Sunrise on the Blue Ridge Parkway Meadows of Dan, Virginia “You may encounter many defeats, but you must NOT be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” ~Maya Angelou Happy Tuesday!
When I think of summertime, there are a few things that always come to mind. I guess this is partially because I grew up in the rural South. But, there’s just nothing like the sound of cicadas singing in the trees on a warm summer evening, a night sky so dark that you can see the Milky Way and almost every constellation, especially the Big Dipper. And, of course, fresh tomatoes picked right out of the garden, sliced, and enjoyed between two slices of bread with a bit of butter, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper—the classic tomato sandwich. My first memories of this iconic Southern treat were made while visiting Grandma Dooley. As a child, I lived nearby to both sets of grandparents, visiting with them often. Every summer, I would spend a week with Grandma. She was a Sunday School teacher for many years and also taught Bible School. While at Grandma’s, I attended Bible School with my cousin, Kim. I still remember the experience so clearly: riding the church bus around curvy, back country roads to Mt. Zion Baptist Church; listening to Grandma tell us a Bible story about Jesus and making a special craft in her classroom; singing “This Little Light of Mine” during choir practice; and running around the church cemetery with the other children—after having the customary refreshments of Oreo cookies and Kool-Aid. But, I’ve gone off on a tangent. 😉 Anyway, it was during one […]
Oreo Our Sweet Foster Kitty For those of you who follow this blog, you probably know that Farmguy and I love animals. This affection for “the furry” extends beyond our own little hobby farm. Over the years, Farmguy and I have advocated for many animals by adopting, fostering, or matching people and pets together. I also happen to be […]
“Lightning Over Atlanta” Many thanks to my friend and photographer, Rhonda Gardner. After an hour and 300 photos, she captured this amazing shot! “The feeling was wild and sort of unpredictable, like a good summer storm.” ~Ashley Herring Blake Happy Tuesday!
“A flower doesn’t lose its beauty because weeds mocked it.” ~Matshona Dhliwayo Thanks to all the rain we had earlier this summer, our garden has been an explosion of color—especially the lilies! It’s also been an explosion of weeds. As with everything, we take the good with the bad. However, one bad thing Farmguy and I like to avoid […]
Farmguy and Tino Wishing everyone a happy weekend!
Farmgirl, Farmguy and all their sweet woollies….❤️ Have a great day!
Fattoria della Talosa–Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Ornellaia–Super-Tuscan, Cordella–Montalcino Last month, I spent a delightful week in Tuscany. I wasn’t alone, though. Melody, author of the blog, Meals With Mel accompanied me on this little adventure around Florence and the Tuscan countryside. We had a fabulous time wandering around the beautiful city of Florence and marveling at the many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture—including the Duomo, a cathedral with a terracotta-tiled dome engineered by Brunelleschi and a bell tower by Giotto. We visited The Galleria dell’ Accademia which displays Michelangelo’s, “David” sculpture as well as the Uffizi Gallery which exhibits Botticelli’s, “The Birth of Venus.” Once in the countryside, we enjoyed lots of sunshine and blue skies while truffle hunting at a beautiful farm and vineyard called, Fattoria Santa Vittoria. And, of course, we had some of the most beautiful wines in the world—mainly, but not entirely, comprised of the Sangiovese grape, an Italian red grape variety that derives its name from the Latin sanguis Jovis, “the blood of Jupiter.” For those of you who may not be familiar with the wines of central Italy, The Apennine Mountains, which run the length of the Italian Peninsula, dominant the wine regions of this area. Grapes are planted in the hills and valleys of this mountain range with altitude providing a moderating influence on the hot climate. It’s also important to mention that the coastal areas on both sides of the country benefit […]
This is the second recipe I’ve shared from the fantastic cookbook, Southern My Way—Simple Recipes, Fresh Flavors by Gena Knox. However, I have to say, this Georgia Caprese Salad with Lime Vinaigrette is my very favorite. Not only is it simple and delicious, but it also makes an elegant entree to serve to company. I’ve already made it twice this summer: a few weeks ago when I invited a friend to have lunch, and tonight for a simple weekday dinner. This Southern spin on an Italian classic screams summer. And, when it’s made with fresh, local peaches, you can’t stop it. Georgia Caprese Salad with Lime Vinaigrette *Use organic ingredients when possible Prep Time 15 minutes Yields 4 servings Ingredients: Dressing Juice and zest of 1 lime 1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint Salad 2 (4-ounce) balls fresh, water-packed mozzarella cheese 4 (room temperature) ripe peaches, unpeeled, each cut into 8 wedges 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves Method: First To prepare dressing, combine lime juice, zest, vinegar, water, honey, and salt. Slowly whisk in olive oil and set aside. Next Cut cheese into 1-inch pieces and gently toss with peaches and basil leaves. Last Whisk mint into dressing and toss about 2 tablespoons (or more to taste) with salad. Season with freshly cracked pepper and serve. The vintage linens […]
(Left to right) Tino (lying down), Butter Bean, Sweetpea, and Truffle Farmguy and I recently welcomed four Scottish Blackface lambs to our flock of eight sheep. Sadly, we had to say goodbye in December and February to our gentle woollies, Violet and Fern. While we will greatly miss as well as remember the original members of the flock fondly, […]
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 