Red Pony Farm: A journey in motion

The Harbor at Portland Maine

Click on a photo to enlarge it.

The software engineering group went on our annual summer boat tour of the harbor last week. We stopped at Peaks Island for a lobster bake, complete with steamers and steak, grilled chicken, barrels of good beer on ice, and Maine blueberry cake for dessert. We played horse shoes, volley ball, croquet, bocce on the lawns of the Lions Club along a ledge overlooking the water.  It was much fun, and the weather was perfect! I stole these pictures from someone with a better camera than mine.

Pileated WoodPecker

We have a pair at least or maybe more near by. We've seen them several times over the past year or so. Dan spotted this down the road a half mile away the other day on his way to work. He called meand told me have my camera ready when I drove by. Now he thinks we should leave some of the dead standing wood alone to fill up with bugs for these guys.

Slow going again today

February has been very snowy thus far. OK by me, cause I love Cross country skiing and am thrilled to be able to move well enough to enjoy it this winter! The commute to Westbrook has been slow and steady most every morning this month. One could even leave ones window scraper / brush on ones trunk and not lose it:

Looks like something I would do--But, after hiking down from Lithos I need mine to brush the snow off me before I get in the car so I haven't done this yet this year.

Morning Sun and River Smoke

Friday morning it was 7 degrees Fahrenheit down at the river at Bar Mills and I was drawn to stop by the combination of river smoke and the ice frosted trees it floated through along the raging waters edge.

I turned down the little driveway between the two bridges that leads to a fenced in transformer near the waterfall and power station, and left my car behind. . .

. . . to enter a magical sparkling crystal forest.

The air was filled with minute ice crystals that were only visible as they floated through the rays of the sun tracing a path between the branches of trees along the snow to my feet. I don't have the technical expertise nor the equipment to capture that magic on film I'm afraid.

Nor can I bring you the thundering of the water rushing past in an icy torrent. I have no way of really showing you the fascinating contradiction I sensed listening to the deadly serious threat of that freezing roaring water and the tranquil sensation of standing in the rays of the sun watching the slowly dancing ice flakes sparkle past, continually fading in and out of vision in the floating waves of fog.

There were distinct rabbit tracts disappearing into this thick tangle of alders.

It was impossible to keep track of time. It was the ache in my un-gloved fingers that finally dragged me back to reality and urged me toward the waiting car. I was late for work.

Hootie or Mrs. Hootie?

Well, on the way home at 4:pm actually. My bonus for having to work on a saturday. Isn't he/she cute? I couldn't beleive he let me get so close. I think it is a Barred Owl--am I right Dave?

It Started as a Joke . . .

. . . A Kansas woman learning html and website building created a site to sell tumble weeds. It was ~13 years ago. Since then she filled orders for NASA to test the Mars rover, and to Hollywood film makers. I heard the story on NPR this morning coming in to work. It was stated that she makes $40,000.00 a year now selling tumble weeds. She says they even make good Christmas trees.

Traffic Jam

This will end up being my favorite Christams Photo. I gave up doing the Christams tree inside thing because nothing can compare to what nature creates. I was sitting in traffic this morning with my camera and turned my head and there it was at the road side of a field I pass by every weekday and I had no idea it still held apples! Not something that happens often. It is the ultimate holiday decoration. I'm glad I got held up this morning.

First Frost

We had our first frost on Lithos Last night.

The morning sun is still warm enough to cause the frozen moisture on the trees to steam.

New Route

I now drive along the river in buxton on my way to work as I have two horses over that way grazing. This is what the river looks like at 5: AM. It was so still and the fog was mezmerizing. You must click on the photos to view them full size (use the back button to return or you will close the whole the blog).

I love this view with the rocks in the fog too. I am not always there at 5:AM. This was Monday morning and I was actually on my way home from camping out in my car to keep an eye on Miss Bonnie Bay who had started running at 8:PM like she had lost her mind. She ran for about 40 minutes. I was afraid poor old Sydney would give out trying to keep up wih her. He thought it was great fun for about 10 minutes. Then he was licking and chewing (sort of submission sign in horse talk) and cuddling up to her side when she stopped for a 15 second breather every other lap. It looked like he was begging her to stay stopped. She finally slowed to walk and trot.  She didn't convince me that she was settled even when she slowed to walking laps so I dared not leave. And she had looked so content when we first turned them out:(gotta click on this one to see her cute little face)

And here is sydney with the farm house in the back ground:

His onwer is looking to place him as a companion / light riding horse. He needs shoes and maybe chiropractic work to stay sound. He and Miss b will be grooming the old sheep pasture at Wooley Meadow Farm while I work on paying off my left over winter feed bill.

Steam Rising . . .

  . . . into the chilly morning air from the cooling towers of the new Natural Gas Power Plant in Westbrook Maine. I snapped this shot from the side of Saco Street. This cloud of steam dwarfed every smokestack along the Northeastern horizon as viewed from Lithos this morning. It sits right out IDEXX's back door. I can spot it easily while feeding in the morning and see where I will be all day in that busy world so many light years away from my quiet little hill in Hollis. I have missed several really nice shots due to traffic and no where to pull over this month on my way to work. Now that I have created a category I will have to be more persistent.