ash boys. There were three boys in the Ash family, and I honestly don’t remember their names anymore. They lived in an older house behind the fence, and they introduced the neighborhood kids to the joys of tromping through the woods.

Of course, I felt like an expert Woods-woman, what with all the experience I had at my grandparents’, so when we came upon a creek during our adventure I simply jumped from rock to rock to get across. But one of the boys was sweet on my friend, Paige, and when she was nervous about jumping across the creek, he held out her hand and helped her across.

A little girl-sized lightbulb went off in my head and I realized that I had committed a terrible error. I tried to double-back with the naive hope that he’d hold his hand out to me too, but it didn’t work… And thus began my life as the Funny Friend, rather than the Lead Ingénue.
We moved out of that neighborhood when I was 10 and my parents divorced. At the time West Little Rock was still a little bit wild and there were large areas of land that were still undeveloped between Rodney Parham and Cantrell Blvd. Our next two homes – an apartment complex and another suburban house – both had creeks behind them. For me and my Barbie dolls (and Marie, and Cher), they were roaring rivers with sandy banks that provided the perfect spot to park the Country Camper.

When my girls were small we lived outside of Fayetteville on two acres that were gifted to me by my grandparents. Following in my grandmother’s footsteps, I introduced the girls to the creek in all seasons as we searching for turtles and speculated on which of the gnarled tree roots and limestone rock formations would be the best spot for a fairy house.

For the last seven years we have lived in Springdale, and my son has been somewhat deprived of the experience of creek walking. There are creeks within driving distance, and we have visited a couple, but it has been difficult to make the time to seek them out when I just want to spend an hour tossing rocks in the water.

The young Boychild does a little creek walking at Devil’s Den State Park.

Thankfully, the city of Springdale and the Illinois Watershed Partnership have spearheaded a massive clean-up and improvement of Lake Springdale, which is just a mile or so from my house. The Razorback Greenway will be running right alongside the creek that surrounds the lake, and there are already walking trails completed with a staircase that allows access to the creek bed when we feel like doing a little rock tossing and wild-flower admiring. I’m hoping to make a habit of it. How are you getting outside this summer? Any creek walking in your plans?

Create a Summer Staycation Passport {Blogger of the Month}

Create a Summer Staycation Passport
Written By Miss June 2014, Laurie Marshall of Junque Rethunque and See Laurie Write

Thirty years ago this month I was in France living with the Granet family and wasting an amazing opportunity to learn about that beautiful country and its people because I was a naïve, immature 18-year-old who didn’t study nearly hard enough in French class. It was many years later before I realized just how wasted that trip was, probably around the time my passport expired. But I still have lovely memories of the Granets and their extended family who treated me significantly better than I deserved.

Well, the Granets, and the bread… O.M.G. the bread!!!!

As many of you know, summer is typically vacation season. We will be packing the jeep and driving to Austin this month to meet my new niece, but aside from that (looooong) road trip, the next couple of months are going to be challenging as I try to meet writing deadlines while keeping my 9-year-old son entertained.

To keep us from driving each other crazy, I’ve decided to create a list of local places to visit (good thing we live in a state full of amazing things to do!) and make a point to take a Staycation day every couple of weeks. To keep track of our “travels” without the need for a generous scrapbook, I thought it would be fun to make a little passport to help us record the things we see and do this summer. This is a great way to make a vacation-free summer just a little more fun.

I pulled out my desktop paper cutter, some used file folders, and my pitiful collections of ink pads, stamps and stickers. I am a terrible scrap booker – I buy the paper and take the photos, and that’s as far as I get – so I was pretty sure I would need to run to the craft supply store, but as it turns out, I had stickers and stamps that were a good fit for a travel theme. The craft gods were smiling on me!

TIP: If you would rather not create a notebook from scratch, a small spiral notepad can be purchased for less than $1.00 at a grocery or drug store, and it can be transformed with some pretty scrapbook paper and a glue stick.

I cut the file folders to size with the fold of the folder, creating a fold for the cover of the passport. Blank paper was cut ¼ inch smaller than the cover to make up the pages. (I made sure that the size allowed me to insert the cover and pages into a standard stapler.)

The Boychild and the Grand-Cuteness enjoyed picking out stamps and stickers for the covers of their passports. Other options for decoration are maps, photos and vintage images printed off the internet, or the kids can simply draw their own pictures. Keep it simple – the fun part will come later as you fill your passport with stamps and stickers to record all the awesome things you do this summer.

I left the inside pages blank to fill in with stamps and stickersand to make notes about the place we visited. If you’re really ambitious, you could create pages on your computer with travel-themed quotes and clip art. I am an “instant gratification” crafter, so I don’t mind the blank white pages. You could also collect small items like ticket stubs, printed selfies, and other small souvenirs to attach to your passport pages to remember your summer activities.

In the words of Dr. Seuss…

“Oh the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done!”

Decorate With Maps During Your Staycation {Blogger of the Month}

By Miss June 2014, Laurie Marshall of Junque Rethunque and See Laurie Write

Summer is here, and many of you may be planning memorable vacations, but I’m betting a whole bunch of you are desperately trying to think of ways to keep kids busy over the next couple of months without the help of Mickey & Minnie or a white-sand beach. I have gathered a few project ideas that use road maps and atlases that I hope will appeal to all of you!

Old road maps and atlases are something of an addiction for me, and I had begun to amass a pretty substantial collection when I realized that I was going to have to find a way to use them if I was going to avoid the “hoarder” label. There’s just something kind of lovely about the dream of travel that is evoked by a map, or the way that maps change with the times… cities appear and disappear, roads are paved, lakes are formed where once there were only rolling hills. If I see them, I usually buy them.

The first thing I did with my stash was cover a wall in my entryway. I had seen similar projects online, but those required pasting the maps to the walls. I didn’t want to lose them completely, and wanted to be able to remove them easily if I redecorated or moved, so I simply used thumbtacks. (I may also be way too impatient to deal with the pasting part…)

Once they were up, we marked cities we have visited with colored tacks. You can use maps of states or cities you visit often and let the kids help locate grandma’s house or your favorite park or campsite. You could use thumbtacks of one color for places you’ve been and another for places you want to go. Aside from being fun to look at, map walls can teach kids about cardinal direction and measuring distance, and provide reading practice.

If you have taken some memorable trips you can also use maps to create one-of-a-kind photo frames to keep those memories on your desk or bookshelf. These would also be sweet gifts for newlyweds planning a destination wedding, or your favorite high school graduate headed off to college.

For this project I love the look and feel of old maps, but newer ones are often easier to find in decent shape. Thrift stores are my favorite source for picture frames. I buy frames that are completely flat on the front – the more space around the frame, the better (more space = more map). You can paint the frame or not.

Remove the glass and backing and lay the frame face down on the map. Adjust it carefully to be sure that the cities or landmarks you want to see on the frame are not in the space that will be cut out over the photo. Lightly trace the edges of the frame with a pencil and double check the location when you lift the frame. Cut out the part of the map that will go on the frame, and use a craft knife to trim the center out where the photo will be.

Using a craft glue like Mod Podge, brush a thin coat on the surface of the frame and on the back of your cut out map. Lay the map on the frame, taking care to check orientation of your frame so you don’t glue the map on upside down. Gently flatten the map onto the surface of the frame using a cloth. If you get a crease you can’t get rid of, just rub it down until it’s flattened out, it will create an interesting texture in the end.

Let the glue dry for 30 minutes or so, then lightly sand the frame and the surface of the map with fine sandpaper. This will create a little distressing that will make a newer map look worn, and helps you trim any uneven edges of the map on the frame. Once you’ve sanded it to the look you want, brush another coat (or two) of glue over the top and edges of the frame to seal it.

For more ideas for using maps during your Staycation this summer, check out my All the Maps! Pinterest board. Have fun – and be sure to share pictures of the projects you create!

“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!” — Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Miss June – Laurie Marshall

When I was asked to lend my words to the Arkansas Women Bloggers website as the June Blogger of the Month, I was shocked. I mean, the ARWB is chock-full of amazing women who write amazing words. And, lately, they are doing it way more often than I do. I have given myself the excuse that my personal blogs have had to take the backseat as I use up all my words on the work I do for my freelance projects.

Yes, apparently, I can run out of words. Many people would find this difficult to believe…

So, even though I accepted the challenge, I felt like a bit of a sham. Then sweet Paige of the blog Approaching Joy inspired me to give myself a break when she posted this on Facebook:

“Just a quick shout out to all the ladies out there doing good things in the world and not getting much blogging done in the process – you are still a blogger because you still understand the awesomeness that comes with sharing your story with the world… however frequently (or not) that may be.”

Just in time! What a relief! Now that that’s settled…

Like many of you, I grew up documenting my life in diaries and journals. It should have been obvious early on that I was a writer… but it somehow never occurred to me. When I was in my late 30s, I was divorced with two children and a mortgage, and needed to complete the degree I’d been chipping away at for years in order to be considered for higher-paying jobs. I asked my adviser to review my credits and tell me what degree plan I was closest to completing. Although my dream was to star in Stephen Sondheim musicals on Broadway, it was probably a good thing the answer was “English”.

For the next two years I enjoyed my creative writing classes, and was fortunate to be taught by some of the best professors in the program, but I still wasn’t thinking of writing as a career. Then, I took a class called The Art of the Personal Essay, and the world shifted on its axis.

I graduated from the UA in 2007, started my first blog, andeventually got a job at a nonprofit organization writing their weekly blog and other communication and fundraising pieces. Then, last year I started working for myself as a freelance writer.

Now that I have figured out I can make a career out of writing, I find it a little difficult to focus. I want to WRITE ALL THE WORDS!! I write two blogs, one focused on my repurposing and vintage collecting hobby, and the other… well, that’s where I write about pretty much everything else. I also write for magazines, a small community publication, and blogs that request content from the ARWB. I look forward to seeing what the next year (or ten) has in store for me, and I hope I can entertain you as you follow along. But for now, we’ll just start with June…

Here are some places to read some of my words and look at some of my photos (also, you’ll see I have two distinct personas online… just to keep things ~~confusing~~ interesting):

Facebook –See Laurie Write
Junque Rethunque

Twitter – @LaurieMMarshall
Junque Rethunque

Instagram – See Laurie Write
Junque Rethunque

Google+ – Laurie M. Marshall

Trending with Grace Grits and Gardening {Blogger of the Month}

Those in the know say bloggers should monitor trends, write about those trends (to increase page rankings) and even add trending key words into posts to attract the roving search engines. I admit it. In a perverse sort of way, I’m oddly interested in what’s trending on Twitter and Google. Perverse because typically I have no clue and/or interest in the trending topics. I’m dull that way.

I don’t know why I even look. The fascinating (to everyone except me?) topics clogging up cyberspace only make me feel old and out of the loop.

Last week #WhatJayZSaidToSolange was trending on Twitter. I promise you, until that moment, I had no idea who/what/where Solange was. I’m still not sure. And I’m plenty okay with it too.

Unless tomatoes start trending, it’s doubtful I’ll be blogging about popular topics.

If I do write about Solange on Grace Grits and Gardening, my handful of faithful readers will surely realize my blog has been hacked. I’d like to believe someone (Colene, Dana, my mother) will check on me, because something is wrong.

Bottom line…I have my own trending topics. Things happening in my life this week. Yesterday. Right now. Ordinary to most, these are the topics that hold my attention and make me happy. And the only drama in the whole batch is how many different ways I can serve onions, because I’ve been blessed with a bumper crop.

Enough yakking. Here are my trending topics along with a photo for you visual folks.

my son’s twenty-first birthday! (nothing ordinary about this, I agree)
fresh strawberry cake (birthday tradition in our family)
squash (first harvest of the season)
August: Osage County (have you seen it? I can’t stop thinking about it)
gingham and polka dots (my closet is bursting with both)
Bourbon and Boots (my wish list continues to grow)
spring cleaning (I’ve been reorganizing my kitchen cabinets)
writing (working on my manuscript)
summer reading list (I just bought TMI Mom: Getting Lucky by Heather Davis {she’s part of Oklahoma Women Bloggers y’all!} & Deep Ellum by Brandon Hobson)
Lucy & Annabelle, our schnauzers (always trending in our home); and,
family vacation (where to go?)

No Bieber. No Donald Sterling. Just regular, real life.

One more thing…this is my last Blogger of the Month post. Can you believe we are at the end of May?? THANK YOU Arkansas Women Bloggers and all you readers for indulging me! I hope you’ll keep checking in with me at Grace Grits and Gardening.

I Am Small Town Arkansas {Blogger of the Month}

Written by Miss May 2014, Talya Boerner

As the AWB calendar girl for May, I was told I could write about anything. Okay, probably not anything, but you know what I mean, right? Today I’ve decided to talk about something that’s been weighing on my mind—small town Arkansas.

As a kid I had big plans to escape the farm and Arkansas. I hid behind what I thought I wanted to be or was told I should become. It took me years to figure out I owe a debt of gratitude to the small towns that created me. We’ve all heard the saying you can take the girl out of the country… Well, it’s true. For me anyway.

I am small town Arkansas.

I wouldn’t be the same person had I not grown up in the Delta just down the road from Cottonwood Corner between the Keiser turnoff and Osceola. I just wouldn’t.

But here’s the reality. Throughout Arkansas and rural America, our small towns struggle to reinvent themselves. Towns that prospered and thrived fifty years ago, even twenty years ago, search for creative ways to attract industry and grow population. Historic downtowns sit partially empty and void of activity, vacant big box stores have fallen into disrepair in favor of newer, giant super centers near the interstate.

It’s our own fault. We worked ourselves into this depressing situation as the culture of our country evolved. The American dream changed.

Once upon a time, the world was smaller. Families raised children in and around these bucolic towns. Public schools provided solid educations. Kids played baseball together down at the field behind the gym, then sat side by side on hard wooden pews in church every Sunday morning. Yet after growing up as best friends, they left home for college or jobs in larger cities with more opportunity. Maybe in Arkansas. Maybe not.

Many never returned.

As a generation sought a future elsewhere, small towns began to suffer as the tax base diminished. Factories pulled out. Small business owners retired or passed away leaving no one to take their place. Schools deteriorated. Families moved in search of better education and higher paying jobs. The cycle repeated.

I am as guilty as the next person.

With the farm in my rearview window, I graduated from Rivercrest High School in Mississippi County, moved to Waco, Texas for college, and returned only for occasional visits. For almost thirty years I have lived in Dallas. Although I frequently return home to visit our family farm, I never intended to live or work or raise my children there.

Now I understand.

Our small southern towns need us. You and me. It’s our responsibility. These are the places most special to us, filled with folks who know us best, people who remember us as cheerleaders or math whizzes or simply Thomas Tate’s daughter. These towns helped make us who we are today.

Yes, the houses may seem small and tired, and the windows of the junior high are covered in plywood. The cotton gin, once the hub of town, was torn down years ago. But we remember what was once good and worth saving.

It wouldn’t take much for me to pack up and move home. My husband? He’s not so convinced. He has his own Arkansas town to remember. But even so, there are things we can do. Support local businesses. Visit. Spend money. Spread the word. Participate. Do something. Anything. Before these towns circle the drain.

The next time you plan a three day weekend, think about the special places in your own back yard before you spend time and money elsewhere. Arkansas is over-flowing with scenic spots and fascinating history. Pull off the beaten path. Stop at that diner or museum. Maybe you’ll discover something unusual about your town or county or state. Maybe you’ll learn something incredible about yourself.

Taking Back My Crayons {Blogger of the Month}

Taking Back My Crayons
Written by Miss May 2014, Talya Boerner

As a creative kid, I was always coloring, doodling, or crafting something in the middle of the kitchen table while Momma cooked supper. I loved words and usually had my nose stuck in a book. The thought of writing a school paper made me downright giddy. I wrote my first autobiography at age nine. (A little boring but hey, I hadn’t done anything yet.)

At some point like most kids, I put away my crayons in favor of more “practical” endeavors like algebra and basketball. And when I headed for college Daddy said, “If I’m paying, you’ll get a business degree.”

So I did.

An economics degree wasn’t a stretch for me, after all, I grew up processing farm payroll EveryFridayNight for as long back as I can remember. To be clear, Momma was the one actually typing up checks and paying the farm hands. My little sister and I “helped” using old deposit slips and Monopoly money. Each week we took turns being the farmer and the banker. Both jobs were incredibly stressful.

Since I wanted to escape the farm, I chose the only other path clear to me. Banking. And I’m not knocking it. Banking offered a multitude of opportunities, yet after twenty plus years, I walked away.

To write.

I took back my crayons. And guess what? They still have that same sweet smell.

A month or so ago, I attended the Delta Symposium at Arkansas State University, a truly unique event encompassing the Arkansas Delta. My Delta. As I listened to discussions on William Faulkner and southern humor I thought about how my life had evolved in the ~~two~~ three (I’ve lost count) years since I left the bank. Not only the change in my day-to-day routine from making loans to writing stories, but in my new community.

Talk about growing your garden…stick with me for a moment while I get a bit abstract. My garden is now filled with people and experiences that never existed to me as a banker. Doing what I was truly meant to do has been life-altering. I have pushed myself, spread stronger roots, blossomed. Instead of working with black and white and debits and credits, I have 64 brilliant colors for drawing and blending and shading and creating. And there’s a sharpener in the back to keep everything fresh.

Arkansas Women Bloggers has been a key part in building new relationships and opening doors for me. So have the friends I’ve made at Hemingway-Pfeiffer and The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow where I attend retreats as often as possible. Writing is solitary work—most days it’s just me, my dogs and my MacBook. Having a community of like-minded friends has kept me motivated and focused, helped me tap back into my creative side.

Are you still reading? If so, I thank you and count you among my community. Now it’s back to creating and tending to my garden.

See ya next week!

Growing Your Garden

Written by Miss May 2014, Talya Boerner

Arkansas Women Bloggers’ May theme is Grow Your Garden. Perfect subject for me! Gardening is an important part of my day-to-day routine. Digging in the dirt makes me tick.

I grew up surrounded by the ultimate garden. Cotton fields. Acres and acres of fertile delta soil. Sometimes Daddy planted soybeans and wheat, but there was always a crop surrounding our house in every direction. And our yard was filled with trees—a plum tree heavy with fruit and cherry trees by the pump house provided lots of good summer picnicking. Momma’s pecan trees now tower over the house still providing fruit for holiday pies.

No, our farm wasn’t a garden in the strict definition of the word, but I grew up aware of life growing beyond our front porch.

I consider myself to be a learn-as-I-go gardener proving anyone can do it. Maybe I inherited a greenish thumb from Nana who seemed to be able to stick a root or seed in the soil and grow all kinds of flowers and vegetables. Or Uncle Rex who always had the most gorgeously landscaped yard in town.

Today as I yanked a pathetic looking collard green plant from my veggie garden, I thought about my gardening life and what I would share with you. Looking back, I realized I’ve come a long way from my early days of only planting flats of pink annuals in straight rows. I’ve put my share of sweat equity into our yard (and the yard before), and I’ve made plenty of mistakes. That’s okay. It’s all part of the gardening journey.

In no particular order, here are a few of my tips and tricks learned along the way…

1) Before planting trees and flower beds, get to know your property. Study the sunlight patterns, shade and drainage.

2) Good soil is essential. No skimping. Lowe’s Garden Centers (and others) sell test kits. Your local cooperative center provides testing as well. Once you determine your soil’s structure you can make amendments.

3) Keeping learning. Many local nurseries offer free classes. These are invaluable as they are geared toward your specific climate and location.

4) Don’t be afraid to break the rules. Mix herbs and veggies with flowers. Hang ferns from trees. Every sliver of dirt is a potential space for growing something. Add whimsey. Plant in uncommon, found containers.

5) Add color with shrubs and vines. Variegated and contrasting leaf color provide interest with a range of hues from pea green to deep purple.

6) Buy perennials after they have bloomed at end of season sales. They will bloom again next year for half the price.

7) Notice what thrives in your area. If you don’t see it blooming in your neighborhood or along the Arboretum sidewalks during summer, it probably won’t grow for you either.

8) Don’t ignore fences and walls—plant vertically to soften the landscape and enlarge your garden area.

9) Spend time with your plants. Photograph your garden, noticing change from day to day. This will help you understand what each plant needs to thrive.

10) Go organic. Period.

11) Don’t forget the magic ingredient—water. But don’t over water.

12) If a plant isn’t working, transplant it to a more suitable location or toss it into the compost pile where it can be useful. Life’s too short to babysit a wimpy plant.

That’s it for my down and dirty gardening tips, but before I go, take a look out your window and tell me what you see. Pine trees? The glorious Ozark Mountains? An expanse of bright clover, sunrise over a lazy river, a pasture? Maybe you live in a town or city with a view of houses or buildings. There are gardens tucked away there too.

You have to know where to look. But more importantly, you have to be able to see.