LIFE IS FULL~LIFE IS GOOD

Six days over due this grandbaby of mine...the anticipation is building...I ask myself is this real? Am I actually going to be a grandmother, a marmee. I look out my window and see the crab apple tree, the tree which was planted in honor of our son shortly after his birth. I see the blue baby swing Mr. Dog Trot gave me for Mother's Day and realize... yes... this is real... this is happening... soon...very soon... I will be a marmee...and tomorrow will be the day I become a foster mom, to a little kitty who is in need of some TLC...
Life is full, life is good...

DO YOU?

Do you have an inner voice? Do you have an inner voice that you actually listen to? I do and I do. So this afternoon when a tall maple tree snapped and split, now hanging precariously over the clothesline....I'm sure you know where this post is headed...Mr. Dog Trot said "I can cut the tree so it will fall away"...AWAY...
now I love Mr. Dog Trot dearly however, from my vantage point there was just no way this tree was not going to land smack in the middle of the clothesline. I wanted to yell "my inner voice says your are WRONG, Mr. Dog Trot does not believe in such things...

so on this lovely afternoon, while the sun was shining and the birds singing, the old maple tree fell...

landing right smack in the middle....

of the clothesline...

I walked over to the girls...

girls I said..."let that be a lessoned learned"

always listen to your inner voice...

A BLINK OF AN EYE~

The sun made a brief appearance... to wet to mow...to wet to plant... a quick walk around the yard... blue violets... white lilacs...

bonding time...white violets...

and bluebirds...

three pair of bluebirds are nesting here at Dog Trot Farm...

apple blossoms..

purple lilacs...

a quick nap...

interrupted by raindrops...

all to soon a mad dash back to the coop...

in the blink of an eye...it was over...I hope the sun is shining where you are, please send us some. Thank you and goodnight...

SPUNK WITH ATTITUDE...

Mirror...

Mirror...

on the wall...

who is the fairest....

one of all...

Loretta...L-O-R-E-T-T-A

a girl with SPUNK and...

ATTITUDE...

RAINY DAYS~

Rain...rain is falling outside my window...rain is in the forecast for the remainder of the week...the wood stove is working over time...it's warmth keeping the damp chill of the house at bay...
I'm not fond of rainy days, my bones ache...I begin a task, lose interest and quickly move on to something else, I feel befuddled...I blame it on the rain...April showers have brought May flowers...I want to work in my garden... weeds are calling to me...my peas are lonely, waiting for their friends, lettuce and carrots to keep them company...

Winslow Homer is not a fan of rain either, in order for him to venture out...an umbrella is required...along with an enticing reward...a favorite chicken treat...the girls...my hens... do not travel far from their coop, the old adage "mad as a wet hen" is true...keeping everyone happy here at Dog Trot Farm on a rainy day is not an easy task...but then I remember the rhubard sauce and french vanilla ice cream...a smile soon spreads across my face...let the rain fall...

~IT'S TIME~

The first vegetable harvest of the season is always a special occassion here in the Northeast...Now, our (Maine) first harvest is not spinach, nor lettuce but typically the "good old rhubarb" plant. This plant reminds us that we (Mainer's) have survived the long cold winter and heralds the arrival of spring. Here in the Northeast the rhubarb plant can be found growing in many backyard gardens..
Rhubarb is reconized by it's large broad (poisionous) leaf and red stalks...the stalks have a resemblance to celery...their content mostly water... Put a large pot on the stove add water and sugar and bring to a boil. While the sugar/ water mixture is coming to a boil, slice the rhubarb stalks into inch size pieces and add to the pot of boiling water. Place the lid on the pot, boil for a few minutes and then turn down the heat and let simmer till tender. I ladle into glass jars and once cool keep in my refrig...

The end product is a delicious sweet/tart tasting compote...

There are many ways to use rhubarb: pies, crumbles, muffins, coffee cake, but my personal favorite, served warm over french vanilla ice cream...and yes, I am the only one in my household who will eat rhubarb...so come on and give it a try...rhubarb it's a good thing...

THE PITTER PATTER OF LITTLE FEET~

Yes it's true, once again a red light can be found glowing at Dog Trot Farm...four little chicks have come to roost, 2 Golden Comet and 2 Ameraucana...GIRLS...90 percent guaranteed...I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

Without further ado please let me introduce, Dorcas Lane...I have become such a fan of the PBS program Lark Rise to Candleford, it only made sense to name the girls after favorite characters. Dorcas Lane... Ruby...

Minnie...

and Mabeline...named after mascara, not a character from Lark Rise to Candleford, I mean just look at those pretty little eyes...

Four sweet little chicks...there is music in the air... a song in my heart...and four days and counting till I can rock a baby in my arms..

SUPER MOON~

I see the moon,
and the moon sees me,
God bless the moon,
and God bless me...

Good night...

FRIENDSHIP~

On a cold and rainy Tuesday, a bit of sunshine arrived in the post...
a package, travelling all the way from Bakersfield, California...

a smile soon spread across my face, dear Kim of My Field Of Dreams, gifted me with this wonderful box of goodies...

A few posts ago, Kim had displayed on her blog pin cushions that she had lovingly created. Numerous blogging friends soon suggested she open an Etsy store; I agreed and asked If I could have the privilege of being her first paying customer...

In the box, wrapped ever so sweetly, was the little blue pin cushion adorned with a heart button and tiny strawberry, a Yankee candle, Kim's fragrant homemade soap, and sunflower seeds gathered from Kim's Field Of Dreams...as most of you know Kim grows the most amazing sunflowers...

I so loved my box of goodies...

and I am thankful for having such a friend as Kim...~Hugs from Maine~ Julie.

~10 DAY COUNTDOWN~

While prepping for the arrival of my first grandchild, I have discovered that the world of infants has evolved greatly since my last go around...new parents are now instructed to have their infant sleep on it's back, and no bumpers nor stuffed toys allowed in their crib. The amount of baby equipment available can boggle one's mind. New to me is the Bumbo Seat, the Boppy Pillow and Boppy Lounger, specialized nursing cover-ups, the Noggin Nest Support, pacifiers specific for day or night time, baby monitors which now come with a video screen and three wheel strollers with speaker built in for your I-Pod, WOW.

For parents of little boys you have The Pee-Pee Tee-Pee. If you are a mother of a baby boy, no explanation is needed...new fads my come and go...however, the one constant in a child's life that will never change is love...whether it be one's parents or grandparents the love you feel for a child or grandchild never wavers, it remains constant, no matter their age...

Little boys don't take baths, they just dust off.~Unknown.

FLOWERS FOR LEONTIEN~

Prayers and ...

hugs coming your way.

AN UNWANTED DAY IN BED~

Last evening as I climbed into bed...
I could feel it beginning...the dreaded migraine...nothing can interrupt life like a migraine...it had been a year since my last migraine attack...severe enough that my neurologist put me on a ten day cycle of steroids...thankfully that worked...since then however... my neurologist has closed his practice to teach at Dartmouth Hitchcock, the headache specialist has left her medical group...my primary care physician informed me I do have the option of returning to the original neurologist I saw when this nightmare began...my reply "why in the world would I choose to return to a specialist who falls asleep while taking a patients medical history?" This morning...I popped a pill, pulled the covers over my head and spent the day in bed...thankfully this evening the migraine is subsiding...the hunt for a new neurologist is on...that in itself can cause a migraine..what is a girl to do...Botox anyone?