by Susan | Sep 13, 2026 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
Not long ago, my pond camera captured the fleeting edge of an owl’s wing as it perched in the oak tree—a mere suggestion of its presence in our woods. With the cooler weather, we’ve been sleeping with the windows open, letting in the sounds of the night. There’s a...
by Susan | Sep 9, 2026 | On the Farm
The monarch season is over at Downeast Thunder Farm. This weekend I released the last few butterflies to hatch in the little Monarch B&B. Thirty-two monarchs were raised from caterpillar to butterfly this season. It was a fun and manageable season, if smaller than...
by Susan | Aug 30, 2026 | On the Farm
Two of my favorite things about summer are monarch butterflies and ruby-throated hummingbirds. The season revolves around their arrival and their time here in Maine. While photographing a recently eclosed monarch in the goldenrod, a hummingbird photo-bombed my shot....
by Susan | Jul 12, 2026 | On the Farm
The past couple of weeks, Murphee has been fixated on this area of the porch. Snuffling around, scratching at the decking, sometimes barking at whatever critter lies beneath. I crawled down there with a flashlight and my phone to inspect on more than one occasion, to...
by Susan | Feb 1, 2026 | On the Farm
I’ve read that a glimmer is a small moment of joy or peace that arises from appreciating simple things. This morning, that glimmer was an unexpected photoshoot from my living room: a white-tailed mama deer and her youngster wandered through the yard. Thankfully,...
by Susan | Dec 10, 2025 | On the Farm
December has arrived with January’s chill in Coastal Maine. So far this month, our average temperature has hovered around 20 degrees. Three rounds of snowfall have transformed the landscape into a winter wonderland. Thankfully, the accumulation hasn’t been too deep....
by Susan | Oct 30, 2025 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
I was chatting with Hannah in the kitchen late this afternoon when she interrupted me, exclaiming, “Mom! Mom! Mom! OWL!” It took me a moment to spot her, but there she was, perched on the clothesline post. We snapped some pictures with our phones, and then...
by Susan | Sep 21, 2025 | On the Farm
There’s something truly magical about raising butterflies. Five years ago, I planted my first milkweed in my garden, with the hope of: “Plant it and they will come.” And come they did. That year I nurtured 25 monarch butterflies into being. Fast...
by Susan | Jul 28, 2025 | On the Farm
Monarch butterflies arrived at our home in Downeast Maine much earlier than ever before. I saw my first one on June 16th, though Hannah claims she spotted one the week before. My experience seems to be the exception rather than the rule this year. Friends have only...
by Susan | Jul 13, 2025 | On the Farm
Lately, there haven’t been many opportunities to spend time on the porch due to travel, work, and uncomfortably hot days. However, today was not one of those days—it was absolutely wonderful. The morning was cool enough for reading with a blanket, and the...
by Susan | Jul 4, 2025 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
While spending the last couple of weeks at Dad’s, I had the time to sift through the hundred or so clips from my hummingbird feeder camera. Here are some of the highlights from the first month or so. They’ll be happy when I return this weekend and get the...
by Susan | Jun 30, 2025 | On the Farm
While I am away, the black bear comes to play. I’m in Pennsylvania, but I caught this guy on the camera posted at the end of the house. I capture all manner of critters with this camera (more critters here). Thankfully, I’ve not put bird seed in this...
by Susan | Jun 16, 2025 | On the Farm
When we think of magical creatures in nature, our minds often drift into the realm of fairy tales. Yet hidden within my garden and the surrounding woodlands is an insect that reminds me of fairies: the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth. The lilacs my mom gave me about 20...
by Susan | Jun 4, 2025 | Ducks, On the Farm
This winter, we lost Doodle Duck to a predator. One moment, she was in the yard, and shortly after, when Hannah went to tuck her in for the night, a horribly frigid night, and she was gone. After an exhaustive search, we had to admit defeat. This is the last picture...
by Susan | Mar 2, 2025 | On the Farm
Part way up our driveway, an 18″ culvert allows runoff to flow under the drive. On one side of the drive, there’s a small pond that sometimes goes dry. Other times, it flows through the culvert if it gets too high from runoff and rain. With this...
by Susan | Feb 16, 2025 | On the Farm
Watching the squirrels attempt to scale my bird feeders often provides as much entertainment as watching the birds themselves. Last weekend, to give the squirrels a treat, I hung a simple squirrel feeder that holds a corn cylinder. It’s essentially a long bolt...
by Susan | Jan 12, 2025 | Birds and Wildlife, On the Farm
It snowed for most of Saturday, covering the landscape with a fluffy three inches of snow. I enjoy being a recluse on these snowy days, cozying up on the sofa with a book and watching nature unfold. I am particularly taken with the white-breasted nuthatch that has...
by Susan | Jan 4, 2025 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
Our house is tucked away in the woods. When we built it 20 years ago, I wanted to bring the outdoors inside as much as possible. If my budget had supported it, I would have had walls of windows. Instead, I have five tall cottage-style windows and a set of French doors...
by Susan | Dec 22, 2024 | Cats and Dogs, On My Mind
Winter Solstice dawned with the promise of a white Christmas. Five inches of snow dropped overnight, with more predicted on Christmas Eve. I relish the silence of the solstice as I shoveled out and wandered down to the mailbox. There’s lots to take in along our...
by Susan | Nov 30, 2024 | Backyard Birds, Family, On My Mind
Thanksgiving dawned wet and dreary in Downeast Maine. It was a quiet day filled with baking and birdwatching from the sofa. This Thanksgiving was particularly poignant for me because it was also Mom’s birthday—the second one we’ve spent without her. She...
