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Downeast Thunder Farm Logo
  • Home
  • SHOP!
    • Pattern Books
    • Felt Kits
    • Felt Sheets
    • Floss, Needles, Beads, and Wire
    • Wreaths
    • Shabby Chic Owl Kits (New!)
    • Note Cards
  • About
  • BLOG
    • On My Mind
    • On the Farm
    • Odds and Ends
    • In the Kitchen
    • Out and About in Maine
  • Susan’s Free Patterns
    • Susan’s Felt Patterns
    • Susan’s Bird Patterns
    • Susan’s Critter Patterns
    • Susan’s Sea Life Patterns
    • Susan’s Insect Patterns
    • Christmas and Other Seasonal Felt Patterns
    • Reader Projects
    • Suggest a Pattern
  • Susan’s SVG Bird Patterns
  • Contact

Downeast Thunder Farm

Our Little Patch of Woods in Downeast Maine
The Territorial Pacific Loon

The Territorial Pacific Loon

by Susan | Feb 23, 2025 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

Loons are among my favorite birds. Their haunting calls and striking appearance make them icons of northern waterways. It was a very cold beach outing for this Pacific Loon’s photo shoot. Since they’re native to the Alaska region, the snowy seascape seems...
The Bold American Oystercatcher

The Bold American Oystercatcher

by Susan | Jan 13, 2025 | Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

Sitting inside watching the snow fly, I’m clearly dreaming of warmer times as I designed my first felt bird of the year–the striking American Oystercatcher shorebird. He waded gracefully along the tide at Roque Bluffs Beach for a photo shoot. If you ignore the...
The Peppy Tufted Puffin

The Peppy Tufted Puffin

by Susan | Aug 13, 2023 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

I’ve had numerous requests for the Tufted Puffin from folks along the Pacific west coast and Alaska. He was on my to-do list, but so much in my life has gotten in the way of my to-do list in the last year. Recently, a friend who runs a boat charter business...
The Wonderful White Stork

The Wonderful White Stork

by Susan | Apr 10, 2016 | Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

Last evening, I stumbled across this wonderful video about a stork pair in Croatia. The female was injured and cannot fly, yet her mate returns from his winter home in South Africa every year to nest with her – for fourteen years!  Of course I had to sit down...
The Elegant Sandhill Crane

The Elegant Sandhill Crane

by Susan | Mar 6, 2016 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

The inspiration for this pattern came from a news story I watched on television this morning about the migration of the Sandhill Crane. These graceful birds are making their way to their summer breeding grounds in Canada. It must be a sight to see when the stop over...
The Fanciful Flamingo

The Fanciful Flamingo

by Susan | Jan 24, 2016 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

What better way to spend a winter’s day than creating this Fanciful Flamingo and dreaming of warmer places? You won’t find this guy in Maine during the best of times. And while it was sunny today, it was a bitter, blustery walk through the snow to get to...
Roaming Red Knot

Roaming Red Knot

by Susan | Apr 14, 2015 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

You’re lucky if you spot red knots as they stop briefly on their way from South America to the Arctic tundra. The trick with this ornament is trying to find colors that do justice to the subtle colors of this little bird. Have fun! To download the Red Knot...
Edgar the Great Egret

Edgar the Great Egret

by Susan | Jan 24, 2015 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

Meet “Edgar.” When we were kids, my baby brother (okay, he’s 43) named the egret in the creek Edgar. In fact, every egret he saw was Edgar. We’d be cruising down the road and hear him pipe up, “There’s Edgar!” This version of...
A Precious Piping Plover

A Precious Piping Plover

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...
Sandpiper on the Mudflats

Sandpiper on the Mudflats

by Susan | Sep 30, 2013 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

I was inspired to make this little Sandpiper after my walk on the Sunrise Trail Friday. This pattern can be used for a Least Sandpiper or a Semipalmated Sandpiper. You choose! Right click on this link and select “save target as” to download this free pattern to your...
A Saucy Seagull

A Saucy Seagull

by Susan | Sep 23, 2013 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

The Seagull is possibly to most common bird seen along the Maine coast, but I tend to overlook them. They are sometimes a nuisance, sometimes comical, but always present – soaring over the bay, bobbing in the water, roosting on the rooftops, or strutting along...
Great Blue Heron Ornament

Great Blue Heron Ornament

by Susan | Nov 9, 2012 | Bird Patterns, Felt Patterns, Shore, Water, and Wading Bird Patterns

In honor of the Great Blue Heron who visited our humble pond on the eve of Hurricane Sandy, I’ve designed an ornament in his likeness. Click here to download the Blue Heron pattern.  
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Random Posts

A Note From Santa’s Helper

Better in Black and White

Timber!

Summer Arrives with August in Maine

Hannah's Graduation

Denison University Graduation 2021

downeastthunderfarm

Susan’s life in Coastal Downeast Maine

Mid-October in the yard. One good blow and this ye Mid-October in the yard. One good blow and this year’s autumn colors will be gone.
The view on the way to work. 🍂 The view on the way to work. 🍂
Early morning autumn as seen from the living room. Early morning autumn as seen from the living room. 🍂
A quick coffee on the porch (bundled in a jacket) A quick coffee on the porch (bundled in a jacket) before I leave for work with company—our baby buck and his mama.
This morning’s visitor. This morning’s visitor.
28.5° this morning–the first frost finally arrived 28.5° this morning–the first frost finally arrived. It’s bittersweet to say farewell to the growing season, but at the same time, it’s a bit of a relief to call it quits. More on my blog. 

https://www.downeastthunderfarm.com/2026/10/frost-on-the-pumpkin/
My attempt at keeping my thunbergia arch from free My attempt at keeping my thunbergia arch from freezing tonight looks a little spooky.
I’m enjoying the porch for as long as I can with t I’m enjoying the porch for as long as I can with these lazy pups.
October 5th and we have a lone Monarch gentleman f October 5th and we have a lone Monarch gentleman feasting on the verbena in the yard here in Downeast Maine. I’m not sure if this is a stop on his migration south, or if he’s yet to get the memo he should be moving on. Freezing temps are coming Wednesday morning!
There was a frost advisory for coastal Washington There was a frost advisory for coastal Washington County last night. I plucked all of the tomatoes and zucchinis and most of the remaining zinnias. I covered the sunflowers, mums and my Thunbergia arch with the hopes that I could save them from the frost. As I woke during the night, I kept checking the outdoor temperature. It got as low as 34.8° so you can imagine my surprise this morning when everything was just fine. No frost. My less than consistent records show that our first frost dates run between September 20th and October 9th. I consider this a win. And look at these energetic pumpkins that just keep going. Unfortunately the calendar is not on their side. But they are making the bees happy.
Late season heron. Late season heron.
Part of last evening’s carrot harvest for clam cho Part of last evening’s carrot harvest for clam chowder. 😂
October color on a foggy afternoon. October color on a foggy afternoon.
After a week with Dad in Pennsylvania Hannah and I After a week with Dad in Pennsylvania Hannah and I are now Maine-bound. Bittersweet. ❤️
The last hummer of the year captured on September The last hummer of the year captured on September 21st. Farewell till next year.
A little garden visit today to admire the pumpkins A little garden visit today to admire the pumpkins.
On the road at 5:30 am this morning to visit Dad i On the road at 5:30 am this morning to visit Dad in Pennsylvania. We took a detour to Wilson Farm in Lexington Mass to visit the pumpkin wall. Hannah was delighted! 😊 On the road again.
Another video snippet of last week’s barred owl vi Another video snippet of last week’s barred owl visitor being harassed by a blue jay.
Working from the porch with the best of company. 😊 Working from the porch with the best of company. 😊 Enjoying these mild days while they last!
A large dragonfly soaking up the sun and posing on A large dragonfly soaking up the sun and posing on this last day of summer.
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© Downeast Thunder Farm
Milbridge, Maine

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