Sweet Summer Days

It seems like we have been swept up in summer days as soon as Olivia and Alex returned from Machias. Olivia found time to stay with friends in Castine while juggling her intern work. Adam spent three mornings a week in Belfast for driver's ed for four weeks. And we got creative managing all of their driving with our one family van. We celebrated the happy news about equal marriage by tacking a rainbow flag to our front door just in time for Independence Day. We've been spending as much time as possible at the camp point and in the water, eating many a meal-lunch, supper, Sunday brunch, at our favorite spot. When they weren't diving into work or the pond, the kids dove into favorite books. Alex spent a morning sawing up the pine tree that had come down during the winter that covered the long rock at the camp. We were both knee deep in water when we realized a nest of mice inhabited the tree as he spotted two swimming for shore and I saw two more scrambling up a floating log. Poor dears. We did our best to not yelp too much and got them to shore with some of their nest. Then it was just the enormous palm-sized spiders we had to look out for. This week, on Monday, Adam earned his driver's permit, so now we have four drivers in our family and that one reliable van. Hmm. So cool, Adam! We're still out in the gardens, of course, and enjoying quiet summer days around the house, too. Some deer visit us each day, usually in the evening, and one mother brought her fawn to see us, last night. The thirty tomato plants we were gifted from Blackbird Rise are huge and thriving and setting on fruit. We have garlic to harvest, and other garden goodies will be coming soon. The nasturtiums and cosmos are blooming. Olivia and I have been out shopping for the first wave of dorm supplies. We all are aware that we'll miss having Olivia around when she's away at school, but at least we will also be excited for her. Ginger kitty, however, will not know. If there's one thing that Olivia is not looking forward to about leaving, it's leaving her pets behind. If only Ginger could understand. Hopefully she'll allow us to love on her a bit more once September arrives. Until then, it's all about swimming, reading, eating grilled and fresh food, sunshine, snuggling and being together on these summer days.

This Spring On The Farm

There is never a lack of things to do on a farm. This spring (and now summer), in addition to putting in a large, proper garden (and weeding said garden), establishing flower beds and meadows, weeding, trimming, transplanting, and mowing, there is simply the shoring up, the cleaning out, the making way.

There is also the noticing. The observing. The taking it all in.









































One of the exciting changes here On Bradstreet Farm has been preparing for, then raising our ducklings and chickens. We had initially planned to just get chickens this spring, but after Olivia did more reading about egg-laying ducks, we put in an order for six female Khaki Campbells. Three weeks after our ducklings arrived, we picked up our 15 chicks.



















So far, we are all completely smitten with the ducks. They are wonderful animals. Hilarious, smart, energetic, sociable, and beautiful. And they eat slugs and snails, so bonus. Also? Starting around five months old, they will begin laying eggs and each duck can lay up to 320+ eggs a year! So, extra bonus.

We've named the ducks Odella, Jemima, Luna, Pippa, Millie and Tilly. We aren't able to truly tell them apart yet, though there is one that has a khaki green bill, so we call her Pippa, and Tilly has the darkest, seal brown head.

We have names for the chickens planned, as well, and our list includes suitably old-fashioned names chosen from both sides of our family trees. Gertrude, Bertha, Irma, and Avis are perfect hen names, don't you think?

As you can see, our days here are full- meaningful, beautiful, wonderful. We feel ever so slightly more settled, more entrenched with each project, with each accomplishment, with each nurtured plant or animal.  Everyday we feel more a part of this farm. It's a good feeling.

First Snow At The Farm

Today, it rained. Sideways it rained, in sheets it came, causing the brook to rush and form white caps. Today, we warmed up to 52F. Tomorrow is forecasted to be clear and cold, seasonal and good for gathering. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.

Yesterday, as is our tradition, we decorated the greens and hung them on the farmhouse. A wreath for the front door, a wreath for the house, and garland for the east stoop. Yesterday, it snowed, just enough to dust the hills and roof, but welcome all the same. Yesterday, the kids made snowballs and the wild turkeys arrived in the morning, all fifty or so of them, heedless of their necks so close to a turkey-centered holiday. (They are safe with us, our turkey is from another farm.) Yesterday, we began readying the farmhouse for hosting family for Thanksgiving.





















If you find yourself gathering around a table, or practicing ritual in the coming days, may you find yourself enveloped in kindness and warmth.