I was little when Diana Spencer married Prince Charles, live on television. It was a record-breaking event, watched worldwide. Now Prince William is getting married, and there’s another beautiful princess-to-be walking down the aisle. Will it enlist the same magic in 2011, and why would a suburban American mom get so excited over a royal wedding a world away?
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”.
This is sweet, and I love the teapot. I love royal weddings, too. The tea with your mother idea is great.
Another great story written by you Nicole. What a great idea to create the memories for your daughter. How lucky for you that you have met so many Royalties. Once again thank you for sharing your story with all of us.
When Princess Diana died I cryed as we watched the news on tv. One of our children thought I was over-reacting….."Mom, she’s just a princess". "Yes", I replied, but more importantly she was someone’s mother".
I am hoping this is the fairytale for real this time. Diana got a cheater and you can tell, I don’t like men who cheat. I am hoping Prince William observed the pain this caused his mother and will not do it to Kate. I wish them well – I wish them as happy a marriage as I have had.
What a lovely post and a grand idea! I will have tea and scones with my daughter while the festivites play out on the telly! Of course, being farmers, we will likely be sitting there smelling of tea, scones, and cow, but we’ll enjoy it just the same!
Nicole, Your story is charming…I love that you have that memory with your mom…As if time stood still and it was just you, her and the royal wedding… and your special tea. My husband always says" just because someone is famous, doesn’t make them a wonderful person". This is so true… fame does not make one charitable,or compassionate. Enjoy your tea with your daughter. Deb ( yourfarmgirl blogging sister from the Beach)
I remember that day too. And your story is truly charmed by memories that we cannot live without and by events that will never be changed. I didn’t do the tea in 1981 for my then 8-year old daughter but do plan to make scones and tea for myself and my husband while I watch the blessed event of a new beautiful princess unfolding right out of fairy tales and my husband will do whatever as these events don’t impress him as much. I pray for many, many years of wedded bliss for the royal couple.
So cool that you have met Danish royalty! As my mother is from Denmark, I’ve grown up following them at least as much as the Windsors. (Is it just me, or does Kate remind anyone else of Crown Princess Mary? Something about their poise, I guess.) I’ve been in Amalienborg Square a number of times, but never bumped into anyone LOL! They sound as delightful as I would have thought; how lovely for you!
I was 14 and watched Diana’s wedding and last year saw her gown in person; it was like seeing a piece of my own past before me. Oh, and many of her gowns were on display, too. She was so petite! In photos, she looks like an Amazon, but no, tiny yet tall. And her wedding gown in person is glowing and elegant, not overdone at all the way people seem to portray it now. Remember, most of the photos taken of her that day, she is crammed into a tiny carriage not made for a tall woman, let alone one in a full gown.
–I agree, Diana’s gown surprised me with its simplicity – she didn’t look like an "iced cupcake" compared to most glittery, poufy gowns of that time. Like you, I was surprised at how she was thin and tall. I would love to see Althorp museum someday, too. Thanks for reading! -Nicole
Hi there, do you have any idea what the value of these tins are? I have one that looks similar and I’m looking at selling it. Please e-mail when you get a chance. Thanks!
Santrelle, emailed you! Thanks for reading. -Nicole