grace grits and gardening - ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Independence Day, Munger Place Style

July 1, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Our neighborhood, Munger Place Historic District in East Dallas, boasts the largest collection of prairie style homes in the United States. Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, the homes were designed to blend with the prairie. Wide porches. Overhanging eaves. Flat lines. Open living spaces with a central chimney. Munger Place is Americana. She looks best to me all dressed up for Independence Day.

Here are a few pictures I snapped around the neighborhood.

Cute!

Many houses fly flags year round.

Unique architectural details! Each Munger Place house is different.

I love this vintage inspired bunting. (Or maybe it is vintage?)

Happy 4th of July!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Sam Ash – America I Love You (1916, Patriotic Vintage Pics)

To Kill a Mockingbird. Again.

June 30, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

How long has it been since you have read To Kill a Mockingbird? I’m re-reading it now. This timeless classic is one of my favorites. C. S. Lewis said no book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond. Books change as we do. We take away different things at different phases of our lives.

This time I’m really getting more out of To Kill a Mockingbird because I’m reading my son’s annotated copy from high school.

Tate did an impressive job noting foreshadowing, circling vocabulary words, and making comments in the margins like Calpurnia has great influence and Atticus is almost all-knowing.

It’s like reading two stories at once—Harper Lee’s original version and my son’s running commentary. Do you remember Mystery Science Theatre?

Tate underlined sentences like this one:

Walter poured syrup on his vegetables and meat…

he would probably have poured it into his milk

had I not asked what the sam hill he was doing. (p. 24)

He wrote questions in the margins.

What does sam hill mean?

It made my heart happy to know he didn’t know the meaning of sam hill in ninth grade… (I did because I talked like Scout growing up…)

I have lots of books on my summer reading list including more classics (maybe more annotated versions). What’s on your reading list?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“Atticus told me to delete the adjectives and I’d have the facts.”
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

Scout Meets Boo Radley – To Kill a Mockingbird

Low Calorie Dill Dip

June 27, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Growing up our favorite dips were Ro-tel cheese and French onion dip. Both delicious. Both high fat. (Okay I admit I still love Ro-tel, but I don’t need the calories.) I’m growing dill in my garden. It smells so wonderful, and I’m constantly looking for ways to use it. This dill dip recipe is a great alternative to the calorie-laden dips made with sour cream. When it gets warm and the party moves poolside, snacking on chips and dip is always part of the equation. This recipe will not add to your waistline. And I promise you will not realize this is made with Greek yogurt. Give it a try. The fresh dill and lemon juice make it fresh and flavorful.