Evening Dragonfly

Evening Dragonfly

Dragonflies – fascinating little flying machines that bring such delight. This one likes the volunteer cattails that sprouted in the pond this year.
Long-awaited Disappointment

Long-awaited Disappointment

When I was young, my maternal grandparents lived in Montgomery, Ohio. From my earliest visits to their home, I have snapshots of memories; no great detail but hazy pictures. My grandpa’s radio. Going to school with my grandmother. The Hadley potter plates she...
Magical Moments

Magical Moments

Early this morning, I was enjoying my coffee on the porch. A rustle in the woods put Gidget on alert. No barking, yet she was standing at attention at the edge of her fence. I looked up and caught the hint of a White-tail doe. And then a tiny “bleat”...
A Busy Day in the Garden

A Busy Day in the Garden

If you don’t look too closely at my garden, you won’t notice that the grass is as tall as my milkweed. While I love flowers, I’m not such a great gardener. Weeds and grass grow exponentially to the time I have to tend the garden. Thankfully, the...
What I Didn’t Miss

What I Didn’t Miss

The Broad-winged Hawk has been a frequent visitor to our yard all season long. This morning my work day started from home. Working from the porch, I heard the bird’s loud, high-pitched call. It took a few moments before I spotted him perched in a tree. I hustled...
The Lure of Chives

The Lure of Chives

The chive blossoms were the most popular flower in my yard this weekend. The lure of these dainty purple flowers is strong. ‘Tis pollinator...
The Hummer Boys Are Back!

The Hummer Boys Are Back!

Hopeful, I first put the hummingbird feeder up on May 1st. I’m not sure when they arrived, but I spotted my first hummer on Sunday – May 8th. At first, it was a lone male. Today the aerial shows began with the arrival of another male. I spent the morning...
River Otter on the Bear Cam

River Otter on the Bear Cam

A river otter (I think) briefly caught on the bear cam this morning. We’re .3 of a mile from the river. I can’t imagine the duck pond holds that much appeal, but who knows. This is a...
A Most Curious Experience

A Most Curious Experience

The snow had just started to fall this morning as I lounged on the sofa, sipping my coffee. A swoop outside the window caught my attention. A Red-tailed Hawk sat high in the branches of the birch tree. I ran for my camera, but he was gone when I returned to the...
Christmas Deer Friends

Christmas Deer Friends

One of my favorite things about living where we do is the wildlife that comes to visit. This weekend is was a quartet of Christmas deer grazing by the pond. Their arrival never fails to make us all pause what we’re doing and linger at the...
Judy Returns

Judy Returns

This summer, Hannah named our resident bunny “Judy” based on the Zootopia movie. She was befuddled when I showed her this photo one morning back in June. Are they all Judy? I spotted as many as four Judys at a time in our yard. It was a banner bunny year. Earlier this...
First Snowfall

First Snowfall

This morning was the season’s first snow. It’s perhaps the latest snowfall I can remember in the 17 years that we’ve lived Downeast. I delight in the first snow; I delight in almost every snow, even if I wish it away by March. Snow cover outside...
The Two Sides of Downeast Thunder Farm

The Two Sides of Downeast Thunder Farm

The other morning I was visiting this little doe in the front yard. I stood on the porch talking to it and snapping pictures – Gidget oblivious of her for a bit. I returned inside and sat at my desk, unloading the deer pictures onto my computer, when I saw...
In The Garden Today

In The Garden Today

Today was the quintessential perfect Maine summer day. It was a lazy day for me. Coffee on the porch, lawn mowing, puttering in the yard and garden. My happiest discovery is that Ms. Monarch, who was here earlier in the week did her job. I discovered my first Monarch...
Milkweed in Bloom

Milkweed in Bloom

This is the view out my kitchen window. It was full of orange butterflies this morning. I was excited as I haven’t seen the Monarchs since my first sighting earlier in the month. I abandoned my coffee in favor of a camera and headed outdoors. I found Pearl...
Hummingbird Moth Visitor – Video

Hummingbird Moth Visitor – Video

While watering my hanging flower pots this evening, this little Clearwing Moth – aka Hummingbird Moth came to visit. With the lilacs all but faded, there’s not much in my garden to feast on until the lavender blooms – except for my hanging baskets....
Who’s Singing in Your Backyard?

Who’s Singing in Your Backyard?

You likely know by now that I’m an avid, total novice, backyard bird watcher. I’ve discovered this morning that there are birds singing in my backyard I’ve never seen before. I’m often focused on the birds at my feeders (which have been put up...
Garden Visitors

Garden Visitors

The past few days have been miserably hot. Ninety-degree weather on this eastern section of the Maine Coast is a rarity typically saved for a few days in August. To have three days in the 90s in June is unheard of. For years we had no air conditioning – we...