How can I raise the level of gratitude in my life? Let me count the ways.
Lisa Arthur says: Looks like a wonderful winter wonderland walk to me!
Winnie Nielsen says: Now that is a Winter wonderland photo for sure! Too pretty.
Cindi says: I hear a Beatles song about to be born 🙂
Lisa Von Saunder says: Too Cute. I love private lanes and their names. Ofcourse here in Amishland we have some pretty neat names of real roads.My favorite is ” Cats Back Road”. I drive on Spook Lane ( a real road) all the time.
Winnie Nielsen says: This is a really fun and appropriate sign for your cows. I love it!
Winnie Nielsen says: Is this the door to “my cabin”? I know there was a cool old door inside at the foot of the bed, but the siding here looks like the cabin too. Hmmmm, it would be confirmed if the “light was still on”. LOL!!
Good Morning, MaryJane! I hope all of the Butters/Ogles had a wonderful day of family fun and love on Christmas. By the way, I was wondering if my Miss Daisy sent me a Hello at Midnight on Christmas Eve? They say animals can speak at this moment of the year. I was thinking of her and my Bump before bed that night so maybe I just couldn’t hear their greetings for the jingle of the reindeer’s harnesses busy making the rounds!
MaryJane says: Close. It’s the door to the bunkhouse kitchen (that will need some foundation work this summer–one of the sides has dropped). Once it’s gussied up again and good to go, you should picture yourself gathering a couple of eggs, next a pint of cream for coffee and fixing yourself breakfast there and then walking with it to dine on your sewing cottage porch, a hot bath waiting for you after. Good morning, Winnie!
Probably a tomte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisse_(folklore)) came to visit my animals on Christmas Eve while I slept. Ha, my cows “try” to talk to me all the time and I “try” to talk back. We’re a little clumsy at it to say the least.
Winnie Nielsen says: I do love that image of making myself a Farmgirl breakfast and enjoying it on the porch. Sweet!!!
I have to admit that despite the real differences between Meow and English, Bump and I did quite well getting across our needs and interests. Of course his way was always the winner in the end,but everyone who ever took care of him,when we traveled, said he was so clever at telling them what to do! How I miss that furry friend.
There is a Celtic proverb that says heaven is only three feet away and closer in the thin spaces. Midnight Christmas Eve is one of those thin spaces and I am pretty sure my Bump was closer because I couldn’t stop thinking about him and I told him in my heart he was such a good boy and a faithful friend!
Coralynn H Thompson says: Hi. I was looking for the chance to win the Busy Bee twin quilt and pillow as described on page 20 of the April-May 2018 issue. Nothing comes up to enter. It cannot be found. HELP. THANK YOU!
MaryJane says: Perhaps you’re typing it in wrong because 300 others have found it:)
Here ’tis:
http://www.raisingjane.org/journal/wp-admin/post.php?post=65968&action=edit
Winnie Nielsen says: Now that is a fancy top notch. What kind of bird is this? A member of the pheasant family perhaps?
Cindy Sproat says: Love the picture…i have a, bunch of them in my back yard…
Cindi says: I love quail. They are so full of personality and a LOT smarter than their often comical antics let on.
Lisa Von Saunder says: another baby? Which darling calf is this? I do so love calves , especially Jerseys which look like fawns
MaryJane says: Little Sophie was just waking up from a mid-day nap.
Lisa Von Saunder says: Oh sophie you are just too sweet, those sleepy eyes, eh?
Winnie Nielsen says: Sophie looks like a dark chocolate Hershey kiss. Her color is so rich and yummy.
Winnie Nielsen says: This looks like ingredients for some pear and apple mulled cider. Or possibly some poached pears and apples?
Happy Sunday MaryJane! I am back in Atlanta airport right now headed home. Had a great visit with my friend in Oklahoma!
Farmgirl on the Loose partnering with Delta Airlines. Let’s keep climbing the logo says!!
MaryJane says: Or soaring to new heights as is the case with our Miss Apple farmgirl. Good morning Winnie!
Lisa Von Saunder says: Good morning MaryJane,
please check your email for the one I sent you this morning about elephants.
happy fall
MaryJane says: I got it and walked away after reading it with a smile on my face thinking, I know the coolest women on Earth.
Today’s gratitude is for Bees and Dragonflies. I had time to spend on your website, and notices the prominence of bees and dragonflies. If bees and dragonflies were animals, they would be my “Spiritual Totems”. Unfortunately, the lovely cow, as much as I admire what she’s done for the human race, is not one of my totems. The love of bees is in my Slovenian DNA. The love of dragonflies is from my summer days swimming and boating ath our tiny lake at our tiny cottage. milkaTheAppreciator
MaryJane says: You should be a beekeeper. They are fascinating creatures.
Winnie Nielsen says: Is this ripe wheat ready to harvest? Another type of grain? I have always thought it would be fun to grow my own wheat, harvest it, grind it and make bread like they had to do before there was good access to mills. It is a sort of Henny Penny dream from the children’s fable that has always stuck with me for some reason. I know it would be a ton of work , but doing it just once would be fun. After that, I would be finding me a good mill like Joe Barrons was and be a regular customer for milled products!! LOL! I can’t wait to learn more about him in your upcoming book on bread. Hopefully, there will be some information in your book about him with a few photos?
MaryJane says: My bread book finishes sending this morning. Cydnie was here until 8 or 9 last night packaging it up–take hours and hours. For sure, there’s plenty about Joe and even something about growing your own wheat.
Winnie Nielsen says: Fantastic!! Congratulations for getting this labor of love completed and off to the publisher. I know it took many many hours of work for you and your team. I can’t wait for a copy to enjoy! I’ve been through your Cast Iron book several times already. I love to read them like a novel and make notes of pages I need to revisit for a recipe . Your books are like a friend on my shelf that is always open to “conversation” and musings. And if I ever start feeling like I am not a real Farmgirl for various reasons, all I need to do is pick up one of your books and I realize that I fit right in with my own style and interests. I love that!!
Winnie Nielsen says: ” In a cabin in the woods, Little man by the window stood.
Saw a rabbit hopping by, frightened as can be.
Help me , Help me the rabbit cried.
Lest the hunter shoot me dead.
Little rabbit come inside, safely by my side”
Did you ever sing this campfire song? this view immediately reminded me today of it.
MaryJane says: I’ve never heard it before. Copy, paste, sing soon with granddaughters!
Winnie Nielsen says: MaryJane, it has little things you do with your hands as you sing so that you sort of explain the song as you go along. Then, you continue to sing the song except you hum the first line but do the hand shows, then sing the rest of the song. Next, you hum the first two lines while doing the hand signs, then sing the rest of the song. You continue that pattern until you are humming the entire song and only doing the hand signs to tell the story. It is so much fun to do as a group or with a friend. I hope the girls enjoy it as it has always been a favorite of mine. My girls loved it too .
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
I love all these cute little birdhouses that you share photo of. They all are so cleverly made from items from around the farm that have outlived their original use. Little pieces of art!
Good Morning MaryJane and happy Monday!
Good morning Miss Winnie!!!!
I LOVE birdhouses..the more interesting and unique the better! I have a collection of them and am always on the lookout for them while traveling the USA…the soft blanket of snow just adds to the beauty of this particular one…imagine the stories this little, worn one could tell!