It is now June 18 - Summer IS just around the corner. The post below was in my draft file, and there is little I will add or I will be boring myself as well as you. I have been to Yarmouth with Nick a couple of times recently. I am being redundant mentioning that the rock faces are changing with the season, just as the the depth of color of the evergreens, and the matruation of the rest of our foliage. In my back yard the roses are in bloom, the foxglove is four feet tall by my patio room window. I am enjoying sitting out there watching the bees and other honey-seekers go in and out on their rounds. With this much added to the should-have-been-posted blog below, I am now going to return to shredding. And shredding. And shredding. I hope I will not be looking for something a year from now which is ending up in confetti.
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It is cliche to comment that time flies as you get older, so I won't say it. But it does. Today, June 10 is absolutely the "rare day in June" . I spent some time on the patio earlier but had to come in because it is just too hot in the a.m. out there. Probably close to 80 at 9:30. Night before last we had a couple of thunder storms which produced - I am not exaggerating - hail in size from peas to moth balls. I sat in my living room beneath my skylights and wondered if the glass would be able to withstand the pounding. My dog, Nick, is not concerned with weather. He pays no attention to thunder and lightning, but hail freaks him out. We were caught in a sudden storm once with sizeable hail stones. We had been walking in an open field when I saw a storm cloud being driven by a strong wind. We didn't quite make it to the car before the cloud was directly over us, but the worst was sitting in the car being pelted with hail, watching it bounce around off the hood, the windshield, and the road around us. It was beginning to build up on the ground, when as swiftly as it came it blew past. I got home, not more than a mile away and mentioned it to my neighbor who said, "What hail storm?" It was of small dimensions but very powerful.
Grandkids are home from college. One graduated, one becoming a Junior in the fall.
Friends are golfing; going off to camp; talking of family reunions and other summer activities. Ronald McDonald House held their Purses with Purpose event last week. A fun time with the opportunity to bid on fabulous hand bags, day-at-a-spa gift certificates, fun jewelry, collections of bath products and other personal items. One interesting item (I did not bid on it) was a three-item "collection" from a local bakery. Iced cake, package of a dozen or so cookies and a generous package of home made fudge. I did bid on "Lunch for Ten" at RMH catered by the staff and won it. It should be a lot of fun. SO, Life in Maine in June is good. Everyting is green and clean. The only detractor is the road construction and repair going on everywhere! Getting from Scarborough to Portland is a challenge of patience. A motorcycle accident on one of the bridges proved there are no sure choices to avoid a problem. We are at the mercy of the other driver.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Maine in the Middle of May
Southern Maine is damp today. It isn't raining, just damp. I know that because the patio is dark in some places, and almost white in others. It's cool enough for the dampness to collect in low spots. I could have discerned the dampness without even looking out the window. The paper in the printer is soft and slow going through the rollers. My hair is limp and my toes ache. Yup, true indications of dampness.
The lilacs are out. Beautiful purple ( mine are quite dark) plumes of tiny honey filled blossoms. One of God's truly artistic creations. All traces of the forsythia are gone, even the fallen blossoms. Of course, the "ground crew" came around a few days ago with their indiscriminate machines taking everything up that isn't pegged down. I don't miss the dandelions, but the mat of yellow was sort of pretty beneath the forsytha.
The tulips and hyacynths are gone. We now wait for the second wave of whatever we planted last year, or maybe we've put in some new annuals just for the color. My butterfly bushes, the beautiful purple on and the not so beautiful white one (barely shows against my white siding) are up several inches and showing promise. The foxglove is up eight inches so we can expect to see blossoming early on those. The roses are all leaf at this point.
I drove the 35 or so miles to Raymond Hill yesterday (Mother's Day) and was privileged to see the sky dotted with hawks all along the way. Beautiful free birds. They don't seem to need an "updraft" like seaguls. A few flaps of their wings allows them to soar up and down in enviously graceful swoops. ALthough the trip takes me through a section of the Gray Game Preserve, I have never seen a deer on that trip. Maybe next time. YOu have to love Maine in May.
jmajor2@maine.rr.com
The lilacs are out. Beautiful purple ( mine are quite dark) plumes of tiny honey filled blossoms. One of God's truly artistic creations. All traces of the forsythia are gone, even the fallen blossoms. Of course, the "ground crew" came around a few days ago with their indiscriminate machines taking everything up that isn't pegged down. I don't miss the dandelions, but the mat of yellow was sort of pretty beneath the forsytha.
The tulips and hyacynths are gone. We now wait for the second wave of whatever we planted last year, or maybe we've put in some new annuals just for the color. My butterfly bushes, the beautiful purple on and the not so beautiful white one (barely shows against my white siding) are up several inches and showing promise. The foxglove is up eight inches so we can expect to see blossoming early on those. The roses are all leaf at this point.
I drove the 35 or so miles to Raymond Hill yesterday (Mother's Day) and was privileged to see the sky dotted with hawks all along the way. Beautiful free birds. They don't seem to need an "updraft" like seaguls. A few flaps of their wings allows them to soar up and down in enviously graceful swoops. ALthough the trip takes me through a section of the Gray Game Preserve, I have never seen a deer on that trip. Maybe next time. YOu have to love Maine in May.
jmajor2@maine.rr.com
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Sunshine and dandelions
After several days of rain - off and on, but mostly on - the sun has come out and the dandelions are loving it. Newly seeded section of the back lawn looks promising. Butterfly bushes both front and back, have new green shoots and the western honeysuckle by the fence has grown four inches nearly over night. You can't kill that western honeysuckly, you know. The ground crew has mowed it over, the high winds have blown it and the trellis it grew on, over. At that point I cut the trellis, vine and and all the little shoots off at ground level. And there it is again. Of course, the trellis is gone so I wil l have to do something about that before long.
I had cataract surgery in both eyes recently. I don't exactly see any better, although, I now have 20/20 vision without glasses which means I don't need them for driving. I do see a difference in colors, which everyone said I would. Greens are greener and blues are bluer. A beautiful sky above the greening of the maples and aspens, and the rusty buds on the oak make the world a better place.
My Wheaton, Nick, is sick and not moving about much so I haven't been to Yarmouth.
I haven't seen what the rocks are doing - yes they do things - they weep and change color with the seasons; their striation shows as seasons change. The ones I see have been fractured by the encroaching highway, and there are pieces which drop off, exposing other facets. Little sprouts of green spring up in the cracks. Some prevail and become bonafide plants, others die from the lack of nourishment and drop off. The big ones make the cracks bigger as their roots take hold and then water gets in and the ice in winter makes the crack wider. There are large pine trees growing from the rock crevices where you would not believe there would be enough support to keep them upright.
Tourists are appearing on weekends. Campers are coming in to get hooked up for summer; cottage owners are opening and airing their homes, getting water, lights, telephone back in place. Some will find the red squirrels (maybe even grays and chippies) have taken winter refuge at their expense. Once when we opened our cottage we found a flock of dead birds that had come down the Franklin stove chimney which SOMEONE had neglected to seal off.
Happy Cinco de Mayo - to all of our Mexican friends. Kennebunk Maine is holding an annual festival today with a parade of LIttle Leaguers, Cub Scouts, Blue Birds, 4-Hers and the drum and bugle brigade in their serapes and sombreros.
May is a good time in Maine, when the rain stops, the sun comes out and the thermometer stretches to 55 degrees.
jmajor2@maine.rr.com
I had cataract surgery in both eyes recently. I don't exactly see any better, although, I now have 20/20 vision without glasses which means I don't need them for driving. I do see a difference in colors, which everyone said I would. Greens are greener and blues are bluer. A beautiful sky above the greening of the maples and aspens, and the rusty buds on the oak make the world a better place.
My Wheaton, Nick, is sick and not moving about much so I haven't been to Yarmouth.
I haven't seen what the rocks are doing - yes they do things - they weep and change color with the seasons; their striation shows as seasons change. The ones I see have been fractured by the encroaching highway, and there are pieces which drop off, exposing other facets. Little sprouts of green spring up in the cracks. Some prevail and become bonafide plants, others die from the lack of nourishment and drop off. The big ones make the cracks bigger as their roots take hold and then water gets in and the ice in winter makes the crack wider. There are large pine trees growing from the rock crevices where you would not believe there would be enough support to keep them upright.
Tourists are appearing on weekends. Campers are coming in to get hooked up for summer; cottage owners are opening and airing their homes, getting water, lights, telephone back in place. Some will find the red squirrels (maybe even grays and chippies) have taken winter refuge at their expense. Once when we opened our cottage we found a flock of dead birds that had come down the Franklin stove chimney which SOMEONE had neglected to seal off.
Happy Cinco de Mayo - to all of our Mexican friends. Kennebunk Maine is holding an annual festival today with a parade of LIttle Leaguers, Cub Scouts, Blue Birds, 4-Hers and the drum and bugle brigade in their serapes and sombreros.
May is a good time in Maine, when the rain stops, the sun comes out and the thermometer stretches to 55 degrees.
jmajor2@maine.rr.com
Monday, April 23, 2012
The day that the rains came down ......
All of our fears for field and forest fires have been taken off the page. We are getting a soaking that will fill the vernal pools, bring the earth worms to the top of the lawn, and dilute the salt marshes. It will also dampen the spirits of the school kids who have to wait for buses or walk to school.
The dog didn't want to leave the patio, which actually had standing water on it. He hates wet grass, but he "had to go" and eventually accomplished his duty. Good dog!
I imagine my farm family will not appreciate the mud this day will produce. The horses will be muddy to their knees and their dogs, like mine, will be wet and smelly when they come in. Cats on the other hand, will just sit in the window and when neccessary, go with stately pride to their litter box. On days like this I am grateful for my attached garage and the drive through drug store.
WHen the rain stops and the sun comes out we will marvel at the rate the grass grows, but mourn a little bit that the forsythia, magnolia, and azalea blooms have been beaten off their branches and lie soggy and faded on the ground.
jmajor2@maine.rr.com
The dog didn't want to leave the patio, which actually had standing water on it. He hates wet grass, but he "had to go" and eventually accomplished his duty. Good dog!
I imagine my farm family will not appreciate the mud this day will produce. The horses will be muddy to their knees and their dogs, like mine, will be wet and smelly when they come in. Cats on the other hand, will just sit in the window and when neccessary, go with stately pride to their litter box. On days like this I am grateful for my attached garage and the drive through drug store.
WHen the rain stops and the sun comes out we will marvel at the rate the grass grows, but mourn a little bit that the forsythia, magnolia, and azalea blooms have been beaten off their branches and lie soggy and faded on the ground.
jmajor2@maine.rr.com
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Hello Spring
Spring came early to Maine. It actually came too soon, and winter wasn't much to begin with. Maple trees greedily kept their sap making the syrup harvest light. Snow left the mountains before skiers had had the last run and retailers were left with shovels, snow blowers,ice melt and winter clothing still on the floors. Now, April 18, the patio furniture is out, the rakes, hoses and garden implements are on display while the help is still finding storage room for the unsold goods. Bulb plants which usually appear about now are gone, and the late blooming ones are open. I have a lovely crop of yellow mustard plants coming up all over the small plots I am allowed to plant in. Condo living, with one floor units, does offer a little leeway in the rear, and conservatively in the front. The "old guard" never wanted any thing out front, every house should look exactly like its neighbor. I was told "That's what condo living is all about. We don't want every body doing their own thing." But in the end, according to the "green book" we do have a little space to display our individualism. No pink flamingos or little girls bent over with their panties showing, though.
I went to Yarmouth today. The rocks along the way, which do change with the seasons and the humidity, are pale and dry. Greenery is coming up on the roadside. Last year's cattails and red berry bushes are falling down to fertilize this year's crop. But everything is critically dry because we didn't get snow on the mountains to bring the spring run-off. The "peepers" have found their vernal pools are deep enough to sustain them, and tonight as the last few nights they are singing their wooing songs. The cardinals are out every morning calling to each other. One near me and one further off to the east. I don't know if they are marking their territory or attracting a mate. I try to imitate thier whistle and sometimes it is near enough to confuse them. I know that because they send me mixed signals in reply. Yesterday as I stood out back a huge black bird went over my head. His huge wings were flapping laboriously. He let out several raucous calls. I think he is a goose of some variety and I remember seeing one last year about this time. I know he (she?) is not a Canada Goose and I know it wasn't a wader. No long legs. Out of sight in a flash. Even the dog looked up. Dog walkers, baby carriage pushers, marathoners, bicyclists - welcome Spring. Maine's a great place to be this time of year.
jmajor2@maine.rr.com
I went to Yarmouth today. The rocks along the way, which do change with the seasons and the humidity, are pale and dry. Greenery is coming up on the roadside. Last year's cattails and red berry bushes are falling down to fertilize this year's crop. But everything is critically dry because we didn't get snow on the mountains to bring the spring run-off. The "peepers" have found their vernal pools are deep enough to sustain them, and tonight as the last few nights they are singing their wooing songs. The cardinals are out every morning calling to each other. One near me and one further off to the east. I don't know if they are marking their territory or attracting a mate. I try to imitate thier whistle and sometimes it is near enough to confuse them. I know that because they send me mixed signals in reply. Yesterday as I stood out back a huge black bird went over my head. His huge wings were flapping laboriously. He let out several raucous calls. I think he is a goose of some variety and I remember seeing one last year about this time. I know he (she?) is not a Canada Goose and I know it wasn't a wader. No long legs. Out of sight in a flash. Even the dog looked up. Dog walkers, baby carriage pushers, marathoners, bicyclists - welcome Spring. Maine's a great place to be this time of year.
jmajor2@maine.rr.com
Monday, March 19, 2012
Good bye, Winter
In the wee hours of Tuesday a.m. (tomorrow, Eastern Daylight Time) Winter will pack it in, making way for Spring to officially begin. We will hardly notice the difference as we are having unusually warm weather as I write this, and Winter was as easy as I remember in my lifetime. Today I noticed the little white croci are in bloom in the front garden plot.
I have heard and seen robins for the last couple of weeks and the cardinal which hangs around all winter is staking a claim on the topmost bare branches of the oak tree next door. He sits up there whistling and warning, and another across the street answers. Fun to imagine what they may be saying to one another.
WHen I put Nick out this morning I could hear the hen turkeys chirping across the street between #s 28 & 29. I have not seen or heard the Tom this spring. Could it be that he doesn't realize his ladies are waiting for him? I think there are six or eight hens in the resident "rafter."
I would be headed for the beach about three miles away to take walk with Nick, but my printer is down and I am waiting to hear from the repair man to call me back.
For some reason, practically in the middle of a job, it will not print what I write. I love this equipment when it works, but when it is "fritzy" I wonder if there is any way I can manage without it. A great nuisance when it is down.
AH, 75 degrees on the patio. I out of here. Happy Spring!
I have heard and seen robins for the last couple of weeks and the cardinal which hangs around all winter is staking a claim on the topmost bare branches of the oak tree next door. He sits up there whistling and warning, and another across the street answers. Fun to imagine what they may be saying to one another.
WHen I put Nick out this morning I could hear the hen turkeys chirping across the street between #s 28 & 29. I have not seen or heard the Tom this spring. Could it be that he doesn't realize his ladies are waiting for him? I think there are six or eight hens in the resident "rafter."
I would be headed for the beach about three miles away to take walk with Nick, but my printer is down and I am waiting to hear from the repair man to call me back.
For some reason, practically in the middle of a job, it will not print what I write. I love this equipment when it works, but when it is "fritzy" I wonder if there is any way I can manage without it. A great nuisance when it is down.
AH, 75 degrees on the patio. I out of here. Happy Spring!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
LEO ROARS
March first brought the third snow of the whole winter season in this area. And it came by the shovelfull. About a foot landed on patio over the course of 24 hours. My thoughtful neighbor shoveled about half of it, making huge hills which my "wonderful Wheaton" played "King of the Hill " of for a little while this afternoon. Not a lot of fun in that game without a challenger, but he enjoyed himself . I could not leave him out there very long because yesterday he went to get his spring shearing.
Now the wind howls and the plows are beeping as they clean out the driveways. It is early Tuesday a.m. so the shovelers will be around before long to make short work of the clean up. Rain is due on Saturday which might take care of it anyway.
In like a lion and out like a lamb, we can hope by April Fools' Day we will see the bare ground, which was bare until today, and the spring flowers will begin to come up again - for the second time if we are lucky. I am not sure what a snowless winter does to them. Some were already up quite a bit, crocuses (croci?) were blooming, the robins have been returning, and I heard the cardinals calling across the tree tops to one another.
The nice thing is the sun is higher inthe sky so all will be right again soon, and come 90 degree weather in July and August we will be wishing we had some of this snow again. RIght now, we are wishing "hurry summer."
Heating oil is over $4.50 a gallon; gas for the car is $3.80, closing in on $4 a gallon. Watch out, south of the Mason Dixon, we're all comin' just like you asked us to.
Now the wind howls and the plows are beeping as they clean out the driveways. It is early Tuesday a.m. so the shovelers will be around before long to make short work of the clean up. Rain is due on Saturday which might take care of it anyway.
In like a lion and out like a lamb, we can hope by April Fools' Day we will see the bare ground, which was bare until today, and the spring flowers will begin to come up again - for the second time if we are lucky. I am not sure what a snowless winter does to them. Some were already up quite a bit, crocuses (croci?) were blooming, the robins have been returning, and I heard the cardinals calling across the tree tops to one another.
The nice thing is the sun is higher inthe sky so all will be right again soon, and come 90 degree weather in July and August we will be wishing we had some of this snow again. RIght now, we are wishing "hurry summer."
Heating oil is over $4.50 a gallon; gas for the car is $3.80, closing in on $4 a gallon. Watch out, south of the Mason Dixon, we're all comin' just like you asked us to.
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