.
The husband came home from the gas station with something cradled in his hands the other day.
.
.
A perfectly dried and preserved Monarch butterfly he found on top of the gas pump.
.
.
Such delicate, beautiful creatures.
.
.
He (she?) will reside on the auxiliary desk in our home office, with the hummingbird nest a girlfriend gave me and the pig made from nut shells I bought in Chinatown when I was a child.
🙂
.
.
I’m happy to report it was a dull and uneventful day of stone installation.
.
.
Probably because I stayed in the house. Oh, I was out there bright and early ready to work, but my help was neither needed nor desired.. so I left him to it.
.
.
The border looks great, though it really is a lot smaller than I wanted.
.
.
The perennial bed I had envisioned will have to be dramatically downsized.
.
.
But something is better than nothing and he certainly is doing a good job.
.
.
She’s baaaaack.
.
.
And looking entirely too comfortable next to Casa River’s kitchen landing.
.
.
But what’s even worse than her extreme state of chill?
.
.
Her distended belly which leads me to believe she’s pregnant again!
😳
.
.
As you know, our cat Lord Dudley Mountcatten is spoiled. He is not however, ill mannered.. and never tries to jump on the dining room table during meals. But for those of you who have misbehaving felines? I offer a solution:
.
.
You’re welcome.
.
.
What do you do when a friend recommends a fabulous blueberry vodka but you have no space on your man cave bar shelves?
.
.
You pack them a little tighter and hope the shelves are up for the extra weight.
.
.
We seem to be down to three baby woodchucks from seven. I prefer to think this is a result of momma chuck kicking a few of the kids out of the den and not the result of predation. But this little guy?
He’s still trying to move in with us.
🙂
.
.
Because we are in desperate need at Casa River.
.
.
Our once beautiful lush green lawn is now brown and crunchy.
Time after time we see thunderstorms roll on by with only a few drops falling on our property.
.
.
So few the baby woodchucks were trying to lap them up off the deck boards last night.
Half our state is experiencing drought conditions and I’m filling our bird bath three times a day. If things don’t change I might have to start providing the ground dwellers with a pool as well.
.
.
How dry and crunchy is our lawn? Even the septic system access is brown and dry.
.
.
If it weren’t for the weeds there would be no green at all.
😫
.
.
While out antique shopping the other day we got stuck behind this fellow.
.
.
Which annoyed my pass crazy husband to no end because there was no opportunity to whip out around him.
.
.
Maine.
Where it snows wood chips in July.
.
.
😳
.
.
My vinyl collection is calling for a few more vintage whisky/beer crates so I twisted the husband’s arm and we spent a day antiquing. (You know that’s a lie. He was probably warming up the car while I was still in the shower)
On the way we had lunch at a little farm to table cafe housed in what used to be the Home for the Feeble Minded. It was uninspiring, so no photos. But the grounds at what is now Pinelands Farm are impressive.
.
.
As is their endless mile of fencing.
.
.
Our first stop was a store in a barn. And a beautiful barn it was.
.
.
On the grounds of the owner’s home, it was a lovely place to shop.
.
.
I like our man cave, but found myself knee deep in vintage barn envy at this two hundred year old gem.
.
.
Two full floors of treasure but no wooden crates.
.
.
I was tempted to come home with the Special Scintillator…
.
.
If for no other reason than the name. But the husband vetoed that purchase.
.
.
Onward…
.
.
We feed birds.
We feed grosbeaks and orioles. Finches and chickadees. Nuthatches and woodpeckers. Cardinals and mourning doves.
We feed a wide variety of birds.
This however, was a first.
.
.
One lone seagull.
.
.
Who dropped in to nosh on the deer grain.
.
.
Proof positive you never know who’ll show up at Casa River.
.
.
Like a Roman emperor, our fox has gotten so comfortable here he prefers to take his meals lying down.
.
.
Why stand and burn all those pesky calories.
.
.
If the humans are going to lay out a nightly buffet, I guess he figures he might as well enjoy it in comfort.
.
.
🤣
.
.
I love finding a new watering hole, and recently we hit the jackpot.
.
.
The Blind Pig Tavern. So named because sympathetic policemen were known to turn a blind eye to speakeasies back in the day.
.
.
This place has a modern rustic feel, randomly placed pigs and the most fabulous craft cocktail list I’ve seen in years.
.
.
Ooh la la!
From the breadth of selection, I knew it was going to be a long afternoon.
.
.
First up? The raspberry basil martini. I’m a sucker for mixing fresh herbs in alcohol and this was sheer perfection. The bartender must have known I was in it for the long haul because she brought me the bonus amount as well. Waste not, want not.
.
.
Next up was the pineapple sage gimlet. As it was being served, the bartender told me she went easy on the sage because a few people said it tasted like tree bark. Amateurs! I took one sip and asked for the full strength version. It was sublime.
.
.
And lest you think all I do is drink, there was food as well. Parmesan garlic brined wings to share…
.
.
And a pulled pork Mac and cheese that was rich, creamy, delicious and enough for three meals.
.
.
There was also a blackberry violet sour. The bartender said a few people told her this one tasted like soap…. which made me marvel at the masses of unrefined drinkers who came before. Go back to the 7-11 and pick up a pack of Bud you heathens! This cocktail was tart, sweet, fragrant and complex. A layered masterpiece.
.
.
As we rounded toward evening, I ended on the Butterfly martini. With gin, St. Germain, violette liquor, hibiscus simple syrup and rose water it was a veritable flower garden in a glass.
.
.
Random picture of the husband’s giant bowl of haddock chowder because yes, he was there too. Someone had to drive me home after all.
.
.
Cute touch. I left the bartender a big tip, but no bucket for the kitchen this time around.
The Blind Pig has earned the top slot on our visited once, have to go back list. So many cocktails, so little time…
.
River's world..... 