Back from the Sunshine State

The girls and I just got back from a short visit to grandma's new house in central Florida. She lives about half an hour from Orlando but animated characters, pavement, amusement park rides and especially crowds were not on the girls' "to do" list (per their request). A couple of boat rides, a canoe paddle, an EarthCache, a hike and some birding and nature watching (and taking pictures for my aspiring photographer G.) were on the agenda.

I'll get to sharing some details of the great adventures we had after I catch up on all the things at work that need some attention.

In the meantime, here's a few photos of the fun we had in central Florida...

Lake Louisa State Park

U-Pick Citrus Grove near Lake Louisa State Park

Glass bottom boat ride at Silver Springs

Alligator educational workshop at Silver Springs

A canoe paddle at Alexander Springs in Ocala National Forest

Sightings of these on our paddle and other boat rides...

... and these

A short hike at Alexander Springs after our paddle

A boat ride on Lake Dora in to the Dora Canal where we saw lots of birds

It was a whirlwind trip but we managed to fit a lot of fun in to a few days and took in some fabulous nature watching locations.

More later...

An open letter to my chickens

Dear Chickens,
I heard the guinea hens sound the alarm and I answered the call. Really. I ran right out the door in my pajamas without a thought to my askew pony tail and shoeless state when I heard all that guinea hen commotion.

Of course, I do wish my leap in to action included a weapon of some sort.

Yes, that would have been helpful.

But I did get help to you in the end. That's what counts right?

It turns out that our friend Josh was correct. The screeching we heard in the middle of the night outside your coop a couple of weeks ago was indeed a red fox. I know there was some debate on my Facebook page about it being a fisher but Josh, he was right in the end.

But then again you girls probably already knew that.

Had I run out of the house with my camera I could have had an amazing photo of your nemesis. I was less than 2 feet away from him having a staring contest for more than a few seconds.

Although I should come clean that I wasn't sure I was going to win that contest for a moment or two.

I did in the end though, sort of.

I'm not actually sure if clapping my hands and telling Mr. Fox to shoo was all that effective.

No, maybe I have to concede that our neighbor Mike running in to the yard with his shotgun might have been a tad more powerful a suggestion to Mr. Fox to find his breakfast elsewhere.

Maybe.

Sorry chickens, I haven't got much mojo or quick thinking brainpower at 6:30 a.m. to protect you. But luckily the guy across the street does. You can call on him next time you need a hand.

I'll stick to sharing your stories in my blog. I'm much better with a computer keyboard anyhow.

Kid Tracks Column: Big Night for nature watchers this month

April might typically be one of our wettest month’s of the year but it’s also when thousands of amphibians leave their winter homes in search of vernal pools to breed. That makes it an exciting time to be a nature watcher.

"Big Night" is a big deal in the environmental world and if kids know what to look for, they can easily become a witness to this annual amphibian journey.

Vernal pools are key to the survival of certain species of amphibians. These 'spring pools’ are basically depressions in the ground that fill will water in the early spring. They do not stay wet all year; they usually dry up by mid-summer. Because the pool is not full year-round, it can not support fish. That makes these pools conducive to vernal species that would not survive if there was a fish population (a predator to vernal species).

The interesting thing about vernal pools is that they are identified, not by geological indicators (although there are some clear signs to identify the possibility of one), but by the species living in the pool of water.

Last April my family became involved a vernal pool research project with the University of Maine and Maine Audubon. We were among many volunteers - a lot of us with little to no experience in formal scientific research - in various communities across Maine that were trained to identify possible vernal pools.

At this time of year egg masses for both wood frogs (an indicator species) as well as spotted-salamander (another indicator) and a couple of other species can be found in vernal pools. These eggs might seem elusive to the untrained eye, but if you know what to look for - a jelly-like substance just below the surface of the water - you can find them easily in vernal pools across the state.

My family is going to continue with the vernal pool research project again this month to count egg masses in pools that were identified during last year’s research. And although this sort of experience is great for families with pre-teen/teens, it would be a challenge for parents of young children. But luckily there are lots of options for learning about the many creatures spring awakens for all ages this spring.

A "Big Night" Out
April 12, 7:30-9 p.m., Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, Falmouth
Most people think that a "big night" out involves getting dressed up and indulging in an elaborate dinner. But for the adventurous, donning rain gear and scanning the ground for migrating amphibians (salamanders and frogs) can be even more satisfying.  If you think you might enjoy finding slimy, wiggling salamanders and hopping wood frogs as they lay their eggs in vernal pools, then this trip with Susan Gallo, Maine Audubon wildlife biologist, is for you. Weather date: April 20
* Family program, children 5 and up (Pre-registration required)
* $10/$15 - 781-2330 x209

Frog frenzy
April 19 at 10 a.m., Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm, Wells
Search for frogs, learn frog songs, and make a froggie snack to take home.
* For ages 3-5 with caregiver. (Pre-registration required)
* $8/$10 - 646-1555 x117

Songs of Spring: More Than Just a Mud Puddle
April 22 at 11:30 a.m., Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, Portland
Learn about vernal pools and the singing frogs that lay their eggs in these fleeting wetlands. Then we’ll create a fabulous frog chorus. Program also offered May 13 and June 24.
* Geared for preschoolers, all ages welcome
* Free with Museum admission - 828-1234

Special Family Presentation: Live Reptiles and Amphibians
April 23 at 10 a.m., Gilsland Farm Audubon Center, Falmouth
Do not miss out on this fantastic vacation-week family program. A variety of frogs, toads, turtles, salamanders and more will be up close and personal.  Children will learn all about the fascinating lives these animals lead as well their adaptations, habitat associations, and what they can do to help protect them.
* Family program, all ages (Pre-registration required)
* $5/child and $10/adult for members; $10/child and $15/adult for nonmembers - 781-2330 x209

Amphibian Action!
April 24, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., Fields Pond Audubon Center, Holden
We’ll practice frog serenades, leap like frogs, and try to catch amphibian prey-then go outside to look for amphibian habitats.
* $8/$10 - 989-2591

Visiting a Vernal Pool
May 2, 1-3 p.m., Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm, Wells
Venture to a vernal pool to hunt for salamander and frog eggs, plus elusive invertebrates, while learning about the ecology of temporary wetlands.
* Ages 6 and older. (Pre-registration required)
* $5/$7 - 646-1555

The Maine Vernal Pools Project
This citizen science initiative is already underway but the website has some great slide shows to help the lay person understand what a vernal pool is and how to identify the species that live in them.
www.umaine.edu/vernalpools

Maine Amphibian Monitoring Program
MAMP volunteers are assigned a road route with ten survey stops identified at or near wetlands. The routes are run three times a year, once in early spring, once in late spring and once in early summer. Volunteers are needed for northern and western Maine routes this spring.
www.maineaudubon.org

The Frog Call Quiz
This website provides a resource for learning breeding calls of frogs and toads. To test your ability to identify frog calls in your state, use the Public Quiz option.
www.pwrc.usgs.gov/frogquiz

Join the Wildlife Watch
Wildlife Watch is a citizen science initiative to encourage people of all ages to report information about the wildlife and plants in the area where they live. This is a national nature watching program sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation.
www.nwf.org/wildlifewatch

Get Outside to Explore
Lowell Preserve in Windham (on Falmouth Road at fire barn, www.windhamparksandrec.
com) and Libby Hill Trails in Gray (behind G-NG Middle School - www.LibbyHill.org) have well-marked woodland trails along permanent and ephemeral water features that may support indicator species.  The drainage pond at the Windham Fire Barn is not a vernal pool, but it does generally have wood frog and spotted salamander eggs, as well as bullfrogs. It’s an easy "park & peek" location.

  When looking for vernal pools remember to respect the environment and the creatures that live there. And remind kids that collecting living creatures (or eggs) to take home will not help these creatures survive. Take a peek - with a picture to remember the adventure - and then leave things as you found them.

Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, April 2010 edition

Outdoor adventures, of the backyard sort

Even though we have not done much hiking the past couple of weekends we've been outside plenty. Our theme is Backyard Outdoor Adventures right now.

With the acquisition of a small new-to-us greenhouse (thanks Cindy!), the girls have been busier than usual filling seedling cans. The girls have dug up top soil near our sand hole supply area (this was started thanks to the pigs and a wet summer last year). Fino decided on a thrifty approach to planting seedlings several years ago with cans. He drilled a hole in the bottom of the cans we normally recycle and although they are bulky and not particularly attractive, they get the seedlings growing without costing us any money (those little plastic trays can add up when you have a large garden).

We aren't just busy with gardening. Nope, we've been plenty busy with the anticipation of the girls' 4H animals arriving.

We decided to expand the pig pen in hopes that if we have another really wet spring/summer, we have more space to deal with the mud issues. We were given some old rod iron fencing (thanks Mike!) but before it could be used, I had to grind off all the chipping paint. We don't want the piggies getting sick by nibbling on the fence, which we assume they will do since they like to nibble and stick their noses into everything.

I've also been digging out the especially muddy area as part of the pig pen improvement project and filling it in with sand. After 8 wheelbarrows full of sand (not to mention the half dozen trips I made hauling stinky mud out), I'm hoping the pen is a little better with water drainage. Although I did see some puddles forming in there this morning so I know I'm not quite done with this job yet.

Fino and L. have had the biggest job though - building the sheep pen. L. is anxious to bring Midnight Minette and one of her cousins (a second black Romney lamb) to our house. She can't do that until we have a small shelter and pen for them. L. has spent plenty of time as the construction "nurse," standing by her dad for hours handing him various power tools when asked to get her sheep shelter operational.

Last night they were working on the roof so with another weekend or so, the sheep will have a new (temporary) home. (They're only living with us until October until they go back to their real farm home to be bred.)

And while we've had a lot of work projects going on in our own backyard, the girls have also been spending time in other backyards as well.

L. has been visiting the sheep farm twice a week to halter train Midnight Minette. L. has resorted to grain bribes to get her to walk and so far the lamb is liking that program. Although she is being weened from her mama and she was grouchy yesterday. L. basically just sat with her on the hill while she did her baaaaahhh routine. It's amazing to realize in the short time we've been around Midnight Minette that L. and I can identify that lamb's bah inflections. Yesterday she started off with a short bah, then went to a longer bah and then moved in to a feet stomping BAAHH in less than two minutes. L. dealt with one p--ssed off little lamb yesterday who wanted to know where the heck her mama was (in a field grazing about 1/4 mile away).

And speaking of opinionated animals, G. is still working with Sparkles the cow at the beef farm and that very large girl (over 1,100 pounds now) was up to her usual "sparkly tricks." (This is G.'s euphemism for Sparkles' feisty nature.)

But G. has also started working with a young heifer named Bailey. She's going to be G.'s show cow this summer and she's a much calmer personality (and about half the weight).

G. and Bailey are getting along great and should make a nice team this year. Sparkles will of course, still get some attention every week from G. but I would bet Sparkles is as relieved as G. to take a pass on teaming up for the show ring this year. Bailey seems to be a bit better suited with G. for that.

Yup, it's been a busy couple of weekends close to home. But the early spring preparations are almost done and then we'll be back to our weekend adventures in the woods not-so-close to home.

It's good to mix up things up a bit. It keeps everyone in the family happy.

Preview: Maine Maple Sunday

The sweetness of early spring is almost here, which in this state means Maine Maple Sunday. Sugarhouse treats abound next weekend, with plenty of free samples to be found around the state.

John Wallace of Harvest Hill Farms says he's looking forward to another great event at his Megquier Hill Road location in Poland.

"We're going to have the Grass Hole Band playing all day and Emmett Pickett, a real dyed-in-the-wool Maine character (played by Barney Martin from the Maine Hysterical Society), walking around to entertain everyone," he said. "And there'll be plenty of free samples."

According to the Maine Maple Producers Association Web site, 40 sugarhouses will open their doors to visitors March 28 for tours and demonstrations of their sugaring operations.

Each sugarhouse offers its own array of treats, from maple cookies, glazed doughnuts, fudge and taffy to cotton candy, lollipops and whoopie pies. But one thing that's sure to be plentiful is the maple syrup, both for sampling and for purchase.

"We've been boiling every day since Feb. 24," said Kristi Brannen of Spring Break Maple and Honey in Smyrna Mills. "We've never made maple syrup up here in February before. We're having a really good year."

Maine Maple Sunday -- which, for some sugarhouses, is a weekend event -- is especially appealing to pancake lovers. Breakfast is served through lunchtime at most locations, but there are specialty lunch items as well.

"We served about 300 people pancakes last year," said Jo-Ann Merrifield of Merrifield Farm in Gorham. "We also serve maple baked beans, maple chili and steamed hot dogs for lunch. But sometimes people are asking for the beans at 9 o'clock in the morning."

Merrifield said the farm will offer more than breakfast and lunch on March 28.

"We've been doing an icehouse demonstration for the past three years," she said. "There's a gentleman who talks about the tools and about how they are used to harvest ice. And the Brass Knobs 4-H Club comes to the farm and does oxen demonstrations. They usually bring carts to give the little kids rides."

Spring Break Maple and Honey offers tours of its sugarbush that include following the pipeline system through the woods and back to the sugarhouse. And there will be many treats awaiting visitors after the tour.

"We will be doing sugar on the snow. And yes, we still have snow up here," said Brennan, who also explained why their sundaes for sale are extra special. "We use a local dairy everyone loves, Houlton Farms Dairy, for our sundaes. We put syrup, whipped cream, maple-coated nuts and a piece of maple candy on top."

There is something for everyone in the family to enjoy on Maine Maple Sunday with the wide variety of food options and entertainment, much of it an educational history lesson on the time-honored tradition of sugaring. And there really is nothing like the taste of early spring in Maine to satisfy your sweet tooth.

MAINE MAPLE SUNDAY
WHEN: March 28, some sugarhouses will be open Saturday.
WHERE: Statewide
HOW MUCH: Many sugarhouses offer free samples. Pancake breakfast prices range from $6-12 per person.
FOOD OPTIONS: Pancake breakfast and maple syrup samples. Depending on location, maple baked beans, maple glazed doughnuts, ice cream and other sweets may be available.
PARKING: Roadside parking might be required.
DON'T MISS: Sampling a variety of maple treats.
KID-FRIENDLY FACTOR: Great.
BENEFITS: Supporting local agriculture.
IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER: Rain or shine.
MORE INFORMATION: For listing of sugarhouses participating in Maine Maple Sunday, go to GetRealMaine.com.
See video of the boiling process and footage from previous years on Wendy Almeida's Kid Tracks blog at RaisingMaine.com/maplesunday.

Originally published in Maine Sunday Telegram March 21, 2010

The afghan(s) are almost done

Back in October I put out a call for knit/crochet squares for a Warm Up America! afghan project I was coordinating with the girls' 4H club. This is the third year we've done the project (see previous years here and here) and it's a rewarding and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

My girls especially love this service learning project, as do many of their 4H friends. And although it's quite an undertaking for me to organize, I find it's absolutely worth it to see the kids' excitement when it's time to sew the squares together to make the final product. Plus, it's great that the kids' work can help someone in need.

It's a win-win for everyone.

This year we had a super fab response from square-makers, some returning as well as some new (and talented) hands who joined the fun this year.

This outpouring of help translated to 389 squares donated for the kids to sew together six (4 large, 2 baby) afghans.

It was a truly wonderful community effort!

As I've done in previous years, I crocheted borders around each of the donated squares (hence the crochet injury a while back due to the amount of hand work required to get the border job done). There were very few places I went without a crochet hook and squares in my backpack these past few months.

I make these borders to keep things easy for the kids so it's clear to them where to place their stitches. And using yarn to sew the squares that matches the border color hides a multitude of sins, which is great when you have less-experienced hand sewers. Even our group's youngest 5-year-old boy had no trouble sewing his squares.

The trick this year was in the variety of sizes donated (the original request was for 5"x5"), which is not usually a problem because it is expected. When you have 20+ people crocheting or knitting with a variety of yarns and needles/hooks - not to mention our young novice knitters who made some colorful almost-squares - you're bound to have a significant variation in shape and size. But this year's volume of squares, and their range of sizes, required a new approach to piecing together the afghans.


Once I figured out how to make the squares fit together, I took a photo of the layout and created a worksheet for the kids to follow.

Then I organized the squares in to rows and banded each row with an elastic and a label. This part is familiar to the club members because I have done that every year and I know it works well for them. It keeps all the kids - and their squares - organized on sewing day. But the parents and the older kids in particular seemed to like the new chart feature. It helped them visualize the final product and figure out where the larger squares fit in the final product.

Note the labels and elastics on the table. The older girls did a great job staying on task and getting their rows sewn together neatly and efficiently.




Initially I thought I was a bit over-the-top with my chart-making but no one laughed or told me I was crazy at the club meeting. So I've decided to come clean about making them here and have no regrets. Bring on the teasing - I set myself up and I'm ready for it!

The kids (10 total) managed to sew together four afghans in three hours. There was a lot of friendly bantering and laughing going all afternoon so I know everyone was enjoying themselves. And although I thought it was overly ambitious to even attempt that much sewing time from the club, the kids (and parents) did an amazing job to get the afghans together and looking great and securely sewn.

But I admit I am breathing a sigh of relief today even though there's a few finishing touches to be completed (weaving all the yarn ends in and adding a small border around each afghan) before the kids deliver the final products to the food pantry and family shelter.

It was a multi-month project and I'm looking forward to letting my crochet hand rest for a bit before delving in to my next fiber activity.

But when I see a bunch of smiling faces doing something to make a difference in their community, I can't help but agree to do it all again next year.



So to all our crochet/knitting square-making peeps, here's fair warning the kids will be contacting you in the fall to help us again.

Korner Knitters, Isabelle Temm and the White Rock Extension ladies, Hope Lanza and the inmates at Cumberland County Jail, Baxter Library's (youth) Sewing Club, Uschi Carhart, Carole Prokey, Sarah Hamill, Millie Rich DiStasio, Erika Dube, Sheryl Adams, Wendy Brown, Libby Woodhead, Kelli & B. Keliehor, Annette Salvadori, Lisa Graham, Tina Crea, G. Almeida, L. Almeida, Julie Anderson and Nicole Foster. And a special shout-out to Standish Town Hall for donating the space for us to do this project.

Thank you!

The collage above is missing two of the afghans that are still in-the-works. I'll re-post this picture when I get those final details finished.

Customizing requires sewing/crocheting skills

Since the girls were 6 and 7 years old, they've participated in the annual Fashion Revue sewing competition every year with 4H.

This year neither of the girls could figure out what to make because to their minds, they've "made everything." (See previous years.)

The dress G. made last year, with zipper, was a great project to build on her sewing skills. But she wasn't interested in making another dress because she hardly has occasion to wear the one she made last year. She decided to go the more practical route and make a tote bag.

She needed a large bag to carry her riding gear to the horse farm and couldn't find one at the store that fully met her needs. I knew she was capable of a more advance sewing project for the Revue but decided it was more important to encourage her to make a project she actually wanted to make - and could really use.

Grandma gave her some great horse material for Christmas but it was white and she was sure that within one to two visits to the barn, the bag would be a mess.

So she found some durable brown quilted material for the exterior of the bag and used the white horse material for the lining.

It turned out to be a more challenging pattern than she had anticipate with sewing curving lines for the bag handles and matching the lining and pockets correctly. Then there was the added challenge of working with thick material on a standard (and cheap) sewing machine.

But the bag, which is very large, easily fits her size 11 riding boots, helmet, water bottle and other things she takes to the farm every week. And for the most important outcome after doing this project - she LOVES it.

L. on the other hand, decided not to sew this year. She opted to try a crochet project and make a "pig something." After much indecision about what sort of pig thing to make (trust me when I say that she explored *all* options from stuffed "amigurumi" pigs to slippers with pig faces and drove me crazy with her indecision), she finally decided on a scarf.

She crocheted 40 granny squares and sewed them together to make the base of the scarf. Then she tried a couple of different ways to crochet a circle, which was easier said than done for her, and for me (teachers should be able to do the thing they're teaching but it turned out she got things figured out despite my lack of ability). Depending on the pattern, circle stitches have a tendency to curl and not lie flat. But after a lot of practice (it requires an even, consistent stitching hand, something hard for beginner - and lefty - crocheters) she made a flat circle to use for the pig face.

And then she decided it would be fun to make another circle for the back of the scarf. But instead of a face she had a different idea.

A curly pig tale.

This project was quintessential L. and like G., was the perfect project for her this year.

I have no idea what the girls will come up with next year for the Revue but there is one thing I have come to truly appreciate through their years of participation...

They have the skills to make - and customize to their specific interests - anything they want to.

The Fashion Revue was larger than in the past couple of years. I didn't get pictures of all the adorable Clover Buds (the 5-8 year olds who made pillows and scarves) but I caught a few of the great projects the older kids (and a couple of the younger ones) made for the revue this year. The projects were as diverse as the kids who participated. Projects starting from top left - tote bag, party dress, balaclava, skirt, historical costume, linen pants for historical re-enactments, crochet purse, grocery tote bag, pillow, historical costume, pillow, crochet scarf and tote bag.