Tag Archives: gladsome sisters

Hear Ye!

Posted on January 18, 2013 by maryjane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Krystle Townsend!

Krystle Townsend (countrymommy85, #2595) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning an expert level Going Green badge!

“I’ve been making my own soaps now for just over a year now. We use homemade cleaners for the house also. We strictly use a clothesline and drying rack in the summer and use the drying rack in the winter and use the dryer only when necessary. If we re-paint we will ONLY use non-toxic paint. We removed all the carpet from our house and have tile and hardwood floors now! I’ve helped my family (more than the required 10 hours) be self sufficient and green clean! I’ve offered my books and materials to help even further.

It has been a slow process but one well worth it. After removing the carpet, I was shocked to see how much dirt and nastiness was hiding underneath!!! So glad that germ and gas trap is gone. It is neat to see how much healthier and peaceful your house becomes without chemical cleaners. It almost seems they are a stimulant of some sort. Nothing like putting on clean clothes in the morning and being able to smell the sunshine on them.”

photo-of-the-day

Posted on January 11, 2013 by maryjane

Hear Ye!

Posted on January 11, 2013 by maryjane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Darla Armstrong!

Darla Armstrong (cowgirlup@21, #4391) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Intermediate Level Horse Dreams badge.

“It took me from Nov. 26 to Jan 3 to read The Soul of a Horse as required for the badge. I have read The Man Who Listens to Horses and Shy Boy by Monty Roberts. I found a lot of similarities between all three books and the authors, although I did learn a lot from The Soul of a Horse.

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Know Your Food, Part II

Posted on January 6, 2013 by mbajane

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 4,690 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—6,500 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …

For Step 2 of this beginner Know Your Food Merit Badge, I went to the library and checked out a copy of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, by Barbra Kingsolver. Usually, I’m not much of a reader if there isn’t any romance involved, but I was surprised at how much Ms. Kingsolver pulled me in. Talk about a page turner. Maybe I’m having a romance with organic food … don’t tell Mr. Wonderful …

My eyes were opened to things in our food that I never even knew they were closed to. I resolved to stop wasting food, stop buying bad-for-me food (if it can even be logically considered food), and keeping things as local as possible. Perseverance, I think, will be the name of the game with this one. It’s easy enough to do it once while grocery shopping, but to keep it up for a lifetime, well, that’s a whole other kettle of fish, isn’t it?

Speaking of fish, I found a package of frozen fish with the brand name “Fresh From the Sea.” And lo and behold, what did I see in small letters? “Farm raised.” Eh? Whaa? I cry shenanigans, girls, yes I do.

I settled down with a slice of homemade bread and local honey for some more reading. It’s a large tome of information and I didn’t want to miss a thing, so I always keep snacks nearby. Blood sugar can dip, causing the letters to jumble right before my eyes, so I like to be prepared. Plus, when you’re reading about food, you’re going to get munchy. It’s like watching the Food Network without any nourishment, a no-no of epic proportions. I’ve nearly short-circuited the television with my drooling before. Not a pretty sight.

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Know Your Food, Part I

Posted on January 5, 2013 by mbajane

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …

With my herb garden coming along nicely, my trellis supporting my roses, and my home cooking skills becoming more and more polished by the day, I decided it was time to try another foodie beginner Merit Badge: Know Your Food. This one involved quite a few steps, not the least being to grow my own sprouts.

Now sprouts are one of those things I tend to forget even exist. They’re just so unassuming and humble, the little sprout, that they are overshadowed by the larger and leafier greens. But have you ever skipped the ol’ iceberg in your sandwich and reached for the sprouts instead? Oh my, heaven on a bun! And in a salad? Did you even know it is entirely possible to make a salad without lettuce? I know. This is mind boggling stuff. So, when I remembered the very existence of the sprout, I was elated. And growing my own? I’m on it.

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Hear Ye!

Posted on January 4, 2013 by maryjane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

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

Mary Jane Duffel (Madelina, Farmgirl Sister #3153) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching Room for earning a Beginner Level Crochet Merit Badge!

“I decided to participate in a Dish Cloth swap on MaryJane’s chatroom last July and crocheted a simple grannie square project from cotton yarn.

This fall I taught a few women the very basics of crochet (chaining, turning, single crochet, and working on tension). I have enjoyed getting back into crocheting and am deciding on some future projects for the winter.

The ladies enjoyed the class and asked that we continue with the lessons in the New Year. I find that I really enjoy teaching and look forward to continuing our lessons.”

photo-of-the-day

Posted on January 3, 2013 by maryjane

Hear Ye!

Posted on December 28, 2012 by maryjane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Barbara Roberts!

Barbara Roberts (Healthy Eating, #2237) has received a certificate of achievement in Farm Kitchen for earning an intermediate level Organic on a Budget badge!

“My eating plan has continued with the gluten-free baking mix from MaryJanesFarm. I have saved quite a bit by using this as a basis for my meals and have been enjoying my efforts.

All of the veggies that I eat now are mostly organic (as much as I can) and many of them are out of my own garden. Therefore I know exactly what is in and on them, and it’s NOT chemicals.

Since I have been able to save some money on my grocery bills by doing this, I am going to indulge in one of my guilty pleasures and buy some more books. I’m like a kid in a candy store when it comes to books and I just love Amazon!

I even have a $10 coupon to use and I’m debating what I am going to get with it. I think it might be a book on gardening.”

Dyeing for Color

Posted on December 24, 2012 by mbajane

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …

Just the name alone gave me warm, fuzzy feelings. After all, my roots were coming in dreadfully and I’d been hoping to find an excuse to go dark chocolate brunette for Christmas Eve (nothing says holidays like dark chocolate, am I right, girls?) But turns out, the Merit Badge gurus were not talking about my tresses. They also weren’t talking about tie-dye parties, of which I’ve had one or two (tenth birthday—it was psychedelic, dudettes) but actual … um, like, dyeing for less trivial reasons? Well, whatever the reason, I got behind this beginner level Dyeing for Color Merit Badge!

I decided to try the ancient art (okay, maybe it’s not ancient, but still) of tea coloring. I mean, it was only logical—I love tea. The smell, the taste, the jolt, and I love the color, although not on my teeth. That brings me back to chocolate. Everything brings me back to chocolate, actually. I think I have a problem.

Is there a 12-step program for chocoholics? No? Never mind. Back to the badge.

You know, badge is very nearly spelled fudge …

Sorry. I’m focused now.

I have a beeyooTEAful lace tablecloth that my Gramma Barbie gave me years ago. I’m always afraid to use it on Christmas day because:

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