Dilly in the Lilies
Dilly the Duck resting among the lilies - a picture of Spring.
2013 Maple Syrup Packaging
The bottles we ordered for our Maple syrup arrived this week. I spent hours browsing bottle suppliers looking for something different. We selected a few different bottles to play with. These are the ones I like most. I'm partial to the simple...
Rescue Treasure No. 2
The second of the wooden library counters I rescued from the perils of the dump now has a new home in my laundry/storage room. It's perfect for holding pots, craft materials and Granny Gadget gifts. The right side has a convenient opening - the new...
What to Do with a Rescued Library Counter?
I was in our public library yesterday for a meeting when I saw this counter emptied and sitting on a hand truck. The librarian, a friend, told me it was on the way to the dump! Much to Paul's dismay, I gave it a last minute stay of execution. Along...
Morning Pigeon Hill Hike
Hannah and I were up and out early this morning for our first of the season hike up Pigeon Hill. We'd planned this for tomorrow, but the weather forecast turned on us so we hustled out this morning before the rain set in. We took the Silver Mine to...
Two Drakes is One Too Many!
With a flock of four female ducks, two frisky drakes are a bit too much for them. And particularly for Dilly, our physically challenged duck. We are looking for a new home for Puddles. Puddles is a Pekin drake, almost one-year old. He's a good duck...
A Complete Rainbow
While cooking dinner tonight, the heavens opened up and the rain came down in buckets. In the middle of pan frying turkey tenders I looked up to see this rainbow out the window. I grabbed my camera and ran outside - totally forgetting about the...
Darling Delaware Hen
Inspired by some of our latest chick additions to the farm and a rainy day, here's a Delaware hen felt bird. To download this pattern, right click here and select "Save target as" to save this PDF to your computer. Share your pics if you decide to...
Chicken Math Refresher
I heard that the local feed and seed had Silver Laced Wyandotte chicks in. Excited about adding a couple to the flock, we went for a visit. Somehow a pair of Wynadotte's turned into: two Silver Laced Wyandottes two Rhode Island Reds two Delawares...
Oh, To Live the Life of a Cat
Don't you just want to snuggle her up and take a snooze?
Testing the Water
Birdbaths are not only for birds. A little privacy, please!
Maple Sugaring at Downeast Thunder Farm
This is our second year producing Maple syrup for our family at Downeast Thunder Farm. We tapped 12 Maple trees in early March. Forty-three gallons of sap later, we're boiling. With only one reference year, this is a good year compared to last...
Finally!
The first signs of spring! A brave crocus popping up in the garden. The chickens and ducks have yet to discover it. And the pond is defrosted. Porch weather is clearly on the horizon!
The Reluctant Chicken Farmer Year Three
My journey with chicken farming started two years ago after I read The Omnivore's Dilemmia by Michael Pollan. The first year we raised 35 cornish cross rock chickens for the freezer. Last year we raised 50 freedom ranger chickens. Today we begin...
Pizza Poaching
Pizza night is a sacred weekly event in our house. Skipping pizza night is cause for mutiny. The homemade beer dough is split three ways and we each make our own individual pizza - or calzone in Hannah's case. I often cannot finish my pizza, so I...
First Porch Worthy Day of Spring!
It was a beautiful day here in Downeast Maine. We enjoyed being outside doing chores from cleaning out chicken and duck coops to a little bit of spring yard cleanup. It was so nice that when we took our lunch break, Hannah made sandwiches and we...
Ducks In a Row
Do you have your ducks in a row? I do. Until a few days ago they had never ventured into the drive, choosing to stick the the area right around the pond (still frozen in the background above). Tonight, I looked out the window and saw them...
Maple Sugarhouse Outing
In honor of Maine Maple Sunday, we visited Auger Hill Farm - one of two sugarhouses open today in Washington County. They're located on Pumpkin Ridge Road. Isn't that a great address? Since we're in our second year of Maple syrup making, we thought...
A Frost Heave on the Road to Spring
I woke up on this first morning of spring to a foot of snow. This feels like such a setback after a stretch of sweatshirt weather. Just the other day I noticed my day lilies poking through the ground and the pond was melting around the edges. I was...
Lesson in Homemade Butter Making
Thoughts of spring are on the back burner. Snow is falling, school let out early and the snowfall forecast is now 10-18 inches. There's a pot of bean soup on the stove and French bread ready to go in the oven. It seems like a good day to introduce...
America’s Majestic Bald Eagle
It never fails to thrill me when I see a Bald Eagle. Living along the coast it's not uncommon to sight one of these majestic birds, but it's always a treat! To download the free pattern to your computer, right click here and select "Save target...
The Restorative Power of a Bath
Sometimes a girl just needs a little alone time in the tub. Take Dilly for instance. Dilly is our much loved, physically challenged duck. It's been a hard winter for her without the pond. She finds it difficult to walk so she spends lots of time...
A Welcome Sunny Sunday
After almost a month of snowy weekends (or the threat of snow), I welcomed the opportunity to spend some time outdoors. Even it came in the form of physical labor. We have been systematically clearing out dead trees from the woods surrounding the...
Late Winter Drive Around Schoodic Point
After doing some chores today, the last thing I wanted to do was hang around inside. The last two weeks have been crazy busy with work and all I've done lately sit on my behind. With mud season looming, hiking isn't a great choice, so we opted for...
Let the Sap Flow!
The days are getting warmer and the snow has that mushy spring texture to it. It's time to tap the Maple trees! Chances are we could have started in February, but things have been a bit busy lately. Last year was our first experience making Maple...
