Tag Archives: Maine outdoors

Beaver: Now You See Him…

June 17, 2012   Maine, Maine Outdoors, Nature, Outdoors

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I had an armed standoff with a beaver last night. The sun was going down and at just the right angle to make it hard for me to get a good shot. He wouldn’t stay still. I had to adjust my aim several times. I hoped he’d give in and slap his tail so that I could get the shot, and for a minute or so I thought he would, but then he escaped.

The lighting was terrible but here are my shots.

A beaver…nuff said.

He’d had enough of me.

And that was the end of our standoff.

 

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Book Review: Maine’s Favorite Birds

May 23, 2012   Book Review

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Jeffrey V. Wells and Allison Childs Wells
Illustrated by Evan Barbou
Tilbury House Publishers
Publication Date: May 1, 2012
Paperback, $15, ISBN 978-0-88448-336-6
6 x 9, 72 pages, 100+ color paintings

Maine’s Favorite Birds by Jeffrey V. Wells and Allison Child Wells was written as a guide for beginner and intermediate birds as well those who are advanced. The Wells’ have extensive personal knowledge and hands-on experience with birds that they share in easy-to-understand descriptions of each bird.

Birds are grouped together in ways that make sense to new birders either because they are common in a particular habitat or look alike. This was very helpful to me because “it looks like” comes to mind often while I’m birding.

Also helpful, Tools of the Birding Trade tells us what we need to take with us on a birding trip and why we need these items. Learning the Field Marks explains bird anatomy with well labeled, clearly drawn illustrations. This information is contained to one page and eliminates flipping back and forth. It’s very handy. Five pages of birding hotspots cover the state, providing information on birds you’re likely to see and where you’ll see them.

The hand painted illustrations are exceptional. Evan Barbour brings birds to life on paper. His paintings are by far the best of any I’ve seen. The details are amazing and the colors beautiful.

The book is small in size at 6 x 9. It fits easily into my pocketbook, backpack and glove box. It’s easy to hold the book in one hand, binoculars in another, and not lose your place. Beginner to expert, I think every birder should have this book in their library.

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My Word of the Year for 2012

December 30, 2011   Hiking, Maine Outdoors, Nature, Outdoor Women, Outdoors

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Do you read Tobi-Dawne’s blog? I confess to having fallen behind on blogs in 2011. When I pulled up Google Reader and saw hundreds of unread entries I got overwhelmed and stop reading. I realize now I missed a lot by not keeping up with Tobi-Dawne. She’s crunchy, she’s energetic and she’s a lot of fun to read. She inspired this entry by asking what our word for 2012 will be.

My word for 2012 is Outdoors. I spent so much time outdoors as a market farmer that I stopped enjoying being outside. Being outdoors meant work most of the time. That changed a bit in 2011 as I stepped back from market farming and into writing. Being an outdoors and agriculture writer gives me ample opportunity to make being outdoors more fun in the coming year.

This year I will:

  • Spend more time fishing. I’m going to learn how to fly fish and take up fishing for brookies.
  • Sleep in a tent without being eaten by a bear. Hopefully no moose get the idea to stomp on me while I’m out there. “Camping” has always been in a camp with solid walls and doors. I’m not a fan of tents but I’m going to learn to be ok in them. I might even buy one.
  • Kayak more. I took a kayaking class at BOW last summer. Joanna, my instructor, was awesome. She gets 100% of the credit for my love of kayaking. When I’m out there I hear her saying “feet to seat” and remember proper paddling.
  • Hunt. I hunted a lot in 2011 and will at least match the amount of time in 2012.
  • White water raft the West Branch of the Penobscot River. The Crib Works scares me but I’m doing it.
  • Plant more flowers.
  • Plant Christmas trees. I’ve ordered a dozen Colorado Blue Spruce and I’ll transplant balsam fir from our woodlot.
  • Plant fruit trees. I’ll probably have to replace the apricot trees I planted last spring. I’ll do that and add pears and/or plums.
  • Prune the apple trees this winter.
  • Maybe I’ll climb Mt Katahdin. I said I’d never do it. I’ve been to Chimney Pond. One look at Knife’s Edge from Chimney Pond was enough for me to know I wasn’t going further. At the time I was terrified of heights. Kirk kept telling me I had to see the view from the top…so I flew over Katahdin in a chartered plane. Maybe this year I’ll climb. Maybe.
  • Take more photos. Taylor and I are going to paint the 15′ x 30′ livingroom. I have a lot of wall space to fill. Rather than rehanging the pictures I’ve taken down I’ll replace them with our outdoor photography.
  • Spend time in my tree stand while writing about the outdoors.
  • Hike. I’ll spend more time hiking in 2012.

What will you be doing outdoors in 2012?

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Thanksgiving Upta Camp

November 30, 2011   Ermine, Maine, Maine Outdoors, Nature

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Mother Nature could have put a damper in our Thanksgiving plans with a snow storm the day before Thanksgiving. Parts of the state were blanketed under close to a foot of fresh now. Upper Sysladobsis (Upper Dobsis, pronounced dob-see) in Lakeville (Map 35) had only 6″. We put the trucks in four wheel drive and hit the road. Routes 1 and 6 weren’t as well tended as the winding, dirt camp road.

Coyote tracks in the snow

Coyote Tracks in Snow

The ride in was beautiful. Coyote tracks crossed the road in two places.

Snowy dirt road through the Maine woods

Snowy dirt road through the Maine woods

We drove through tunnels of snowy trees. Folks who live at the lake year round plowed the road. It’s primitive, no electricity other than generators, no phones except cells with iffy reception, no oil-burning furnaces, only wood stoves and propane heaters for year.

Snowy trees along freezing Brown Brook.

Snowy trees along freezing Brown Brook.

We cross the bridge over Brown Brook on the way in. The beavers made a half-hearted attempt at building a dam years ago.

Ermine tracks in the snow

Ermine tracks in snow

An ermine visited the deck before we arrived.

Upper Sysladobsis Lake in November, taken from the deck at camp.

Upper Sysladobsis Lake in November, taken from the deck at camp.

This is not the view of the front deck we’re accustomed to. There weren’t any ice-cold drinks served out there.

The camp kitchen, complete with the old wood cookstove we still use.

The old wood cookstove at camp

The old wood cookstove helped warm the camp and cook part of our Thanksgiving dinner.

The back door at camp tells the stories of successful hunters and kids who wash dishes in record time.

The back door at camp tells the stories of successful hunters and kids who wash dishes in record time.

The back door is used to record stories of hunting season. Uncle Bobby shot a big buck, the boys did the dishes in record time, Bruce got his deer and more.

We had turkey, stuffing, cornbread dressing, rutabaga, winter squash, mashed potatoes, gravy and pies. Food was the minor part of Thanksgiving. Being together with family at our family camp was most important. We could have had PB&J for dinner and been perfectly happy.

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