When we rely upon laws to enforce decent behavior, we end up spending our hard-earned money on attorneys. Rather than legal recourse, I’m on a mission to amp up my personal charm and collaborative kindness. Good manners are contagious.
Let’s get viral together.
Hey. I’m sleepin’ here.
You need Post-Its, staples, toner cartridge, maybe some paper?
I’m your cat.
Terry Steinmetz says: What a good secretary!
Winnie Nielsen says: I love your kitty’s determination to “be involved” in the business. That calico face is just the cutest ever!
Oh my gosh! She looks soooooo much like my Skye, a tortoiseshell kitty that disappeared on December 1st. (There’s a thread in Across the Fence about “The Queen”)
Miss her so much!
CJ
Suzy says: Love that cat!!! We had an “Angel” that looked just like her. Died about a year or so ago and we still miss here.
Here’s an old 2007 post of mine on our Farmgirl Connection Chatroom that I thought warranted recirculation in 2013. I must say, six years later, it’s still some of the best advice I’ve come across yet …
Feb 08 2007 11:01:05
Hi farmgirls!
I was reading Miss Manners in the paper this week and decided the advice she gave was worth sharing with my girlfriends.
An activist that really disagreed with the mining of diamonds asked Miss Manners how she should handle her many friends getting diamond engagement rings. “I am happy for all my friends’ engagements, but when they go and show me the diamond and ask my opinion on the ring (i.e., “Isn’t it beautiful?”), I really want to explain my position on these stones.”
Miss Manners replied: “Miss Manners assures you that people do not absorb moral lessons from those who trample on their feelings. Rather, they forever associate the unpleasantness of the spokesperson with the cause itself. So if the certainty that you would hurt your friends’ feelings is not enough to satisfy you into mere murmured politeness, how about the certainty that you would hurt your cause?”
Winnie Nielsen says: I would also add that once you say something, you cannot “un-ring the bell”. It is frightening sometimes how powerful words can be. So many times, we mean well but allow our own obsession to be driving the conversation. ohvey, It is a life long learning process!
This is great advice. I’m glad farmgirls are still working on respect for others.
~ Blessings
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.
Hello again. Was wondering if you actually have used those wooden snow ski’s before? You are probably too young but I try to imagine my parents on wooden snow ski’s. Never new about the wooden ones until a former boss of mine & I were discussing his early life talents (he was near retirement age when we met) & he described the older material used for sporting events. My first tennis racket was wooden & I liked it a lot better than the newer materials which seemed to rattle my bones! Speaking of which my arm muscles are still spazzing a bit from yesterday’s furniture disassembling.
And my mind is reeling with more comments, thoughts & questions for you MaryJane. I remember reading that your dad was an inventor & wondered if you have carried on the tradition? I have something in mind I really want to buy (& there is definitely a market for such an item) but have not seen one for sale anywhere? Not sure one exists yet? This should probably go in a personal e-mail to you but I imagine you get so many of those they might get lost in the sauce~as my mom would have said. Anyway, I was thinking it may be nice if you had a link here for ideas or suggestions.
Ok, so back on topic. I noticed on one of your threads here recently where you were explaining your set-up/photo shoot with nature for next December’s issue of your Magazine. The first thing that popped in my mind was, “I wonder if MaryJane has ever used snow shoes?” Then, “I wonder if snow shoe’s are difficult to walk~in?” And, “Do any of MaryJane’s crew go cross country skiing…that setting is certainly designed for the activity?”. Then I wondered if I should tell you how awesome I think you are for catching a fish with your bare hands out in the wilderness:-) …………..
Reading is such a good thing!
I still have two pairs of wooden skis that I’ve had my entire adult life. I have to use a propane torch to apply pine tar to the bottoms and then wax on top of that before I ski. I’ve snowshoed but not in a very long time. But my neighbor and her husband and two of my employees snowshoe all the time around here. And yes, several of my clan still cross-country ski regularly. I have an old family portrait of us kids standing on a hill with our now “antique” wooden skis that we actually used back then!
Yes, my Dad was an inventor. My brothers have kept up the tradition. They’ve amassed several patents. If you want me to pass your “need-someone-to-invent-this-thing” request to them, drop something in the mail to me.
Bare hands are good for many things! Especially fishing into a piece of upholstery. You go girl!