Happy Holidays to you all, Farmgirl readers! I hope you are having a wonderful season, and that the New Year brings us all joy, good health, and happiness for 2024!
We were dealt with more than our share of not-so-jolly this year, and our holidays were almost ruined by something that could have been a tragedy, a cherry on top of the proverbial “bad sundae”. Instead, we received a true Christmas miracle, and we are so overjoyed! I hope this post puts a smile on your face!
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”.
Just went thru the same on Dec 4-8. He was outside and came back. I pulled in the carport and heard him meowing loudly and then he jumped on the car. We thought he was gone but now he’s back!!! Glad your baby was found too!
Lori, Oh, I am so glad you found your kitty, too! It is just awful not knowing where they are! Friends of ours lost their kitty last year just before Thanksgiving. They had given up, when all of a sudden, two weeks later, after the holiday, he showed back up, thin but healthy. She thinks he was stuck in someone’s garage while they were on holiday! Glad you got a happy ending, too. Give your kitty a pat from me! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I told my husband your story and he couldn’t believe it!
Hi Lori, we still can’t believe our baby is back! We keep spoiling him with extra pats and kisses (more than ever), and we are just so thankful. After that first night, we were sure we would never see him again. We just had to not give up! Have a wonderful holiday season! Thanks for reading and commenting. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole, thank you so so very much for sharing this. I’m so glad Norman is back home. I, too, have cats and live in the woods (the Blue Ridge mtns in Harpers Ferry, WV). One particular cat, (a rescue and foster failure) with one eye and many many extra toes has caused me grief similar to your Norman. His name is Tony Too Many Toes Toprano. He was a feral for many years but was finally trapped prior to a spay/neuter/vaccination event at our wonderful local vet clinic. I’m with a small group up here that runs a trap/neuter/return program and those cats we trap that are friendly (or will become friendly) as well as kittens …. so many kittens…are fixed up, vaccinated, neutered/spayed and adopted into families.
Anyway, I’m blathering on. I do want to mention, though, that one thing with my personal cats as well as the TNR cats we’ve rehab’d and adopted out is to make sure they all have microchips. Those simple little chips have helped us locate lost cats and get them back home. All mine are chipped…Tony Too Many Toes does like to rush the door and then taunt me from the woods until I can coerce him back in the house. The chip is a blessing and is a HUGE help in getting missing critters back home.
Have a wonderful Christmas and give Norman lots of love from my WV mountain cats!
Hi Ellen, thank you so much! I love your kitty’s name, and I bet he is just the cutest thing with his many toes and one eye! How wonderful that you are involved in kitty rescue! I think microchips are great, but they do not serve as a gps, (someone has to find your pet to scan it), so the trackers are a wonderful addition to the microchips! Keep up the great work you do, and pat that sweet Tony for me! Have a wonderul holiday season! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
What a wonderful miracle story for the holidays!!. May your family enjoy your kitties and each other.
Thank you so much, Terry! It is so nice to have him back. Happy holidays to you, too! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
So very happy you found Norman!! Pets are family and glad you all are together again. Merry Christmas!
Hi Denise! Thank you – our hearts were so broken when he was gone. Now our family is complete! We have spoiled him rotten the last two weeks with so much love and pats (and treats)! Merry Christma, Denise! Have a wonderful holiday season! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
I haven’t had much Christmas Spirit this year. Your post put the spirit right back in my heart. Such a sad story with a joyous ending. Welcome back Norman.
Treese
Hi Treese, thank you – your comment means so much. There is nothing that could be put under our tree that would be as wonderful as finding our baby boy! He is such a good, sweet kitty. Have a Merry Christmas! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
What a miracle! I just finished sitting with my granddoll’s goat as it is passing and we just lost a lamb a couple of days ago. It sure does take away some of the holiday happiness.
Oh Carol, I am so very sorry! In the past we have lost beloved pets and also relatives at the holidays…so hard. My heart gotes out to you and your granddoll! Much love to your family! May 2024 be better! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
What a beautiful community you have that came together to search for your beloved cat. A touching story. I can only imagine how relieved you all are that your beloved is back with you well cared for.
Happy Holiday season.
Hi Jacqueline, thank you – yes, we are so happy to have him home safe. The support from our town and community was so unexpected and truly wonderful! Have a Happy Holiday! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Oh my, I was hanging on every word! I’m so so happy you have found Norman and that now you can enjoy the holidays together. What wonderful friends & neighbors you have…that is truly such a blessing. We have an orange tabby as well…the sweetest boy, I can understand why you were so worried – they really become such a part of our families. Happy for your Christmas Miracle – what a wonderful post for this Christmas season, thanks for sharing! Mary
Hi Mary, thank you so very much! Our hearts are so full! I have lived in Connecticut, here, for more than half of my life, but after this, I truly feel more than ever that our town is HOME. Aren’t orange tabbies the best? They have such sweet personalities. When I was a little girl, the neighbors had an orange tabby named Mr. Peabody. He was big like Norman and used to visit. I always wanted an orange tabby and love my Norman so much! Thanks for reading and commenting, and have a very Merry Christmas! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
So Happy to hear the entire story and the HAPPY ending. What a Wonderful bunch of folks that offered their help. It’s similar to It’s a Wonderful Life…
Hi Julie, thank you! Maybe there is a reason movies like that (one of my all time favorites) and Hallmark Christmas movies are filmed or take place in the Northeast! Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year! Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole
Nicole….I want you to be my neighbor as you are an amazing woman. I read your stories and messages and no wonder your neighbors all love you as much as I do. You would do anything you could for another person. For sure, you are a wonderful human being.
Anne, WOW! Thank you… that is an amazing, wonderful compliment. Thank you ever so much. I have just always tried to live by the “Golden Rule”. You are so sweet! I wish you a very, Merry Holiday Season, and a Happy New Year! Thank you for reading, and for such a nice comment. You have warmed my heart very much. Farmgirl Hugs, Nicole