Y’all knew it wouldn’t be long until the disco ball showed up again. 😉 Today’s tune is a fun twist on Aretha Franklin’s classic, “Respect.” Singing this version of the iconic song is Melanie Amaro, a Virgin Islander-American, born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1992. Amaro grew up singing gospel music in her church and went on to win […]
*This is simply an account of a personal experience. I shall not debate any aspect of politics, religion, or cultural issues on this blog. Disrespectful comments will be deleted. Thank you. Not too long ago, I visited a quaint town north of the Rappahannock River in Virginia—a place with lovely architecture, scenic views, upscale shops, galleries, and restaurants. One day, as I was exploring the town, I decided to go into one of the art galleries. I entered and exchanged a few niceties with the salesperson. Accustomed to tourists, she asked where I was from. “Virginia,” I answered. “What part of Virginia?” she probed. “I live between Roanoke and Lynchburg,” I said. To which she responded, “Oh, you’re from the other Virginia.” Let me just say…..I knew what she meant. Her tone and facial expression conveyed arrogance and superiority. It was a comment that carried a negative connotation regarding a particular view of the political, religious, and cultural identities of people living south of the Rappahannock River–what some historians call the “grits line.” I glanced in her direction and smiled. Because, y’all know in the other Virginia, many of us are taught the old adage: “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.” So, I continued to walk around, viewing the artwork silently. As I made my way through the gallery, these questions crossed my mind. “Is she trying to be offensive? Or, bless her […]
Cuddles and coffee with Clementine and Dash: A great way to start the day! I love quiet mornings spent with these two sweeties. Joy really can be found in simple moments. Here’s wishing you a wonderful weekend! 🙂
San Gimignano, Italy “Love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful, and optimistic.” ~Jack Layton Former Member of the Canadian House of Commons (1950-2011)
“La Vie en Rose” is a song that expresses the bliss of being in love. It brims with pure emotion and beautiful sentiment. To me, it’s one of the loveliest songs ever written. “La Vie en Rose” or the English translation, Life Through Rosy Pink Glasses, was released as a single in 1947 by French singer, Édith Piaf and is one of her most famous and beloved songs. Édith Piaf, also known as “The Little Sparrow,” became an icon of France during World War II. She was a symbol of French passion and tenacity. Piaf’s signature song was about finding love after a trying time, and many people saw it as an anthem of hope as it was released shortly after the end of World War II. “La Vie en Rose” is about a state where everything appears rosy and cheerful because of being in love; thus, creating a feeling of “wearing rose-colored glasses.” When I hear it, I think of it as something more. It isn’t just a song about romance; it’s an anthem of love for life, especially when everything around you is considered a source of joy. Here’s the thing: Life through rosy pink glasses isn’t about being foolishly optimistic. Instead, it’s about a state of bliss, where one is truly able to see things in a positive light. So, here’s to life in pink! “La Vie en Rose” performed by Catherine Carraway Quartet
“By the River,” 11 x 14 acrylic on canvas A heartfelt thank you to my friend, Donna as well as my art teacher, Mrs. W for their helpful input and kind encouragement on my latest painting. “An extraordinary dream by Lord Charles Wellesley. (Charlotte Bronte) ‘In this slumber I thought I was walking on the banks of […]
“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day When it’s cold outside I’ve got the month of May…” ~The Temptations Well, we haven’t exactly had a typical warm and cheerful month of May around these parts, but today is fair and beautiful. And, all of the rain has made my New Dawn climbing rose the loveliest it’s ever been. […]
Originally posted on fourth generation farmgirl:
As a speech and language pathologist, I’ve worked in a number of settings, including hospital, public school, and private clinic. I’ve also worked with adults as well as children. Although I enjoy working with people of all ages with varying speech and language issues, I find that working with children is especially enriching and rewarding. Children who have limited communication skills are typically identified and treated for their speech or language delays between the ages of two and eight; this is usually due to having difficulty expressing themselves effectively and/or having limited understanding of language. Children who have delayed speech and language skills may also demonstrate challenging behaviors, such as, tantrums, hitting, and biting. In my opinion, behavior IS communication; and, for many children without effective communication skills, it’s their only method of expressing themselves. After all, not being able to tell someone we’re hungry or really need to use the bathroom may just evoke a kicking and screaming fit from us as well. It is my job to help these students by providing opportunities to learn speech and language in a meaningful way. This may include instruction on sound, syllable, and word production as well as language treatment, including sign language and other forms of augmentative communication. This is sometimes easier said than done; as I mentioned earlier, there may be challenging behaviors to overcome. When I first began working in this profession, I…
Last weekend, Farmguy and I gathered our sheep for their spring shearing. We’ve had a number of warm days since early April with temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s, and the sheep were appearing a bit stressed by the heat. I was happy to finally get a shearing date, but also a little nervous about rain as we seemed to […]
The Tuesday Tune for today’s post is one of my favorite hymns. “For the Beauty of the Earth” is a Christian hymn by Folliott S. Pierpoint, M.A. (1835-1917). Folliott was born at Spa Villa in Bath, England and was educated at Queen’s College, Cambridge, graduating in classical honours in 1871. “For the Beauty of the Earth” was first published […]
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 