Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe it’s January again- a new month, year…DECADE! I’m wishing everyone the best year ever! ! 2020 is going to be a memorable one for our family…
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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”.
Hi Nicole and a very happy new year to you and yours this year. It’s certainly an exciting year for you, yes it sure does fly by. It’s sad and exciting all at once when our children are finishing up a season in life. Your daughter sounds like she has a great balance of interests and has goals. I’m sure she will do well in whatever life decisions she goes with. Learning and growing through hard work, mistakes and following dreams and goals is life.
It’s everyone’s stories in life. I don’t like others pointing out the negatives to me either, so not necessary when the decisions are ours alone to make. I’ve had to deal with the same over the year’s, everyone has an opinion and for some reason likes to share it when it none of their business anyway.
Thank you for a lovely post as always, you look amazing by the way.
Happy new year from Australia xx
Hi Denise! Thank you so much! Happy New Year to you!
You are so right- “learning and growing through hard work, mistakes, and following dreams and goals is life.” So true. Everyone is entitled to an opinion – but not entitled to being negative just for the sake of it, especially when it comes to young adults. Many times, it seems the negative is the only things some people ever see, which is sad.
On another note, I have been watching what is going on in Australia with the wildfires. Please know that all of our hearts over here in the USA are with you all.
Thank you Nicole, we really appreciate your thoughts and prayers xx
Denise, keep us posted. Are you near the fires? Stay safe, Farmgirl! ~Nicole
My sister is going through the same thing you are. Her only child, a daughter, is a senior in high school. She, her daughter, has to do everything because it’s the last time she’ll ever have a chance in high school. I don’t know how my sister keeps up. And the knowledge that next fall she’ll be off to college is destroying my sister. I wish everyone going through this some peaceful joyful times together. But now you get to have an adult relationship and that’s a whole new gift. Happy New Year.
Hi Marlene, I am not feeling unhappy about my daughter graduating. I am thrilled that she has done so well and I am so excited that she picked where she is going and will still be close. We remain close, but I also keep plenty busy, too. In addition to being a “Farmgirl”, I spend a lot of time with my husband, have friends that I get together with frequently (girlfriends are very important), I have my home, dogs, cats, and chickens to take care of, I teach classes, blog, and am an Advanced Master Gardener. I am a Glamper with a vintage camper. Come summer, I will be gardening and that also takes an immense amount of time. I love crafts, knit and sew (so many projects!) and just joined a book club on top of it all. I loved having a small, little girl, but I also love that my daughter is now my best friend, too, and still needs me but not in the same way. It’s all good! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
And to Denise in Australia, love and prayers to everyone and every animal there.
Oh Marlene, I know! It just makes me cry. My mama and I were on the phone together today, and just talking about how awful and sad it is. Those poor animals. Godspeed to those fighting the fires and helping those poor wildlife creatures. Denise, much love your way! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Dearest Mama Bear, I can’t believe I’ve been thru this child’s upbringing with you
(sort of… I’ve missed a few steps). Hahaha Seriously though, I joined MJFarms about the same time as you. I lurked for a couple of years before I joined officially, but I remember when she was 7. Wow! Where HAS the time gone? I think you’ve done an amazing job(just saying) and you have every right to be proud! Whatever she chooses next in her dream path…I feel she’s ready. Good job/Well done Mama Bear
*patpatpat* …giggle…
Hugs&Squeezles
Judy
Hi Judy! Thank you, thank you for such a nice comment! Can you believe how fast time flies? I still can’t wrap my head around it. I remember the day I joined the Farmgirl Sisterhood, and marvel at all the wonderful things we Farmgirls have shared with each other! And as a parent, it is weird. All of a sudden, it’s the “last” time you step on a LEGO, but don’t realize it until you look back, but looking forward is so exciting, too! Thank you again, dear Farmgirl! Hugs right back to you, Nicole
Dearest Nicole and Audrey
I would like to send an e-chin scritch to Norman. I have a soft spot for orange tabby cats . I really hope that he gets back to his normal self soon.
When I raised a teenager many years ago the world was so different. That being said nosy, non-listening adults are still prevalent, even more so.
Reading about the strong family that is behind Audrey and the fact that she knows who she is makes me smile. I feel she will succeed in her chosen field and I would love to meet you all.
Hugs…Martha
Hi Martha, Thank you!! I can’t wait for Audrey to read the wonderful comments today!
As for Norman, he is doing okay. We are keeping a close watch and hope he recovers fully. He is just the sweetest lump of love ever! I wish you could hear him purr. It is the loudest purr.
Thank you again for your kind words. Wishing you a very Happy New Year! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Happy New Year, Nicole. I began motherhood in my 30s and received lots of unsolicited advise too. I decided to take the best from everyone’s advise and forget the rest.
This will be the best year yet. Senior year is so fun, especially with a daughter. Enjoy every minute of it. The hardest part of motherhood for me was when both my children moved three hours away the same month. Even in cold, snowy North Dakota I managed to see them every month until driving home in the worst February snowstorm brought me to my senses. Talk about a mama bear!!!
Congratulations on raising such an accomplished daughter. Best wishes to her on whatever she chooses. Hope you’re feeling better by now. Nanette
Happy New Year, Nanette! Thank you so much for your kind and wise words. So true. I can just see you driving through heavy snow to see your bear cubs! I hope you still get to see them often.
We are all on the mend. Everyone I know around here has had some “creepy crud” virus of some sort. This week we really all feel better, almost 100 percent.
Hope you have a nice winter, and thank you for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Great blog, Nicole. I am so proud of Audrey too! I cried when I saw her sweet baby picture. She was such a sweet and affectionate baby girl. I loved the pictures. I am proud of both of you and love you both.
Nana
Awww, thank you Mama. We both love you, too. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi, Fellow Mama Bear,
You’re right. Time passes no matter what the day brings. I’ve turned around a few times and my one and only daughter is approaching 35. We all have better hindsight than foresight. Congratulations on your chick venturing from your nest. Best wishes to each of you as our new year unfolds.
Hi Teresa, Thank you so much for reading and commenting. I bet though your daughter is 35, she is still your “baby chick”. I tell my daughter that all the time. A dear neighbor growing up used to make me giggle. She was well in her 90’s and used to write to me letters after I moved out of state. (She was like a grandmother to me growing up). She would write about what her daughter was up to, who was in her 70’s at the time, affectionately calling her “my baby” or “the baby” . I always loved that. Happy New Year to you and yours! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
So many truths written here. Here’s to 2020! Wishing your sweet girl all the happiness and success she so deserves!! Dinah
Hi Dinah, thank you so much! Happy New Year! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
as usual I love reading your post. best of luck to your daughter and I hope she totally enjoys “her” choice of college and the path “she” has chosen to take!
Thanks so very much, Denise! Happy New Year to you and Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I’m so very happy that your daughter has grown into such a lovely young woman.
I know how are it is to have a sick furry child. I’ve added him to my prayers.
Hi Ariel, thank yo so much. Isn’t it difficult when the fur-babies are ill? They can’t tell us when something is wrong, but thankfully we are so in tune with our pets we knew something was “off”. Norman is such a sweet little kitty, and he is on the road to recovery. He is NOT happy about the special food, though, LOL! Thanks so much for the prayers. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Your daughter sounds like a lovely and well adjusted young lady. Good for her in wanting to go to a college near home. Why should any one tell her her choices are wrong. Your daughter obviously knows what is right for her. Wishing you and your family a blessed,happy and healthy 2020. God Bless.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn, Thank you so much for saying such nice things. I am going to have my daughter read all of the wonderful comments. We have lived here in New England for over 25 years, but we have no family nearby. I am so thrilled she is choosing to stay nearby. 🙂
Have a wonderful New Year! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Sisters and Mothers are so wise, caring & thoughtful. First of all, sounds like you have done a great job as a mother with parenting your daughter with love and respect.
Difficulties have always been a part of growing up. The problems are just different. I
learned that from my own youth and in raising 3 sons in Massachusetts and Kansas.
I still remember all the unwanted & critical advice even starting with my first born whom
the nurse said would starve if I did not supplement formula with breastmilk! All my
sons are kind, caring & responsible men today. They each chose a different path, but
I love and respect them all. My advice to your daughter is to pursue her passion and
just go for it. Loving your life work is the most important path. Thank you for taking the
time to write – insightful, interesting and I so enjoy your posts.
Hi Pamela, Thank you for such nice words. I love this comment. Isn’t it true, the saying, “Love what you do and it will never seem like work”. Whatever my daughter decides to do, I just want her to always be happy. Thanks for reading and commenting – it means a lot. Happy New Year to you! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
The best of everything to your daughter!! Exciting times…the world is her oyster!!
Thank you, Judy! Exiting indeed! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Good Day Nicole,
May you and yours have a blessed New Year as well. I was blessed to read your blog today. We are parents of an only and yes the milestones are passing us by so fast. We are proud to give her the time to make her own decisions and we try to guide them the best we can. It isn’t always easy but necessary. We are grateful to know we are not alone in how we are raising our daughter. It sounds like you have done a wonderful job and we pray she loves what she does in life. That alone is half the battle. Thank you for the words of encouragement. I also wish people would be more supportive of others and their choices instead of trying to give them unwarranted advice. I have been known to let my momma bear out also when I do not like what someone expresses to my child. I pray one day God will give me the filter needed to let it go. 🙂 Once again thank you.
Dear Brandy, thank you so much for your nice and encouraging comment. It warms my heart to know thatI am not alone, either, in having an only child and raising her the way I have. May your daughter follow her heart and do what makes her happy in life, as well. Thank you again, and Happy New Year! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Such a thought provoking blog! I’m so happy for your daughter (and for you). She sounds amazing. It’s difficult to listen to advice that’s not welcome or even good. I wish the best for her in this next stage of life.
Hi Rebecca, thank you so very much! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole