Tag Archives: nature

The fishing life.

January 30, 2024 Rivergirl 28 Comments

Maine is a coastal state and has a rich fishing heritage. Lobsters are our mainstay but we also harvest scallops, crabs, oysters and numerous deep sea fish.

The men who work the ocean are a hardy bunch. Strong, stoic, and weatherbeaten. They also have a quirky sense of humor.

So when a local apparel outfitter started a big catch contest giveaway and asked fishermen to submit pictures, you know it was going to get interesting.

Here are a few of my favorite entries.

This is the son of a friend…. with an extra large lobster roll.

In case you ever wondered what scallop dragging looks like.

And that is one monster scallop!

I believe this is a Mahi…

I have no idea what these are, but they’re definitely plentiful.

This is your typical – man with fish – proud catch photo.

This, on the other hand….

Is not.

🤣

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Miscellaneous nonsense.

January 21, 2024 Rivergirl 27 Comments

If I was a dishonest person, I could get rich doing my husband’s laundry.

He’s forever leaving things in his pockets.

I think I need this book.

I have long suspected my spider plant was in cahoots with my succulents. Maybe now I can prove it.

Mr. Hawk is back.

And currently driving His Lordship crazy.

I’m not sure what makes this French…

But Martha Stewart assures me it’s a good thing.

As seen at a local convenience store.

Better than sour balls I assume.

That sums it up quite nicely I think.

😉

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Are lobsters the canary of the sea?

January 16, 2024 Rivergirl 16 Comments

We’re poisoning our oceans.

With chemicals and plastics and oil spills… and though the waters off the coast of Maine are cleaner than most, I’m afraid even they’re showing signs of the pollution.

I live in Maine and have lobsterman friends. They often post pictures of the weird and wonderful blue and orange lobsters they haul up in their traps. The colors are rare but occur naturally as a mutation of genes.

But lately?

The pictures have taken a darker turn.

Mutations are being found.

And this doesn’t bode well for our oceans.

This last one is not only disturbing , but downright creepy.

😰

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Hello beautiful…

January 13, 2024 Rivergirl 9 Comments

A Coopers Hawk has discovered our bird feeding station.

And while I haven’t seen the telltale sign of feathers on the ground…

It’s only a matter of time before some poor slow moving dove succumbs.

Birds of prey are glorious creatures and though witnessing an innocent death is never easy, it’s most definitely part of nature’s plan.

Not the most riveting video, but I’m sharing anyway.

As you can see we have no snow, but the wind was blowing and the hawk was puffed up against the cold.

This next photo?

Mid poop.

🤣

Hawk visitors.

Another reason I love living in the country.

❤️

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Talk about being on point.

December 14, 2023 Rivergirl 9 Comments

Have you ever seen something that was simply too perfect?

Okay, so it’s not a pear tree. But a partridge on your Christmas wreath is pretty damn close.

We had one of those beauties on our front lawn a few years ago.

I had no idea what it was and had to look him up in my bird watchers bible.

Native to the Middle East and southern Asia, the Chukar was brought as a game bird to North America, where it has thrived in some arid regions of the west. From late summer to early spring, Chukars travel in coveys, but they may be hard to see as they range through the brush of steep desert canyons. They become more conspicuous in spring, when the harsh cackling chuk chuk chukar of the territorial males echoes from the rocky cliffs.

They’re noisy little devils and if you’ve ever heard one… you’re not apt to forget it.

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🎶 All I want for Christmas… 🎶

December 14, 2023 Rivergirl 18 Comments

Remember when I found that adorable opossum site a while back and said I wanted one for a pet?

Well….

I found another site.

And now I think I need a raccoon as well.

As a Christmas gift it sure beats a toaster.

When my husband was young and living on the farm, his father rescued an injured baby raccoon that had been hit by a car. Not wanting to release it back in the wild because it limped.. they adopted him and named him Teddy.

Somewhere I have a picture of the hubs as a teenager lying on the couch with Teddy. Talk about cute!

❤️

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I never thought I’d love it, but I do.

December 13, 2023 Rivergirl 29 Comments

In my younger days I was a sun worshiper.

A summer lover. A beach bum who loved nothing more than sultry hot days and long walks on burning white sand.

Now? I like a different kind of white.

I want cold crisp air and a blanket of snow.

While most people crave warmth as they age, the older I get the more I look forward to winter.

It’s beautiful…

And peaceful.

I love the gentle colors …

And the stillness of the season.

❄️

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First snow.

December 11, 2023 Rivergirl 25 Comments

Now it feels like winter!

We had our first snow recently and it was the heavy wet variety that instantly turns your world into an ice cream wonderland.

Yes, it’s hard to shovel… but with the smooth new driveway under me it was much less painful.

We only got a few inches and it will probably melt before long because winters aren’t as cold as they used to be in Maine…

Look at the green grass underneath.

But for now, I’m enjoying the storybook scenes.

❄️

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Miscellaneous missives.

December 3, 2023 Rivergirl 13 Comments

I drove home under some ominous skies the other afternoon.

And woke up to our first dusting of snow.

It was gone by mid day just in time for our contractor to drop by between jobs and seal up the new windows with some not so attractive foam.

He’s finishing off a barn next door that’s taking longer than planned but as soon as he’s done he’ll be back over here to finish our nightmare project.