“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. That word is love.” ~Sophocles “When we come upon beautiful things…they act like small tears in the surface of the world that pull us through to some vaster space.” ~Elaine Scarry
Originally posted on The Off Key Of Life:
Nothing haunts us like the things we don’t say. Mitch Albom This is not an elephant in the room kind of thing where the problem we all acknowledge keeps getting pushed under the carpet. This is more about an unspoken hug. It’s about the things we don’t say because we don’t know if the person we care about wants to hear them or if the words are just inadequate. It’s about love, and pain. It’s about hurt, and loss. It’s about moments that stay with us forever but never get acknowledged once we’ve moved past them. It’s about remembering, and forgetting. It’s about understanding, and learning. It’s about wanting to put your arms around someone you care about and tell them you can’t begin to understand their hurt or loss but you think about them everyday. It’s about wanting to let them know that you see past the smile. This is about learning to live with the kind of loss that is not openly discussed. It’s about what if, and never was. It’s about what you can’t get back, and what you can’t let go. It’s about remembering. It’s always about remembering. So when I walked over and hugged you the other day for no apparent reason , it was my way of letting you know that I remember, too. That I wish things were different for you. For all of us.…
Sleeping Beauties…
“…love, it is a flower, and you, its only seed.” ~Amanda McBroom “Alas, There is no instinct like the heart.” ~Lord Byron Happy Valentine’s Day!
“Sweetheart” by Tonya R. Hengerer Someone With whom loving Emotions Evolve over Time, and Hearts Endure All things—always Radiating love To one another.
Dash and Bizou wish you a restful weekend! 🙂
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 […]
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
For those of you who follow this blog, you may remember Maud. Maud was our beloved bluetick hound dog, who became ill in July 2015 due to an autoimmune disorder. I wrote a number of posts about her illness as well as her progress, and finally her passing on April 8, 2016. It was a joy to know Maud. She […]
This post is dedicated to our beautiful and resilient sheep: Violet, Hamish, Clover, Rosebud, Fern, Ivy, Heather, Olive, Button, and Daisy. The glamorous life? Not quite. Farm life definitely isn’t glamorous, but that’s okay. It’s fulfilling. And, it means everything to us. Farmguy and I enjoy interacting with all of our sentient, intelligent, and sweet animals. We also love that […]
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 