SAVE THOSE EGG SHELLS.

      Crushed egg shells are good for your kitchen garden because of the high amount of calcium they contain.  Just rinse the shells to prevent odor and when dry store them in a large zip log baggie.  After collecting a sufficient amount, crush them up and sprinkle them in your garden.        The shells will discourage snails and slugs.  Deer tend to avoid the area also because they do not like the odor of albumin.
      When planting new seedlings, put a bit of finely ground up egg shell into the hole before planting.  You can use a bullet or a food processor to grind the shells finely.  You will be amazed at the improvement of your produce.

SHORT DAY TRIP.

      Last week we had to go to Machais for some minor testing at the hospital there.  It is about 40 miles from Eastport so it is an quick drive.  We took Dylan Thomas along because he loves car trips.  While David was busy with his exam, Dylan and I went to Bad Little Falls and poked about.
      It is a picturesque and beautiful place and the sound of the rushing waterfall is very tranquil.     The word Machias roughly translates in Passamaquoddy as "bad little falls", a reference to the Machias River. Machias is best known as the site of the first naval battle in the American Revolution.
      The Machais River was also a timber transporting route in days gone by.  The logs came tumbling over the falls and drifted on down to Bangor.  It's a nice place to spend a quiet contemplative few minutes and Dylan likes to sniff out all the little critters.
     

 BACK TO THE EARTH.

      I love the summer when I can spend most of my time outside working in our gardens and tending to the lawn and flowers  It is a kind of Zen experience for me.  No frets, no worries - just the earth and the growing things; the bees, the birds and the butterflies.
     Over the years our raised gardens have increased to three and I manage to get a good crop out of them along with some beautiful flowers.  Our peas do very well and always look so green, lush and healthy.  I like to mix flowers and herbs in with the veggies so there is a pleasant scent in the air.
      Last year we lost out second crop of peas to the deer which now over-run the island.  So - this season David put in an electric fence and so far our produce has not been molested.
      I accidentally touched the fence once when it was on and I am convinced that a deer needs only one jolt to learn this is a no trespass zone.

FIRE IN THE SKY.

      Another Fourth of July spent on Moose Island watching the Eastport fireworks.  We have a pretty spectacular display and it just seems to get better each year.
      Independence Day is celebrated along with Old Home Week here.  People who have moved away try to get back to spend the holiday with their families.  As the years go by more and more people seem to seek out Eastport for our famous festivities.
      This year there didn't seem to be as many people in town.  It may have been due to the lack of positive patriotic feelings because of our horrid and corrupt national politics which is a downer for everyone.
     Also we had no navy ship in port.  Usually each year we have a large navy ship at the dock for the celebration.  Of course, since the Breakwater is still under reconstruction, it would have been difficult to have the ship anchored downtown as in the past.
     Never-the-less there was a nice turn out and everyone seemed to have a great time.

AND NOW - THE VIEW.

     So this is the summertime view from the kitchen sink.  Both windows are wide open as is the door to the back deck.  The cooling ocean breezes waft through the house and the smell of the sea fills your body with joy and your mind with wonder.  If you have to cook a meal, best to do it with this view before you.  Rainbows are not an unusual occurrence and from this kitchen you are not likely to miss one.  

IN LOVE WITH OUR KITCHEN.

     I have always dreamed of a huge kitchen like on my cousins' farm.  A room large enough for all the family activity at one time that still retains an intimate cozy, warm secure feeling.
     Well, my family in Eastport is not that large - just me, David and the dog, Dylan Thomas.  And this is my kitchen which I love.
     The space is perfect for one and workable for two.  The lighting is great - Eastern and partial Southern exposure in the daytime.  There are very bright lights over the sink and task lights along all counter spaces.  The light above the stove finishes it off.  The dining room is close and open so conversation with family and guests can continue as the meal is prepared.  The cook is not isolated from the household activities.  The best part of this kitchen is the view from the work space at the sink.  I can look out onto Friar Roads, Campobello Island,  bits of the Bay of Fundy and other nearby Canadian Maritime Islands.  It is a good Zen place to create delicious food.

A WINTER'S DAY ART INSTILLATION.

     We were lucky enough to be gifted with this wonderful piece of art work designed to go around a column.  Aha - we had the perfect spot - a columnar vent running through the first floor to the basement.  The trick was to get a thickness beneath the canvas so it would hold its shape and not slide down or sag.  Bubble wrap proved to be the answer and the completed project pleases us and the artist.  It a glimpse of the action on the Riverwalk in Bangor, Maine.  Lucky us to have the artist as a friend closer than family.  David bought a new spot for the hallway track lighting to focus on the column.  It's quite striking.  So nice to come down the stairs in the early evening to see the sunlight streaming across the canvas and giving it life.

THE WORST IS OVER?

     This was the result of our worst snowfall this winter.  It wasn't all that troublesome although it did require the use of the ever-handy snow blower.  In just a few days this white fluff was all gone and the temperatures were in the high 40's.  We even experienced a 52 degree day in February.  How wonderfully unusual!

GENTLE WINTER MAY BE OVER.

     The winter of 2015-2016 has been very gentle with us here in Downeast Maine - so far.  A few days ago we were experiencing and enjoying 60 degree weather and I could see a few buds pepping out on the lilac bush.  It was too good to be true.
     Last Friday we received an nice blast of cold air and a downfall of about 15 inches of the white stuff.  It was a shock to jump back into genuine winter mode.
     Today the wind is whipping about at 10 to 20 miles an hour with gusts a little higher.  Temperature is 20 with a wind chill of 10.  We are now being threatened with another blizzard and an additional foot or so of snow.  Can't that darn Pennsylvania groundhog ever get it right?  The snow blower has been returned to it seasonal place of honor and stands ready.

WINTER GIFT OF CITRUS SUNSHINE.

     Our wonderful neighbors who share the Buckman Compound with us spend the winter at their home in Nashville.  The Christmas season of 2015 they gifted us with an amazing abundance of Meyer lemons  The photo at the left is about half of the total sum.  Needless to say I got very busy learning what to do with lemons beside seasoning fresh fish. 
     Two recipes I found became that our favorites were Pennsylvania Dutch lemon pie and lemon upside-down cake.  The cake is pictured below.  It was heavy, moist and very rich.  A small slice with a good cup of coffee made for a perfect afternoon snack.  It stored well and a week after preparation it was still as fresh and moist as the day it was made.  Looking at the photos makes my mouth water even now.  This truly was a gift that kept on giving as we were enjoying yummy lemon concoctions for many weeks after the holidays. 
 

PROJECT OF SUMMER PAST.

     Well, I finally think I got inspired after noticing it had been well over a year since I posted on my blog.  Next came the problem of where to start again.  I decided to just run with what appealed to me.
     This past summer, while I was wonderfully and happily lost and busy amid my flower and vegetable gardens,  David decided to make his own bread and butter pickles, a favorite in this house. 
     Maxine, a close friend (actually part of our extended family) gifted us with a jar of the home-made goodies.  They were so delicious David got her recipe and whipped up a batch.  They sat on the deck for five days during the initial process.  Then they were brought into the house and sliced and "pickled".  They were so good David made several batches.
     Home-made food is especially delightful in the middle of a Maine winter.  The taste and crispness bring back sunny summer memories.