St. Andrews West Sands is located on the eastern coastline of the Kingdom of Fife in Scotland. Famous for the opening scenes of the film Chariots of Fire, West Sands extends for almost 2 miles of uninterrupted sand, backed with dunes and the world-renowned golf course. West Sands is about a 15 minute walk from the town center. It’s very […]
Many Southerns take pride in making a good biscuit….and probably have a treasured family recipe that’s been passed down for generations. However, if you’re not from the South or don’t like baking—but you do enjoy homemade bread, then muffin-cup biscuits may be for you. I love this recipe for a number of reasons. First of all, I have wonderful memories […]
Dash and Bizou wish you a restful weekend! 🙂
Feeling grateful…
This is a re-share of a short story I wrote last January. It features English garden photos from some of my favorite places in the Cotswolds: Highclere Castle, Sudeley Castle, Cotswold Lavender Fields/ Snowshill, and Blenheim Palace. Happy Sunday! 🙂 As she sat looking out the window, her gaze settled on the sunflowers blooming in the garden below her room. She watched as a light wind caused them to sway back and forth in the afternoon sunshine. Becoming entranced with the movement of the flowers, her mind drifted, but only for a moment. When she looked up, she saw a figure in the distance walking up the path towards the house. It was Graham. They had only known one another for a short while, but her heart jumped at the sight of him. He was well-mannered, possessing a gentle nature that had impressed her from the beginning of their acquaintance. And, he had the most delightful smile. She always looked forward to their walks together. They often took the same walk: up the hill, past the folly, and through the meadows of blooming wild flowers. As they walked along, chatting, he smiled affectionately at her, and she couldn’t remember feeling happier. Being in his company felt so natural. Walking past the tulip populars, they finally arrived at the boxwood-enclosed rose garden. Boxwoods, only about two feet high, formed a perimeter around a spacious area filled with pink and red […]
Gray, winter skies won’t curtail my cheer. Thanks, in part, to a variety of colorful and fragrant bulbs and these whimsical, vintage flower pots. This time of year, it’s so uplifting to have something blooming in the house, especially any of these springtime flowers. I also love my collection of McCoy flower pots from the 1940s. McCoy pottery dates back […]
“There is no rational reason to remain a pessimist in a world full of so many miracles. If you don’t believe in miracles, perhaps you’ve forgotten YOU ARE ONE.” ~Karen Salmansohn
“Where the skies are so blue…” ~Lynyrd Skynyrd
This sunflower inspires me. I’ve planted these cheerful blooms in my garden a number of times, and they haven’t come up–maybe, because the birds ate the seeds. I really don’t know. But, two summers ago, this little sunflower sprung up in our backyard of its own volition. It didn’t just grow….it thrived. To my surprise and joy, it bloomed […]
I will turn my attention to what is uplifting, positive, and good. “Hey baby when I’m looking at you I know this vibe is true There’s love, There’s hope for love, THERE’S BEAUTY IN THE WORLD.” ~Macy Gray
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 