by Susan | Jun 9, 2017 | Family, On My Mind
It’s been a wildly crazy couple of weeks. Watching Hannah wrap up her high school career has been bitter-sweet. Happy for her accomplishments, and sad that this chapter of her life is winding down. Prom, senior night, class night, and finally graduation today....
by Susan | Jun 3, 2017 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
It seems that I haven’t had a moment to breath since my Mother’s Day outing with Hannah. A crazy work schedule, Hannah’s softball games, and the end of senior year activities have ruled my life. On our Mother-Daughter Adventure Day, one of our stops...
by Susan | May 24, 2017 | Out and About in Maine
Cruising past the river today I paused to watch this Bald Eagle leisurely enjoy his lunch. Once the eagle took off, the gulls moved in so quickly it was as if they’d been sitting on the sidelines waiting for him to leave. The gulls made fishing look easy,...
by Susan | May 22, 2017 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
It’s been ten days now since they’ve returned – the boys of summer, aka the male hummingbirds. As I enjoyed coffee on the porch this weekend, this little fellow perched on the hook and chirped incessantly at me the entire time I sat out there with...
by Susan | May 14, 2017 | Out and About in Maine
For Mother’s Day, Hannah said she wanted to take me to breakfast and then on a hike – mother/daughter day of adventure. We could go and do whatever I wanted. Our adventure started at Chester Pike’s Galley, my favorite place for breakfast. We moseyed...
by Susan | May 8, 2017 | Out and About in Maine
The rain let up for one glorious day this week. After what seemed like a week’s worth of chores, Hannah and I headed to Pigeon Hill. We debated taking Gidget with us. Although our destination was just 15 minutes away, Gidget doesn’t do well in the car. Her...
by Susan | May 6, 2017 | On My Mind
I woke last night to the sound of pouring rain. Torrential rain. As I lay there listening, I dreaded morning. I organized the annual Elaine Hill Love a Nurse 5K scheduled for today – rain or shine. Ugh. We had 73 folks pre-registered as of yesterday. I...
by Susan | Apr 28, 2017 | On My Mind
It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve spent any time here at Downeast Thunder Farm. Life has been a little too crazy. Hannah and I spent a week on the road visiting colleges she’d been admitted to but hadn’t yet visited. Denison University in Ohio was her top choice...
by Susan | Apr 16, 2017 | On My Mind
It was a glorious Easter Sunday here – rare 74 degrees and sunny for April. Since my partner in crime (Hannah) is off on a trip to New York, I recruited Paul and Gidget for this afternoon’s walk by the river. The water was high, roaring past the railroad...
by Susan | Apr 9, 2017 | Ducks, On the Farm
Today is a sad day. It started out lovely with ice out on the sunny side of the pond. The ducks, Dilly, Quackers, Peep and Squeak enjoyed a first spring dip in the pond while I enjoyed the view from my chair in the shade. Yet, when it was time to bring the ducks in...
by Susan | Apr 3, 2017 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Waterfowl and Seabird Patterns
You had to know that there was a Hooded Merganser duck pattern coming after my photos of a pair at the beaver pond last week. The male is so distinctive looking that he’s almost cartoonish. Their arrival on is a wonderful sign of spring as we gear up for 2-3...
by Susan | Mar 29, 2017 | Out and About in Maine
On the tail of writing about beavers, I spotted a most unusual couple on the beaver pond today. I first thought they were bufflehead. Once loaded on my computer, I discovered that it was a hooded merganser pair. The male and female are so vastly different that...
by Susan | Mar 28, 2017 | On My Mind
Many mornings I take a short detour through Columbia Falls to study the river. It’s a beautiful spot. This morning I spotted a juvenile bald eagle chilling on the ice. As I looked around, I saw a large bird sitting atop a chimney. You can imagine my excitement...
by Susan | Mar 27, 2017 | On the Farm
Yesterday was a beautiful, mild day. I was quite lazy, spending much of the day on the sofa reading – something I rarely do. My vantage point from the sofa gives me a bird’s eye view of three feeders. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many...
by Susan | Mar 21, 2017 | Garden, On the Farm
This was my greenhouse at the height of winter. The snow on the roof makes it look a bit lopsided, but the greenhouse stood strong to February’s heavy snow. It scares me to think of what little beings were taking refuge in there. Yesterday, on the first day of...
by Susan | Mar 20, 2017 | Family, On My Mind
The movie Beauty and the Beast has a special place in my heart and in our family. Hannah has never been an over the top girly-girl. As a kid, she enjoyed Legos more than dolls. She was never into princesses but rather thought she’d be a firefighter. Yet there...
by Susan | Mar 19, 2017 | Critter Patterns, Felt Patterns, Woodland Patterns
During my travels Downeast I’ve seen many beaver lodges – the pile of sticks peeking out of an estuary, pond or marsh. On occasion, I watched a beaver swim along, but I’ve never seen one actively working on their home. Yet it’s clear that...
by Susan | Mar 10, 2017 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
This one is for you folks across the pond – a European robin to help welcome spring. It wasn’t until Nancy from the Netherlands shared a picture of her robin did I appreciate that the American and European robin varieties differ so much. The trick here is...
by Susan | Mar 5, 2017 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
Enjoying my first cup of coffee while watching the flurry of activity at the bird feeders is a lovely way to start the day. I just about spilled said coffee scrambling for my camera when I spied this newcomer. My first robin sighting of the season sparked a bit of joy...
by Susan | Mar 4, 2017 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
Although spring is all but around the corner, it was entirely too windy and bitter cold today to venture outside for long. I opted to play with a pattern and thought I’d try something that brings warmer climates to mind. This little Budgie pattern is simple, but...
