Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Ruby Slider!!!
Ruby Slider (#1663) has received a certificate of achievement in Make it Easy for earning an Expert Level Carp-hen-try Merit Badge!
“I wanted to build a small chicken coop, but had no idea about designs. So after checking online, I came across the cutest small coop that also looked easy to clean/maintain. Armed with a photo, I began to duplicate it with my own modification. I repurposed some wood for a mini-deck to build on. The floor on the coop is waist high to me. I added a trap door in the floor for cleaning easily. The front wall is actually wire grid, small square holes, thick, and hard to bend (it was also repurposed, so I don’t know what the name of the product actually is). I added two small windows on each side right below the roof line, screened with the same product as the door. I wanted nest boxes that I could remove and scrub. I started with large plastic veggie bins, but later changed to small stackable bins. I inverted the top bin and wired to the bottom one and secured them with hooks to the back wall of the coop. That made them sturdy and easy to remove. The girls love them. I also added a roosting ladder. To the left, I made a small access door with a ramp. If the weather is bad, the front wall/door can remain closed and they can still come and go as they please. The coop has a tin roof with a 12” overhang. Hanging food and water sources and a heat lamp when needed were added. For additional safety, I lined the outer fence with additional tin.
I’ve remodeled and repaired just about everything, but starting from scratch was a new one for me. I’m very proud of how it turned out. Many thanks to whoever posted the pictures of his or her coop!! Thanks for the inspiration.”
For all of you moms who’ve found yourselves perched in an empty nest,
Photo by Laura Hartog via Flickr
wondering what your kids are up to today …
(Insert wistful sigh here.)
Meet Jonathan Kubben Quiñonez from Brussels, a 27-year-old traveler who steadfastly keeps his mom in the loop, no matter where in the world he happens to land.
From the top of a pyramid in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula,
Photo courtesy of Instagram.com/momimfine
to the sea floor of Colombia’s San Andrés Island,
Photo courtesy of Instagram.com/momimfine
Jonathan lets his momma know he’s alive and well.
“Quiñonez quit his job, sold his car, and ventured out to see the world. However, after arriving in Cuba, the first stop on his round-the-world trip, he had a hard time getting in touch with his family,” reports Travelweek. “So the intrepid traveler came up with a genius—and heartwarming—way to let his loved ones back home know of his whereabouts: by starting up an Instagram account and posting photos of himself in new locations, holding up a sign that reads ‘MOM, I’M FINE.’”
Share Jonathan’s Instagram adventures with your kiddos and see if they catch the hint!
Photo courtesy of Instagram.com/momimfine
Grief and loss are life experiences we all share,
ALL of us—including children.
Kids need support during the grieving process, and sometimes the love of family isn’t enough to forge a bridge between sorrow and hope, especially when family members are struggling with their own sense of loss.
Photo by ThePixelMan via Pixabay
The value of “external” grief support wasn’t something I’d given much thought to until I happened upon an organization called the National Alliance for Grieving Children (NAGC).
Now, I can’t stop thinking about what a wonderful service they provide, so I had to share it with you.
Photo by Mojpe via Pixabay
The mission of NAGC is to “promote awareness of the needs of children and teens grieving a death and provide education and resources for anyone who wants to support them.”
They provide a directory of grief support providers who serve children, teens and their families nationwide. The services that caught my attention, in particular, are the many Bereavement Camps that offer kids a chance to get outdoors and get active with other kids who have endured the death of a loved one.
I’ve always believed that good work, fresh air, and friendship are the BEST therapies for healing the heart.
Photo by AdinaVoicu via Pixabay
One glowing example of a Bereavement Camp is The Moyer Foundation’s Camp Erin, the largest national bereavement program for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives. With numerous locations throughout North America, Camp Erin offers children and teens (ages 6 to 17) the opportunity to attend a transformational weekend camp that combines traditional, fun camp activities with grief education and emotional support, free of charge for all families. Camp weekends are led by grief professionals and trained volunteers who help kids recover hope, build self-esteem, and learn that they are not alone.
Photo by Pezibear via Pixabay
Certainly, there is no nobler mission.
Here’s how you can get in touch or lend a hand:
NAGC Bereavement Camp Directory
What Do We Tell Children? (Resources for Grief Support)
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Cyrie Wilson!!!
Cyrie Wilson (#6941) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Level Knitting Merit Badge!
“I know how to do a basic knit with knitting needles, but I have problems with my hands and can’t use them anymore. Instead, I use a fine-gauged loom.
I finished a pair of socks (the pink ones). I used a basic knit and pearl stitch. They took about 3 days. I’m allergic to wool, so I found a good stretchy synthetic fiber.
It’s a lot easier for me to use a loom than the needles. It took me a long time to knit a sock that fits my foot. It’s not easy to be a size 11!”
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.
