Author Archives: maryjane

ON the farm and IN the barn

I’m thinking I better not miss this one. How about you? The marriage of Junkin’ + Glampin’ is happenin’ June 14 & 15 on Valley Chapel Road in Walla Walla, Washington, and you’re invited. Check it out at loveofjunk.com and then get yourself signed up for one of their campsites or just auto on over for a weekend of junkin’ (better bring an empty trunk, though).

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Escape Fire

The average cost of health care per person, per year, in the U.S. is skyrocketing. But stats show that our health, as a nation, is on a rapid decline.

So, what gives? Watch the new documentary, Escape Fire, The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare.

To watch the full documentary, you can purchase it through iTunes for $17.99 or go to their website here and click on “see the film” for more showing opportunities.

Escape Fire has already won a large number of awards, including Best Documentary (Newport Beach Film Festival), React to Film Social Issue Award (Silverdocs Film Festival), and Human Rights Award (Full Frame Film Festival). It was also nominated at the Sundance Film Festival for the Grand Jury Prize.

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cachinnate

Leave it to a bunch of hens …

Those garrulous girls can be heard

all around the farm.

Squawk!

Is a raccoon causing the ruckus?

A weasel, perhaps? Stray dog? Barn cat? Eagle? Owl?

The uproar sends me running every time,

tripping over my feet and bushes along our pathways,

to see what’s ruffling their feathers.

And more often than not,

what do I find?

Just a coop full of cachinnating chickens …

What’s so funny?

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Photo by Jeff Kramer via Wikimedia Commons

Cachinnate (KAK-i-nayt): a verb meaning to laugh very loudly or immoderately.

false alarm

What do you do when you have a pregnant cow that’s breathing hard, falls to the ground, looks uncomfortable, and seems to be having contractions? Well, you assume she’s going into labor.

My dear sweet rotund Emma has about a month left before she gives us a little gorgeous boy or girl—according to our records (that may or may not be accurate). She looked a little, well, due yesterday and so we went into a tizzy—the news spreading like a head-to-toe farm rash. Ace and Karina hung about with cameras, farmhands kept an eye out, and everyone kept asking, “Anything yet?” Nothing compares to the excitement and sweetness of a newborn calf.

Royal pregnancies, Beyonce’s Blue Ivy … they don’t have a thing on our love of Jersey, cows that is! Not Shore. Today, our Emma is fine again but no bundle of joy. Yet.

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Good Morning Farm of Mine

 

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Hear Ye!

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

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

Mary Fitzpatrick (BusyBeeMary, #3232) has received a certificate of achievement in Make it Easy for earning an Intermediate Level Make It! Merit Badge.

“I have a few leftover pallets from building my composting bins. I was looking on Pinterest and saw a potting bench made from 2 pallets. I had four pallets and a HUGE garden and no working table out in the garden. It made perfect sense to me that I needed to make one for my garden. And since I am working on a fundraising event for the local animal shelter, I made one to donate to the auction part of the event.

potting bench

First thing is to gently separate the boards. Patience is everything. Slow and steady is the name of the game, as most boards would be happy to split or break apart. Then I built the frame. It was quite easy. I did not use the 2x4s from the pallets, as they were in bad shape. I bought two …

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