Happy belated Valentine’s Day! What did you do to celebrate? Dinner out with your sweetie? Dinner IN with your honey? Something simple? Something tradition- al? Do you go in for those mushy store bought greeting cards or do you make a one of a kind valentine for your loved one? I learned a long time ago not to go overboard for Valentine’s Day and here’s why… A little Romance can be found EVERYDAY if you know where to look for it…
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”.
Of course I’m here! With every new sisterly hug, kind word given or generous deed done, the world becomes a better place. Why, my world is brighter this morning because of a "lighthouse" that shines from MA.
Aww… Thank you MJ! Love you! Deb
In honor of Valentine’s Day (and on many other occasions), my dear best friend makes a donation in my name to the Jimmy Fund at Dana-Farber Medical Center in Boston. He says I’m his favorite cancer survivor (retroperitoneal liposarcoma) and the money goes to a good cause. We both feel warm and cozy, and I feel just a tiny bit healthier every day he’s in my life. I’m sending a sister hug your way and wish you many more days of love in your life.
What a beautiful gift Adrienne both the donation and the friendship! Thanks so much for reading…xo Deb
LOVE, KINDNESS, JOY is what you exude – THANK YOU!!! Also I have put Michelle and Merrilyn and their family on my prayer list. God is good and God Bless y’all.
BIG thank you Joan! HUGS!! XO Deb
Wow, Deb, I breathed in every word from my head to my toes and straight to my heart. I’m thinking we might be married to two men with a lot in common regarding their thoughts on romance. Like you, I am learning to appreciate it more every day. Yesterday, he took our daughter (27, single and not settling for anything less than her dreams) to lunch for Valentine’s day. They decided to eat at her apartment and enjoy each others’company. Well, of course, this melted my heart and was the best Valentine’s present he could have given me….showing our adult daughter that she is valued by her father. Yep, I’m very good with that, my homemade card from my ten year old and a call last night from my 24 year old son to tell me Happy Valentine’s Day and thank me for his OU Chocolate Bars. Now, that’s romance. Thank you for your words and go hug your Yankee for me….lol….because you two made me smile on this cold day in Oklahoma:)…………Raynita
Hi Raynita! Sounds like you’ve got a sweetie too and loving children to boot! We are both blessed for sure! LOL! You made me smile too 🙂
xo Deb
Thank you for sharing such beautiful comments. And the pictures are incredible! Each time I look at them, I see even more beauty. I firmly believe that everyday romanace is all around us. We just have to keep our eyes (and hearts) open to see and enjoy it.
So true Rebecca…. Thank you for the note and for reading! xo Deb
Deb, this was such an enlightening article. Thank you for reminding me of all of the many ways that romance surrounds us every day. My husband is an artist…landscape pastels, and he sees beauty in everyday settings, much like your husband does. So my flowers are on the easel instead of the vase. You are so right…they don’t fade or die, and romance doesn’t either, as long as we endeavor to keep it alive.
Dear Pam,
Thank you. My hubby as tried his hand at landscape pastels as well. He loves that medium…I bet your flowers are lovely on canvas! Thanks for reading as always…
See you in June right? Xo Deb
What a lovely post. My husband makes it easy for me to find romance everyday. He’s such a blessing to me. And my grandkids bring me love over and over again. I enjoy your posts and the pictures are so inspiring.
Penny
Thank you for sharing your everyday romances Penny!
xo Deb
Deb, your photos and words are beautiful. As the mother of an adult daughter with cancer (multiple myeloma), I can emphasize with Merrilyn and what she’s going through. The support and encouragement of friends and "sisters" such as you goes a long way toward easing the burden. By supporting her, you shine a light for the rest of us as well. You are truly wonderful.
Blessings and continuted healing to your daugther Cindy…Aren’t we lucky we can count on our farmgirl sisters to help us through hard times as well as celebrating the good ones? xo Deb
Deb, we had such a good time meeting you and it was so good to hear Michelle laugh. Laughter is such good medicine. I was amazed by the beautiful pictures you posted. Such talent.
I can’ t thank Mary Jane enough for being such a strong woman to have built what she has. Such a wonderful creation of a network to bring together farm girls from all walks of life to become friends. Valentines day is everyday for me in just being thankful for family and friends.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
Hugs to you Deb
Merrilyn
As did I" Mary Lynn "! Why didn’t I take a pic of you and Michelle with the water in the background too? Duh! I’m so glad we got a chance to meet in person and have some laughts amongst the tears too…That’s what friends are for…much love,
Deb
Beautiful, wonderful people, just waiting to be met. God bless you all. Thank you Mary Jane and Meg and all.
Absolutely Bonnie! We are a very lucky bunch of farmgirls!
xo
Deb
Warm thouhgts and prayers going out to Merrilyn, Michelle and their family ! Thank you for such a lovely article, I agree love is shown everyday ! I taugt my two sons always kiss hello and goodbye or goodnightas well. It’s never a bad time to say I Love You !
Deb