Ode to Abby

Today, I’m feeling grateful for our farmhand Abigail and want to say so right out loud. Known as Abby to her university cohorts, she’s Abigail to me. Abigail responded to a help-wanted ad I placed on Craigs List two summers ago looking for someone to help me run my B&B. Having worked hard to obtain her PhD in math and then secure a professorship at one of our local universities, she bemoaned the fact that she had “next to zero practical knowledge.”

She’s still working here part time during the school year and full time in the summer, and as it turns out, she and I make a darn good team. When needed, she pitch-hits order fulfillment in our food facility, with a smile and a willing attitude. Always. Plus she’s really good at navigating computers and I am anything but.

And when one of my granddaughters, who excels in math, said she was bored in school and needed help beyond what school had to offer, Professor Abigail came to the rescue!

And Abigail was enthusiastically willing to pitch in when I put together a team of helpers to plant native flower plugs in my prairie using an auger. It was hard, hot work, and the days were long.

And then there was that wintery day she was itching to be outside so I lent her my insulated suit and out the door she went to move help move lumber and firewood.

For my b-day, she gifted me a precious rendition of Farmgirl that she painted free hand.

Last summer, she chose our Valley Lutheran church for exchanging vows with her sweetheart. The night before her wedding, her gaggle of girlfriends camped out here in the B&B venues that Abigail fusses over.

Now you know why I’m grateful for Abigail’s friendship and help.

  1. KAREN CARTLIDGE says:

    How wonderful to find not only a “worker” but a friend! Love the pictures!

  2. Krista Butters Davis says:

    Abigail sounds amazing! I am so happy she found her way to the farm and has been such an amazing help and friend. She sounds like a wonderful Farmgirl.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

photo-of-the-day

fg-romance_9633

Continue reading

  1. Lisa Von Saunder says:

    ooh a new precious baby!! and whose little calf is this? And what have you named it?

    • MaryJane says:

      This is O’Mally, a bull, born the 26th of March. Such a happy chap. He is joined on planet Earth by Buttercup born April 5. I could watch them run and frolic together forever.

  2. Donna Kozak says:

    This is the most beautifully heart-warming picture!!

  3. Barbara Criss says:

    Isn’t it amazing how much animal moms love their new babies? We used to breed our goats and the babies were so sweet and funny. One day I was here by myself and I had to deliver one. It was a difficult birth and I was so scared I would run around the barn trying to calm down in between bouts of trying to help her. It finally arrived and I was so proud of myself. I told my husband no more babies. I would love to give this sweet cow baby a great big hug. She’s precious.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

photo-of-the-day

farm_romance-4244

  1. Barbara Criss says:

    I suppose this is a pond on your farm. I’d love to have a pond, but we are blessed with a beautiful sparkling clean creek running through our farm. I love the serenity of this pic.

    • MaryJane says:

      Yes, this is our pond. Right now we have a couple of spring creeks running. I love sitting next to a “babbling brook.” Does your creek run year-round?

      • Barbara Criss says:

        Yes—it runs year round but it gets a little low in the summer. It starts from springs on top of a mountain a few miles from here. There are no houses along it, so we know that it is clean. I also love to sit by the creek and I have three places to stop and rest by it on my dog walks. It has the ability to flood and get really nasty and it has flooded our road on several occasions. That is the only bad aspect of it.

  2. Lorraine Hess says:

    Wow, ground that isn’t covered in white & a pond that doesn’t have ice on it. I can hardly wait!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

photo-of-the-day

farm_romance-7235

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Wouldn’t a red tractor be perfect parked outside in the white fenced in holding area? sigh!

    • MaryJane says:

      Red Tractor Girl to the rescue!

      • Winnie Nielsen says:

        You betcha! I have never actually driven a tractor. Do lessons come with the thing? After all, I would hate to mess up and tear down that fence by accident! Red Tractor Girl sounds like I know all about a tractor when in reality, I only have my childhood wooden tractor puzzle and the 4 year old memory of my first International Harvester red tractor toy. One day, I hope to drive a red tractor just to say I did. I hope it will be on a big flat field where I can’t run into anything!!

        • MaryJane says:

          Big, flat field is right. The first time I had a day-long tractor job, I was asked to disk several smaller fields, well, small, as in 40 acres each but half way through the day, I felt the tractor start to bog down. I looked back and I’d clipped a section of wire fence and was dragging the thing behind me, busting fence posts as I went. Next day? Re-build the fence.

          • Winnie Nielsen says:

            Hahaha! See, that would be so ME! Being naturally clutsy and big tractors are not a good combination without , like you say, BIG, FLAT, SPACES!!

  2. calle says:

    Grandeur

  3. I learned to drive in a 1952 Farmall, and trust me, that was easy compared to shifting gears on a highway or street with other traffic, lights and cars! Love, love, love tractors!
    Here in Lancaster County PA, we have the oldest still running tractors I have ever seen, working the fields. the conservative Mennonites drive “steel wheels” , as they aren’t allowed modern rubber tires, so you really see some old models then. And of course the Old Order Mennonites and Amish don’t use tractors at all, just teams of draft horses or draft mules.

  4. Cindy Meade says:

    What a perfect setting. Perfect for a wall hanging. Just beautiful

  5. Barbara Criss says:

    I think I would love to drive a tractor. My family were farmers but they were plow and mule people—no luxury of a tractor. I am the fifth generation on the land. I still have my grandfathers old plow.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

photo-of-the-day

fg-romance_9344

Continue reading

  1. Barbara Criss says:

    Just up from the basement and putting a chunk of wood in the furnace—time for a cup of tea before I go to the barn to feed the animals. Then I’ll go for a nice walk with my dogs and see how many birds I can see. Thanks for this lovely picture—it makes me think to be aware of the beauty of nature around us every day.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

photo-of-the-day

fg-romance_7242

Continue reading

  1. Barbara Criss says:

    I love this photo. It makes me feel like I am there walking toward that barn—or whatever it is. Looks like a barn to me.

    • MaryJane says:

      Yes, that’s our barn. Right now it has my ’58 Yellowstone travel trailer in it that I’m renovating. On the other side of it is the loft where I wrote my first book and our “barn library” is beneath it. It’s taking forever to get my trailer done but I finally got the window gaskets in on Friday that have been back-ordered for a year and a half (not a huge market for that type of gasket apparently).

  2. Winnie Nielsen says:

    I remember this barn and what struck me the most were the various colors of the barn siding boards. Red barns are a favorite of mine and I like be that yours is full of unique colors which give it personality !

    To of the mornin’ to you MaryJane! I am Starbucks reading with a delicious coffee in hand.

    • MaryJane says:

      Sounds wonderful! Sipping coffee. I am just in from shoveling snow and caring for animals. We have been hit with a foot of new snow. The girls are outside squealing in delight–their new little puppy bouncing up and down in the deep snow.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

photo-of-the-day

fg-romance_9724

Continue reading

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    No too much longer and this nest will get some “renovations and spring cleaning” for the 2018 season.

  2. Barbara Criss says:

    This makes me look forward to spring and all the new birds nests I will be seeing. This is a wonderful photo. It really shows the beauty of winter.

  3. Lisa Arthur says:

    I am fascinated by nests, always have been. If I come across one fallen on the ground, and it is in good condition, i will generally bring it home. I like to decorate with old and natural items so nests fit in well. I also have a fetish for old bird houses and have a collection of those that i also use for decor both inside and outside my home.
    Soon this beauty will be welcoming a new family!

  4. Mary says:

    I really look forward to receiving my Mary Jane farms magazines. I wish they came every month. Love the ideas for repurposing items and the recipes. I live in the city but I’m a want to be farm girl. I enjoy looking back at my old issues. I will grab a pile of them and just go through them all longing for a simpler time where I could just enjoy the beauty and creativity in life.

  5. Carol J Hale says:

    I love this picture as I look at it I picture a Red Bird (my favorite bird) setting in that nest.
    I am so looking for to spring and watching all the birds.

  6. Sandy says:

    I too love nests, and birds and anything nature. We must take time to appreciate the little things in life!!
    And the best part is, it doesn’t cost anything! Enjoy….

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

photo-of-the-day

fg-romance_9651

Continue reading

  1. Lisa Von Saunder says:

    um, maybe needs a little work?

  2. Sherry Williams says:

    How sad to see the slow demise of a once sturdy barn, that in it’s glory days was a safe warm haven for livestock and a guardian of food for them from the elements.An age of hard work, but simpler times I miss dearly. You’re still beautiful in my eyes Old Girl!

  3. Lisa Arthur says:

    Wow..sad and a bit spooky..this old beaut can easily be repurposed into all kinds of diy projects that require hardy old barn wood..a shame to let her rot away over time..

  4. Barbara Criss says:

    I thought my barn looked bad until I saw this one.

  5. Lisa Strange says:

    There are kinds of old barns in TN.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

photo-of-the-day

fg-romance_9777

Continue reading

  1. Lisa Arthur says:

    I have a fetish for bird nests along with old birdhouses..i am always looking for nests, in the trees, under eaves, etc…if i am lucky to find a fallen on I like to keep it. Thank you for this pic!

  2. CJ Armstrong says:

    Love the birdnest! Do you know what kind of bird may live there?
    We have two very interesting and different birdnests in our pear tree. One is a very tiny one, made mostly of “fluff” . . probably dog hair. We believe it to be a hummingbird nest.
    The other one is quite large, make with twigs, grass and a lot of mud. We’ll be watching this spring to see who moves into that one.
    Very cool!

    • MaryJane says:

      I don’t know the answer to your question CJ. It’s not a barn swallow’s nest; they use mud. Although it’s on my barn. Could it be a Robin’s?

  3. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Nice location for a birdhouse! I like that is has built in safety and comfort parameters too. Birds are quite amazing how they select and built their nests.

  4. Lisa Von Saunder says:

    I just love birdnests. This is last year’s nest so you will have to see who shows up.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

photo-of-the-day

fg-romance_9800

Continue reading

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    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!

  2. Lisa Arthur says:

    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!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *