White on White on White

I have an iPhone.
It's my only camera.
JUST in case ANY ONE notices that my pictures can be grainy when inside, or blurry at times, this is why.
I am working on resolving the camera issue. I promise but it will take some time.
Anyway, this was something I saw while on my snow shoe loop. The white snow, the white end goals, and steam rising up from the ice rink where Puck Stopper spends his life. I stopped and observed. It was a really neat moment in the approaching dusk.















Maybe my iPhone didn't do the moment justice.
Maybe my pictures insult your eyesight.
Maybe no one actually cares.
All I know is I love what I am doing and it makes me happy.

Thank you Howard Zinn!

Our nation lost an amazing teacher yesterday when Howard Zinn suffered a fatal heart attack. I drew this picture on July 17th, 2001 when I was fortunate enough to have Howard Zinn as a professor for the day during a graduate school practicum in Boston.

My whole morning has been hijacked by my need to reflect, opening my old journal - rereading, rediscovering, and finding a renewed sense of encouragement to be the change I want to see in this world.

In case you don't know who Zinn is, or only know about him through People's History of the United States, click here to go to an article where there are three different videos of him speaking.

I think I am pleased to make one discovery today - that Zinn just wrote an article called "Obama at One" in the February 1, 2010 edition of The Nation. In it Zinn says,
"I' ve been searching hard for a highlight. The only thing that comes close is some of Obama's rhetoric; I don't see any kind of a highlight in his actions and policies....

I think people are dazzled by Obama's rhetoric, and that people ought to begin to understand that Obama is going to be a mediocre president--which means, in our time, a dangerous president--unless there is some national movement to push him in a better direction."

So thank you Mr. Zinn.

I think I will start pushing.

Really not pleased with Hannaford.

There is still no MooMilk at Hannafords.

Daughter was VERY disappointed on Saturday.
























Can't you tell?

The really annoying part is that ALL OVER the milk cooler are signs boasting how they buy locally! See... this was today's!
Well
why
not
buy
the
organic
milk
from
THIS
state?

Seriously?
How about all those local artisan cheese makers?
How about all those year round salad green farmers?
Watch out Hannaford because this crazy lady with an iPhone has her eyes on you!

My evening drain board.

Every school night (except for Friday or Sunday)

my drain board looks something like this:

Welcoming MooMilk - Maine's Own Organic Milk!

http://moomilkco.com/
Maine's own organic milk company, a dynamic adventure in the dairy industry is coming to Maine store shelves this weekend. So move back to CT Organic Cow, cionara Horizon , go back to the Organic Valley's of Vermont; here comes Maine's Own Organic Milk!!!

I think this venture calls for our families return to the organic milk market. A few years ago, I made the switch to hormone free Oakhurst in order to save money. Now Oakhurst is helping bring Maine organic milk to my local Hannaford.

MooMilk Story

"Press Release: MOOMilk arrives in Maine dairy cases this weekend Maine's Own Organic Milk -- MOOMilk -- will be available in grocery store dairy cases this weekend throughout Maine, and in selected stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Produced by 10 Maine family organic dairy farms in Washington, Aroostook, Penobscot and Kennebec Counties, the milk will be trucked by Schoppee Milk Transport of Holden to Smiling Hill Dairy in Westbrook for processing, then distributed by Oakhurst Dairy of Portland and Crown O' Maine Organic Co-op of Gardiner. That makes it the only organic milk available in Maine that is produced, trucked, processed and distributed exclusively by Maine family businesses."

I am pretty excited to know that it is distributed from an area less than an hour from my house.

"The milk will be trucked by Schoppee Milk Transport to Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, where it will be processed on an organic production line now being installed. It will be packaged in half-gallon paper cartons under the MOOMilkCo’s own label, which will include the use of Farm Bureau’s “Maine Produces” logo. The milk will be homogenized and pasteurized, not ultra-pasteurized, and sold in retail grocery stores in Maine and New Hampshire. It will be available in whole, two percent, one percent and skim. Cream, half&half, butter, yogurt, ice cream and other products may become part of the mix in the coming years. In the meantime, these byproducts will be organically certified and sold into the wholesale market."

Smiling Hill has some nice cheese! :D

Where's my pen?

Seriously... I just had it!





















Has anyone seen it?

Since when are pens fans of Hogwarts?

Maybe it's just trying to save Dumbledore!

Ouch!

I noticed this while washing dishes this morning!

Ow!!!
And it's not even where they put my IV in! It's where one of the vampires attacked me!

It snowed for a couple of days...

Yesterday afternoon I gave up on the snow ever stopping and went out with Shane to break the trails, again.

Someone

tell

him

not

to

leave

the

house

in

those

pants.


Or else just keep them in front of me...

as incentive.

OK let's not go there.

In other news, we did the back loop in about 40 minutes and was back in time to meet the school bus. The most exciting part was that as I walked her back to the house and she saw her dear Daddy snow shoeing off into the front field, dear Daughter exclaimed,

"Mom! Let's go get MY snowshoes!"

so we did.
You

would

not

believe

the

amazing

snowshoe

Goddess

that

emerged!




I was wowed. She took off in front of me, breaking track, completely unhindered by her cold ankles from lack of snow pants.
She was gleeful!
She was tough!
She was creative and full of fun!
She wants to do it every afternoon now.
As I drove her to school this morning, I asked her if she wanted me to bring pants and snowshoes to the bus stop today.
Daughter said, "No thanks Mom. I am going to sled first today. Then, after we eat, I want to see how it is to snowshoe at night. Snowshoe in the dark. Yea!"

You might wonder where she got that idea?
Yea well... there's an incredible new luge in our front yard.

Playmobil People get busy!

These people sure get around!




















that's one heck of a feast!

I spent a lot of time in these chairs...

it seems to have been my most comfortable place.
I ventured out today and left the chairs at home.
They've seen a lot of action this past weekend.






















G rated of course!























He's my puzzle piece!

Oh but then there's this guy....

Whiny

Wally

the

one

eyed

wonder.
He made last night just oh so much fun!

My bedside table

I had a little minor surgery on Friday and I spent a lot of time in bed this weekend.
My bedside table made me smile.
















Tulips from H2...
drugs for the pain...
the hottest photo of SP ever taken (our wedding night)
MiMa's bell (to call SP)
the aventurine heart from Erin for H2's birth,
KKs lamps,
a candle from Mush
a dragonfly
and my rock from grad school.

Smiles

I like to cook

and

this

is

my

favorite

kitchen

drawer.

My next Noro project...

will be a hat for me! :D




























I think I will use the same pattern I used for Daughter's hat!

My Noro project for H2

I made this hat, by special request, for my daughter on her 6th birthday. She is so proud of it she wears it inside, not outside, and refuses to sled in it!
























Did I mention how much I am in love with Noro?!

Peas for a Liliputian Army

My project for growing peas inside is working, however it appears to be something not quite sustainable to a human family! :)

Here is one of the Pea Plants growing on my window sill.























Here is another shot of the bounty it is providing! :D

The Squirrel Saga continues

I can't believe the squirrel saga continues.
3 have been exterminated.
We thought they were gone and we could close up the hole, but no... he/she/it/they came back. And so did my nightmares.
We tried glue traps.
We placed them all around the hole.
They worked.
Until the little bugger chewed his way out.
(I was likely listening in my sleep and had a nightmare).
Then there were the rat traps, but I don't think they like our bait.
I'm not sure is SP put up poison on his last trip up there.
I am not sure what he did but it involved a lot of banging.
I bet he squeezed shut the old dryer vent that the squirrels kept getting into in the middle of the night so that we woke up to screamingscratchingscootchingsquirrels in the wall by out heads.
(Did I mention the nightmares?)
Anyway, thanks to good old cousin Lukey we have a new weapon on our side.
I meant weapon when I said it.
Air powered bliss.



















Sigh... this better work.

I am a Turophile.

New Years Eve Supper - Fondue for 15 with cheese as a starter course.
























I know it's hard to believe, but my cholesterol is ideal in every way. Ah to be a fromagophile (aka turophile) with wonderful genetics. Don't hate me. :D

And what did I do with the left over Noro?

Something sustainable of course!!!!





















and something that has made several men declare, "That's adorable!"

Noro... my new love

Someone please stop me... this stuff is far from local.























It's not too expensive.

It's just so much fun.

It's a surprise every time.

I love Noro.

I can't stop knitting thanks to Noro.

Thanks Noro!

Welcome 2010

2010 is here and fortunately life on earth is still as grounded as it was when that movie came out. My apologies for a month long departure from blogging, but the holidays and feasting and wrapping and buying and cooking and canning and a few general health problems have kept me away.
I resolve to get back to the blogging world. Much thanks for patience during my absence. Once I get all my digital music files organized tonight, I will be able to get back to writing and sharing the mountain of finds I have for you (and I just might begin with an awesome Etsy seller!)

Happy New Year all!

Final FINAL Harvest - December 2009

In preparation for last nights snow, we purged the garden of any final produce. Here is what we yielded:

9 small but yummy leeks


















A beautiful bounty of Swiss Chard
















A drainer rack full of Kale - bound for tonights dinner and several potted pea plants to continue growing in doors. Who would have thought these beauties could have survived this long in the garden after reseeding themselves.

Be Thankful and Give Back

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

Baby and I were at the market this week and saw that the Coats for Kids boxes were out again. I had a bag of coats in the back of my car waiting for the return of the boxes. Baby, a three year old boy, was so excited to give back. It really warmed my heart to watch him struggle to carry the heavy bag with a huge smile on his face, knowing his old coats were going to kids in need. So think about helping others in need this holiday season. In this economy there are many more families in need than in years past. While our family struggles we can't afford to give financially, so gently used coats and toys will most certainly be given to these programs. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Let's reach out beyond ourselves and think about those around us that are struggling. Donate some extra food, invite someone in your home to share your feast. So go and be the change you want to see in this world.

"It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds." Samuel Adams

Green Toys

Here's yet another product I am excited to find. Green Toys are made in the USA out of recycled milk jugs, and then packaged minimally. For packaging they use recycled corrogated boxes and no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties! That last part is my favorite - no more frantic untying of twist ties on Christmas morning. Baby is going to love being able to unwrap his new recycling truck all on his own. Shhh... don't tell!

The Sustainable Sandy Ives

Only last night did we discover that our beloved college professor Sandy Ives passed away in August. I am remiss to realize that SP and I have been living in our own media free bubble for the past three months. Had we known about his memorial yesterday we most certainly would have been there. Why post about him here?
The man is a lesson in sustainability.
Sandy was an emeritus Professor of Anthropology as well as the Founding Director of the Maine Folklife Center at the University of Maine in Orono. Sandy was dedicated to preserving the rich oral history of this magnificent state of Maine and the folk songs to accompany it. He was a man interested in "how people shape and bring the past into the present; how people shape the world they find around and within them into apposite forms they can share with others. " He had extensive knowledge of the historical lumber industry in Maine and the world it created in our states history. Sandy is also featured on the blogs Sustainable Music and Cultural Sustainability.
Sandy researched and wrote books on "long-dead" men and the stories and songs told about them. Woodsmen and River Drivers was his first graduate project which evolved into the amazing video documentary called From Stump to Ship, which I remember watching with rapt attention in class. This aspect of Sandy's own folk life was a huge draw for SP as a forester. I fondly recall the fun banter of the lecture, his thick white beard, and when he might launch into song and dance mid story. Vahlsing Pollutes It is one of those songs, a song he created to the tune of "Waltzing Matilda" about the historical sugar beet industry in Maine. Sandy's book Drive Dull Care Away was a memoir that details the rich history told through songs in Maine and Maritime Canada. Other books by Sandy can be found here and I highly recommend them for any fan of Sandy, Maine, or history.
As a professor, we have many fond memories. SP and I agree, Sandy's lectures were ones we would NEVER fall asleep in. They were too interesting, and Sandy too captivating! He was the storyteller emeritus. We remember Sandy for his squinty eyed look of a sea captain with the thick white beard. He made everyone happy and had a voice with a timber and cadence that warmed the soul, and I was amazed by how wonderfully it changed when he sang. His lectures were the most interesting and memorable of all my 4 years at UMO. In fact we both recall a lecture that left the biggest impact of all. In a 100 plus person lecture hall, Sandy walked in, set his stuff down at the lectern, picked up a chair and set it on top of the desk. Sandy did not make a peep, but stood there for a good 5 minutes that felt like an hour. Finally, Sandy spoke, saying, "And now you all understand the concept of dramatic tension" the very thing that good story telling is all about. I recall challenging him at one point over a statement I found to be misogynistic. I wish I could remember the exact conversation, but SP recalls I came home rather frustrated and being less than happy with him. I guess I got over myself and the idealistic bubble I was living in because he remains one of my favorite professors ever. Sandy gave the weirdest tests - 100 true or false questions, but even if you got it wrong you could defend it on the back of the page and if you reasoned well you would get credit for a good defense argument. What Sandy taught us more than anything was the importance of cultural history and the appreciation of the stories in our heritage. SP was fortunate enough to be one of the first to interview him for the folklore archives in the 1990's. Unfortunately, the tapes were lost in one of the moves. Sandy loved classical guitar and played, but by the time we knew him he didn't play it anymore or even listen to it because he was too deaf. He was a huge fan of Andrew Segovia, so Sandy's deafness bothered him greatly. Music was a huge part of Sandy's life, and a life that he realized quickly out paced him. Sandy, recalled to SP, that he was hip but realized that he was out of touch and time had passed him by when he took his son to his first rock concert - Moby Grape. Sandy definitely did something right, because his son went on to become a musician. You can hear a collection of Sandy's music here.
SP and I sat at dinner tonight talking about Sandy to our kids. Sandy was a favorite and memorable teacher for each of us, and neither of us required Sandy's course as a part of our major. We are remiss that we did not keep in good touch with him. SP made a point of stopping by his office any time he came past campus. Sandy always remembered who he was, and SP loved seeing that unopened bottle of Red Star Ale sitting behind his desk, one that SP brewed in the 90's. The two of them often talked about returning to those interviews to delve deeper into Sandy's research and writing - the work that filled his heart and spare time. SP even introduced his parents to Sandy, and SP's father Junior really enjoyed meeting the man who had documented the historical years of things held true to his family of hunters and foresters.
Sandy was seldom out of our heart and mind. I was filled with tears last night to learn of his passing. Sandy was one of those people who you wish was immortal, like Santa Claus. It is in the passing of Sandy Ives that we ask you to think back to those teachers that made something more of your life and to find those stories or memoirs that need to be shared and documented. It is in our history that the richness of life is found. I toast to Sandy, and hope he is up there sharing some stories with HiHo and Junior. We will be with you all too soon, but until then we will do our best to preserve the history we are all part of creating. So do your best to keep the past alive and preserve its stories that are steeped in rich tradition. Thank you Sandy for touching our lives and leaving your indelible mark. We are sharing you and your stories and songs with our children. You live on in our hearts and the lives of our children. Thank you Sandy Ives.

My walk in the snow.

It was snowing yesterday.
I decided to walk Baby to preschool even though my reptilian brain wanted to keep warm and drive.
It was such a lovely walk.
I was so incredibly happy.
I recalled those college days when SP and I would don our winter coats and run outside to dance in the first snow.
I was filled with happiness.
Everything was so beautiful.
Here's some pictures I took.
This is a Wahoo bush.
Isn't it beautiful?















Well I hate to tell you this but...
The Wahoo is mean, nasty, ugly and poisonous.
My dear friend Erin's dog loves to pick berries and eat them.
We had a Wahoo bush growing in our berry thicket,
where the raspberries and blackberries are.
Poor Cleo ate these beautiful Wahoo berries and got very sick.
Hence, we cut the Wahoo out of our yard.
When I saw this Wahoo on my walk and thought it was beautiful.
I also thought of Erin and Cleo.
I am happy Cleo lived!
Speaking of living...
















I thought this was pretty. I like the contrast.
I know I told you I was really happy on this walk.
Sorry my post is not continuing on that happy thread.
This is another plant that deserves to die
that's why I like to see it in it's "dying" phase.
This is Japanese Knot-Weed.
Introduced into the U.S. to help with erosion,
it is invasive and unstoppable.
Please do something to end it's life if you see it!
OK... back to the happy thoughts.
Horses.















The horses made me laugh.
They were really playful.
The one in the foreground is Bravo.
Bravo did NOT want me anywhere near the other one.
Baby calls the other one Brownie or Mudpie. Depends on his mood.
Anyway, Bravo REALLY wanted me to scratch him.
He kept sticking his head between the slats to get close to me.
Any idea why???
















Poor guy!
He needs a hair brushing!!!
Now here's something I NEVER do...
I am adding a picture of me.
Not only am I in crazy clashing colors and patterns
(unheard of)
but I wonder...














Am
I
Bright
enough
not
to
get
shot?

Pun intended!

A view from the porch

I just love watching the boys play!

40 Apples a day

I realized last night that I am processing at least 40 apples a day. I think this should continue through next week since I still have 2 large bins to get through.

The picture on the left is yesterdays apple butter. I like it even though it was oven baked for about 6 hours. I finally got around to canning it at 11:00 last night! The recipe, "Marion's Apple Butter" is from Preserving the Harvest by Carol Costenbader.

I am also making dehydrated apple rings for the kids snacks. I can fit about 8 apples at a time in my dehydrator. It takes about all day to dehydrate them completely. The picture below is the batch Daughter helped me get going yesterday afternoon. I had to turn them off when I went to bed, so they are finishing up right now!

Dehydrated Apple Slices

This was a super simple school snack.

All you need is sliced cored apples
and a dehydrator.

Mine held 8 apples worth.
That's what's in the jar.

And a day at home.

This does take a while and,
since I don't like to leave home with anything left on,

I would recommend doing this while you are cleaning the house.

Its a super simple, healthy and YUMMY school snack.

Baby tried to run away with the jar!

Something out of Nothing

These are our compost bins. The picture is a bit fuzzy because the sun sets behind them. Sorry. The empty bay is what we used this summer for our large barrels of tomatoes. We also spread some of it on the lawn to reseed the top of the septic field.














That one bay on the left is next years soil. We produced it this year. It is roughly 1.2 a cubic yard of soil.




























This will be next years soil. All that fresh stuff is what we took out of the garden when we put it to bed. The best part is SP was working with the compost and sent Puckstopper in to grab my iPhone. Later he came in all proud telling me has has a blog post for me.

He left me a note that said, "Love you Garden Girl".

I love the dirt. I love getting dirty!

Smiles.