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Summer of the Trombetta Squash

August 28, 2020 By Talya Tate Boerner

Summer of the Trombetta Squash

Thanks to my neighbor, Valeria, who shared her trombetta squash seeds last spring, I’ve had a blast growing this interesting and flavorful squash in our Victory Garden. Yes, we put in a new, small garden when coronavirus hit and Fayetteville first went into self-quarantine. I’m so glad we did. This unusual squash variety has provided so much more than food on our table.

Along with milkweed, it is one of the most entertaining thing growing in our garden. And we can probably all agree that during the summer of coronavirus, anything that provides entertainment has become a commodity.

Especially if you can eat it.Continue Reading

Sunday Letter: 03.29.2020

March 29, 2020 By Talya Tate Boerner

Sunday Letter

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

I barely slept a wink last night. Before I went to bed, I made the mistake of reading too many first-hand coronavirus accounts from doctors around the world. One comment in particular gnawed at me. A doctor in Italy said if you could see the truth about the virus, you wouldn’t even stick your head out the window.

Yikes.

If that wasn’t enough to keep me awake, a monstrous tornado ripped through Jonesboro, Arkansas yesterday afternoon. I have friends and family who live in Jonesboro. I believe they are safe, thank goodness, but the devastation to the city is widespread. And I wonder if the Bat Cave is still standing this morning.

Seriously, it’s as though the entire planet is majorly ticked off at her humans.

Writing makes me feel better. Pulling worries from my mind and jotting them down on paper truly helps. Try it.  I think it’s important to record our thoughts and routines on a daily basis, particularly now. A hundred years from now our great-grandchildren will read our words and marvel that we hoarded toilet paper and sewed masks for nurses. Whatever happens with this global health and financial crisis, one thing’s for sure—history is being made.

Continue Reading


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: May 25, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: May 4, 2025
  • Sunday Letter: Rainy Day Edition
  • Spiderwort: my love-hate relationship
  • Sunday Letter: March 23, 2025

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