Not To Be Outwitted By A Squirrel
We've had a bit of a squirrel issue this last week. One of these cute little red squirrels took up residence in the garage. This is not a good thing! He (or she) was making a nest of fiberglass insulation in the overhead. Paul discovered this when...
Herons on the Marsh
Not the best of photos (I need a bigger lens!), but I was thrilled to see one of these herons come in wings spread wide for a sweeping landing in the marsh. I've never spotted more than one heron at a time. Perhaps they're a mating pair? On my...
When Turkeys Fly!
It's been a few years since we raised turkeys and I've missed having them around. They're such funny creatures and have quite entertaining personalities. We often see wild turkeys around. A few years ago we spotted a mama and her seven babies...
The Gentle Garden Mouse
I had company working in the greenhouse yesterday. A little garden mouse has taken up residence. Probably spent the whole winter in there. Probably had babies in there. He didn't seem to mind sharing the space with me. Although my screech did seem...
New Goldfinch Feeder
After spying my first Goldfinch of the season, I treated myself to a new feeder and a ridiculously expensive bag of Nyjer seed. It appears the investment was worth it. I snapped this photo from the comfort of my living room sofa this afternoon.
Peeps!
We once had as many as 18 egg layers at Downeast Thunder Farm. The numbers have dwindled over time and we now have just two girls in the hen house. It's been a few years since we've had farm babies (other than Gidget!). I heard the local feed store...
The Sassy Sheep
I had more fun planning this little ewe. The inspiration came from a sheep wall hanging that appeared in the office last week. Rather than using felt for this girl, I scoured the house for something that would give the body a wooly texture -...
A Peaceful Morning on the Pond
I love the days when I can work from home. This morning was one of those days and despite the crazy late-April chill, it was a perfect, peaceful morning. I spent a few minutes with my coffee sights and sounds on the pond....
Owls Among Us
My birthday passed quietly last month. Mom (a.k.a. Granny Gadget) honored it (as she did last year) with a cute little metal owl. Last year's pair resides by the front door welcoming visitors. This new one I put up on the post at the end of our...
While I Was Away…
Hannah and I did a whirlwind trip to Grandma and Papa's house in Pennsylvania. Paul stayed behind to manage critters and the wood boiler. There's no question that Paul was a busy man while I was away. He cut down the monster fir tree that loomed...
A Week’s Worth of Miscellany
Experimenting with the iPhone camera. I get better close-up images with my iPhone 6S than I do with my Cannon. We had a wildly stormy day or two this week with crazy high tides. These gulls were flying into the wind, but going nowhere. The scene...
The Wonderful White Stork
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...
Early Morning Ruffed Grouse
Gidget gave me an early morning wake-up call. As I stood outside with her in my crocks and jammies, I spied what I first thought was a Mourning Dove in a tree. Too big for a Dove, I headed back inside for my camera. 'Twas a Ruffed Grouse dancing...
The Beginning of a Friendship?
This morning, with little fanfare, I spied Gidget and Cinder sharing the same space. No barking, no hissing. This is a first! Miss Kitty submitted to gentle sniffing and snuffling. Their tiny little noses gently touched. Might this be the...
The Kindly Koala
When I was a teeny-bopper we lived in Friedburg, Germany. My father, an Army officer, was stationed there for three years. During that tour of duty, an Australian soldier visited with us for a time. When he departed for home, he gifted me with a...
It’s Creepy Out There!
I'm familiar with Spring Peppers and I love their sound. However, these Wood Frogs seem to be a new addition to the pond this year. Frankly, I find them a little bit creepy when outside in the dark with the Gidge!
Bald Eagle
Passing by the Narraguagus River in Cherryfield yesterday, I spied this majestic bald eagle perched in a tree surveying the river. Big fat snowflakes fell against a gray sky as I snapped these pictures from the comfort of my car. Why is it that I...
A Museum of Cedar Waxwings
What should have been a quick stop at the Post Office on this drizzly morning turned into a bit of a distraction. Perched in a tree outside the door was this flock (or museum) of beautiful Cedar Waxwings feasting away on berries, looking like...
The Winsome Wood Duck
One of the enduring signs of spring (if you're paying attention) is the return of the Wood Duck to the ponds and rivers here in Maine. I was reminded of this when a friend shared a picture of a lone Wood Duck swimming on his pond this week. I find...
Spring Arrives in Maine
Given the unseasonable beautiful weather we've been blessed with as of late, the first full day of spring was a rude beginning. A month since we had any measurable snowfall and today's Snow Day No. 4 feels like a step backward in the march towards...
Ice Out
Ice out on the pond was last Sunday, March 13th. It seems that after two months of frozen water, the ducks had forgotten all about it. They are definitely creatures of habit. I was able to snatch up Dilly, our physically challenged duck, and drop...
The Spunky Skunk
No woodland creature collection would be complete without a skunk. I was always a bit amused by skunks, if not their smell. Early on, Paul taught Hannah and me Arlo Guthrie's song "There's a Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road" which we sing...
Goldeneye in Flight
I pulled off the road the other day to admire this pair of Golden-eye ducks meandering along. Before I could manage a decent photo, my presence startled them and they took off in flight, leaving me feeling a little sad that I'd disturbed their...
Eagles Among Us
I have to wonder if seeing five Bald Eagles in one day is a sign of some sort. I'm thrilled when I spy just one or maybe a pair soaring in the sky. Today they seemed to be everywhere - flying alongside the car as if we were soaring together,...
From My Window
I work from home a couple of days a week. The bulk of that time I'm glued to my computer, the time passing without notice. Yet, there are those moments when I wander to the kitchen for coffee or chase down a too quiet puppy, and I find myself...
