I would like to dedicate this post to my husband’s 102 year-old grandfather. He is affectionately known as “Bump” or “Bumpy” to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, because he always bumped foreheads to say goodnight when tucking them into bed at the family’s summer retreat in Maine. “Camp,” as this summer place is lovingly called, has been an important part of […]
I love old vintage photos, and let me just say….these are vintage. Pictured are Mom and me at a petting zoo near Lexington, Virginia. Have a wonderful weekend!
I’d like to start with the fact that I don’t normally get emotionally involved or gush over dessert. Yes. I enjoy decadent treats in moderation: a piece of Victoria sponge or chocolate cake on occasion. I don’t, however, just lose my mind over sweet things…….until last week. It started out innocently enough. My dad is a fine gardener and always has […]
The joyful and effervescent Ritu of the blog, But I Smile Anyway, has nominated me for the STARLIGHT Blogger Award! Thank you so very much, Ritu! Please take time to visit her blog, if you haven’t already!!! This Award is created to highlight and promote Inspiring Bloggers. Nominations Rules: Nominate your 6 favorite bloggers! When nominating others for this award, please consider how these blogs truly touch your soul with their work, like light emanating from the stars. These bloggers who inspire with their internal light are considered a true STARLIGHT Blogger. The rules: 1. Thank the giver and link their blog to your post. 2. Answer the 3 questions given to you. 3. Please pass the award on to 6 or more bloggers and notify them of their nominations. 4. Include the logo of the award in a post or on your blog, and never alter the logo or change the rules. Questions to answer: 1. Do you believe in the Afterlife? Yes, I do believe in the Afterlife. 2. Which “star” is your inspiration? Katharine Hepburn for her modern and independent spirit as well as her wit, tenacity, and drive. 3. Which song would you use as the soundtrack to your life? I don’t know if I could narrow it down to just one song. I’d probably choose a couple from the Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers album called, Anthology: Through the Years, namely: “Runnin’ Down a Dream” and […]
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, is one of my all-time favorite books. I especially love these inspirational and moving lines spoken by Marmee, matriarch of the family: “If you feel your value lies in being merely decorative, I fear that someday you might find yourself believing that’s all that you really are. Time erodes all such beauty, but what it […]
A few months ago, I planned and coordinated a spring client event for my husband’s business. My idea combined four of our interests: historic homes, locally sourced food, wine, and farm animals. The farm animals featured were Scottish Blackface sheep, hence the “Baaah” in the title of the event. The affair was held at Pharsalia, an historic home near Charlottesville, […]
The wonderful and creative Judy, of Edwina’s Episodes has challenged me to take part in this new challenge. I am happy to participate as it’s a look back at my very first post. I started this blog to share my journey of restoring my family’s ancestral home and the daily happenings on Green Hill Farm. This includes lots of memories of growing up on my family’s 100-year-old farm as well as the antics of my menagerie of sheep, chickens, cats, and dogs. I first began this blog by sharing three retrospectives. The first retrospective reflected on my reasons and inspiration for moving back to the place of my youth. It’s a bit of background history about my family as well as special memories I have of my grandmother. All in all, I think it was a good starting place. Here are the rules: Copy-paste, link, pingback, etc. your first post. Identify the post: introduction, story, poem. Explain why it was your first post. Nominate five other bloggers. Here’s my first post: https://fourthgenerationfarmgirl.com/2014/09/22/green-hill-farm-a-retrospective/ My nominees: Beckys Bubbles Blog Joeyfullystated Random Writings on the Bathroom Wall The Wicked Chicken Full Circle Farm
Love you, Dad!
The bubbly and sunny-natured Ritu, of the blog But I Smile Anyway, invited me to join in for a freestyle writing challenge. Okay–this is a bit nerve-racking as I’m one who usually finds that words flow most easily when I’m writing about something I’ve pondered and feel emotionally connected to in some way. Also, I’m “edit girl,” enjoying going through […]
“Find Joy In Each Day” ~Saint Philip Neri We all have difficult days that are challenging. However, when we strive to SEE the seemingly small things in our everyday worlds, we often appreciate that there is more joy than we realized. For instance, the beautiful butterfly alight on my great-grandmother’s lilac shrub, the bunny rabbit that visits the courtyard garden […]
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 