| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| rivergirl |
Posted - Oct 28 2004 : 3:32:06 PM
Hi everyone, I'm another newcomer to the farmgirl fence--wanted to wave a "hello" across the pickets and say how much I am enjoying hearing about you all; I feel as if I have finally found my pond here at the bulletin board, truly...I worked as a Grand Canyon river guide for 20 years, rowed my 99th trip in the 5th month of pregnancy with my son (now 4), Finn. Now I live in the wilds of suburban Boise where I work from home. The changes (motherhood, leaving the river, a move to a new city, etc) have been, shall I say, challenging--isn't that the nature of change, though? I've always thought of change as sort of like leaving the comfort zone of an eddy ( eddies, also called backwaters, are slower river currents most often found tucked along the shore, where the river actually recirculates back upstream--they make good parking for things like boats and mallard ducklings, or anytime you want to pull out of the mainstream). You look out there and see all that water rushing by and think hmm, maybe I'll just stay here where I can just kick back and drift. Eventually though, everything goes downriver, and there will be rapids and rocks and upriver winds! In life, like on the river, sometimes it's the things we try to avoid that end up taking us where we wanted to go--when you're in an eddy it seems all fine and good and calm, and easy, but the truth is, you're not getting anywhere! The scary part--the rapids, the fast water--actually moves us downriver. It's not that I have not embraced change in my life, because by nature I have always been a both-feet-first kind of gal (and even tried law school up in MaryJanes Farm country, at the Univ. of Idaho--ok, so not all my ideas are good ideas. The Palouse was great, law school not my cup of tea--when I was supposed to be studying I was out picking apples and making apple butter). I have taken great comfort in all your gentle reminders that blooming where one is planted has nothing to do with "settling" but everything to do with opening one's eyes and living the life you choose to live. My husband can vouch that I have "farm on the brain" as he calls it, even though for now we live in a basic subdivision (the neighbors freaked a little when we moved in and I dug out all the junipers and planted a sunflower garden. Or was it the picket fence we built that got them worried?) Having a family farm has been the driving goal in my life, my whole life--and maybe, just maybe, all those years as a canyon gal were just carrying me downriver to where in my heart-of-hearts I was meant to be. Thank you for helping me learn that I'm not the only farmgirl at heart out there--regardless of the lack of barn (though I do have a '54 pickup). And if anybody ever needs advice on river running, I'd be happy to oblige. |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| rivergirl |
Posted - Nov 01 2004 : 08:31:08 AM
Greetings to you, too, Nikki--I have enjoyed hearing the bits and pieces of your life over there in Emmett--we have friends there, and sometimes I range out that way in my yard "sailing" forays. You chose a great spot. We drove out past Parma yesterday and oh my gosh, I saw the farm of my dreams!! white, classic american gothic farmhouse with a huge old, but well maintained barn, close to the river. apple trees, grapes. My husband was afraid if we parked there and stared any longer the homeowners would get worried! I am also so impressed (amazed, inspired, intrigued) with your big family, and homeschooling. We got started late (better than never, and by what lots of older gals I know are going through, sooo blessed) and I had Finn at 40. I have dreamed of a big family and we hope to be able to make it bigger by adopting. My sweetie is also into tractors, the older the better, though we don't have one yet. He grew up on a prune farm (none of this dried plums talk for his family) and so if it is old and can possibly be jumpstarted, he likes it. Just want to say that you gals here at MJF are all so amazing to me! And jpbluesky, what were you doing in Carmel? were you on vacation? I lived in Carmel Highlands once, for 2 months, doing a farm apprenticeship at Elkhorn Slough. I ate fresh peaches dipped in chili powder that the farmhands would bring me, stared at that ocean of fog, fell in love with a violinist from NYC and wrote lots of poetry. it seems to me that pearls are everywhere, for each of us, hidden in the dingiest of packages sometimes.
"Being nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle any human can fight." ee cummings |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Nov 01 2004 : 06:41:50 AM
Rivergirl- I think your guy was smart enough to see who was the real pearl in front of his eyes.
jpbluesky
Love those big blue skies and wide open spaces. |
| Idahospud |
Posted - Nov 01 2004 : 06:35:18 AM
Welcome rivergirl!
Nice to see another Farmgirl (and close by, too!). I'm glad that you are shaking up your subdivision a little (and boy, some of those Boise subdivisions sure need it!!). Pearl sounds like a great beauty and a focus of much enjoyment--especially since she was given to you by someone else who loved her. My dh is more of an old tractor guy, but I don't think he'd turn down a beaut like Pearl!
Glad to have you here! |
| rivergirl |
Posted - Oct 31 2004 : 2:15:56 PM
Oh yeah, I am a truck gal. My 54 is a GMC. She is a funky pond scum green right now but my husband has big plans (nothing fancy, just a new paint job and a new interior--we are in the process of slipcovering the seats using vintage wool blankets). When I was little my grandfather Walter (who, by the way, I named a mule after that was used for farming by my other grandfather) had an old old Ford--circa 1940s, from what my husband can tell from the photos. I used to hangout in that truck like it was a playhouse, for hours. My first "true love" in college drove an old Ford (now, was it the truck or the fact he played the banjo and cooked dinner for me on our first date? On an itty bitty camp stove, no less.). Anyway, my old beauty (her name is Pearl) was, are you ready for this, GIVEN to me for the sum of $1.00 and a plate of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I used to admire Pearl, and ask the owner lots of pesky questions about her. He was an electrician and did work for my employer. One day he showed up and said he wanted me to have it, that his son had no interest, and that he knew I would take good care of her! I was so shocked. I baked him a batch of cookies and there you have it. Now, my husband is an old truck kinda guy, so what I want to know: was it me or Pearl that got his attention? |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Oct 30 2004 : 08:43:36 AM
Kim - I knew being an Illinois girl, you would go with the GM brand - Chevy! Can't beat a Chevy truck! The older the better.
Once, while in Carmel California, I went to dinner at Clint Eastwood's place, the Mission Ranch. There in the parking lot was the truck he drove in Bridges of Madison County. The Kincaid Photography was painted ont the side, the windows were down and I hopped right in. Just sitting in the seat where they sat (Clint and Meryl) made me smile. But most of all, I would have loved to have that truck!
jpbluesky
Love those big blue skies and wide open spaces. |
| Kim |
Posted - Oct 29 2004 : 5:54:32 PM
Ok, now comes the nitty gritty........54 Ford or Chevy? Color? Rusted with primer beauty or rehauled beauty? You are my soul sister!
I too would love a barn to park my 54 Chevy in! (when I get it).
Welcome aboard kindred spirit.
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Oct 29 2004 : 06:38:44 AM
Well, rivergirl - you are one of us from the push off! I look forward to hearing about your adventures on the river - when you were a guide and on the river of your life. Great analogy you made about the currents of living.
There are amazing women on this site, and I can tell you will be one of them! When I read your post about being a river guide, as also when I read about MaryJane and her years working for the forest service, I feel like - I could have done that! If only....... So type on and let us be vicarious river guides!
jpbluesky
Love those big blue skies and wide open spaces. |
| rivergirl |
Posted - Oct 28 2004 : 9:01:03 PM
ok, it is waaaay past my bedtime but I will admit that i couldn't wait until tomorrow to see if anybody answered my posting. Thank you thank. Sweet farm dreams to all! |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - Oct 28 2004 : 6:43:43 PM
Glad the currents led you to our fork in the river, Rivergirl! I do Sunflowers too here in the Sunflower State! (Kansas born and bred) Remember the Sunflower follows the light! Welcome!
Time Flies |
| bramble |
Posted - Oct 28 2004 : 6:07:39 PM
Hey girl! Welcome to the club! You are going to like it here!
My river's the Delaware and I'm not too far from where old George despite what everybody else said, did his own thing and got this country started. Maybe it's something in the water that makes free spirits hear the call that few others do. Keep planting your sunflowers, building your picket fences (I've got one too!)
and keep that farm dream. Welcome home.. you've found your kind of people! Bramble (farmer at heart, trapped in the burbs!)
with a happy heart |
| Eileen |
Posted - Oct 28 2004 : 5:53:16 PM
Oh and another one to add to the collection of beautiful spirits. How encouraging!
Welcome, come on in and set awhile. We'll have tea and scones or something!
Eileen
songbird; singing joy to the earth |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Oct 28 2004 : 4:26:06 PM
Oh a sunflower garden!!! Welcome to the family!!
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
| Clare |
Posted - Oct 28 2004 : 3:54:32 PM
Welcome Rivergirl!!! You will definately fit right in! We have big open arms here!
I'd DIE for your '54 pickup.... well, maybe metaphorically at least. Speaking of metaphors, you painted a very nice picture of yourself with the river metaphors....
I kinda freak my neighbors out too... mainly because I like my privacy windbreaks that they just don't understand, but hey - some people "gets it and some doesn't"... you will find that everyone here does "get it".
Please jump right in with your comments and ideas and any other contribution you can think of to make.
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
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