family memories - grace grits and gardening

easing out of Thanksgiving

November 29, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

There’s no easing out of Thanksgiving these days. As John and I walk the dogs in the misty, chilly, day-after-Thanksgiving afternoon, I’m impressed to see so many houses on our street already decorated for Christmas. Tree lights flicker in windows. Garland adorns porch railings, and festive red plaid pillows perch in porch swings. I wonder where my neighbor found those cute red pillows, and I wonder where she stores them during non-Christmastime because storing extra pillows takes a lot of space, but mostly I wonder when she found the time to decorate.

Why isn’t everyone piled on the couch watching football?Continue Reading

Tell Your Stories.

January 11, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

I’m excited to be guest posting at A Love Letter to Adventure today, an incredible blog written by my friend Sarah Shotts. Sarah is an amazing photographer, an adventurer, a traveler. I like to think of Sarah as a younger, more exciting version of myself.

I’m a homebody. Sarah’s a world traveler. I love to take pictures. With my iPhone. She’s a real photographer with a fancy camera. She knows all about shutter speed and things like that.

Maybe I’ll get a camera this year? It could happen.

But the thing is, no matter who we are or where we travel (or don’t travel), we all have stories to tell.

Anyway. Several months ago, she asked me to guest post for her. I totally forgot what I wrote, but ta-da! HERE IT IS.

Tales from the Kitchen Table.

I hope you’ll read so she’ll ask me back:)

Happy Sunday friends!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis url=”http://bit.ly/1Kyud0i”]If you don’t tell your stories, who will? @sarahdshotts [/tweetthis]

And now, check out today’s Musical Pairing. Everything about this video is a story…

Lynn Anderson – I’ve Been Everywhere

The House that Owns Us

September 15, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

I’ve come to believe we don’t own a place, a place owns us. Oh sure, legally we make payments and claim ownership even when the mortgage company may share in the title. But as we scrape and paint every corner and memorize each creak of the floorboards, the place becomes part of the fabric of our family, the place where memories are made and held like a family photo album.

Our Worth Street home celebrated her 104th birthday this year. Our twelve years here is only a flash compared to the families who came before us.

Yesterday we had the pleasure of visiting with Mark and Betsy Hults, the prior owners who sold us Worth Street and called this place home for eighteen years. Mark and Betsy did MAJOR renovation to the home. And they prove my point of a place owning us. After they heard the house was on the market, they asked to visit, to see the home one more time. I was thrilled. I needed to talk to someone who once felt the exact angst I am feeling.

the house that will always own us

We walked through each room, shared family memories and tales that come with living in a historic home. Although we don’t know each other that well—communicating only a couple of times since they sold the house to us and moved to Atlanta—our house gives us an instant bond. Both our families love this place and always will. (They raised a son and daughter here too.)

Places touch us. We do the best we can while its ours. We trust the next owner will continue caring for her, maintaining, improving and loving her. She’s part of us.