I’ve just finished hailing in the New Year with my extended family, and something was missing (well, one big something was missing–the love o’ my life, Evan, because we are in Minnesota and he is back in Alaska. Aside from that, though…). I did not hear even one mention of New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps it was because we were celebrating Christmas, or maybe…just maybe…we all realize that New Year’s resolutions are generally hog wash!
A common New Year’s Resolution: Get Organized
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”.
Happy Hugs From The Ozarks For This New Year!
Loved your thoughts and your pictures of your life with your family.
Your dog looks just like mine, his name is Noel. We found him a few days before Christmas 9 yrs ago, hit by a car in town as we walked down Main St. We took him home with expectations to have to have him put down after the weekend, but instead he improved so much so fast, that you would never know he was ever hurt!
What a joyful Christmas present he was for us then, and today!
Took Yoga many yrs ago in high school, never knowing how today it would help my rheumatoid arthritis fight today, 43 yrs. later!! Thanks for reminding me to stick with it!! Diana, Noel, Mo.
Cute photos and cute resolutions….and Im Glad I’m not the only one who wears hats….all the time…indoors too. Lol
Happy New Year !
Susana
Just looked back on my journal and my “word” for 2014 was organize. I did good in January, then must have forgotten about my word because no more organizing was done all year. No need to pick a new word this year..I’ll continue on with organize and hope to do better. Love your blogs..i live in west central Minnesota
Happy New Year and thanks for the message. God Bless.
Dear Alex, I loved your New Years post. And I really loved all the sweet pictures. Here’s looking forward to longer days, huh?! 🙂 – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –
What an absolute cutie you have there. Definitely a future farmgirl. Happy New Year and God bless. Love Bonnie
Dear Alex, So I HAVE been doing Yoga and I didn’t even know it! Max and I are down on the floor together at least once a day! Ha! I’m with you…more cuddles, more kisses, more laughter, more fun, less worry…more daily JOYS! My word for last year was soar. I did some soaring, some gliding, some flying and some flapping. There may have been a few rough landings in there too… Oh, well… we are only human after all! Warmest wishes for a Happy New Year! Deb ( the Beach Farmgirl )
Loved your comments on what yoga is all about. Yoga is our everyday activities practiced with mindfulness and caring. Being kind to ourselves and others makes life worth living. Love your posts.
I loved this review of resolutions! And how true they are – so many made, so many fall by the wayside. But these are easy to follow or to use to germinate new resolutions (such as, “I will draw more”, “I will read at least one best seller that is not a seed catalog”) Thank you for such a lovely bit of a read. Wishing you a wonderful new year full of blessings, art, fun and just a little bit of whimsy! P.S. I am a knitter! And we love to knit for wee heads like your daughter has!
Love, N
I believe everthing you say is perfect. Love your post and I absolutely love the last picture of you and Eva, you guys are so cute together. Big hug Maria