October Northern Lights
The northern hemisphere has been experiencing a period of high solar activity for the past few days. As we've had cloudy skies and rain, I didn't think much about going out to try to see them like I did in May. Only after seeing a friend's pictures...
Farewell Summer
The long days filled with sunshine have flown by, leaving me wondering where the summer has gone. In some ways, I feel the summer has passed me by, busy with work and life, but visiting my photos reminds me of the wonderful moments had. A June...
In Search of The Great Pumpkin
At our house, this seems to be the year of the pumpkin. Hannah has had fun tending to her tiny pumpkin patch this summer and has begun harvesting. Orange ones. Big ones and little.Gray ones and warty ones. Her wish for this month included a visit...
An Unexpected Visit
It is a foggy, damp, overcast day here in Maine. Snuggled up on the porch under a blanket with Murphee, I heard a scary commotion from Doodle Duck in the pond. I tossed the blanket aside and hopped up, ready to do battle. It was not her normal...
Monarch Release
This morning, Hannah and I visited with our friend, Christina, who runs a Monarch Hatchery. On our first visit to Kvetina Hatchery, she was set up in a couple of tents. This year, she upgraded her setup with a little cabin–one side dedicated to...
Birthday Weekend Shenanigans
Hannah spends much of the summer in Brunswick for work. She's made it home a time or two, but I wouldn't say I like the idea of her spending her birthday alone. She has to work on her birthday (a Monday this year) so I made the trip to Brunswick...
A Wet Landing
On this first day of my staycation, I wandered the yard in my PJs, enjoying my coffee and just being. A "plop" and then a "buzzing" sound startled me. Looking about, I finally spied this dragonfly who landed in my thankfully tepid coffee.Stunned, I...
Sleepy Bees
I'm not a wonderful gardener, but I've made a bit of effort to have a few annuals, perrenials, and wildflowers around the house. Yet my favorite blossoms this time of year as the lavender is fading are the oregano and marjoram blossoms. And I have...
Summer ’24 Auction Entries
Each summer, Women for Healthy Rural Living (WHRL) holds a dual auction–a raffle (which runs in person July 26-27) and an online silent auction (running now through July 28th). The fun thing about the online silent auction is many smaller items can...
Night Moves
One of the things I love about living in the Maine woods is that we see (and hear) lots of wildlife. You've seen my bird and deer photos, but here's a recap of some of our nocturnal visitors over the years. Missing is a Moose (Paul didn't snap a...
Mom’s Lilacs
One of the most cherished gifts I've received from my mom are the tiny lilac transplants from her garden. They bring such joy when they bloom each June.Mom planted these Dwarf Korean Lilacs around a tree in her front yard. As they began to spread,...
A Bird Buddy
Last year, when I was feeling particularly low and searching for a bit of joy, I splurged on a Bird Buddy. It's a bird feeder with a solar-powered camera that captures backyard visitors. When it arrived, Paul reconfigure a pole for this little...
The Gregarious Bobolink
Here's another design from last fall languishing in my files: the Gregarious Bobolink. I found him a difficult one to get accurate in felt! Enjoy. Note: if you're reading this in your email, click "Continue Reading" at the bottom to visit the blog...
Monhegan Island
Monhegan island, ten miles from the mainland shore, ocean views galore. Weathered cottages, shingled and nestled in time, dirt roads winding through. Nature hikes, solace, time with my girl, new adventures, peaceful solitude. Five joyful days spent...
The Playful Purple Martin
This Playful Purple Martin has been on my drawing board for ages. I finally finished him a couple of weeks ago. I struggled with just the right felt colors. I'd love to see what you use for yours. Enjoy! Note: if...
Northern Lights Downeast
News of a solar storm and the possibility of seeing the aurora borealis in Downeast Maine had me antsy. Last night, I slept through it. This evening, I stumbled across the Space Weather Prediction Center's 30-minute forecast, which predicted the...
Two Months with Murphee
It's hard to believe it's been two months since Murphee (the little itty bitty tiny one) joined our family.She arrived from Texas, a six-month-old rescue puppy, so nervous and tentative about everything. She's gotten used to us and seems to feel at...
A Colorful Day
Today, I had a fantastic experience when I spotted an Indigo Bunting and a Cardinal at my bird feeder.Sitting on the sofa enjoying my coffee, I noticed a flash of bright blue. I grabbed my camera and snapped a few pictures.I wasn't sure about what...
The Eclipse from the Porch
Today's eclipse was a once-in-a-lifetime event here in Maine. It was a picture-perfect day–the warmest day since October 28th. I lunched on the porch while waiting for the eclipse to begin. Gidget and Murphee kept me company, enjoying the sunshine....
Winter–At Long Last
This was the scene on Monday, a week into Spring. We had ice-out on the pond and one happy duck.Just three days later, on April 4th, we woke to this. Heavy wet snow fell all day long–more snow than all of our winter snows combined this year. It's...
Tutorial: Creating Wire Legs for Felt Birds
Way back in 2013 I shared this post with a pictorial of how I add legs/feet to my birds. I can't believe that I've been creating and sharing patters for 13 years! Where does the time go? I am still asked questions about making wire legs, so I...
Color Matching Floss
I love colors. Now and then, I pour over the felt color swatch book, dreaming about what new color to add to my bulk felt order. If I could afford them all—or had space for them—I'd be in trouble. And then there are the hours I've spent in the...
Three Hundred Sixty-five Days
One Year. Three hundred sixty-five days since the most challenging time of my life ended. Only to usher in a new ache. Watching Mom deteriorate so quickly from cancer, caring for her for weeks with hospice's guidance. She left us before she...
Murphee: The Little Itty Bitty Tiny One
It's hard to believe that a year ago this week, we lost my mom. A year ago today was the last time we spoke - the last time she told me she loved me. It's been a tough time, but the arrival of our new pup has pushed aside some of the heaviness in...
Puppy Anticipation
Hannah has been spending time on Petfinder, dreaming of a day when she can have her own pup. She texted me a picture of a pup, and I looked but wasn't inspired. Yet I dared to linger on Petfinder and scrolled to peek at the other pups. (Dangerous,...
