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Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
All proceeds (minus shipping and packing) 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 of the prop and its cost here along with a few details as to its condition. The first person to call the farm and talk with Brian, 208-882-6819, becomes the new owner of a little bit of herstory. Shipping will be either USPS or UPS, our choice. No returns.

Bird Song

Last summer, I shared a little tweet (literally) from my morning windowsill …

Photo by Geoff Clarke via Wikimedia Commons
The “tweet” I’m talking about was the song of a Yellow Warbler who was frequenting the trees around my farm.
I recognize the songs of the warblers and several other species that sing the praises of the daily sunrise, but there are feathered farm friends whose voices I don’t know, so I was excited to discover Bird Song Hero.
Want to know what it is?
You may be surprised to learn that Bird Song Hero is an online game (you never thought of me as a “gamer,” did you?).
Granted, I’m not one to linger on the computer, but this game is really more of a fun tool, and it doesn’t take long to play. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology created Bird Song Hero to help bird watchers learn 50 common bird songs using a technique employed by the pros.
“Bird Song Hero trains you to interpret spectrograms, the sound visualizations scientists use to help them understand sound patterns,” explains the Cornell crew. “Spectrograms are used in the matching game to enlist your visual brain in identifying bird songs.”
Here’s the video that introduces Bird Song Hero and prepares you to play. It might take a moment to load, but it’s well worth it. When you get to the song of the black-capped chickadee, you’ll love the way I’ve always remembered its song: “Who did it?” “Who did it?” “Who did it?”
Visit Bird Song Hero to try the full chirping challenge.

Proud New Tabitha Owner!

Here’s another proud new Tabitha owner who sent us photos of her maiden voyage. We said we’d be proud to share them. (Read on to find out where you can buy a Tabitha trailer too.)
From now on when you see this on the road, you’ll know I had something to do with it:)
Polka-dot décor and …
bathroom door, and …
double-boiler s’mores.
What more is there? You, too, can buy one here!

Garden Camping?

During my childhood, we pitched a tent in the backyard many times. As soon as summer hit, we were out the door.
Just last weekend, our girls got their sleeping bags out and we enjoyed a wonderful backyard campfire. Backyard camping is sometimes the best-case scenario with little kids.
But share your backyard and gardens with other folks looking for a place to pitch their tent? Well, only if they’re willing to reciprocate!
That’s exactly the concept behind CampInMyGarden.com
In order to participate, you must become an active member with an online profile, since it often calls for sharing your facilities with those camping in your backyard. But there are options—some yards are simple “bamping” (basic camping), while others are definitely “glamping” (glamour+camping) by its finest definition.
If you’re inclined to offer up your yard and gardens to fellow campers, the site has fun alternatives to traditional accommodations around the world.