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The Last Days of Winter

March 12, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Brittle
wind howls,
cuts and moans,
re-awakens Mother Earth.

Blooming
flowers flirt
and vie for attention,
attract passersby.

Brilliant
sunlight streaming
through oak trees
does little to warm my soul.

Bright
days taunt and tease,
the end of winter,
the promise of something more.

talya

Musical Pairing:

Spring, Tracy Chapman

A gigantic thank you to fellow blogger Michelle Liew at Muses from the Deep: short stories, poems and reflections who nominated me for The Beautiful Blogger Award! Michelle’s heartfelt stories always leave me wanting more. Be sure to check out her blog.


Beautiful Blogger Rules:
  • Copy the award logo onto your blog 
  • Thank the person who nominated you 
  • Post 7 facts about yourself 
  • Nominate 7 bloggers/blogs for the award
My 7 Facts…

1. My first car was a 1975 yellow corvette.
2. I prefer early morning to late night.
3. My first job was chopping cotton. 
4. I have a hole in one.
5. I love to color.
6. I watch all the Charlie Brown specials on television.
7. My death row meal would be Poppa Rolla’s Pizza (Waco, Tx). 

My 7 blog nominees…

pittypatter
Someday, Somewhere
Coco and Cocoa
Writer’s Space
Another Government Employee’s Verse and Prose
The Rustic Pig
NorthShore Days

Check out the seven blogs listed above. I chose these particular ones because I love the style, layout and content. They are all beautiful!

grace grits & gardening

Wordless Wednesday – can spring be far behind?

March 6, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Wordless Wednesday

O wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?
                                              – Percy Bysshe Shelley

talya

Musical Pairing:

Daydream, The Lovin Spoonful

Tortilla Soup with a Poem

February 26, 2013 By Talya Tate Boerner

Tortilla Soup
You will love this tortilla soup! But first, a poem…
All night
I watch the skies.
Like an excited child
I imagine deep snowfall, soup
simmers.
snowfall

Chicken Tortilla Soup
(Gale Green’s recipe)

2 boxes (24 oz each) chicken broth
2 shredded chicken breasts (grilled or roasted)
2 cans Rotel
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 bunch chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Toppings
tortilla chips (the thinner & crispier the chips the better…)
avocado, diced
shredded cheese
sour cream

Add chicken broth, Rotel, corn, cilantro, salt and pepper to dutch oven and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 30 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for additional 30 minutes.
Add broken tortilla chips to bowl. Pour soup over chips to soften. Top with cheese, avocado and sour cream if desired.

Variations: Add rice and/or black beans.

Muy delicioso! Thanks Gale!

Update: I wrote this post in February 2013, after a big snowfall in Fayetteville. Thinking back, it may have been our last decent snowfall. This morning (3-21-2020), the sun is shining but we are all sheltering at home due to COVID-19. Soup makes things better. Stay safe everyone!

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

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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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