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Nana’s little table

December 5, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

In October, in honor of Old Farmers Day, I wrote about Nana and Papa Creecy and how they set up housekeeping in 1936 buying the following goods:  (Click HERE to read the original story.)
Nana's little table
Somewhere buried within this original invoice included a side table. Although the little table wasn’t individually listed, it has been part of our family since day one of Nana and Papa’s life together.
Nana's little table

 

Momma remembers when the table originally had a shelf around the bottom. She broke the shelf climbing and playing on it when she was a little girl. I remember playing underneath the table too when it sat in the entryway across from the front door of our house.

Lots of hair brushing took place in front of the mirror that hung above the little table. It’s where Momma wrangled our hair each Sunday morning, pulling and tugging it into a tight ponytail or some style appropriate for church.

Before bedtime we brushed our hair at the table—one hundred strokes to make it silky…

One summer Momma stripped the wood and antiqued it greenish-white (pictured below in this first day of school picture).
cousins
Me, Lesa (cousin), Staci (sister)
Fortunately at some point, she restored the table to its natural wood finish. 

When John and I bought our 100-year-old house in Munger Place, Momma passed the table on to me. She said it fit our house better.

Nana's little table

 

For years, we’ve wondered why the table wasn’t listed on the original invoice. Maybe it was lumped in with ‘living room suite’ of $10.00?talya

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

 

 

Simple Gifts

December 4, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

wordless wednesday
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Eureka Springs, Ar


Nature is pleased with simplicity. – Sir Isaac Newton

talya

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

Musical Pairing:

Simple Gifts, Yo Yo Ma and Alison Kraus

Civil War in Helena, Arkansas

November 11, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

(Note: Helena Advertising and Promotions Commission sponsored this blogger trip. Opinions are my own.)

Freedom Park, Helena, Ar
Freedom Park

On this Veterans Day, I’m thinking about my recent Civil War tour of Helena, Arkansas. Arkansas is rich in Civil War history and Helena in particular has a unique past as a Union stronghold. Yes, Union… Although a pro-South state, the town of Helena (population 1,600 at the time) was largely untouched by Civil War until General Samuel Curtis marched into town with twelve thousand Union soldiers.

This year marked the 150th year of the Battle of Helena. I’m embarrassed to say until my recent trip to Helena, (courtesy of Helena Advertising and Promotions Commission), I wasn’t aware of this battle.   I was always more concerned with diagramming sentences than history, and this particular battle slipped through the cracks of my Arkansas education. Plus, perhaps understandably the Battle of Helena was completely overshadowed by Gettysburg, which occurred the same day.

My quick glimpse of Civil War sites will not do justice to the incredible history lesson that is Helena. Visit Civil War Helena for a more comprehensive look. Better yet, drive on over.
Freedom Park

Camps at Freedom Park housed most of the slaves escaping through Arkansas. This was Arkansas’ first stop on the Underground Railroad.

Freedom Park, Helena, Ar
Re-enactor Jack Myers (Delta Cultural Center) at Freedom Park.
Freedom Park, Helena, Ar
Freedom Park includes five exhibits with illustrated panels,
life size figures and statues, and structures representing a plantation house and refugee dwelling.
Fort Curtis

From inside this earthen fort, the sky looked the same, yet the ground felt hallowed.

Fort Curtis, Helena
Fort Curtis
Fort Curtis, Helena, Ar
Fort Curtis
Battery C
Strategically placed along the tip of Crowley’s Ridge, Battery C was perfectly positioned to defend from Confederate land attacks as well as control the Mississippi River.  A truly breathtaking view, the land has been preserved and protected by a tangled growth of kudzu. 
Battery C, Helena Ar
View of the Mississippi from Battery C
Battery C, Helena, Arkansas
Battery C under development – Wire structure to represent original earthen battery.

Helena is a must see for history buffs. Even if you’ve never considered yourself a fan of Civil War history, you’ll probably change your mind after a visit to Helena. How could you not?


On great fields something stays. Forms change and pass; bodies disappear; but spirits linger to consecrate ground for the vision-place of souls…This is the great reward of service. To live far out and on, in the life of others;…to give life’s best for such high sake that it should be found again unto eternal life.― Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
talya
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.
P.S. A big thank you to Jack Myers and Ron Kelley (Delta Cultural Center) for tours of Freedom Park and Fort Curtis and Cathy Cunningham (Southern Bancorp Community Partners) for providing a fascinating look at Battery C under development.


Check out my other Helena blog posts by clicking on the links below…
King Biscuit Time and the Music of Helena
Canoeing the Mississippi River at Helena




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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:

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Backyard Phenology:

Children’s Nature Book:

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