Okay....I'm back, finally!

So, it’s been a while since I have posted. Since my last post, I took on a full time job as the Receiving Agent at Halcyon Yarn. I absolutely love the job! Actually, it’s hard to call it a job, since I love it so much! : )

Sadly, though time has been limited for my outdoor activities, and the weather has not helped. It seems like nearly every day ends with a thunderstorm. I have been puttering in the gardens today though!

It started at 3:30 AM! I woke to the smell of smoke coming in through the bedroom window. Ever since we had the fire to the outbuilding last fall, I am even more paranoid about fires. I got up to investigate, but couldn’t see anything, and set my mind at ease that it wasn’t the house or garage on fire.

Sleep eluded me after that, so I was out of bed by 5 AM. As I had my morning cup of java and watched the hounds in the back yard I noticed something had there attention up on the ledge.

We have a neighbor with a couple of boys who last year had started a campfire in our woods on the ledge so I was very curious.

I grabbed my camera…not sure why, and headed out to scope it out. Well, thankfully it wasn’t the neighborhood kids, but rather a flock of wild turkeys. The hens were hustling their chicks along when they heard me, so I wasn’t able to get a good picture.

I was able to snap other cool photos of the early morning hour here on the farm…

Looking towards the valley behind the house...

The path on the ledge...I just loved the mysterious air this photo has...

The front lawn looking south. I love the contrast of the white dogwood blossoms with the tall red maple.

This English Shrub Rose called Golden Zest was a new rose I planted last year. It has the most heavenly scent! It also has some pesky Japanese beetles that must go!

Back Again!

Perhaps when I started this blogging thing, I wasn't realistic about how frequently I would be able to blog. LOL Oh well, a new year, a new chance to try to be a better blogger! :)





So, here it is, March 22, 2008, and it's a cold and blustery day here on the farm! I am so ready for warm weather! Maine has broken many records this winter with snowfall totals.





My desire for spring, and gardening has led me to take some desperate measures! I wasn't going to start seedlings this year, as I wasn't able to get my greenhouse up last fall as I had hoped. However, I just had to plant something!





So, I dug out some peat pellets and seeds. I didn't want to go to the expense of buying those plastic covered starter trays, so I saved the plastic bakery container from the past couple of weeks. Hey recycling is a good thing...right?





Today, I started Roma tomatoes, Beefsteak tomatoes, and Jalapeno peppers. Anywhere between the next 7 to 15 days should see some sprouting...hopefully. If not then this "spring" is going to take an even more depressing turn! LOL

Peat Pellets and Seeds

I have many more seeds to start, especially flower seeds. However, I have run out of bakery containers. Perhaps a trip to the store for some sweets are in order...hmmmm.... :)

Maybe I had better just stay put. I do have quite a list of projects to catch up on. My original plan for the weekend, a trip north to visit my son and dil, was changed after Mother Nature decided to conjure up a blizzard yesterday.

Back to the project list. I have a basket purse that I wove last fall. I never listed it on my web store, as I really wasn't happy with the handles and closure. So I am going to revamp that. I will post before and after pics. Next is a new basket that I have had brewing in my mind. I am really excited to see if it turns out the way I have pictured in my mind.

I do have shower gels for my store now, so I really need to add those to the site, update my store newsletter...you get the idea! LOL

So, with that, I think I will wrap this blog entry up, and get to work!

Have a wonderful day! :)

The Sunsets on 2007

So another year is coming to an end. I usually reflect back over the past year...take stock so to speak. What I really like to do is look forward to the future.

According to my horoscope, if you believe those sorts of things, this is my year! This is the year that I am going to take my dreams and make them a reality! It's funny, but that was what I had already planned, then to read my horoscope...well, it was one of those "ahh haa" moments! :)

I do love that picture I took of the last sunset of 2007. I love the sunrises and sunsets. I always think of the verse from the hymn "How Great Thou Art", "O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder, Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made; I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul..."

May your New Year be filled with peace, joy and love.

Merry Christmas from Great-Gram Annie Mae

My Great-Grandmother Annie Mae was born in 1866. The daughter of a sea captain who's vessel went down into the briny deep. She recalled as a child, standing with her mother on a point of land that stretched out into the Atlantic, watching and waiting...

Annie Mae, was a character, so I have been told. Unfortunately I wasn't born in time to meet this little, feisty lady.

She was know to all as "Gram". She loved to cook, and take care of the farmhouse she called home for at least 70 years. The old farmhouse had a parlor, and that was her pride. The parlor housed all of her cherished items. No one was to play in the parlor! My mother said this was something Annie Mae was most adamant about!

One of the parlor's adornments was her Christmas cactus. It was a huge and a prolific bloomer. My mother inherited the cactus. It came in it's original potting...a clay pot inside an old cast iron pot.

I don't ever recall it's blossoming as a child. About 3 years ago, I decided it was time to give the cactus a new pot and soil, hoping to bring about it's blooms once more.

Finally! Today, on Christmas day, this is what I found! I would like to think that Great-Gram is wishing me a Merry Christmas.

As a side note, my mother used to say that Annie Mae had this cactus shortly after marrying. If so that would make it about 124 years old. No wonder it took a break from blooming for a while! :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all!

Morning Photo Session

Before I even wiped the sleep from my eyes, or had a cup of java, I had to grab the camera a get these shots! Just had to! :)

Morning Moon

A Piney Sunrise

Old Glory Sunrise

Basset Reflection

Vacancy...Gone South For The Winter!

It's All Relative

I will warn you, I am in a contemplative state of mind. The other night I was standing outside, and felt the cold more than usual. Less body fat (diet working, yes!) more susceptible to the cold! It's all relative. Cutting back on expenses=no satilite tv=less quality tv=more time to work or read...it's all relative. Now take that diet...less food intake=less money spent at the grocery store=more money for say...electricity...it's all relative. Now look at like this...less tv=less electricity used=less money spent on electricity! Now that really is relative. Life it's just one big circle no matter what the case!

Interesting Piece Of Maine History

While searching through one of my most prized cookbooks, I found this little tidbit. America's canning industry was founded in Maine over a century ago when Isaac Winslow perfected the steam retort, which made possible the commercial canning of fresh foods.

It saddens me that there isn't the amount of Maine canned goods on the store shelves like there used to be. Oh, you can still find Stewarts Shell Beans, and canned fiddleheads, and of course One Pie Pumpkin Pie Filling and Squash Pie Filling.

My family actually raised squash on this farm for the canning factory. It was something they talked of with pride.

The cookbook I referenced is that of Cooking Down East by Marjorie Standish. If you want good Maine food, the that cookbook, and her second book Keep Cooking The Maine Way, are a must have!