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Simple Pleasures #7

November 17, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Saturday morning, Lucy woke me early and I dragged myself downstairs. After staying up well past my normal bedtime, I felt groggy and annoyed at having my warm and cozy dreams interrupted. A few minutes later, I was thankful to see the glorious sunrise. According to the pink sky peeping through the trees, we were in for a “red sky in morning, tigers take warning” sort of day. And the old proverb held true with winter weather and LSU headed our way.

Red Sky in Morning...

25 degrees and I forgot to put my car in the garage…but see that pink sky?

 

Game day is always a simple pleasure. Especially with friends. And to shut out LSU? Now THAT was a thrilling pleasure.

ARKvsLSU tailgating

Mississippi County Peeps. Donna Slaton Vincent, me, Craig Barnett, Lori Barnett

 

Later the snow fell.

I love the tranquility of snow, the quiet, cold landscape, the way it transforms ordinary into art.

snow in birdbath

What’s better on a frigid day than leftovers? Not much.

the joy of leftovers! Tortilla soup.

And yay for my Sorel snow boots! I walk Lucy and Annabelle no matter how frightful the weather.

Sorel snow boots

Here’s wishing you a week filled with warm memories and yummy leftovers!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“My last refuge, my books: simple pleasures, like finding wild onions by the side of a road, or requited love.” ― Tracy Letts, August: Osage County

[tweetthis]A huge #Razorback win + warm #Sorel snow boots. #SimplePleasures I’m loving right now. You? @sorelfootwear[/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

Belle and Sebastian – The Fox in the Snow

Simple Pleasures #6

November 10, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Last week was filled with some of my favorite simple pleasures. I spent time with friends at a Hemingway-Pfeiffer writer retreat which meant five whole days to talk about writing, share my writing, think about writing, and actually write. This is blissful. I followed that up at the Bat Cave with my Mother which always involves lots of laughing.

So a few of last week’s pleasures were…

1. A tranquil drive through the Ozark Mountains.

a drive through the Ozarks

2. A glimpse of Lake Norfork, (my happy place), perfectly timed at sunset.

Lake Norfork at sunset

3. Sharing the first chapter of my manuscript with other writers and receiving wonderfully positive feedback. Yay.

4. A great night’s sleep at home in Mississippi County followed by a lazy morning drinking coffee with Momma.

5. Being surrounded by delta farmland for a few days! Look at all the beautiful cotton:))

Cotton! Mississippi County, Arkansas

Here’s wishing you a week of good coffee and lots of laughter.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Laughter, time to write, sleeping in my own bed. A few of last week’s #simple #pleasures. [/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

David Nail – Turning Home

Simple Pleasures #5

November 3, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Simple pleasures. Things I can count on like one-two-three. Uncomplicated things. That’s what I’m recapping from last week.

1. Decorating for Halloween. I’ve had this string of lights forever. Knock-on-wood, they don’t make ’em like this anymore.

decorating for Halloween

2. Perfect, homemade chocolate icing. Recipe coming soon…

perfect homemade chocolate icing

3. New Converse. Converse tennis shoes are part of my typical “uniform”. These are Razorback red. WPS!

new shoes

4. Spending time with my oldest best-est friend. Seriously. Elementary school.

friends

5. Cool find at Dickson Street Bookshop. Yes, I “adopted” another book. How could I not? It’s about the Mississippi Delta!

cool book about the Delta!

Here’s wishing you a week filled with comfortable shoes, best friends and chocolate.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Count on Me – Bruno Mars

 

 

 

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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: February 22, 2026
  • Our Garden Mission Statement
  • Goodbye, 2025. Hello, 2026.
  • Sunday Letter: 11.23.25
  • Maggie and Miss Ladybug: My New Children’s Nature Book

Novels:

Coloring Books:

Fiction-Themed Coloring Books

Backyard Phenology:

Children’s Nature Book:

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