Our fairest belle crossed the rainbow bridge as softly as a gentle summer shower … a few days ago. ‘Quiet’ was her way and quietly she left. No thunder or lightening, no drama. She left us like she lived with us … a horse of ‘peace & quiet’.
The good Lord blessed our family with a perfect horse. Yes, perfect.
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”.
such a beautiful post. we had a mare named muggins, i am sure from the virginian. She was the kid horse. us 70 year olds still look at her pictures with fondness
A tribute as beautiful as she was. Why are ‘great horses’ buried in that fashion?
Kristy asked: Why are "great Horses" buried in that fashion?
————-
I answered: Thank you **EVERYONE** for your kind thoughts and tender words of comfort :o) Thank you so much.
Actually, many humans are buried like this too…some vertical and some laid down. It began with humans. The idea behind it comes from this Bible promise: Believers in Jesus will be raised/resurrected when the Lord Jesus appears in the sky … having come for believers at the Rapture (not to be confused with His 2nd coming). The Rapture is not THE 2nd return; the Rapture happens *before* His 2nd return. Described in scripture this way: "Those who are dead shall be raised first and then those of us who are alive at that time will changed in the blink of an eye." It will be a rescue, an evacuation, believers shall be taken to the Heavenly’ refuge’ before the Great Tribulation begins – spoken of in the book of Revelation. SOoo, with all of that in mind, people (those who believe in Jesus) wanted to be buried and to bury their loved ones facing the East as a loving reminder that they will be facing east, which scripture describes this way: Christ brilliantly appears in the east like the rising sun. Now, somewhere in time, it also became customary to bury a beloved horse in like manner – namely war horses who gave their all on the battlefield and who were beloved by their riders. From there it spread to other horse lovers … and especially cowboys. Many Christians believe in the resurrection of *ALL* life – not just human life. One verse describes it this way, "All Creation travaileth, groaning, waiting for our deliverance" — as in collective living beings. Many, many, many Bible scholars (of old and recent experts too) support this belief which is a great comfort to believers who dearly love their animals because … "All things bright & beautiful, all things great & small, all things wise & wonderful, the Lord God made them all." – Shery J
I am so very sorry. My thoughts are with you. You gave Bluebelle a beautiful life, it shows in her eyes and your lovely tribute post to her. Rest in peace, sweet Bluebelle.
Oh Shery,
I am so very sorry for your loss. It will take a long time for the pain to ease, but it will, and then when you think of your lovely Bluebelle you will smile with a heart full of memories. I lost my beloved 12 year old St Bernard just before Christmas and I truly thought that my heart might never sing again. But it has become somewhat easier with the passage of time, and I assure you it will for you too. What a wonderful life she had , and the memories of her will comfort you in the days ahead. I promise. My thoughts and prayers are with you. And they come with a warm hug of understanding.
It’s true, some of us haven’t experienced the fortune or true joy of horse ownership. But thank you Shery for sharing your heart and the character of this beautiful horse, Bluebelle.
So very sorry for your loss. Bluebelle was an extraordinary being and I thank you for providing a glimpse into her life. Once in a lifetime, if we’re lucky, we are graced by an angel in the form of a loving animal who possesses an uncanny grace, intuition and intelligence as Bluebelle did. Anyone whose life has been touched by such an incredible and devoted friend feels your pain and cries with you. I know I am. May the passage of time ease the pain of your loss.
Eloquent as always. Big Hugs.
Shery
Will pray for you. I know how your heart aches.
I lost 2 such horses in my life time so far.
My first pony who would wait at the door while I changed from school clothes to play.
The other was my quarter horse who was the dearest horse. I’m thankful to say she gave me 2 foals which we still have.
Freedom is the air we feel blowing between the ears of the horse we ride.
Ann
Shery … I’m so touched by your beautiful tribute to Bluebelle. It brought me to tears. Unfortunately, I cannot relate because I did not, nor do I, have horses in my life. I learned a lot from your post though. I truly learned about the love between you and your beloved Bluebelle. God Bless You! Carol
My heart and thoughts are with you Shery. You wrote a beautiful tribute to your loyal and steadfast friend. I am with you in spirit. Peace and blessings to you.
I cried like a baby reading this. I understand what you are feeling. Horses touch a special place in our soul that can only be understood by those who have experienced the joy of that unique bond. The Winston Churchill quote always sticks with me in these moments. " There’s nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse." My prayers and sympathies to you in your time of grief
Shery: I am crying with you. I had a morgan horse once. He was wonderful. I still miss him. Belle blessed you in so many ways. Be glad you had her for so long. I wish I was there to give you farmgirl hugs. God Bless.
I am a farmgirl follower on Facebook and had to read your story when I saw the post. Oh my dear, how heart wrenching and heart warming all at the same time. She sounds like a beautiful creature that brought joy and light into this life for a while. Sorry about your loss and shedding a tear with you.
What a beautiful tribute to one of God’s most regal of His creations. Now, that the tears stopped their flow, I feel your joy of having had her in your life. You were truely blessed. And, as well, she to have you. She is not gone….she is just away….
Great article; I enjoyed it. Learned some things … about horses, Morgans in particular … how to "do" a lantern with battery-lights (love it!), etc. Love your photos, too. 🙂
What a lovely eulogy for a beloved member of your family. I’m sure she knew she was cherished and shared the affection. Thank you for telling her story.
Such a beautiful story and tribute to your loved Bluebelle! Wishing you peace. X
Shery, My heart is broken for you . I have been in your shoes and they are not comfortable. You were right about Bluebelle giving you such a gift to go quietly on her own- we arent usually that fortunate, are we? She will remain in your heart forever, and you will meet again, I am sure of it. Love, Meredith
Oh Shery,
What a beautiful tribute to Bluebelle. I too have experienced the loss of an equine friend. Like you I feel blessed to have known him. Best wishes to you from our little cabin in Montana where the seed catalogues hold the seat of honor at the table…ready to be spread out across the table and "marked" with the red pen. I can’t wait for spring! Fondly, Mary
Shery,
Losing a horse is like no other pain. You have done a great justice to your dear Bluebelle with these caring words. She sounds like, as you say, a great horse. The adventures shared in your blog are something most people will never know. I’ll never ever forget the morning I discovered that my beloved Mohawk had passed during the night. He was 26 years old and we had been together for 20 years and 360 days. It still hurts but there are three wonderful, nickering horses waiting in their stalls right now for me to slog my way through this spring time blizzard to give them hay and water before bedtime. My sympathies to you and thank you for sharing. -Kim
Wonderfully written. It both brought tears to my eyes, & then a smile to my face! We all know how an animal can be not only a real part of our family, but also be a part of our hearts. You explained this feeling in such a heartfelt manner, so we could all feel it with you. Your animals are blessed to own you
Shery, I am so sorry for your loss of Bluebelle, What a lovely memorial to her life. She was a very special horse for sure! How blessed you were to have had her in your life. I remember when my very dear mare passed away, I was heart broken for a very long time. Horses are one of the most wonderful of God’s creatures.
I love the picture of the little lamb with the doggie coat on, so cute!!
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
What a precious animal. i cried so hard at your beautiful words about Bluebelle. i believe, also, that you will meet her again in heaven. i cannot believe that our Lord would not provide for an animal as wonderful as she. Thank you for the ending of your story, for bringing me back from my cry and back to the living world. You are a great blogger, especially when your subject touches your heart. i am sending you a warm hug. God bless you and yours.
Shery, condolences on your physical loss but your memories will live forever. You were blessed with a most precious ‘love’ and she was blessed by having you in her life. God Bless.
I am a horse fan and although I have never owned a horse, I am keenly attuned to stories, and movies about them. One of my favorite movies is The Horse Whisperer with Robert Redford.
I was taken by your gentle and poetic-like descriptions of Bluebelle and her friends. I had not been familiar with the Morgan strain but I am aware of the role quarter horses have played in the west. While I was aware of the Morgan breed, I had no idea of the extent they were used as work horses on ranches. What magnificent animals. I wish I could own one.
My life is far too managed to allow for the likes of a horse. It is my loss, not to have such a friend. Maybe God will have Morgans as the official work horse of Heaven, or maybe they won’t have to work anymore and just enjoy their lives, but I imagine that some of them would search out humans and ask to be their friends. Wouldn’t that be something.
Thanks for being who you are and bringing this story here for us to enjoy. I have enjoyed my trip down Bluebelle lane. Please do not give up writing, you are so good at it. Please bring us some more stories about ranch life, which includes Dolly as well.
Goodbye.
Shery,
Thank you for this beautiful post and a good cry. I am so sorry for your loss. Bluebelle was an amazing soul. Run free with the wind, Bluebelle.
Sending you some Farmgirl love. What a beautiful, faithful steed…We all are shedding some tears about this loss. I loved hearing about faithful Dolly…
Spring is coming and the bluebells will bloom…
Shery,
So very sorry for your loss. Wishing you peace,
Janet
Thank you. Reading about Bluebelle I felt I was reading about my Morgan – he was with me for 32 years and no other horse has ever compared.
Dear Shery,
I’m sitting here crying my eyes out and grabbing at the tissues…oh my, I can relate. I’ve lost beloved horses, mules, cows and dogs in my life. It just hurts sooo bad and although time does heal, a sweet story like what you have been so gracious to share, brings all of those memories streaming back like a strong tide. So, I cry. But like you, I am confident that someday we will be reunited with those loved ones once again. Oh happy day! Thank you for sharing such a precious experience. Bless your heart.
What a beautiful horse, so sorry for your loss.
Shery, I was also moved by your tribute to "BlueBelle". My own horse from 40 years ago "Smokey Joe" was part morgan and so much fun but you could put a child on him and he just tippee toed around. Many times when I am stressed or tired I just close my eyes and take a ride on him thru the Nebraska pastures we rode in stopping on top of the highest points looking out at the sights. It is still just a vivid today as it was in the 1960’s. Bluebelle will always be with you in mind a spirit just as Smokey is with me.
Enjoy your spring it will be here soon.
I truly understand that grateful sadness. I lost my beloved doggie in November and still miss him. I feel so
blessed that he came to live with us and we were so lucky
to have him. He was such a kind soul. My thoughts and love
is with you even though we don’t know each other. I can tell by ALL your posts that if we lived near each other we would be great friends…………
Hi Shery,
I just read your blog. I thought I was the only one with horses like that…identical. Chico…my 1956 Montana mare,Chico, a Morgan out of the remounts of Miles City Montana…I had her from the time she was 4 unti she was 27 and died in my arms during the night. Buried in Utah my old place. My best friend. I’m bawling my eyes out writing this…it’s very hard.
Her daughter, Pica (means little girl in Norwegian), she lived till the ripe ole age of 34, she’s buried in Washington, our last station. My heart breaks in a million pieces because my Air Force heritage does not allow us to stay in one place too long, at least until now. those two horses took me across the wheat fields of Montana and into the cutting arenas on the intermountain circuit. Chico took me to high school and college rodeo, Great Falls and Bozeman MT, my $109 horse was never out of the finals and I have a precious buckle. I just lost her granddaughter two years ago April. Sophie was 25. I always have a big enough horse trailer to get them all to wherever in one trip. Been up to a 6 horse but today am down to a 3 horse..that’s how many girls I have now. And they all look just like yours. Except for Chico, the first one. She was an honest to God blood bay, the color of merlot wine. Pica would get a touch on her neck during the winter but closer to your girls once she shed off. I still have my bays, silly me. they are quarter horses but to be totally honest if I could find those morgan horses like you have had I would be on the road so fast you wouldn’t see daylight. I would give it all to have those two girls back again. If you have a person who could connect me, I’m ready! I’m pushing 67 this year and finally building the last homestead!! I’m 32 miles short of the Idaho border in northern Utah, we planted alfalfa last late summer…our first crop and my fingers are crossed. this summer the barn and the house go in and I retire from the Air Force. I have had a long and wonderful life with them but it’s time to land the plane and pop the canopy. Still have my original saddle that came with Chico, it was made out of one hide from a family saddlery in Georgia. I’m still riding that and the one I bought in 71…great cutting, roping and stuff saddle. I’d love to meet you, we could trade some great tales about our girls.
It does my heart good to know that you had that same closeness…there is nothing like it. My best to you and live long!! Amy I Meighan