Act like you don’t see me.

You know that pondering tilt of the head a person gives a work of art they’ve just completed? Writing about your life is that exactly. You step back, pick up your paint brush, apply a dab of compassion here, a brush stroke of flair over there. Putting your life on canvas allows you to see what your life looks like through the eyes of others.
Going Granny (actually my grandkids call me Nanny) is my best achievement yet! Here’s a phone message my barely two-year grandgirl left for me on my 58th b-day. I guarantee it; this will make your day.
Who woulda thunk it?! We caught Kim sitting at her computer with …
Ever wonder what goes into one of our magazine front covers? Here’s the behind-the-scenes shot of the front cover that won in our recent reader survey for FOLKLORE, Feb/March 2012. But it was close call. With 3,253 people responding, 48% chose the green heart w/pink roses that you see here, 42.5% chose the rose petal heart, and 8.5% chose the red leather gloves holding chocolate truffles. Thank you for helping us choose our next front cover!

Oh! I had a hard time choosing, but I thought the green heart best represented what MJF is all about…HEALTH and beauty…healthy beauty :o)
This is going to be a beautiful cover!
For those of you who couldn’t attend either of The Creative Connection Events in Minneapolis/St. Paul, below is my keynote speech from 2010. Amy Butler was also a keynote speaker that first year. And Ree Drummond was on stage during lunch for a question/answer session. This year’s keynote was Christina Ferrare, chef on Oprah’s OWN.
Mary Jane.. You have inspired me to go forward with my dream.. I want to start a business. I have a few ideas and a little business back ground from years ago when I owned a small shop. I closed it due to lack of funds and going through a divorce. Thank you for printing your keynote speech.. I am rolling up my sleeves and ready to plow forward with my dream…
Cheryl
Thanks for sharing 🙂 As I read through your words early this morning (with my strong cuppa coffee) I was inspired by your story… Looking forward to another busy day/week/year: & feeling even more charged & ready to to get to work on my own little journey in the direction of my goals…
Cheers!
Amber
Mary Jane,
Reading this has an effect on me too. In fact, I’m going to print it and keep it where I can refer to it again.
As a solo midlife woman, my dreams are clamoring to come into existence. Some days I’m discouraged. Your thoughts have given me a kick in the pants. I’ll keep on. Today I linked an online store to my blog. It’s a start.
I’m a forest ranger farmgirl who keeps a few of your backpacking meals on hand for quick camp suppers…
Thanks for all your good work and for shining your light so brightly,
Deb
Duct tape is like the force.
It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
-Carl Zwanzig
Ladies, do you know where your roll of duct tape is? That would be ROLLS, plural, for me because …
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OHHHHH1 How lovely! The big wooden hooks and the rug making!
Ewwwuuuuuu. I had no idea critters like this existed in anything other than an Indiana Jones movie or National Geographic special. Discovered in a piece of firewood next to our chicken coop, reactions at the farm …
Are your images of the beetle larva available for use in an educational exhibition?
I love cats!! Our always seem to find the funniest places to warm up or snooze!
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Warning: Proceed only if you are comfortable with what goes on beneath toilet floors.
So having lived without indoor plumbing for a NUMBER of years (30 years total), getting a fully functioning toilet has been an adventure into an unknown space-time continuum. This might boggle some of your minds to say the least, but it has been a way of life out here! After getting up to speed with indoor plumbing, (you must read my post, The Queen’s Throne) and moving into our new and spacious Design Studio, we have been dealing with, um, a few plug-ups that we thought were the result of an over-zealous toilet paper user. Boy, were we wrong! After finally hiring someone to come out and assess the p-issue, THIS is what popped out of our pipes!
This is Hilarious! It was always easier before plumbing had to take on the job of the toilet. No end to the surprises in that realm.
We didn’t get indoor plumbing until I was 5 or 6 years old. WHOA!!! I was terrified of that toilet. I was afraid of the swirling water when the handle was pushed down. …”And you want me to SIT on that thing?” Whaaaaaa? It’ll suck me in….Just let me go back outside to the outhouse, will ya?
Ah Nick! What a guy! That IS an interesting story!
Looks like “managing the office”, and all that paper work has worn this Rascal to a frazzle.