My Farmgirl Sisterhood Chapter and I recently spent an afternoon learning a new skill and making some very beautiful Christmas gifts for friends and family! Grab a cup of tea, your sewing machine, and some girlfriends for an afternoon of creativity and fun!
I knit, sew, and craft; I recycle, grow organic herbs and veggies, and flower garden. I do canning, bake bread and make just about everything from scratch. I crave the outdoors. But there was something missing…something that would make me feel like a real farmgirl… having chickens! Backyard chickens have been my dream forever, having even blogged about “chicken envy”! Now I’m crossing “chickens” off my bucket (pardon the pun) list. As a new “chicken mom” of four adorable chicks, I’m elated. Feed stores in Connecticut don’t sell chicks this time of year. How these chicks came to be is an interesting tale….
Jan says: What a great story to start my day! When I was a child I was gifted several lovely banty (bantam?) chickens. I used to raise chicks and sell them to my neighbors. These chickens were kind of a novelty, so I always sold out! Nothing sweeter than a little clucking hen. My favorite was Flicka! My best brooding hen was Topknot. She had a little bouffant tuft on her head. She would peck the heck out of you if you got near her nest! Such great memories…
Your Mama Hen story warms my heart!
Good luck with your clan!
Hi Jan! Glad you enjoyed the blog and that I brought back some happy memories for you. I’ll keep everyone posted on my progress. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! -Nicole
Adrienne says: And this year, you’ll have yet another reason to be truly thankful for your blessings. I look forward to reading about your growing chicks and their adventures. Happy Thanksgivukkah!
Hi Adrienne! Yes! That’s right…I am already so thankful for my "girls". Lots of blessings to you and your family, and big farmgirl hugs! -Nicole
cr lagroue says: Well I’m glad you fulfilled your life long dream of chickens… Too bad none of us knew this before now. We would have saved a lot of money during Christmas.. I guess now we will have to resort to gift cards to the local feed store. Enjoy your chickens.
Ha Ha, big brother! -Nicole
Laurie Dimino says: Hooray Nicole!
I love all of your posts, but this one is one of the best because I know how happy you are about your chicks, and it is a wonderful to see you so happy!!!!
Isn’t it just amazing how something so simple can make us SO HAPPY! My husband teases me constantly about my "girls" and how well I treat them. They truly bring me such joy, and have such personalities, something one can only understand once they own their own chickens. Of course the fresh eggs are a wonderful perk of ownership too!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family…wishing you all the Blessings you deserve!
Hugs to you my friend,
Laurie
Hi Farmsister! Isn’t it the truth how you just can’t explain the joy from these hens until you have some? There’s just something so peaceful and "back to one’s roots" about having chickens. I will be certainly overjoyed when I get eggs! And here we go, another something we have in common! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, dear friend. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Joan says: OH YEA!!!! for you and your family – chickens one of my favorite farm creatures – All Creatures Great and Small. Super names! No, as a child I did not get to name the chickens, we would get 1,000 at a time and they were strictly raised for meat – sad but that is how it went. Although I did get to play with them and some times some would get so they would follow me around the pen – it was great fun. Will be waiting to see the pic’s as they grow. Thanks for sharing. Happy Thanksgiving. God Bless.
Hi Joan. Yes, my father was a bit horrified that we named them. His parents raised chickens and they were strictly for eggs and meat. In my defense, we did have chicken casserole the same night we got the chicks, ha ha! Like you, I have happy memories of playing with chickens as a child. I remember being very small but playing with my aunt’s chickens when we would visit her little farm. I will keep y’all posted on my progress. Asking Santa for a nice chicken coop! Happy Thanksgiving, Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Julie says: Check out upcycling your feed bags via pinterest and etsy
Have Fun!
Great idea, Julie! Thanks! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Holly says: Congratulations.I know you will enjoy having them.I can remember being a little girl and going to visit the hen house with my Grandfather.One time I went alone and got in trouble.Years later my Dad told me that they had seen a snake by the house earlier that day.
True, chickens are prey to lots of critters. Snakes, foxes, and hawks all love chickens! Hopefully we won’t have too many issues with predators. Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Beverly Battaglia says: I am glad these chicks made you happy too, Nicole. When I was ten years old my grandmother, Maude, your great grandmother, gave me a red banty hen for the summer on her farm. It laid very tiny eggs and I just loved to hold my little red hen. I cried when I had to leave her to go home on the train. I also love your story of the Mother Hen and her chicks. Pictures are great.
Love you, Mother
Thanks, Mom. Love you!
Congratulations Nicole! We are so happy for you! They are the sweetest little things when they are baby chicks and I love the little peeps they make. A Thanksgiving blessing for sure!
Look forward to future posts about your backyard flock!
Hugs from the Beach!
sister Deb
Hi Deb! Thanks! They are growing fast and are just the sweetest, for sure! Hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Every generation has “fads”. I still can’t look at a Rubik’s cube without an instant migraine. “Beanie Babies” induce feelings of extreme guilt. This year, kids everywhere are trading bracelets created from little rubber bands, similar to rubber bangles I traded with friends when I was a sixth grader, that matched all of my neon eighties outfits {shudder}. Fads can be fun, especially for kids. Right now, my home is also abuzz with another current craze… it’s “Fox Frenzy”!
Heading to a slumber party in fox shirt, with fox stuffed friend
Adrienne says: How terrific you have a fox nearby and it posed for photos! That means you have a healthy environment where all creatures great and small can survive and thrive. Next year when you have chickens, I hope the fox admires them from a distance and will find other prey for nourishment. Congratulations!
Hi Adrienne! I just got baby chicks to incubate inside until Spring. I hope that Mr. Fox doesn’t think they are for him! He sure was beautiful, though! I felt like it was a real privilege to see him. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
What a great story! I love foxes too, I have only seen a few. We have a lot of coyotes, I would rather see foxes. Just not in my chicken houses 🙂
Bambi
I hear ya, Bambi! We have coyotes here, too. I once had a den of babies some years back on my property. We could here the pups play and whine. My neighbor had some one evening "hanging out" in the yard and playing some years back. She was so scared for her chihuahua, but the smart little dog knew to hide under the porch steps until they left. Through the years we have seen them from time to time. They howl at night, too, and that sound is unnerving at night. I’d rather see the fox, too. Thanks for commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Joan says: Oh how great that you got to experience the FOX!! This reminds me of when we moved into our new home in ’06, we had fox that lived in our back yard and it isn’t an acreage, but the housing area is on the plains. So one day my 2 grandchildren were here, up for breakfast and what did we see 3 fox, 2 were frolicking and one was sniffing around. They did not feel threatened because we were the only ones there that didn’t have a dog, so here they stayed for about a year, we watched the kits grow and then they were gone. Never found out why but the wild animal people think it was because lack of food in the area, we did not feed them in any way but it was a year of great fun and learning. Like yours, they didn’t seem to care that we had our faces pressed against the bay window, they performed beautifully. Again thanks for the reminder. God Bless
Hi Joan! What a great story! Thanks for sharing. I am sure your grandkids will never forget their fox sighting. Sounds like great memories were made. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Laurie Dimino says: Oh Nicole, as usual, another wonderful and interesting post from my suburban farmgirl sister! Here on Long Island we have SO many fox! They seems to have made an appearance over the past 2-3 years. Luckily I have not seen any in or near my yard, since I have chickens, that would NOT be a GOOD thing! In fact my girlfriend who lives about a half mile from me, lost 2 of her hens to a fox over the summer, as did my brother about a year ago. Fox and chickens are not a good combination!
They are definately neat to see though, as long as it’s not in my " neck of the woods" LOL.
I am told fox are the top of the food chain here on Long Island, so there is nothing to keep the population down.
On another note, I am so excited to see that you will be getting Chickens come Spring!!! How exciting for you! Can’t wait to see/ hear all about them!
Thanks as always for brightening my morning with your post!
One day ( hopefully soon) we SHALL meet!
Big hugs,
Laurie
Hi Laurie dear! Sorry to hear your brother and your friend lost chickens to fox. Hopefully my fox will move on before my chickens are outside this spring. My neighbors lost a few hens too, but theirs were killed by hawks and coyotes. Can’t wait until we get to meet, either! Big hugs from your CT farmsis, Nicole
They are great at a distance but I have chickens and in the spring when they have young the male fox hunts closer to home and we have lost a couple of chickens to them. They can clean your coop out fast because they will kill hide and kill again then go back to retrieve from where they hide them. So as excited as we were to see the fox family the first year they made their home at the back of our 10 acres, we now have to watch for them closely in the spring. When they start showing up in the yard we cannot let the hens free range which makes them very loud and angry with us. I hope that it goes well with your future chickens. They are so much fun to have around!
Brenda, Oh goodness…thank you for the info. We will definitely need to keep a watchful eye on our flock! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Dinah says: Hi Nicole…great blog, as usual. I have seen the red fox roaming our neighborhood as well. If it is the same one, he is huge, with a very big fluffy tail. He shows no fear when he sees me, however runs off when I approach him. We have spotted him at least a dozen times in our front yard and running down the street, usually at night. So beautiful. I had bantam chickens several years ago, and the fox is a big threat…you have to have a very secure home for them. The fresh eggs are so good!! Love ya’
Hi Dinah! Isn’t that fox so pretty? But yikes! I don’t want him to get my chickens! I will have to make the coop like Ft. Knox! Just yesterday the gentleman that lives down the street who walks everyday stopped me and asked if I knew that Sunday a fox was sitting in my driveway! I guess Mr. Fox has decided to call our neighborhood home! Hugs to all…Nicole
Hurrah for the FOX! 😀
Have a wonderful day!
Mimi Foxmorton
Find us on Facebook at Sisterhood of the Goat
Hi there, Miss Foxmorton…checked out your Facebook page…love the goats in shirts! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I’ve always been curious about beekeeping. It’s a hobby that goes hand-in-hand with living a simpler, organic, environmentally-aware lifestyle. Not knowing where to start, I was thrilled when my family was invited to learn the art of beekeeping from another local family during their fall honey harvest!
Great write-up Nicole–a manual of sorts for the process of beekeeping. I’m sure your post will inspire someone to go for it!!!!! With the honey bee in a beleaguered place these days, we can’t spotlight them enough. Great post. Thanks for creating more honeybee enthusiasts this morning!!!!!
Thank you, MaryJane! I am so glad to share this with everyone. I really am looking forward to beekeeping this spring, and am so grateful to John and his family for showing me the ropes. There’s just so many good things bees bring! Much love, Nicole
Cathy H. says: Boy, did this post bring back memories! My dad raised bees as long as I can remember. He had a ‘honey house’ in the back yard and built his extractor and other tools. He made an observatory to watch the bees at work. I remember many a hot summer day/night working in the honey house putting labels on jars and filling them with the lightest pure honey made from white clover. He had several farms around the area that encouraged him to keep his bees at their place. Every year we gathered with other bee keepers at a ‘bee reunion’. It was a good way for families to get to know one another. With the onslaught against honeybees right now it’s more important that ever to protect this little miracle worker.
Cathy, what a lovely memory to share with us! Thank you! You are so right, bees are little miracle workers and anything we can do to help them is great. (And they reward us with delicious honey)! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Adrienne says: I love honey and it’s one of the reasons I’m not vegan. When I found out honey in Egyptian tombs was usable after thousands of years, I was hooked. Not only is it wonderful in tea and sweetening oatmeal, cream of wheat or rice, it was an antiseptic to help heal the radiation burns. Another use: scrub your face, dry it and apply honey liberally in a mask. Relax with some warm teabags over your eyes and you’ll have a salon-quality facial. Here’s a virtual toast to the beekeepers, especially the ones in San Francisco who create honey from their own neighborhoods for sale to everyone here locally. Salud!
Adrienne, what a great idea. I think I will try the honey mask this weekend. And isn’t that amazing that honey was found and still good in the Egyptian tombs? It’s definitely one of nature’s gifts. Thank you for commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Joan says: What fun!!! I am not a ‘keeper’ but my best friend about 1 mile away is and we wonder if all my great wild flowers are pollinated by wonderful bees and in turn if that is why her honey is so tasty. Anyway it is such a fun thing to help with. Thanks for sharing your experience and the product info, I will pass it onto her. God Bless
Hi Joan! Has your friend noticed a different taste and color to her honey, depending on the season and what’s blooming in your flowers? I bet you all can tell. My brother has a friend in Houston who is a retired police officer. This gentleman is a beekeeper and now bottles honey, and my brother sent me a jar one year. It was so good, and definitely tasted and looked different than the honey I found here in New England locally. To me, it’s almost like appreciating different wines! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Catherine Blount says: Beekeeping is an exciting and wonderful hobby! My husband gave me a beekeeping set up for Christmas three years ago and we set up our box and hive the following April. We have been very successful and have given away many greatly appreciated jars of honey to our friends and family. We have gotten much enjoyment out of our bees and their honey and in the process have learned a great deal. We did join a local beekeeping association and I would highly recommend that. It is a good way to learn quickly and to meet new friends.
Hi Catherine! Thanks for all the great info! Congratulations on your success in beekeeping…keep up the good work. There is a beekeeping association in my area, too. I will look into that this spring, as well. Thanks again! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Rose says: Nicole, Thanks for the informative article on beekeeping. I am interested in starting a hive in the next year or two. I will send you some Wisconsin honey!
The homemade cough medicine sounds interesting. I will have to try some this winter.
Rose
Hi Rose, Maybe next year, we both will have hives and will be TRADING honey! Wouldn’t that be something? Good luck with your hives! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Fall is such a cozy, beautiful season, and it’s this time of year that New England is in all her glory! In late September, everyone starts setting out colorful mums and hanging autumn wreaths tied with jewel-toned bows. Spicy hot apple cider wafts through the air as changing leaves dress the trees in water-color shades of red, yellow, gold and brown. But the star of fall for me is the pumpkin. I love pumpkins! I guess you could say I’m pumpkin-obsessed. Those plump little orbs of orange, yellow and white make me grin like a jack-o-lantern on Halloween! This fall, I’m thrilled to add “Backyard-Pumpkin-Farmer” to my repertoire! Come take a peek at my garden, then let’s head to the kitchen for some tasty autumn goodies!
Jan says: Wow! Thank you for the wonderful recipes..Great job!
This was the year of the pumpkin in our back yard. My husband worked out of town a bit this summer, so I just kept watering his ‘babies’ (pumpkins) A LOT. It seems that the largest was about 150# (also grown in the compost bin)! I had the idea to put them on craigslist and I couldn’t believe the response. It seems that there is quite a market for LARGE pumpkins! Of course I actually wanted them to go to ‘good homes’…One fellow was going to feed his to his neighbor’s goats when he was done with it. Woo Hoo!
What’s not to love about pumpkins?????
Thank you, Jan, so glad you enjoyed today’s post! Those are some HUGE pumpkins you grew! I did worry that mine might grow to be some hundred pound monster pumpkin, but the variety of seed I used doesn’t yield that large of pumpkin. 🙂 How smart to put them on CraigsList! There is a local diner in town that every year puts a gigantic, enormous, super big pumpkin in the middle of the median as Fall decoration. I don’t know where they always find them, but it must take a truck and a fork lift to set down. Good job with your pumpkins! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
The proud photo of you with pumpkin says it all. Great way to start my day.
Thank you, MaryJane! Much love, Nicole
Adrienne says: Those are wonderful huge pumpkins and your recipes should create some tasty treats (no tricks on this Halloween)! I like making pumpkin tarts and sharing them with friends. They are just enough to satisfy the appetite and can actually be frozen. Since I’m vegetarian, my main Thanksgiving dish is another member of the squash family–butternut squash–stuffed with quinoa, chopped green onions, sage and a little veggie broth. It creates its own bowl too.
Hi Adrienne! I bet those pumpkin tarts are wonderful! Funny you should mention butternut squash…I bought an organic one yesterday at my local grocery store and am trying to figure out how I want to serve it for dinner tonight! Happy Fall! -Nicole
Elaine says: I so enjoy your photo series from flower to white pumpkin. When I get this year’s pumpkins, I’ll be thinking of your photos. I need to get brave and plant pumpkins next year!
Hi Elaine, thank you! It was really fun to grow them, and not really a high-maintenance type of plant. They just need lots of room. Good luck, and Happy Fall! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Oh my gosh! My friend just sent me the link to your post because she is fully aware of my Pumpkin Love. What fabulous pictures and delicious-looking recipes! I’ve pinned it to Pinterest so I can find it later!
My husband & I have some friends who have a giant pumpkin patch. Every October, they invite everyone from every town nearby (not really, but close enough) to come harvest. We took our nieces and nephews this year and told them if they could get it to the car, they could have it. My scrawny 11-yr-old niece found a way to haul an 80-pounder home. She may have inherited the love of pumpkins. 🙂
I use the leftover Jack-o-lanterns to make curried pumpkin soup. Well, provided the deer and squirrels leave me anything.
Thank you so much for this wonderful autumnal post! It made me very happy.
Hi Erica! Thank you so much! I hope you will come back and "visit" my blog again. Nice to hear from someone who understands my pumpkin craze! What a great story about your niece, too. Thank you for sharing. There is one pumpkin decoration I leave out all year long. It’s a hand-blown glass pumpkin that sits in my curio in the kitchen. But come late September, it’s pumpkin decor and pumpkin recipes through December! Enjoy, and thanks again for visiting. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Crystal Nielsen says: Mmmmmmm,I love pumpkin and all the cozy spices that paint it’s deliciousness in recipes…am going home after work to bake up your loaf recipe, it reads yummy.
Tak,
Skaal
Crystal Nielsen
Hej Crystal! Mange tak! Skaal, Nicole
Rose says: Congratulations on the successful pumpkins harvest. Thanks for the decorating ideas with the white pumpkins! I never knew there were white pumpkins until I read your blog today.
I love to eat all things pumpkin also. My favorites are pumpkin cheesecake and chocolate chip pumpkin cookies.
Hi Rose, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies??? You’ve got to send me/post that recipe! I will think I have died and gone to Heaven, for sure! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Marji says: What a wonderful affirmation of pumpkin love. I too love pumpkins and always have to have one on my table through the holidays. My this years pumpkin is there right now. I even kept a pumpkin all winter long one year. Next year we are building a new greenhouse where I will be trying to grow my own. Our ground is too cold and our growing season too short here in the Interior of Alaska.
I love your pumpkin bread recipe. Have you tried it with gluten free flour? I love your post. Happy Pumpkin Time!, Marji
Hi Marji! Thank you for commenting! I have not tried it with gluten free flour yet. If gluten free flour is a 1 to 1 ratio, I imagine it would work. How exciting for you to be getting a new greenhouse! Happy Fall, Nicole
Rebecca says: I love the picture of your daughter with the pumpkin so big only her fingertips will touch. I understand, though, because I also love pumpkins. There’s a local homeowner in my town who carves (with the help of the community) over 3,000 pumpkins every October and decorates his old victorian house and his yard. He adds lights and music to his decorations and people come from miles around to see them. A local charity uses the "innards" to made pumpkin bread and other pumpkin goodies.
Hi Rebecca! Isn’t that a cute photo of my daughter? She’s now eleven, but still loves to pick out pumpkins, happy squeals at the first sighting of pumpkins. We also put a little one on her nightstand every year, too. 3,000 pumpkins??? Wow! I bet that is an amazing sight! Great story, thanks for sharing! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Last week marked my twenty-first wedding anniversary. I’m a lucky girl having married my handsome, sweet Dane. I’m also blessed for another reason: my in-laws. They’re my “bonus” and I love them to pieces! Last month, we got to spend two weeks together when they came for a visit. We so enjoyed them! Living so far away, we always cherish the time we have together. In honor of my beloved in-laws, Torben and Ulla, join me on a “virtual tour” of Denmark, and enjoy some of our favorite Danish recipes!
Happiest people on earth? I’m moving! Thanks for the journey and warm fuzzy feelings this morning.
Good Morning, MaryJane! Glad you enjoyed the "tour"…I have to admit, Danes are some of the warmest, friendliest people I have ever met. Much love, Nicole
Shari Doty says: Thanks for the nice blog. We have a Danish town near us…Solvang. I am intimately familiar with aebleskivers, and have all the accoutrements. There is a shop there called Rasmussen’s, and they have old fashioned kitchen goods. That’s where I got my pastry cloth. If you’re ever on the central coast of California, you might bring your husband to Solvang.
Hi Shari! I have heard of Solvang, though we haven’t made it there yet. I am going to search "Rasmussen’s" and see if they have a website; thank you for telling us about them. Aren’t aebleskivers delish? I could eat my weight in them! Another favorite Danish treat are "kringles", which is a filled pastry, and I love Kransekage, an almond paste filled cookie "tower", used as a wedding cake. Oh, my mouth is watering. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Jan says: Sold! You have me contemplating a trip to Denmark. My husband came to the US (at the age of two and by ship!) from Germany. We have not traveled there yet…
I will simply have to make your meatballs! Sounds so yummy and the curry surprised me..I also have an aebleskiver pan that I need to put to use.
Thank you for the lovely tour,
Jan
Hi Jan! Denmark is such a great place to visit, I know you’d love it. "Boller i Karri" is one of my husband’s favorite dishes that his mom made when he was growing up. It’s one of our favorite dinners, hope you enjoy! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Good morning Nicole! Wow, I loved my armchair visit to Denmark! I think I’m moving too! 🙂 You are blessed!
hugs! Your blogging sis… Deb ( from the BEACH )
Hi Deb! The climate of Denmark is much like ours here in New England, but not as humid in the summers. Hope all is well at the beach! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Adrienne says: Part of my father’s family originally came from Denmark and moved to Sweden (and changed their last name from Andersen to Anderson). I have an aebleskiver pan and have baked them but used a mix purchased from the Prepared Pantry online. They are yummy topped with whatever seasonal fruit I have. Also, if you want to lower the sugar content, stevia comes in bulk powdered form to be used by the teaspoon or sprinkled food. Ufda!
Hi Adrienne! Thanks for the tip! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Beverly Battaglia says: Love this lovely story and beautiful pictures of Denmark. Cannot wait to make the meatballs! Very interesting about the castles and royalty. Love you,
Mother
Hi Mom! Isn’t Denmark beautiful? And the food…I always come home ten pounds heavier! Let me know how your meatballs turn out. I know how much you like the aebleskivers with my strawberry jam when you visit! Love you! -Nicole
Joan says: Thanks Nicole for the lovely trip to Denmark, yes your love of the Country sure shows and I appreciate your tour guiding, I can’t travel any more so this is a grand time for me. The yarns must be special and the museums spectacular, even though I would be half n half in viewing them, a quick look see then be in the out of doors. Love the recipes, somewhat like my Polish family recipes, will give them a try. Thanks again for sharing and God Bless.
Hi Joan! I’m so glad you liked today’s blog. Enjoy the recipes, and thanks so much for commenting! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
cr lagroue says: Great blog….wish I could live there instead of the city…..as for your in-laws, they have to be the nicest people ever…I miss seeing them.
You should come with us next trip to see them and Uncle Jens! – Nicole
You captured my family’s home country perfectly. 🙂
Darn it, now I’m hungry LOL!
Hi April! Tak! 🙂 Nicole
I’d love to visit Denmark. I am half Danish, my dad being full dane. The family came from Kolding. I loved seeing your post.
Nicole Christensen says: Hi Kathy! Isn’t Denmark a great place to visit? I always tell my daughter, who is half-Danish too, to be very proud of her heritage. I am so glad you enjoyed the post! Tak! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Recently, our relatives visited from Denmark. The first week was spent at our house; the second week, we all recharged with a trip to Florida! It was not easy to sync so many schedules – six adults and three kids from two countries! What a fantastic week! Disney World is thrilling, but there was one particular day that has us still beaming. How often do you get to cross something off your “bucket list”? We couldn’t imagine traveling from Connecticut to Florida, and not visiting someone very special!
.jpg)
I’d never heard of Clearwater. What a very cool place to visit! I enjoyed your story and pics of Winter and sunny Florida.
Thank you, MaryJane! We hadn’t heard of Clearwater before, either, until we saw the movie about Winter. We really enjoyed the day and would love to visit again. Much love to you! -Nicole
Adrienne says: I’m so glad you were able to visit dolphins in an aquarium instead of a performance venue. Animals, mammals, birds, etc., are ours to protect and care for. I hope your sweet daughter does become a veterinarian or marine biologist. One more person saving these beautiful creatures can certainly help maintain their existence on our planet. The Monterey Bay Aquarium in California protects and rehabilitates sea otters among other species and my birthday gift last year was an adoption certificate for Repo, a sea otter who is now living healthy at the Aquarium. I also hope another trip to Florida is in your future!
Hi Adrienne! What a neat birthday gift you received last year! Clearwater Beach is definitely somewhere we want to visit again, and it was such a treat to visit the aquarium. My daughter still has on the wrist band from her admission ticket…she refuses to take it off. It’s a wonderful place. Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Tina Hart says: I live in Pensacola , Florida. You just gave me a wonderful reason to take an in-state vacation to Clear water. Thanks for the inspiration, once again. BTW- I have not started scrap booking yet. I’m still going through my baking phase and sewing phase. Still waiting for that scrap booking bug to bite me and take that class, lol.
Hi Tina! Wow is Florida a beautiful state. It’s been twenty years since I was there last, but always have loved going. It was my first visit to Clearwater. If you go visit Clearwater and Winter, let me know. I know you will enjoy it! The baking bug is biting at me recently, too. This week is Pumpkin Spice Bread. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
It’s nice to see your photos and that your family enjoyed the day here in the county where I live! I’m in Seminole, close to Redington Beach. CMA is about 10 miles from my house and Winter has made it famous. 🙂 Next time you get to Clearwater Beach, you should do a dolphin boat tour. The dolphins like to play and jump up in the waves that the boat makes. Really a lot of fun! Oh, another thing, our gulf water temperature is like warm bath water in summer and so calm. I grew up in MD and we would go to the beach where the water was freezing cold in mid July! And waves to knock you down. Yes, I prefer the Gulf!
Hi Cindy. I really enjoyed my trip to your neck of the woods. The people at CMA who do rescues like Winter are amazing. I read on their website that they do rescues 24 hours…whenever an animal needs them.
I grew up in Houston and we always went to Galveston for beach trips. Miss that warm water (and weather) for sure! The Long Island Sound here is beautiful but can be quite cold. Thanks for reading and commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
All the photos were really interesting and I really was particularly interested in the marine aquarium. I live right near the Pacific Ocean, so I’m really interested in those things. I’m glad you could spend some time with your relatives. Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 🙂
Hi Heather! Thank you. We saw and did a lot while in Florida, but the Marine Aquarium was our favorite. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Joey says: Oh Nicole,
I wish we had known. I live the next town up from Clearwater. I can literally walk to Clearwater and the aquarium! These are the sights I see all the time and love driving by the water on my way to work every day.
Winter’s story is amazing and my grandgirls "adopted" Hope and the otter this year when they came to visit. So glad you liked it. Clearwater is hoping to build a whole new aquarium soon.
Good news!! There will be a Dolphin Tale 2 released in Fall 2014 I think, with the original cast. I believe they will be telling Hope’s story. We are all pretty excited about all of the actors coming again. We have lots of great restaurants and shops in my town of Dunedin so they are here almost every day when they are filming.
Rod and I love living here and being so close to the water and birds. He does lots of fishing and we really enjoy the beach. Maybe you could come again next year and we could meet up then. So glad you enjoyed our neck of the woods (well, beach really.) Hugs to you all, Joey
Hi Joey! I wished I would have known you were so close, too! I had tried to reach you before we left, but missed you, I suppose. I am sure we will be back…we love it there! Can’t wait for Dolphin Tale 2! So sad to hear that Panama passed on 9/25. Big hugs, Nicole
The end of summer and beginning of fall bring one of my most favorite things to do…go to a county fair! There’s so many scattered throughout my area, that it’s hard to go to all of them. Come have some ol’fashioned farmgirl fun with me and my family, as we
GO TO THE FAIR!
Mindy says: I also love county fairs. My daughter, who is in 4th grade, has been sewing for 2 years. This past spring, she entered a shirt she sewed in our county fair. She won a blue ribbon for it! Now, she is really into sewing and wants to make more items. I am so proud of her. We entered a dress she made this summer into our Arizona state fair for next month. The only down side of our fair was that I found it very expensive. It was $15 just for 3 of us to ride the ferris wheel. The prices won’t stop me from going, though! 🙂
Hi Mindy! Congratulations to your daughter for her blue ribbon! Tell her the Suburban Farmgirl says "Awesome job!" That’s a great accomplishment for anyone, but in fourth grade? That’s really something. You must be so proud! As for the prices of the fair, I understand. Some fairs in our area are more expensive than others. Seems to me the smaller ones cost more than the large ones! The Dutchess County Fair surprised me. I found it to be pretty reasonable. I still think it’s worth to go to the fair, too. Thanks for sharing with me! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Maureen says: I love the fair every year and never miss this end of summer event. The quilt and fiber exhibits draw me in. I love the creativity of the 4-H kids and my favorite exhibit this year was a raincoat made out of a Twister game mat! The theme was recycling and it turned out awesome! Such creativity; it sort of made me want to make one for myself!
Hi Maureen! What a great idea for the theme, one of my favorite things as a farmgirl, of course! Bet that raincoat was amazing! Thanks for sharing! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Joan says: Oh thanks Nicole for the trip to the Fair, I didn’t get to go this year so you made it for me. My recall is bringing up all the great smells – yes I like the animal smells too. God Bless
Hi Joan! I love the animal smells, too. It’s all part of the fun. Farmgirl hugs to you! – Nicole
I entered some butternut squash in our local county fair a couple of years ago. I won a ribbon, but I was the only butternut squash, so I’m not sure how fair it was. It was still thrilling to win!
Sarah, Of course! It’s awesome that you grew prize-winning squash. My favorite way to cook it by the way is roasted with butter and cinnamon. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Laurie Dimino says: Hi Nicole!
Ya know how you said to me the more we talk the more you feel like we have in common? Well gee,
I got that EXACT feeling as I read this blog post! Every year my daughter and I go to the Long Island Fair, at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. We have been going for years! In fact when my daughter was in 4th grade she went as a field trip from school. Of course, I, not wanting to miss out on the fun, tagged along as a chaperone. Well, my daughter entered the " guess how many beans are in the jar" contest and WON! It was really quite amazing considering there were THOUSANDS of entries, and SHE guessed the closest! She was thrilled and brought the letter she received in the mail along with a copy of her $25.00 prize check in to school to show her teacher.
This year she is entering several of her photographs that she has taken into the junior hobby category. She is a budding photographer, and we are trying to encourage her to pursue her love of taking pictures , so we thought this was a great opportunity to do just that. We are really looking forward to it. She has to enter above her age class (she has just turned 13 years old) and the photography category doesn’t technically start until age 14, so she will be going up against 14-17 year olds, but it will be a good learning experience for her.
We look forward to our local fair every year, and this year will be a new experience for us because we will be actual "participants" !
Thank you as always for your wonderful posts, and one of these days girlfriend we are definitely going to get together for some farmgirl fun!
Hugs,
Laurie
Hi Sweet Laurie, I am chuckling as I read this, because of how you mention chaperoning field trips. I have volunteered for every field trip I could that my daughter has had. I think I got more excited over some of them than she did! So proud to hear that your daughter is entering her photos. Good luck to her! Can’t wait to meet you both! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Diane Loehr says: I love this fair as well and the Vanilla shakes are the best at the 4H stand. Well worth the long line, but it goes pretty quickly. We were in Lake George this year camping so we were not able to go. Now I am home for the month of September, since I had to have my left hip replaced. At least I can catch up on some of my craft projects. I loved reading your article about the fair. We all hope to go again next year! Have a great day!Diane
Hi Diane! I wondered why there was such a long line at the 4H shake stand! Next year I will have to get one! Thank you for your comment, hope you have a speedy recovery! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
“There’s no place like home.” Dorothy stated those iconic words more than 70 years ago, and I think one of the best places to be in summer is New England. It’s hard to believe, but summer 2013’s winding down; the start of a new school year is right ‘round the corner. The question directed at me frequently was “What camps is your daughter signed up for?”, followed by surprised looks when I answer, “None”. As a really grateful SAHM in a not-so-great economy, the budget for fun can be limited. But my daughter’s not sitting around bored, or plugged into a mobile device all day. We’ve been as busy as bees! Join me, the Suburban Farmgirl, as I share my recipe for a blissful “stay-cation”.
Rebecca says: Your stay-cation sounds wonderful and from the pictures, it looks as though your summer has been full of fun AND learning. I believe it’s essential for kids to have downtime. It’s the way imaginations are born. It makes me sad when I see how disconnected some of us have become due to all the technology and "stuff" around us. We’re forgetting how to communicate. You and your daughter, on the other hand, are able to see all the beauty around you and ENJOY IT.
Rebecca, thank you. I’m glad you liked the pictures. They were all so fun to take. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Diana Henretty says: Being a stay at home nowdays is a true blessing, it is hard to afford, but well worth it all!
We home schooled our two kids for 8 yrs, they were the poorest years of our lives, but the best too.
Living in a 100 yr. old farmhouse surrounded by ducks, geese, chickens, milking goats was so much fun, we had stay at home vacations every year, life was a vacation!!
Now all grown up with kids of their own, they still speak of the batches of kittens they watched come into this world, bottle feeding baby goats, and growing huge gardens to share with the community, making new friends at the same time!
You are to be commended, you are blessed to have this special time with your daughter, you will both cherish and remember these days all your lives.
Hugs from Noel, Missouri, Diana
Diana, Your farmhouse living sounds like Heaven to me! What a wonderful childhood you gave your children. I would have home schooled if my daughter had not been an only child. I regret that I sent her to preschool as a tot. I had said I wouldn’t, but really felt peer pressure from other moms to do so. She wasn’t gone that long but she did not learn anything more than what I was doing already. Summers and weekends are "our" time, though! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Mary K. MacTarnaghan says: I love it. The photos are great. I think you have spent quality time with your daughter. And, in a less stressful manner. My daughter and I enjoy going to a local park and it’s a mini vacation. We are already in our second week of band camp, but last night had to be outside taking photos of the full moon. Sunday we had a picnic with another neighbor and her daughter and enjoyed playing "Clue" and "Life" out on the porch until it was too dark to see.
Mary, We were taking pics of the moon last night, too! Wasn’t it HUGE? It was so beautiful. It really looked like a face, reminded me of the old forties cartoons with the animated moon. Sounds like you had a great night…I forgot about the game "Clue". We don’t have that one, but I’ll have to get it. I played it as a child, too. Nothing like the real board games. Computer games are not the same, at all. How much fun it sounded like you had last evening. Enjoy. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Jan says: As a member of the ‘older’ generation, I think that it is important for kids to have downtime and to learn how to amuse themselves without technology. My husband and I just got home from a camping trip. There were many children riding their bikes, swimming, and hiking. In the evenings the families would collect around their campfires and lanterns and read books and play games. It was so refreshing to see the children physically and mentally stimulated!
My mother always told me that she was sad when we went back to school in the fall, simply because we bonded more and did activities as a family all summer…
Good job at building more family memories!
Hi Jan! I am already sad at thinking about school starting. We try to do downtime during the year after school as much as we can. Bike rides, walk the dog, go ice skating…but from fourth grade on there is so much homework each night. It’s really hard but we do our best. My dd gets "stressed" when she doesn’t get to get outside, even if it’s just a small time. And it saddens me to see how schools have chipped away at recess, or taken it away altogether! Thanks for commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Joan says: Thank YOU!!! for all of the above. Never can a parent be more than you are to your daughter and to the country in general. I think the more we have like you the more the next generation will be loving, caring people and will help stop the wrong doing. Again thank YOU and your husband. God Bless
Joan, thank you for your comment. It’s not easy going against the "norm". It’s not easy to do, and there are sacrifices. My husband is a blessing, and I thank God he’s on the same page with me with raising our dd. Farmgirl hugs, and blessings back to you, Nicole
Margaret says: Sharing thoughts. My son and daughter are now single adults in their 30’s and late 20’s but we always had "down time" at our home growing up and now as adults they do the same thing. They went on camping vacations by themselves to Utah, Wyoming, and So. Dakota this summer for 1 to 3 weeks. Son 3 and daughter 1. They hiked, fished, read, and just sat around and enjoyed the quiet life then spent down time unpacking when the got back to their homes. Teaching them as children to go outside, sit on the deck or steps and listen to the birds sing was one the most important lessons I feel I ever taught them because they are comfortable with their own thoughts and lives and do not need constant stimulation and attention from others to this day.
I totally feel everyone needs "downtime" to just do what they want to do with or without anyone else around them. Sounds to me like you have had a fantastic summer and learned a lot about yourselves and entertaining yourself without outside influences.
Sounds like you did a great job raising your babies! Downtime is important. It’s so easy to feel "burned out", and by getting "unplugged" and unscheduled once and awhile, I think we all become more productive in the end, no matter what we do. It’s something society is losing, I fear. Multi-tasking is one thing, but it can go too far, I think. Thanks for commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Barb says: Nicole, I am laughing I spent the day at the beach yesterday and stopped for Lucas at the farm on the way home. Spent my time at Moss Labyrinth and then taking many photos of bees on flowers and dragonflies.
I love the terrariums and now I am inspired to try it on my own since I missed the group event.
I loved stay vacations, this summer has been pretty much one big stay vacation for me. I wouldn’t trade it.
Your garden looks great, wish I could say the same for mine. Live and Learn, I will try again net year.
Barb, We all missed you so much at our farmgirl get-together. Audrey missed Emily, too! Sounds like you all had a nice summer. Hope to see you all soon. Much love, Nicole
Mary Ann says: Nicole, you’re doing a great job! I agree 100%, kids need downtime, need to learn to entertain themselves, learn to be open to all experiences.
Thanks, Mary Ann. When I was a kid, I was outside playing from sun up to sun down. Sometimes it was with my neighbor, a little boy who lived next door. Other times, it was by myself if he couldn’t play. I never felt "lonely", and very rarely watched TV. Some of my happiest childhood memories are of going to the park with my mom and grandma, or my mom and I playing softball in the back yard together. When video games came out, my parents didn’t forbid it, but they certainly did limit it. I am grateful. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Adrienne says: I’m so glad you’re having a lovely summer-into-fall staycation and yes, my brother, sister and I had plenty of downtime when we grew up. There were chores and homework, but after everything necessary was done, we were on our own until dark. If we were away from the house and yard, someone knew where we were. We were free to do what we wished with whomever in the neighborhood. Sure, there was Little League, soccer, Pop Warner and other scheduled events but we never felt stressed to cram more into the day.
I miss the Lorikeets! There was an exhibit at the San Francisco Zoo and we loved to feed them inside the open air compound. I had to remember not to wear button earrings or the beautiful little critters would try to eat them. I’m glad they’re in your area of the country to enjoy.
Hi Adrienne! Aren’t the Lorikeets the neatest? We really enjoyed that exhibit. It was really a treat. I admit, I hadn’t ever heard of that type of bird before. They are so beautiful and colorful. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Maureen says: Hi Nicole,
Yes, kids need downtime! For me, summers were always reading, being outdoors and playing at the lake. There wasn’t pressure to conform like there is today. Even when my children were small and I worked, I would be sure to plan activities as a family that didn’t cost much, if anything, but we were all together. It showed that family is forever and it doesn’t cost a lot to discover wonderful things.
Maureen
PS The picture of Audrey, the book and the kitty is priceless!
Hi Maureen, You are so right. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to spend time together as a family. If anything good has come out of a difficult economy, it’s that families have become more creative in finding things to do together.
Isn’t that cat a hoot? She will sit like that with Audrey as long as Audrey wants. I swear Mittens does not know that she is a cat. She really does think she is a baby. We lucked out with her. She is such a sweetie. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole! You really touched on some good food for thought today my dear! As a homeschool mom I am always thrilled when I hear that a family makes time to be together in unscheduled classes or activities. It gives us room to grow together and learn about each other and the world at the same time. Your summer sounds like the perfect summer! I agree, New England is a lovely place to be in the summer…So much to see and do if you choose, and plenty to do on a less hurried scale as well. I see you have the same butterflies we did this summer. I have zinnias galore but no painted ladies yet..I think the weather has affected the migration of certain butterflies this year. I’ve only spotted a few Swallowtails in my butterfly garden this year but the ones that did visit were very large and so beautiful. I actually saved ones life! I went out to look at my flowers and I found one stuck inside a daylilly blossom that had melted to the butterflies wings so it couldn’t get out. I thought it would be neat to look at it upclose and assumed it had perished by the way it was crammed inside the flower but when I peeled the flower petals away the wings began to move. With a little tug I released the butterfly from the center of the flower and it took off… a little wobbly at first and on damaged wing but I like to think I saved it even if just for the rest of the summer! As for family things… we have spent a lot of time talking and laughing with our teens at home and at the beach. As well as playing taxi to various outings they wanted to get in over the summer with friends.
Don’t let people frighten you about the teen years. Yes they are turbulent, for some kids more than others, but if you can drop anchor as a parent and let the storms swirl around you and not get caught up in it along with your child when the winds quiet down, ( and they go back to being human) you will fall in love with them all over again and they you!
Loved your post today! It hit home in the best of ways!
Enjoy!
Love, your BEACH BLOGGIN sis Deb
Hi Deb! Love the story of the butterfly. We are missing the Monarchs this year. I heard there were fewer due to the storms, and we have only seen one or two all summer. Lots of hummingbirds, hummingbird moths, and alot of butterflies, especially spotted skippers, and tiger swallowtails, though.
I love that you homeschool your teens and I love the way you seem so close to your daughter, even in the "teen" years. I think if you set a good foundation from the start, like you’ve done, you stay close and it is less turbulent than it could be.
As for New England, your area is another on my list to visit someday! Glad you had a great summer. I love your posts about the beach!
Farmgirl hugs,
Nicole
Kimberley says: Nicole, I so agree with Rebecca. As a society we are so busy embracing the newest technology that we are forgetting we need people just as much as the new progressions we are making. We need to disengage ourselves from the bright lights of technology so that we can enjoy all the mother nature has to offer, embrace our families and friends, and sometimes just be still in order that we can hear our own thoughts and harness all of those creative energies that we are born to explore.
Kimberley, Well said! Thank you for commenting! -Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Thanks for sharing the photos and your post and all the neat things you’ve been doing! Wonderful!
I do believe that kids need down time! They need play time and, hopefully, time where they are encouraged to create, read, or whatever they really want to do at the moment. Yes, they need structure and their share of responsibilities as is appropriate for their age. But I’m a believer in encouraging creativity and exploration. Kids need to be given opportunity to think, reason and make decisions for themselves as well.
A nap can be a good thing, too!
Enjoy the rest of your summer!!!
HUGS TO YOU BOTH!
CJ
Hi CJ! I agree whole-heartedly! We have given Audrey chores which she must do, as well, like make her own bed, feed her pets, and put away her own laundry. She also has to practice her violin. She is active in Girl Scouts and 4H. But she knows kids who never get any free playtime, never get to decide what they would like to do. They are shuffled from one lesson, one sport, one activity to another to another. They are exhausted. Their parents are exhausted.
And yes, a nap can be a good thing! Big hugs to you, my friend. Been thinking about you! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Janet K says: One summer day when my son was about 8, he was laying under a tree out in our field on our 10 acre farm. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "Watching the leaves move in the wind." This is a boy, who by today’s standards would have been classified with ADHD. I always had my children spend as much time outside playing and working as was possible. Now, as adults, they plan camping and backpacking trips for recreation.
Janet, I really believe that being outside like you did with your children is just so important. We expect our kids to sit still all day, restrict their playtime and eliminate recess. Then so many end up with weight issues, or burned out by the time they hit middle school. I have to say I was disappointed to see my town’s push to all day kindergarten now. My daughter still needed naps at that age, and when she didn’t get to rest, our evenings were torture.
Sounds like your kids had a great childhood, and were very blessed to live on a ten acre farm. Thank you for sharing! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole, the pictures are beautiful and of course I agree with you on free time from hectic schedules and technology for children.
I never had heard of a lorikeet and they are beautiful! What fun you and Audrey had this summer and nice aquarium.
Audrey looks so sweet lying down with Mittens and the kitty’s eyes are something else! Good blog and you really have some nice comments from others.
Love you,
Mother
Thanks Mom! And thanks for being a great mom and inspiration to me. My happiest memories as a child are of being outside playing until dusk, and being home with you. Love you, Nicole
Nicole, the pictures are beautiful and of course I agree with you on free time from hectic schedules and technology for children.
I never had heard of a lorikeet and they are beautiful! What fun you and Audrey had this summer and nice aquarium.
Audrey looks so sweet lying down with Mittens and the kitty’s eyes are something else! Good blog and you really have some nice comments from others.
Love you,
Mother
Thanks Mom! And thanks for being a great mom and inspiration to me. My happiest memories as a child are of being outside playing until dusk, and being home with you. Love you, Nicole
Melena Cummings says: Nicole, I so agree with your post. I am a mother of five – 4 boys and 1 girl. We homeschooled for 10 years before I had to go to work. We live in Michigan and when we bought our home we had to make a choice. Do we have more property and no basement or get a basement and have no property. My husband and I both love the outdoors and so it really became a no brainier. More property! So with that my kids were always outside. We gave them one area of the yard to dig and dig they did. We had trees for climbing, swing to play on, gardens, raspberry bushes, basketball, and in the winter an ice rink. Some people thought we were crazy to not have a basement but we knew how we wanted our kids to grow up. Outside :). We limited their tv and didn’t have any game systems until they were much older. For their birthdays I would rent a game system for 24 hours and let them play until their hearts content, then I would return it. My children are now ages 15 to 23 and its always fun to listen to them talk about the things they used to do. You’ve made a great choice to spend this time with your daughter. The time really does go fast.
Melena, thank you for sharing! I love your idea of renting a game system and then returning it. We do allow Audrey to play video games at times, but she is very, very limited on the time. And with email and cell games, I am like "Big Brother"…always watching. I wouldn’t have let her have a cell at all yet, but after last year, I changed my mind after a school bus fender bender where no one know why our bus was an hour late, and then of course December 14th. I trust my daughter, but am also Mama Bear! Thank you for sharing. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
There’s animal people…and then there’s animal people. I fall under the second category. Now, I’m not talking reality-show, animals-piled-to-the-top-of-the-ceiling-animal hoarders, but we’re a multiple-pet household. Not only that, but a multiple species household. And now we’ve gone and done it again…
Meet our newest family member!
Diana Henretty says: Love your story and your compassion for animals, I don’t know who is more blessed, the critters or you!
Right now we have a 17 yr. old dog that sometimes gets me up 6x a night to go outside, a 18 yr. old Siamese that needs special care, a stray mama cat that we just found homes for her 4 babies and now cannot part with her, so she is ours,
and 2 other house cats!
I believe there are people placed on this earth just to show love and compassion to those who are not loved or have been mistreated, whether pets or people, finding room in their hearts for "just one more".
Here’s hugs from the Ozarks this thundering, stormy morning! Diana
Hi Diana! Wow, your pup is 17! That’s awesome, and I know you don’t mind getting up with your fur-baby during the night. When one of my doggies got elderly and very picky at what he would eat (Apollo), I actually cooked three meals a day for him! Love how you have taken in and helped all those animals. You are a special soul, indeed. You are so right, all of our animals are our blessings. Big hugs right back to you, and to all your dear, sweet fur-babies! -Nicole
Laurie Dimino says: Oh Nicole,
Patches looks so similar to our Riley! We have had Riley for about a year and a half. She is actually in a huge outdoor hutch, and yes…her rabbit gold fertilizer goes straight into my gardens. And, we too just got another (indoor) bunny, the same way you did. He is a lion head, and was at the pet store for free with cage to a good home. My daughter named him Leroy. He is in our basement, and gets much love and attention, and in return brings us much joy. In fact every time I go downstairs to do laundry he instantly comes running over to the side of his hutch, so that I will scratch between his ears. He is a love!
Congratulations on your new addition…together we are each building our own mini farms, here in suburbia! (Chickens next for you???? Can’t remember if you are allowed to have them in your town)
My girls that I got back in April should hopefully start to lay in about 6 weeks. We are excited to see the different colored eggs they will bring us. My "older girls" are in retirement mode and are no longer reliable layers, but we still greatly enjoy their personalities!
Please tell Audrey , this Long Island fellow farmgirl sends her best, and to have fun lovin Patches!
Hugs to both of you!
Hi Laurie! Everytime you leave a comment, I realize how very much we have in common! I just can’t wait to meet you. I know when we finally do meet face to face, it will a great, big, fun gab-fest!
I love the names your bunnies have been given. And yes, I can’t wait to get my chickens. Been saying it for years, but have so many other things to get to first. This year, for sure. I’ve got the area cleared out where I will put the henhouse.
Our bunny purrs at us and loves the top of her fuzzy head scratched. She is so sweet.
Hugs right back to you and all of yours at your "mini farm", too! Can’t wait to meet up. -Nicole
Diane Loehr says: I loved your article and the photos. We are also a family of saving animals and it doesn’t take much for me to change my mind about taking them home once I have held them in my arms. This is why we have Herman (our cat), Alice (our rabbit which we saved at a farmers market), and we are going to be adding a small dog (from a rescue) soon I hope! We also had mice, hamsters, birds and betta fish. Looking for a maltese/mix or a dachshund, but definitely want an older dog and not a puppy. They are cute, but a lot of work! Good luck with your new addition! Animals are definitely worth having in our lives! 🙂
Diane
Hi Diane! Hope you get your new pup you are looking for. So exciting! I giggled at the part of how you saved your bunny from the farmer’s market! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Adrienne says: Congratulations on your latest addition! Looks like the "free love" movement continues from the ’60s to your home.
Well, with furry creatures, yes, (giggles). Although I draw the line at indoor birds. I’ve told my daughter she can adopt birds when she has a home of her own. (Chickens not included in that rule, of course). – Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Jan says: I am so happy that you have passed on your love of animals to your daughter! We are down to one cockatiel, one cat, one dog. We once had an iguana that grew to over 4 ft. long. My husband made ‘Little Ricky’ a custom cage, complete with smoke detector…
Good luck with the fuzzy bunny..
Hi Jan! Sounds like you are in the same boat we are! Love how your dh made "Little Ricky" such a ‘Home sweet Home’! Love iguanas. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Sherry Lynn says: Love your postings. I have been a small town Farmgirl since 2008. My three adult children each left a pet when they left home. So we have an "empty nest" filled with a rooster, six chickens, one 18 year old cat, and four dogs – 10, 7, 6, and 2 years of age. Love my menagerie!
Hi Sherry! Sounds like my kind of household! I’m sure that when my daughter leaves the nest, I may be left with a few animals that are "hers", too, which will be fine by me! Thank you for reading and commenting! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Mindy says: We are an "Animal House" also, filled with furry friends. We also foster animals for the Humane Society here in Phoenix, Arizona. We just gave back 3 Australian Shepard puppies yesterday. Hopefully they will be adopted out this week.
Mindy, A big thank you goes to you and those like you, who foster animals. The sweet lady, Jess, who was the foster last year for our kitten, Mittens, worked so hard to take care of all the fosters in her care. She amazed me. I would find it so hard to give the fosters back…thank you again for what you do. -Nicole
Barb says: Congrats on the bunny, so funny I was just remembering the "Ali cat" story. I wonder what will be next.
Hi Barb! Chickens. Chickens will be next! Big hugs farmsister! Miss ya-Nicole
Marge Hofknecht says: Such a sweet little furry friend. My daughter was soft on animals, too. She brought home a stray cat who was a runt of the litter. She and I tried so hard to help that little kitty make it but it wasn’t to be. The little sweetie died right in my hands on a Friday evening. It was awful. But the good part is that after experiencing that little bit of cat we went to the local shelter the following Monday and brought home Lizzie. Lizzie lived with us for eighteen years before passing on into kitty heaven. I loved her so much; she was my constant companion whenever I was home. Enjoy your bunny because she won’t be a bunny for long. Soon she’ll be a beautiful rabbit with so much more to love. Marge
Hi Marge! Thank you for sharing your sweet story with me. I like to think that when our fur-babies cross that rainbow bridge, they are waiting for us. Heaven wouldn’t be Heaven without them! Big farmgirl hugs to you, Nicole
name Beverly says: Nicole I love this blog. The pictures of Audrey with Phoebe are precious. And with Mittens Kitten in her arms holding so tight. Cute. Love you,
Mother
Hi Mom, Glad you liked it! Phoebe always was "Audrey’s other little mom". She fussed over her so much, remember? Miss you…Love, Nicole
name Beverly says: Nicole I love this blog. The pictures of Audrey with Phoebe are precious. And with Mittens Kitten in her arms holding so tight. Cute. Love you,
Mother
Hi Mom, Glad you liked it! Phoebe always was "Audrey’s other little mom". She fussed over her so much, remember? Miss you…Love, Nicole
Joan says: Oh love your story and hints about the Beta. I had an ‘in house’ bunny – BunBun – oh what a joy for a long time. Good luck with yours and enjoy.
God Bless
Thank you, Joan! We are really loving having Patches around. Love your little bunny’s name. Happy to report that our Beta fish Pumpkin is as good as new! Thank you for commenting! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi,
I fall under the 2nd category of animal lovers as well. When my dog was diagnosed with cancer, they gave him several weeks at best to live and I slept with him every night. A year later he was still doing well though he later needed surgery and died from complications. A few months passed and we rescued another dog. Life is so much better when family includes animals!
Your little animal menagerie is adorable!
Linda
mysewwhatblog.blogspot.com
Hi Linda,
I’m sorry to hear of your loss of your dog, but I’m sure he knows how loved he was. He was very blessed to have you for an owner, glad to hear you have a new rescued fur-baby to love. They really do bring so much joy. Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Joey says: Hi Nicole,
Thanks for the pics of your latest addition. SO cute! would love a bunny.
When we lived on the farm we had 4 dogs and 6 cats. I’ve always had animals. We even travelled with our 2 labs until they passed on. Where we live now won’t let us have dogs and OH, how we miss them. We’re thinking about getting a cat. It just doesn’t seem normal not to have a fur baby. Rod just started volunteering with the pet shelter and he so enjoys it. Thanks for this post. Hugs, Joey
Hi Joey! How good to hear from you, farmgirl sister! I’ve missed you and we need to catch up. You have been on my mind for sure. I know you and Rod would make the BEST fur-parents for some lucky little animal! Big Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Cassie says: We are most definitely kindred spirits when it comes to loving pets. I also have a multi-pet household and my furry friends are my greatest joy. If you are looking for a great place to buy online rabbit supplies or rabbit carrier cages I recommend http://yourrabbithutch.com/. I bought the cutest little carrier there for my little bunny Patches.
Thanks, Cassidy! I will check it out. Our Patches has really grown to be a treasured member of our family. She is just the sweetest and knows we are her "family". She’s even let me trim her claws with no issues! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
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”.
What fun day Nicole! It’s such a charge to learn new skills isn’t it? Your table runner turned out great and the pillow is adorable! I’ve been painting mason jars, and I made a Christmas tree out of chicken wire to display vintage postcards on for my booth downtown. As for gifts, this year we are giving gifts that keep the creativity going all year long. A new photo printer for my hubby and I, a digital keyboard for our daughter, and a beat-maker keyboard for our son. We’ll be ready for a year of making music and beautiful photographs together! Love your posts!
Merry Christmas Nicole!
Hugs from the shorelines!
Deb
Hi Deb! Thanks! Isn’t it fun to make something new? I am now on my fourth or fifth runner and each one gets a little better.
I bet that chicken wire Christmas tree is adorable! I need to mosey on over to your blog and check it out! I will catch up on my reading in my next sewing break.;)
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Farmgirl hugs,
Nicole
What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon and the runners are beautiful. Thank you for the clear instructions. I plan to try one of my own and I have the perfect fabric to use. Nice Christmas-y prints. Merry Christmas to you and to your family.
Hi Rebecca! Thanks for stopping by! Have fun making your tablerunner! I’d love to see a pic when it is all done. Merry Christmas and Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
What creativity emanates from your home! I’m also going to try the guacamole and hummus combo. I like both separately but together sounds yummy. Thanks for the ideas!
Hi Adrienne, Those two dips are absolutely divine together! Enjoy! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Great job, Nicole! I just love to get lost in a creative project…I am still working on decorating my front porch, as the weather is up to a balmy 27 degrees today after it’s visit to below zero wind chills. I FINALLY got out my childhood sleds and decorated them with bows and swags. One is by the fireplace and one will go on the front porch.
My last sewing project was curtains for my vintage travel trailer. I even lined some of them! Now you’ve got me thinking about my own patch work quilt for the bed…Hmmm..
A couple of years ago I took a class called ‘Viking Knit’ which is the process of ‘knitting’ wire around a wooden dowel to make cable like bracelets, etc. You can even incorporate beads in your weaving and make multicolored pieces. I think that it is therapeutic to get lost in your crafting!
P.S. Your dog is adorable…
Hi Jan! Your temps are about the same as ours. I’m glad I got my porch all decorated before the snow, but still have a few lights to put out front. I decorated a sled this year, too…check back next blog and I will post a pic. 🙂
Sounds like you are a busy farmgirl creating, too! How fun to have a vintage trailer. We have been looking about for something like that…maybe someday I can be an official Glamper! Hope so!
Thanks for stopping by!
Farmgirl hugs,
Nicole
What a fun day. I am glad you are hooked and ready to find our next project. What a great group of women. Thank you once again for having us in your home.
Barb, I want to add that you have unleashed a sewing monster! I am hooked for sure. I just finished my fourth runner tonight and am starting a fifth one. Thanks so much for such a fun day and inspiration to try something I have wanted to do forever. Love you! – Nicole
What a fun day. I am glad you are hooked and ready to find our next project. What a great group of women. Thank you once again for having us in your home.
Barb, Oh My Goodness! Thank YOU for your patience and inspiration. You are such a talented lady and I am so glad we met. Thank you for all you do. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
PS Several of the girls that had to miss have requested we do another tablerunner day. Would you be up to teaching us again? 😉
Wish I could have attended this. I can only imagine what a great teacher and inspiration Barb would be to people wanting to learn the basics and more of quilting!
Hi Heather, Barb was an awesome, creative teacher, for sure! If you are local and would like to join our group, just let me know. You can reach me through the blog (mark the message as a whisper) or it sounds as if you know Barb, and she has my contact info. We are always doing something fun! Thanks for commenting! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
What a fun day! I’m jealous that you guys have Barb as a teacher! She’s great!
Isn’t she awesome? And our daughters are two peas in a pod, too, so the "farmerettes" have fun, too! When I count my blessings, Barb is one of them! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole
Barb is da bomb!
I agree! – Nicole
I bought that same vintage look Christmas fabric, not sure what I will use it for yet. I think I need more vintage look fabric for some table runners! Love how yours all turned out.
Thanks, Brenda! I also considered making a Christmas apron from that fabric. Saw another pretty vintage-looking one last time I went to the fabric store. I love the colors that are out this year, too! Happy sewing! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I am not a quilter but I have wanted to try to make a table runner for some time now. The directions here make it sound so easy I am going to pick up some material and batting tomorrow. This article was very inspiring. Thank you, Barb and Nicole.
Thank you Anne! Happy Sewing! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole,
it looks like you all had a fun day! Quilting is a great hobby!
The Table runner looks great! I love the vintage look pillow also.
I agree with you – a homemade quilt table runner would make a perfect Holiday or Burthday gift!
Rose
Dearest Sweet Rose, do I detect a hint? Hmmmm….Hugs! Nicole
The quilting is beautiful. What fun to learn this wonderful skill. I do not quilt myself but admire these beautiful creations. My mom and grandma quilted and so I have quilts in my closets from their creative efforts. You are lucky to have wonderful friends to share this with you. Happy Holidays.
Thank you! What wonderful treasures you have! Happiest of Holidays to you! Farmgirl hugs, Nicole