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lirene
Farmgirl in Training
16 Posts
Irene
WA
16 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 19 2005 : 8:01:30 PM
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Hello,
I must be in the right place: I just finished washing the wool from my sheep, Greta, and sat picking through it while the hens muttered from the chicken run next to the garden. I'm looking forward to reading through the forums -- it sure looks happy and busy around here!
lirene
Trillium Woods
Latitude 46.905, Longitude -122.316 |
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shepherdess
True Blue Farmgirl
359 Posts
Robin
Eatonville
Washington
USA
359 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2005 : 12:08:20 AM
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Welcome Irene
You are going to love this group of Farm Girls.
Farm Girl from Western Washington
" From sheep to handspun " |
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Park Avenue
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Michele
Paradise Valley
Alberta
Canada
57 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2005 : 06:45:49 AM
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hi everyone, not sure if i am posting in the right spot....but oh well!
I came across this site after purchasing the farm girl book...its beautiful and I love it!
I would not say I ever considered myself a real farm girl, since i don't have a farm. But i love the simple farmgirl lifestyle, and after reading about some of the rest of you, I realise that farmgirl is in your heart, not about where you live.
We have a house on a 1 acre property, on the edge of a rural town (pop 178) in Alberta Canada. I am married 18 years and am mom to a 17 yr old daughter, and a 15 yr old son. When my daughter gets married ( she hoping young..about 20)she wants to marry a farmer!
I am a certified childbirth doula, which is not a thriving carreer in the age of epidurals, and I also work with my husband in our contracting business. He draws blueprints, and I do construction and moving clean-ups, and we do some building and renovating as well.
I love my garden, and my yard, and my clothesline. We heat our house with wood, just because I love the smell! I decorate my home with antiques, and my yard with old rusty farm implements.I often think I was born in the wrong era...as the family often has to drag me out of historical theme parks, as i want to stay and live there.
We don't have animals, other than a cat and a dog.
I really value our small town rural lifestyle. In this age that we live in, I think its the only way that I stay sane. When I see everyone else scurry around, I am thankful, that I have my little piece of Paradise, where I can hang clothes on the line, and make carrot pickles, and spend hours picking the weeds in my garden.
Look forward to reading about all the rest of you farmgirls out there!
Michele |
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verbina
True Blue Farmgirl
231 Posts
randi
n.j
USA
231 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2005 : 09:10:48 AM
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| welcome irene and michele,this place is all about country, welcome home. randi from jersey,ps. michele your web sight is great! |
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Anne
Farmgirl at Heart
9 Posts
9 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2005 : 10:07:19 AM
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Well, I think I'll just add my introduction to this one. . . I grew up in rural upstate New York and my husband grew up on a farm in Idaho. We both live in an urban area right now, where we're trying to start our careers, but we have big plans to have a place someday where we can have a big garden, goats, chickens, and berry bushes.
I knit and crochet and do a small amount of sewing. I do a lot of cooking and baking, even making my own bread. I can lots of things, even though we don't have a big garden. . . it's still nice to have lots of special pickles and jams. We have a rented plot in our community garden, too, where we grow tomatoes, pumpkins, green beans, and peppers.
I guess we're doing our best to live our rural lifestyle in the city! |
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showmemom
True Blue Farmgirl
166 Posts
karen
carthage
mo
USA
166 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2005 : 10:24:54 AM
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welcome irene and michele-
this is a great place for all of us that are "country minded" whether we live in the country or the city-it's our intent that links us up.
hope you are well and enjoying the posts-jump right in!
talk to you soon.
karen
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
Victor Hugo |
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The Handmaiden
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Kim
Shreveport
Louisiana
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2005 : 7:57:25 PM
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Welcomes X 3 to Irene, Michelle and Anne!! Have fun checking out all the wonder-FULL information here...not to mention the warm friendship and support. I look forward to hearing more about you and remember...all farms start as a "place in the heart".
p.s. michelle i just wish your profession outnumbered the ob-gyn's. I was lucky enough to find an MD almost 30 years ago that trusted a women and what she knew about her own body and was able to have 4 natural births. nowadays it seems everyone is having c-sections and are induced. HEAVEN FORBID! loved your websight and the belly pictures...the one thing i don't have.
"Faith shall finish all that Hope begins."
joan walsh anglund |
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EBFarmgirl
Farmgirl at Heart
4 Posts
Julie
Pewaukee
wisconsin
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2005 : 8:26:28 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by verbina
welcome irene and michele,this place is all about country, welcome home. randi from jersey,ps. michele your web sight is great!
EBFarmgirl |
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EBFarmgirl
Farmgirl at Heart
4 Posts
Julie
Pewaukee
wisconsin
USA
4 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2005 : 8:33:10 PM
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Hi, Michele!
I am a newbie to the site, too, and our lifestyle seems alot like yours! My husband works in computers, and we have a small side business selling antiques. We are new to the second, about a year. It grew out of our love of collecting same! We have lots of antiques in our house, and lots of old things in the yard, including a wringer washer (now planter) and hand plow. We live on 3.25 acres in a small city outside a larger one. It is so wonderful just to smell the fresh air!!! I am a non-practicing RN, and am hoping to take an aromatherapy certification course this fall. We have a young daughter and a grandpa living here, too! Also, 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a lovebird. But my real dream is to have chickens!
Welcome, farm-sister!
Julie
quote:
Originally posted by Park Avenue
hi everyone, not sure if i am posting in the right spot....but oh well!
I came across this site after purchasing the farm girl book...its beautiful and I love it!
I would not say I ever considered myself a real farm girl, since i don't have a farm. But i love the simple farmgirl lifestyle, and after reading about some of the rest of you, I realise that farmgirl is in your heart, not about where you live.
We have a house on a 1 acre property, on the edge of a rural town (pop 178) in Alberta Canada. I am married 18 years and am mom to a 17 yr old daughter, and a 15 yr old son. When my daughter gets married ( she hoping young..about 20)she wants to marry a farmer!
I am a certified childbirth doula, which is not a thriving carreer in the age of epidurals, and I also work with my husband in our contracting business. He draws blueprints, and I do construction and moving clean-ups, and we do some building and renovating as well.
I love my garden, and my yard, and my clothesline. We heat our house with wood, just because I love the smell! I decorate my home with antiques, and my yard with old rusty farm implements.I often think I was born in the wrong era...as the family often has to drag me out of historical theme parks, as i want to stay and live there.
We don't have animals, other than a cat and a dog.
I really value our small town rural lifestyle. In this age that we live in, I think its the only way that I stay sane. When I see everyone else scurry around, I am thankful, that I have my little piece of Paradise, where I can hang clothes on the line, and make carrot pickles, and spend hours picking the weeds in my garden.
Look forward to reading about all the rest of you farmgirls out there!
Michele
EBFarmgirl |
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lirene
Farmgirl in Training
16 Posts
Irene
WA
16 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2005 : 12:11:53 AM
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Many thanks for the warm welcomes. : )
I wonder what the definition of 'farm' is these days. I always used to think of farms as having acres of crops, big barns and herds of animals, but maybe that's changed? We live on 20 wooded acres in western Washington state, in the foothills below Mt. Rainier. We have donkeys, llamas, a sheep and a goat, three-and-a-half Border Collies (the other half appears to be water buffalo), nine hens, a cat, and five big goldfish in a rain catchment tub.
We built our homestead when we retired 9 years ago and now spend most of our time outdoors in the garden or with the animals. We heat with wood, grow a lot of our food (vegetarians really depend on their gardens!) and preserve some of it, I spin and dye the wool from my sheep and knit (mostly socks lately). I just finished making 15 pounds of sauerkraut, but there are still lots of cabbages yet to harvest.
Thank you again for all the welcomes.
lirene
Trillium Woods
Latitude 46.905, Longitude -122.316 |
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Ahodge
Farmgirl in Training
27 Posts
Anne
334 SW Well, Fort White
FL
USA
27 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2005 : 06:36:36 AM
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Hello All,
I live on a half an acre in a small town in North Central Florida. I have 8 chickens, 1 emu, 1 goat, 2 turkeys, 3 cats, 6 kittens, 6 dogs, 6 puppies, 1 lovebird, 2 parakettes, 1 sun conyer, an African Grey, a snake, 2 turtles, a rat, a leopard gecko, a tarantula, some fish, and a mockingbird in a peach tree! Not to mention 2 teenagers. I paint, mostly oils. I collect green and white stoneware, paperweights, handmade items, some blue&white transferware, old glass, crystal. You name it I probably have some of it. I am a clutterbug. There is no flat surface in my house that is empty. I can when I can. I make my own bread. I work part-time. I stay very busy but I try to allow myself a little down-time each day which I usually spend online. I am rarely still. If anyone would like to write me they can reach me through yahoo email I'm toastnhoney. I love meeting new people. I love to barter. I am very glad to have found this site. I called my sister yesterday to tell her all about it. And we have friends who would love it here. |
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Park Avenue
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Michele
Paradise Valley
Alberta
Canada
57 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2005 : 07:09:50 AM
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Thanks for the warm welcome from everyone.
Julie, it has always been a dream of mine to have an antique business. How awesome! I also have a huge interest in alternative healing, such as aromatherapy, massage etc.
Kim, yes iam so surprised that doulas are not extremly busy in are area, with healthcare cutbacks etc. I work in the hospitals, with a 25% section rate, but no one seems to care. I just keep plugging away. Construction is where the market and money is, so thats what I do. Gives me lots of time to play in the yard. Which is where I am off to, it has rained all week, and we finally got some sun, so i am off to cut the grass.
Thanks to all who looked at my website. It needs to be updated...and I still haven't figured out how to use the new program, been to busy with the garden to play with it.:-)
Michele |
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lamamama
True Blue Farmgirl
255 Posts
Melanie
CA
USA
255 Posts |
Posted - Aug 23 2005 : 10:39:47 AM
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Hello & Welcome!
It looks like we're on a theme here.......
I'm a newbie, too, & am a practicing R.N...... Obstetrics/perinatal specialist. Currently mired in the city - but DESPERATELY trying to find a good, affordable, not rainy small town to move to. Yes, I want those chickens, too! Hey, maybe we could all get together & move someplace special. Get that C-Section rate down, & the breastfeeding rate up! Stop spraying pesticides on the school lawns & city parks. Etc;etc;etc. Yeah, I'm a big dreamer as well as a farmgirl in heart.
Anyway, looking forward to getting to know everyone, & offer whatever I can to the ongoing conversations.
Melanie |
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Park Avenue
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Michele
Paradise Valley
Alberta
Canada
57 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2005 : 5:01:03 PM
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Hi Melanie,
How do you like obstetrics nursing. That is a field that I wish now that i would have persued. Guess I didn't know then, what i know now. And I'm not so sue going back to school is what i want to do. So being a doula will have to suffice for now! Its great, I don't have nearthe paper work that you guys (nurses) have.
Yeah...lets get that section rate down. I'm happy to report none of my mammas have needed one!
Michele |
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lamamama
True Blue Farmgirl
255 Posts
Melanie
CA
USA
255 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2005 : 11:04:59 PM
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Hi there, Michele - & all others, of course! :)
Well, I do love taking care of Mothers & Babies. I guess you could say I consider it a real privledge to be there during those incredibly holy moments. It is what you might call a spiritual calling. At times I certainly can feel very frustrated & annoyed by the medical establishment/the health care system (you're right about that paperwork!), but I guess I get enough back from it that I keep "comin' back for more." LOL I have to admit that if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would quit, & be a full-time stay @ home Mom. But since I do have to work (I am a single Mom), being able to take care of Moms & Babies for a living is truly special. And I would certainly encourage you to think about getting a Nursing degree. As far as jobs go for mothers with children, it is really great. You can work different shifts, part-time, on-call, etc. All different kinds of things are available. (For instance, one nurse I know works 1/2 time, & does it by working 5 days in a row, & then is off for 9 days.) And one can find a job just about anywhere in the country. With the current Nursing shortage, wages are also going up. Most importantly, if you like being a doula, then I'm guessing you'd love the spiritual connection of OB/ Perinatal Nursing. And I can definitely tell you that the patients really need us. I'm guessing you know what I mean by that. ;) Have you looked into programs in your area? You could start with a 2 year program, &/or just go part-time. You'd be bringing a wealth of knowledge & experience with you. |
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Park Avenue
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Michele
Paradise Valley
Alberta
Canada
57 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2005 : 06:35:57 AM
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Hi Melanie,
I have sort of looked into programs in my area, but not really.
I am on the verge of some life changes and I am not sure where exactly i am heading.
My oldest graduates high school this year, and my son won't be far behind.
I am 38, so they will both be 'adults' by the time I am 40. LOL I won't say they will be out of the house.
For the last 18 years I have pretty much been a stay home mom, holding down part-time jobs during that time. Mostly retail. I do have my doula certification, but its just not enough work to keep my busy, fullfilled or to be considered an income.
So for now work with my husband in the houseing industy. He draws new homes, and does some renovating etc, and I clean new houses, or do move-out cleaning.
I thought being a doula may lead to nursing. But from what "I" have seen in my area, in the hospitals that I work in, there is not a lot of time actually spent with patients. Not a whole lot of connecting and so i worry that i may be disappointed with the job once I had it, thats what is great about being a doula, %100 percent is given to the patient and her needs, not to paperwork, $$ quotas, and timelines ( such as this patient has been labouring 12 hours, maybe time to look at getting this done with a section) I work in Saskatchewan and there are incredible staff and budget cutbacks.
Thanks you so much for sharing your ideas about your work, it sounds like you are an incredible nurse!
I am a firm believer in we are all where we are in life for a reason, so I'm trusting that, and I know I will end up where I belong!
Michele |
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phillytoo
Farmgirl in Training
18 Posts
Phyllis
Canton
MI
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2005 : 6:42:36 PM
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HI,
Sure hope I'm in the right place for introducing myself.
We live on 2 acres (mostly wooded) in SE MI. My husband has had his own business for about 28 years. We have 3 sons. My oldest one is married and the next one is soon to be married in Dec. My youngest is still homeschooled and will be graduating this year. I noticed that there are a few others here who are homeschoolers. Glad to meet you!
We also have a Bichon that just turned 6 yo today. (She's my baby.)
Phyllis |
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lirene
Farmgirl in Training
16 Posts
Irene
WA
16 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2005 : 7:39:22 PM
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Hi, Phyllis --
I'm a new member as well -- welcome. There is so much to look at on this wonderful Farmgirl Connection website that you're sure to find lots of interesting stuff.
lirene
Trillium Woods
Latitude 46.905, Longitude -122.316 |
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lamamama
True Blue Farmgirl
255 Posts
Melanie
CA
USA
255 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2005 : 12:19:52 PM
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Hey, Michele
Sounds to me like you're in touch with what is happening within you. I agree that we sometimes do much better letting life lead us, rather than the other way around. There is always time to explore. And just focusing on being a doula is GREAT - no small thing. Doulas are so, so important to women in labor & postpartum. Because of those budget problems, & paperwork that you mentioned, the Nurse is often unable to spend the time with her patient that she wishes she could. So your role is vital to that Mom & baby. Keep up your good work :) I admire you!
Melanie |
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Park Avenue
True Blue Farmgirl
57 Posts
Michele
Paradise Valley
Alberta
Canada
57 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2005 : 06:01:44 AM
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Thanks Melanie,
I always wish I could do more, so I admire you!
Our community isn't really receptive to doulas yet, LOL and I don't know why. So it has become more of a hobby, and I have 3 or 4 clients a year. Mostly teens, that are referred through a someone else.
Michele |
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