Well, hi there!  I’m the Karma Farmer,  a 50-something St. Louis native, recently returning to my hometown after nearly 40 years.  I make my living as a global sales executive, which is a stark contrast to my “real life”:  wife, mom, grandma, animal lover, devout St. Louis Cardinals fan, and food junkie living the rural dream in these here hills.

If you spend any time at all on this blog, you’ll get to know my circle.  So you can put some faces to the names, I thought I’d give a little glimpse of the people that my life revolves around.

Steve (the Canuck) has the blessing and curse of being my husband.   He gave up his country to come here and marry me way back in the 90’s.  I’m pretty sure he’s lived long enough to regret it now, but “no take-sies back-sies” was in our wedding vows, so he’s stuck.  He’s also the tech support / webmaster / fix-it guy for the blog.  If something doesn’t work, it’s his fault.

My oldest daughter is Amanda.  She’s given me 4 grandchildren: Lexi, Matthew, Hunter, and Allison.  I’m so happy that I get to watch them all grow up. Amanda is brilliant and beautiful, but that pales in comparison to what a genuinely kind spirit she is.  She’s in the midst of a divorce from her husband, aka The Bane of My Existence, whom we don’t discuss.  Every family has to have a little conflict, right?

My middle child is my daughter Krista.  She should have been born in the early 60’s, because she’s a hippy through and through.  Krista lives life on her own terms, and is as stubborn as she is beautiful.  She’s the child that made me realize that parents can, indeed, love their child and loathe them at the same time.  Of course, we’re well past the “loathe” stage…at least, this week we are.  She is the reason I have gray hair and high blood pressure.  Well, my bacon addiction may have something to do with my blood pressure, but the gray hair is all her.  She made up for it all by bringing her amazing son Ethan into our lives.

My baby is my only son, Alex.  He is the protector of this family.  Period.  He’s the hardest working guy I know, and he will go to unimaginable lengths to care for all of us.  He leads by example, always.  And he’s hysterically funny, which is a big bonus.  He and his former wife Kristina, whom I love like my own daughter, have brought Aban and Kyra into this world, and the world should be pretty dang thankful about that.

Oh, and then there are the dogs.  There have been many, and you will get to know them.  Most have crossed the Rainbow Bridge, so we are currently a one dog household.  Bullwinkle the American Bulldog rescue is our only spoiled baby at the moment.

As for me, I’m trying to be a kind person … a good person … but I have little tolerance for fools, and no tolerance for mean people.  I am constantly taming my acid tongue, and Sarcasm is my native language.  I love my family and friends, my beloved St. Louis Cardinals, bacon, and animals ( especially my dogs).   I try to be respectful and tolerant of people who believe differently than I do.  Except for people who are mean to children, the elderly, or animals … I will punch those people straight in the face.  Oh, and the people who think PETA is a reasonable organization … yeah, I’m working on trying to accept your crazy… erm, I mean … your doctrine.  Then there are those who use the Bible to justify their horrible behavior … and fear mongers … and … well, I have some work to do to be the type of person I want to be.

Reaping what I sow.  I hope I can grow from my interactions with each of you, and vice versa.

I’m the Karma Farmer.  Welcome to my world.