Timber!
Did you know that I have my own Paul Bunyan? I do. He doesn't carry an ax, but a chain saw. He's been slowly clearing trees around the property. The key word here is "slowly." We've got plans for a garden and a workshop on the far side of the...
Raised Veggie Beds – Better Late Than Never
I've been eagerly planning four raised vegetable beds. The past few summers I planted veggies in a dozen or so Earth Boxes scattered around the yard. While that worked well, I want something more permanent. So Paul cleared land in the fall for a...
Butterfly In My Chives
I spent a thoroughly enjoyable half hour this afternoon photographing the butterflies enjoying my chive flowers. The flowers are a bit passed their prime, but that didn't seem to bother this Red Admiral or Vanessa atalanta.
Rainy Day Wild Blueberry Muffins
It's a gloomy day here in Milbridge, Maine. When I asked what folks wanted for breakfast, Hannah called for blueberry muffins because they were perfect for a rainy day. Comfort food. So our favorite blueberry muffins have been dubbed "Rainy Day...
A Slytherin Named Lucius in My Garden
Another critter has taken up residence in my garden. Three different times this little garter snake has surprised an "eek!" out of me when I was puttering in the garden. Despite the high-pitched squeal, I'm fairly certain that he's more scared of...
Garlic Growing Strong
Last year was my first attempt at growing garlic. After trying some Russian Red garlic from the local farmer's market (at a premium price) I became a garlic snob. I enjoyed this hard neck garlic so much more than what's available in the grocery...
The Garden Mouse
This afternoon I spied something unexpected in my garden. Nestled next to my newly planted peony was a tiny mouse. I studied it for a moment trying to decide what to do. I assumed that it was dead, but on on further inspection I could see it's fur...
The Gift of Loam
We went to my folks over spring break. When I returned, Mom sent back a giant batch of lilies freshly dug from her garden. As you can see, I divided that clump and planted them along the edge of the porch. Given the fact that we've had as much a 8'...
Tractor Work
We finished building our house in 2006. Each year since then we've addressed something outside in the effort to make it look as if we don't live in a construction zone. Although there is a benefit of a gravel yard - no mowing! This week I decided...
Smile, It’s Mother’s Day
Today was Mother's Day. Hannah's gift to me was to cook breakfast and dinner - by herself. For breakfast she made wild blueberry pancakes for me. We've done this together many times. Her first solo run as a pancake chef was smooth sailing. What...
Goodbye Brush Pile
When you clear land the result is brush. Since we're located in the woods we have Lots of Brush. Last fall Paul killed tree after tree clearing land for a vegetable patch. The trees kept us warm over the winter as fuel for the wood boiler. But...
Outdoor Wood Boiler
This is the first winter that we've heated our home with the super high efficiency Central Boiler outdoor wood boiler that we purchased back in 2008. We turned off the oil tank and heated both our hot water and home with this furnace since October...
