Skip to main content

a warm welcoming


our view of fall
Hello there! This a pretty big step, the first post of a real blog, for something tangible. I'm Angela, and my boyfriend Jonathan and I, along with some help from our families, are working to create a beautiful and sustainable homestead in the mountains of Virginia. We just returned home from spending seven months on a livestock farm outside of Richmond. We learned about raising sheep, cows, chickens, turkeys, pigs and rabbits, plus even more about sustainability, taking care of the land, and eating fresh local food. It opened our eyes to the things we eat, and more importantly the alternative choices that are available. Farmers markets are everywhere, it's a little bit more expensive, but the quality is worth it. We love knowing where our food comes from, and even more so eating produce that we grew and meat that we raised. It's an incredible lifestyle, a simple and frugal one, that we have fallen in love with. We want to mold and shape this little piece of land we have been blessed with into a self sufficient oasis, where we can spend our lives. I hope that you will follow along with us as we transform our blank canvas into something great.


shadows

the west

our new used rabbit hutch looks lovely after a little TLC and a coat of paint

Trilli - future farm dog

wood splitting

downing trees in the future western pasture

it's nice to meet you, we do hope you will stop by again sometime.

Angela and Jonathan

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

real snow - the morning chores

When I woke up at 7 this morning it was still dark outside, but I could see that it was only a dusting on the driveway. Sigh. I fixed a cup of coffee, turned on the little heater in the bathroom, and got ready for work. Twenty minutes later when I came back into the bedroom it was a bit brighter outside, with a lot more snow. It was coming down hard too. We went outside and took care of the animals. The rabbits seem just fine in their new fixed up cages. The ducks, always impervious, swam and splashed about in their water bowl for a solid thirty minutes before retreating to the fresh hay in their crate to warm their feet. Not for long though, I can see them back out there now. Since I moved the fence yesterday I can see them perfectly from my bedroom window. It makes me smile. I'm glad that it snowed enough, early enough, that we could call into work. Snow day! The dogs are a trip to watch in the snow. Playful as ever, they run around kicking it up, eating it o...

the good, the bad, and the embarrassing

Our first week and a half on the farm have not been uneventful by any means. In fact, tonight on the ride home I said to the Universe (or more accurately Jonathan, since that's who heard me) "thanks for all the tests you've been throwing at us lately, but that's enough for now, please?" We expected some hard times and lots of hard work, but we weren't ready for random mishaps and accidents that would set us back so soon in the change. Bad things that have happened since we arrived: Jonathan gets a tick and the head is stuck in his back. It's been a week now and I think it's all worked out, but I was really scared. We get locked out of the Jeep, and it's $120 for a locksmith to come unlock it. We have snatched Zaphod (our kitty) off of upstairs windowsills about five times. I smacked myself in the forehead with a knife (apparently I missed the day in class when they tought you basic knife-holding skills.) It was just a little cut, mainly my ego ...

introducing... me.

At long last, I'd like to show you a little bit of my artwork. It's not the greatest, and I'm usually inspired by a particular artist when I paint, and I will always try to give credit for my inspiration. This first set of paintings were inspired by Nastasha Wescoat, a beautiful self-taught artist from Michigan. Her whimsical trees, kitties, and birdies are breath-taking, and also the inspiration for my next tattoo, which I am treating myself to for my birthday next week (and I am so excited!) You can see more of here artwork here. So, here goes. Enjoy. One final piece, not fitting with the rest, but I spent three hours on it last night, and I wanted to share. Until next time.