Talya Tate Boerner's Blog, page 13

Sunday Letter: 09.19.21

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

Fall officially begins on Wednesday, and I am oh-so-ready for cooler temperatures! We desperately need a rain in Northwest Arkansas. Our plants are tired and thirsty in a way the garden hose can’t quench.

Even though the heavens have been stingy with rain, the trees are beginning to show fall color in our neighborhood. When you live in a place long enough (and walk dogs 3-4 times a day), you learn which trees are the first to turn, which sidewalks will soon be covere...

Sunday Letter: 09.05.21

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

September is here, and I’m glad about it. I look forward to harvest time on the farm, the promise of cooler temperatures and turning leaves, twisty-stemmed pumpkins, and, yay, college football. With my favorite holidays waiting on the horizon so close we begin to count down—oh yeah, I’m a happy camper.

Of course, we still have a few days of summer left, but once school starts back it’s as though a switch flips in my mind. My focus turns from vacation and roasted mars...

Book Reviews: August 2021

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When I look back over the books I read in August, I know each of these stories enriched my life in some way. In fact, as a group, this may be my favorite collection of five books I’ve read in a row. And that’s saying something.

The Girl With The Louding Voice is a debut novel with a brave young protagonist. This was my “mystery date with a book” selection chosen at Barnes & Noble Fayetteville. (If you don’t remember this fun...

Sunday Letter: 08.29.21

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

The week went by fast for me and other than attending two book clubs, I don’t have much to show for myself. Well, I cleaned a whole bunch of caterpillar frass from my butterfly hotels and fed my guests lots of milkweed. What else? I’m not sure.

Our son was here this weekend, and it’s always so wonderful to see him. But now he’s gone again and here we are. Ma and Pa home alone. Ha.

Honestly, I’ve been a bit unmotivated here in the dog days of summer. I’m ready for fal...

Sunday Letter: 08.22.21

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

How are you?

I don’t have to tell you about the sadness in our world right now—the unfolding horror in Afghanistan, the earthquake in Haiti, wildfires and water shortages, surging coronavirus, and so much more—but I do think from time to time we all need to remind each other to look for the goodness growing between the cracks of heartbreak. We should always be on the lookout for it.

Recently, John and I spent a week with our family at Lake Norfork. Being unplugged pr...

Life in Milkweed

Life in Milkweed

Milkweed is vital for monarchs because it is THE host plant for monarch butterflies (meaning, monarch butterflies lay eggs ONLY on milkweed, AND monarch caterpillars ONLY eat milkweed). Of course, there are a variety of other species besides monarchs that enjoy nectaring from milkweed.

This year, I’ve been keeping track of the critters I’ve noticed in my swamp milkweed—life beyond monarchs. And, I thought it would be fun to document this life in milkweed, the teeny flies and bu...

Books Reviews: July 2021

Book Reviews July 2021This post contains affiliate links. I may earn commissions from sales.

I hope you are finding a little time to get your summer reading on. Today I am posting my reviews of the books I read in July. I didn’t read as much as I usually do. Binge-watching Season 18 of Top Chef really cut into my reading time—ha! Also, the Olympics can be an excellent time waster.

Enough with the excuses.

Here you go—my Book Reviews for July 2021.

Calling Me Home: A Novel
by: Julie Kibler
(H...

Sunday Letter: 08.01.21

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

Happy August! Ready or not, here we go headfirst into the downhill side of summer. Dang, it is HUMID here in northwest Arkansas. We’ve been promised a break in the heat this week, and I’m keeping my fingers and toes crossed. Gracie and Annabelle like to walk 3-4 times a day, but for now, a walk in the early morning and one after sunset has to do it.  Gracie is the first to feel the heat—her black coat heats up in no time (plus she’s closest to the scorched Earth)—and...

Sunday Letter: 07.18.21

Rise and Shine Sunday Letter friends!

I’ve already been outside this morning in the rain killing milkweed bugs. A gardener does what a gardener has to do.

I swear the summer days keep swooshing by and before I know it another week has come and gone and I have nothing written for my Sunday Letter. So I scramble a few thoughts together, all the while wondering if this might be my last letter for awhile. And then I do the same thing the next week. And I suppose I will continue this word scramble u...

Purple and Blue in the Summer Garden

I love purple and blue in the summer garden. Blue, especially, is more rare. Don’t you think? If you want to attract a variety of pollinators to your garden, it’s important to include diverse plantings in a variety of colors. Adding blue and purple will attract certain butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and even bats.

Today is all about a few of my favorite purple and blue blossoms for your summer garden.

Black & Blue Salvia

The bluest flower in our garden is Black & Blue Salvia guaranitica. I d...