Since my last post about cravings, several have been satiated! Evan and I went out for some delicious Korean food, I skyped with my nieces, got our very first electrical outlet in the yurt, and…it SNOWED! Hooray! Winter is here, and the yurt is treating us well so far. I’d like to think it’s because we are treating the yurt well…It’s a symbiotic, mutually beneficial type of thing. We are good to it, so it is good to us.
crav-ing (noun): a powerful desire for something; an intense, urgent, or abnormal desire or longing;
Once in awhile, we all want something so badly it is hard to get off of our minds. Sometimes, these come out of nowhere; other times they are fueled by seeing or smelling something that we just can’t forget. Sometimes, it feels like we need these items or we won’t be able to go on. Obviously, these cravings are generally not a part of our hierarchy of needs and we would survive just fine. However, our sanity might take a hit.
One of the most common questions I get asked as a pregnant woman is “do you have any crazy cravings?” Generally, the answer to that is, “Not really…” I crave ice cream and chocolate sometimes, but I think I always crave ice cream and chocolate. Sometimes I crave green things like kale and Brussels sprouts, but I sometimes crave green things when I’m not pregnant. So, while I don’t have any “crazy” food cravings, I am way more apt to give into my food cravings than I was before. I’m generally just a lot more insatiably hungry!
However, I’ve also been taking note of some of life’s cravings that are not food centered.
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One of my cravings stems from this beautiful–yet snowless–November in Alaska scene…
Joy Pascarella says: Everything looking real good! I live in a ceder home. Every once in a while I crave drywall. Something to paint or to change the color. All the rooms in the house are wood. I love it but I just feel like painting something sage green, or some fun color. But it passes, and I get busy and thank the Lord I have an easy house to live in. 🙂
I think we’ve done it. We’ve surpassed that hump of “are we completely insane?” and “I wish we had never done this.” It is a good feeling. This progress into being a pseudo home-owner has progressed much like any good Shakespearean dramatic plot structure. We began with the feeling of “a yurt would be super cool.” We progressed to late yurt arrival, into constant rain, into being broke and annoyed, into being nearly smoked out of our new home. The rising action was nearly unbearable until…until we reached the climax of getting our chimney and rain cap checked out. I was about ready to throw in the towel, to be honest. I was about ready to move into some boring apartment with stained carpet, a funny smelling fridge and a postage stamp sized dog yard.
Now, we have tentatively entered the denouement. The possibility of yurt life for this coming winter doesn’t seem so unlikely or doubtful. It’s getting better all the time…
A finished wall for the loft, a nicely stacked pile of wood and a woodpile that warms rather than smokes make this Farmgirl a happy camper.
Jan says: Fantastic job! Something popped into my mind when I saw Evan (the master/cutter/builder)and the lumber: "Measure twice and cut once!". Just a handy tip for the day!
The wonderful food must be agreeing with you. You are truly glowing…Makes me want to knock on your door for a snack! Yesterday I made a green sauce out of tomatillos. My house smells like green sauce…
You will look back on this time of life and tell stories to your children…
Joan says: WOW y’all are coming right along and looking good!!! Thanks for the update and pic’s. God Bless
This is awesome! I love all the pictures you post with your blog- it really gives a clear idea of what’s going on for us urbanites. Thanks!
Gaill Pederson says: My lovely Alex, We are so happy that things are finally coming together. I do not know if you have heard this story…We started building our house shortly after Evan was born. His first favorite toy? A plastic hammer rattle. His first words? Not Dada or Mama……"Pound, pound, pound"! The intuitive building skills have been there forever.
Love, Mom and Dad Pederson
Diann says: Youth and all that hard work is a "wondermus" thing….lol.
Y’all are doing a great job. Blessings in all of your endeavors!
Karen says: My entire married life (41 years) seems to have been spent in construction – we fixed up 2 old houses, built a cabin here on our land, built a house – it burned down and we intend to build another one…meanwhile, we are adding a room to the tin can we are living in which is way too small…we’ve built out buildings, and whatever else – my husband is the King of Shelving by now! But we’ve never lived in a yurt! Sounds like fun!
Suzanne says: This is really cool to see! So glad it’s finally habitable and to get an update. Who new you could make natural stain by dissolving steel wool in vinegar. Amazing! Take Care!~
Joy Pascarella says: So glad the stove is fixed and working properly. What a difference! last entry was a little depressing but it goes to show you that things can change and turn around if you hang in there. Husbands are wonderful too! They seem to make a lot of things all go in the right direction. P.S. The black creosote is just awful to clean up. We go though it once a year! Yuk! Keep the progress coming! Love it!
Many of you have been asking in the past several weeks for updates on the yurt and yurt life. However, there hasn’t much to update you about!  Living in the yurt is still very much like glorified camping. The interior hasn’t changed too much, and I’m still too embarrassed by all of the stuff spilling out of boxes to post real pictures of the interior.  I have been living in a kind of suspended animation since the end of September for several reasons. Nonetheless, I can give you a small idea of what living in the yurt has been like.
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Our yurt exterior. We are in a beautifully wooded area, the neighbors are fairly close, but it’s okay for now!
Theresa says: Check out Permies.com for information on rocket stoves that are easy to build, can use way less fuel, store and release heat over a long period of time, releases far fewer greenhouse gasses, can double as furniture and will be far safer then a conventional stove for your little one to be around, also it does not have to occupy the center of your yurt. In all it can save you a lot of future work. Paul Wheaton is the guy with info. I know you’ve invested a lot of work and $$ in what you’ve done with your conventional stove. Check this out though and see if this choice could help. Good luck to you and your family.
Theresa Z.
Joan says: Alex, this sounds like you are a pioneering woman, a girl after my own heart, in my younger days. But I am sure the two of you will make it really nice, just some glitches along the way. When I had a cabin and a pellet/wood stove, I always had a big ole tea kettle on top – not only did it give nice humidity but the hot water was great to use for ‘hospital’ baths, washing dishes, just the thought of having hot water. I also kept a pot of cinnamon sticks in water to make the cabin smell good – it was an OLD cabin. I will keep you and your situation in my prayers and you keep the faith and chin held high. Special thoughts – God Bless.
Judi Buller says: Hello Alex,
I came to your blog through MaryJanesFarm newsletter, and thought I’d respond to your question about heating with a woodstove. We live in a 104-year-old farmhouse (built from a 1908 Sears catalog kit!) in Olympia, WA, and as far as I know, it has only been heated by coal or wood all these years. We bought our current woodstove twenty-eight years ago, and it’s our only permanent heat source, still works great. About twenty years ago we refinanced, and were required to install baseboard heaters, but when the inspections were done, we removed them – they were actually more of a fire hazard than the stove! Anyway, we also have issues with wet wood, so we have a rotating system: outside wood stack, then into the woodshed, then a small stack near the back door and a stack around the stove. My husband works in construction, so we get lots and lots of kiln-dried scraps, which get the fire going quickly and hot, and actually dries out wood that’s still a bit damp – but only put one or two pieces on at a time, damp wood can kill the fire!
Light woods, such as fir and alder, dry out faster, and are good for getting the fire going well, and heavy woods, such as cedar and apple, work best added later, and last much longer. During the months we use the woodstove, I just make it part of my routine to check the fire every so often.
Heating with wood is messy, so there’s more cleaning to do, but the to-the-bones warmth is so worth it! People love coming to our house, especially when the power goes out, because we stay toasty warm, and we can still cook! I raised four children here, not one of them had any injuries related to using the woodstove.
We do have electric space heaters for occasional use in a couple of rooms that are a distance from the stove, such as the bathroom, also for those times when we need heat but aren’t available to stoke the fire, and for the ‘transition’ times of early fall and late spring, when a fire is just too much, but we need to take the chill out in the morning and evening.
Once we put insulation into the walls and had storm windows made, we found that it was unnecessary to stoke the fire during the night – banking it well and clamping down the baffle keep it going low all night, with a good bed of coals ready to go in the morning.
I’ve even come to enjoy clomping out to the woodshed to get a wheelbarrow load of wood to stack around the stove and near the door. Then I curl up on the couch next to the fire, with a cup of tea, and I’m in heaven. 🙂
Meredith says: Hi Alex! Girl, if I were living in your yurt right now, the Jack Daniels WOULD be for me! Hee Hee! I think your yurt is really neat–would love to see it when you get it organized the way you want. My experience with woodstoves goes like ths- they are warm and toasty but the require a bunch of work. We have an indoor one we use when the power goes out, and it is a bit small. It needs fresh wood every three hours or so, which means getting up in the middle of the night, going downstairs and refilling it. I am grateful it is only used for power outages and for days like today when it is colder than normal and we just want a few hours of warmth in the evening. Thea big daddy stove lives outside and it is a relic. It is also a bit small for the size of our house, and because of its advanced age, needs wood more often than I would like, but at least will get us through most winter nights if we fill it late in the evening before bed. It will need replacing before long but the new ones are PRICEY! We wind up burning green wood too from time to time in the outdoor stove. It burns too fast, but is better than nothing.
I guess I haven’t really given you any useful advice, but can empathize with your situation! Good luck in the coming weeks and stay warm……
Deborah says: Hello Alex and Evan,
I absolutely love reading your blog!and the building of the yurt is amazing. Have you ever seen the movie, "The Tail Of The Yellow Dog"? It is a beautiful movie about living the nomadic life in Mongolia and they live in a yurt. The movie itself is beautifully photographed and the chidren in the movie are absolutely adorable as well. So is the simple life they live and what the children in the movie get to experience. I wish for our children that they could even just for a moment put down all the electronics and just be…children. Even though you are going through some hardships now, you will reflect back on this time as very special and like most things in life, only come around once. To be young, positive, and living off the "grid" somewhat is all a fantastic part of your life! and with a new baby coming. How exciting! Take one day at a time and enjoy all that comes your way. You are doing a great job.
Blessings,
Deborah
Betty J. says: I had a Blaze King Princess just like that one you pictured. It was in my 1000 sq ft home. Didn’t take much wood or heat to make you run and open the doors in the dead of winter. It was also lined with some sort of ceramic. I have since had it removed because my house is so small and it took up a lot of living room space.
Myra Jean says: I am shocked that you do not have a wood stove that has a water tank to heat your tea & dishwashing water etc…
Also the heated water tank provides warmth for the room.
Seen Rick on Rick’s Restorations using the Steelwool & Vinegar application – I can’t wait to try it out.
Good Luck
Sometimes people worry about me–“You’re not hauling huge loads, are you?” or “Are you worried about contact with manure?” However, people are mostly the same ol,’ same ol.’ They either think farming is an adventurous and interesting career choice, or they don’t. For those few folks who have worried about my life as a pregnant farm worker, I assure them that my job is safe, fun, and probably much healthier than many other jobs I could have!
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The Pregnant Farmer in non-farming clothing.
Meredith says: Don’t worry about farming while pregnant! I did it through my whole pregnancy, and even though my daughter had to arrive by c-section, I was feeling back to normal in a matter of days. The Dr. said it was because I was in great shape while pregnant and my muscles were strong. So do what you want to and don’t fret about folks worries, it’s your body and you alone know what it can and can’t do at this point! Your body will bounce back faster and your baby will be healthier if you keep at the work that makes you happy! Good luck!
Beverly says: Oh what a beautiful posting! It brought back memories of my mother gardening when she was pregnant with my little sister some 40 years ago. You know your limits! Love the photo of the garden spot, especially the wheelbarrow. Getting mine ready for Fall Greens ( lettuce). I can’t believe you have snow!
Happy Harvesting!
Bev
Nella says: I really enjoyed your post and wish you well with your pregnancy…such a healthy environment to be in. Please keep posting the yurt progress too, looking forward to seeing how that comes along.
Great post! I thinks it’s awesome how you’re enjoying everything about your pregnancy and having to farm at the same time- exhausting.
Great post! I thinks it’s awesome how you’re enjoying everything about your pregnancy and having to farm at the same time- exhausting.
Elizabeth says: You go girl! From an OB nurse of many years you can do anything your body tells you is OK.
Just pay attention to your body’s little whispers. Many rich blessings for a beautiful birth.
It has been a busy fall. Between building the yurt, finishing up the farming season, and starting the school year, there shouldn’t be much time for anything else. However, the last two weeks have also seen two multi-day road trips in Alaska. First, Evan and I drove to Kasilof, Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula for a friend’s wedding. With Evan being a member of the wedding party, we arrived on a Thursday and made it a long weekend. The following week, I made my way up to Fairbanks to conduct a bit of research for my thesis work. Both trips–even though they were for non-recreation purposes–provided some unexpected, yet welcomed respite from our busy schedules.
Tina says: you travel to such spectacular places! I would love to see some pics from your travels and of your yurt
Penny Perry says: My sister and I visited Alaska 7 years ago and stopped in that area. It was nice to reminisce through your trip to Cooks Inlet.
Joan says: Oh my yes hope the internet cooperates with posting the pictures – your words are great but I’m such a visual person. God Bless
Diann says: I view the Sierra Nevada Mtns. from my home on "the flats". And often, though unfortunately not so much this summer because of fires, I escape to the glorious mountains. I’m still a genuine flatlander, but I learned to climb rocks many years ago and the high mountains still beckon me to them. The air is fresher, sweeter "up yonder". Thanks for your lovely stories.
Alaska is a beautiful place and I’ve always wanted to visit. I can’t wait for the pictures.
The day we had been waiting for–mostly patiently and largely excitedly–finally came on the evening (well, more like night, it was 10 p.m.) of Sunday, August 18. A beat up moving truck rolled into Matt and Amanda’s driveway and out stepped a dreadlocked man named Georgie and his lanky partner, whose name escapes me (maybe Seth?). They were the bearers of our new living abode, our very own yurt; and they were only 48 days late.
A Farmgirl and her Almost Yurt!
This is just so VERY awesome. Love the pics. Love your
fortitude. Can I move in with you?
Lisa says: Awesome article! I was not aware of what a "yurt" was and am completely amazed on the building process. I laughed when you described the incomplete instructions – have had experiences like that in the past! Looking forward to future blogs on your new home!
Laura R. says: what an adventure! Thanks for sharing : )
Karen says: It amazes me how bad instructions are for things (and some come with no instructions at all, which is worse!) – looks like you all figured it out, though. Enjoy your new home. Is there insulation in the walls? I’m thinking "brrrr" when I think of Alaska!
I’m a new Farmgirl (well, probably "old" farmgirl, but new to the Sisterhood.
I discovered MaryJane’s magazine while up in Homer, AK for three months last winter as a granny nanny for our traveling nurse daughter’s new baby —
I loved cross-country skiing on the hayfields — my second trip to AK– what an amazing place! Great blog!
Geneva says: I’m jealous in many ways!! I’ve been dreaming of living in a yurt and living in Alaska for over 20 years!!! What yurt company did you use?
Rose Eskridge says: Hello Alex,
I want to thank you so much for sharing your & Evan’s experiences during the yurt building process, I am totally in awe of you. It certainly takes a very special kind of woman to live the life you have chose, which I admire to the stars & back, as it is exactly the life I wanted to live, but allowed my Mom to talk me out of it. Never stop living your dreams, the rest of us who want to but can’t will follow your blog and enjoy it immensely! May God continue to richly bless you & your family. Can’t wait for more pics~
One of the blessings of being a conscientious Farmgirl is the intuitive need to make others happy. This is also one of the curses. Perusing through MaryJanesFarm magazine, we see hints of this drive in all of us–great ways to host a brunch, perfect gifts to make for hosts of parties, or stylish and practical ways to organize all of our duties in easy to navigate folders, drawers or other storage. We are often looking at the others in our lives and how to make their experiences as comfortable, memorable and great as possible. Perhaps this is something innate in all women, but it is especially heightened in Farmgirls all over. It’s what we do–we take care of our families, our animals, our vegetables and our other labors of love. We want to make everyone as happy as possible in any way that we are able. And (overall) we love it.
Jon and Stef Visit Alaska–And these tres amigos were all happy!
Joan says: Oh how nice to have a CSA in your area – there are noises being made that we might get one going in our area – YEA!!! even though I am not physically able to do much I will do all I can to help out, think it will be fun for this old farm girl to have time with the soil. God Bless
Karen Pennebaker says: How on earth do you grow all this in Alaska? I live in a wooded area of West Virginia, where my garden gets bright sun 6 to 8 hours a day in summer due to being in a deep hollow surrounded by the woods…here it is August and our nights have not been warm enough for the tomatoes to do well. Green rocks, that’s what I have…and small rocks for the most part. We have only had about 10 days of good hot summer weather all summer and rain most of the summer…mud, weeds and slow growing veggies!! However, I do have good luck in ANY weather with White Half Runner Beans. They will climb 8 feet (maybe higher, if you put the on something higher) – never did know why they called them "half runner" when they climb better than pole beans!!
Looks like you have a good life there!
Robin Reichardt says: That’s happiness!That blueberry stained grin! Oh to be a kid again up in the mulberry tree, picking and snacking with stained fingers.
Living in the round. What does it bring to your mind? For me, it brings images of living in our future yurt (the yurt whose delivery date has been put off time and time again–but it will get here sometime!). It can bring to mind images of embracing the cycles of life–whether they are long or short. Living in the round can remind us of gathering with friends and family and how circles are often formed when groups of people who love each other get together. It can also conjure up images of all of the roundness around us: the world as a whole, the sun, the moon, delicious fruits and vegetables, eyes in disbelief, Ferris wheels and donuts. A brief Google search reveals, though, that most people refer to this phrase when talking about living in yurts (my original thought)
One of my favorite vegetables in the round, growing in the roundish hoophouse.
But I have a much different reason to refer to Living in the Round: it has to do with the roundness of our physical bodies. So much of our bodies is round: our heads, our eyes, And some of the best parts of our anatomies….
Jan says: Congratulations, Alex! You reminded me of a wonderful woman that I met at a farmer’s market in the small town of St. Maries, ID. I was purchasing organic beets (my recent addiction!) and we were discussing her planting sites in the area. I looked at her hands and saw the short nails, complete with the embedded soil…What I saw was strength! Her glowing face and the twinkle in her eye told all…
Very happy for you and picturing the yurt!
Adrienne says: First of all, I wish you and Evan a healthy pregnancy with no complications. Second, I hope your yurt arrives soon so you can prepare it before winter and the spring arrival of your little one. May you want for nothing. Mazel tov!
Ace says: That so exciting Alex!! Congratulations on your pregnancy from all of us at MaryJanesFarm! 🙂
Laura says: It’s good to see you never stop growing; as a person, a farmer, a woman and now a mother. Congratulations on your living in the round (squared) Lol
Meredith says: Congratulations Alex and Evan! Wishing you all the best!
Congratulations Alex! I can’t think of a better farming companion that a baby! You’ll raise him/her right from the start! Many blessings to you and Evan. Can’t wait for both of your new arrivals… the Yurt and your new baby!
Deb ( the Beach Farmgirl )
Marion says: Alex, this is wonderful news. I love that you are excited and fully experiencing your pregnancy. I love that even in the city you dress and act as who you are. So many women could use you as an example of what a woman is, not the air-brushed models in magazines. You are living the best life, move forward with confidence and enjoy all the happiness coming your way.
Thanks for the post! It’s so inspiring to have another woman in a demanding career take the plunge into motherhood. I wish you the best of luck.
I love farms and farming. Even when it is cold and rainy, or extremely hot and mosquito-ey, I am reminded of some words MaryJane shared with me once: It is so much better to be stuck working outside during less-than-desirable weather than to be stuck working inside on a beautiful day.
Sometimes I REALLY have to remind myself of this great insight, but I usually come around, even in the thickest of mosquitos.
Visiting farms around my community, state, country and world is one of my favorite things to do. I have dreams of one day visiting South America, Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, Australia, India, Africa (the whole world, really) and trekking from farm to farm, getting to see the different farming methods. It would be especially fun to see how similar or diferent the ubiquitous potato is planted, grown and stored the world over…
Anyhow, I’ve been back in Alaska for two weeks now after my visit to North Dakota and Minnesota, and I’ve been reflecting on farm visits.
Evan, My future brothers-in-law and I on the hills outside of their family’s cropland (former pastureland in their dairying days!)
Karen Pennebaker says: Not having room for crops is something I’m familiar with, as we live in the woods and have very little open land. By the way, goat manure can also be put in the garden fresh without harming the crops. (We have goats, rabbits and chickens so we compost all of their droppings to turn our clay soil into wonderful garden loam. I grow things in raised beds and it works well.
Thanks so much for sharing your adventures at our farm! I only wish I had been home to tour with you, but it sounds like Scott did a great job! Just to clarify – we have never purchased llamas – we have only provided a home for those bought by others who found out there’s not much $$ to be made from them and needed a place for them to go. But they have provided much entertainment and wonderful fertilizer!
This is such a great post! I am trying to learn more about farming because eventually I will end up being a farm wife in MN and these tours give me a little bit more knowledge.
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”.
It is 12 degrees with a wind chill of 0 today here at almost 2:00 p.m. about 2"s of snow over night. I think it looks like you have a bit more snow – so pretty. Happy to hear you are doing well and that the yurt is too. Love to hear all about your ‘adventuresome’ life – yes to me it is adventuresome. God Bless
Thank you for sharing your life style in the Yurt and in Alaska and you absolutely look beautiful pregnant. Can’t wait to see the baby when it is born. Are having the baby at home or in the hospital ? I am a mother of two children daughter 30 and my son 26 and my daughter has 4 children ,three boys and a girl. 8yr, 6yrs, 2yr girl , 8 month old she is a nurse and I am blessed to care for all of them when she works 🙂
We just got blasted with snow and wind too this week so I know the feelings. Wind blowing and the whistling sounds around the chimney and places. We burn with would too. Someone always has to let the cat out around 4 and that is a good time to full the stove again. Sounds like it’s working out great there!