Talya Tate Boerner's Blog, page 29

How to Create a Certified Monarch Waystation

Y’all. We are legit! (And I have the signage to prove it — LOL.) We recently received our official Monarch Waystation certification. I’m excited about this. A few years ago, I set out to create a butterfly garden and have finally adapted our backyard into a bonafide stopover for migrating butterflies.

A Certified Monarch Waystation means the area designated (our property) provides food, shelter and breeding habitat for monarchs.

If you build it they will come. It’s true. 

Becoming a Certifie...

Lake Girls. Lake Time.

Lake Girls. Lake Trip.

This weekend marks our first lake trip of the year. Our first official trip of summer, not that summer is here yet (but you know what I mean). Now that Momma and Staci are both living in Fayetteville, we are much closer to Lake Norfork. And we can go for long weekends. That was practically impossible to do when we lived in Texas.

So we’ll kick off lake season the way we did when we were all living together on the farm, when Staci and I were kids, before college and mar...

Behold! MY NEXT BOOK (in manuscript format).

Well what do you know? Here’s a half ream of paper into which a piece of my heart is woven between the words. This is the manuscript of my next book. We can call it Book Two. Or we can now call it by its official working title — Gene, Everywhere. I say “working title” because until it is published, the title could possibly change. Believe me, this story has had a long list of considered titles.

Gene, Everywhere is my favorite. It fits and feels right to me. When you read it, I think you’ll a...

Sunday Letter: 05.19.19

Good morning to my Sunday Letter faithful,

This past week was a strange one for me. I traveled to and from the farm, never seemed to know what day it was, and didn’t accomplish much. Do you ever have one of those weeks?

I’m still here to talk about it, so I guess that’s a good thing!

Also, my youngest turned 26 yesterday. Seriously, I feel like life is passing at warp speed. I mean, we are already staring at Memorial Day weekend…

Summer is just around the corner. 

Not Much Writing

No, I’ve n...

Climbing Roses: How to Train Them

In our garden this spring, I’ve been training my climbing roses. They are still learning to follow directions, so technically that makes them trainees. So am I. Believe me, I am NOT a rose expert by any stretch of the imagination. But we are fast learners. Today I’m gonna show you our process.

Early last fall, we planted two climbing roses (their names are Rosie and Daphne) at separate ends of our rock wall. Other than planting them, we pretty much did nothing to them all winter, other than...

Sunday Letter: 05.05.19

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

Today’s post is a mishmash of gardening and digging with a childhood trip to China. Flat Earthers, don’t bother to read the last part because you just won’t relate…  

Three Updates

I’m pretty good at thinking up new things to do and telling you about my plans. But I’m not all that great about updating you on how said things progress. So today I thought I’d update you on three things I started at the first of the year. A definite winner, a maybe winner, and a big l...

May Day Greetings!

Here in Arkansas (and all around) we are soaking up spring on this May Day. Literally. This morning in Fayetteville, we are under a flash flood watch, a lightning watch, and several tornado watches/warnings just ended.

And, this storm is headed to the delta.

Say it with me…Rain, rain go away. Farmers need to plant today. 

We can only soak up so much spring rain before it overflows everywhere. You know?

But today I’m thinking about May Day.

And the month of May in general.

When I remember Ma...

Cole Slaw in Vintage Pyrex (and other kitchen traditions)…

I love our kitchen. The longer we live in this house, the more deeply I believe it is one of my favorite places anywhere. I love it not only for its expansive windows that look out over our backyard (the space where we spend most of our free time), but also because it’s the room that holds so much tradition. If a house has a soul, its core is rooted in the kitchen.

Don’t you agree?

I thought about this recently as we prepared our Easter meal. We kept it simple this year, deciding on ribs wit...

Tree Peony ~ a day in the life

Take a look at this gorgeous tree peony! Two of these beauties are in full bloom at the Headquarters House in Fayetteville, one on either side of the long sidewalk that leads to the front steps. If they know how beautiful they are, they are incredibly humble about it. They welcome visitors with saucer-sized blossoms; their sweet scent is like a gentle tap on the shoulder.

Classy. No doubt about it. With old-fashioned charm.

Ahhh… They smell like antique climbing roses, the sort that grew nex...

on this Easter Sunday

On this Easter Sunday 2019, I give you Easter Sunday 1966. Or thereabouts.

Sorry friends, I didn’t write a Sunday Letter this week. But I found this picture taken on Easter morning just before we headed off to Brinkley Chapel (which is Boon Chapel to all you Gracie fans). And I thought I’d talk a little about it. 

Easter Bonnet Days

Although the picture has started to fade, my memory of this moment is vivid. My dress is pink (hard to tell in this washed out snapshot). And I love(d) everythin...