books - grace grits and gardening

Little Free Library: because I’m all about the books! (and seeds)

February 4, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

Woo-hoo! I’ve been looking forward to this day since we moved into our house. We are the proud stewards of a Little Free Library. Purchased as a housewarming/Christmas gift to ourselves, our library has been stored in the coat closet since Thanksgiving. Yesterday, it was installed. (We waited until our landscaping was in progress, so that we could incorporate it into the front yard.)

Do you know about the Little Free Library? It’s all about the books…and in our case, the seeds. Seeds? Keep reading.

“Take a book, return a book”—that’s the Little Free Library motto.

The first Little Free Library was built in 2009 by Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin. He built a one room schoolhouse design as a tribute to his mother who was a teacher. His idea caught on quickly. As of January 2014, over 15,000 Little Free Libraries have been built and installed across the world. What a great way to promote literacy and reading. Plus, they are so freakin’ cute.

There are several in our neighborhood. There can’t be too many—(another motto).

Now about the seeds. Ours is not only a book library, but a seed library. There is a drawer (see the picture below) that will serve as a seed and recipe exchange—a way to share vegetable and flower seeds with neighbors as well as favorite recipes. Neighbors can place seed packets to share or take seeds that have been donated. Our library came with 20 seed packages to start. There will be little plastic bags for dividing seeds, because who needs fifty spinach plants?

The library will be open for business soon. Maybe today. I’ll be putting a few books in it (some garden related, but not all), and seeds will go into the drawer when it’s a bit warmer. Neighbors are invited to participate, hint, hint…

I think a spring porch party might be a great way to officially kick off our Little Free Library and Seed Exchange. It will be a BYOB affair—Bring Your Own Book. Stay tuned and happy reading.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Because I’m all about the books. And seeds! @LtlFreeLibrary #TakeABookLeaveABook #GrowSomething @WildflowerCtr [/tweetthis]

Click HERE for information on building your own Little Free Library.

“However many years she lived, Mary always felt that she should never forget that first morning when her garden began to grow.”- Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (Austin)

Musical Pairing:

All About Those Books – MDIHS Library

Simple Pleasures #5

November 3, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Simple pleasures. Things I can count on like one-two-three. Uncomplicated things. That’s what I’m recapping from last week.

1. Decorating for Halloween. I’ve had this string of lights forever. Knock-on-wood, they don’t make ’em like this anymore.

2. Perfect, homemade chocolate icing. Recipe coming soon…

3. New Converse. Converse tennis shoes are part of my typical “uniform”. These are Razorback red. WPS!

4. Spending time with my oldest best-est friend. Seriously. Elementary school.

5. Cool find at Dickson Street Bookshop. Yes, I “adopted” another book. How could I not? It’s about the Mississippi Delta!

Here’s wishing you a week filled with comfortable shoes, best friends and chocolate.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Count on Me – Bruno Mars

R is for Reading

April 20, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Once upon a time I unearthed a skeleton key buried in a badger hole. The rusty key unlocked a secret garden gate that led to a lifetime of fantasy and adventure, history and travel. From The Leaky Cauldron to the Great River of Narnia, each place taught lessons I carry with me.

Swinging on vines through unspoiled jungles of Africa without ever leaving my bedroom, freedom became more important than worldly objects. Entire summers were spent sleuthing in the Osceola Public Library with Nancy Drew, solving mysteries hidden under the stairs.

Across the ravaged south I trekked, following love into the cold Shenandoah Mountains. Back home, the choiring trees of the Ozark Mountains sang to me.

Kite fighting in Kabul brought courage and redemption, the likes of which I had never witnessed. Exotic smells and sounds came alive while brilliant colors spiraled and floated through the air, touched rooftops, rested on the ground.

Searching for the meaning of life and mourning all things lost, I found myself while hiking the wild Pacific Crest Trail.

Visiting the egyptian pyramids from my porch swing, I discovered when something is truly desired, the universe conspires to make it achievable.

Where have you been lately?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

Musical Pairing:

Sail Away

I’m blogging my way through the alphabet.
A to Z April Blog Challenge. R is for Reading…

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