The Contrasts of Late Winter in Maine

More visions of our fickle, though not unexpected, New England weather... as seen through the eyes and words of the Shutterbug on Knights Pond. Sam forwarded these photos from Maine on Monday, March 9th, and he writes ~

"Enjoyed the scorching sun, yesterday...
for three hours I soaked up the stuff, but
today is another thing."

"Not four hours ago,
my garden Angel was none too happy!"

"After coming back from the bank,
you couldn't see her left eye."

"The mourning dove's wail had a
lilt of spring, yesterday... no sign of her today."

"Even the window boxes were empty."

"Right next to the watering pots ~
no, spring has not sprung, yet! This the March
tease we sometimes get, in spite of that old fool
woodchuck, down in Pennsylvania. I think they
have already planted their potatoes. "

"If you look hard enough,
you can see the snow coming down."

"No, this is not a winter scene in January,
just the morning of March 9th, '09. The town
plow was out, pushing it back. Get this - there
are a few 'King Alfred' daffodils pushing up in
the back garden."

"Another pretty face on a snowy day."

"Margaret gave me this Clivia, some years ago,
from White Flower Farm. It is a welcome sight,
when you get this unwelcome snow, so late!"

"This 'Red Lion' had his neck tweaked,
but you can't stop this guy from blooming!"

ALL PHOTOS & TEXT ©S.W. Haddock, Jr. 2009
(Post ©Deb Lambert 2009)

Shutterbug's Winter Wonderland

Recent storminess that brought rain, sleet and a little snow to the north-of-Boston area, produced a full-blown snowstorm in South Berwick, Maine. Shutterbug has captured the pristine beauty and shares it with us, in his own words...

"This stream runs all winter, south side of my place."

"A little bit of the winter wonderland up here..."

"Another winter scene, from the inside looking out."

"This plant always has a few late blooms."

"Some of the Red-Lions doing their thing!
They're only too glad to be in where it is warm -
it is the only way to keep them quiet!
( I don't bother with the Snow Leopards -
can't trust them at night! Shutterbug is too
slow on those old snowshoes!)"

"This is why I am here, in South Berwick, Maine."

Sam concludes, "Even this dead pine tree is all
decked out in a mantle of white !... Instead of
gray snowbanks in the cities!"

All photography and quotes ©S.W. Haddock, Jr 2009

February Reflections from Knights Pond

"The bleak winter outside and Red Lion warmth
inside [Amaryllis 'Red Lion'], as morning sunlight
comes streaming into the plant room. It's a nice
way to start a cold winter's day off."
And so, Sam sums up our feelings, as well,
upon viewing this scene of contrasts.

"A view from the road... my home, snug as a bug,
in the winter wonderland," writes Sam.

"A warm view from inside helps me through
a cold winter. Stove does his part, too!"

"This is not the 'snow moon' - just the September
full moon. It was already up, by the time I got to
Nubble Light. The wind was so strong, I could not
hold still enough to get a clear picture. The shore
is most severe in the winter months!"

"I sometimes fall back on a June pic,
such as this poor old beat-up butterfly."

And Shutterbug continues, "The yucca,
almost in full bloom... the boardwalk in hot July ~
warms my thoughts on a cold St. Valentine's Day!
(Oh, just think, we did not have a snowstorm,
this 14th of February '09)."

Sam goes on, "No, I am not leaving you out!
Stove is muttering something. Alright, I'll give
you some space. He thinks he is being left out.
He gets more attention than anyone in the house!"

"Now I reach out to this full-color sunset
from November. I would rather poke around
the vast pic files, than seed catalogs,
anytime in late winter days!"

"This really ticks-off Stove, when I use the
gas range. His nosie gets bent out of shape,
in a big way!"

"You see what I mean? He is always looking
for more! Six cord he gobbles up, each year,
since 1979. (Maybe it would be cheaper to send
him to college ~ or, would it?)"

And lastly, Sam writes, "Here I am working
myself to the bone to keep him happy!"

A big "Thanks!" to The Shutterbug, in
successfully diverting our attention away
from the cold, bleak days of late winter and
allowing us to enjoy fresh views and other seasons,
as we journey toward a brand new growing season!

ALL PHOTOS ©S.W. Haddock, Jr 2009 / Shutterbug on Knights Pond (Actual © dates range from 2007-2009) ~ All rights reserved.

Winter Musings from Knights Pond

As you know by now, it's been a cold, snowy winter, here in New England. Shutterbug's newest photos attest to a real old-fashioned winter in Maine. As always, Sam's comments accompany these photos, providing interest and context... this is "The view out the back door."

"A very cold morning, looking out my window."

"This is my dooryard a week ago."

"Mr. Blue Jay all puffed up in the early morning light."

"This is the stern, old cardinal, putting away seed as fast as he could this morning. Mama was close by, stuffing her face even faster! They were all aware of the storm pending, which did not start here till 4:30 PM."

"Momma is still filling her face!"

Then, Sam adds, "Momma has her mouth full...
I will leave her be."

"Mr. Squirrel is waiting to see which way I am going!"
Let's take a peek inside and see what's going on
inside Shutterbug's abode, this cold day...

"The Vermont Casting stove ~ I turn to him in cold weather! He holds forth in the plant room. He and kitchen stove keep the house warm in zero weather. And when we had no power, I was just fine! Of course I missed the TV and computer, but I did not go hungry, nor was I cold."

"Stove, just getting fed. This little guy is the one that gives me all the heat. He weighs in at over 500 pounds, and I have been stuffing wood in his face since 1978... at least 6 cords a winter!"

"View of the woodpile, in the early morning light."

"Plant room chimney, for an upstairs window."

"Some of the new amaryllis blooms... they look better with snow." (An aside from GardenAuthor: Don't you love the contrast of the warm interior, with vibrant blossoms flowering away in front of that snowy backdrop, seen through the windowpanes?)

And finally, of this last photo Sam says,
"This guy just hangs there ~ never says a word!"

This just in, from Maine...

"Only 10º below zero, at 6 AM, for stove feeding."
And Shutterbug ends with this, about the stoves,
"I wish I could train them to feed themselves!"

All Photos : ©S.W. Haddock, Jr 2009/"Shutterbug on Knights Pond"

Lighting the Way to 2009...

©2007 S.W. Haddock, Jr

As we prepare and celebrate, during this holiday season, it's nice to take a break from the hectic, frenzied pace and enjoy the quiet, old-fashioned pleasures of the season that these photos depict. They evoke memories of the simple joys of holidays past.

If you scroll back to Shutterbug's December 12th posting, you'll appreciate Sam's comment about the above December 18th photo. Pointing out the winter arrangement, he writes, "Spring, summer and fall have been put away - three more days till winter! These next photos were taken this afternoon, at 3:30. It is only 5º now, as I send you these pictures."

©2007 S.W. Haddock, Jr

And Sam goes on, "This is my best barn lamp, used for this time of year."

©2007 S.W. Haddock, Jr

Of this photo Sam notes, "New oil in the lamp and the wick has been trimmed for a clear flame."

©2007 S.W. Haddock, Jr

About this last photo, Sam writes, "Just lit the lamp, before it fogged up - the cold weather does that." Then he adds, "On Christmas Eve the lamp is lit for the passersby."

Sure enough, on Christmas Eve, I received this in an email... "The barn lamp is lit, to show passersby the way - not sure which way, but I am at home with a dependable stove, keeping me very warm at the moment!"

Well, whether those passersby were traveling to Christmas Eve festivities, or hurrying home through a cold, snowy landscape, I'm sure that more than one merrymaker took a moment to appreciate the golden glow of that wonderful antique oil lamp. Like I said... the simple pleasures are what we treasure, in the long run - the flicker of an oil lamp, the enveloping warmth of a wood stove, reminiscing with old friends and the comfort of being ensconced by one's own hearth provide the ambiance we so cherish. May the quiet, simple moments that Sam captures, bring us peace and joy this holiday season and extend into the New Year!

©Deb Lambert 2008

Jefferds' Tavern

©2007 S.W. Haddock, Jr

So picturesque... the essence of New England in winter. The summer visitors are long gone and the quaint old tavern hunkers down for an old-fashioned, snowy winter. Serving as the Visitor and Education Center for the Old York Historical Society, Jefferds' Tavern has a long and fascinating history. Built in Wells, Maine in 1750, it would be disassembled and moved to York in 1941. One more move to its current York address would occur in 1959. For the complete facts and a history of all the caring, concerned folks who were instrumental in the tavern's preservation, over the years, click on Jefferds' Tavern.

Courtesy of Shutterbug, they'll be more of these delightful photos, in the days to come, and I know you'll enjoy that Old York website.

©Deb Lambert 2007