Tag Archives: maine

Uncategorized

His Lordship is a bit of a weirdo.

23 Comments

.

The weather is getting warmer, the grass is getting greener, and Lord Dudley Mountcatten wants to go out for a walk every afternoon.

.

.

Not to say that he actually wants to walk on the grass. No. His Lordship will do almost anything to avoid that. Nearly three acres of groomed lawn… and the wee beast sits on the concrete cover for the septic tank. WTH?

.

.

He’s a very delicate walker.

.

.

Hiding in the iris, hoping a bird will land nearby.

.

.

Get lost mom. You’re blowing my cover.

.

.

Face planting in the grass.

I have no idea, don’t ask.

.

.

Giving the pear tree a good once over, but no attempt at climbing today.

.

Uncategorized

Just because it’s purple…

6 Comments

.

My husband likes this new restaurant called the White Duck. I’m not sure why as every time we’ve been there the food has been mediocre at best.

.

.

The cocktails? Not much better.

This trip the lavender margarita sounded interesting.

.

.

And though it was a pretty purple… it tasted more like the sugar shaker ran amok than lavender. Sickeningly sweet which is not what I want in a cocktail. Sadly the cup of clam chowder wasn’t any better. Thin, watery, full of potatoes with very few clams. Boo to that.

.

.

I hate when the cocktail list is just phoning it in.

.

.

The husband ordered the supposedly home made baked mac and cheese. I make this at home and never think to call it a meal. Theirs was dry as a bone with virtually no flavor. Boo to that as well.

.

.

I stuck with the pub burger because it’s one of the few things they do correctly here. Charbroiled, perfectly cooked with melted cheddar, bacon and served on a brioche bun. With a cold Down East hard cider of course.

.

Uncategorized

Random backyard nature and some soup.

22 Comments

.

Now that the apple tree (I didn’t plant but grows better than those I do) is spreading it’s branches we have more squirrels coming to visit our feeders.

.

.

We have a wide open backyard and they prefer tree cover for safety. Like this hefty momma hanging out on the garden bed border.

.

.

What a chonk!

.

.

This my friend, is the perfect bowl of chowder. Found at the Freeport Cafe, an unassuming little place on Route 1.

Thick, rich, creamy and loaded with clammy goodness. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Driving along Maine’s back roads you never have to wonder where the rednecks live.

.

.

They tend to leave their calling card.

.

.

Smaller than the pileated, but still pretty.

He’s called the Red Bellied Woodpecker. Though I never have figured out why.

.

Uncategorized

Apple of my eye.

21 Comments

.

If you’re a loyal reader you’ll remember we had a massive wind storm two years ago that did serious damage to our beloved ancient backyard apple trees. We had a professional arborist in to trim and prune them back and last year they were barren. No blooms, no apples.

But this year?

.

.

Ooh baby.

.

.

They are positively bursting.

And if you’re wondering how big they are?

.

.

That’s the Barn Mahal for scale.

.

.

I wish WordPress had smell-o-vision because trust me… it’s glorious.

.

.

My little you never planted me but I grew well anyway crabapple is starting to spread out, but is lagging behind in bloom time.

Now I just need to fill my new rock bordered bed with perennials for a burst of summer color.

🙂

.

Uncategorized

It’s been a long time coming….

18 Comments

.

It was a long and nearly snowless winter.

Spring was late and with no snow to melt, extremely dry.

One lousy April shower and May took its sweet time showing us some flowers. Heck, we even had frost last week.

But finally….

.

.

The lilacs are popping.

.

.

Which means vases of that heavenly scent are scattered throughout the house.

.

.

And while a little scraggly…

.

.

The expensive dark cherry tree we planted last year is hanging on.

.

.

The blooms are gorgeous.

.

.

So my fingers are crossed it grows big and strong.

.

.

In front of the barn?

.

.

The choke cherry tree is in blossom. The fruit is inedible and sometimes poisonous, but the delicate spring blooms are sweet.

.

Uncategorized

She’s back!

18 Comments

.

Yes, I’m still bird nerding out that a female pileated woodpecker has found our backyard .

.

.

Two sightings in twenty years and now twice in one week.

.

.

Woot!

.

.

Needless to say I’m making sure that particular feeder is always full in case she drops by.

.

.

A bag fills the cylinder once with 1/4 left over, and I have to fill it every other day.

.

.

Pricey, but worth it.

(Photo includes another of my coffee table metal sculptures since you seemed to like the hermit crab.)

🙂

.

Uncategorized

Things I have no explanation for.

29 Comments

.

This first one makes me cringe.

.

.

Remember when I posted about those creepy dolls washing up on the Texas shore a while back? Well now you have the opportunity to own one.

Though why the hell you’d want to I can’t fathom.

.

.

I see this every time we visit my SIL at the nursing home. It stands in a driveway down the road from the facility.

Is it Odysseus?

Did he just do a few laps in the pool?

I simply don’t know.

.

.

We stopped at a local bar the other afternoon for some liquid refreshment.

Did they make a good margarita?

Yes.

.

.

Why is there a giant goat head mounted above the bar watching me drink it?

I have no idea.

.

Uncategorized

No need for firemen.

28 Comments

.

Lord Dudley Mountcatten was eyeing our Bradford pear tree the other day during his walkabout.

.

.

If you recall this did not end well the last time.

.

.

Because while His Lordship likes the idea of climbing trees, his experience with execution is decidedly lacking.

.

.

But the blooms must have been calling his name because up he went.

.

.

It started with a pre climb scratch.

.

.

And then a jump.

.

.

And that was basically it… because the daft bugger has no idea what to do once he’s actually on the tree.

.

.

So, yeah.

He literally just hangs there until he falls off.

.

.

And then walks off the embarrassment on the rock wall.

🤣

.

Uncategorized

Around the house.

24 Comments

.

Yesterday was a sad day for our immediate neighbors.

.

.

The row of willow trees that have graced the front of their property for more than 80 years…

.

.

Were deemed a nuisance to the power lines and cut down by the state.

.

.

As a rule willow trees don’t live that long but these were glorious and well cared for.

We will miss them.

😰

.

.

Squirrels.

Nature’s seed stealing acrobats.

.

.

My husband was thrilled when he received this red seal five dollar bill as change the other day. I made the mistake of asking why it was special but zoned out after the first 17 minutes of rambling explanation. Here’s a more succinct recap.

On June 4th, 1963 President Kennedy signed executive order 11110 which allowed the US government to make it’s own money and bypass the Federal Reserve. The 4+ billion dollars of United States Notes (backed by US gold and silver) were put in to circulation in denominations of $2 and $5. The $10’s and $20’s were printed but never released as he was assassinated and the program was shut down.

How thrilled was he?

The man actually ironed it.

😳

.