How can I raise the level of gratitude in my life? Let me count the ways.
Do I really need to say this again? You’re probably going to fall asleep when I say for the hundredth time, I LOVE holidays. Big or small, I love any excuse to celebrate. Our trusty ol’ MaryJanesFarm Calendar has quite a few lesser-known holidays I’m having fun with this month.
In honor of Friendship Day that happened on August 5 and Girlfriends’ Day last week on August 1, and Best Friends’ Day coming up on August 15, I’m taking one of my …
MaryJane says: Louise captured those in our garden this past week.
It was a dark and stormy night …
Stormy? Well, not so much. Dark? Pitch dark.
<<<<< When, what should my wondering ears hear? Ü >>>>>
Hooves on gravel. (Rooftop, no.)
In farm-speak, hooves-on-gravel means trouble is afoot. Four of them. Four feet or pairs of four-footed critters on the LOOSE. Running. On the gravel roads that surround our farm. In other words, not pasture-fed, but free range, soon to be out-of-range cows (maybe horses) if something isn’t done quickly. Done and gone. Gone before dawn.
I threw on a robe, pulled on some boots, grabbed my derringer, scrounged a headlamp. Down several flights of stairs and into the dark, my searchlight searching for eyes. Whose?
Shery says: I loved this post so much…from beginning to happy ending. Yes, it is so true that the gentle side of cows is so generous and affectionate. And yet, they can be fierce mothers. Fierce. But, that is as it should be in a world that sees you mostly as something to eat in one form or another.
Tryst with a twist … … … pffffft ;o) too funny!!
Winnie Nielsen says: Cow love in the night?? I loved this story because this city Farmgirl has never been around cows or other farm critters for that matter. So cool how it all works. And I have been wondering how the new dairy would be producing chocolate milk!! … Grin….
I love stories . . . and this is delightful. BULL, in the dark . . . I would freak, you were amazing! The tryst had me smiling . . . looking forward to hearing some happy news about Chocolate . . .
Rita Simms says: I really injoyed your Chocolate story! It reminded me of my first milk cow adventure. thirty years ago my husband and three teens moved back to the country after living the city life.
My first gift was a pair of Gernzy/Jersey heifers. they were two years old and bred. the months of waiting for the calves were busy – a cozy shed was built for the births and later milking shed. hay season gave us the chance to lay in a supply for the winter months, and at auctions we bought a milk strainer, pails, etc. the boys were given two piglets in anticipation of LOTS of extra milk!
Luckily only one heifer freshened at a time, so the boys could work into their new chore. and I could ease In to butter and cottage cheese making, along with butter milk, etc. Teenage boys love the idea of drinking all the milk they want, so they usually drank at least a gallon a day.
yes, lots of good memories! thank you.
Look who I had tea with this week in Cape Cod. Deb Bosworth!!!!! Our BEACH Farmgirl.
I was smitten before. Now I’m over the moon in love. It was wondrous to finally meet her in person.
Shery says: Yippeeee! Debbie is a diamond. I bet the three of you had a wonderful time getting to know each other. Happy for you I am (yoda-ese :o)
Megan Rae says: Oh it was perfect!! 🙂 Thanks Shery!
Love you too Meg!!! Started missing you before I left the parking lot 🙁 !!!
Be well until we meet again… here or there!
Megan Rae says: I could have tea with you every week!!! Can’t wait for next time!! <3
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At the doctor’s office recently, I heard myself say, “Well, I can’t let this define me.” (Lingering injuries from an accidental electrocution continue to test my patience.)
Driving to the farm the next day in the early hours of daylight to cook breakfast for our Bed & Breakfast guests, I was thinking about that statement. If I don’t want it to define me, what do I want to define me? …
Elizabeth Colvin says: What a great post Meg!!!! I’m starting on this right away! What defines me…..I’ll let you know what I come up with! Thanks for your post! Something to think about!
Meg says: It’s been really good for me to think about. Glad it’s helpful! I’d love to hear your thoughts too. 🙂
Hello Meg! Such a good question to ask oneself….always tricky to balance roles, life “have-to’s” (money etc), and the person we really want to project to the world. Also, social media tends to play a large part in that definition these days……hmmmmm…making my own list tonight:)
p.s. AND, awfully sorry to hear you still have lingering effects from that night-oy.
Meg says: Thanks Christine! Big hugs and good luck with your list. 🙂
Theresa says: Meg-I love this post. I think about this often.So many levels of defining oneself. Physically, our personallity or characteristics, our minds, our spirits. How do we pull all these areas together and define who we are? I really think about this when it comes to my youngest son (13). He has been the boy with “auditory processing disorder” and “cholesteotoma”. Now that defines him??? It’s a label really, because in the end this is a very small part of who he is. At times these things have consumed our lives. All we talk about, think about, cry about. Then we pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and start agian. At the end of his youth, are these things going to define him, or his he going to be the kind of man who is bigger then that. I care for adults with developemental disabilities and one young man in paticular knows no such things as far as “define oneself” or looking at people with those perceptions. He is truely genuine. I would love to see the world through is eyes. No labeling.Pure. This is is so deep and my thoughts so random, and I really appreciate you and your post.
Signed,
defined by my poor grammar ; )
Meg says: Theresa,
Thanks for your response. I love your random thoughts…I was a bit worried my post might be a bit too random too. But it’s from our hearts…thank you Theresa.
ps. I am not a person to judge grammar, just ask my mom! 🙂
Wow! Love this Meg…Oh, well let’s see… Mom to my two kids, Wife to my hubby, BFF to my mom too!
What else? KIND… if I could be described as only one thing it would be KIND… the rest of ” me ” is what I do to fill my time creatively and hopefully inspire others! I must admit… being your BEACH farmgirl blogger/contributor is something I LOVE about what defines me! Great post and wonderful thoughts!
Ya know, it’s hard to define a person entirely, we are always growing and changing… but at the heart of it all I think we are always just ” us “…
lots of love…
Deb
PS. I’m sorry to hear that dad burned ‘shock ‘ is still giving you fits…You won’t let it beat you… I know it!
Meg says: Not surprised one bit that we both have a few of the same things on our list. HUGS!!
Hey Meg . .
. . first of all, I SURE MISS YOU and our past more regular emails with each other!
Secondly, you ARE nice! You’re more than nice! You are an awesome woman with a lot to offer to your family and your community.
It is GOOD for all of us to step back, look at our lives and who we are and make those “definitions” so that our perspective is proper and outlook focused in the right direction.
THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO! THANKS FOR ALL YOU ARE!!
LOVE YOU, GIRLFRIEND!
CJ
P,S. I’m sorry the electrical injury is still a bug-a-boo . . praying for healing and resolution.
AND, I LOVE THE PICTURE! A girl after my own heart!
CJ
Meg says: You know this is what the photos really look like! It’s really hard to get me looking like they do!! HUGS darling! Miss you too but I love following you around via this world wide this summer!
You are new to me. One of the BEST new blogs I have visited in awhile.
“What defines me?” . . . has had me in thought mode since someone sent me your site a few days ago. My first thought was a recent injury I have had . . . and how I don’t want it to define me. Visable injuries can do some defining . . . the discussions turn to . . . “what happened.”
My second thought of ME definition was CARING, . . . I do. My first natural response to almost anything . . . the “care” button clicks on. I guess, a LISTENER might be a defining of me too . . .
As I said . . . I am thinking, this is good . . .
I so enjoy your blog chapters.
Love, Lynne
Meg says: Hello and welcome Lynne!! Farmgirl hugs to you!!
One of the new gals in our design studio is getting ready to plan her outdoor wedding and asked us for ideas. So my daughter, Meg, got out photos of her farmstyle wedding and I pulled out the photos from my son Brian’s wedding to Ashley. Both my daughter, SIL, son, and DIL work full-time with me at my farm, and both were married by my husband. Life couldn’t be better.
Winnie Nielsen says: To me, this beautiful option of marrying at the Old School House is perfect! Beautiful and bucolic with a touch of history. Brian’s photos are so telling of a prairie style Homestead venue attended by loving friends and surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscape in the USA! Please tell you new staff person I wish her well and maybe we will be lucky enough to see some photos in an upcoming issue of MJF!
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Winnie Nielsen says: What a what beautiful wedding you and Lucas shared! The open field location was so perfect for an ultimate Day on the Farm celebration too. Thanks for sharing your memories with us today and Happy Anniversary on your next official day!
Laurie DImino says: How sweet Meg…thank you for sharing, and may you be blessed with many many more years of happiness together!
Hugs,
Laurie
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Megan Rae says: Thank you Winnie and Laurie. We’ll celebrate eight years this summer. We had a wonderful day!!
It was a fabulous day for a little walk, a little shop, and a little art …
Park yer’ trike, pedal bike, unicycle, or tandem, and come on in!
Winnie Nielsen says: Beautiful store you have in Coeur D’Alene! I also love the Project F.A.R.M association because of the support it gives to small entrepreneurs. And those sweet Jersey cows with their big brown eyes…. will they be making chocolate ice cream too? When my girls and I would visit the cow barn at the Youth Fair, I used to kid them and say that Jersey Cows made chocolate milk that would turn into instant chocolate ice cream. Really ,they asked sort of wanting to believe? Mom, you’re foolin us! They don’t really do that!
Do they? Maybe Mary Jane’s do?
Ace says: Hi Winnie,
Haha I bet they would if you asked nice enough! 🙂 One of our Jersey cows is actually named Chocolate. (She is also pregnant, maybe MJ will name her baby Mocha?) Meg and MJ are in Toronto making in-person appearances at Sears, in the Eaton Centre, this Friday but will have an answer, and maybe a cup of chocolate milk for ya when they return. 😉 -ace
Sue Herbst says: I loved looking at the pictures of your shop. My favorite was the “little bed” with the quilts. Since I am a quilter, all of those pictures with quilts in them were gone over and digested well. Thanks for the inspiration!
Laurie Dimino says: SURE WISH I LIVED CLOSER!!!!!
THANKS FOR SHARING..AT LEAST I GOT A VIRTUAL ART WALK!
HUGS,
LAURIE
I love this and wish I were closer also. I do however live close to a Belk Store which has your merchandise displayed so beautifully. My sister and I said that your items are the prettiest in the store….
Raynita says: This is taking my breath away! I NEED to be there and taste that milk in those beautiful jars. This is most definitely a NEED not a want…lol….I want to touch that little bed too, no, no, that’s a need also:) This Okie Farmgirl truly appreciates you sharing this.
Laurie DImino says: Simply adorable Meg! CHerish every minute with those lil darlins…they really do grow way too fast!
Hugs,
Laurie
Winnie Nielsen says: There is something inseparable about little girls and tutus! What a wonderful opportunity for your daughter to also find a news best friend along with the experience of a formal lesson. Just too cute!
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.
Cheers to girlfriends far and wide! Have fun on your trip Meg… you two look lovely!!! 🙂
xo Deb
You girls are gorgeous! I know this is wa-a-a-yyy past “Girlfriends Day”, but I wish you the best!
Sure have missed our emails . . . hope to SEE you again next summer!
HUGS!!
CJ