My latest issue of Mary Jane's Farm arrived yesterday, the perfect day, at a much needed time (long story). 

Inside? My favorite kind of article to read and I simply had to share it with you. 

This woman is beyond inspiring--at 83 she's (contentedly) doing what, on some days out in my garden, I question whether I'll have the strength to do at age (only) 55. I need to read about people like Willodene, for they help me keep doing Life the old-fashioned way.

Here's just a small excerpt:


"Now nearly 83, Willodene still plants a large garden and waters it by hand from her well. She gets up early while the heat is still bearable and carries five-gallon buckets of water to her plants...She washes clothes in a Maytag washer ... and her only dryer is a clothesline in the back yard. She has half a dozen martin birdhouses down the fence row, a large supply of winter wood to feed her heating stove, and a push mower she prefers over a riding variety. She complains of "slowing down"--telling me she used to mow her yard in one day, but now it takes two. She cans and freezes her garden produce, climbs to the chimney flue atop the roof and cleans it out every six weeks or so, and feeds the cattle as well.... Hollyhocks of every color ring her garden fence, roses and hydrangeas nestle around her little frame house.


"' I do my best thinkin' in the garden,'" says Willodene."
(Written by Kay Thomas)



I wish Willodene lived next door to me. She would keep me young, maybe even for another 30 years.

Oh, what an influence we can have upon each other!


*****