Category: Theme Thursday

5 Ways to Harvest Creativity

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When the days get shorter and the mornings get colder, I come alive. I’m not sure why exactly, but in the fall, I find myself inspired and brimming with stories to tell. The harvest season simply has this effect on me. Therefore, I find it an excellent time to harvest creativity.

As a child, my cousins and I would help our Papaw Tex harvest what was left of the squash, okra, and cucumbers before the frost hit. We’d gather the veggies in large buckets and take them inside to my Grandma Joy who would can them for the winter. It’s easy to understand the harvest in terms of gathering produce like this, yet creativity can be gathered and stored much in the same way. During the harvest season, there are five simple ways to harvest your creativity

Go Outside

With the beautiful weather and changing leaves, you may find yourself longing to go outdoors—I know I do!—and the lowering temperatures enable you to do more. I usually find inspiration while doing some outdoor activity, whether it is going on a hike, visiting a local park, or just doing yard work that I’ve put off because of the sInsummer heat. No matter what you do, time outdoors is bound to get your creative juices flowing again, which can help fuel some of your fall and winter projects.

Take Pictures

If you see something that inspires you, take a picture of it. We always have our phones with us, and with a little technology, it is so easy to create an album, either on social media or on your phone, of inspirational photos that you can revisit later when your creativity tank is running low. I’ve actually turned my Instagram account into a collection of inspirational photos like this. (Thanks to Sarah Shotts and her Venture Camp, I got a good bank of photos that should take me well into the new year—Thanks, Sarah!)

Journal

Whether you are a writer or an artist, I HIGHLY recommend keeping some kind of journal or sketchbook. My journal is filled with a wide-range of entries, from Purge Pages to poems to prayers. I write about anything and everything—and I do so DAILY. As with the photos, I revisit these entries often to refuel.

Listen to Inspiring Music

When it gets colder, going outdoors may not be a possibility. On bitterly cold days, I revisit my journal for inspiration, and often times, I listen to my favorite music as well. For me, this means Phil Collins, Phillip Wesley, and Plumb—hmm, I just realized all of those start with the letter P. Music has a way of taking us back, of helping us remember. So, if you’re having trouble gathering your creativity, try listening to some of your favorite music.

Socialize

Sometimes, the best way to harvest creativity is to forget about harvesting for a while. Much like the vegetables in my Papaw Tex’s garden, at times, we have to wait and let our creativity grow more before it is ready to harvest. Luckily, Autumn gives us lots of new and exciting opportunities to socialize, such as bonfires, hay rides, pumpkin patches, barbecues, festivals, football games, etc. Taking advantage of these social events will only give us new experiences to recreate in our writing and/or artwork; it also allows us to relax and not force our creativity—or harvest it before it is ready.

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I hope I’ve inspired you to try some new ways of harvesting your creativity. I can’t wait to see what harvest you will reap!

Not a Random Harvest

by Katharine Trauger

My harvest germinated in Europe.

Specifically, this harvest began in Germany.

My best harvest often, but not always, germinated in Europe and found itself transplanted, here.

It’s a harvest of the planting of seeds of hope and courage.

Many motives lay behind the growers of hope and courage who left Germany decades ago. It was a widespread if daunting and dangerous practice.

So, a fledgling couple boarded a ship bound for the New World. Were they terrified as they departed? More terrified once they disembarked? No doubt they were. Simple farming folk, who’d found farming in Europe to be a mode of slow starvation, parted with everything to start over, elsewhere, to take up farming again, here.

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Consider their faces. Frederick and Wilhelmina look stern, matter-of-factual. And do they look a bit smug? I think it. I imagine their faces say, “We made it. We can afford clothing and a photograph, a house with windows and good sturdy shingles on the roof. Coats. Shoes. Things we never had before. We did it.”

Did they send the photo back to Germany? I think it.

That was their harvest from seeds of hope, courage and brutal hard work. That, and an abundant harvest of children.

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Here is one of them, Laura, and her initial harvest, with her happy determination to increase even more all that was handed her. His name is Otto Jacob. His dad’s name was Jacob Otto, and before him, the name was reversed again. You could call that “branding the harvest” if you wanted.

Otto was a farmer, a vigneron, if you will, who also sold grapes by the peck, and played accordion with a band on Friday nights, in town. In many ways, those were his harvest, but he and Laura also raised six children.

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This is Laura with the kids, standing in age order. Otto died after surgery when the youngest was only six years old. How Laura continued after that horrible blow, I can partly guess, because, during our Great Depression, our ancestors collected many tales of bare subsistence. Partly, she sold the farm. Partly, Laura made money selling strawberries, the entirety of her back yard devoted to growing, weeding, mulching, and harvesting them. Partly, she did all the flour-sack, make-do things we’ve all heard about. Partly, the children worked outside the home, for income that they gave to Laura. In age-order, these kids became: blacksmith, manufacturer, wife of a butcher, wife of a car dealer, school superintendent, and wife of a manufacturer. This was her harvest. You can see the grim pride in her face. She struck out, made good, and even made an increase with all the seeds of hope and courage others had forwarded to her.

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Laura’s youngest, named Lucile, has imparted to me sagas of owning only three dresses: for Sunday, for choring, and for all the rest of the time. She has shared tales of how worn clothing became cleaning rags and rag rugs, and even a method for curling hair. Employed for a while in an office in Kansas City, she met Ted, a dashing military man who’d seen action in Korea, and she felt he was her destiny. Here they are, overflowing with happy dreams of what they might harvest from this life. They overcame job loss, re-branding themselves as small shop-owners, and much more.

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And here we are, their harvest, myself as eldest, and my siblings, who’ve become: educator/writer/speaker, telecommunications expert, wife of a physician, IT specialist, and dental hygienist. Together, we have fourteen children (five are mine) and 16 grandchildren.

I’ve tried to count how many hard-working, clean-living people sprang from the seeds of courage and hope that Fred and Willie brought over from Germany, but I cannot. I am related to countless cousins and have lost touch with too many.

But I know it is a harvest of hundreds.

And I am glad for all who planted.

Katharine Trauger is a retired educator and a women’s counselor. She has spent 25 years managing a home and school for children who would otherwise have been homeless, and has worked 15 years as contributor and/or columnist for several small professional magazines, with over 60 published articles. She blogs about the rising popularity of “being at home” from a sun room on a wooded hilltop in the Deep South at: Home’s Cool! and The Conquering Mom and tweets at Katharine Trauger (@KathaTrau). She is currently working on a self-help book entitled: Yes, It Hurts, But . . .
Retired educator. Women’s counselor. Managed (25 years) a home and school for children who would otherwise be homeless. Contributor and/or columnist (15 years) several small professional magazines (60+ articles). Blogs from a sunroom on a wooded hilltop in the Deep South.

Learning to Have Academic Faith in Myself

By Amanda Cross

I did my best

When I first heard of this month’s theme I knew I had to write a post for ARWB. I have fallen more in love with education and learning over the years. I am currently a graduate student in Arkansas (and I also run my own blog as a side project.) Learning has been so central to my life ever since I can remember and now I am able to use that love to inspire others on a daily basis.

This learning journey took a lot of help though. I definitely wasn’t confident in myself. I still suffer with my own academic confidence issues. It definitely took a village to raise my academic faith in myself. When I first got to graduate school last fall I was miserable. I felt consistently behind everyone else and I was homesick because I had yet to make attachments to my classmates. I had received my Bachelor’s from the University of Central Arkansas so starting completely over at a new university was difficult for me. I didn’t have my same 18-year-old social curiosity at 22.

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Finding out and using what I was passionate about was so important. Remembering your goals is important. Learning can feel endless, it can feel like you are always two steps behind, it can feel thankless. Taking a step back to admire the bigger picture will keep you grounded in academics, blogging, life, and love. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

A year later, I am so thankful for all the people I have met at Arkansas State University, my family, and my friends from my old university. Every one of them has kept me grounded in some way during this learning transition. They have given me confidence in my abilities. They have made me understand that I can do so much if I put my mind to it.

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Now my nights are filled with learning, highlighter and pen smudges on my fingers, and growth. I am doing the best that I can and I know I have so many people to learn with along the way.

Amanda Cross is an Arkansas native from eastern Arkansas. Amanda loves writing, reading, and fueling her shopping habit by checking out cute Arkansas boutiques. Amanda writes a blog called The Happy Arkansan where she discusses all things academic and college lifestyle related. Amanda is currently also attending Arkansas State University where she is getting her MA in Sociology.

The Awkward Garden

By Jeanetta Darley

There is beauty in imperfection

. . . in the unique

. . . and in the awkward.

As you walk through a garden you see vegetables and fruits that would never make it to the pristine and homogenized shelves of the grocery store. Their unusual shapes or blemished exteriors might not win the blue ribbons for shape and form unless it’s for their oddities. Sometimes people are a lot like the gatherings in a garden.

Sometimes we may seem garish or show too many scars.

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Sometimes we may seem a bit unbalanced.

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Sometimes we are going in a lot of different directions.

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Sometimes it’s worrying about being to0 awkward or not fitting in that can put us in knots.

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But if we can embrace our own eccentricities, we realize our differences make us special.

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And when we learn to appreciate and celebrate the differences in others, we find out that we are all just one big garden growing together.

very awkward carrots

Discover the Benefits of Traveling Solo

by Talya Tate Boerner

Solo Travel - Benefits

I’m a fan of traveling solo on occasion—a few days here and there can be good for the soul. In the words of Oscar Wilde, I think it’s very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person. As women, we’re pulled in every direction all the time. Always in charge. Always mothering. Always keeping life moving forward. There’s nothing wrong with taking the time to rediscover ourselves. In fact, I highly recommend it.

In June, I spent nearly two weeks promoting my new book while traveling from Northwest Arkansas to the Florida Panhandle to the Delta and back home again. Whew. Two weeks was a little longer than my typical solo excursion, but I discovered a few things along the way. I found that traveling alone comes with special perks and benefits.

You’ll get out of your comfort zone and gain more confidence. With no traveling companion, you’ll be completely in charge of everything—what you’ll eat and see and when you’ll do it. Sitting alone at a restaurant can feel uncomfortable at first, but once you get the hang of it, there’s something liberating about it. Have you ever found yourself in a place and realized no one truly knew where you were? Years ago as a college student, I took a series of trains through Tokyo and managed to get from Point A to Point B without disappearing forever. I did it—before cell phones or GPS, with train signs I could barely comprehend, and surrounded by no one who spoke English. And I felt accomplished.

You’ll have more time and flexibility. No matter how well you and your regular travel companion get along, there’s always extra waiting and planning and discussing involved when a trip includes your spouse or friends or family. That’s not a bad thing, just a different experience. But as a solo traveler, you can detour on a whim, take the back roads, skip supper in favor of eating ice cream on the beach, zip through a museum without reading every sign on every exhibit, whatever your heart desires.

ice cream on the beach

You’ll make new friends. As the boundaries of your comfort zone blur and time begins to move at a more leisurely pace, you’ll make a few new friends. As a lone traveler, I discover it’s easy to strike up conversations with folks, because after a while I need to visit with someone. (I think I inherited this never-met-a-stranger trait from my Mother.) In Florida, had I not been schedule-less and solo, I may not have spent extra time chitchatting with Sara McFerrin, docent at The Raney House Museum. And I would have never discovered she’s written four books! These memorable, personal moments make vacations richer all the way around.

You’ll see more. More alone time means more opportunity to listen and observe. Having time to reset your mind naturally translates into better writing as you become immersed in your thoughts. When I’m attentive, stories find me.

The Benefits of Solo Travel - get off the beaten path

You’ll rediscover yourself. And you’ll be better for it.

Are you a fan of solo travel? I’d love to hear about your adventures and the benefits you’ve discovered. One thing’s for sure—after spending time regrouping and recharging, home and family will never look so fantastic. Happy traveling!

Arkansas Women Bloggers member Talya Tate Boerner is a delta girl who grew up making mudpies on her family’s cotton farm in Northeast Arkansas. After thirty years in Texas, she has returned to the state she loves, settling in Northwest Arkansas. Talya draws inspiration from nature and appreciates the history behind food, family, places and objects. She blogs at Grace, Grits and Gardening and has been published in Arkansas Review, Front Porch and several on-line publications. Talya believes most any dish can be improved with a side of collard greens. Her debut novel,The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, is available at Barnes & Noble, via Amazon, and at certain indie bookstores.

Twitter: @gracegrits
Instagram: @gracegrits
Blog: www.gracegritsgarden.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraceGritsGardening/?ref=hl

Discover ADHD with Me

by Carmella Fryer

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The theme for posts this month is discover. I have written a few different draft posts centered on other topics but keep coming back to this – me and ADHD. It’s scary to put this out there for all to see but each time I talk openly about my ADHD story it seems to help others discover new truths about this disorder as it relates to themselves, family members and/or friends. I’m putting my brave face on and trusting that sharing something so personal will have more positive outcomes than negative.

Here are a few things I’ve discovered since being diagnosed:

Discovery #1: Perception is NOT Reality

It is super sad to me that such a stigma still exists around this disorder. I recall several years ago gathering with a group of girlfriends. We all had young children. When one of the moms walked out of the room another mom whispered, “Did you hear the news? Her daughter was diagnosed with ADHD this week. Bless her heart.” Everyone joined in feeling sorry for this poor woman and her less-than-perfect child.

I was appalled – but not for the exact reason you might think. Of course, I cringed about the gossipy manner in which this information was shared. I was upset that these women changed their perception of this smart, happy and creative child instantly based on four little letters. But I was mostly appalled because at that time I wasn’t sure I believed this disorder really existed. I blew it off as a way for parents and teachers to sedate young, active boys into submission. I had not heard of many girls having the disorder (more on this later). I couldn’t understand what the big deal was.

As it turns out we all were perpetuating the stigma around this often misunderstood diagnosis. I feel I was lucky enough to be able to overcome the challenges of ADHD as a child and for many adult years. I believe that gives me a unique voice to help break down the perceptions that are still prevalent.

People with ADHD process information differently. We are not lazy. We can’t just try harder to focus. We can’t force our brains to perform as society expects them to. We can, however, find our strengths and focus there instead of on our challenges. We can solve problems like nobody’s business because we perceive and process the world differently. We are creative. We are fun. We don’t want pity. We want love, friendship, understanding, and acceptance.

Challenge: Take a few minutes to learn more about ADHD and reframe your perceptions of those living with it. My go-to resource is ADDitude.

Discovery # 2: It’s Not All About the Boys

As I mentioned in the first discovery, I originally believed ADHD only affected young boys with too much energy and too little discipline. Oh, how wrong I was! What I have learned since getting my diagnosis is that ADHD affects boys and girls differently.

When I was referred to a specialist to be evaluated for ADHD I thought it was kind of silly. How could a straight A, goody-goody-rule-following girl turned successful career woman have ADHD? I was sure I was wasting both the doctor’s and my time.

I did a little digging on the topic prior to the appointment and started thinking maybe there was something to this. Deep down inside I hoped it was true. I had always known I was a little different from the crowd. Could this help me understand why? When my doctor announced that I did have ADHD, I broke out into tears – not sad tears, tears of joy. I started reliving my past through a new lens. Things were finally beginning to make sense.

More research helped me understand how my symptoms have been apparent since I was a child had I know they present differently in girls than boys. I want to raise awareness to this fact most of all. So many of our girls go under the radar and are diagnosed as adults or never at all. I had a lot of low-lows before being diagnosed.

Hyperactivity in girls can be expressed as highly chatty. Anyone who knows me will get a big chuckle out of that. Chatty I am. I was constantly in trouble in class for incessant talking. I’m still a chatty-Kathy. I interrupt when excited. My stories are filled with details and told in boisterous ways. Some find this endearing. Some not so much. I’m better at reading body language now and more self-aware.

ADHD girls may be viewed as spacey, forgetful and disorganized. As I mentioned I was a straight A student at the top of my class. I excelled at math and science. I was viewed as one of the smart kids and a girl who had it all together – at least most of the time. I had a hard time believing any of this because of my internal struggle. As a natural blonde, many laughs have been made at my expense. My room was a disaster area. I was always losing things that I used several times a day (keys, shoes, purse, etc.). It was (and still is) frustrating.

Girls are also more likely to overcompensate to cover up the challenges they face in order to conform to what is expected of them. They become people-pleasers at their own expense. They commit to unreasonable expectations because they struggle with telling others no. They kill themselves trying to keep up the grand illusion. They can’t let anyone know they are less than perfect. This was and continues to be one of my biggest struggles.

Another difference I have discovered in myself and other gals is a tendency to internalize the angst with negative self-talk. We know we are different but we are not sure why. We call ourselves names and take responsibility for everything that goes wrong around us. We are sensitive to criticism because we are our own worst critics. We are mean to ourselves. This is the saddest part of going undiagnosed from my perspective. It’s been equally challenging and rewarding to practice inner grace – something I could not do until I became aware.

Although I was able to overcome my symptoms for many years, they eventually caught up with me. My self-esteem was slowly being chipped away almost to the point of no return. This was a high price to pay and one I hope I can help other girls and women avoid by recognizing the symptoms and getting diagnosed as early as possible.

Challenge: Do you relate to any of these symptoms or do they remind you of another female in your life? If so, I encourage being evaluated to know one way or another. Here’s a quick self-test to get started down the path.

Discovery #3: ADHD Meds are Not a Racket

I really didn’t want to go down the medication path when I first started learning about ADHD. When I finally conceded to the doctor that we would give the meds a go I told him it better be a difference of night and day. Well let me tell you – it was. I noticed a big difference the very first day.

Initially, I only told a very few close friends and family members about my diagnosis and meds. I started taking them the week after Christmas while I was on holiday. About a week into the new year my boss asked me what I was doing differently. She said she noticed I was more focused, calmer and more effective. Um, wow.

The best way I can describe how the meds help is that they give me a few extra nanoseconds in my brain to organize my thoughts and convey them in a manner that my audience will understand. Before the meds, I would get excited about an idea and would blurt them out expecting everyone to see the brilliance. Instead, I was met with either blank stares or someone telling me to slow down on the coffee.

Everyone is different when it comes to ADHD management. For me, the meds have been a godsend. They are well worth the high price tag each and every month. Some people don’t like being on the meds and I respect that. Some lucky people don’t need the medications because they have crafted their lives in a manner that minimizes the impact of ADHD (yes, I’m jealous and I feel another post coming on this topic).

Challenge: Don’t judge or make jokes about ADHD meds.

Wow. Once I decided to go with me and ADHD as my topic the words started flowing. I am going to count that as confirmation. I originally planned to share more than three discoveries but given the length of each so far that would make for a very long post. So what do you think? Did you discover new insights? Do you have anything to add or debate? I’d love to hear from you on this topic in a kind and respectful manner, please.

Be a Bounty Hunter

By Renee Birchfield

When I hear the word bounty I, of course, think of paper towels and cleaning up my many kitchen messes. But the more I thought about what I wanted to share with you here I thought of Boba Fet, the bounty hunter in Star Wars. He is my husband’s favorite and I have learned a lot about him in the time we’ve been together. As a bounty hunter, he finds people and collects a good paycheck when he hands them over to whoever is looking for them.

I started thinking about what it would be like to be a bounty hunter. Let’s face it I am not the person to go hunting down someone who is running and owes somebody money for who knows what things. I realized though we can all be bounty hunters in our own life.

Bounty is defined as abundance or plenty, also something that is given or occurring in generous amounts. We can all be looking for what we have in abundance in our life.

This could mean physical things we have such as a huge collection of shoes, or kitchen items. Which if you have a bounty of items it may be a good idea to consider donating them and sharing that bounty. But when I think of what I have in abundance it is love, joy, and pet fur.

There is no shortage of love around me. My amazing husband, family, friends, and even the kids I teach. I love them all. There are people in this world who don’t have that in their lives. They are alone for various reasons and they just want to feel loved and cared about. I never forget how fortunate I am that I have never had to wonder if anyone loved me. If you’re like me and feel the bounty of love share it with those around you who need it.

Bounty of love and family

As a fur parent, I am never not covered in fur. With two shedding animals I have a feeling that will not change. With Tesla who has so much hair she can make a mini version of herself in a couple of days of shedding and Chester who taught me cats shed too, all the time, our house is perpetually furry. Even when I dust and vacuum every day it is still hairy.

Bounty of fur

But really I would never trade these sweet members of my family for a spotless house. I have a generous amount of pet fur in my house, but my heart is overflowed with love for the animals they come off of.

I challenge you to hunt for the bounty in your life, especially when at first thought you can’t think of anything. Then once you find it share it and help others see their bounty.

Renee blogs over at If Spoons Could Talk. Sharing recipes, tips, reviews and techniques with her readers. During the school year she can be found in local schools substitute teaching. In her spare time you can find her in the kitchen of her and her husband’s home, cooking with a camera nearby. With a Food and Culinary Science degree you can bet she whips up some easy, healthy recipes. Find her at If Spoons Could Talk Facebook Page, Twitter and Instagram.

The Bounty in my Backyard

By Heather Wilson

It was almost a year ago I made the move from a coastal city of over one and a half million to an ocean-less, rural Northwest Arkansas town; population two-thousand – and two. It was an adjustment, a culture shock; a struggle. I longed for the world and life I left behind to become a ‘fuller’-time stepmother; to live a whole new way of life and to expose myself to thoughts and ideas that were, to say the least, foreign to me. I was scared and unsure. I wanted to open my mind, yet I hesitated. I kept hearing, “Give it a year.” It might as well have been, “Give it a lifetime,” until one day, I’m not quite sure when, I started realizing what was in front of me is just as important as what I had felt I left behind.

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When my husband and I first moved into our home; a home we could not have afforded in our past place of residence, we were greeted by the humidity and mosquitos of summer in the south. I saw a mouse and cried, surprised thereafter that others didn’t see this as a huuuge deal. On the second day after our arrival, we watched through the window as two young bucks zealously ate flowers less than five feet from where we stood; spotted little Bambis, if you will. For this city girl it was a whole new experience watching deer eat in MY own yard. Soon the lightning bugs followed and childhood memories came to mind. Cool drinks on the deck swing watching the leaves of our walnut and oak trees sway as they went from green to yellow and orange served as a reminder I would now get to experience seasons; and an autumn with an abundance of color and beauty I hadn’t seen in years. The leaves fell, the groundhogs hibernated and the hummingbirds migrated to warmer pastures while the cardinals stayed displaying their striking red against the silhouette of winter. The sunsets peeked through the trees and soon the cold wasn’t so bitter as the backdrop of the land we call our backyard began to feel more like home.

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Along with spring came the fragrance of honeysuckle and the brightest of roses planted by my husband I excitedly walk out to see and smell each morning. The days and nights roasting s’mores over the fire pit, hearing the laughter of my stepdaughters in a way only children can laugh and finally understanding why I’m here have passed quickly. And somehow, sometime I realized the importance of that which is bigger than I: Open-mindedness to a whole new world and adventure upon which I embarked; the love of family; the love of children I would have otherwise not gotten to know. This is why I am here-for an education that cannot come from a book.

Roses-BOUNTY

The spots have disappeared since that hot July afternoon and our two young bucks are now in velvet. They along with members of their family visit daily, almost fearless of our presence. Perhaps they come to remind me not to forget how far I’ve come and of this bounty; a bounty that awaited me greater than any treasure I could have imagined. And they remind me, I’ve found it in my backyard.
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Miami, Florida native Heather Wilson is an Air Force brat who said she’d never marry a man in the military, so of course she did. After her husband finished his career in the US Navy, they made the move from San Diego, California to his native rural Northwest Arkansas to be with his children. Honored with Business Traveler Magazine’s title of Business Traveler of the Year, Heather is an events and experiential marketing expert, cancer survivor, tea aficionado and biker chick who strives to live the ‘gift is in the giving’. She is amusing herself and others learning to be a city girl living in a country world. You can follow her adventures at Country Life, City Wife and via social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Bounty of Friendship

By Yavonda Chase

When I first heard that bounty was the topic for June, I immediately started thinking about all of the blessings in my life. I thought about my wonderful husband, my beautiful daughter, the rest of my slightly crazy, but always supportive family, my new job that I really enjoy and my great friends.

And I was thankful.

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Then I wondered how I was ever going to choose one thing out of all of those blessings to write about.

But then this weekend happened, and this post started to write itself.

I think one of the (not-so-fun) truths of growing older is that friends often move away. If you’re lucky, they only move an hour or so away. Unfortunately, I never seem to be that fortunate. My friends’ moves are typically more of the “I now live more hours away than you can think about driving in one day with kid in tow” variety.

And so, when they come back into town, it is a treat.

This weekend, I was truly blessed. Not one, but two of my longtime friends returned to town. Since they were only here for a few days, we packed as much togetherness in that time as possible. As I, and other local friends, all gathered together to see these friends, I was reminded of how much of a blessing friendship is.

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Sometimes it is so easy to forget or take for granted our friends, especially the ones we rely on the most. But when they no longer live just down the block from you or share the desk next to yours, you realize how much you depend on them to just be there.

And while Facebook and email are great for keeping in touch with your friends, it just isn’t the same as sushi lunches or nights out with the girls. It doesn’t hold you when your heart is breaking because of a death of a loved one or hug you with joy when your heart is full because of a promotion at work and the graduation of your child from Kindergarten. Social media is a cold substitute for the human contact of good friends.

So this weekend, I reveled in all of my friendships – the friends who have moved away and the friends who are still here with me. I laughed too much; I ate too much; I probably drank too much; and I just enjoyed being with my wonderful friends.

The Bounty of Friendship is one of life’s greatest blessings.

Arkansas Women Bloggers member Yavonda Chase writes about life, love and everything else at SimplyYavonda.com. She is a wife and mother who considers her daughter to be her greatest accomplishment. She was born in Kentucky and still cheers for the Kentucky Wildcats, but has lived in Arkansas for 30 years and proudly calls Central Arkansas home.

Blog: www.simplyyavonda.com

Twitter: @YavondaChase

Instagram: @Yavs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simplyyavonda/

A Hometown Tour

by Shea Fogerty

I love a good home tour, getting to see the creative side of another family. Coming away with inspiration to get out and create. So today, I wanted to step that up a notch and provide you with my hometown tour.

Welcome to Arkadelphia!

arkadelphia_welcome

As you enter town, you are greeted by the local water tower with our slogan “Arkadelphia It’s a great place to call home!” In 1998, we were nearly whipped off the map by a huge EF-4 tornado. Not long after, this slogan was created and efforts were ramped up to make our sweet town a wonderful and revitalized home.

I love that we still have a historic downtown area, even after all that destruction. Thanks to the Downtown Arkadelphia movement, it is continuing to grow. We have been able to enjoy block parties and yearly festivals such as the Arkadelphia Crawfish Festival and Arktoberfest. You can find the old, our library, and the courthouse; along with the new, Slim and Shorty’s is a great place to grab a burger and catch a game.

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Just off the downtown area, you will run into our two local colleges. Arkadelphians are divided on all college matters, especially in November; you can either be a Henderson Reddie or an OBU Tiger, but you can’t be both.

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Come one November Saturday afternoon, the battle heads across the ravine in what has been nationally touted as the shortest away game on record.

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Besides being known for the town with two colleges, we are also the town of two rivers. It is just outside of town that the Caddo and the Ouachita merge. Summer days are often filled with float trips, boat rides and snow cones down at Cajun Snow. Or, if you want some wild water fun, you can visit our Aquatic Park.

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Before you leave town, make sure to stop by for some good ol’ BBQ and a sweet treat. There really is something for everyone here in small town Arkadelphia.

Shea blogs over at The Fogue Abode. She loves writing about thrifty ways to decorate your space. They are currently fixing up their version of a fixer upper. Besides a novice interior decorator, she’s also a rookie mom. If she it’s not paint in her hair, that may be baby powder. Check her out on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.