Meet the Hogans

A while back, my daughter got a bee in her bonnet that she wanted to go fishin’ with her grandpa in Texas.  I’m not sure from where the idea came, since she’d never been fishing, but once an idea gets in her head, it’s stuck! So on our Spring Break Texas trip, Papa Charlie was determined his granddaughter would get that dream!  Since his pond water level was so low and has only minnows and baby catfish, he called his friends from the neighboring ranch to see if we could fish at their lake.  They graciously said yes.  Head back to Texas with me, and meet the Hogans, a most inspiring couple, doing what they can to create a retreat for wild birds almost lost to the native Texas hill country.

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A Farmgirl Goes Home

Living in Connecticut, I don’t  see relatives as often as I’d like.  For my daughter’s Spring Break, my hubby suggested she and I spend a week with my family.  Take a "Farmgirl" trip with me as we head to the Great State of Texas!

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Winning the Lotto - What Would YOU Do?

There’s been much media “hoopla” lately over the big New York Lottery. There’s buzz everywhere...the grocery store, the parent pick-up line at school, and of course, all over the news.  I’ve never been a  lottery player.  I’m not a negative-Nelly, but it’s always seemed to me a waste of money, because the odds of winning are miniscule. (I prefer to think of myself as sensible. I’d rather take that $5.00 and buy a magazine or a couple packets of seeds for the garden). But, when you hear of someone winning, whose life is gonna drastically change, you can’t help but wonder, “What would I do if it were me?”

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Seeds, Bees, Bulbs, and Birds

Despite living in a “cold” climate, I’m a warm-weather gal.   I love sunshine  and can handle heat,  raised in one of the hottest, most humid places in America.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Connecticut ‘s four seasons; there's nothin' like a fall day pickin' punkins and havin' cider on a crisp afternoon.  But spring here can be fickle - warm or cold.  We’ve spent many Easters in snow boots instead of sandals.  When Mother Nature recently gifted us with an early, warm Spring, I “sprung” into action.  There’s lots to do!  Come see what's on my  "Outdoor To Do" list, and pick up some tips!

One of my favorite tin wall-hangings

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Lordy, Lordy...I'm Turning Forty!


I love birthdays!  I think life’s meant to celebrate the special days, and birthdays are one of those days.  I’m not into giant celebrations – I don’t have a big party or go out until the wee hours.  I do like to have lunch with a friend, or bake a birthday cake and have a nice dinner with my husband and daughter.  But some birthdays are milestones, and the one I’m hitting this month is a big one, so to speak.  Have a piece of cake with me as I share what I’ve learned so far...

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The Composting Kids

Life through the eyes of a child is better than rose-colored!  They find wonder and amazement in the simplest of things, learning with gusto!   Today’s children are indeed the future, and I love that my daughter’s generation is embracing a “greener” thinking than mine did at her age.  I’m really proud of my daughter’s school, introducing kids to gardening and composting.  I’ve seen first-hand how excited the kids are to be on-board!  Visit with me, the Suburban Farmgirl, and “The Composting Kids”. 


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It's Wild (Life) in the 'Burbs

Suburban living means easy access to every needed creature comfort. Growing up in Houston, I lived in a bustling city. Most weekends, we’d head to “The Farm”, my dad’s ranch in the beautiful, remote Texas hill country. Living in suburban Connecticut reminds me of both. I’ve woods in my back yard, but am only a few minutes from “town”. With city-life nearby, it’s easy to forget we’re surrounded by woodland creatures calling the area home, too. Taking my dog out, I’m hearing more birds, signaling spring’s on the way! It’s this time of year we start to see more wildlife moving around, too.

Quail Run Ranch, Harwood Texas, 2011

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Suburban (Valentine) Sentiments

As room mom of my daughter’s fourth grade class, I’ll help plan and attend the class Valentine’s Day Celebration!   The parents are sending in treats.  We’ll play “Valentine Bingo,” using “conversation hearts” as markers, and the kids will stuff Valentine cards into each others’ “mailboxes”.    Two years ago, my daughter and I made homemade Valentines for all her friends, and last year we found adorable Vintage re-printed ones.  This year she’s chosen to go with classic “Snoopy and the Gang” valentines.   Remember those grade school Valentine days? 


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Throw Me a Throw!

Here in New England, we’ve been pretty lucky so far with winter this year.  Aside from the freak storm in October, the weather’s been relatively mild, and we’re below the normal level for snow.  (Last year at this time, we had almost 39 inches of snow)!    We’re already dreaming of spring, (got my seed catalogs handy), but it seems so far away.    We’re always running, but when it’s time to take a breather, nothing‘s better than to snuggle with a pretty throw or blanket.  Grab a cup of tea and come take a pause with me!


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Look at Me! I'm Chemical Free!

We spent New Year’s Day in Manhattan, figuring it’d be a good day to go, since most everyone from the night before would be asleep or already left, and, my daughter had never seen the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.  Getting up early and driving in, we headed to Times Square.  Hours before, there’d been millions of New Year’s Eve revelers, and several tons of paper confetti had dropped on the crowd.  When we arrived at 10:00 AM, there was not a scrap of trash to be seen!  The only shred of evidence of the celebration were a few sanitation trucks parked at the end of the street, and the  lit “2012” lights where the Ball had been dropped at midnight.  Talk about efficient post-holiday cleaning!  While many do “Spring Cleaning”, the weeks after New Year’s are a good time to clean and organize.  Packing away holiday decorations leaves open table tops and spaces, and it’s too cold to do much outside.  With indoor pets and a busy family, I have a lot to keep up with.  We’ve already “gone organic,” getting chemicals out of our foods, now my New Years’ resolution is to “cleanse” us of the rest of the chemicals in our lives! 


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Nicole Christensen

Nicole Christensen,
our current Suburban Farmgirl, calls herself a “knitter, jam-maker, and mom extraordinaire.” Born and raised in the great state of Texas, she now resides in suburban New England in picturesque Connecticut, just a stone’s throw from New York state.

Married for 18 years to her Danish-born sweetheart, Nicole has worked in various fields and has been a world-traveler, entrepreneur, knitting teacher, and homemaker, but considers being a mom her greatest job of all. Loving all things creative and domestic, Nicole considers her life’s motto to be “Bloom where you are planted.”

Column contents copyright © 2010– Nicole Christensen. All rights reserved.

The Suburban Farmgirl

Farmgirl spirit can take root anywhere—dirt or no dirt.

Paula Spencer
Previous Suburban Farmgirl,
October 2009–October 2010
Paula is a mom of four and a journalist who’s partial to writing about common sense and women’s interests. She’s lived in five great farm states (Michigan, Iowa, New York, Tennessee, and now North Carolina), though never on a farm. She’s nevertheless inordinately fond of heirloom tomatoes, fine stitching, early mornings, and making pies. And sock monkeys.