Gidget at 8 Weeks
Although still a young puppy who sleeps a lot, Gidget has moments where her personality has begun to shine. Here's a peak at her playful side with belly rubs. And a short video clip featuring Gidget. Enjoy, Mom!...
Meet Gidget!
Following what seems like the two longest weeks of our lives, Paul and I drove to Augusta to pick up Gidget and bring her home yesterday. As Paul says, "She's impossibly cute." He hadn't met her before, but he fell instantly in love with this...
Dogs – No Rhyme or Reason
On the eve of a new adventure with a new puppy, I've been reflecting on the canine beasts who have added so much to my life. With the exception of my first year out of college, dogs have always been a part of my existence. I grew up with both...
Giant Sunflowers
This is the first year that I've been successful at growing giant sunflowers. I'm fairly certain the chickens sabotaged my prior attempts by eating the seed. In early summer I planted a row of Burpee's Mammoth sunflower seeds right in front of the...
Recycling with Recycled Feed Bags
We don't have recycling pickup at the curb here. Well, we won't have a curb, but that's neither here nor there. We hang on to our recyclables until we have enough to justify a trip into to town, or we become totally overrun with recyclables and...
A Much Loved Ginger Beast
You knew this pattern was coming, didn't you? I just had to wait until I didn't tear up every time I thought about Ginger. She passed away in June at 14 years-old. Ginger was a rescue puppy who came to us around 6-8 months of age. She was part Lab...
The Ultimate Impulse Purchase
I am guilty of a serious impulse purchase. It's been two months since we lost Ginger and I think of her every day. I miss having a dog around the house. That we would someday get another dog was never in doubt. We've had some discussions about what...
Our Mini Mainecation
In an effort to salvage a tiny bit of summer before school begins next week, we took a couple of days and went to Portland. We wandered downtown and enjoyed the scenery of Portland Harbor and Casco Bay. We took in a Sea Dogs baseball game which was...
Fields of Gold
The fading purples of fireweed give way to cheerful fields of goldenrod. In the meadows, along the roads, and in my door yard, the tall spires of yellow signify the height of summer. The the goldenrod fades, so does summer.
The Power of Chicken Poo
We abandoned use of the Girls' chicken run this year after a portion rusted out and we found a raccoon visiting. Our plan is to rebuild a smaller run with a covered slanted roof. I can't imaging any better visual for the power of chicken poo. I...
A Solitary Tree on a Foggy Day
The past few days here along the coast have been crazy foggy. The floors are wet, drawers are sticking, and it's impossible to dry clothes without the dryer. At times the fog has been so thick that from the river's bank, you cannot see the river....
Morning Light on the River
The soft quality of the morning light from the bridge overlooking the Chandler River in Jonesboro.
Something About Tiger Lilies
There's something about old-fashioned tiger lilies that pulls at my heart strings. My first memories of the flower are from about age 8 or so. Near my grandmother's house, there was a wild unkempt border of them along a country road. Oddly, that...
Black-eyed Susans on the Barrens
Driving through the Downeast Maine countryside today, I was struck by the way wild Black-Eyed Susan flowers framed this blueberry barren in yellow. Upon closer look the barren greens fade to blue with the berries plumping up ready for harvest. Soon...
Monster Garlic
I've grown garlic for almost as many years as I've lived in Maine. It's one of those veggies that I consistently have good luck with. Last October, I planted just shy of 90 cloves in two of my hugelkulture beds where I grew cucumbers and pumpkins...
Eating our Way Through Hannah’s Birthday
Birthday's at our house tend to revolve around food. Hannah's Sweet 16 started with my attempt at artistic chocolate chip pancakes. She was expecting Mickey Mouse, but I figured it was time to expand my horizons. Despite the fact that I couldn't...
Sixteen
My memories of that little girl with blond curls and sky blue eyes who loved Blue's Clues and Beauty and the Beast are so vivid in my mind that it's hard to believe that she's 16 today. In honor of this momentous occasion, here are 16 adjectives...
Summer Arrives with August in Maine
Summer has finally arrived with hot and humid weather. After waiting so long for summer-like weather, I have to keep reminding myself not to whine. I really don't like hot and humid. I don't do humidity. With cool weather just around the corner, my...
Blue Moon Rising Over the Narraguagus
A series of photos of August's Blue Moon rising over the Narraguagus River in Milbridge.
Unwanted in the Marsh
Yesterday, I enjoyed my lunch by the edge of a marsh taking in the scenery. These ducks were startled by my presence and took off in flight. A frog watched me carefully, never moving from his lily pad. Do you see him? A hawk took exception to my...
Fireweed
Controlling fireweed in the garden is a never ending battle. I am forever plucking stems of this plant from my garden. This time of year in Maine the fireweed is in bold full bloom. Weed or flower? Up close, it's actually quite pretty attracting...
A Slow Sunday
After a crazy day yesterday organizing and overseeing small town festival events, the most adventurous thing I did today was pick wild raspberries. I discovered new batches of them in an overgrown and mucky area off the driveway. Given my haul,...
Standing Watch
Yesterday's drive-by of the osprey nest in Whiting showed the proud parents standing watch over at least one baby. The sun was too high in the sky and my lens too short to get a great shot, but it's exciting to see the nesting pair I first spied...
Garden Beauty and Challenges
A burst of consistent 70s during the day the past few days has helped to nudge my garden along. Beauty is taking hold in the garden - at the same time I'm challenged with pests. There is beauty to be found in the ordinary. Like these tomato...
Greenhouse Tomatoes and Cukes
Today is the beginning of an experiment in the new greenhouse. Inspired by a photo on Pinterest, I started cucumber seeds in hanging pots. These are suspended from a shower rod fastened over one of the beds. In order to give the cucumber vines...
