Hike to Alaska Cove
Hannah and I trekked to Alaska Cove off Willard Point today - a spectacular afternoon for a hike. I'm not sure why we've never explored this trail before as it's only fifteen minutes from the house. A Wood Thrush flitting about the undergrowth....
A Tale of Two Woodpeckers
I've enjoyed the variety of birds at my feeding station since putting out suet cakes. In just a few moments this guy swooped in for a visit. A Hairy Woodpecker. A few seconds later a much smaller woodpecker arrived. It was a Downy Woodpecker. I've...
A Timberdoodle!
Traveling down a country road on my way to work - blueberry barrens on one side, woods on the other, I experienced a "first" this morning that kept me smiling all day. Dancing and strutting across the road was this little Timberdoodle (a.k.a....
Moving Day
While celebrating Paul's birthday dinner this evening, I watched a squirrel fly across the porch. It happened so fast that I couldn't be certain what I saw. Was it carrying something thing it's arms? Was it squabbling with another squirrel? ...
First Beach Walk of the Season
The weather cooperated and delivered a fabulous day for our first beach walk of the season. Two beaches, two walks with lunch out sandwiched in between. The water was icy and tepid in turns. The incoming tide icy, the outgoing flow comfortable on...
No Rest for the Weary
The rescue mission is over. Hannah and I finally arrived home last night, her first semester of college finished. It felt so good to be back after a whirlwind ten days away. Sleeping in my own bed has never felt so good. Snape the cat was so happy...
In Search of Snowy Owls
There have been reports of a snowy owl wintering at Nubble Light at Cape Neddic as recently as a week ago. Leaving Portland heading south, I passed the exit for Cape Neddic. Do I stop? Do I keep going? Will I regret it if I don't stop? I stopped....
A Busy Sunday
I had some computer work planned for today. My mistake was parking myself on the sofa to do said work. I got a little distracted with the show outside the window. I can't remember a day when I spied so many different varieties of birds all in one...
Evening Osprey
On this gray, rainy evening I spotted an Osprey in a tree overlooking the river in East Machias. It was so dark and gloomy that I had to play with the photos to register the details. Two things stand out to me - how crazy long their talons are and...
Greater Yellowlegs on the Mudflats
I spotted this pair of birds strutting around in the river mudflats as the tide came in this evening. At first I thought they were sandpipers, but on closer inspection they appear to be Greater Yellowlegs. The shore birds are returning - a sure...
Dreaming of Felt and Choosing Colors
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve spent every free moment pondering and planning developing kits for some of my patterns. It’s Paul who encouraged me to jump into this endeavor and I confess that I’ve become a bit felt obsessed. I found a...
Great Egret – Another Sign of Spring
On my drive home tonight I spied a Great Egret on the salt pond next to the river. She had the company of a Great Blue Heron until I pulled over to snap photos. She stood so still in the landscape as if hiding in plain sight. In a flash she snagged...
Tin Tiled Back Splash
When building our house I didn't install a back splash in the kitchen. In part because I didn't know what I wanted to do, and in part because I just wanted to be finished! After seeing a tin tile ceiling in a restaurant, I started doing some...
Nature is the Best Entertainment
I can't tell you how much I enjoy that rare moment where I can sit on the sofa and enjoy the show outside the window. Nature really does provide the best entertainment. The squirrels who were eating me out of house and home before the new feeder...
Eastern Swallowtail Butterfly
The Eastern Swallowtail Butterfly is the most common butterfly visitor to my garden. When the Asian Lilac is in bloom they flit and fly about feasting on the blooms. I've been known to park a chair next to the lilacs and lie in wait with my camera....
A Good Day
Another birthday has come. (Yay!) Not having Hannah home has changed the dynamics for the day. For the first time ever, Paul made a birthday cake for me. Even BH (before Hannah) he would buy one from the market. Last night when I walked in the...
The Lovely Luna Moth
Luna Moths are so beautiful and graceful. Count yourself lucky if you've seen one - they live such short lives. Just a couple of months and it will be the season for these elegant creatures. Dream of summer as you create this moth! [sdm_download...
Counting Down
It took six days of driving between Paul and me to bring Hannah home for just five days. Given the phone calls I had during mid-term week, it was pretty clear that Hannah needed to come home as much as I wanted to have her here. Life seems so much...
The Magnificent Monarch Butterfly
It's finally spring! And as I'm waiting for the two feet of snow in my garden to melt away, my thoughts are turning to preparation for Milkweed and Monarchs. This butterfly is a bit oversized, measuring 5.5" from wing-tip to wing-tip. A piece of...
Photo Excursion with Hannah
Home from college for a few short days, Hannah and I took off on a drive this afternoon. The proud owner of a shiny new Canon, a gift from her grandmother, Hannah was eager to experiment. It was so fun to be taking photos with her rather having her...
Nor’easter No. 3
The third Nor'easter to hit Maine in just two weeks has finally passed. The fun started yesterday when I used misguided judgement and drove down to the road to check the mail only to sort of miss the drive on my return. I had to call out the...
The Gentle Gray Whale
Earlier this week, Sharyn wrote to say, "Your recent series of whales got me inspired to go whale watching on the California coast. I've lived in California over 30 years, but had not traveled to go whale watching. One thing I've learned is that we...
A Frosted March Morning
The drive into work this morning this morning was beautiful. Wherever I passed through fog, the trees were beautifully frosted as if coated in powdered sugar. The contrast between firs and the lacy branches of the deciduous trees was striking. I...
Happy the Hedgehog
Happy the Hedgehog has been a long time coming. She has been a most popular request since I started sharing my felt ornament designs. We don't have hedgehogs in the wild in the USA so she wasn't at the top of my to do list, but she was fun to make....
Winter Revisited
Just when I was feeling hopeful about spring, Mother Nature showed her might. I don't remember a February with less snow than we've had this year. Until today. The storm lasted eighteen hours leaving us with heavy, sticky, knee-deep deep snow. It...
