Barn Charm

Today I decided to drive along the Connecticut River where I love to see the landscape of  farmhouses, barns, pastures, and cultivated fields.

The Connecticut River starts in New Hampshire and slips under dozens of bridges connecting New Hampshire and Vermont. The path of the river is the border between New Hampshire and Vermont.

Lately, I have been focusing on the barns along the river, a part of the rich rural heritage of New England. It is sad to think how many are lost each year to collapse, neglect, fire, and development.

Dear old barn, you are so proud standing there, so beautiful and strong, if we listen quietly and are patient we can hear your stories...

 

"For sixty years the pine lumber barn had held cows, horses, hay, harness, tools, junk ... and the corn crops came and went, plows and wagon, and hands milked, hands husked and harnessed and held the leather reins of horse teams in dust and dog days, in late fall sleet 'til the work was done that fall. And the barn was a witness, stood and saw it all."

-Carl Sandburg

...and one of my favorite barns...the sweet smelling horse barn at JR and Jenny's farm in NY. Here are my boys in one of our home movies from 1989...

to see more barns from all over, check out http://bluffareadaily.blogspot.com/

Eat Local Challenge August 7-13

Can you eat only what is grown and produced within 100 miles for a week?  This is what I will be attempting for the 'Eat Local Week Challenge' happening August 7th through the 13th.

It’s a living experiment in local eating to reconnect you with your food, your local farmers, the seasons, and the landscape you live in.

When the average American family sits down to eat, most ingredients typically travel at least 1,500 miles from farm to plate.  
With the 'Eat Local Week Challenge' you challenge yourself to eat only foods grown, produced and sold within 100 miles of your home. By eating locally raised foods, we are not only supporting local farmers, we are cutting down on the carbon footprint used to transport our food.

The Rules

1. All foods consumed during the week must be made from locally grown, raised or produced items.  The goal is to learn where our food comes from and to recognize the small farms and businesses  in our area.  Making foods at home from non-local ingredients does not count as “locally produced”.

2. “Marco Polo” Exceptions: include salt and spices, olive oil and sugar.

3. Three Life Lines:  pick three non-local items to use for the week.  These items could include such things as bananas, rice or a meal out at a restaurant.

Anyone else participating??



Wordless Wednesday...

Wordless Wednesday...this is my world....

Trailcam Pics

Joe over at http://massanuttengametrails.blogspot.com has awesome trailcam photos of bear with cubs, fox, deer with fawns, and even a hawk. I put out my trailcam several times out at camp. The property abuts the White Mountain National Forest and I thought I would get some great shots....and all I got were raccoons...about 100 shots of raccoons...



The Robin's Nest...

This spring I had a Robin build her nest on our back porch. I waited until the two babies fledged before I would let anyone use the porch.

After they fledged I went out to remove the nest and reclaim our porch. I saw another nest and decided to remove it as well - thinking I hadn't noticed it since I had been staying off the porch all spring.
The nest had three warm eggs in it. I noticed a fourth egg was smashed on the floor of the porch.

Now I thought we would have the porch back by summer...but I would never want to worry a mother robin away from her nest.
It appears that two of the three eggs hatched.

Mother and father both glare at me if I happen to step out on the porch.

I just hope the nest is empty by the end of the month when we have our family BBQ...

Making the most of a day off...

I found out I had the day off today and instead of sleeping in, I got up early to watch the sun rise.

It was beautiful...

I went over to Willey pond. I am amazed at how green and serene it was there.

I spied a beaver dam...

I was greeted by a mallard...

...watched carefully by a crow...

I upset a family of wood ducks, who quickly swam away...

...and then I saw the heron...

Back home, I started working in the garden. Our raspberry bushes are exploding! This was my mid-morning snack...

Zoey hung out on the porch while I worked in the garden.

The coneflowers are about to bloom, the prettiest daylilies are out, and the vegetable garden is looking great!

...then it was all about weeding, watering, porch painting, grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, and all those things you get to catch up on when you have a day off!