Open for the Season

I thought this was a very unique way for them to let us know that they were going to be opening up shop early this year....

Pinewood Derby

Today our Cub Scout Pack held their annual Pinewood Derby race! They had a great time!! Our boys worked hard on their cars. Surprisingly our younger son's tank was faster than the bullet car that our oldest built. That was hard for big brother to take, but he was good about it. One of the other boys built a car that beat all comers...

For those of you who aren't familiar with Pinewood Derby: Each of the boys is given a small block of wood, metal nails for axles and little plastic wheels. They turn these into amazing little cars, some of which are quite fast and others which look really good! Then, they bring them to the races and through a process of elimination it is determined which car is the fastest.

Only time will tell...

Another tribute...

Today's photo is of our Muscovy drake, Jake the Drake, playing in the spray of water from a leaky hose. This was a frigid day in January with the wind blowing gales, which explains the icicles all over him! He didn't care. He just wanted to play in the water, no matter the weather. I hope that there is water where he is now. Yesterday Jake the Drake died. He left behind many memories from the 9 years that he was with us. Below is a photo from last summer as he helped his mate escort their ducklings across the horse pasture...

Hey there!

Poor Tillie, the horse, really doesn't know what to think of Daisy, the lab puppy. Tillie was born on a farm where a couple of sneaky little dogs was always nipping at her heels. On principle, therefore, she hates dogs. Daisy would really like to be her friend and is always right in her face, which confuses Tillie. In the past, I have seen her pick Daisy right up by the scruff of her neck in frustration. Daisy, being a lab, didn't let that bother her and continues to try to befriend her. After all these months, I think that Tillie is figuring out that Daisy isn't a yappy, nippy dog and maybe they can be friends after all....

'Mud Season' has officially begun...

Yesterday afternoon the boys & I went down the hill to dig trenches to help the puddles in the driveway drain. If we don't, our cars will sink! Our driveway is long - over 1/4 mile - and doesn't have good drainage, something we hope to rectify eventually. Once the spring rains start, and the snowbanks really start to melt, it will flood and we won't be able to drive on it at all, but at this point we can keep up with the puddles. It's actually a fun process and we love to watch our little rivers flow by....Plus, it's a great opportunity for the boys to splash and get muddy!!

Tree Hugging!

This is an ancient White Oak that is behind my parent's house. The kids were trying to see if they could reach all the way around...

Mount Washington

Several times now I have shown you our view of the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Yesterday we went for a drive over there. The mountains are about an hour away from home. So today I'm not actually showing you a photo of West Paris, but rather a shot of Mount Washington from the other side.

Happy Easter

I love the smell of Easter Lilies....

Backyard Sugaring

During Maine Maple Sunday, farmers from all over the state open their sap houses and demonstrate how they make Maple Syrup. It's fascinating, from planting the correct trees to tapping those trees and collecting the sap, to boiling the sap and creating the syrup. It takes a lot of sap to make a little syrup. At each demonstration, the farmers will also offer samples of syrup on everything from ice cream to pancakes. YUMMY!! Here you can see my son and niece putting a tap into one of my parents' sugar maple trees. They are really looking forward to coming back in a few days and harvesting that sap...

This year Maine Maple Sunday, which is always the 4th Sunday in March, falls on Easter. Some producers decided to host their farm tours last weekend, while others are sticking to the official date, which is tomorrow. On our way to our family gathering tomorrow afternoon, we may try to stop and do some taste-testing....

Berry's Ledge

Berry's Ledge looks out over the village of West Paris. It provides a pretty backdrop, especially with a blanket of snow. The schoolchildren generally hike up it in the springtime since it's right behind the school. What a great way to escape the classroom and explore nature!

Buddies

These 2 young elk seem to be good friends. There are several large males and lots of dominant females in this herd, so I imagine the young ones need to stick together. I don't know if elk herd dynamics are anything like horse herd dynamics, but after spending a few minutes observing them, it seemed pretty similar. Someday I'll have to spend more time watching. I find them fascinating!

You talkin' to me????

I know she's just chewing, but it looks like this elk has something to say....

Up Close & Personal!

Yesterday afternoon I stopped by the local elk farm to take some pictures. They actually presented a challenge that I hadn't anticipated. There are coin-operated corn dispensers for visitors to use in order to get the animals close enough to pet - a real thrill for the kiddos! But, I kinda wanted them to be a little ways off so that they wouldn't slobber all over my camera! Oh well. I couldn't resist posting this silly shot and I got enough other really great shots that I hope you don't all get bored of elk... ;-)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I decided that today would be a good day to post a photo of my lucky shamrock, aka oxalis, plant. Fortunately, it is in bloom! I've been raising oxalis for years and years and they are some of my favorite plants. I've tried several different varieties and they all have performed very well for me, with lots of flowers. Being a bulb, they prefer to be on the dry side, but as long as you remember that, they will be happy to flower frequently for you.

Have you ever grown an oxalis plant? Which variety?

Aly Cat

Aly was peeking over the fence to make sure that I had the horse properly tied up before risking a walk into the pasture to see me...

From Paris Hill Road

I may be very, very tired of the snow, but it sure does make the mountains look extra pretty!

They should reword this sign!

I'm pretty sure they mean for the car....

Something for everyone in the family...(even the 4-legged ones!)

Considering how everyone's yards are filled with snow so that even the dogs have nowhere to play, I wonder if this place is busy....

Pilgrim

I took this photo a couple of weeks ago and am posting it today in tribute to the white gander, Pilgrim. He disappeared over the weekend. We can find no evidence of 'fowl play', but it's highly unlikely that he just wandered off without his mate. We miss him. He lived with us for almost 10 years. Peep Peep, yes, my boys named her ;-) is very lonely without him...

Ellingwood Road

This is the view from the top of the hill on Ellingwood Road. Those are the White Mountains in New Hampshire that you can see off in the distance.

This shot is actually taken from the yard of our local garage. It seems so strange to enjoy this view while looking out over a bunch of junkers, but there you have it.

High Street

Looking across West Paris from High Street....

Hey, Mother Nature!

My sentiments exactly...

Sparkly

The other morning everything was covered with ice, which made the world sparkle in the sunshine.

Sounds good to me!

I've been dealing with an injured horse this afternoon, so my husband is picking up a pizza on the way home...

Look at what I found....

A sign of spring!!

Silly doggie!!

This morning, the boys dressed our old dog in one of their cast-off t-shirts and took her out to play in the snow. After awhile, she scratched at the door to come in. When I saw what she looked like, I shut the door on her, ran and grabbed the camera. Thus, the questioning look in her eyes - she thought I'd lost it!

Community Hall

I guess this building is only used in the summertime...

In like a lion...

I'm really hoping that March will fulfill the old wives' tale and go 'out like a lamb'.

I took this photo of one of our horses during the storm on Saturday. Believe it or not, his name is Kitchen. We bought him in New Mexico, and apparently there is a tradition that when you trade for a horse, you name him accordingly. The guy that we bought Kitch from was a cabinet maker and he had traded a kitchen for the horse. Previously the horse's name was 'Two Bits' because he was purchased by a bit-maker. However, when we purchased him, I promised him that I wouldn't name him 'Home Equity Line of Credit', it just doesn't have the ring to it that Kitchen does! I don't know if it's because of his name, but this horse has loads of personality and is always a big hit with the crowds at all the events that we take him to. He's a gentle giant and attracts lots of attention, especially from children. He really enjoys it! He's also an extremely versatile horse. I can jump on him and run a fast time on barrels or put the most nervous beginner rider on him for a trail ride and know that he will take good care of them.

World's Tallest Snow Woman!!

Now here's something that you don't see everyday!

Bethel, Maine ( about 1/2 hour from West Paris) has built the World's Tallest Snow Woman! She's AWESOME!! What a really fun community project.

Check out her website here: http://bethelmainesnowwoman.com/

These are her statitics:
Name: Olympia SnowWoman
Height: 122′1″
Weight: 13,000,000 lbs. of snow
5 foot wreaths for eyes
16 skis for eyelashes
“Carrot” nose made of muslin, chicken wire & wood frame by the MSAD #44 elementary school children
5 red auto tires for lips, painted by the Mahoosuc Kids Association
48 ft. circumference fleece hat made by the Mt. Valley Middle School students
130 ft. scarf
6 1/2 ft. Maine-mica snowflake pendant created by Jim Mann of Mt. Mann Jewelers
30 ft. spruce trees for arms
3 truck-loader tires for buttons
2,000 ft. of rope hair!

On our way home we stopped to take a few shots from a distance. She looks immense, even when surrounded by the mountains. The town seems tiny in comparison.

Look what Dad just found in the newspaper:

Theme Day - Graffiti or Street Mural

This mural is painted on the side of a trailer and parked prominently as you enter West Paris. It's hard to miss.

At the bottom is the phrase "Still Rated 'G'.", which unfortunately is hidden behind the snowbank.

There are lots of blogs participating in this theme day! Click on any of these links to see graffiti or street art from around the world:
Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Detroit (MI), USA by Taittems, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Jsaltao, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Mo, London, UK by Ham, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montréal, Canada by Douber, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by MumbaiIteanu, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK by Cassie & Chris, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Radonvilliers, France by Deslilas, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation by Lark, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Terre Haute (IN), USA by Zann, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Wrocław, Poland by Loompi, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,