THROUGH MY WINDOWS

Good morning! It's sunny and very cold today, 18 degrees not figuring in wind chill. Yesterday, knowing that today was a day for staying in and writing this blog post, I cleaned the snow and ice off my car and headed out to do errands in Stonington, Blue Hill, and Ellsworth. Stonington, being at the bottom tip of the Island, covers a pretty large area and is particularly pretty most of the time but I have to admit looks downright drab in February! It's very hilly. Uniquely so.  And it has a lot of angles, as you will notice in my photos. Down by the harbor especially.  Houses, old and traditional, new and architecturally interesting, dot the hillsides side by side, front and back. Main street is extremely congested and  winds around the waterfront at the bottom of the rocky hillsides. It has restaurants, cafes, art galleries, gift shops, library, town hall, parking, grocery store, bank, and the list goes on. In the Summer tourists swarm to the area from both land and ...

A few days ago, before the snow, ice and wind storm we had, I stepped outside the house to fill bird feeders. The day was eerily quiet and heavy. I walked down to the shore. It was cold and gloomy.  Out came my little pocket camera to record said gloominess! You can tell we have had it very cold by the ice on the shore and in the boat. Later I took a drive to Pumpkin Island lighthouse, about a mile from us. Winter was evident there also. All was quiet with all the cottages empty and forlorn. The next day the snow came. The birds and deer were scrambling to fill their bellies. They knew that freezing rain and dipping temperatures would leave us with a thick layer of ice on everything. I didn't move outside the house for 3 days, just to throw seeds and cracked corn from the deck. My car set where it was until yesterday. The temps had warmed to the high 30's and the rain had melted the snow and a lot of ice.😊 I was so happy to be out and about! Even in...

Hi there! It's early Saturday afternoon here and the temp is 39 degrees. We are whittling (in old native Islandeze that would be whitterling) away Winter one month at a time. 😊 I had a rough night but not as rough as Mom. She has a stomach virus, (etc) I think. I don't know for sure because last week when she was definitely not feeling well I begged her to let me take her to her doctor and, being the stalwart Mainer that she is, she said she would be fine. I love my mother but she is a tough old bird. Me, myself and I would never suffer when I don't have to. I have had my fair share of "issues" and some of my organs are missing, not to mention foot surgeries, biopsies, etc.  I do not suffer in silence and my hubby was a medic in the army for 21 years so he whips me to the doctor pronto. So, the last few days have not been good for her. She does get up for a few hours in the evening to eat something light, drink water or tea but then the cycle starts all o...

Reading blogs can be hugely inspirational! For instance, one blogger lists each item she buys,  including groceries, thereby bringing up questions to ponder later: Did I really need to buy that? and, Where can I cut back to spend less next month? While I admire her analytical mind, this type of accountability would drive me bonkers and raise my blood pressure to new highs. First of all, I usually have misplaced receipts by the time I remember to look for or need them. And, I may live on a fixed income but I really don't want to acknowledge mentally that I must pinch pennies (dollars).  Fortunately for my husband,  my "gotta haves"  have diminished with age. In fact, I am trying to unload those very belongings I couldn't live without a few years ago.  Mostly due to back issues I no longer shop at mall complexes. No, those days are long gone.  My biggest vice these days is online shopping, especially Amazon. Prime shipping and next day delivery! Most ...