grace grits and gardening - ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Hemingway’s Barn

December 26, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Stories that waited for paper now wait for me.

With so much to say, I search for a worthy beginning. Thoughts that swirled and drifted through dreams, now hide just out of reach.

Inside this barn, I am filled with something greater. I am filled with possible.

Through the windowpane, I gaze into a towering matt of dark green leaves. Trees inspire and shade and watch over me, the same trees that watched him too.

My thoughts are safe inside this space. I am free to explore, free to wonder and wander. The air is full of potential.

A ray of sunshine splits the canopy and brightens my writing table.

Dust motes dance.

In the distance, a train rumbles, then and now.

He said there is nothing to writing. Just sit down at the typewriter and bleed.

And so I bleed.

talya

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Hemingway’s Barn won 2nd place in the 2013 White County Creative Writer’s competition for the category “Favorite Writing Place”.

For information on Hemingway’s Barn and the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center, click HERE.

★
On
a
cold
winter’s
night,I feel
the weary world
rejoicing.❅ O
night divine!
Christmas is here
bringing good cheer.
❅Sweet silver bells
ring high above
glistening treetops
and city sidewalks.
❅ The thrill of hope wrapped
in silver and gold. ❅ Born
on that silent night so
no more may die.✞ Merry
merry, merry, merry
Christmas. ❅ Do you hear what
I hear? Do you see what I see?
Joy.

Merry Christmas!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

This poem is in the style of cento—work composed from lines or passages from other sources arranged in a new form or order, in this case Christmas carols. This is also an example of a concrete poem – the visual appearance matches the topic, in this case a Christmas tree…

To read another cento I wrote using lyrics from Pink Floyd, Elvis, Sinatra, Creedence Clearwater and others, click HERE.

And HERE’s a concrete poem I wrote about Lake Norfork in the shape of a bikini:)

Promise of Peace Community Garden: Parent’s Night Out

December 23, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Promise of Peace Community Garden, December 2013

I had a fun-filled Saturday night hanging out with a group of cool kids (and adult volunteers!) at Promise of Peace Community Garden. Grace Grits and Gardening & Great Days Farms partnered with Promise of Peace to sponsor its first Parent’s Night Out event at the Imagine Garden located at 1435 San Saba in East Dallas.

Elizabeth Dry, the tireless program coordinator, packed an impressive amount of fun and education into three hours. Before sunset, an excursion into the garden provided time to romp and run. The children sampled broccoli straight from the plant and begged for more…

How often does that happen?

The kiddos made several garden-themed craft projects including sombreros from newspapers and birdseed feeders from bread and egg. My kind of fun!

This hands-on evening was filled with purple glitter, snow glue and hot cocoa—what’s not to love?

The kids learned about garden-to-table principles while enjoying a warming pot of soup for dinner made with kale from the garden. Yum!

The night wrapped up with story about the importance of doing small acts of kindness for others.

Promise of Peace will hold this Parent’s Night Out event on the second Saturday of each month. To sign up or obtain additional information about Promise of Peace program(s), click HERE. And be sure to “like” the garden on Facebook and follow on Twitter @PromiseofPeace.

kale and white bean soup -Promise of Peace Community Garden

Promise of Peace
MISSION STATEMENT

Promise of Peace is a non profit seeking simple solutions for stagnate circumstances in our urban communities. Our presence helps to increase healthy life styles, school success, as well as positive engagement while transforming perspectives.

By providing access to horticultural and environmental education, our participants gain sense of place and respect for their community. Our new initiative, “Plant IT Forward,” a gardens path- will create gardens across Dallas, and beyond!

talya

Grace Grits and Gardening + Great Day Farms

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.