grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

  • Home
  • Biography
  • Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • My Thoughts on Publishing
  • SHOP!
  • Garden
  • Food
  • Crafts
  • Farm
  • Reading & Books
  • Sunday Letter

Sunday Letter: 04.14.19

April 14, 2019 By Talya Tate Boerner 19 Comments

Sunday Letter

Good morning Sunday Letter readers,

I hope all is well in your corner of the world. After a trip to the farm, I’m back in Fayetteville. Even though I was only gone a few days, so much changed in our neighborhood! The dogwoods are in full bloom. Our hostas have fully emerged. Our backyard has leafed out in that special spring way, looking fresh and green and oh so lovely.

Look at this picture I took yesterday of our street. Notice the white dogwood on the right. It has a branch that always blooms pink! Love that quirkiness.

our neighborhood

But what a difference a few hours makes. This morning we’ve already had a bit of snow and frozen precipitation.

Rude and mean and totally uncalled for, if you ask me.

Rethinking Things

I’ve been rethinking a few things as of late. Smallish things related to writing and blogging. Larger things such as how to get my next book out into the world. What you may not realizeโ€”the publishing world can be super frustrating for authors. Good thing we writers love to write. Otherwise, readers would be left to read cereal boxes and Facebook feed.

You may have noticed I didn’t do a Book Review blog post for March. (Or maybe you didn’t notice since only a few people seemed to read my book-related posts.) I’ll continue to review all the books I readโ€”because reviews genuinely help authorsโ€”but for the most part I’ll be posting my reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. If you’re curious to know what I’m reading and how my Reading Challenge is going for the year, follow me on Goodreads.

With respect to my next book, the fabulous news is I’ve finished it. Yay!!!!!!! My manuscript has been professionally edited. I’m over-the-moon excited about the story and can’t wait to tell you all about it. But for now the ten dollar question is who shall publish it?

This is where the tricky part comes in. The rethinking things part. The idea that there has to be a better-quicker-funner way to get my work out to my readers.

Yes, I said funner.

Now Is the Time

If you ever took a typing class in high school, you may remember this sentence: Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country. The original quote (possibly by Patrick Henry but don’t hold me to that) ended with aid of their party.ย A typing teacher named Charles E. Weller changed the last word from party to country to make the sentence 70 characters long. 70 characters was the exact length of a typed line which is why this particular sentence became a common typing drill in high schools across America.

I learned to type in 1979. While I don’t remember drills with that specific sentence (probably because we learned on electric typewriters and line length wasn’t an issue), I remember my Momma talking about it. Whenever she tested out a new typewriter for her office at the farm, that’s the line she typed. (She needed a typewriter for payroll checks and other reasons I can’t recall but that always required carbon paper.)

I say all this to show you my little typewriter planter.

typewriter planter

The planter is really small. It sits on my desk as a typewriter should. The keys say NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD…

You can tell the size better in this next pic.

typewriter planter

 

I’m hoping this typewriter planter will satisfy my urge to buy an old manual typewriter. I need an old typewriter like I need a hole in my head.

Cute, huh?

?

Volcano Mulch

The purpose of mulch is to suppress weed growth. But MORE mulch is not necessarily better. Mounding mulch all around the trunk of trees and shrubs (like a volcano) only invites disease, pests, and decay.

See how the mulch is mounded several inches all around the japonica and trees? Volcano mulches creates an “almost compost pile” where the mulch heats up and harms the trunk. If you want to know more, here’s aย really good article on the problems of volcano mulching.

volcano mulch

Here’s how it should be done (below). The mound of mulch is scooped out around the trunk. And the circle of mulch follows the drip line of the tree.

dogwood

If you have volcano mulch around your plants, grab your rake and get to work before you end up with bigger problems than weeds growing around your trees. Just trying to provide some gardening edumacation on this cold morning.

My Superpower

Back to the topic of typing… I believe typing is the closest skill I have to a superpower.

I once heard someone say she never learned to type because she didn’t want to get stuck typing all her friends’ papers. (Like she couldn’t say no?) Really, I can’t imagine where I’d be if I couldn’t type. I guess I’d still be pecking away at some earlier version of my manuscript.

I got downright giddy a few days ago when I stumbled upon an online typing test. LOL.

So I took the test. (Yes it started with Now is the time for all good men…)

typing test
Not bad right out of the gate, huh?

I get this particular superpower from my Daddy. He typed so fast his teacher once accused him of cheating. She made him repeat the test with the class watching. He scored just as highโ€”something like 120 wpm. And he typed on a manual typewriter.ย 

Crazy, right?

Superpowers aren’t always glamorous, y’all.

***

Things Momma Says

Sorry, nothing from Momma this week. She’s still back home on the farm. While I’m sure she’s spouting off witty things, I’m not there to hear them.

This brings up the question: if Momma says something snarky but there’s no one there to hear it, was it really funny?

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.ย 

 

Filed Under: Nature & Seasons, Sunday Letter Tagged With: mulching, publishing, spring gardening, typing

Wanna receive posts via email? Sign up here!

Comments

  1. Cathy Voight says

    April 14, 2019 at 7:48 am

    I love the quirky dogwoods. There is another on south of Lafayette.
    All 6 of us were required to take typing because the fact that my father could type kept him from fighting at the Battle of the Bulge. WHEW.
    Looking forward to the book.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      April 14, 2019 at 10:50 am

      Thanks Cathy! I’m looking forward to it too LOL.

      Reply
  2. June Graham says

    April 14, 2019 at 8:03 am

    Take it from meโ€” your mom has made plenty of snarky comment since youโ€™ve been gone!!!!?

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      April 14, 2019 at 10:51 am

      Hahaha I hope you are writing them down!

      Reply
  3. Jenny Young says

    April 14, 2019 at 8:12 am

    I read your book posts! I always seem to add a few new books to Amazon wish list when I do.

    I typed between 70 & 80 words a minute in high school….no more though, why try? I still have my sweet blue Royal manual typewriter my dad bought for me to learn to type on. He bought it at an auction & I was so excited when he won the bid.

    Our typing line was ‘ The quick red fox jumped over the lazy dog.’ I think it has every letter int he alphabet? But I’m not going back to double check!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      April 14, 2019 at 10:52 am

      I think that sentence was part of the test I just took!

      Reply
  4. Barbara Tate says

    April 14, 2019 at 8:17 am

    Love your little typewriter. I did type W2 forms for the farm……five copies…….with carbon paper. Ugh!!
    All of my shrubs are over-mulched. (A job for you and Staci in a few weeks.) And NOW, in 2019 more than ever, IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN TO COME TO THE AID OF THEIR COUNTRY.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      April 14, 2019 at 10:52 am

      Yes it does sound like a political statement, doesn’t it.

      Reply
  5. Trent Fleming says

    April 14, 2019 at 8:37 am

    So glad to hear from you this morning. I for one enjoyed your book reviews. It exposed me to some very different writers than those I normally read. And I found a beat up copy of โ€œmarvel and a wonderโ€ love finding used books at a bargain. In addition to my beloved Marked Tree heโ€™s also introduced ham radio – but is clearly a little confused about ham vs CB. I shall clear that up for him.

    Sorry about the snow. We may get a light frost here tonight so my planting will wait til Tuesday I think.

    Good luck with the new book.

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      April 14, 2019 at 10:53 am

      Thank you sir! I may still do a list of the books I read each month and include them in my Sunday Letter. Something that takes less time. Time will tell.

      Reply
  6. Jo Ann Wardein says

    April 14, 2019 at 8:44 am

    Permit me a little whine: I loved your monthly book reviews, and will miss them! Okay, I will now follow them on Goodreads! ?

    Love that dogwood!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      April 14, 2019 at 10:54 am

      Thank you Jo Ann! There’s simply not enough time to do all the things I want to do. Especially now that the garden is calling…

      Reply
      • Jo Ann says

        April 14, 2019 at 9:22 pm

        I totally understand, Talya. I donโ€™t know how you do what you do as it is!

        Enjoy Spring!

        Reply
  7. Monica says

    April 14, 2019 at 10:58 am

    Love your book reviews! Canโ€™t wait to read your new book. Enjoyed reading your letter today

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      April 16, 2019 at 7:53 am

      Thank you Monica!

      Reply
  8. Colene says

    April 14, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    For once we are not getting any precipitation today and the sun is shining. Yay! Iโ€™m excited to hear your next book is finished and ready for publication. It really is a long drawn out process, isnโ€™t it? As far as your book reviews go, I will certainly miss them. I follow you on goodreads but it wonโ€™t be the same. ? I would add them to my Pinterest board โ€˜books I want to readโ€™ for easy reference. I understand priorities though. Have a good week!

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      April 16, 2019 at 7:54 am

      Thanks Colene! Who knows, maybe book reviews will be back.

      Reply
  9. Ginger says

    April 14, 2019 at 6:44 pm

    Wow, that’s amazing – you and your dad’s typing speed! Especially his on a manual typewriter! As I could never achieve higher than my 50wpm pin, due to TYPOS, I was impressed with one girl in my class who could type 90wpm, and another who typed 100wpm – on electric typewriters. So again, I’m impressed!

    P.S. I read your monthly book reviews, also. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Talya Tate Boerner says

      April 16, 2019 at 7:54 am

      Thanks, Ginger. Yes, Daddy didn’t do anything half-a$$ed. LOL.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (Now Available!)

Never miss a blog post! Subscribe via email:

Prior Posts

Tags

A to Z April Blog Challenge Autumn BAT Book Reviews childhood Christmas creative writing prompt Dallas Desserts Eureka Springs Fall Fayetteville Food Gracie Lee Halloween Hemingway-Pfeiffer home humor Johnson Family Keiser Lake Norfork Lucy and Annabelle Mississippi County Mississippi Delta Monarch butterflies Munger Place Nana nature Northeast Arkansas Northwest Arkansas Osceola poem Reading Schnauzer simple living simple things spring spring gardening Summer sunday letter Talya Tate Boerner novel The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee Thomas Tate Winter Wordless Wednesday

Books by Talya Boerner / Purchase in Grace Grits SHOP

Talya Tate Boerner books
Gene, Everywhere

What’s Trending?

  • There’s Nothing Common about the Common Buttonbush
  • September Sunday Letter
  • A Sunday Letter Vacation
  • Sunday Letter: 07.16.23
  • Sunday Letter: 07.09.23

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!

All content and photos Copyright Grace, Grits and Gardening © 2023 ยท Web Hosting By StrataByte