Monica Duncan

In the dark and wintry days of Christmastide, with its millennia-deep roots in Christian and pagan traditions, ancestral spirits and lost loved ones seem to draw especially close. But for some denizens of the hills, such communion with the spirit world is a natural part of everyday human experience.

How Gus learned to stop biting people and love the new puppy.

Ursula hart offers a welcoming haven for abandoned animals

The versatile, friendly and compact Vanners are often compared to golden retrievers for their companion-animal qualities.

From farm to mill, a heritage grain makes a remarkable journey back to the future.

Alpacas like llamas, prudently dole out kisses. After a quick assessment, they’ll smooch you right on the lips.

Hockley honey comes from happy hives.

Each of the Glasslands sculptures will represent a theme related to sustainable living.

View a musical video including more of the Glasslands photographs, reflect and enjoy. By Monica Duncan The striking photographs of crystal sculptures on display at The Alton Mill this May…

The full-support model

In these hills growing your own food seems to come with a renewed sense of purpose. Monica Duncan visits several kinds of local vegetable gardens – some of them new, some long established – and talks with the growers.

In a bid to become somewhat more self-sufficient, my husband and I recently decided to try keeping our own chickens for egg production.

The Hills of Headwaters Stable Tour will “open the barn doors” to the public for an up-close and personal peek at the region’s horse industry.