Johnson Family - grace grits and gardening

Daylight Saving Time: Let’s Take a Vote!

March 9, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

At 2:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, we officially turn our clocks forward one hour. The good thing: more daylight to garden. The bad thing: I lose another hour changing all those clocks around the house. Thankfully the iPhone and computer automagically reset without my assistance. The microwave…not so smart.

I grew up in the 1970s in rural Northeast Arkansas. As far back as I can remember, I attended Brinkley Chapel Church. The church looked as you might imagine with towering pecan trees, a circle gravel driveway and a carpet of clover growing from the back door to the surrounding cotton fields. Inside, a mixture of friends and family filled the pews each time the doors were open.

One year before Sunday school, Uncle Rosie addressed the congregation with important new business. He proposed Brinkley Chapel NOT follow Daylight Savings Time. He felt daylight savings time was unnecessary, and put the issue up for vote.

After much consideration and debate, Brinkley Chapel decided not following daylight savings time would be too confusing for everyone else. So we reluctantly went along with it.

I love that our faithful congregation of forty-five thought such a decision could be made with no regard for the rest of the county, state, nation.

Is it time for another vote?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Musical Pairing:

Walking on Sunshine, Katrina & The Waves

Memory Quilt

February 12, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

“When we make something it holds more than just the materials we use.” This is what Miss Henrietta says in Flights of Fancy, Crow Johnson Evan’s book of short stories, essays and novellas. As Miss Henrietta weaves a memory rug, she explains only good things can be discussed while making it. Bad thoughts mustn’t be braided into the rug.

I love this idea. Miss Henrietta put into words what I’ve always thought. I love old things with a history and a soul and a memory.

When I was eight years old, Nana made me a quilt. My turtle quilt. If our house was on fire or hit by an unlikely tsunami, it would be one of the first things I would grab. If our house was attacked by zombies or aliens, I would hide under it.

For forty-two years and two days, the quilt has been with me. It traveled from the farm in Arkansas to college in Waco to Dallas where it now lives. It’s my Linus blanket.

I remember the imposing quilt frame set up in her living room. Although I don’t know exactly what thoughts filled Nana’s mind as she hand stitched the fabric scraps together, I have a good idea…

Sunday School lesson…
the cotton crop…
Staci and me…
Momma…
Uncle Rex and Frances…
what pie to cook for Papa that night…
the weather…
her sisters and brothers…
cleaning house…
the irises growing around the trees in the front yard…Those thoughts now live as memories sewed into my quilt.

Because Nana never uttered a bad word, the quilt cloaks me in blessed assurance, the tune she always whistled.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Musical Pairing:

Blessed Assurance, Alan Jackson

(lyrics written in 1873 by blind hymn writer Fanny J. Crosby to the music written by Phoebe P. Knapp)

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

February 11, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

You’ve heard the question—if you could host a dinner party and invite anyone, dead or alive, who would you invite?

The subject intrigues me. I feel I need to be ready with my answer in case by some miracle, I’m allowed this opportunity yet have only one minute to respond else lose my chance.

I’ve thought about various actors but haven’t been able to come up with anyone. I’m not very impressed with famous people and think I would be uncomfortable entertaining total strangers.

Oprah? No.

President Obama? No.

I’ve considered historical people like Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. Maybe...but the pressure to ask intelligent questions would be daunting.

William Shakespeare? No, Methinks I shan’t understand a word he saith.

Jesus? No need. He would already be there.

Sports figures? Dirk Nowitzski? Yes! Dirk could eat with us anytime.

Robert Griffin III? Obviously.

I’ve decided instead of famous or infamous people, I would invite my family, those gone and those still here. Nana and Papa Creecy, Daddy, Aunt Virgie, Aunt Rena, Aunt Lavern, Uncle Woody, etc. I’d invite Mammaw Ruby and Papa Homer and Ted and Freddie Joe Parnell and John’s entire family. I’d include all the cousins on both sides of the family so no one would get a word in edgewise.