January | 2013 | Raising Jane Journal

I know the holidays are over but I haven’t put away my glampers just yet. This beauty and the birdhouse below were thoughtful gifts from the three women who are the heart and soul of our Coeur d’Alene store.

Doesn’t this just make you want to put your tailfeathers on?

Drum roll for cute-as-a-button Jordan …

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Hear Ye!

Posted on January 11, 2013 by MaryJane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Darla Armstrong!

Darla Armstrong (cowgirlup@21, #4391) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Intermediate Level Horse Dreams badge.

“It took me from Nov. 26 to Jan 3 to read The Soul of a Horse as required for the badge. I have read The Man Who Listens to Horses and Shy Boy by Monty Roberts. I found a lot of similarities between all three books and the authors, although I did learn a lot from The Soul of a Horse.

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Pucker Up

Posted on January 10, 2013 by MBA Jane

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 4,690 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—6,500 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …

For this week’s Beginner Level Stitching and Crafting/Spinning Merit Badge, I was excited to try my hand at spinning! Well, actually, my legs. After all, spinning had been all the rage at my local gym for a few years now, right alongside Water Aerobics and Jazzercise, and …

Oh, THAT kind of spinning.

Yes.

(I knew that.)

Okay, off with the sweat band and leg warmers. On with the flannel pajamas and slippers I like to sport while crafting. Now we’re ready!

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You’ve Got Mail (Neckwarmer & Mittens)

Posted on January 9, 2013 by MaryJane

Wyoming rancher Anita Shepperson found her way into my heart again. (I met up with Anita and friends last summer in South Dakota for a weekend of glamping.)

This time, she surprised me with a knitted cowl/neckwarmer and mittens that she’d created using wool from the Rambouillet ewes she raises on her sheep ranch. Fuzzy, warm feelings!!!! Thanks, Anita. They’re gorgeous!!! Love.

Here these beauties are modeled by Saralou, our seamstress/crafter. Love the handmade antler buttons Anita used. But of course! Anita makes her own butter and cheese. She also weaves extraordinary baskets and so much more in addition to running a large Wyoming ranch. She’s what you’d call self-sufficient to the max.

Know Your Food, Part II

Posted on January 6, 2013 by MBA Jane

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …

For Step 2 of this beginner Know Your Food Merit Badge, I went to the library and checked out a copy of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbra Kingsolver. Usually, I’m not much of a reader if there isn’t any romance involved, but I was surprised at how much Ms. Kingsolver pulled me in. Talk about a page turner. Maybe I’m having a romance with organic food … don’t tell Mr. Wonderful …

My eyes were opened to things in our food that I never even knew they were closed to. I resolved to stop wasting food, stop buying bad-for-me food (if it can even be logically considered food), and keeping things as local as possible. Perseverance, I think, will be the name of the game with this one. It’s easy enough to do it once while grocery shopping, but to keep it up for a lifetime, well, that’s a whole other kettle of fish, isn’t it?

Speaking of fish, I found a package of frozen fish with the brand name “Fresh From the Sea.” And lo and behold, what did I see in small letters? “Farm raised.” Eh? Whaa? I cry shenanigans, girls, yes I do.

I settled down with a slice of homemade bread and local honey for some more reading. It’s a large tome of information and I didn’t want to miss a thing, so I always keep snacks nearby. Blood sugar can dip, causing the letters to jumble right before my eyes, so I like to be prepared. Plus, when you’re reading about food, you’re going to get munchy. It’s like watching the Food Network without any nourishment, a no-no of epic proportions. I’ve nearly short-circuited the television with my drooling before. Not a pretty sight.

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Know Your Food, Part I

Posted on January 5, 2013 by MBA Jane

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …

With my herb garden coming along nicely, my trellis supporting my roses, and my home cooking skills becoming more and more polished by the day, I decided it was time to try another foodie beginner Merit Badge: Know Your Food. This one involved quite a few steps, not the least being to grow my own sprouts.

Now sprouts are one of those things I tend to forget even exist. They’re just so unassuming and humble, the little sprout, that they are overshadowed by the larger and leafier greens. But have you ever skipped the ol’ iceberg in your sandwich and reached for the sprouts instead? Oh my, heaven on a bun! And in a salad? Did you even know it is entirely possible to make a salad without lettuce? I know. This is mind boggling stuff. So, when I remembered the very existence of the sprout, I was elated. And growing my own? I’m on it.

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Hear Ye!

Posted on January 4, 2013 by MaryJane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Mary Jane Duffel!

Mary Jane Duffel (Madelina, Farmgirl Sister #3153) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching Room for earning a Beginner Level Crochet Merit Badge!

“I decided to participate in a Dish Cloth swap on MaryJane’s chatroom last July and crocheted a simple grannie square project from cotton yarn.

This fall I taught a few women the very basics of crochet (chaining, turning, single crochet, and working on tension). I have enjoyed getting back into crocheting and am deciding on some future projects for the winter.

The ladies enjoyed the class and asked that we continue with the lessons in the New Year. I find that I really enjoy teaching and look forward to continuing our lessons.”