The Homestone

Friday, May 23, 2014

Pretty Blue Buntings and Handsome Beaks

 Beautiful May days.
Busy days too!
Much to accomplish around our 48 acres as the summer season approaches.


 May is a stormy month, making a lush and fecund world.
 Right on schedule; our annual sighting of the Lazuli Bunting.  Hoping he stays for a while as we'd like to get better photos of him.  Such a pretty bird.  Named after the beautiful Lapis Lazuli stone ~ one of the stones folks request as inlays on their rings.
 Lapis Lazuli is inlaid here on a Cherry Wood Ring with birds eye Maple bordering inlays.
 
We have 6 Evening Grosbeaks now.  Hoping that our regular flock of 18 or more will be here within the next few weeks.
This was pretty sweet this morning … I was taking photos of one of our handsome male grosbeaks...

 
Within moments the rest of the small group gathered around on the same bush moving themselves into the frame as if to say … hey wait … family portrait please.
 
 And of course we are happy to oblige.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

The lovely month of May

 Spring has come to the meadow.  Perhaps I've said that before!  The season of Sprin-ter is past.  I'm certain of it.   The yellows are here ... dandelions, bumble bees, yellow headed blackbirds, yellow rumped warblers and we've had a quick glimpse of our beloved Grosbeaks who ought to back in full force here soon.
 

Yellow headed blackbirds
 A bee on one of natures most marvelous offerings.
 One of David's sweet Hummer pics
 Red Wings and Grosbeaks and Cassin's Finches ~ singing in the rain.
 One of our many Hummingbirds
 A Western Toad rescued by Vincent from the basement stairwell after a downpour
 Spring colours
 
 A walk in the woods ...
 A very tame 'Sprucey'
and the creek before the edges green up
 Life just doesn't get any better than this.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
~ Till next time ~


Thursday, April 17, 2014

April Arrivals

 The beautiful Hooded Merganser
 Two adult males and one female


 Oh Canada ~ Geese of course.
 David got some great shots of a flock of Ring-necked Ducks last night at dusk
Our property seems to be right on the border of their migration route and summer breeding grounds. 
They are not a common sight here.



 And a sweet shot David got of four girls enjoying the last warmth of the afternoon.
Our female red winged blackbirds.
Greater Yellowlegs or Lesser... we think Greater.
More of our Geeseleys. A comforting constant on the meadow.

In pretty short order the ice and snow 
will be something we're looking forward to seeing again.
 In the meantime, this is such an exciting time of year.  We're loving it.
Thanks for dropping by.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Who's singing on the meadow?

 Let us not speak of spring just yet.  
There will be time for that.
It is late winter on the meadow and all the snow we're getting now is going to make the forest sing when the sun finally encourages the dandelions to bloom!
 The Red Winged Blackbirds (just the males so far) have returned to serenade us
and if you close your eyes, they sound like bells and a babbling brook.
 The Purple Finches also grace our snow piles
picking off seeds we offer them and apparently oblivious to the cold.
  They also sing. 
Tough little dinosaur descendents!
  Vincent reported that Sprucey the Squirrel was seen tipsy on fermented apple cores this morning
and who could blame the little critter?
  A normally elusive otter zips along the edge of Mackin Creek in full view ... 
heading somewhere fast.
David and I are happily
heads down working with some lovely folks on their commissioned rings.
Vincent is putting a fresh coat of paint on the woodworking shop!

We have (bug killed pine) firewood a plenty and over meals we talk of plans for the warmer months ahead.
Sheep and chickens, sunken gardens, soffits and eaves,
 Visitors and Visiting

Outside, the snow continues to fall 
and spreads her soft blanket over any urgency to Spring Up and tackle our To Do Lists.
Life is good.
And we are well and truly blessed! 

As I wrap up this late March post we spot a Flicker on the feeder
Vying for a go at the suet.
Outnumberd by hungry blackbirds... he'll be back :)

 

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

And the years fly by ....



The other day I opened my inbox to find this email from a blog reader.  

"Hi Nicola,

I just wanted to let you know that I love reading your Homestone blog - it brings me peace and warmth every time I read it. You and David are truly living the dream out in the "middle of nowhere" and I hope one day to be living peacefully in a similar setting. I appreciate your updates and look forward to them every month. Your photography is beautiful as well. 

With gratitude and wishes for a happy and healthy Winter."

... such an uplifting email from an old friend we haven't yet met.
In this era of instant posts and updates, it is this kind of email that renews my enthusiasm about old fashioned blogging and warms me right down to my toes. This format for sharing snippets of our lives seems rather old school now, but I will carry on.  Buoyed by the recent letter from Valerie and similar sentiments expressed by so many of our visitors.  To all our readers and clients; Thank You for your understanding and appreciation of  our 'slow life' on the meadow. 
We are truly blessed. This morning, like many winter mornings ... we watched our moose grazing comfortably as we had our breakfast.
David and I are quietly celebrating ten years of offering Touch Wood Rings online.   Eleven years of living in this wonderful place we call home. And even longer sharing our lives online with anyone who might be interested in following along.  

This technology is a wonderful thing.  It has allowed us to live and work far 'away from the madding crowds' ~and to pursue an independent off grid lifestyle.  

It's not always easy, but every day is magical ... we wake up and are surrounded by peace and quiet ~ wildlife, wild flowers ... wild weather.  Each day and every season offering it's own particular flavour.
We provide all our own services; solar power, water, heat, fire protection; everything ... I cook on a wood stove.  We don't have a telephone but rely instead on satellite internet for all our communications. The sun is shining today so we have lots of power and there is a bitterly cold wind blowing but that's okay .... it's the sun we need.  
 
Happy news!  We are bringing sheep back to the meadow later this spring!!  We had sheep until a few years ago and we miss them.  They are delightful animals and we are happy to be their keepers in exchange for their grazing habits, the lovely wool which they are happy to be rid of come the warmer weather ... and the very best fertilizer.  They help with fire control; grazing the edges of things where we aren't able to mow.  Here are a couple of pics of some of our little flock from a few years ago ...
  David with a new lamb as mama looks on tenderly.
And so ... life goes on and we love everything about living here.  There is so much more we want to do and the years go by so quickly.  We remind ourselves to Seize the Day ~ Every day!    Thanks so much for dropping by and we always love to hear from you.