Dear Sisters,
I feel like it’s Christmas in November and not because it’s snowing outside. Our whole family is over-JOYED about our new roommates! They’ll be moving in with us in a couple of weeks and we just can’t wait!
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Debbie Bosworth
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.’”
Rebekah Teal
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.
Cathi Belcher
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
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.
Mary Murray
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.”
Alexandra Wilson
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!
Nicole Christensen
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”.
that’s wonderful that it is where she and her dog can come and live with you! may it be a wonderful experience for all of you!!
Thanks so much for the well wishes, Denise! xo Deb
Congratulations on your new additions! The happiest of birthdays to both of you (my 66th was on the 3rd so I’m also a November baby). I’m sure you’ll be creating many more new memories in the years ahead.
Thank you Adrienne an Happy Birthday to you, too! Hugs, Deb
What a great time for your family. It’s nice that she can make this move while you are all still able to enjoy this time together. Enjoy!
So true, Sandy! We feel blessed for sure! xo
You and your mom look alike 😉 It is a BLESSING that you have a place for your mom to call home. Happy early Birthday!
Hi Lori,
So true! We feel blessed…. Thanks for the birthday wishes! Blessings to you! xo Deb
WOW ! So pretty together, you two! Deb, take special care of your mom, she rocks! Moms are so wonderful. I lost my best friend when she was 55 (32 years ago), but she will always be in my heart.
Stay warm with these cold months ahead and I look forward to reading about all your future adventures with your Mom and your family. Your husband also has a big heart in this too.
Deb, you are indeed an angel and I know your mother appreciates you.
Awe, thank you Marcie! I’m sorry for your loss, Marcie. I bet she’s with you all the time guiding you in life. You are so right about my hubby! I didn’t mean to leave him out of my post! LOL! He has the kindest and most generous heart. When I told him I thought it was time for my mom to move in he was right on board. Our teens are excited too! It’s gonna be a special holiday season for sure! Wishing you and yours warmth and comfort and love. Blessings, Deb xo
Hi Deb,
I can totally relate to your post and can appreciate you are counting your blessings!!
I live with my mom too, along with my 2 young adult sons. (both in community college). My mom is now 93 and she still drives locally to church and stores. She has always been independent (and she even started decorative painting with acrylics when she retired in 1985 and she also had 2 hip replacements). Now she is losing her memory for many things and accepting my help with certain things. But I do not like to step on her independent toes ! I offer and am happy when she accepts. Her driving of course makes me nervous, but I am hoping she comes to the point when she gives it up when it is time to do so. All in all, this will be a soul satisfying time for you 🙂
~Laura
Howdy Laura! Your mom sounds like quite a gal. My mother in love is 92 and doesn’t drive anymore, but we love having her with us for visits. Her memory isn’t so great these days and it drives her batty! We too, try to give her as much independence as is safe for her. She doesn’t see or hear well so we have to mettle a little more than she would probably like but we know she appreciates the help. As for my moms moving in with us, I agree it will be a ” soul satisfying time for us, indeed! Love and blessings to you and yours Laura! xo Deb
Deb, just in time for the holidays too for some of that good turkey gravy. So happy for yall. Also my better halfs birthday is the 19th along with my daughter-in-love, both the same day. Nov, has birthed some good people. :). Be blessed. neta
Hi Neta!
Here, here to November babies! 😉 Yep, we are excited about the holidays this year! Already thinking about our Christmas Card Photo and how we’ll get both dogs to behave! Blessings and love to you and yours, dear Joan! xo Deb
Yes, Deb, it will be an adjustment to y’all BUT soon you will wonder of the time that you weren’t all living together. I was 6 yrs. old when I started living with my Grandparents and Aunt – who during WWII came home to help with my ill Grandmother – yes it was very different – most of all for my Aunt – another person to see too. I quickly learned to be quite independent so to help her and we became very close. And then my Grandmother’s brother needed to be with us so here he came – long story shortened – I LOVED my life with all of them. AHHHH what a grand life it was with us all together!! And I know y’all will make life better for each other. God bless.
Hi Joan! I loved reading about your childhood family memories. What a blessing family is. My mom lived with her grandparents for a while when she was little and has the fondest memories of her time with them. She still talks about it today. I love what you said about us making life better for each other. That’s exactly how I feel about it. 🙂 Blessings, Joan! xo Deb
Deb, I loved this blog post. I keep meaning to get back over here and tell you how wonderful it is to your Mom living with you. She looks like the sweetest lady, and you look just like her! Love the pictures! – Dori, the Ranch Farmgirl – 🙂
She is the sweetest and a little spicy too which is what I love most about her 😉 We are looking forward to making some fun new memories in this chapter of life! We wish your mama a speedy recovery! She’s certainly in good hands! I absolutely loved your Going ” Home” post. Look through my Beach Farmgirl blog archives… I wrote one similar when we went back home a couple of years ago! What a shot in the arm it was to this high desert farmgirl at heart. Hugs!
I think it would be in April or May 2013. It’s called A Farmgirl Goes Home. xo Deb
Your mom is very lucky to have you and your family so giving and careing for her. I am the 67 and sometimes you see the future and it scares you. Give your mom an extra hug from all the moms that still live alone