A Little Porch Company
It seems that I have a bit of extra company when I sit on the porch these days. As I was enjoying the view of the ducks on the pond from my Adirondack chair, it became clear that I was not alone. This little bunny has taken up residence under the...
A Passel of Purple Finches
The big spruce tree by the pond has been alive with the song of purple finches. Their song, so pretty and loud that they were impossible to miss. A repetitive "cheeping" sound convinced me there was a nest of of babies, but a search with the zoom...
Pea Blossoms And Other Posies
While tending the garden today, I was struck by how sweet the pea blossoms are. Fuchsia and delicate pink. Demure white. White, that upon closer look gives way to the palest of green. And then, I got carried away. The peonies have popped. Pretty in...
Monday Morning Dose of Cute
How can this guy not make you smile on a Monday morning? Look at those ears!
Summer Solstice on Pigeon Hill
We celebrated the first day of summer with a hike up Pigeon Hill. The last time we made the trip Hannah and I were on snowshoes. Needless to say, this was a much easier trip! Today, Paul, Hannah, and her friend JP joined me for the trek with the...
Baby Phoebe Check In
It's been three days since I noticed this year's round of Phoebes nesting under the lean-to. This morning I took another peek to see how the babies were fairing. There are at least four tucked into that little nest. Aren't they adorable?...
Return of the Eastern Phoebes
Increased activity by the Eastern Phoebes out back told me they were likely nesting under the tractor lean-to again. Each time I went out to take a peak, the adult flew off. Since I was in camera mode yesterday I took another look and found a nest...
The Scent of Purple
If the color purple had a scent, it would be lilac. The heady perfume of lilac, the embodiment of spring, is luring all manner of flying critters. Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and hummingbird clearwing moths swarmed my garden today. I am...
Sipping from a Bleeding Heart
Sometimes you don't really know what you have in a photo until you load it onto the computer and have a closer look. I love this picture where you can actually see the bumblebee's tongue dipping inside the flower sipping at the nectar.
Goose Family on the East Machias River
Cruising home today, I did a u-turn in the middle of U.S. Route 1 and headed back to the river after spying this Canada Goose family out for a swim. A goose, a gander, and three goslings. Papa took the lead and mama brought up the rear with the...
My New Garden Strategy: Hugelkulture
Gardening in a climate where you run the furnace 6.5 months out of the year can be challenging. Not only are we fairly far north - the 44th parallel - we're near the coast. That means practically no spring and short, cool summers. Add to that the...
A Visit to Bear’s Den
There's nothing more fun than touring a beautiful garden that gets you to dreaming. The Incredible Edible Milbridge group sponsored a garden tour at Bear's Den in Addison, Maine. Geri, our hostess, walked us through her two vast vegetable gardens....
Our Evening Entertainment
There's a new show on kitty t.v. at our house. This little bunny has been visiting after dinner. We first noticed him one evening as he hopped across the porch providing great entertainment for the kitties, Cinder and Snape. And us. Tonight I...
A Squirrel to Tea
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...
An Afternoon On Mount Desert
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...
A Hover of Hummingbirds
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...
Beautiful Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
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...
Like Clockwork
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. Like...
Misguided Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
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...
A Bit of Jekyll and Hyde
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...
Love My Birthday Gift
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...
Peace and Tranquility is Fleeting
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...
Sunshine in Rain
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!
A Precious Piping Plover
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...
From Legos to iTunes
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...
