Dear Sisters,
I hope this mid-summer note finds you feeling relaxed and renewed. I pray you’ve had some time to unwind, and just ” be “. Time to “be” without pressing deadlines and to do lists. We just returned from our annual week on the shorelines and oh what a week it was. It was just the dose of Vitamin Sea that we needed to surrender to sweet summer. What’s that you say? ” Take ME to the ocean! ” D.O.N.E.
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”.
Let’s encourage him. They were great pictures. Back in my simple high school days I tried to get shots like that. I tried on Cape Cod, Long Island, Newport RI, and Connecticut. Enjoyed myself immensely, but of course I didn’t have particularly good cameras or understand different film types etc.
Well, keep trying, Kristy! Glad you enjoyed my hubby’s photos too. I’ll let him know. 🙂
Deb
Deb,
You knew when you wrote this post that you were writing it just for me didn’t you??? Because I really felt it deep in my heart. I just want to be there at that amazing beach.
I love our beach trips on the Florida and Alabama Gulf but it doesn’t have that rugged look that your beach has. And that just looks so awesome to me.
We booked an Anniversary trip to stay a few nights at a resort in Point Clear, AL and I’m so excited. The ocean is just always the ticket for us.
And yes, I know that feeling of not having the kids around. We are now at the stage where we miss our grand-kids when they aren’t with us! Ha! 🙂
Big hugs to you dear friend and thank you so much of this very amazing of blog posts!
– Dori –
Dear Dori,
One day, you will have to visit us at our beach. We would love it! Glad it touched your heart.
Big hugs!
Deb
Beautiful! Love the peace of the ocean! Very powerful yet so serene! I’m on my farm in Idaho and I miss the ocean! Next year I’m hoping we will visit ! Take care!
AHHHH the joys of the beach!!! I am more relaxed now after ready and viewing your post. Yes great pic’s Dave. God bless
Thanks for posting this! It comes at a very bittersweet time in our lives, too – my oldest son is going off to college this coming-up Tuesday morning.
Plus, a bit of serendipity to sweeten it – this week’s video on marieforleo.com is about taking serious unplugged vacation time to rejuvenate yourself!
Max, in full surrender mode, priceless !!! He sets a good example, lol.
Deb, your writing is exquisite! What a wonderful trip to the ocean and the peace and tranquility that it brings.
Enjoy this season of your life. It is bittersweet, but opens up new horizons!
Have a great rest of the summer!
Hi Deb
Loved this post. It really struck a cord with me. My two oldest kids are 19 and 17. One is planning on leaving home at the end of next year when he finishes his degree and the other is finishing school this year and is real king about leaving home next year. I’m excited for them but sad for me too. I’m glad I do have my younger son, 9, to have around for a little linger. I’m so aware though of how time goes by so quickly nd really treasuring the times we are all together. I do love alone time with my hubby too though.
Have a fabulous week. By the way I love your hubby’s photos they are fabulous.
Deb,I don’t know what it’s like to be at the ocean, but in Minnesota we have 15’000 lakes and many rivers that give the same effect. Your pictures are just wonderful. I chuckled at your dog. Our Alaskan Malamute used to lay with his back to the door in the dead of winter with the same pose. Pure delight.
Deb this looks like paradise. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and the water is honestly about the only thing I miss. I love the south it’s been good to me but lakes are just not the same as that amazing ocean. Thanks for sharing and I really enjoyed those photos.
Glad you had a chance to relax, this was a great way to close the summer season. 🙂
Deb, you are a girl after my own heart. I’m a suburban mountain top farm girl at heart but my first love is the ocean. I am currently mourning the summer and the wonderful times at the beach. My home is quiet now. As my daughter studied abroad in Osaka, Japan for a year things were hectic because of her time being 13 hours ahead of mine we would chat around 4ish in the morning! So not much sleep for me. I did have a housemate for the year. My daughter’s university roommate, a study abroad student from China stayed at our house. We had lots of fun and I can cook some authentic Chinese dishes now! My son graduated last May with his Masters Degree in Higher Ed Counseling from CCSU and has his first real job, so he is away and we are all filled with pride. My daughter will graduate in December this year from UMass Amherst with an independently designed degree in Japanese Commerce and Culture. This week a visiting alumni business owner spoke to her Management theories class and her professor passed along an email saying after speaking with her the CEO thinks he has a department in his company that she would do wonderful in, so she is sending her resume and trying to stay focused on doing well for graduation. I am especially proud of both of my kids’ school efforts as they both had learning disabilities since Grade 1. It took my son 11 years to complete his BS Degree and his Masters. It has taken my daughter 10 years ( 4 yrs part time ) to be on track to graduate in 3 months with her BA Degree and a Minor in Japanese. So I am certain that if my kids can do this nearly child can aspire to one day attend college with patience and hard work. They both have tremendous student loan debt but wouldn’t change a thing. They are both really loving and caring young adults. Although I am disabled now I had some wonderfully fulfilling jobs during my career years. I guess at 61 the only thing I can be is grateful for every day on Earth, and hopes for my kids’ happiness in their future adventures. Well I guess I’ve never been called a brief writer so maybe this will count as my application letter to join the farm girls. You all seem to be full of joy and it’s lovely how you so freely share your experiences. It’s refreshing! PS ….. Your husband’ photos are stunning. Thanks for sharing.
Dear Catherine,
Welcome!I’m with you, sister.I am mourning the end of summer too and diving into fall with some indoor projects that have been on hold. I enjoyed reading about your very accomplished children. What peace it must bring you to know they are on their way with an education under their belts. You have every reason to be proud. Thank you for the kind words about my hubby’s photos. I’ll pass the praise along to him. Thanks so much for reading AND writing!
xo Deb