Intensely Arkansas: Autumn Rituals

There is a special time of year that is intensely Arkansas, for lack of better words... and we are in the midst of it.

The weeks that surround the peak of fall foliage just have a special feeling about them.  The sunlight is dappled, there is a smattering of color on the trees and the ground, it's brisk and pleasant out and kids are trying out those back to school clothes that look so cute (but it was too hot, honestly, to wear leg warmers in September).

There is something about October and November that just says "get outside."  I've been antsy to hike, stroll, bike and camp.  Our eldest (along with her Dad) definitely feel it too... they are outside "working in the yard" when there is definitely no work to be done.  The season makes us all want to light a fire in the backyard or walk in the woods or the neighborhood. 

There seems to be a collective sense of community at this time of year as well, though.  People are starting to be nicer, as they are prone to do toward the holidays.  I hear more "good mornings" and see more eye contact.  Neighbors have started baking and delivering goodies just because, and I feel the same annual pull to make something with my hands and give it away.  I love these particular, unidentifiable feelings specifically because they feel like a general harkening to times gone by.  When the seasons pulled and directed our actions rather than society, I think we were all the better for it.  I certainly am not one who thinks we all need to go back to the way things were a decade or a century ago, but I think we could all benefit from listening to these subtle signals that are so easily overlooked the more wired (literally and figuratively) we become.

The irony of blogging about this sentiment is not lost on me, and in fact I think it makes the message even more compelling.  How easily we can become lost in the future if we don't take the time to be tied to the past.  Autumn is about wrapping up our outside chores, readying our homes for cozy times through the winter months, stocking our pantries and those of our neighbors.  Our drinks and meals turn heartier and more fortifying, and we greet our neighbors before settling in for those long winter naps.  We leap in the leaves and run one last time around the yard or down the trail before we feel it's time for a break.  In theory, we prepare our hearts, minds, bodies and homes for an internal focus on family.

I feel like selecting good reading for the winter, readying the board games, stacking up the blankets near the fireplace and bringing a symbol of autumn and a brittle branch or two into the house. 

 
Enjoy the rituals of the change in seasons, and all those things we do without realizing it because they are ingrained as the last ties we have to our ancestors. It's a lovely feeling, made all the lovelier by recognizing and dwelling on it a bit before we plug back into reality, literally again.

Happy fall!

Just for fun:  Arkansas Fall Foliage Peak Times

Pollyanna takes on "place-bashing"

For some reason, this was saved as a draft post earlier this year.  Thought I'd go ahead and let it fly...

I recently read this post: What Kind of Life Do I Want to Live? from David at Simple.Organized.Life (it's a great blog) and felt compelled to pen a retort of sorts.  Of course, in the end, it was less retort than tirade, and less responsive than rhetorical.  Nonetheless, here it is in its entirety should you feel like reading or remarking...


There is an answer outside suburbia. Set aside the idea of identical tract houses sprawling outside an urban area, halfway between the country mouse and the city mouse.



It's easy to call something idyllic when you're living it, and it's simple to think you have it all figured out if you've reached a place of solace. With that in mind, however, I would submit a growing and commendable trend for your consideration - take it or leave it.


We bought a 1905 home in the historic downtown area of our community about five years ago. While the homes are hit and miss - astounding relics near hovels - the trend was clear. We were followed by a handful of other young professionals who were fleeing the traditional city. On the far side of our community, there is ample development - lifestyle centers, condos, upscale dining and enormous manses abound. The community we've found splits the difference between the country life and the city life. We can hand an egg or a glass of wine over a picket fence, tend organic gardens and sit on one another's front porches, or we can relish the solidarity of space and solitude. Granted, we're rather fortunate in that a ten mile drive in one direction places us squarely in remarkable forests or at the edge of a pristine undeveloped lake, and a ten mile drive in the opposite direction places us in the aforementioned walkable nouveau city scene.


Most remarkably, I suppose, is where we live - Arkansas. Having lived in South America, Jamaica, Pennsylvania, Washington state and France, I can honestly say that I don't have the perceived grave misfortune of being "forced" to live in midAmerica. And while much of the nation discounts places like this as uneducated, unsophisticated or underdeveloped, I know that actually, it's much of the world that lacks knowledge about Arkansas and so many other typically shunned states.


It's unfortunate that states take a beating and garner stereotyped reputations. We're all tempted to make fun of New Jersey, laugh about those barefoot folks in West Virginia or Arkansas or make fun of California as the land of fruits and nuts. We're doing ourselves such a disservice - the world is a fantastic place with small towns in the mountains, urban cities that negate the need for owning a vehicle, quirky diners, topnotch five star restaurants and everything in between, not to mention the farms and uninterrupted patches of land that hold it all together.


This is less a reply or rebuke and more a soapbox on the subject of "place-bashing" and the temptation to live one lifestyle and deem it the very best. 

   

Beth's Arkansas Product List

I've been threatening for ages to launch an Arkansas Products list, because a) I love buying and giving local and b) there is simply no good existing list for those who want to support our home state.

I offer this with one major disclaimer: it will obviously be impossible to list every fabulous Arkansas product.  So, keep the comments coming regarding missing businesses!  This will be a work-in-progress.

I challenged myself one year to give Arkansas-made products as Christmas gifts.  It was easier than it sounds between art and pottery for my mom and sister from Poor Richard's Art (http://www.poorrichardsart.com/), Aromatique candles, slingshots and Daisy/Red Ryder airguns for my dad and husband and so on - in fact, I successfully shopped mostly in historic downtown Rogers with that endeavor!  Don't forget things that are not necessarily Arkansas-made, but definitely locally inspired - see the list below.  There is easy rollover into the food category, too - see #6 in a previous post (http://carpediembeth.blogspot.com/2010/05/foodie-fun.html) and more ramblings to come...

Consider putting together an Arkansas Products gift basket (even the basket can be Arkansas-made!) with a copy of A Painted House, some food products, Aromatique Candles, a bottle of wine and more.  It's unique and memorable.  I even have included a cutting board shaped like the state of Arkansas from Babe's Boards in Rogers.  Howard and Marilyn Pennington don't have a website, but shoot me a note at beth@onsc.us and I'll share their phone number (rather than blast it on the internet). 

Without further ado, The List:

Arkansas Products
Abbey Brittle & Monk Sauce (http://www.subi.org/Abbey/sauce.htm)
A.G. Russell Knives (http://www.agrussell.com/)
Ally's Jelly (http://www.allysjelly.com/)
Andrew's Candy Company (http://www.andrewscandycompany.com/)
Arkansas Rice Depot (http://www.ricedepot.org/)
Aromatique Candles (http://www.aromatique.com/)
Bear Kingdom Vineyard (http://bearkingdom.com/) 
Brent and Sam's Cookies (http://www.brentandsams.com/)
Cavender's Greek Seasoning (http://www.greekseasoning.com/)
Cocoa Belle Chocolates  (http://www.cbchocolat.com/)
Daisy and Red Ryder Airguns (http://www.daisy.com/)
Doeling Dairy (http://www.doelingdairy.com/)
Fischer Honey Company (http://www.fischerhoney.com/)
First Nature Bird & Hummingbird Feeders (http://www.firstnature.net/)
Gibson Baskets (http://www.gibsonbaskets.com/)
House of Webster jams, jellies, salsas & more (http://www.houseofwebster.com/)
J and M Cheese Straws (http://www.jm-foods.com/)
Juanita's Candy Kitchen (http://www.juanitascandykitchen.com/)
Klappenbach Baker (www.klappenbachbakery.com/)
Liz and Linda's Pepper Jelly (http://www.lizandlindaspepperjelly.com/)
Martin Greer's Candies (http://www.martingreerscandies.com/)
McClard's BBQ Sauce (http://www.mcclards.com/)
Mountain Valley Water (http://www.mountainvalleyspringstore.com/)
Patticakes Fudge (http://www.patticakesbakery.net/)
Peace Bee Farms (http://www.peacebeefarm.com/)
Petit Jean Meats (http://www.petitjeanmeats.com/)
Ranger Bass Boats (http://www.rangerboats.com/)
Riceland Rice (http://www.riceland.com/)
Suzanne's Fruit Farm (http://www.suzannesfruitfarm.com/)
Two Brothers Canoe (http://www.twobrotherscanoe.com/)
Two Dumb Dames Fudge (http://www.twodumbdames.com/)
War Eagle Mill (http://www.wareaglemill.com/)

Arkansas Wine and Beer
Boscos Brewing Company (http://www.boscosbeer.com/)
Chateau Aux Arc Winery (http://www.chateauauxarc.com/)
Cowie Wine Cellars (http://www.cowiewinecellars.com/)
Diamond Bear Brewing Company (http://www.diamondbear.com/)
Hog Haus Brewing Company (http://www.hoghaus.com/)
Keels Creek Winery (http://www.keelscreek.com/)
Mount Bethel Winery (http://www.mountbethel.com/)
Post Familie Winery (http://www.postfamilie.com/)
Vino's Brew Pub (http://www.vinosbrewpub.com/)
Wiederkehr Wine Cellars (http://www.wiederkehrwines.com/)
Also: The Home Brewery for beer and wine making supplies (http://www.thehomebrewery.com/)

All Things Arkansas Artisan
Arkansas Delta Made (http://www.arkansasdeltamade.com/)
Poor Richard's Art (http://www.poorrichardsart.com/)
Gifts of Arkansas (http://www.giftsofarkansas.com/)
Arkansas Artists Registry (http://arkansasartistsregistry.com/)

Another great option: Heifer International has its world headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Visit their site to "give" a hive of bees, a flock, livestock, training and more to families in need.  It's a selfless gift that doesn't pile on the material things, AND an Arkansas-based charity!.  Visit http://www.heifer.org/. 
This is just a start - I'll follow up with a post on Arkansas books, authors, movies, directors, actors, shops & chains and more.  I'll also be adding to this list periodically.  Post your comments and suggestions, and thanks for your interest and love of Arkansas!

Please Disregard the Dirt Under my Nails

I've started to look toward corraling my various musings and essays into one place (i.e. this blog), and ran across this one from 2009 that I thought might be worth sharing...

Disregard the Dirt Under my Nails

Adventures of a novice gardener

Gardening is not a spectator sport - you can't help but to be swept up in it. Being around it can breed an interest, and an experimental plant or two can take you tumbling headfirst into a lifetime passion. My mother gardened, and I eventually succumbed to the point that my annual birthday gift to myself is a full day off work at my "payin' job" to play in the yard.

Mom is a real natural... plants tend to simply bend to her will, which is admittedly quite focused in the garden. And why wouldn't they... she certainly intimidated me into fairly good behavior most of the time. Roses in particular seem to want to perform at their very best for her, which is a feeling to which I can also relate. Now my four year old daughter Sophie trots around the yard with me, tinkering here and there, murmuring words of support to "her" plants and petting the lambs' ear like an obedient pet each time she encounters it (I do the same thing each time I pass it, with almost the same level of enthusiasm). I'm glad to see that her affliction seems to have been rooted far earlier than my own. Gardening with a child is a great delight, and helps me feel that if I succeed at nothing else as a parent, I am at least positively affecting her view of the world.

Both my grandmothers tried their hands at plant tending, although the Depression and many hard-working years may have prevented a full immersion. I suspect it was with their generation that the idea of gardening as hobby rather than necessity became more prominent for Arkansans. My Grandmother Lay cajoled rambling roses in startling hues, allowed periwinkle, the offspring of which is now in my yard, to surround an ancient tree and grew all manner of things in giant cast iron pots that resembled witches' cauldrons. Grandfather Lay encouraged a muscadine grape vine outside their bedroom window in Mena, probably a volunteer, and I was elated this past growing season to find one growing outside my own bedroom, since I'd always secretly coveted his since discovering it in my teenage years. Another happy coincidence, incidentally, is that my daughter and I can now stroll to the southeast corner of our yard for the closest view of the train headed through downtown Rogers; all my growing up years Grandpa would stand, with or without us, at his own southeast corner watching the trains amble past.

Grandmother Mallett was a slightly more rash gardener, like myself, rarely paying much mind to the minutia of planting guidelines and happily puttering around her yard in Texarkana, where an ancient tree was also a mainstay. I'm happy that a giant canopy tree now dominates my landscape as well... it's the little nods to our past that keep memories from escaping. Grandmother introduced me to chives and wild mint, and I loved to pick and nibble them, thinking to myself that I was like a native living from the land with only a few modern amenities such as peanut butter sandwiches. She had a makeshift greenhouse that amazed me, and birds and squirrels enjoyed the many sanctuaries she created throughout her yard. Our favorite gardening story about Grandmother Mallett is her year of planting all the bulbs upside down (they voraciously worked around the error), and her good humor as she laughed at her own mistake. Her irises now grace my yard - legacy plants need not be ancient or unique to conjure special connections to people and places in our lives.

I'm proud that I'm raising another gardener... my methods may lack expertise and sophistication, but I enjoy every moment my hands are plunged into the dirt. I don't know if my yard will ever all be "done," but I certainly hope not. I wouldn't have my gardening any way but by trial and failure. I know I'm succeeding when Sophie makes such comments as this one at the grocery store during the doldrums of December, when I'm dreaming of the things I'll plant come first hint of spring: "Mommy, let's buy these little red tomatoes to eat since ours still aren’t growing." Amen, little one.