Six Word Saturday...

Poor Penny, sprayed by a skunk!


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Uncle Jim's Worm Farm...

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Uncle Jims Worm Farm. All opinions are 100% mine.

Last week I brought home the plants for my new summer vegetable garden. I have three varieties of tomato, green peppers and hot cherry peppers, jalepeno, yellow squash and zuchinni, pickling cukes, regular cukes, white onion, red onion and pumpkin. I may try some winter squash and garlic.

I have a little work to do to get my sandy soil ready for the plants. I have a small compost heap, and I 'll use that to amend the soil in my new garden. I'll also add about a yard of nice, rich soil that Pop composted at the greenhouses. I asked how he manages such great compost. He told me to consider composting worms. Pop said an effective compost heap has one special and important ingredient, the red worm, and that any good fertile soil is full of worms.

Pop told me to get in touch with Uncle Jim, who has a great gig going. He's raising worms and providing education and the supplies needed to get worms working in any compost heap and garden. Uncle Jim told me that using organic homemade fertilizers are far more beneficial than using chemicals in lawns and gardens. He also said that composting has a very positive impact on landfills. Since a compost pile is exposed to oxygen by turning and through the use of worms, it produces CO2 instead of methane. In a landfill, waste is buried and doesn't get any oxygen, so it produces methane. I love the idea of using kitchen scraps, yard and garden waste for compost instead of sending it to the landfill.

Uncle Jim has some great composters and worm kits available now. He also suggested I try Red Wiggler worms. Uncle Jim says they are rugged, quick and easy breeders and a fine addition to any home garden or composting project.

red worm composting is in my future!

A Maine Summer...

Posting compliments of my pal Jackson Hughes.

Living on the coast of Maine is great during the summer time. The weather is always between 60 and 80 degrees, and the cold misty air from the Atlantic can cool you off just right during any hot summer day. Because of this, my favorite thing to do in Maine during the summer is go whale watching.

Whale watching is a sight to behold. The salty breeze that the ocean gives off while boating creates a perfect atmosphere for seeing these mighty creatures. They slowly bob up from the ocean depths, as if saying hello. They’re massive, and sometimes even scary, but that’s what makes the trips so fun.

Seeing a creature that's so misunderstood and underrated, that's 3 times the size of your boat, will send enjoyable chills up your spine. Every experience I've spent seeing these whales has always been amazing and worth it. When I'm not whale watching, I'm usually watching shows about ocean creatures on BestChoiceTV.com. I can never get enough of their beauty and enormity.

If you ever have the chance to go whale watching, or even visit the coast of Maine, I would highly advise that you take it up. It will probably be one of the best experiences of your life for years to come.

Ecco Mailboxes - Bring Back Sweet Memories...

As a kid, I spent a lot of time with Nana. Very often, I would walk up the street to Nana's house after school. Sometimes I would meet up with the mailman, Mr Beard. In those days, mail carriers walked their routes in our town. Mr Beard and I would often meet at the intersection of First Parish and Stockbridge Roads.

All of the homes on Stockbridge Road had mailboxes at the end of the driveway. Mr Beard and I would chat as we walked along. As we neared the turn onto Vinal Avenue, where Nana lived, Mr Beard would hand to me Nana's mail, for me to take in to her.

Nana kept her mailbox by her kitchen door.

It was a wall mount mailbox, at a height she could

reach from her wheelchair. On the days that Mr Beard and I didn't meet, he would go to the kitchen door. If the door was open, he would call, "Special delivery for Mrs Fife!", and bring the mail to her in the living room. Nana always offered Mr Beard a drink or a snack. Mr Beard would say " Thanks so much, Mrs Fife, but I have to be getting on." Going out, he would close the kitchen door and then wave as he went by the front windows.

Every now and then, Nana would leave a lemon square wrapped in wax paper, on the table in the breezeway. She would write a little note to Mr Beard thanking him for his kindness and put it with the treat.

When Nana passed away, I saw Mr Beard at her funeral. He had tears in his eyes as he came to my sister and me. He told us how much he loved Nana, and would miss his short visits with her. As he turned to leave, I told Mr Beard that shortly before Nana died, she'd asked me to give him something. I handed him the package. As he dried his eyes, he opened it.

Inside the package was Nana's mailbox. Inside the mailbox was an ancient, handwritten recipe for lemon squares.

Wordless Wednesday - June 2, 2010

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