Do Chickens Like Snow?
Nope, not really. Pepper, the bantam rooster, bravely flew out to the snow covered perch. Surprised by the snow, he danced from foot to foot like a cat on a hot tin roof. The Banty's are spending a lot of time on their perch now that the snow has...
The Turkey Verdict
Unlike some other turkeys, our birds did not get a pardon. Thanks the turkey has been resting in the fridge since Sunday. Chris went off to freezer camp. I'm not a big fan of turkey, but I love all of the accouterments - the stuffing, the cranberry...
No Longer in Denial About the Coming of Winter
I've been in denial about the coming of winter. I know this is Maine and that I should be grateful for the good weather we have had, but I'm just not ready for winter. Today, mother nature knocked on the door and the time for denial is over. School...
A Good Egg
Hannah cooked breakfast for us this morning - a nice treat. In the process, she used Downeast Thunder Farm's very first egg. Just for fun we compared it to a grocery egg!
Mobile Cats
While I'm pretty handy with a computer and have a good handle on the Internet, mobile phone technology is not my forte. I have only just figured out how to get the pictures Hannah and I have taken with the phone off the phone. In our inexperienced...
The Great Escape
The ducks escaped from their pen this morning. Three times. Before 7 a.m. In frustration, Hannah and I scoured the perimeter searching for the weak spot and couldn't find one. Hannah said they must be flying over the fence which is all of 3' tall....
Got Eggs?
We do! When checking The Girls this afternoon I noticed two eggs in one of the nesting boxes. For a half a second I wondered how did they manage to move a second wooden egg into the box? Then it hit me - IT'S A REAL EGG! Wahoo! Our very first egg...
Farewell Turkey Dudes
Today was turkey harvest day. We have been putting this off for a variety of reasons. Too rainy. Too cold - not exactly odd for November in Maine. Too busy. With Thanksgiving just four days away, we simply could not wait any longer. The fact is we...
Downeast Thunder Farm Owl Ornaments
Hannah was in a creative mood so we decided to work on making some felt ornaments for Christmas. We pulled a few patterns from the Internet and this was Hannah's first creation. Inspired by her work, I started making patterns for the Downeast...
Chicken Pattern
I found this picture on Hannah's phone. I love the pattern of the chickens trying to peck at her toes!
November’s Autumn Colors
The only autumn color left in this November landscape is the pop of yellow from the Hackmatac trees. These conifers lose their needles in the fall; another week or so it’ll be raining yellow needles. Everywhere.
Cocka-doodle-doo Duels
Our roosters have been going through puberty. Dr. Pepper's crow has been improving since we first introduced it. Suddenly, the other day, The Colonel is finally heard from - although it's more a croak than crow. Dr. Pepper crows in the morning to...
Dragon Fly Frozen in Time
This morning I found a dragon fly frozen in ice. Frozen in time. That is until the ice melts.
Recycling Jack O’Lanterns
The Girls may may not be laying yet, but they (and The Colonel) do come in handy. They had a grand time recycling Jack O'Lanterns today! Update: The next day, here's what was left.
An October Snowfall
This morning, I awoke to the sound of the wind howling outside. Slushy snowflakes were flying every which way. Just a few inches of snow accumulation on this October Sunday morning is just a few inches too many. Although the ducks didn't seem to...
The Calm Before the Nor’easter
The weather man says there's a Nor'easter heading our way tonight. Snow. In October! We've had flurries in October in years past, but inches of snow (I refuse to consider anything other than just inches) that need to be shoveled just isn't done....
As East as it Gets
The view from South Lubec Road in Lubec, Maine. The storm clouds from last night are finally heading out. Campobello Island (Canada) is visible across the Quoddy Narrows. This spot is just shy of the eastern most point in the United...
Morning Farm Sounds
The sun is just rising. It's not exactly Revile. It sounds a little rusty. Pepper, our little bantam rooster, is acquiring his cockadoodledoo. Rooster Wake Up Call What do you suppose those ducks are saying to him?
Crimson Blueberry Barrens
Two months ago, the wild blueberry barrens so prevalent in Downeast Maine, were seas of blue. Today they are crimson in the autumn light.
The Cow and the Porcelain Sink?
As I was tooling along one of Maine's back roads I spied a lone cow grazing in a field. No fences of any sort. So I figured that he got loose from an area farm, but I didn't see any farmhouse in the vicinity. On my return trip, the cow was still...
Raising the Roof on the Duck House
We raised the roof on the duck house! Literally. Once a flat roofed chicken house and run, the structure needed a little remodel for the ducks. So we raised the roof (so the snow will slide off this winter), added a door for cleaning and egg...
Blustery Weekend Snapshots
It was a blustery October weekend here. Windy enough to strip the autumn colors from the trees and make me appreciate how quickly autumn is passing. Feeling the pressure, we packed a lot of projects into the last two days. Although it was just...
Chez Roo is Open
For the weekend, anyway. My Hannah (12 years-old) has turned into quite the little chef. She’s taken to watching cooking shows rather than cartoons and is particularly taken with Food Network’s Chopped and The Next Iron Chef. Come weekend time she...
Our Little Patch of Waterfront Property
I often talk about our little patch of woods. What you might not know is that we have waterfront property on a tidal river. This little patch of waterfront property is separated from the rest of our land by the old route U.S. 1. The picture below...
Enjoying the Morning Sun
Miss Cinder enjoying some late autumn sunshine yesterday.
