Neighborhood Bear Caught on Candid Camera
We live on a very quiet country road where there are only four year-round residents. Each neighbor has a story of a bear encounter. We have yet to see one. Our first winter here, we found bear tracks in the spring snow. Occasionally we'll come...
A Cute Little Timberdoodle
Known as a Timberdoodle in some places, the evening sounds of the American Woodcock in the spring blend in with the chirps and croaks of other woodland insects and critters. Right click here and select "Save target as" to save the free Woodcock PDF...
New Feathered Visitors
In addition to my regulars - the Mourning Doves and Chickadees, some new visitors have been distracting me from work. I find myself wandering from the office to the kitchen to see who's visiting the garden bird feeder. This female Common Redpoll...
I Smell a Rat
This morning the kitties were intently focused on something out the window. Upon closer inspection I found the source of their fascination. Letting the kitties outside could be the answer to our rat problem. (Do you see the rat standing against the...
Roo’s Amazing Meatball Subs
This is vacation week and sadly, we've all been a bit under the weather. Hannah and Paul have "The Crud" for the second time around and I've finally succumbed. Needless to say we haven't been doing a lot of fun vacationy kinds of things so far this...
Another Weekend, Another Blizzard
If it's the weekend, it must be snowing - at least that's what it seems like lately. Although the ducks didn't mind and protested as darkness loomed and it was time to head in for the night.
The Misplaced Prairie Warbler
As it turns out, the Prairie Warbler doesn't really live on the prairie at all, but in fields and forests. Living so far north, this may be the only Prairie Warbler we see. Right click here and select "Save target as" to save this Prairie Warbler...
What are the Odds?
Paul and I shopped separately for our Valentine's gifts for Hannah. What are the odds we both end up giving her the same card? Purchased in another town? Hope you spend Valentine's Day with your sweetheart!
Silhouette of Purfessor Snape
Purfessor Snape in silhouette on a snowy day studying the goings on outside. Once a feral kitten, I hope he's thinking how lucky he is to be on the inside looking out during this blizzard and how fortunate he is to have us as his humans. In all...
Frosty Morning on the Machias River
This view of the Machias River in Whitneyville, Maine is responsible for me being late to work today. It was simply stunning. I all but stopped on the bridge to look at the view. I continued on, then I stopped and turned around and went back. I...
Snow and Shadow
A walk through virgin snow. Click on the thumbnails for a larger view.
Nemo and the Aftermath
We survived Blizzard Nemo. It snowed and the wind howled for the better part of 24 hours. As a result of the high winds it's hard to tell how much snow fell. In some areas it's up to your hips, in others your knees. I cannot remember such a...
Elusive Long Eared Owl
Long-eared Owls are fairly common, but not often seen. He's a good project for a snowy winter's day. Right click here and select "Save target as" to save this PDF pattern to your desktop. Comment with a link to a picture of your owl or share your...
Where in Nemo is Downeast Thunder Farm?
There's no way you could have missed the talk of the Nor'easter named Nemo heading toward the Northeast. It seems like every time I turn the news on, the projected snowfall has risen by an inch. Here's a snapshot to show where we are in this mess....
Clever Use for Modern Technology
Hannah, age 13, has an email account. It's rarely used. In my ongoing effort to watch over her and keep her safe online, incoming messages are copied to my email box. Midday, I saw a message allegedly from her arrive in her inbox and took a peak....
Uninvited Guests
Feeding the birds this winter has resulted in some uninvited guests. I’m careful about putting out suet before the bears hibernate. From time to time our neighbors’ feeders are raided by black bears. We’ve yet to have the pleasure. I like to think...
Winding Down
Tonight was bittersweet. Junior High basketball season (dubbed the craziest season of all) is all but over. The girls played (and won) their last regular season game at home tonight. The eighth-grade players (all three of them) presented their...
Mourning Dove on A Snowy Sunday
A Mourning Dove hunkered down on a cold, snowy Sunday.
Striking Red Headed Woodpecker
This Red Headed Woodpecker is so striking with its crimson head and checkerboard colors. Lately I've heard a number of Woodpeckers at work, but they're unlikely to be this pretty little bird. Right click here and select "Save target as" to save...
Skating is Not Like Riding a Bike
The last time I went ice skating I was a freshman in high school in Fairfax, Virginia. On Friday nights our parents would carpool the group of us girls to the rink where we'd make the circuit, gossiping and scoping out the boys. I did pretty good...
Groundhog Day and Reminiscing
It's a little known fact that I was born in Punxsutawny, Pennsylvania, home to my paternal grandparents and where my father was raised. Growing up the daughter of an Army officer, we moved every 1-3 years for much of my childhood. Most vacations...
A Wild and Windy Day
Some weird weather blew through today. Heavy winds with gusts up to 60 mph sounded like a non-stop freight train. The wind seemed to come at the house from all directions rattling soffits and windows, downing trees, and redistributing anything not...
Ice Huts
Ice huts on the Pleasant River in Columbia Falls.
The American Kestrel
This female American Kestrel, is America's tiniest falcon. Although they're hunters, she's got such a pretty profile, I couldn't resist making her. To download the American Kestral pattern, right click here and select "Save target as" to save to...
Skating on the Duck Pond
Hannah has been chomping at the bit to skate on the duck pond. After a week of highs in the single digits, Paul pronounced the pond officially frozen. So this morning she laced up her hand-me-down ice skates and inched her way out onto the ice....
