Farmgirl with friend and fellow Tom Petty fan, Rhonda at one of the artist’s last concerts. Philadelphia, PA July 2017 “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ― Winston S. Churchill
Peacock Room Freer Gallery of Art Washington, D.C. Since Farmguy and I are traveling to Washington D.C. every week for our wine course, we’re also taking advantage of being near so many fantastic museums. During one of our recent trips to our nation’s capital, and on the suggestion of my art teacher, we visited the Freer Gallery of Art […]
Daffodils! Green Hill Farm 2018 I love this time of year as winter starts thinking about transitioning to spring. The days are warming up, the daffodils are coming up, the pastures are greening up…and my mood starts lifting up. I know we’re not completely done with winter, yet. But, I sure am grateful for this wonderfully warm weather. And, […]
As someone who has worked with children who have a diagnosis of autism, I was especially moved and inspired by Blake Henkel’s story. Blake is a young man from High Point, North Carolina. While he has limited communication due to an autism diagnosis, he expresses himself beautifully and powerfully through his artwork. Not only does Blake Henkel enjoy painting, but he is also a prolific and successful artist. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to listen to his story, appreciate his lovely, vibrant art…and be inspired. 🙂 See Henkel’s story in this edition of Roy’s Folks. The link is below. http://myfox8.com/2018/01/24/local-man-with-autism-a-prolific-painter/
Edward Hopper American, 1882–1967 Ground Swell 1939 Oil on canvas National Gallery of Art Washington, D.C. If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” ~Nikola Tesla; inventor & physicist “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” ~Proverbs 23:7; KJV
I’ve been taking art classes on and off for a couple of years. And, I really enjoy painting from my own photographs; however, my art teacher as well as others have suggested that I also paint the old masters (e.g. Claude Monet) and other works of art that I admire. These art studies are for educational purposes only and allow […]
Sheep Thrills Italian Non-Vintage Red Blend and 2016 Pinot Grigio A couple of weeks ago, I was grocery shopping at our local Kroger when I spotted these whimsical wine labels featuring sheep attached to parachutes with the name, Sheep Thrills. Although I didn’t know anything about the brand of wine, the bottles were too cute to pass up, so I bought […]
La Cité Du Vin Glass bell jars emitting aromas, interactive maps loaded with video-game technology, and sleek tasting rooms…Welcome to Bordeaux’s new Cité du Vin, which mayor Alain Juppé has proclaimed a “Guggenheim to wine.” Devoted to the history of wine civilization, the Cité du Vin is a glorious, high-tech immersion in the world’s wine cultures. There are 19 sections […]
“Let us be grateful to the people (and animals) who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~Marcel Proust Wishing you a peaceful and joyful weekend!
Green Hill Farm February 2018 I often listen to Pandora’s symphonic music station while I’m in my makeshift art studio. It’s relaxing and helps my right brain to engage while I’m working on a painting. Last Sunday, I heard the beautiful “Flower Duet” from Lakmé—a three-act opera composed by Léo Delibes between 1881 and 1882 and based on a […]
My name is Tonya, and I grew up on a 300-acre farm in rural Virginia that has been in my family for over 100 years. After graduating from college, receiving my master’s degree in speech and language pathology, and living and working in a small city for six years, I decided to return to the place of my childhood. Here, in this rural area, on this patch of green, where for four generations my family has farmed, gardened, and lived, I, too wanted to be a part of this continuity. As a fourth generation farmgirl, I have many interests that not only include, but also go beyond the basics of farming, gardening, sheep and chicken-keeping. It is all of this and more that I plan on sharing in this blog.
fourth generation farmgirl 