For Daddy

My Daddy. It is hard to believe that the man who seemed like he had nine lives is really gone. Anyone who has lost a parent knows that heartbreak. I am thinking of him so often this month, as I garden, set up my camper and do other “summer things” we always talked together about, with my first Father’s Day without him.

When I became the Suburban Farmgirl Blogger in 2010, I remember reading the previous Suburban Farmgirl, Paula Spencer’s post titled, “What A Dad I Had”. I remember thinking how hard for her that must have been to write, and thinking “How sad to lose a parent. I hope I never have the need to write a post like that.“ But, here I am. No matter how elderly or sick, I think in the back of our minds, there is that piece inside even adult children where we think our parents will always be here. When they leave us, no matter how prepared we are, it is a gut punch that you can’t explain unless you experience it. I lost my dad last fall.

Growing up, I was “Daddy’s Girl”. I was his sidekick on Saturday errands to the local hardware store, and I cherish those rare Saturdays where Mama was out for the day, and it was just Daddy and me. Daddy was an avid reader, and books were treated as treasures. I still remember the perfect Saturday, right before Christmas, with lunch out and a trip to the neighborhood “used” book store, where he introduced me to Nancy Drew. I still have that first worn book from the 1940’s.

Me, 1970 something, in front of my dad’s collected books. My daughter reminds me of my dad, as she collects books, too. The first gift he gave her, before she was even born, was a copy of his favorite childhood book, “The Little Engine That Could”.

I am a true-blue “Farmgirl” because of my dad. I learned so much from him. My love for the outdoors was inherited from my dad, who was passionate about it. Some of our last conversations last summer were about wildlife, and the bears that have been seen so frequently not only here in Connecticut but also now in Texas.

Though he was born in, and lived his entire life, in the big city of Houston, he loved nature more than anything. From the time I could walk, I remember taking walks with Dad, especially in the hill country, the property he owned for fifty years, Quail Run Ranch, that we always affectionately called “The Farm”. We spent countless hours driving the property on an old 1950’s tractor, with me on his knee.

My daughter and my Dad pose on his tractor, mid-2000’s.

As a child, during the summer at the ranch, Daddy taught me about plants and insects, and we would study all the many butterflies we’d see in the summer.

At the Butterfly Conservatory, 2006

When Audrey was little, he sent her the Butterflies of North America book, and took her to the butterfly conservatory, a day we both still remember.

My dad was voted “Mr. Bellaire” in the 1960’s. He looked like a movie star.

When my dad was a young man, he was insanely handsome. I always thought he looked like a movie star.  Daddy could be so charming, with a gift for gab. No matter where he was, he could talk to anyone, and knew how to make a stranger a friend in just a matter of minutes.  My dad could also be a prankster! In middle school, he rode a motorcycle through the halls! In high school, he would ride a horse standing up and flip off of the back of it, like a trick rider. He drove his first car, a convertible hot-rod, at twelve years old, a gift from the Pro Golfer, Jimmy Demaret who lived across the street, who wanted my dad to drive the famous golfer’s mother to her errands. 

He was going to be an architect, but found he had a gift for sales. As a young man, he worked at the upscale men’s clothing store in Bellaire (a part of Houston, Texas). During that time, he was voted ”Mr. Bellaire” for his dashing good looks. 

Looking dashing in the 1980s

For much of his career,  Daddy was a traveling salesman. When the “red phone” in the home office rang at night, I knew it was my dad, calling to check in. Sometimes he was in New York City or at the Dallas Trade Mart. If he was on a particularly long trip, he would always bring me home a “surprise”. You never knew what treasure or trinket Daddy would bring home, a momento to let me know he was thinking of me when he was away. The best part, however,  was when he would pull up in front of the house, and I would run out the door, and jump in his arms. He was a polished salesman, hair always neatly combed back with his little pocket brush that he never went without. Daddy always smelled so good – a mix of soap and cologne. How I wish I could hug him again, and breathe in that cologne. 

I was always running around with a Polaroid camera and snapped this photo of my dad when he had arrived home from a long trip.

For many years, he worked in the wholesale hosiery business for brands such as Hanes and L’eggs, and would always joke that he was an “undercover agent”.  During the sock and leg warmer craze of the 80’s, I thought he was the coolest dad ever, because I got the latest trends before any of the other kids at school could. 

Long before “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” was a “thing”, on a few occasions in the 80’s, when Daddy was working locally, he took me with him to visit clients. Later, when he worked locally in an office for a wholesale company,  he would take me with him  during the inventory days, and I would spend the day helping count the inventory – to me it was so fun, and I was so proud to get to go with him. I learned how to really talk to people from my dad. 

Daddy was the most creative person I have ever known. Before Pinterest, decades before influencers”, there was my Dad. He could look at something and see something else – an original repurposer. He could build anything, perfectly, beautifully, and often without any plans. He loved to make signs, and would do so with the most beautiful free-hand script. He could, and did, build an entire house. He taught me how to make rock fences and borders in the garden, and to use what you have to make things beautiful. When we bought our house here in Connecticut, Daddy helped build our storage shed, and the baby gates that we use to this day for the pups.

The flowering quince my dad bought and helped me plant as a housewarming gift 30 years ago bloomed fuller than I have ever seen this year.

He always loved to help clear brush, and some of the plantings in my garden beds are from my dad. He loved seeing the wildlife in the area, especially our sightings of his favorite animal, the white-tailed deer. 

2017 – one of my most favorite photos I took of Daddy

My attention to detail came from my dad. Daddy was incredibly artistic and creative, with an exceptional attention to detail in anything he did. As a child, Daddy made the holidays magical. The best Christmas present I ever got as a child was the amazing dollhouse he spent weeks building in his backyard workshop. It was beautiful and perfect and detailed. He even had porch lights by the front door, which were his repurposed cufflinks.

My dollhouse made by my Daddy (complete with teenage brother in background).
Dressed as Santa in the early 80’s

Daddy could wrap presents with such perfection, they looked like movie props. He was very creative that way. He also made sure I believed in Santa, with ho-ho-hos and ringing bells outside as I was going to bed, even climbing on top of the roof. One year, my dad cast a shadow with a red light in the shape of Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer across the ceiling of my room. It was fantastic, and to this day, I still don’t know how he did it.

I spy shish-kabob! I can still taste it. Yum!

I also inherited his love of cooking. My dad was an incredible cook! His dinners were the best! He could smoke and bar-be-que meat like no one else! When he made breakfast, it wasn’t just a plate of eggs, it was a symphony of deliciousness, with all sorts of goodies chopped up into those eggs with the precision of a skilled chef. I have dozens of recipes Daddy sent me, and my favorite cookbooks are the ones he sent, with little messages written in the front covers.

Dad would always send Christmas cards, and his handwriting was always such a beautiful script. Up until his hands stopped working properly, Daddy always drew little cartoons on notes. I still have several notes where he wrote he was “thinking of me” with little cartoons, and a chalkboard in our kitchen still has a cartoon of Audrey he drew when she was two.

It’s still there!

Each time he visited, he laughed that it was still there, and it became a little “joke”. Over 21 years later, it still exists, and I can’t imagine erasing it now. Until the day he went to the nursing home, Daddy always mailed me articles out of magazines he thought I’d be interested in, and he was so proud of my own writing. He was thrilled when he was a part of my blog, and when I wrote about his mom and shared her recipe, he was brought to tears. He never was one to really lavish praise on his kids, so to hear when he was proud meant a lot. 

Daddy was also an amazing gardener. From the time I was a small child, Daddy taught me about gardening. I think my dad could grow anything. We had a big backyard garden when I was a child. In the early 70’s, we planted baby trees together in the hill country, that last I heard were still there and as tall as skyscrapers. We always talked of gardening and houseplants, and farmer’s markets. It was in honor of my dad that I became a Master Gardener, something he always had wanted to do, but never got around to. I think he could have taught them a thing or two. He was my first gardening teacher and I learned how to grow the best and biggest tomatoes from Daddy. Later in life, he kept beautiful roses on the side of his house, and a mixed flower bed that was spectacular. He was especially proud of his shrimp plants. He and Karen also volunteered together at a victory garden, where Dad built beautiful raised beds. He had a knack for making his surroundings inside and out beautiful. 

Dad and Karen’s cutting garden in the suburban Houston area.

Like many men of his time, he could be stubborn and set in his ways, but there was also a soft side that I don’t think many knew about. Before the internet and constant “sharing”, before there was a constant flow of insincere “notice me” philanthropy that exists today, my Daddy would do things just to be kind. 

1970s in my childhood kitchen

In the early 1970’s, my mom, dad and I were on a trip to San Antonio. We had stopped for lunch at a busy fast food restaurant in the tourist district. Everyone was in line to order, when all of a sudden the line parted into two sides and the room became quiet. All eyes were disapprovingly staring at the man in the middle. He was homeless. You didn’t see many homeless people in Texas back then, especially in that area, and I had never seen anyone like that before in my young life. Everything about him seemed “gray” – his dirty clothes, his wild, untamed hair, his overgrown beard. There this man stood, a few clinking coins in his dirt-caked hands, looking at the menu, then nervously looking at the money in his hand, trying to decide if he could afford anything to eat. No one in the crowded counter area spoke to him, just stared at him. Without any hesitation, my father stepped forward, touched the man on the shoulder like he was an old friend, and slipped a $20 bill in the man’s hand, a lot of money back then. “Get yourself something good to eat”, was all Dad said. In the early 80’s, Daddy once helped a family we knew that had three kids, when the father had suddenly been laid off.  And long before internet campaigns, for as long as I can remember, my dad always would give blood. He didn’t speak publicly about it, he just quietly went and did it. 

When my dad and mom divorced, I was a teenager. It was awful! Being a teenage girl can put a strain on any father-daughter relationship, but a difficult divorce added to the mix makes it worse. My teenage heart was so disappointed when my favorite band at the time, A-Ha, was in town all the way from Norway,  playing a concert in Houston. I could not get tickets for the sold-out show. I don’t know how he did it, but my Dad not only got tickets for me and a friend, but he got us front row, stage-front tickets. I know he must have spent a fortune on those tickets. I can still see my dad, sitting stuffed in the venue chair, loud 80’s pop music blaring, his ears stuffed with earplugs, while hundreds of screaming teenage girls jumped around the stage. I can still see the uncomfortable look mixed with sheer horror that my dad had on his face, and it wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized how much going to that concert back then meant to me, or how horrifyingly uncomfortable it was for him.  

Growing up, I also adored Princess Diana. When my daughter was a baby, I went home to Houston for a visit. Daddy surprised me with two tickets for us to go to the Princess Diana exhibit at the Houston Museum of Natural History. Diana’s clothes, including her wedding dress and some personal effects, were on tour. This wasn’t something my dad was interested in, but he knew it was something I would love. 

My favorite photo of my Daddy as a little cowboy!

Dad’s favorite movies were westerns, especially those starring John Wayne. He was incredibly artistic. He had a passion for collecting all sorts of things. He also loved his little dogs and his cats, and had a special connection to our little chihuahua, Pip.

Dad could give good advice. If he didn’t know what to say, or something was just not “fixable”, he would comfortingly say, “It is what it is”, or “It’s just one of those things…” He also had funny little sayings like, “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”!  I will miss his stories, as he was a natural-born storyteller. The last time I talked to him on the phone, he’d had a great day, sounding like a little kid when he told me, “Can you believe I played  BINGO today for the first time? And I WON!”

My daddy’s last words to me on the phone were “I love you”. 

On his last visit to Connecticut, 2019. We were so happy – he had just gotten off the plane and we stopped for a bite.

Though he loved seeing New England, and thought it and our home here were beautiful, Daddy never quite “got over” that I moved out of Texas. He would always suggest we move back. He often worried that we were all alone. Back home, Daddy did not have a service or memorial. My dear friend, Susan, felt that we should have a “Celebration of Life”. I wasn’t sure who would show up, since Susan was my only friend here who ever got to meet my dad. My Daddy’s last lesson to me came when Susan’s house was filled with dear friends, all gathered to celebrate my dad and the life of a man they never met! I hope he was watching, and could see all the wonderful people with us that day, and know we are not alone. None of us ever are, really. I hope my daddy is somewhere beautiful, whole and mobile again, riding the wind like the wild-white tailed deer he adored. Daddy, I miss you so. I love you, always.~Nicole

  1. Debbie Fischer says:

    Nicole, thank you so much for sharing your Dad and stories with us. It was so touching, heartfelt and brought tears to my eyes. You see I never knew my Dad and my Mom died when I was 4, so reading about you and your Dads relationship and how close you were I understand how you miss him so much. Cherish the Memories My Friend and thank you.
    Hugs,
    Debbie

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      My Dearest Debbie, I am so sorry – you are such a wonderful person. I know your Mama must be looking down and is so proud of you! Thank you for your kind words, it means a lot. Much love your way, my dear friend. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  2. Tiffany Bowman says:

    I lost my step father at the end of February and three days later my dad passed away. Some days are harder than others (much harder),, but I am so incredibly grateful to have so many wonderful memories of them both. Your post is such an inspiration and a reminder that even though we miss their physical presence, we carry a part of them with us in all that we do.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Oh Tiffany! I am so very sorry. That must have been just awful losing them both so closely to each other. BIG HUGS to you. Thank you for reading and sharing, and hang in there. Much love your way. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  3. Heidi Jackson says:

    Oh Nicole, another beautiful blog. Your Dad was truly special. Thank you for sharing him with all of us

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Heidi, thank you. You would have loved him! He could be so funny! Love you, my friend. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  4. Denise says:

    A beautiful tribute to your dad, Nicole. I know that feeling of being daddy’s girl and losing him. My dad has been gone 8 years and it doesn’t seem possible. It is still hard to believe at times. Thank you for sharing your memories. It brought back so many of my own. The Saturday morning errands as well as fishing trips we used to take together.
    Hugs my friend,

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Denise, thank you so much. I am so sorry to hear you lost your dad, too. I find it so hard to believe that my grandparents have all been gone 30+ years, that I never can hear their voices, but to think some day that will be my dad, too, that he will be gone so long…it breaks my heart and I find it so hard to fathom. I’m still finding notes from him, or articles he sent that I forgot I put away. Thank you for commenting, and hugs right back, my friend. ~Nicole

  5. Tammy Thomson says:

    What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful father. Thank you for sharing your precious memories. Prayers for your healing and hugs for your heart. I am so sorry for your loss.
    Sincerely, Tammy

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A Beautiful, Pest-Free Spring – Naturally

Hi Farmgirls! Wow! Spring has sprung in New England! We’ve had a wonderful, busy month. Outside, suddenly, everything has just “popped” – we’ve gone from grey to green, there’s lots to do and see, birds are back, and so are the insects – some that are so beautiful! Not all insects are bad; so many are beneficial. Don’t grab that spray can of nasty chemicals, help shoo away unwanted pests naturally!

Our redbud tree is full of leaves!

It was a kind of a weird spring. It took forever to get warm, and when it finally did, we made up for the drought we were in with rain, rain and more rain. Last week, we got ten inches of rain, and over two this week. 

When the clouds finally cleared, and the rain stopped, it seemed like spring was here, abruptly. Trees have leaves, greenery is sprouting everywhere. Birds are singing and nesting, flowers are blooming, and insects are buzzing. Mother Nature is alive again!

Every evening, we hear owls hooting all around, like this beauty who hung around one morning, right outside my bedroom window. What a magnificent, stunning creature! 

Nothing makes me more sad than seeing a post on Facebook about an owl or a beautiful fox (like the one we see often on our cameras at night), that died because of ingesting its prey that had been poisoned with rodent poison. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I love animals, but I HATE finding evidence of rodents in my living spaces! I am not against old-fashioned, fast snap mouse traps, (but I hate to use them).  Poison is cruel and can hurt your own pets, as well as other animals. In my vintage glamper and in the basement, I swear by Grandpa Gus’s Potent Mouse repellent! I spray it around the perimeter and potential entry points, and it really works! I’d rather not have mice come in anywhere at all, so repellent is a good choice. I use the spray several times a year, and now that it is spring, I use it to repel mice that might be looking to come in a basement or camper to nest. 

Made from mint and cinnamon oils, this actually smells nice! I got it at my local hardware store but it is also sold online and in many stores.

Because we had a warm up in early spring while the ground was still frozen, some gardeners here lost plantings. Sadly, I lost one of my two year old peach trees. The outside temperature was warm, but the ground was still frozen, so the roots could not get the water they needed. However, once everything finally thawed out, this has been one of the prettiest springs I can remember, with blooms galore! 

The blooms on my flowering quince are more full than I remember seeing! My daddy bought that for me decades ago as a housewarming. I wish he could have seen the blooms this year.

All of these beautiful blooms also attract insects. I have already noticed butterflies, and a lovely Nessus sphinx hummingbird moth in my lilacs this morning.

I thought it was a true hummingbird at first, the buzzing was so loud!

I love that my flowering bushes and trees are “buzzing” with the sound of bees, busy at work. Bees are one of our most important beneficial insects; if we lose them, we lose much of our food! 

Look at those bees knees full of pollen!

It always amazes me how gardeners want to attract beneficial insects, but also want to spray everything with chemicals as soon as they notice any sort of pest. If you do need to spray for an infestation, use organic products like neem oil or insecticidal soap, and use them in the early morning or late evening, when beneficial insects are not as active. Most insects are just “passing through yards and garden spaces! 

A cart full of beautiful!

I was so excited to find beautiful, full geraniums at a great price! Geraniums are my favorite – easy, simple and beautiful, and last here until fall when I switch them out for seasonal mums. They remind me of my mom and my childhood; Mama always had pots of geraniums around the house outside in summer. I’ve seen hummingbirds and butterflies attracted to my beautiful flowers.

In just a couple of weeks, it will be time to put the veggies into the vegetable garden (the soil temperature is still too cool just yet; right now I am hardening off my seeds that I started indoors). One of my favorite ways to garden organically is to do companion planting,  using plants as my ally in warding off bad insects that can harm my plants. Each year, I plant basil in between my plants, such as my tomatoes and peppers. Not only does it ward away pests such as whiteflies and aphids, but I can also clip fresh leaves all summer for yummy dishes. At the end of the season, I harvest the remaining basil and make pesto (which I put in canning jars and freeze for up to six months). 

I first started planting garlic when I read about using the scapes in MaryJane’s  first book. I have been hooked ever since, and plant garlic each fall for a summer harvest.

I plant my garlic around the border of my veggie bed – not only do I get delicious scapes to eat (the best part, in my opinion), and yummy fresh garlic to harvest, but garlic also helps protect nearby plants from pests and fungus! We have lots of different types of fungal issues in Connecticut, due to our wet springs and often wet autumn seasons.

Also around my vegetable garden and other garden borders, I plant dwarf Marigolds. I love marigolds! Deer and other critters don’t eat them.

Marigolds also last through summer into the fall, adding fall color as well as working hard all summer to keep pests such as aphids, whiteflies, and nematodes away (just make sure to plant dwarf varieties so you don’t shade other plants). 

Indoors, most homes in New England get problems with spider mites, due to our dry homes with our dry, non-moving winter air from wood burning stoves and forced heat. Opening windows on a cool spring day often lets in flies or mosquitoes, and I have noticed a few times nasty fungus gnats from the soil in my houseplants. In early April, I ran into a local garden store to get a last minute need for a gardening class I was to teach one evening. While shopping, I noticed the store had venus fly traps! The plants were tiny, and so cute that I just could not help it. I purchased one, and brought it home.

Venus fly traps are not your typical houseplant; they are a carnivorous plant native to the bogs in the Carolinas. They need lots of light, with four hours of bright light a day during the growing season. Never water your venus flytrap with tap water; only use rainwater, spring or distilled water, placing it in a dish (mine is so tiny, I have it in a teacup’s saucer). They do not like regular potting soil, and skip the fertilizer. I’ve had mine for over a month, and it has grown, with many new “mouths”…I even witnessed a mosquito get “munched”! 

Everyone needs that one friend who can have fun with you, even going just grocery shopping! My friend, Susan, is that friend. We have been friends since our children were toddlers, and can have fun together anywhere! On a recent Costco run, we both picked up beautiful, large lavender plants!

I love lavender – lavender soap, coffee, and of course, plants! Inside, dried lavender is a great alternative to nasty, toxic moth balls. I use it in drawstring muslin bags, like a sachet, and tuck it in with my sweaters on my closet shelves, and in my yarn stash to repel moths. Inside, dried and fresh lavender helps repel all sorts of nasty insects that can come indoors, including stink bugs that like to find their way into homes in the Northeast. In warmer seasons, I love fresh lavender on my porch – it smells amazing and helps repel bugs like mosquitoes. 

Rosemary is another good companion plant – it helps repel a variety of pests, including aphids on lettuce.  I always have lettuce in a giant pot on my deck, with rosemary next to it. Perhaps that’s why I have always had healthy, aphid-free lettuce in my pot! Rosemary is also one of my favorite herbs to cook and bake with!

Love porch sitting? Hate flies? I swear by this, an old trick I learned eons ago in Texas, from true Texas Bar-be-Que restaurants, where the smoky meat draws flies. Hang clear a plastic bag full of water. That’s it.

I keep one on my “shabby chic” porch, and one in my chicken coop and get no flies (and we have horse flies, house flies, and bottle flies in Connecticut). It has something to do with interfering with their vision, so flies steer clear of the area. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day! Mine was lovely. I was spoiled – breakfast in bed with fresh bagels, and my daughter surprised me with a garden-themed “surprise book box” – a box that is packed with all kinds of surprises, like socks and organic coffee, centered around a signed book. Then, in the afternoon, we had a beautiful sunny day, and my family took me to my favorite restaurant for lunch, and afterward to a local garden center. There, I picked out the cutest bee-themed wind spinner, and a big, full citronella plant. 

In the geranium family, citronella repels mosquitoes, and I don’t have to spray myself with some awful chemical to enjoy my time on my porch!  

Speaking of gifts, I finished Dori’s special gift and mailed it out to her! I love the quilt jacket she made me so very much, and wanted her to have something, special hand made by me, too. I went to one of my favorite yarn stores, and found a soft, colorful yarn to hand knit a lacy scarf. I wanted a yarn that would not be too heavy or too warm for her area. This lovely yarn is from Berrocco, called “Sesame”. It’s a blend of wool, acrylic, cotton and nylon. Dori says she loves it, and I can’t wait to see photos of her wearing it this fall!

I really hope Dori loves the scarf I made her, and thinks of it as a “farmgirl hug” when she wears it!

Happy Spring, Everyone!

  1. Ladybugloveslilacs says:

    Ants, ants, ants! Any suggestions for getting rid of them? We have had alot of rain and they are all coming in my kitchen window area. I hate to use Terro but I know it works. Don’t use borax due to little people around.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Ladybug! I hear ya on the ants. Are you getting sugar or black ants? The peppermint oil spray might work for them, too. Also, if you sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your foundation, that will help, as well. It is organic…I use it in my chicken coop run. Ants won’t go near it. Hope this helps! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

      • Ladybugloveslilacs says:

        I didn’t think of the DE. Thanks for the reminder, though I will have to wait until we are going to get rain everyday.

        • Nicole Christensen says:

          Same here – so much rain this spring! Hopefully it is not a wet, cold summer here, but so far, it has been cold and rainy or windy more than warm and dry. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  2. Debbie Fischer says:

    Thank you Nicole for the useful hints for getting rid of nasty summer pests. I especially like the plastic bag full of water for my deck. The flies love to hang out where we love to sit. So I will try this hanging from the gazebo ceiling on the deck.
    Happy Summer My Sweet Friend.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Debbie, thank you! I hope the hints help. I swear by the water bag trick! Thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  3. Debbie Fischer says:

    Oops, I forgot to tell you the scarf you made for Dori is Amazing and I know she will enjoy it.

  4. Lee says:

    Love Dori’s scarf! And I can’t wait to try that Texas “deter the flies” water idea. Your photos, as always, are great. Happy Summer!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Lee, thank you so much! Let me know what you think about the water bag trick. I have always found it works like a charm! We also get the biting horse flies that hurt, so I love that this shoos them away! Thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  5. Karen Scribner says:

    My go to gardening advice is Howard Garrett. He was a chemical pusher landscap architect and golf course superintendent. In mid 80s he had a baby girl and said to himself “all of this is poison” and turned 180°. His website dirtdoctor.com is a wealth of information. Use the upper left library topics to look up what you need to know. Do not use the hourglass at the upper right. It will bring ads from Google before you get to his good organic information. It is good from coast to coast and border to border. Just adjust for the weather conditions where you live.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Karen, Howard Garrett is a Texas-based gardener. I love that he realized after working on golf courses that all the chemicals were not good! I teach gardening classes, and always use only organic gardening methods in my classes. His website is great for Texas gardeners! I love that he does pet adoption, too. Thanks for the info. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  6. Karen Scribner says:

    Now for the bugs. My favorite book is Bug Busters by Bernice Lifton. She has been through many revisions and finally in one of the later ones put the trick for crickets that come in your house. Wind some duct tape backwards on your hand and stick it to the floor, the crickets will stick on it and you can pick them up and throw them away. Her premise for everything is block them out and use no toxins. If your house is caulked everywhere correctly and your weatherstripping is intact that is most of your bug exclusion right there.The most common places that mice come in the house is something that the air conditioning system installers skip over. Mice go in that cord or in the hole from the condensing unit into your house so it needs to be caulked.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Karen, thanks for the info. I looked up the book, and it is available on Amazon. I am assuming you live in Texas, since you mentioned the dirt doctor. Unfortunately, in New England many homes are in the woods, or very old (like from pre-revolutionary war), and we all have underground basements. Sometimes the little critters come in. (My house does not even have an air conditioning system). Mice and insects are one of the downsides to life in New England (but there are so many good things here, too)! I love the cricket advice you shared. We get a HUGE jumping cricket here that almost seems aggressive in our New England basements, and every time I do a gardening talk on insects, I am asked about what to do. Will pass that tip on. Thanks again for the info! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

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Eggs, Chicks, and A Very Special Gift

Hi Farmgirls! It’s been a crazy busy month for me here. How about you? It feels like spring comes and BOOM! We are “off and running”! There’s so much to do with the changing of the season from cold to warmer, and then everyone is busy with holidays like Easter and Passover, too! It’s still a wee bit chilly here in New England, so grab a cup of tea and come visit a bit with me!

Here in New England, you never know what April will bring. We have daffodils peeking outside, and if you want to have a vegetable garden planted using seeds, seeds are started inside. Mine are doing quite well, but it will be several weeks before anything can be planted outside into the veggie bed. We start thinking of spring, but Mother Nature reminds us that it can still be cold. 

Yesterday, we woke up to a layer of ice. (It’s gone now).

It’s not the cold that slows chicken egg laying down, but more the lack of light in winter. Thankfully, my chickie girls have started laying again, even though it has felt like the sun has been sleeping away behind the clouds most days.

Not only was I surprised at the price of eggs this winter, but look at the difference in color and freshness of a store-bought egg (runny and pale), compared to the egg from my happy backyard hen. So fresh!

They taste better, too. I can’t wait until I have fresh tomatoes, as well. Even organic store-bought tomatoes are forced to ripen with ethylene gas, so they don’t taste as good as one slowly ripened from a sunny day in the backyard. C’mon summer!

Speaking of eggs, look how cute this is! My dear friend Julie sent me a goodie box for my birthday. I love the little fried egg  “candle rug” she included. It looks like it’s made from a repurposed wool blanket or jacket. So clever!

Also, talking about eggs, Easter is coming up soon. It feels like it snuck up on me. I usually like to put my box of Easter decorations out as soon as St. Patrick’s Day is over, but I have been too on-the-go-constantly-busy the last few weeks. I love my Easter bunnies, but I have to admit, there’s something “eggstra-special” about Easter decor with baby chicks, especially when it’s something vintage or vintage inspired! It may still feel wintry outside, but inside it feels like spring!

The bunnies are vintage by Lefton, a company whose heyday was in the 1950s. The eggs are German, but reproduction. The embroidered runner is circa 1940s with chicks, bunnies and eggs, a long ago thrift store find.
Another sweet piece by Lefton, the chick on an egg is vintage. The wee little pieces are no more than 1/2” in size, by Renaker, who made tiny collectible animals from 1945 to 2021, found in five and dime stores and gift shops. I remember collecting them as a kid in the 70’s.
Speaking of Lefton, these very old, made-in-Japan salt shakers are life sized! They “crack”me up, pardon the pun. They grace the Hoosier cabinet for Easter.
You can tell what season it is by the Hoosier cabinet, the hub of the kitchen.
More Easter “littles,” some from when I was a kid.
More little tiny Easter chicks. The pompom chick is actually made by Steiff.
I love displaying vintage ephemera like this early 1900s Easter post card in antique flower frogs. The book was my one of my favorites as a child; I think it belonged to my older brother first. The little Lefton chick and bunny are $1.00 thrift shop finds. I love vintage pieces – they are so sweet and whimsical.

It may be cheery and spring-like inside, but as I mentioned, this past month here, the weather has been dark, dreary, windy, rainy! Even when it has been sunny, it is still colder than it is usually at this time of year. However, I am not going to mind the cold, because how can you not be cheerful when you wear…

wait for it…

I am a skilled farmgirl in many ways and love all sorts of crafts. I am an expert knitter, but while I do sew (and collect sewing machines), I am nowhere NEAR the level of skill with a sewing machine as Dori. She is absolutely amazing, especially with her fantastic quilting skills! Not only is Dori an amazing talent, but she is also one of the most genuinely sweet and kind farmgirls EVER! 

When I complimented her upcycled, beautiful, repurposed quilt jacket she made, I was so surprised and overjoyed when she contacted me and said she would make ME one!

I thought this 1940’s “cutter” quilt from a local thrift shop would be a good candidate for a jacket. It had all my favorite colors, lots of character, but was too worn in places to be used as an actual quilt. Still so soft and vibrant, it had life left!

Dori and I texted back and forth many times over the next few weeks. She was so adorable, sounding just as excited to make me a quilt jacket, as I was to receive one! We had so much fun in the process. Dori is a blessing to know, a truly beautiful soul.

Then, one day, she sent me a text with a tracking number. I thought I would burst with excitement! Of course, somewhere along the way, the box got delayed in Pennsylvania (no doubt due to crazy weather). 

Then, on a day that had started out stressful, (as our elderly cat needed to go to the vet – we were so worried, but she is fine now), I came home to find a large box on the porch! I was overjoyed and couldn’t wait to open it!

I texted Dori right away that it was here! I was so thrilled to open it, and my daughter filmed me so that Dori could see how excited I was! 

The jacket is beyond expectations – it is truly a work of art! The seam binding she picked is so beautiful! I LOVE the big pockets!

The jacket is STUNNING, and so soft and cozy! It’s just right for jeans or dresses in the cool weather. It fits me perfectly, and feels like I am “wearing a hug”, it is so cozy! Again, I am amazed at Dori’s talent and skill, and am so touched by this beautiful, gift, a reminder of how special the sisterhood of farmgirl friendship is. 

I could not WAIT to wear it, so the very next day, I wore it into town for a few errands. I got so many compliments – and told them how it was made for me by a special, kind friend.

Of course, I have been working on a special surprise for Dori, too. I am BURSTING with excitement for her to receive it! I wish I could show it to you, but it’s not quite finished yet, and I don’t want to ruin the surprise, so you will have to stay tuned!

  1. Heather says:

    Love your vintage decorations – that egg candle mat is cute too! And what a special treasure from Dori. She is sew talented! Thank you so much for sharing with us. I can’t wait to see what you’re making for her 🙂

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Heather, thank you! I was super-spoiled this month, for sure! I can’t wait for Dori to see what I am making her; I hope she loves it as much as I love her jacket she made for me. I hope you have a wonderful Spring. Thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  2. Dori Troutman says:

    Oh sweet Nicole!!! I could not love this blog post more!!! When I wanted to make you the quilt coat, I could 100% see you rocking that look and YOU DO!!! It is so beautiful on you and you found the absolute BEST quilt for the coat!!! I’m so happy you love it AND I’m so thankful for the Farmgirl sisterhood we’ve shared these years!!!

    Biggest hugs and love to you!!!

    ~ Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl ~

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Dori, words can not express how much I love the coat, and how sweet you are for making it for me. THANK YOU SO MUCH! You have put a big smile on my face. I can not wait to send you your gift – my goal for this week (Spring Break) is to finish YOUR surprise! You are truly a blessing, a wonderful farmgirl friend, Dori! Happy Easter to you and your family! I will be in touch soon! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  3. Gladys stanush says:

    Beautiful jacket!!😋. Just adorable. Love it.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Gladys, isn’t it beautiful? I will cherish it! I think it is pretty, it should hang on a pretty hanger in my room, not in my closet, when I am not wearing it! Wishing you a very Happy Spring! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  4. Patty says:

    An adorable jacket! Did Dori use a pattern for this?

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Patty, thank you – it truly is adorable and one of a kind. I feel so special wearing it! Dori got the idea from a pattern but made her own changes. If you search quilt jacket patterns on Etsy, you will find all sorts of styles and sizes. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  5. Debbie Fischer says:

    What a Beautiful Quilted Jacket Nicole truly one made with Love by Dori. Yes Farmgirls are special that way so caring and full of surprises.
    I love all your vintage Easter Treasures they are so understated and nothing looks cluttered just right at home.
    I wish you and your Family a Blessed Easter.
    Hugs,
    Debbie
    XO

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Debbie, thank you! I love that the jacket is so colorful. If that quilt could talk, and now there is a new story with it! Thank you for saying you like my decorations. I just love the vintage look so much. Happy Easter to you and your family, dear friend! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  6. Amy Odonal says:

    What a fantastic jacket–well done, Dori! I’ve seen these jackets for a couple of years in sewing social media, but never thought of doing one myself. And there’s no way I’m making a quilt like that, but I would make a jacket from it.

    You’ve got a great friend there, Nicole!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Amy, aren’t farmgirl friends the best? The jacket is definitely something I will cherish! I am so in awe of how Dori did the back, too, and the quilt was not in the best of shape to start! She is amazing! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  7. Ladybugloveslilacs says:

    Farmgirls are the best! Love your bunnies and Easter decor. I love anything vintage! Your hoosier is just beautiful.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Thank you! The hoosier is over 100 years old, and was such a bargain on Marketplace years ago (and an Anniversary gift from my sweetheart). I love changing it with the seasons, and it offers such storage, as well. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  8. Cheryl A. Duchaine says:

    I absolutely love all your Easter bunnies but I especially love that quilted jacket! So beautiful!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Cheryl, thank you! It is fun to decorate for the seasons and different holidays. And isn’t Dori beyond talented? I love that jacket so much! She was so sweet to make it for me. One of the most special gifts ever! Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  9. Mary says:

    Oh Nicole, a terrific post! Love the sweet vintage decorations, the dressed-up Hoosier, and the jacket – wow, oh wow! You look fabulous in it…how exciting! The terrific colors, the amazing pattern, those deep pockets…what talent Dori has, and what a sweet gift of friendship. I know you’re going to love wearing it…and you’ll think of her whenever you do. Thanks so much for letting all of us enjoy it with you!
    Mary, Rural Farmgirl

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Mary, thank you so much! I feel so special wearing that beautiful jacket – it is like a great, big, cozy hug! Dori is so special, in so many ways. I hope you had a wonderful Easter! Happy Spring! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  10. Donna Kozak says:

    Love the beautiful jacket and all the colorful vintage collectables – walking into your home must make everyone instantly happier !

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Donna, thank you! I always say it is “2025 out THERE, but inside it is 1950-something, lol! Makes me happier! ANd I am so honored to have had that beautiful jacket made for me from Dori. She is amazing. Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  11. CJ Armstrong says:

    Love all your decorations. I used to do more decorating, but since having health issues . . . and major surgery this year, I’ve just not had the get-up-and-go that I need.
    And that jacket is gorgeous! Wow!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi My Dear Farmgirl Friend! I am so sorry that you have had health issues including major surgery and aren’t feeling your best! I hope you feel better soon! We should catch up soon. Big hugs and prayers your way to recovery. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  12. Sheila LaPoint says:

    Nicole, I just love your decorations, and I really like that you put a vintage card in the metal flower frog, I will have to borrow that idea! I am putting the flower frog on my yard sale shopping list. Your quilt jacket that Dori made is great so pretty and your right folks in New England need a jacket in the spring, were I am at in Vermont there are still a few traces of snow piles hanging around. Thanks for sharing your Easter fun happiness with us.

  13. Pingback: My Momma Came! | Farmgirl Bloggers

  14. Sheila LaPoint says:

    Nicole, I love all your Easter decorations. I really like the wire flower frog that you put a card in it, I think I will borrow your idea and add the flower frog to my yard sale shopping list! The quilt jacket that Dori made for you is very nice and your right it is still very cool out in New England, in Vermont I have even seen some small snow mounds in woods still. I love having the change of seasons but am always ready for a warm one to come around. O and where did you find the chick Steiff that is adorable.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Sheila, thank you! I am glad you liked the post. For the flower frog, sometimes I use a little paper clip so I do not bend the cards when they go in the flower frog. Isn’t that jacket wonderful? I am still floored by Dori’s kindness and talent. The little Steiff chick is from the 70’s and was given to me in a box of vintage doll house things. So tiny and cute! Hope it is warming up a bit there. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

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A Few Things to Watch Out for In Spring

Woo-Hoo! Spring is peeking her beautiful face around the corner! Birds and butterflies, flowers and leaves will all be prevalent soon in my area. However, let me introduce you to some creatures that will also be showing up soon, that can have some negative consequences (and how to avoid them).

Don’t get me wrong…I do love spring, especially after this icy, dark winter we have just experienced here in my neck of the woods. It was a really long winter for New England, with really cold temperatures showing up as early as late fall and lasting until, well, just last week.

Snow frozen into thick layers of hard ice were prevalent everywhere, including at our favorite walking trails of Fairfield Hills.

We had deep snow, which was followed by sub-zero temperatures, which made for solid, non-walkable ice everywhere, that lasted longer than we usually have. I even got stuck in my long, steep, curved driveway one day, something I haven’t done in twenty years! 

Finally, this past week, we thawed out, and today’s temperature will be in the high fifties!

Yay! Robins are busy again and starting to be seen, as well as other migratory birds, too! POOF! Just a few warm days and all the ice is gone!

While we always get a “cold snap” around St.Patrick’s Day, and can even have snow as late as late April, the worst of winter is over and we are all thinking of spring! I can’t wait to have my hands in the earth, and to see all the flowers blooming, hear the birds sing, and the insects buzz. (One of my favorite sounds is that of summer insects “trilling”). 

However, there are some insects that will show up, that you may already have in your area, if your temperatures are now warm. These are a few things that I do NOT want to run into. These are two insects and an arachnid that can have a devastating impact on human lives.

The first insect that you should beware of is the Spotted Lanternfly.  A large, invasive planthopper native to Asia, it can’t bite or sting a human due to its plant-sucking mouthparts, but its capability to devastate and kill trees, grapevines, and other major food crops is downright scary! (Think of a super-large aphid on steroids). First seen in the USA a few years ago in Pennsylvania, the Spotted Lanternfly is now found in eighteen states and is quickly making its way across others. 

The Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicata) has several life stages. They first start out tiny, with four instar stages, the first three having black and white spots on their tiny, crawling bodies, changing to red with white and yellow as they grow larger. Finally adults are large, with fuzzy-looking black legs (that look to me like eyelashes coated with too much mascara), with grey wings that have black spots. This makes them hard to see, “camouflaged”, until they open their wings or fly to show their colorful, red, yellow and white underwings. 

Some red is shown here, but you really do not see the color until they open their adult wings fully.

We saw masses of adults on a trip to the Poconos to see friends in the fall of 2023, with so many on the sidewalks it was hard not to step on them. It is important when driving in areas that are infested that you inspect your car and wash it before heading to other areas, to help stop the spread. 

Our very first sighting ever of one in Connecticut was a few years prior, on a shopping trip near the Connecticut coast. The grey building and parking lot was covered in these awful, destructive insects. I snapped this photo to show how they can easily be missed when their wings aren’t spread. 

The preferred host-tree is the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), considered an invasive plant here in Connecticut, but the Spotted Lanternfly will devastate and kill a variety of plants, including stone fruits and hardwood trees, hops, and many of our food crops. They lay eggs in masses with a hard, waxy shell, on hard surfaces such as trees, vehicles, and buildings. Scrape egg masses off with an old credit card, and inspect your trees and surroundings often. The USDA has a great, dedicated Spotted Lanternfly webpage, with photos of all stages of this insect, and tips on how to eradicate and avoid them. (One thing that kills them is hand sanitizer, by the way). If you see them, destroy them!

Another harbinger of spring are bees and wasps. While we need them, (and I love bees), there is a wasp that can be awful if a human or pet comes in contact with them. I know first-hand, as I had a run in with these aggressive creatures last year.

The Bald Faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata) isn’t really a hornet, but a member of the same species of wasp as the yellow jacket.  Named for their color and size, Bald Faced Hornets have creamy white faces and marks on their large black bodies. I do not have a photo of one, as they are way too aggressive for me to get near enough to photograph, but do an online search and you will see plenty of photos of these easily-recognized flying devils. 

This nest was on the door of my camper a few springs ago. It developed very quickly, as they are fast builders. I was lucky I did not get stung then when I opened the camper door.

These very large wasps can be found in most of the United States, with the largest concentration being in the Southeastern states. We did not have them in my area until a few years ago. 

These nasty spawns of Satan quickly make large, dome-shaped paper-type nests that can be found in trees, bushes, on rocks, or hanging off of buildings.

A nest hidden in a redbud tree.

We once had a nest in a redbud tree. It was pretty large and scary, and had to be professionally removed. I also know someone who once had a HUGE nest appear quickly, right on her upstairs window, dangling over her driveway! 

All wasps are beneficial, and the Bald Faced Hornet is no exception, pollinating plants and flowers, and eating other, bad insects. (These wasps actually think of yellowjackets as a tasty snack, and can eat and kill so many that their nests can look yellowish at the end of the season)! However, because the Bald Faced hornet is so aggressive, these are particularly scary and dangerous to humans, so you will want to beware if you see a nest, and get an exterminator out quickly if they build a nest close to your home or garden. Bald Faced hornets do not have to have their nest disturbed to attack, as they will aggressively go after anyone or anything that they perceive as a nearby invader. They will sting over and over, and are unique in that they also try to spray their venom into the eyes of a warm-blooded interloper, causing temporary blindness. Their stings are also considered one of the most painful stings you can get. 

Last summer, I fed my chickens and then proceeded up the steps of my deck to go inside. I was suddenly aware of a “thumping” sound, which were multiple wasps hitting my face HARD and stinging me.

I screamed, and ran six feet or so to the door, but not before I was followed inside by these evil flying demons, and was stung at least six times around my lips. They had tried going for my eyes, but I had on sunglasses that thankfully protected them. Luckily, my daughter was home late that morning, as her schedule at work started later than usual. I popped a Benadryl and she and I jumped in her car. It was rush hour, and traffic on the freeway was a dead stop – to get to the local hospital would take too long. Thankfully, we have a wonderful walk-in emergency clinic in town, ten minutes from my home, and they were open. By the time we arrived, my face had already swelled so much I looked like a sick platypus. The waiting room was filled, but they took me right away. To make a long story short, I did not realize in the moment just how bad off I was until the end of my ordeal, when one of the nurses hugged me, saying they had not wanted to scare my daughter, but that I had really scared them! I now carry an Epi-Pen, and to say I am afraid of wasps is an understatement. Taking Benadryl and seeking medical attention ASAP saved me. The worst part is that these mini-diablos did not have a nest in the bushes next to my stairs the day before, and the nest was so hidden it was difficult to remove. The venom also caused pain, redness and swelling for several days.

I will garden again, but I will be extra-vigilant when near bushes or other areas where wasps can build nests next to my home. Keep an eye out, and if there is a paper-looking, football-shaped nest near where humans or pets reside, have it professionally removed right away.

By now, the entire world is aware of Lyme disease, (first named for a town in Connecticut), and how tick-borne illnesses are prevalent with tick bites. However, not everyone is aware of how one tick in particular, the Lone Star tick, can really have devastating consequences to some who come in contact with it. The Lone Star Tick is a deer-type tick that is named for its singular white spot on its body. Unfortunately, this type of tick can cause what is known as “Alpha Gal Syndrome”, which can cause an allergic reaction to red meats such as beef, pork and lamb,  as well as an allergy to dairy, in the host.

The Alpha Gal Syndrome from the bite of the Lone Star Tick can cause allergies to beef, pork, and dairy. One theory is the thought that the tick that bites the human bit an animal previously.

Some people only have mild symptoms, but for others, it can be life-threatening and severe, even causing anaphylaxis! I have a family member that now has a severe, life-threatening allergy to dairy and beef, who can not even get dairy on their skin without a burning rash, all because of this tick! Gelatine in things such as gel-cap over the counter medicines, or in gummy-type candies can also cause problems. It’s frightening to know that something as small as a pinhead can change a person’s life in such a drastic way. Enjoy the outdoors, but make sure you do daily tick checks on yourself and your pets, and when you know you will be gardening or walking, do the things you can to help protect yourself against all kinds of ticks. While some tick-borne illnesses are treated with antibiotics, this allergy that develops is not. Luckily, it’s still somewhat a rare thing, but we personally now know of three people in our area with this allergic condition from a Lone Star tick bite.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to be the grim reaper of the outdoors! Spring, summer and fall outside are wonderful, especially here in New England, and I can’t wait to enjoy the outdoors again. We need the bees and other insects to pollinate our crops and flowers, and to keep balance in nature, so please do not spray everything in fear!

Enjoy the spring…just be aware. Bring on the butterflies! Bring on the flowers, leaves, and green! 

Speaking of green – Happy St. Patrick’s Day, dear readers, and remember to leave me a comment below so I know that you dropped by!

  1. Ashley says:

    I was born in March, so it’s always been special to me. My 2 fav flowers pop up in March, (Daffs and Dutch Hyacinths). Plus I love the buds/blossoms on trees. Only thing that sucks, is my allergies! Due to all the pollen, I’m usually out for the count for 2-3 weeks. Only bad part. But, I can have bouquets of flowers in my home that get pollen all over, and be fine 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Ashley, Happy March birthday! I love daffodils, too. I have several varieties that pop up and the best part is the hungry deer won’t eat them. Did you know daffodils are your “birthday” flower? I understand about the allergies. My eyes water and itch and I sneeze, mostly due to the forsythia that blooms all over, I think. Oh well, I will take spring allergies for spring flowers, too! Thanks for reading and commenting! Have a great birthday. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  2. Debbie says:

    Thanks for all the important tips!

  3. Sandi King says:

    Nicole thanks for all the information on these pesky insects. I hope we don’t have a problem with them this year. I was sitting on my porch when I felt something push against my pant leg and watched as a newly arrived wasp skidded across the floor toward my dog’s paw, then zigzagged away over by my other little dog who tried to catch it and then flew off the porch. I think it was the first wasp to arrive from hibernation, if they do that, because it acted like it couldn’t fly until it got off the porch. It was all along the floor and never actually up in the air, so I think it either just woke up or hatched out but it must have come from beneath our porch up through the openings between the boards. I will be looking to see if any nests are close by. We have some pretty warm days now after many really really cold days. Take care.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Sandi, so glad you did not get stung! The first time I saw the bald faced hornets, they were trying to make nests under my deck. The nest that got me was next to the deck, in a bush, well-hidden. Wasps are beneficials, but I do not want them to be a danger, so I do have nests removed near the house. Just something to watch out for. Otherwise, spring and porch sitting are the BEST! Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  4. Sheila LaPoint says:

    Hi, Nicole I too love the out doors but due use bug spray on myself; natural and some not natural; because I am an older adult who does not want to risk it, I also work part time with children and we go out side most of the time. Some parents supply some bug spray made for children. Vermont has been getting more and more ticks, my husband had several on him last year, where in the past he never even had one. I also try to use a natural soap with aroma therapy in it that the insects don’t like in the spring & summer. So thanks for the good information.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Sheila, good reminder about the bug spray. I also use a natural one. We also found a great natural oil to use on the lawn (it attaches to the hose) that is safe for pets. We try to spray the yard where they tend to go once or twice a year. Thanks for reading and commenting, and the tips! I had not thought about using a soap with a scent ticks dislike before. Good idea! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  5. Mary Murray says:

    Hi Nicole, thanks for this post of good advice-warm weather brings so many wonderful things, but also so many things to be wary of. I admit to having a strong dislike of ticks… and while we’ve had a few warm days, we’ve also had some temperatures in the teens, which I hope will send them hiding!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Mary, thank you! Glad you liked the post. Ticks are the worst! We use an organic oil product that is safe for pets on our lawn, but they can still come from the trees. The good thing about really cold weather – less ticks! Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

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February Favorites

My brother just called a few minutes ago to catch up. He was sitting on his patio, enjoying the beautiful Texas weather – currently about 69 degrees with full sun. I was just stirring a pot of toasty homemade soup on the stove, after taking my dogs out with ice cleats on my shoes, since there is no ground here that is not covered in a thick layer of frozen, icy snow. “I don’t know how you do it!” I hear that phrase from many of my “warmer weather” family and friends. Still, each season has its own charm, and there are some things that are wonderful in winter, no matter where you live! 

New England has four distinct seasons. I love the summer, with its fresh veggies and warm, sunny days. By the time I have had enough of the heat, that wonderful cold snap of autumn rolls in, followed by the cozy charm of the winter holidays, that carries us straight through to mid-January. I’m sighing, as it is still “nesting” season here. I’ve kept busy through January, but now I am “chompin at the bit” for a “thaw”!

I do love the snow. One of my favorite things about it is the “scent” of snow that wafts into the air before a storm. My father always laughed about the first time I saw snow, phoning him at 4 AM to shout, “It’s snowing! It’s snowing!”  We lost him last fall, and I am missing just talking about the weather with him. This past month, I enjoyed all my relatives and friends texting ME pictures of the several inches of snow that recently fell in the south, something that had not happened in quite some time. A small snowfall happened in the Houston area in 2021, but measurable snow had not fallen since 1895!

Tea and dish towels are one of my favorite things to give and receive. Everyone can use them, and they add such personality to a kitchen.

I must have sounded really “homesick”, because one of my dear, sweet farmgirl friends, who also lives in Texas, sent me this adorable tea towel this week. So sweet! Over thirty years later, I still miss the sight of Texas bluebonnets. The nice thing about warmer climates is when you get a cold snap, it only lasts a bit. The tea towel lifted my spirits and warmed my heart, and looks adorable in the kitchen. Farmgirls are the best!

Here in Connecticut, however, when things do close up for weather (rare, but we will have the occasional ‘snow day’, usually in January through March), it is typically only for a day or even a few hours.

The highway was clear just hours after a big storm. Drivers need patience and need to let the plows and salt crews do their thing, and then it is business as usual. We are so thankful to our road crews!

Still, we get tired of the frigid cold and ice on the ground. I love animals, but I would like to have a few words with that groundhog! At least six more weeks of winter…ugh.

I don’t know how the local wildlife feels about winter, but I know it must be hard on them. Our ‘resident’ fox was recently in our yard again. He walked one way, then ran the other, with something in his mouth.

It’s so FLUFFY!”

He looked so happy to have found something to eat. (Rest assured, it was not one of my chickens. “Fowl Knox” has proved too hard for him to get into – I have seen his prints all around the coop).

The little opossum tracks I found near the house in the snow are the cutest! Finding tracks is one of my favorite things about winter.

We see you

We also spy deer, walking through the woods, looking for spots to bed down or for food. I feel sorry for them this time of the year. 

1940s knick knacks are the cutest!
Have you seen these adorable throw pillows? Y’all know I love a cherries motif! My daughter picked it for me on a recent Target run. At $5.00, they are a bargain, to boot!

After being married over thirty years, my sweetheart and I still celebrate Valentine’s. Sometimes, we have a special meal at home, or pick up a heart-shaped pizza from a local pizzaria. This year, we were both so excited to give each other gifts, we celebrated early. He got me a cross body bag that I had been eyeing for awhile. I just can’t stand carrying large purses or bags anymore, and when it arrived from Amazon, he knew I could really use it, and couldn’t wait until the 14th to surprise me.

Winter isn’t so bad when you have a sweet fur-baby to snuggle!

Our wee pup is our “baby”, so my gift to my husband was this cute little oil painting that looks like our dog, found for under $20 in a local antique/consignment shop. 

Chocolate is always a good choice, of course. Our family loves chocolate! My favorite is Justin’s, an organic brand. I’ve noticed after going organic years ago, that I can really tell the difference how I feel when eating things that are not, especially with artifical colors.

We always have “emergency chocolate” on hand…don’t you?

I really love Justin’s dark chocolate, candy-covered peanuts. The colors of the shell are muted, because they aren’t made with nasty, unhealthy dyes but rather with vegetables. They are scrumptious!  (My friend Judy and I also shared a Justin’s organic peanut butter cup on a recent outing. So delicious, too). It used to be that if you wanted organic chocolate, it cost an arm and a leg and only available in specialty shops. I am finding this competitively-priced brand in mainstream grocery stores.

I love a good book on a snowy, February day. My daughter and I are now “Book Buddies” – a “book club of two”. We love all kinds of genres – classics, biographies, history, fantasy, mystery, romance. Sometimes I want to read something “heavy”, other times I need a “lighter” book.

Our current “book club” discussion is actually two books – “It Ends with Us” and its sequel “It Starts with Us”. Please, no spoilers in the comments! (Marlene, I am using the book marker you sent in your Christmas card)!

Favorite books become treasures! My daughter is the same way. Now that she’s an adult, we will read the same book, then discuss it over dinner or coffee out (it’s a bonus if there is a movie to go with the book)! An avid reader who can read a book in a day, Audrey has been “collecting” books since she was in high school. 

Books can be expensive, especially when they are “current”. Our favorite source? Thrift Books! Thrift Books is an online source, selling new and used books in both hardcover and softcover. Their prices are the best and shipping is fast! With their points program, the more you buy, the more points you get to use for book purchases. Many of the books my daughter has bought us have been free or under a dollar, and we’ve found books that we can’t find anywhere else. Cut down on your clutter and get rid of books you no longer want or won’t read again (or dvd’s) with their “sell” feature, as well. You can do all of this through the website; they also have an app.

Speaking of books, have you seen the latest trend – painted edges! There are editions of books with “painted”, metallic, or patterned edges on the pages. It makes the books even prettier, especially on a shelf, and this trend is across all genres of books. Most times, painted edges are the same price as traditional editions.

A few of my daughter’s fanciest “painted edge books”. They look amazing on a book shelf.

Another favorite winter activity of mine is knitting. In addition to blogging here, I have been teaching knitting professionally for over 15 years. I’m always amazed at the knitters who do not know about Ravelry! Ravelry is an online source of all things fiber related. The site started in 2006 and is now international. It’s the BEST source for patterns and inspiration, and is an amazing community of yarn lovers worldwide!

With all the ice and snow that is on the ground right now, it’s hard to believe that we will ever thaw out and be able to be outdoors for more than a few minutes again. But it will happen. Having houseplants is a favorite thing to do, year round. Right now, I also have a pot of red daisies that I have overwintered indoors for at least four years now. The pot sits on my deck during the summer and early fall. I forgot to water it recently and it looked dead, the leaves shriveled and brown (the room it is in gets very dry with the forced heat). Hoping it might come back, I watered it, but made a mental note to empty the pot when things warmed up a bit. When I went to water the other plants in the room the following week, I looked down to see my forgotten plant.

It now has new leaves and has graced me with the biggest, reddest, BRIGHTEST bloom ever! It’s a good reminder that things will thaw out eventually! 

For now, we will hunker down a few more weeks, knowing soon the seasons will change again.

Stay warm and cozy, Farmgirl Friends! Happy Valentine’s Day to all! Leave me a comment below to let me know you stopped by!

  1. Ladybugloveslilacs says:

    Nicole,
    I just Valentine’s and February is my husband’s and my birthday month so it’s celebrating most all month long. Your decorations are so cute! I love winter, but fall is my favorite.
    Your little man is so cute in that tie! I learn something new everyday. I didn’t know you are from Texas. We have lots of Texas farmgirl friends
    I too love thriftbooks and with the rewards it is nice to get a free one sometimes!
    Have a beautiful day!
    Denise

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Denise! It is always so good to hear from you here! Happy Birthday to you and your DH! I hope you have a wonderful celebration, and a very Happy Valentine’s Day, as well! Yes, originally from Texas, but have been “up” on the East Coast now longer than I was down south. Still, my heart will always be part Texan! Isn’t my pup a hoot? He always “poses” for me. He just adores attention and loves to be loved! He certainly keeps me warm and happy on dreary winter days! My other dog dislikes having her photo taken, and the biggest dog is so dark that it is often hard to get a good photo of him in winter lighting – he ends up just looking like a bear, lol! Isn’t Thriftbooks fun? Between my daughter and I, we rack up some great points and it is so much fun to find books that we have had on our wishlist, at great prices! Have a wonderful, fun month! Thanks for “stopping by”! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  2. Debbie says:

    Love this read! I’m in Florida and I would love some cold weather right now! Happy Valentine’s Day 🩷

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Debbie, How about a trade – send me some warmth and sunshine and I will send you a bit of winter, lol! I don’t mind winter, but I am just ready to not have the ice everywhere. When it is in the 40s and snow is on the ground, it’s lovely, but below freezing with ice and black ice on the sidewalks and concrete can be treacherous, and no one likes it when it is icy. (Though a friend of mine recently invited me to try snowshoeing – that sounds like fun! I have to find some snowshoes, but it’s a way to enjoy the outdoors while the snow is so deep). Thankfully, February is a short month and the days are already getting longer, so that’s good! It is lovely when things are so cozy inside and it’s snowing outside. Thank you for reading and commenting, and Happy Valentine’s Day! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  3. Nancy Wagner says:

    Books, animals, snow, knitting! What a great read for me this morning. Last year I found a great book titled “All Creation Waits.” by Gayle Boss. It’s technically an Advent book but is about how animals prepare and survive the winter. Everything from lightening bugs to a fox hunting. Thouh I read it in advent, I kept it on my shelf for reference.

    We get very little snow here where I live in Virginia, but this year we did and the most interesting tracks I found in the snow were from a duck that flew up from the waterway behind my house into the snow then walked the whole length of the yard to the bird feeder. I thought “why?” And then decided it was so I could see the webbed tracks in the snow!

    Thank you for a beautiful start to my day.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Good morning, Nancy! Thank you for the book recommendation – that sounds like a really interesting read, and I especially love anything about animals. I will look for that. I bet the duck tracks were absolutely adorable! I love ducks! Every once in a while, there are two ducks that land here, “resting” in the yard near the woods. It’s not often, and I get so excited when I see them. I bet those little tracks were so fun to see. I’m glad you enjoyed the post! Stay warm and cozy, and Happy Valentine’s Day! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  4. Alice Moline says:

    Good morning~~~I’m a little late reading this, but I’m here now. That fox surely doesn’t appear to be starving, so he must be fruitful in his Winter hunting escapades. I do have a hunt for you……….I borrowed the Oct/Nov 2024 issue of Mary Jane’s Farm magazine from our local Library. Do you know where I can get the recipe for the pizza pictured on page 67???? I’ve tried leaving messages and emailing MJF but to no success. No one responds. Thanks so much.

    It IS Winter here, that’s for sure. It took its time coming, but now it’s here in spades. More coming this weekend [we’re being told] in some kind of DUMP TRUCK to be measured in feet……..hummmmmm!!!!!!!!! This is a time when a woodstove would come in handy. lol lol lol. The Winter Robins are prolific too. Nice little round puggy creatures with gorgeous colors.

    Stay warm

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Alice, isn’t that fox a fluffy, well-fed beauty? I love seeing him. We had a season a few years back where all the foxes were coming down with mange. It was so sad to see them! Thankfully, the fox population is back and looking healthy!

      I keep all of my MJF magazines, and have them all the way back to my very first ever issue, which is now so dog eared and well-loved! I will pull my Oct/Nov issue out for you and email you. I have your email address here from the comments.

      You are so right about winter being here in spades – four storms this week (only one where we had a “snow day”) and more on the way through the week. We have a wood stove in our back room. It keeps us toasty, and the pups love to lay next to it, but the amount of wood we have used this year is crazy!

      I can’t wait to see the robins here – they are our harbingers of spring! Stay warm! Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  5. Debbie Fischer says:

    Hi Nicole~
    Oh how I enjoy your post every month. Especially when you have photos of sweet Trooper, he is a love.
    I have so many Farmgirl friends who love winter and the snow. I do not like cold and after 23 years of snow living in Colorado I am happy to be living on the coast of Oregon where snow is rare. Oh but we do get cold.
    Love reading books as well, with Kristin Hannah being my favorite author and I love historical fiction.
    Trying to finish a UFO Christmas Stocking for my knitting badge in MaryJane Farms. But I believe I made a mistake and that is why it never got finished it, but I am determined to finish it.
    Stay warm and enjoy the rest of winter.
    Warm Hugs,
    Debbie

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Debbie, so good to hear from you, my dear farmgirl friend! I am so glad Trooper makes you smile. He is my constant companion, and keeps me smiling everyday. I wish we lived closer – I’d help you with your knitting project! Stay warm! Big farmgirl hugs, Nicole

  6. Gayle Baskin says:

    Love your Valentines and sharing. Snowing today here in lake Oswego, Oregon and February appears to be our snow month of late. I made a big vegetable/chicken soup and my Valentine of 62 years and we will enjoy our day. He wrote a song for me many years ago, that I’m his nymph, and he’s my Cupid…love it still.
    My dear mother was a Texas girl and reminisced of the winter months by making ice cream in the snow. We had homemade ice cream often, growing up in California. She would make ice trays full of fresh peach ice cream, or strawberries. Those were special treats.
    Happy Valentines Day

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Gayle, first off – 62 years! How romantic! And his song to you…so sweet. Happy Valentine’s Day to you both! Your soup sounds delicous! I made us a “turkey shephards pie”, as my daughter is allergic to beef and no one really cares for lamb. It was so good. I am making a big pot of soup today for dinner. We have a big storm coming later – this one bringing more ice. I love snow but hate the ice! I don’t mind winter, but I am wishing it would get a wee bit warmer. I can handle the low 40s but today we are in the teens and it is just too cold for me. We have another month at least of winter – we ALWAYS get snow around St. Patricks, even on a warm winter season. I love your memories of your mother – how sweet. Thank you so much for sharing. Stay warm! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  7. Janetsue Filberth says:

    Nicole,
    Enjoyed your blog today ! New England is such a pretty place, in every season . My boys went to college there, one at Mass Maritime Academy and one at the USCGA. They grew up in Missouri, so it was a big change for all of us! ( one lives in Texas now, as do I , the other in Wash DC)
    We loved everything about New England, the seafood, the little old villages, the history, the people !
    Stay warm and keep that blog coming!!
    Janetsue

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Janetsue! Thank you – I am so glad you enjoyed the blog! You are right – New England has so much charm with the villages and history, one of the reasons I love living here. I do miss Texas – the people, the food, the weather when it is not too humid and hot, and bluebonnets! We can’t grow them here – I tried outside and in pots. They won’t grow in our zone, but then again, we get peonies in spring! (My favorite flower)! Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  8. Alice Moline says:

    Thank you. I couldn’t find the recipe in the magazine, but there’s a picture, so someone had to have made it…….
    Anyway………I’ll look for your email, maybe you have a way of ferreting it out.

    Yes…….that fox is gorgeous. What part of New England do you live??? We had a fair amount of precep today……..mostly liquid and not white and fluffy. We still haven’t had the plow person come by yet and it’s almost 8:30 p.m. YIKES. You really need to like plowing to be out all hours like this. Not much accumulation, but the liquid stuff bogged down the snow that we got on Sunday……….so it needs to be plowed. You can’t just shovel that stuff. No wonder you’ve burnt a lot of wood this year……..the cold weather started really early in the season. At least we’re on the right side of Winter at this point. We’ve had more Bluebirds than we have in the past, so hopefully they’ll stick around for the rest of the year. Blessings to you

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Alice, we are in Connecticut. Where are you? I gather from your comment somewhere that winter is still going, but aren’t you so right – “we are on the right side of Winter at this point”. What a great way to look at it. Winter was very early this year – it got really cold here right around Christmas, which is not typical. It is usually just January and February where we get the super-cold days with ice and frozen snow, but this year seems like it has been long and non-stop – which will make Spring even sweeter! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  9. JoAnn Petersen says:

    Just found you enjoyed every word. Texas is cold right now but they say wait 30 minutes!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi JoAnn, thank you and welcome to the Suburban Farmgirl Blog! I remember that “quick change” Texas weather! Unfortunately for us in Connecticut, we have another storm system heading our way – ice, snow and rain. ICK! At least today the sun is out, and soon it will be time to plant seeds indoors for the summer. Have a great Valentine’s Day! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  10. Vicki Lawson says:

    Nicole, I have recently retired and I have enjoyed reading your blog. As a matter of fact, when I finish writing this note. i plan to look through previous ones. I completely understand you enjoying the seasons. I live in Wyoming. I know snow and frigid temps, I know heat, and enjoy low humidity, I know WIND..lots of wind. There is something special about each season. I thoroughly enjoyed the photo of your pup with the tie Happy Valentines Day!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Vicki, thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed the blog, and hope you enjoy some of my past ones. It is hard to believe I have been writing here for over 14 years now! It always means so much to hear from readers, and I love that I hear from farmgirls like you, who live in other states. I have never been to Wyoming. I would like to see that part of the US someday. I’m glad my pup made you smile. He cracks me up. He loves to have his photo taken – he is such a little ham! Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  11. Liz says:

    Hi Nicole!
    I’m sitting here in the hospital with my son feeling a bit sorry for him and myself and just happened on your blog. Thanks so so much for it! It’s exactly what I needed to make me smile!! I’ve got spring fever like crazy and your blog has made me want to get out there and plant plant plant! Thanks for your thoughts, it was just the upper I needed!
    Liz from Utah

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Liz, thank you! I am so glad I could brighten your day! That means a lot to me. I am so sorry your son is in the hospital. Big hugs to you both, and I hope he feels better soon! Thanks so much for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

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A Fresh New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FARMGIRL READERS! Here we are in 2025, and the start to my FIFTEENTH year blogging here as the MaryJanesFarm’s Suburban Farmgirl! It’s hard to believe – time just speeds by. January is probably the least favorite month among most people, but I think January is a good month to rest, regroup, get organized, and look ahead to a fresh, new year!

In New England, January can seem like it lasts forever. I always call it my “nesting month”. It’s been cold this winter, but sunny, so I don’t mind. We’ve had a few small snowfalls. Snow is so peaceful. 

I like to get my Christmas decorations put away the first week, especially outside before it gets too cold or snow-covered. However, getting outdoors, even if it is for a short time, is a great mood-booster. We took a quick, refreshing New Year’s Day walk on a Connecticut beach. 

As I put away the holidays, I think ahead to next year, so I don’t stress. Organize supplies like wrapping paper, and make notes on your calendar for what you’ll need. Our local TJMaxx sells beautiful rolls of vintage-print wrapping paper, made from recycled material, in the fall. If I see my stash is low, I’ll write on my calendar to pick it up in October, so I am not stressing in December to wrap gifts. Now is also a good time to organize gift bags, throwing out any that are too worn to reuse. 

Primrose are showing up in stores and are a great winter brightener! However, if you suffer from seasonal allergies, you will want to skip these!

After all the indoor Christmas decor is put away, I like to give things a good “spring-like cleaning”. Clutter can bring on stress; having things organized also helps save time in the long run. I’ve got my routine down pat, and what tools to use so I don’t spend too much time on chores. 

My forecast for 2025? I’ll be vacuuming Christmas tree needles until June, haha! After a good vacuuming, I neaten up the fringe on our throw rugs with a comb-out, using a teasing comb meant for hair. I remember my mama doing this tip back in the 1970’s. 

After the holidays, with all the food and baked goods, I give the pantry, fridge, and freezer a good cleanout, and check expiration dates. Groceries are SO expensive these days – I want nothing to go to waste! I am not much for New Year Resolutions, but mine this year is “no food gets wasted!”

In the pantry, repurpose plastic produce bags to keep open boxes of crackers, chips and cereal from going stale. (This is another tip I got from my mama, who did this when I was a kid)!

I love that in my area, I have an old-fashioned bakery to get fresh baked goods from, and an old-fashioned butcher for meat. By stocking up on basics and picking up meat in bulk a few times a year, we rely less on expensive take-out. However, buying in bulk and freezing is only economical if you don’t throw out food that got buried, forgotten and past its expiration.

To keep track of what I have on hand at any given moment, I bought a small dry-erase board and keep a running inventory of what I have, so I don’t buy more of what I don’t need, or forget about what I have. 

On snow days where we might get a later start, I’ll make a big, hearty breakfast with homemade muffins, eggs, and the occasional treat of bacon.

To clean my cast-iron skillet of the grease, I’ll throw uncooked oats on the bacon grease as the skillet cools. The oats soak up the grease, which I give to the chickens as a treat. Cleanup of the skillet is a snap, without ruining the seasoning of the pan, no grease goes down my drain, and the chickens LOVE their treat. It’s a win-win.

A big pot of homemade cream of turkey soup was a delicious recent comforting meal, made from leftover turkey.

I also always keep frozen and canned veggies on hand. That way, I can throw together a pot pie or a soup from leftover meat cooked for the previous night’s dinner. I also freeze dinner portions of casseroles like lasagna for great comforting dinners on busier nights when I’m too tired to cook. Cook once – enjoy several times!

In the laundry room, we changed our washer filters this week, which I mentioned in last January’s blog post. I also cleaned my iron. It’s amazing how much gunk builds up!

Using an old cloth or towel, you simply run your hot iron over the cleaning paste. Mine was really nasty! After a bit, your plate is as shiny and smooth as new!  What a difference!

I knew a lovely lady who still ironed all of her sheets when she changed her linens! I don’t do that, but I do like to iron my vintage linens, such as decorative vintage dish towels, for example, or my all-cotton clothes. I love that crisp, fresh look. Many people do not iron anything anymore…do you? 

It’s good to look forward and try new things. I’m a true, simple-life loving farmgirl, but I did something not so “farmgirl” last year. Though I really don’t like change, I am open-minded to trying new things. New foods, new exercise classes, new books to read, and new experiences are just some examples of things that make life interesting. Now in my 50’s, I had not been to a big concert since my 20’s (growing up in Houston, I used to go all the time as a teen). Especially since the pandemic, I had no desire to go to a concert – I don’t like crowds, I don’t like being out late, but when my daughter was a teenager, she made me absent-mindedly promise that I’d go with her to a certain band’s concert if they ever came to town. Little did I know that over seven years later, she would hold me to that promise, in November 2023. She bought tickets six months early, as a birthday present to herself. Five bands would play; she promised we would leave if I felt uncomfortable at any time. I like what I like – in my house or car, most of the time I’m listening to 1940s Big Band and Swing music. Honestly, the day of the concert, before we left I was actually scared to go, to the point of tears (the crowds, the being out late…the HEAVY METAL)!  I never thought I’d like it, or end up enjoying one band so much that I’d WISH to go again! So…for Mother’s Day last May, we went to see the band again (a Swedish HEAVY DEATH METAL band – can you imagine me there – what a hoot!) This time, it was “standing room” only, and we ended up right at the stage. It was phenomenal.

Me and my daughter, all “goth” and “glam” for our Avatar concert.

Waiting in line to go into the venue, one young “goth” man opened his umbrella for us to stand under while he got soaked, and while inside waiting for the concert to start, several young ladies standing with us said how much they wished their moms would go with them! We had a wonderful time, (and I actually was not the oldest one there)! It was a perfect evening with my daughter, an experience I will never forget.  

After that, I ended up unexpectedly going to two more concerts in 2024. One of my best friends got tickets for her birthday for us. This time, it was all 80’s bands, such as Thompson Twins and Psychedelic Furs (be still, my Generation X heart)

In Bridgeport, CT for the 80’s concert. “I’ll Stop the World and Melt With You…” Generation X had some great music!

Lastly, for our 32nd anniversary, my daughter treated our family to a weekend in Boston and a Glass Animals (modern pop) concert.

Glammed up” again for Glass Animals in Boston last fall..the family that plays together, stays together!

My point is that getting out of our comfort zones, and thinking “outside the box” keeps life fresh and interesting. I also think it’s important to have something to look forward to. I’m looking forward to going to another concert with my daughter later this spring.

I’m also looking forward to a new, upcoming garden season, and all that comes with a fresh, new year. I hope that 2025 is a great one for us all! I can’t believe I have blogged here for 15 years! It means so much to me that you all are here! Thank you so much, MaryJane, and dear farmgirl readers, newer and past. Wishing you all a great winter, and a very Happy New Year! 

Tell me, what are you up to in the “nesting season” of winter? And what are you looking forward to in 2025? Leave me a comment…I want to hear from you!

  1. Linda Swain says:

    Hi! This was my first time reading your blog. So refreshing, honest, fun and welcoming. I’ll be looking forward to your next one.

    Linda

  2. Janetsue Filberth says:

    Hi Nicole!
    Thank you for those comments about the washing machine. I went right in and took care of that drain filter.!!
    I also want to add that I have read that if a person uses fabric softener liquid or dryer sheets, once per month they should clean their dryer filter, screen with soap and water
    Gently wash it dry and return. I just remind myself to do this on the 15th of each month when I add the chlorine to our aerobic septic system outback.! ( rural life realities!)
    I have read that those products can accumulate on the screen and cause your dryer to have issues. I’m not sure that’s correct but for me it’s worth doing if it can prevent a problem down the line
    Your pictures were of your family. Happy 2025
    Janetsue

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Janetsue, thank you for the good reminder! I don’t usually use fabric softener (only occasionally, when static is so bad in winter I can’t stand it), but washing the screen of the dryer is still a good idea! We have noticed from time to time that the automatic drying sensor sometimes does not work right. Good time to do dryer maintenance, as well. I love the idea of using vinegar in place of fabric softener, but I can’t as I have a front loader and it damaged the gaskets, which had to be replaced.

      Thank you for the great advice! Happy New Year! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  3. Janetsue Filberth says:

    Update that to say, the pictures of your family were wonderful!

  4. Cathi Botta says:

    Hi Nicole, Thank you for a wonderful blog about you and your daughter’s adventures! I hope you wear earplugs…I love to iron as well, cotton clothes and vintage fabrics and towels. Try using dryer balls to keep static at bay. Cathi

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Cathi, oh you are so right! We absolutely wear earplugs. My daughter got us special ones for concerts – I wish I had worn them when I was younger! What kind of dryer balls do you use? I have some but we still get awful static in the deep winter. Thanks for commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  5. Sheila LaPoint says:

    Hi Nicole, I am nesting in by reading, I love to do that when the snow is falling and I am not at my part time job. I don’t feel guilty about taking time out to read this time of year for some reason. In 2025 I am looking forward to learning needle felting the dry kind. I am also retaking an on-line minimalism course. I agree with you learning or doing new things does make life more interesting.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Sheila, I hear you! Winter is a great time to read! My daughter is an avid reader (she can devour 800 pages in an afternoon; I don’t know hwo she does it, lol! We’ve started our own “book club” and have been reading, swapping, and discussing books. I also like to read in the summer outside in the glamper or in the garden. You will love needle felting! I have done several things in needle felting; it’s fun to learn and do. Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  6. Mary, Rural Farmgirl says:

    Nicole, what a great tip on cleaning the cast iron, and the hens would be thrilled – I’ll be doing that this week. I have to say, you sound so much like me…I’m not one for change, truly, a homebody, but this is such a good post to inspire all of us to try something new! I love that you had such terrific “not so farmgirl’ outings – the photos are beautiful! I’m beginning to learn that “farmgirl” can be anything, not just the dirt under my nails, but having the courage to do something a little different. It must have been in the air, because in November my daughter and I saw Taylor Swift…we made bracelets, had a road trip, dressed up, and joined in all the fun (although I’m sure I was a little over the average audience age!) That wasn’t something I’d normally do, but I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. Thanks for sharing…trying something new makes for a great new year’s goal!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Mary! We do sound a lot alike! I love that you, too, enjoy doing things such as concerts with your daughter. I bet the Taylor Swift concert was amazing! How fun. My daughter is my best friend! She is an avid reader, too, and has got me back in to reading, as well. It’s been fun to swap books and discuss them with her. We are different, but have alot in common, and I love spending time with her. A daughter is super special! Farmgirl Hugs to you! ~Nicole

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Charming New England Christmas Traditions

Having four seasons in New England is wonderful. Each season has it’s charm, but Christmastime is extra-special. I REALLY love Christmas. One thing I love about the holidays is having something to look forward to. Activities don’t have to cost a lot; many of the fun things around Connecticut are either low cost, free, or by donation. 

Almost every town or hamlet in Connecticut has a “town green”, and a tree lighting. Our town actually has two.

My daughter and I love going together. We see friends, there are families and people of all ages sharing cheer, and carols are sung. It almost feels like we are “extras” in a special episode of the old “Gilmore Girls” show (also based in Connecticut). 

There are so many wonderful, old churches all over the state. They are all so beautiful. The South Britain Congregational Church hosts a Victorian Tea, open to the public, each holiday. My friend, Linda, and I have been attending each year together for so long, we now know the ladies who work so hard to make it happen by name, and have even gotten to know some of the other attendees!

This year’s desserts were all so fantastic!

It is a wonderful, festive luncheon, with good food, good cheer, and a lovely area of handmade gifts for sale, as well. 

Another wonderful tradition, the Annual Gingerbread Village and Christmas Bazaar at St. George’s Episcopal Church, in Middlebury, Connecticut, is something my family and I won’t miss.

We’ve been attending since my daughter was a baby. This year marked the church’s 56th year for the annual tradition! Each time, I think I must have seen it all, and each year, they wow us again! This year was no exception. I am in awe at the detail (everything, except for the actual lighting, is made from edible material).

Look at the details! These bakers are artists!

My mind is blown by all their beautiful, hard work, as I am great at tedious tasks and details of all sorts, but have never been able to make a gingerbread house look so wonderful as these amazing bakers do.

Cranberries are such a big part of New England, and one of my favorite ingredients in so many foods this time of year. I also love homemade gifts. Homemade gifts are made with LOVE! I may not be able to make a good-looking gingerbread house, but I am a whiz in the kitchen. One of my favorite things to make and give, especially this time of year, is homemade jam. This year, I made “Christmas Jam”, and my family has declared it my best jam ever! After going over many recipes, I really found none I liked. They either had too many ingredients, too much sugar, or included butter (we have a family member with a dairy allergy, unfortunately). My version of “Christmas Jam” uses simple ingredients, similar to my other jam recipes, and only four cups of sugar. What’s also nice about canning jam is you can use the water bath method, and do not have to use a pressure canner. The naturally bright, red color of this jam makes it a stunning holiday gift. It’s delectable on fresh bread, or served as an appetizer atop a cracker and a nice cheese like a sharp cheddar or brie. Here is my gift to you, dear readers, my recipe for “Christmas Jam”. Enjoy!

The fruit will look chunky at this point. The cranberries will soften up as they cook.
Me and my sweetheart – we love decorating for Christmas and picking a fresh tree.This is our 33rd Christmas together.

There are so many wonderful, small, family farms in New England. One of our Christmas traditions in our family involves getting a fresh tree from Jones Family farm in Monroe.

We are the Griswolds, LOL!
What a beautiful tree we got this year!

Another tradition is enjoying a delicious ice cream sundae in the cozy, decorated room at Rich Farm, in Oxford, before they close up late in the month for a bit in winter. 

Another thing I love about New England is how everyone decorates. Stores, streets, and homes – inside and out, are all dressed up in twinkling lights and decorations.

My personal favorite decorations are all old, vintage, or vintage-inspired, and I love to incorporate decor that I already have, making it more “Christmas-y”.

Everything on this table has been gifted to me through the years. Warms my heart!
My “shabby chic” porch for Christmas
My daughter’s childhood skates are now part of Christmas decor.

We have had two “Christmas Snows” blanket us already, which just add to the festive feel of the season here in New England.

Trooper disagrees. “Who ordered this? I did not!”

Someone said to me recently, “No one sends Christmas cards anymore!” I beg to disagree. Yes, the price of stamps has gone up. But sending cards at Christmas should not be looked at as a chore!

This year’s cards so far – the holder is one I bought over 30 years ago.

I love to send cards, and work on mine gradually, while drinking my morning coffee or watching television at night with my family. We’ve already received quite a few, in the mail, and at my doll club meeting, and it is a tradition I love! I cherish handwritten cards I have kept through the years, from special friends and family that are no longer with us. 

This is me at four. My face shows how I felt about Christmas. 

Honestly, it is how I feel about it now, and think I am actually part elf. In all seriousness, though, I think we adults sometimes forget that childlike wonder. Letting ourselves enjoy the magic of the season is what brings the true joy and meaning of the holidays. It’s been a rough year for so many. Personally, this has been an awful year, with the passing of more friends and loved ones than any other before.  My Christmas card list has sadly gotten smaller, and I truly miss those who have departed. I  hold them close in my heart as I embrace the joy of this wonderful season. 

Tail wags and Farmgirl Hugs!

  1. Molly says:

    Such a sweet Post.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours 🎄

  2. Ladybugloveslilacs says:

    Wishing you a yours a happy Christmas, Nicole!
    Christmas is a favorite time for me. I am originally from upstate NY and I am a cold weather gal for sure! I love your tree. So beautiful. What fun you’ve been having . We go caroling every year. I love the feeling of this season. Peace , joy and good will towards others. May we carry that in to all of the next year!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Caroling! That sounds lovely. That’s the one thing missing – we haven’t had carolers at our door for decades. Wish we had some! Have fun! Merry Christmas to you and yours! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  3. Ulla Bagh says:

    Soo nice Nicole🎄❤️

  4. Debbie Fischer says:

    Treasons bring the best Memories through the years that’s for sure Nicole.
    I wish you and your family the happiest holiday season.
    Debbie

  5. Darlene Riboldi says:

    Hi Nicole, I love all the pictures and adventures you share with us. I love Christmas and the cold weather. As I decorate and reminisce of years gone by it brings Peace to my soul.
    Many blessings for a Christmas full of wonderful memories. Happy New Year too! Darlene

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Darlene! Thank you so much! I love the cold weather for Christmas, too, which is funny since I grew up where it was warm. There are photos of me as a kid in shorts next to the tree, and it always bothered me that we didn’t have cold, haha. Decorating does bring memories of years gone by, and special times with loved ones no longer with us. It does bring peace. Merry Christmas to you and yours, and may 2025 be a happy year with lots of new memories made, too! Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  6. Bonnie Ellis says:

    You have a gorgeous family. Minnesota traditions are similar to yours We skate, ski, sled, go caroling, have lots of company, attend church services and help others. Thanks for sharing pictures of your family and New England.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Bonnie! Thank you so much! So good to hear from you. I have never been to Minnisota (yet), but the photos I have seen and people I have met from there have always been so lovely! Sounds like a great place to be at this time of year, too. Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!Enjoy! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  7. Marj says:

    How I loved your post!! This, so far, is shaping up to be a “look for work” season for me, yet enjoying your beautiful post lifts my heart up! Thank you for your gift of sharing the Love and the Light around you in New England!

  8. Kris Ross says:

    Just finished reading your post and wI riting down your Christmas Jam recipe….will try soon….my husband and I moved from So Fla 9 years ago to the Ga mts….I was born in No Jersey but he was born in So Fla. so he always wanted to go to a place with seasons…we always loved anything “country” food, crafts…furn..decorations…scenery…if you have an email you can put me on your list….Love anything country and “homey” and comfortable….Merry Christmas to you and your family

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Kris! Welcome to the Suburban Farmgirl blog! Thank you for reading and commenting, and I hope you will visit again! I will make sure you are put on the alert list, thank you for asking! Also, enjoy the jam! Wait until you make it – it also makes the house smell like Heaven! I agree – it is nice to have four seasons. I have loved ones in your neck of the woods and they do get the four seasons, as well. Have a wonderful Christmas! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  9. Sheila LaPoint says:

    Nicole, I am drinking hot tea and eating German Lebkuchen this morning. I found them at Trader Joes (the only one we have in VT), even though I have been in America since I was a small child I have such happy memories of being at my Oma’s in Germany. Vermont snow and your post reminds me of it at this time of year. I just love it. Thanks for sharing I always look forward to reading your post. Have a Happy Holiday to you and yours.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Sheila, oooooh…I will have to check our Trader Joe’s! We love Lebkuchen! We are also sometimes able to get the Danish Kringle there, too. I am so glad you enjoyed this post. I hope you have a wonderful rest of the holiday. Happy New Year! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

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Thanksgiving – The “Lost” Holiday

Greetings, readers! Do you love holidays? I do. But what kind of a holiday reveler are you? Are you listening to Christmas Carols the day after Halloween, and already ”decking the halls” , or do you still have carved jack-o-lanterns on your porch, growing “scarier” each day with rot? 

I personally really do adore holidays – be it Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, or July 4th. My grandma always said “Holidays make life special”, and they do – a chance to spend special times with friends and family, make different foods, and change the scenery, so to speak, with festive decor. However, currently I am feeling a sort of “Holiday Purgatory” this month – fall decor seems a wee bit “tired” now that Halloween is over, but it’s not quite time to haul out the holly! What ever happened to decorating for Thanksgiving?

One of my favorite things about New England is that everyone decorates for the different seasons. As soon as there is a fall nip in the air, there are pumpkins and corn stalks decorating every porch and corner. 

I also LOVE Christmas, with its lights and warmth and cheer, and the fact that I can completely cover everything with glitter and nobody bats an eyelash. 

A restaurant in Southington, Connecticut is KNOWN for its over-the-top decor each season… this is just the ceiling in one of the rooms. I LOVE IT!!!!

But when do you start decorating for “the holidays”, such as Christmas? 

To me, Christmas is the start of winter, and Thanksgiving is still, technically, autumn and harvest time.

When it comes to decorating for any holiday, my favorite finds are vintage and thrift-shop finds from yesteryear. Once the ghosties and witches are packed away after Halloween, I pull out Thanksgiving-themed pieces, such as my vintage Gurley candles. Only a few inches tall, some were found thrifting, and some were a gift from a friend and fellow vintage-enthusiast.

Only a few inches tall and made of wax, I am always amazed at the detail of Gurley candles. I wonder how many people before me chose not to burn them over the decades?

Made from the 50’s through the 70’s, the figurine-shaped candles were once sold at five-and-dime stores. My small collection of Thanksgiving candles feature turkeys and pilgrims. 

In the mid-nineties, my mom sent me a red glass, covered turkey candy dish from Williams and Sonoma. It graces the dining room at the start of fall, and with its deep ruby color, stays out on display through to New Year’s.

The turkey candy dish often holds cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving. The little red candleholders match it, and stay out until New Year’s. Hallmark made lots of little Thanksgiving themed figures in the 70’s, like my little rag doll, and the platter was an inexpensive flea market find years ago.
A few years ago, our grocery store offered reprints of Beistle and other vintage-type crepe paper ornaments, harkening to holidays past.
Thanksgiving themed Hoosier!

In the kitchen, the hoosier has a tray decorated in leaves, and a ceramic turkey that someone probably painted in a 1970’s ceramic class (I made one just like it as a child). Both were inexpensive Goodwill finds, relics of the “forgotten holiday”, that hardly anyone decorates for anymore. 

Also in the kitchen, displayed are old spice tins from the 30’s, 40’s and 70’s. I love them, though it does freak me out a bit that they are still full of spices.
Do you know what these are? They are old steamed pudding molds – I like that they look like acorns.

Here and there are vintage early-1900’s Thanksgiving postcards, from a time when mailing cards and letters was the way to let friends know you were thinking of them.  

I love displaying old postcards in vintage flower frogs.
Another Goodwill find is this glass “cornucopia”. I wonder, do kids today even know what that is?
Vintage turkey salt and pepper shakers grace the kitchen and dining room tables.
My turkey baster broke last year. I picked this one up at our grocery store for around $5.00 – how cute is that?!
It’s also hard to think “Christmas in New England” when it has been so hot – often feeling like June, with hot and dry weather, the threat of wildfires very real here lately.

I also think I am not “feeling” the Christmas decorating bug because this fall has been so warm. We’ve been melting on walks with 80+ degree heat, something unheard of for this time of year in New England. Nothing felt weirder than when I went to Hobby Lobby with a friend, the store all glittery and covered in “Christmas” like a giant, red-and-green-frosted sugar cookie, Christmas carols blasting over the speakers, and my friend and I dressed in shorts and sandals, the day after Halloween.

It’s a tradition on Thanksgiving Thursday to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on television, something I have done with family since I was a child.

This snowglobe from Macy’s was given to me a decade ago, and comes out the day after Halloween.

The “official” start to the Christmas holidays for me has always been when the parade is about to end, and Santa Claus makes his appearance. That moment has me imagining reindeer, behind gates like racehorses, chomping at the bit for Christmas to start. That’s when it feels really exciting to decorate for the holidays! Full speed ahead!

I think Thanksgiving is even more lost, an invisible holiday in modern times, because of hectic work schedules, fast-paced modern life, and Black Friday. Honestly, to me there is no deal so special that I would go out shopping in the crowds and craziness on Black Friday, preferring instead to stay home and eat leftovers, and decorate the house fully for Christmas. If the Black Friday shopping rush is your thing, I say go for it! But for stores that open ON Thanksgiving Day, instead of waiting until our bellies are full and letting employees spend time with their families, I say shame on them! Stop pushing our festivities into one big blur.

Because Thanksgiving also falls so late on the calendar this year, many people are decorating for the holidays earlier than usual. I’ve seen full-blown lights and trees already twinkling away. I think this year, I will start to bring out Christmas gradually – bottle brush trees first, small pieces here and there. I just don’t feel like rushing things. 

So, since I am not quite ready yet for reindeer and Santa, I will keep enjoying my pumpkins and turkeys for just a wee bit longer. 

From my family to yours, wishing you a peaceful and Happy Thanksgiving!

Tell me, do you decorate for Thanksgiving, or go straight to the holidays? When do you put out your decorations? What are your family traditions? Share with me in the comments, or just let me know you stopped by!

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  1. Ladybugloveslilacs says:

    I enjoy giving each holiday its own time. We always had a tradition of putting up our tree on my son’s birthday in December. We put the tree up undecorated the year he was born and the family waited until we were home before decorating. So we have always done this every year since. We still hold the tradition even though the children are all grown and on their own with families.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi! Awww…I love that! What a beautiful tradition! I love what you said, “I enjoy giving each holiday its own time”. So true! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thank you for reading, and commenting. I always love hearing about your traditions. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  2. Debbie Fischer says:

    I too decorate for each holiday Nicole, I love them all! I feel like your Grandma did they are each special in their own way.
    May you and your family have a blessed and thankful Thanksgiving.

  3. Ginger Louden says:

    I believe each holiday deserves its time. I Love Christmas but would never think of decorating until December. I’ll keep Christmas things up into January before I would decorate in November. Thanksgiving is a beautiful time of year in which I wish people could slow down and be thankful instead of seeing it as a shopping day and the start of chaos.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Ginger! I totally agree! We still get a fresh tree, after Thanksgiving. We then decorate outside, and I give the orange pumpkins leftover from fall to the chickens and to the wild deer that cross our yard. I use the few white pumpkins I get each year with holiday greens. Christmas stays up past New Year’s, usually getting put away before the second week of January. I agree with you – no chaos on Thanksgiving! Thanks for reading and commenting! Happy Thanksgiving, Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  4. Terry Steinmetz says:

    I decorate for each holiday separately. The day after Halloween, my turkey decorations are put out. My fall banner over my fireplace stays up until I bring up my angel fireplace decoration for Christmas.. I absolutely LOVE fall, so I love ti keep up Thanksgiving decorations until the 5th of December. Part of my decorations are the homemade turkeys from my grown kids and grandkids. Such a joy and lots of memories! I love to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, while I’m getting ready to make the dressing for supper. Turkey dinner is always at at different time of the day, depending on my hunters.Then clean-up and football…later I start the turkey soup process, that’s yummy! Then I rest, enjoy whoever is at our home the rest of the evening. I want to savor this day. A couple of days go by. Then I clean up
    the house and start to slowly decorate. Our tree usually goes up around the 10th of December, so we can enjoy the twinkling of lights. I don’t like to rush decorating. Reading and preparing cards and baking and wrapping gifts come into play along this journey each year. That’s the short of it all!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Terry, I love that you have homemade decorations from your grown kids and grandkids. That just warms the heart. Your Thanksgiving Day sounds lovely, and what a great idea to start the turkey soup that day! I might try doing that this year, as well! I love that you take your time and savor each holiday. That is the way it should be. Enjoy, and thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  5. Marlene Cosner says:

    I love to decorate for ALL the Holidays! I got all the traditions from my Mom. I like to decorate for Thanksgiving after Halloween, and the weekend after Thanksgiving, I start swapping out the Fall for Christmas decorations….Happy Holidays to ALL!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Marlene, I am with you – I love to decorate for all the holidays, too! Hope you are having a wonderful season! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  6. Mary says:

    Nicole, the sweet vintage and retro decorations are perfect…and oh, the old Hoosier, that’s just the best! I agree…Thanksgiving does feel a bit lost when there’s a rush to get to Christmas in all of the stores surrounding us. I’m all for slowing the frenzy down just a bit and enjoying a good, old-fashioned Thanksgiving. We’ll be watching the parade and then the dog show…jammies optional! Oh and I’m with you…no Black Friday shopping for me. Enjoy all the fun!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Mary, I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving – it sounds wonderful and just we did, too! I love the dog show so much, and my pups were hilarious “watching” it with us! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

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Have A New England Fall

Here in New England, it’s the most wonderful season of all – Fall! While I love all the four seasons and the charm of each, fall is the best reason of all to live in a New England state! No matter where you live, there are some great things to help you have a true-blue, wonderful New England Autumn!

There is so much beauty in Autumn, and none so beautiful as in New England. Connecticut as a whole really does “fall” like nowhere else – plenty of natural beauty abounds. Fall 2024 has been one of the most beautiful seasons that I can remember!

We’ve had cool evenings and crisp mornings, perfect for a cozy sweatshirt or snuggly sweater. Afternoons, when the sun shines, are perfect for walking – no jacket needed.

Warm breezes catch the trees as changing leaves fall. 

While New England sunsets and skies are always pretty amazing, this year did not disappoint. We were recently treated to a light show in the sky, as conditions were recently perfect for viewing the Northern lights!

I have always wanted to see them, and always seem to miss them, on the few occasions they have been visible. I even missed them when I traveled to Scandinavia. When we could see them the other evening, I was so excited I was like a little kid! Such beauty!

There are other things I love about fall, too. The warm, comforting foods, more downtime with a break from heavy gardening, a change in wardrobe – both in coziness and rich fall colors, and the cozy decor of this time of year, indoors and out. 

No matter where you are, there are certain things that help make a New England fall! Here are a few of my favorites!

As the temperatures change, so do our gardens, as annuals and perennials fade into winter. Fall outdoor decor would not be the same without annual mums, cabbages, and other beautiful plantings, all in deep and fiery colors, along with pumpkins, of course! 

Fresh pumpkins are a New England decorating staple! Since our fall temperatures can range from warm to cool, I always make sure to use pumpkins that have no blemishes, which can cause rotting. Nothing goes to waste! For the large carving pumpkins, once we carve them into Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween night, we roast the seeds for snacking. The rest of the pumpkin shell later goes to the chickens, as do the other pumpkins once the holidays arrive and decor is changed for the winter. Many local farms take leftover and cut pumpkins to feed their animals, such as llamas, goats and other farm animals. As long as pumpkins have no blemishes, they should last through Halloween, without using a bleach wash – a practice that makes pumpkins inedible for any animals that might feed on them after the season has passed. 

Inside, I love my pumpkins, as well! I put out pumpkin decor at the beginning of September and leave it through Thanksgiving, when it is then time to decorate for Christmas! 

New Englanders love their soups and stews! I love to cook (as most farmgirls do), and my choice of cookware has always been cast iron and enameled cast iron. If taken care of properly, both last forever! I have always wanted one of the lidded pumpkin-shaped enameled cast iron saucepans or dutch ovens, but they’re always out of my price range. For my anniversary this year, my dear husband surprised me this year with this beautiful enameled cast iron sauce pan he found on Amazon . Large enough for a side dish or soup for two, it’s so beautiful, and looks festive on my stove even when not in use. Heavy cast iron, with glossy paint in several colors to choose from, at a price point of $49 to $69 (and free Prime shipping), it’s a steal!

If you have never been to an At Home store, your mind will be blown when you do go. Think of it as a big warehouse store for all things home-related. My friend, Susan, and I go once or twice a year- it’s fun just to walk around and see what’s new in garden, kitchen, and holiday items. While most of my “holiday” tableware is more than thirty years old, I can’t wait to spice up my table for Thanksgiving, with this gorgeous set of cloth napkins!

Halloween in Connecticut  is just like it’s portrayed in Hallmark movies, or my favorite Halloween movie, Hocus Pocus. Binx, the black cat, is my favorite character. (Of course, I love all cats, especially my two sweet rescues)!

I also love nail polish – especially this time of year when I crave darker, sparkly and rich shades. So, what do nail polish and rescue cats have in common? Mooncat

My daughter found Mooncat nail polish online, and we are totally hooked! Vegan, woman-owned, and totally cruelty-free, the company also aids rescue cats! I love a company that gives back! 

Described as “wearable art”, the nail polish colors are amazing and different! I love “Dark Horse” for fall, a sparkly, rich and coppery chocolate shade. The website has all sorts of shades, and different formulations including thermal and magnetic! I love that I can get quick, gorgeously-colored nails at home. Even one coat covers beautifully, if you are short on time, and the quick drying time is unlike anything we’ve ever used. Even my dark polish dries lightning-fast and shiny! I also love that their website shows each color on different length nails from short to long, on different skin tones, in different lighting, with glamorous colors from light to dark…all beautiful!

While we are talking about our nails, my hands and nails get very dry once the less humid fall weather arrives, but this year I am not having that issue, thanks to my new favorite hand cream! Help keep your hands soft in cooler weather with “Hello Kitty”! Yes, that “Hello Kitty”! My daughter also introduced me to skincare products from The Creme Shop brand. Made in Korea, the products are great for young to mature skin (I’m 52, and so far have loved everything I’ve tried, from the masks to their creams), but our favorite is their tubes of hand cream, especially the limited-edition tubes for the fall season, with delicious fall-themed scents.

My daughter and I picked up several of the limited-edition tubes. They make great little gifts for friends, as well!

Cruelty-free, paraben-free, made with shea butter, the hand cream is wonderful without being greasy. I leave a tube on the sink vanity, and the tubes are also a good size for carrying in your purse or car, and make great little “I-thought-about-you-gifts”. Featuring characters such as Hello Kitty on the front of the tube, they make my Generation X heart so happy! 

We first found the hand cream on a visit to the largest Anime store in the United States, Arisu Anime, located in the wonderful collection of unique shops, Olde Mystic Village, in Mystic, Connecticut, (a must-visit, New England destination)! If you’re not in Connecticut, you can also find the hand cream at Ulta stores or online at thecremeshop.com.

New Englanders love their outdoors! There’s nothing better than sitting around a firepit or campfire on a crisp fall day, roasting marshmallows, or for our family,  making ”snorbrod”, hot dogs roasted over a fire with bread dough, a Danish tradition. I got tired of spending money on disposable, flimsy roasting sticks!

We love Zulay kitchen’s marshmallow roasting sticks! Color-coded on the ends, the telescoping sticks have a double-forked end, and are strong enough to roast more than just marshmallows, as we have loved using them for our snorbrod.

Once outdoor-cooking is over, they store neatly in their own drawstring pouch. Zulay kitchen products are found on Amazon, or at the Zulay Kitchen website. 

Once fall comes, there are also wonderful outdoor festivals all over New England. We recently went to the Connecticut Garlic Festival, in Bethlehem, Connecticut.

We saw the “Garlic King”, ate delectable garlic-steak-tips-and-mashed-potato sundaes, and walked through booths with all sorts of fun, small businesses from the area. For dessert, we tried garlic ice cream (surprisingly tasty)!

Our most favorite fall festival is the Connecticut Renaissance Festival! Held in the fall through October (it ends October 20th this year), it is a classic, fun Renaissance Fair! I love the turkey dinner sundaes and roasted turkey legs, the fun of seeing everyone dressed up and “larping”, and the wonderful vendors with unique items. It’s a great family day! 

This year, my favorite vendor was Auntie Arwen’s Spices and Teas, another woman-owned, small business located in Jewett City, (Griswold) Connecticut. There were so many spices and teas in the booth, it was so exciting! 

There is nothing better than a good cup of tea on a crisp fall morning! Auntie Arwen’s vanilla tea is hands-down the best tea we’ve ever tasted! I also love the lavender tea, (so fragrant and delicious). We also picked up her “Asthma and Bronchitis Relief Tisane”, since colds tend to start showing up this time of year. 

With both cool and warm days, I love a good spice blend or rub to put on meat or veggies, for either in the oven or on the grill. I couldn’t pass up Auntie Arwen’s “Translvanian Lovebite”, a spice blend with a savory, bbq flavor. I love it, (and the cute little vampire on the front of the jar)! It’s absolutely delicious sprinkled on chicken for a quick meal! What I also love is their commitment to the environment! Refills are available for their spice jars, for example. 

Auntie Arwen’s Spices and Teas website is so much fun to browse! With all sorts of spices from around the world, sugars, books, fabric dyes and more, it’s a magical website, with something for everyone! As a special gift, Auntie Arwen has made 50 online coupons available for this month’s blog readers! Use the Coupon code “Farmgirl” when you check out, and receive 10% off your order! Thank you, Auntie Arwen!

The leaves are turning colors and falling, the light is changing and fall is off to a great start. As a whole, the keys to a true New England Autumn are deep, rich colors, coziness, warm and comforting food and drink, and fun, festive celebrations – centered around friends and family! Have a Happy Halloween, dear readers, and here’s wishing you all a Fabulous Fall! Remember to leave me a comment so I know that you have stopped by!

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  1. Karen says:

    I was born and raised in New York City, but in my heart I’ve always been a New Englander.
    When I graduated high school, I left and never looked back. I went to college in Boston, got married and had my first child then moved to New Hampshire. Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. Every morning before everyone else wakes, I go to the kitchen, dining and living rooms and my office/craft room and just look out the windows and marvel at the sight. I just makes me smile(that and a fresh cup of coffee). Whenever I go out on chores, instead of lamenting having to go to the grocery store or the doctor etc. I just focus on the view. People travel from all over the country and the world to see what I see every day. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Have a Happy Fall!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Dear Karen, I SO agree with you! I like to take my time and enjoy the ride to wherever I need to be. I grew up in a big city, too, and I would not trade our seasons here for anything! We are so blessed to see such wonderful nature. Even winter has its charm. I love the New Hampshire area – I have been there a few times, as well. Thank you for reading and commenting. I love this comment. It hits home! Happy Fall! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  2. Mary Murray says:

    My absolute favorite time of year, too…and it must be spectacular in New England; it’s on my bucket list to have a “leaf peeping” trip that way in the future! Thanks for sharing all the best parts of fall…and the festival looks so fun! I couldn’t agree more, the colors, the magic of the golden light…it’s the best time! Enjoy it all, Mary

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Mary, I think everyone should see a New England fall at least once. It is the best – warm sunny days, cool and crisp breezes, no humidity – and the colors! So amazing. All four seasons have their charm, but New England does fall best. Thanks for reading and commenting! Happy Halloween, too. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  3. Dori Troutman says:

    Hey Nicole!!!

    My dream is to visit New England in the fall…. one of these years maybe!!

    I have those same marshmallow roasters. The telescoping mechanism is brilliant! They work for hotdogs too!

    Big hugs to you…

    Dori

    P.S. I need to find the Hello Kitty hand creme and try it!

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Dori! Aren’t those roasters the BEST? They save money, too, as we don’t buy the disposible wood ones over and over. Let me know if you head to New England sometime. I would love to show you around – there is so much charm here. Have a great Fall! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  4. Marlene Cosner says:

    I love Fall…thanks for the pics and some ways to “spice” it up!

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The Last of the Tomatoes

I’ve always loved summer, and feel a bit sorry to see it go, no matter how awesome Autumn is in New England. Trips to the beach, summer concerts, fun day trips, and gardening are some of the activities I’ll miss once the fall season arrives. The summer is winding down, and so are the season’s tomato plants! Not a tomato goes to waste in my house, as I make some great recipes, as well as preserve my bounty! Tie on your favorite apron and let’s get picking!

Have you ever noticed that tomatoes in the grocery store never taste as juicy and delicious as fresh ones picked right from your garden or a farmers’ market? That’s because even if the tomatoes in the grocery store are organic, they are “forced ripened” with ethylene gas, as opposed to ripening on their own. Nothing is better than a fresh tomato right from a plant, warm from the sun!

It’s not always that easy to grow tomatoes in Connecticut. Our summers here lately have tended to be very wet, hot and humid. Just this past month, my area had a Sunday where 14 inches of rain fell! Called a “1000 year storm”, that kind of rain, of course, isn’t typical, but our planting zone does get plagued every year with a variety of fungal diseases, many of which thrive in damp weather. Tomatoes tend to be the garden plant susceptible to the most diseases (some of which overwinter), which is why you never want to put tomatoes or spent tomato plants in your compost pile, to keep from infecting next year’s crop. 

Still, despite the rain, I had a bumper crop this year, and there’s a few more to harvest. When summer tomato plants start to fade, you can extend their growing time by lopping the tops off the plants in September to increase the energy into the fruit. 

It’s also best to pick tomatoes this time of year before they have ripened completely. This helps prevent the tomatoes from splitting on the vine from late sun followed by cool rain this time of year.  They will ripen and turn red from the inside out in the kitchen. 

Because of my planting zone, I planted my tomatoes indoors from seed this past winter, planting different varieties, including heirloom types. My favorites this year were Burbank Slicing and Cherokee Purple.

I planted roma tomatoes, as well. Roma are the best for canning, as they have less juice, but any variety can be used for canning. 

Despite the wet and humid summer we’ve had, I have had a bumper crop! We’ve been eating fresh tomatoes in salads and on sandwiches for weeks now! They are so scrumptious! I also have been preserving my lot of tomatoes, canning several batches so far. 

In the past, home-canned tomatoes may have been processed using the water-bath method, but modern wisdom (and the USDA) have found that it isn’t the safest thing to do, as tomatoes are a low-acid food, and should be only canned in a pressure canner.

Green tomatoes are higher in acid than red; as the tomato ripens, the fruit is not as acidic. Using a pressure canner is a must – it’s quicker and safer. I love my American Standard Canner. Despite looking (and weighing) like a small space capsule, it is acutally so simple and easy to use, and meant to last a lifetime.

To can tomatoes, wash your fruit (don’t use anything that is overly ripe or from a diseased or frost-killed plant), cut the tops, core the tomato, and score the bottoms. 

Next, drop the tomatoes in boiling water on your stove for about a minute to blanch.

Place the boiled tomatoes in a bath of ice water for about 30 seconds, and voila! The skins just come right off. So easy!

I cut my tomatoes in chunks, then I bring them all to a rolling boil, stirring often, for five minutes, before ladling into hot, prepared canning jars.

Add 2 TBSP of bottled lemon juice in each jar before adding the tomatoes (use bottled, as then the acid will be the right strength; fresh lemons vary in acid content depending on age, size and variety). You can also use a ½ tsp of citric acid in place of the bottled lemon juice. I also add 2 tsp of salt to each jar. Keep in mind this is for flavor, not for acid content.  

Remember to leave one inch of headspace before wiping each jar top with vinegar, placing the lid, and processing in your canner. 

Home-canned tomatoes have a flavor and color not found in store bought, and there is no BPA!

For the rest of the tomatoes we’ve had this season, in addition to eating them on salads and sandwiches, I have been making homemade pico de gallo. Commercially-made salsas from the store always taste like watery ketchup to me! Once you see how easy and quick it is to make, you’ll never want to buy conventional store-bought again!

Best-ever Suburban Farmgirl Pico De Gallo

For every two cups of chopped tomatoes, add one half, large, finely-chopped red onion, 1 small bunch of cilantro, snipped (about ¼ cup), 2 TBSP of lime juice, ¼ tsp of garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. 

This summer, I have a lot of hot peppers still growing, so I like to add one small, chopped hot pepper for a bit of kick, but you can omit this completely if you don’t like any heat. 

For Labor Day, our family attended our town’s Labor Day parade, then enjoyed roasted Danish hot dogs in bread dough over the fire pit, with chips and homemade Pico De Gallo.

Homemade pico de gallo only takes minutes to make, and is addictive! It will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a day or so (if you can stop eating it)!

Soon, when the last of the tomato plants are finally done, I will put the garden “to bed”, waiting for mid-winter, when I can start my seeds indoors again! 

Let’s talk tomatoes! What are your favorite varieties? What recipes do you like to use fresh tomatoes in? Share with me in comments below, or just say “hello”!

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  1. Donna Kozak says:

    Just finished making Tomato Jam – it is also addictive ! YUM…nothing like tomatoes picked from your garden.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Donna, oh tomato jam! I have to remember to do that, sometime. I had a recipe years ago, but never got around to trying it. Thanks for the reminder! How delicious! I also love to make fried green tomatoes. I usually do that once a season, too. Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  2. Karen says:

    I love tomatoes. I don’t have much of a green thumb, but up here in New Hampshire I’m surrounded by farms. Canning makes me nervous so I just use the freezer. I love sliced tomatoes with a little salt and pepper or some italian dressing. I also like to make caprese salads. A bowl of grape tomatoes doesn’t last long in my kitchen, everyone who walks by grabs a handful to snack on. One day I ended up with a lot of tomatoes( a Stor-all box worth). So I made a modified version of a recipe I saw on Food Network(The Kitchen). I just quartered the tomatoes and a couple of onions, added a handful of garlic cloves and a bell pepper. Drizzled with olive oil some salt,pepper and a few tbs of italian seasoning. Roasted it at 425 till the tomatoes started to char a little(at least a half hour) then threw it all in the blender. It came out great. I use it as a base for meat sauces or anything I would use a jar of tomato sauce for.

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Karen, aren’t all the New England farms wonderful? We are lucky to have so many farms with farmstands and farmers markets. Your recipes sound delicious! Thanks so much for reading, and sharing! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

  3. Mary Murray says:

    We’re thinking alike, Nicole…trying to save those wonderful tomatoes! And you’re exactly right, there’s nothing like the flavor of homegrown-I always have a hard time buying them in the store once summer is over; it’s just not the same. 14 inches of rain, wow, that’s incredible! I can’t imagine having that much in one day and all the problems it must have caused. You can be so proud of all the hard work that went into those beautiful canned tomatoes, this winter they will be so delicious! Mary

    • Nicole Christensen says:

      Hi Mary, thank you! I have a few green ones left that will be made into a platter of fried green tomatoes! The 14 inches of rain in one afternoon was awful. We are okay and all is cleaned up, and it could have been so much worse for us. I never want to go through that again! I just feel like now I am getting caught up – like I am a week or so “behind”. I have to finish cleaning out the garden before winter and soon will be planting my garlic for next year! I had to buy my first store-bought tomatoes. They were not as good, so I am dreaming of next year’s bounty already! Happy Fall, and thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole

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