A DIFFERENT KIND OF PIONEER

Not long ago, on the blog Red, White and Grew, author Pamela Price had something interesting to say about pioneers:

"In a recent interview for a forthcoming newspaper article, I noted that visual and performing artists play a particular, essential role in the Victory Garden renaissance. I added that I thought creative souls are bellwethers for the revival. Why? Generally speaking, it's often artists, landscape designers, architects, writers and others that are the first to sign up for fresh ideas and to dedicate time to nurture them. Eventually, others lock on to the concept, too--thanks in large part to the earlier creative 'pioneers.' "

I left a comment, saying "You could be right. In Houston I lived in the burbs, but worked as a visual merchandiser down in the Heights - the gay/artsy part of town. Every morning before work I would hang out at Onion Creek Cafe - a very Austin kind of place. I couldn't help but notice that when I met with my friends for coffee in the burbs, conversation tended to focus on shopping, the kids, and gossip, but in the Heights, it was all about ideas and passion, and there were lots of people involved with the Urban Gardner organization, and others who were working on getting vegetable gardens in the public schools. Plus, the very first growers-only farmers market was started right there on Onion Creeks own parking lot!"

The more I think about it, the more I wonder...could that be why places like Wimberley and San Miguel de Allende are such magnets for Seekers of the Good Life? Could it simply be because they were settled by a handful of creative pioneers?

P.S. Many thanks to flickr.com for the above image.