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Simple Pleasures #1

September 28, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Our first official week in our new (old) home was busy and often overwhelming, yet filled with happy-to-be-back-in-Arkansas simple pleasures. Simple pleasures worth recapping now to remember later…

simple pleasures

Cool, fall weather. Chilly mornings, perfect afternoons. Sleeping with the windows open. What can I say, fall is my favorite season! I bought my first pumpkin:)

Lots of long walks. Lucy and Annabelle are dog tired by day’s end. John and I enjoyed walking to the square and farmer’s market, Dickson Street for lunch, and Razorback Stadium. Living in a walkable town is such a bonus.

Fayetteville Farmer's Market

Farmer’s Market, Fayetteville, Arkansas

 

I am thankful for the luxury of time. Time to unpack boxes and arrange things we’ve collected through the years. Even with all the chaos, there was time to think and talk about planning our yard and garden.

Beans and Cornbread. Cooking my first meal in the house felt good and right. Brown beans and skillet cornbread – yum!

beans and cornbread

Television. After two visits from AT&T UVerse (never fun), we had television just in time to watch college football. The Razorbacks didn’t fare so well, but my Baylor Bears looked strong! Supporting multiple teams is a good thing.

Ice Cream. Last summer thanks to Yarnell’s and Arkansas Women Bloggers, I won a free half-gallon of ice cream. I finally collected it. I chose Ozark Black Walnut. Yummy! Yarnell’s is an Arkansas tradition.

Yarnell's Ozark Black Walnut

What simple pleasures did you enjoy last week?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Avonlea

Those Barbie Dream House Years

December 19, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Vintage Barbie Dream House - Christmas Memories
Those Barbie Dream House years were melt-in-your-mouth easy. Santa didn’t have to spend one moment pondering what to get my sister and me for Christmas. As long as he dropped Barbie and a few of her latest accouterments down our chimney—a shimmery ball gown, a groovy convertible or a hip Malibu Ken to ride along on her adventures—we were set for the year, and Santa was free to fly to someone else’s rooftop.

A few days after Christmas when Momma began to count the seconds until school started back, we loaded up our new Barbie things and headed over to Little River to visit our cousin Lesa and her new Christmas Barbies.

Yes, our Barbies were cousins too…

For hours we played in the living room around Lesa’s Christmas tree while Momma and Aunt Lavern camped out in the kitchen guzzling Folgers and inhaling banana pudding or whatever pie still sat on the countertop after all the Johnsons had feasted. (Aunt Lavern made the BEST banana pudding, the best everything for that matter…)Do you girls want some pie? Aunt Lavern called out.

No, we’re too busy, Barbie’s getting married!

December was always the month for Barbie weddings (mainly because Lesa hadn’t yet chopped off all her new Barbie’s hair…)

As Barbie walked down the aisle with a Ken she barely knew, Momma and Aunt Lavern lamented the details of their next diet which would start January 2, right after black-eyed pea and cornbread day.January was always the month for dieting.


6 more sleeps…

talya

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

Musical Pairing:

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, Fred Astaire

Lighting the Way to Autumn

August 24, 2012 By Talya Tate Boerner

Lighting the way to autumnSeemingly out of nowhere, spider lilies bloom in Munger Place. Yesterday the bulbs were hidden underneath matted ground cover and thirsty summer grass. Suddenly they make an early morning appearance, randomly scattered, tall and sincere on leafless stems, blooming the instant late summer sunlight sends its subtle message. Surprise lilies are a sure sign that autumn is on the way.

Had I known the time was at hand, I would have watched them grow through the night.

Mother Nature’s nonchalant, often unrecognized message is bittersweet. The end of carefree summer days, lake trips, lightning bugs.

First day of kindergarten. First day of college. Change.

Hatch chile peppers and sweet corn pack the produce aisles. Fresh and fragrant. Watermelons and raspberries are priced to move, tired.
Soon the trees will be on fire. Orange, Red, Yellow. Hiding summer. Lighting the way to winter.
I dream of The Great Pumpkin.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

The Great Pumpkin Waltz – Vince Guaraldi

Oh Great Pumpkin, where are you? – Linus

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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:

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