.
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…
.
.
Our woodchucks are nothing if not chill.
.
.
After a nice nosh on carrot slices?
.
.
Babies be sleepy.
.
.
And apparently warm sunny rocks are just as good as a hammock.
.
.
.
Day four saw us driving back over to the stone yard for another pallet of lovelies… but instead of rocks we were met with an obstacle to construction.
.
.
Closed due to illness.
These days that only means one thing….
Covid has thrown a wrench into our garden bed border completion plans.
😡
.
.
The woodchucks are still hiding in their tunnel…
.
.
And it’s proving to be quite an effective escape hatch.
.
.
Lord Dudley Mountcatten is undeterred.
.
.
And extremely hopeful.
.
.
Patience, thy name is cat.
🤣
.
.
It’s daylily time.
.
.
When we bought this house there were no gardens to speak of and very little in the way of plantings but there were two bunches of oranges daylilies .
.
.
I can’t honestly say that’s where I would have planted them, but they thrive so who am I to complain?
.
.
Orange seems to be the hardiest and most prolific color in my part of the world.
.
.
And honestly they’re the easiest no fuss, no care flower there is.
.
.
I’ve planted a few others over the years….
.
.
But it really is a shame they’re true to their name. Each bloom only lasts a day.
.
.
Work is slowly progressing on my soon to be fabulous backyard perennial garden border.
Whether my marriage will survive it is another matter entirely.
.
.
I’m not sure why my husband has chosen to take every single little thing I say about this endeavor as a slight, an insult or God forbid…. a question of his manly ability, but he has.
I go out and try to help, but somehow everything I do just ends up pissing him off. He’s sucking the joy out of the process with his attitude and moodiness, but I will not let him ruin it.
I will not.
.
.
If you remember, I advised we buy at least two pallets of stone back at the start. I knew we would need at least two full pallets, but no. My husband knew better and we bought one.
So when he reached the end of pallet number one and wasn’t anywhere near finished?
.
.
He was less than pleased to admit we needed the second pallet I had wanted since the beginning and grumbled that I was gloating.
Me?
No. That would never happen.
.
.
There’s a famous restaurant in my part of the world called The Taste of Maine.
.
.
It’s been family owned and operated for 44 years and is a staple for fresh seafood on the heavily travelled coastal Route 1. Tourists love the kitschy decor and giant outdoor lobsters.
.
.
We find it a bit overpriced but go once in a while just because it’s fun.
The pandemic hit a lot of seasonal restaurants hard up here and many went under. Right now they’re struggling to find enough wait staff. So when I saw this on FB the other day? A customer tipping the amount of the bill….
.
.
I was floored.
We’ve done that at small diners and sandwich shops. $20 – $30 bill, $20 -$30 tip.
But an $800 tip?
Holy macaroni. That’s beyond awesome.
❤️
.
.
Because when your local nursery has a buy one get one free geranium sale…
.
.
You bogo the hell out of that and fill your car.
.
.
And your kitchen counter.
.
.
And drop geraniums everywhere there isn’t one.
Empty corner?
.
.
Not anymore.
.
River's world..... 