Latest news with #countryliving
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Carrie Underwood Overwhelmed by Taking Care of Sprawling Tennessee Farm: ‘There's Too Much to Do'
Country superstar Carrie Underwood's Tennessee farm isn't the rustic paradise she envisioned as the songbird finds herself overwhelmed and exhausted by the property's costs and demands on her limited time, sources say. 'It was total folly to have these 400 acres of land, chickens, horses, fruit trees, vegetable garden and greenhouse — and she's realizing that now,' an insider confides to Globe. A source who spoke with Star recently shared the same sentiment. 'It's become too much for her to maintain, and she's getting no sleep because she's up at the crack of dawn taking care of all these animals,' the source shared. 'She's shoveling hay, weeding, fertilizing, harvesting, and then she's in the kitchen making jams and pickling cucumbers,' the source told the outlet, noting the 'Cry Pretty' singer is also encountering 'repairs that never end.' 'The hours she spends over a hot stove are enough to singe her hair,' the Globe insider says. 'Something is always breaking down — from farming equipment to appliances.' According to the insider, Carrie, 42, has enlisted people to help but staffing is a 'nightmare' and still requires her oversight. Meanwhile, her ex–hockey player husband, Mike Fisher, is busy being a hands-on dad to their two sons, Isaiah, 10, and Jacob, 6. The American Idol winner turned judge bought the rural property in 2011 for $3 million with the former NHL jock, 45, and built the dream home where they're raising their family. The insider explains, 'She once loved the idea of having a farm and had this romantic picture of how it would be — and it's not that.' Carrie wouldn't dream of selling the place, says the insider, but 'she's tired of getting dirty and running from bee hives and other unforeseen occurrences.' 'When she's on a break from touring, she wants to come home and relax, but she can't do that,' adds the insider. 'There's too much to do.' Solve the daily Crossword
Times
23-07-2025
- General
- Times
Which home would you buy for £850,000? Vote for your favourite
This four-bedroom barn conversion in 1.8 acres is in the village of Lulsley in the Teme Valley, ten miles from Worcester. The 3,455 sq ft house has a spacious ground floor — the sitting room with vaulted beamed ceilings and a brick fireplace is a highlight. There is also a library, breakfast room and downstairs bedroom, as well as a kitchen and utility room. There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs. Outside is a triple garage block/workshop. EPC D (potential C) — on a scale of A (best) to G (worst) Upside Suitable for multigenerational living. Downside Oil-fired central heating. Price £850,000 Contact In the market town of Wigton, this barn conversion in 3.36 acres combines country living with modern design. The large open-plan living/dining/kitchen space on the ground floor is flooded with natural light. A boot room, utility and plant room make up the rest of the ground floor. Bespoke oak stairs lead to the first floor, which has five bedrooms (four with en suite) and a cinema room. There is also a self-contained two-bedroom annexe, ideal for multigenerational living or a holiday let.
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
London leaver: 'we swapped a Battersea townhouse for 25 acres near the Devon coast'
Until quite recently Jenny and Ed Henderson's only pet-owning experience was with a couple of gerbils and rats when they were students. Today the couple and their two sons care for a menagerie including four cows, four pigs, four goats, two peacocks, and 19 chickens at their Exmoor smallholding. Once Loki, seven, and Bodhi, three, are up and ready for school and nursery Jenny turns her attention to the animals, distributing breakfasts, letting the hens out, and making sure all is well. 'The goats are the worst,' she says. 'You never know when one of them will get its head stuck in the fence, and they are real escape artists.' Life was very different back in London, where Jenny, 40 was getting increasingly burned out working as a primary school teacher, and Ed, also 40, was a freelance photographer and videographer. The couple had met at boarding school in Dorset and they got an early start on the property ladder, buying their four-bedroom Victorian house in Battersea back in 2003 when they were both students and taking in lodgers to help pay the mortgage. But London was never their lifelong plan. 'It had always been in our heads that we wanted to live by the sea, and to be out of London once kids came along,' says Jenny. They made their first escape attempt early in the pandemic in the hopes of being able to move before Loki started school, but they found the great race for space when half of the city appeared to be moving to the coast too hot to handle. 'Everything in the South West was going for crazy money and nobody wanted to buy our London house so after about a year we took it off the market again,' says Jenny. They made their second attempt in 2023. This time they were able to sell their Battersea home for just over £1 million. The family then spent several months staying with a series of family and friends before, in October 2023, they spent £1.35 million on Heale Farm – a traditional Devon farmhouse with around 25 acres of land, and three holiday cottages near the village of Parracombe, about four miles from the coast ( 'After getting burnt out with the stress and demands of the education system I decided to leave teaching, so our focus was to find somewhere that would bring me some income,' explains Jenny. The family has found locals friendly and welcoming – their neighbours are farmers who have helped teach them how to care for their livestock, the boys are happy at the tiny village school and with the fact they can go to the beach after school, and Parracombe has a shop and a pub. 'We were a bit nervous before we moved about what people would think of these London blow-ins,' says Jenny. 'But everyone has been friendly and welcoming. We have really thrown ourselves into the community – I am a parent governor at the school and we shop locally and use the local pubs – but I still feel really lucky in that respect. 'Do we have any regrets about leaving London? None at all.'
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE PICTURED: Jennifer Aniston FINISHES dramatic renovations on $15M Montecito mansion where she'll 'chill' over summer
Jennifer Aniston has finished renovations on her $15M Montecito, California mansion she purchased last year. has obtained a photo of the dwelling after massive changes were made earlier this year. The biggest addition to the spread which sits on one acre is the new swimming pool which in the backyard where there was only a lawn before. Other renovations include fresh landscaping with cacti and a generous patio area where lounge chairs sit. In the main house there are new black-framed windows and updated balconies. This is where the star will 'chill out' this summer after a harrowing spring that included a break-in attempt at her $21M mansion in Bel-Air, California. 'Jen is happy to have a safe place to run to where she can let her hair down,' a source told last month. 'Though she loves Los Angeles because it is where she grew up, she is craving more of a country setting these days away from the noise.' Her Montecito neighbor include friends like Gwyneth Paltrow and Rob Lowe. Other neighbors in the Montecito area include Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as Katy Perry. Zoe Saldana recently splurged under $20M on an estate there as well. And it helps that her friends are more than happy to spend time with her in Montecito. 'Her pals like Jimmy Kimmel and Jason Bateman will visit and keep her company and help her make it a home for the summer,' said a source. Having the gate of her Bel Air home did a 'number' on her, said a source. 'She is flipped out,' said the pal. 'It's a bad feeling knowing someone wants to break into your sanctuary. It's such a shame that happened.' Aniston bought the Montecito house from Oprah Winfrey in September 2022 in an off-market deal for $14.8M. The 4,320-square-foot home built in 1999 has four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. And there is a pool house, cabana, or even a guesthouse. The backyard, formerly featuring manicured lawns, now boasts a sizable swimming pool, as seen in the latest photos. The swimming pool appears to be nearly complete. Surrounding it are large, white planter areas filled with vibrant plants. The property's exterior has been altered as well, notably with the replacement of blue windows by modern, white-framed designs. The upper-level balconies have also been renovated, now featuring dark metal railings. While renovations are still ongoing, outdoor furniture has been arranged on both the balconies and the raised patio overlooking the pool. Aniston's expansive house comprises several structures: an L-shaped main residence overlooking the swimming pool and gardens; a smaller building adjacent to the poolside patio; and a garage. It is not known if Aniston has decided to add or change any of the interior rooms. In August of last year, the home was pictured during a substantial renovation process. Aerial photos of her sprawling farmhouse showed she demolished the property's backyard to make way for an inground pool. Winfrey, a longtime Montecito resident, previously acquired the property in 2021 as part of a larger one-acre estate, paying $10.5 million. However, just a year later, Winfrey divided and sold the estate. Aniston purchased one portion for $14.8 million, while Winfrey's longtime friend, Bob Greene, acquired the other for an estimated $2.3 million. Aniston's new abode has 'picturesque ocean and mountain views, multiple terraces, landscaped gardens, and a massive motorcourt, all set on a private lot nestled among oak trees at the end of a long gated driveway,' according to Architectural Digest. The home has quite a bit of privacy on its heavily wooded premises, grassy lawns and a enough parking to easily accommodate fifteen cars. It's not the only home Aniston owns - she also has a $20.97 million mansion in Bel Air. In early a man who allegedly crashed his car through the gate of Aniston's home has been accused of harassment. Jimmy Wayne Carwyle, 48, is said to have driven his Chrysler PT Cruiser into the front gate of the star's Bel Air property. He has been accused of repeatedly sending Jennifer unwanted email, social media messages and voicemail since 2023. Prosecutors said he has now been charged with felony stalking and vandalism, while Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Carwyle also faces an aggravating circumstance of threat of great bodily harm. Hochman said in a statement: 'My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting those who stalk and terrorize others, ensuring they are held accountable.' Carwyle has been held in jail since his arrest with bail set at $150,000. He could face up to three years in prison if he is convicted. Jennifer was at home when Carwyle allegedly crashed into the gate. A public information officer from the Los Angeles Police Department told PEOPLE: 'There was a security guard on premises who was able to detain that suspect until officers arrived, at which time they took him into custody without incident. The resident was home at the time.' The authorities noted that while the suspect has sustained minor injuries, no one else was hurt in the incident.
News.com.au
25-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- News.com.au
Strath Creek: Private slice of country paradise up for grabs
For the past 24 years, vendors Kim and Glen have owned this idyllic 29ha lifestyle property in Strath Creek, living full time in the country paradise for the past 14. 'When we first bought it, it was vacant land, used for grazing, but it was very overgrown with blackberries and weeds,' Kim says. 'It was the King Parrot Creek that attracted us to the property and the area.' Now the property, with King Parrot Creek frontage and a rare river lease, boasts a showstopping main residence featuring three-metre ceilings, a spacious open plan design and four generously-sized bedrooms. 'We both love our master bedroom, sitting in bed in the morning, having a coffee, looking at the view of the hills,' she says. 'The kitchen is a beautiful modern country kitchen, love the Caesarstone benchtop and the way the kitchen works functionally. 'But my favourite thing is the fireplace – I love the stone hearth cleverly crafted by a friend who is a stonemason,' she says. Bec and Chris Judd sell Arthurs Seat getaway With 8-foot verandas and an expansive outdoor living area, the home offers a seamless indoor-outdoor zone that capitalises on the surrounding nature. 'It's picturesque with the hills and valley, plenty of wildlife,' says Kim. 'We love the way the sunset colours play on the hills and lights them up, and sitting out on the veranda in the mornings and afternoons listening to the birds – corellas, kookaburras, magpies and currawongs.' Additionally, the property includes a second residence that can be used to generate an income stream or serve as a guesthouse – both options the vendors have explored. 'It is a fully self-contained three-bedroom residence with two lounge rooms – ideal for the extended family or to keep it as a Farm Stay,' says Kim. The land features six well-grassed paddocks with new fencing and water sourced through pumping rights from the creek, making it ideal for hobby farming, such as grazing cattle or horses. 'Being on the creek flats, it tends to hold its own,' says Kim. Located a short drive from Flowerdale, the property offers the perfect combination of country living but within reach of the city. 'The Strath Creek Valley is spectacular, with the valley of a thousand hills, and Flowerdale is a lovely little hamlet,' says Kim. 'You feel like you are a world away but still accessible to Melbourne and larger towns such as Yea, Seymour and Broadford.'
