“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 […]
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 […]
In May, Scott and I celebrated our 20th anniversary in Tuscany, specifically Cortona and Florence. We chose Italy, because it’s one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever visited, and the people are lovely and welcoming. From the breathtaking views of the Tuscan countryside to the art, culture, and history of its towns and cities, Italy offers so much. And, […]
Life can be challenging sometimes, but I’m always grateful for each year on this earth. Since I’m celebrating a birthday tomorrow, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite quotes about attitude, youth, joy, and the sweetness of life. Black and white photo: Florence, Italy–circa 1993–college semester abroad; Color photo: Florence, Italy–circa 2016–visiting Tuscany with Farmguy. “Promise […]
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)
Happy Easter Siena, Italy
Farmguy and I are in Tuscany and having a lovely time. So far, we’ve had a wonderful experience sightseeing, learning about the art and history of Florence, visiting museums, wine tasting, and just soaking up the beautiful sun and scenery. From the Ponte Vecchio to baked pears in Barolo as well as Michelangelo’s David to Dolce & Gabbana, it’s truly been a treat. So much of our enjoyment during this visit is due to our good fortune in learning about a fantastic tour company called, Sunny Tuscany. These private tour guides certainly have made our time here memorable. Many thanks to Amy, Monika, and Riccardo for their helpfulness, warmth, and attention to detail. Here are a few photos from our time in Florence. I hope you enjoy! More pictures and adventures to come. 🙂
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 