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adventures in moving #1

August 7, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

I haven’t been writing or blogging much because I’ve been busy with moving adventures, cleaning and working on my mile long to-do list. Selling a house is backbreaking work. I wonder if anyone has ever died from such a thing.

Last weekend, we cleaned out our garage. Luckily on that particular morning, we had rare cool temperatures, the most pleasant August day in Dallas I remember in over twenty years. It was as though the city was trying to persuade us to stay. See, it’s not THAT hot… Yes, yes it is.

Garage cleaning was a huge project. In the twelve years we’ve lived here, our two-and-a-half car garage had shrunk to barely a one car garage because of the stuff. A sea of unorganized stuff. We dragged everything out, sorted, grouped, stacked, hauled off, etc. This picture doesn’t tell half the story.

cleaning the garage

Yes, we are the people who will be moving a hay bale from Dallas to Fayetteville. It’s all part of our autumn porch decor.

And speaking of Fayetteville, here is a sneak peek of our new (old) home. It has a wonderful porch too! I plan to be there in time to see the leaves turn.

our new old Fayetteville house!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“Excuse the mess, but we live here.”
― Roseanne Barr

ticks, bellies and rednecks, oh my!

July 28, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

On our last morning at the lake, I found a tick on my stomach. The bugger had buried his face in my skin and was working extra hard to get to the blood beyond my new layer of lake fat. He looked like a watermelon seed. I did eat a lot of watermelon at the lake, but our watermelons were seedless.

watermelon seeds

In all my fifty-two years of going to the lake, I’ve had plenty of chiggers but no ticks.

I yanked him out with tweezers, head and all thank goodness, and swabbed the bite with bourbon because I had no rubbing alcohol. You might be a redneck if…

I flushed the blood sucker down the toilet. The whole thing freaked me out enough that I didn’t take any pictures. Hard to believe, I know.

The following picture came from Wikipedia. I’ll just warn you, it’s disgusting—the tick before and after feeding. No wonder we say full as a tick!!!

Tick before and after feeding - GROSS

Two days after my tick incident, I have a dime-sized red spot on my belly, much like a spider bite. I don’t think it’s anything to worry about because a) I consulted Dr. Google; and b) my tick, and I don’t mean my in an endearing way, didn’t have time to fill up and transmit disease.

But still!!! Is that not disgusting?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Brad Paisley – Ticks

Leaving the Lake. Leaving Munger Place…

July 26, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Lake Norfork morning

This is our last morning at the lake. The early sun breaks pink through the fog, and the entire view from our porch is ethereal. We’ve enjoyed a great week with family in one of our favorite places. Lots of laughter. Too much food and drink, but that’s part of the fun. I’m ready to be home.

Home.

The word has a different meaning to us right now. Worth Street, our beautiful historic home in Munger Place, won’t be ours much longer. John and I have decided the time is right to sell. Our plan has always been to move home to Arkansas, and this will get us one step closer.

I am excited about this change, yet I will miss Worth Street and Munger Place. The house, neighborhood, friends, the convenience of fabulous grocery stores and Tex-Mex around the corner, my Promise of Peace garden.

More on this later…

For now, we are ready to be home at Worth Street.

Worth Street. For Sale.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“Life is a blank canvas, and you need to throw all the paint on it you can.”
― Danny Kaye

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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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