fiddlehedz

KLT - MacDonald Conservation Area

2012-01-09T20:46:00.005-05:00

Toby promised himself to take more pictures this year, so yesterday I suggested we go hiking and photographing the MacDonald Conservation Area, one of the Kennebec Land Trust properties that is just a mile from our house. Today, as usual, I got caught up in chores and forgot about hiking/taking pictures until Toby reminded me (gently, of course). I'm so glad he did!
I've been wanting to walk these trails for a while now. Today was perfect: crisp clear January air with scattered clouds and plenty of sunshine, little to no snow on the ground which made for an easy walk over the easy-to-moderate trails, good company, and no need to watch the clock or rush our way through. It took us a couple of unhurried hours to work our way through a variety of woodland settings and take a few minutes to snap photographs.
We saw a hairy woodpecker on a paper birch, turkey and rabbit tracks crossing over a thin layer of snow, and dry leaf litter that looked tousled by turkeys. We saw steep rugged terrain covered in moderately mature forest, regenerating woodlands on flattened ground suggesting old hay fields, lone wolf pines surrounded by pole-sized stands in what may have once been pasture land, and a monoculture of tall white pines near an old homestead.

We found an abandoned cellar hole of a house and a barn foundation that mark the location of a second homestead, and at the top of a nearby hill we walked through a cemetery scattered with markers of various sizes, shapes, and stone. We heard creaking branches, tapping woodpecker, gurgling brook, whispery breezes, and the sound of our feet crunching over crusty snow and dry twigs. Toby took a lot of pictures (and I took a few myself), and we had a great day.

Crusty Finish to 2011

2011-12-31T12:47:00.002-05:00

"Periods of rain and freezing rain... winds light and variable" - that's the forecast for us this last day of 2011. I can see crusty slush covering the roof outside my window even as water drips from the slush melting off the roof above. The stone walkway and hard surfaces in the perennial garden are coated with a thin and uninviting film of slipperiness.
The hemlocks, firs, and pines droop their boughs toward the russet and brown stalks of fern and dried leaf litter poking up through patches of snow and slush below. The ice on the vernal pool - just visible through the barren oak, ash, and red maple trunks - is degrading to slush itself, taking on a smoky gray hue with a sheen of olive green.
Along the trails through the property are ice droplets hanging delicately from the tips of paper thin beech leaves. When the sun breaks through the overcast layer of clouds, the ice drops will shine in brilliance for a few moments before the warmth melts them into a steady stream of drip drip drip to mark the end of this crusty, slushy, sometimes slippery but gloriously wonderful old year.

My worst nightmare...

2011-12-30T12:22:00.000-05:00

It's no fun seeing someone you love sustain an injury. It's even less fun when it's your own child, no matter how old they are. The worst nightmare, however, is being responsible for your grandchild getting hurt while you're in charge of their welfare. We got through it with little more than a short bout of profuse bleeding, a nasty gash, and hurt feelings - and I couldn't help but be thankful it hadn't turned out any worse. Still, I wasn't prepared for the sleepless night that followed during which I kept waking up from nightmares of falls, toxic foods, and uncontrolled events involving people I love. I was happy (and tired) when the next morning brought smiles and sunshine to replace the tears and ice packs of the previous evening. Outside in the fresh air we walked through the wooded paths, climbed on stone walls, and crunched through thin ice to create happier memories of a visit to grammah's house.

It's easy to forget how quickly accidents can happen, and hard to accept that no matter how many precautions you take, they can still occur. It's also difficult to "let go" and not be over-protective, and to balance safety with having fun. I was wrong when I thought life would be easier when I got older, or that being a grandparent would be easier than parenting.

My Ladies

2011-12-18T21:20:00.006-05:00

I'm so thankful for the ladies in my life who inspire me, encourage me, and allow me to be part of their support system. Those pictured here are at the top of my list - my daughter, my sisters, 'adopted' sister, and my mom along with my niece and her daughter. Equally important, but not pictured are my mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Other special women include my step daughter, sisters-in-law, nieces, and granddaughters as well as former in-laws who I still consider to be my family. It's a cold and lonely road traveling through life without someone to talk with and bounce ideas off, and I appreciate them all - they help me be a better person.

Winter Bouquets

2011-12-17T22:10:00.003-05:00

In keeping with the festive mood of the season, this afternoon I went walking through the woods and roadsides in search of all things green and red. Luckily, I'd scoped out a good supply of bright red winterberries because there's not much else with color this time of year. We're fortunate to have a variety of conifers on the property so it was easy to get lots of greens in the form of hemlock, balsam fir, and spruce boughs. Clubmoss and firmoss are also plentiful and pretty. While walking around, I collected dried seed pods of blue flags, green horsetails, red twigs, brown once-fertile-blades of sensitive fern, and golden stalks of grass to add color and texture to our holiday arrangements.

O' Christmas Tree...

2011-12-16T07:38:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season to rock the house for the holidays! My holiday season got kicked off last week with a Colorado visit with Bryan, Erin, and the pups - watching Bryan run the train beneath the lit tree, walking through the garden of lights, shopping in downtown Fort Collins, and listening to holiday music really put me in the mood - leaving them poked a little hole in my bubble of holiday spirit though. Luckily I bounce back quickly, especially when I have a purposeful agenda centered on family and friends!

The first order of business was to do some shopping (no, you can't see) and do some baking (is your mouth watering?). Here are a few examples of my efforts in the kitchen: two variations of date balls - one regular and one soaked in rum; sugar cookies dressed as trees; peanut butter cup cookies that have been a recent hit; and gingerbread houses in cookie-size portions rather than the large display that gets stale unless eaten immediately.
Next came the choosing of the Christmas tree. This beauty is probably the best tree ever cut off this property. It's full, healthy, and almost 15' tall - reaching to the ceiling in front of the two-story wall of south-facing windows. Stringing lights and placing ornaments necessitates an assemblage of ladders including an extension ladder and three stepladders - an 8', a 6', and a little two-stepper.
Here's our tree decorated with over 1000 lights and a box of ornaments collected over the years. The holiday season is off to a good start!

Lory State Park

2011-12-11T23:37:00.003-05:00

Sunday brought another day of clear skies and, though the morning started out quite cold the afternoon was warm enough to shed our jackets as we hiked the valley trail loop at Lory State Park. The brilliant blue overhead contrasted sharply with the russet uplifted bedrock formations that gave way to subtle gray and brown tones on hillsides and then the snow covered valley below.
Dried remnants of grasses and wildflowers poked up around patches of shrubs and occasional pines in the open area that extends all the way to Horsetooth Rock.
The warm sun and dry air worked their magic on cold snowpack to leave textured crystals that caught the light.

Fences and barbed wire are common sights along the trails.

In addition to the traditional fence posts and barbed wire, there are occasional sections of old-fashioned wooden fences - these seem to be randomly placed.
The trails we used were easy to navigate, covering gently rolling slopes with well marked paths. Sturdy footbridges have been constructed, one by a Boy Scout troop, to cross over drainages. The trickiest part of the trails was the slick mud where snow has melted and the cold ground hasn't allowed water to drain very deep. One of the many nice things about this natural area is that it's so close to Fort Collins.

Garden of Lights

2011-12-10T01:00:00.000-05:00

There's nothing quite as special during the Christmas holiday season as driving around looking at lights. We thought about driving down south of Denver to an arboretum to see a light display, but decided instead to check out a local display at the Gardens on Spring Creek here in Fort Collins. We were not disappointed! Trees, fences, and buildings were strung with brightly colored lights and multiple free-standing light sculptures filled in the gaps.There were stalks of corn, a patch of pumpkins, a row of grape vines, and gardens of flowers - all cleverly crafted and lit up with hundreds of lights.

Jiminy Cricket even made an appearance!

After walking around the garden, we went to a little shop for hot chocolate. As if the lights and cocoa weren't enough treats for one evening, Bryan reached into his back pocket and presented us with a flask of Yukon Jack! Great fun close to home.

Comfort Food

2011-12-10T00:39:00.000-05:00

This morning while drinking coffee I noticed three acorn squash in the hanging basket. I asked Bryan, "What are you going to do with those squash?" After a short discussion we decided to make squash soup. Bryan prepared them for roasting and when they came out of the oven 45 minutes later it was my turn in the kitchen.
I scooped out all the flesh, sauteed onions, melted butter and put it all into the crock pot with veggie stock, pepper, and cinnamon. We let it slow cook all afternoon while we hit the streets in downtown Fort Collins for a little holiday shopping. When we got home, I added some cream cheese to the squash mixture and then put it through the food processor.

The final result was a lovely, creamy squash soup that we garnished with bacon crumbles. While we admitted the cream cheese and bacon didn't add any health value, we decided they were probably okay for us since the bulk of the meal was made up of vegetables.

Gold Hill, Colorado

2011-12-09T01:42:00.012-05:00

The mailboxes, eleven of them, sat side by side, perched atop a crudely constructed frame. Several street corners had similar setups while others had no mailboxes at all, giving a cozy feel to this hamlet overlooking the front range. Gold Hill, a small town on a ridge above Left Hand Canyon, is home to just over 200 residents - 228 in 2007 to be exact. Though located only ten miles northwest of Boulder, Colorado and accessible by four routes (one each from the north, south, east, and west), Gold Hill seems remote and isolated. The steep grades and switchbacks connecting the mountaintop to the plains and valleys below are not for the faint of heart, and this may be part of the reason for the small population.

We reached Gold Hill from the north, driving up Lick Skillet Road, the steepest county road in the United States. There were several moments when, sliding and spinning on ice and snow pack, we considered putting the chains on the tires but a slow, steady pace and an experienced driver made the ascent successful and we breathed a sigh of relief when we reached Main Street and parked the vehicle. Our first stop was just a short walk away - the Gold Hill Store. Here we enjoyed hot beverages (I can personally vouch for the creamy chai) and shared a piece of moist and hearty carrot cake (honestly, I only had one bite) while perusing the eclectic displays of local handcrafts, books and calendars with historical photographs, and a collection of vintage model cars.
In spite of our being at 8,300' elevation, the warm sun and still air made for a pleasant walk around town. Earlier in the morning, we'd read that Gold Hill started as a gold mining town but when the gold business petered out, someone had the foresight to think the town could make it in the tourist business. Unlike other gold mining communities that became ghost towns, Gold Hill survived. Most of the small homes are original structures dating back to the 1800s, according to placards posted on fences in the front yards.

We departed Gold Hill by way of the Sunshine Canyon Road. Not far from town, we stopped at a roadside turnout where we could look northwestward toward the mountains. The moderately steep descent took many hairpin turns past charred trees, rebuilding sites, and stands of starkly barren, black snags - all the result of recent forest fires in that area. For stunning photographs of the fire scarred hillsides, check out Erin's blog site. The breathtaking contrasts between cozy community, mountain grandeur, and the destructive forces of nature are, like the steep roads and rough terrain, not for the faint of heart. They might be however, just about right for a few hardy souls who choose to set their mailbox with those of their neighbors on the street corner just down the road.

Horsetooth Mountain Open Space

2011-12-08T02:29:00.006-05:00

Thursday arrived with blue skies and warm sunshine and, after doing errands with Bryan and the pups, we decided to spend the afternoon at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space hiking up to Horsetooth Rock, just a few miles from downtown Fort Collins. The trails were mostly snow covered, especially on north-facing slopes, with a few sun-drenched areas melted down to bare gravel.

Bryan packed chicken salad & gorgonzola wraps for lunch. There's not much that beats eating trailside in good company. The pups were happy to finish off the last few bites before we resumed our hike to the base of Horsetooth Rock.

Bryan took the day off from work, but the wonders of technology allowed him to check his email and receive a few calls from his office. Years ago it would be impossible to hike up into the mountains and be connected to the rest of the world. I have to admit that given the choice of having him at work or hiking with me, I'd opt for this very acceptable compromise. Erin wasn't as fortunate and had to work all day - we missed her!

Oscar's feet got cold so he got a short ride through the icy, shadowed areas ...

... and Anna got tired so she got her turn at seeing the world from a higher vantage point ..
We had a great day together.

Mt. Abraham

2011-11-29T06:35:00.005-05:00

The expansive view from the summit of Mt. Abraham in western Maine was breathtaking, and well worth the climb. From the trailhead, the first part of the hike entailed a pleasant hike up moderate slopes through mixed forest canopy, but the last section got tougher. The grade became steeper as the trail passed through spruce woodlands, open granite faces, patches of krummholz, and finally a talus peak! When I reached the talus field, both calves seized in cramps which made the climb all the more interesting. Standing atop the piles of rock, I turned around and the strain and pain was forgotten, replaced by awe and wonder.

The purpose of the climb was to access areas off-trail and record botanical species in different natural communities - the canopy and understory trees, shrubs, and plants in the herbaceous layer - as well as terrain features, soil conditions, and any signs of human disturbance. This was one of my first experiences as a conservation aide in the summer of 2011, and one against which subsequent hikes were compared... "Was it as strenuous or take as long as Mt. Abraham?"

White Wake Up Call

2011-11-06T06:18:00.003-05:00

Last weekend, while it was still officially October, we were treated to a heavy, wet blanket of fresh snow. In preparation, and not knowing how long the first dumping of white stuff might last, I raked the yard with furious intention so that, in case the snow never melted again until spring, the yard would at least be tidy and easier to deal with in April. Note in the photo above that the oaks STILL HAD A LOT OF LEAVES!
Under no false assumptions that my labors wouldn't need repeating, I simply enjoyed the task - even as more leaves drifted downward on gentle breezes, even as the cleared green lawn became sprinkled with gold and russet, even as the snow clouds and dark of night approached. It took all of Friday afternoon and the entire day on Saturday but I managed to rake the entire lawn. And then it snowed.

And the oaks continued to drop their leaves onto the fresh snow. I have to admit this occurs to me like Mother Nature's had a great big party with leaf-confetti while I slumber away the night-time hours. It took a few days for the snow to start melting, but it finally did, leaving the lawn beautifully decorated and in need of another rake-up. Over the past few days I've gathered my rake and gloves, wheelbarrow and basket, and either a morning cup of coffee or an afternoon gin-n-tonic.

With the bulk of the leaves already removed, these rakings have been even more enjoyable: gentle winds dry out the leaves, making them fluffy and light and easily swept toward their respective dumping areas; a little more time is spent in the perennial bed where the leaves get hand-picked from stiff, dense thickets of stems and stalks; standing in warm sunshine while cool air brushes my cheeks provides momentary refreshment before continuing the task.

The October snowstorm was a wake-up call to get the outdoor chores completed - and raking the leaves wasn't the only thing on the list here. Richard cleaned the chimneys , the brought in the rest of the firewood , turned off the outside faucets to prevent freeze damage, and readied the snowblowers and shovels for what lies ahead. I've taken out the winter & holiday CD collection for the next snowstorm!

Carrot cake anyone?

2011-11-05T06:59:00.004-05:00

Carrots! We still have quite a few carrots in the garden and, even though the deer have eaten off the lacy green tops, the veggies are storing themselves nicely beneath the soil so we just go pick them fresh whenever we want them. We've enjoyed them in chicken stew, coq au vin, and beef pot roast - and occasionally just on their own with a little bit of brown sugar and butter. Yesterday I got my mind (and taste buds) wrapped around the idea of fresh carrot cake. I found a recipe in my dog-eared food-stained much-loved-and used Fannie Farmer cookbook, but I didn't have exactly the called-for ingredients so, as I often do, I improvised. Oh, what a carrot cake!
The cake is very moist thanks to a good basic recipe, and to adding applesauce. I put the carrots through the food processor instead of grating them by hand which was a) much easier and b) created small chunks of orange to highlight the key ingredient. More color and texture was achieved by adding some dried cranberries, coconut, and finely chopped walnuts. Then, instead of topping the cake with a typical cream cheese frosting, the recipe suggested glazing the top of the warm loaf with honeyed butter - I definitely recommend this because the flavor and texture of the cake itself really shone through without the distraction of creamy sweetness. I know I'll be making this recipe again and again... if I can only remember how much of each "extra" ingredient I added!

Field Notes

2011-11-03T06:16:00.002-05:00

This is how I spent a good portion of the past five-month internship as a MNAP conservation aide: hiking into natural areas and recording things like plant species, soil conditions, terrain and topography, and any signs of animal use of the habitat. It was an amazing hands-on experience. There's another component to assessing natural areas, though - somehow it all has to be documented in some useful manner. So that's how I spent the rest of my work time - filling out field forms, creating maps with GIS, updating databases, and reviewing photographs. Once home at the end of the day, my backpack got emptied and the plant specimens pressed (most of them anyway), photos downloaded onto the computer, and GPS points transferred from the Garmin.
The internship is over now and I'm searching for the next great job, one that will pay enough to keep up with the school loan payments, purchase some fuel to see the grandkids & kids, buy a plane ticket to Colorado, and contribute to our regular household expenses. Just as important, a job that will challenge and further build my botany skills.
The job search began a month or so ago. Relatively few postitions and limited experience seems to be the biggest obstacles to finding an entry level job as a botanist, naturalist, or ecologist. Hopefully I'll hear back soon about one of the many applications I've submitted. Until then, I have a stack of dried pressed plants and a computer file of photographs on my desk and there are still a lot of trails and natural areas to explore!

Great Waas Island

2011-10-28T19:22:00.002-05:00

It's been a great summer working as a conservation aide - from the St. John River to coastal saltmarshes, from downeast wetlands to the western Maine mountains. The field season has come to a close and the internship over, but there are lots of places I still haven't seen. Great Waas Island was one of those places until last weekend when Richard and I devoted an entire day to getting there including a 3 1/2 hour drive each way and another 3 1/2 hours to walk the 5.5 miles of trails maintained by the Nature Conservancy. The jack pine woodland, views of the heath, boardwalks through wet woodlands, and the rugged ledges along the shore were all the more beautiful under the pure blue sky of a lovely late October day.

Palmetto Bug Stomp

2010-09-02T07:41:00.003-05:00

Not Palmetto bugs, I know, but lovely insects collected from our forest floor nonetheless. I'm taking an Entomology class this fall after much contemplation - not about the schedule or the work load (I've had this professor before and I'm prepared for the demands of field work and report writing). I'm more concerned about my somewhat natural dread of handling insects. Eeew!
This club-antennaed spider, above, is fascinating to look at, especially knowing that I haven't had to touch it once. The pit-traps set about our forest floor in hopes of catching Spotted Salamanders have proven useful for collecting a host of interesting insects instead, like this one. While I don't know the genus/species, I think it's a warrior of some kind evidenced by its lack of one leg.

This one is a carrion beetle - Nicrophorus species- which group and encircle a dead creature on the ground, digging underneath it to eventually bury it. Eggs are laid in the flesh of the dead and larvae soon emerge, so I understand. Pretty sure I don't want to witness that, but the adults are quite strikingly beautiful.

In spite of not loving insects, I have a hard time inflicting pain and death upon them and have thus been less than enthusiastic or successful at serious collecting. The kill-jar technique seems to leave the insects sweaty and the scratching heard as they paw at zip-lock bags creeps me out. Also, it's easy enough to get good photos of crawlers like those above, but fliers are going to be a problem. The reality is, there's this class that requires collecting, identifying, and storing of insects. Somewhere I read about using vials so I looked online and found these, ordered them, and am anxiously awaiting their arrival.

And the Entomology professor sustained an injury to his eardrum while diving and has canceled class for today - a brief reprieve during which I can bolster my confidence and numb my fears of insects so I don't go stomping them to oblivion for the next few months!

Palmetto Bug Stomp is a tune from the Reckless Reel.

The Birches

2010-09-01T06:12:00.003-05:00

White Birch limbs and branches are dropping as the trees grow weary from warm weather. The white color of the bark helps reflect heat much the way light-colored clothing helps us humans manage temperatures while the lenticels, small dark horizontal slits, act to ventilate the inner tree. But there's only so much temperature control possible in a tree, and the White Birches are beginning to show the stress by dropping branches and dying from decay.

White Birch has historically been used for birch bark canoes made by Native Americans, but the white man has depicted the waterproof craft inside out. The tawny inner bark is the part that has a waxy coating that keeps water from seeping through - the loose outer white bark has no such quality and is more easily water-logged which is an important consideration if anyone decides to build such a canoe.

Greener Pastures

2010-08-30T07:24:00.004-05:00

Earlier in the summer I participated in a landscape ecology retreat at Medomak Camps - "Reading the Landscape" led by Antioch College's Tom Wessels who has also authored several books including "Reading the Forested Landscape", "The Granite Landscape", and "The Myth of Progress" which are informational and interesting reads for anyone interested in historical evolution of natural landscapes. As I walked through our woods checking pit traps for Spotted Salamanders, I took time to look around and note physical elements that help interpret changes to our own back yard.

This old stump, one of several on this knoll now covered with a thick copse of Red Maple, decayed from the outside, leaving the inner heartwood standing in the middle which indicates it was probably a coniferous tree and very likely a White Pine since there are so many standing on the property today. Unlike pine, hemlock bark has a lot of tannin which makes it rot resistant so it's inside rots first to leave a hollow tube-like structure.

The forest floor is gently lumpy, if that makes any visual sense in your mind, and there are numerous narrow-width stone walls constructed of large rocks. These two features, combined, possibly indicate pasture usage many years ago. As tracts of land were cleared to host sheep and later cattle, large rocks were hauled to the perimeter and built into stone walls to keep the animals in their enclosure or out of nearby crop-fields. Stone walls around crop fields would be built wider and often, as the field got plowed year after year, the smaller rocks that popped up as the result of freeze-thaw cycles would be gathered and tossed on top of or into the middle of the wide perimeter fence. Our stone walls are single course with no small "crop" stones. Natural forests develop characteristic pillows and cradles where trees topple in the wind or fall from decay to leave mounds of organic matter and depressions where stumps pull out of the soil. Pastured woodlands even out over time as the soil is continually tamped by hooves much like the forest around our house.

It's hard to imagine green pastures where the mature mixed forest covers a thick brown mat of leaf litter and woody debris that along with gentle slopes and loose soil provide hospitable habitat for Spotted Salamanders. Though the salamanders use our forested pools to breed in the spring, none have found their way into the pit traps this summer but I keep checking, every morning, to see what insects or other creatures have dropped by to visit - and I look up and around every now and then to enjoy the natural history that surrounds us and our little house in the woods.

Greener Pastures is a tune from the "Reckless Reel" book of tunes by Larry Unger.

Seasons

2010-08-20T05:52:00.003-05:00

August has merrily rolled itself along until I realize it's past the half-way mark toward September and another school year. As a gentle reminder, I found this maple leaf lying in the middle of our dirt road a week or so ago - letting me know it's time to finish up summer projects and make room on my desk for serious work that lies ahead. I'm sure it's no coincidence nature's warning colors are the same as those chosen by man.

A Healthy Kind Lunch

2010-05-21T13:19:00.005-05:00

I love food - I love eating it for the taste and texture, and for the nourishment - I love cooking it and serving it for the endless flavor and color combinations. I like dressing the table and making a big deal of food. While in Colorado, I watched "Our Daily Bread" and read the beginning of Erin's cookbook about the Kind diet... inspiration to eat healthy and at the same time be kind to animals and to the planet.
Then I got on the plane and ate a micro-waved cheeseburger and iceberg lettuce salad... and got home and snacked on Cheese-Its and ate hamburger... and had the grandkids over and made them french fries (in olive oil, but still...). Today I had a better start - yoghurt, granola, and fruit for breakfast - this lovely salad and homemade pesto pasta for lunch - lots of water. Much healthier and I think I can feel peace and kindness working its way through my soul :)

Summer-time, summer-time, sum-sum-summer-time...

2010-05-21T06:24:00.005-05:00

Official start of my summer vacation ... a trip to Colorado was the perfect segue from spring semester classes and finals to a couple months of open schedule and few responsibilities. Here's a photo of me and Bryan stopping for a break along the river in Wild Basin.

Got the lawn mowed and my desk cleaned off in time for a nice visit from Jen, Avery, and Paige. Here are the kids watching the Wood Frog tadpoles - we're still waiting for them to morph into little frogs.

My SUMMER PLAN is to sketch and take photos, and write about some things. This is a good start!

Celery

2010-02-22T21:50:00.003-05:00

I've heard that if we all start unplugging our cell phone chargers and other similarly low-electrical use devices we could, as a group, make a difference in the world's eco-future. I'm all for energy conservation and reducing my carbon footprint wherever it makes sense, and I like to think I model some strategies that others can use. As far as saving the world by keeping cell phone chargers unplugged, I think it's like trying to gain weight by eating celery.
I used a Kill-A-Watt meter on a bunch of devices and small appliances one weekend - including the cell phone charger, my Sonicare toothbrush charger, and a recharging flashlight charger. None of these things registered any electrical use. I plugged the cell phone charger AND the Sonicare charger into a power strip and put that into the Kill-A-Watt meter and left it on for over 2 hours... still no registered use.
I know that these things use electricity - I mean, they have to be plugged in to operate. But the amount of electricity is so small, changing my behavior in relation to them doesn't seem to be worth the effort. It would be like trying to gain weight by eating celery... lots and lots of celery. I could eat celery every day for weeks and not gain an appreciable amount of weight.
I guess what I'm thinking is, there are bigger fish to fry in the ecological future of the world and trying to get people on board with taking their chargers out of the sockets doesn't seem like it's going to make much of a difference. Some things that can make a pretty big difference with a minimal investment include:
Leave a vehicle parked for a day or two each week by coordinating trips
Hang laundry on a clothesline or use an indoor clothes rack instead of using the dryer
Turn off the coffee maker after it's done brewing and use an insulated carafe
We have a long ways to go in our house to really be more efficient and get our carbon footprint smaller. To be honest, I don't leave the cell phone charger and other things plugged in simply because I don't like all the clutter, not because of the less than zero amount of electricity they use.

Vernal Pool Survey

2010-02-20T13:06:00.002-05:00

Ice Cream Fridae

2009-06-20T07:32:00.003-05:00

I spent the best part of the day on Friday hanging out with Jen, Avery, & Paige. We had talked about going to the beach or doing something special but decided to stay inside (good beach day for ducks, not people). It was a good decision. We read books, played games, and watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (yes, I sang along). I brought Miss Paige a doll stroller that she instantly fell in love with, and Avery & I read a book about Babe Ruth- and both learned a lot about this baseball legend. After lunch, we declared it an ice-cream-party day (I brought lots of fixins) and each assembled the sundae of our choice. It was a wonderful day. If I were a really good gramma I would have taken photos instead of borrowing this one from agape-cafe.net, instead I spent all my time soaking in smiles, words, Avery-isms, and Paige-xpressions. I'll try to do better on the photos next time!

The Newest Addition...

2009-06-15T04:45:00.002-05:00

Meet one of the newest additions to the Green gardens - one of 70 or so Latham raspberry plants donated by my mom & dad. We spent a good part of a recent weekend pulling rocks and stumps, tilling the soil to reveal more rocks and roots to pull, and tilling again with the little Mantis to find yet more rocks and roots. The result is a nice plot for a berry garden.
My dad had postponed tilling the path between his raspberries until we got over there to pull up the new shoots (thank you dad). Saturday morning we dug enough to fill a large bucket, and spent the afternoon setting them into the soil (pulling, yes, more rocks and roots). We'll be adding posts and wire supports next.
Thankfully, we are receiving a good amount of rain that is soaking into the soil. It looks like all the plants have recovered from the shock of moving... just a few wilty leaves on a few plants. So, we have two double rows of plants which will have posts and wire supports set soon. And there is still room in the new garden - we'll try transplanting a few wild blackberries, wild blueberries, and wild strawberries, attempting to cultivate them somewhat. These will quite likely never produce giant fruit like the nursery grown varieties, but they will hopefully produce some very delicious berries that have a wilder sweetness.

Japanese Beetles

2009-06-13T13:32:00.003-05:00

'Tis the season for Japanese beetles. I'd been planning on picking up a fresh bag and new bait for the trap, but haven't made the trip to the store yet. Earlier in the week I picked some irises, lilies, and yarrow from the garden for a table bouquet, after carefully checking for beetles and finding none. This morning, as I walked by the garden, I realized they were here. I'm not sure if I could smell the beetles, or if it was the sweet smell of the irises, but my senses were alerted. It didn't take more than a glance to see the invaders. I'd even made some pepper water last night, thinking I'd probably need it soon- good timing! I sprayed the flowers, and started picking off the infested blooms until I realized there were SO MANY. What to do?

I came inside, poured another cup of coffee, and got online. I read nothing about red pepper water (my own concoction that I've used with success in the vegetable garden) but I did find out that soap water can be an effective deterrent. I also found out that the traps are controversial. They do trap the beetles, but the pheromones actually attract beetles to the area so you might get more than just the resident beetles. I also read that the beetles are pretty much around all the time at different stages of their life cycle.

The adults come out early to mid-June around here and have particular preferences of flowers and plants. Females will leave the blooms and make their way down to the soil where they lay their eggs before returning to the blossoms and leaves where they munch away, skeletonizing the leaves, leaving only the veins. They repeat this through the summer and sometimes lay as many as 60 eggs or so. When the eggs hatch, they go through several instars (cycles), including a little white grub worm stage. These become more evident late summer and you can dig up small patches of sod to see if they're there. They stay in the soil all year, sometimes taking two years to complete their full life cycle depending on the climate conditions.

So, my garden has been soaped because I decided against getting the traps set up. There is a bacteria that is effective, but it is costly and takes 3-5 years to completely manage the Japanese beetle population- you never really get rid of them, only manage them. Their northern range runs through central Maine, so right now they aren't as bad as they are in other areas. A close inspection of my mom's irises this morning revealed none and she's just 5 miles from us. Diligent attention to the garden might keep them under some level of control this year, we hope.

In other news, we put in over 70 raspberry plants in the new berry garden! It's nice to have some time to spend around the yard this summer.

Bridgton Community Contradance

2009-06-01T16:53:00.003-05:00

Saturday night we had the opportunity to call at the Bridgton Community Contradance. It was our first time down that way, mainly because we thought it would be a really long drive. Turns out not to be that far away, relatively speaking... just over an hour. This dance is new - but the organization and energy poured into it can be seen and felt as soon as you walk in. A lot of super nice touches like stringing mini-lights around the hall, tables with tablecloths and fresh flowers and candles, free popcorn and refreshments, and a low admission price all work together to make this THE place to be if you're anywhere around the Bridgton area on 5th Saturdays. Tunes by Perpetual e-Motion keep the dancers on the floor until the very end of the evening. We felt fortunate to have been invited to call, and look forward to going back again- to call or to dance!

Sweet Smell of Early Summer...

2009-05-26T21:40:00.003-05:00

The lilacs are in full bloom right now... too overpowering for me in closed spaces, but wonderfully sweet in the great outdoors. I love smelling them as I walk up to the house. I know Richard loves them, so I do too. My grandmother had a big stand of lilacs on the lawn she shared with her neighbor who happened to be my friend Robin's grandmother. That's how Robin and I met years and years ago, hanging out under the lilacs. One of my favorite color combinations is deep green and purple... coincidence or connection?

Workin' the Soil

2009-05-17T06:30:00.002-05:00

It has been wonderful having a few days of rest and relaxation, and the time, space, and energy for "special projects". With the spring semester officially completed, and the May term class starting on Monday, we managed to use the five day interim effectively... rototilled and prepped the garden plot (and expanded it from last year), picnic on the beach, cleared off my desk, baked some bread (thank you Kathie), put up a couple of clotheslines and got ALL our laundry dried in the sunshine... and managed a couple of short afternoon naps and some walks through the woods.
The garden is looking really beautiful. We have just one more corner to plant with beans, and the peas and sunflowers on the north side of the plot. We built up a raised bed for the carrots to encourage them lengthwise, and hilled up the rows a bit for the other seeds so the walking trough is a little lower and more packed (hoping to deter weeds, I know it's a losing battle, but we'll see if this helps). The greenhouse starts got started late (thanks to a rigorous study schedule that distracted me from remembering to get out there), so we'll probably purchase a few starts from the local greenhouse... I'm hoping my late seedlings might produce a later crop if the season is long enough (and mild enough toward the end). I'm happy to have worked my summer schedule out so I can be home and tend to these things... add to that a couple of short term courses and an independent study, and this looks to be a super summer!

Caught in the Act...

2009-05-15T21:15:00.002-05:00

Today was so nice and warm, we decided to make some sandwiches and head to Popham for a stroll along the beach... of course, it's always colder at the coast than inland and even though we brought sweatshirts, we decided to forego the walk until we'd at least eaten our supper. As we sat on the bench between the old fort and Spinneys, we noticed activity in the harbor... lots of activity. Seals, seals, and more seals were chasing, diving, slapping the water as they flipped around in what appeared to be either a lot of play or some courtship behavior. Judging from the many pairs forming, we think the latter. Amazing to witness it at all, but in such numbers! I don't know much about seals, but it looked like they all chose this harbor on this afternoon to choose a mate (one or more, I'm not sure).

Happy Birthday Mom

2009-05-15T05:59:00.001-05:00

If you see my mom today, wish her a Happy Birthday :)

Another chapter...

2009-05-13T20:47:00.003-05:00

Goldthread
This semester officially ended today as I took my final final :) A nice long weekend before starting the next class... we have quite a list of things to keep us busy! We started by having a "date night"... dinner at the Chuck Wagon and a movie- the new Star Trek film - which we both LOVED... highly recommend it. Richard got a jump on the chores list by getting a load of manure for the garden, and tilling it all in. He enlarged the plot so we can get a bit more growing space. He also installed two nice pulley clothes lines which we have already put into use... very nice!

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-11T03:48:00.002-05:00

There's nothing like being a mom... it's one role that has no boundaries. There are a lot of things I'd try to be better at if I had the chance, but as I look at my now grown children, I'm not sure I'd really change anything. We're lucky- we've managed to maintain pretty close relationships through the years and be part of each other's lives even when the distance prevents regular face-to-face contact.
Watching my daughter join the ranks in motherhood has been a joy beyond measure and adds a wonderful dimension of understanding to our relationship. While my past parenting blunders will likely NOT be repeated by her, I feel like she maybe understands some of the incredible pressures and emotional choices that get made 'in the moment'.
My mom has been my baseline guide for how to be a good mother... we don't always agree 100%, and I don't always do what might be the 'right' thing, but there's still that lifelong influence underlying that has been developed through generations of women before us. My mother-in-law's ways or mothering are very similar to those I grew up with and I think that has helped us establish a good relationship.
So, for all the moms, alter-moms, young moms, old moms... happy mother's day.

Barefoot... or not

2009-05-10T05:28:00.002-05:00

I woke up thinking about my carbon/ecological footprint- different models have different criteria and measure things a little diffeently. Regardless of which web site or calculation method we use, the results are similar... we all use a lot of natural resources to maintain our American lifestyle. This could be a long post, but I'm gonna keep it short, sweet, and simple.
Carbon shoes cost a lot of money... reducing your carbon footprint, even a little bit, will reduce strain on your budget. Buy less. Buy local. Turn off the lights. Walk around the block. Sit down and have a conversation with someone. Think about what kind of shoes you want to wear, and then put them on.

Flutter By

2009-05-09T15:45:00.002-05:00

I got to attend a workshop and training session for the Maine Butterfly Survey today, held at Colby College. By the end of the day, we were each given a net and collection packet... now to figure out how to perfect my swing... maybe A can give me some pointers based on t-ball :)

Living my true life...

2009-05-08T08:45:00.005-05:00

I heard some awesome words on the Writer's Almanac this morning as I was driving in for lecture... "Find your place on the planet. Dig in, and take responsibility from there." These are words of Gary Snyder, and they really rang true for me. So, I thought I'd share them with all of you.

T-ball Season

2009-05-07T17:43:00.002-05:00

It's T-ball season! Avery and his friends are learning how to play the game one step at a time. It was ridiculous how cute and funny they all were... the little girl with the pink glove, the little boy who ran to third every time he hit the ball (had to get re-directed), and the pile of kids jumping on the ball after it got hit... none of them thinking to throw it anywhere, just happy to stand up proudly from the midst of the pile with the ball held high above. I was thorougly entertained as they skipped, twirled and hopped their way from base to base and how they really listened to their coach when he asked them to do something. Miss Paige was not completely left out of the excitement, though we did manage to keep her off the playing field durig the 'game'. All in all, I was really happy I could get up there on a weekday afternoon (and happy that the rain held off so they could play).

Me n' my dad...

2009-05-04T15:19:00.004-05:00

My mom took this photo of my dad and me on Friday afternoon. I'd stopped in on my way through after class, and dad had a plant for me to identify - turned out to be a woody invasive, Euonymus alatus. I was pretty happy to have made an instant and positive ID.

You can see from the photo that their garden plot is looking really good, much further along than ours so far! Another week until finals are over and I can really focus on getting the early seeds in (after Richard tills the soil of course). When I was a kid, my sisters and I were in 4-H and one of my favorite projects was Trees... my dad and I spent a lot of time walking around looking at tree bark and leaves. Who knew how much that would influence me so many years later!

Oak

2009-05-04T06:45:00.003-05:00

We have a lot of oak trees on our property, mostly Northern Red Oak which until this winter I would have assumed to be ALL of our oaks. Closer inspection of the leaves, acorns and acorn caps, and buds leads me to think we probably have another species, or some hybridization of the red with something else. There are seven different species of oak known in Maine, and of those there are a few possibilities based on leaf shape, acorn details, and habitat. One of the possibilities is Scarlet Oak, but it has not been documented in our county (although it has been seen in neighboring Androscoggin County). One of the things I'm thinking about for the summer is a focused observational study of our oaks, to find out if indeed we have more than one species and to explore the hybridization process in oak trees. Jen was down yesterday with Avery & Paige, and managed to get a couple of soft whistles from blowing across acorn caps -- I'll work on that skill as well :)

Winter Fields and Forests

2009-05-01T05:02:00.003-05:00

UMF hosts Symposium Day every years, it's an opportunity for students to present their creative and scholarly work, or research projects they've conducted over the academic year. I started a comprehensive study of our property, using what I learn through course work - it's a nice way to gain practical experience from lectures and reading. I began with a winter botanical study and survey of the plants on our property as well as the surrounding area. It's been an amazing winter, and it was a joy to put the presentation together and share it publicly. It was received better than I could ever have imagined - fellow students and faculty have offered very positive feedback, and several have said they're inspired to go out with a hand lens and see what they can find themselves... exactly what I'd hoped for. I thought I'd share a few sketches from teh preseentation.

Acer rubrum- Red Maple

Acer saccharum- Sugar Maple

I'm hoping, over the course of the summer, to put the sketches and the story online. Not right away though, I still have finals and an end-of-semester project to put together. Gotta go...

Where have I been?

2009-02-21T05:28:00.002-05:00

FaceBook has proven itself an easier and faster way to stay in touch with folks. Not as much detail in the short posts and comments, it sort of reflects the "off I go with a coffee in my hand to the next thing on my list to do" kind of lifestyle we all engage in from time to time, some for longer periods than others. I didn't realize all of this until I went to my blog to access other blogs, and found nothing but a blank section where pictures and posts would be. I finally realized its because I didn't post anything this month and all the other posts got archived! I still like the blog format, even though I don't get many posts. I still like the idea of putting some photos and stories up for those family members far away, it's one way to keep in touch. So, I apologize to those of you who keep looking and find nothing new... and will make a good attempt to add something a little more often :)

June Apple

2009-01-19T08:15:00.003-05:00

Definitely does not look like June in these-here-parts-of-the-world. Our little apple tree is a sorry sight no matter what the season, in need of a good trimming and somehow getting rid of the caterpillar nests. The deer do love to eat the leftovers though, just one of the treats they manage to find this time of year. Every trail we've made either follows a deer path or crosses one. I wondered if our presence would affect their activities, but direct observation tells me "no"... there are some times when the deer actually use our trail after we've tromped it down. Nice to know we are participants in our forest and not mere observers!

June Apple is an old-time reel that is in the Fiddler's Fakebook.

Ralph Page

2009-01-17T08:21:00.002-05:00

The annual Ralph Page Legacy Weekend takes place this weekend in Durham NH. Richard and I drove down yesterday afternoon, arriving in time to share a potluck supper with organizers, callers, and musicians before participating in a multi-caller evening that highlighted new Maine callers. Awesome music was provided by The Montville Project, a Maine band that has cut two CDs packed full of good old-fashioned New England chestnut tunes. The crowd was packed, the dancers courteous and conscientious, and the program diverse. Here in Maine, the norm is to have an evening full of contras with two waltzes and perhaps a circle mixer. When I started dancing around 1994, it was common to also have a couple of squares and maybe a triplet included in the program, but nowadays the MUC (modern urban contradancer) doesn't tolerate as much diversity so callers tend to call just contras. It was SO MUCH FUN to do some other formations, and that, apparently, is what Ralph Page is all about. Elements of style, timing, and consideration for fellow dancers are seriously observed in a very social, warm setting. I came home after the dance to feed the wood stove... Richard is staying with friends and attending the rest of the dance weekend, returning tomorrow afternoon.

-20...

2009-01-16T07:20:00.000-05:00

... that's twenty degrees BELOW zero this morning... gotta go feed the fire...

Deep Freeze...

2009-01-15T20:30:00.002-05:00

It is c.o.l.d. here in Maine! The outside temperature right now (8:30 pm) is -7.3'F... inside it's a cozy 70'F in some areas. We hung blankets over some of the windows this evening, will hang some more tomorrow in an effort to maintain a comfortable temperature. No hiking outdoors today. Instead, we went to the Registry of Deeds and researched our property, and then went to the Maine State Library before coming home and having dinner. Remember the soup idea? Well, tonight we had an Italian Fish Soup made from frozen stock, to which we added fish, some shredded zucchini, and spices... served up with a fresh spinach salad and bread. Delicious. Hope you're all keeping warm!

In the Pines

2009-01-14T07:31:00.002-05:00

Cones fascinate me for some reason, all sorts of cones. This pine cone is representative of thousands that covered our driveway and areas of the forest floor this year as the result of masting- a year of heavy seed production. There are several theories on why this happens, and different species mast in particular cycles and patterns. For the pines, it happens every five years or so as a means of outsmarting seed predators like squirrels or insects. On a non-mast year, a certain number of cones are produced and many of them are part of the food chain, but in a mast year, there are many more cones produced- more than can be eaten by even the hungriest of creatures- thereby increasing the chance that at least some of the pines will take root into seedlings. Pines need a few other criteria met before they're able to get a solid start, but certainly getting past the initial forage is critical.
As I think back to the fall, I remember talking about the excessive number of acorns littering the lower yard. I don't know if it was a mast year for oak, or whether we were just tired of trying to rake the little nuts among the leaves. Many years ago when I lived in Fayette, I remember raking one year and encountering the same thing, piles of acorns underneath the dry leaves. The acrorns need more research!
"In the Pines" is a tune from a book called Twin Fiddling that occupies some space on our music shelf.

Fallen Leaves

2009-01-08T17:30:00.002-05:00

Bird tracks under the car...

... and a leaf that fell from a tree overnight, standing in the fresh snow in the woods. Photos taken on the macro setting at close range.

Kitchen Stomp

2009-01-08T07:35:00.002-05:00

I'm sure many of you are wondering what wonderous soups and dishes have been coming forth from my kitchen these days. We made a big trip to the grocery store last week and stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies as well as some necessary staples for the cupboards, and started out with the aforementioned soup stocks.... lots of stock. So much that I put a lot of it in the freezer in square sandwich containers - just the right amount to make soup for two sometime in the future. Keeping some of the tomato base stock and the chicken base stock in the refrigerator has worked out great... just take two cups of stock and add meat, seasonings, and whatever else is needed to make a specialty soup for two.
We've had hearty chicken and dumplings, Mexican chili soup, and chicken egg noodle soup. Some other dishes this week have been Thai rice noodles with ginger sauce, vegetables & shrimp/ sweet & sour meatloaf/ chicken & veggie quesadillas/ and California chicken sandwiches. It's been really great to have time to reign over the kitchen, and I think Richard has liked both the time off from KP duty and the variety of dishes on the table.
One thing that has added variety to our meals is fresh sprouts that we started last week. The trick to good sprouts is frequent rinsings, at least twice each day. They're crunchy and tasty, and easy to add to a sandwich, salad, or even to stir fry and soups.
Kitchen Stomp is a duple improper contradance written by Becky Hill.

Stir the Soup

2009-01-03T09:25:00.004-05:00

I'm cooking two soup bases this morning, lots of hearty vegetables in a light chicken stock, and in a thick tomato base. We'll use these throughout the week, adding some different ingredients each day. Soup is great this time of year, warms the insides when it's cold outdoors. Having the base pre-made makes it easy and quick to whip up something special, delicious, and healthy. In the past I've made a pot of soup that we have to eat for days on end, finally getting really tired of it. I don't know how we'll like having soup every day this week, but I'm pretty sure we'll like it better when it's dressed up differently each day!
I got the idea from the Good Housekeeping web site. I'm not sure we'll do the whole diet thing, but honestly, it'll be good to lose a few pounds and if this helps, well I"m all for it. As beneficial as that would be, I was really more interested in the aspect of eating healthier in general and this looked like a good way to do that. After a month or so of sweets and treats, it was fun to shop in the produce aisle! Having a couple more weeks until classes start up again also helps... it takes time to chop, chop, chop all those veggies!
This all goes along with my GOAL (not resolution) to be more aware of my health, to eat better and get more exercise on a regular basis, try to minimize stress and be more present in the things that are going on around me. It's a good start to this new year!
Stir the Soup is a really great tune written by Larry Unger... yeah, another goal is to play a few tunes every day, and this is one of my recent favorites.

Wind that Shakes the Barley

2009-01-01T08:01:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!
We welcomed 2009 in the company of contradancers, musicians, and friends at the annual Wescustogo New Year's contradance in North Yarmouth. What a great way to start the year. The topic of resolutions has popped up over the past couple of days, and I have a few... but I'm calling them goals in an effort to take some of the pressure off. The difference? Goal carries a lot of weight and direction without the penalty of failure. Probably mostly semantics. Still, having goals feels more realistic than promising to change my life starting today. The biggest goal, one that touches on a lot of others, is to be more engaged with the outdoors, specifically with the acres around our house.
This morning is clear and W.I.N.D.Y. The thermometer reads -2.7 (that's right, negative 2.7) and I'm sure it's even colder with the wind chill. It's cozy in the house, a balmy 56, though it feels warmer as you get closer to the wood stove. Maybe it'll warm up a little later. Maybe I'll have to wear 4 sweaters, but my goal is to get out there and see what's happening.

Second Nature

2008-12-31T12:30:00.004-05:00

I'm almost finished with this book by Michael Pollan, and I'm inspired to try my hand at gardening again. Last year, I opted for a small corner of the perennial bed, growing basil and tomatoes successfully. It was enough, especially since I ended up spending most of the summer working on Marshall Island with the MCC. This year I hope to stay closer to home and to stay closer to what's going on directly around me. Not really a New Year's Resolution, more of a goal to work toward. I've been washing the house plants, and germinated some sprouts. It's a good start!

Birds

2008-12-28T16:35:00.002-05:00

I took this photo a few weeks ago. I've been trying to sketch it and paint but I actually like the photo better than anything I've come up with. I'll keep working at it.
I made some bird suet and some bird cakes... some for gifts and some for the birds here. I think the blue jays are taking the cakes. Although I haven't actually witnessed this, I have seen blue jays circling the top of the post where I put the cakes each day, and then the cakes are gone. That's how I figured it out.
I put the suet in an orange mesh onion sack and hung it on the post. It has been attracting what appears to be a female hairy woodpecker. She's come two days in a row now.

Cutie Pies

2008-12-26T17:00:00.001-05:00

Taken yesterday at Jen & Jason's... thought a bunch of you out there would enjoy :)

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T07:45:00.002-05:00

Awesome Snowblower & Awesome Snowblower Guy

2008-12-22T17:16:00.002-05:00

Da Slockit Light

2008-12-22T07:52:00.004-05:00

It's been crazy busy -- like it is with everyone these days -- and we (well, Richard actually) finally got our holiday lights down from the closet. We don't have a tree up, and I'm guessing we probably won't at this point but you never know...
So, we have string after string of lights -- strands of red, blue, green, multicolored, little lights, big lights, icicle lights -- and not one of them (except for two unopened boxes bought on sale last year) had all the lights work. Harumph. A few strands wouldn't work at all. Some of them had half the lights lit. Richard multi-tasked by watching the football games and trying to figure out which bulbs were burned out, and which strands had defective fuses. He managed to get a few strands operational and strung them up over the bushes and shrubs in front of the house... absolutely beautiful in last night's storm... like melted candy. While he was busy doing that, I got candle lights in the windows and tidied up the house a bit... nice to just be hanging out.
Then, while the snow was accumulating outside, we watched I-Robot.
Today we're going outside to clear the snow.
Da Slockit Light is a Shetland tune about how people move away from the country to seek their fortunes in the cities... one by one the country houses are deserted, one less light in the night.

Cold Frosty Morning

2008-12-18T07:08:00.003-05:00

http://currierandives.net/AmericanHomesteadWinter/
This morning when I leisurely awoke and looked out the window to see what sort of weather the day might hold, I thought of the old Currier & Ives prints that were prominent in my childhood, I think because they were on various tins around the holidays. I think it was the early morning light that filtered through the blackish-greens and the steel-gray-blues, all covered with white from new fallen snow.
As I look out on this winter wonderland from the living room windows, the lines and features are more prominent as daylight climbs over the trees. While times have changed, and we don't have the old farmhouse and horse drawn sleigh, we do have the beauty of living down a snow covered lane lined with tall old trees that lead to our little clearing in the woods. A nice blend of old and new that gives a sense of timelessness that matches my mood today as I write about things that come to mind.

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-17T09:58:00.002-05:00

It's beautiful outside today!
It's treacherous outside today!

Winter in Maine- I love it :) Travelling this morning was horrible, but I made the drive to Farmington for my final final... arriving LATE but making it safe and sound. Over an hour to make the usual 35 minute trip. I'll be glad to get home and start thinking seriously about the big holiday that is happening next week... yeah, CHRISTMAS, that's right! Time to climb up into the "attic" and decide what to take out for this season, hang lights outside tomorrow, bake and cook some yummy stuff, get B&E's package mailed (tomorrow) and start/finish some projects that, at this moment, exist only in my head, haha.

Got to swim with Avery, Paige and Jen yesterday morning, how fun! Then, a migraine caught me by surprise and had me down for the count all afternoon and evening... what's up with that?

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

2008-12-15T13:33:00.002-05:00

That lone bird at the end of the list is getting closer each day! One more final exam on Wednesday, and 2 essays to hand in and I'll be finished for this semester!
I was listening to MPR on my way home today, and hearing about how devastating the most recent ice storm was to folks in southern Maine. We were lucky here; although the lights flickered, we did not lose our power. We do have a thick layer of crusted snow from here all the way to the end of the road. Someone (in a very, very big truck) has driven down Pine Needle Alley and left deep ruts in their wake. The tire tracks are wider than either our little truck or car, and they're deep enough that we haven't attempted getting the car out yet. We're parking the truck out at the end for now to avoid slipping in and out of the grooves and potentially getting stuck between here and there... just thought we'd let you know in case you were thinkin' about driving in here!

Do the math...

2008-12-05T06:44:00.008-05:00

... the countdown...
1 Unit Test + 15 lectures + 1 research paper + 2 final essays + 2 quizzes + 3 final exams = 16 credits earned...
... make that 13 lectures + 1 research paper + 2 final essays + 1 quiz + 3 final exams... not that I'm counting...
... okay, I'm definitely taking some study time to update this post, but hey, it's a good mental break from the books!
... 11 more lectures, 0 quizzes, 2 final essays, 1 research paper and 3 final exam ... is there a partridge in a pear tree somewhere?
... yet another update- 8 lectures, 0 quizzes, 1 research paper, 3 final exams... I'm getting there!

Black Friday

2008-11-28T11:40:00.002-05:00

Today is the big shopping day for those who consider shopping to be a BIG ADVENTURE! In spite of being invited on a couple of those outings, I've declined :) To those who were out in the wee hours of the morning, was it worth it? Any great deals? Stories?

These are a few of our favorite things....

2008-11-27T06:38:00.003-05:00

Earlier this week, I emailed my mom and my sisters with a list of some favorite memories for which I am thankful. Throughout the week, they have added their own favorites. Here are the highlights of our lists... for these things, and for each other, we are truly blessed and thankful.

top of the list is... each other
the squirrel tree
playing in the little woods
riding our bicycles through Blackwoods campground
sewing fabulous Barbie rain gear out of old shower curtain liners
getting lost in St. John
riding the ferry over to PEI like it was another world
dad singing "Good morning to you" at the breakfast table on weekends
having to suppress hiccups at the dinner table
going to Ethel Davis' for junior choir practice
selling rocks to Mary Moulton
riding our bicycles to the store for penny candy
playing pick with the new Sears catalogue
being in "big trouble" for something
jumping off the shed roof into the snow
having to do the library summer reading program (argh)
the summer we lived in a tent at Canton Lake
riding bicycles to Farmington on a Saturday so we could eat at McDonald's
sitting in a circle, fixing each other's hair
taking turns giving each other backrubs
making Lego houses
making lawnchair tent houses in the back yard (Slumville per dad)
cucumber sandwiches in the summer
riding bikes 'round and 'round that little driveway
getting dressed up fancy for church on Easter and Christmas
playing Ice Cream shop with our bicycles turned upside down
blind folding each other to guess what was put in our mouths
making stick houses behind the chicken house
walking our sheep up and down the road
digging worms for Uncle Johnny
cooking mud pies in the chimney clean-out
jumping off the back porch trying to break a leg (we thought it would be fun to use crutches)
having to look up 'bad' words in the dictionary at the dinner table
eating mounds of corn-on-the-cob for dinner
going hunting with daddy and making too much noise
having 2 wonderful parents who cared and nourished all of us into the awesome people we are today!
Barbie doll houses made with chairs from tuna cans
tracing the outlines of houses in the dirt and playing house
trying to build rafts to float ourselves in the little culvert pond
ice skating around all of the grasses in the little pond above the house
running all the way to Grammie and Grampa's house to watch the color tv
playing hid and seek in Grammie's lilac bushes
watching Pammiedisect a bird for her science project
feeling special to get a purple "banana seat," a cool pogo stick and a gerbil
overnights in the camper with the flashlight, putting hands on top to make scary shadows
watching stars fall from outside of our lawn chair houses
eating the special small boxed cereal the next morning, in our lawn chair houses
Popham Beach- the best
having so much love from daddy that he let us put barettes in his hair
seeing mom's eyes sparkle when she watched the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon to watch "Yaz"
night skiing at Spruce Mt.
listening to Pam sing "I've Got a Brand New Pair of Roller Skates"
playing with the organ after Sunday School
"trying" to play mom's auto harp
church fairs... church suppers with baked beans and jello salad
opening the chest of hand-me-downs... that was exciting each year
the twin beds with the white puffy headboards... they felt like princess beds :)
crawling out the upstairs bedroom window, and sitting atop the roof
driving our kitties down the sand hill... ooops...
watching Deb leave for college in her VW
being proud of Kathy at ski events, beating one of the Mitchell girls
knowing that the striped pants, made by mom, were the coolest thing ever in 4th grade
waiting for the last little snowcap to melt in the Spring time- then school was almost done for the year
jumping over the "pucker brushes" in the Cumming's pasture
playing "spy" with Joline through the Cumming's corn rows
trying to out race the Cummings' crazy dog after getting off the school bus
playing basketball in the driveway with mom
the day Mom bought us all a chess set at the greem stamp store in Lewiston
piano lessons... some of us did better than others
Wendy and Joline swimming at the Hammond's pool
listening to the little white hand transistor radio
picking wild strawberries on the little road for our cereal the next morning
watching mom and dad make us homemade ice cream
having Dad shovel horse poo for me, even though he knew it was our chore
weeding the garden
shoveling dirt for .25 a bucket
playing "other girls"
laying on the cupboard on Sunday night so mom could wash our hair in the kitchen sink
water skiing in the summer with David, Randy, Kathy, Jo, Wendy
mom and dad going to ALL our sports to watch us
daddy's spaghetti sauce
4-H fairs
"blink, blink, blink" for a Dairy Queen stop after Popham Beach
playing at the frog pond
playing in the "shed" building at the top of the hill behind the house
getting the so-much-wanted train set for Christmas
Grammie Davis' spaghetti sauce (dad's was delicious but Grammie's was the BOMB)
going to Augusta to McDonald's after church
talking on Grampa's CB radio (Little Peach was Joline's name)
making white milk vases with Doris Wight
getting ice hockey sticks before Christmas so we could play hockey on the pond at Potters
making sail boats to flow through the culvert
playing Cowboys and Indians
shucking peas on the front door step
watching Captain Kangaroo before going to school
watching Romper Room waiting for our names to be called (did anyone get their name called?)
selling our sheep at the fair
the crazy days at the Norland's fair carding wool and spinning
cooking potatoes on top of grammie and grampa's stove
marveling over grampa's rock collection
watching grampa feed chipmunks out of his hand
ice skating on Brettuns Pond
singing duets with Pam- Jeremiah was a Bullfrog and New Pair of Roller Skates
going horn pout fishing at night with daddy
riding bikes to grammie and gramp's or up to the corner and thinking some people are not as lucky as us
thinking Grange was the coolest thing to be involved in
Yum va
the trip to DC- "Pay before you pump"
Batman "Polly-Wolly"
paper doll families
Wishniks
eating the "skin" off the top of homemade chocolate pudding
getting chicken pox just about the time our new sister Joline came home
eating Thanksgiving dinner on tv trays at Grammie Randall's while the adults all ate at the table in the kitchen
mongloid hair cuts
sewing our own clothes in high school
home perms
putting Bugles on our fingers
camping with the Wights
roller skating on Saturday mornings
the porch of the little house in the summer
graduations and commencement exercises
mom's favorite birthday cake, chocolate with peanut butter frosting
mom and dad waltzing in the kitchen of the little house to Unchained Melody
pink fishnet stockings held up with a garter belt
finding out that Mrs. Poland, Miss Lufkin, and Miss Boyce all had mom and dad for students
Macy's parades
playing Hi-Q at grammie randall's
Grammie Randall and the aunts speaking French in the kitchen as they cooked
the big old Atlantic cook stove
looking at Grampa Randall's rock collection
the silver tree at Grammie Davis' that changed color as the wheel turned
the santa on skis at Grammie Davis' house
driving to Wyoming with dad to bring Kathie, Ryan, and Kevin back to Maine
looking at the raspberry crosses in the garden
helping each other pick up the pieces of our lives as we'd start over again
Wendy's quilt-in-a-day
crabbing in Maryland with smelly chicken on a strong
rationing meat from the one little crab so everyone could have a taste
hangovers (glad those days are over)
driving down the VA Beach boardwalk listening to Christmas music
having Tasha and Tyler spend a little bit of time living with Pam when they were little
Pam, Kathie, and Riff sharing a house and a life
winter sports with Kathie & David, waiting for the cabana boy to arrive
everyone writing their names on Pam's Fayette house's typar
getting Mousetrap and Operation from Nana and Johnny & Bea
the Browns (Laurette, Corbette, Matthew, Lisette, Nicolette)
the little church
dogs, cats, bunnies, chickens, cows, pigs (Rosie & Posie), ducks...
listening to tapes made of Grampa Randall
Deb's whoopie pies
seeing who could make it from ME to DC in the shortest amount of time
hiding Kathie under maps so dad wouldn't see her
the weird man on Virginia Beach who kept burying himself in the sand
bonfires at Deb & Arnie's
skating in West Farmington
picking fiddleheads on the Sandy River
hiking up Monument Hill
getting Useless in Eustis
seeing mom and dad settle back into the East Livermore area
pictures of mom, Uncle Bill, and Uncle Tom hanging on the wall in the living room
our long formica topped table in our kitchen
knowing that our linoleum matched Grammie Randall's
knowing we'd be getting our Christmas tree soon
having five whole days off from school for Thanksgiving
favorite Thanksgiving foods
gravy, gravy, gravy... moist turkey (with gravy)... mashed potatoes (with gravy)... squash (no gravy)... peas, onions, fruit salad, boiled onions saturated with butter & cream... Grammie Randall's yeast rolls (dipped in gravy)... pie, pie, pie

Another Nice Combination

2008-11-12T17:05:00.003-05:00

The name of a dance, rather than a fiddle tune, comes to mind when I see this photograph taken recently on a walk in our neighborhood. We started out on a simple walk down the road, and ended up exploring some camp roads- one of which brought us to the back side of Pickerel Pond and this lovely scene. All the deciduous leaves are now on the ground, leaving only the evergreens. Judging from the lack of bright foliage, there is probably not much change from this view from a couple of weeks ago. This photo seems to have a nice combination of earth, sky and water elements- a nice balance.

Thought I'd share a piece of our world with you!

Happy Birthday Richard

2008-11-11T16:02:00.002-05:00

To my best friend, my partner, my love... happy birthday :)

Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss

2008-11-08T06:24:00.002-05:00

Seems like flying around is what we all do these days- life is so busy! Generally speaking, most of us fill our days with worthwhile activities, and that makes it difficult to decide what to NOT do- so we end up trying to do it all. Sometimes we manage to drop something that we think we can live without for a little while in an effort to manage our time better, and to put more quality attention into the "A" list. This tactic has worked pretty well for me; I've put a few activities on the back burner, and a few more have just gotten stored away indefinitely. Playing the fiddle, while an "A" interest, has assumed a "B" list role simply for lack of available time for regular practice. The best I can manage is to play it for a few minutes now and then.
Last night Kathie and I played tunes at a barn dance that Richard called. I'd been apprehensive about it, managed a little bit of practice but not as much as I would have liked (studying for tests this week won my time and attention) but all those hours of practice in the past paid off! We played from our list of "standard" tunes- the ones we know without music- and we had so much fun! I mean, all of us had so much fun! The parents and children who were dancing, Richard who was calling, and Kathie and I. It was one of those evenings that flew by and before we knew it, we were done.
It's nice to know that this piece of my life- music and contradance- has become so ingrained that it still threads through the rest of my activities. Listening to contra tunes while I practice calling during my commute keeps the music in my head and the beat in my heart, enough so that when I pick up my fiddle, that energy can revive my fingers and the music can flow through the strings and the bow.
In the back of my mind, I've thought it would be possible to call and play at dances on weekend evenings while packing my week days full of work and classes, my week evenings with studying and time with Richard, and weekends filling in with chores, visiting the kids & grandkids, and more studying. Possible to do it all, but not sure I could really pull it off. Some weeks I'm not sure I've managed well, but last night was an indicator that it is possible!

Virtual Cake!

2008-11-01T06:40:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Dad!

Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting- my mom's favorite cake? Hmmmm. Here's the rest of the story (including the beginning)
Years ago, when planning for my mom's birthday, I consulted dad as to what kind of cake should be made. More specifically, what was Mom's favorite cake? Dad quickly answered, "chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting." I wasn't aware of this being her favorite, but of course, I didn't really know what she liked best, hence my asking of the question in the first place. So, chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting it was.
When the cake was brought out, mom was happy enough with it, but without the ecstatic shrieks of glee I had anticipated. I prompted, "Hey, it's your favorite kind of cake!" so she'd know that I really wanted to give her something special. Her reply, "Well, that's your DAD'S favorite kind of cake!" brought a smirk of joy and amusement to dad's face! Aha! I'd been tricked!
Anyway, whether or not I actually get to bake a chocolate cake and cover it with peanut butter frosting today, I want to wish my dad (the BEST DAD IN THE WHOLE WORLD) a very special, happy birthday! I love you!

SNOW!

2008-10-29T17:32:00.000-05:00

I thought I saw snow on my way home from Farmington , but decided I was mistaken- too early in the season, too warm....
A little later, once at home, we glanced outside to see a few small flakes drifting around the yard- obviously not all that warm and not all that early in the season.

"Being There"

2008-10-28T05:43:00.004-05:00

Monday Night is Movie Night

Richard signed up for NetFlix- a pretty good deal, really. While we may still travel to Waterville to see films at RR2, we like the flexibility of choosing the viewing time, and we REALLY like staying home and conserving fuel. The selection makes it pretty easy to find something we both want to see, rather than choosing from the four that are currently shown in a theater. That being said, RR2 has some amazing films and we know there will be occasions when we just "have to see" something, or just want to get out for a special date night :)

We didn't time the return of last week's NetFlix selections, however, and didn't have a DVD to watch last night but, NetFlix has an option where you can view movies on the computer. Now, this would not be much fun on my little laptop, but Richard has a large monitor - necessary for doing his site evaluations - and, with comfy chairs pulled up close, it made a nice alternative to a theater or the living room. Now, on to the movie....

We watched a 1979 film called "Being There" with Peter Sellers and Shirley MacLaine and I have to say that I really liked it! A little quirky, not much drama, but as Richard calls it, "pretty cerebral." While we have plenty of opportunity to do things together, it's easy to get caught up in studying or chores, or work of some kind so it's nice to have a designated evening that we choose something together!

TemPEST

2008-10-21T14:32:00.003-05:00

After a pretty busy month of September, there's a nice, slower rhythm to life these days with some time to really enjoy doing chores (stacking firewood, pulling stuff out of the garden) and spending time with Richard (movie nights) and the grandchildren (they're amazing and changing so much). I've had more time to spend studying also - not just for the grades, although that is a strong motivation for me, but also to really understand how things work (as opposed to simply memorizing a list of formulas or functions). Good thing because there are tests coming up over the next couple of weeks in Botony & Chemistry. There's a lot to learn, and to be able to apply to classes down the road.

As hard as it seems sometimes, I keep remembering the Chem professor's words "Keep working at it and it'll get easier" which didn't seem true at first, but after almost two months I can see that it does make a difference. Things like moles, for example, seemed so obscure and now I realize it doesn't take much mental energy to slip into that frame of thinking. I have to remind myself of that as I now work my way through gravitational analysis and titration equations. Add to that the microscopic work we're doing in Botany, and I'm even more thankful for the chance to balance the tiny numbers and cells with the big picture chores like stacking firewood, scuffing my feet through the fall leaves, and making little Paige laugh while Avery and I play beside her.

Tempest is a tune that goes along with an old-time dance... the tune can be found in the New England Fiddler's Repertoire.

http://www.fife-education.org.uk/ScienceWeb/Resources/Chemistry/Hot%20potatoes%20files/Add_Standard%20Grade/mole%20calculations/mole.gif

Flowers of Autumn

2008-10-16T06:37:00.003-05:00

My dad asked me to identify a tree behind his house so I set to sleuthing with some newly developed observation skills. What I saw was a tall shrub/small tree with the following features:

Dull purplish berries covered with small warty splotches that make the skin a little leathery. The berry stems are silvery white. A large seed occupies the juicy, fleshy center.

The twig is a purplish brown, smooth textured and splotchy. The pith is brown (not pictured). I think just one bundle scar. The terminal buds are long and narrow.

The leaf is narrow and pointed, not toothed, slightly undulate, green above and silvery smooth beneath with small dots visible under a magnifying glass.

.........................................................................

So, what is it?

I identifiied this tall woody shrub as the Autumn Olive, Elaeagnus unbellata. Although this species can have spiny leaves and some thorns, they weren't observed in this sample. The Russian Olive, Elaeagnus angustifolia has some similarities, but the leaves appear to be more narrow and the fruit is green.

All photograps found on the internet - just search for "autumn olive" and you'll find these and more.

So, I got to thinking...

2008-10-08T13:49:00.002-05:00

It always takes me a little while to really understand (if I really every do) some of the political and financial deals that make the headlines - I usually have it oversimplified, and such may be the case with the current bail-out of bad mortgages, but listening to reports got me thinking.

Homeowners who cannot make their mortgage payments are going to get some sort of assistance to refinance their loan AND in the process they'll get their property re-evaluated so the loan will reflect the new lowered value.
Lots of people will be doing this, and supposedly they will then be able to keep up with their payments, including insurance and property taxes.
What about the rest of us who are making their payments? Will we get our property values and mortgages lowered also? Doesn't seem likely, but wouldn't that create a multi-tiered housing system? And what would the true value of properties be at that point?
Who would set the value on property being sold? Seems like property owned by those of us who pay our mortgage would be priced quite a bit higher than that of someone who got bailed out.

I'm sure it can't possibly be this simple, and I'm sure that it will be an equitable housing market... I'm sure all that has been accounted for....

right?

Movie Night

2008-10-06T22:08:00.004-05:00

Quite a few weeks ago, we claimed Monday evening as "Movie Night" and for the most part, we've maintained a commitment to spending a few hours together viewing something we've thoughtfully chosen. Monday night is $5 at Railroad Square in Waterville - they have some very interesting films that you don't see at the mainstream theaters. We try to get up there whenever there's something that catches our interest. On those evenings when there isn't time to go or we don't see anything listed that we want to drive for, we rent a DVD and watch it at home. We've seen some really good movies over the past couple of months, after a LOOOONG time of not making an effort to see anything. It's fun having "date night" and intentionally watching something together that we can have a conversation about.
A couple of weeks ago we went to RR2 and saw Burn After Reading by the Coen Brothers - we loved it. Not quite as gruesome as Fargo, and a lot funnier but still dark. Tonight we decided to rent No Country For Old Men (another Coen film) and it made up for the minimal gruesomeness of BAR! For those of you who have watched thrillers with me, you can gauge the film by knowing that I made many, many trips out of the room during this movie! But, it was good. I think I liked it, but I might have to watch it again to be sure (maybe next time I can watch the whole thing). I like the kind of darkness and humor that runs through films made by these guys even when I can barely stand to watch them!
Let me know if you've seen these movies, and what you think of them.

Deer

2008-10-05T07:42:00.003-05:00

We've been seeing deer in the yard almost every day now, grazing in the gardens and poking around at the edge of the lawn. This morning we saw a young deer with small antlers (not shown in this photo) and as we watched him go around the house, we saw three more! Last winter we watched a group of 4-5 (depending on the day) deer that regularly came to the back yard... I'm guessing this is the same group! We love living in the woods!

Specialness

2008-09-29T17:57:00.003-05:00

We've had a whirlwind couple of weeks leading up to the wedding... and managing things throughout the weekend took a lot of energy for everyone involved! All of us parents are ready to relax and take a deep breath, as are the newlyweds :) Here's a photo of Jen and I discussing something of importance - she was one of my "rocks" throughout the festivities, keeping me grounded and guided! My friend Robin was another anchor for me in the hour before the ceremony. The most consistant and constant suppoorter has been Richard. He has been patient beyond measure, encouraging and supportive, and willing to take on just about anything that I said I needed done. Today I started the process of de-stressing, and ended up coming home from class early - exhausted and having what seems to be an ear migraine (I know, sounds weird... oh yeah, that's part of it, one ear is completely plugged making everything sound weird). When I got up from a nap (right, me? taking a nap? in the middle of the day? now you know how serious this is!) I came back down to my computer to catch up on studying and found beautiful fall leaves displayed across my keyboard and work space... made me want to cry (right, me? cry? now you know I'm really tired because I'm not usually that emotional).

So, I'm a little more rested, smiling, and waiting for Richard to come back from the grocery store with some salad fixings that my body is craving... hearing much better after a little rest, feeling blessed and balanced, happy to have spent time with all of my kids - Jen, Jason, Toby, SK, Bryan and Erin - happy to be home, happy for quietness, feeling pretty special.

Congratulations Erin & Bryan!

2008-09-28T12:30:00.007-05:00

Congratulations Erin & Bryan!

Bryan and Erin got married on Saturday at the Bethel Inn here in Maine, in the company of family and friends from California to Florida to Maine and many places in between. The festivities started on Friday with a reception dinner, continued on through Saturday with the wedding and reception, and finished up this morning with a lovely brunch.

You can measure the distance between Maine and California in miles, but this weekend it became even more clear that you measure the closeness of families and friends by the spirit of love that's shared.

Geothermal Heat

2008-09-16T05:45:00.003-05:00

I'm excited to be working on campus this year, through the Work Initiative Program, with Professor Grace Eason. Another student, Steph, and I are conducting tours of the LEED certified Education Building at UMF in an effort to spread the word about sustainable building materials and practices. This is an opportunity for me to learn in more detail about resource conservation from a very hands-on perspective.One of the things I'm learning about is geothermal heating and cooling. As with many green technologies, there are many aspects to consider. Simply put, geothermal heat uses the constant 51'F earth temperature (at 357'feet beneath the earth's surface) to moderate the fluctuations in air temperature from one season to the next. Our first tour takes place later today, and this is one of the topics I'll be presenting.

Diagram source: http://tulanepadova.pbwiki.com/f/earth-interior-diagram.gif

The Bog Behind Our House

2008-09-12T14:25:00.003-05:00

We live in a really beautiful area. Only a short walk out the old roads behind our house, there is a bog - a nice change in habitat from the woods. The colors haven't changed much... yet... but they will very shortly. Other than the pretty mushrooms I posted earlier, the main colors at the bog are from goldenrod and fall asters.

Colors from the Forest Floor

2008-09-11T22:21:00.002-05:00

I've been working with the camera again, after a little summer hiatus of sketching with water colors. I'm still sketching and journaling, but got inspired over the summer to try my hand with the camera. One of my friends from the MCC team, Karla, was using a macro setting that enabled her to get great close-up photos. Here are a couple of my recent favorites! It's the time of year when everyone looks to the trees for color, but there's more than you might imagine down on the ground!

Grandparents Day!

2008-09-07T18:16:00.002-05:00

Today, apparently, is Grandparents Day, a fact unknown to us until we were surprised with a lovely visit from the grandchildren! Though it isn't a well publicized holiday, it's a nice time to acknowledge one's roots and celebrate the genetic traits that have been passed down from generation to generation... you know, those things that you love/hate and recognize in your sister/mother/aunt/grandmother? I hope Avery and Paige grow up with a strong sense of connection to their grandparents - all of them!
There are quite a number of personality and behavioral traits that I attribute to my heritage. The "Davis Girls" would not be nearly as special without them.

From my dad's mom, Lillian, I get my sense of family connection and wanting to "be there" for everyone and anyone. This doesn't mean I have the time or energy to do it, but I remember my grandmother having lots of friends, lots of activity going on around her house, and some chaotic interconnetions between family members. Lill also taught me to wrap presents at Christmas, although my dad once told me it was only to get me to do the work for her :) Even that perspective makes me smile and remember her every time I put a gift together. Lill also made wonderful spaghetti sauce that had absolutely everything in there... I can remember being surprised to find chicken and pork as well as the expected ground beef, and wondering if she saved a little bit of everything she made all week just to make this sauce super special. When I keep bits of leftovers in small sacks and packages in the freezer, I think of her.
From my mom's dad, Merrit, I get a sense of connection to the natural world around me... and a keen desire for order and purposefulness. Merritt worked hard all his life to provide for his family, and he also maintained strong connections within the community. He was opinionated to be sure, and I can guess that I inherited some of that from him! A friend once described him as a wizard in the woods, because you'd never know when he'd appear from behind a tree or a bend in a trail. I like to think my curiosity of nature is a gift from him.
My mom's mom, Irene, also maintained a strict sense of order but with considerable respect to the finer things in life. Although they were not rich by any means, Irene had some lovely pieces of furniture and jewelry, and everything in her home and yard was "just so." Although I don't actually exhibit these qualities in my own life - I always seem to have some project in the works, or am too overly involved in some idea to actually KEEP my house clean- I do appreciate having things in their proper place, especially when I go to get them! So, while my floors are not spotless and there is usually dust on the furniture, I occasionally "catch up" on my inside chores and outside gardens to some degree of what she might accept as nice!
My great grandmother, Helen, was very artistic as I remember. She sketched and drew, and had a way of keeping house that looked tidy but in reality was simply not used much. I remember hearing that she would wipe her dinner plate clean with bread and turn it over until the next meal, eliminating the need to do a lot of dishes. This was done in part so she could spend her time reading and attending to the pursuit of mental activities and it is to this that I most often aspire.

So, these are small glimpses into the personas of my grandparents, on this Grandparents Day 2008. Because I'm sure their life energies have blended into the community and people nearest to me, including my parents and my siblings, I know that my appreciation for them and all they've passed on to me is recognized somehow.

To my sisters who are also grandparents, how fun is it to know our gifts (good and bad) are going to live on in another generation of 'Davis' boys and girls!?!

It's Humid...

2008-09-06T23:25:00.004-05:00

I spent the better (best) part of the day with Avery and Paige... have I ever mentioned how much I love being a grammah? I loved being a mom, don't get me wrong... every age or stage was my favorite 'til the new one came along and I feel like I'm reliving the best parts of those years. I am continually amazed at Avery's language skills as well as his social skills. He understands so much, and has such a wonderful sense of place and sense of humor for one so young.
While searching for more crackers this afternoon, we found some cinnamon graham crackers in the cupboard. One taste, and Avery remarked they weren't very crunchy. I had to agree, and tried to explain that they were possibly stale, and they might possibly have gotten damp... to which Avery replied that it was probably because it was humid out. Hmmm. Where did he hear this and how did he understand the concept of humidity at the tender age of three? When his mom got home, she explained they'd been discussing weather at daycare. I might also mention that when Avery's parents got home, he ran to greet them, asking his mom, "How was the wedding?" I wish I had as much sincere interest in everyone around me - I can learn a lesson from this little one.
Paige, while not yet conversing as is her brother, is absolutely adorable. She smiles and coos and is truly amazed by her fingers and toes, squealing with delight when she grabs hold of them. She is cuddly, and engaging, and has the most expressive facial expressions... and she clearly loves her big brother.
Sometimes when I relay these stories, I feel like I'm boasting a little bit, when in reality I suppose I am, but my main intent is to express my amazement at what supremely wonderful creatures these children are, and what a great job their parents are doing.

Arboretum

2008-09-04T20:50:00.002-05:00

I spent this afternoon in the University Arboretum as part of my Botany Lab. It was fun to go arond and see the trees that I'd been introduced to in May when taking the Nature Writing course. While today's exercise focused on noticing identifying features, rather than looking for an interesting color or pattern, I found myself still looking at the textures and colors of the different parts of the trees... and so this evening, after being completely tired of reading and studying, I took out a sketch book and started scratching out the flowers and leaves I'd noted earlier in the day. What fun! Although I'm a little too tired to write an essay about any of my pictures right now, I did remember that I'd scanned in a lovely maple leaf, and thought I'd write a quick little story for all of my faithful readers!

Fall is fast approaching, you can see it in the red maples standing in low-lying boggy areas. You can see it in the green landscape that is slowly becoming more olive than verdant. You can see it in the blue of the sky as the sun's angle lowers. You CAN'T tell by the temperatures, however! Today we reached 88'F here in Maine, a real scooorchah, and I know Richard is mighty happy that he had finished working on the roof!

Posts may be few and far between now that fall classes have started, but I suppose it won't be too much different than this summer when I was away so much. Such is life :)

Chicken Reel

2008-09-01T19:56:00.002-05:00

Fried Chicken for Labor Day! That's what we celebrated, as Richard's mom and dad hosted a family gathering that included the Davis clan in addition to Richard & me and SK... with fried chicken as the feature presentation. Now, I love fried chicken, and am quite a connoisseur, and I can tell you without a doubt, that this is the BEST fried chicken! There were lots of other fine things on the table - potato salad, deviled eggs, fruit salad, breads and more - as well as some delicious desserts... all served up with lots of conversation and perfect weather. A lovely day was had by all. Richard experimented with the video camera during all of this, and we viewed the result before leaving... amazing and artistic in content, it was a mix of time-lapse images and some candid short interviews. We also got to view some of the footage shot in Virginia, including football practice of Jackson and Jake and also the newest episode of Mayberry RFD, both of which are still being worked into a CD that can be shared with those cast members living in Chesterfield VA.
That's it from here, hope you all had a nice Labor Day. This is sort of the official/unofficial kick off for the fall season here in Maine, where all the summer visitors go back to their respective home states and we get a few weeks of respite before fall foliage season erupts in full force! Thanks to all the tourists who made this a good season for all who rely on tourism as income!
Chicken Reel comes from the Fiddler's Fakebook.

Elbow Swamp Rag

2008-08-30T23:49:00.002-05:00

East Vassalboro was THE place to be on Saturday night, at the newly resurrected 5th Saturday contradance. I remember going to "the Swamp" as it was known, back in the mid 1990's but there hasn't been a dance there for years. Some very dedicated community members and dancers decided it was worth the investment of money and time, and organized the dance to which they invited Richard to call, and me to play tunes... along with Paul Baines and SK Green. There were (by semi-official count) 54 people in attendance with a range of dancers from very inexperienced to regular-every-weekend folk. Richard chose great dancers that kept everyone moving and engaged while we played our hearts out while we sweated in the heat on stage. The evening was a HUGE success and we want to thank everyone who participated. It was great fun to play tunes with Paul and SK... lots of talent AND great energy which is a winning combination in my estimation.
Elbow Swamp Rag comes from the Reckless Reel.

Flying Clouds

2008-08-27T19:11:00.002-05:00

Seems like all the clouds have flown somewhere besides here, the weather has been absolutely perfect for late summer. We are taking advantage of it as much as possible... Richard is shingling the front roof (you may remember the back roof was done last summer) and I started bringing firewood inside. Tomorrow is forecasted to be fair again, though there may be some clouds, and we will be that much further ahead with fall chores.
I also started cleaning out my perennial bed which had a good start to the season and then got quite neglected while I was away so much. There are so many weeds and grasses growing out there, but I know that with a little bit of attention it will be beautiful through the fall months and also that much easier to manage come spring... worth the time and attention.
Flying Clouds comes from the Portland Collection.

Simonton Corners

2008-08-23T23:58:00.002-05:00

As some may know, Richard and I took a class for new contradance callers almost two years ago, and have had some opportunities to call community dances, an occasional portion of a regular dance, and some some segments of benefits - all good experience in building a reputation, gaining confidence, and compiling a repertoire. I've been sort of on the slow track, in part because many times the community dances we do need music as well as a caller and I often end up playing tunes. Not a problem because I like playing the fiddle quite a lot, but I was feeling like I was lagging behind my other "classmates" from the class. This evening I got to program and call the entire evening at the Simonton Corners dance in Rockport, and it went really well. I felt good, I was prepared, and I had an awesome band to work with (Fiona Schubeck, John Cote, and Eric McDonald). My confidence got a big boost, and the dancers seemed to have a lot of fun which is a good way to get my name out there. I'll continue to be Richard's trusty side-kick whenever we get gigs together, but I feel happy knowing that I can hold my own!
In other news, I got to hang out a bit with the grandkids today, getting my much needed "Avery and Paige" fix... Avery is "Mr. Personality" with a story to be told about everything. We got to have lunch and then make butterscotch pudding, which he had never tried before but loved. Miss Paige is beautiful and sweet and cuddly and happy to just watch whatever is going on. It was a lovely day.

Dance All Night

2008-08-23T08:46:00.002-05:00

We had so much fun last night at the regular 4th Friday dance in North Whitefield. The band was Calliope, and the caller was supposed to be Lisa Sieverts but she was ill... so John Alden, visiting from Cape Cod, agreed to fill in and what a treat we all had. Usually I'm ready to leave at intermission, seeking the comfort of sleep but I was truly ready to dance all night and forego the sleeping altogether. This morning? Back on the road to go see Avery and Paige!

Composing a Dance

2008-08-22T10:32:00.006-05:00

While in Chesterfield, Jackson showed me a few dances that he learned in school and while we were discussing them, he asked if it was possible to write a dance himself, to which I replied, "Of course!" So, we started talking about some figures, and how they could go together, and how the dance could tell a story. What we came up with was a really cool contra dance that we named "Summer Storm" and it goes like this:

Summer Storm, Duple Improper or Proper, Circles of four from the top
By: Jackson Green & Pam Green

A1 Circle left once around
Circle right once around
A2 Partner allemande left
Long lines forward and back (3 steps with whoop and clap each way)
B1 Partner allemande right
Longlines forward and back again with whoop and clap twice as before
B2 1’s two hand turn
1’s arch, 2’s duck under to next neighbor

The idea is to start out pretty calm (the circles right and left), then crescendo into small whirlwinds that turn into thunderstorms, one after the other... then settling into a rainbow (the arch). We had a lot of fun coming up with this, and I'm looking forward to trying it out at a family dance sometime soon.

Home Again!

2008-08-22T06:30:00.000-05:00

Virginia Beach

2008-08-20T12:58:00.002-05:00

We are having a lovely day, relaxing in Virginia Beach. We went out to the Beach last night for a moonlit stroll in the sand and waves before a delicious dinner at Catch 31, and are taking it easy today at home with Joline and the family. The pool is perfect, refreshing and calming at the same time under overcast skies that are keeping the temperatures moderate. It's nice to have some time to hang out and have conversations in between everyone doing their thing - work stuff, newsletter stuff, dance stuff. A good visit!

Virginia Diner and NOAA

2008-08-18T19:54:00.003-05:00

We've had a great day, taking a beautiful 3.5 mile walk through the Nature Trails and roads around Burray Road at the Highlands, going to the Virginia Diner for lunch, and then stopping at the NOAA weather station in Wakefield where we got an impromptu guided tour. This evening we went to Jackson and Jake's football practice and are watching a movie on the big screen television. Lots of fun!

Manassas Battlefield Park

2008-08-18T07:11:00.002-05:00

We spent Sunday at the Manassas Battlefield Park where we saw Civil War artifacts, listened to a park guide, and walked some of the battlefield areas. We had visited this park a couple of years ago but didn't spend much time due to the lateness of our arrival and the weather. Today was sunny and hot, possibly like the day of the first battle in July of 1861. The soil, red and finely grained, easily produces dust as we walk along the paths and it is easy to imagine the landscape filled with the dust as thousands of soldiers and their horses kicked up the soil as they moved about. Add the screams of terror and death, the stench of torn and broken bodies, and the atmosphere of confusion and dread to the heat and dust - these were the conditions of that day so many years ago. There were hot, dry days this summer on Marshall Island when we were marching down the airfield, kicking up dust from the gravel, that I was reminded of battle conditions, and Sam and Ryan who have been overseas enduring conditions much, much worse. We are fortunate to live in peace and comfort because of the fortitude of those who have battled and continue to battle for us. Thank You!

Off We Go

2008-08-16T03:52:00.002-05:00

Off we go! With barely time to get my camping laundry washed, dried, and folded - oh yeah, I still have to do that part - we are off on our next summer adventure TOGETHER this time! A very short week of travel will see us visiting family in Virginia, which will be oh so much fun... and we'll get to spend lots of time making up for being apart for the past couple of months :)To everyone else that I haven't seen in nearly two weeks, I'll see you soon!

Completed!

2008-08-15T19:41:00.003-05:00

I completed my terms of service with the Maine Conservation Corps! I learned a lot of cool things like clearing trails, moving rocks, building rock staircases, putting in rock water bars, living outdoors for extended periods of time, Leave No Trace work ethics, and lots more. I also learned how much I appreciate being home with Richard and having amenities, as well as realizing how much I could do without and still be quite happy and content.

After a little road trip to visit some family, and spend some good quality time with Richard, I'll get ready to head back to the University for fall semester classes! It's been a quick summer season by being away so much, so I'm looking forward to enjoying the fall as much as possible!

New Pencils

2008-08-06T03:08:00.002-05:00

I'm off for Seboomook Dam for a ten day work session - with new watercolor pencils in hand prepared to sketch a new set of scenes as I continue to journal through my summer. I have not done much while at home this break, there's been so much going on! As much as I miss home while I'm away, I love being immersed in nature and having time to capture moments on paper with colors. So with binoculars, magnifying glass, paper and pencils packed in with my tent, sleeping bag, clothes and boots I head out again this morning. This session will involve doing rock work, a new experience for me! I have also packed plenty of bug spray. While I don't know for sure what the status is up north, our woods are full of mosquitos and horse flies right now! Check back for a new post in a week and a half.

Every Little Bit...

2008-08-05T08:25:00.003-05:00

I can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm responding to a political issue of sorts - not to directly support one presidential candidate or another, but to raise some questions on how we as Americans consider our position. First, I have to say that being away from radio and television for most of the summer has left me out of the news loop, so I'm responding to a piece of a conversation about whether Obama or McCain should become our next president based on their energy policy. In particular, to a comment that Obama should not become president if he thinks passing out tire pressure gauges is a way to start solving the energy crisis as opposed to McCain's desire to drill for oil in Alaska or off-shore Florida.
While large-scale, long-term solutions are necessary, I'm not sure I believe we should necessarily go drilling for oil in environmentally sensitive areas. If we are going to drill for oil, why not drill in the middle of cities or areas that are already highly concentrated in pollution and debris? This would make workers more readily available, putting thousands of unemployed people to work making good money rather than transporting and housing people many miles from their homes. It would be a way to revitalize a lot of cities, and oil rigs don't look that much different from the Eiffel Tower - architecturally appealing structures could actually enhance city skylines while providing jobs and boosting local economies. This would leave our wild areas still untouched for many more years to come.
Maximizing fuel efficiency by checking tire pressure is certainly a much smaller scale step in developing a strong energy policy, but one that can be employed by every single vehicle owner in the United States. Not only will it improve mpg, it shifts the mind-set from "What will the government do to fix this problem?" to "What else can I do to make a small difference that, with the efforts of others, will affect long term change?" Personally, I like the idea of people like you and me taking steps toward energy independence on foreign oil. I would love for there to be more alternatives available to the working middle class and the lower classes that were affordable and accessible. I would love for the upper class to take more advantage in securing alternative energies rather than buying bigger vehicles simply because they can afford to own them and operate them.
Maintaining optimal air pressure in tires is only one baby step, but add to that driving the speed limit, combining trips, carpooling, reducing consumption of disposable durables like electronics and plastic crap, buying locally produced goods, supporting community events that help families and neighbors have fun close to home, and many more things, these all add up to big changes for each of our households. Add each of these household's changes into groups and you have community changes and pretty soon the solutions show up regionally and nationally. Yeah, I think tire pressure gauges ARE the way to engage America, much more personally than having some nameless group of corporate sponsors blasting and drilling in areas in which we don't have to witness the devastation to our landscapes.
I admit that I am not up on all the political issues of the day, and I don't really know who I'll vote for. Tire pressure gauges without a more well-planned solution are no more good than defacing the environment behind the public's back... I hope there's a better solution that addresses both ends of the spectrum... large scale energy solutions that are considerate of the environment as well as small scale solutions that engage every American to make a more thoughtful choice today than they did yesterday in how they consume energy.
What do you think?

Waltz from Jarna

2008-07-31T07:50:00.002-05:00

My first session out on the island, I brought my "boat" fiddle - the one that is less valuable and more appropriate for living in a tent. What I found was, after working for nine hours and then doing camp chores, there was little energy remaining for playing anything so I brought it home. I also brought harmonicas and a tin whistle, all with the same result - not being played. So, it's a real treat to be at home and have the fiddle (the nice one) on the table, ready to be played at any given moment.
SK returned to the States after a month's travel to Europe, bringing some lovely Swedish tunes back with her. It was fun to try some of them out myself, although I don't have the ear yet to figure out all the subtle nuances that make the music truly Swedish in sound. SK, however, has that gift and we enjoyed listening to her while she visited here.
Richard, Toby and I went to Portland yesterday afternoon in search of the Men's Wearhouse where Toby was to be fitted for a suit for Bryan and Erin's upcoming September 27th wedding. I used the GPS while Richard drove - my first time really using this particular unit (my previous experience was with Bryan's smaller Garmin) and I think I did quite well putting in way points and navigating through the various features, though I never did find out how to get the silly thing to stop avoiding the toll highway (it kept wanting to redirect me to I-295 which we kept wanting to avoid!). The trip was a success, and we even managed to find the art supply store where I found a new watercolor sketch pad and some new watercolor pencils that I love.
Bryan is flying in tonight for a weekend visit, possibly bringing his friend Raphael along. Raphael lives in Florida and the plan is for him to fly into Manchester at about the same time as B so they can finish the last leg of the journey, to Wayne, together. Bryan has lots of plans while he is here in Maine, the main one to attend the wedding of Paul Wilson and Cynthia Phinney on Saturday- it should be a beautiful ceremony and reception.
Jen, Avery and Paige will be coming this weekend as well - an overnight visit so we'll plenty of time to have a lot of fun! I'm looking forward to some good girl time with Jen, and some play time with the short people.
Today I'll be making pesto with basil I picked this morning (before the rain and thunder), cleaning the house up (taking care of the rest of my camping gear), perhaps writing and sketching a bit, and playing some tunes!
Waltz from Jarna comes from the Waltz Book, Volume Three.

Good Bye to Marshall Island... for now

2008-07-29T16:26:00.002-05:00

The Common Yellow Throat Warbler was an ever present fixture at our camp site near Long Point on Marshall Island, along with the Song Sparrow. Before sunrise, the sounds of the morning would start... the humming drone of diesel engines as lobstermen started hauling their traps, the rhythmic slapping of waves on the cobbled seawall, the constant toot of the foghorn every nine or ten seconds or so, and the witchity-witchity of the Common Yellow Throat.

This summer intership is about 3/4 over, the Marshall Island segment completely done. I've gained a wealth of information and experience from a variety of sources, each having their own particular slant on the concept of conservation, each with merit and each offering the opportunity for questions and ideas on the subject. I've also learned a lot about myself - that I can keep up with young people, that I am stronger than I imagined, that I can work well within the structure of a team, that I love the outdoors more than I ever knew. All good things.

I have a week off before heading north for my final session, that one will be at Seboomook Dam. Until then, I'm catching up with family and friends, doing laundry, enjoying this place I call home.

Logan Bread

2008-07-20T20:53:00.004-05:00

I made this Logan bread from a recipe online - the photo is from the same web site - to take with me to the island. I have been buying granola bars, oatmeal packets, and granola cereal but decided to try and minimize my baggage this trip by consolidating breakfasts and snacks into this one hearty item. I used dried cranberries and chopped up dried apricots, along with some sunflower seeds. It tastes delicious! I have a couple packets of oatmeal and a little bit of granola cereal left from last week, I'll take them along for variety.

Thank You

2008-07-20T16:08:00.003-05:00

I have intended to get thank you notes out for all the lovely birthday gifts, but I'm afraid I'm running out of time and may not get them out before I leave (there's still hope, but not much!) Just in case I don't finish them, I wanted to extend a warm "thanks" to everyone for the bouquet of flowers, pottery, letters and poems, cake, cookies, bread, pictures, rock, black walnuts, porcelain bowl, cards, hat, and photographs. I had requested hand made gifts this year, and was well rewarded. I loved everything, especially your thoughtfulness and creativity. The "Fireflies" picture was done by Avery.