Hado Thoughts

Foliage Slideshow

2011-11-12T10:49:00.003-05:00

As promised, here is the slideshow. I hope you enjoy it! We won't see this beautiful color until next Fall.

Fall Foliage in the City

2011-11-11T18:08:00.006-05:00

I want to share the foliage beauty I am seeing in Boston with you. Foliage in Maine this year (at least in the foothills) truly sucked! Usually, by the time I get to Boston, there isn't much to see color-wise, but this year was just so spectacular I was moved to take my camera and capture scenes that took my breath away.

I will follow up this post with a slide show a bit later, but here are individual photos I thought you would enjoy. Mind you... these photos were taken November 10th and 11th. Way...... past the time for this kind of color. I also see tons of rose bushes still in bloom.

So please enjoy!!

This is a hosta. I love them when they are green, but this Fall breakdown in color is beautiful as well.

Don't ask me what type of tree this is. I think it is a Japanese miniature something or other, but every year it captures my attention.

This was taken along what I believe is the Neponset River in Dorchester. I am not used to seeing this portion of it and came upon it by accident. It was raining cats and dogs on the day this was taken.

It was raining when I snapped this and you can see the rain droplets reflected on the lens, but it does not take away from the beauty of this color display.

Another Neponset River photo...

A Rainy Drive from Maine to Boston

2011-10-31T18:41:00.005-04:00

It is "that time of the year" when we make the trek from Maine to Boston to get away from lots and lots of snow. Some might be wondering "why." Or you could be thinking "they are only going a few hours away......what's the big deal; it snows in Boston too."
Yes; it snows in Boston, but a lot less; and after a storm the snow melts. In Maine, the snow falls and never melts until Spring. The snow just keeps piling up one snow storm on top of the last until you have a five-foot-high snow bank.

This year on our drive it rained the entire time across three states. I took my camera out and snapped a few pictures to let you see...

One of the Maine Turnpike stops in Kennebunk..

Leaving the state of Maine and crossing into New Hampshire

We are approaching what I like to call "The Wishbone Bridge" in Boston

This one is a "joke!" 'Thru traffic' my foot!! We spent at least 20 minutes in this tunnel underpass!!

See what I mean????

Not Much Color This Year in Maine

2011-10-31T17:52:00.007-04:00

Usually, Autumn brings wonderful leaf colors in Maine but not this year. I don't know what happened. Leaves stayed green for so long and it seems the changeover took place 'overnight.' Then we had lots of heavy downpours and at night the temperatures dropped resulting in an instanteous leaf deterioration. Some leaves began dropping to the ground and were yellow, while many leaves were still on the trees and green. That's Mother Nature for you during "these times" of the Ascension Process for our Planet. Everything; and I mean EVERYTHING is, has been, or will be affected before all is said and done.

Thank goodness I took photos during the past few years of the splendid colors we usually see in Fall.

The ones below were all I could get this year and were taken a few weeks ago.

Pumpkins and Gourds At the Bates Farm

2011-10-02T00:45:00.011-04:00

On the 29th of September, I visited my friend Jill Bates for a long overdue get-together. She and her husband Randy own and run an organic dairy farm. Their daughter Allison helps. It's grueling, labor intensive work that has to be done every single day without fail and they love what they do. I marvel at what they do. Ninety percent of us reading this would not be able to farm; and dairy farming is the most intensive form of all. Twice a day, every day, you have to milk your cows, and time in between milking is spent on feeding them, cleaning up after them, and making sure your grounds are secure so they can't wander off. There is also the process that has to be done after the cows have been milked. The milk has to be properly harvested and stored until the milk trucks come to collect your hard work.

The Bates also plant small crops of potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkins, squash and gourds. Each year after putting aside what they need for canning, they sell their pumpkins, gourds, and squash to the public from wooden wagons in their front yard. Our leaves haven't sufficiently changed color yet for me to take pictures, but their pumpkins, squash and gourd wagons were poised and calling my camera. They were so beautiful I wanted to share with everyone; so here they are in a slide show. I hope you enjoy!

Why Is This Egyptian Obelisk Vibrating?

2011-06-26T13:04:00.013-04:00

I thought long and hard before making this post to my Blog. I hesitated because what I am about to show you is not supposed to occur. I have long had a curiously deep interest in ancient Egypt; namely the Pyramids. Not all of them; just the Great Pyramid located in Giza. I was fortunate to be able to take a trip to Egypt in 1982. It was a guided tour lead by a small handful of scientific minds who studied the ancient culture of Egypt. In particular; they studied the functions of the pyramids and temples; primarily the statues and obelisks inside the temples. I learned a lot from that trip. Each evening after returning from our day trip we gathered around a table and were lectured on the true functions of what we saw. We weren't fed the "usual tales" told to tourists and from school books. We learned that the pyramids had a very deep function. They weren't used as tombs to the kings or Pharaohs. We were told of the energies functioning through these structures; and we were told of the role of the obelisks located on temple grounds. They weren't placed there for decoration. The main function of the obelisks is to send positive energies into the atmosphere (similar to the positive/negative ion technology in the air cleaning machines sold on the market today_). The obelisks were constructed from pink granite; a stone that conducts energy because it has a high crystalline content. Though you cannot see this conduction of energy, does not mean it is not being done.

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has an Egyptian Exhibit. Each time I have visited, I make it a point to dash up the stairs to view the statues and obelisks. An obelisk can look like the Washington Monument (yes, the designer copied the Egyptian obelisks), or it can be round.

On the last two visits (in 2004 and June 2011), I took pictures using a digital camera. The photos I took on both visits showed phenomena with one of the obelisks. It was so strong, it effected the statues next to it. At my 2004 visit at first I thought I had moved as I snapped the shot because a few of the photos were blurry. An inner urging told me to re-examine my pictures and I am glad because when I did, I discovered I didn't move while taking the pictures, the column and statues were moving! I carefully examined the surrounding areas in the photo, and there were portions that weren't blurry. If I made the mistake of moving; every aspect of the entire photo would have been blurred.

What is so remarkable about this whole thing is: an inanimate object isn't supposed to move on it's own. If something weighs a ton or more and moves, there must be an earthquake going on (at least that is the reasoning taught in school). What I am about to show you should not be able to occur, but my camera picked it up on two separate occasions, and there is one photo showing the obelisk 'swayed' to the side as well.

Below, you will see pictures of both visits. I present them in two forms: the original photo; and portions of the photos cropped and enlarged so you can see the vibrations. The pictures taken in 2004 are of poor quality because the camera was purchased when digitals were new to the market; but it's not so poor that you are unable to see something unusual going on.

This first picture shows a normal view of the obelisk.

In this second picture, I moved in closer and if you examine it, you can see that the base and the top of the obelisk are blurred. However; if you look at the statue next to it and the wall behind the statue, most of it is sharply defined.
And you can see that the obelisk sort of 'leans' towards the statue.

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In this third photo I cropped the picture which 'enlarges' it a bit. Look at the top of the obelisk now. Even the head-piece of the statue next to it is vibrating. If you examine the rest of the statue, it looks fine.
I moved in a little closer below so you can see more. Is the shadow blurry? No. It is well defined.

In the photo below, I cropped the photo to highlight the bottom portion of the picture. If you look at the base of the obelisk, it is blurred. Once again; look at the statue next to it and the black cubes against the wall.

Below are the pictures I took in 2004. Look at the woman standing in the photo. She is sharply defined. Now look at the obelisk. Look once again at the top, the bottom, and also look at the leg of the statue in the lower left hand side.

Here is the same photo. I changed the color to black and white and placed arrows in red pointing to the vibration.

Finally; the same photo in which I tinted the photo green because it defines the outline a bit more.

So you be the judge. Put on your 'thinking cap.' Why is this piece of stone vibrating??

Boston Museum of Fine Arts - Egyptian Exhibit

2011-06-19T17:29:00.005-04:00

I've been meaning to make a return visit to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts for a while now. My last visit was in 2004. Since then the museum has undergone renovations and moved exhibits around. Some of the museum changes were nice; some could have been left alone, but it was easier to maneuver your way from one collection to the other, which is why they made changes in the first place. Some of my favorite pieces have disappeared. I haven't seen them in over 20 years.

Of all the days I chose to visit, I had no sooner gotten in the door, paid my $20 admission and was getting ready to find my way to the Egyptian exhibit when I heard the sounds of a fire alarm! In all my years, I have never been in a museum and had to evacuate. Every patron, every employee was made to move to the outdoors and stand on the grass until the building was cleared of any threats. We were outside a good 25 minutes. Good thing it wasn't raining or 90 degrees!
You can't run and jump in your car. Parking is at a premium in more ways than one in Boston. Practically nil on the streets and paid parking is costly. I think it cost me $16 for 90 minutes in 2004, and on my visit the other day, they have added "Valet Parking" for $27 for the entire day if you aren't a member; $17 if you are, and major credit cards only..... No cash. Needless to say, most people arrive by public transportation or taxi.

I didn't go through the entire museum. You need to be extra young to do that. Even though they have places to sit down; sitting down just doesn't get it after a while. Plus your mind is overwhelmed looking at and absorbing things. Thank goodness for cameras; take photos come home and download them to the computer for repeated virtual visits at your convenience.

I did manage to go thru the Egyptian, small portions of the Roman, African, Asian, Art of the Americas and toured the Chihuly Glass Exhibit.

I didn't take a lot of photos, as I didn't find a great deal that excited my heart; and that is how I take photos. If something 'excites' my soul or spirit, I will take a picture or two.

Here is a slide show of a few things. They were in the Egyptian, Roman, Greek and Art of the Americas exhibits. Actually, when going thru the Art of the Americas exhibit I felt I was walking through an episode of "Antiques Roadshow."

To be quite frank; most rooms in museums gives me the 'creeps.' If there aren't other people in them, I won't go in; or if I must, I pass through them quickly. I know it sounds strange; but it's something that has developed over the past 30 years.

Here is the slide show.......

Boston Museum of Fine Arts - Chihuly Exhibit

2011-06-19T16:00:00.005-04:00

Dale Chihuly, born in the United States 70 years ago is being called the most famous glass artist since Louis Comfort Tiffany. He set out on a path to study interior design and architecture. Obtaining degrees in sculpture and ceramics he worked with glass masters in Murano, Venice. When Chihuly returned to the US he established a glass program at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1968 and co-founded a Glass School in 1971. Losing an eye in 1979 at age 38 he continued blowing glass but ceased later in life when due to a swimming accident lost strength in his shoulder and was no longer able to support a long tube used to blow glass. He still creates by designing but other glass blowers do the work he is unable to do.

Based in Seattle, Washington, Chihuly works with a team of glassblowers to create room-sized marvelous pieces.

I wandered into the exhibit by mistake, but was instantly drawn into overwhelmingly, breathtaking beautiful creations of glass. Every room caused me to gasp in awe as if I were watching a 4th of July fireworks display! Each room was painted a rich dark charcoal grey which served as the perfect background to make those colors "POP!"
I left the exhibit wanting "more" and my spirit and soul was temporarily healed from whatever ailed it from living...
Yes! viewing the pieces in this collection is "healing."

If you get the opportunity to see this exhibit in a city near you; please take time and see it! You won't regret the journey; and your heart and soul will thank you.

Here are a few links to learn more of this man's tremendous talent. I encourage you to explore.

Chihuly Book - $50 and $35 (hardcover, softcover) 160 pages, 125 color illustrations:
http://www.mfa.org/collections/publications/chihuly

A quick video showing how the exhibit was set up at the Museum:
http://www.mfa.org/collections/publications/chihuly

Access to a small variety of Chihuly videos
http://www.mfa.org/exhibitions/chihuly

Wikipedia link giving more information about this man and a listing of permanent exhibits across the US and around the world; too numerous to list here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Chihuly

Everyone has a very interesting story to tell, and this newspaper article gives a much more insight into Mr Chihuly:
http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Chihuly-victimized-by-his-own-success-1201229.php#page-1

Here are some of the photos I took of the exhibit. It takes a professional photographer to truly capture these works, of which I am not; but I hope you can get an idea of the beauty I saw that day.

By the way; the small bowls shown at the end of the slideshow were for sale in the Museum Shop. They ranged in price from $6,000 to $9,000. I read in the newspaper article above that people have his chandeliers hanging in their homes. I can't even begin to imagine the price tag on one of those babies.

Ok...! This IS Winter, Blizzard of January 11, 2011

2011-01-12T18:36:00.023-05:00

Well; Yes! Mother Nature did it to us again, and She did it with gusto! This storm travelled up the east coast from the deep southern portion of the United States. We knew we were going to get smacked hard. It was all you heard on the local news stations for days prior. Massachusetts was even declared in a 'State of Emergency' a day before the snow started. Schools were closed (and I hear schools will be closed a second day as well). Non-essential state employees were told to stay home. We were even told we might hear thunder while it snowed; and I heard it! I heard it twice within 3 hours. I have never experienced thunder while snowing and it was a weird, delightful occurrence. I thought it was a plane flying too close over the house. Winds were blowing hard and with great consistency. When I went to the front and back doors to take photos, I had to brace myself to obtain a movement-free shot and the wet snow was blowing in my face and onto my camera lens.

It was a heavier, wetter snowfall than the last. (See the post below this one) Branches of trees and bushes were weighed down. In some areas outside of the city, electricity was lost. What saves a city like Boston is, the majority of their lines are underground. I stayed up until 6:15 AM because I enjoy keeping track of how things are going, and I will open doors and take photos if I see accumulation in significant amounts.

This snow accumulation will be with us for a week or so because temperatures will be in the high 20's and very low 30's during the day.

The people in the neighborhood were shoveling hard afterwards digging out their cars, sidewalks, driveways, steps and porches. I think people are changing because this is the first time I have seen neighbors helping neighbors. Young people were pitching in helping those older than themselves; and that was a first as well.

It reminded me of when I was little back in the 50's and people were more neighborly and looked out for one another. I hope that time is heading back. The planet needs it. We all need to begin showing little acts of kindness to others. There has been enough of being self-centered and ignoring those around us who are in need.

As to how much snow we got; I think it might have been about 15 inches; give or take a few depending upon where the snow was measured.

I even saw a Front-end Loader clearing snow from the intersection; something not usually seen around here. But I remember the Blizzard of 1978 in Boston, and nothing can compare to that. We got about 36 inches of snow. Transportation came to a total stand still. People could not get to work for at least 4 days. Those who worked for hospitals and were essential personnel had to be picked up by the National Guard in jeeps. My husband; not to be outdone, walked to work; and we're talking about a 15 minute drive when all is well and traffic is not a factor. Walking is 42 minutes on bare ground.

I am going to include some individual pictures below.

This shows snow falling highlighted as ribbony squiggles in the floodlights.

Here is a close-up of the snow falling. When you first look, it appears to be gossamer strings of silky fibers.

You can see the strength of the wind interacting with the snow and illuminated by the street light. This was taken at night at the beginning of the storm.

The following photographs were taken tonight, after all of the shoveling has been done. It is however, still lightly snowing, but nothing that is going to accumulate.

Icicles dripping from the street lamp.

You can see the snow still weighing down the evergreen bushes at the foot of the stairs, and clinging to the tree branches above.

All is well in the streets tonight. You can see the snow on the rooftops after this snowfall. In the slide show prior to this posting, the snow is nowhere to be seen on the roofs.

Now; I will present a slide show of photos taken from beginning to the end of the storm.

We all must keep in mind that for the past few years Mother Nature has been re-arranging Herself, and cleansing her body (the planet) of thousands and thousands of years of negative emotional energy deposited into her by the emotional thoughts and actions of every human who has spent time here. She has to do this in order to continue living. She is; after all, a living entity just as we are. Just as we need to cleanse our body of toxins in order to continue living, so must our Planet. So when you read, hear, or see reports of unusual chaotic weather conditions happening, understand that our Planet is clearing Herself of accumulated toxins.

Major and minor cities in various countries all will eventually have their "cleansing" times; whether it comes in the form of flooding, snows, hurricanes, tornadoes, or earthquakes. Look back in history to see what war like atrocities occurred in these areas. And if war was not a part of the history, how were people treated there? Were they slaves and denied a 'life?' Was there emotional or physical turmoil going on?

All of these conditions must be neutralized and transmuted. So hold on to your hats. Some form of cleansing is coming your way if it hasn't already; large or small, it's coming. In general, the heavier the emotional turmoil that took place on or under the surface, the heavier the cleaning of toxins. It might even need more than one cleansing in order not to completely destroy all life in these areas.

I need to add an addendum here. After posting this I read online that at the time this storm swept north, the National Weather Service reported snow on the ground in every state except Florida. Even Hawaii had 7 inches of snow on Mauna Kea Mountain.

To have the slide show automatically advance for you, click on the large triangle lying on its side in the middle of the slide show screen, then click on the smaller triangle lying on its' side in between the two arrows.

The Boston Blizzard of December 2010

2011-01-01T22:35:00.012-05:00

Weather has been crazy all over the country, and over the entire planet for that matter. We haven't had a 'normal' application of weather for a decade, but lately, it seems as if something or someone is standing above our planet using a giant spoon stirring the weather around as if we are in a cauldron. The last few years we have been 'wintering' in Boston to escape the harsh heavy snowfalls we usually get in Maine. I live at the top of a steep driveway and every time it snows, it has to be plowed and sanded. That can run into big money over a very short period of time, and there are few people available to plow my type of driveway these days.

I often get teased for 'wintering' in Boston. Most think I should go further south, but the rent is free in Boston, and any place else won't be; and since no one is rich we go where it is more convenient. Believe it or not, Boston does get less snow than my area of Maine because Boston is on the ocean, and my home in Maine is in the foothills and mountains. There is a big difference in temperature; hence more snow. Moisture in the air in my area during winter means freezing rain, sleet, or snow. Moisture in Boston means either rain, or snow. And if it is snow, it doesn't stay on the ground frozen until Spring, piling each snowfall upon the last one, until you have 4 or 5 feet of snowbank looking at you. I'll take 24 inches of snow for the winter any day over 5 plus feet.

Well; back to the crazy weather patterns our nation has been having lately. Massachusetts was threatened with two snow storms, but at the last minute, they veered away only to pull a surprise and give us about 2 inches of the powdery stuff one night in early December. Then, about 5 days ago, we were stuck with the 'big one.'

The weather man was calling it a blizzard. A word that sends fear into the hearts and minds of man (at least it does for me). They tried to make us feel better, giving us the explanation that a blizzard is nothing more than consistent winds of at least 25 miles per hour while it is snowing. The blizzard condition simply means that snow will be whipping around in the air constantly, making driving and walking difficult because you cannot see far in front of you. Whew!! That's a relief. I used to think that "blizzard" meant to expect at least 24 inches of snow.

Anyway, as you can probably tell; I love taking photos, so when it started snowing I stood and braced myself in the threshold of the back and front doors and snapped away. The wind was blowing like crazy! I dressed in coat, hat, and pulled my collar up around my neck. I went out three times: at the beginning when the snow was whipping around like crazy and there was little snow; then about 6 hours later when there was more accumulation, and finally; after it stopped and people were out with shovels trying to clean up and make paths to walk and park their cars.

Parking is at a premium in Boston 365 days a year. This city, established in the 1600's was not created to accommodate the 3 and 4 cars per household that it does today. So when it snows, people shovel out a path for their cars to park on the street (very few driveways available) and leave beach chairs, traffic cones, step stools, etc. to hold their spot until they come home. Usually people respect it and drive around looking for another spot to park.

Here is a slideshow of the snow from a very narrow range of view. The first shots were taken at night.... It's hard to tell, but I suspect we got around 12 to 14 inches of snow. The winds were whipping so hard, blowing snow all over the place, that after all was said and done, some areas of the block got less snow than others.

Enjoy!!!

Autumn's Bounty in Maine 2010

2010-10-26T14:07:00.006-04:00

I think it was 2007 since I have posted photos of the beauty one can only see in the Fall.
It's one of my favorite times of the year. Spring is the other.

I live in the foothills of Western Maine which is rural. Rural means that the majority of the land is hilly, loaded with ponds and lakes, forests, and people who have farm animals for one reason or another. Some are dairy farmers. Many have animals to provide eggs, and milk to make cheese. Some raise chickens to slaughter so they can fill their freezer. Some have goats to produce milk and cheese. Quite a few have a garden and they preserve or sell their harvest. All in all, it is a beautiful place to see. In my seventeen years or so of living in Maine, I have never seen an ugly spot of land. Riding over the roads often presents breathtaking views no matter what time of the year.

It's the place to visit if you live in a heavily populated city and just need a breath of fresh air and refreshment for your spirit and soul.

I try to share the beauty I see with others in the best way I know of: Photography. So please enjoy!

You will have to forgive me. I travelled about with my camera a bit too late. We had a few rain storms with high wind and after it cleared, the colors were a bit 'past peak' and many of the leaves had dropped to the ground.

If you look in my "Archives" under 2007, you will see my earlier presentation of Fall's Bounty. The photos have a more intense color. It was a beautiful year for leaves. The slide show screen has a large white arrow in the middle. Click on it. It will drop away to show a smaller white arrow along the bottom of the slide show screen. Click on the smaller white arrow to have the slide show advance automatically for you.

Cabbage Island & Boothbay Harbor, ME 4th of July, 2010

2010-07-08T15:44:00.032-04:00

Just to get away from the routine of doing the same old thing on the 4th of July, John and I decided to spend the night in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. We have visited about 5 times over the years to take the ferry to Cabbage Island and enjoy a wonderful lobster bake. This time; instead of rushing back home I thought we would watch the fireworks over the harbor and relax. Traffic was very light driving down, save for a few slow drivers that we could not legally pass, but luckily they turned off and we were free to 'speed it up.'

We arrived in Boothbay with 20 minutes to spare before we had to check in at the reservation desk on the dock for the Cabbage Island ferry. The parking lot we always use had one space left, and a surprise steep increase in cost. This year we were told to pay 30 dollars for the day. We never ever paid more than twelve! But maybe, just maybe my 'spiritual friends upstairs' was looking out for us because the man offered us the spot for $20, and we gladly took it because we did not have time to drive up and down this quaint village looking for a better place to park. Did I mention that two days before, the east coast entered into a week-long heat wave? Such a lengthy one is unusual up here. Three days, maybe; but not 8 days long. Being on the coast showed us no mercy. It was hot, and soggy there too.

We made our way across the dock to the Reservation desk, paid for our tickets and waited for the boat to come in and pick us up.

Cabbage Island Lobster bakes are a delicious treat if you like lobster. They call it a Clambake, but it is really a lobster bake.

You are transported by ferry to Cabbage Island; a family owned and operated 5 and half acre stretch of land in the Bay. The ride takes about 30 minutes and you are given interesting facts about who lives on the various islands that dot the bay, and how much it costs to rent a week on one of the homes (how's $10,000 for you?). Need I say some very wealthy people have summer homes on the bay islands. Let me get back to the Lobster bake on Cabbage Island.

When you disembark you are greeted by members of the Moore family to personally welcome you to their island and summer home. There are picnic tables scattered around the grounds for you to seat yourself, as well as a covered porch around the main building if weather is inclement or you just don't want to sit in the sun.

After everyone has found a place to perch, the staff gives you 20 minutes or so to collect yourself and you are served clam chowder with oyster crackers. Everyone is given a rolled napkin that contains your eating utensils, wet nap, toothpick, lobster bib, lobster cracker and tiny fork to get into those nooks and crannies of the claws.

While you are eating, the lobster is being steamed outside in the ground along with clams, corn on the cob, a whole onion (don't ask me why), a hard boiled egg and two lobsters per person. When the food is done, a chuckwagon bell rings letting you know that it's time to line up at the pit to receive your dinner.

Everyone is given a tray that holds your lobsters, and all the other items I just mentioned along with a small bowl of melted butter. When you get back to your table, wait staff come around and take orders for your drinks. Unlimited iced tea and coffee is included, but anything else has to be paid for separately. Extra butter, napkins, etc are quickly given. They check back often to clear away your shells, get drinks or anything that will make your meal with them wonderful.

At the end of your meal, everyone is given a thick hunk of blueberry cake. They say cake, but it is more of a bread being that is not sweet enough to be called cake. You are also asked if you would like coffee with your cake. If you have time, you are free to walk around the island, but I've never had time for that, nor do I feel like it after that meal!

After everyone has been given time to eat, the ferry returns to take us back to Boothbay Harbor. What does all of this wonderful goodness cost? A very reasonable $58.95! The link to their website is....

Cabbage Island Website: http://www.cabbageislandclambakes.com/clambakes.htm

When we got back to the Harbor, it was time to check into the Boothbay Harbor Inn. It was a very clean, neat, well appointed pleasant room with a king sized bed and a balcony overlooking a portion of the harbor. The room looked like it had been newly renovated, but there were a few things I see disappearing from the hotel industry that used to be the norm: like elevators to the second floor.... there were none, and if you have trouble with your limbs like many do today, you will be walking up some stairs carrying your luggage all by your onesies. Bathtubs are getting smaller too. The length is about the same; but the width is very narrow these days. I noticed in foreign countries they have either very narrow tubs, or no tubs at all; just shower stalls.

What the heck! We were only staying the night, and the room was air conditioned, and this is a town that does NOT have any of the chain food places such as McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, etc. And you will not find any of the chain hotels there either. Lots of Bed and Breakfasts, Inns, and family owned motels abound; so you choose from what you are offered and enjoy. I would love to have a summer home in Boothbay Harbor though...!!

Here is a link to the Boothbay Harbor Inn: http://www.boothbayharborinn.com/bbhi_guestrooms.html

At nine o'clock, the fireworks were supposed to begin over the harbor. So everyone in the entire town found a place to sit and enjoy the action. John and I sat on the pier and of course, I had my camera along to see if I could capture pictures to show you and give us something to look at after returning home. It was a pretty good show too. Not as good as you are going to see along the Charles River in Boston, or even a farmer's field we enjoyed in a town not far from my neighborhood (meaning the show was way too short); but it was beautiful nonetheless.

I don't think I will ever see as much of Boothbay as I would like. You need to stay about 5 days for that.

Here is a link to Boothbay Harbor Chamber of Commerce website:
http://www.boothbayharbor.com/

I encourage you once the page loads to explore the "Visit Us" listings along the left hand side of your monitor, and also explore the links located along the top of your screen as well.

Those little Guidebooks you can pick up free in hotel lobbys can be viewed page by page online and can be found on the right hand side of your screen. It does require Adobe Flash Player - Version 9 or above.

Finally; here is a slide show of views from the Ferry, Cabbage Island, the fireworks, some views of the Harbor, and; Oh yeah! I forgot to share; the closer you get to the coast, there are little stands you can buy lobster to take back home with you. The prices are so very cheap, and many will even cook them for you if you'd like! I like!!! Why struggle if you don't have too? We stopped at one of those lobster stands, and brought back 5 lobsters for $30. We ordered them cooked (in seawater so they were perfectly seasoned) and was charged an additional $5.

Next time, we're going to be two little pigs and buy ten lobsters!! I de-shelled them and made lobster salad for dinner along with corn on the cob and coleslaw.

It doesn't get much better than that! I hope you enjoy the slide show. I did notice that the slideshow did not want to automatically advance once you clicked on the arrow in the center. I had to tell the computer to allow pop-ups on this site. It never used to be that way. Must have been one of those Microsoft updates changing the rules again. Depending upon what is going on, you may have to advance each photo manually with the arrow keys. With everything that is going on with the planet electro-magnetically, heavens knows how it is affecting our electronics.

Movies Have Changed In 'The Big City'

2010-02-28T00:29:00.017-05:00

I've been away from "The Big City" for 17 years, but things couldn't have changed that much or at least, I wasn't aware of it until I went online to check out what was playing at the movies.

I expected movie admission prices to be more than the $5 I have paid for years at the Narrow Gauge Cinema Complex in Maine ($3.50 for matinees), but I was somewhat shocked at what I found in the Boston area movie houses.

As always, patrons and customers will be charged according to what providers know you are willing to cough-up. This applies to food in the grocery stores as well.

But here is what I found.

Basic movie ticket prices range in the neighborhood of $7 to $13.75 depending upon the time of day, the movie title, and the length of time the movie has been playing at the cinema. Figured into the price structure is whether you are a child, senior, or a full-paying adult.

Basic ticket prices go up IF you wish to sit in a cinema's Luxury Level area. Say What?! What is the Luxury Level, and what amenities do you receive?

In Luxury Level, you have access to a Lux Level Concierge Desk; you have escort to the Lux Level Auditorium, and you have Coat Check Service available.

You must be 21 years of age to be seated in the Lux Level.

What types of films will you be shown in the Lex Level Auditoria? Films offered will be new releases and first run films appealing to those in the 21 plus age group. No "kiddie" movies here folks!

What is the cost for the Lux Level Program? Patrons can enjoy this VIP experience for an additional fee at the time of the ticket purchase which includes a $5 off food/beverage vouncher, reserved seating, and exclusive Lux Level parking. The additional fee for Bargain Matinees prior to 6PM everyday is $10.50; for General Admission Sundays thru Thursday, $11, and on Friday and Saturday $13.50. So now; we are paying anywhere from $17.50 to $20.50 just to sit in the Luxury Level Section.

You have the additional privilege of ordering food from a very nice menu and have it brought to you so you can enjoy eating and drinking while watching your movie. Luxury Level menus feature innovative appetizers, personal pizzas, wraps and paninis, complemented by luscious desserts and signature cocktails. A selection of fine wine and beer is also available. I want you to look at the menu available for one particular Cinema.

The menu selection isn't 'chopped liver.' We're talking about: Premium Crab Cakes, Stuffed Salmon Pinwheels, Chicken Cordon Bleu Petites, and Bourbon Steak Tips. Pizza's are on the "high end" with Chicken Parmesan, Philly Steak made with certified Angus Beef.

Link to Luxury Seating Menu Items:

http://www.nationalamusements.com/forms/LegacyLuxLevelMenu.pdf

Oh! I forgot to mention that the seats are extra wide and comfy and you have a small table to hold your food.

Now if you can't afford to sit in the Luxury Section and must sit in the 'regular' section, you have 'options.'

Here's what they are: you can eat before you go into the movie or after you come out. No.... You don't have to get in your car and ride to a restaurant; there is one right inside the lobby area. This particular Cinema's restaurant is called "Studio Three."

Studio Three is a full service restaurant featuring American Fare in a relaxed, sophisticated setting. Patrons can enjoy dinner and/or drinks before or after the movie, or just stop by to meet friends for lunch/dinner or an afternoon snack. Menu items at Studio 3 include appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, panini's and a wide variety of other quick dining options. Studio 3 also features a full service bar with beer, wine and innovative specialty drinks.

A link to Studio Three Menu Items is here:

http://www.nationalamusements.com/forms/LegacyStudio3Menu.pdf

You can also just sit in the regular seats and enjoy the "Food Court." In the Food Court, you do what we have always done before seating ourselves to watch the movie; you load up on your popcorn, candy, and soda. In this particular Cinema, you have a choice of: Nathan's Famous Hotdogs, cheeseburgers, and signature cheese fries. You can have Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream in a dish, freshly baked waffle cone, or try one of their frozen drinks. If you like coffee; Starbucks is there to serve you.

Now; this particular Cinema does not have this service; but some other cinema locations offer what is called "In Seat Dining."

With In Seat Dining you can enjoy your concession items delivered to your Premium Director's Hall seat.

Menus are provided when you pick up your tickets at the Box Office and all food is delivered before the movie begins. Menu items range from traditional pop corn and nachos to burgers, pizza and more. Simply go to your seat and one of their servers will take your order. Orders will be received right up until the start of the Coming Attractions and all food will be delivered prior to the start of the film.

A link to the In Seat Dining Menu is here:

http://www.nationalamusements.com/forms/DirHallMenu.pdf

Going to the movies today can be an expensive treat. Not to speak of all of the calories we can add to our already over-burdened bodies (at least to mine). I wonder if they have wheel barrow service to your car after eating and viewing is over??

When a man takes a woman to the movies today; he'd better be prepared... and she had better be prepared to 'fork over something' after the show.

In the 'old days' if your date spent over a certain amount of money on you; you most likely would have been asked to 'give up a little something,' if you know what I mean.

With today's prices, no wonder people rent movies.

Taking the family out to the movies with today's economy, you might be spending a week's grocery bill or more.

Comparing Winters

2009-03-03T18:59:00.020-05:00

I'm in Boston this Winter purely for the difference in snow accumulation. Last year, in my area of Maine, we had over 300 inches of snow.... a bit over the top even for Maine. Since arriving in Boston, it has snowed almost every week as it does in Maine; but from what I see, the difference is temperature.

In the rural sections of Maine (away from the coast and into the foothills and mountains) the temperatures are colder in the winter and it does not allow for much snow melting. Therefore, any snowfall stays on the ground until the next snowfall.

Layer upon layer of frosty stuff grows higher and higher until Mother Nature raises the temperature and gives bright warm sun to begin the evaporating process. On a 'good' day, you will notice that the snow has shrunken a few inches. A good thing too!

In Boston; the temperatures are about 10 to 15 degrees warmer in winter and after a snowfall you might have days in the mid to high twenties, but temperatures will rise to the thirties and forties and a great deal of melting takes place allowing you to see bare ground. Last week the snow had disappeared completely until March 1st when the storm from the south left the eastern portion of our country "snow blessed."

Boston received about seven inches which is an 'acceptable' snow amount in comparison to the snowfall Maine received last week of 24 inches in my 'adopted home town.'

I am including some photos of Bostons' snow; Maines' snow dumping last week; and I just happen to have a few photos of Mother Nature's snow dumping outside my door in February 2008.

Wherever you are residing; if you live where snow is absent in the winter, you are blessed. On the other hand, I would not want to live in your area during the summer. Steaming is for vegetables, not people.......

Now for the photos.....

The photo above is in Boston taken January 18th

The picture above was taken in Boston, after a January snowfall.

Boston; late December

Boston: March 2nd storm

Another photo of the March 2nd storm

Boston: March 2nd storm

Now we're going North into Maine.

The Snowstorm of February 21, 2009

Western Maine: February 22, 2009

Same area, same snowstorm: courtesy of "The Daily Bulldog"

Western Maine: Courtesy of my friend Rachel

Western Maine: Courtesy of my friend Rachel

Photo Courtesy of "The Daily Bulldog" newspaper

Now for a few photos after a February snowstorm last winter in front of my house.

Welcome to my world..... I opened the front door and this is what greeted me!

The only reason there is a 'scoop' in the snow is I went into the night and shoveled a bit.

Here is my car, and Lucas who 'shovels me out.' Plowing the driveway is another chapter. Luke's job is to shovel where the plowman leaves off which is from the back of my vehicle to my front door.

Here you can get a better view of how deep the snow is.

He's making progress........

He's getting through it.....

Whew!

Almost finished.......

Done..........!!

Mother Earth's Georgeous Bounty.....

2008-08-30T11:10:00.005-04:00

I'm in love with Mother Nature. There is nothing on this planet without Her. She IS the planet and everything that exists here! Over the span of my life I have taken pictures of what I consider "beauty;" scenery that has 'stopped my heart' in mid-beat because of what I have seen.
It nourishes me everytime I look at these natural works of art created by the "Master Artist Herself" and I thought others might want to look at them too; so I have placed them into a slideshow for you to enjoy, and I've put some soothing music on the music player at the bottom of this page. Sit back and take some time off from the world to relax.

I have personally taken all of the photos in the slideshow except one: workers in a tea leaf farm picking tea leaves. This is going to take a few minutes to view, and if possible, I would suggest viewing in a darkened room when all is quiet in the world around you.

Let your Soul enjoy and refresh itself.......

It's Been A While.... A Walk In The Woods

2008-08-26T17:35:00.007-04:00

It's been a while since I have posted to this Blog. The last time was in March of this year. Here it is now late-August and to my dismay we are heading into Fall. Where did the seasons go?? In my area of Maine we started getting green leaves back on the trees in April; now some of the leaves are starting to turn already. It's not fair!! We had so much rain during Spring and Summer! Well over 22 inches, raining almost every single day! Crops that are water-sensitive did not do well (such as tomatoes). Farmers had a time trying to 'hay' for the winter season.
You can't cut grass when it is wet.

We had about a week of hot, humid temperatures, and the rest was quite temperate. As a matter of fact, a few weeks ago I had to put the heat on to take the chill off of my rooms. Our temperatures have been very decent (in the 70's and very low 80's during the day) but just about all of them have been very humid with high dew points. Mother Nature is really 'cleaning house' everywhere this year. We even had a tornado warning which is just about unheard of in these parts. New Hampshire was actually hit by one and at least one person died; many homes were damaged.

Anyway; this past Sunday John went to a Sporting Clays Shoot in Richmond, Maine and I love the land this Course is set on. The owner has his home at the entrance and his acreage is highly wooded which provides a wonderful canopy of trees to shade you from direct sunlight. It's a nice walk in the forest and I always have my camera with me to take pictures.

I love taking pictures of Mother Nature's Beauty and I want to share them with you. So many people don't get a chance to take a walk in the woods. It is so very peaceful.... It calms the body and mind.

I also have four photos of a young buck who suddenly appeared in my back yard a week ago. My kitchen window over the sink looks out onto the backyard, and it is always a surprise whenever I see creatures just walking about.

From that window I have seen a mother turkey and her young, a doe and her babies, groundhogs (I can do without those), and a mother pheasant with her young.
It's such a delight when they visit!

Here is the slide show of my walk in the woods.........

And here are the pictures of the deer. I took them through the kitchen blinds so please forgive the 'lines' you might see.

I Have Nerve to Complain About Snow!!

2008-03-07T18:41:00.008-05:00

I have a nerve to complain about snow...... Today I ran across an article taken from a Blog that said a town near Watertown, New York received 146 inches of snow within two weeks' time and had pictures for us to see. I was shocked! Yes; my area of Maine had that and more, but it was spread out over a few months, not two weeks! I think I would have moved out of town, or arranged to visit a relative in another state until that mess was over!

The article had pictures and I am including them below as a slideshow for your amazement... It is a reminder for us all to "count your blessings" no matter how invisible they might seem at the time!!
Enjoy......

Snow?? Bah Humbug!!!

2008-03-07T01:34:00.005-05:00

This has been one rough, very active winter this year in the Western portion of Maine! It started snowing in the month of December and hasn't stopped! During most weeks we see some form of precipitation twice a week. I have had to get my roof shoveled 4 times already. The norm is once; maybe twice during the winter.
We have had about 5 ice-storms so far. The 'norm' is usually two. Shelling monies out of your somewhat tightened budget to have your driveway plowed, your walkway and cars cleaned off, and the sanding of everything adds up pretty fast when you have had this much activity. I would venture to guess that we have had about 150 inches of snow so far this winter. We are tired of it and don't want to see another flake! Everyone is 'snowed out."

There is no place to put the stuff anymore! My driveway has narrowed down to a toboggan opening. Intersections have to be eased into and out of because there are piles of snow blocking your view.

Melting season (which we call "Mud Season" up here) is going to be very interesting and extremely messy. Those who do not have a paved driveway are going to be need rubber boots for walking; it's going to be that deep and mucky! Luckily I could afford to get my driveway paved when we first moved here.

There is talk of flooding once the melting begins. The one thing that is a pain is the snaky length and height of my driveway: it affords me a beautiful view, but in the winter it takes special skill to plow. However; in case of a flood, if water ever reaches my home, everyone else's home around me will be totally under water!

Here are a few more photos taken about two weeks ago. It has snowed 3 times since then.......

This photo was taken 2, maybe 3 snow events back.....

The top of one of my shovels...

Our plow man at the end of my driveway.....

A close-up of my Plowman trying his best to push that white stuff out of the way.

For Those Who Have Been Wondering.......

2008-02-02T20:45:00.000-05:00

I have received inquiries as to how much snow we have gotten in Maine this winter. The month of December 2007 was just terrible! Every week it snowed and sometimes twice a week. I believe we captured about 48 inches of the white powdery stuff during that time. In January, we caught an early "January Thaw." Maine gets a "January Thaw" every year, and usually it is well needed to help evaporate or melt snow banks sitting on the ground from October, November and December.

This year's January Thaw lasted almost two weeks. The usual is about 7 days. We are getting smaller amounts of snow now, and I do think and feel that we will have an early Spring in Maine this year. Even though the calendar says "Spring," Maine usually lags behind by at least 6 weeks.

I haven't kept accurate track of the snow amount this winter as I have in previous years (it is too depressing to do so), but I would venture to estimate that we have had about 5-plus feet of snow fall so far. The average snowfall in the foothills this year has been about 6 inches each snow event.

But we honestly cannot complain. We have had much less snowfall than other parts of the country; and it is time for us to have less! Honestly: If we could create a "force field" around Maine, we would not have any snow at all. ALL of our weather streams from other places: either it comes from the west, mid-west, Canada, or the South. Maine, in and of itself, does not generate snow.

Here are a few pictures.

Here is a 'comparison' picture of what the back of my house looks like without snow. Keep your eye on the metal barrel in the yard which stands about 36 inches high.

Here is that same barrel again in the midst of a snowfall.

Again, after one of the snow events...

Snowbank with the barrel in the background.

Snow bank by my car......

Snowbank against the house....

View of my driveway from my livingroom window.....

Neighbor's home next door from my driveway.

Another view of my driveway from my livingroom window. The snowbank is about 3 feet high.

Some Creature walked into the woods while the house was asleep one night....

I don't know what Creature it was. The one cool thing about snowfall is it allows you to see that something did walk across your property when you weren't looking.

Here is a close-up of the tracks which were a bit exaggerated due to the evaporation of snow by the sun.

Autumn Leaves!!

2007-10-17T20:58:00.000-04:00

It's Autumn in our hemisphere of the planet and if you are lucky enough to live in a region where the leaves change colors, it is quite possible that you are enjoying a spectacular explosion of color all around you right now. If your area has not received the right mix of rain, temperature and humidity your leaves will not look good at all. You will see pasty browns and dull yellows before the leaves finally fall to the ground.

Last year in Maine, our colors were yucky, but this year, we are fortunate! I took my camera out over the past week and captured some wonderful shots for you to enjoy. One of the places I stopped was a churchyard in Belgrade Lakes. I was told they had over 1400 pumpkins of all size ranges and was very surprised to hear that the pumpkins were grown by Navajo Indians in New Mexico and shipped to Maine for our Halloween pleasure. They do this every year!! Go figure!! And good for our Native American brothers and sisters for reaching out and becoming involved in creating income for their people!

I wanted to capture photos from more areas, but the leaves reached their 'peak color' in the past few days and already have either dropped to the ground or are a terribly dull brownish hue.

So please enjoy the slide show! It is a bit 'long' but I think you will enjoy it!

It's Fair Time in the Country!

2007-10-04T15:51:00.000-04:00

It is the tail end of Fair time in Maine and I went to the Farmington Fair in my area about two weeks ago.

I haven't been in a couple of years so John and I spent four hours walking around. We spent time in the Exhibition Hall looking at a variety of submissions by residents in surrounding towns. There were categories in baking, photography, oil and watercolors, knitting, crocheting, tatting, quilting, rug making, basketry, woodworking, and agriculture.

There were products for sale such as jellies, jams, preserves, honey, syrups, fudge and handmade crafts.

Walking outside there were additional vendors selling a variety of items including; bulky knitted sweaters, sweatshirts, jewelry, leather wallets, hot tubs, and food! Foods of all types including complete homemade meals and lobster rolls. There was even one Thai food vendor.

The carnival rides were there. We always ride the Tilt-A-Whirl because it makes me laugh and giggle in wild abandonment like a four year old, and it is the only ride I feel "safe" on. I have this "thing" about being so many feet above the ground unless I am structurally well-supported.

We were at the Fair during hours when the horses were racing and John, who loves horses and watches horse racing on TV has never attended one in person, so we watched one and then he placed several bets. He thoroughly enjoyed himself and won a few (I say a few) dollars. It was fun!!

We also visited the animal exhibits which are always interesting for me. It's the petting zoo I never got to participate in as a child because petting zoos not not exist. There was the usual variety of lambs, ducks, special breeds of chickens, llamas, a donkey, miniature horse, cows and Bulls! They caught my eye in a big way! Those creatures are HUGE ! When we first entered their building, John and I wondered would it be safe? They were in open stalls, not tied in, and they are gigantic! They could easily kill a human with size alone, yet they were so peacefully docile. It was a moving experience for us both. Resting on all fours, these animals stood almost 6 feet. Their legs down to their hooves were massive! I asked if I could pet one and was given permission. I was humbled at their calmness, and the feel of their body...... warm and silky. He weighed 4400 pounds and did not even flinch as I moved my hand on his hip area. I was impressed with at him for his relaxed calmness, and myself for having the nerve to get that close and touch. I was born and raised in the city, and touching anything other than a dog or cat is unusual (smiles).

I find most farm animals to be friendly and eager to interact with human beings. They are inquisitive and loving; much like babies, toddlers, and children under 7. It is refreshing to be in their company. It brings out the innocence and the way it is supposed to be on this planet. If only we could spread this interactive lovingness to everyone on the planet, life would be so wonderful and peaceful!!

There was also a building set aside for businesses wishing to expose you to their products. There were the usual local businesses, and there were a few "new age" vendors offering massage and magnetic jewelry to stop or ease body pain. Magnets, when correctly applied are excellent at stopping pain. But you must know the "rules" of magnetics. Improperly used, they can create problems. There is information available about this on Google and some books on healing will have a chapter or two on magnets. I personally got instant relief from shoulder blade ache when I jokingly asked John to put a small round magnet (used in crafting) on the spot that was painful. He held it there for all of 60 seconds and the pain disappeared and did not creep back!

So be aware that there are different forms of healing available if you need it. The body does not always have to be drugged in order to bring relief or to heal. If you are interested in learning more about magnetic application, here are some links for you to explore:

Magnetic Therapy Websites:
http://www.northpolemagnets.com/understanding_magnetic_therapy.html
http://www.emaxhealth.com/6/459.html
http://www.naturesherbal.com/Healing_Magnets.htm

People who use a medical device such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, or insulin pump, should not use magnets because they may affect the magnetically controlled features of such devices.
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/magnet/magnet.htm

And now for the SlideShow!

Got Milk ??!! - Organic Dairy Farming

2007-10-01T16:12:00.000-04:00

John and I were invited by our friends Randy and Jill Bates for a tour of their expanded dairy farm!

The Bates come from 'multi-generational' dairy families and made the decision to become "organic" about two years ago because organic farming is in demand, and you receive approximately one-third or more for your product.

Dairy farming is hard work! If the nation had to depend upon me to supply us with milk, they would be 'out of luck!' I am serious!!

The Bates have about 75 cows, but only 35 are producing milk. The remaining cows cannot produce milk until they have given birth, and it takes approximately 2 years after a cow is born before it begins puberty and goes into "heat." When a cow goes into "heat" she is ready to become pregnant.

Dairy farming is a science. A lot of planning goes into it. I've found out a lot of information from Jill and Randy, and I don't know how they keep up with it all!

Along with feeding the cows, you have to keep track of a number of things such as which cow is in 'heat' and is "available" for breeding. When it is time to breed a cow you only have a 24 to 48 hour 'window' to get the semen inserted at the mouth of the cervix (yes; they are just like a human female). Of course, all of this is done artificially now, so you have to place a request for semen to be delivered and inserted. You have to pay $15 for insertion, plus a minimum of $50 for a shot of semen. The semen price is determined by the bull's breed and his pedigree. Yes! Cows are pedigreed just like any other prized animal.

If the cow does not become pregnant (you know because she will go back into heat in another 21 days), you have to go through the entire process again. Semen; once inserted, is only active for about 12 hours (run boys run!). If a cow is having trouble becoming pregnant you can choose to have a "pregnancy check" performed by a veterinarian. The vet gives a physical exam and chemical work is so done. The chemical process takes about 35 days to determine if all of her reproductive 'equipment' is in good physical condition.

Jill told me that it is a big business for those who provide bull semen. The people involved house and pen the bulls, collect, freeze and store semen for delivery when cows are in heat.

Dairy farmers have to keep books showing detailed histories for each cow. After calving, a cow gives milk for 305 days, and it is not advisable to allow a cow to become pregnant for two months. Her system needs "rest" and "recuperation."
If a cow gives birth to a male, he is sold to a "sale barn" after it reaches seven days old.
When a cow becomes pregnant, she will give birth nine months later (like a human).

The Bates have approximately 544 acres of land. Three-hundred and seventy-four acres are used for managed woodland and to harvest wood for fuel. The remaining acreage is utilized for crops (100 acres) and pasture (70 acres). Pasture must have access to drinking water and the Bates have 9 natural ponds. What a life these cows live!

If you are an organic dairy farmer, you have to treat your cows differently from a conventional dairy farmer. I asked Randy what steps he had to take in order to do so, and he said that the cows must have access to pasture land, but the government is 'somewhat vague' about this.

His own personal definition and practice is: "During pasture season (when grass is growing) all cows one year in age and older should receive nearly all of their nutrition from pasture land, supplemented with a special grain mixture. The grain required for organic feed is composed of: corn, wheat, soybeans, peas, and an assorted range of minerals. The grain is "costly" but the cows love it!! It is like a desert to them."

In the cold months when the ground has stopped producing grass; cows are fed dry hay, grain, and balage. Dry hay and balage are basically the same thing (grass) but are processed slightly different. Dry hay is grass that has been cut, dried by the sun, and stored in a building without being wrapped in plastic. Balage is grass cut while green and allowed to 'wilt' for a few hours; then it is machine wrapped in plastic. Wrapping in plastic ferments and preserves it.

If an organic cow becomes sick, you cannot give it chemicals. It must be treated with homeopathic remedies. If antibiotics are required, they must try homeopathic antibiotics first (there are quite a few... Humans, take note). If they do not "work" and a chemical antibiotic has to be used, then the cow must be sold to a conventional dairy farmer.

Jill told me that when you are a farmer, you have to wear many hats and wear them well. You not only have to know how to produce your product, but you must maintain financial books, books for the livestock, you must be a scientist, a welder, a plumber, an electrician, a mechanic, a landscaper, a doctor; you name it, you must be it!

I asked what a "typical" day was for Randy and here is what he said:

He gets up at 4:30 AM; goes to the barn at 5:30 to milk and feed the cows for two hours. Depending upon the season he will work on crops for haying, repairs of anything needing attention (and something always needs attention), he will work on fencing and maintaining farm equipment. He heads back to the barn to do another milking between 4 PM to 6. In the winter, he has to add another hour to the milking process because you have to feed and clean out the stalls. In the warmer months they basically feed themselves. The only thing they get fed manually is the special grain they love so much.

Randy and Jill have a son and daughter still at home who helps them with the farm. Nathan, age 21 helps with harvesting crops, repairing and maintaining equipment. He will help with the milking if Randy needs it, or if Randy, for some reason cannot milk.

Allison, age 19 is still in school (she will graduate in 2008). She performs a variety of chores in the morning and evening when able to (schoolwork prevails). Allison will also fill in with milking if Randy is not able to do so.

Jill keeps all of the books required to run the dairy business. She runs the household (cleaning, washing clothes, cooking, painting, wallpapering, etc) and she also has to be "on call" to run at a moment's notice to purchase a part for equipment repair. In haying season (they managed to prepare and harvest 15,000 bales of dry hay and 450 bales of balage), she pitches in as well. Jill also finds time to help others who need it, when they need it. She helps her other with keeping her books and takes her to medical appointments, cleaning house, etc. Jill also helps out when needed in our Town Office.

I asked Randy if he had any unfulfilled dreams surrounding his farming life, and he said, No. He told me he is extremely happy, and would not trade his life for anything! He is very content and happy! How many people do you know who can honestly say that about their profession?? Not many, I am sure!

By the way; the Bates sell their organic milk to Hood and it is processed, sold and marketed under the Stonyfield name. For more information and details about Stonyfield's products, click on the link below:

http://www.stonyfield.com/OurProducts/Milk.cfm

Another note: I find cows to be highly intelligent, and gentle. They are perceptive and curious just like humans.

Now, of course there are some pictures........

A Walk In The Woods.....

2007-08-28T02:56:00.000-04:00

John and I have been attending Sporting Clay Shoots these past few weekends. A majority of these Shoots are held on acres and acres of beautiful woods. I don't shoot. I really have no interest in shooting, but I like accompanying John. He likes to shoot clay targets flying through the air to see how many he can "kill" and I like capturing the moments with my digital camera.

I love being in the woods! There is something calming and peaceful being surrounded by Mother Nature's bounty and beauty! It's an entirely different world being surrounded by trees, ferns, stones, rocks and bushes....
It brings the blood pressure down. It creates peace in your soul and your Spirit is able to communicate with you with ease while you are in the woods.
Join me on a peaceful "walk in the woods....."

The Latest Adventure.......

2007-08-24T13:51:00.000-04:00

Last weekend John and I attended a two-day Shoot at Silverton's Sporting Ranch in Canaan, Maine http://flurrieclays.blogspot.com/. If you wish to look at a slide show of those photos, click on the link.

It was more of an adventure for me to take photos. I took a book and knitting just in case I got bored, but did not have a chance to use either while at the Ranch!

Instead of driving back and forth from the house both days, we booked a room at the Comfort Inn in Waterville. I tried to get a "Non-Smoking" room, but none were available. The other hotels in the area were either all booked (Best Western Inn) or too expensive (Holiday Inn). The EconoLodge will never get my business because they place their bathroom sinks in the bedroom, and I need privacy unless I am staying alone.
So how bad could a "smoking room" be?? Boy! As soon as we stepped off the elevator the stale cigarette smoke hit us in the throat, and the room's air was almost un-breatheable! Even turning up the air conditioner did not help. Fortunately I packed my vials of peppermint, orange and wintergreen oils. I place drops on my pillow each night before going to sleep because it smells soothingly wonderful. I put some on the upholstery and the pillows in the hotel room and it made a tremendous difference in the air!
The following day while we were out, Housekeeping cleaned the air with an ionizer and you couldn't even tell you were staying in a "smoking" room after that.

An unexpected delight was a free HOT breakfast with "limited waitress service." Breakfast was buffet style: scrambled eggs, home fries, link sausages and tiny pancakes. Also available was a large variety of cold cereal, breads for toasting, pastries, coffee, tea, orange and apple juice. The last time I stayed in a hotel, breakfast was served but it was all cold items. So this was a welcomed change!

Silverton Ranch is surrounded by acres and acres of beautiful corn fields. It was a wonderful two days in the outdoors!

I did get to stop in Watervilles's wonderful yarn store (The Yardgoods Store). They sell yarn, beautiful fabrics for sewing, and sewing machines. I wish I could have brought the entire store home with me! I got to actually feel the various yarns I see pictured in catalogs and the online yarn stores. It was a great tactile experience!! (Only a person who works with yarn understands the need to touch the material before you buy it).

One evening after leaving Silverton's we ate at Friendlys. I hadn't eaten there for over 20 years and read they were having trouble attracting customers and revamped their menu, so in we went. John loves to get an appetizer no matter where we eat, so we opted for the Waffle Fries! My god....They were good!! I recommend you stop in and try them. They are extruded potatoes in the shape of miniature waffles, fried golden brown and drenched with cheddar cheese and bacon bits, served with sour cream and ranch dressing for dipping. They were to "die" for!! The serving was enough for 4 people! Here is the link for finding a Friendlys near you: http://www.friendlys.com/menu/lunch/.

A restaurant to avoid like the plague is Govenors!!
http://www.governorsrestaurant.com/?area=features

The food served at this place is old and stale; and a fish meal ordered by a nearby customer filled the air with a stinky fishy odor; indicating that the fish was extremely old. We should have gotten up and left, but we were tired and hungry. I ordered chicken medallions with cranberry stuffing and baked potato with pickled beets. How bad could that be, right?? Pretty bad!! I took it to the waitress and told her I could not and would not eat it! The chicken medallions were dried out, the gravy was dried out, the potato was old as well... the only edible portion were the beets. John's meat loaf must have seen better days and could have been used to tile a wall. His baked potato was "days old" too. With branches in five other locations, do not patronize this eatery! In my opinion, they should be closed down!!!

Maine is an incredibly beautiful state. There is very little that is ugly or an eyesore, and on the days when everything is green, the humidity and temperature is perfect, you feel as if you are in a portion of paradise!

Riding along the rural areas (which most of Maine is) there are signs beckoning you to buy corn, strawberries, blueberries, cukes and apples from roadside farms. You even run upon small stands and shacks selling live lobsters at a reduced price. No wonder people travel from all over to vacation here. It's a little slice of beauty, peace, and wonderful quiet! It's soothing to your soul.

When leaving the Comfort Inn, I picked up some brochures of available places to visit in the surrounding area. If you like to fish, here is a wonderful excursion for you. I don't even like to fish and I thought it was unusual and exciting: Drive up north to Mount Desert Island http://www.acadiamagic.com/SouthwestHarbor.html and board the Vagabond owned by the Masako Queen Deep Sea Fishing Company. They take you 8-20 miles out of the the Southwest Harbor where you may catch cod, cusk, cunner, mackerel, school pollack, sculpin, redfish, and occasionally a wolf fish or a mako shark. They offer a 3/4 day or half day trip. Half day trips are fun for the entire family; enjoy porpoises, seals, eagles, osprey and occasionally a whale. On all trips they haul a lobster trap for each person on the boat. Any legal lobsters in the trap they haul for you are yours to keep with their compliments. The Vagabond is a fast, comfortable, off-shore commercial fishing boat, coast guard certified with a "head" and well equipped. Fares start at $34 for 12 and under; $44 for adults. The price includes: rod, bait, fish cleaning and maybe a lobster(s). No charge for lost tackle. All tackle is free! If you don't fish and just want to enjoy the trip deduct $5 from the fare. Moderate consumption of beer or wine coolers are OK.. no hard liquor and no large coolers of alcoholic beverages allowed. What to bring: warm clothing, rubber-soled shoes, sunscreen, camera and lunch. Snacks, chips, soda and water is available on the boat. Trips not recommended for children under 5. Call for information and reservations: 207-244-5385, 7 to 8 AM. I am typing all this information because they do not have a website. September is the last month until June of the following year to enjoy the day with these folks.

Here is a short slide show of what goes on in the world of Sporting Clay Shooting.

Tomatoes!

2007-08-07T15:01:00.000-04:00

John wanted to try growing something to eat this spring. We have both grown plants and flowers in our 'city life,' but neither one of us have ever planted something to eat.

John is the more 'adventurous' of the two of us, so off we went to a private garden center and came home with two container cherry tomato plants. We re-potted them into larger containers; watered them with Miracle-Gro and a few drops of "Crystal Energy," (a special treatment that makes water more "effective") and I placed a small single-terminated crystal into each pot to increase the 'goodies' found in our air and sun. A few weeks ago, we started harvesting cherry tomatoes, and boy are they good!

I cannot describe the taste... they are both sweet and a bit sour; full bodied in flavor, nothing like you buy in the stores.

My "beef" with just about anything "fresh" you buy in supermarkets is a lack of full-bodied flavor. If you have ever tasted food purchased directly from a farm, you will understand what I am talking about.

There is something vastly different about allowing a fruit or vegetable to ripen on a vine, stark or tree that brings out a complete level of taste. What we purchase in a store isn't allowed to fully ripen, and it shows in the taste.

I am usually always disappointed whenever I decide to buy fruit because it lacks full flavor. So to taste the wonderful difference of our first-grown tomatoes is lovely, and I think it is safe to assume that next Spring, we will purchase more plants, expand, and explore our newly found "farmer's thumb."

Here are a few photos of our small bounty......

A Few Quiet Hours in the "Country"

2007-07-31T20:53:00.001-04:00

I know you might think that I am a little crazy, but last week John and I had to take a ride for business purposes and our destination ended in Chesterville, about 40 minutes from our home. While John took care of the business-end, I wandered the grounds with my camera. I knew we would be there for a while, so I also took a book AND my knitting just in case I got bored. I can't stand to be bored..... so I always leave the house 'prepared....'

I didn't know the scenery would be so intriguingly beautiful. Actually, since living in Maine, I have yet to see ugly landscape. Every turn, every stretch of road is always breathtaking. If you like greenery, you are definitely in the right place here. So out pops my camera and snap, snap, snap away I go.

We discovered that the person at the end of our destination lived on a pond, and as a sideline, he also has a wood business. He cuts down trees, debarks and slices them to be sold to people building houses, camps, or furniture. I love wood in all stages of existence. So you will see some photos of lumber in the slideshow, along with a few pictures of the bottom of the pond. Surprisingly I discovered mussel shells on the bottom. Who-knew??? Loons sang in the background as I walked around. Chipmunks and squirrels scampered about (as they do at my house). And I almost lost my camera because a spider landed on my hand and basic instinct made me fling it away even though it was the hand that held my camera! My camera went tumbling down a grassy knoll...... good thing it was all soft grass or I am sure it would have been the end of my trusty friend!!

How is this area different from where I live? It isn't really, except it sits on the shore of a large pond and the roads to get there are long, twisty, and unpaved. It's a deeper setting of woods than where my home is located.

So I hope you enjoy the slideshow.....

Our Annual Cabbage Island Trip

2007-07-23T15:10:00.000-04:00

John and I went to Cabbage Island last week. Last year we drove to the coast ourselves, but this year for the second time we travelled with the Seniors Plus group from Wilton, Maine. Everyone meets in a parking lot, we board the bus and we're on our way. Don't have to worry about traffic, looking out for road signs, filling up with gas or parking once we arrive. The price is right too.... $71 per person. That's not bad considering the ride to Boothbay Harbor is about 90 minutes away; We get the boat ride to the island, the generous meal, and on the way back we stop for ice cream (the ice cream is on us, not included).

I learned a new trick yesterday. I can now place a slideshow on my Blog so you can see the photos without having to scroll down. Hope you find it convenient to look at. If not; let me know.

Boothbay, Maine Harbor Seal Watch...

2007-07-01T10:54:00.000-04:00

John and I enjoyed a bus trip to the coast of Maine last week. We usually take a few trips to Boothbay Harbor each year; a quaint village loaded with trendy shops, restaurants, motels, and Bed and Breakfast inns. It reminds us of being on the Cape in Massachusetts, but doesn't have the extreme crowds of the Cape. Usually we take a ferry ride to Cabbage Island for its famous Lobster Feast, but this year we decided to take a Harbor Seal Watch cruise. We did it the 'easy' way by signing up with Seniors Plus; a Community Center in our area. You pay your fare and meet in a parking lot where you board a tour bus and get driven to your destination. You don't have to worry about traffic, following road signs, etc. When we arrived in Boothbay, we were treated to lunch at an Inn (nothing fancy, sandwich of your choice, beverage and dessert). I must say the dessert was very fancy. It was chocolate mousse served in a dark chocolate fluted shell. The shell was surrounded with a rich raspberry sauce and the mousse was topped with a small dollop of whipped cream. A little too rich for my palate, but I did eat the chocolate shell! It was delicious! After lunch, we had an hour to kill before our boat arrived at the dock so we looked through the various shops.

To my surprise I found a Quilting & Yarn Shop that was going out of business! The yarns they carried were 95 percent natural fibers, the rest were man-made and prices were marked down from 10- 20%. Of course I ooo'd over their wonderful stock and could not make up my mind what to buy; and everyone who buys yarn knows you have to take your time. Time was not something I had a lot of and I had to abandon the shop 'yarn-less'. What a bummer!!Wish the shop was closer to me, but a 90 minute drive is not feasible 'just for yarn.'

Back to the dock to board our ferry for the 80 minute cruise to see the summer colonies, islands and hopefully to spot a few seals on the island ledges. Considering everything involved, the price of $51 per person was quite reasonable.

Of course, you know I had my camera with me and I took over 100 photos! Don't panic; all of them will not be included in this posting. But I am sharing about 25 of them. Hope you enjoy the journey........

This ship is a replica of the "Bounty" from Mutiny on the Bounty recently used in the remake released a few years ago starring Mel Gibson. Scenes using the ship was actually filmed off Boothbay Harbor.

Leaving the Harbor

This large log home is owned by an executive of the 3M Company.

I could not resist taking this photo. This woman reminds me of "Maxine" of the comics.

A Navy Ship in the waters from a harbor celebration that occurred two days before our arrival.

A very small Lighthouse

This is how you 'board' your boat when living on an outer island, and there is no dock...

I love rocks. I think they are beautiful!

This is where the seals reside. There were some resting while we were in the area, but my camera lens is not powerful enough to get extreme closeups from a distance.

More Harbor views....

Of course, it would be nice if this was my summer or fall home!

Or this one ......

Some fellow cruisers.....

Here is how a small boat is loaded into the waters and retrieved at the end of the season for storage.

Isn't this a pretty scene?

Here is a boat carrying lobster traps...

Another boat with traps.......

A view of Boothbay Harbor. A catholic church sets in the background.

The Inner Harbor.....

A nice small Schooner ......

Heading back to the docks....

This is what our ship looked like....

He Caught Fish!

2007-06-01T19:47:00.000-04:00

In yesterday's post showing Crow's Pond I promised if John caught fish, I would take pictures. He caught some! He spent about 90 minutes standing on shore using Night Crawlers as bait and a quarter ounce lead weight. He says he kept his fishing rod in his hands the entire time instead of propping it to stand on its own and used a Shakespeare "Ugly Stick" purchased from Walmart. He caught three White Perch, three Yellow Perch, and one Small Mouth Bass.

Here are the photos..... And I must add, they taste delicious! I told John he might have to go fishing again next week and stay longer..!

Spring Photos ....... Spring Has Finally Arrived!!

2007-06-01T02:29:00.000-04:00

Spring has finally arrived here in the Foothills of Maine! It certainly took long enough!! Trees are fully loaded with the most luscious light-green leaves! I love it! It is my favorite time of the year! If we could only keep Spring for nine months instead of three; then have Fall jump in for three months, life would be closer to paradise on the planet!

I accompanied John (my Heart-Mate) to the barbershop today where he learned of a new promising place to fish for Perch from Jack, his barber. After returning from a jaunt to Augusta to try out Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (by the way, it was fun and absolutely delicious), John and I found Jack's fishing recommendation in Farmington Falls. It is Crow's Pond. John is returning tomorrow with worms and his "Ugly Stick" fishing pole to try his luck. I'm staying home to knit......! Black flies are not my 'thing.' I can't stand the pests!! If John is successful, I will post a photo or two.

In the meantime; here are some photos I took from the shores of Crow's Pond.

This photo was taken of the bottom of the pond. I 'enhanced' the colors of the leaves so you could see them better.

Here is John; my Heart Mate...........

These last two photos were taken of a small dam in my town

Fiddleheads - The Ferns You Can Eat!

2007-05-27T19:00:00.000-04:00

Fiddleheads! What are they?? I too didn't know fiddleheads existed until I moved to rural Maine and saw them in our local supermarket. Curious, I purchased a package and Boy! Was I ever glad I did! I love asparagus and fiddleheads taste just like asparagus tips when lightly boiled in salted water, drained and tossed with butter! The trouble is fiddleheads are only available once a year in early spring when ferns are sprouting from a long winter's sleep.

That's right! Fiddleheads are the tips of the Ostrich Fern and are called fiddleheads because in their early stage they look like the rounded end of a fiddle. The photo above shows picked fiddleheads, washed and ready to cook.

Here is what the Ostrich Fern looks like sprouting from the ground. The rounded tops are the tasty "fiddleheads" and picked to eat as a delicacy. Because they are only available a few weeks a year the price is high. This year one of my supermarkets sold them for $5.99 a pound. But there are some good souls (god bless them) who sell them by the side of the road and their price is significantly less (thank goodness). This year, we got 3 pounds for ten dollars.

Fiddleheads are a Maine delicacy that appears early spring during April and May. When preparing for cooking carefully brush out and remove the brown scales. Wash and cook the heads in a small amount of lightly salted boiling water for 10 minutes (or a little less) or steam for 20 minutes (or less). Serve at once with melted butter. The quicker they are eaten, the more delicate their flavor. They may be served, like asparagus on toast. Cooked, chilled fiddleheads can also be served as a salad with an onion and vinegar dressing. I eat mine with steak, chicken, or pork chops. It's a wonderful tasting vegetable!

The Ostrich Fern fully grown......

Fiddleheads are a good source of vitamin A and C, niacin, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc and phosphorus. So next time you walk through the woods and see ferns at your feet, I hope you remember the wonderful vegetable source you could have had on your table.

Bon Appetite!!!

Behold! The Lowly, Much Hated Dandelion

2007-05-27T04:15:00.000-04:00

The Dandelion! Most people hate it with a passion. Each year they spend money and time killing it from their lawns because they believe it is a pesky weed and therefore think it is an eyesore. I would like to enlighten you to the truth about this flower. Mother Nature (thank goodness) is wiser than humans and always provides vegetation useful in alleviating the human condition. For each human ailment, Mother Nature provides a remedy, and the dandelion is one of them!

Dandelions are related to the sunflower family and is commonly used as a food. Its leaves are used in salads and as teas; and the roots are used as a coffee or tea substitute when roasted. It is often added to regular coffee to improve the flavor of coffee. Dandelion leaves and roots have been used for centuries by various ancient cultures to treat liver, gallbladder, kidney and joint problems. It has been used as a blood purifier and to treat cancer. It has been, and still is being used to treat water retention.

Dandelion leaves and roots help stimulate digestion and are mild laxatives. The leaves and roots also increase bile production in the gallbladder, and bile flow from the liver. Because of this, dandelion is recommended by some herbalist for people with sluggish liver function due to alcohol abuse or poor diet. The increase in bile flow may help improve fat (including cholesterol) metabolism in the body.

Bees frequent the plant for its nectar, and many beekeepers swear dandelions help produce some of the world's best honey. Many wild birds rely on the seeds as a main staple of their diet.

The greens can be used in a variety of recipes and wine making.

Rich in vitamins and minerals; the leaves have a high content of vitamin A, as well as moderate amounts of vitamin D, vitamin C, various B vitamins, iron, silicon, magnesium, zinc, and manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon. The most active ingredient in dandelions are eudesmanolide, and germacranolide. These two ingredients are only found in dandelions and are responsible for the dandelion's cleansing effect on the digestive system and liver.

Dandelion can decrease serum cholesterol in some people. The root can be an appetite stimulant and can treat some digestive disorders. Today many herbal doctors use it to purify the liver and gallbladder of deadly toxins. Research indicates that dandelions can treat pneumonia, bronchitis, and other respiratory discords. It can improve general health, and is beneficial to the kidneys, pancreas, spleen, stomach, and other organs. Dandelion is also recommended for the treatment of tinnitus, tonsillitis, osteoporosis, abscesses, anemia, boils, breast tumors, cirrhosis, water retention, hepatitis, jaundice, rheumatism and warts. It may also be effective in eliminating age spots, and some people use the root toasted as a healthier alternative to coffee. Why? Because of it's wide vitamin content. It has more vitamin A than carrots!

In short, Dandelion Benefits are:

a gentle diuretic

can purify the bloodstream and liver, stimulating manufacture of bile

decreases serum cholesterol and uric acid (uric acid creates gout, a form of arthritis)

maximizes the performance of the kidneys, pancreas, spleen and stomach

very beneficial to menopausal women

effective in treating abscesses, anemia, boils, breast tumors, and cirrhosis of the liver

may avert the development of age spots or breast cancers

is a mild laxative

Are there any side effects or interactions using dandelion? Dandelion leaf and root should not be used by people with gallstones without supervision of a health care provider. People with an obstruction of the bile ducts should not take dandelion. In cases of stomach ulcer or gastritis, dandelion should be used cautiously, as it may cause an overproduction of stomach acid. Those experiencing fluid or water retention should consult a health practitioner before taking dandelion leaves.

The capsule form can be purchased from your local health food store or at online vitamin outlets.
Recipes can be found online if you wish to pick some in your yard and experiment eating dandelion. Here is a simple one I found for you.

Leaves must be picked early before the flower has opened. If picked afterwards, the leaves can be extremely bitter. Look for new plants, ones that have not even sprouted a flower, as these will be of the best quality. After gathering several handfuls, wash them the same as lettuce in cold water. Once clean, thoroughly dry by shaking and laying out on a clean paper towel. The earlier in the year you pick dandelion, the better. Spring plants always make a better salad than late summer or fall plants. Here is the recipe:

Two handfuls of clean, dried dandelion greens

5 strips of fried crisp bacon, cooled and broken apart

half cup of vinegar

small red onion - diced

3/4 teaspoon of sugar

In a shallow pan of boiling water, add dandelion leaves just long enough to heat, drain water and add remaining ingredients, adding enough sugar to cut any remaining bitterness. You might need to experiment with the sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve while still warm.

Add raw dandelion greens to salads, or cook them like spinach. The greens can be found in the produce section of most health food stores, specialty markets, and some supermarkets. When buying, look for crisp, bright leaves, avoiding those with yellowing, browning, or wilted tips. Store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

So next time you look at a dandelion and panic thinking it is an obnoxious weed that must be destroyed because it is messing up the appearance of your lawn; think again! Mother Nature has placed a wonderful medicine and food at your fingertips FREE OF CHARGE!! Learn to take advantage of such bounty.....

Instructions for picking and drying dandelion can be found on Google. Let's begin looking at life a little differently and learn to truly appreciate the wonderful bounty that freely surrounds us... no going to the pharmacy or paying a doctor's fee.

Globally there are over 100 species of dandelions. Mother Nature placed them before us for a good reason; and since the planet is the most polluted it has ever been, and people are more unhealthy than ever recorded, it might be a good time to look around, become aware, and take advantage of what has been given to us by Mother Nature to cleanse our bodies and become healthy.

A field of Dandelions.... free Food and Medicine for the taking

Fresh Off the Needles and Updated Baby Photos

2007-03-04T18:08:00.000-05:00

My knitting needles are forever busy creating one thing or another. Here are the latest two!

This is a Sweater Vest for Woody using Caron's Simply Soft yarn.

This is a Scarf I knitted for myself using Homespun Yarn.

Here is Woody, dressed in a Fireman's outfit for Halloween

This is Woody with his brother Dom being held by their Aunt Jaz

And this is little Ruth. She has sort of been my guinea pig for knitting baby creations this past Fall and Winter. This photo won Ruth "Honorable Mention" in the LandsEnd Baby Contest online. Isn't she cute!!

Maine's Antique Cars

2007-03-04T00:53:00.000-05:00

I have a wonderful friend named Robert Prescod who lives in Brookline, Massachusetts. Robert has a variety of interests; one of which are Antique Cars. Robert found a hidden goldmine of antique cars in Maine last summer and sent some photos. I was blown away by the beauty of these wonderful creations and want to share some of them with you.

Remember: You can view an enlarged version of any photo on this Blog by clicking on the picture.

This is a 1952 MG

Here is a 1942 Cadillac

This is a 1948 Tucker

This is the interior of the Tucker. Note the push button controls.

This is a 1933 Rolls Royce

This is a Graham Paige

This is a 1947 Delahaye

This is a 1929 Duesenberg

This a 1910 Panhard (the blue auto).

This is a Packard Hood Ornament..... Such classic beauty and grace!

This is a 1940 Buick Custom

Here is my friend Robert, standing in front of his favorite automobile; the Tucker.

Here is a 1941 Packard (the hood ornament is shown above)

This Packard belonged to Clark Gable; a gift from Carol Lombard

This is a 1932 Stutz

The antique cars are in a private collection, owned by Robert and Sandra Bahre. These beauties are only on exhibit to the public during "Founders Day" on Paris Hill at the Hamlin Memorial Library and Museum; Paris Maine, the third Saturday in July.

If you wish further information the phone number is: 207.743.2980. Their email addy is: hamlinstaff.lib.me.us ; and a website can be found at: www.hamlin.lib.me.us

The Big Blizzard of 2007!

2007-02-15T16:35:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day of 2007 delivered a bouquet of love from Mother Nature in the form of snow: A whopping 23 inches of it where I live in the western foothills of Maine!! This is the first significant snowfall we have experienced this entire winter. The snowmobilers were complaining (whining would be closer to the truth) about the lack of snow pack that allows them to ride with glee over hill and dale like little kids sledding down a hill! Well, they cannot complain any longer. They can ride to their heart's contentment.

It took two plowmen to keep my driveway manageable while the storm was laying down a white carpet of snow. One plowman (a Mr. Kennedy) lost the transmission on his Dodge Ram 4x4 and could not continue. Two snow blowers malfunctioned (broke down) before they could be used. If it wasn't for the wonderful help I received from a teenager (Lucus), I would not be able to leave my house and get into my car. Ah, the young and able bodied; so full of energy, so powerful of muscle, (this particular young man) so eager to help in a time of need!

So I leave you with pictures: the before and after of the great storm of 2007! The photos are self-explanatory, so I haven't provided captions.

Cold Weather And Strange Cloud Formations

2007-01-17T16:00:00.000-05:00

Well, we had our Snow Storm. They predicted we would get anywhere from 8 to 12 inches this past Monday (January 15th). Thank goodness, we only got about five and one-half inches! I don't suppose it had anything to do with me asking help from the Earth Goddess (Mother Earth)?! I silently said a prayer asking "if we really did not need to receive all of the snow predicted, please let it bypass my area."

We are however, in the midst of some very frigid temperatures! The temperature dropped to minus 4 degrees last night, and we never made it above 2 degrees above zero today! We are scheduled to go back down to 4 degrees below zero again tonight. Thankfully the house made it through the cold! I remember a few years ago temperatures were below zero for about a week and the water line running from the well into my house froze. Water pipes are placed below six feet to prevent freezing, but that particular year the cold was so intense for such a long period of time, it traveled below the permafrost line. One year, my toilet line froze and would not flush! I shouldn't have to tell you what a panic that created!

Tomorrow we will be having a 'heat wave' when the temperature climbs to 28 degrees! But looking at the internet weather service, we will experience cold temperatures for at least another 8 or nine days where we will not see anything above 30 degrees. A darn site better than 30 below!!

Yesterday on the 16th the sun was in its setting phase and I happened to look out the window and saw the most unusual cloud formations! I have never seen any like these before (in person), so being the 'camera bug,' I grabbed my camera and dashed outside in the frigid, bone-chilling weather (no coat and hat) to grab these beauties while they were still 'available.' If you would like to view a larger format of the pictures below, just place your cursor over a photo and click.

These photos capture what is uncommonly recognized as "cloudships." Cloudships are supposed to be alien spaceships 'cloaked' in clouds during daytime as they go about their earth missions. If you do a "Google" you can get other pictures such as the one below. Here are a few links: http://www.bariumblues.com/lenticular.htm and http://www.etfriends.com/lisacloudpix.html When visiting the second link, wait until the page loads and scroll about halfway down to see actual photos of similar cloudships.

Wierd Weather And New Knitted Articles

2007-01-13T22:17:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since I have posted. But I intend to amend that today. Winter has begun in my portion of Maine. Temperatures have dropped. We have had a few nights of being in the 20's and teens. Single digit nights are due this coming week for a few evenings. Snowfall has been light. We have had two snowfalls (a blessing in this part of the country). Nothing over 4 inches; but last week, we had snow and freezing rain which could have been worse, but was still a slippery mess. We are supposed to be 'blessed' with about six inches in the next few days! Yuk, Yuk, Yuk, Yuk Yuk!!!
Last week we had a strange weather occurrence (for lack of a better word). We had fog appear on the ground in bright sunlight! I have never seen this before, and it went on for over 2 hours. I ran outside to capture a few photos, but my camera is not as sophisticated as I would like it to be. Who knew I would be taking pictures of fog when I picked it out two years ago? Here are a few examples. By the way, if you require a larger version of the pictures on my blog, just place your cursor over the photo and click. A larger picture will download for you.
The first picture shows the top of my driveway overlooking the property next door. You can see the top of a mountain in the background. Some fog can be seen thru the trees.

In the picture below, If you look closely you can see the bottom of my driveway covered in fog...

Note the fog mingling in the tree branches.......

My knitting needles are always busy. I love creating, but they also allow me to 'wick off' excessive creative energy. If I couldn't create something with my hands, I think I would go stark raving mad in this world. I always feel the need to create something on some level. Needless to say, my house is filled with yarn. Yarn that I will never use unless I live to be 100, and never buy another skein....
I have been treating myself with wool yarn these past 5 months since I have found an inexpensive Canadian source online. I have also experimented with 'felting' the wool yarn. It has been interesting, and I am still in love with knitting and upgrading my skills.

I am now working on knitting my first pair of adult wool socks using 4 double-pointed needles ( a nightmare to learn to juggle if you ask my opinion)! When I am done, I will post a picture. In the meantime, here are a few pictures of what I have done recently.

The photo above shows a pair of baby socks I knitted and felted using wool yarn. Felting makes the fabric warmer. For those who do not know what felting is: Felting occurs when you take wool and douse it in hot soapy water. The cheaper the soap, the faster the felting process occurs. You can actually feel the wool tighten up in your hands as you constantly dip it in the hot soapy water, scrubbing it back and forth between your hands. You can use a washing machine, but for small articles, the kitchen or bathroom sink is great and more economical!

Above is a miniature sweater I knitted last week. I placed a quarter along the lower left hand side so you can gauge just how tiny the sweater is. What do I plan to do with it? Call me nuts, but I plan to place it in a black frame (minus the glass) on black matting and call it "Miniature Fiber Art".... I think it would look great hanging on someone's wall or sitting on a coffee table! Anyone interested? I can be reached at delores@exploremaine.com.

Here is another Baby Car Seat Blanket I knitted for the new grandaughter of a friend... The babies have been arriving 'enmasse' in 2006. The little 'Wonders" just can't wait to get down here for some reason!

More Deer and Latest NeedleWork......

2006-11-07T00:31:00.000-05:00

We were blessed with a return of the Doe and her fawn.

Here is the mother Doe alone. Isn't She beautiful?!!

And you know I have to keep those knitting needles of mine going......
This sweater and hat set is for little Ruth Drake. Her mother loved the color combination. I also made the buttons out of clay.

Latest Venture

2006-10-28T18:53:00.000-04:00

Well, every respectable leaf has dropped from the trees here in the Foothills of Maine. If it weren't for the millions of pine trees in Maine, this state would look so desolate in the Fall-Winter season. I so hate this time of year. Our planet is supposed to return to its' original 'temperate' condition in a few years and I cannot wait! If we could just do away with the winter, life would be so much grander for myself and quite a few others.

Right now, it is raining to beat the band outside. Flood warnings are up for most of Maine's counties and high wind warnings are supposed to be in effect later this weekend. Temperatures have dropped and most folks have been using heat for more than a few weeks now.

I have been using my creative energy to knit baby things for an adorable 4 month old named Ruth Summer Drake (who lives in my town), a sweater and hat set for my cousin Michelle who just gave birth to her first child in Los Angeles; and a Baby Blanket for another cousin's baby who is not scheduled to enter the world until November.

Ruth needed a Car Seat Blanket to keep her toasty while visiting friends and relatives.

Here is a hat, a pair of Thumbless Mittens and a pair of socks for Ruth. The socks are knitted from wool so they are sure to be extra warm.

Finally, here is little Ruth modeling her hat! Isn't she Cute??!!!

Here is the Baby Blanket for my 'Yet-To-Be-Born' cousin next month.

Here is the Kimono-type Sweater and Hat for my cousin Michelle's Baby Boy.

Autumn Arrives!

2006-09-10T01:42:00.000-04:00

The leaves are starting to turn here in Maine. We saw a rainbow on the 10th of September (a very rare occurance), and shortly after we had one heck of a thunder, wind and hail storm! Made me sit up and pay attention...

September 30, 2006

The days are getting shorter too..... Not my favorite experience! It is dark here around 7 pm. Night temperatures are quite cold for this time of year. We already have had nights dipping down into the mid to high 30's. Day temps are 'decent' but chilly as well. I DREAD what follows! But I shouldn't complain. Parts of Colorado have already seen 7-plus inches of snowfall these past few weeks.

I haven't been 'out and about' with my camera in the past week or so simply because the leaves haven't sufficiently turned. They are starting to develop some rich coloring, so here are a few I took today on my property......

This is my driveway..... Some fun during the snow and ice season. Have to keep it plowed and sanded for safety reasons!

This is part of my "Leaching Field"... In small towns everyone has their own septic system, which must be maintained and pumped. The ground must be able to 'breathe' to maintain a healthy system and keeping the grass trimmed is part of it.

Here are some colorful leaves. I do believe these leaves belong to the maple tree.

Great color here!

More Knitted Things

2006-09-06T02:33:00.000-04:00

While cleaning out my Picture Folder I found photos of knitted things I forgot I had. Here they are!

This is a Baby Sweater

Here is an Afghan I did for the house. This was crocheted, not knitted

Here is another Afghan for the House. They certainly come in handy when it is chilly and you need a little something to keep a draft off your feet or legs.

Here is another Baby Sweater. I tried my hand at embroidery on this one.

Here is a Hat and Scarf Set for myself! I am usually doing something for other folks, but this time decided to knit something for Yvonne.

Here is another Baby Sweater!

Another Baby Sweater...... I started knitting these primarily for Charity purposes, but over the past few years I have been knitting them for friends, and loved ones of friends and relatives. They are easier and quicker to finish than adult sizes.

A Toddler's Hat

Another Hat and Scarf I managed to knit for myself!

The Beauty of Maine

2006-09-02T23:01:00.000-04:00

I am a transplanted Mainer. I was born in Baltimore, Maryland; left when I was 11 years old to join my mother in Boston and remained there until 1993. I grew up in Boston, met and married my husband Charlie and lived an interesting life there. As a middle-aged adult I began feeling surrounded by too many people. Boston's population was growing rapidly, and with an increasing population many problems such as intense crime, heavy traffic, lack of parking space and excessive noise levels increase.
The loveliness I enjoyed being in a large city began to grate on my nerves. I no longer felt 'safe.' Much of my inner harmony and balance was being siphoned off to create a 'safety shield' around my body. The noise level was unbelievable. Car alarms going off in the middle of the night, house alarms going off in the neighborhood, fire engines screaming through the streets, police in pursuit of suspected trouble sounding their alarms kept me from getting a good night's sleep. Going to work, not knowing if your apartment or home was robbed while you were away (it happened to us once and it is a feeling you never forget). Having to place 3 locks on your front door to keep people out did not make me feel 'safe'. For if someone was chasing me, it would be impossible to unlock three locks and reach 'safety.'

I found my blood pressure easing upward even though I was on medication to lower it. My breathing began to be affected. I felt as if I was having difficulty breathing and feared I might have something wrong with my lungs or an asthmatic condition, but the doctor could not hear anything wrong. So my labored breathing was 'emotional'. I began to dread living in a city where I spent 34 good years. My body and Spirit was telling me it was time to leave.

Once I made the 'scary' decision to 'move' things fell into our laps allowing us to leave. We had a very modest home built in a rural town in the foothills of west-central Maine named New Vineyard. It is populated with 735 people. The town was originally settled in the 1700's by people from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. If you are expecting the "city life" don't come to New Vineyard. It is a peaceful, quiet little town populated with folks who own cows, horses, chickens, sheep, ducks, and people who grow their own food. It is a town where the annual 'Town Meeting' is held every March and residents come to vote on how their tax monies are to be spent (wish we had that choice in Washington, DC). We don't have a mayor, we have a Board of Selectmen. Our post office is a small one-room building where the post master does most of the work while one person delivers the mail to roadside mailboxes 6 days a week. The service is always warm and very friendly. Our library is also one small room. Our fire department is strictly 'volunteer service.' We share police service with the nearby town of Farmington. I was 'shell-shocked' when I left Boston. By that, I mean you think you are 'normal' until you leave a place and discover living in your new home is totally different. I knew I needed a change, but I did not realize just how much tension was bundled up inside. It took about a year to 'heal' and totally feel 'whole'.
I am not trying to give Boston a bad name. For those who live there and love it, it's great. But for me, Boston represents a place of tension on many levels. In my little corner of Maine, I discovered we are located approximately halfway between the Equator and the North Pole of the planet. The one good thing about that is on quite a few occasions we are able to see the Northern Lights in the sky at night. Quite a beautiful sight if you haven't seen them before.

Maine is one of the heaviest forested states in the United States and covers 30,862 square miles. With a population of only about 1,321,500 people we have a lot of space to stretch and feel free. With only 42 people per square mile in comparison to 12,166 people per square mile in Boston (Boston has a population of approximately 581,616) is it any wonder why I was starting to feel 'squeezed out? '

What 'hit' me after moving to Maine is the wonderful scenery! Everywhere you drive, there is such breathtaking beauty. Here are some photos I have taken in the past few years:

Here we are on Wilson Lake, in the town of Wilton, a few towns south of New Vineyard. I think the blues of the mountain range in the distance is simply breathtaking!

I took this at a Blueberry Farm in Wilton. Blueberries are grown on either low or high bushes. High bushed blueberries are easier to pick because you don't have to bend over and pick them on ground level ( a real backbreaker). The high bushes stand about 8 to 9 feet. The field is dotted with round bales of hay drying in the sun. Later on they will be bagged and put into a barn to feed dairy cows during the winter months. If hay is stored while damp it will create spontaneous combustion. Some barns have burned to the ground because of improperly dried hay. Blueberries are loaded with Vitamin C and helps the body cleanse itself of toxins while strengthening your immune system.

Here is a beautiful field used to grow hay along Route 27 in Farmington. Once again, you can see the Mountains in the background. In the west- central portion of Maine you are surrounded with mountains.

Maine is highly populated with creative people. Here is a moose carved from wood that stands in front of the Mountain View Chocolate Shoppe in Farmington. The shop is owned by fellow New Vineyarder Pam West. Pam makes decadent chocolate candies, creates wedding cakes and carries a line of Made in Maine products.

Here is John posing with the wooden moose. Just so you have an idea how tall this creation is; John stands six feet, one. The antlers were found in the woods. The body was carved from a huge single tree trunk; the other portions were carved from smaller tree trunks. If anyone is thinking of commissioning a similar moose, better plan on dipping into your bank account for at least $3500.

Here we are crossing the bay of Maine going to Cabbage Island. Fog developed and the islands of the bay looked like something out of a science-fiction mystical place.....

Bales of hay in Jill & Randy Bates yard in New Vineyard. Jill and Randy own a dairy farm licensed to sell organic milk. Dairy farming is hard work. To my way of thinking, you are married to the farm. You cannot afford to neglect daily duties if you want to be successful. I take my hat off to those who do it, and feel it is a shame farmers aren't paid more for the work they do. Unfair compensation is also the reason so many are quitting the farm business.

This was taken at Clearwater Lake in the town of Industry.

This was taken at Rangeley Lakes a few years ago.

Here we are at the Shady Lane Farm in New Vineyard. It was Farm Day throughout the region and tours were given at various farms. The Lanes have a huge variety of animals and a Petting Zoo. They sell eggs, maple syrup, frozen chickens and ducks. They have the largest hogs I have ever seen!

More Hawaiian Photos.....

2006-08-18T19:15:00.000-04:00

I really felt ambitious the other day and went through my albums for pictures to share with you on my Blog. Hawaii is a place very close to my heart because I found so much peace while there. Living in a highly populated area with close to a million or more people surrounding you really does increase the tension and stress levels in your body and mind. If you can afford to take a vacation, it is extremely important to go some place where you can erase your tensions. A lot of people take vacations, but end up doing the same thing they do at home. They are always on the go, they put themselves on a schedule to do this and that, and though they might appreciate what they see; when they arrive home they often find that they need a vacation from their 'vacation.' With each trip we took to Hawaii, I added a day or two, did my 'running around' during the beginning and dedicated the last week to just 'chillin'. After going back home to Boston I took an additional 3 days before I went back to the 'madhouse' of the work world. Well; enough of my philosophy, let me share some of those photos with you!

This photo was taken on the island of Maui at a Buddist Temple. It is the largest statue ot Buddha in the United States, and the background setting is simply breathtaking!

Here is Charlie standing beside some incredibly large leaves! We were visiting a botanical park on the Big Island. I was just in awe at the size of some of the leaves going in Hawaii!

These are gigantic Lily Pads! Our tour guide told us that they are strong enough to support 30 pounds each!

The 'Mighty Ocean.' I could sit for hours watching the waves roll into the shore.

I was brave enough to drag myself onto a helicopter so we could see Hawaii by air over the island of Kauai. We flew over and into the Waimea Canyon, the wettest place on the planet with over 500 inches of rainfall a year. Here is one of the pictures. Hawaii is a very beautiful group of islands. It is the reason why it is often the setting for many of Steven Spielberg's movies.

Here is another Canyon photograph. I love the iron-rich red soil of Kauai!

A beautiful aerial beach scene

Another beautiful aerial shot of one of the bays on Kauai

Isn't this beautiful? It is a giant clam shell sink (fully functioning) located in the bathrooms at the Coco Palms Hotel on Kauai.

The lagoon of this hotel was used to film the wedding scene of Blue Hawaii; an Elvis Prestley film classic.

Here is my Hawaii beachfront home (another 'just kidding' remarks). This scene was taken on the Big Island of Hawaii from our rented condo apartment.

On the Island of Molokai, this beautiful beach scene was taken

More beautiful iron-ore rich soil of Kauai taken from the helicopter.

Who would like to join me on the grounds of this hotel on Molokai?

Refreshing, rushing water coming from a waterfall...

There are crystals, and there are crystals! This one lies in a Temple on Kauai and is 36 inches tall. This crystal is also very powerful. If I told you just how powerful, most would not believe me; so I just won't go into it here. However, if you are curious, email me at delores@exploremaine.com and I will tell you what I know.

Here is a Giraffe Family living on the island of Molokai. I was surprised to discover just how very skittish they are. If you make one suddenly move, they will scamper like a herd of elephants to get away from you.

Cabbage Island Trip

2006-08-18T03:08:00.000-04:00

Thursday, John and I drove to Boothbay Harbor and took an excursion to Cabbage Island; a 5 acre privately owned island for a lobster bake. It was our second trip there, and the second was just as enjoyable as the first! The boat ride was about 45 minutes long and just wonderful! The roundtrip boat ride, the lobster bake plus tax came to a nice $47.50. Quite a bargain if you ask me; especially when you get fish chowder, two lobsters, a healthy helping of steamed clams, an ear of corn, a baked potato, a hard boiled egg, a baked onion (why anyone would want one of those, I don't know), a nice hunk of blueberry cake (more like blueberry bread) and complimentary coffee, iced tea, with sodas costing a dollar; and there were alcoholic beverages for a fee. Everything is served picnic style on picnic tables you share with friends or strangers. I think they call that 'family-style' now. Of course the boat ride revealed many wonderful homes along the shores of the Bay; folks with plenty of money have palatial homes. Here are some photos I snapped of the island, and a few along the way.

Here's my place...... (kidding!) but I could 'live' quite well having the deed to this property!

A boat in the harbor.....

Here's another beautiful home on the way to Cabbage Island.
Some beautiful scenery on the way to the Island

Just leaving Boothbay Harbor

Arriving at Cabbage Island

A small island right next to Cabbage Island

Here is where you collect your Lobster dinner

Here are two happy souls walking back to their tables after receiving their dinners

Here's another happy person.......

Here is a photo of my dinner. I intended to take it before I started eating it, but I forgot! Sorry about that. Missing are my steamed clams and most of my potato....

Here's John! I think the expression on his face says it all about how much he is enjoying his lobster!

Look at him plowing into his corn! My man certainly enjoys his food!!

Thought you might enjoy seeing some scenery of the island. I love pictures showing the beauty of Mother Nature. Her greenery, water, rocks and flowers really moves my soul!

The sun was setting by the time we left , so here is a beautiful scene.......

The owners of Cabbage Island live in this house.

I love rocks and boulders.....

This is the entrance to the indoor seating area. The bar and restrooms are also inside.

Last but not least is a close-up of a beautiful flower growing on the grounds....
I hope you have enjoyed our trip to Cabbage Island, Boothbay, Maine!

More Egyptian Pictures......

2006-08-16T20:23:00.001-04:00

I went through my photo albums and scanned more pictures taken while touring Egypt. I wanted to take many more but despite good intentions, I became sick after the third day and missed out on excursions to various tombs. By the time we left Egypt, if I even looked at food, my intestines steered me to the bathroom!

One thing I never expected to see were live scarabs! I thought they were extinct! Not so! They hibernate under the sand in the hot day sun and come to the surface once the sun sets and the ground is cool. I found this out while sitting on some beach chairs waiting for the Sound & Light show to begin at the base of the Great Pyramid. I noticed something moving on the sand towards us, and when Charlie told me they were scarabs, I raised my feet onto the chair in front of me!
They are large too! I don't remember anything about the Sound & Light Show at all. I was too busy concentrating on 'keeping safe'!

Here is the Guard-Guide of the Pyramid who asked me if I would like to spend the night locked inside the Kings Chamber. I politely thanked him but declined. Looks like a character from an Indiana Jones movie or The Mummy.

This photo was taken at the Temple of Philae. It was physically relocated when they built the Dam. You can see water marks if you look at the buildings and columns.

Here is a better view of the columns from the Temple of Philae

Here are members of our group walking towards the Step Pyramid; one of the earliest attempts at creating a pyramid.

This picture was taken inside the walled city of Cairo. This portion of the city is extremely old, dating back to the times of Mary, Joseph and Christ. As a matter of fact, there is a church located within these walls where Mary, Joseph and Christ hid from Herod. People still live in apartments here.

This photo was taken inside a Tent Party on our last night in Egypt. The men are Dervishes. Men typically do the dancing in Egypt. They play instruments and eventually begin spinning at incredible speed in a circle, giving themselves the name of 'Whirling Dervishes'. Whenever you see a Belly Dancer, it is a forbidden activity, and considered something akin to topless dancing in this country.

Here is a member of our group resting on a granite bench in the Kings Chamber inside the Great Pyramid. It was a hard climb to this chamber and it was quite warm and the air was very 'still'. Sitting or standing with your back against the granite walls was very cooling to the body. If you look closely you can see her reflection on the wall behind her.

Though I did not take this photo, I am including it here because it gives a clearer image of what the coffer in the Kings Chamber looks like. The granite block that appears in the image above is more easily seen, and they have a tendency to move the block around from time to time, as well as the coffer. There is more lighting inside the pyramid today than back in the 80's. When we were there, there was one florescent tube and the light was very dim.

One final photo: The was taken inside a Perfume Shop. The man you see poured various oils into small bottles and sold them in the boxes you see on the table. There was nothing you could 'spray on'. All perfume is sold in their natural oil form.

Another Turkey Visit......

2006-08-15T21:10:00.000-04:00

I looked outside this afternoon and saw 'Mother Turkey' with her two babies enjoying the bugs again today. Afterwards all three of them sat down and enjoyed the surrounding countryside for about 20 minutes......

Surprise Visitors!

2006-08-07T16:59:00.000-04:00

While running past my kitchen window to check on the roast chicken and potatoes, something unusual caught my eye. I looked and was startled to see three turkeys on my lawn! This is not the first time I have seen them this year. But I thought it was a 'one-time-visit'. I told John the other day I heard some strange 'large-bird' noises in the woods as I walked from the car into the house... You never know what you will find on your property when you live in a rural area. The only thing we haven't seen is a bear! I am sorry the photo is not very sharp. I was over 150 feet away and had to 'push' the camera to its limits to get the picture you see below.

Porter Lake

2006-08-07T15:11:00.000-04:00

Yesterday John, myself along with four others had the pleasure of touring Porter Lake by Pontoon Boat. Porter Lake is located in my small town of approximately one thousand residents. I never realized how large it is. It even has an island where residents are allowed to camp out on a first-come-first served basis. The lake is pretty much dotted with 'camps'. Some residents live there year round, many enjoy their lakeside homes only during the months of May through October, then head South (usually Florida) for warmer climes.

In the background you can see the Foothills and Mountains of my town

One of the Camps on Porter Lake

Here is another Camp along the lake

Here is the Camp of Zip Cahil who generously gave us a tour of Porter Lake

Here is a partial view of the island

Young resident enjoying a swim

Father and daughter skimming the lake

Here is Zip at the wheel

Here is John "clowning" for the camera

Here are Lovie, Jim, and Bonnie

Cooking Attempts

2006-08-05T17:58:00.000-04:00

From time to time I try out something new in the kitchen. Last week it was my first Peach pie. Below is a picture of what it looked like after it came out of the oven. Needless to say, the pie only lasted 3 days and was surprisingly easy to prepare. In the pie department I plan to make my first blueberry soon. Blueberries grow up here in Maine and the farms are overbrimming with them right now. The going rate is a ten-pound box for $13.

I decided to try making French Bread today. It took more hours than I would have liked but it was very much worth the wait. This recipe is different because it requires yogurt to give the bread more taste. I will be making this recipe again! It was very, very good! Here is a photo of the end results.....

If anyone would like the recipe, just ask. I would be happy to share.

Baby Boom ....

2006-08-05T17:07:00.000-04:00

What a year this has been for new Babies on this planet! Since the beginning of January I have been knitting my fingers to the bone creating gifts for women I personally know planning to deliver in 2006. To date there are 7 little ones making an appearance. I don't have pictures of all of them yet, but I must say that of the ones I have seen, these are some "serious" little kids. By 'serious', I mean these children are "old"....
You can see the 'wisdom' in their eyes and they are somewhat 'somber.'

Spiritually, these children have come into the world to help repair the damage we have allowed to happen to ourselves and our planet over centuries of war and hatred. You will find as they get older they are extremely intelligent and know things beyond their years. They will possess natural talents and capabilities, and will be making good use of them at a very early age.

So when you see any of these little "Old People" please treat them with understanding, love, compassion and respect. They were truly sent from heaven to help us become more 'heaven-like' in our actions and thoughts.

This child has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen! His name is Woody and he is posing with his new baby brother Dom (who was one of the "Ancient Ones" born this year). Woody is 2 years old and lives in Boston.

More Thoughts on Egypt

2006-08-03T16:23:00.000-04:00

Egypt is a very poor third world country. Poverty is the norm. It is clearly a country of the 'haves' and 'have-nots'. People live in cemeteries and they 'hustle' to make a living. There are no 'extras' as far as equipment is concerned. If something as simple as a door lock breaks, they will attempt to repair it, rather than throw it away and install a new one. That is what happened on my trip. The lock on our hotel door became inoperable and we could not get into our room. We had to wait until a worker entered the room thru the balcony to open it from the inside. And we were told there were no new locks available and they would attempt to fix the old one themselves.

Everywhere we traveled natives along side the road motioned for us to pay them for taking photos of them. Toilet paper is tightly guarded as well. Not a good thing when most visitors to Egypt develop diarrhea while there and keep it until they leave.

Women have to be careful how they dress. Nothing provocative is to be worn in public as it causes sexual excitation. By provocative, we were asked to keep the elbows covered, no shorts or bare backs. Low cut tops were out of the question.

I think the most interesting weather phenomenon I have ever experienced was when we found ourselves in the midst of a sand storm. Our group was in the hotel lobby waiting to go on a field trip but was stopped by the storm. Nothing moves when a sand storm is going on! I dashed outside to experience it. I had only seen them in movies and I wanted to see how it felt. I came back inside a few minutes later with sand in my teeth (though I had my mouth shut)! You can't see too far ahead of you either. It was fascinating! Afterwards people came outside with brooms and swept the sidewalks free of sand.

The Cairo Museum holds the King Tut articles and if you want to see some of the worlds' most beautiful gold, that is the place to go! I have never seen such beauty! It just takes your breath away to look at it. Makes the gold jewelry sold in anyone's store today look like pauper's items. I am not even interested in buying gold anything today. To me, it is a waste of money.

One of the best pieces of jewelry I have ever purchased was brought from Cairo. We were visiting a shop that sold ivory, gold and silver. At that time I was a 'shopaholic' and very curious as to what was being offered for sale. I had always wanted an ivory bracelet. This was back in 1982 before the sale of elephant ivory was banned. In the US, if you found ivory anything, it was expensive.

I asked to see the ivory bracelets and was given a fine array. I chose a very thick, plain one and asked how much. The shop owner gave me a price of $45. I hesitated, telling my husband I thought it was too high. A man shopping heard me and took us aside, telling us he just came from Nigeria and they were selling much thinner bracelets for the same amount of money, so he advised us to take it and 'run'.. He thought it was an excellent bargain!

We took his advice and I am happy I did. That bracelet is worth much today (not that I would ever sell it). I was offered $500 for it in Hawaii about 17 years ago by a boutique owner. Value in elephant ivory bracelets goes up if it is carved from one piece of ivory and not pieced together.

Charlie was a 'brave soul.' He decided to take a sunset ride across the Sahara on a camel! He thoroughly enjoyed it. I, being a 'chicken' felt much safer on the ground and waited for the group to come back.

Here is a better photo of the Great Pyramid. I cannot begin to tell you what a thrill it was for me to climb to the King's Chamber inside! I was offered an opportunity to sleep inside the chamber overnight, but quickly declined. First of all, the entrance to the pyramid is locked with an iron gate from sundown to sunrise. It is dark inside, and there is no bathroom. Bats must become active after dark as well. Not to mention the electromagnetic energies that are constantly pinging about in that structure. It might very well be the reason why everyone who has ever spent the night in the Great Pyramid either goes mad, or finds something quite altered with their mind, physical body, or both. I appreciated the offer though. It was made quite 'under the table' by the guard who was in charge of opening and closing the structure.

Here is a photo of members of our group climbing up to the entrance of the Great Pyramid. The indentation might have been the 'original' entrance, but is not in use in modern times.

This is a favorite photo of mine because it shows the profiles of three men; two Egyptian brothers, and my husband standing side by side. Charlie and I were the only Blacks in our group and it was a pleasure for us to talk with our Egyptian guide (Ali; the man in the middle) and vice versa. Ali's brother ended up asking Charlie for his fishing hat as a souvenir to remember him by and to shelter him from the sun.

Hawaiian Travels

2006-08-03T02:52:00.000-04:00

I fell in love with Hawaii when a child. Once again; it was one of those places that held my attention whenever I saw something on television about it.
After I married, my husband and I (now deceased) took the opportunity to visit Hawaii just to see what it was actually like to be there. I vowed never to make the trip again because of the ultra long plane ride (over 14 hours from Boston). But after returning home, I could not get over how relaxed I felt as soon as my feet touched the ground there. It was a different, laid-back feeling that seemed to drain all of the tensions from your body. It wasn't long before we were planning to make a return trip and stay longer this time. My love affair with those islands lasted over a decade. We made a total of 12 visits. During our final 4 visits, we made plans to stay 3 weeks at a time. I hated to return to the turmoil of living in an over-populated land mass. Nothing but people, people, people, concrete, cement, and thousands of problems that goes along with over-population.
Here are a few photos I took while there.

Sacred Hawaiian Waterfall

Molokai Beach

Parrots in the Rain Forest

My Husband Charlie feeding Giraffes at the Preserve

Lovely Orchid in a Green House

Mother Earth's Bounty

2006-08-03T01:43:00.000-04:00

I marvel at Mother Earth's beauty. Living in large populated cities does not allow you to see what is actually available for you to experience. Having lived in major cities for most of my life, I never got to physically appreciate the nurturing and nourishment one can feel unless I went on exotic vacations once a year. In 1993 I moved to a rural area of Maine and the beauty that opened before me was so lovely. It's like being on 'vacation' all the time (except for when it snows in the winter). Here are a few photos I took that filled me with awe.... Enjoy

Cows At Shady Brook Farm

A Corn Field

Plants at the Jensen Garden

The New Vineyard Mountains

Another georgeous Plant at the Jensen Garden

Egyptian Journey

2006-08-03T00:05:00.000-04:00

Since I was a child I have always been attracted to Ancient Egypt. Movies about pharoahs and mummies always got my undivided attention. It is said that you can always tell the location of your Past Lives according to the time periods and civilizations you are attracted to. That being said, I discovered that I have had many lives spent in Pharonic Egypt. In 1982 I had an opportunity to travel to Egypt with a group of 24 others; all of us seeking more knowledge about 'those days.' It was headed by a Dr Patrick Flanagan who is a scientist ahead of his time as far as technology and ancient sciences is concerned. I learned much about the "secret Egypt" during those two weeks. It was a journey that changed my life into one that found me absorbing books each week seeking to learn more. The ancient sciences practiced during those days are still valid today and still influences our lives. Here are a few photos I took.

Sporting Clays

2006-08-01T03:01:00.000-04:00

John, my Significant Other loves the hobby of shooting Sporting Clays. For those who don't know what this is; it is seeing how adept you can become at shooting clay targets thrown through the air as if they are birds in flight. It is a lot harder than you might imagine, and the folks who enjoy the sport also enjoy investing in equipment to play, along with hefty fees to participate in major tournaments held around the country (and world). While John shoots his clay targets I take opportunities to shoot the countryside with my digital camera and capture interesting scenarios of participants enjoying the game. The top picture is an example of the beautiful scenery one sees on the way to some of the Shooting Clubs. All of the Clubs are located in rural areas, and the scenery is so spectacular!

A Beautiful Dam....

John Taking His Turn at the Station

Another shot of John. Note the shotgun shell ejecting from his gun

The men are leaving to go to the next Station.....

I Love To Knit

2006-07-31T18:30:00.000-04:00

I love to knit. First of all, it soothes my soul, and second, I feel more in control when I am creating something. One way or another, my hands must be kept busy creating; whether it is creating fabric using yarn, cooking, making buttons with clay, composing numerology charts for clients, trying my hand at photography, making jewelry, or drawing. My soul becomes very excited when I am creating something new!!