by Susan | May 14, 2013 | Backyard Birds, Photography
I don’t see many Robins at my house. That’s probably because I don’t really have a lawn. I’m hopeful that someday I will have a tiny patch that might require mowing instead of scrub and clover. While here in Pennsylvania I’ve enjoyed the...
by Susan | May 12, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
Four weeks ago, we tucked twelve duck eggs into an incubator. For 27 days Paul accepted egg duty and faithfully spritzed and turned the eggs multiple times a day. While in Pennsylvania for Mother’s Day weekend with my mom, I received a phone call on Saturday to...
by Susan | May 9, 2013 | On the Farm
The egg on the left is from an Orpington Buff. The middle egg is from bantam hen. Paul delivered the third egg to my desk yesterday, collected from the chicken coop. At about 1.5″, it’s the tiniest egg I’ve ever seen outside of an Easter...
by Susan | May 8, 2013 | Backyard Birds, Out and About in Maine
I “captured” this beautiful hawk on my way home today. Any idea what type of Hawk she is?
by Susan | May 5, 2013 | Backyard Birds, On the Farm
A beautiful day spent puttering in the yard. I was kept company by this pretty pair of House Finches fluttering about.
by Susan | May 3, 2013 | Chickens, On the Farm
The 50 meat chickens moved out of the garage this weekend at 3 1/2 weeks old. They grow so fast that they’ve run out of space in the brooder. These little Cornish X Rock chickens are so ugly, they’re kinda cute. Don’t you think?
by Susan | Apr 30, 2013 | On the Farm
I finally got a picture of my mystery bird through the kitchen window this morning. She perched just long enough for me to snap this single photo. My best guess is that she’s an Eastern Phoebe.
by Susan | Apr 27, 2013 | Garden, On the Farm
Last summer I lamented that my raised bed gardens didn’t do as well as my neighbors’. He told me his secret is lining the bottom of the raised bed with moss – plain old moss from the woods – to retain moisture. Eager to begin planing, I decided...
by Susan | Apr 22, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
Dilly the Duck resting among the lilies – a picture of Spring.
by Susan | Apr 15, 2013 | Ducks
With a flock of four female ducks, two frisky drakes are a bit too much for them. And particularly for Dilly, our physically challenged duck. We are looking for a new home for Puddles. Puddles is a Pekin drake, almost one-year old. He’s a good duck – very...
by Susan | Apr 14, 2013 | On the Farm
While cooking dinner tonight, the heavens opened up and the rain came down in buckets. In the middle of pan frying turkey tenders I looked up to see this rainbow out the window. I grabbed my camera and ran outside – totally forgetting about the skillet on the...
by Susan | Apr 12, 2013 | Chickens
I heard that the local feed and seed had Silver Laced Wyandotte chicks in. Excited about adding a couple to the flock, we went for a visit. Somehow a pair of Wynadotte’s turned into: two Silver Laced Wyandottes two Rhode Island Reds two Delawares How did that...
by Susan | Apr 8, 2013 | On the Farm
Birdbaths are not only for birds. A little privacy, please!
by Susan | Apr 7, 2013 | On the Farm
This is our second year producing Maple syrup for our family at Downeast Thunder Farm. We tapped 12 Maple trees in early March. Forty-three gallons of sap later, we’re boiling. With only one reference year, this is a good year compared to last year’s 25...
by Susan | Mar 30, 2013 | Chickens, On the Farm
It was a beautiful day here in Downeast Maine. We enjoyed being outside doing chores from cleaning out chicken and duck coops to a little bit of spring yard cleanup. It was so nice that when we took our lunch break, Hannah made sandwiches and we ate out on the porch....
by Susan | Mar 28, 2013 | Ducks, On the Farm
Do you have your ducks in a row? I do. Until a few days ago they had never ventured into the drive, choosing to stick the the area right around the pond (still frozen in the background above). Tonight, I looked out the window and saw them hightailing it down the road....
by Susan | Mar 16, 2013 | On the Farm
Sometimes a girl just needs a little alone time in the tub. Take Dilly for instance. Dilly is our much loved, physically challenged duck. It’s been a hard winter for her without the pond. She finds it difficult to walk so she spends lots of time sitting around...
by Susan | Mar 10, 2013 | On My Mind, On the Farm
After almost a month of snowy weekends (or the threat of snow), I welcomed the opportunity to spend some time outdoors. Even it came in the form of physical labor. We have been systematically clearing out dead trees from the woods surrounding the house – like...
by Susan | Mar 3, 2013 | On the Farm
The days are getting warmer and the snow has that mushy spring texture to it. It’s time to tap the Maple trees! Chances are we could have started in February, but things have been a bit busy lately. Last year was our first experience making Maple syrup. The...
by Susan | Mar 2, 2013 | On the Farm
We live on a very quiet country road where there are only four year-round residents. Each neighbor has a story of a bear encounter. We have yet to see one. Our first winter here, we found bear tracks in the spring snow. Occasionally we’ll come across bear scat...
