Damn Ducks
Hannah's family of Swedish Blue ducks have made it through their first winter at Downeast Thunder Farm. They didn't stray far this winter, sticking close to their house much of the time. With the snow melt and spring rains, they been enjoying the...
Not My Typical Visitors
I had some unusual visitors at the feeder today. The ducks found a break in the fence and have been exploring new territory. One look at me through the window and they waddled back through the fence to where they should be. Then this beauty showed...
An Evening Timberdoodle
Look who came to visit this evening! A Timberdoodle! Or American Woodcock if you must. Timberdoodle is much more fun to say. I've only seen one before and this guy was just a foot or so beyond my porch. Paul spied him while he was talking on the...
Ellie the Endearing Elephant
When the suggestion for an elephant hit my inbox, it immediately resonated. I'm fascinated by elephants. They have such human-like emotions. I love that they are good mamas, banding together to raise their babies. And what's cuter than a baby...
Last Day of Winter
The last day of winter is three days into Hannah's spring break. After two days spent working on a paper due yesterday, today was our first day to get outdoors. We headed to Roque Bluffs beach, Hannah's happy place. This has been her toughest...
A Wonderful Visit
Hannah once asked me what my spirit animal might be. Given my deep affinity for owls, I told her it would be an owl. “A small owl?” she asked. “No, a big ass owl, like a Great Gray,” I told her. Frankly, I’d want to be top of the food chain....
Another Monday Snow Day
Today is the second Monday snow day in a row. We woke to a winter wonderland. As 'Noreasters go it was somewhat mellow dropping about 15" of snow - the most we've had in one snowfall so far this year. Through the woods and over the pond, the house...
New to the SHOP: Pelican and Flamingo
The middle of February in Maine is a good time to dream of warmer places. On the heels of a frozen septic leach field (spring cannot arrive soon enough!) and the second snow storm of the week raging outside, it seems like a good time to introduce...
Eagle Sentries
An eagle pair against a crisp blue sky keeping sentry over the Narraguagus River in Cherryfield today.
Maine Fog
A few days ago Hannah mentioned that it was foggy on campus and it made her feel a bit homesick. Of all the things that could make her miss Maine - fog. Fog is such and intrinsic part of living on the Maine coast. There are days I relish the fog....
The Heartwarming Holstein Cow
Many a visitor has suggested a cow pattern. She spoke to me yesterday as I was tinkering with designs. With a snow day in the forecast, she's the perfect project for shoveling procrastination! Download the free plan below or purchase a complete kit...
It was only a matter of time.
I wondered how long it would take. Turns out it was only a matter of time before the squirrel discovered my new window bird feeder. They're brazen little things. That cat virtually on the other side of the window didn't scare him. Gidget barking...
Snowy Day Entertainment
It's rare that I have the house to myself. With Paul away taking Hannah back to college, I had all types of plans for my weekend. Rather than being wonderfully productive, I felt a bit unsettled. I worry when my family is on the road - and in a...
A Winter Nest is an Empty Nest
Hannah has been returned to college and I once again have an empty nest. Paul braved the storm for the trip, plotting and planning his route while I sat home and worried. It's amazing how quickly the past month passed. And it was a wonderful time -...
Happy the Hedgehog joins the SHOP
It's only been this last year that I've tracked the number of downloads for my free plans. Every time I take a peek at the numbers, I'm astounded. Happy the Hedgehog was such a popular pattern that I've added him to the SHOP. Also new to the SHOP...
The Spiffy Spectacled Owl
Only at Downeast Thunder Farm will you find this Spiffy Spectacled Owl in the woods. He's more inclined for warmer climates. You can download this free plan here or pickup a kit in the SHOP. Either way, she's a good project for a snowy afternoon....
The Day After Christmas on Pigeon Hill
After a half-day of work on this day after Christmas, Hannah and I both felt the need to get out and about. With snow in the forecast for Friday we made a snap decision to hike Pigeon Hill. We didn't get there until the sun was low in the sky, so...
Owl Christmas Stockings
I'm not sure what got into me this year. Just four days before Christmas I decided we needed new, custom Downeast Thunder Farm Christmas stockings. I enlarged my Barred, Western Screech, and Great Gray Owls (mine, Hannah's, and Paul's) and...
Christmas 2018
Another Christmas day is over. Although Hannah arrived home just a week ago, she still had final papers to complete and submit. It seems we pulled together this year's Christmas together in just a few days. Bright and cold today - a short rise in...
Merry Christmas!
The mad dash of Christmas preparations is over. My presents are wrapped - but don't look in my office; the wrapping debris will wait for another day. After the debate of whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie, we're settled in with a puzzle...
In My Absence
The next leg of Operation Rescue Hannah begins tomorrow. I'll make the 12-hour round-trip drive from my folks house in Pennsylvania to Granville, Ohio to bring her home for the holidays. I left Maine a few days early so I could spend time helping...
Susan’s Joyful Owl Winter Wreath
While I've been designing trees and wreaths for our Christmas Tree Festival, it occurred to me that I've never made a wreath for myself - I always seem to give my completed pieces away. I love my Joyful Wreath Owl but wanted to make a wreath that...
A Christmas Sleigh
Paul is my resident engineer, maker and fabricator. He's a handy guy to have around. As a result, he was roped into more than one of my Christmas Tree Festival projects. After spying a little sleigh with trees on Pinterest, I challenged him to make...
A Milbridge Christmas
I always enjoy our Christmas Tree Festival and Auction here in town. Community members and businesses adopt Charlie Brown style live table top trees or wreaths and decorate them for auction. You've likely seen some of my submissions in the past....
A Birthday Angel
Today is mom's birthday. What does one get Granny Gadget? Everything she does revolves around her family and taking care of them. She has little space for anything and she can purchase all the gadgets she wants. That's where my Christmas Angel...
