Taking up Residence

life_in_maine_garden_visitorThe galvanized steel bucket in our garden has a new resident. The bucket is full of rain water and our friend is either swimming or perched on the rim. The mystery is how the little fellow figured out it had water in it—he (or she) is a little short to be able to see into the bucket from the ground. Click on the image for a larger view—its eye is amazing.

Vegetable Harvest

life_in_maine_vegetable_harvestAlong with tomatoes and blackberries, we are getting other veggies. On the left are Early Summer Yellow Crookneck Squash. Our beans this year are Kentucky Wonder, the large green pole beans, Provider, the mid-sized bush beans, Masai, the small bush beans, and Blue Coco, the purple pole beans. The small tomato in the picture is Gardener’s Delight. And last are our cucumbers. The round variety is Lemon cucumber and the other is de Bourbonne Cornichon pickling cucumber. Unfortunately, because of a lack of water or inadequate fertilizer, the de Bourbonne did not turn the green it is supposed to be. Click on the image for a larger view.

The Shore of Lake Erie

travels_shore_of_lake_erieLiving in Maine, it is always hard not to think of a body of water that does not terminate at the horizon with land as a lake. But a lake does not look like an ocean. At least, I have never seen such a calm ocean, although these lakes can be violent. The tree in this image was felled by the erosion of the sand banks along the shore. The banks are about twelve to twenty feet tall. The coarse white sand on the beach is actually the remains of clam shells. Click on the image for a larger view.