In prepping for this post, I looked up the etymology of the word “Solstice.” It breaks down to two Latin root words–sol: “sun” and “stice” or –stit: stationary, stopped. This is an apt description of solstice, especially in Alaska. The sun is stuck in the sky!
Soaring high under the midnight sun (well…8:30 p.m. sun!)
is a certified farmgirl at heart. She’s happily married to her beach bum Yankee husband of 20 years. She went from career gal to being a creative homeschooling mom for two of her biggest blessings and hasn’t looked back since. Debbie left her lifelong home in the high desert of Northern Nevada 10 years ago and washed up on the shore of America’s hometown, Plymouth, MA, where she and her family are now firmly planted. They spend part of each summer in a tiny, off–grid beach cottage named “The Sea Horse.”
“I found a piece of my farmgirl heart when I discovered MaryJanesFarm. Suddenly, everything I loved just made more sense! I enjoy unwinding at the beach, writing, gardening, and turning yard-sale furniture into ‘Painted Ladies’ I’m passionate about living a creative life and encouraging others to ‘make each day their masterpiece.’”
is a “MaryJane Farmgirl” who lives in a large metropolitan area. She is a lawyer who has worked in both criminal defense and prosecution. She has been a judge, a business woman and a stay-at-home mom. In addition to her law degree, she has a Masters of Theological Studies.
“Mustering up the courage to do the things you dream about,” she says, “is the essence of being a MaryJane Farmgirl.” Learning to live more organically and closer to nature is Rebekah’s current pursuit. She finds strength and encouragement through MaryJane’s writings, life, and products. And MaryJane’s Farmgirl Connection provides her a wealth of knowledge from true-blue farmgirls.
an old-fashioned farmgirl with a pioneer spirit, lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. As a “lifelong learner” in the “Live-Free-or-Die” state, she fiercely values self-reliance, independence, freedom, and fresh mountain air. Married to her childhood sweetheart of 40+ years (a few of them “uphill climbs”), she’s had plenty of time to reinvent herself. From museum curator, restaurant owner, homeschool mom/conference speaker, to post-and-beam house builder and entrepreneur, she’s also a multi-media artist, with an obsession for off-grid living and alternative housing. Cathi owns and operates a 32-room mountain lodge. Her specialty has evolved to include “hermit hospitality” at her rustic cabin in the mountains, where she offers weekend workshops of special interest to women.
“Mountains speak to my soul, and farming is an important part of my heritage. I want to pass on my love of these things to others through my writing. Living in the mountains has its own particular challenges, but I delight in turning them into opportunities from which we can all learn and grow.”
Dori Troutman is the daughter of second generation cattle ranchers in New Mexico. She grew up working and playing on the ranch that her grandparents homesteaded in 1928. That ranch, with the old adobe home, is still in the family today. Dori and her husband always yearned for a ranch of their own. That dream came true when they retired to the beautiful green rolling hills of Tennessee. Truly a cattleman’s paradise!
Dori loves all things farmgirl and actually has known no other life but that. She loves to cook, craft, garden, and help with any and all things on their cattle farm.
describes herself as a goat charmer, chicken whisperer, bee maven, and farmers’ market baker renovating an 1864 farmhouse on an Ohio farm. With a degree in Design, Mary says small-town auctions and country road barn sales "always make my heart skip a beat thinking about what I could create or design out of what I’ve seen.”
Rooted in the countryside, she likes simple things and old ways … gardening, preserving the harvest, cooking, baking, and all things home. While you might find her selling baked goods from the farm’s milkhouse, teaching herself to play the fiddle, or sprucing up a vintage camper named Maizy, you will always find her in an apron!
Mary says, “I’m happiest with the simple country pleasures … an old farmhouse, too many animals, a crackling fire, books to read, and the sound of laughter … these make life just perfect.”
is a budding rural farmgirl living in Palmer, the agricultural seat of Alaska. Alex is a graduate student at Alaska Pacific University pursuing an M.S. in Outdoor and Environmental Education. She lives and works on the university’s 700 acre environmental education center, Spring Creek Farm. When Alex has time outside of school, she loves to rock climb, repurpose found objects, cross-country ski on the hay fields, travel, practice yoga, and cook with new-fangled ingredients.
Alex grew up near the Twin Cities and went to college in Madison, Wisconsin—both places where perfectly painted barns and rolling green farmland are just a short drive away. After college, she taught at a rural middle school in South Korea where she biked past verdant rice paddies and old women selling home-grown produce from sidewalk stoops. She was introduced to MaryJanesFarm after returning, and found in it what she’d been searching for—a group of incredible women living their lives in ways that benefit their families, their communities, and the greater environment. What an amazing group of farmgirls to be a part of!
Suburban Farmgirl Nicole Christensen calls herself a “vintage enthusiast”. Born and raised in Texas, she has lived most of her life in the picturesque New England suburbs of Connecticut, just a stone’s throw from New York State. An Advanced Master Gardener, she has gardened since childhood, in several states and across numerous planting zones. In addition, she teaches knitting classes, loves to preserve, and raises backyard chickens.
Married over thirty years to her Danish-born sweetheart, Nicole has worked in various fields, been a world-traveler, an entrepreneur and a homemaker, but considers being mom to her now-adult daughter her greatest accomplishment. Loving all things creative, Nicole considers her life’s motto to be “Bloom where you are planted”.
The biggest problem of needing recharging is feeling guilty about canceling plans. But sometimes, that’s what you need to do. Give it the 2-2-2 rule. Will this matter in two hours, two days, two weeks? Or for bigger things, will this matter in two weeks, two months, two years? Give things the priority and weight they require, and you will be happier.
Thanks for the tip, Susabelle! I’ll have to keep that in my back pocket during these busy years of motherhood. I hope you are great!
I know just what you mean! The weeks leading up to Midsummer seem to build in their intensity and, by the time the Wheel turns to Midsummer, I’m just an emotional mess. But, as soon as it passes and we start turning towards the harvest, I feel like I can breathe again. That’s when summer feels joyous!
Yes, Jennifer! I totally agree. Bring on the growth and dog days of summer!
Thank You for this interesting update. The girls are beautiful. Sorry about your dog.
Marilyn
Thanks, Marilyn!
God bless you all! Great post!
Thank you, Joan!
As someone who feels as you do, about down time at home, I am happy you found your balance. And being with your sweet family, I’m sure, is a great curative. Keep taking care of yourself first, so you can care for others !!
Thanks, Laura. I am happy I can find it, too! And yes, we have some truly precious, curative moments together. There is a lot of wisdom packed into those little people.
I loved this post Alex. And wow can I relate. I recently read an article about what it means to be an “Introverted Extrovert” and it described me to a Tee! 🙂
Your girls are so darling and growing up so fast. That little Fern though… what a darling baby. I know I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again; I love your girls names. So sweet.
Happy Farming!
Dori, Ranch Farmgirl
Thank you, Dori!
They are pretty darling, aren’t they? It’s pretty cool to see them learn and grow every day.
Happy farming and beautifying to you, too!
Balance in our lives when raising small children is the key to inner peace that allows us to succeed in one of the most purposeful contributions to our world. Raising our children mindfully with imprinting a deep connection with the natural world grows them with a deep appreciation for what supports their aliveness. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Missy! I whole heartedly agree, and I’m doing my best 🙂
First so sorry for your losing a loved pet. Muskeg was a beauty. We also buried a loved pet that belonged to my sister-in-law this last week. She had gotten run over by a speeding vehicle, and we buried her in our yard as we own this land and my sister-in-law rented.
Secondly, your children are adorable. I also loved all those flowers Ava is in the middle of. I also am an introvert and I understand how we need our alone time to re-energize. I don’t know about living with a solstice; months of daylight and/or months of darkness. It would take some getting used to. I enjoyed this post and all those pictures you posted. I hope the rest of the summer is a wonderful time for you and your family.
Thank you, Sandi! Luckily the solstice times seem to pass pretty quickly and then we’re back to a balance of night and day (but that seems to pass quickly, too!). Hope you are great!
I have given myself permission “to not”. It is ok to not_________.(fill in the blank!). When some one is really pressuring me to do something that infringes on my time, I tell them “I will pray on that and get back to you”. It stops the hard sell in its tracks! If you don’t take care of yourself, you aren’t any good to anyone else and family always comes first. Enjoy your family.
Many Blessings.
Maureen
Thanks, Maureen! That is a good and wise tactic–providing time to decide. I recently heard this gem, “Saying yes to one thing means saying no to something else.” It’s so true! Also truth–family comes first. Thank you!
Hi Alex!
Such a wonderful post! I can relate to your feeling like you want to hide out and just enjoy quiet moments of solitude with your family. It’s hard to find that balance sometimes. When we were homeschooling we could have been out doing something every single day. There were always great offerings within our community for learning with groups, classes and play dates. We participated in a lot of different events etc… But our favorite times together were cuddled up in our pj’s listening to books on tape ( back in the day that was a thing ). We’re all still like that but now we listen to podcasts or binge watch something on Netflix… LOL
I could just feel time standing still for you on your weekend at home. I’m so sorry for the loss of your farm dog. It’s never easy to lose a furry family member. Farmgirl Hugs!
Deb
Thank you, Deb! I am pretty involved with the homeschool community here and those are some of the busiest kids I know! People who doubt that homeschooling allows for proper socialization are very mistaken :). The girls and I like to listen to kid focused podcasts and stories, too! It’s such a nice way to wind down together.
Muskeg was an old man for his size–twelve years! He had a wonderful life on the farm and in the mountains but he will be missed. Thanks for the checkin!