It Was a Good Season
Maple Syrup haul for the season. From 20 gallons of maple water boiled down.
At a time when life’s uncertainties abound, I am reminded of the strength and healing of nature through the imagery in this poem.
… Read MoreWhen despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of
Can’t tell you how many times over the decades and decades that I’ve lived with my animals that I wished there was a stop-gap measure before having to rush off to the Emergency Vet on nights or weekends. It would have saved me thousands of dollars.
Now there is an online service and app that may just do the trick. Fuzzy is a telehealth service for pet people with 24/7 access to customized pet care and product recommendations from vet … Read More
A new study from the researchers of the Department of Ethology at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Hungary reveals that dogs can recognize their owner by voice alone, and they make use of some of the same voice properties as humans do. The study is published in Animal Cognition. Read the full article »
I never cease to be amazed at how many dog studies done by scientists are completely self-evident to anyone who actually lives with dogs.… Read More
Happy days are here again! Nothing blows off the winter doldrums like getting my Bakers Creek Heirloom Seed Catalog. Because I grow organically and save my own seeds, I especially love these guys.
They offer one of the largest selections of 19th-century heirloom seeds from Europe and Asia. So if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary—and sustainable, look no further.

From their website: At Baker Creek, our mission is to provide the seeds of a sustainable food … Read More
In our family, it’s a tradition. Unless your present makes the present receiver cry, you didn’t find the perfect gift. Cait nailed this. She even had the artist include a dragonfly on Wink’s ear (which has special meaning for me). I blubbered like a baby.
To see the details close up, click on the photo.
Seriously, I think this might be the best, most thoughtful present I’ve ever received. I love the way the artist has combined nature into the … Read More

So it seems that tapping two maple trees gives us just enough syrup to get through until the next maple tap.
But I knew as soon as my family got a taste of this, I’d have to be making more. So, along with their annual garlic allotment, I’ve had to add two more trees into maple production.
Though, at the moment, with some daytime temps still in the minus digits, it’s looking like we’re still a week or two away. … Read More
Temps are in the sub-zeros for the next few days. And it feels like it!

But we’re ready! Wink’s getting good use out of his new winter coat this year. Oh, the extra rugs everywhere? Wink can’t handle wood floors anymore without his legs going out from under him. Getting old is hell.

If your dog is in need of a new coat, I just reviewed my top 5 picks for winter coats here »… Read More