Elderberry Time

 Elderberries, finally. Three years after they were planted, 9 plants from NRCS have produced a good crop. Now to make something. Ripeness is the key, dark as dark can be is best for the flavor. Making syrup is quite easy, more so than using a fork to remove the berries from the stems. The syrup is the most useful and is adding gorgeous color, sweet fruity flavor and health benefits to everything it is added to. What a great fruit to grow!

Logging with Bob

Today we started some logging with Marc Farrow of Morgan, VT and Bob, his 25 yr old Belgian horse. The woods were cool and Bob was determined to follow Marc's commands and remove the cedar and spruce that we have decided to cut. Bob just knows what to do and moves rather quickly up the hill, despite the 80 degree temp. I have never witnessed something so coordinated as the cutting, limbing and hauling of these two. Watch Bob as he pulls a log into the field.

Hello Family and Friends

When Dan, Tracey, Ellie and Liddy came to visit, there was  nothing but constant excitemenet. Ellie and I enjoyed playing on the crocheted watershed habitat play mat (see my craft blog for more pics of that ) which she named Ellie's World. Tracey had her hands full with Liddy. We all fed the frogs in the pond. And David called to say that he had made a new friend at the Greenfield Folk Festival in MA where we used to live. Our friends, Nancy and Dave Berliner arrived minutes after the family drove away. We expect Melissa and her kids soon and then more friends want to come up. Guess we are popular.....

Farewell To Grand Manan

Our vacation on Grand Manan was cut short after bad weather removed the chance of going out on the boat again. And after the fisheries cops said that the fish were gone anyway ... seriously! And after I sprained my ankle (see black and blue elevated foot in picture) on the rocky beach in front of the cottage, and after getting tired of crocheting  lobster buoys (holding in my hand), and after reading all the books we brought ( not really but  close) and after looking out the window at the surf and fog, we decided to start packing and head home.  There are other reasons, too, too many  to mention and noone really cares expect us. Oh well... such is life.

Grand Manan

Swallowtail Lighthouse Grand Manan NB

On board Grand Manan V

Grand Manan V

 Back again to Grand Manan New Brunswick Canada, this time with the boat for fishing and adventures. We settled in at the Seawall Cottage of Peter and Marilyn Cronk. Check out the place on the Grand Manan webpage .

Bon Voyage to the Carolyn B

Today we bid farewell to the Duffy 26, our lovely boat from Maine. We did enjoy many days out on Lake Memphremagog and even a few nights. We still have a salmon from our fishing trips in Canada last fall, better eat that one. I have never had a boat named after me until now. She will become someone else's wife, mother, sister, daughter or girlfriend in the years ahead. She will be in Brooklin, Maine at the Atlantic Boat Company,  www.atlanticboat.com until she belongs to someone else. The decision was not hard to make. There are so many lakes in Vermont, and so many fish to catch in them that a boat on a trailer made more sense, not staying in one lake even though it is beautiful. We made some friends at the Yacht Club in Newport and had some great meals on the boat, watched great sunsets, fireworks and shooting stars from her, as well. She always turned heads when we went out, people asked about her, took pictures of her and just admired the classic downeast look of her. We have fond memories of this boat and I may never have a boat named after me again. Farewell.