Merry Christmas and Happiest of New Years! I hope this finds you all enjoying your holidays. At my house, 2014 has been a really great year, and I’m savoring every minute of this very special “Christmas in Connecticut”.
Here’s my recipe for a Happy Holiday:
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”.
Loved your Merry Christmas blog this morning after my cup of coffee!!
This is the first Christmas we didnt go out and push thru malls and crazy crowds for gifts, we decided to give a gift card to our closest family and enjoy Christmas!
Just brought up my mother in law for the Christmas celebration, from Arkansas, we had to get her before the snow flies! There is something so different and so special about letting go of all the ideas and plans for the perfect meals, snacks, presents, decorations, and just soaking up every day’s blessings for just what they are.
Im so thankful we chose this year to let Christmas into our hearts in a special way.
Holiday Hugs from the Christmas City, Noel, Mo……..Diana
Hi Diana! I did it…I managed to NOT go to the mall one. single. time. all holiday season. Love it! Sounds like you all will have a wonderful Christmas celebration with your MIL. Enjoy! Merriest of Christmases to you. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Wish I was gathered around your tree this Christmas too. I miss you and Audrey. Your story is wonderful for this time of year. Glad Ulla and Torbin are there. Hope Santa is good to you and I love you. Merry Christmas. Mother
Hi Mom! I miss you too. Wish we were all together. I will call you in the morning! Love you! Nicole
Such a wonderful Holiday time you are having, so happy you have such lovely guests. Thanks for sharing your fun times. May God Bless and Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Oh thank you, Joan! May you and your family have a wonderful, blessed Christmas, too! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Merry Christmas Nicole AND Family! Thanks for sharing your precious memories and moments with us! I suppose you are so proud of your daughter that you hardly can express it. She seems like a terrific young woman!
Merry Christmas, Mary! I am so glad you liked my post, and yes, I am so proud of my daughter I could burst! She has always exceeded my dreams of what it would be like to be a mom. Enjoy your holidays! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole! I’m pretty sure Connecticut is the place to be for Christmas! Love all your pictures and the story they told. And your vintage dress???? To die for! 🙂 Happy Christmas – I know having family for the holidays is the BEST ever. – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl –
Thanks, Dori! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas, too! Big Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole PS I loved your reply to the comment I wrote you on your blog post a few weeks ago…every time I read a post of yours, I think, “I want to meet Dori!”
What a wonderful recipe! Full of everything needed to make up a batch of precious Christmas memories! Thanks for sharing and have a blessed and happy Merry Christmas!
Hi Marge, thank you! Christmas has been the best ever having my in-laws here. Hope you have a blessed holiday, too! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi Nicole! Merry Christmas! Loved your blog this am! You have some great Christmas traditions in Connecticut and fun family traditions! You are so right. It’s not about what’s under the tree, but who’s gathered around it. This Christmas my mom is with us ( after moving in in November ) and we are feeling so blessed to have her here at home with us…Can’t wait for 2015!
Blessings! Deb ( Beach Farmgirl )
Thank you, Deb! What a blessing you have your mom with you now. Merry Christmas to you and have a wonderful holiday with your mom and family! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I love the cowl….wondering if the pattern is available. Very colorful and a nice pattern. Someone s very creative! Love the gingerbread buildings…..someone is very patient! I could never do that! Nice mbrodery work too…..the best is seeing a chichichua all Tuckered out in te cute sweater coat. Nice! Love the fur baby….Susana
Hi Susana, Thank you! Let me check with my friend Jackie who knitted the cowl for the pattern. Perhaps it is on Ravelry…I will let you know. I will post the link here if I find it and email you to let you know.
Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Hi Susana,
I heard from my friend. The pattern for the cowl is at lionbrand.com.
Search pattern # L32438
Happy Knitting!
Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Dear Nicole thanks you for your nice words. We have a very god Christmas.Hugs to you Kim an Audrey
Hi Mor, We so enjoyed your visit. We all miss you so. Love, Nicole