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Sunday Letter: 09-21-25

September 21, 2025 By Talya Tate Boerner 6 Comments

Dear Sunday Letter Readers,

Look at me—two Sunday Letters in a row! I know, shocking, right? Ha.

Tomorrow marks the first day of fall here in the northern hemisphere. Yes, even though we live in the southern United States, we’re still in the northern hemisphere. (The last time I mentioned this, a lady from Colorado insisted the Ozarks were in the southern hemisphere. Good grief. Some things really are facts.)

Another fact—yesterday, we finally received a lovely, much-needed rainfall. There was even rolling thunder, a sound I find incredibly soothing.

Something that wasn’t soothing = my college football watching experience. The Heartbreak Hogs managed to lose yet another close game. (I’m not an authority, but I bet that routinely happens when a team completely forgets to play in the second half.) And, my Baylor Bears lost by three points in the last few seconds to Arizona State. This loss felt different though, because both teams actually showed up and played hard for an entire four quarters.

Of course, in the big picture, none of this amounts to a hill of beans.🫘

What I really want to say is happy Last Day of Summer—and welcome to today’s Sunday Letter.

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Fiction-Themed Coloring Books!

September 17, 2025 By Talya Tate Boerner Leave a Comment

Fiction-Themed Coloring Books

When was the last time you sat down with a box of crayons and lost yourself inside a coloring book?

When I was a kid, Saturday afternoons often meant a trip into town with Momma to run errands. And, if we were lucky, we’d end up at Sterling Five and Dime. Before Walmart came to town, Sterling was the place for toys and candy. Honestly, it was almost impossible to not go into Sterling! The hot cashews and buttered popcorn lured in everyone milling around the courthouse square.

My sister and I always made a beeline for the coloring books. We’d flip through the new arrivals and admire the beautiful Barbies, too. Barbies were strictly a Santa Claus gift, but coloring books didn’t cost much, and Momma was occasionally willing to buy us one. Looking back, I realize she bought them for herself as much as for us. A new coloring book kept us happily occupied for hours while she cooked supper or did laundry.

Tom & Jerry. Barbie. Peanuts. The Wonderful World of Disney. Scooby Doo.

Television cartoons were reserved for Saturday mornings, but coloring books let us keep the fun going all week long.

And that box of 64 crayons with the sharpener in the back? My sister and I shared one and thought it was just about the most magical thing in the world—second only, perhaps, to a week at the lake.

(This post contains affiliate links.)

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Sunday Letter: September 14, 2025

September 14, 2025 By Talya Tate Boerner 8 Comments

Dear Sunday Letter readers~

Hello, friends! Can you believe the first day of fall is almost here? 🍂
I’ve loved every minute of summer, but I’m more than ready for the new season—College Game Day, harvest, cooler days and chilly nights, and of course… sweater weather! I’m also excited to share a new project I’ve been working on since The Third Act of Theo Gruene launched in May.

(BTW, this is a sponsored post.)

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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 (2022)

THE THIRD ACT OF THEO GRUENE (coming 2025)

Recent Ramblings:

  • Sunday Letter: 11.23.25
  • Maggie and Miss Ladybug: My New Children’s Nature Book
  • Sunday Letter: November 9, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 26, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 5, 2025

Novels:

Coloring Books:

Fiction-Themed Coloring Books

Backyard Phenology:

Children’s Nature Book:

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