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Annabelle and the Dinner Bell

July 15, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Dog bells

When Lucy had only been with us three or four days, I taught her to ring these bells when she wanted to go outside to do her business. She figured it out very quickly. As we tried to watch football, she rang the bells. As we tried to eat dinner, she rang the bells. Each time we grinned thinking boy, Lucy is a quick learner. And she was. In no time she trained us to jump up and run to the back door each time she rang those bells. For the most part, the bells were brilliant, Lucy became potty trained and all was well.

And then Annabelle came along.

Annabelle thinks this is the dinner bell.

Annabelle is always hungry.

She rings the bells, I open the door, she runs out, runs immediately back in then expects a treat.

Sometimes she is hungry in the middle of the night.

The bells may have to go.

Annabelle

okay, I’m outside, it’s hot, where’s my treat please?

 

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Ringo Starr – It Don’t Come Easy

 

Deep Ellum Bark Park with Art

June 7, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

Deep Ellum Bark Park -Six blocks from my house

East Dallas has several dog parks and many outdoor patios that cater to furry friends, but Deep Ellum Bark Park, with a view of downtown, is a unique urban park. Not only is it a great use of space beneath Good Latimer Expressway (between Canton Street and Commerce Street) it’s a dog art gallery. Twenty-five Dallas mural artists provided eleven foot high paintings on each of the TXDOT pillars beneath the freeway. All dog related of course.

Deep Ellum Bark Park - only Six Blocks from my house

The Bark Park is clean, bags are plentiful for poop scooping, and there is wide open space for dogs to romp and run.

The drawbacks: parking is metered (bring change) and there is no separate space for small dogs. Since this park is rarely crowded, neither issue has been a problem for me.

Deep Ellum Bark Park, six blocks from my house

City dogs need space to burn off energy, a place to feel free. Deep Ellum Bark Park provides it, along with a dose of art for the humans.

Deep Ellum Bark Park

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Six Blocks from my House - East Dallas

Musical Pairing:

I Feel Free, Cream

Pigs at Home.

May 3, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

We have more pigs in our yard than people in our house. Unless you count the schnauzers as people, and we do, right? In that case, we need one more pig.

Pigs at Home

Lucy and Annabelle

Happy Saturday!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

“I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.”
― Winston Churchill

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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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