Two Great Times!

During the last week in May, we stopped for another visit with Carrie and the family and ended up in the middle of a new adventure - the start of the chickens moving into the family!  Carrie was talking with a woman who told her that the favorite food of chickens is ticks, so from that moment on the focus turned to how could they get some fowl to eat the many ticks in the area as well as provide the eggs they need (eventually).

They started with two, one each for Sari and Lyla. They named them Rosie and Star and started to watch them grow.  

Lyla with Star

Sari with Rosie

Mom decided she would like some too so she sent away and three baby chicks arrived in the mail (amazingly) healthy and going strong.  Soon they were named and added to the brooder aka wood basket.

Jay got started on the yard and the coop after much discussion with Carrie about how it should look.

She really has a good sense of how things can work best, and how it can look within the setting of their home.

Yard before the coop was built. It will be along the backside wall closest to the house.

After a trip to Blue Seal feeds, it was decided that seven would be even better than five so now the flock is complete.

It has been fun to watch Sari and Lyla play with the chicks, adopting roles as they care for them, and asking each other to babysit when they took a bath.  

Carrie has also had a special time with them all, worrying and making sure each one stays healthy.  She loved chickens since she was a little girl. AfterI was told I was the Great Grammie to them all, I realized that these birds will be a very special part of the family for quite a while.

Our next stop, was back to Maine to have a visit with Katrina, Mike, Torrey and Cammi and of course Louie and Baby, the boxers.  We heard the loons, and saw the adults swimming in front of her house.

It was good to catch up with them, and we appreciated another chance to have Trine's Corn Chowder! It is really the best!

We have been planning to camp around Maine this summer, and we heard about a Birding Festival that was to be held in northern Maine.  Arootstock County has been a special place for Latona since her working days.  She would spend several days a month in the "County" and grew to appreciate the area and the people.  We decided to head to the state park near Presque IsLe and to spend part of our weekend at the birding event.

Here is the ranger who checked us in!

Our site

When we arrived we found these True Forget-Me-Nots on the back edge of our site. 

This happens to be the state flower of Alaska, and the day we set up camp here was the same day one year ago that we landed at Klondike RV Park in Soldotna, Alaska. It brought a flood of great memories and a feeling of missing our friends there.

Saturday morning we left early for the event that was held at the Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge.

We had never visited this refuge so we didn't know what to expect.

Latona opted to stay in the van while I participated in the bird walk with Bill Sheehan.  There were quite a few people in the group and not many birds to be seen.  He was able to identify many by the calls and pointed out the sounds we were hearing. One that was singing a beautiful song was the Swainson's Thrush.

As we walked along, he told us about the fact that the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (our only one in Maine) often arrives in the area before there are any flowers to feed from, so in the woods they survive 

by drinking from the sweet liquid that collects in the holes made by the Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.

Pictures from the Internet for you.

He also showed us where the Three-toed and Northern Black Backed Woodpeckers pulled scales off dead spruce and fir to find beetle eggs, and a spot where a Pileated had been drilling for ants making a hole about four by six inches.

After the walk, we drove into the Wildlife Refuge and learned that we were traveling through part of the former Loring Air Force Base. We didn't not know that this was the home of the Strategic Air Command. Amazing history here that we have been reading about. (Google the Loring site if you are interested.)

                 

Some of the bunkers that was part of the weaponry stored here during the Cold War.

Then we found this poster at one of the kiosks.

Bombers to birds! Oh, that this could be

a theme in all the earth!  An Endangered species in Maine nests in the grass in front of the bunkers.

The Upland Sandpiper

Several other events made this a special experience. Seeing the freshly plowed and planted potato fields...

Latona seeing a friend...

And finding a warbler on a hike in city park.

Having trouble with Blogger so will sign off quickly. 

We are learning everyday and enjoying the beautiful earth!

Little Birds Everywhere!

After our arrival at Carrie's and being greeted with our banner...

I realized that they had quite a surprise planned for me. We are not usually back in New England for my birthday so they planned quite a celebration. On party day, I was told to go out to the deck and start a fire in the campfire pit.  Much was happening in the house but eventually I was led around the house and told to enter the front door. Jay's mother Jackie had arrived, so she and Latona and I entered the house and discovered a decorated kitchen.

                                    

    

The festivities had begun. The girls led me on a scavenger hunt that took me from spots upstairs, to  downstairs, to the tree house, and the swing in the pine tree. The girls had made up clues to help me go from one spot to the next. Each destination had another gift!  What fun!

                                         

       

The cards, the surf and turf meal, the decorations, the joy of the scavenger hunt, and the love of all my family made me feel very loved and grateful.  It was a very special birthday!

                                                               *************

Carrie, the girls, and Latona and I went for a hike looking for birds. This is my favorite sighting!

We also went to the horseback riding lesson for Sari and Lyla.  We have watched them develop into fine Equestrians. They can post to the trot and now canter their horses. They can also groom their horse and put on their tack.

After the visit with the family in New Hampshire, it was time to start our trip to Ohio and the Warbler Festival. Latona had planned this trip for my special gift. The event takes place in Oregon, Ohio on the shores of Lake Erie.

We stay at Maumee Bay State Park and spend most of the actual birdwatching at Magee Marsh walking along the boardwalk.  Experts are available and any small group looking up usually suggests something special to see.

                                                    

        

Our friend Joan went on the trip with us and we posed for a picture calling 

ourselves "birding babes". 😉 We are wearing our gifts from official registration!

We had such a wonderful time looking at and for the over 33 species of warblers and the other birds

that are in mid-migration and stopping here to nourish and renew themselves for the next leg of the journey. I learned that the warblers travel at night, usually covering from 200-500 miles each night.

Some may go out over the Atlantic flying for 2-3 days without stopping.  I have loved these little birds since meeting them for the first time at Baxter State Park in 1987. 

                                         

Here are a few of the 29 species of warblers I saw during our seven days at the festival. These pictures were taken from the Internet.

Hooded Warbler

Blackburnian Warbler

Prothonotary Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Golden Winged Warbler

In addition, we saw many Orioles, Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, Scarlet Tanagers and Summer Tanagers, 

Cardinals, Thrushes, a Whippoorwill, White Pelicans, Eagles, and Vireos.

We also saw a nesting Kildeer...

... a Rufous Phase Screech Owl perched for all to see.

                        

 

And a Canda Goose taking her babies out to eat!

I value the many lessons I learn from birds and birdwatching. I learn to keep my face looking up, to keep singing in my heart, to keep flying free, and to keep appreciating the rich diversity of Nature.

Finally, I have a very special appreciation for the birds who find their life partner and live their lives together.

As you know, I have found mine! As I pass another birthday, I can only say 

Thank You for the "birds" and for all the gifts I receive each day.

A Wealth of Water!

We arrived back in Maine, to Katrina's home in Clifton in early April. 

The ice was still thick on Chemo Pond and the Penobscot River was fringed with ice blocks, but the crocus were starting to bloom. Spring was slowly starting to arrive.

When we arrived to spend time with Katrina and family, our first greeting came from Louie and his mother Baby who rush to the door to see us.

They have become special friends.

During our time in Maine, we also wanted to spend some time with Phillip and his family.  He has two "greeters" also, Budget, the Bulldog, and Frankie, the Bug. They would hang out on the couch waiting for their special people to come up the driveway. 

A quick little side story about these two. One morning, Frankie wanted to get into the upstairs bedroom but couldn't seem to push the door open.  He keep trying and trying.  Finally, Budget hopped off the couch, padded up the stairs and pushed open the door for him. After helping Frankie, he went back down the stairs and climbed back onto the couch! The peace was restored and his friend was happy.

                                    

The rest of the family...Phillip and son Simon. (Daughter Azure was away.)

                                    

And partner Lacey.  We really enjoyed spending time with them.

             

A line of traps Phillip had just finished getting ready to be put into the water for spring fishing.  Artistic presentation, and lots of work.

         

Before leaving Maine, we also visited friends In Hancock.  We hauled brush, chopped kindling, and walked around the woods near their home.  We also spent a day bird watching and looking for ducks around various spots on Frenchmen's Bay.

Latona finding another heart rock, as we checked out this cove in Hancock.  Here we saw Loons, Buffleheads, and a small flock of Eiders.

Next stop was down the coast to part of Acadia National Park known as Schoodic Point. 

Here we saw several Common Mergansers and a flock of Common Eiders.

That day we saw a Ruffed Grouse, Song Sparrow, the Eastern Phoebe, and in the water Black Guillemots, Black Ducks and Black Scoters.

The day was Beautiful and the surf was captivating.

As we wrapped up our Maine visit, we can report that the ice is now gone on Chemo Pond and the Loons have returned to nest.

Another lovely evening on Chemo and we said goodbye for the month of May.  We headed for a stop in New Hampshire with Carrie and her family as we begin the trip that will incorporate the Warbler Festival in Ohio and a chance to visit my siblings before returning to New England for the summer months.

Now here are my positive take-always from our Maine visit:

     Katrina has returned to work and is remodelling her salon.  Torrey has her first job at the mall and is waiting to take her drivers test, and will successfully complete her sophomore year in high school in a few weeks.  Mike is doing well driving and will start with a new company soon so he can be closer to home.  Good news!

     Phillip and Lacey are parenting both Simon and Azure and are very happy to have both the teens living with them.  Simon is now over 6 feet tall and doing well in middle school while Azure is also completing her sophomore in high school, and was on the soccer and cheerleading teams. Spring fishing is on and I believe his boat is all set!

     Friends greet us wherever we go and we count the blessings of our life by the names of all the special people in our extended family.

      Now we will spend a week with Carrie, Jay, Sari, Lyla and the various animals here. This is my birthday week so I anticipate a wonderful celebration coming my way.  Here is what we found when we drove up yesterday! My daughter is wonderful to me and to Latona in every way.

As you can, there is so much to nourish a grateful heart.  I am thankful that I have reached 72 years of

age today! My life has been filled with so many wonderful gifts! I am sending a huge Thank You to All!