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Lake Day!

July 6, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Lake day!

Once we left the flat delta, we studied the trees, searching for the lake. The first one to see the water shimmering through the Ozark trees won. There wasn’t a real prize, the thrill of that first glimpse was prize enough.
“I see it!”
“Girls, it’s still at least an hour away.”
I returned to my book but only read a few paragraphs before looking out the window again. The trees grew denser and taller and shaded the roadway weaving through the mountains. With each flip of the page, Momma drove closer to our favorite place.
“The Lake!” We screamed at the same time. Alice in Wonderland fell to the floorboard.
“Jinx!” We yelled in unison.
“Double jinx!”
We idled behind the long line of cars waiting to board the ferry.
“Staci, let’s run down to the water until it’s our turn…” The ferry unloaded cars on the opposite shore giving us at least twenty minutes to explore.
She poked my arm. “Okay but you owe me a coke.”
“Crap I was so excited, I forgot about the jinx game.”
“Don’t say crap,” Momma reminded.
My sister and I raced to the water’s edge, breathing in the beginning of summer.
Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

July Summer

July 1, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Spread long and lazy
Under a starry sky
Memories of childhood
Memories of summer days
Early morning hikes around the shore
Race you to that tree!
Tell me a story
It will live with
Me always
Especially in July

photo courtesy of morgueFile

talya

Memories of Summer

June 22, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Bicycle riding. Cloud gazing. Tree climbing.

Off to summer camp in a hot, bumpy bus. Seeing old friends, making new ones. Do you want the top bunk? 

Counting down to family lake trips, heaven on earth, our happiest place. Sad, sad, sad for the week to end.

Mornings lost in the cool, quiet library, my nose buried inside The Bungalow Mystery.

Chopping cotton with my sister, slow and steady, sun streaming across the field. See the blister on my hand?

Sleepovers with cousins, scary movies, giggling til dawn.

Church revival, the pew hard, would the sermon never end?

Trapping lightning bugs in mayonnaise jars. Pork ribs smoking on the grill. Can we eat yet?

Hunting down the perfect stick for late night marshmallow roasts. Shooting Roman candles from the dock. Oh beautiful, for spacious skies…

Days were long. Nights were sultry. By the first fall football game, summer had evaporated in a blur of laughter, a sweet memory recorded in my diary, recorded in my mind.

What memories will you make this summer?

talya

Follow Grace Grits and Gardening for heartfelt stories of food, farm, family and life. Talya blogs for the East-Dallas Lakewood Advocate and is a monthly contributor to Inspiration Cafe. A farm girl from Northeast Arkansas, she splits time between Dallas and Arkansas.

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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: 11.23.25
  • Maggie and Miss Ladybug: My New Children’s Nature Book
  • Sunday Letter: November 9, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 26, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Oct 5, 2025

Novels:

Coloring Books:

Fiction-Themed Coloring Books

Backyard Phenology:

Children’s Nature Book:

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