by Susan | Jul 26, 2020 | Family, On My Mind
This is a brave man. Twenty-three years ago, he married me; for better or worse. It hasn’t always been easy. But there’s nobody else I can imagine spending this life with. There are days he drives me bonkers, and I’m sure the likewise is true. Yet...
by Susan | Aug 9, 2019 | Odds and Ends, Projects
It’s been more than a year since I began creating and selling my felt pattern kits. During much of this time I monopolized the dining room table before moving a folding table into my office as a work space. Neither were ideal as I like to stand while I work and...
by Susan | Jul 31, 2017 | Projects
The WHRL’s summer fundraising auction held over the weekend had a new feature this year. In addition to the raffle-style auction, we had a “Chair-ity” silent auction. Local artists decorated folding Adirondack chairs that were then auctioned. Paul,...
by Susan | Nov 14, 2016 | Odds and Ends, Projects
Last spring, I showed Paul a picture of a wrought iron pot rack I saw on Pinterest. Granny Gadget gave me a wonderful set of pans that have a copper-type finish that easily scratches. A pot rack was the perfect solution to keep my pans off the counter and looking...
by Susan | Jul 26, 2016 | Family, On My Mind
You know that your life has become too crazy and overwhelming when it takes an email from your father’s friend, Bob, wishing you a Happy Anniversary to realize it’s your wedding anniversary. It’s a good thing Bob cc’d Paul on this message too...
by Susan | Jun 19, 2016 | Out and About in Maine
Paul is bit of a train enthusiast so for Father’s Day Hannah and I took him for a ride on the Downeast Scenic Railroad. Yup, we played tourist in our own backyard. The 90 minute excursion likely covered all of five miles and the scenery was mostly downtown...
by Susan | May 24, 2016 | On the Farm
We’ve had a bit of a squirrel issue this last week. One of these cute little red squirrels took up residence in the garage. This is not a good thing! He (or she) was making a nest of fiberglass insulation in the overhead. Paul discovered this when a squirrel...
by Susan | Dec 2, 2015 | Odds and Ends, Projects
This past weekend, while I was busy sewing felt birds for my Maine Backyard Bird Tree and my Owl Wish You a Merry Christmas Wreath, Paul was working on a project using my Christmas Dove pattern. The Christmas Dove has only one piece. Paul taped the pattern to a piece...
by Susan | Oct 12, 2015 | On the Farm
Today was one of those unexpected, spectacular, throw open your windows kind of days. And in mid-October, it could be the last one of the season. It was the kind of day that I long for, but haven’t had the opportunity to take advantage of very often this year....
by Susan | Jul 9, 2015 | Chickens, On the Farm
We all have our evening routines. This time of year for us, it goes something like this. I head to the greenhouse to visit my plants. I’m battling powdery mildew on my spaghetti squash, something is eating my Swiss chard, and my peppers are looking a bit...
by Susan | Nov 16, 2014 | On My Mind
As I sit here grumbling about the early deep freeze mother nature has delivered, Paul is snuggled up toasty warm under his tee shirt quilt. The other year for Christmas, I made this quilt for him out of a collection of his old t-shirts. Shirts he never wore. Some...
by Susan | Aug 17, 2014 | Family, On My Mind
Hannah turned 15 two weeks ago and ever since has been chomping at the bit to drive. In Maine, parents have to pay to enroll kids in an approved driver’s education class before they can apply for their learner’s permit. With school and sports, I’m...
by Susan | May 11, 2014 | Backyard Birds
Twelve years ago, Paul made this bird feeder for me. It traveled with us to Maine and stands in the garden outside my kitchen window. It’s one of the best gifts he’s ever given me. Today I had quite a variety of visitors at the kitchen feeder. When my...
by Susan | Dec 15, 2013 | Family, On My Mind
This is the view from our bedroom window. The first thing we do every morning is peak out and see if there is “happy smoke.” Happy smoke from the chimney means that all is working well, we didn’t run out of wood overnight, and the house is toasty...
by Susan | Jan 28, 2012 | On My Mind
We’ve been living in this house we built ourselves for seven years now. Suddenly it seems that we are having a rash of appliance failures. First, there was Hannah’s television, just a couple of months out of warranty (of course). She does not have a...
by Susan | Sep 18, 2011 | On My Mind
I was lying in bed this morning, just as the sun was showing itself. My mind was working on ideas for a duck house remodel – their current house originally built as a meat chicken run. Paul was awake so I told him about this thought for giving the ducks a little...
by Susan | Jun 26, 2011 | On the Farm
Today’s project on the “farm” was digging ditches. Not my idea of fun, but I think Paul enjoyed himself. Boys and their toys. I am forever running three garden hoses strung together down to the raised bed gardens near the chicken coop –...
by Susan | Jun 25, 2011 | Chickens
Thursday was a dry day. We haven’t had many of those lately and Paul said that he was going to work on the chicken coop doors. I inquired about how he was going to do this. He said that he was going to use the siding the he’d cut out for the door opening...
by Susan | Jun 11, 2011 | In the Kitchen
Our neighbor, Art, brought lobsters over last night. We attempted to cook them up in a pot that simply would NOT allow the water to boil. After an hour of watching the proverbial pot, we got a new pot and were dining on these tasty sea bugs within the half hour....
by Susan | Jun 11, 2011 | Critter Care and Housing
Paul spent a good bit of this last week pre-building the walls for the chicken coop. He did this in the garage where he could be out of the elements, had a flat surface and was close to his tools. We took advantage of the beautiful day and started putting things...
