Category Archives: Flowers
A Liam Update: Better but Still Not Eating
Here is an update on Liam. On Tuesday, he had a very bad spell, lying prone on the floor for hours and hours. His breathing was labored, and we thought we were losing him. What a long day!
But then, when night came, Liam perked up. He was so weak that Clif had to carry him down the front steps to the backyard. But once in the backyard, Liam walked around, sniffed a bit, and even woofed when he heard the snorting of what we think was a deer.
Wednesday, he continued to gain strength, even though we had to help him get up from a lying position and carry him up and down the front steps.
Today, he is getting up by himself, but Clif is still carrying him up and down the front steps.
Liam is drinking water aplenty, but unfortunately he is still not eating. I’m hoping he’ll soon turn the corner on this. If not, I’ll give the vets a call.
Because Lian is not eating, the pills must be pushed down his throat. How I hate, hate, hate to do this. I’d gladly clean up any stinky mess rather than force pills on him. But, as Clif pointed out, without the medicine, Liam would surely die.
Yes, he would. And so I do it. Actually, it takes two of us. Despite being so sick, that dog has mighty strong jaws.
We are feeling encouraged by the progress Liam has made, and to celebrate, here’s a close-up of one of my lovely irises.
Bloom on, flowers and dogs.
The Darling Buds of May
Fortunately, Maine has not been plagued with rough winds this week. Our neighbors to the immediate south had to contend with tornado watches, lightening storms that took down trees and power lines, and wild, hard rain.
Instead, all has been relatively tranquil in the pine tree state. The days have been sunny, and we even had a small rain the other night to help all things growing. My one complaint: It has been a tad too cool, and a hard frost has been predicted for tonight. Back in the day, my father always waited until Memorial Day to plant his garden, and for tender plants such as tomatoes and basil, this is still a good guideline in Maine.
Speaking of darling buds of May…here’s a shot I took at the little park in town, after a bike ride.
One of my absolute favorite flowers ready to bloom.
In the woods edging our yard, the ferns have unfurled and are growing. Just last week, they were tucked into tight curls. Now look at them. Spring gallops by much too quickly.
The patio, in the middle of green (rather than white or, even worse, mud) is now an inviting place to sit. If you look closely, you will see a woodpecker at the feeder.
Little Miss Watson thinks the patio is a nice place, too.
I’m not the only one who loves our backyard.
A Day for Flowers, a Bike Ride, and Nachos
In the United States, yesterday was Mother’s Day.
There were flowers from Mike and Shannon,
and flowers from Dee.
The day was sunny and warm, just perfect for a bike ride, our first of the season.
We rode our usual route of eight miles, and except for some slight knee pain, it was go, go, go for me. For the past few months, I have been faithfully riding my exercise bike, and yesterday I saw the benefits of this, ahem, boring workout. It’s been a long time since I have started the biking season feeling so strong and ready to go. I am very hopeful that by midsummer, we will be going on longer bike rides.
After our bike ride, we stopped at the little park by Maranacook Lake. So green and pretty this time of year.
How to end this sunny day? With Clif’s nachos, which are far better than any we can get in central Maine.
All in all, a good Mother’s Day from beginning to end.
Lovely, Lovelier, Loveliest: A Superlative Hyacinth
A Sweet Sweat Bee
Busy, busy getting ready for Shannon and then Dee. But so exciting to have them here to celebrate birthdays.
Busy or not, Clif and I have still found time to go on bike rides, and today—-with its bright overcast—the light was perfect for taking pictures of flowers, especially this aster with its little visitor.
Now, back to work!
High Summer in Maine
The end of July and the beginning of August is a very sweet time in Maine, and this year, with its warm days and cool nights, has been even sweeter than usual. It feels like an old-fashioned Maine summer, a welcome relief from the past few years where it has been blisteringly hot during July and August.
Clif and I have been soaking up this fine weather. On Friday, our friends Alice and Joel came over for drinks and appetizers on the patio. There were bike rides on Saturday and Sunday. We still don’t go far, but we figure it is better to go eight miles a ride rather than no miles a ride, and we feel as though we are gaining strength.
On Sunday, our friends Dawna and Jim invited us and another couple over for dinner. Dawna and Jim have a lovely home by the Upper Narrows Pond, which truly is large enough to pass as a lake. The Upper Narrows is no farm pond.
The food was terrific.
As was the view.
The company and conversation were, of course, superb.
I wish I could bottle these days and release them during the drear days of late February and March, when everything seems to be gray drizzle and hard, dirty snow.
Away with those thoughts! August, buzzing August, is just around the corner, and Clif and I intend to squeeze every bit of delight that we can out of this lovely month.
Why, on a recent ride down a back road, I even came up with a haiku in honor of this best time of year.
Queen Anne’s lace in bloom
White ducks waddling on green grass
High summer in Maine
Welcome, welcome, high summer!
The Blooming of Frances Williams
To the Red Barn, Fernwood Nursery, and John’s Ice Cream
Yesterday was a finest kind of day, even though it was hotter than heck—in the 90s. For Mother’s Day, Shannon gave me a gift certificate to the fabulous Red Barn––thank you, Shannon!—and our first stop was lunch. I had one of my favorite things—a delectable lobster roll—and Clif had fish and chips and a side order of onion rings.
After that, it was on to Fernwood Nursery in Montville, where I met my blogging friend Denise Sawyer and her husband Rick. A note about blogging friends in general and Denise in specific: Blogging has enhanced my life in unexpected and utterly delightful ways. In this country and in many others, through blogging, I have met a wonderful, creative group of people who inspire me. You might even call this a far-flung community of kindred spirits.
I met Denise in a roundabout way, through an Irish blog called The Aran Artisan. As it turned out, Melissa, of the Aran Artisan, is originally from Maine, and Denise, one of her followers, lives in Maine now. Hence the connection. Denise found out I was Franco-American and very kindly sent me a book about Franco-Americans. I discovered Denise and her husband own a nursery that specializes in shady plants.
I have a shady yard and gardens with, ahem, a few holes. As Fernwood Nursery is within driving distance of where we live, Clif and I decided to make the trek to Montville after our Red Barn lunch.
What a treat to visit Denise, Rick, and their delightful nursery tucked in the woods. Truly, it felt like Clif and I were connecting with old friends, even though we had never met. Despite this being a very busy time for Fernwood, Denise graciously took time to talk with us and to give us advice about planting in dry shade. I came home with a Solomon’s seal, just perfect for that aforementioned hole in the garden.
Denise also told us a little about herself, about how she came from an old Connecticut family that dates back to the 1600s. Rick is from the Lewiston/Auburn area, and they own about twenty acres of land in Montville, which not only supports the nursery but also provides about 85 percent of what they eat.
Most of the land remains wooded, and Denise is quite rightly proud that they get so much out of a small footprint, their livelihood as well as a lot of their food.
As we sat outside in wicker chairs, I heard the clucking of chickens in a nearby pen, big with plenty of room to peck and scratch. In the background came the melodious song of large wood chimes, and it almost seemed as though the woods were singing.
Denise and Rick have what can only be called a flair for making their nursery a lovely place. Green, green, and green, so bright yet soothing. Lots of little containers tucked with different varieties of hens and chicks. Double-blossom white trilliums. Arresting sculpture.
Here are some pictures of Fernwood Nursery.
As Denise noted, “It’s a good place to be.”
It most certainly is, and we look forward to visiting again.
Now, you might be wondering how in the world we ended the day that would be in keeping with seafood and a delightful nursery.
Following Denise’s suggestion, we went to John’s ice cream.
As the sign indicates, the ice cream is handmade and oh so delicious.
What a good life we have!
Up Close and Personal with a Sunflower
Notes From the Hinterland 