September 20, 1997 September 20, 2017 The Bargain Sir Philip Sidney My true love hath my heart, and I have his, By just exchange one for another given: I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss, There never was a better bargain driven: My true love hath my heart, and I have his. His heart in […]
Change your thoughts and you change your world. ~Norman Vincent Peale Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. ~Charles R. Swindoll
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” ~Anatole France
Farmguy and I enjoy salads all year long–mainly, because they’re healthy and don’t take too long to prepare. Salads with roasted vegetables and/or fruit are our favorites. Â Roasting adds so much flavor and helps create a more satisfying meal. For this pear salad recipe, carmelizing the pears on top of the stove prevents them from becoming overcooked–as they do when […]
Woolly wishes for a wonderful Wednesday! 🙂
The Crooked Road is a place of beauty and a place of song. Â It’s also known as Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail which winds through almost 300 miles of scenic terrain in Southwest Virginia. Â Here, music is woven into the rich tapestry of tradition. Â Passed down from generations, these mountain ballads and toe-tapping, old-time dance music continue to echo across the […]
“Hold fast to what is good.” Romans 12:9 Today is September 8th and my birthday.  I’m so grateful for this past year’s journey around the sun. Not because it was perfect and wonderful, but because it was filled with difficult lessons—lessons which really forced me to see, reflect, accept, and grow.  And… It. Was. Hard. This may come as […]
I love farm animals. Â So, you won’t be surprised to learn that I also appreciate artwork that features these sweet creatures. Â Over the years, I’ve collected a number of beautiful, whimsical, and funky pieces from local artists. Â These lovely works of art never fail to bring cheer and a smile every time I see them. Â I hope they’ll make you […]
Originally posted on The Armchair Sommelier:
Stop it. RosĂ© Season is on my last good nerve.  RosĂ© doesn’t have a season.  Or it shouldn’t have a season.  Pumpkin spice has a season.  Asparagus has a season.  Egg nog has a season.  Peeps have a season.  I have never understood why people relegate rosĂ© to a season.  I always have a bottle…
A special thank you to my mother-in-law, Lynn Burke for sharing Louise Pentz’s art and inspiring journey. This short film tells the story of Louise Pentz’s evolution as an artist. Thirty years ago, she began making functional pottery, such as teacups and dishes, but eventually lost her passion for it. Â Then, one day, she decided to look up the […]
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 