Itching to Plant

Oh, spring in Maine. It’s best summed up in one quote, “Go home Mother Nature, you’re drunk!”

We went from wearing long sleeves and light sweatshirts on Monday, to a winter coat and an inch of snow on Tuesday, to a heavy frost and a sunny 50 degrees on Wednesday (insert exasperated eye roll here). The rest of the week has been a roller coaster - 50's and 30's to 60's and 40's. For those of us who are itching to plant, this isn’t the best of weather. But winter was nowhere near what it has been in the past, so I guess I can’t complain…well, I mean I can, but nobody will listen.  I know it's getting there.  And I know I could probably put in some peas already, but you just never know what Mother Nature is going to throw at you in April!

I received my seed order from High Mowing not too long ago and since then, I’ve had dirt on the brain. Bush beans and cabbage, cauliflower and starburst carrots, sweet corn and pumpkins and buttercup squash have all been calling to me, “plant me…plaaaaaaaant me!” And I’ve had to tell them all, “This is Maine. It’s too early. Go back to sleep!” But still they call from their shelve in the kitchen. Soon my seedy little friends, soon.

This is my first year trying High Mowing. I try to stick with Fedco and Johnny's (since they're local and pretty awesome), but I've heard such great things about High Mowing, that I wanted to try them...so I added them to the mix. I probably have more than I could ever plant now, but that's not a bad thing!

Saying Goodbye to Sadie

On a spring Saturday in 2004, my friend and I took a road trip to New Hampshire so she could go check out a puppy at a rescue that brought Puerto Rican street dogs (satos) into the U.S.  I was only going along for moral support and had plans that night to see a band play.  Little did I know how much that trip would change my life.

While my friend looked at a golden mix and a jack russell, I was handed a scared, little black shepherd mix who was barely three months old.  She snuggled in my arms, quiet and timid; and I fell in love with her. And even though I still lived at home with my parents...and even though I knew I would be in sooooooo much trouble for bringing her home...I brought her home.

  

As we travelled the highway back to Maine, I realized that there was no way I could go out to the bar that night with my friends to see the local band, Sister Sadie, play.  And in that moment of realization, Sadie was named.

For 12 years, my constant companion accompanied me on copious walks, hikes, trips to Damariscotta Lake, to the beach, on an ill-fated camping trip - pretty much wherever I went, Sadie came with me...even though she really HATED car trips. But she loved the destination once we got there.

Sadie loved to roll in the snow, the grass, soak up the sun on a hotter than hellfire day.  She thrilled at chasing cats, squirrels, chipmunks and later chickens.  She was never malicious; she just like to see things run!  She endured numerous nicknames: Sadie Wadie, Wade,  Sadie Girl, Girly Whirly, Schmoopy Puppy, Puppy Face, Puppy Roo, Whiney Dog...I'm pretty sure she didn't really know what her name was.

Coming home at the end of a long work day and setting out for our nightly ramble was something I looked forward to.  And weirdly enough, getting up at 5AM to walk wasn't so bad, either.  It was a nice way to start a morning - it was our own little moment of zen, watching the sun rise over the Kennebec River.

This past Saturday, we said goodbye to my girly.  Her age had finally caught up with her, as well as her struggle with Cushings Disease.  It was time to let her go.  She shared a cheese bagel with cream cheese with me that morning, she took one more dreaded car trip to our vet, she wandered their property and peed in a dozen places, smelled all around and made her way into the hospital.  And with my hand under her head and stroking her, I said my final goodbye to my sweet Sadie girl.

I know she's in the summer lands now, soaking up the sun, chasing chipmunks and resting easy. But damn do I miss that dog!

In Search of Dragons

My stepdaughter is obsessed with dragons. I'm pretty sure that the topic of dragons comes up at least four dozen times a day. So when I started making my little wooden animals, I knew that I'd have to make Ellie some dragons.

Well, after I finished sealing some of the toys, she was checking out the finished product and she asked the inevitable question: "Can I play with them?"  I hated to have to tell her no, but I had already listed them for sale in the shop; they were product.  But I promised her that I would make her some of her own, so she could play with them.

About 20 minutes later came the inevitable NEXT question: "Can you make me dragons?"

How could I say no to that face??? 

So this past weekend, I designed and cut out wooden dragons for Ellie!

I made a winged dragon and a water dragon.

  

I tried my hand at using watercolor paint on them, rather than acrylic and spray shellac, rather than the water-based sealer.  Using watercolor paint did NOT produce the effect I wanted, so I went back to acrylic and I loved the spray shellac (painting on shellac is awful and I don't recommend it!).

I may just have to make a new category in the shop...Faery Tree Fantasy Collection!