This intrepid animal had climbed onto the window screen outside our office to take advantage of the insects our room lights attract (to give you a sense of scale, each square of the screen is about 1.5mm wide or about 1/16″). Frogs (and a I assume toads as well) serenade us throughout the summer. But it seems to be in September that I actually catch sight of these creatures. Click on the image for a larger view.
Tag Archives: Summer in Maine
Late Summer Fern
Our fern are coming to the end of their season. Their fronds are taking on a dull green and are marked by the insect damage incurred over the summer—they looked very different in the spring. But when the sun pierces the forest canopy in the late afternoon, it fills these plants with light, giving the appearance of renewed life. Click on the image for a larger view.
Sweet Crab—Apples of Maine
We should be clear, crab apples are not sweet, at least not in terms of regular apples. We planted this tree a couple of years ago and this is the first year for it to fruit. Crab apple trees are vigorous and grow rapidly compared with regular apple tree stocks.
The fruit are about the size of a golf ball, maybe a little smaller. The apple itself has firm, crunchy flesh and is tart—a granny smith is a sweet apple in comparison. But there is a secret to the sweet crab apple. If you wait for them to ripen to when the sugar concentrates at the center of the fruit, taking on a darker, slightly transparent texture, that is the time eat these. Yes, they are still tart, but they also possess a sweetness. Naturally, these apple are good for hard ciders and cooking. Click on the image for a larger view.
Black Cherry—Tomatoes
This cherry tomato is the perfect snacking fruit. The flavor is sweet and rich. They are great in salad, if you don’t eat them first. Click on the image for a larger view.
Living Forest
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Earth and Sky
Maine coast is mystical in the late summer. The warm ocean and cool air create fluid, unpredictable atmospheric events. Click on the image for a larger view.
Summer Milky Way
The summer is coming to an end in Maine. The night is drawing in earlier. Where Naomi and I would return in the warm light of a setting sun, now we enter our driveway under the stars. The summer milky way floats above our forest giving us hope for a little more of the season, but also signaling its departure. It, like the sun, will set earlier and earlier. Click on the image for a larger view.
Green Zebra—Tomatoes
Every year we plant several varieties of tomatoes. This is a green zebra, which develops a slight yellow blush just as it ripens, but is predominantly green. The fruit has a tangy flavor, firm flesh, and juicy interior. It is great in salads. The plants are productive, but the tomato is on the small side, 3–4 oz. or 80–100 grams. Click on the image for a larger view.
Goldenrod Tea
Goldenrod tea is said to have medicinal properties and to be good for colds. The tea is bitter and we usually mix it with chamomile and add a splash of honey. We simply throw goldenrod blossoms and leaves into a masion jar and pour in boiling water. We let it steep for 30 minutes to a day. If you love the bitterness of Japanese green tea, goldenrod can can be a great non-caffeine alternative. Click on the image for a larger view.
Living on Edges
The tenacity of life, the ability to hang onto existence in some of the harshest conditions, always amazes me. A delicate balance that does not take very much to lose—a few footsteps from a careless hiker could cause irreparable damage, as could a rock slide. Climate is a constant source of stress. This collection of moss, grass, and wild flowers is at the head of the glacial cirque that is home to the Great Gulf Wilderness Area, just below the summit of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. Click on the image for a larger view.
