Notes From the Hinterland
Monday, Monday - Even though Clif and I are retired, we follow a work-week schedule because our eldest daughter Dee, who lives with us, has a traditional forty-hour a-week job. We arrange our schedule to match hers so that we can eat together and go to the movies on Saturday and Sunday. Therefore, after a free and easy … Continue reading Monday, Monday
Almost Summer - In Maine, Spring isn’t quite over, but we are edging ever closer to summer. The view from my living room window shows how the trees are almost in full leaf. Green, green, green is the predominant color in my yard. Minerva, our guard cat, watches over the garden. I always complain that I have one … Continue reading Almost Summer
Done Da Done! And: Ferns, Ferns, Ferns - Garden Report Last week, I did it. Creaky knees and all, I raked the leaves from the last bed. Did I feel good about this accomplishment? You bet I did. Now, onward to compost, wood ash, and fertilizer. Plus, moving things here and there. For me, as I’m sure it is for most gardeners, May … Continue reading Done Da Done! And: Ferns, Ferns, Ferns
The Week that Was: Part II - Somehow, I posted this week’s piece when I was only halfway done. Here is the rest of what I intended to post. On Saturday, I went to a lovely poetry reading at my library. Jeri Theriault was the poet, and as she read, her husband, Philip Carlsen, accompanied her on the cello. This was a … Continue reading The Week that Was: Part II
The Week that Was: The Last Leafy Bed - There is so much going on right now—at least for this homebody (I can’t hold a candle to many of my lovely blogging friends)—that I’m going to touch on several things rather than just focus on one or two the way I usual do. First, the incredible growing ferns that grow so fast I swear … Continue reading The Week that Was: The Last Leafy Bed
May the Fourth, 2026 - Spring, Spring, Spring is here! Is there a sweeter time of year? I don’t think so. Brief, green, frothy, and glorious, Spring compresses her beauty in one short month in Maine. And that month is May. (When I went to college in Indiana, I was astonished by how long Spring lasted. I found the extended … Continue reading May the Fourth, 2026
From Fern to Fern with a Birthday in Between - In central Maine, Spring is slowly showing her pretty face. Soon, Spring will rush through May as though to make up for lost time. But right now all is tender and new. While doing yard work, I came across these little fern heads. While the ferns might not be at their prettiest, they are certainly … Continue reading From Fern to Fern with a Birthday in Between
Earth Day 2026: Our One Acre - As longtime readers might recall, Earth Day is an important day for our family. First and foremost, it is our youngest daughter Shannon’s birthday. My daughters’ birthdays are always such sweet days for me to remember, the days when we welcomed two darling babies into our family. Really, nothing can compare with this, and their … Continue reading Earth Day 2026: Our One Acre
A Trip to Portland-town to see Exit 8 - On a gray, rainy Sunday, Clif, Dee, and I headed south to Portland, the Babylon of Maine, and our biggest city (population: around 68,000). Dee was keen on seeing the movie Exit 8, and as far as we could tell, none of the cinemas in our area would be showing it. Fifty miles one way … Continue reading A Trip to Portland-town to see Exit 8
Farewell, Snow-Gauge Clif! - Last Wednesday, the weather gods had a little surprise for central Maine. That’s right, snow. Just a dusting, and nothing to get too excited about. Although I love spring, I’m always sorry to see the last of winter, and I was glad for this final (I think!) bit of snow that left its lovely print … Continue reading Farewell, Snow-Gauge Clif!
Notes From the Hinterland 