calamity jane

These days I mostly try not to write. My life is so full of work and family and weeding. But every now and then, my brain starts to itch and the only way to scratch that itch is writing. This is where you will find my most recent scratchings.

  • CJ’s Punk Housewife Tip #1: Homemade Grape Nuts

    Am I a punk? Hell no, not by any punk standard anyway. No tattoos, no piercings, I change my clothes almost every week, and I live in a house with just one family. My life looks purty damn square to the punk eye. But, by housewife standards, I like to think I can edge into the punk category. Which is a relief to my mind. I’ve been meaning to start a series of Punk Housewife Tips, and my most recent, most brilliant discovery yet simply begged me to finally get to it! Enter Tip #1: Turning stale homemade wheat bread into…

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    Calamity Jane

  • The Deed is Done

    Here I am. End of the week. Projects half done all over the place. Just like me. I can’t seem to knock it off with the thinking I can do it all. Which always ends in disappointment, disillusionment, and the ironic dissolving of my energy to finish anything. But! If I can just remove myself from the stupid disappointment of not being able to achieve the impossible, it was a great week! I got plenty of good shit done and managed to squeeze in some quality goofing off time. And of course, I got chickens. After finding those crates on…

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    Calamity Jane

  • 34 Times Round and a Recipe for German Pancakes

    Today is my birthday. After breakfast, we’re going to drive to get our four new chickens. The coop is (almost) all ready. What a great birthday present! Tomorrow morning– eggs maybe! In the meantime, I’d better use up the Goat Man’s eggs (from the farmer’s market). As I tucked her in last night, the 3YO requested “that big deyishious pancake that’s as hot as a fire and has apples on top” for breakfast. First time she’s ever pre-requested breakfast, or any other meal, for that matter. Shows a certain ability to grasp the future. I know there’s lots of recipes…

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    Calamity Jane

  • Helpless to the Siren Call

    I really had definitely decided not to get chickens. Really. But…. out for a walk on mother’s day I found three big, solid wood crates on the side of the road. I felt almost annoyed at the universe, who had the week before directed me toward a large sized dog kennel (read chicken transporter) by a dumpster. Can’t you lay off about the chickens? I’m doing my best here to exersize self control, but you’re really not helping! The crates really threw me. These two were even stacked provocatively into a coop shape. I walked home sighing big sighs. I…

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    Calamity Jane

  • A Day for Mamas

    Been busy today– making mulberry/strawberry jam, fixing the bike trailer, unpacking, cleaning, and writing for the zine. Lord! What you can get done in just half a day when yer all by yer lonesome! No time to fit in a Mother’s Day post though, almost forgot about it altogether. But, here’s a re-post from last year. It’s good. You’ll like it. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… from Open House for Butterflies by Marice Sendak and Ruth Krauss My first mother’s day was a revelation. As in– the heavens opened up, Somebody came through, and slapped my ass into line. Old testament style. I had…

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    Calamity Jane