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Going on a Farm Walk (with Gracie Lee)

April 26, 2018 By Talya Tate Boerner

One of my favorite things to do when I go home to northeast Arkansas is to spend time walking around the farm. Timing is the secret to a successful farm walk. The ideal spring farm walk must be wedged between monsoon-like floods, the beginning of mosquito season, winds roaring in from Midland, Texas, Oz-ish tornadoes, and blistering hot sun.

Last week, I managed one farm walk before the rain moved in, unpacked its bags, and stayed for a long weekend. One good walk is enough to re-set my body head to toe. One good walk clears my mind of clutter and allows important things to filter back in. One farm walk and all is well. Everything is as it’s meant to be.

Wanna walk with me? Come along and I’ll include a tour through the eyes of Gracie Lee. (Who’s Gracie Lee? Click HERE.)

Ready, set, and…

Continue Reading

on the Second Day of Spring, my true love gave to me…

March 21, 2018 By Talya Tate Boerner

On the second day of spring my true love gave to me, sweet potatoes frying in a pan.

LOL, I’m no poet or songwriter, but since today is World Poetry Day I encourage you to read poetry, look for poetry in nature, maybe even try your hand at writing a poem.

Pat Laster is my favorite Arkansas poet. She creates beautiful poetry, often about the flora and fauna outside her home in Benton. Check out her blog, PITTYPATTER, and give her a follow. Starting the second day of spring with a few lines of imagery is the perfect way to begin. It has a way of calming the brain before stress even has a chance to take root.

Amen to that?

Yesterday was World Ag Day. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank all my farmer friends on this the second day of spring (and every day). Soon, dirt will be flying, seeds will be planted, and another growing season will be underway.

That’s poetry, too. Farm poetry.

We have much to celebrate on this second day of spring.

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

Musical Pairing:
You Must Believe in Spring, Lauren Bush Quartet

Things I Brake for in the Delta

February 13, 2018 By Talya Tate Boerner

Things I Brake for in the Delta

I prefer to take the backroads, the gravel roads, the roads that veer off the interstate. The things I brake for in the Delta are plentiful. And because of that, for me, getting from Point A to Point B rarely involves a straight line. Braking leads to exploring. Exploring leads to all sorts of creative endeavors. I make sure to build brake time into my schedule.

To the person who posted a recent Tweet saying (something to the effect), “I forgot how there is NOTHING in this part of the state.”

Oh, my word and bless your heart. If you find yourself driving behind me, please pass at the first opportunity. I will be driving way too slow for your imagination.

The things I brake for in the Delta?Continue Reading

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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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