Election Day

Today is local election day and the sheriff's race is the talk of the county.

Sunday my Uncle Billy was over for breakfast and he and my dad got to talking about election night when they were kids. The election officers would wheel out a big ol' chalkboard onto the courthouse steps and everyone in town would hang out on the lawn as the results came in. The person writing the results would get so nervous and that their chalk would shake as people hovered around watching them write each precinct's results over their shoulder. The kids would be climbing all over the banisters of the steps and the adults would be in deep discussions about serious local politics.

As they said this I got to thinking- I grew up here and have never seen this election night excitement? No way. And I had gotten a bachelors in political science but never seen this step of the political process? Not ok. So my family and I decided that on election night we would all go up to the courthouse and watch the results being written on this historic and famous chalkboard.

So tonight at 7pm the polls close and by 7:15pm we have made our way from the local Mexican food joint to the county courthouse. Only it wasn't what I had imaged- No one was outside. They were all in the lobby inside. And for the first time in probably 100 years there was no chalkboard - There were computer monitors. Talk about a let down. Not the 1960s throwback I had imagined but still exciting.

I loved watching the candidates hopeful faces watch those results scroll through on that monitor. Did you know a 13 yr old boy running for class president has the same hopeful look when looking at results posted on a library door as a grown man running for county commissioner looking at fancy and very official flat screen computer monitor? I knew I had seen some of those faces before. Haha.

Anyways- it was exciting to say the least. Rickety chalkboard or no rickety chalkboard. And when I left the sheriff's race was still neck and neck. Going to have to stay up to catch the 10 o'clock news for that one. ;)

Oh, then as I left this scene cracked me up:

Three older gentlemen following the poll results online on their iPad. Made me laugh at myself for coming for the chalkboard. Time's are a-changing. Even on this old courthouse square I guess.

Memorial Day

This Memorial Day I couldn't help but think about the two local boys we lost in Afghanastan last year. Watching two military processions with the soldiers' families, veterans and friends go through this little town this year left my heart heavy. They were each experiences that I'll never, ever forget and names that will be remembered here forever.

I saw a different side of small town life through each of those weeks. A side where everything turned red, white and blue with American flags placed every where one could go. I saw people respect the fallen and their families up- close and personal. Even if you didn't know one of these guys, you knew their best friend, their cousin or someone else who did. For each of these processions people lined the streets. There were more patriotic t-shirts than you could imagine and a somber silence that just came with respect and gratitude. One of the images that stands out in my mind is of little league teams standing with poster board signs that said "Thank you" in seven year-old handwriting. I also saw grandmothers crying from the backseat of black suburbans, heard taps played and witnessed people beaming with pride because of the sacrifice of one of our own local heros.

This Memorial Day I also think of friends who are holding down the fort while their husbands are away, of families who have been there and sacrificed a lot so their loved one could serve us and our country.

I also pray- I pray for those serving and those that have served. I pray for bravery, peace and protection, for those there and those that are home, and that God will keep installing in citizens' hearts the desire to serve.

And I am thankful, because no matter how bad people sometimes say things are here, we still live in the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Looking back on where I live and our boys from towns like mine, I am so proud. I've heard it said that more of our service men and women are from rural areas than urban, and I believe it. Down here we see a part of America that touches your heart and I am so grateful that some hearts haven't just been touched but have been called.

Addicting Granola

This is good stuff yall. 

I really, really like granola. And I've made homemade granola a few times before but I had never found a recipe that I liked. They were all too earthy, too nutty and just not enough flavor. 

Not with this recipe- It's perfect! So perfect that is addicting and should come with a warning label. I'm serious. It's good for you - lots of fiber and omega 3 - but eating a whole pan in one day is another story... So take that as your warning. :) 

Addicting Granola

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup silvered almonds

1/3 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins or some kind of craisin variety (The antioxidant blend is my fav!)

2 tablespoons of flax seed

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2) Spread oats, nuts and flax seed in large rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. 

3) Meanwhile, stir together almonds, honey, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add oat mixture and stir to combine. Spread mixture in same baking sheet and bake, stirring often, until mixture is dark golden brown, about 10 minutes. 

4) Transfer to bowl to cool. Stir in rasins. 

Wonderful with fresh fruit and yogurt or by itself! And remember, you've been warned! You'll love it!

Back and better than ever!

A few months back I started this blog super excited with stories to tell about life in my small town and what style looks like here... then my life became CRAZY busy. I did the worst thing a blogger could do - quit posting. I didn't think many people would notice - but I was wrong! I was so surprised when people started coming up to me in the grocery store, at church and at work telling me how they missed my posts and I was shocked - There are people out there reading this? Yay!! Then I got really excited.

So my life has settled down and Small Town Style is back! And it now even has its own domain: www.smalltownstyle.com (Easier to remember and more official!) I'm back too and boy, do I have things to talk about. You're going to get to hear about small town pageants, my secret chocolate chip cookie recipe (that will no longer be a secret), a little love story that has small town written all over it, a little about some of my favorite main street merchants, a few great fashion finds and my take on a million other things.

See, I have a list of things to share with you! And I'll post more often too! Check back soon to see what's up to bat first. :)

My East Texas Drawl

"Despite the fact that certain features of Texas dialects of English are sometimes stimatized by speakers from other areas as hicky or 'incorrect,' Texans will continue to use them, partly because people who live in Texas wish to distinguish themselves form other Americans." 

- Keith Walters, University of Texas linguist

In college, I had several "ah-ha" moments that showed me more of who I was and who I wanted to be - One of those happened sitting in a lecture hall in Communication 101. My freshman year I entered college as a Communication major. I had been watching news programs for as long as I could remember and was always on top of current events. So naturally, as many of my classmates in my department, I was very interested at the time in persuing a career in broadcast journalism. That allllll changed when we studied accents.

Our professor had been teaching on the way people from different regions and communities within those regions communicate with one another, and how a language (like English) could vary across an area, specifically the United States. This was something that was very interesting to me and very relevant in my life at the time.

I had grown up in East Texas and in a family where the East Texas drawl was almost genetic. Although I had traveled some and had had many experiences that had made it clear that my Texan accent was distinctive, I had not yet noticed that what people were really hearing wasn't just a Texan accent, but my East Texan drawl.

Once in New York City I had tried to order "iced tea" and it took about 4 times of repeating and annunciating to the best of my ability for the waiter to understand.  My mom and I decided that because of the way us East Texans often pronounce our "i", my "iced tea" probably sounded like "ass tea." That was not on the menu...

I met a similar circumstance when in college when in a freshman bible study group my groupmates kept thinking I was saying "bobble",  not "bible." After moving out of East Texas to go to college at Texas A&M (where Texan accents were running wild), it became clear to me that The Drawl was taking away my "i's" and making them sound like "o's" or "a's." My accent was clearly different from some of my friends. Those from West Texas had The Twang that was more nasally and shortened words, rather than adding syllables and making them longer like we do in the East...

After I quickly learned what the difference was between the way I talked and my friends from other parts of the state, I easily became able to determine if someone was an East Texan neighbor just from hearing them talk. It became like a secret talent of mine - I could pin someone from Dangerfield, Lufkin, Canton or even Paris after hearing only a sentence or two come out of their mouth. Haha, really! And at that point I became more proud of my accent too! I loved East Texas then as much as I do now, and I realized liked having something about me that was distinguishably related to where I was from.

But in my communication class our professor spoke about how when someone works in broadcast television, they have to leave their accent behind and learn how to speak in an "accentless" voice (basically in something that sounds like someone from the MidWest). That didn't fly well with me. I felt like to chose to loose my accent would be leaving a part of me behind, and just be an incorrect representation of who I am. So sitting in Communication 101 I decided that a career in broadcast journalism just wasn't something that I was interested in anymore - I would rather keep my East Texan Drawl and stay true to my roots. I decided that I didn't need to be the next Katie Couric anyways! :)  And I like to think that's a little bit of Small Town Style.

What We Do Out Here

  Get Sonic drinks and shoot guns. :)

My handsome boyfriend, Logan, is in town this week, so I took the day off today to hang out with him. It was a really good day - We ate at our favorite BBQ spot, did a little fishing and finished the day off with a shooting lesson. It was so much fun!! We grabbed some Sonic drinks this afternoon and headed out to his family's land where we put down the tailgate of the truck and set up some paper plate targets. Logan was such a great teacher! (Right before I took the picture of him loading the 22 above, he said, "I am not going on your blog." ...But he is just too cute not to be.) And this is my plate that I hit a whopping 12 times -- I can't wait to show my dad!

It was a great ending to a great day, and just another one of those fun things we get to do out here in the country...safely, of course.  :) 

A Living Legacy

       

This is a true East Texas treasure.  

Located right outside of Gladewater is one sweet lady's dream come true. That lady is Mrs. Helen Lee, who in the 1950's bought a boxcar of daffodils straight from Holland to plant on over 28 acres of her 1,000 acre property. Knowing how the flowers multiply, her hope was that one day people would travel to Gladewater to see the daffodils and visit the town she loved. Mrs. Lee died in 1984 with no heirs, but the granddaughter of the Lee's workers, who originally planted the daffodils, now runs the garden, keeping the legacy of her and her helpers alive. 

My mom, sister and I visited the garden a couple of Saturdays ago. As we drove down the winding dirt road that took us through the acres of daffodils, windows down and enjoying the crisp East Texas spring air, I thought of Mrs. Lee and how her dream had come true. What a legacy she left! That Saturday her land was wrapped up with people viewing the flowers, children having their spring pictures taken by photographers and City of Gladewater volunteers telling visitors her story. People were coming to her hometown to enjoy her daffodils just like she hoped for when they were first planted. And I was thankful to her for investing in a place that people could enjoy and witness God's beautiful creations in the East Texas landscape. 

I also thought of the woman who know oversees the gardens each year, Mrs. Carolyn Owens Johnson - the granddaughter of two people who once faithfully worked for Mrs. Lee. Her own grandparents helped plant the flowers and bring these gardens to life. That she is dedicated to preserving their work speaks not only to her love of them, but her respect for Mrs. Lee. 

Legacy is something that we all have an opportunity to leave - whether we have wealth to share or not, we all have resources in our time, our talents and our words. Mrs. Lee and her helpers' legacy is alive in Gladewater today and something that moves my heart and inspires me to leave something behind for others as well- to use the time I have on this earth wisely and effectively enough to hopefully bring good to others even when I am one day gone. 

Mrs. Lee's Daffodil Garden has closed early this year, due to drought and the heat we've felt in East Texas. However, I encourage you to go next year! You can read more about the history and operation of the garden by clicking here.

Country Charm

 

One blessing about rural life is charming red barns. 

The more rust the better, and painted Texas flags is a good way to steal my heart. Throw in a couple of cows grazing in front and a little sunshine, and I'm thanking the Lord for bringing me to the country. :)

Small Town Fashion Staple #1: Boots

 

You can wear them with jeans, you can wear them with skirts, you can wear them with dresses. And heck, out here you can even wear them with shorts! 

I love wearing boots in the cooler months and cowgirl boots are just a fashion staple where I live. When I don't know what to wear, boots and jeans it is! They can take you from the sale barn to a hot date. Cowgirl boots became a staple in my closet when I bought my first pair at 17- they were the cutest pair of Justin's with light pink tops that I still keep because they bring back so many memories! I wore them to school almost everyday and even wore them with shorts to go fishing with on my first date with my boyfriend. :)

This is the pair I wear now. They are Ariat's from Cavenders and very comfty! Received them as a birthday gift one year and love the cute stitching on their tops. The cut-outs give them a unique look. They have a little bit of a heel on them that is very flattering and make my legs look longer with jeans (my secret's out, hehe)! 

If you don't have a pair of cowgirl boots, you need some! The are the foundation of small town fashion and I promise their pairing with your favorite jeans will be the answer to any more of those "What do I wear?" questions. :)

Vintage Pyrex - A Collection in the Works!

There is just something I love about vintage Pyrex. 

How much more cute or more classic can you get? 

After watching my grandmothers and aunts cook with them for years, there is just something in my head that says that if it is mixed in an brightly colored Pyrex mixing bowl, it will not only taste better but make my tummy and taste buds as happy as the bowl's cheerful print. :) They must make cooking more fun too!

I've wanted my own set for years and felt like I had hit the jackpot when my mom, sister and I came across an antique store in Downtown Gladewater, Texas that had a wide assortment of Pyrex pieces and patterns- St. Clair Antique Emporium! If you are an antique glass collector, you should check this store out. They had some really cute 1970s martini shakers that I am still wishing I had grabbed. And I would recommend an afternoon in Downtown Gladewater anyway- it's an antique seeker's paradise.

The pieces I bought are the Gold Butterfly Cinderella Mixing Bowls. From a little research I found that they are a 1960s pattern. And vintage Pyrex collecting is more popular than I would have thought. I found this neat website that has the patterns and pieces diagramed for in case you are trying to complete a set. They also have really cute photos: Pyrex Love

After seeing so many pretty prints and pieces at the antique store, I'm thinking that I want more! Vintage Pyrex looks so fun displayed on a shelf with all of those bright colors and prints popping. Plus, it brings back memories and stories of the women in my family each time I look at it. I can almost picture my Mimi making cornbread with her bouffant hair pilled high when her bright blue Pyrex was brand new.

The Friendship Pattern is what I'm on the look-out for now. It's easily found online, but I think there is something fun to finding it in the store... so more antiquing here I come! :)

Photo of Friendship Pattern Pyrex on Flickr

I know I'm not the only one who I has fond memories tied to this timeless cookware. If you have had some of Pyrex of this style, feel free to share your pattern, your color and your story in the comments section below!

Hometown Spirit

In communities everywhere, things just don't get done unless someone steps up to do them. That is no different in a little town like mine where there is just as much to be done, with few people to do them and limited budgets available. Nevertheless, community leaders and volunteers work tirelessly to make where we live a better place. Last night I attended our community's Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet and I was quickly reminded of the kind of hometown spirit and community leadership that gives small towns part of that unique style I love so much...

These banquets are a true celebration of the town and its citizens. My favorite part of these things is the part of the night when the Chamber gives out awards like the Public Service Award, Community Spirit Award and the distinguished Citizen of the Year. The most precious community members always win. I was looking over the list in my program of past Citizen of the Year Winners I recognized the names of former Sunday School teachers, high school sports' most loyal fans, small business owners, charity leaders. It was really a list of hometown legends.

This year one award-winner got to the mic and said something really simple, but it was said with enough sincerity that it brought tears to my eyes. A very humble recipient who established our town's public library and currently serves as the elementary school principal stepped up to the podium just like she was about to talk to a close group of friends (and, really, she was). Clearly overcome with gratitude and surprised by the recognition she was receiving, she looked out over the Civic Center's full house and shared how blessed she had been by this community throughout her life. Then she ended with the most sincere statement: I love it here- It is my hometown. It was as simple as that. The room responded with smiles and the nodding of heads, because that sentence was something we all could relate to on a personal level, like a simple fact of small town life.

Leaders come in all forms. And around here they simply do things that need to be done, with no glitz and zero glamour. Time and time again you'll see them serving the community out of the pure goodness of their heart.  Great community leaders lead with genuine love. That is one thing I have learned from growing up here. And when I heard that gracious award-winner's words, that love and hometown spirit rang true as I've ever heard it. If that isn't Small Town Style then I don't know what is.

Small Town Style

Small towns have my heart. I was born and raised in one and that little town has helped shape who I am. Six months ago I graduated from college and moved home for what was supposed to be a temporary stay. I planned to be off to law school the following semester, but in what was supposed to be a “transition time” I remembered all the reasons why I loved my hometown and living the small town life.  As I did a little soul-searching, reevaluated my plans for the future and just plain listened to my gut, I decided that law school just wasn’t for me. An opportunity arose to work in public relations/marketing here at home and I gratefully took the position in a heartbeat. Today, I absolutely love my job and know without a doubt that it is where I am supposed to be.  A year ago I would have never guessed that my hometown is where I would live now, but I am so thankful that it is. Don’t get me wrong, I love the city (and you can find me there many weekends) – but small town life is the life for me. I have rediscovered blessings around every corner here that I wouldn’t dare trade for the Uptown apartment I originally had in mind.

I started this blog to spotlight the lifestyle we have here in Small Town, Texas. It’s laid-back, Southern and fun- and something we small town ladies do best. My goal is to show some of the little things that make life out here a little sweeter – recipes, event ideas, fashion tutorials, DIY projects and design inspiration, plus some posts you people from small towns can relate to… It’s going to be fun, so I hope you all come back and read along as we laugh and learn, treasure the little things and show all the city folk how it’s done out here. ;)