by Susan | May 28, 2014 | Odds and Ends, Projects
I have a number of china tea cups acquired throughout the years – the where, when and why mostly forgotten. They’ve been stashed in a box in the guest room collecting dust since we moved to Maine. A few of the cups now have a higher purpose. I turned them...
by Susan | May 25, 2014 | Out and About in Maine
A forecast of mostly cloudy with only a chance of rain was all it took for us to hightail it to Mount Desert for some exploring this holiday weekend. I wanted to photograph Bass Harbor Light. It took a little scrambling down the rocks, but the view was worth it....
by Susan | May 23, 2014 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
Did you know a flock of hummingbirds is called a hover? Or a bouquet, a glittering, a shimmer, or a tune of hummingbirds? Regardless of the term, it looked like a hummingbird convention at the feeder last evening. They were zooming around so fast it’s pure luck...
by Susan | May 22, 2014 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
Just about every backyard birdwatcher in Downeast Maine has reported seeing a rose-breasted grosbeak this week – except me! Maybe this will give them a little inspiration to stop by for a visit. Right click here and select “save target as” to save...
by Susan | May 17, 2014 | Backyard Birds
Our ruby-throated hummingbirds have a history of returning to Downeast Thunder Farm on May 11 of each year. A friend once told me this was “the day” and sure enough, she’s been right in all the years I’ve been keeping track of their arrival....
by Susan | May 16, 2014 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
For the last week, I’ve been waking to the sound of “ra-ta-ta-ta-tat” coming from outside. Initially, I thought this was the sound of the metal flu on the furnace moving in the wind. This morning, a work-from-home day, the sound was really loud from...
by Susan | May 15, 2014 | On the Farm
This Mother’s Day I spent quite a bit of time outdoors enjoying the spring weather. I had fun watching this little red squirrel zip back and forth across the porch from one bird feeder to the next. He became increasingly comfortable with my presence and...
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 | May 10, 2014 | On My Mind
Thursday afternoon was spectacular. I carved out an hour at the end of the day to enjoy the view from my Adirondack chair. The yard teeming with birds flying every which way provided plenty of entertainment. A couple of pair of goldfinches dominated the bird feeder...
by Susan | May 5, 2014 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
I spied these goldfinches out the kitchen window this afternoon – the first I’ve seen this year. They were kind enough to stick around until I found my camera. A little sunshine on a rainy afternoon!
by Susan | May 3, 2014 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns
In Maine, and many other states, the Piping Plover is endangered. In the spring, these little shorebirds return to nest along the sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast. Recently, the first nesting pair of the season was spotted in Southern Maine. I created my Piping...
by Susan | May 2, 2014 | On My Mind
Hannah is changing so fast that it’s hard to keep up. Last year, she was building Lego castles and robots. This year she’s trading in the Legos for iTunes cards. She spent an entire weekend rounding up years worth of Lego sets sorting and organizing....
by Susan | Apr 23, 2014 | On My Mind
Hannah and I have spent the rare week away from Downeast Maine visiting my folks in Pennsylvania. I’ve tried to add a few “educational” excursions to our trip that wouldn’t totally bore a 14-year-old. Today’s outing was to Independence...
by Susan | Apr 16, 2014 | On My Mind
A Robin on a Spring Day. Doesn’t look much like spring, does it? It’s April 16 and mother nature is delivering a sleety, snowy, nasty weather mix that has me dragging my feet heading out the door. And, today of all days, there is a ubiquitous sign of...
by Susan | Apr 15, 2014 | On the Farm
Yesterday, the pond all but melted, found the ducks hanging out on the bank. They’d yet to dip a foot into the pond, still splashing in their mortar box. All that water just waiting for them and they wouldn’t go near it. I talked Paul into helping me “coax” the...
by Susan | Apr 12, 2014 | Out and About in Maine
This morning, we made a spur of the moment decision to trek to Deer Isle and watch Hannah’s first high school softball game. The guilt over abandoning the work on my desk lasted only until I was parked in my new camp chair soaking up the spring sunshine watching...
by Susan | Apr 7, 2014 | On My Mind
Today was a gift. The sun shining, temperatures soared to 50 degrees. I brushed off the long unused porch chairs and parked myself for a few minutes to admire the view. The pond is still frozen over, but the ice is dwindling. In the front, the only remaining snow are...
by Susan | Apr 6, 2014 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Perching Bird Patterns
While hauling in maple sap, I heard the distinctive song of the Phoebes. They’re back for the season! I had such fun watching them last year and their nests are still tucked up near the rafters of the lean-to. Right click here and select “Save Target...
by Susan | Apr 1, 2014 | On My Mind
You thought it was spring, didn’t you? April Fools! Mother Nature delivered 8-10 inches of snow/sleet last night. It’s crazy! Happy April!
by Susan | Mar 29, 2014 | On My Mind
This pretty Canada goose lounging along the banks of the Narraguagus was a reaffirmation that spring is here. Despite the blizzard Mother Nature threw our way this week and the ice and sleet predicted for tomorrow, winter is loosing her hold on us.
