Simple Pleasures - grace grits and gardening

Simple Pleasures #4

October 27, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

This quote by author Joan Marques says it all—Simple things bring infinite pleasure. Yet, it takes us a while to realize that. Once simple is in, complex it out – forever.

It is common to get tangled in the constant activity and busyness of life, but living in Northwest Arkansas makes it easy for me to slow down and appreciate each day. The pace is much less hectic than Dallas. I marvel daily at the surrounding natural beauty just beyond my kitchen window. Sunrise over Mount Sequoyah. Brilliant autumn floating to the sidewalk. Here’s a recap of the simple things I’ve enjoyed recently.

1. In a word, bacon. I made these yummy bacon-wrapped apricot appetizers for friends using local Petit Jean bacon and White River Creamery goat cheese. (The recipe is similar to THIS one, but I used apricots instead of dates.)

2. Allergy Medicine. Along with the beautiful fall leaves and cooler temperatures comes allergies. Thank goodness for meds. Can I get an Amen?

3. Planting Iris. These irises came from my late mother-in-law’s yard in Fort Smith. I transplanted them into our Fayetteville garden, and I know she is smiling down on them.

4. Football weekend with friends and family. Plus the Razorback won big. Yay.

5. Long, quiet walks with the dogs. I take in the beautiful scenery while they take in the smells.

Here’s wishing you a week of simple pleasures filled with peace, friends and bacon.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Cat Stevens – Peace Train

Simple Pleasures #3

October 12, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

This was a week filled with friends, new and old, including my first overnight guest.

with Colene (left pic) and Donna (right pic)

I made a trip to Sharum Gardens with my sister-in-law. Pumpkins were buy one get one free. Pansies were $10/flat. Is there a happier flower? I don’t think so.

I finally made it to Rick’s Bakery on College. Omgoodness yum. Cookies = simple pleasure.

I spent the weekend in Eureka Springs—the quiet drive from Fayetteville was a simple pleasure. Stunning landscape. Hillsides covered with grasses and flowers, the names I don’t know. Old barns. Hay bales. Cows and horses. Country churches and family cemeteries. I’m still pinching myself that I actually get to live in Northwest Arkansas.

I also wandered into a great organic market in Eureka and bought a huge cup of freshly roasted coffee on a drizzly morning. A simple pleasure indeed.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Simple Pleasures #2

October 5, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Week two living in Fayetteville…I feel more unpacked and settled in with more time to write. And that’s nice! Here are a few of last week’s simple pleasures.

Clouds. Monday night I joined a group of Northwest Arkansas Blogger friends for dinner at The Depot. Walking to meet them, I stopped to take a picture of this incredible cloud hovering over Dickson Street. It was a huge cloud—the only cloud in a clear sky. After I took the picture I decided it was in the shape of a razorback. Do you agree?

Birds. The birds found my bird feeder. After a week of no feathered visitors, I can’t tell you how excited this made me. Yesterday three fat cardinals fed at the same time. Of course I didn’t have time to get a picture of them, but this little guy posed for me. So cute.

New Friends. My sister-in-law and her friends, Stella and Barbara, have welcomed in right into their weekly dinner group, and it feels like I’ve been there all along. (I have been a regular visitor during the past year, but my attendance has been very sporadic.) Tuesday night Barbara made chicken pot pie and an assortment of appetizers and salads. Talk about comfort food… these ladies know how to do it up! I get to host in two weeks. Yay. What to cook?

Rain and Cooler Temperatures. We finally received much needed rain. The front brought cooler temperatures. Much cooler. Like a low of 38 degrees Saturday morning. Brrrrr!

Junkin & Pumpkins. I went junkin with my writer friend Laurie who blogs at Junque Rethunque and See Laurie Write. Such a fun day (more coming on this later). Even before I arrived at The Junk Ranch (really how can you not love that name?), I got a thrill simply driving past pumpkin patches in Prairie Grove. Those fat orange pumpkins sitting in the fields caught my eye, and I know the Great Pumpkin is waiting out there somewhere.