In my area, right now we are literally up to our eyeballs in snow! After a relatively mild winter until recently, we’ve had some major snowfalls since late January and haven’t gotten a break or a thaw since. This is when spring fever starts to gnaw at us. Seed catalogs are arriving, yet it feels like we’ll never see dry ground again. With so many layers of snow and ice piled everywhere, it’s easy to get cabin fever. We occasionally question why we reside where it so closely resembles the North Pole. This is when I remind myself there’s just a few more weeks of winter left, focusing on how awesome Connecticut is most of the year, beautiful and with so many great places to visit. Last year, while it was still warm, we headed to one of my family’s favorite destinations…Mystic Seaport!
Dori Troutman 
Nicole Christensen 
Diane Van Horn 
Karin Weaver 
Barb Delaney 
Adrienne 
CR LAGROUE 
Torben Bagh 
Meredith Williams 
Cindy Cope 
Bonnie Ellis 
Diane Loehr 
Beverly Battaglia 
susana 
Denise Ross 
Mary Ellen Interlandi 
Luanne Bailey 
ulla christensen 
Joan 
Marge Hofknecht 
Nancy Zychek 
Lisa Lahey 
Mary Rauch 
Rose 
Cathy Curry 
Karen(old cowgirl) Montoya 
Sharon Bertsch 
Nancy Coppock 
Marci D 
Janice Hill 
Ginger Garner 
Teresa Dempsey 
Roksanna Stephens Anderson 
diana henretty 
Deb Bosworth 
Holly 
Julia Jenkins 
Dena 
Barb 
Sathya Prabhakar 
Timothy Bratcher 
Alan Olson 
Kelly 
Betty McTiernan 
Kris 
Becky -
Debbie Bosworth
is a certified farmgirl at heart. She’s happily married to her beach bum Yankee husband of 20 years. She went from career gal to being a creative homeschooling mom for two of her biggest blessings and hasn’t looked back since. Debbie left her lifelong home in the high desert of Northern Nevada 10 years ago and washed up on the shore of America’s hometown, Plymouth, MA, where she and her family are now firmly planted. They spend part of each summer in a tiny, off–grid beach cottage named “The Sea Horse.”
“I found a piece of my farmgirl heart when I discovered MaryJanesFarm. Suddenly, everything I loved just made more sense! I enjoy unwinding at the beach, writing, gardening, and turning yard-sale furniture into ‘Painted Ladies’ I’m passionate about living a creative life and encouraging others to ‘make each day their masterpiece.’”
Rebekah Teal
is a “MaryJane Farmgirl” who lives in a large metropolitan area. She is a lawyer who has worked in both criminal defense and prosecution. She has been a judge, a business woman and a stay-at-home mom. In addition to her law degree, she has a Masters of Theological Studies.
“Mustering up the courage to do the things you dream about,” she says, “is the essence of being a MaryJane Farmgirl.” Learning to live more organically and closer to nature is Rebekah’s current pursuit. She finds strength and encouragement through MaryJane’s writings, life, and products. And MaryJane’s Farmgirl Connection provides her a wealth of knowledge from true-blue farmgirls.
Cathi Belcher
an old-fashioned farmgirl with a pioneer spirit, lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. As a “lifelong learner” in the “Live-Free-or-Die” state, she fiercely values self-reliance, independence, freedom, and fresh mountain air. Married to her childhood sweetheart of 40+ years (a few of them “uphill climbs”), she’s had plenty of time to reinvent herself. From museum curator, restaurant owner, homeschool mom/conference speaker, to post-and-beam house builder and entrepreneur, she’s also a multi-media artist, with an obsession for off-grid living and alternative housing. Cathi owns and operates a 32-room mountain lodge. Her specialty has evolved to include “hermit hospitality” at her rustic cabin in the mountains, where she offers weekend workshops of special interest to women.
“Mountains speak to my soul, and farming is an important part of my heritage. I want to pass on my love of these things to others through my writing. Living in the mountains has its own particular challenges, but I delight in turning them into opportunities from which we can all learn and grow.”
Dori Troutman
Dori Troutman is the daughter of second generation cattle ranchers in New Mexico. She grew up working and playing on the ranch that her grandparents homesteaded in 1928. That ranch, with the old adobe home, is still in the family today. Dori and her husband always yearned for a ranch of their own. That dream came true when they retired to the beautiful green rolling hills of Tennessee. Truly a cattleman’s paradise!
Dori loves all things farmgirl and actually has known no other life but that. She loves to cook, craft, garden, and help with any and all things on their cattle farm.
Mary Murray
describes herself as a goat charmer, chicken whisperer, bee maven, and farmers’ market baker renovating an 1864 farmhouse on an Ohio farm. With a degree in Design, Mary says small-town auctions and country road barn sales "always make my heart skip a beat thinking about what I could create or design out of what I’ve seen.”
Rooted in the countryside, she likes simple things and old ways … gardening, preserving the harvest, cooking, baking, and all things home. While you might find her selling baked goods from the farm’s milkhouse, teaching herself to play the fiddle, or sprucing up a vintage camper named Maizy, you will always find her in an apron!
Mary says, “I’m happiest with the simple country pleasures … an old farmhouse, too many animals, a crackling fire, books to read, and the sound of laughter … these make life just perfect.”
Alexandra Wilson
is a budding rural farmgirl living in Palmer, the agricultural seat of Alaska. Alex is a graduate student at Alaska Pacific University pursuing an M.S. in Outdoor and Environmental Education. She lives and works on the university’s 700 acre environmental education center, Spring Creek Farm. When Alex has time outside of school, she loves to rock climb, repurpose found objects, cross-country ski on the hay fields, travel, practice yoga, and cook with new-fangled ingredients.
Alex grew up near the Twin Cities and went to college in Madison, Wisconsin—both places where perfectly painted barns and rolling green farmland are just a short drive away. After college, she taught at a rural middle school in South Korea where she biked past verdant rice paddies and old women selling home-grown produce from sidewalk stoops. She was introduced to MaryJanesFarm after returning, and found in it what she’d been searching for—a group of incredible women living their lives in ways that benefit their families, their communities, and the greater environment. What an amazing group of farmgirls to be a part of!
Nicole Christensen
Suburban Farmgirl Nicole Christensen calls herself a “vintage enthusiast”. Born and raised in Texas, she has lived most of her life in the picturesque New England suburbs of Connecticut, just a stone’s throw from New York State. An Advanced Master Gardener, she has gardened since childhood, in several states and across numerous planting zones. In addition, she teaches knitting classes, loves to preserve, and raises backyard chickens.
Married over thirty years to her Danish-born sweetheart, Nicole has worked in various fields, been a world-traveler, an entrepreneur and a homemaker, but considers being mom to her now-adult daughter her greatest accomplishment. Loving all things creative, Nicole considers her life’s motto to be “Bloom where you are planted”.
Nicole, I’ve never lived where there was much in the way of snow. I honestly cannot imagine the stir crazy, spring fever feeling you would get. We are iced in here in Tennessee this week and the icy white trees are just gorgeous from our hilltop; but after only two days I’m looking forward to some melting sunshine! Loved your post and loved the tour of Mystic that you gave us! It is my dream to visit the New England states… I’m thinking a trip to visit you in Connecticut and the Beach Farmgirl in Massachussetts is a must! Maybe someday. Hugs – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –
Dori, the first time I saw a big snow, over twenty years ago as a young bride, I phoned and woke my Daddy up at 4 AM I was so excited. By the end of the week, I was ready to go back to Texas. No really, it is not a big thing except when it gets like it has been lately. The ice on top of the snow, and repeated giant snowstorms with no break or thaw in between, does get a bit much. I can drive in snow but ice is dicey. Toward the end of the winter, like it is now, everything is so salt covered and there’s no where to really walk outside. Even the dogs get cabin fever, but it is all the more reason why we rejoice in spring. By the end of the summer, we are praying for a cool break, and I can’t imagine Christmases with no snow or cozy cold weather. It’s all good. I am done with the below zero temps, though. How do our mid-west farmsisters do it? As for you visiting New England…come on up! My guest room is ready! How much fun would that be? Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Love Mystic! I was there many moons ago and your pictures brought back wonderful memories. Thank you!
Hi Diane, I am so glad. Thank you. Hope you can visit it again sometime, they are always adding new things. (Let me know if you are in this area sometime)! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
These pictures really helped to warm me up. Jut got in from feeding the horses and other animals and it is below zero out there. It has been a relatively mild winter here also but old man winter saved the best for last. Snow and bitter cold. I have been doing a lot of quilting in between feeding times and have a bad case of “cabin fever”. Thank you so much for the pictures and I am going to add this destination to my bucket list….
I hear ya. Outdoor chores are unpleasant when it gets so cold. It was below zero here several times this week and again today. It doesn’t seem so bad when the wind isn’t blowing but when it starts whipping up – ouch! Like you, I have been doing a lot of crafting indoors, one aspect I adore about winter. Stay warm! Think spring! Hope you visit Mystic sometime, it is truly lovely. Thanks for “stopping by today!” Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Thank you Nicole. Another great article about your adventures. Your articles suck me right in. Hmm I wonder where you will go next?
Hmmm…keep reading…Glad you enjoyed the post, Barb. Thanks so much! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Well, Nicole, we here in California would happily take most of your snow and use it to help relieve our drought conditions. A recent ski competition was cancelled because of the lack of snow. However, you do have Mystic Seaport to enjoy and we had a great time hosting your chantey singers at our monthly sea chantey singing event in San Francisco at the Maritime Historical Park. It’s part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the most visited national park last year. Remember to think like the ants do: think winter all summer while you prepare; think summer all winter while you reap the harvest of your preparation. I hope your daughter feels much better very soon!
Hi Adrienne, I love that…”think like ants”! So true, (very much so with firewood)! Now California is somewhere I want to go (so does my daughter). I have a cousin there, but I have never gotten that far west yet. (Arizona is the farthest state that direction I have been to).As for the snow, DH and I were thinking that very thing yesterday…wish they could bottle some up and send it to drought-ridden areas! We have plenty of snow to give away! 😉 Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
We’re right there with ya sister! Piles and piles of snow with no end in sight! Loved the get away to Mystic Seaport… We’ve not yet visited but it’s on our list! I think we are less than 2 hours from it! Thanks you for sharing your family visit with us! It helped me forget about the snow ( for a minute or two anyway ) … Stay warm!
Deb ( Beach Farmgirl )
Hi Deb! Darlin’ I was wondering how you are all doing up there! I heard that Massachusetts is more buried than we are! By the way, your area and Plymouth are somewhere I want to visit too! I haven’t made it past Boston yet. Maybe soon. After the thaw…will that ever happen? Think how great that first warm, sunny day will feel! Just a few more weeks, right? Stay warm! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Just read your blog on Mystic. Every time I go out on my patio I see this hideous bird statue and it reminds me of our trip there. As you recall we went to multiple shops there in an attempt to find a statue like the one you had in your living room. All we found was this super ugly bird statue which we found repulsive. Later I called a Mystic shop and they said they had the statue we were looking for. Upon arrival in the mail, I received that totally ugly statue we had rejected. It always reminds me of our frantic shopping trip to Mystic.
Back story here: my brother loved this little sea bird statue I have that I got in Mystic. We went everywhere there – all over the museum shops, and every gift store within miles. When he returned home, he called to see if he could get one…maybe more were coming in. They said yes. We were all so excited but what arrived was a wooden, primitive bird on a stick. Not very pretty at all. Actually, so ugly it is funny. Funny thing is…he still has that bird. And in the end, we found him the statue he wanted. 😉
Russell, that was fun though… Nicole
Thanks for the “trip”! Looks like a place I’d love to visit. I know you’re buried in snow and are tired of it . . . we’re still waiting for snow. We are afraid we’re looking at another year of severe drought!
Hang in there!
CJ
CJ, Hi sweetie. I did not realize you all did not get any snow this year! Has it been cold there, or very mild? I wish we could send you some of our snow. We have extra… Big farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Hurra Nicole!
For din flotte artikel og at du nævne den store indsats der blev gjort under 2. verdenskrig for de danske jøder, ved at der i alle havne med fiskerbåde i Danmark, satte fiskere deres liv på spil for a redde de stakkes Jøder og bringe dem i sikkerhed i Sverige Gerda var den mest aktive !!
Fordi Sverige var Neutralt land. Flot at du huskede det.
Knus fra Danmark
Torben
Hi Nicole! I love Mystic Seaport! It has been 13 years since we visited ( my pictures show my daughter at about three years old(!). Such great memories you have brought back for me…. Thank you!
Hi Meredith! Glad you enjoyed this post! Thanks so much! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I pass Mystic everytime I am on the Amtrak train to go visit my daughter in the Boston area from NJ. Maybe sometime I will plan to stop there and take a walk around. Liked your pictures. I am there in Salem now, and I cant believe the amount of snow there is up here!
Hi Cindy, Mystic is definitely worth stopping for! I hear ya about the snow…it is like we got it all it once. The last photo on the blog was just a few days ago, not it is piled even higher. Spring can’t get here fast enough! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole: I’m really sorry you guys are getting dumped on for snow. We normally have lots of snow here in Minnesota, but we’re having artic temps (below zero) instead. We are 14″ below snow normal. You should hear the complaints. We are a winter sport mecca and the skiers, snowmobilers are really disappointed. We got your snow last year. Its hard to know what to do with it all. Mystic Seaport is a wonderful get away. Wonderful pictures and its fun to see your daughter grow up.
Hi Bonnie,
You are so sweet! I am so thankful for my farmsisters! Right now we have your sub zero temps, too. My dogs are congregated by the wood stove. I hope to someday visit Minnesota. I have never been that direction yet! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole –
OMG I have such cabin fever it is not even funny. Worrying all the time how much more snow we are getting and how my roof will hold up! They are saying now on Sunday that we will have rain and we don’t need that at all. I hope to go to Mystic soon with my daughter. It looks like a great place to go and as I live in Wappingers Falls, NY it is not a far trip to take. Thanks for all the summer photos. It warmed me up on such a very cold day! 🙂
Diane
Hi Diane! I hear you. We are supposed to get that same rain this weekend (ie: ice). Having all this weight on our roofs is a concern when it gets like this. Hopefully we will all dry out!
I know exactly where Wappinger Falls is! Not far from my area, either. Hopefully we all get spring soon! I am so happy you liked this post, thanks for the comment! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I loved the time you took me to Mystic Harbor before Audrey was born, I think in 1998. I loved it and the blueberry ice cream they sold from a horse drawn cart was so memorable! I remember going on the old ship but I do not remember which one it was. I am five two and had to bend over to walk and the beds were terribly small! I still have a couple of items I bought there, one a red Christmas ornament and a jigger that says Mystic on it. Atlanta is 0 degrees today. We are breaking records everyday here. No snow yet.
Love you
Mother
Hi Mom! Wasn’t that trip to Mystic so happy and fun! Miss you! Stay warm. Love you, Nicole
I live along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in northern Colorado. We get some snow! The east coast has gotten hit hard this year, harder than us. But here, we rarely stay inside, even in terrible weather. There is so much to do outside, and the snow here is dry and powdery and the sun is always shining so it doesn’t feel cold. And we never get ice. Much different than my Midwestern upbringing! But I, too, dream about the fun things we get to do when the weather is nice. Thinking of those helps get through those long, dark days of mid-winter. Our big snows are yet to come – our biggest snows come in March and April. We’re kicking it off right with a big snowfall this weekend – could be a foot or up to two feet!
Hi Susabelle!
I don’t mind the snow so much, either, when it is like you describe. But now it is frozen hard, like a rock, with ice everywhere. Mountains of dirty, salt covered snow are everywhere you go. It’s another record breaking low today! I am so ready for spring! I can’t wait to get outside. I walk my dogs everyday as long as it is over 25 degrees. Can’t remember when that was… think warm thoughts! Stay cozy! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Great trip to Mystic, thank you for sharing. We were there about 10 years ago, would love to go again. Your photos remind me how interesting that little town is. I have a photo I took of that light house in my kitchen, and one of one of the ships – don’t recall which.
Snow is coming down here right now, I’m with you have cabin fever and I am over it. Great post.
Hi Kim, Isn’t Mystic a wonderful little town? There are so many neat towns here to visit. It makes these long winters so worth it. Spring has to be here soon! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I saw that movie, Mystic Pizza, and loved it. Never Knew there was an actual place. Love the photos. I love these mini trips too. I’m sorry I never got to travel thru Conneticut, beautiful state from your photos. The photos are just great! Thanks for sharing.susana
Hi Susana, Wasn’t that movie cute? I miss the movies from the 80’s and 90’s. Mystic Pizza was a pizza shop before the movie. We stop there for dinner on the way home from time to time…it’s a fun place with movie memorabilia all throughout and the movie playing on televisions. Thanks for commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I love your photos Nicole, the history is fascinating. I’ve never lived in a place where it’s snowed as much as where you are, but I’m sure I’d be feeling a little over it by now.
I hope your daughter is feeling better very soon. Stay well, and I’m sure is not far away for you. I’m actually over our summer now and am looking forward to the cooler weather of autumn.
Hugs forms Australia
Denise
Hi Denise! Thank you so very much! I am so glad you enjoy my posts. I have to admit, we are all getting a bit worn out from all this snow. Two weeks after this post ran, as I answer your comment, it is snowing. We are expecting four inches tonight. Nine more later in the week. Since we can’t control the weather, I am taking the extra indoor-time and working on some new knitting projects! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole PS I’ve never been to Australia, but it is a place I’d love to visit (and my daughter does too, after she did a geography project on Australia).
Hi Nicole, I just came across the farmgirl/MaryJanesFarm bloggers site. I’m not familiar with how any of this works but I was certainly excited to see someone from Ct. I live by the shoreline in Ct. but lived in Northwestern Ct. and grew up on a dairy farm in central Ct. Does anyone ever get together or plan road trips? I would love to connect with like minded souls. I will google more about MaryJanesFarm to learn more, but if you can clue me in, I’d appreciate it. Thank you, Mary Ellen
Hi Mary Ellen! Welcome to the world of MaryJanesFarm! I am so glad you took the time to write. Hope you come back to visit the blog, and I will message you privately. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole