2018 is moving fast – the first quarter of the year’s almost over! Here in New England, we’ve started March with a Nor’Easter, and a lot of rainy, dark days. My family and I won’t let cabin fever get us down. What do we do? We embark on a wet weather adventure! Gloomy days can be gorgeous! Come along with me and see…
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.’”
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.
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 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.
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.”
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!
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”.
It looks like you all had a great time!
Hi Ramona, Yes, we sure did. I love these adventures, just the three of us. My daughter’s growing up fast and I will miss these little day trips we’ve done since she was little. Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
As always, I enjoy your posts. Stay warm until spring!
Hi Heidi, Thanks! You, too, and maybe this spring we can meet up again! Miss you! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Fabulous castle. Please revisit in the spring and post pictures. Would love to see it in the sunshine. Most google it.
Marlene, isn’t it cool? I have lived here in CT 23 years and never saw it before, except from a distance long ago when we took a boat ride on the Connecticut River. I can’t wait to go back. Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Beautiful spinning wheel! And I think I’ve actually been to Gillette Castle, long ago on a distant planet! Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I Ienjoy your visits.
Hi Linda, Very cool that you have been to Gillette Castle! I have heard about it so many times, but only saw it once from a distance on a boat ride. I can’t wait to tour it inside as well. Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Thank you for this fabulous entry which made me very nostalgic for Connecticut (the state I grew up in)!
Hi Corinna, Thank you, I am so glad you enjoyed the post! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Thank you for sharing your adventure. It is snowing here in New York.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn, Yes, here too. Quite a lot, actually! Stay warm! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Looks like a ” fun” time! Beautiful area…Makes me want to go there!!! Thank You for your rainy day “tour”…
Hi Julie, Thanks so much! I can’t wait to see what the castle looks like in the warmer months, too! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Love this! Thanks for sharing your day with us.
And I’d love to tour that castle.
Hi Theresa, Thanks! I am so glad you enjoyed the blog. I love castles, too. Can you imagine living in that home? Or designing it? I can’t wait to see inside. On my list for this summer, for sure! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I love castles, thanks for sharing!! WoooHoot the fireplace sitter is scrumptious. Thanks for ‘tripping’. God bless.
Hi Joan, Thanks! Isn’t that spinning wheel cool? I have no plans to “take up” spinning, and it is missing a few tiny piece anyway, but I wouldn’t want to use something that old, anyway. I just love looking at it. I can just imagine the person who hand made it (even the nails holding it together are handmade, it is truly a rustic, antique piece). Then I imagine a resourceful, creative woman, spinning wool from her sheep to knit into beautiful shawls and sweaters and blankets for her babies. It’s amazing to “touch” history! Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole, I usually don’t miss a lot about Connecticut most days, I’ve lived in Virginia for the last 33 years! But your post made me remember some of the great things about my home state and I’m missing it now!! Thanks for the walk down memory lane❤️
Hi Meredith! Thank you! Virginia is a beautiful state, too. I’ve been there a couple of times. Yesterday we got over 2 feet of snow in my area, so sometimes I think I wouldn’t miss Connecticut much, either, if we left, but that’s not true. There is a lot about this state to love. I miss a lot about my homestate, Texas, too. 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Very good blog. I love the pictures. Love you,
Mother
Hi Mom! Thanks! Love you, too. Next time you visit, we have new things to see and do! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
What a great way to spend a rainy day! Love it all but that castle…be still my heart.
Thanks, Diane! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Loved this road trip adventure you and your family went on. I love castles too, and the spookiness of them. So glad you took it and shared it with us. I love road trips too. Can’t wait for Spring and hope you make it back there and do the tour. What a lovely time you have shared with us. Thanks so much.
Hi Sandi, Thank you! I will keep y’all updated about a spring visit! I am so curious what it is like inside. You might like this post I wrote in 2013, since you like castles. My favorite castle is in Denmark: http://www.farmgirlbloggers.com/1218#more-1218
Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Wonderful post. I sometimes think those rainy foggy winter days are under rated. Beautiful photos taken by all. Thanks for sharing whaat looked like a picture perfect day.
Hi Judy, A fellow New England farmgirl…welcome to the blog! Thank you, and yes, I agree! Rainy days do have their own certain charm. So do snow days, but now I am ready for some heat to come again! Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I just love spur of the moment off the beaten path adventures. And what a great find..I know you will put to good use. Waiting for the warmer spring days full of sunshine and flowers. Neta
Hi Neta! So good to hear from you, farmgirl! Yes, waiting for spring days! Can’t wait until it is warm and sunny for days on end! Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole