Hike to Schoodic Head
Paul has been on a fitness kick lately. He's eating better and is making exercise a regular part of his routine. And it shows – he weighs less now than when I first met him in 1995. A couple of weeks ago he tagged along on a back-to-school shopping...
An Afternoon in Lubec
Following our hike at the Pike Lands on Sunday, we spent a little time browsing Lubec. Lubec is the eastern most point in the United States. You'll find some of the most spectacular real estate in Maine - the scenery is unparalleled. Struggling...
The Pike Lands
On this crystal clear Sunday, we went for a family hike. Usually it's just Hannah and I, but Paul opted to tag along when I promised it wouldn't be a forced march. We explored the Pike Lands in North Lubec.?Two main trails run from South Bay to...
View of Mount Desert Island
The 40-minute drive to Ellsworth (the closest town with a stoplight) takes us along U.S. Route 1. There is a stretch in Sullivan where you can see Mount Desert Island across Frenchman's Bay. It's the money shot that never fails to capture my...
Tide Mill Farm Outing
We are ever curious to see how larger farms work hoping to pick up bits of wisdom to apply to our own tiny operation. Today we spent a couple of hours with Carly DelSignore at Tide Mill Farm in Edmunds, Maine. Tide Mill produces organic foods...
Hens and Chicks of Another Variety
This spring,Granny Gadget sent me hens and chicks. Not of the laying variety, but a new plant for my garden. They looked a bit like a cactus. I didn’t have a plan for them, so I just tucked them into an empty space to keep them alive. They were...
Blueberrying with Hannah
On this amazingly beautiful August morning, Hannah and I headed out to Petit Manan Wildlife Refuge for our annual blueberry picking outing. In the years we've been picking berries here, I've never seen so many berries in this un-managed blueberry...
Where’s the Justice?
I have only been seriously gardening for the last few years. I work painstakingly to create the perfect garden environment for growing my vegetables. I read up on growing veggies. I test pH levels. I work in peat and compost and diligently weed the...
Fourteen
Why does fourteen seem so much older than thirteen? Today we celebrated Hannah’s fourteenth birthday. I’m troubled by the passing of this day – more so than any birthday before. Maybe it’s because she’s entering high school next month, no longer a...
Sunny Windowsill
There's nothing like a lazy, sunny afternoon sitting in the bedroom windowsill. After gracing me with a sleepy look, Cinder decides that she can't be bothered with me.
4:00 am
At 4:00 a.m. the only thing awake with me is a lone bullfrog boinging like a banjo, the sound echoing in the stillness. Moments later, the Colonel starts crowing, echoed by Clover. The ducks rouse and talk amongst themselves with low raspy quacks....
Gardening in the Rain
The morning sunshine quickly faded to a cool steady drizzle. Despite the weather, I had garden chores on my to do list. With so little free time, I didn't let the rain stop me. I harvested garlic. The Banties moved in as soon as I cleared the bed,...
Summer Camp
We are fortunate to have a wonderful summer camp program run by EdGE, a program of the Maine Sea Coast Mission. Hannah has been attending the EdGE after school and summer programs for years. As a rising high school freshman, this is her last year...
Kale Under Attack
Something has invaded my kale bed. I went out last night to harvest some kale for dinner and found the entire bed nibbled within an inch of its life. Upon further inspection, I found these tiny green worms to be the culprit. I spent hours last...
Hollingsworth Trail Hike
It's been a while since Hannah and I have gone for a hike. Either I've been over-subscribed with work (actually a good thing!) or the weather has been crappy. Today, we took advantage of the glorious weather and hiked the Hollingsworth Trail at...
Sunday Morning Muffins
I have a new favorite Sunday morning muffin recipe. It make six large muffins - or muffin tops - my favorite way of making muffins. The basic recipe is the same and you can swap out the fruit based on what you have in the fridge. This morning it...
Whitetail Momma and Baby
Is there anything sweeter than a fawn? Until she grows up and discovers my garden? These deer were grazing across the road. What are the chances they'll stay in that field?
Drop
First Flight
I've had my eye on this nest of Eastern Phoebes in the lean-to outside my office. This morning, I noticed a flurry of activity out the window and saw a tiny little Phoebe perched on the edge of a folding chair. He'd made it the eight feet from down...
My First Love
Today is my father’s birthday. With me living so far away, the times we spent this day together have been far and few between. I can’t be there today, but I’m planning a visit to Pennsylvania next month. (Hopefully – between camp, braces and...
Radish Leaf Pesto – An Interesting Experience
Yesterday, after I tossed radish leaves in the yard for the chickens, I wondered if radish leaves were edible for humans. They're good enough for chickens, right? A quick Google search and yes, they are edible. One of the recipes I found was a...
A Banty Room with a View
I've been concerned about occupancy in the Banty coop given the recent population explosion. We'll only keep the hens, but as all the babies look alike we'll have to wait until they grow up a bit before separating out the boys. So this weekend,...
Baby Phoebes
Last night, I was working at my desk and Mr. Snape was in the window sill watching our Eastern Phoebe zip around catching bugs right out of the air. As she flew up to her nest, I heard some tiny cheeping sounds and went out to explore. Much to mama...
Hot July Sunsets
With the end of the weekend, so went the hot and humid conditions. Rarely do we endure such uncomfortable weather as we have the last four days. Summer along the Maine coast usually means warm days and comfortable nights. We don't have air...
Too Much Attention
The other weekend, we sold ten of our two-year-old hens and they moved to a happy new home. It was sad to see them go, but we did this because our flock had grown too large for the size of our coop. And because of their age, egg production was...
