Notes From the Hinterland
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!
Last Week for Snow-Gauge Clif? - Well, folks, this might very well be the last week for Snow-Gauge Clif. The backyard is essentially snow-free, and this morning, when I took a picture of Clif, he was in a celebratory mood. The front yard has a little more snow, but not much, and this is mostly where Clif piled the snow when … Continue reading Last Week for Snow-Gauge Clif?
And Away It Goes! - For those who don’t live in northern New England, it might seem as though Spring is taking her own sweet time to get here. But for Mainers, things are moving very fast indeed. As a visual aid, here is a picture of the backyard last week. Looks like a winter wonderland, doesn’t it? Except that … Continue reading And Away It Goes!
Trust the birds - Yesterday, March gave us one of its famous spring surprises—a wet, heavy snowstorm. Here is yesterday’s view from the living room’s side window. Being Mainers, we took the storm in stride. There are plenty of things to do inside, and the older we get, the longer it takes us to get them done. We always … Continue reading Trust the birds
Our Forty-Ninth Wedding Anniversary - Yesterday, on a day that started out snowy but cleared in the afternoon, we celebrated our forty-ninth wedding anniversary. And, yes, forty-nine years seems like quite an accomplishment. A good one. But to be together with someone for that long is an odd thing. On one hand, our early days seem like they happened long, … Continue reading Our Forty-Ninth Wedding Anniversary
March 9-15 in Photos: Sun, Stormy Weather, Snow-Gauge Clif, Ice Cream - The week started out with what was—for Maine in March—an astonishing temperature. It’s been a long time since it was that warm outside. Probably not since last September or October. However, since I don’t record the temperature on a daily basis, I’m not really sure. In our backyard, there was the story of the incredible … Continue reading March 9-15 in Photos: Sun, Stormy Weather, Snow-Gauge Clif, Ice Cream
Marchy March and Snow-Gauge Clif - How things change from one week to another. Last week, it still looked and felt like winter—the air was cold, and the snow sparkled. But Spring has her eyes on us, and yesterday, the temperature shot up to 60°F. Holy cats, it was so warm that I went outside without a jacket. Now that we … Continue reading Marchy March and Snow-Gauge Clif
And He’s Back—Snow-gauge Clif: March 3, 2026 - I know this is the time of year many of you look forward to: Starting in March, at the beginning of each week, Clif goes out with his trusty red snow gauge to measure the snow until it is gone from our yard. Usually, sometime in April, but with climate change, it’s hard to predict. … Continue reading And He’s Back—Snow-gauge Clif: March 3, 2026
Notes From the Hinterland 