Strawberry fields.

Today was just like a trip back in time. Mark and I took out the ATVs. He showed me how to drive one, a challenge, since I am pretty timid with stuff like that. We went to try it out on the back 40. Soon we were getting excited about all the lovely wild strawberries, a bumper crop! Back to the house to load up with containers and snacks. Then we returned to the best spots to enjoy a peaceful afternoon under the blue sky surrounded by nothing but flowers and meadow. Now it's time to make something with strawberries and rhubarb!

Trek 2010

Yesterday I completed my third Trek Across Maine charity ride. The Trek is the biggest annual fundraiser for the American Lung Association of Maine (ALAME) Together, almost 2000 bicyclists travel from Sunday River in the western mountains of Maine to Belfast on the coast, in three days. I was part of a wonderful team called the Four Seasons Trekkers. That's me giving a little wave.

School's Out for Summer!

Memorial Day weekend I went fly fishing on the Little Black and had a blast! Arras hunted for wood turtles, found four total. And I fished mostly in vain but caught this whopper in the rushing pool behind me.
Yesterday was the official last work day of our school year, and now I am off until August 15, there about. Plans? Tomorrow it's off to Sunday River for the Trek Across Maine. Next week I will return to school for some deep cleaning/reorganizing/inventory of my two classrooms, three file cabinets and storage room. Must design the perfect cockroach colony for ease of maintenance. Then I want to try my hand at making hypertufa. July 7 & 8 are resreved for the Vital Signs Institute in Portland. I'll see Tom and Jill before heading home. Kathy is coming after that so it will be time for family gatherings. Crossing my fingers for good news from Toyota about the Galapagos.

apple blossoms and lilacs

The daffodils were wonderful and are just starting to fade, the apple trees filled with blossoms, followed closely by bumblebees and butterflies. Now the lilacs are filling the air with sweet perfume...and more bees and butterflies. I saw a swallowtail butterfly today. The sunflower seed feeder hada purple finch visiting. Yesterday I saw a grosbeak. It was yellow and black so I looked it up. Evening grosbeak. Tried to get a picture through the window, not too good. It flew when I went outside to try to get it. No luck with the goldfinches either. We've been visited by a flicker also! Fun. The forget-me-nots are all along the driveway. I am so happy to see flowers! I hope it's not going to be as cold and rainy as last summer.

Spring is sprung!

Went running out on the Back 40 today, lot of huffing and puffing I'm telling you. Arras was extra thrilled. He was grabbing my hands, eagerly trying to get me to go faster...good luck with that one. Ever had a dutchie grabbing your hands..in his teeth? Interesting. Well, the woods are just so pretty now, I love this time of year. Best salve for the soul. The trilliums are already arriving and the frogs were just like sleighbells.

Missing Hobbes

This morning the sun is shining and I decided to run. Got all ready, bite of banana, sip of OJ, pinch of almonds. Brought the iPod and of course, Arras. We headed out onto the back 40, and within seconds I was breathless just climbing the little hill in the backyard, but I had Arras and "I Shall Sing" by Garfunkel to keep me motivated. Beautiful scenery rolled by as I toiled away. It felt good. On the way home I remembered that Mark buried our cat, Hobbes last week. She was put to sleep in middle of winter, so we had to keep the body frozen until spring. Time to pay my respects. I miss poor old Hobbes, she was such a comfort sometimes. Well, as I was turning away from the grave the trees snagged my iPod wire and pulled it out of my ear. The song changed. Guess what started to play? "Come Rain or Come Shine" by BB King and Eric Clapton. Totally freaked me out. "I'm gonna love you, like nobody loves you, come rain or come shine...." right there by the pet cemetery. I love you too, Hobbes. (and Sam and Odie and Kitty and Pinky!)

First Day

I never saw any reason for me to have a blog before now. Facebook is close enough. However, I want to apply for the Toyota International Teacher Grant for next year and visit the Galapgos Islands, and a blog seems like a good way to share the experience with my community. Except I might wind up using it for more than just the Galapagos project (if I get accepted).