On our morning walk around our neighborhood, Charlie and me see lots of birds: sparrow, blue jays, crows, chickadees, of course, a few hawks and even a robin or two. Canada geese, in season. But every once and awhile we’ll see a Pileated Woodpecker. Not one of them little guys, but the Woody Woodpecker ones. That’s always a treat because they are spectacular looking. I mean, that red! The Pileated is a big bird and, boy, it makes a racket hammering away. You think they’d be easy to see, but they’re not. Most of the time you hear them, but can’t find where they are. Charlie and me must look like idiots, stopped in the …

Poison Ivy I should have known better Than to mess with that vine Encircling the trunk Of our rugged old pine Snaking its way To the branches it goes Its leaves, you better Be wary of those! I should have known better Than to trim those leaves My arms were bare From my gloves to my sleeves As I sawed a dead branch Right off of that tree That vine began working Its magic on me Ivy, oh ivy That darn poison ivy All over my arms And legs, egad! I got me a case And I got it bad! Late that night Started itching alot Calamine lotion? It didn’t do squat Hopped in the …

On our morning walk around our neighborhood, Charlie and me see lots of birds: sparrow, blue jays, crows, chickadees, of course, a few hawks and even a robin or two. Canada geese, in season. But every once and awhile we’ll see a Pileated Woodpecker. Not one of them little guys, but the Woody Woodpecker ones? That’s always a treat because they are spectacular looking. I mean, that red! The Pileated is a big bird and, boy, it makes a racket hammering away. You think they’d be easy to see, but they’re not. Most of the time you hear them, but can’t find where they are. Charlie and me must look like idiots, stopped in the …

It’s been so nice to have some straight up fall weather. Seems like it went directly from summer to winter for a bit. I mean, beginning of September, I’m walking my little buddy Scamp in the morning and it’s 34 degrees. What the heck, Mother Nature? We’re just making friends with one season, now you’re throwing in another one? It’s unnatural, disconcerting. So about par for the course for 2020, right? And what about that orangey-red sun last week? I saw it one morning when I was walking Scamp. Kind of spooky. Charlie thought so, too. Orange Today I saw this orange sun As I drove into town The sky, it wasn’t blue at all …

On our morning walk around our neighborhood, Charlie and me see lots of birds: sparrow, blue jays, crows, chickadees, of course, a few hawks and even a robin or two. Canada geese, in season. But every once in a while we’ll see a Pileated Woodpecker. Not one of them little guys, but the Woody Woodpecker ones? That’s always a treat because they are spectacular looking. I mean, that red! The Pileated is a big bird and, boy, it makes a racket hammering away. You think they’d be easy to see, but they’re not. Most of the time you hear them, but can’t find where they are. Charlie and me must look like idiots, stopped in the …

They’re back! Yes, I’m pleased to announce that black fly season is officially underway here in Mahoosuc Mills. We got kind of gypped with mud season this year because there wasn’t much snow, but, believe you me, those bebittes never disappoint. If you’re from away and unfamiliar with our black flies, oh, you are missin’ something’! Have you ever laid on your back looking up at the clouds, and you start seeing shapes in ‘em? Well, that’s what we do with the black flies here in Mahoosuc Mills. Yesterday, I’m out planting my window boxes and, swear to God, I see this shadow moving across our double-wide. I look up, and sure as shooting, it’s …

Remember last week, I was talking about cleaning our oven? Well, the thing I didn’t tell you, the thing that really got me on that was the night when I put the oven on to preheat and a little fire started inside. Wow, I thought, my mother and grandmother would be so disappointed in me. What a bad house keeper I am! So I tried to redeem myself by cleaning the oven. But then I started noticing little mouse droppings in a cupboard, behind the pepper grinder on the counter, near the sink. They were subtle. At first, I mistook them for a partially ground peppercorn, but eventually the penny dropped. I thought back to …

While walking her dog, Ida Leclair has an unexpected revelation for the New Year.

This time of year in Maine, it’s not unusual to see big groups of wild turkeys walking through the neighborhood. They make their rounds every morning, like it’s one of them progressive dinners, going from house to house, chowin’ down under every birdfeeder on the block. Generally, how men feel about squirrels on birdfeeders, that’s how women feel about turkey’s under ‘em. Squirrels are cute and fuzzy, but let’s face it: turkey’s are just plain ugly.Velociraptor, I call ‘em. Even the baby ones are none too cute. One turkey would be more than enough, but you get fifteen or twenty of ‘em together in your yard and boy, that’s a whole lot of ugly. These …

Few weeks back, Charlie’s out mowin’ the lawn. I’m putterin’ around the kitchen, you know, cleaning the stove top, excavatin’ the vegetable bin, when I happen to look out the window and see Charlie doin’ the two-step around the yard. Weird, I thought, but gee, he can move pretty fast for an old duffer. Later, I see him bending down, lookin’ under our big viburnum, the one by the bird house my niece Caitlin give us. When he comes in, I ask, “Charlie, what the heck were you doin’ out there?” “Mowing the lawn. What did it look like I was doin’?” “Gettin’ ready to audition for “So You Think You Can Dance?” “Very funny. …