Cuff and Link

Stopped and saved a snapping turtle last week that was attempting to cross a busy street, Rt.109.  In terms of the sizes these that turtles can get, this one was small.  About the size of a softball.  He joins our other tiny snapper that we've had close to a year now and wintered over inside our house.  Broke out the kiddie pool, so these dudes have plenty of water and space to move around.

The pollen has been terrible these last couple of weeks, which is what's covering the new turtles head and shell, it's everywhere!

Trixie dog was curious what these two creatures were and wasted not time in introducing herself.  I tried to explain to her that she's sniffing the wrong end and is really gonna be sorely sorry...

Vintage Newpaper Photos

Here are a couple pictures I took from a 1962 Boston Evening Globe newspaper - one from December and one from April:

Looks Like Liz Taylor was back in the news

The richest fight in history took place in May - Sugar vs Basilio Bout Pulls in $1,900,000

Ailing Churchill Postpones April Visit to Ike

and

Ike's Camp Opposes Tax Cut

Also, check out the Star Market Company advertised sale prices - a half-gallon ice cream for .79, Lobster Meat 12oz for $1.79 and oven-ready turkeys for .39 a pound - unbelievable!

Mark "three" Game

1972 vintage Mark "three" game by Ideal

Veggie Gardening Almost Complete!

So I finally made it down to Marshfiled to visit my farmer friend, which was long over due.  There really isn't an easy way to get to Marshfield from Franklin.  Actually, let me rephrase that, there really isn't a straight forward and quick way to get to Marshfield from Franklin.  It's mostly highway but like four of them.  Anyway, I wished we lived closer so I could visit and spend more time there.

As usual for this time of year I never head home empty handed and this time was no different.  I was sent home with oodles and oodles of veggie and annual flower plants, which all required immediate attention once I got home.

As tired as I was I was looking down the barrel of a good couple of hours work ahead of me. I am happy to report that I got it all done, yippee!

I planted (20) tomato plants 3 different varieties: Early Girl, Better Boy & Celebrity, (8) Bell Pepper, (4) Kale, also another mound of Silver Queen corn (20 seeds).  On the annual flower side: Petunias, Inpatients, two different kinds of Coleus, Zinnias, Marigolds and Begonias, PHEW!

Now it water water water time!!

More Proof!

Also visiting early Friday morning the above fox!!

You might remember that I posted a short time ago about an early morning visit from a fox who was showing WAY TOO much interest in our chickens.

Well, I'm pretty sure this is a different fox and from the looks of him I'd say he's in the process of shedding.  What a beautiful animal for sure.  Once he spotted me watching him he changed directions and off he went.  He was a good sport though, before he left, to strike this pose for me.  Really hope they stick around and cull down these darn chipmunks that have already begun stealing our green strawberries, alas...

Proof Is In The Pool (Pudding) In This Case!

Now, I know that you all know that I wouldn't tell a lie, you know!  That being said and for those skeptics out there here's a Friday AM picture of Donald and Daffy duck lounging pool side.  They stayed for maybe twenty minutes, then off they went.

Friday afternoon the male arrived again but this time alone.  He stayed in the water all the while "quack-ing" for his lady who never came or responded.  He flew off in short order.  However, this morning I was awoken to the noisy sound of "QUACK QUACK QUACK QUACK...".  The misses had arrived and was nervously calling for her mate who must have been returning the favor and ignoring her as she did to him the previous day.

When I raised the window screen to ask her to keep it down, she proceeded to fly up out of the water towards me and then veered off and landed on the chimney.  She stayed up for the close to 10 minutes QUACK QUACK QUACKing away.  She didn't seem bothered that I had made my way onto the deck and to take pictures of her.  She eventually flew off in search of her mate.  I can only imagine that he's gonna be in a world of trouble for not answering her.  I bet he had to sleep on the equivalent of the ducky couch last night...

Humming"Bird on a Wire"

Snapped this photo of one of our many visiting Hummingbirds.  This is something that I've rarely seen is one at rest, and one at rest long enough to grab the camera and get a shot.  Typically they're going at a break-neck pace; a mile a minute but this dude was chilling and taking a rest.  These bird absolutely love our Honeysuckle, which is in the foreground of the picture.  They come and go all day long - zip in and zip out, zip in and zip out.  They're fun to watch for sure

The Junk Yard Game

1975 vintage The Junk Yard Game by Ideal

Duck Visit To Our Cement Pond

We took our pool cover off this past Sunday.  As you can see more work needs to be done before we can announce it's swimable.  I've added several gallons of liquid shock, which has done a remarkable job clearing the water even though it doesn't look it in the picture below.  I will fire up the pump and filter this weekend, fingers crossed they work, which is the next step in process.  It won't be long now before it's ready for swimmers - dog excluded, oops!

As I looked out the upstairs windows this morning around 5:30 AM I was very surprised to see, for the first time in the 12 years we've been in the house, a pair of Mallard ducks sitting pool side.  Clearly they had been IN the pool, as you can see where they were perched by their wet marks on the deck.  Unfortunately, we didn't get to the camera in time to snap a pic of them, so this photo will have to do and you all will just have to believe me that there really were Mallards out there this AM - I have two witnesses.

Note to my brother - these are the type of ducks you need, not them thar domestic ones! You know the kind that come and go on their own.  No feeding required. No tending to needs required. No cleaning required (although this piece isn't entirely true because if you look close enough, the female ((left wet spot)) left a little something something behind but still a better alternative.  Plus, Trixie will have that something something cleaned up in short order, YUCK...

Watson Come Quick

Who knew that the revolutionary war soldiers were equipped with cell phones?!

I certainly didn't until I saw this picture.

Perhaps, the whole Paul Revere ride for alerting the Colonial militia of the approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord never actually took place at all.  Instead maybe it was a cell phone call to warn his fell American patriots of the planned attack!?

You think?

Conspiracy theory...

Of Course This Means War!

So, as I indicated in an earlier post, we planted a handful of veggies plants this past Sunday.  Well, wouldn't you know that when I looked out the windows on Tuesday morning I was burning mad to see that all four of my lettuce plants were eaten to the ground.  The parsley fared better but all four plants were nibbled on and to top it all off three of the five dill plants were also eaten to the ground, UGH!

I'm 100% certain this was the work of a wild rabbit.  Interestingly, I didn't see any wild rabbits in our yard all Spring. I understand that just because I don't see them doesn't mean that there not out there but I don't find it funny that they appear at the same time my veggies are planted and then think they can help themselves to my young, tender plants, NOPE!

Needless to say to this means war!  As a matter of fact I went old school on one adult rabbit tonight! The way it was done in the olden days, the real olden days just to make it a fair fight.  Score = Farmer 1, Wild Rabbit 0

Let's  rock and roll!!

We're On A Roll...

Emilie and I took a Sunday morning drive to my favorite local nursery (The Pumpkin Seed in Bellingham, MA) and picked up some veggies plants.

We bought: Lettuce, Sweet Chinese Giant Red Peppers, Red Onion, Fine Curly Leaf Parsley, Cucumber, Zucchini and Summer Squash.  Also, picked up two different varieties of Marigold.

As you can from the pictures above I was able to get some of these dudes planted.

Also, the seeds Emilie and I planted last Sunday are beginning to make an appearance, well the radishes are (to the left of the carrots above).  Still waiting on the carrots, corn and sunflowers.

Planning on taking a ride to visit my farmer friend in Marshfield, a trip that is long overdue.  When I spoke to him last he told me NOT to buy any tomato plants, as he had oodles he started in his greenhouse.  I typically leave there with hours of work to do in getting all the plants planted.

Good Take - Rev's Game

Scored (4) free tickets, along with free parking, to the New England Revolution soccer game back on Saturday night May 12.  The game was played at Gillette Stadium, home to the New England Patriots.  It was a beautiful night, not a cloud in the sky, and the Revs won the game 4 - 1.

It was a nice take to be able to visit the stadium with a small crowd in attendance versus a Pats game. No long lines to get in or at the concession stands, no crazy, screaming fans; easy in and easy out.

And We're Off...

Emilie and I found some time this past weekend to get some veggie seeds planted!  We planted a row of radishes, a row of carrots, a row of mammoth sunflowers (~24) and a mound of Silver Queen corn (~16).  It rained over night and this morning, so everyone got a good drink.  Time will tell what will grow but we have our fingers crossed and thinking positive.

Eric LeGrand Quote

Rutgers' Eric LeGrand, the paralyzed former Rutgers football player, had this to say when interviewed recently about being signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL football team -

"In life you can't control what card you're dealt. You've just got to deal with that card you're dealt."

I Caved In...

I broke down and decided to start some seeds indoors.  Typically I'm against this practice because I simply do NOT have the setup or space to do it properly.  In the past this exercise proved to be too cumbersome, messy and a royal pain in the arse.  I find it SO much easier to take a ride to my favorite local nursery and purchase plants that have already been started, hardened-off and ready to be planted.

However, when I ordered my garlic last fall, the company also sent along a half dozen packages of seeds as a bonus.  Mostly veggies but a couple flowers too.  This is what I've started indoors - Sunflower, Butternut Squash and Eggplant.  Also started was White Campion, otherwise known as Lychnis coronaria (White Lambs Ear).  We have oodles of Rose Campion (Pink Lambs Ear) but no White.  It just so happens that on her way to work one morning last summer JoAnne noticed a yard that had a single, lonely White Campion plant so we patiently waited until the fall when the plant turned to seed, then stopped and "borrowed" a small clipping containing our sought after, precious seeds.

Walla!

I'm happy to report that since this picture was taken (4/26/2012) some of the plants are making an appearance and poking through the soil, with the White Campion being one, yippee!

Note:  White & Pink Lambs Ear is what we were told their names are and what we've come to know these plants as.  We do have a couple true Lambs Ear plants - Stachys byzantina, that again, we "borrowed" from a rest area in New York a couple years ago.

Fox In The Hen House - Hope NOT!

- Day 1 -

Early Wednesday morning (4/25) I was getting my lunch together when the chickens started fussing.  At six in the morning, they're still waking up and typically don't make too much noise.  I've raised chickens for like 100 years and I knew the noise they were making was one of panic and warning and not good morning clucking, no question about it.

I looked out the kitchen window and immediately saw the cause of the commotion - an absolutely beautiful fox!  She was apprehensively approaching the front of the pen then made her way around the backside of the coop and reappeared back in front.  The girls were NOT happy, what a racket.

I chased the fox off and watched as it made it's way two properties over and disappeared behind their shed.  Said shed sits on the edge of the over growth, so my fear is that she's living underneath where she'll have and raise her pups.  Of course that would be cute to see and watch as the pups grow but being the raiser of chickens I'd prefer they go elsewhere.  However, if they would leave the chickens alone and stick to a diet of - chipmunk, wild rabbit, grey squirrel and woodchuck then I'd love em to stay!

Needless to say when I got home from work that evening I attempted to fortify the back of the coop to prevent her/them from digging under - fingers crossed!

- Day 2 -

The following day, Thursday, was a work-at-home day for me and don't you know, when out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the chair to see what was the matter.  Away to the windows I flew like a flash, tore open the shutter and threw up the sash.  When what to my wandering eyes should appear, but a darn white house cat instilling more fear.

We've seen this particular cat around recently.  Typically, she's been farther away and behind the coop but I guess she wanted a closer look.  I don't think she'd fuss with the chickens but of course they don't know that. They get spooked regardless, which causes them to pile on one another when they're flying to the highest spot they can reach in an effort to get to safety.

After snapping this photo, I made my way out back and chased this feline off. Like the fox, she's welcome to hang out if she'll leave the chickens alone and sticks to catching mice and chipmunks.

First Toad of 2012

Lost in thought the other afternoon, I was puttering around the yard and tending to the flower beds and doing some weeding, when I came across this handsome little dude.  He was burrowed into the dirt, perhaps to keep warm from the chilly nights we've been having recently, but I inadvertently dug him up. So, he spent the night inside with us in the kitchen.  The following day we released him out back in the pool area.  Hopefully, he'll like his new digs and decide to stick around a while.  We can always use an insect eating machine in close to the house.  Would be nice he has a hankering for slug, yummy! I'm sure we'll be seeing more of him this summer...

Our 2012 Spring Flowers

Here are several pictures of the Spring flowers that are blooming away and adorning our yard in a variety of colors!

Silver Dollar or Money Plant (Lunaria annua)

Crested Dwarf Iris (Iris cristata)

Tulips & Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart

Wild Violet, Forget-me-nots (Myosotis) & a passed Hyacinth

More Scrap Metal Found and Recycled

Did another metal run last weekend. I don't recall what trip number this is but I believe we're closing in on double-digits.  The majority of this run contained items that I've been holding at my place, although the load was topped off with even more metal items from my dad place.  Total weight was just over 500lbs.

I'm going out on a limb here and saying this was the last run, however, I'm not willing to put any money on that...

Out With The Old, In With The New

Tackled the deck stairs yesterday, finally!  HUGH difference in both appearance and durability!  We got a late start and put in only 6 hours otherwise I believe we would have finished it.  The rails in the picture above are just temporary and added so we can continue to use the stairs.  We're planning on reconvening next weekend to install the rails and spindles and complete the project.

Now just need to work on disposing the old stair lumber, which is currently hidden and piled in the trailer.

Spring Veggie Planting of 2012

Picked up (2) 4-packs of veggies last weekend - Kale and Broccoli.  Planted them outdoors this weekend, along side a Kale plant from last summer that survived the winter and is flowering like crazy.  The rabbits and chickens are loving it, fresh greens for them.  Now if we'd only get some MUCH needed rain...

Crack The Bedroom Window

Love being able to crack the bedroom window before crawling into bed and listening to the Spring Peepers sing and chirp and carry on and sing me to sleep!

Equally love waking up to the sounds and melodies of the singing birds as they carry on talking away and the smells of crisp, fresh morning air.

Oh Can't Wait To Pick and Eat!

Doesn't our garlic look fantastic?! It survived the winter and has simply taken off with this mild Spring weather - BIG beautiful plants. This planting was done in a different spot than I typically plant the garlic in, and from the results so far it was well worth the switch!

A Good News, Bad News Item

Good News = Trixie loves to run, bounce and play on the pool cover. We can't wait to see what she'll do once the cover is removed, so stay tuned. Since she always on it and we've had no luck keeping her off we don't need to worry about cleaning the bird poop off any longer. She takes care of that for us, yuck for sure!

Bad News = Not sure why, maybe because the cover is green like grass, but she occasionally does her "business on the cover too.

The picture above captures the good and the bad news as explained here. We're gonna need a LOT of chemicals added to that water before I get the courage to jump in...

Sunflower Seed Bread

My coworker and friend Vlad, who I seldom see these days, surprised me last week with both a visit and a fresh loaf of Sunflower bread, yum-me!

This is simply delicious - toasted with butter along with my morning cup of coffee! Alas, it's just about gone but was worth every calorie and a nice change of pace for breakfast.

Dog Eats Floor...Film At 11!

Yup, she did! I left Trixie alone for maybe 10 minutes while I took a quick shower and when I returned this is what was waiting for me! She found herself a place smack dab in the middle of the kitchen floor; a highly traveled and highly visible spot, and decided it was a good time to start ripping the linoleum a part!

She has the run of the kitchen and has been left alone many times before, so why all of a sudden did she decide to do this is puzzling. She has a dozen different chew toys to choose from and is always playing with one. Plus, we're pretty lucky with her, as we've not really had any other chewing incidents to speak of - one or two but she is a puppy after all.

It's not too bad though, right?! You can hardly notice it, right?! I bet we can get many more years outta this old floor, right?! I was planning on replacing the floor too but we didn't win the big Mega Millions jackpot, alas...

More Veggie Garden Space

Happy Easter weekend everyone!



Added approximately 80 square feet of additional garden space this past weekend - all done by hand!. The Robin is looking for worms in the new area above. I'm not sure yet what we'll be planting in this additional space but rest assured it won't go to waste.

Lesson Learned - Always Wash Your Hands!

Had a hankering for a toasted bagel the other morning, so once I arrived in the office and got settled I made my way to the cafe.

Getting into the office early has it's benefits. For example, I'm able to get a parking space close to the building, choice of fresh bagels and almost no lines at the toaster. This morning I scored all three.

So, while toasting my everything bagel, a coworker was making his way over to the "spreads" section to top his English muffin - you know, butter, margarine, cream cheese, jelly and peanut butter. Now, this particular person is typically grumpy most of the time anyway, my experience with him. Well, he proceeds to pick up the butter knife which had fallen over into peanut butter and now had a peanut butter coated handle. Apparently, the knife was placed back into the butter tub without the handle being cleaned. Where has common courtesy gone?!

Well, don't you know this person was NOT a happy camper! This look of disgust immediately comes to his face as he beings to look around for one of the cafe workers. Alas, there are none to be found, nor are there any napkins. The disgust now turns to anger and he's pissed! What he does next blows my mind - he licks the peanut butter off his hands AS WELL AS off the handle of the knife, eewwww, then proceeds to butter his English muffin. When done, he put the knife back in the tub of butter and storms off mumbling towards the cashier...

Needless to say I stayed away from the butter knife!

Like a "Rhizomes" Cowboy, Not

It's looking like our Tropicana Canna Lily rhizomes survived the winter and are poking their heads up. They have perked up with the longer days and warmer temps for sure.

I would have been very disappointed had they not made it since I dug them all up in the late fall, transferred them into an extra large flower pot and lumped them into the garage for hibernation.

When they're in full bloom is when I will truly appreciate the extra effort.

*** A bit of 411 on the Tropicana Canna Lily:
It has beautiful burgundy leaves with streaks of yellow, orange and green. Its flowers are bright orange. The Tropicana canna lily is one of the tallest varieties, growing up to 60 inches tall, SHAZAM!

XBX or 5BX Let's Do It!

I don't know about the rest of you but I may have put a pound or two on over the winter and maybe even added a couple of inches to the old waist, and then again maybe not...

However, if you have and if you're interested, I've come across this wonderful 1962 exercise gem - "Royal Canadian Air Force Exercise Plans For Physical Fitness"!

Front Cover -


And if the words on the back cover by Charles B. Wilkinson, consultant to the President on Youth Fitness, doesn't get you up off the couch I don't know what will!

Back Cover -


Who's with me?!?!

P.S. the P90x Workout system pales in comparison...

Scrabble For Juniors - Edition Three

1968 Vintage "Scrabble For Juniors" edition three game by Selchow & Righter Company.

Given to me on my birthday in 1973 by my wonderful Johnson City, TN Aunt, Uncle & cousins!

I'm Ready For School!

Parked first in line to drop Emilie off at school and about 15 minutes before the morning chaos was to start. The calm before the storm - before the buses begin to arrive to unload kids, parents start dropping off kids and the walker & biker appear.

When, look, out of the sky - it's a bird, it's a plane, it's superman...nope it was a duck. A male Mallard swooped in and landed in the middle of the parking lot! Weird, since there isn't a pond nearby within walking distance, hmm.

He slowly waddled his way towards the side of the school, where the scrubs are and what to my wandering eyes should appear but his mate, a female Mallard.

Then the two decided to skip school and off then flew into the wild blue yonder.

The End

Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick...

According to the Wall Street Journal article tittled This Season's Ticking Bomb, 2012 is expected to be a high alert year for tick activity.

Warm winter temperatures and decreased low field mice population are two of the primary causes of the increased potential for finding a tick on yourself or your pets. Ticks Will Be Out Early; A 'Horrific' Season for Lyme and Other Diseases.

So, consider yourself warned and be careful out there!

The Urinal Dance

zip·per [noun]

A device consisting of two flexible strips of metal or plastic with interlocking projections closed or opened by pulling a slide along them, used to fasten garments, bags, jeans and other items.

Where would we be without the zipper today? What a great invention for sure!

Well, I have this new pair of jeans that when the zipper is unzipped all the way down it's next to impossible to zip them back up and man is it frustrating. Now, it's not because of any defects in the zipper itself but rather how the zipper's pull tab gets stuck in the down position and gets lodged. When this happens it's all I can do to get it free so I can zip up!

Makes for an embarrassing urinal dance!

Move To Beat Parkinson's

Did you know that April is Parkinson's Awareness Month!

Visit the National Parkinson Foundation for more information on the disease and what you can do to help!

Massachusetts "Move Over Law"

So, the state of Massachusetts has a law, often referred to as the "Move Over Law" (Massachusetts General Law Chapter 89, Section 7C), in which it requires operators of cars and other vehicles to pull into the left lane (when travelling on roads with 2-4 lanes heading in the same direction) if "practicable." If it is not practicable to change lanes, the law require drivers to reduce speed and "proceed with caution."

I think we can all agree that this is a well-intended law designed to save lives. I would argue that the law is vaguely written and I would think difficult to enforce, however, that's not why I am writing about it here.

I am writing in an attempt to illustrate just how stupid and dangerous and dangerously stupid some drivers can be! In general, some of the things I've seen during my commutes to and from work are scary! It's funny how some drivers take things so literal and then there are the ones who are completely clueless.

Let me try to paint the scenario:

Mr. Big Rig Truck driver is cruising in the slow-lane and traveling at 70+MPH.
Mr. Big Rig Truck driver sees blue flashing lights up ahead. The State police have someone pulled over and they're pulled over in the breakdown lane.
Mr. Big Rig Truck driver (assumption here) is aware of the states Move Over Law, so, and if your lucky, his left directional comes on and here he comes moving his big rig into the center lane!! It doesn't appear to matter to Mr. Big Rig Truck driver that Mr. Small 4-Cylinder Automobile is occupying the center lane at that point, nope. After all, I must "Move Over, it's the law" (being literal and NOT practical), DAH! What about the slow down portion of the law, hmm?!?! So, just get out of his way, he's not gonna slow down otherwise he'll run you over!

In the end Mr. Big Rig Truck driver doesn't want to risk getting a $100.00 ticket for not abiding to the law, so he's moving over. It doesn't matter if he runs Mr. Small 4-Cylinder Automobile off the road, or causes an accident in his wake. He must move over!

So, although the law has good intentions to protect anyone pulled over on the highway from getting run over, it fails in terms of the dangers it introduces when these BIG trucks decide to change lanes at high speeds because - wait for it...wait for it...wait for it...it's the law!

Word to the wise, stay alert out there!

Trixie Patient

Here's the lady of the house, Miss Trixie, stretching out and trying to catch a nap. As you can see she's wearing a lovely blue soft collar, size XS. The ladies of the house just love to accessorise!!



Actually, dog-dog here had a Monday morning vet appointment and went under the knife; we had her spayed. While "under" the doctor had to pull her last baby tooth to make room for her new, big girl canine tooth that was already on it's way in. She did very well but the poor thing was listless and just plain blah when we got her home. Here we are a couple days later and she's doing just fine and almost back to her old self. Still wearing the collar though so she won't fuss and pull at her one stitch.

2012 Garden Tilling, Done!

I spent last Sunday (manually) turning the soil in our BIG vegetable garden. The Winter Rye I planted in the fall was growing too tall and thick with this fabulous weather we've been having, so it was best to get this all tilled sooner rather than later. Our gardens have all been turned and are sitting ready for when it's planting time.



I uncovered a wild rabbit nest dug into the ground and perfectly hidden in the tall Winter Rye, see picture below. I suspected I might find one, as I came across one last year (at least I think it was last year but as I write this I'm having some doubts. It very well could have been two years ago, yikes...). The one last year didn't fare too well. I only learned of it by the squealing of the kits that I had tilled, and which ended up being compost.

This years nest meet the same fate as the one before and was tilled under too. However, this one didn't have any young it, which is good since it spared me from having to compost baby bunnies again.

Spring Has Sprung!

What a day! 73 degrees this afternoon here at the ole homestead!

At this point I don't think there is anything still in it's winter dormancy - everything is bursting or getting ready to pop.

Here is a lone yellow crocus that sprang up in the middle of our lawn -


Here's a cluster of our Snowdrops wide awake and in full bloom -


Here's a nice light purple crocus bunch with a couple Tulips poking their way up -