My fascination with butterflies stem from childhood. To attract a few of these winged creatures, my small garden patch contains a few of their beloved perennials supplemented with a new batch of annuals each year. Even with their extended journeys, they always find time to stop by and pay a visit. With these mainstays — Butterfly…
“Flittering Movements ” — Yellow Swallowtails
My fascination with butterflies stem from childhood. To attract a few of these winged creatures, my small garden patch contains a few of their beloved perennials supplemented with a new batch of annuals each year. Even with their extended journeys, they always find time to stop by and pay a visit. With these mainstays — Butterfly…
Thanks For Joining Us On Our Journey
January 19th, 2015 Our First Blog Post — Since we don’t know the “Rules of Blogging”, we’ll just speak from the heart. Our website journey has finally reached its’ destination. Although in reality it’s just beginning . . . . Arriving to this point has taken far longer than we ever imagined, yet we’ve made some…
“Training Day” — A Balancing Act
Wanting to do a painting of a lady riding sidesaddle and being comfortable around horses, I thought I’d be my own model. Owning the proper 18th Century riding habit, I just needed a couple of other ingredients. Namely a proper horse, a sidesaddle and a trainer. One fine afternoon everything fell into place, my “Training…
“Help Wanted” — Rules Change
Many of the farms near our home share a common feature — cats. These “mousers” provide a much needed barn-yard service to the farmers. If you ever visit our county, you’ll see thousands of barns dotting the landscape. With so many local farms, I’ve actually been told the unemployment rate for cats is practically…
“The Sweet Aroma” — A Pipe Dream?
The night was Christmas Eve. As a youngster, she eagerly anticipated the sound of rooftop sleigh bells and reindeer hooves. Shucked corn covered the porch and a plate of freshly baked cookies graced the kitchen table. Colorful crayoned drawings created for Mom and Dad were secretly tucked out of sight. Sleep wouldn’t come easily for…
“Hangs His Hat” — Heading for the Mountains
The young man had a dream . . . . Born and bred to good, honest, hard working folks. He learned by observation. These early ingrained lessons set the course for his life’s journey. The young man listened to wise council and kept his sights set on his goal. Many long hours, additional responsibilities and…
“The Escape” — Music to His Ears
While playing outside with my dog, I caught a quick glimpse of a wild animal scampering across the backyard. My dog’s focus was on the Frisbee in my hand, so I heaved the disc as far as I could in the direction opposite the new visitor. For a brief moment our eyes locked, and then…
“It’s Never Too Muddy” — Dear Friends
It was September 2007 in southern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The 10-day Eastern Primitive Rendezvous was being held at Muddy Run State Park. The opportunity to reconnect with old friends at this 18th Century-inspired encampment set the stage for my first date with Troy. With thousands of participants coming from many states, I wondered what the…
“Horse Trading” — Letting Go Of Old Habits
The older gentleman had lived the last 50 years nestled comfortably in the rich earthy aroma of this log cabin. He had grown to relish his freedom and independence. Yet, father time was catching up — he had recently celebrated reaching his 10th decade. “Only old people get old”, he always exclaimed. Was his Southern…
