miracle of nature - grace grits and gardening

Hiking around Historic Cane Hill, Arkansas

December 1, 2022 By Talya Tate Boerner 3 Comments

I planned to post about our hike around historic Cane Hill closer to when said hike happened, but lo and behold time is a big ole’ thief and I’m just getting around to it. We drove over to Cane Hill back in October when the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibit “Habitat” was on display. That exhibit has traveled elsewhere now but the good news is the trails have been there for some time, long before the exhibit. They are nicely marked, and they aren’t going anywhere. So, you can still enjoy this lovely hike when you need a break from the hustle and bustle of life.

I am always astounded that such Ozark beauty exists right off the highway.

And I’m astounded that I live here.Continue Reading

Sunday Letter: 07.31.22

July 31, 2022 By Talya Tate Boerner 40 Comments

Dear Sunday Letter readers,

Praise be! In the past few days we’ve experienced a reprieve from this summer’s horribly hot and dry weather. Yes, finally, much-needed rain moved across the state; the rumble of thunder has never been so welcome to my ears.

This morning, there’s a chance for more rain.

Not gonna lie—the past week two weeks have been extra tough. No matter how much water we gave our plants, many remained parched and stressed. It had become so dry and hot the tree frogs had stopped singing at night. And we humans pretending to be in charge of things? The balance of our good humor had long evaporated with summer’s dew.

One decent rain sure makes all the difference.

Tis the Season for Finding Frost Flowers!

December 10, 2021 By Talya Tate Boerner 6 Comments

Oh happy day!

I Finally Saw a Frost Flower.

Do you have a garden bucket list? I have one loosely formed in my mind, and a few days ago I checked off ‘see frost flowers‘ from my list.

Sometimes the best things happen when you aren’t expecting much from the day. (That’s a quote from The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee, y’all.) It was early and I was driving the pups for their much needed beauty shop appointments at Bark Avenue Pet Lodge (which is located a few miles outside of Fayetteville). Just when I began wondering if conditions were right to see frost flowers, I spotted a few along the roadside! (That’s what I thought they might be anyway. It’s hard to know for sure from the car.)

Oh, I was excited by the possibility. And, I hoped they would still be there after I dropped the girls at the lodge. In the few minutes it would take me to get back on the road, frost flowers could vanish. Like winter’s first snowflakes or a double rainbow, they are elusive and ephemeral. Continue Reading

Dear Sunday Letter readers,

I Finally Saw a Frost Flower.

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.