earth day weekend

saturday morning clean up and a trip to the transfer station. shown are only a few of the magazines to be taken there. because i'm so conscious of the amount of paper i purchase and use, i try hard to find the information i want and need on the internet as opposed to in print. but old house magazines are my downfall. there's something about opening a new magazine for the first time, turning the pages, seeing a photograph, studying its details, reading the article - as much as i would wish it were so, it's just not the same on a computer screen. when i feel guilty about being a paper-consumer in this way, i rationalize that magazines like these are my only paper indulgence. and then i remember post-it notes...

toms

all week i've been hearing turkey calls from high up in the woods. then this afternoon, there he was, gobbling and strutting his stuff for the ladies right in my own back yard. and he even brought a buddy with him! i grabbed for the camera and the telephoto lens and began to shoot out the window so as not to spook them. and then i remembered: just a few hours earlier, i had inserted the screens back in all the windows. so this shot is not clear since it's through the mesh of the screen...but i thought you might enjoy seeing him anyway, in all his puffed up glory!

best laid plans

the little girl was here this afternoon, quite unexpectedly. gone were my plans to wash windows, work in the garden, and dine late in the evening. instead there were sandboxes and shovels, spiral slides and hanging bars, and water in a spray bottle to water the flowers and wash the house. later, chicken for dinner with veggies to dip and milk in a cup. the serendipitous day ended with a splashy bath, a towel-ish snuggle, and a lovely soapy smell to her damp hair.

it was way better than washing windows.

fern, unfurling

vacation week and lots of time for walking in the woods and experimenting with the camera. like this fern, i am really trying to unwind.

easier said than done, however...

out of the blue

overnight, a surprise - it snowed! a thin blanket covering the green grasses, pale clumps on tree buds, white mantles over blooming azaleas. all my daffodils are bent down under the weight of the heavy wet snow. this snow melts fast, though, and will soon be gone. here it clusters and drips off a forsythia branch, already in bloom. more snow showers tonight and perhaps tomorrow. ah, me. here's to new england springs!

remnants

who was here? looks like some forest critter had a picnic on this old tree stump just at the edge of the woods. i love to find signs of life like this in the woods but am continually surprised and a bit disappointed that i rarely happen upon the animals that are leaving them.

more tree flowers

above: this must be of those red maple flowers, i think, and still on the tree. miniscule pink flowers with stems and stamens and petals and pistils. don't forget to click to make it show big! what this is below, i do not know. all i know is that i found it on a tree by the side of the road, not very far from this place.

tree flowers

late this afternoon, i wandered to the woods with camera in hand. the forest floor is still covered with the browns and grays of winter but tiny shoots of verdant green have begun poking through the remains of last year's leaves. and everywhere i walked i saw the vibrant pink of these tiny flowers, the spent precursor to the emerging leaves on the red maple trees, high above my head.

clay date

long have i waited for the day when i could introduce clay to the little girl. our first session was spent making blue and yellow hot dogs, snowmen, and pancakes. note the rolling technique, pictured. i think she's got it! it was good grammie fun - and thankfully, she never once tried to explore the clay by tasting it!

lupine

i love the way young lupine leaves catch and hold the raindrops. it's the real reason i have so many of these plants in the garden.

first flowers

every spring, these crocuses are a surprise. they're right in the middle of the lawn and i swear i didn't plant them there. how they materialized remains a mystery but i sure do love to see them come back year after year after year.

fun with food

somewhere on the internet, probably on a blog (one of yours?), i read about carrot flowers. so easy to make: just cut wedges all around the length of a carrot before slicing. they added a festive spring touch to the easter dinner table. much prettier than the carrot pennies i usually serve. lest you think the wedge parts of the carrots will be wasted, they'll go into the pea soup i'll make from the easter ham bone in a day or two. pea soup is an old easter tradition around here. and carrot flowers is a brand new one!

easter sunday

happy easter!

easter tale

here's my small collection of rabbits, normally scattered about the house, but reunited each easter for the day's celebration. now, i could tell you a tale about rabbits - but a far better easter story is one i blogged three years ago. yes, it's one more click, but if you like intrigue, you'll love this story........

if you care to comment, please do so here, not there!

if you celebrate, happy easter.

if you don't, happy spring.

april first

with so many good april fools' jokes on the internet, you'd think i might have been in a suspicious frame of mind today. but seeing this under the windshield wiper of my parked car struck momentary fear in my heart, even though i knew i wasn't illegally parked. turns out it was a promotional gag by an establishment in the area. i was so impressed with their creativity and the fact that they "got" me, i considered stopping in to tell them. but april fool's on them - i'll just blog about it instead!

egg tree

over the weekend, i broke down and strung some plastic eggs with the little girl for an egg tree. as we sat on the couch affixing strings to plastic, she handed me eggs one at a time but by color - first the two purple ones, then the two yellow, then the two pink - and so on. once outside, she removed them from the basket and hung them on the crabapple in the same order - first the two purples, then the yellows, then the pinks...

to some, this easter display may look tacky out in the yard. but not to the little girl who thinks it's lovely. and certainly not to her enamored, awe-struck grandmother who thinks she's just amazing.

a walk in the rain

there's an odd sense of contentment when you're under an umbrella in the rain. like a movable roof over your head, the umbrella holds off the elements, sheltering you from the relentless drizzle. inside you stay wide-eyed and dry as all outside drips and drops and becomes soggy with rain.

as i walk, i think: the little girl should have an umbrella. something tiny and sun-yellow. even though she's still small, i want her to feel this power over the weather, this snug-and-dry content feeling of walking through the rain.

march conundrum

it's close to the end of march. here crocus bloom, daffodils bud, and some brave teens already wear flip-flops. but not so far away, high in the nearby hills, i find ice still on lakes. i know which scenario i personally like. but i can't help but wonder which of these is the right one for this time of year.

nibbled

found while walking on the back hill. i have to wonder who's been gnawing away at this acorn. are the black oil sunflower seeds clustered at the nut's base any sort of hint? they came from the feeders in the lower part of the yard - yards away.

you're out!

tissues are used sparingly around here and i don't buy them often. but i do need to keep some on hand for guests, for the little girl, and for the occasional full-blown cold. when i do buy tissues, i get these little cubes because the small footprint works in my tiny bathroom. but the design of these containers drives me crazy. you can't see inside these cubes, you can't tell when you're getting low, and you never know when the tissue you pull may be the next to the last one. or even the last. inevitably, you're faced with this - the empty oval. maybe the tissue people should install counters on these boxes, so when you open the box and pull the first tissue, the counter changes from 130 to 129...and so on down to 1. at least that way you'd know around 15 that you should probably stock a new box.

first weekend of spring

this is the lake i visited while on a weekend road trip to take photos. i ended up shedding sneakers and socks here and wading at the edge of the water while i looked at the surroundings through the camera's lens. wouldn't you think after all the cold temperatures we had this winter the water would be freezing? after all, only a month ago, the lake was still covered with ice and, even now, on the opposite shore i could still see snow. but the water was surprisingly warm and walking in it gave me a much better vantage point to photograph the pair of canada geese who came swooping in from on high, then serenely followed each other around the lake. they were still there when it came time to dry my feet and move on.

ice out & spring

in this part of new england, an important rite of spring is "ice-out", or the precise time when ice leaves the big lakes. people keep track of it, some bet on it, and local newspapers report when it happens. this shot is of a small local pond but the ice here is well on its way "out".

the first day of spring and, coincidentally, gloriously warm and sunny weather, made this the perfect day for traveling the back roads with the camera. in my travels, i passed by many lakes, both large and small, and only a few still showed any signs of ice and the winter that's now behind us.

sap's running

tin sap buckets hang from maple trees lining a back road. many in this area tap their trees in the spring to gather up the sweet sap, then boil it down to make the sticky maple syrup that sweeten foods throughout the year. from a local farmer, i buy two quarts each april - for blueberry pancakes in summer, german apple pancakes in fall, french toast and waffles in winter. and i must make my stash last from one spring to the next.

saint patrick's day query

this morning i am at work where saint patrick's day fervor is high. what exactly is corned beef anyway, i ask a colleague who's clad in green from head to toe. it's ham, she tells me. then why is it called beef? i inquire. she does not know, but goes on to tell me how it's cooked with cabbage and her family always has it for saint patrick's day dinner.

later in the afternoon, i am at an establishment that prides itself on its irish food, drink, and music. what exactly is corned beef anyway, i ask the waiter with a brogue as thick as peat. it's bacon, says he. then why is it called beef? i ask. and what is corned? he does not know but goes on to make small talk about the saint patrick's day festivities happening at the place.

so i ask of you: what exactly is corned beef? and what does corned mean? whether you know the answers or not, i hope you had some fun on saint patrick's day!

cusp

foreground: snowbackground: daffodil sprouts!

happy half-a birthday

celebrations are few and far between after valentine's day and before easter. oh sure, there's saint patrick's day but, other than the wearin' o' the green, it's not such a big deal around here.

so in an effort to liven up midwinter, when the girl was little we started celebrating her half birthday. i'd make half a cake, give her half a birthday card, sing half the birthday song... just enough frivolity to make an otherwise drab ordinary march day into something special and fun.

even though she's now grown, we still honor the half birthday. and to make it even more special, her hubby also has a half birthday within days of hers. i guess we could have celebrated both "special" days yesterday with a whole cake - but it was so much more fun to have two halves.

a driveway moment

rain in march is dreary and cold. but it washes away piles of january snow that have been dirty and ever-present for much too long. this taken from the driveway, through the windshield, while contemplating a dash between the raindrops and into warmth of the kitchen.

wrong color, wrong season, wrong holiday!

see that spindly contraption of pastel pipe cleaners? i found it today on display at one of my favorite shops. it's an easter tree. an easter tree, for cryin' out loud!! the store even had little egg ornaments to hang from it, in addition to the easter baskets and bunnies and books. this christmas crossover is just too bizarre for me. decorate eggs at easter, yes - but not trees! is no tradition sacred? and what will they think of next??

anticipation

bright light in the morning these march days and the air is smelling cool and earthy. deep in the woods, huge flocks of crows have been gathering at dawn, cawing and calling to each other, raucous enough to be heard even through still closed windows. the wood pile shrinks. the snow recedes. pine cones fall. the equinox looms. and finally this morning, i go outside without boots.

letting go

six months now, my mother has been gone. all around me there are still her things, remembrances of the person she was and the life she lived. some items are finally being used up, like a stash of book matches, the packets of sugar, and this bottle of purple shampoo that matched her purple bathroom. for the longest while, i left them untouched, as they had been when she was alive, the only remaining pieces of her i could preserve in time. but as weeks and months pass, it's becoming a little easier to finally let her slip away. now i make myself use her things and i think of her when i do. even though the last of her lavender shampoo is now gone, my mom is still in my heart.

roadkill

on my way to work this morning, i killed a small animal. i noticed it appear at the crest of a snow pile by the side of the road. i watched it scamper quickly down the bank. i saw it skitter out into the road, carrying a nut or a cone or something in his mouth. these little creatures are so fast. sometimes by swerving, you invariably hit them. so i stayed the course, slowing a bit and holding my breath. no small thudding sound and i thought he was safe. but a glance in the side view mirror showed the nut careening across the road, without its owner, who lay still, a small receding lump on the road behind me. it was just a squirrel. i don't know why i feel badly - but i do.

for the deer

four old apples, hidden on a low shelf in the dark back corners of the refrigerator. too far gone for even applesauce, i'm afraid. using my best overhand, i'll fling them far out into the woods, a tasty snack for some surprised hungry deer who happens upon them, laying shriveled in the snow.

march into march

here comes march, the much hoped for end to winter in new england. not everyone feels this way - skiiers and snowmobilers pray for one more big snowstorm in march and they sometimes get it. but march is the best of both winter and spring worlds since the snow often is light and fluffy and melts easily with warmer temperatures. mud makes an appearance in march, so much of it that some call this month mud season. sap buckets appear as maples stir from winter dormancy. now is when i start hoping for pussy willows by the side of the road - and snow fleas in the melting snowbanks.

the peaceful saturday

nature is amazingly calm in new england this morning and has turned the landscape breathtakingly beautiful. it's hard to imagine that it's created such turmoil on other parts of the earth. through live streams and twitter feeds and facebook messages, the world waits and watches, holding its collective breath, afraid of what nature will do next. sending prayers for chile and safe thoughts and wishes for those in the pacific islands. and giving thanks for the peaceful, safe place in which i find myself today.

am i blue?

this is what happens when you're babysitting and you give a two year old blueberries in a cup for dessert. we had to do some serious, extended water play in the sink to get rid of these stains!

at the grill

dead heads from last summer's black-eyed susans mingle with some unknown flora - maple saplings or grapevine, perhaps. this captured after dark, in the back, as i was grilling dinner while i still can. a big snowstorm is forecasted. there'll be no more cooking outside then.

snowman

this sunny saturday afternoon spent playing in the snowy yard with the little girl. here's our snowman, complete with carrot nose, pine cone buttons, and red scarf. all placed under the direction of the little girl, who hugged him briefly upon completion, then moseyed off in search of even more embellishments.

for the birds & more

remember my skepticism surrounding the squirrel-proof birdfeeder i got for christmas? well, five weeks later, i have to admit that it really does work. our resident squirrels have not even attempted to raid the new feeder. because they're too busy raising havoc at the old one.

pancake tuesday

a snow day keeps me at home today, the day before lent begins, so i can indulge before fasting and abstaining begins tomorrow. pancake tuesday, today called in some locales, and i think about them, actually gather ingredients to make them. but in the end, it seems too big a splurge. i settle for blueberries in cereal. pancakes will have to wait until after easter.

make-do chart

when you have a grandchild around, there's never a dull moment. the little girl surprised us all yesterday by announcing she wanted to use the toilet - and she did, three times! she wants to put stickers on her "potty chart", she says, because she did it. i try to explain that the potty chart is not here, it's at her house. but she used the toilet and she wants her stickers! so we improvise and use labels from fruit - bananas, apples, pears - placing them on the refrigerator calendar. works for me and works fine for a two and a half year old who's learning to be a big girl!

valentine's day

all you need is love...

and a little chocolate now & again.

happy heart day.

up close & natural

they're baaaack!

...and they're even closer to the house this time!

turkeys! a whole flock of them right outside the back door! i got quite a few shots before my flash went off and they scattered to the woods, moving quicker than i thought any turkeys could!

drive by

in the morning on my way to work i pass kids at the ends of their roads, waiting for a school bus to come and pick them up. little groups of children, standing together but alone. i don't see them interact, just stand with hands in pockets and earbuds in ears, waiting. perhaps after i pass by, one will ask another how they are or what's going on with them. pat them on the back or give them a high five. smile or wink. i never see it happen. but i sure hope it does.

big birds

for months i have seen their tracks around the compost pile and under the bird feeders, big, distinct forked marks all over the snow. weekends i look for them, but they have never materialized. but today, the long line of turkeys finally came parading down the hill from the woods and raided the compost as we watched from inside. at least twelve of them, big fat birds with iridescent feathers glinting in the sunday sun.

lighter later

on my way home, five-thirty pm, and it's still light enough to see down the valley and get off a grainy photo. in five weeks, daylight savings time will be back. i know it's way too soon, i know winter is not even close to being over, but i still find myself dreaming of spring. already.

they say it's your birthday...

happy birthday tomorrow to my sweet southern sister, patti! i laughed out loud this morning when i was handed my drive-thru tea. look! isn't this a hoot? you and our favorite coffee place have the same birthday!

"stand up and tell us how old you are, or buy the house a drink!" a dunkaccino perhaps...

happy birthday to you!

2 february

candlemas.

groundhog's day.

cross-quarter day between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox. halfway to spring.

the first day i hear birdsong in the early morning.

and, at last, the premiere of the final season of LOST.

a great day coming!