I recently read an article on holiday entertaining. It suggested having a “Favorite Things” party, where everyone brings and shares a favorite item with the other partygoers. The gifts don’t have to be expensive– just something you really love: a simple kitchen gadget, a fun nail polish, or a special tea. Well, since my December is already fairly busy, I won’t […]
I always enjoy making this festive snack mix to share with friends and family. It makes a fun party favor or even a lovely hostess gift, especially when presented in a colorful tin. Ingredients: Dried cranberries and mini marshmallows will mix merrily with this snack…use your favorites. 10-1/2 oz. pkg. rice cereal squares 8-oz. pkg. candy-coated chocolates 8-oz. pkg. candy-coated […]
I LOVE wandering around vintage/antiques stores. You know the kind—where there’s everything from beautiful, old quilts to those tacky Smurf drinking glasses you just had to collect when you were a child. The fun thing is you never know what you may find….treasure or trinkets. But, it’s all good stuff! Well, recently, while enjoying a lazy afternoon in one of these […]
Most people have heard of macaroni and cheese, but if you’re Southern, you’ve probably enjoyed this classic on more than one occasion. In the South, mac and cheese is such a popular side dish that some folks might even consider it a vegetable. Growing up, if there was a family get together, then macaroni and cheese was certainly in […]
“The Creator made Italy from designs by Michelangelo.” ~Mark Twain “Tuscan Landscape,” 14 x 18 acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas by Tonya R. Hengerer Farmguy and I celebrated our 20th anniversary in Tuscany this year, and I believe Mark Twain’s quote is spot on, because I took over 1000 photographs during our short time there. Everywhere I […]
It was such a beautiful day today on Green Hill Farm—blue skies and 60 something degree temperatures. I took every opportunity to be outdoors, spending extra time in the garden while Dash and Bizou ran around and played. And, I even decided to give the sheep and chickens extra treats…just so I could spend time with them on this blissfully […]
“If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow Don’t be alarmed now It’s just a spring clean for the May queen Yes, there are two paths you can go by But in the long run There’s still time to change the road you’re on.” ~Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” “You can start out with nothing, and out of nothing, and out of no way, a way WILL be made.” ~Reverend Michael Bernard Beckwith Happy Tuesday!
Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend!
This recipe for homemade dressing or stuffing has been passed down through the generations of my family: Great-grandmother Rieley, Great Aunt Florence, Grandma Rieley, Mom, and me. My family’s recipe for dressing has been modified minimally over the years and continues to be a favorite part of our Thanksgiving dinner. It’s even better on the second day due to the flavors melding together. The dressing re-heats easily, or just eat it cold–right out of the refrigerator. That’s how I enjoy it best! The Best-Ever Thanksgiving Dressing *Use organic ingredients whenever possible Ingredients: 1 loaf white bread (I use gluten-free) 1 stick salted butter 2 cups finely diced celery 2 cups finely diced yellow onion 3/4 bag of best quality seasoned stuffing mix (Mom uses Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Classic Stuffing; I use Rudi’s Gluten-Free Savory Herb Stuffing) 2 cups of broth (vegetable, turkey or chicken) Method: Tear bread into small pieces and leave out overnight on a baking sheet, loosely covered with foil. Next, broil breadcrumbs for approximately 10-15 minutes, keeping a close check so as not to burn them. Finely dice celery and onion. Place stick of butter in skillet and sauté celery and onion at 300 degrees F. for five minutes; don’t overcook celery and onion, leaving a bit crunchy as they will continue to cook when baked. Add broiled bread crumbs, two cups each of sautéed celery and onion, 3/4 bag of seasoned herb stuffing mix […]
Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli, 1486 Uffizi Gallery Florence, Italy Liberty of Poetry by Pio Fedi, 1870 Santa Croce Florence, Italy Atop playwright Giovanni Battista Niccolini’s tomb in the basilica of Santa Croce is a statue remarkably similar to New York’s Statue of Liberty. Both depict a woman in neoclassical robes with a crown of […]
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 