Nesting

Winter is for nesting.  If you could see the mess I make of our place this time of year you would wonder what was going on.   Whenever I am not quite sure what it is I want to work on, I have a tendency to just pull out everything I feel like working on and scatter it all over our tiny, yet normally uncluttered space.  For the past week I have just left my ironing board up and my sewing machine out.  Just about every horizontal surface is covered with fabrics, yarns, and embroidery supplies along with an assortment of knitting needles and crochet hooks. Even the floor has not been spared, as it is the only place I could find to use my self-healing cutting mat.

But if you will follow me into my kitchen, there is something that I want to show you.  It's a place I have managed to create a little bit of serenity for myself.  Specifically . . . right inside my refrigerator's crisper drawer!

My crisper drawer is the single most efficient space in my household right now and it has become my latest organization obsession.  So here's why.  We eat a fair amount of vegetables, but if I even notice any of that icky slime starting to develop on them, they end up going to waste.   And frankly, it just bothers me when I have to throw out food.  So, I decided to replace all those plastic baggies and containers with a more eco-friendly material that will let our vegetables breathe and stay fresh for a little longer.

I just used  flour sack towels and sewed them into bags of assorted sizes. This is also the perfect material to use for embroidery, so I put a bird on it!

Adding the bird was a little more time consuming, so I decided to experiment with a personalized monogram on a few, which are slated for family and friends.

And so, the nesting will continue for a little while more, because I suspect we are not quite done with winter around here.  But when garden planting time arrives, my little winter nesting activity will assure there will be plenty of my breathable storage bags on hand to keep my harvest garden fresh!  

Instructions for embroidering this simple chain stitch, along with free bird templates are available from Martha Stewart if you just click right here.  

Pretty Gulls in Bar Harbor

   

It was a balmy 50 degree day in Bar Harbor this past Monday as we sat in the car eating our lunch on the town pier.

Henri notices the gulls all sit around waiting for hand outs.  Me, I think they are pretty.  But especially so in the sun, when I notice the softly blowing breeze rearranging their feathers.  

One of the Porcupine Islands seen along Bar Harbor's 100 year old Shore Path.  

My camera plays peek-a-boo with the island behind an old dead birch.  

Pretty gull.  

Batting her lashes.  

The ticket office at the Bar Harbor Inn Pier is closed for the season.  

Today snow is falling and the temperature will drop back into the teens later this week, which makes me happy that I picked up this small bouquet of tea roses for our mantel.     

As much as I enjoy the beauty of winter, there is something uplifting about having a pretty burst of color right in the middle of it too.  

Contemplation

In between soaring, we sometimes catch our neighborhood eagle just hanging out on a branch.  

It's almost like I know when he will be there.  It seems to always happen on a day when I almost leave home without my camera.  But then I think better of it.

Today while enjoying a quiet photo session with my majestic subject, I saw him strike a few poses that I had never seen him do before.  

It was so quiet sitting there watching him, and I noticed how the wind tousled his feathers and scattered a mist of snow from the branches.

And for some reason I focused on studying his plumage, wondering why I had never noticed the white tail feathers before.  

But the one thing that took me by surprise was his reaction to a flock of gulls that were flying over.

His unusual pose made me laugh.

He rolled and twisted his head and then looked straight up in the air.

A behavior I had seen many times before from my parrot.

All at once, I recognized the subtle language he was speaking.  This wild bird of prey.  And it was an amazing moment for someone who almost left home without her camera.  

On the Very Last Day of the Year

We are covered in white...glorious white.  Notice my tiny greenhouse right there, all tucked in for winter.  

Day before yesterday, it snowed and snowed, and then we got a little more.  

No pictures of this, but at one point I called shotgun to ride along with Henri.  It was the first time I had ever been inside a truck while it rammed a 4 ft. snow bank.   For that I was not prepared.  Surprisingly (to me), after the initial jolt I found it rather exhilarating.  Who knew!

A feathered friend we met during today's walk.  

Here is the street view of how winter changed up my kitchen window box.  Getting dark...time to go inside.

My shop, Frenchman's Bay Tea Co., is officially closed for the season.  This is how it looked last night at sunset.

We decided to let the snow pile up over there.  For now, it will serve as a dreamy white winter wonderland, where the focus of my many thoughts and dreams for it will await in anticipation of a spring reopening!  Wishing everyone a safe and very blessed New Year!   

               
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And for some reason before I go to bed tonight as I look out my window, I want to end the year with this quote from John Irving's The Cider House Rules.

  "Goodnight all you Princes of Maine, all you Kings of New England."  

December in Maine

As this Christmas Day comes to a close I realize how very blessed we are to be surrounded by so much beauty, and wanted to share some pictures I have taken during our walks this month.    

Just a short post to let you know I'm still around even though my posts are few and far in between.  I hope this day finds you feeling well loved and nurtured.  Sending out Merry Christmas Wishes to you from our little corner of the world.

Halloween Memories

It's the first Halloween without my Simon and I am remembering so many good times with him throughout our 36 years together.  Halloween was always such a fun night for us and we always dressed up and entertained anyone who came to our door for candy.

Simon could hold a pose long enough to make many a person think he was just a prop, and then when he finally moved he would join in with the laughter and shrieks that ensued!  

I don't know if we will ever end up with another sweet creature to share our life with, but my mind is now open after reading a recent post that was in our town's monthly newsletter.  Here it is below:

A Pet's Last Will

Before humans die, they write their will:  give their home and all they have to those they leave behind.  If my paws could do the same, this is what I would do.

To a poor and lonely stray I'd give:  my happy home, my bowl and cozy bed, soft pillows and all my toys, the lap which I loved so much and the hand that stroked my fur, and the sweet voice that spoke my name.  I would will to the sad, scared shelter dog the place I had in my human's loving heart, of which there seemed no bounds.  So when I die, please do not say, "I will never have a pet again, for the loss and pain is more than I can stand."  Instead, go find an unloved dog, one whose life has held no joy or hope and give my place to him.

This is the only thing I can give . . . the love I leave behind.  

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Happy Halloween everyone.  And to all you little gobblins out there stay safe and bring home lots of candy!

Focusing on My Distractions

Here's a photo that Henri took that I recently found on my camera.  I thought it was so simple and sweet and  for me it was a reminder of something I have not done in a long time.  While I am still sleeping, my dear husband has his own routine of sitting quietly by the window enjoying his first cup of coffee.  More and more I find myself distracted by Pinterest as I sip my coffee.  Looking at this photo I realized I needed to start giving equal time into finding inspiration from nature as well.  

Armed with our bicycles and camera we headed over to one of the carriage trails in Acadia National Park on a brisk yet sunny morning.  It had been a while since we rode our bikes and of course we ended up having to walk them up many of the long grades there.   I always sympathize whenever I see the horses pulling the carriages up these steep grades.

The shot below was Henri's idea and I had never tried this before, although I had always wanted to.  I used my bicycle seat to balance my camera while using a low speed setting on my camera to try to slow down the flow of the water.  He always has the ability to keep me focused, even though I may grumble and continue to be too distracted.

After a while though, it was me slowing down to catch a shot of this glistening web.  

And then one to capture the colors of this scenic vista along the trail. 

We enjoyed a bit of hiking too in the early morning mist.  

Being able to capture some pictures again for this blog helps keep me focused.  I thank you for bearing with me despite my long absence in between posts.  You all are the best!