I had planned to give you a tour of some of the rooms we’ve finished at our Farmhouse in this post. And then…..Friday happened. It’s kind of hard to give a perky house tour when we’re all feeling so shocked and saddened and scared.
-
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”.
Rebekah, you are one in a million. I loved everything you said it is so true.
Beautiful, Rebekah! I have been thinking of S.t Francis of Assisi these past few days, and all I want is to be a instrument of peace from this day forward, and forever more. I feel a much deeper commitment to this now. Every action and every word creates the future. Our world needs us all to BE PEACE, not just hope for it, but actually live it! Small ways, big ways, all ways. I ask for guidance everyday, I pray, and then I act…kindly, with purpose, with love. You are such a lovely, lovely lady, a kindred spirit with whom I can see myself having coffee and a deep conversation about what we can all do, right here, right now, to create peace on earth. Many problems are solved when women come together, and many times it starts right over the kitchen table, over the back yard fence, or sitting on the front porch…but then you get up and take it out into the world and give it away!
Thank you for being you, you’re a blessing! And a Merry, Bright, and Beautiful Christmas to you and yours!
Thanks for such a wonderful and insightful read. I hope you and your family have the most joyful Christmas ever; it sure sounds like you are well on your way.
P.S. I look forward to seeing your tree at the White House or maybe even Rockefeller center someday!
May all your dreams come true!
Amen and Amen.
Such truth and insight. I too, have been thinking these things. I know in this world we WILL have trouble….our world is Dark…I am called to be light and show the peace that lives IN me, the Peace that overcomes the world. Thank you for the reminder.
You do have a way with words. Thank you for the beautiful insight.
This is what I posted after the shootings last Friday. That Mr Longfellow had a way with words too.
It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
And made forlorn
The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!
And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The Wrong shall fail,
The Right prevail,
With peace on the earth, good-will to men."
Merry Christmas , Rebekah and peace for us all.
Oh Rebekah! I’m printing this entry off and putting it on my work desk. (I work at a University) You never know what people are feeling, there are so many pressures here, and it just reinforces my philosophy to be as kind as I can to everyone. It comes back to you in the most amazing ways.
Thanks so much! Many blessings to you and yours!
Beautiful sentiment, Rebekah. We can all share our positive peace with those around us, in Farmgirl style..I love your elf outfit, too.
You are an inspiration! Thank you for being you and sharing with the rest of us. Peace unto you and yours.
Howdy Sister Rebekah! My heart is heavy too… Love all you shared here today…What else can we do but BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE…walk in hope and faith every day and be there for each other!
Lots of love and huge farmgirl hugs to you, your sweet hubby and daughter and all the critters!
Your beachy farmgirl sister from the northeast!
Deb
Good Morning From The Ozarks,
Our hearts and prayers go with each one this holiday season.
At a time when tragedy struck, I got a call from our daughter who was
holding her newly adopted baby boy in N. Carolina. Her and her husband left work in Tulsa and drove straight thru to hold him in their arms, tiny at 4 pds.
My heart was rejoicing, and my heart was sad a the same time, here we are
given this precious angel for Christmas and 20 angels were taken from our nation. We strive to make sense of it all and come up without answers,
except to create peace in our own homes and lives hoping that it will spread
all thru the world.
Merry Christmas to All From the Christmas City, Noel, Mo ~hugs Diana~
Well said Rebekkah. You have hit the nail on the head. We can not cure the world but we can impact our little peace of it. The Lord is in charge when it is all said and done. He lets evil persist because we live in an imperfect world often of our own making. But HE cares for each one of us as he does the sparrow in the bible verse. We can take comfort in that and share that Love and Comfort with those around us. Take Joy! And a very Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you & your family, Rebekah. Good ideas for all of us.
I forget that everyone does not act in the same manner as I do – these type of things seem to be second nature & I do forget.
Thanks for the reminder.
Peace & JOY to all this day & forward.
thank you so much for your words on peace, it is so important to let go of the horrible things going on, and your words on this made me feel better Merry Christmas, my rule this year will be hug those you love just a bit harder…its important.
Rebecca- YOU are an ANGEL sent from GOD. You always know just what to say and how to say it. You GO girl- you are so INSPIRING! Merry Christmas and Peace to you and your family!
Your message gave my peaceful yearnings a much needed boost. Lately peace has been far from my mind and prayers. i listened to Vince Gill’s peace song and Yusef Islam’s Peace Train and read your words. Now i feel that i am on the right path again. TYVM.
Hanukkah ended Saturday and all of us in the Congregation Sherith Israel sent prayers and many blessings to those suffering in Connecticut. Christmas will never be the same holiday but its promise of peace will help all of us heal. Thank you for the wonderful words.
Thank you Rebekah for sharing your heart. I agree with you completely & I know it’s the Peace that God gives~~~not the world~~~that sustains us. Let’s shine our lights & lift those precious families up in prayer. Merry Christmas Everyone & Peace be with you!
XO, Linda
Merry Christmas Rebekah……
Rebecca: Peace does begin with us. Thank you for reminding all of us. I find that farmgirls practice this principle. Isn’t it great to be part of something that is so good. God Bless You.
Amen, Rebekah, amen. May everyone find PEACE and JOY this holiday season and all the days to come…..
What an inspiring, comforting post. All of us can do something to help those we encounter on our journey through life. The doing helps us in our sorrow and helps others we meet. Thank you for this heartfelt post! Mary Beth
YOU are beyond my word power – Thank YOU!!!
Peace
Love
Joy
God Bless!!
Rebekah, I couln’t have said it better. Wishing everyone a joyful and peaceful Christmas.
Rebekah you are truly inspiring. I think too that peace begins with our own selves and how we live our lives. We do need to be aware of and reach out to those who need hope and inspiration. As we spread this peace and kindness may we in some way make our world a better place.
wow!!! and there is said that no one believes in God any more! This proves them wrong! Thanks so much for your insight on the world. You are so inspiring to us ‘farm women’, the true believers! You do have a way with words, and we all thank you for sharing.
Thank you for your blog of peace at this time that we celebrate the Prince of Peace. Merry Merry Christmas!!!
Thank you. I really needed to read this on this cold, gray, misty Iowa morning. You are always an inspiration. Thank you and Merry Christmas. Peace….
Loved this post. I even took the time to read the comments and I ditto every one of them. Concerning the special tree you found, I get it. I’ve had favorite trees on every piece of property we’ve ever owned and would often seek them out while I was out walking, pat them on their trunks and wish them well.
Merry Christmas Rebekah to you and your family! Hope it’s wonderful!
Very good article. I absolutely appreciate this site.
Keep it up!