grace grits and gardening - ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Book Reviews: April 2021

May 4, 2021 By Talya Tate Boerner

Book Reviews, April 2021:

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I didn’t do as much reading in April as I would have liked. When the garden calls, reading takes a back seat to weeding and planting and mulching. Still, I managed to squeeze in a few pages.

From the islands of the Pacific Northwest to the swamps of South Carolina, I met immigrants and foster children, the homeless and reckless and those simply treading water. Oh wait, that’s all of us, right?

I hope my April book reviews stir your interest and maybe even send you off to the local library or indie bookstore. A girl can’t garden 24-7.Continue Reading

Sunday Letter: 05.02.21

May 2, 2021 By Talya Tate Boerner

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

As I look back over the past two weeks, I realize I’ve been riding an emotional rollercoaster. Along with life events, even the weather has delivered a series of highs and lows. In a matter of hours we went from near 80 degrees to snowfall (!). A few days later, tornado warnings covered our area as storms passed through. I’m sure the flora and fauna are weary too.

Isn’t this all part of gardening though?

All part of life?

Highs and lows make me more appreciative of the in-between days, the early mornings when I walk through the garden with a cup of coffee, the quiet nights spent lost inside a good book. How about you?

Sunday Letter: 04.18.2021

April 18, 2021 By Talya Tate Boerner

Dear Sunday Letter readers,

This is the time of year I fall behind in my writing and reading because I spend the bulk of my waking hours working in the garden. Nurseries lure me in with fuchsia blooms and bright green foliage. Warm weather entices me, tries to make me believe things that aren’t true.

I know better.

I’ve held off on planting seeds and buying most flowers because a late cold snap always arrives just when our corner of the world is stretching awake. There are plenty of other things that keep me busy. I’ve been dividing lilies and coneflowers, and moving them to other places. I’ve been weeding and weeding and weeding. Removing deadwood from trees and shaping up ornamentals is fun for me. And John has built a trellis, laid gravel—well, he does the heaviest lifting.

Next Tuesday, our forecasted low is a rude 27.

The good news: by the mere passing of days, we are nearing the tail-end of cold weather until fall. For real.