MaryJane’s Gift for Gab | Raising Jane

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.

Rascally Rascal

Posted on December 7, 2011 by maryjane

Act like you don’t see me.

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Jeananne Pyle says:

December 7, 2011 at 11:52 am

Looks like “managing the office”, and all that paper work has worn this Rascal to a frazzle.

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you know you’re a farmgirl when …

Posted on December 2, 2011 by maryjane

Who woulda thunk it?! We caught Kim sitting at her computer with …

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And the winner is …

Posted on December 1, 2011 by maryjane

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!

Shery says:

December 1, 2011 at 9:27 am

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)

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Eileen Widman says:

December 1, 2011 at 9:38 am

This is going to be a beautiful cover!

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Creating a Business

Posted on November 30, 2011 by maryjane

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.

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Cheryl Severeide says:

November 30, 2011 at 11:18 am

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

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- MaryJane says:
  
  November 30, 2011 at 12:12 pm
  
  Oh Cheryl, I just soooo want to see you in business. I know you will do well. I sense ALL KINDS of creative energy waiting to burst forth from you. Keep me in the loop as things unfold. I’ll keep your little “business” card right here on my desk so that I’ll envision you often!
  
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Amber Conger says:

December 1, 2011 at 6:42 am

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

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- MaryJane says:
  
  December 1, 2011 at 6:44 am
  
  YOU are going to be hugely successful. Hang on.
  
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Debra Davis says:

December 1, 2011 at 6:04 pm

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

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- MaryJane says:
  
  December 1, 2011 at 6:12 pm
  
  I like your choice of words, “clamoring to come into existence.” That about sums it up. Soooooooo happy to oblige.
  
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Duck or Duct Tape?

Posted on November 28, 2011 by maryjane

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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photo-of-the-day

Posted on November 22, 2011 by maryjane

Eileen Widman says:

November 22, 2011 at 11:08 am

OHHHHH1 How lovely! The big wooden hooks and the rug making!

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gross enough to gag a maggot

Posted on November 20, 2011 by maryjane

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 …

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Deborah Van Kirk says:

August 16, 2013 at 9:43 am

Are your images of the beetle larva available for use in an educational exhibition?

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- MaryJane says:
  
  August 16, 2013 at 9:52 am
  
  Tell us more!
  
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  - Deborah Van Kirk says:
    
    August 16, 2013 at 10:08 am
    
    The Field Museum is developing a new exhibition about Biomechanics. We would like to include images of this ponderous beetle larva, ergates spiculatus, that inspired Jon Cox, inventor and logger, to dramatically increase the efficiency of the chainsaw.
    
    Reply
    - MaryJane says:
      
      August 16, 2013 at 10:15 am
      
      And you’re an employee of the Field Museum?
      
      Reply
      - Deborah Van Kirk says:
        
        August 16, 2013 at 10:34 am
        
        I’m with the Image Research Team, we specialize in finding imagery for educational exhibitions! http://imageresearchteam.com/
      - Deborah Van Kirk says:
        
        August 16, 2013 at 12:01 pm
        
        If it’s possible your images of the beetle larva would be available, I can be reached at the provided email address. Thanks MaryJane!

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photo-of-the-day

Posted on November 13, 2011 by maryjane

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lost and found kitty

Posted on November 10, 2011 by maryjane

Oh where, oh where has our little cat gone?

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Eileen Widman says:

November 11, 2011 at 9:04 am

I love cats!! Our always seem to find the funniest places to warm up or snooze!

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Moon rock?

Posted on November 10, 2011 by maryjane

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!

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Eileen Widman says:

November 11, 2011 at 9:09 am

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.

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Judy Jones-McCown says:

November 15, 2011 at 4:41 pm

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?

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CJ says:

November 21, 2011 at 7:44 pm

Ah Nick! What a guy! That IS an interesting story!

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