Farm Journal Of Country Junction, N. Bradford, Maine

Cloudy , 23 degrees with a SW breeze. That breeze will push the thermometer into the high thirties today without much sun. Low twenties tonight. More sun tomorrow with a high temperature around thirty, near zero tomorrow night. Mostly sunny Wednesday with a high in the twenties. Sunny Thursday, a few clouds Friday with highs in the thirties. Some cold air arrives Friday night with the temperature dropping into the single numbers and only getting into the teens Saturday with sun. The beginning of next week looks tranquil but moisture may arrive by mid week with warm temperatures.

A quiet day yesterday, the sun warmed up the greenhouse so I spent some time out there. I spent a lot of the afternoon telephone visiting with my far flung family. Darel hauled some wood after church. He and Sally Jo watch the super bowl. Sally Jo fell asleep so she missed the unhappy ending.

Darel will finish hauling the wood we bough from Mike today. Even though the temperature will be in the thirties if we don't get sun the greenhouse won't be warmer than the out side so I'll probably work here. I have a few flower seeds that need to be planted and than refrigerated. I'll do that today. Wishing you a good day. Sally

Six degrees, NW breeze and clear. today's high will be in the twenties, tonight's low in the teens. Snow showers late toning into tomorrow morning, no accusation expected. Clouds and warm tomorrow, in the thirties. Teens tomorrow nigh, some clouds and mid to high twenties Tuesday. Around zero Tuesday night. sunny and mid twenties Wednesday. Snow showers Thursday, no accusation expected. The weekend into Tuesday is forecasted to be dry and average temperatures.

Carol very much enjoyed her quilting class yesterday. Feeling better makes a big difference. I got the shopping done I needed to but thanks to long lines I didn't get any extra. Saturday is not a good day to go to Bangor. I had a very nice visit with Art. We finished the day by having dinner with Lynne and tom. Good food, great visiting.

17 degrees, clear with a NW breeze. like yesterday out the breeze will seem warm, in the mid twenties. Low single numbers tonight. Sun and low twenties tomorrow. near ten tomorrow night with some clouds and low thirties Monday. Some clouds and high twenties Tuesday, around zero Tuesday night. Sunny Wednesday and Thursday, some snow for the end of the week. Valentine's Day looks like the beginning of four or five days of clouds and moisture.

It got up to sixty in the greenhouse yesterday afternoon so I was able to spend a couple of hours sorting all the returned pots customer brought in last fall. Darel hauled wood. Mike had a big truck in the wood yard hauling wood early so Darel couldn't haul any until he left. Which was fine, it was pretty chilly early.

Carol went to Portland yesterday. They were very pleased with her progress but don't want her driving yet. She goes back on the fifteenth. At that time they will fit her with a pressure bandage that she may have to wear a year. It is to prevent scar tissue from forming. The scar tissue would cause her to lose her mobility in that arm. They don't think they will have to do another graft. It is looking like it may be late March before she can start cleaning glads Because of dust there can be no open wounds. She is feeling enough better so that she is getting impatient. She has ordered new glads of several different colors.

Carol has a quilting class today so we are off to Bangor early. I have several errands to do why she is in class. I'll set up for Sunday School on the way home. Carol may be tired but she won't be exhausted like she has been after the classes she has had. She was so tired after the classes she has gone to we came straight home and I went back over.

9 degrees, some clouds with a NW breeze. The forecasts for the next couple of weeks show high pressure from Canada flowing our way giving us dry weather and average cold temperatures. The storm we've been watching that is headed our way for Tuesday will give us snow showers as it mostly misses us because the high pressure will push it out to sea.

21 was our high again yesterday as high thin clouds floated overhead. The greenhouse didn't warm up very much so I didn't work out there too long. I did some spring cleaning as well as greenhouse computer work. Darel hauled wood. A flock of red poles was here for awhile. The last town budget meeting was last night. Like everywhere else it is a pretty bare bones budget.

Yesterday was a cold unpleasant day with a high of 21 instead of 31. We had about 3 inches of snow and sleet. Now it is 19 degrees with some clouds. Less clouds as the sun comes up with a temperature in the high twenties this afternoon. Single numbers tonight. The next three days will be the same, just a few degrees cooler each day. Monday will be sunny and in the low thirties with a storm coming Tuesday. After Tuesday's storm the rest of next week is forecasted be a repeat of the rest of this week.

Darel started the new stove in the greenhouse, the instructions said to burn it on low the first few days. And he split wood with the electric splitter. some of the wood for that stove is cut too big as the old stove took larger wood. I spent most of my day working on displays. There isn't time next summer to think about how we want to set things up so customers can see which plants look good together. The combo planters need to be put together when the plugs come in in a few weeks. I hid the pencils so Madison is pulling some of the dishes out of the kids toy kitchen to chase around the floor.

17 degrees and cloudy with some moisture on the way. We are on the line between sleet and snow. I don't think we'll see a lot of sleet, just enough to keep our snow total to 3 or 4 inches. Just 3 or 4 miles south may see more sleet. After a high of near freezing today we can expect five days of quiet weather with days in the twenties and nights in the single numbers Sunday night and Monday will be a little warmer with snow on Tuesday. A larger storm may be building for the end of next week. We've gained an hour of daylight since December.

A quiet day yesterday. Darel hauled wood and I sat at the computer. I may have located a place where I can buy some of the perennials I can't start from seed that doesn't have a minimum of fifty. They are sending me a catalog. We did enjoy watching Cock Robin eat all the berries on the winterberry bushes. What was he doing this far north and how did he know they were there? He looked to be in beautiful shape. In the evening I went to Jordn's game. I brought him good luck for they won a game they were expected to lose.

8 degrees, still with a few clouds. Clouds and snow showers with a high in the mid twenties tonight. More snow tonight and tomorrow with a ENE breeze. Our temperature may rise to around freezing but I don't think there will be much mix, nor a lot of snow, three to six inches. Thursday through Sunday will be partly sunny with highs in the twenties. Thursday and Friday night will drop to around ten, Saturday night will be in the single numbers. Sunday night will be around twenty as a snow storm moves in for Monday and Tuesday.

Laying around favoring his rib was apparently what was causing Darel problems. He got his blood checked yesterday and doesn't have to go back for a month. He has had to go every few days in January. He got some of the wood we are buying from Mike hauled home yesterday. He'll be able to get started early today. It would be nice to get a lot done before we get more snow. I wound up spending much of the day working on orders. My order for fall mums is done and the changes due "to out of stock" in other orders are done. There aren't too many clematis that grow in shade. Mostly they like full sun with enough mulch to keep their roots cool. The one I ordered for semi-shade" was out of stock. I was able to replace it with one called Venosa violacea Viticella. The 4-5 inch bloom is mostly white with purple edges and veins. I think the blooms will show up well even in the shade. it is a zone three. I've chosen ten varieties for you to choose from. Most are good to zone 3, some will do well in zone 2.

I had a church meting last night and forgot to put something on the box of colored pencils. Madison, our cat, seems to have "cabin fever". If the box is open she flips pencils out with her paw so she can chase them around the floor. I have several pencils to pick up this morning.

18 degrees, a few clouds and still. A few more clouds with some showers possible this morning, gusty winds are forecast for later in the day, Our high temperature will be in the midtwenties, down into the single numbers tonight. Low twenties tomorrow with late day snow showers. Some moisture Wednesday, some snow some wintery mix. The forecast through the weekend is mostly clear , a storm is supposed to by pass us Friday. It is looking like we may start next week with some snow.

We had a pleasant day yesterday. Neither of us accomplished a great deal but that is often the case on Sundays. Mike slipped on his step and tore the ligaments in his ankle so he is laid up for awhile. He has some full length logs he got out to work up into firewood that he was going to sell to the mill while he is off his foot. Darel is going to buy the logs for our next winter's firewood. That way we'll saving the wood on our land and Mike will get a little more for it.

26 degrees with clouds and a breeze out of the west. The wind in yesterday's forecast never blew and it looks good for today too with some sun and a high around freezing. High teens and snow showers tonight into tomorrow morning giving us a dusting of snow. Twenties tomorrow and single numbers tomorrow night. Snow showers and twenties Tuesday. Teens Tuesday night and near thirty Wednesday with more snow showers. Starting Thursday several pleasant days are forecasted.

Darel was off and on the tractor several times yesterday getting the snow blower hooked up. He did lots of snow blowing and his rib was fine. He'll clean up the snow around the green house after church. It took me quite awhile to clean the ice off the truck. The rats in the the duck pen had eaten all my rat poison so I needed to go to the feed store first thing and get them some more.

We made a quick trip to Bangor for supplies for my Sunday School class so they can get started on making Valentines for shut ins today. No ice and very little snow in Bangor, they got mostly rain, we still have ice on the trees. There is a difference in ice and snow just between here and Corinth. With everything ice covered the birds came back. I had to bring some feeders inside to get the ice off them.

25 degrees,Some clouds with a NW breeze. Sun shinning on the 6 inches of new snow and ice covered trees today will make our world a beautiful winter scene. Our high temperature will be around freezing but 10 to 20mph west winds will make it seem cooler. A few snow showers and down in the low twenties tonight. Sunny,, 10-20 SW winds tomorrow and around thirty. Morning snow showers Monday with the day's high temperature around twenty. Down to zero Monday night. Partly sunny Tuesday, snow showers Wednesday. Partly sunny Thursday and more snow showers Friday. After Monday night temperatures will be teens and twenties all week.

It snow or sleeted all day yesterday finishing up with freezing rain. Cars went by very slowly all day, even the logging trucks slowed down. The temperature was in the twenties all day but with no sun shining in the windows we had both fires going. Lots of birds came to the feeders! Fred, the barn cat came for breakfast and headed back up to the haymow. He didn't like walking in that crusty snow. Knowing we were going to get freezing rain last night Darel didn't even consider cleaning any of it up. Many shrubs and trees are bent with ice. Experts say to let the ice melt off, more damage can be done by shaking the ice off then by just letting it melt.

22 degrees, light snowing with a light NE breeze and 2 or 3 inches of snow on the ground. Warming up enough today to give us several hours of icy snow adding a couple more inches to what we have. Sun and temperatures in the low thirties with wind this week end. Less wind Monday with a high temperature the high twenties and near zero Monday night. Cloudy with high temperatures around thirty the rest of the week. Snow showers Wednesday.

The sun warmed the greenhouse up to sixty yesterday. Darel got the new stove hooked up and started on filling the head house with smaller wood. I did some cleaning, Tomorrow when the sun warms the greenhouse up again I'll start vacuuming. I went to Tiffany and Lexi's last home game, their last game at the middle school. Next year they will be high school. They had an away game tonight but as there is no school it will be canceled.

20 degrees, a few clouds with a NW breeze. Sun and high twenties today with clouds moving in tonight. Our low will be eighteen so tomorrow's storm will be snow with some mix in the afternoon as the temperature climbs to around freezing. Depending on how much sleet we get there will be two to six inches of snow. The weekend will be partly sunny with day time temperatures in the thirties. Monday will be cooler with a high of near twenty and in the single numbers Monday night. Clouds will move in Tuesday and stay the rest of the week.

A quiet day yesterday. We only have Chuckie and Mrs. Duck now, the rest are in the freezer. The sun is higher in the sky now and warms the greenhouse. Why It was warm I did some cleaning and will do more today when the sun warms it up again. There weren't very many birds at the feeders again. They will probably return with tomorrow's snow.

32 degrees, a few clouds with a west breeze. As the clouds leave and we see more sun we'll see a cooler air. Tonight the temperature will drop into the single numbers. Sun and temperatures in the high twenties will make tomorrow a pleasant day. Clouds move in tomorrow night keeping the temperature in the low twenties. Friday doesn't look nice, not a lot of precipitation but much of what we get may be icy, 31 for a high temperature. Teens Friday night, clouds and near thirty Saturday. Snow showers Sunday, dry Monday and Tuesday, snow showers again mid week.

The rain took away a lot of the snow we had. It must have melted snow off a lot of natural food, we had a lot less birds at the feeders yesterday. Chuckie and Mrs. duck loved playing in all the puddles. There was a lot of very heavy wet snow along the sides of the greenhouse. Darel bucketed it all away. If it had froze and it snowed the snow blower would not have been able to clean it up.

Carol spent the day at Eastern Maine. Her blood pressure was so high the visiting nurse sent her in by ambulance. After giving her medicine to take away the headache pain they did another cat scan and an MRI. Neither showed any problem. They decided the headache was caused by the trauma done to her body by the burns and because the pain wasn't controlled it just kept getting worse. Shortly after the headache pain subsided her blood pressure dropped to normal. With all that is happening to her she is making out an order for more glads to plant in addition to all the bags of bulbs in the cellar.
I have had a lot of request for Golden Delicious apple trees. I have never carried them because they are iffy here. Yesterday I found about about a kind called Honeygold. It looks and tastes like the Delicious but is hardier, a zone 4 apple. I'm going to order some today.

42 degrees, a few left over showers after a night of rain with a light breeze. 42 is our high today as the storm begins to move on. Tonight's low will be in the low twenties. A stiff breeze tomorrow with some sun and a high temperature in the high twenties. Down into the single numbers tomorrow night, sunny Thursday and up into the high twenties. A storm starts to move in late in the day. Some precipitation Friday. With a high around freezing if we get mixing it won't be much. Mostly sunny, around freezing on Saturday. In the high twenties Sunday with clouds and snow showers, Sunday night the temperature will drop down into the single numbers. Monday cool and sunny with a storm coming the middle of the week. Some forecasts say ice, other say snow.

Carol's burns continue to heal well but she isn't feeling very well. The doctor believes some of the problem is the stress the burns have put on her body. The doctor is making an appointment with a neurologist for her headaches.

Darel is doing much better. he was able to help Gilbert yesterday. Mostly handing him what he needed why I held the ladder. What we thought would be a job of a few minutes took all morning. The dryer vent hoses that carry the air to inflate the greenhouse plastic were so brittle they fell apart. I made a quick trip to Bailey's to get venting. Now we know there shouldn't be a problem with that this year. At least it picked a warm quiet day to happen. Gilbert did say I should order another fan, even new things can quit. I've kept always had an extra one on hand.

I called in the Bailey order. A few hours later I sold six trees. Today I have to recount my crab apples left from last year to make sure I'll have enough. I sell a lot of crab apple trees just for ornaments but I also sell a tree that has large crab apples. The red apples are used with large apples to give a pretty color to jelly and are popular for pickling. most of the apple trees I order are semi-dwarf. i did order some old fashioned Wolf Rover this year. And I'm thinking about ordering some Duchess. Dutchess is another old favorite that only comes as a standard. The standard trees are larger and take a couple years to come into production. The best pies are said to be made made from a three way mix of Wolf River, Duchess and Cortland.

17 degrees, cloudy and still. Clouds will rule today with a high around 32 . A storm with quite a bit of moisture will get here this evening starting as a mix and changing to all rain over night. Still warm, near 40 tomorrow morning. Our high tomorrow will be in the morning as clearing comes late with cooler temperatures. Wednesday and Thursday will be cooler but still in the high twenties days and teens nights. Friday's snow showers are forecasted to be light with possible mixing as the temperature hovers around freezing. Snow showers and twenties for the week end.

I watered plants after church, that is getting to be a job. I also finally got the lights hung over the sewing table. The wreath making supplies are still in the greenhouse. I went out to put away the things I'd brought at the Christmas Tree Shop and realized the fan that keeps the greenhouse inflated had quit. Since it is important to keep the plastic inflated I have a replacement fan. Gilbert is coming down to put it in first thing this morning.

In the late afternoon I went to Rachael and Tiffany's basketball games. Both teams had a home game. Herman beat Rachael's team by 20 points, Tiffany's team beat Orono/Old town by a larger margin. Darel spent the afternoon watching football. But he doesn't know who the pats will play in the super bowl because he fell asleep.

-1 with a variable light NW breeze and clear. Sunny and around twenty for a high today, down to around nine tonight. Clouds moving in tomorrow with the temperature climbing to around thirty two, staring around freezing tomorrow night and warming up into the high thirties Tuesday. Whatever moisture we get Monday night or Tuesday am will probably be a mix or rain. Sunny Wednesday and Thursday, clouds and snow showers for the weekend. Daytime temperatures in the twenties, nights in the teens.

Carol enjoyed her class yesterday and was able to do all the cutting and sewing the class required. She came home and slept all afternoon. Art was not having a good day yesterday, he was back in the year they had a fire, not just remembering it but reliving it. I was only three or four so I think I only remember talk of it. They stayed with us awhile after the fire.

After I visited him I went to the Christmas Tree Shop and brought quite a bit of stuff. Their left over Christmas goods were ninety per cent off. The Shop had lots and lots of unnecessary pretty spring things but I resisted the temptation to put some in my cart. I also stopped at tractor Supply, the had some bird feeders half price. I haven't been filling one of my large ones because the perches were so loose the birds would knock them out and spill seeds. I filled the feeders when I got home, all the seed I had put out yesterday morning were gone. I have lots of finches and Mrs. Cardinal comes a couple times a day now, still no mate. I need to water my house plants and check all the germination trays in the laundry before I leave for Sunday School..

2 above with a west breeze. Our high today will be in the low teens with snow showers late in the day, A few degrees below zero tonight, sun, high teens tomorrow. Low teens tomorrow night as a storm begins to push in. Monday, Monday night and Tuesday the temperature will be in the mid thirties so any moisture we get Monday night into Tuesday may be a mix. It might get warm enough Tuesday to see a little rain. High teens Tuesday night with average temperatures the rest of the week into the weekend. Which means moisture will be snow showers, not mix.

Carol went to the clinic in Portland yesterday. It was a slow trip due to whiteouts until they got to Newport and ran out of the snow. Except for a place on her her arms the doctors are very pleased with her progress. That place is of concern because the graft doesn't seem to be taking there. They sent her home with a different dressing. She goes back to the clink in two weeks, they will decide than if she needs another graft.

Doug and family are spending the week end at a resort--a winter vacation. Darel and his wife are staying at the house to keep the fires going. There was no school yesterday due to the am snow so they were able to leave early. Even though Doug spent some time at the hospital with Caleb's parents they were able to check in early giving them extra vacation time. Lexi's describtation of the resort on Face book was "awesome".

It snowed very hard for a short time yesterday morning, about three inches of fluffy snow. Darel was able to use his tractor to bucket the drive He also did the shoveling. Usually I do that but it was so light and fluffy he wanted to. OK by me! He is thinking he can start working the logs up that Doug brought us.

Carl has quilting class in Bangor today. I'm going to try to visit Art and spend some time with Caleb's parents at the hospital. Art never remembers I've been there before but he recognizes me and is so happy to see me. Mostly we talk about when we kids.

7 degrees, cloudy with light snow. And light snow seems to be what we will get. The storm is just getting here and will leave quickly, we may even see sun this afternoon so we probably will only get 2 or 3 inches. Our temperature will get up into the midtwenties this afternoon and drop to 3 or 4 below tonight. Tomorrow will be cloudy, highs in the teens and show showers late in the day. Back down to one or two below tomorrow night. Sunday the temperatures will moderate. Unfortunately that may lead to freezing drizzle Monday and Tuesday. After Tuesday the forecast is for dry moderate weather through the week end.

Carol is glad the storm isn't amounting to much, she has a ten-thirty appointment at the clinic in Portland. Her headaches seem to be getting better. Darel is doing much better, no soreness from driving to Bangor yesterday. I very much enjoyed a day at home and the house was very glad to receive some attention. Today I'll close out my Bailey order and start some Echinacea. I offer six different verities. They are attractive to butterflies and beneficial insects as well as people.

Minus 2 with a westerly airflow. Sunny today with a high in the midteens. Clouds moving in ahead of tomorrow's snow storm will keep tonight's low up around ten. Snow tomorrow could be a plowable depth but probably about four inches. Minus single numbers Friday night as the storm pulls away. Another disturbance may bring snow showers Saturday with a high temperature in the mid teens. Clouds and about the same temperature Sunday. Moderating temperatures next week with snow showers Monday and Tuesday.

Carol's cat scan showed no serious problem. It did show a sinus infection, I got a prescription for that last night. The visiting nurse is going to come by today and draw blood to check her electrolytes. Outside of the headache she is doing very well.

Darel's rib is enough better so that he cleaned the yard of snow with my tractor yesterday. Today he is going to drive himself to Bangor for a few things. I think he is getting cabin fever. He would like me to go but the third week in February is coming very fast.

33 degrees, our high for the day. As this storm pulls away 25 mph winds will blow in arctic air. tonight's low will be in the minus single numbers, lots of sun with a high in the teens tomorrow. Around ten tomorrow night as a snow storm moves in for Friday. I don't think we'll see a lot of snow but maybe more than the few inches we've be having. Below zero Friday night with some leftover snow showers Saturday. Temperatures will warm up Sunday through next week with days in the twenties and nights in the teens.

A few years ago Carol started having a very occasional severe headache. Back then she had a cat scan to rule out anything serious. Since she got burned the headache has come back so frequently I've been concerned about the number of Tylenol and Advil she is taking. She can't get to see her doctor until Feb. 3rd. I convinced her to see a different one yesterday. The doctor thinks it is stress but she is scheduled for a cat scan this morning to make sure.

We got about three inches of wet snow last night. Fortunately it didn't start snowing until we got home and has now stopped. Many roads have a covering of packed snow/ice. I'll go the main route this morning, the back way may be shorter but may be slippery. Darel is doing well enough so he can bucket the yard with my tractor.

Clouds, 23 with a westerly breeze. Snow showers today. The temperatures will warm up to around freezing later today so the snow showers may become a icy mix with more of a mix towards Bangor, more wet snow towards Dover Folcroft. Tomorrow's high will be in the high twenties...in the morning. Arctic winds will drop the temperature until it bottoms in the minus single numbers tomorrow night. Lots of sun will only warm Thursday's temperature up into the teens. Low single numbers Thursday night, twenty on Friday with snow showers giving us a few inches of snow. Friday's storm moves out Saturday leading us into several days of dry weather with average January temperatures.

I finally got the Christmas village put away. Austin moved the treadmill back in. Carol was as pleased to see it set up in the get together room as Darel was displeased. I also stated geraniums, five different colors, yesterday. I'll have some white ones this year. And I wasn't going to grow the pink star geraniums again. They bloomed late and grew so large. But several people told me how much they liked them so I will have them. I stated some pansies. Most of my pansies come in the third week in February as plugs. I grow so many I don't have room to start them all. I've aready started several perrenials.

Carol has an eye appointment today. Fortunately it is at noon in Dover so we should be able to get there and back before the roads get bad. Tiffany is worried that another game will get canceled. She was very surprised to find out that Carol used to be a basketball coach.. Carol is a University of Conn. graduate so she enjoys the girls' games, especially since they usually win. Darel watches the games with Henry via the telephone.

We have several gold finches now though not as many as most years. No red polls or pine siskin's yet. Mrs. Cardinal comes here in the morning and goes over to Kelly Hall's in the afternoon. Lots of sparrows, blue jays, doves and three kinds of woodpeckers. Chickadees flit in and out. This winter should be easy on the deer. it sure is tough on people who depend on snow for a winter income.

1 below, clear and breezy. Later today the north breeze will bring enough warm air to give us a high near twenty. Tomorrow the temperature may reach freezing so some of tomorrow's snow ( 2-4 inches) may be a mix. Our high Wednesday will be in the high twenties as the clouds clear out. -1 Wednesday night, a high in the teens Thursday. Friday and Saturday's temperatures are expected to be cold enough so any moisture we get will be snow. How much snow?

Darel's teams didn't do to well yesterday but since the Pats won Saturday he didn't feel too bad. I was busy all afternoon but I'm not sure what I got done. Some days are like that! Mostly I cleaned the laundry/pantry shelves. Over the summer things get put on the plant shelves and now plants need to go there. It never warmed up and we had a stiff breeze so I didn't do anything I didn't have to outside.

-10 with a stiff breeze. Even with lots of sun the temperature will barely crawl into the low single numbers today with a five to ten mph breeze. Back below zero tonight. A little warmer tomorrow, maybe up to twenty with some clouds. Not as cold tomorrow night as a front brings in snow showers and a close to thirty temperature for Tuesday. Temperatures in the twenties Tuesday night and Wednesday with more snow showers. Zero Wednesday night, dry on Thursday with moderate temperatures for January and snow showers for next week end.

Carol enjoyed her class. I did some shopping and visited my cousin getting back a hour before the class was to be over. Carol was glad to leave early and slept all afternoon. The nurse came to change her bandages and continues to be very pleased with her progress. In the afternoon I went to Corinth and set up for Sunday School and did some grocery shopping. We buy some things that are a lot cheaper at Sam's but try to support our local store as much as possible. With a stiff cold breeze the temperature was already dropping when I came out of the store. I was glad to get chores done and get in the house by the fire. I plugged the truck in so that I only had to flip a switch this morning. Darel had a good day, both his teams won. He would have liked to seen the Pats game be closer.

I'll go to Sunday School this morning. if we go to church I'll have to come home and get Darel between Sunday School and church. We don't want to leave the house for so many hours especially with the winds pushing the cold in. We are keeping the house warmer then usual, carol gets chilled very easily. The doctor's told her it would be awhile before her internal thermostat worked right. I don't mind keeping the house warmer. Darel's idea of warm is low sixties. If the temperature in the house is in the low sixties this computer corner is in the high fifties.

Around four yesterday the temperature got up to 33 degrees with a breeze. It was enough to melt the ice off the antenna. It is 22 degrees now, our high for the day as the winds swing to the north bringing in artic air. By this afternoon our temperatures will be in the teens, tonight in the double minus numbers. Even with lots of sun tomorrow's high will only be in the above zero single numbers, back down to below zero single numbers tomorrow night. Warmer, around 20 for Monday. Even warmer, near thirty on Tuesday with clouds and snow showers. Snow showers and high twenties Wednesday. Clearing Wednesday night and down to zero. Cloudy and snow showers next week end.

I spent yesterday working on my shrub order and other work I really should have a secretary for. I went through some totes of fabric with Carol. She was successful in finding material for a quilt. And we got her sewing machine going. The teacher at quilting class had put a wrong needle in it. I'm taking her to class this morning. She paid for the class in December and it counts toward her teaching certificate recertification. I'll be there to help her and so she can leave early if she gets tired. This afternoon I'll go set up for Sunday School. I was pleased not to get a call to clean the church this week, they must have found a janitor. Today will go by faster for Darel, there is a couple of football games on TV.

It is cloudy and twenty degrees. It is supposed to warm into the thirties today with light rain and snow showers.. We have a light breeze from the north, that will have to change if it is to warm up. Tonight north winds are forecasted to drop our temperatures into the teens, Tomorrow won't warm up any and tomorrow night will be the coldest night we've seen, down to -10. Sunday's sun won't lift the temperature out of the single numbers. It will be 4 or 5 below Sunday night. Monday's temperatures will be in the teens, Tuesday's in the twenties.

I have plenty to do inside and still do today. I got lots done yesterday but I'm defiantly not finding any lost time! Carol has had wonderful nurses until yesterday. Carol had to tell her to spray the saline solution on the bandages instead of just ripping them off. Carol was warn out when she left. Darel isn't healing very fast. He will do any snow clean up with my tractor. It is easier for him to get off and on.

13 degrees with a NE breeze . Cloudy this morning, snow this afternoon into tomorrow. Today's high will be in the mid twenties but tomorrow's high is forecasted to be in the mid thirties. We'll probably get five or six inches of snow with the storm finishing as a icy mix when the temperature climbs tomorrow. We can expect lots of wind this afternoon through tomorrow morning. Coming in behind the the storm will be the coldest aortic air we've seen this winter. After a few days of cold temperatures will rise into the twenties Tuesday.

The doctors at the clinic were very pleased with Carol's progress. They took all the stapes out that were holding the skin graft on place, like fifty of them. She is glad to see them go, they hurt if they got bumped. The range of motion in her arm and hand is very good. She will be healed in plenty of time to get the glads cleaned before spring. She has ordered some new colors.

I had a good day at the trade show. I got so much information I didn't sleep well last night. I'm in a rush to start using some of it. My to do list never gets shorter! One of the recurring topics of conversation was "how will the up and down temperatures this winter affect the plants". Everyone is guessing, most of the guess are that it won't be good. They did say that so many bugs thought it was spring and then got froze that there might be less bugs next summer.
Doug got me a load of greenhouse wood for next winter. So even if it snows Darel will have plenty to do getting the logs cut and split. His rib will let him start on that sooner than he could go in the woods.

6 degrees and clear with a stiff breeze instead of the wind that was forecast. Our temperature won't get out of the teens today as clouds move in. Cloudy and single numbers tonight. Mid twenties, 15-25mph winds and snow tomorrow. As of now it looks like we'll get around six inches. The snow showers Friday may have some rain mixed in as Friday's high is forecast to be in the thirties. Clear and cold for the week end.

Carol is going to the clinic in Portland for a check up today. I think her doctors will be surprised and pleased with her healing. I am going to Augusta to the Agriculture Trade Show. They have some very good speakers this year and I'm very glad the storm isn't coming until tomorrow. I'm hoping I'll gets lots of new ideas for the greenhouse and gardens. Darel will stay home and put wood on the fires.

19, clouds with a light SW breeze. A stiffer breeze later with snow showers and a high around 32 or 34 degrees. Ten to twenty mph NW winds and temperatures in the low single numbers will make a cold night. Sunny tomorrow with winds and a high in the high teens, Clouding up later in the day, a low near ten tomorrow night. Snow coming up the coast will bring us snow Thursday, mixed precipitation south of us. We are on the line between snow and mix so we might see some mix. Another storm will give us snow showers Friday. Dry and colder for the weekend.

Darel's phone has been giving him problems and it quit yesterday, the other phone to the set hasn't been doing too well. So we went to Bangor yesterday morning to get a new ones. I thought it was going to be a quick trip but Darel was in no hurry. He is getting very tired of sitting around babying his rib. Carol had a occupational therapist come in the morning and a physical therapist in the afternoon. Barbie came down and visited a few minutes in between therapists to wish her Happy Birthday and find out what kind of cake she liked. The occupational therapist was very pleased with her arm's mobility and will return to work with her Thursday. The physical therapist came to make sure she was walking ok with no ill effects from their removing skin from her leg for the graft. Carol is walking fine so the physical therapist won't be back.

Rachael, age 10, made Carol a devil's food cake from scratch with white icing for her birthday cake. She put seven candles on it for seventy seven years. Darel often points out that Carol is now older than he is, at least until May. Tiffany and Lexi went to Greenville for a basketball game which they won.

Clear, 12 degrees with a light SE breeze. Mostly sunny today with temperatures in the mid twenties, high teens tonight. Cloudy in the low thirties with snow showers tomorrow, down to ten tomorrow night. Clouds on Wednesday but mostly dry with a high temperature in the mid twenties, mid teens Wednesday night. A storm is coming for Thursday and Friday will bring mixed precipitation. I think we'll see mostly snow. Cold and dry for next week end.

The visiting nurse came yesterday and changed Carol's bandages. Once again she passed inspection with flying colors. This was a different nurse. She said she expected Carol's burns to be much worse. Darel got on his tractor and took a ride down to the woods. He came home and said he guessed he wouldn't try that again for a few days. The twitch he was working on when he fell can stay there for awhile.

I did get my vegetable seed order in yesterday afternoon but I didn't get much else done. Tiffany and Rachael's travel teams both had home games so I went to the games. Both girl's team won. In Rachael's game the teams were only one or two points apart the whole game. Her team won by four because a team mate made two foul shots at the end.

34 degrees with a stiff breeze from the west. This is our high for today, tonight's temperature will drop into the single numbers. Mid twenties tomorrow, teen tomorrow night. Around thirty Tuesday with snow showers Teen Tuesday night. Partly cloudy Wednesday in the high twenties, Wednesday night's temperature will be in the low twenties. Snow on Thursday into Friday. With a high temperature of 32 Thursday we may see some freezing rain but I think we'll see mostly snow. Friday night and the weekend will be cold.

Carol and Darel are doing well. Carol was thrilled to be able to eat chicken soup with her right hand. All those exercises are paying off! Darel is able to get on my tractor now. He says it rides a lot rougher on the frozen ground than his. He saw lots of fox tracks, no deer or coyote tracks. Doug saw a raccoon at my feeders but now that we are watching for him he is staying away.

I put two of the outside nativity sets away. One spotlight pulled right out of the lawn, I had to use a teakettle of hot water on the other. There no problem rolling up the extension cords. I'll put the other two nativity sets and the cross away this afternoon. I finished my vegetable seed order, now to finish out my shrub and fruit tree order.

21 with some clouds and snow flurries. Snow flurries again this evening but still just a dusting of snow. Today's high temperature will be in the mid thirties dropping down to near twenty tonight. We'll see quite a bit of sun through midweek with moderate temperatures for January. We'll see a storm Thursday and Friday, probably snow.

Darel is feeling better but he is not trying to get on the tractor. The "wound" nurse came to see Carol yesterday. She said that Carol is healing extremely well, especially for someone her age. Carol is in good health and has a very positive attitude. Her attitude was tested yesterday when it took her three hours to arrange her transportation to the clinic, especially knowing I'd spent an hour and a half on it yesterday morning. The doctor told the clinic to fax a needed letter to the transportation service by noon. It came at three thirty after many phone calls and didn't have the information it was supposed to have. They did redo it right away-after carol told them to just cancel her appointment.

Besides battling with paperwork things are quiet. I'm still trying to get Christmas decorations put away and working on my vegetable seed order. With the renewed interest in gardening there are a lot of new varieties out so I'm doing lots of reading. And making some phone calls to people to see if they tried the new varieties and get their opinion. I will take down the outside decorations today why it is warm. Yesterday was the twentieth day of Christmas so I'm only a day late. Enjoy your day, Sally

14 and partly cloudy. The slight north breeze will swing to the east and give us snow showers today and into tomorrow morning. The snow might add up to a couple inches. low twenties for a high temperature today, teens tonight. Tomorrow's high temperature will be in the thirties Lots of sun and in the mid twenties Sunday and Monday, down near ten nights Day time highs in the low thirties mid week with a storm possible Thursday.

The visiting nurse came yesterday. She was very nice, did a good job and was very though. She was here for over two hours, lots of paperwork. We finally got the appointment for Carol to go to Portland for her checkup, next Wednesday, not today as they first said.. Maine Medical told us there would be Medical Transport, seems that is only available in Southern Maine. The doctors down there say there is no one in Bangor qualified for follow-up care. At first they wanted to see her every other day. We said don't send her home if that is the case, now it is once a week for five weeks. The burns looked very good yesterday.

Darel is still sore but is doing better. I had an annual checkup yesterday and I'm just fine. Good thing someone is! Now to get back on a routine and get some things done. Besides the vegetable seed order I need to finalize my shrub and fruit tree order. Then up date the catalog.

16 degrees, warmer than it was all day yesterday. A SE breeze is bringing in some warmer air and snow flurries. Single number tonight, up to twenty tomorrow. Snow flurries again tomorrow night with the night time temperature in the high teens. Starting Saturday we have five days of sun with daytime temperatures near thirty with nights in the high teens. There may be a storm the end of next week.

Carol is home and doing ok. It was a long day for her, she was worn out last night. Looking at her burns I know why the doctors called her a tough lady. They are healing very well. Darel will be taking it easy again today, no climbing off and on the tractor.

I am getting more finches at the feeders. They aren't in the black-eyed Susan seed heads anymore , they must have eaten all the seeds in them. All three kinds of woodpeckers are coming and Mrs. Cardinal is a regular visitor. I seldom see the chickadees at the water and I've never seen the woodpeckers drinking. They are mostly at the suet though they do eat some sunflower seeds.

-1 degrees with a stiff breeze making it seem colder. Today will be sunny, the sun will be here 7 minutes longer than it was 12/21 but our high will only be in the mid teens. A low coming through tomorrow will keep our temperature around ten tonight and give us a temperature in the high twenties tomorrow. There will be snow flurries, perhaps enough to make the ground white. Single numbers Thursday night, around twenty for a high Friday. Warmer on the week end with lows around twenty and highs around thirty. Cooler and snow showers Monday.

The doctors are very pleased with the way Carol's shin graft has taken and how the burns are healing. They are letting her come home today. Darel is still very sore and regretting all those times he climbed on the tractor. He was sore enough yesterday morning to want me to drive him to Milo to get his blood checked.

I went to Milo yesterday morning, then to Corinth for a prescription for Darel, than took Jordn to basketball practice last night. Mike took Michelle back to school in Mass. yesterday. I spent a lot of time on the telephone. Maine Medical has taken wonderful care of Carol but setting things up for her release seemed beyond them. first it might be a few days because no one in Bangor was knowledgeable enough for follow up. Then she could leave right then, never mind that she was three hours away from a ride. I still don't know what her follow up care is. Her sister drove up from Conn. to make sure they lined everything up and get it in writing.. The Christmas decorations aren't getting put away very fast. Maybe I'll make better progress today.

20 degrees, our high for today, partly cloudy with a still breeze. We have had less wind then we expected but today the winds will blow in cold arctic air and we'll see 4 or 5 below tonight. The wind will be less tomorrow so our high in the teens won't seem lower. Ten or eleven for a low tomorrow night. Thursday the temperature will reach the high twenties with some snow showers. A few degrees cooler Friday and warmer for the week end. Next week's daytime temperatures in the twenties and night in the teens will be pleasant for January. Long range--- no storms until around the middle of the month.

Today we find out if Carol's skin graft has taken. She is doing OK, she is weak and sleeping a lot. If the doctors are happy with the graft her sister will bring her here tomorrow. She has realized that she will be laid up for awhile. The doctors have told her she should be healed up in time to clean glad corms in March.

Darel falls quite often but he has learned how to fall without getting hurt. Only last week there was a log in the way and he bruised his ribs. He uses his arms to lift himself on the tractor. Since he had taken it easy for four or five days he did odds and ends yesterday, getting off and on the tractor several times. He has accepted that he will be laying low for awhile too as he was sore last night.

I have to finish my vegetable seed order this week and finalize my shrub and fruit tree order. I've more that I want to do then there are hours but fortunately I'm able to check several things off the list each day. Today I'm going to take time to go to Tiffany and Lexi's game. Jordn had a game last night but I had a Christian ED meeting at church.

42 degrees, much warmer then forecast. Which is good since we had overnight showers. our warm temperature should hold this afternoon as gentle SW breezes chase away the clouds. Cold winds come tonight dropping the nighttime low to 15. Even with some sun tomorrow cold winds will keep our high in the teens, below zero tomorrow night. Cold again Wednesday. Around ten nights the rest of the week, in the twenties days. The forecast for the first half of January is much like December once we get this cold spell out of the way,

We had a very nice day yesterday with most of the family here for dinner. The last load of dishes is washing in the dishwasher. We'll need some help eating leftovers today, especially cake. The female cardinal was here early/ I wanted her to come in the afternoon to show Andrew and Gayle. In NC they see lots of cardinals but didn't know the females were a different color. They are headed for their winter home on the Outer Banks this morning.

I'm taking the girls to basketball practice today. I'll pick up a piece of pegboard for the sewing room. And hooks to hang lights over the sewing table. Why they are at practice I'll put way Christmas stuff at church. When I get home I'll take down our tree. It's time to get moving on 2012. I have a bale of soil thawing in the kitchen.

It was 32.5 degrees with rain yesterday, my antenna didn't ice up but everything else did. The roads are not good, the driveway is shinny ice. 29 degrees with a SW breeze now. Today will be sunny with a high of 35. Tomorrow will be the same but windy. Late in the day the winds will switch to the NW west dropping the night time temperature into the low teens. 15 will be the high Tuesday, dropping below zero Tuesday night. 12 for a high Wednesday with lots of sun. Still in the single numbers Wednesday night but more moderate temperatures will move in Thursday.

Darel found out he was getting a cash rebate on his business credit card. So he brought me a computerized Viking sewing machine. We got a extremely good deal on a demo from the man my mother had demoed sewing machines for years. She always had a top of the line machine because she sold so many machines for him. Top of the line is now eleven thousand dollars, the retail on mine is $2300. It is supposed to be so simple to use that it is a good machine for a beginner. The word computerized makes me wonder. Carol will figure out how to use it and show me. I have a year's warranty and he is including extra needles and bobbins.

The sewing room is now all moved into the ell, warm with better lighting. I still have some odds and ends to do like putting up some pegboard. One room in the house is totally cleaned, now I have to get going on the rest of the house so that "fall/spring cleaning" is done before I start the greenhouse.. I have several shelves with lights in the laundry for starting plants. Tomorrow I will plant my first seeds for spring 2012. Any plants that needed to be started earlier I ordered to be delivered as plugs in February.

During the few minutes it took me to check the bird feeders and stand Joseph up in the stable (the wind blew his feet out from under him) the back deck became icy.
I save my coffee grounds and tea bags in an empty plastic container. I'm putting them under the straw in the back flower garden. When I can't hide them they will go on the garden with the wood ashes

23 degrees with a East breeze. The storm is still on its way. Unfortunately instead of getting here at one a..m. it is going to get here about eight a.m. Which means it will stay longer giving us icy roads this evening. Enough snow to cover the brown ground and then mix and ice. tomorrow's forecast is sun and the temperature in the mid thirties. Nice again Monday, turning colder Monday night. Cold and windy Tuesday, zero Tuesday night. Sunny and cold Wednesday and Thursday, warming into the twenties Friday.

I suspected the roads might be bad so I set up for Sunday School and cleaned the church yesterday. We can stay home today. Tomorrow we are having a New Year's Day dinner at two, the roads should be fine by then. Today I'll do more upstairs today and clean my house.

Darel's friend of many years and his boss when we lived in Alaska, Les "Buzz" Klebesdel, peacefully passed away yesterday. He has been failing for some time and his heart just stopped. We were very fortunate to be able to spend some time with Buzz and Mary Jane when we were in Alaska a few years ago.

I saw a flock of snow birds yesterday , the first I've seen. I walked down to where Darel was working in the woods the warm day. There are still lots of green ferns and some green grass. An easy winter for the deer so far. It is too bad we have so may coyotes.

7 degrees, clear with a light WSW breeze. We'll see temperatures in the mid twenties today with clouds moving in late this afternoon. A few snow showers this evening will change to an icy mix overnight and into tomorrow. There is a good chance my antenna will be iced over enough so I won't have internet tomorrow morning. Mid thirties tomorrow, clearing for New Year's Eve. Pleasant Sunday with temperatures around thirty. Cloudy Sunday night through Monday with snow showers. Clear and cold Monday night with high single numbers. Tuesday and Wednesday will be very cold, it may not rise out of the single numbers days and will be below zero nights. Temperatures will moderate a little Thursday. These cold days are good days to clean up your tools. I stick some of my tools in a bucket of sand with oil in it. I rub linseed oil on any with wooden handles.

I got a good start on the upstairs yesterday. I got to where I needed some muscle last night so quit until Austin gets here this morning to help. I need to do the Sunday School lesson today so I can go over to church and set up the rooms. It sounds like like anyone who doesn't have to be on the roads before late afternoon tomorrow shouldn't be. It was very cold and windy all day yesterday, Darel only got out one twitch. Today will be pleasant enough for him to enjoy spending more time outside.

Nine degrees, clear with 15 to 20mph winds, much higher gusts. Clouds will return tomorrow leading to a storm tomorrow night and early Saturday. The storm will bring some mixing some snow. Clearing for New Years, some sun Sunday. Temperatures will go back up into the twenties. Snow showers Monday, dry the rest of the week with seasonable temperatures.

Carol is scheduled to have her skin graft done today, if everything goes well they will let her come home in five days. The front room upstairs has been set up as a sewing room. Because we sew mostly in the winter the sewing machines are in the ell which is warm. The only time the other room is warm is when we have the front room stove going. We've talked about moving everything into the ell making it a craft/sewing room. It is a big job so we haven't done it. I've decided today is the day, today and tomorrow. There will still be a bed in there.

Darel cut wood yesterday. I'm enjoying looking at a nice shinny stove. And the bird feeders are clean, ready for winter. Now I'm anxious to get started upstairs. Monday is time to start seeds and other greenhouse work. Have a good day, Sally

47 degrees, raining, brown ground, yes it really is December 28th! South winds at ten miles an hour with higher gusts. Our wind direction will swing to the north as the sun retunes this afternoon and tonight temperatures will drop into the single numbers. The wind will continue through tomorrow with the high temperature in the mid teens. Clouds and snow showers will return Friday and Saturday with highs in the mid twenties and lows in the teens. Some sun on Sunday with a high near thirty. Clouds and snow showers every day next week except for Tuesday when it will be very cold.

My cousin, Art Decker, has been in a Alzheimer's ward in Northern Maine because there was no opening in the Bangor Veteran's ward. An opening in Bangor came last week so he is now close by. I went to visit him yesterday and we had a good visit.

I'm going to take advantage of this warm day and clean my cook range. I didn't put any wood on it this morning. Then I'm going to clean the bird feeders why they are thawed. Finches are small but I have one finch that is smaller than most who spends much of the day on a feeder that isn't used as much. It takes advantage of the quiet corner to eat in peace. Eight or ten finches and several sparrows who nest on the arctic circle are here now.

14 degrees and clear. Clouds will move in on a SW breeze, our temperature will go up to the mid to high thirties. Showers late in the day becoming heavy rain over night with 20 to 30mph south winds, higher gusts. With temperatures so near freezing we could see mix or snow. Temperatures will drop to near freezing by morning but warm winds may raise the temperature back into the high thirties during the morning. As the storm moves out the temperature will plummet into the low single numbers Wednesday night. Thursday will be sunny with a high temperature in the teens, single numbers Thursday night. Clouds move in for Friday and the weekend with snow showers. Daytime temperatures in the twenties, nights in the teens.

Carol could have been moved out of ICU yesterday morning but the hospital didn't have a bed in a unit where there were no concerns about infections. She is comfortable. They will decide today when she will come home, rehap needs, etc. Her sister is coming up from Conn. to visit and talk to the doctors. Right now we think she will come here and I will take her to Dover days for rehap.

Darel and I went to Bangor and did some after Christmas shopping. We weren't too impressed with the sales. Christmas stuff was only 50% off. We had gift cards for Tractor Supply and did well there. After we came home, put everything away and put wood on the fire we went grocery shopping at Whitney's in Corinth with a gift certificate.

The winter sparrows have arrived. None of the other sparrows seem to have left. The female cardinal is a regular visitor. No sign of a mate. She was in such poor shape the first day we saw her I wonder if something happened to him.
I have the 2012 Fedco catalog. I'll start deciding on what to get for vegetable seeds today. The catalog is such good reading it takes me awhile to decide what to order. I get most of my vegetable seeds from Fedco and Johnny's www.fedcoseeds.com.

14 degrees. The storm that gave us one or two inches of snow is moving way. Snow showers should give way to sun this afternoon with a high near thirty. Teens tonight with another storm moving in tomorrow. Our temperature will rise as the storm comes in but the forecast models still don't know the storm track, whether it will be rain, snow or mix. I'm leaning toward snow. After the storm cold and sunny on Thursday with another storm moving in Friday for the weekend.

We had a pleasant morning yesterday. We watched Doug and Nicole's family open their gifts. From there we went to Barbie and Gilbert's and checked out all their gifts and visited. We spent the rest of the day doing very little. Today we age are going to town with some gift cards. We have a list of odds and ends such as wrapping paper , new red bows for the church box and some other things that should be on sale.

One below zero. Today will warm up into the mid twenties with clouds and evening snow showers. Show showers will last through the night, perhaps giving us an inch of snow. Tomorrow the temperature may get up to thirty, mid thirties Tuesday and thirty Wednesday. Clouds and show showers for all three days but no accumulation is expected. Clearing Wednesday night and sunny Thursday with cold temperatures. Warmer with clouds and snow showers Friday and Saturday.

Many of you know Carol, our friend who is part of our family. She is a few months older than Darel so he often introduces her as his mother. Carol raises the glads. Last night Carol was carrying boiling water from the stove to the sink and slipped. She went to Dover hospital, they sent her to Portland to the Maine Medical burn unit by ambulance. I just talked to the nurse. She has second degree burns on her arms, some on her breast and a small burn on her buttock. The burns are cleaned and covered with a special bio dressing. They expected them all to heal, at this time she is drugged enough to say she is feeling fine. The nurse says she will be there for a couple of days and then will come here. She already has a room upstairs. Please pray for healing and no infection.

We had a wonderful Christmas yesterday with most of the family here. We were missing Lil Andrew and Danielle who have moved to Florida. We spent some time on the phone with them. About the time we finished eating the ziti Andrew and Gayle made Santa came to visit. Baylee was very excited watching him walk up the road. When he got here she didn't want anything to do with him. After awhile she set on his lap with her Mom but she never did warm up to him and was happy to wave good by.

After Santa left the grandchildren did a beautiful job of portraying the nativity. Tiffany and Rachael opened with a song and Michelle closed with Silent Night. A neighbor boy was kind enough to be Joseph in the skit. Sally Jo was Mary. He and Sally Jo are the same age and were very serious about acting as Mary and Joseph. We exchanged gifts and visited the rest of the afternoon. Many left to go to other Christmas celebrations, Carol went home and I went to our church Christmas Eve service. Carol's church shares a building so they had their service at ten yesterday morning. Doug came with the news about Carol about eleven.

Our unpredictable weather continues. A disturbance is arriving Tuesday night into Wednesday. A disturbance or significant storm? Plowable snow or a dusting? Rain showers or a half inch of rain? Or a mix? Probably a mix and not nice.

7 degrees and today will only be five or six degrees warmer with a stiff breeze. Travel will be good. We'll see low single numbers tonight but it will warm up to the mid twenties tomorrow. After today's sun we will have four or five cloudy days with high temperatures in the mid twenties, nights in the teens and snow showers. Tuesday will be warmer with the temperature getting up in the mid thirties.

We had a very pleasant Christmas with Doug's family last night. Our grandchildren are growing up, now it is the great grandchildren waiting for Santa. Yesterday morning Doug and Gilbert's girls came for breakfast and planned the nativity enactment for today. A neighbor boy will be Joseph. Our grandson's are taller than we are now.

The presents are all under the tree but I've lots I want to do before everyone gets here at noon. Andrew and Gayle will make the ziti at their place and bake it here. All I do for the meal is make rolls. Have a wonderful day, Sally

Thirty degrees, we are getting our white Christmas, not enough to plow but everything will be white. With tonight's low near zero and tomorrow's high in the teens, even with sun, any snow we get won't melt. Single numbers again tomorrow night. Christmas day will be the beginning of several cloudy days with daytime temperatures around thirty and high teens nights. There will be snow showers off and on all week especially Christmas night and Monday.

The ice melted around noon yesterday..Darel didn't go to the woods until afternoon, all morning it looked like it was raining out as the ice melted off the trees. It took me all day to get rid of empty decoration boxes, do odds and ends of decorating and clean. In the afternoon I took Tiffany to practice and brought milk. I still find it incontinent to run to the store for milk. the kids were here after school. Rachael and Sally Jo had some wrapping to do, Austin and Kendra compared school Christmas parties.

I still have some wrapping to do today and I have some berries in the freezer I'm going to make into jam. And I'll make rolls to go with the jam. The kids have to practice their Christmas program for tomorrow, no school today We always put on our own program after Santa leaves, before we open our presents. I won't be so bored that I have to watch the soaps!

32.8, just enough above freezing so enough ice is off the antenna to get an internet signal again. It is still icy and will be until late this morning so please be careful. Our high will be in the mid thirties this afternoon. we may get an inch of snow tomorrow morning with temperatures in the twenties. Cold tomorrow night, down in the single numbers. Partly sunny Saturday with the temperature staying in the mid tens and dropping back in the single number Saturday night. Christmas Day and beyond our high temperatures will be around thirty and low temperatures around twenty. Off and on snow showers through the next ten days.

The roads were not good last night and aren't too much better now. The sand truck has been by several times. I lost internet service early in the evening when my antenna iced up. At least it was now instead of the end of the week when people were traveling.

The kids decorated the tree last night. The "trouble maker" kitten left last night too so the decorations are safe. It didn't take the lady two minutes to decide she wanted him. He was Austin's favorite. It always amazes me how different the kitten's personalities are.

The female cardinal was here yesterday. She looked much better and was a typical bold cardinal insisting on her place at the feeder. No sign of a mate. Some finches were here too. The food they usually eat must have been iced over.

7 degrees, clear and still. A storm coming through the Ohio Valley will bring mild air to us. I expect a wintery mix later this afternoon which may turn to rain overnight tonight. Still warm, in the thirties and partly cloudy tomorrow. In the twenties with snow showers Friday. Mostly cloudy but dry and in the twenties for the weekend.

I got the Country junction letters in the mail, about 290. I ran out of calendars, I had ordered 50 more than I had last year. caught up on Alaska. I knew we had a lot of new customers but we had more then I realized. Carol and I spent the afternoon wrapping presents. There are still some to do. Darel cut some wood, coming in every so often to warm up. We enjoyed a visit with Andrew and Gayle, getting caught up on Alaska. They are starting a job in Farmington this morning.

Today I'm making rolls for the church senior citizen Christmas dinner, Maybe I'll get the rest of the presents wrapped this afternoon. Hoping your Christmas preparations are going well and you're enjoying the season, Sally

It was 29 degrees when I got up, our high for the day. It is 23 now, clear with gusty NW winds bringing in cold aortic air. Tonight the thermoses will drop to the low teens. A storm off the coast will give us warmer temperatures Wednesday and Thursday. Warm enough so we may see the showers as a wintery mix, just enough to whiten the ground. Clearing and cooler Friday, sunny and in the twenties Saturday. There may be snow showers on Christmas. Looking far ahead, a chance of snow on New Year's Eve.

We got the tree up yesterday so the kids can decorate it when ever they have time. I'll probably put the lights on today. I still don't have my Christmas letter done. I did get some good news, a neighbor who is very savvy with computers thinks he can fix my address book. He also told me to get a compatibility patch from Microsoft, he thinks that will help and it is free. I took advantage of a warmer day to straighten out a room in the horse barn we use for storage and put away a lot of pots and trays that had been put in the head house. Dare worked in the woods.

It is clear and 5, mostly still. What breeze there is is now from the SW. It was 0 most of the night. It is supposed to warm up to freezing with snow showers tonight. Clearing and in the teens tonight with a stiff breeze, sun, and a high in the low 20s tomorrow. Wednesday will start dry. None of the forecasters seem to know where the storm in the SW part of the country is going. Some say it may miss us entirely. Others say rain. I'm guessin' some snow, maybe enough to make the ground white? Aright now it looks dry and in the 20s for Christmas weekend.

Sunday School went very well, the kids enjoyed acting the nativity and the rest of us enjoyed watching them. An older class came into watch which was nice. I spent the afternoon working on my Christmas letter. I'm addressing may of the envelopes by hand. Right after Christmas I'll be working on a new address book. Darel brought out a little wood but decided it was much nicer in front of the TV.

The lab goofed on Darel's blood work a few weeks ago so he has to have it redone this morning. I plugged in the truck at 5:15. When he gets back we'll set up the tree so the kids can decorate it this afternoon. Have a good day, Sally

4 degrees, mostly clear with a gentle NE air flow. Even with lots of sun the temperature won't get out of the teens today. Tomorrow will be warmer , afternoon temperatures in the thirties, with clouds and snow showers. Sunny and in the twenties Tuesday. Clouds and snow for the rest of the week clearing out for Christmas Eve day and Christmas. None of the models seem to agree on a track for the storm so no one is guessing how much snow we'll get mid week.

Our church has a table in back where we put Christmas cards. I like to take advantage of Christmas to thank the many people in our church who do so much for the church and for others. So many that I had quite a stack when I finished the cards. I was glad to check that job off my "to do" list. This afternoon I'd like to get the Country Junction letters done. Than I could enjoy doing for Christmas the rest of the week. I talked to my sister Donna for about an hours last night. After we hung up I called her back and wished her Happy Birthday!

There were some finches cleaning the seeds from the black-eyed Susan's yesterday so they are around. Winter hasn't made them come to the feeders yet. Flocks of water fowl have stopped flying over. They must have suddenly all decided it was time to get out of here. The first week in December several large flocks went over, very high in the sky. We could just barely hear them. There was no ice on the lakes until a few days ago, even the little ponds were open. I am so glad i mulch everything, such a strange fall.

25 degrees, some clouds with a breeze from the NW, Even with the sun it won't warm up much today, tomorrow will be even colder, Monday will be little warmer, perhaps into the low thirties. The next two nights will see our lowest temperatures of the season with the mercury dropping into the single numbers. We may get some snow Wednesday. As of now the Christmas forecast is dry and cold.

Andrew had given us a stove for the head house, the old one was falling apart. Darel had had some reservations about it and as he got to setting the stove up decided he didn't want it. I wanted to look around and check Uncle Henry's and places like that. Darel wanted to just go get one so we went stove shopping yesterday. Lowes had the best stove, a good stove and a good price. So I didn't get much done yesterday. It is hard to believe it is time to be preparing the greenhouse for startup. I spent the afternoon working on Sunday School. We are acting out the Nativity story tomorrow.

44 degrees, right where it has been all night, with light rain showers. The wind is slowly switching to the WNW. High winds today will bring in cold air and blow away the clouds. The winds will die down this evening and the temperature will drop into the teens. There will be lots of sun this weekend but our high temperatures will be in the low twenties, low temperatures in the low teens. A little warmer with some clouds and snow flurries Monday, sun on Tuesday. There is a storm coming later in the week, now some forecasters are saying it won't get here until the 24th.

I visited with Mrs. Santa last night. She assured me Santa would be stopping by the farm on the 24th even if there was a storm. Our grandkids are so nice he wouldn't miss visiting with them. A few neighbor kids are usually here too. And Gayle always sends a large pan of ziti home with him which is much appreciated on such a busy day.

Andrew and Gayle are flying home from Alaska on the 19th. They will leave for NC on January 3rd. Lil Andrew is leaving Alaska on the 19th too, headed for Florida where he will meet Danielle. She left for Florida yesterday. They plan to live there, they think they both have jobs.

I did a PC cleanup on line yesterday. It was done by a man in India. I've had it done before and been very happy with their service. I'd rather have it done by someone in the US but haven't found any such service. My computer is running much better. I need to find new software for my Country Junction address book. The one I have was set up in 2003 and been transferred to a new computer twice. It has lots of problems. I wind up doing some addresses by hand. Any suggestions?

31 degrees, expecting snow to start any moment. The snow is expected to quickly become icy rain and turn to all rain by mid to late morning. This afternoon will be wet and windy with a high of 36 degrees. Windy and high thirties tomorrow becoming sunny and cold for the week end and the beginning of the week. Chances are good for a snow storm mid to late week.

Yesterday I got my Country Junction Christmas letter written. Now to get it in envelopes and in the mail. When I get that done I've lots of signage to make. We don't send out many cards but I did get some out. And wrapped a few presents. Darel cut wood.

It looks like this may be our last warm day for awhile so I am going to put away things in the head house. I can start the fire if I have a lot to do in there but I don't want to use wood when I don't have too. Andrew has a old cook range stored in there he'll be wanting to get out the week after Christmas. He is taking it to the owners of the camp in Quebec. They'll get it refurbished and take it to Quebec. I need to get the Christmas decoration boxes moved in the garage. If we do get a snow storm next week we will want to put both tractors in.

29 degrees, mostly clear with a NE breeze. Sunny today with temperatures in the mid thirties. Clouds moving in tonight. Tomorrow's wind and rain might start out as snow but should soon turn to all rain. Dry and windy Friday. Sunny for the weekend with daytime temperatures in the twenties. A storm the middle of next week may give us a white Christmas. As of now Christmas looks clear and cold.

All finished Christmas shopping. I even got some shopping done for a neighbor. And got myself a new mouse. The one I got with points on my visa card died already. I didn't get much done when I got home though. I had to go to seven different stores. Wal-Mart didn't take long, I was after diesel supplement and got the last bottle on the shelf. Everyone must have decided it was time to start using it.

25, still and clear. today will be a little cooler than yesterday but still a few degrees warmer than average with a high in the mid-thirties. Another dry today tomorrow with temperatures in the low thirties. Clouding up late in the day as a front brings us temperatures near forty and showers for Thursday. Some clouds and still in the thirties Friday. Sunny and colder for the weekend. The storm forecasted for Christmas Eve is now forecasted for a few days earlier and as snow instead of freezing rain. White Christmas?

I didn't see the cardinal yesterday but I did have some finches. And I did get the trees up for wind breaks. I'll add to the wind breaks when we take down our Christmas trees. Doug and Gilbert's family's have theirs up so they take them down right after Christmas. We won't put ours up until Sunday.

21, clear and very still. Sunny and forty today. The next few days will be sunny but the high temperature will be in the mid thirties. Rain showers Thursday and sunny for the week end. Christmas Eve shows freezing rain but that is a long way out to be forecasting.

A female cardinal was at the birdfeeders off and on all day. After the other birds left for the day she went in a feeder and ate and ate, it was too dark to see when she left. It has been so warm I haven't gotten around to putting up my shelter trees. She has inspired me to get them up today.

A stiff breeze from the west at 17 degrees. A bright beautiful full moon. Four days of sun and moon light nights before a storm in the west approaches the end of the week. Daytime temperatures in the thirties and nights in the twenties. Today will be the coolest with a stiff breeze and near thirty for a high. Right now it looks like rain for Friday

Darel didn't cut wood yesterday. He went down to just cut wood into chunks but it was too wet and muddy. Things froze up last night and it doesn't look like much thawing will happen. I was busy all day but didn't get much done. We keep our cabbage in insulated coolers in the garage as long as we can. Like apples it keeps much better if the temperature is in the thirties. I made room for it in the retreater, last night's low might have started freezing it. I had already made room in the other refrigerator for apples.

It is right at freezing, watch those wet spots on the roads, The southerly flow of air this past week continues to give us a above average temperature this morning. Breezes are expected to switch to the north today. Snowflakes and rain will give way to afternoon sun and colder temperatures. Clear and in the teens tonight. Tomorrow starts a sunny week with temperatures in the thirties days and twenties nights.

I didn't get a lot done yesterday. I changed some outside decorations that I didn't like after I got them up, I did the Sunday School lesson and set up for class on Sunday when I went to Corinth for the girls' basketball game. They beat Greenville by twenty some points. I had to spend some time cleaning and vacuuming the Sunday School room. A bunch of kids making Christmas decorations makes a mess.

28 degrees with a slight WSW breeze and clouds. A small chance of rain/snow showers this evening. Clearing and chilly (32) tomorrow, down into the low teens tomorrow night. Tomorrow begins a long spell of quiet sunny weather with seasonable temperatures.

It was so sloppy out yesterday Darel couldn't do anything outside so he wanted to go to town. He needed new sneakers, oil and a few other things. Plus he had a Olive Garden gift card burning a hole in his pocket! We did have a lovely lunch and I got all the odds and ends I could think of done. Lots of people shopping but everyone was pleasant. Now I want to start wrapping, I always plan to get each present wrapped with a special touch.

My calendars came, now I must get my Country Junction Christmas letters done. The weather looks like it would be nice enough so I can start cleaning out the different storage areas. It always surprises me how things get piled up, Darel wants to get started on next year's wood. Enjoy your day, Sally

34 and snowing. We have about an inch on the ground and can expect a few more before the clouds clear out this afternoon.The NW wind is about ten mph, we are expecting 20 to 30 mph by mid morning on the back side of this storm. We are seeing our high temperature now, it will drop to near twenty tonight. Clouds and high thirties tomorrow. More sun on Saturday but low thirties for a daytime high and low teens Saturday night. Sunday will be the beginning of several dry sunny days with daytime temperatures in the thirties and nights in the low twenties.

I put my herbs under the bench and blanketed them with straw yesterday. They were starting new growth. New weeds and grass too. I spent quite a bit of time picking up, mostly empties that people had returned as they did their fall clean up. With having to weed all the pots it took me a lot longer than I expected.. By the time I got done it started to rain, we got nearly an inch before it turned to snow this morning. So I order some presents on line and put up more decorations in house. I picked up Jordn from basketball practice last night. All he wants for Christmas is new jeans, size 32x38. Finding them may be a challenge.

Two warm rainy days gave Darel chance to get lots of kindling wood spilt, enough to get us into next fall. Now he is hoping this snow doesn't amount to enough to hinder cutting wood. He has enough cut but would like to cut more for insurance.

Newt Gingrich has been In Washington so long that he was there when I was. I had no use for him then and see no difference now. He was a "good old boy" with great ego who told you whatever he thought you wanted to hear. He did nothing for the famers in his state. I wasn't surprised when he had ethics problems. And this was before he dumped his second wife when she had cancer and took up with someone he thought could serve him better.

35 with clouds, it isn't raining at the moment but bands of showers keep moving through and will do so all day, changing to snow later. We'll see some snow tonight, probably three or four inches. The track of the storm now snowing on states to our south will make the difference in how much. Drying out with some sun Friday, a few snow showers Saturday, followed by several dry days with sun. Windy Thursday with temperatures dropping into the teens Thursday night. Daytime temperatures through the next ten days will be in the mid thirties.

I spent most of the day in Bangor. I knew what I wanted but had to go to several stores to find everything. Darel was very glad he stayed home and split kindling wood. I did get home in time to clean the paths in the kitchen garden. Today I will try to put up the decorations back there between showers. My house would very much like some attention!

42, cloudy with fog, The radar shows that rain will be here soon. Showers this afternoon. The temperature will drop into the twenties tonight so be careful of the wet roads as they freeze. Rain and snow showers tomorrow and Wednesday with just enough snow to make everything white. Cloudy with snow showers Thursday and Friday as the storm flooding the mid Atlantic states with rain goes east and south of us. If the storm takes a more westerly track snow showers would change to snow.

The back yard garden is all put to bed for the winter. I put newspapers and straw down in places where the grass was getting away from me. the worms can work it this winter and it will be ready to plant in the spring. I'm hoping to clean the walkways between showers today before it freezes. Darel kept working at wood. He is hoping to stack more this afternoon. I even ordered a few Christmas gifts when I stopped for lunch.

40 degrees, a few clouds and a SW breeze. A pleasant day with temperatures in the mid forties. Some clouds may give us a few sprinkles. this evening. Thicker clouds and cooler temperatures will give us rain and snow showers tonight and tomorrow. Unsettled weather through Thursday with a few snow showers, some sun with high temperatures in the thirties and lows in the twenties. Right now it looks like the rain causing floods in the midsection of our country will go out to sea. But a few tracks show it coming this way as snow for the weekend.

After church I closed one of the cold frames and put up Christmas decorations. Today I'm going to weed the backyard garden and mulch it. Imagine digging out dandelions December 5th! Some are in bloom! Farmers are get a jump on their spring plowing. Yesterday Darel worked on wood between football games, today he won't be distracted. The forecast looks like our unseasonable weather is about to end. Enjoy your day, Sally

20 degrees and clear. Our NW breeze is coming from the west as it switches to the SW bringing milder air Sun and temperatures in the forties today. Clouds coming in late in the day and staying tomorrow. tomorrow will be in the high furies even without the sun. Rain on Tuesday with snow mixed in towards evening. Snow showers Wednesday with snow possible Thursday.

The perennials are covered! They were froze when we put them under the blandest and plastic. Now I'm hoping they stay that way. As we covered the perennials we were noticing how many of the shrubs and fruit trees had swollen buds. It will be interesting to see what spring brings. I will shut the cold frames today after the sun goes down. I don't want the sun warming them up.

The official temperature is 30, we have 26, Clouds, a slight NE breeze and a dusting of snow. Pleasant today, sunny, high in the upper thirties with no wind. A south wind will bring us temperatures in the forties tomorrow with a few clouds. Monday will be a cloudy day with temperatures in the upper forties and possible rain showers late in the day. Tuesday will be a rainy day with winds switching to the north giving us snow showers as the storm pulls away mid week.

A large flock of water fowl flew over yesterday very high. I haven't seen or heard flocks flying over this fall like we usually do. The lakes are all open, perhaps they are just leaving? It is supposed to turn cold the end of next week.

We didn't cover the perennials yesterday. We were hoping they would be cold today. Darel had a tie rod go on the tractor so he went to town and got a new one. The twenty minute job of replacing the bent one changed to loading the tractor on the trailer and taking it down to Erin's garage this morning. It is easier for Erin to get under it and Erin has all the right wrenches.

I went Christmas shopping last night. Darel went with me and sat in the truck listening to the radio and watching people. I warned him I wouldn't hurry. I went to Kohl's and did very well. I've only been in there once or twice and was pleasantly surprised at how well I did. Other shoppers were pleasant and the staff was too. Now I need to start wrapping and checking my list. Several names were checked off but several weren't so I'll be going back in.

Twenty degrees, clear and still. Sun with the temperature climbing into the high thirties today. clouds tonight with some snow showers, no accumulation. low twenties tonight, sin and high thirties again tomorrow. A south breeze will bring some clouds and push our temperature into the forties Sunday. Warmer temperatures means the showers we get the beginning of next week will be rain. Tuesday will be the wettest day. Cooling mid week means there may be some snowflakes in any leftover showers.

I got the perennials in pots weeded yesterday. So many of them are regrowing. I checked the perennials in the ground and they are growing too. I hope that doesn't mean winter kill. It is supposed to freeze the next couple of nights. I'm going to mulch some things Sunday afternoon in hopes of keeping them froze. Gilbert will be down to help me cover the pots this morning. I'll still have garden things like mulching to do but I'll go back to Christmas things. Darel will keep cutting wood. I'm not spending much time tending bird feeders, there aren't many birds coming to them.

34 degrees, clear with a SE breeze. Lots of sun today with the breeze becoming stronger and switching to the NW> Our high temperature probably will be just under forty. Down in the the twenties tonight. Mostly sunny tomorrow. Some clouds will pass through as a front drops snow showers to the north of us. Sunny for the week end with temperatures in the thirties Saturday, in the forties on Sunday. clouds and a few shower will start next week.

The end of October I weeded my perennials. I had some that needed to be moved and cut back before we covered them. I went out to do that yesterday. I found weeds and grass growing in the pots. November has been so warm seeds blew around, landed in the pots and germinated. I don't want to cover them with the weeds and grass in them, they will grow large roots. So I spent hours weeding yesterday and I will today. I always know I'll need to dig dandelions out in the spring but I don't want to deal with this other stuff, especially grass. I'm hoping Gilbert can help me cover them tomorrow instead of today. It is supposed to freeze hard tonight. Darel spent the day working on wood.

58 degrees, rain with a NW breeze. We are at our high temperature. The NW breeze is a hint of the winds that will push out this rain letting colder air come in . Clearing this afternoon and sunny through the week end. Daytime temperatures will be around forty with nights dropping into the twenties. We'll start next week with rain/snow showers changing to all snow showers Tuesday. Even as I write this the wind is picking up.

Sometime in the next four sunny days we are going to cover the perennials, even though they are supposed to be frozen when covered. I'm concerned the weather will change so fast we won't get them covered. Surely it won't be so warm they will start growing when we cover them. This winter the winter months are supposed to be a few degrees colder than average.

Darel spent most of the day putting up extra wood for the green house in case we have a late spring. The computer man was here for several hours. I took lots of notes. In theory I'll be able to things with the computer I haven't been able too.

35 degrees, cloudy and still. Even with little sun we'll see temperatures in the high forties today. Clouds will thicken and it will rain during the night and much of tomorrow. A warm rain for November, we may see fifty tomorrow. Thursday we'll see sun and cooler temperatures. Sunny through the week end with high temperatures in the thirties and low in the twenties. Snow/rain showers to start next week.

Darel's doctor appointment went well. He doesn't have the results of the blood work back yet. As usual the doctor told him to take Tylenol and walk more. And she reassured him I wasn't going to wear my knee out walking. We picked up boxes at the post office to ship wreaths to Alaska in why we were in Milo

I decorated them, boxed them up and took them to the post office when I went to pick the girls up from basketball. Postage:$44.00 each. I brought them home. The postmistress told me if I put them in a plain brown box and shipped them regular mail the would be less than half the price and get there December 10th. Apparently the people in Milo didn't know what they were talking about. I wish they were getting there sooner but not at that price. Next year I'll know better and make sure they go earlier.

Sunday School went very well yesterday. And we enjoyed a lovely first Sunday in Advent service to start the season. Darel decided to keep his beard for now. Pictures were taken for the church directory yesterday so he'll have a beard in it.

I didn't make as much headway on Christmas decorations as I had hoped yesterday, some days are like that! Today is another day. Darel has a doctor's appointment (regular three month check) this morning but I have nothing planned for the rest of the day. I have to make sure everything I set up is wind proof so it takes time.

Yesterday I watch Chuckie and a raven face off. I don't know what it was all about. The raven was strutting around the drive way. Chuckie kept waddling toward him with his neck just swinging back and forth, Mrs. Chuckie was slowly following. Finally when they were a few feet apart the raven decided it was Chuckie's driveway and flew away.

35 degrees and cloudy with a ENE breeze. The clouds will stay with us through Wednesday when we will see rain, with no snowflakes. Roads may have ice on them as the temperature drops to freezing Wednesday night. Between now and than south breezes will keep the temperature in the high thirties to high forties.

No deer, though Darel did see lots of tracks. He grew a beard during deer season, said he'd shave when he shot a deer. Now he has to decide whether to shave or wait until next season. I spent most of the day on Sunday School for the Advent season. I'm pleased with the lesson plans. I'm hoping they will keep "Christ" in Christmas for the kids.

We are closing the warmest November on record. The birds at my feeders reflect it, no winter birds yet. So many perennials are still green. Gilbert and I are going to cover them next Thursday no matter what the forecast. Winter will come and it may come overnight. After church I want to put up more Christmas decorations, I like to turn the lights on today, the first Sunday in Advent.

39 degrees, light breeze with clouds that are breaking up. Partly sunny and mid forties this afternoon, down to the high twenties tonight. Clouds move in tomorrow that will hang around through Wednesday with afternoon temperatures in the high forties. Tomorrow will be dry but there will be rain showers Monday and Tuesday. As cold air works back in our area Wednesday we may see some snow flakes mixed in the showers. Low twenties Wednesday night and sunny Thursday.

Darel saw lots of tracks yesterday but tracks make thin soup. Today is the last day of deer season. Gilbert got all of the Christmas decorations down for me. (They are stored on the rafters in the garage.) Rachael and Sally Jo set up the two large nativity sets in the house. Much of yesterday was a steady stream of people eating leftovers, not many left today. I got up some outside lights,I'm hoping to get a lot more done today. I did some things for Sunday School, I'll finish today and go over to church and set up for tomorrow.

34 with a SE breeze and a few clouds. Sun and clouds today with the temperature in the mid forties. This SE flow of air will stay with us Tuesday giving us highs near fifty and nights in the thirties. Clouds will move in Sunday and stay with us all week. Rain showers on Tuesday. The rest of the week the high temperatures will be in the thirties and some snow flakes may mix in with the showers.

We had a pleasant Thanksgiving. Lots of food left so I expect to see most everyone today. Everyone thought they would be back last night, we were going to call Alaska then but they came in shifts, So we'll call Sunday. Doug and Nicole went Black Friday shopping.

Christmas decorations come out today. I need to get into them for the Sunday School class. Rachael and Sally Jo think we should do the house. Maybe I'll let them start on the Christmas village. I want to put up the nativities outside. Today's warm sunny weather will be great for washing windows before I put up lights. Maybe Sunday we'll start the house. Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent so I will want to set up the Advent candles.

20, clear with a light breeze and about nine inches of snow. Today's high will be in the mid thirties and the mid twenties tonight. Sun tomorrow and Saturday with a southwest breeze will give us milder temperatures for the weekend into next week. Cloudy Sunday and rain showers to start the week with highs in the forties.

I cleaned house and Darel watched TV yesterday. The weather was so miserable he didn't go hunting. He peeled and cut up a blue hubbard squash. It was large enough so I have plenty for today and put six quarts in the freezer. Now I need to go put the turkey in the oven and make the filling for lemon pies.

27 degrees with light snow and light NE breeze. Snow fall will become heavy and NE winds will increase to 15 to 20 mph with higher gusts. The storm will die down this evening leaving us with 6 to 10 inches of snow. Sunny tomorrow with afternoon temperature in the high thirties. Partly sunny Friday and Saturday with afternoon temperatures in the low 40s.

We got lots done yesterday, enough so I slept in this morning. I took off to get a perm yesterday and Darel went deer hunting. I got the perm, he didn't see a deer. Maybe his luck will be better tomorrow morning as the storm pulls away. I'll spend today cleaning house and cooking. We'll be eating about one tomorrow. Our door swings open to anyone who would like to join us for Thanksgiving dinner.

It looks like this will be winter of ups and downs of temperatures. It would be good for thee plants if this snow stayed. Wide temperature changes are so hard on plants that I'm giving plants more protection than usual.

Some how I've gotten a day ahead of myself. The days fly by fast enough without me adding to the speed!

15, clear and still. We'll see sun all day with a high temperature in the mid thirties. It looks like my accumulating slush forecast is changing to wet snow forecast for tomorrow. Snow depth forecast ranges from 5 to 9 inches, south to the interior. When this storm pulls away during the night Wednesday we will see several days of sun gradually warming into the forties on the weekend. Our next moisture looks like midweek next week and rain.

I got Christmas trees just for our family yesterday and Junk trees for the birds. The grower took me through his trees. The brown needles shook off easily but lots of other needles shook off too. We won't put ours up for awhile but I wanted to have them as trees are expected to be in short supply. Then I went to town for Thanksgiving fixings and Sunday School supplies. The kids will make lots of decorations that are symbols of Christ's birth.

I have a few finches. I'm hoping a good thing that will come from the snow storm is more birds. I'll try to get the junk trees up today. One large one protects the water from the wind, another large one protects the rose bush and is a wind break for the birds. A small one goes out front with lights on it. I'm glad it will be warm this week end for putting up decorations.

SW west winds stayed around longer than expected so our low this morning is 27. Today will be sunny but NW winds will only let thermometer get up to the mid thirties. We'll see our lowest temperatures of the season tonight, the high teens. Sunny and mid thirties again tomorrow. Clouds tomorrow night will keep our nighttime low in the high 20s. We are on the line between freezing rain and snow on Wednesday. We'll probably see accumulating slush. A few snow showers may linger Thursday morning with some sun in the afternoon, 32 for a high temperature, back down in the teens Thursday night. Friday and the weekend look a little warmer.

I did lots of odds and ends and put up several 5 gallon tubs of compost. Since the pile didn't freeze up last night I'll put up more today. I'm glad it didn't get as cold as forecasted. I tried to disconnect the hose inside the the horse barn and the faucet wouldn't shut off. so I had to leave the Y on, shutting off the Y First thing this morning I'll pick up three Christmas trees and go to the hardware store for a new faucet. We won't put the trees up for awhile but I'm afraid there won't be any available when we get ready to put ours up. Then to Bangor for turkey and the trimmings. Darel got the shrub display area ready to snow blow, split some wood and watched football.

Late in the afternoon I caught the second half of Rachael's game and Tiffany's second game. It was the travel team which Lexi isn't on, she and Tiffany are on the school A team. They played Brewer so didn't really expect to win. Rachael's team didn't but Tiffany's team beat Brewer both games. Some schools are a pleasure to play, win or lose and Brewer is one of those. Have a good day, Sally

38 degrees with clouds and a SW breeze. SW winds and some sun will bring our temperature into the low 50s this afternoon. The wind will switch to the NW this evening, the clouds will leave and the temperature will drop into the low 20s tonight. Even with lots of sun tomorrow's high will be in the mid thirties. Low 20s tomorrow night. Our temperatures will be in the 30s Tuesday through Wednesday with snow showers Wednesday, 20 for a low Wednesday night. Wednesday's clouds may linger into Thursday but the day should be mostly dry with thirty for a high temperature.

Darel's "crink" was gone enough yesterday for him to put more wood in. He went deer hunting in the afternoon, no deer. Thanks to Tiffany helping me for awhile the shrubs are all put to bed for the winter. I had five crab apple trees left, Gilbert put them away for me. I banked the back of the house with compost and Austin lined up hay bales along it. I also disconnected the last hose, I think this is the latest I've ever shut all the outside water off. Rachael and Sally Jo put all the toys in the club house for the winter.

I'm only going to Sunday School this morning. I put up several 5 gallon tubs every fall to use in the spring. I haven't done it yet and things are going to start freezing up tonight. Rachael team as well as Tiffany and Lexi's are playing at Corinth today. I don't know if I can get the last minute things done soon enough to go to go to Rachael's, hers is at 2:30.

26, mostly sunny with a SW breeze. Southwest winds around 10mph will quickly bring the temperature up to the high 40s today. Tonight the temperature will drop into the high 30s and the same airflow with lots of sun will bring our temperatures up to 50 or so tomorrow. Monday and Tuesday we'll see lots of sun but with no south winds our high temperature will be in the mid 30s. Wednesday will bring clouds and snow showers. Thursday will be dry and sunny but the temperature may not get above 32. Alaska is seeing record breaking cold. Often their weather is ours 12 to 14 days later.

Yesterday was chilly. Darel worked on wood. He had a crink in his neck that was bothering him so he relaxed in the afternoon. My afternoon was taken up by the funeral. I got the last seat, Doug and Nicole stood along with many other people.

I will not be selling Christmas trees this year. The grower has had many trees damaged by a bug. He thought he would be able to fill his orders by buying from other growers but found out the damage is very widespread, other growers can't fill their regular orders either. Trees aren't a big money maker and Darel has wanted me to quit selling trees for sometime. if we get a freezing rain or heavy snow they are a lot of work. I am getting 3 trees Monday. We won't put our trees up for a couple of weeks but if I wait there may not be any trees available. The church Christmas program is on a Sunday, I'll be able to go this year.

26 degrees with a westerly breeze. Today the breeze will become 10-20mph winds making it a cool, blustery day. Even with sunshine all day we may not even get to 40 for a high. The winds will switch to the SW tonight giving us warmer weekend with high temperatures around 50 again. Monday will be the beginning of a week with average November temperatures. Daytime highs will be in the 30s, night time lows will be in the 20s. There may be showers Wednesday, snow showers instead of rain. Thursday looks sunny and dry.

The man who beat David Trask to death was arrested yesterday. David's wake was last night. There were literally hundreds of people there. There was still a long line waiting to get in at 7:45. He is part of a very large family, has worked hard all his life, supported his family without help. His was a fair and generous man.

I will set up for Sunday School today. If it looks like standing room only I won't go to the funeral. I'm making rolls to take to the gathering after the funeral. Otherwise my day will be spent getting perennials ready to cover. I have to take up the ground cover that runs down either side of the green house so Darel doesn't get it in caught in the snow blower. It is too expensive to take a chance of getting holes in it. Darel will working on wood. Have a good day, Sally

45 with a stiff breeze out of the west as winds shift to the NW. Sun this morning with clouds moving in this afternoon. Through the day temperatures will hold where they are. As the clouds turn to showers this evening we may see snow flakes tonight, the temperature will drop into the 20s.Thanks to NW winds we will see 40 for a high even with lots of sun tomorrow. Warming back up for the weekend, cooling to average November temperatures next week with highs in the 30s and lows dropping into the 20s.

Darel cut wood yesterday and spent the afternoon on the deer stand. Did up lots of wood but no deer. I got another load of straw and used some of it. I took care of more perennials. Today will be much the same. There has been a finch at my birdfeeders two days now, I'm hoping she will bring her friends.

34, clear with a very slight SW breeze Sunny and warming up into the 50s before clouds move in bringing a chance of showers late in the day. The temperature will drop into the high 30s tonight. NW winds, around 10mph, and clouds will keep our high temperature in the mid forties tomorrow. Tomorrow night the temperature will drop into the 20s. We may see some showers tomorrow night. Friday will be the first of several days with partly sunny skies. The weekend will be warmer than average, next week the high temperatures will be in the 30s.

I got a load of straw yesterday. It is very scarce this year but I will have some to sell and to mulch my gardens with. I'll be selling it for $6.50 a bale. It still isn't really cold enough to mulch the strawberries but it looks like we'll be getting there next week. No deer. Darel finished spreading the compost yesterday. Doug tilled all that was spread Monday before his tiller broke. He may not get this last bit tilled in.

Darel will get back to cutting wood today. He'll cut wood until two, than he'll go to the deer stand. I'm going to get some more straw this morning and cut any broccoli or cauliflower still in the garden. I still have perennial to do and I'll start mulching. I put newspaper under a lot of my straw. Anyplace where I won't move the straw next spring to help block weeds. And there are some places that grass has crept in. I find newspapers and straw do a good job of smothering it out. Have a good day, Sally

57 degrees with a south breeze and light showers. There may be some more showers before it clears off this afternoon. Showers tomorrow with afternoon temperatures in the 50s again. Than clearing with several days of sun and clouds with temperatures dropping to average for this time of year next week, in the 30s days and 20s nights. This looks like our last week to get ready for winter.

Darel almost finished covering the gardens with compost before he went deer hunting. I got the trash all picked out and Doug got it all tilled in. I wish we had got it spread soon enough to plant rye so it was covered over winter. I'm so happy Doug was able to get it for me, it is such good stuff. Darel didn't see any sign of deer.

45 with some clouds and a few wildly scattered showers this morning. South west winds will give us high temperatures in the 50s today and tomorrow. Rain tomorrow night will lead to a cooler day Wednesday with 50 for a high. Clouds and sun will finish out the week with seasonable high temperatures, around 40. Lows will be in the low 30s, lower Thursday night.

David Trask, age 71, was beaten to death Saturday. At this time it is beloved that the person responsible didn't want Trasks using a right of way and building a cabin on land that David owned. He was part of a large family, a fine person and a fine family. His children grew up with our children, Gilbert and family spent yesterday afternoon with the family. An autopsy was done yesterday, we don't know any further details yet.

Henry had an uneventful trip back to Conn. We were pleased to get his call that he was home around three. Darel spent the afternoon spreading compost. I spent some time picking stuff out of it and admiring all the worms in it Since the Patriot game didn't start until eight Darel didn't get to watch them win.

Wondering what this week will bring. I'll spend most of it outside, thankful for another week of warm weather to have everything ready for winter. Darel will finish spreading compost between hunting and looking at fences. Have a good day, Sally

33 with a few clouds and a slight breeze. mostly sunny this morning with more clouds this afternoon. A high temperature in the 50s today, tomorrow and Tuesday also. Lots of clouds through Wednesday with the chance of a few showers. Tomorrow should be dry. Wednesday will be cooler with lots of sun with cooler, about average temperatures for the rest of the week.

Henry is headed back to Conn. today without seeing a deer. Except for Friday he has had beautiful weather for hunting. And he has had lots of time to visit with Erin, his son, and family. Last night after supper Austin and Tiffany sang for us. Neither Darel or Henry had heard them sing since last Christmas.

Darel and Doug have a couple of fences to look at this week. One of them for next spring, the other one is a small one for the Collage of the Atlantic. they would like it done this fall. I'll be busy here getting perennials ready to cover. I think the weather will change fast. The forecast is for a few degrees colder than average for the winter months.

31, mostly sunny with a stiff SW breeze. Even with quite a bit of sun the temperature will only get up into the 40s today. Low 30s tonight and fifty tomorrow. After a beautiful Sunday we may see a few showers Monday and Tuesday but the high temperatures will be in the low fifties, lows in the forties. Sun and more seasonable temperatures mid week but still pleasant. Garlic and spring flowering bulbs and still be planted next week.

No deer and yesterday wasn't a very pleasant day for hunting. Blustery winds, showers and the high temperature for the day was when we got up yesterday morning. We did have a very pleasant evening as heather and Mike's guests at Olive Garden, wonderful food and lots of fun conversation. The evening was made even more special by the way the Olive Garden was treating veterans. When we went in we didn't know, veterans were guests of Olive Garden yesterday, their meal was free. And even the general manager came to our table and thanked Darel and Henry for their time in the service. We shouldn't have been surprised, whenever there is a benefit dinner for someone the Olive Garden always helps.

Everyone will be here for supper tonight. Henry is going home tomorrow. Tiffany and Lexi played their first game last night. They both made A team. Rachael has games this afternoon. The men will hunt and I'll cook and work outside. Have a good day, Sally

43, clouds and rain showers, about as warm as its going to get today. Clearing a little this afternoon, enough so the temperature will drop into the 20s tonight. Partly sunny tomorrow with a high temperature in the mid 40s. Low in the low 30s tomorrow night. More sun Sunday and up to 50 for a high. some clouds and a few shower with the temperatures back up in the 50s to start the week.

Yesterday was warm with a few light showers. I was able to be outside most of the day. Darel and Doug got the fence in Backfield repaired. The Collage of the Atlantic wants another fence. If it is small they may try to do it this fall. The weather can change too fast to take on a large fence. Henry didn't see any sign of deer yesterday.

I'll do this week's Sunday school lesson this morning why it is wet out. I took shrub and fruit tree inventory yesterday, I need to finish my spring 2012 order why I can still get what I want. I had fewer shrubs left than I thought.

50 degrees with clouds moving in. It will only get 4 or 5 degrees warmer today as clouds cover the sun bringing us a chance of scattered light showers during the day. Towards evening the showers will get heavier with heavy rain during the night. We may get an inch or more of rain. Showers may linger into tomorrow as blustery NW winds keep the temperature in the 40s for Friday and Saturday. Warming up again on Sunday into next week.

Darel and Henry both had a good day yesterday. Henry found the path the deer are taking to get to Gilbert's garden. The problem is they use it at night. Darel saw a doe with two lambs down in our woods. At least they know there are deer even if they haven't seen any horns. Darel and Doug didn't go to Backfield yesterday because Darel had forgotten to get DOT numbers for his truck. A new rule: anything registered for over 10,000 pounds needs numbers now. They are going over today. It looks foggy enough to slow down driving.

I've been reading about the monster storm about to hit Western Alaska. Some costal villages may be wiped out. Meanwhile we are enjoying above average temperatures for another day, 47 degrees now with a high temperature in the high 50s. Warm again tomorrow with clouds that will bring showers Thursday night into Friday. Cooler Friday and Saturday with blustery winds. Warmer again for the start of the week. November's forecast for the mid section of our country is warmer than average. Our temperatures are forecasted to be average. Is the warmer than average spilling into the NE or will below average temperatures the end of the month balance out these warm temperatures?

No deer, just wonderful weather to be in the woods. I had to go to Bangor yesterday, not good on such a beautiful day. The birds were back playing in the little pond. If we don't get a soaking rain Thursday I'll be hooking hoses back up to water the plants in pots. If you planted any thing this summer you should be watering it . I'm cleaning out flower beds that still have blooming flowers. But we have to bank around the around the house, cold weather will come. What a blessing this late fall is for victims of Irene, they have so much to do before freeze up. And the people still without power from the snow storm.

44 degrees, clear with a westerly breeze. Sun and high 50s today, down in the low 30s tonight. some clouds will move in tomorrow but it will still be a nice day with the high temperature in the mid 50s. Clouds will keep it warmer tomorrow night, around 40. Thursday will still be warm but we may see a few showers. A high in the 40s for Friday with a few showers. Then we will have 4 or 5 days of clouds and sun with highs in the 40s and lows in the30s.

No deer but they are enjoying being in the woods with this beautiful weather. Doug and Darel finished that fence yesterday. Tomorrow they are going to Backfield to repair the fence a car ran into. When Darel comes out of the woods we are going to go vote. Everyone won't be coming for supper tonight so I'll be working outside today. It is still to warm to mulch. I have found some straw to buy, I should have it by the weekend. It will be $6.50 a bale. I couldn't believe it last night, its been so warm the broccoli still had the green worms in it.

27 and clear. Warming up to the mid to high 50s today. And tomorrow and Wednesday. Thursday will be in the low 50s with clouds moving in. A few showers Friday and Saturday with high temperatures dropping down to the mid 40s. The sun will start showing through the clouds Sunday but highs will remain in the 40s. Night time lows through the ten day forecast are supposed to be in the 30s.

We had a pleasant day yesterday. I didn't do any cooking, we went to Countryside after church. Henry spent the afternoon at Erin and Donna's, having supper with them. Heather came out in the afternoon. After she left Tiffany, Rachel and I went to Milo and shopped for two Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Such a pleasure to watch them getting the most for their money and putting themselves in the mind of a far away child with a different lifestyle so they could make the best choices. Even the sales clerk was making a point of stocking shelves where she could listen to them.

It is 32 degrees in Palmer Alaska, 25 degrees here. But they are getting snow, We are getting sun and up to 50 for a high this afternoon. 29 tonight and than several nights with the low in the 30s and days with the high in the 50s. With showers Friday and Saturday our high will be in the 40s.

Darel saw a deer but not even long enough to see if it had horns. They sure had a beautiful day for hunting even though the NW breeze kept things chilly. The warm afternoon we had a few days ago the birds had a great time splashing in the pond. Yesterday they took dust bathes.

. Everyone had a pleasant time eating and visiting last night. On Saturday night in New England it is tradition to have baked beans, Darel's mother always had them. We always add potato salad and rolls. On one of our refrigerators you can get ice from the door. Our Great Grand Daughter, Baylee, came in and informed us she wanted ice and a roll for supper. I've got my second load of dishes in the dish washer. I need to get to church early as I didn't get over to set up for Sunday School yesterday. have a good day, Sally

33 degrees and clear. Sunny today with a stiff NW breeze keeping our high temperature in the mid forties. Tonight's low will be in the mid twenties. A south breeze with sun will warm tomorrow up to 50. Our high temperature will be around 50 all week with lots of sun until Thursday. A few showers Thursday and Friday but still warm. Lows will be in the 30s.

I did odds and ends yesterday morning and spent the afternoon cooking. Darel got in lots of hunting but didn't see anything. Henry got here later than he planned, he hit a gas station on the way up. No damage to his car or the gas station, seems his foot slipped on the gas pedal somehow.

40 degrees and it isn't going to get much warmer in spit of lots of sun. cold North winds will keep the temperature down in the mid 40s and send it into the mid 20s tonight. Tomorrow will be much the same. A south breeze will warm Sunday up to 50. Lots of sun and mild temperatures until the end of next week when we may see some showers. It won't be very cold even then.

Everything that goes down caller including the glads is down there. Another big job checked off. I was given a wooden manager put together with scrap wood. It was so warm yesterday I painted it so it would last longer. I may start putting up some of my Christmas lights next week why it is so warm. I usually freeze why I'm putting them up. I still have lots of clean up to do. this weather is so wonderful!

Andrew and Gayle leave for Alaska tomorrow so we are having a spaghetti dinner tonight. Henry is leaving Conn. at daylight, hoping to get here in time to hunt this afternoon. No one else is coming to hunt this year

33 and fog. Today will be warm, our high will be in the low 50s. We won't have a beautiful sunny day like yesterday, an approaching front will cover the sun with clouds. tonight's low will be in the low to mid 30s. Chilly NW breezes will make tomorrow and Saturday seem even cooler than low 40s which will be their high temperature even with lots of sun. Friday and Saturday night will drop into the 20s. Sunday will be the beginning of a warmer stretch of weather.

The men thought they would get the job done today, now they think they will have to go back down Monday. Maybe slogging in snow slowed them down more than they realized. Doug doesn't work Fridays as Nicole has Friday off. I got lots done yesterday, so much I slept unto 5:30 this morning! That's good, I needed a good rest so I can get lots done again today too! Most of the plants that were bent over by the snow are upright again. Experts say don't try to take the snow off, more damage will be done by trying to get it off than the snow will do.

November 3rd and my hanging plants are still beautiful! I have a large pot of petunias behind the house that is a mass of purple. The colors are so vibrant with the cool weather. I may have to hook the hose back up to make sure the big pond is full before it freezes.

32 degrees, clear with a light breeze. a beautiful day, lots of sun with a high near 50. Only down to 25 tonight %0 tomorrow with some clouds, perhaps a few very widely scattered showers and low 30s tomorrow night. Cooler but sunny Friday and Saturday, warming up again Sunday into next week.

The men had a good day on the fence yesterday, they will be leaving shortly to put in another day. I went to the bank and did some things at church yesterday morning. And stopped at the feed store and brought two bales of straw. The feed store owner told me he hadn't been able to get enough straw to have some for sale all winter. I got home and there was a message on the phone that the straw I ordered was on the man's trailer and would be here in a day or so. I was pretty pleased about that. By Saturday i should have some here to sell you for mulching your plants. As warm as it is there is no rush to mulch.

Late weather this morning, Darel's TV isn't working! 36 degrees and clear. Sunny warm (for November) weather for the next ten days. Close to fifty the next few days. It may drop below freezing tonight tonight but most night lows in the ten day forecast are in the mid thirties.

I cleaned the chicken house yesterday. A weasel has been getting Lexi's chickens, she is down to two chickens. Her chickens weren't just chickens they were pets with names. Even with it all cleaned around the chicken's yard entrance so the door fits tight I'm not sure a weasel won't get in. They thought they had Lexi's chicken house tightened up. I had a dead chicken two days ago. It was a old hen so I don't know if the weasel visited or it just died. At least a big fall job is checked off my to do list.

I set up the heated waterer for the birds yesterday morning. And they kept checking around the ice on the little pond. I have little brown birds, doves, bluejays, woodpeckers and chickadees. I'm glad I enjoyed the finches why they were here.

A lot of snow melted yesterday. We had 8 or 9 inches, Andrew on Boyd Lake an inch, Corinth about 5. Even our snow wasn't much compared to many places in the NE. The ten day forecast is very nice. Lots of sun with temperatures in the 40s days and mostly 30s nights. Tomorrow night may dip into the 20s and we may see some clouds and a scattered shower late Thursday.

Darel and Doug are going to Morrill today, they only got an inch or so of snow on the coast and it mostly melted yesterday. The ducklings figured out how to get out Saturday so I had to shut them in. They got in with the chickens and the chickens were very mean to them even though they are pretty big now. If it isn't too big a job I'll fix it so they can't get in the chicken yard. With the continued mild weather I hate to shut them in.

When we got power back this morning we didn't have TV, XM radio or internet because our antennas' were iced over. Andrew put up the wind sensor to the wireless weather station Barbie and Gilbert gave me yesterday. It had too much wet snow on it to send a signal. We had eight or nine inches of snow on the bird feeders. It is melting fast. Now it is 37 degrees, NW winds of 9mph. Tonight will be our coldest night, low 20s. We'll see sunny days all week. By midweek our highs will be in the high 40s and lows in the mid 30s.

My impatiens and dalais gave in to frost the night before last, The next few nights may do in the hanging fuchsias and petunias. The red and blue salvia in front the windows bloomed through the snow as did the monkshood in the back yard. Red geraniums are bright against the snow. Very striking with the blue salvia behind them and the blue scaevola in front.

I put in long day yesterday. We weren't planning on snow! Austin, Rachael and Tiffany dumped all the saucers under the perennials and put them away. This week I'll cut them back and as soon as we see steady nights in the 20s I'll cover them with the perennial blanket and plastic sheeting. I set everything up for SS yesterday. so when we looked outside and had no power this morning I decided to stay home. Two of my helpers called and said "no go" too. But the best teacher only lives a few blocks from the church and she was going.

I defrosted the second freezer this morning. There are still some vegetables in the store. I'll get them out before tonight. We don't want to turn the heat on. As it is our be starting the fire in the greenhouse for the glads. Last week the lowest temperature in the 10 day forecast was the high 20s.

You can find a forecast for however many inches of snow you want, four to fourteen! It is now 28 and clear, a pleasant day today with the high in the mid forties. Clouding up this afternoon with rain quickly changing to snow around eight this evening. Heavy snow overnight and tomorrow morning. Clearing and low 20s tomorrow night. Sunny next week with gradual warming, we might see fifty Thursday.

We aren't ready for snow. Darel's tractor isn't even here to blow snow. It is down on the job in Morrill. The dahlias and impatiens are still blooming by the house and on the barn. The hanging plants are beautiful. Darel put wood in the greenhouse all day yesterday. I moved plants and disconnected hoses. Several plants I wanted to pot up were still in the store, they're potted and in the house now. Austin helped me put some plants down caller, the floor in the get to gather room is covered with plants waiting to go dowm. And we've been using the hoses. I took the pump out of the pond. I've been looking ahead on the weather and thought I had all of next week.

Doug and Nicole had an uneventful trip to New Hampshire. They took my truck. When they get the trailer off it I will go to church and set up for Sunday School in case the worse of the forecasts are correct and I stay home tomorrow.

26 degrees and clear. Sun today with mid forties for a high. Mid twenties tonight and sunny tomorrow morning. Clouding up tomorrow afternoon then? All week a storm forming off the Carolina coast has been forecasted to go out to sea. Now it's path has changed and it may clip Maine, giving us four to eight inches of heavy wet snow. It will be a mostly coastal storm but because of the cool temperatures we cam expect to wake up to a white world Sunday morning. The snow will melt next week as our day time temperatures will be in the high 40s and lows in the mid 30s. This snow won't be around long enough to protect plants.

This would probably be a major snow storm if it was the end of November. Does this give us a hint of what our winter may be? Darel will spend the day putting wood in the greenhouse why it is dry. Tonight will be cold enough so I'll start the greenhouse fire just in case the NE winds make it too cold in there for the glads. I potted rosemary in larger pots to go down caller yesterday. Today I'll do begonia's. Late afternoon we went into town for some things they need for the fence next week. I had thought I'd get the begonia's done yesterday.

Doug brought a semi yesterday to pull his big tank for spreading manure. Manure isn't cheap. Today he and Nicole are going to New Hampshire for fence supplies. There is no such thing as free lunch. But we always manage "lunch" so we are OK.

33 degrees with clouds coming in. We'll see lots of clouds but very little moisture. Western Maine and N.H. will see more moisture with an inch of snow . Lot's of chilly air, 45 will be our high the next four days with tonight and tomorrow night in the 20s. After today we'll see lots of sun until a few showers pass through Tuesday. Next week will slowly warm up with highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid to upper 30s.

The guys got all the posts they had with them pounded yesterday. Our supplier called yesterday, the truck load of gates came in. Doug is hoping Nicole will be able to take tomorrow off and ride over to N.H. with him. I hope so too because Darel will spread compost if he doesn't go with him. I'm glad things are drying out so Doug can till the compost in this fall with his big tiller.

I sold some broccoli, carrots and all but one pumpkin yesterday. Any vegetables left will be for us. I'll bring the squash and pie pumpkins in the house today. Tomorrow night is supposed to drop into the mid 20s. The glads are still in the greenhouse drying so I'll start the fire in there just to be safe. Today I'll start putting begonias and other plants in the cellar.

36 degrees, clear with a strong NW breeze making it feel cooler than 36. We might see fifty today. The only moisture in the forecast is some showers tomorrow evening that may have snow flakes mixed in. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the high 20s for week end. Next week the highs will be in the high 40s with partly sunny days and lows in the mid thirties. Instead of going to Texas where they could use the moisture Hurricane Rina is expected to curve toward Florida after grazing Mexico. If I had some straw i would start mulching, I guess I'll do some with hay. I won't put the blanket over the perennials in pots yet as it is supposed to warm up next week.

Darel spread compost yesterday with my tractor. When Doug got home he started spreading with his big loader. I suspect much of the garden has compost on it now. Today Darel Doug and Gilbert are headed to Morrill. Gilbert is going to tear the old fence out why Darel and Doug get started on the new one. We'll get our first real freeze this week end. I have plants that need to be put away like Rosemary and geraniums that I winter over in the cellar. The less time they are in the cellar the better so I leave them until the last minute.

46 degrees with light showers. Clearing today with a high in the 50s today. Enjoy it, we may see 50 tomorrow but after tomorrow we probably won't see 50 for some time. The long range forecast for the next 3 months shows below average temperatures. We show daytime temperatures in the 40s and nights in the 30s the next ten days. The few showers in the forecast may have snow flakes mixed in but no accumulation is expected. I don't think we will see the freezing and thawing that is so hard on plants. I haven't been able to fine any farmer that has straw for sale. I don't like to mulch with hay.

I'm late this morning. Now that I've got the garden produce put in way and can work outside I'm sleeping longer. The forecast shows me I'd best not skimp any on putting plants to bed for the winter. Next spring will be much easier. I have enough perennial blanket to put over all my perennials where they are. One display that gets the north wind will be set on the ground but right by the display with no other plants mixed in.

Darel and Doug got Heather and Mike's fence done yesterday. Mike helped so it went faster than they expected. Doug has to move manure today. Wednesday they will start the Morrill job. Thursday they have to go to New Hampshire for supplies.

45 degrees and clear. Clouds will move in this afternoon with showers during the night. Some showers might linger into tomorrow morning. Clearing in the afternoon will let the temperature drop into the 30s Tuesday and Wednesday night. A front coming our way Thursday will make for a cool blustery day but not much moisture. It looks like clouds but mostly dry for the week end into next week. Highs will be in the 40s, lows in the 30s.

I dug carrots after church. Not an impressive crop. I just wanted to be done with the garden. I still have Brussels sprouts and broccoli. I cut the rest of the parsley and put it over the stove to dry. Today I'm going to work in the kitchen garden and put the small carrots in the freezer.. Darel and Doug are going to build Heather and Mike's fence.

We saw a large flock of geese feeding in a corn field on the way home from church yesterday. They know that even tough October has been warm ice is coming. I don't need to fatten up for winter but there is lots I want to do before ice arrives. Have a good day, Sally

It is colder in Virginal , 39 degrees, than Maine this morning! We have 43 degrees with a few clouds. The sun will raise our temperature into the high 50s today. We have four or five partly sunny days ahead of us. Tomorrow will be in the high 50s than our temperature starts dropping. By mid week our highs will be in the 40s, lows in the 30s. It is now looking like wet weather for the first day of deer season.

I hunted around the patch and found five more ripe pumpkins yesterday. We didn't have as large a crop this fall as other years. We had plenty for the school kids when they came so we were ok. Next year we'll have two patches. People start buying pumpkins for decorating Labor Day week end. I'll have a patch for them and Doug will have a patch for the school kids.

A few junior hunters got a deer yesterday but not many. Deer are scarce this year. Lots of coyotes. Darel will be building fence next week so Henry isn't coming up until the second week of season. Between fencing and spreading compost we have a busy time ahead of us. I need to get my perennials winterized.

43 degrees with a lot of clouds that will hang around most of the day without dropping any moisture. Sunny tomorrow and Monday with more clouds Tuesday. Tuesday's clouds might bring scattered showers. Partly sunny Wednesday. Clouds and widely scattered showers Thursday will move on giving us a cool dry week end. highs in the 50s until Wednesday, than our daytime highs will be in the 40s. We'll see lows in the 30s most nights.

Darel and I took wire and posts to Heather and Mike's yesterday morning. Enough leaves are left so it was a pleasant ride. I saw a working cockshutt tractor, probably the farmer using it was an antique too! In the afternoon I worked in the garden and Darel split wood. As I pulled the sunflowers I noticed that the birds had done a good job of eating all the seeds. Most of the garden is ready for Doug to till. This morning I'll pick up the plastic where the tomatoes were and it will be ready. The only way late blight will live over here in Maine is in potatoes. By tilling where they were this fall any that missed getting dug will freeze. i won't save any potatoes for seed, I'll spend the money for certified disease free seed in the spring. In the evening we went to tractor supply and got a load of fence posts for the job after Heather and Mike's.

I have to do tomorrow's Sunday School lesson today and cut up peppers for the freezer. I have broccoli and cauliflower in the garden. Otherwise I need to take care of squash and pumpkin, no rush with them. I want to try doing pumpkin in the new food processor Heather gave me.

49 degrees now but with lots of sun the temperature will climb to near 60. There will be a stiff breeze so it may feel cooler. A sunny week end with mid fifties for high temperatures. Night time temperatures may drop into the 30s. Some clouds Monday with a chance of widely scattered showers Tuesday. Partly sunny Wednesday with a chance of showers again Thursday. Next weekend is forecasted to be nice with highs in the 40s and lows in the 30s.

We got everything cleaned up from the lobster feed. I put the front entry all back together and put up fall decorations. It looks so bright and nice. It was wet and breezy all day even though the rain didn't amount to much. I'm going to spend the day in the garden taking up the rest of the soaker hoses and the black plastic. I didn't use black plastic on the buttercup squash and had a poor crop. Is it because we have so much wind that evaporation keeps our soil temperature down? There was a lot of soil from last year's glads, did it keep the soil cool?
Doug brought the equipment home from North Haven Wednesday. Darel needs to get it unloaded and they need to reload to build Heather and Mike's fence. They usually pound posts but North Haven island is so rocky they used the auger.

49 rainy degrees. Slow clearing will lead to 60 because there is some warm air from Florida in this storm. The next several days will be dry and sunny with the daytime high being a little lower each day, down to the low 50s. Nights will be in the low 40s. No showers are in the forecast until next Thursday. The end of next week the highs will be in the high 40s and lows in the high 30s.

The rain held off long enough for the lobsters to get cooked last night. The main reason for the lobsters was so Nicole could freeze lobster for their lobster stew at Christmas. We got to meet Bekah's boyfriend. Seems to be a very nice young man.

The entry way is all painted, I'll put that back together this morning while it is raining. It looks so nice! I'll work on my plug order, it has to be in by the 31st. The lobster pots need to washed, always a major job. They cook the lobster over an open fire so the pots get all black.

A few days ago our house cat, pretty much Darel's cat, they watch TV together, was missing for a few days. She came back in tough shape. From the marks and one bad puncture wound we think a fox grabbed her. She is doing much better. Not herself yet but she is enough better so we aren't worried about losing her.

44, some clouds with more clouds moving in this afternoon. Showers this evening with the heaviest rain tonight. some showers will still be around tomorrow morning as the storms slowly lift into Canada. When these storms pull away we will have several days of mostly dry sunny weather. As of now temperature drops into the 30s look to be the end of next week. highs will be in the 50s. Plenty of time to plant fall bulbs. It is still pretty warm to plant garlic. It looks like garlic planting will be the first week end in November instead of the last of October. We'll have plenty of time to get everything ready to put it in.

Darel spent most of the day putting wood in the back room of the green house. He also picked up the hose that runs the length of the garden for me. It is heavy and always tangled in grass. the soaker hoses are easy to pick up. I spent most of the day cleaning the garage. it needed done before winter and now it is done for the lobster feed tonight. It always amazes how things can pile up!

I'm going to cut broccoli this morning, I have a person coming for all that is ready. We've had so little cold weather there may be an occasion worm in it. Even so it is beautiful broccoli. I'm hoping to have some cauliflower too.

I'm starting to get a few birds back including a couple of blue jays, I rarely see one in summer. I've seen a few flocks of waterfowl go over. We are getting plenty of time to get ready for winter. Enjoy each warm day. Sally

47 degrees, another peasant fall day with less wind than yesterday. Tomorrow will start sunny but clouds will move in with rain in the evening. The storm will pass quickly with just a few showers tomorrow. Starting Friday we'll have several dry days with lots of sun. The high emperors will be in the 50s. Nights will be mostly in the high 30s and low 40s

Yesterday I finished getting the entryway ready for Andrew and Gayle to paint tomorrow. I didn't have very good timing, I found out yesterday that Doug and Nicole are picking up lobsters on their way home tomorrow and having a lobster feed here tomorrow night. I have moved all the stuff from the entryway into the get together room. There isn't much left to do on the North Haven fence so Nicole is going with Doug and making a mini vacation of it. They have already left as Doug is dropping off a load of cedar lumber in Morrill before they catch the ferry. With the storm coming in the ferry ride may be rough tomorrow. Hopefully the storm won't be there yet. And we hope it won't get here until the lobsters are cooked. I have to straighten up the wood shed and move the pie pumpkins and squash so both picnic tables can be inside. Even if the worst of the rain holds off I'm sure it will be raining some. I also have cabbage in coolers in the woodshed. It is usually well into November before I have to worry about it freezing. I also put beets and carrots in coolers.

48 degrees with clouds. Mostly dry and breezy today and tomorrow. Our temperature range will be high 50s to low 40s. Wednesday afternoon rain will move in. The rain will move out Thursday morning leading to 5 days of mostly sunny weather with highs in the low 50s and lows in the low 40s. Perhaps lower Saturday night.

Darel started putting wood in the wood shed soon as he got home from church. Now he says there is enough wood in the woodshed to go through next September. Remember the cook range goes all summer. Now he'll fill the greenhouse. Then he enjoyed the Patriot's game. Yesterday Andrew and Gilbert put a new stove in the head house (front part of the greenhouse).

I emptied the front hall yesterday afternoon. Threw stuff away, gave stuff away, and sent some stuff back to the house it came from so there will be less to put back. When Andrew and Gayle have chance they will paint it. They have talked about painting the get together room but there is no way I have time to get it ready to paint.

Today I'll pick pie pumpkins and Blue Hubbard. The Blue Hubbard leaves are frosted but the vines are green so the squash is still ripening. Which is good since I didn't have a very large crop of buttercup. We're meeting Lynne, Tom and Donna at Countryside for lunch.

57 with clouds, a chance of a shower this morning, some sun this afternoon. Lots of clouds with widely scattered showers until Wednesday, heavier showers Wednesday. After Wednesday's storm moves on we will see several days of sunny weather with high temperatures in the low 50s and lows in the high 30s. High 30s can drop to 32 very easily.

I had a pleasant day shopping in Bangor with Donna yesterday. The economy may not be good but lots of people were spending money and Olive Garden was so crowded that the third time we went there(at two) we gave up. Darel hauled wood and did odds and ends that needed done before winter. if the wood dries off why we are at church he'll finish filling the house wood shed this afternoon.

I have a church meeting at 4 this afternoon but I hope to pick the Blue Hubbard's that are ripe before I go. The Patriots play at four so Darel will be watching them. I'm looking forward to getting lots done outside this week. Squash and pie pumpkins will keep. All I have left in the ground are carrots and beets.

1.16 inch of rain the last few days. Now it is 58 degrees, clearing with 20 to 30 mph winds today, higher gusts. The wind has already started drying out the golf course. There may be power outages. Partly sunny until Wednesday with high temperatures in the 50s, lows in the 40s. Showers Wednesday. Cooler temperatures as sunny skies work their way back in Thursday to close out the week. I wouldn't be able to do anything in the garden if I didn't use a lot of mulch. As it is the ground is so wet that I won't start spreading compost for a few days. The soil is so wet that even my small tractor would compact it.

The way the wind is howling there won't be many leaves left by evening. Leaf peeping hasn't been the best this year. Bradford Elementary School came to pick pumpkins yesterday. As always they had a great time. This year Tiffany and Rachael were here to help the little ones when they choose pumpkins bigger than they were. Some were bigger than Rachael needed to carry-Doug sized pumpkins. We've had so much rain a lot of the stems were soft. They filled a car trailer with pumpkins and Doug hauled them to the school. We still have pumpkins left to sell for Holloween.

We had supper at Lynne's new home in Dover last night. An attractive place that Lynne has already made warm and welcoming. My sister Donna from N.Y. is here for the week end. Donna and I are going shopping today. Lynne and Tom have big doings at the golf club. I wish you all a good day, Sally

56 and fog for the morning. Rain and only a few degrees warmer this afternoon. Thunder possible tonight as a weak high pushes away the storms. Some sun and 60 tomorrow afternoon. Partly sunny on Sunday, mid 50s for a high temperature. Widely scattered showers Monday with the temperature dropping into the 30s Monday night. Clouds on Tuesday, scattered t-storms Wednesday, showers and wind Thursday. Clearing and cooler for Friday and the week end.

I blanched celery for stews and put the dried celery and basil in jars. When we have a dry day I'll cut parsley and dry it. Now I have to work on cutting peppers up to freeze. Darel put wood in with the tractor until it started raining. It rained all afternoon and evening but only totaled a third of an inch. The hst petal on the tractor is working fine. I sure hope it stays that way.

I'll do the Sunday School lesson, peppers and more house cleaning today. We are going up to Lynne's for supper tonight. My sister Donna from New York will be there. Donna and I are going shopping tomorrow. Next week I'll be in the gardens rain or sun. Carol has most of the glads dug.

49 and cloudy with showers coming. Showers will become heaver this afternoon, lighter overnight. They will still be around tomorrow, maybe with some thunder mixed in. Cloudy as the rain pulls away. Partly sunny Sunday and starting the week. There is a chance of showers and wind mid week. Temperatures will be in the 50s days, 40s nights. Monday night the temperature may drop into the 30s.

The men got a lot done on the fence yesterday, another day will finish it. Probably next Monday looking at the weather. They are home today do the weather forecast. I slept until 5:30! I have along to do list but lots is getting checked off each day not that most of the canning is done.

My tractor came back yesterday. The rep did not come out, Darel and I had both made it very clear we would not drive the tractor around the yard and say the problem was solved. I do think it is, it drives very different than it ever has. I sure hope so. time will tell. It isn't daylight yet but curiosity has the best of Darel, he is out driving it around.

I'm looking forward to a day inside. I'll finish freezing celery. Did you know eating celery help prevent allergies as well as high blood pressure and chronic pain? I'll find my table and put out some fall decorations. And the cookie jar has been empty for a few days. Enjoy your day, Sally

A chilly 38 degrees. Clouding up later today as a storm moves up the coast. We may see light rain during the night, heaver rain tomorrow. The storm will slowly move away Friday leaving us with a partly sunny week end, Sunday having the most sun. High temperatures in the 50s, lows in the 40s.

I butchered some more chickens yesterday and will do more today. I'll still have six more today but they are black with lots of pin feather so they'll get a reprieve until their feathers grow in more. I spent some time cleaning up the garden. Dorr's called. My tractor is done but they don't want to bring it back until they can school us in how to use it to prevent future problems. I pointed out that this was the 4th Kubota we've had with hydrostatic drive. I was angry enough so it wasn't a very long conversation. Darel is going to call them this morning. Apparently they have forgotten that I've gone on line and found out that many other owners of this model are having this problem. They also want us to drive it and say there is no problem. It always worked the day they returned it. Darel is going to call them this morning.

Gilbert went with Darel and Doug today. This is not a fun fence to build. And the lady is insisting on a picket fence on the side towards the house so there is no guarantee is will keep the deer out of the garden. They've made that very clear to her but she is sure it will.

41 degrees, clear and still. A sunny day but with a more seasonable temperature for a high, 62. Low 40s tonight. tomorrow will start sunny but clods from a storm coming up the coast will start moving in during the afternoon. Rain on Thursday. The storm may hang around giving us showers and maybe even some thunder Friday. After the storm moves out partly sunny dry days are forecasted with seasonable temperatures. There aren't any lows forecasted below 40 in the 10 day forecast.

Darel and Doug got started on the Island job yesterday. They are leaving the fencing truck on the island and will take Doug's truck back and forth. Since they will be "walk ons" on the ferry they won't have to leave here until six. Part of the expense of getting any job done on the islands is the short days due to catching the ferry back and forth.

I got started on butchering chickens and will continue the job today. As well as starting fall house cleaning after a summer of neglect. Doug told me not to pull cornstalks and the like, his tiller will chew them up. So if my tractor comes back today I will pick up plastic and get started spreading the compost. Something magical happens when compost kisses your garden soil.

It energizes your soil with fertility-boosting nutrients. It fluffs up your soil, making it easier to work in. It vaccinates your soil against disease. It preserves life-giving moisture. And it actually invigorates the soil with thousands of beneficial life forms to enrich and protect your garden.

And that's just for starters! A quote form the book on compost from Organic Gardening. Words so true!

64 degrees, clear and still. Another beautiful day, not as warm as the last few days with the high temperature in the low 70s. Cooler tonight, down in the 40s. The next few days will be sunny with the high temperature in the 60s and nights in the 40s. Rain on Thursday with showers and slow clearing Friday. Dry, partly sunny and seasonable temperatures for next week end.

Darel and Doug got everything loaded ready to leave at five this morning after church yesterday. Darel spent the rest of the day watching football. I finished tomatoes, no more left to ripen. Even though I got hit with blight at the end of the season we have plenty. It took some time to write notes to members of my Sunday School class that were absent. Sunday School attendance was very small yesterday. Families took advantage of the beautiful week end to do something special.

Carol and I checked out the bees yesterday, they have plenty of honey for winter. They have done very well for a first year hive. I started picking up soaker hose and will try to get the rest today. I've sorted the celery, some to eat fresh, some to blanch and put in the freezer and the leaves are drying over the wood stove. I will blanch the celery for the freezer today. The big job for this week is butchering the old hens. My tractor won't be back until at least tomorrow. They are supposed to be putting in a new transmission and hst petal. I sure hope it works this time! As soon as it gets back I will pick up the black plastic and start spreading compost. i didn't use black plastic o my winter squash this year and had a lot less squash. Even though we have a longer period of frost free days up here on the hill our soil doesn't warm up. I think it is because we have so much wind and my garden has no protection. The wind keeps the soil cool.

61, clear and still. Another beautiful day today with the high temperature near 80. Sunny through Wednesday with temperatures dropping to more seasonable levels. Showers on Thursday with rain and Thunder on Friday. Next weed end will be the start of another stretch of sunny weather with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s.

Darel spent most of yesterday painting gates and getting things together for the North Haven job. I took care of lots of produce and closed out some Farm Shares. In the afternoon I went to the Harvest Party at Post's Rachael opened with the national Anthem. This was the first I had heard her sing it. She does a great job, I know why events invite her to sing it. Lots of emotion and pride--and sung with a Maine accent. I hadn't heard Tiffany sing in pubic for some time. She is much more relaxed and her voice is much smoother than last time I heard her. She has come a long ways since she was so shy she wouldn't sing in front of anyone with out Rachael at her side. She sang 10 or so songs. There never has been anything reserved about Rachael!

Austin was the star, it was his first time singing in front of any one. He sang Country Boy and I was pleased for him, he did well. Than he sang again, Country Roads and did a wonderful job, his voice was smooth and mellow. Barbie was walking on air she was so pleased for him. I can see them all having lots of good times with their music. Barbie sings with them a lot. They have a battery powered speaker and mike system that goes 12 hours. They quit as dusk approached and they couldn't see the music. Barbie's cousin has sang so many years he needs no music, Gilbert said he would keep singing for hours. I came home around dark. I have enough trouble staying awake in church without being over tired.

42 degrees clear and still. mid 70s for a high today, mid 50s for a low tonight. Same weather tomorrow only the temperature will reach the high 70s. Sun and temperatures in the 60s to start next week with showers Thursday and Friday. Partly sunny next weekend with no freezing temperatures in the 10 day forecast.The farmer's long range forecast says temperatures will be above average in October.

Yesterday was a beautiful day. I got so much done that I slept longer this morning. I dug the rest of the potatoes, as warm as it is going to be I'll have Gilbert put them in the cellar this morning. The last of the tomatoes are ripe so they need to go in jars. I don't think I have enough jars left, some will have to go in the refrigerator. A good problem! The celery needs to be taken care of too. I am taking the afternoon off and going to Barbie's family's annual harvest party. It got rained out last week end.

My morning glories were battered by wind and touched by frost but they are bravely showing some blossoms this morning. Many of my other flowers were un touched. The pumpkin and squash leaves are mostly black but there is enough green vine so I'm hoping some more of the Hubbard will ripen.

30 degrees, still and clear. The beginning of Indian Summer. All sun and mid 50s today as a south west breeze warms our air. Low 40s tonight. Mid 70s tomorrow, high 70s Sunday. Still sunny and warm to start the week but temperatures will be more seasonable. Next Friday looks like rain . This Saturday the weather will be perfect for the last team penning event of the year at Maple Lane Farm in Charleston.

Froze broccoli yesterday. The heads look beautiful but we had so much rain last week that the tight centers were turning black and slimy so there was no holding it for customers. There will be more the end of next week and this cold night will climate any egg laying moths so no worms. Today I'll get to see if I missed any winter squash. It would be nice if I has my tractor back. I haven't heard anything from Dorr's.

I'm sure I'll find my morning glory vines gone. Yesterday morning was the first time in several weeks I hadn't looking out the window at beautiful blossoms. They made up for the absence of birds. I'm starting to see some chickadees but other than some sparrows and an occasional woodpecker the feeders are quiet.

A person would describe my house as "lived in". A baby doll in a stroller sits in the middle of the floor looking at flowers I just couldn't bear to leave out in the cold. A pile of stevia is on a chair waiting to have the leaves stripped off. . Seed catalogs and unread magazines cover the table. Clean empty canning jars cover the counters because I spent the afternoon cleaning out the garden instead of filling them. Pans of tomato sauce, applesauce and cooked tomatoes are out in the garage along with a cart of celery and pecks of peppers. The smell of basil drying fills the kitchen. This will be easier to deal with after a night's sleep.

34 degrees. The wood cook range is not only busy heating tomatoes and tomato sauce but feels good! The stove's heat will be welcome today as the NE winds give us a taste of the months ahead. Even with lots of sun the temperature will only get to 50. As the sun sets and the winds die down tonight the temperature will drop into the high 20s. Tomorrow will warm up to the mid 50s, the week end will be three wonderful Indian Summer days with afternoons in the 70s. The dry sunny weather will last through most of next week.

Tomatoes are nearly done. even though I need to start chopping up peppers and putting them in the freezer there will be plenty of time to work outside and enjoy the warm sunny days. It was hailing why I was picking peppers yesterday. I put 1/4th teaspoon of Epsom salts under each pepper plant last spring. I've had the best pepper crop I've ever had. I will dry the celery leaves, eat some fresh and freeze some. I have lots of leeks for stews.

I want to get the canning done so when it warms up a little I can go see if I missed any winter squash. I have enough but no extra winter squash so it would be nice if find some more. I'm sure the vines were frosted last night. Enjoy your day, Sally

45, breezy with clouds. Clearing today with a high of 50. Frost tonight. Sun and 25 to 30mph north winds tomorrow. Freezing tomorrow night with a low temperature in the high 20s. As the wind dies down Friday will be warmer, Saturday and Sunday we may see 70 with lots of sun. Sunny days with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s will be with us until showers come in the end of next week.

It rained all day yesterday. Darel went to Bangor and got his truck and trailer inspected. I can see the end of canning but I'm not there yet. I froze apples for pies and broccoli yesterday. I have tomato sauce and applesauce ready to put in jars this morning. I need to pick all the peppers and green beans this morning. Carol is going to pick statice and eucalyptus today. I'll cover the impatiens by the house the next few nights because it looks like it will be awhile before we get another frost.

53 and raining. Rain all day with the temperature staying in the low 50s. Dropping into the low 40s tonight and staying in the 40s with a 15 to 20mph winds tomorrow as the showers clear out. Frost tomorrow night, many will see the high 20s. The temperature probably won't get out of the 40s Thursday even though the sun will shine all day. We'll see another frosty night Thursday. Friday will be the beginning of Indian Summer. Several days of sun with temperatures reaching 70 over the week end. This week end is the last week end for planting trees, shrubs or perennials. I will be closing at noon Saturday. I will reopen with Christmas trees the Friday after Thanksgiving.

I think I'm finally through with the dentist, I thought so a couple weeks ago. I'm hoping this time I really am. Thinking positive that I won't be going to Bangor again for awhile I did several errands. Sunday afternoon is supposed to be sunny and warm. I'm all set with gloves and veil to help Carol check the bees. Carol went to Bangor and got Christmas wreath supplies. I picked the winter squash when I got home.

Darel covered the septic tank back up. And cleaned under the grate in the front hall. Doug and Darel are very pleased with next week's forecast, they have a job to do on North Haven. A car ran into the fence they just finished, they have to go fix it tomorrow. I'm looking forward to having beautiful days to clean up the gardens and spread compost. They took my tractor yesterday to put in a whole new transmission. I sure hope that fixes it!

52 with clouds and scattered showers today . There might be a break in the clouds but rain will come in tonight and tomorrow. Wednesday will clear with a high go 50 leading to a frost Wednesday night. Thursday will be the high again leading to a hard frost Thursday night. Things will warm up Friday as a spell of beautiful fall weather moves in. We may even see 70 again on the week end. Winter squash keeps better if it is picked before a hard frost.

We spent a lazy day yesterday not doing much after we got home from church. We went to Andrew and Gayle's camp, their home when they are in Maine. Andrew had a wood heating stove that we looked at to replace the one in the head house. It will work vey well there. The old Ashley we have in there is falling apart. It is hard to believe we are making plans for starting the greenhouse already. Winter will probably go by as fast as this summer has.

I have a dentist appointment and some errands in Bangor this morning. I'm going to get a veil and gloves so I can help Carol with the bees. Since I didn't do anything yesterday I won't be through canning today but I will tomorrow. I'll start freezing broccoli tomorrow. The Brussels sprouts are still small. Darel enjoyed football this week end, his teams won.

49 degrees and raw. Wet and raw the next few days with a NW breeze and showers. When this weather moves on Wednesday we stand a good chance of a frost. Some clouds Thursday but still a chance of frost Thursday night. Sun, seasonable temperatures and dry next week end As of now the forecast is 0% chance of rain Saturday. An inch of rain yesterday.

I did lots of canning yesterday, I can see the end of the apples and tomatoes. I froze some packages of apples for pies. Carol sold the last of her glads. Now comes the job of digging the corms up and getting them in the cellar. Darel spent most of the day watching TV. Tomorrow afternoon may be dry enough to harvest the winter squash before Dorr's takes my tractor to put a new transmission it.

60 and cloudy. The front that stalled over the Ohio valley so long is now threatening to stall over New England. Instead of a week end of rain, showers are now forecast through Wednesday. Less rain but dreary weather longer. 60% chance of showers this afternoon. It is possible that this low over us will suck some tropical moisture in from the hurricane out in the Atlantic Monday morning. We have another week that we can put in new plant. We certainly have plenty of moisture. If you plant anything now don't fertilize it. A plant should not put out any new growth now,

We had a beautiful day yesterday. I spent most of the day canning and finishing the spring order that had to be in to get a 10% discount. I got it in and got a start on another order that has to be in the end of this month. Darel got out fence supplies for the two fences they have to do and put wood in. It looks like they are going to have to go to New Hampshire for posts the end of the week. It would be nice if they got a call for another fence so they needed a full load.

I'm thinking about taking the afternoon off to go To Barbie's family's Harvest Party. Barbie's cousin has a blue grass band and will be playing. As will Barbie, Tiffany and Austin. Plus good company and food. We are hoping we'll see the 40% chance of no rain. Enjoy your day, Sally

16 of an inch of rain last night. 60 degrees with some fog. The fog will burn off giving us a pleasant day with a high around 70. Tomorrow and Sunday don't look very nice, lots of rain, especially tomorrow afternoon. High temperatures will be near 60. Showers will run into Monday, even some on Tuesday. Late Tuesday's clearing will lead to 5 days of pleasant fall weather, highs in the 60s. Lows mostly in the low 40s but Wednesday night might be frosty. It is time to put the Christmas cactus in the bedroom where the temperature is cool (50s) and it will get about 12 hours of daylight so it will bloom for Christmas.

We had a pleasant day yesterday. Darel put wood in the woodshed since I wasn't using my tractor. I had to work on spring orders as well as finish the Sunday School lesson. I did some canning. Today I have to finish one of my spring orders, two others don't have a discount deadline but should get in by early next week. And I'll do some more canning. Gilbert is coming down to clean the chummy this morning so I didn't start the fire. I'll work on orders until I can start the fire and stat canning. Even though they are careful I always need to clean when they get done.

The dampness over N.E. last night was due to the Red Sox not clouds. Tonight's rain will be from clouds moving. in. They will drift away giving us a mostly dry day tomorrow with a high near 70. The week end will be damp, 40% chance of showers both days with highs in the 60s, Saturday a little warmer than Sunday. Clouds will clear out Monday leading to a sunny week with highs around 60 and lows around 40.

No more tomatoes, late blight has arrived. I've plenty to finish our canning but no more to sell. We had blight coming towards us from both directions so we are very fortunate we escaped it as long as we did. I'll be out of jars by the week end anyway. The mums are all gone. This warm weather has brought out more glads so Carol will have a few more to sell tomorrow. Darel and Doug put in a long day yesterday but they finished the fence.

Carol didn't have a good day yesterday. Clouds moved in as she was checking the bees which made them very cranky. And she found that full supers are too heavy for her. We had to go out after dark and put the hive back together. I don't have a veil or anything and they were very angry bees so I got several stings. I'm going to have to get a veil and gloves so we can check them together when the supers are full. And Carol will make sure it is a cloudless day before she checks them again.

Another nice day, sunny with a high temperature in the high 60s. Dry early tomorrow with showers moving in late. Some showers during the night and a few may linger into Friday. Saturday is not a wash out but there is a 40% chance of showers, mid 60s for a high temperature. Sunday starts a week of sunny weather with seasonable temperatures. At this time the lows are forecasted to be in the 40s. A perfect to do any last minute planting and garden clean up. I want to plant a hydrangea out by the pond and some perennials in the kitchen garden. And another peach tree. Irene put a serious tilt in my peach tree.

Canned tomatoes yesterday. I picked some pumpkins and cut some cornstalks but mostly just tomatoes. I had to shut the ducks in, they figured out another way to get out so now they are inside. I don't have time to try to make the fence more duckling proof. I have to go to the bank first thing and pick some winter squash, otherwise today will be picking and canning tomatoes again. I only have 4 mums left.

Darel and Doug are hoping to finish the fence today. They are leaving a half hour later so they can stop at a hardware store. They need one little link to finish the job tonight. Doug found a link in his tool box so they are on their way. And I want to get started on my day too. I hope your day is a good one, Sally

54 degrees and clear. Another beautiful late summer day is ahead of us. Tomorrow will be partly cloudy, near 70 for a high. Rain late Thursday as the low that has been over the Ohio River Valley so long gets here. The low's clouds will prevent a frost but it looks like chilly showery (40% chance of showers as of now) weather will rule this week end. Cool weather is OK but they don't need showers for the last Team Penning program of the year at Maple Lane Farm in Charleston.

The Post Harvest Party is Saturday and we don't want rain for that either! Starting this Saturday until I have Christmas trees I will close at noon. I will close sometime in October when I run out of vegetables until Christmas tree time, the day after Thanksgiving. Sometime I'll run out of tomatoes but the end is not yet in sight. Soon the fall broccoli and cauliflower will be coming on.

I got the rosebush pruned and the lid to the tank dug out before the septic pump truck got here. Everything is back in working order and it is good to have the job done when the weather was nice. I've been wanting to prune that rose bush, thinking how much it needed it when I looked out the window. There were less fall blooms on it than usual, none on the old stems I cut out. I cleaned up the spent sun flowers too. I'll enjoy looking out the window more, I wouldn't have stopped canning to do the clean up so it was good I had too. From the weather report I'll be enjoying the morning glories for awhile.

67, still and clear. Sunny and near 80 today, less humid than yesterday. Sunny and mid70s tomorrow. Sun with clouds moving in later in the day for Wednesday, rain Wednesday night into Thursday. There may still be some showers around Friday but Saturday's chance of showers has dropped to 30% Lows in the upper 30s Saturday night means chance of frost. Next Sunday is forecasted as the beginning of a sunny spell with seasonable temperatures. Rachael says we will have a frost Saturday night because it is always cold for the Post Harvest Party.

Spent yesterday afternoon canning though it was really too nice an afternoon to be inside. Darel did not have a good afternoon, not only did the Red Sox continue their losing streak but the Pats lost. Darel and Doug are headed to Buckfield. They are hoping to finish that fence this week.

Last night we realized that our septic tank needs to be pumped today. So at daylight I have to prune the rosebush back and clear away so the man can lift off the lid. Always something! I've been wanting to make time to prune that bush, it is not only hanging over the lid but growing into some perennials, shade where I don't want shade. Why I'm at it I'll clean out the sunflowers that the birds have cleaned all the seeds from. I am so anxious to get through putting food by so i can work outside. Doug has a Hugh pile of compost to be spread on the garden and pumpkin patch. He checked and there are plenty of pumpkins for the school kids and for me to put some in the stand. There are fewer than last year but they are bigger. The kids had trouble carrying them last year!

66 degrees with dense fog. The fog will burn off mid morning giving us a partly sunny day with a high temperature near 80. Warm and sunny again tomorrow. Tuesday and Wednesday sunny with a high temperature near 70 on Tuesday. A few clouds will keep the high for Wednesday in the mid 60s. Showers for the end of the week, 50% chance of showers Saturday. Sunny Sunday.

I'm getting an early start. The vegetable stand got pretty well emptied yesterday, I need to refill it before I leave for Sunday School. I'm hoping this warm weather has brought on a few more cucumbers and summer squash. Carol sold most of her glads too. And some more mums left. Darel and I picked peaches and pears yesterday. I need to freeze the peaches this afternoon, they won't keep. Grapes and fall raspberries are ready to be picked too.

65 degrees with rain. Slow clearing later today, we won't see enough sun to raise the temperature above 70. Tomorrow and Monday will be dry with some clouds but the sun and warm air from the front bringing rain to our west will give us temperatures in the high 70s. Tuesday will be sunny with a high temperature near 70. Showers mid week, sunny on Friday. As of now there is 60% chance of showers next week end.

Nearly a half inch of rain, enough so I don't have to water the mums that are left. When it clears today Carol is going to Dexter to sell the last of the glads. I'll be canning. And doing the Sunday School lesson I didn't get done yesterday.

Mother duck got put in the pen, got out and went back to the road's edge for weed seeds and three babies got hit. So I spent several hours yesterday cleaning away from the fence so I could board up the bottom. I had fixed the hole I knew about. Darel put wood in the greenhouse back room. He'll probably clean the stove pipe out there since it is raining.

I've got applesauce heating up so I can can it and there is a pan of tomato sauce cooking down. I had a lot of tomatoes that needed done today and Gilbert brought me some more. Lynne and Tom are hoping to be pretty much moved by tomorrow night. Hoping your preparations for winter are moving along, the shorter days are a warning! Sally

64, clouds, 4/10ths of an inch of rain. We are will continue to be dryer during this period of showers than our neighbors to the south and west. Scattered showers through Wednesday with few breaks of sun. The best chance of rain will be this evening and tomorrow. Daytime temperatures in the 70s for the week end and Monday. Cooling towards the end of next week as things dry out and the sun comes back.

I spent yesterday canning. Darel split some wood. Last night we went to Bangor so he could get some things he needed for the fence. I need to clean house before I start canning this morning, the floor gets pretty sticky. I also have to make time for my Sunday School lesson. Darel asked what I would find to do when everything was in jars. I assured him no problem. I have canning tomatoes for sale, fifty cants a pound. Canning lids too. It would be nice to be done canning by the end of next week when the sunny days return.

Mother duck keeps taking her babies out by the road to eat the weed seeds in the ditch. I may have to make her stay behind the barn. I'd like the babies to get bigger before I do so they don't look like a tasty morsel to the ravens. Knock on wood, we haven't had a fox problem this summer. Sometimes we hear the coyotes but they don't seem to come up to the buildings.

56 degrees with fog. Scattered showers are the forecast for the next week. Friday during the day and Sunday the showers are forecasted to be widely scattered, maybe even some breaks of sun. Showers will occasionally be heavy. There will be rain over the areas hit so hard by Irene. The only good thing, this front is so large it will keep a tropical storm out in the Atlantic.

Rain is supposed to be heavy in Buckfield where the guys are building the fence so they aren't going today. They won't go back down until Monday. They got in a good day yesterday. I sold sixty pounds of tomatoes yesterday. I still have plenty to keep me canning. And I'll be picking again tomorrow. I'm hoping to find time to not only clean out flower beds but start pruning and mulching my summer raspberries. Doug has piled up lots of pretty well composted manure for me to put on them.

I got all my supplest put away. Before I start canning I'm taking the boxes over to Lynne. They will mean a few less boxes they have to buy. So often there are moving boxes for sale in Uncle Henry's but not now when Lynne needs them.

50 degrees and clear, a warm sunny day for us to enjoy. Especially since the next week or so will have lots of showers. Thursday and Saturday will have lots of showers, Friday, Sunday and Monday the showers will be widely scattered but not much sun. More showers for the middle of next week. The plus side of all the clouds will be no frost. There is still time to plant some perennials or shrubs, even a fruit tree.

Doug and Darel got in a good day yesterday and expect to get in another good day today. They probably won't go down tomorrow, Buckfield's forecast is wetter than ours. I harvested a few squash yesterday, I sure have a lot that aren't ripe. It is good the frost is holding off. My day was harvesting tomatoes, canning tomatoes and applesauce. I didn't pick the sauce tomatoes yesterday so I'll be doing the same things today.

46 with some clouds and lots of fog.. More clouds building in today with a high temperature in the low 60s and widely scattered showers late this afternoon. Tomorrow will be beautiful with the high temperature in the low 70s. Scattered showers and clouds will end the week with Sunday being the next sunny day.

Darel and Doug got started on the fence and have left this morning. They are hoping the showers dry up or hold off this afternoon. I did several errands yesterday but didn't get much done here. I need to make that up today. Everything is ready to come out of the garden. I haven't checked the colored corn, it may be ripe too.

We still have all the ducklings but one has an injured foot. It is always the last one but it still keeps up. The ducks are hoping it rains later, their puddles have dried up. Rain this evening would be fine. Have a good day, Sally

41 and clear. Another pleasant fall day with a high in the mid to upper 60s. A few degrees warmer tonight. Some clouds tomorrow with a chance of scattered showers tomorrow night. A beautiful day Wednesday. Clouds and scattered showers the rest of the week. Sunday will usher in some more sunny days.

Darel and Doug are headed to Buckfield to start a fence, Buckfield is nearly a three hour drive. I have a dentist appointment in Bangor this morning. A shame to spend part of a beautiful day in Bangor. When I get home I'll pick tomatoes again.

Lynne has sold her house and needs to be out by the 30th. I'm taking a load to the Salvation Army for her today. They have to sell their beautiful blue sectional, it won't fit in their new home. Down sizing isn't easy!

I saw a hummingbird in the salvia , a traveler coming through? I have very few other birds, there must be plenty of natural food. With the price of sunflower seeds that's good. They do clean out the sunflower heads as the seeds ripen. Ten to six and just breaking day! We need to enjoy these pleasant days why they last. Sally

42 and clear. Sunny today and tomorrow with a high temperature in the mid to high 60s. If you didn't get a frost last night you may be safe for ten days or so. Cloudy with a chance of showers Tuesday, sunny Wednesday with a high temperature in the low 70s. Cloudy with showers for the end of the week.

Gilbert, Barbie and the girls climbed Mt. Katahdin yesterday. Rachael didn't make it, Barbie and Gilbert stayed with her why Tiffany went to the top with her uncle. Gilbert says Rachael was by far the youngest on the mountain. They had wonderful weather. Barbie's sister has a place up there, her family goes up there a lot.

40 degrees, clear and breezy. Breezy and sunshine all day with a high temperature in the mid60s. Frost prone low areas will probably see a frost tonight, I think we'll be OK here on the hill. Tomorrow and Monday will be sunny and a few degrees warmer. Tuesday looks like the beginning of a cloudy spell with occasional showers, high temperatures in the mid60s. If we get by this frosty spell there looks to be several nights without a frost.

Very windy yesterday, far to windy for Darel to paint gates. I'm down to two rows of potatoes left to dig. Lots of tomatoes to can, sure hope we don't get frosted tonight. There are lots of puddles for the ducks. The ducklings are just like kids, they zig-zag around the yard so that they can go through every puddle. The babies already know how to take a weed or grass stem in their bill and strip off the seeds.

3/4th inch of rain yesterday. 43, clearing with a gusty NW wind. The temperatures in the high 50s today combined with the wind will make for a chilly day. Lots of sun in the forecast, no showers until the end of next week. The next 3 nights the temperature will dip into the high 30s. That means low areas might see a frost. If we can get by the next few nights there aren't anymore 30s in the forecast. Daytime temperatures will be warmer though 70 will be very warm!

Darel painted some gates before the rain. It rained so hard that he last ones painted before the rain started will have to be repainted. He thought there was enough time for them to dry. I picked and canned tomatoes. Also picked cucumbers and onions. As I moved the vines the midges were terrible. The rain, cod and wind will make digging potatoes midge free today. I do hope we don't have a frost.

With all the puddles around I let Chuckie out. I knew he'd be so happy to be be out and see the puddles he pay less attention to the ducklings. And they move faster now. Darel thinks there is more than 12. They sure are attention getters. I saw a hummingbird in the salvia yesterday, the first I'd seen in several days. Most of them always leave around the 6th.

55 degrees, clouding up to be a rainy day. Clearing during the night tonight as a cold front moves in will make tomorrow mornings temperature about 15 degrees lower. A high temperature and gusty north wind tomorrow will warn us that winter is coming! Several days of sunny dry weather are ahead of us with a daily high temperature in the 60s. Even though we will see a few nights in the high 30s we aren't supposed to get a frost.

I cleaned my cook stove yesterday. It was a much more of a job than I expected. The time is fast approaching when it won't ever go out. Now to clean the chimney. Having it all shinny and clean brightens up the whole kitchen! I have water heating to start canning tomatoes.

Andrew and Gayle got home late Tuesday night. They came by for awhile yesterday and we got caught up on the news in the north woods. They fly to Alaska for a month November 5th. They stocked up on tomatoes and cucumbers.

I've brought some house plants in. With the weather report I'd better get the rest in today if I don't want them stressed. I have lots of coleus left. it looks very nice mixed in with house plants if you would like some, no charge. I'll be tossing it come frost. It and impatiens brighten up a winter window but I soak them with insecticidal soap before they come in, bugs love to sneak in on them. Not enough hours in the day! Enjoy your day, Sally

64, clear with a breeze. mid to high 70s today, mid 50s tonight. Enjoy the warmth today. Showers and T-storms tomorrow. As the front bring those showers pulls away cool Canadian air will come. Sunny but highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s, maybe even high 30s Friday night. Next weeks night time temperatures will in the high 40s but even with sun I don't see any temperatures in the 70s.

We talked to Andrew and Gayle late yesterday on their cell phone. They were still in Canada but expected to get home late last night. Looking forward to seeing them this morning. I'm not sure how long they will be here before they head to Alaska to visit Lil Andrew. I think Andrew is going to work with Keith and Andrew for awhile.

We delivered wood last night and got some baby duck feed. I spent most of yesterday watering. I haven't had to watered the shrubs for awhile so they were weedy. The mums need watering every other day so I'm glad they are leaving. Today I'll get back to canning tomatoes. it is our 54th anniversary. We don't have anything special planned, we're just glad we are still doing all we do together.

58, still and very foggy. Partly sunny today, humid and a stiff breeze. the humid air will start clearing out tomorrow with partly sunny skies and a high of 70. Scattered showers Thursday will usher in chilly fall days through the week end, sunny but highs will be in the 60s, lows in the low 40s, perhaps frost in the county. Showers mid week will keep our night time temperatures warmer but still no day time highs in the 70s.

The fog is so heavy the road sounds wet when the cars go by. I have to water everything today. Wind dries the potted plants out quickly. With the fog I can put it off until I clean house and sort tomatoes. I picked about 150 pounds last night and didn't get the paste tomatoes picked. Blight to the north of us, blight to the south of us but we are very fortunate! We took a load of wood into our accountant yesterday and Darel has another one started for today.

One of our ducks showed up with a dozen ducklings yesterday. That meant poor Chuckie had to get shut in. I'm told that the drakes get so excited that the hen is finally off the nest they trample the ducklings. In a few days they will be nimble enough to stay out of his way. She had no intention of allowing me to herd her and the babies anywhere. Hopefully skunks and other predators don't find them.

52, still and clear. Sun today with a high around 76 a chance of t-showers tonight. Some clouds and 70s tomorrow and Wednesday, 50 at night. Chance of showers Thursday with a high of 60. Next week end is forecasted to be dry with high temperatures in the low 60s and nights in the low 40s.

Darel split a pick up load of wood for our accountant, we will take that in this afternoon. I need to pick up some honey, I use it in the applesauce. Our apples don't seem very sweet this year. We have a new hive this year so we have to leave all the honey for the bees to eat this winter.

40, clear and still. We might see 70 today, tonight will be warmer, a low of 50. Warm tomorrow with a slight chance of an isolated T-shower. Low 70s and some clouds Tuesday. high 60s with scattered T-storms Wednesday. The next 6 days are forecasted to be sunny with highs in the 60s and nights in the 40s.

Nicole and the girls worked on the horse barn getting it ready for some bull calves. So there were grandkids and greatgrandkids here all day. Beef has become so high priced there is some profit in raising some to sell as well as for us.. Not only is it high priced but people want to know how it was raised. Darel cut wood all day. Doug took a break from hauling manure and worked on his firewood. Gilbert picked apples so I'm making applesauce and canning tomatoes. The stand was fairly busy too. I had to stop and refill it a couple of times.

I want to clean the house up and make a stew before church. I need to finish some applesauce I started yesterday. I won't want to be inside when I get home from church. I don't can or freeze on Sunday. I can do these things and make these choices because so many have given their all to ensure my freedom. Enjoy your day, Sally

47, clear and still. Most of the next ten days will be sunny, even with the sun many days, including today and tomorrow, will not reach 70. Many nights will drop into the 40s, tonight will drop into the low 40s. No frost in the forecast. We could see a few scattered showers perhaps even a T-storm the middle of next week. Not is this the week end to bring in house plants but it is the perfect weekend to plant shrubs and perennials. Both are still 20% off. Grapes and fruit trees are 10% off.

The shorter days and cool weather spur us to keep getting ready for the cold winds of winter. At the same time I'm ordering seed and flowers for next years. Greenhouse supplies will be here next week. Doug is hauling manure and making compost piles to put on the gardens for next year. Heavy rains this spring caused crop failure for grains in the county. Straw is hard to find and very expensive. Doug didn't get any hay rained on this year so he has no mulch hay. I don't expect any relief from high grain prices.

I'm caught up with tomatoes for the day. I'll be picking more today. If you want canning tomatoes ($.80 a pound) call me. Remember I carry canning lids. I'll be making apple sauce today. Darel will be enjoying the cooler weather as he cuts wood. I hope you're enjoying beautiful fall days too. Sally

Another beautiful day, 55 and sunny. Warm (around 80) and breezy today as Katia passes by our coast. Enjoy the warmth, most days in the ten day forecast show either side of 70 as a high. Tomorrow night will be in the low 40s, other night time temperatures are near 50. Sunny days except for some scattered T-storms next Tuesday evening into Wednesday. It looks like Mexico will get the TS in the gulf instead of Texas where it is needed. And TSMaria looks like it will follow Katia's track. We are blessed to be having such wonderful weather!

Darel's eye appointment went well. He was given a lubricate to oil his eyes as his oil glands (not tear ducts) aren't working well. Which is why his eyes are often bloodshot. I got some insecticidal soap to douse my house plants before I bring them in. I have some coleus and impatiens that didn't sell this summer. We so enjoy the color in the winter but they are very susceptible to bugs. Last winter seems so long I was wishing I'd brought some in.
When we got home from Bangor I went over to Doug's and packaged some hamburger With the price of hamburger making "gunk" for everyone was getting expensive. Doug and Nicole have a large commercial grinder. First thing on my agenda this morning is cleaning the big cooler. Carol is cutting glads to take to Greenville today. She has several left from yesterday, they are here on the table for a dollar.

Chuckie thinks the puddles are permanent lakes. He spend a lot of time standing in the middle of them on one leg. Thinks he is safe from the fox at night! I have to cover the tomatoes in the garage so he can't see them. If he can see them he runs (a fast waddle) in and steals one leaving his calling card because he is so excited. both the females are sitting on eggs.

55, clouds and fog will slowly dissipate today giving way to several days of sunny weather. Katia will give us temperatures in the high 70s late this afternoon and tomorrow with stiff breezes. As Katia pulls away our night time temperatures will drop into the high 40s, days may reach 70. A good weekend to bring in house plants. No frost in sight and it is anyone's guess where the storms forming in the tropics are going to go.

It rained all day yesterday and we got .16 of an inch. To the west of us Lee dropped inches on already sodden ground. The mess in parts of New Hampshire, Vermont and the northern Hudson River Valley is unbelievable. I can't believe there isn't more in the news. Maine has loaned Vermont 30 DOT trucks with men and some other equipment.

I picked and canned tomatoes yesterday. With the warm air from Katia I'll be picking again tomorrow. And I'm sure the wind will knock lots of apples off the trees. Carol has hundreds of glads ready to sell. She is going to take as many as she can fit in the car to the fly in in Greenville this weekend.

My morning glories in the kitchen garden are beautiful. Not many finches are feeding there. There must be lots of natural food. And there is plenty of water everywhere. Darel has an eye appointment this afternoon. They will be dilating his eyes which bothers him a lot. I need to go to drive him home so I'd best get stared on tomatoes. Have a good day, Sally

58 and cloudy. The temperature isn't going to change much today as the clouds from TSLee cover the sun. Not much rain is left in Lee but we can expect scattered showers through early tomorrow am, heaviest this evening. Except for scattered T-storms next Tuesday the forecast is for several sunny fall days, highs around 70, lows around 50. I'm watching a tropical depression in the Atlantic.

A beautiful day yesterday. I dug the rest of one planting of carrots. They aren't very large but they are all splitting as they grow. Lots of tomatoes. I'm hoping to sell some canning tomatoes and I will be busy canning. it is time to start bring in plants we want to for house plants this winter. I have coleus, ivy, scented and zonal geraniums for sale. Make sure no bugs come in with the plants. Darel and Doug had a good trip to New Hampshire.

59 with a light rain. Clearing around noon. The temperature may drop below 50 tonight. High tomorrow in the mid60s We'll see showers late tomorrow as the remnants of TSLee pass through. Clearing again Friday but very windy, especially towards the coast as Hurricane Katia passes by. Next weekend is forecasted to be sunny with 70 for a high. A depression is forming in the Atlantic and another one in the Gulf of Mexico.

The men spent yesterday butchering a dairy cow that broke her leg. Definitely a hamburger cow but hamburger is good. The farmer gave her to Doug. Doug has a commercial hamburger grinder. Darel split some wood. I harvested some vegetables. Fortunately mid day was dry. Lat nigh I went over to church and we made a lot of headway getting the rooms ready for Sunday School classes. I'll be going over tomorrow night to clean them and put up posters to brighten them up. I can't go tonight as Darel and Doug took my truck to New Hampshire for fence supplies today. With them gone and the kids in school I should get lots done today. As wet as the ground is weeds are pulling easy. I've been weeding all summer but there is still no shortage of weeds to pull! First I'll read the papers, I haven't even read Saturday's paper yet. Have a good day, Sally

A warm humid morning will lead to T-showers and light rain. There will be showers and light rain the next couple of days with occasional heavy bands of rain especially to the north and west. It looks now like Hurricane Katia will graze North Carolina and Cape Cod than turn east. So the forecast is for 5 dry days after Wednesday. A slight change Katia's path could change that.

Those going to the Lady Antebellum concert on the Bangor waterfront are hoping the forecast is right and most of the rain is north and west. As of now we are forecasted to get more rain than Bangor. I had to water all the plants yesterday, they couldn't wait for today's rain. This morning I want to pick tomatoes before the rain starts. I'll pick any that have any pink on. They will rot easily in this weather and the moisture will bring out the slugs. Darel is going to try to split wood. Tomorrow Darel and Doug are going to New Hampshire for fence supplies.

Yesterday afternoon we went to Bangor for some things I wanted for Sunday School. Borders had books for journals 60% off. They still cost more than I thought they should. I hadn't been in ACMoore for months. Prices are much higher. We will have to be very creative. Three of us are going to work on the Sunday School rooms tonight. Once they are all cleaned I'll know better what we can do.

64 and muggy. Dry today with a slight chance of T-showers tonight. Chance of T-showers tomorrow. Heavy rain tomorrow night. A 50% chance that the weather front containing the rain. will hold off until after the Lady Antebellum concert. Clearing Tuesday will lead to a beautiful week. Remanents of TSLee may affect us next week end. Ts Katia is expected to become a hurricane and affect us. We are waiting to see what path she takes.

I went to church yesterday morning to see what I wanted to do do in the two Sunday School rooms I'll be using. It is a good thing I did, they are full of stuff. I spent quite a bit of time on the phone when I got home calling people to ask them to get the stuff out. I did some harvesting to fill the stand and had some customers. Heather did the books. I'm pleasantly surprised by the number of perennials and shrubs I'm selling. People are thinking the economy isn't going to improve soon and are making their home more pleasant. Doug worked on hay and Darel worked on wood. Gilbert and Barbie's yard sale did well enough so they had to close early because they didn't have much left. Everyone came here for supper. Nicole and the girls had spent the day in town school shopping. I spent quite a bit of time visiting with Keith on the phone. All is going well in Alaska. Keith and Andrew got their base passes and have started the big job on the army base. Getting base passes is not easy any more, many people get turned down.

57 and still with a few pink clouds. Today and tomorrow look mostly nice days but the air will be humid and there is a chance of t-storms this evening and tomorrow. T-storms Monday but it is looking like the heavy rain may be later Monday night into Tuesday. The rest of next week looks pleasant and cooler. TS Lee is approaching the gulf states with serious flooding likely. Katia is taking a more threatening west ward path.

In addition to the personal suffering caused by the weather it is hurting an already hurting economy. We already see it in the grocery store and grocery prices will rise. A challenge to plan ahead and be creative. It looks like TS lee may raise fuel prices. We are so fortunate that our life style allows us to "hunker down" and still be comfortable. I'm making sure our cellar and freezers are full and judging by what is selling at the vegetable stand others are too.

Doug thought he had his second cutting sold but one buyer didn't get their barn done, another didn't have money. So the crew is cramming it in an already full barn. Because Barbie and Gilbert were having a yard sale yesterday I roasted a roasting chicken for supper so I was able to feed the hay crew too. More fields have second cutting than I realized so Doug is still baling today. Beautiful hay. Barbie and Gilbert's yard sale went well.

54 and clear. A beautiful day today, Tomorrow will be mostly sunny but there may be T-storms late in the day. There will be scattered T-storms Sunday and Monday with Monday being the damper day. Neither day will be a washout but they will be wetter than it looked earlier this week. Next week looks like a pleasant fall week. It is still too soon to tell if Katia will visit us. There is hope TS Lee will bring rain to the Gulf Coast.

The downside to this beautiful weather is I'm back on a watering schedule. You need to check any thing you've planted this season. There is probably enough moisture in the ground but check. More moisture and cooler temperatures is what makes September such a great month to plant perennials and shrubs. Even fruit trees do well planted now. I did figure out a place to put my Joe Pye Weed plants where they won't blow over. The wind makes for a pleasant summer, especially when it blows the black flies away, but it brings lots of challenges too. I'm challenged to keep the nursery up, work in the gardens, harvest them and put the fall by for winter. All pleasant work but never ending. Darel is enjoying cutting wood in this cooler weather. he has to get started painting gates for the next fence. Doug is nearly through second cutting of hay.

Gilbert and Barbie are having a large yard sale today and tomorrow. They have accumulated many nice things that their tenets have left behind when they moved out. it is hard to believe that people would leave so much behind.

62, still and mostly clear. Beautiful days all week with temperatures in the 70s day and low 50s nights. Saturday will be more humid with a chance of T-storms Saturday evening into Sunday. A chance of showers Monday, sunny and cooler all next week. Tropical Storm Katia is now a hurricane. it is still too soon to tell if it will make land fall on the east coast or veer NE.

I have to clean up some of the sun flowers in the garden today. I usually leave them until late fall so the birds can have the seeds but Irene knocked them over into some cucumbers and gourds. The ones behind the house fared much better. Which is good. Since the seeds started to ripen the sunflower seed consumption at the feeders has gone way down. I get to enjoy the sunflowers and the birds.

I found out yesterday that having my mums out front on the display tables means watering them everyday, they aren't sheltered from the wind. I hope they sell quickly. The garden is plenty wet but all the nursery plants are going to need me to get back in the watering mode. I just had to chase Chuckie the duck away from the road. He knew better, the minute the door opened he stated waddling towards the barn! His ladies are sitting on eggs.

55, clear with a cool breeze. The rest of the week will be warm and sunny days with cool nights. Some scattered T-showers showers Saturday night and Sunday, clouds and chance of showers Monday but the weekend will be mostly dry. Next week will be dry but the high temperatures will be around 70. low 50s at night. It is too soon to tell if Katia will graze the east coast or turn to the NE missing the US.

Yesterday was a beautiful day. I'll start canning tomatoes today. By next week I'll have canning tomatoes for sale. I also carry canning lids. $1.30 a dozen for regular and $1.70 for wide mouth. I weeded fall carrots and sprayed the summer broccoli and cauliflower with Bt for cabbage worms. I'm glad the Brussel sprouts have lots of time, there are no sprouts showing yet. Darel split wood and brought some more trees out Everything is beautiful, the grass is very green and the flowers are blooming with bright colors but this mornings cool breeze is a reminder that winter is coming. Doug mowed the second cutting of hay. It will take a couple days to cure. I defrosted one freezer yesterday, I need to get the freezers defrosted before I put anymore in them.

52, still and clear. Not quite as cold as expected last night. All the night temperatures in the forecast look like comfortable sleeping. The days are expected to be sunny and warm through Saturday. Some clouds the second half of the week end bit it looks quite dry. Sunny next week. I am watching Tropical storm Katia. It is too soon to predict her path.

We lost power for awhile yesterday morning. It was a beautiful day but windy. My sister on the other side of Bradford doesn't have power yet. They have our generator. Vermont and Northern New Hampshire, Northern New York and bordering Canada will be a long time recovering. Homes, roads and businesses are gone.

We are back to normal, busy with the harvest and preserving. We got a few groceries yesterday after Darel went to the dentist. Prices encourage growing our own food as much as possible. Many people who have grown their own food for the quality are now doing it from necessity. I am pulling every weed i can to prevent them setting seed. There are enough weed seeds in our soil!

I came home from a church meeting last night to find a skunk in the garage. It was a little one with no smell yet but I wasn't interested in finding out if it would spray. I had to bang on the window to have Darel let me in the front door. We'll be making sure the garage door is shut before dark from now on.

We got a couple inches of rain and gusty winds that are still blowing at 30 to 40mph instead of 50mph gusts. Many people are without power. The wind is supposed to die down this afternoon and the rest of the week will be sunny with temperatures in the mid 70s. Tonight will be cold, down in the 40s. Then back to to 50s for night time lows.

I slept away the day yesterday. I went back to bed yesterday morning and slept till 11:30. Fell asleep a couple times watching Irene on TV and just knew I wouldn't sleep last night. Instead I slept until ten to six. All the beautiful summer days must have caught up with me! I did freeze broccoli and clean a refrigerator. And my pantry cupboard floor. I had put a molasses jug upside down so it would be easy to get the last drop. Will the lid must not have been tight enough, the floor got the last drop and there seemed to be lots of last drops.

I left a roll of paper towels on the counter in front of an open windows. When the wind blew them on the floor Madison the cat claimed them. From what was left of the roll she must have played with them most of the night.

Darel has an early dentist appointment. Hopefully his last one. Between us the dentist should have have money to go on vacation. I told him I ride in so I better get moving. With the wind I won't be putting any plants back until tomorrow.

Many of us need smiles today as Irene soaks and hammers our east coast. We have 3/4 inch of rain and we are forecasted to see rain into tonight. Winds of 20 to 30mph will pick up this afternoon with higher winds late this evening. Windy tomorrow as Irene leaves us. than a week of beautiful weather. Expect power outages today and we are under a flood watch.

I did a lot of harvesting yesterday. Tiffany and Rachael helped me carry the mums all in the greenhouse. And since they were in the greenhouse I had to water them. I moved or laid down a lot of other plants. We really don't know what to expect for wind. Even sustained 40mph winds will raise havoc with plants. This is not good timing for the grain harvest. Straw may be a precious commodity.

Another beautiful day today, then Irene. I think Irene will bring us 2 or 3 inches of rain and sustained 30 mph winds with higher gusts. however we are still under a tropical storm warning which is 60mph winds. Should Irene wobble west we'll have less, towards us we'll see more. Western Maine will see more wind and rain. Once Irene moves out early on Monday we can look forward to a week of beautiful weather.

We will "batten down the hatches" today. At the eleven o'clock update I'll decide how many plants to move. Tiffany and Austin will help me is if need to move them. Yesterday was a beautiful day and it appears today will be also. I am looking forward to next week.

Danielle has retuned to Maine. Alaska is to far away from Mom and Dad. Her parents are not well which didn't help any. Andrew is staying in Alaska. Not only is he committed to 2 years with this job but there is nothing here. And he likes what he is doing.

Fog and the few clouds should burn off as the sun rises giving us a nice day with a high around 80, Tomorrow will be much the same with more clouds late in the day. Part of Sunday should be dry but bands of rain and some wind from Irene will start moving in. Sunday night we can expect 60mph winds and inches of rain. Most models show Irene going right through Long Island, Boston, the SE corner of New Hampshire and into Maine. Dropping to a category 1 over New York and becoming a Tropical Storm by New Hampshire.

We didn't get as much sun as we expected yesterday but it was dry until late afternoon Darel was able to get all the wood he had split stacked, I'm not sure what I did but we worked outside until it started to rain. Than Darel went to Corinth for generator gas and a prescription and I made zucchini bread. I'm gong after chicken food and sweet corn this morning. Usually we do better at combining trips.

I'll fill the vegetable stand today and start moving plants tomorrow. Carol went to Greenville this morning with 300 glads My mums are beautiful, I don't think I dare leave them up on the display tables. See what the forecast is tomorrow. I'll enjoy a pleasant day today and decide what preparations I need to make tomorrow. I can hope Irene is less than they say but I can't chance it. Enjoy your day. Sally

62, mostly clear, a nice day ahead but scattered T-showers tonight some of which may be severe. Nice weather for tomorrow and Saturday. Sunday's weather will deteriorate as Irene approaches with inches of rain and high winds. With the soggy ground high winds may topple trees causing power outages. There may be enough wind for structure damage. We are told to expect serious flooding. After Irene; a week of beautiful weather.

We had a nice day yesterday. We did the usual. I worked in the garden and Darel spilt wood. Doug went to North Haven and looked at a fence. Not a lots of fence jobs lined up for fall. Carol did not sell all of her glads yesterday so we have cut glads at the stand for $1.00 each. We'll do more of the same today but we'll also be starting to prepare for the wind and rain. They are saying we haven't seen a hurricane of this size since 1938 in New England.

58 degrees with a few clouds that the sun will burn off giving us a sunny day with the temperature around 80. Tomorrow will be much the same to start but clouds will move in during the afternoon with scattered T-storms tomorrow night. Clearing and pleasant Friday and Saturday. Sunday will start nice but later in the day we'll see the leading edge of Hurricane Irene. I think we have a good chance of seeing more of Irene than we would like Sunday night into Monday. After Irene passes through the rest of the week will be sunny.

Yesterday it suddenly dawned on me that the swallows have left. Usually we see them lined up on the power lines days before they leave but they are just gone. There seemed to be more flies around and I realized they were gone. No sign of Kingbirds either, the dogwood and elderberries are all eaten. I'm not ready for fall!

Carol will be going somewhere with glads every day, the heat has brought them on fast and any in bloom need to be gone before Irene comes. Sales are very slow here and just adequate in the places where she sells from her van. Sales at the vegetable stand aren't bad but they aren't as good as I would like. Sweet corn is moving very slow. My mums look very good, I hope they sell well. Yesterday the kids help me move them to the display area. I sold out last year.

Darel likes to have enough house wood cut to last us until next fall before winter in case we have to much snow for him to go in the woods. He is vey close to that. He probably has enough greenhouse wood but needs more in case we have another late spring. The gardens are still keeping me busy, lots of weeding. I'm cutting the tops off the tomatoes to push them into ripening.

50 degrees! A taste of what is to come. Sunny and cool today, sunny and warm tomorrow. Clouds coming in Thursday with rain Thursday night. Sunny and pleasant (mid 70s) Friday and the weekend. Rain with some thunder Monday. Then sunny until Hurricane Irene affects us. Hurricane Irene is now forecasted to graze Florida and make landfall in the Carolinas during the weekend on its way up the coast.

Carol is cutting glads to sell today. The cool temperatures make for chilly work but the flowers are prettier and last longer. Darel's delighted with a cool day to cut wood in. Only a few days in the ten day forecast are forecasted to reach 80 instead of most of them Fall is just around the corner! I won't have to spend any time watering, we got .92 inches of rain from this last storm. Which is good, I've so much I want to do. Every weed I pull doesn't get to set seed! And everything is so beautiful.

69 degrees and raining, no watering needed today! Mid 70s for a high temperature as this storm moves past giving us a chance for some breaks of sun late today. The muggy air will go with the storm giving us a pleasant week with temperatures mostly in the mid 70s. Wednesday we may see 80 and Thursday there may be scattered T-storms. The next chance for rain is next Monday. Hurricane Irene is forecasted to slam into Florida with 90mph winds Thursday night.

It was so hot Darel didn't work on wood. The fan and the TV was much nicer than out in the sun. We had a very nice evening. Pastor Cindy was visiting Corinth and came for supper and spent the night. Gilbert, Barbie and the girls were here for supper too. Of all mornings I have an eight o'clock dentist appointment in Bangor. We visit via e-mail and on the phone but I would love to sit and visit with Cindy over coffee this am!

With this rain I won't need to water this afternoon and the ground should be soft enough for weeds to pull easily. My late beans, carrots, beets and turnips are doing well but so are the weeds. I won't have sweet corn in the stand again until Friday morning. I have some tomatoes but they sell out fast. Lots of tomatoes are on the vines, just not ripe. We accept food stamps. Have a good day, Sally

This morning's dense fog will burn off giving us another day with temperatures near 80 and a chance of pot-up T-storms this afternoon. The storms will become more likely this evening. Rain during the night, tomorrow, perhaps into Tuesday morning. The rest of the week is forecasted to be dry with highs in the 70s. Tropical storm Irene is expected to become a hurricane tracking toward Florida.

A pop up T-storm brought us .06 of an inch of rain, not enough to water plants. I have everything is pretty well watered and tonight and tomorrow's rain will do a good job. Darel spent most of the day cleaning up that ash tree. I finished freezing the beets and watered. It seems only a few weeks ago all the perennial pots were weeded, now they have weeds again. Doug spent the day hauling manure for the hayfields. Gilbert tore down an old pig house. Its been years since pigs wee in there. He is building an addition on Rachael's playhouse.

The second hatch of finches are having their "bad hair days". with rough feathers sticking out all over. Soon they will have their jewel colors. The birds are eating a lot less sunflower seed from the feeders as the sunflowers ripen. Lots of butterflies and Carol's bees are busy enjoying all the blossoms. When she picks glads early in the morning she has to be a little careful, bumble bees like to spend the night deep in the blossom.

This fog should burn off by mid morning giving us a mostly sunny day with a high temperature in the low 80s. There is a chance of a T-storm. Tomorrow will be much the same. Showers early Monday will take some of the humidity out of the air. Mostly dry and cooler next week. Tropical Storm Harvey's moisture doesn't look like it will reach Texas. We are watching another storm form in the Atlantic that looks like it will affect the US.

Doug cut some wood but he spent most of the day hauling manure for us to make compost with. I harvested vegetables for the stand, weeded and watered perennials and froze beets. We'll be doing more of the same today. The birds are busy cleaning the berries off the elderberry bushes. Carol took a car load of glads to Greenville and did fairly well selling them. She is going to Dover with glads today. The hibiscus are starting to bloom. Such large glowing blossoms! They are a hardy through zone 4 and are included in our 20% off sale.

60 degrees, a slight haze and still as the sun rises on another beautiful day. This evening there may be some t-storms. Mostly dry and warm. but with scattered T-storms the next 3 days. The air will be cooler and dryer midweek with more showers possible the end of next week. A tropical depression will make landfall in Central America and perhaps make its way up to our parched southwest. The next TD forming may affect the US.

I got my supply order done. A few years ago we all moaned about price increases. Those increases were minor compared to the 18 to 20 percent increase last year and again this year. I wasn't able to order everything I wanted. And I don't heat my greenhouse with oil! Nor have I had the perennial and shrub losses that parts of the country had this summer due to heat. So far the blight that is damaging the potato and tomato crop in the Country hasn't reached here. They have had so much rain up there the potato farmers are having to spray for blight from the air. Our farmers have taken a beating from the weather this year, we will see the result in the grocery store.

Darel worked on wood. Dorr's brought my tractor back, time will tell if the accelerator is still sticking. We've had enough rain so Darel will be mowing the lawn today. As always I will do some weeding . Even with the rain I need to do some watering as the potted plants dry out fast. I watered mums yesterday. If the T-storms go around us newly planted trees and perennials will need water. Mostly I want to can and freeze beets. And see if there are some blackberries ripe. I had planned to pick berries last Sunday when we got that storm out of no where that knocked all the ripe ones off.

53, the sun is rising to start a beautiful day with a high temperature in the 80s. The next 3 days will be much the same with the chance of isolated T-showers and some increased humidity. Sunday may be cooler as some clouds move in giving us a chance of showers Monday. The rest of next week is forecast to be sunny and in the 70s. There is some activity in the tropics but nothing that will affect the U.S. for several days.

A short night last night as I got home from the greenhouse expo about eleven. Learned a lot, so glad Heather went with me. It not only made for a pleasant time but adding her mind to mine was very advantageous. Enjoyed visiting with lot of friends who run other greenhouses. Now I have to make out an order for what I decided to buy and get it in this morning. As well as go pick up sweet corn first thing. Darel has a early dentist appointment.

Andrew has set up a dish and now has internet in La Perdu in remote Quebec. It will be so good to be in touch with Andrew and Gayle more often. They have a satellite phone but service is very irregular. To fink out more about the camp Andrew manages just type Laperdu in your search bar.

58, windy with light rain. The storm was somewhat warn out when it got here, instead of inches we go 3/4 inch of rain. The storm will slowly move away giving us clouds and scattered showers until late in the day. Sunny and warm tomorrow and Thursday with more showers moving in Friday. Moisture in the air will make pop up T- showers possible through the weekend with rain to start next week.

Hurrying this morning as it is almost time to catch the bus for Springfield. Griffin Greenhouse charters a bus and pays for our hotel room to encourage us to go to the expo. The cooler started freezing everything last night so I was collecting coolers and putting ice in them to keep all the extra vegetables I picked fresh. Always something. Remember there will be no journal entry tomorrow and no one will be here to sell plants today or tomorrow. Darel and Tiffany will keep the vegetable stand full but Darel doesn't want to deal with selling plants.

65 with fog. An unexpected T-storm popped up yesterday afternoon quickly giving us a half inch of rain. This morning we aren't supposed to see much rain but showers will be pretty steady this afternoon and evening. A few my linger into tomorrow a.m. When this front leaves we will see sun until another front brings a chance of showers Friday and isolated T-storms Saturday. Scattered showers Sunday into the next week.

Yesterday I did some weeding and harvested vegetables until I got rained out. The storm came up so sudden I got soaked as I was in the upper part of the garden. Darel just happened to be coming into the garage with cedar. The storm tore most of the clothes off the line so I had to collect and rewash them. I spent the rest if the day taking inventory and working on my supply order. Darel split cedar chunks into wafers to make kindling so that he will be here at the house why I'm in at the Expo. Darel say he doesn't know anything about plants so please don't come to get any why I'm gone in case he is the only one here! Carol will be here some of the time so he'll get some chance to work in the woods. Tiffany is going to take care of the vegetable stand. I want to dig more potatoes this morning to make sure she doesn't run out.

Dorrs are coming today to get my tractor. The company representative from Ohio will be at Dorr's tomorrow and they say they will fix the problem causing the accelerator to stick. They have been fixing it for two years.. This time they are supposed to be replacing parts in the transmission.

59 degrees, mostly clear. Some clouds today but the day will be pleasant with a high temperature around 80. Some showers tonight, more tomorrow. There may be a few left over showers Tuesday, Very nice Wednesday and Thursday. Clouds will make Friday and Saturday cooler but they will be mostly dry. Saturday's showers have moved to Sunday.

A beautiful day for Bradford Day yesterday. We got a hard shower around four but they didn't get it on the other side of town where everything was going on. The folks from the general store foot the bill for a fireworks display. The display equals any display the cities have. The owners of the general store are very good to this town, not just the fireworks but all year.

Yesterday was one of those days where I was busy all day but I'm not sure what I did. I had to do some watering even with all the rain. The hibiscus are about to bloom. They are large plants with lots of buds and take a lot of water. We don't have many varieties that are hardy in zone four but as spectator as these are we don't need many. The mums are large plants about to bloom and they take a lot of water too. Carol will water Wednesday while Heather and I are in Mass. at the Greenhouse Expo.

58 degrees with sun, the temperature will be around 80 later today. Perfect weather for Bradford Day and the fireworks tonight. Nice tomorrow with showers late in the day. The showers will lead to a chilly rainy Monday. The weather will get better Tuesday, nice for Wednesday and Thursday. Showers may come in late Friday leading to a wet Saturday.

Darel got a lot of wood in yesterday. Austin, Tiffany and I finished redoing a large section of the perennial display. It looks much better and should be much easier to maintain. And I'm hoping it will work to better care for the Joe Pye Weed and Queen of the Meadow. A whole section for butterflies now. I dug potatoes. There was still some dry soil even with the rain we've had. The Kingbirds have stripped every berry from the Pagoda Dogwood. The elderberries will be stripped next.

Nearly a half inch of rain in a half hour last night has made it so I can enjoy the next three warm sunny days with out watering. Some clouds will move in Sunday with showers late in the day that will last through Monday into early Tuesday. Clearing Tuesday with sun into Friday, then another round of showers. Now next Saturday looks pretty wet, enjoy this one. I will give my petunias some food, I'm sure everything in the pot was washed out.

It rained so fast and hard last night the hummingbird feeders were full of water. It was time to clean them anyway. I only fill the larger ones half full as I like to clean them every four days or so to keep the food from fermenting. With so many flowers around they aren't emptying them as fast as in the spring. I watch them work the red and blue salvia outside the window as I write this.

Yesterday Darel worked on wood and I weeded. Weeding never ends, by the time the last area is clean the first needs it again. I potted some Virginia Creeper to sell. I really like that vine. It's hardy, attractive and feeds the birds. Today I'm going to start freezing and canning beets.

58 with fog and clouds, slowly clearing. today. yesterday was a rainy day but we only got ,26in. of rain. Tomorrow through the week end will be warm (80) with sun and breezes. On Sunday humidity will move in with scattered storms late in the day through the night into Monday. It will be dry mid week with some showers possible toward the end of the week with high temperatures in the 70s. There is interesting activity in the tropics that I will be watching.

Gilbert did major weed wacking yesterday! He not only weed wacked around the sitting log but did the whole bank.. than he came here and not only caught up the places that Darel has been doing but did all the places (mostly ditches) that Darrel hasn't gotten to this year. Austin Tiffany and I will be doing lots of raking today. Darel split wood between showers.

I did mostly paper work. And made stew and rolls for supper. Gilbert had bee working in the mist all day and Barbie and the girls spent the day in town shopping so they enjoyed supper with us. I'm getting some carrots out of the garden so I made carrot cake and put grated carrots in my oatmeal cookies. Grated carrots or potatoes can be added to lots of things and I can grow them .
Mu butterfly bush is starting to bloom. The hummingbirds love it. I am so pleased at how well it is doing. Many of you have had no luck getting one started. But Barbie doesn't like them, they took over at her house in Dexter. I know they are a problem in the southern states but usually we are thrilled to just get one to grow. I have them on sale for $5.61 Have a good day.

To get the early order discount I have to have my 2012 supplies order in by Monday. Next Tuesday and Wednesday (August 16th and 17th) Heather and I will be at The Greenhouse show in Mass. Darel will be here but there won't be any plants sales those two days, vegetables will be self-service.

59 with drizzle. We are supposed to get enough rain today so we won't have to water even newly planted plants. Low 60s for a high. Gradual clearing with sun tomorrow afternoon warming us up into the 70s. Sun and near 80 Friday and Saturday. Some clouds will keep Sunday in the mid70s with humid air and scattered T-showers. Mid to high 70s with scattered showers next week.

A skunk was looking for birdseed when I put out the feeders this morning. He ran off. At least skunks are good ratters. Fred occasionally brings a rat in and lays it by his food dish as if to remind me he earns his cat food. So I know there are some rats around.

Gilbert sprayed Bt on his and my bassicas yesterday. Bt is a concentrate of a natural bacteria that kills the green cabbage worms when they ingest it. There seems to be a lot of the little white butterflies that lay the cabbage worm eggs . I'm seeing a lot of butterflies this year, late but they are here. I have a lot of plants that they feed on. Yesterday the hummingbirds were on my butterfly bush. I have lots of flowers for them too but they still come to the feeders. The red salvia may attract them but they feed on the blue as much as the red.

I've lots of things I've been saving to do on a rainy day, more than can be done in one rainy day! Top of the list is clean the cupboard before I put the jars of beans away. I hope you've lots of good things to do too, Sally

A beautiful warm sunny day today will give way to a cool wet front coming in tomorrow. tomorrow's cold wet weather will slowly clear out Thursday giving way to some more pleasant weather for the week end. There is a chance of scattered T-storms Sunday. The average daily temperatures seem to be on a slight but steady down ward trend. The days are getting shorter.

Mud and soft soil identified our nocturnal bird seed thief. Darel saw lots of raccoon tracks yesterday, even in front of the garage door. A good thing we shut it at night. The coon would love to find the cat food! I don't feel too friendly towards it since I have to carry the feeders in and out every day.

After a busy weekend it is time to start gardening, transplant the later crops and get our perennial display set up. About the only good thing about this wind is no black flies. It will be rough on plants that are hardened off and it would tear up any plants put out today. If you have any hanging plants please put them in a sheltered place until Wednesday. Tuesday night the wind is to dye down, low areas might get a frost. 38 degrees is the prediction. On Wednesday the weather pattern is forecasted to change to normal temperatures. This wind will help dry the soil so you may be able to plant potatoes and onions by the end of the week. It is easy to dig out dandelions and other weeds now before they get any larger. Any dandelions you don't eat plus other weeds can go to the chickens or in the compost pile. Do you like pole beans but don't want to bother with the poles? Plant sunflowers on the north edge of your garden. Plant beans in the next row, they can climb on the sunflowers. I'm going to plant scarlet runner beans on sunflowers for the hummingbirds and finches when the soil warms up. Remember...Gardening lifts the spirit! Sally

Potatoes are planted, now they need to be covered with hay to keep the weeds down. I will check the soil temperature tomorrow. Potatoes sprout at a cool temperature but the soil should be near 50. Onions do well in cool soil too so I'll start planting them tomorrow. Peas should go in now but I don't plat peas. With the greenhouse I don't have time for them. I will plant beets and Swiss chard as soon as I can. I'll set out lettuce and celery. I put the celery plants in the row between the different kinds of onions. I plant soaker hose in the rows with the onions and celery, both need lots of water. Right now it doesn't seem possible water would be needed but I've learned the weather can change quickly and the soil get dry.

The greenhouse is full but I don't trust the weather. There are some cold tolerant flowers like pansies but I'm even afraid to put petunias out unless I'm willing to cover them should we get a hard frost...and this year that seems likely. The moon is full May 17th. Many people are buying the hanging petunias (waves) and watching the weather. They will take them in if necessary. The same with the containers planted with assorted flowers. I'm starting cucumbers and squash next Monday, a few days later than usual. They don't do well if the roots have started to grow out of the pot and they don't want to go in the ground until the soil and air is warm. The forecast for May is cooler than average. "La Nina" isn't supposed to be weakening this month allowing the jet stream to move so we can have average June temperatures. Fruit trees, perennials and berries can all be planted now. There is plenty of moisture in the ground and no black flies! So get out and enjoy your garden now, Sally

This has been has been the week of transplanting peppers. Not only transplanting them but the challenge of making room for them in the greenhouse. The cold keeps hanging on. My unheated cold frames are getting too cold at night. It is supposed to drop to the low 20s the next two nights. I'll even be covering the pansies with remay tonight. Many flowers do fine when the temperature drops into the very high 20s or low 30s. Once again the ten day forecast shows night time lows in the 30s after Friday night. If the forecast doesn't change again I'll be putting pansies out for sale Sunday afternoon. I have King of the North, Ace and Yankee green bell sweet peppers. I also have some colored peppers, it has been my experience that they are not as dependable in our climate as the ones listed above. I have mild Jalapeno (used for stuffing with cheese and wrapping with bacon and for pickling), regular Jalapenos and Thai Hot. On Saturday Gilbert and Erin will be uncovering the perennials. Don't forget to mark April 30th, Open Greenhouse Day on your calendar. We are looking forward to seeing you, Sally

The cold tolerant flowers like pansies are in the unheated hoop house. Nights when the temperature drops into the low 20s I cover the flowers with remay. I have a cold frame I usually put the calbrachoa in but the cold frame is still under a drift so the calbrachoa is in the greenhouse back room. A lot of extra moving around of plants with the cold hanging on and the snow. A lot of snow is melting, I'm hoping tomorrow's rain will melt most of it. Because everything seems slow I started the tomatoes a few days late. I planted red and yellow cherry, grape, Heinz and Amish paste, Early Girl, Jet Star, Celebrity and Big Beef. For heirloom tomatoes I started Brandywine, Cosmonaut Volkov, Moskvich, Cherokee Purple and Pruden's Purple. Around the middle of the month I'll start more Big Beef and Celebrity for people who like to wait until into June to plant peppers and tomatoes. I wouldn't be surprised if it was too chilly to put tomatoes and peppers out Memorial weekend. There is a full moon May 17th, the next one is June 15th, the strawberry moon. Most years I would think that soon after the May full moon it would be warm enough but maybe not this year. I have several different kinds of peppers ready to be transplanted into three and six packs. I'm getting ready for planting time even though it is snowing out at the moment. Sally Sally like

I've been very busy in the greenhouse. So far I've been able to do everything on time. With Tiffany and Rachael's help I'm even keeping up with pruning. We're doing waves now. We are rooting clippings of waves and geraniums for June customers. With Mother's Day so early (May 8th) I started the greenhouse a week early. Pansies are starting to bloom so yesterday we had to move them to cooler places in the greenhouse to slow them down. I can't move them to the unheated greenhouse to harden off until a week from tomorrow. Pansies, mini petunias, snapdragons are among the many flowers that can take the colder temperatures. I'll move onion plants and cold loving flowers into cold frames the last week of the month. The greenhouse needs to stay warm for heat loving flowers, tomato and pepper plants.

Spring comes in at 7:20 Sunday night. The chilly weather won't seem too "spring like". But the clear nights will enable us to have a great view of the moon. This full moon is called a super moon as it will appear so large. It has not been so close to the earth since 1992. Even though the moon is closer than usual it won't be close enough to have a affect on us except for a few inches in the tides. The colder nights will also make for good sugaring and lesson flood concerns. Sally

I've spent the last few days transplanting onions. I have onion sets for sale, they are easy and produce good storage onions. But some people want Walla Walla sweet onions and others want Alisa Craig onions. Neither kind are storage onions so they must be enjoyed in season. Often people stop on the way to camp, buying some onions for the weekend and some to take home. They have to stop on the way home and get some more as they ate them all. I'll have a few extra plants for sale or plants may be ordered from Johnny's seeds. Johnny's has several varieties of onion plants for sale. I'll have some leek plants for sale too. Onions need fertile soil and don't do well if they have to complete with weeds. To get the best onions I plant a soaker hose in the row so I can make sure they get an inch of water a week. I mix corn gluten in the row when I plant. It will keep weeds from germinating for a month or so. By than I've found time to mulch to keep the weeds down. Onions should be planted early in May, last year they were planted the last week in April. It doesn't look like an early spring right now but that can change. After Thursday the forecast looks about average. Spring always comes! Sally

2/15/11

Four thousand two hundred twenty-five plug and cuttings came at nine this morning, the coldest windiest day of the week! But they came in a heated truck and we got the boxes inside fast. Now we need to get them all potted. I also got confirmation on Parker and Patten pear trees this morning. They are recommended as the best varieties for us. Both of them are zone 4. (Bartlett and Bosc are zone 5) They had sold out so I was on a wait list. Fortunately someone canceled their order or the nursery had a few more than they thought. You need to buy one of each for pollinating. They both bloom in early May. Parker pear ripens in August, the Patten pear ripens in September. I will try to enter them in the catalog some day this week. It will be warmer tomorrow! Sally

a long range forecast says the temperature will moderate the last few weeks in February but there will be an extended below average cold spell in early March.

I have done some shoveling, now I need to wait for Darel to do more blowing to do more. The red polls were sitting in the trees waiting for me to get their feeders shoveled out. There was a lot of snow blown in thee! Yesterday some gold finches were with the red polls. I hadn't seen any finches for a couple of months. The days are an hours longer than in December. Do the finches start checking our weather as the day length increases? Except for the pear trees my Bailey order has been confirmed. Last year they came out with a self-pollinating plum ,sweet cherry and peach trees that are supposed to do well in zone 4 (our zone). I wasn't able to get any of them but I put in an order for this year last spring.. All have been confirmed for April delivery. I am getting some of the reliance peach too, so many people have been happy with the peach crop from their reliance trees. It is listed as zone 5, maybe 4. I'll be starting the fires in the greenhouse next Friday. Sally

Last week I made a planting guide for seedlings. Come May you can just click on it, "Frost Planting Guide", to know how early you can set out some seedlings like lettuce and cabbage. Or how late you should wait to set out peppers and basil. I'll try to add some more cold tolerant charts. We are going to have a lot of combo planters for you, 8' and 12' pots. I used to be able to get pre planted pots at a good price but I no longer can. We have spent a lot of time planning combos that will look good in the pots they come in or they can be put in your container. I put some pictures under annuals of some of them. Our wave petunia are peaking out of the soil. In two weeks when we start the fires in the greenhouse we'll be transplanting pansies, geraniums and waves, We've gained 45 minutes of daylight. Keep warm, Sally

Zero, still and clear. Warming slowly into the low teens, cold again tonight. Warmer tomorrow as a storm approaches. Snow early evening through Wednesday, Heavy wet snow with some mixing. I think we'll see 5-7 inches with a little mixing. Back in the the cold single numbers Wednesday night. Daytime highs will be in the teens for several days. The Indians called this full moon the wolf moon as the wolves howled outside the villages, cold and hungry. According to the long range forecast it will be colder than average until mid February. The week I start the greenhouse is forecast to be bitterly cold. The cold is to be broken by a heavy snow. April and May are forecast to be cooler and dryer than average. I'd just as soon the long range forecast wasn't too accurate. I'm planting wave petunia this week.

Reeser C.. Manley has a good article in the Saturday paper (I enjoy his weekly column each Saturday) He suggests that we make sure we plan a place for plants that attract beneficial insects. When you plan your "garden Insectary" try to choose plants that will bloom at different times so your garden attracts beneficial insects from spring to fall. I carry many of the plants he suggested. I have so much quack grass and weeds that I am going to cheat. I'll put down cardboard and cover it with a mixture of bagged compost and bagged top soil. That is where i will plant seeds. Any plants I put in the garden will be mulch with newspaper and bagged mulch to keep the weeds and grass out. Keep warm, Sally

New Years has come and gone. We've gained eighteen minutes of sunshine. Not any sun today, we are having a nor'easter that was supposed to go out to sea. A good day to curl up with seed catalogs and make garden plans. My gardens are so lovely in January that I always plan a larger garden then I can care for. A smaller well cared for garden will produce more than a large one that gets away from you. Right along with too large a garden is over crowding. Always consider the plants mature size to ensure you've allowed enough space. When plants are too close together, they lack air circulation and suffer more pest and disease problems. Not planning for the plants mature size becomes expensive when the shrub grows too close to the house or into power lines has to be removed. Remember gardening is for pleasure and to enjoy nature. Don't try to do so much that you become overwhelmed. I need to follow my own advice! Keep warm, Sally

Christmas has come and gone with church programs reminding us of the significance of Christmas through meaningful services and beautiful music. My Grandchildren did a inspiring program of music and acting out the nativity Christmas Eve Day here ( our main family gathering) This week we had a big party here celebrating our son Doug's 50th birthday.

Now it is time to prepare for 2011. The days are picking up minutes of daylight, by the middle of January they will be noticeably longer. We start the fires in the green house in six weeks. I already have plants started under lights in my laundry. Mother's Day is as early as it can be this year. Open Greenhouse Day is April 30th. It would be nice if we had an early spring to go with such early dates. I will have pansies, mini petunias, snapdragons and other cold tolerant flowers that continue to thrive even if the temperature drops below freezing.

I'm adding to my shrub and fruit tree order this week because some of you have asked for plants I hadn't ordered. There is still time to call or e-mail me to make sure I'll have what you want. Hoping you are staying warm, Sally

Where have 12 days gone? We've had a snow storm and another storm that came in tonight is going to wash the snow away. There are high wind warnings and a flood watch up. The weatherman says thee is a chance that near next weekend a storm may back in with some snow for a white Christmas. These freezing and thawing is very tough on perennials and strawberries. That is why we mulch- to try to moderate the temperature changes. There isn't much we can do about saturated ground. I've had lots of birds come to my feeders. Little brown birds and some finches are spending the night in the wind break trees. Deer have cleaned out Gilbert's garden, just stubs of the broccoli plants. Just a few tracks in my garden, they will probably clean it next. I keep all barn doors locked there are so many fox tracks around the barn. In fact I screwed the doors that go out into the chicken and duck yard shut.

I'll be ordering my fruit trees and shrubs this week so call if you need anything. I've transplanted foxgloves and poppies for next spring. I have some red creeping phlox started too. I'll be starting columbine and geraniums soon. Only 9 more days until the days start getting longer. Hoping you are enjoying getting ready for Christmas. Sally

A slow moving storm has been pushing some warm air our way, tonight the rain storm is supposed to get here. As the storm clears out tomorrow more seasonable temperatures will move in. The local girl scouts, nine and ten year olds, are selling Christmas wreathes they made to raise money so they can do some "fun" things. I have some of their wreaths for sale here, the price is $12.50 People asked for taller Christmas trees last year so I brought taller trees. They are very full. The price for a tree is $25.00.

Carol has nearly finished filling her wreath orders. She has already been looking at glad bulbs. As soon as she has time she is going to place an order for 500 or so more gladiolus. She is looking at Blue Moon mix, purple and white mix and several others. I have brought straw to mulch the rows. It is hard to believe that we have to plan for spring these short dark days. In 21 days the days will be getting longer, slowly at first but at least in the right direction. . I did get the windbreak trees up for the birds. I will put up more wind breaks as each of my sons takes down their Christmas tree and gives it back to me. I am still putting up Christmas lights, I hope to finish tomorrow. I enjoy finding ways to decorate for Christmas that remind us of why we are celebrating. Sally

The Beaver Moon is 99% full tonight. The beaver houses are thick and the beaver's coat is in its prime, they are ready for winter. According to tradition bears den up Election Day and the skunks hibernate during this phase of the Beaver Moon..

Rain tomorrow. The forecast is for much cooler weather coming in behind this storm, That means this coming weekend will be the time to mulch. It is supposed to be cold but dry both days. The pots of perennials are all wrapped in their winter envelope so the wind can't dry them out if we don't get snow. I have oriental poppies, foxglove and different kinds of coral bells that I started late summer. I will put them in the cellar along with the begonias and herbs for the winter. They will bloom next summer. I have ordered Christmas trees. many people wanted taller trees than I got last year so I'm getting taller ones this year. I will have them Thanksgiving week. Sally

First week of deer season has come and gone with lots of eating, story telling and hunting. Many of the days were nice enough to make hunting pleasant but no one saw a deer. Gilbert did have to get his broccoli picked and froze as deer started eating it at night. Now we are dealing with the remains of Thomas dumping inches of rain on us. While we wait for things to dry up a bit we can take care of our garden tools. There are two university fact sheets that clearly tell all a person needs to know about caring for hand tools. From the University of Florida: Sharpening Tools for Landscaping & Gardening#ENH1120 and from Cornell: Caring for Your Tools Cornell. I typed them in search just as I've typed them here and they came right up.

Strawberry and some other plants need protection from winter's extremes but applying mulch too early may cause the crowns to rot especially as wet as it is this fall. Apply protective mulch after plants are dormant but before temperatures drop below 20 degrees. I haven't mulched anything yet, this is very late. I have put must of the pots of perennials to bed for the winter but I wrapped them in an envelope of plastic so they wouldn't be sitting in water. Freeze up is so late that I'm doing a better job of making sure winter annual weeds are dug out than I have most years. There are several dry days in the 10 day forecast. After the water drains I am going to take some soil samples so I'll know just what to put on the garden next spring.. We have so much standing water now that the ducks are having a wonderful time in the grassy pond that we call lawn! you can still plant fall bulbs too. Enjoy your work, Sally

The flowers by the house were covered with snow. how strange to see the blooms through the snow, the pink of the fuchsias stood out so through the white. So strange that frost hasn't killed everything yet! The forecast is in the 20s for tonight. I'm going to dig carrots today. It was so dry this summer they didn't start growing until October. I didn't think I was going to have any but I've a nice crop. I finally got all my perennial pots weeded and cut back. All the weed and grass seeds that blew around this fall was growing. So many of the plants were still blooming. Now I have to prune hydrangea and some of the other shrubs. I'll put them in their winter spot as I do them. Many of them need to bumped up to a larger pot. And I'm sure they will have weeds in them. The glads are all dug, cleaned and in the cellar. I'm going to put the cardboard we set on the greenhouse tables to clean the glads on some areas where I want to kill grass. I'll cover it with old hay and let the worms work it over the winter. Next week the weather is forecasted to be nice, we'll have chance to do last minute fall chores. Enjoy your day, Sally

I'm finally done with tomatoes. Besides my own I put up a lot for my kids, canned goods are their Christmas. Even though the flowers around the house haven't been hit by frost everything else has. I'm going around with a knife in my hand to dig out any weeds that are still green, especially in the pots of shrubs and perennials I'm holding over. I know those green weeds will live under the snow and be ready to take off in the spring. I'm bumping shrubs that need it up to larger pots. Yesterday we went to Bennets and got Christmas wreath supplies. We won't start tipping until the first week in November but Carol is going to make bows evenings. I'm outside until dark, the days are so short and I have spent so much time canning. I harvested the rest of the rhubarb last night, cut it up and froze it. We have a nice stretch of fall weather the next ten days so we should be ready for freeze up. Sally

The nor'easter we are having makes this a good day for planning. Are you going to plant hyacinth bulbs this fall? Husker Red Penstemon is a good perennial to plant among the bulbs nest spring. It's purple leaves will be attractive and will get tall enough to hide the foliage after the blossoms are gone. Hummingbirds love the penstemon blossoms. Next spring I will have three packs of oriental poppies for sale on the first Saturday in May, Open Greenhouse Day. They will bloom after the narcissus, hiding the spent blooms and foliage. Butterfly bushes and the butterfly weeds planted in the same bed would be for late summer bloom and feed for the butterflies. Many people plant tall phlox with narcissus or tulip bulbs. Achillea and cranesbill geranium are two more plants that grow well with bulbs, Their soft green foliage make a pretty backdrop for the bulb blooms. When you are planting your bulbs this fall think about mixing some of these perennials in to hide the bulb foliage why it is storing food in the bulb for the following year. At the same time you will be planning for continuous bloom through the summer. I have the perennials meantioned and more. Sally

The frost was spotty here. I still have my flowers around the house. The zinnia and dalhiis are so pretty. I really like the profusion zinnias. They just bloom and bloom. I've taken down lots of the morning glory. Even though they didn't frost the wind tore them up. I was afraid the wind against the morning glories on the archway was going to blow it over. I was able to get everything out of the garden that couldn't get frosted. I have more ornament guards than I can sell. Lots of winter squash left. I'm starting to put newspapers and old hay in places I want to plant next year. I want to eliminate weedy nooks that act as seed banks for more seeds to grow more weeds. This week's nice weather should help get lots of clean up done though I'm not through canning. Sally

A yellow and white tomcat suddenly appeared on our doorstep. He is an unusually nice cat, the younger girls pack him around like a rag doll and he loves it. However since he didn't grow up here he hasn't learned that the back yard where the bird feeders is off limits to cats. Yesterday I cleaned the yard up, cutting back morning glories and removing spent sunflowers Other years I've shocked up the sunflower stocks like they used to corn stalks so the birds could get the seeds but that would have given Fred (the cat) a place to hide. I did leave the black eyed Susan, anise hyssop and liatris so that the finches could pick out the seed. The warm weather brought out more blooms on the butterfly bush so there are seeds and blooms on ti at the same time. I cut back the forsythia too. Years ago before we knew better my daughter -in-law brought it for me at Mardens. It grows rampant and has only a few blooms in spring It is a hiding place for birds when the hawk visits. And it was a protection from the hose for Fred. Now the birds and I can easily see him and it is easy to hit him with a shot of water from the hose. It also looks a lot nicer and we can see the birds better. It seems early to have so many birds. I cleaned all the feeders why I was at it. Today I'm freezing carrots and canning more applesauce. Sally.

Most of your vegetables are out of the garden and it is time to start cleaning up. There were a lot of squash bugs this year. We are going to make sure to clean up the vines this fall and take them down to the woods, We are cleaning up more than usual hoping to eliminate places for the bugs to hide. I'm still picking tomatoes but I will make sure all the plants from them are cleaned up and gone. We do this even though we rotate where we plant in the garden.

We are digging glad bulbs even though we haven't had a frost, they have had enough time to mature. We wash them, dry them on the tables in the greenhouse and store them in the cellar hanging in onion bags. As soon as frost hits the dahlias and begonias we will dig them. i start them early, the begonias in March and the dahlias in April. So I put the tubers in the pots I start them in and store them inn the cellar also. Some people pack them in sawdust or sand but I am so busy in the spring that I like having the tubers all ready to go.

I'm very busy canning and freezing now but as I do the fall outside work I will be writing in the journal more often. I do not always do everything when I should or the way I should but you might get some ideas. If you e-mail me with comments or suggestions I will include them. Sally

We had a great time Friday. Sally Jo's first grade class came to our pumpkin patch and picked pumpkins. Some of their choices were as heavy as they were! It was drizzling but that didn't dampen anyone's spirit. Sally Jo didn't want us to pick very many pumpkins before her class came, she wanted to be sure there were lots of big pumpkins for her classmates. There are still a couple hundred pumpkins left, i don't think she had to worry. Today Bekah and I will pick pumpkins and bring them down to the stand. They are four dollars each. We also have hay but no corn stocks. Crows ate our colored corn as it peaked out of the ground last spring. Next year we are going to cover it with remay. We have pie pumpkins for a dollar each. Lots of tomatoes and squash too.

I'm trying to find time to plant some perennial in between harvesting and canning. We've had enough rain so the soil is moist and there is plenty of time left for their roots to get established. I always mulch plants the first winter. I mulch most of the perennials on the north side of the house in case we don't get snow. The wind hits there so hard. I also mulch coral bells and cone flowers, they don't do well if we have a lot of freezing and thawing. There is no frost in the ten day forecast so we have lots of gardening time left. Sally

Tonight at about eleven o'clock The earth stands straight and everyone in the world has about the same amount of light and darkness. But tomorrow begins a different season. A season where the days keep getting shorter as the north tips away from the sun. Fortunately about the time the cold settles, December 21st, in the sun starts to lean so as to make our days get longer until finally the days are long enough for the sun to drive away the cold.

The September moon is known as the Harvest Moon. Often gardeners wind up harvesting by moonlight as frost threatens. This year everything is ready to harvest and the ten day forecast still shows no temperatures below forty so we have plenty of time. We have lots of pie pumpkins which is good, many stores have no canned pumpkin on their shelves. We have lots of delicious Buttercup squash too. And tomatoes, beautiful for sandwiches or for canning. Not many cucumbers and the ones I have are getting fat instead of long. Nature must tell the plants they don't have much time left to make seeds. I must go do some watering. I sure hope we get some rain from the front coming in Thursday night. Sally

Already September is nearly half gone. My days are busy canning tomatoes and apples. Tomatoes can be just washed and put in the freezer to use when there is more time. It is easy to slip off the skin when they come out of the freezer or just put them through the blender. I chop peppers and put them in sandwich bags, than put the sandwich bags of peppers in a bread bag and freeze them. I slice apples, adding sugar and spice as though I was making a pie. Than I freeze them so when I get a bag of apples out it is just right for a pie. I also freeze small bags of apples for muffins and apple cake, putting the small bags in larger bags labeled cake or muffins. I blanch everything else according to directions. I'm glad squash and pie pumpkins keep for a long time.. I have lots for sale but I freeze a lot too.

I am bring my house plants inside. It would have been better to get them all in before nights dropped into the forties, less of a shock for them. I have a few house plants for sale including some beautiful rosemary plants. I have some shrubs and perennials I want to plant for myself and always more weeding! I have canning tomatoes for sale at 50 cents a pound. Also ball canning lids, 2.00 a dozen for regular size lids. $2.70 for wide month. Hoping to see you, Sally.

Hurricane Earl was wonderful for us, no wind and three inches of rain. now we are hoping for more rain midweek. We got enough rain to put enough moisture in the soil for fall planting. We will still have to water plants if we don't get a good rain each week but the soil isn't so dry that the the surrounding dry soil will wick away the water we give the plant. Ponds and streams are still very low so we don't just need rain for our plantings. Fall is a wonderful time for landscaping. There is plenty of time for plants to put out roots before winter. The height of the sun encourages plants to put out roots instead of growing. Don't fertilize fall planted plants, that would encourage tender top growth. Fall is good for the gardener too, no bugs and last week's heat a memory. The rain made weed seeds sprout. I'll try to at least get the ones in my flower gardens, I don't need any addition weed seed in them and there is still time for many of the weeds to set seed. They will produce seed when the weed is only a few inches tall this time of the year. I'm setting out lettuce plants in a place where they can go seed so the seeds will make early spring lettuce. Spinach planted now is much tastier than spring planted spinach. Sally

We did get 3/4 of an inch of rain, very pleasant but not enough to do much good. Now we are watching hurricane Earl, hoping we get rain and not a lot of wind. We are so dry that we would not complain about the wind if it brought several inches of rain with. It appears the coast will be battered regardless. I will certainly harvest tomatoes and cabbage Friday morning. This week is so hot with such a breeze I'm not getting much done besides watering. I will have canning tomatoes to sell. I went to the Amish hardware store in Syrma and got jar lids. I have regular lids for sale at $2.00 a dozen and wide mouth at $2.70 a dozen. I am canning applesauce and tomatoes. Gilbert picked the apples because they were falling off the trees. It is so early and so hot I have to get them canned quickly. I have some perennials on sale as well as shrubs. Sally

We are supposed to get some rain today and tonight. We are so dry that I will harvest any cabbage that is ready or tomatoes that are nearly ripe or ripe. If I don't the sudden moisture will cause them to split.. the rain is coming just in time for my shrub sale. The nursery I order my shrubs from must have had a slow year last year. The shrubs I ordered came in a much larger size than I ordered. Eight inch ones I ordered for next year came 18 inches tall, !8 inch came two feet and a half feet tall. Each fall I bump any shrubs I have left up to a larger pot so they don't get root bound. I don't want to have to buy larger pots so I'm having a 20% or more off sale on the large shrubs. My prices are already very reasonable because I have low overhead. Plants planted in August and September have lots of time to get settled before winter. Hoping to see you, Sally

I went to a greenhouse/ nursery trade show at Eastern States this week. I spent all day Monday soaking everything so the plants could go two days without watering. Even so Darel had to do some watering why I was gone. I spent yesterday watering and getting my 2011 supplies order in. To get the early order and show discounts the order had to be in by five yesterday. The bus ride was long but the show was great.

Some buttercup squash are ripe. If you can't make a mark in the rind with your fingernail the squash is ripe. The butterfly bushes are in bloom and butterflies are busy getting the pollen. The blooms are pretty and so fragrant. I don't deadhead them because I enjoy watching the finches go after the seed. I have several of the bushes in two gallon pots for $5.99. Butterfly bushes die back to the ground over winter. They don't come up until the end of May so it is important to mark them well. Every year the bush comes back larger. I'm going to plant some white phlox next to mine. I think they will look nice togather. The forecast continues to be dry. make sure any new plantings are soaked down four or five inches each week. Sally

The hot spring weather followed by some cooler weather caused several environmental problems which are easily mistaken for disease. Blossom end rot on tomatoes seemed to a problem for some gardeners because of the hot weather. Drastic fluctuations in water can cause a calcium deficiency which leads to blossom end rot. Too much nitrogen fertilizer can also cause blossom end rot. This condition is characterized by a large black circle on the bottom of the tomato (end not connected to the stem).

The article above was copied from the Extension gardening news. If you are not receiving the Piscataquis Gardening news in your e-mail you should call the Extension Service at 207-564-3301 and subscribe. Sally

I got behind on watering this weekend and Monday's wind really put some plants in stress. Half a row of green beans didn't get watered, the beans in that row are not as good quality as the rest. Now it is already Saturday and the week is gone. We lost one day in a very nice way. Friends we were stationed with when Darel was in the service 50 some years ago stopped by. We had a wonderful visit. It was a beautiful day with a strong wind making the 90 degree temperature OK. but that same warm wind put me behind on watering again. Vegetables are coming on, lots of cucumbers and summer squash. The potatoes aren't very large, I haven't watered them. I sell out of tomatoes as fast as they ripen. When the barn swallows leave it is time to plant fall broccoli and lettuce. Broccoli and lettuce do so much better the cool days of fall. I have seedlings for sale. Barn swallows left a week or so ago and I thought the tree swallows were gone this morning. The ten or so that have been lined up on our power line were gone. Then I noticed a 100 plus lined up on the line running into Gilbert's house, flocking together to leave. Their leaving tells us summer is on its way out. Temperatures are a little cooler too. If you can water new plantings, this month is a great time to plant perennials and shrubs. I must go water perennials and shrubs so they will do well when you get them. Sally

Water, water, water! This is beautiful weather but we do need rain. All the rain is going around us, the last two rainy days we got a tenth of an inch. I'm so thankful we have a good well. I just noticed I've repeated what I wrote last week. But that is what each day has been with the heat and breeze, a challenge to keep things watered. And of course the weeds are growing fine! I have succeeded keeping cucumbers, well watered, we have plenty, by next week I think we'll have enough so people can start making pickles. I have read that if you place a few slices of cucumber in an aluminum pie tin and put the tin in an area where pests are a problem the pests will leave. The chemicals react with the aluminum, giving off a scent that slugs and the like can't stand. Worth a try.

I have several of the new hydrangeas in stock. They are starting to bloom and are very beautiful. August and September are great months to plant shrubs and perennials as they will have plenty of time to settle before winter. Even now is good if you are able to water the plant. If you put in any plants this spring please soak the soil around them down several inches once a week. I hope you are enjoying your summer, Sally

We think we've found why I keep having a problem with publishing on my web site. Time will tell. Water water water, we are so fortunate we have plenty. We've had some rain, many of you have had nice rains but the storms went around us. Good in that we've put up a lot of hay. An inch of rain a week is best for vegetables. Newly planted shrubs and trees have to have that much. I'm opening the vegetable stand tomorrow Lettuce and greens are on request so if you want some plan to wait a few minutes why I get them. Many of the perennials are in bloom so plan to take time to walk through them. Time to shut the hose off and go to bed. I have another area all set up to start watering first thing. Sally

We've had a nice amount of rain. Now we need some haying weather. The weeds are growing well, along with everything else. At least the ground is soft so they are easy to pull! My daughter- in- law in Alaska puts a bag of aged donkey manure in a barrel of water for five days, stirring it at least once a day. She than puts the "tea" on her delphiniums and bee balm. They always look beautiful. Another daughter-in-law has her kids put several shovel fulls of compost on the tomato plants and has lots of tomatoes. I'm thinking all the good bacteria in the compost or tea fights off the mildew, botrytis or blight these plants are susceptible to. Today I'm going to start putting compost on my tomatoes. Sally

Do you have a rain gauge? vegetables need an average of an inch of rain a week. Some vegetables like cucumbers do better with more. If you want sweet cucumbers you need to make sure they have plenty of water. Keep the cucumbers picked to get lots of cucumber. I top dress my plants with fish emulsion mixed according to the directions on the bottle. Some people snip the cucumbers off the vine instead of just picking the cucumber off to avoid stressing the vine. Did you know a cucumber contains most of the vitamin you need every day? One cucumber contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc. Tired, need some caffeine? For a quick pick me up eat a cucumber. Enjoy your gardening, Sally

In about twenty minutes the computer person had everything back to where it belonged on my computer even though he wasn't familiar with the software. It took longer for him to explain to me what to do!

I am still planting vegetables and flowers. It has been a very good sales season for me. Between helping customers and watering I haven't had time to get my gardens planted. I am mulching everything as I plant. Even though we had a wonderful rain a week or so ago the soil is quite dry. With so many plants to water I have to conserve all I can. Mulch keeps down weeds too, the rain brought on lots of weeds. I use black plastic on crops like tomatoes and peppers that need warn soil. Otherwise I use hay and straw which helps improves the soil. Today I'm planting melon, they are always iffy so they go in last. I hope your summer is going well, Sally

I am still working on my page, I got one sentence published, see if I can do it twice. Sally

I haven't been entering anything on my web page because of server problems. April 20th entry was just put on the web today. Things are very busy here as we get all the perennials ready for you to check out. the shrubs and crabapple trees are all in place, we are putting up descriptive signs today. We not only want to get everything set up for Open Greenhouse Day on Saturday but I want to plant potatoes and onions next week. Carol will put in the first planting of glads also. We are going to try covering our first plantings of glads with relay this year to see if that brings them to blooming sooner. Some people put relay over their potatoes so potato bugs can't get to them. Even with the warm up forecasted to start Friday it is to early to think about putting in plants that like warmth. We could well have a frost around Memorial week end with the full moon. Sally

We are so blessed to have a beautiful day today. Late yesterday about 300 bareroot plants arrived from the nursery in Minnesota. Fruit trees, crab apple tree. lilacs and other shrubs that thrive in this temperature zone. I not only have a nice assortment of peonies but I have some peony trees. The plants in the greenhouse are doing great, I'm constantly moving plants to give them all enough room. Night time temperatures are above freezing now so I can put plants in the little green house. I can put an electric heater in there if i have too. Putting plants in there not only makes room but hardens the plants off so going outside isn't a shock. Carol has all the tomatoes transplanted. Don't forget the Bangor Garden Show this weekend. Sally

Our warm weather seems to have leaf, now we are having typical April weather. The Farmer's Almanac says we will have slightly cooler temperatures, and be slightly dryer than average in April and May. There is a full moon April 28th. Once that is past plants like cabbage and broccoli can be set out or the seeds planted. Onion sets, peas and lettuce can be planted whenever your ground is ready. Potatoes can be planted the first part of May. My seed potatoes and onion sets will be here Monday the nineteenth. There is a full moon May 27, I wouldn't put out tomato or pepper plants until after that. You could plant cucumber and squash seeds a little earlier, when you plant green beans. But I wouldn't set out plants until after the full moon. I have a special on bleeding hearts this spring, $5.99 for the old fashioned pink or white. They could be planted anytime, so can many other perennials. This is a good time to start your herb garden. Don't forget the Bangor Garden show the 23rd thru the 25th. And please plan to come by our greenhouse on Open Greenhouse Day, May1st. If you are anxious for some color come by now and get some pansies to put in your flower garden. The ones I set out at church before Easter are looking great. Sally

I am trying to go over all the gardens and pull any weeds growing before we till. I put the grass and clover in a bucket for the chickens so it can't re root. When the tiller tears up grass and clover it is making lots of little starts that take root. We are putting shrubs out today that are help over from last year. I repotted all of them last fall. The minimum number I have to order is usually more than I sell in one season. the forsythia is already in bloom, it is the same kind as the large bushes that bloom in Gilbert and Barbie's field every year. I had five plants left and sold two of them yesterday right after I put them out. I have more small ones on my shrub order. Part of my order comes next week, the rest come the week of April 19th. April 23-25 is the weekend of the Bangor Garden Show. I am providing some flowers for Stonescapes and Watergardens but I won't have a booth this year. The garden show would take all of that week and I don't have time Admission is five dollars this year. I'm sure you would enjoy it. Sally.

We had a wonderful Easter celebrating our Risen Christ with friends and family. Two of my granddaughters painted a mural on the large mirror in our entry of the angels by the empty tomb with the women coming to the tomb and the three empty crosses on a hill in the distance. And there was no mud or snow for the Easter egg hunt.

Today we are transplanting peppers, we are transplanting something everyday. Bleeding Heart and Hosta plants are coming this week. I already have lots of hostas but several people have asked for some of the smaller ones. I'm getting the old-fashioned pink and white bleeding heart and the ferny Luxuriant that blooms longer and is smaller. Are you planting a herb garden this spring? Or starting a bed of catnip for your cat? Catnip and many of the herbs can be planted now. Not basil, basil likes to be warm, it is the last thing I set out. We have several days of unsettled weather coming, lots of April showers. the sun is up and I want to take advantage of this beautiful day. We still have lots of clean up to do. It is time to take mulch off everything. Sally

The garden is so muddy it would be bad for the soil to walk in it, much less work it. The next seven days should dry it up considerable. I'm going to walk on the straw that is mulching the strawberries and plant some spinach and lettuce along side of it without making a seed bed. I'm too anxious. It is time to fertilize blueberries and strawberries. Make sure you use an acid fertilizer on the blue berries. I'm going to pull back the straw mulching the strawberries. I don't usually start cabbage broccoli etc for transplants until April 10. In four weeks they are the ideal size to plant. The little plants can take some light frosts. But this year I think we will be able to set out plants May 1st. Speaking of May 1st, remember that is Open Greenhouse Day. Many of your local greenhouses, including us, will be welcoming visitors that day with giveaway's, a hanging plant for a door prize, and refreshments. We start our extended spring hours that day: open Saturday's until four and open Sunday afternoons one to four. We won't be closed Mondays for the months of May and June. As always any time I'm here I'll be glad to help even if it is after hours. Looking forward to seeing you, Sally

One of the things emphasized at the school yesterday: use only certified seed potatoes. Potatoes we save or tablestock we buy may be carrying Late Blight without showing any symptoms. Late blight can only overwinter on live tissues. If we have volunteer potatoes in the garden fro last year's potatoes dig them up, bag the plants and put the bag in the garbage, not the compost. sally

A cold raw March day, but since it rained all last night and today I'm happy. we were so dry. That arctic front coming in behind this storm doesn't make me happy, a low of six is forecast. I hope the cold doesn't set back the shrubs that have buds starting to swell or the perennials that have started. I'm glad I haven't unwrapped my pots of perennials yet, I will next week. I have a cold frame full of perennials I started in January. I only put the toughest in there, even so I'm going to put a perennial blanket over them. I do have a cold frame full of calibrachoa (mini petunias) They are fine down to to 26 or so, even lower with a blanket but I'm moving them back inside until Sunday. Do you have left over seeds. Check them for germination by counting out ten or so and wrapping them in a wet paper towel. Keep them warm and wet, count how many sprout. the price of seeds it is worth the effort. Tiffany just called, I have to go pick her up from practice. Spring will be back next week! Sally

I've been potting morning glories in gallon pots with bamboo stakes. This is the first year I've had morning glories so that they will be ready to bloom when planted, after there is no fear of frost. Further south there is no advantage to starting morning glories so early, their blooming time is sensitive to day length. But I found out that we can push them because here in Maine our days get longer earlier. I love morning glories, I plant them around my bird feeders and over a trellis in the back yard so I'll be my own best customer. I planted some canary creeper seeds. Canary creeper is a vine covered with small yellow blossoms. I had said I wouldn't plant again but I stuck some left over vines by the barn where they only got some morning sun and lots of moisture. They did great, there is definitely a place for them. I started some passion flower vines, not too many, I've ne idea how they will do here. As always I'll have Black-eyed Susan vines. I have to go water the greenhouse now. And than I have to water my potted perennials that are outside. So early to put putting hoses outside to water. There is a high fire danger alert today, there was one yesterday too. This beautiful weather has it's downside. But I'm sure enjoying it and hope you are too, Sally

I have brought "vines" up to date, entering the clematis. The library that I use to copy pictures from just has "images coming soon" for clematis. I had to copy from a brochure so they aren't the best but I think the colors are good. You will see that I carry both the Jackmanii and the Super Jackmanii. The old Jackmanii is very hardy, down to zone 2. Until the Super Jackmanii was available we all thought Jackmanii could not be improved on! Sally

I'm not a fast learner. I've been trying to get this set up, it keeps double spacing. I did finally get the font right, now I guess I finely got the spacing right. So simple when I figure out the right way to do it!

This weather is beautiful, I keep reminding myself it is too early to say it is an early spring. Even so I'm starting lettuce and spinach seeds to put in a unheated cold frame. I don't need to buy megabucks tickets to gamble. The area where I wrapped my perennials up still has snow on it. The greenhouse will be pretty well filled up by the end of the week. I'll make more room by moving the perennials I've started to the floor along the edges until they can go out in a cold frame. I've started patio tomatoes as I put them in large pots and I plan to give patio tomato pants in small pots to each person who comes on "Open Greenhouse Day", May 1st.. Except for the plants I put in my hoop house I'm starting my tomato plants the last week of March in hopes of having better plants. I'm not starting peppers until March 20th. Peppers can't go out until the soil is warm and and there has been a lot written about the peppers producing better if they are set out smaller. Now I need to go out to the greenhouse and prune my geraniums. Enjoy this weather, Sally

I start using the new softwear this weekend while my webmaster is off from work to help me. Jim has warned me there will be a "learning curve" I can guess my "curve" will be sharp one. Aren't we fortunate. Enough snow to protect our plants but the huge storms are all going south of us. The groundhog saw his shadow so six more weeks of winter. That is good, winter will be "an Old Man" when the ides of March come and the winds can blow winter away in time for spring. This is good weather for garden planning. I've been getting ready for spring, making display cards for all the shrubs. I am so pleased with my shrub selection this year. May 1st is Open Greenhouse Sunday. By then the ground will be thawed so you can have your shrub planting out of the way before it is time to start your garden. In ten days I start the greenhouse fires. the kids will be glad, the growing shelves in the laundry are full, now their game table is in front of the window covered with plants. The wave petunias will be glad too, they are getting to the size where they want their own space. Enjoy the sun. Sally

My web master has been working on my web page. Many of the problems I was having are because I am using old soft wear in a new computer. The web master couldn't make things do what they were supposed to do. He was on his way to Bangor and is going to buy an upgrade. The hours I've had him trying to make it work to say nothing of the hours I've spent on it would have payed for the up grade. He doesn't know yet that all the journal entries from last March to now are gone. He has a disk that may have the entries on. I did get most of the shrubs updated and he did get the pictures to the web. But i haven't put any of the clematis on the web and I've lots of other updating to do. I will wait until the new soft ear is on, I will have to learn how to use it. Hope you are warm, we had frozen pipes this morning. All is thawed now, the sun is shinning and the wind isn't as strong. Sally

Another weekend, another storm. At least we didn't get quite as much snow with this one. About 10 inches but it is all piled up in drifts. There is so much snow covering the seed heads that the snowbirds are coming to the bird feeders. They are a very pretty bird close up. The greenhouse dropped down to sixty with the high winds. As soon as the wind died down a little it went right back up to seventy. Tomorrow with the sun we will be letting the fires go out and turning on the exhaust fan.

March 1st is the day I plan to bring the begonia's out of the cellar, this year it will be March 2ed. There is no sign of life when I bring up the pots of begonias. After a few weeks in the greenhouse green shoots will show. By late May when the danger of frost is past they will be in bloom. I have the nonstop begonia because I love their vibrant colors and large blooms. Begonias are so adaptable, they do well with quite a bit of shade. Yet my begonias behind the house have no protection from the afternoon sun and they live up to their name, they are covered with nonstop blooms until frost. Than I pot them up in promix and put them in the cellar for the following spring. I've always had red and yellow. Last year I tried the mocca mix, a bronze leaf series. Everyone loved them. This year I've added three more colors. Begonia look great in a window box by themselves or in a container with coleus and ivy. Don't forget that Saturday is the switch to daylight saving time. If you are going by stop in. It is so nice in the greenhouse this time of year, maybe not as good as a trip to Florida but a close second! Sally

The greenhouse is warm with lots of little plants. I have as many hanging baskets as will fit without overcrowding. Tiffany and Rachael are helping me this year. Rachael is seven. She planted a flower garden last year and is very anxious whether they will grow back this spring. I tell her the snow is making a nice warm blanket to protect the flowers from winter's cold. She echo's many of us, "I just want the snow gone!"

We have lots of pansies. They can go to the cold frames to be hardened off when the vegetables need room. Pansies, calibrachoa( million bells) and snapdragons can all take early spring frosts without any harm. Pansies can go down to 25 degrees. We hope to have enough vegetable seedlings this year. I've started celery and parsley. The next few days I'll start peppers. It is too early to start tomatoes for the garden but I'll start the ones for the high tunnel greenhouse this week. You can buy vegetables from us that have grown on soil that has been enriched naturally so the vegetables taste like God meant them too. They will be picked at just the right stage of ripeness and they'll be fresh.

BUT Have you thought of growing your own? Gardening give you many things besides your own healthy food. Other activities cost you money, growing your own vegetables puts money in your pocket. Gardening as a family promotes family togetherness. Even if older children don't really want to help they are learning how to be self sufficient. There aren't many things as rewarding as picking the vegetables you have grown together. Vegetable gardening gets everyone out of the house, away from the computer and video games. It is meaningful exercise. We carry Johnny's seeds ( at the same price as the catalog) and lots of vegetable seedlings. Under our links section are links to Johnny's catalog and Fedco Seeds if you would like a catalog. Both catalogs are wonderful reading material. Now I must get busy planting more flower seeds. Flowers are good for the soul! Sally

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by home depot, Target and many Garden centers contains a lethal ingredient called "Theobromine". It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smalls like chocolate and attracts dogs. They eat it and die. Coca bean shells contain potentially toxic qualities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. Several dogs across the south have died in recent weeks as people are starting to spread mulch. The mulch is made by Hershey Company. Their web page says it is toxic but most animals won't eat it.

The world is so gray. So many people have lost their jobs that we are all wondering what next? If we aren't directly affected thinking about those that are has us down. The tremendous sum of money our nation is borrowing has us all wondering what our grandchildren will be left with. And it is winter, warm this morning but below zero and windy tonight. One interesting bit of news, Our son Andrew is on the Outer Banks off North Carolina. The banks are on the path of the Atlantic flyway. He says thousands of birds are flying over every day headed north. Do the birds know something we don't, like an early spring? Locals there are saying it is early for the flyover.

Our gardens can be a restful, richly flowered haven. A place of peace and quiet, serene: "Maine: the way life should be". The only flower garden I have done is outside my kitchen window. Well it isn't done, a garden is never done. gardens are always changing, but this garden is beautiful. I painted an old maple syrup pan black for a pond. I surround it with bacopas, they can take the cold of spring and fall. Morning glories twine around the shepherd hooks that hold my bird feeders. There is a mix of perennials and annuals. I love to start my day breathing the fragrant air, listening to the birds waking up and enjoying a few quiet moments as I give thanks for the beauty of a new day. I end my day the same way, letting the beauty of the garden sooth away the hassles of the day. In my garden all the things the Lord has blessed me with seem to come to my mind.

Many of you already have beautiful gardens, many are much nicer than mine. I try to have different flowers and shrubs that will enhance your already glorious gardens. I would like to help those of you who don't have a garden or want more. Knowing that in this economy most of us don't have a lot of money for flowers I've been thinking up ways to make flowers affordable for all of you and still stay in business. I'm going to have more flowers in packs this year. Three or five flowers always look better than one. By choosing flowers I can start from seed and putting them in packs I can sell 3 or 5 for the price of a large two gallon perennial. I've tried to have a selection that will bloom this year as well as the ones that don't bloom until the second or third year. Since the plant roots won't have as much room to grow I hope you will come by in May and choose your flowers. By doing that the plants won't get crowded and you will have the pleasure of the blooms in the summer. I'll have packs of annuals too. Flowers from a pack don't make an instant garden like single plants do but they catch up fast and you have many more flowers for your money.

I have gone high speed internet. If there is interest I'm thinking about setting up a blog. What do you think, e-mail me. It would take me a few days, there seems to be some kinks to work out in the changeover. I'm also trying to update the perennial catalog.

The fruit section of my catalog has been updated for spring of. 2009. All of the apple trees are semi-dwarf as recommended by extension. Sally

We got a foot of heavy snow last night. No complaints, lots of areas of the country would trade snow for ice. Besides this storm seems to have broken the cold snap. Do you have lots of organic matter in your soil? For every percent of organic matter a cubic foot of soil can hold 1 and 1/2 quarts of water. If your soil has a high organic content it can soak up this snow when it melts and release it as your plants need it. The organic content in your soil can be built up with compost, green manure crops and cover crops. I mulch with newspapers and any organic matter I can get. Old hay, even weeds work. This year I was able to get four large round bales of straw. I rotate my vegetables. The ones I use black plastic on don't get any mulch but I do work lots of very old manure that is well rotted into the soil before I put down the plastic. Most of my garden was run out hay land. The 3or 4 years of mulching is making an obvious difference. Even in the old pig pen it is easy to tell where I've mulched. I have to be careful that I don't mulch vegetables that need a warm soil too early in the season.

We use a lot of bananas. I'm putting the skins in a bucket to freeze. I've heard how well roses do with banana peels. Now I've read an article about tomatoes and banana peels. I'll use banana peels under my tomato plants as far as they go. It will be interesting to see if the tomatoes with bananas do better. We sure do have a wonderful garden this time of the year! Keep planning, spring is coming! Sally

Even though we are breaking records for cold the temperature has not been as low as it was in Alaska where the jet stream brought it from. We visit with our sons and families often by phone, day after day minus 20 was a high, this cold snap broke records for low temperature and duration up there. The last three days have been in the forties, we can expect that in about ten days. Our house is comfortable except for this corner the computer is in, it runs 4 0r 5 degrees colder than the rest of the room! So many people are having trouble with frozen pipes, Gilbert had the pump house freeze in his trailer park, a first.

I went to the agriculture trade show last week. It was very well attended, many people were small farmer who wanted to be more self-sufficient and/or raise food for sale. This is a time of opportunity for people who wish to know where their food comes from and for those who wish to grow it for them. In addition there is a lot of help available if you want to have higher quality food and save money by growing your own. Local nurseries such as Country Junction have varieties of seedling and seeds that do well in your area, as well as being a good source of advice. There is a saying, "the best thing to put in your garden is your shadow." That is true for getting weeds why they are small, spotting problems before they get serious and for pleasure.

I've been talking to a lot of people about invasive plants. Some catalogs say yellow loosestrife isn't invasive like the purple. But people have told me it can be very invasive, a lady told me it was even choking out her peonies. We baby our butterfly bushes, wanting them in our flower gardens and in the south they are invasive. We need to be careful of non-native plants. It was pointed out to me that some plants do so well at preventing beach erosion but when someone digs up a plant to take home or a bird spreads the seed so the plant is growing away from the adverse conditions of the beach it becomes invasive. With so many plants to choose from it makes sense not to plant something that may become a problem. Sally

One of my New Year's resolution's is to learn more about invasive plants, especially about native plants to use in their place. When we buy plants from other places (non-native) their natural predators and diseases are left behind. Therefore their spread is uncontrolled and such non-native species as purple loosestrife, Japanese barberry and Asian honeysuckle have become serious pests in many areas. Invasive non-native plants choke out native vegetation, diminish the availability of food plants for wildlife, and alter the behavior of pollinators, plant-eating insects and fruit-eating birds. Often the birds suffer, even starving because non-native berries are not as nutritious as our native berries. As the birds eat the berries the seeds are dispersed and the non-native species choke out our native plants. Non-native plants considered most invasive in Maine include Purple loosestrife, Japanese barberry, oriental bittersweet, Japanese knotweed, smooth and common buckthorn, non-native honeysuckles., garlic mustard, multiflora rose, and small-flowered tickle grass. Burning bush is not invasive in northern Maine but is a serious problem in Southern Maine. This area is borderline for it being a problem. As warmer temperatures creep northward there is the potential for it to become a more serious problem here. The beautiful lupines are a non-native species that has gone wild in many locations, choking out native plants. Lupines are poisonous to all animals. As I rework my catalog this month perhaps I can include more information. Sally

We had a wonderful Christmas. Our Christmas started at noon Christmas Eve with a family gathering. All I had to do for a meal was make yeast rolls. Andrew and Gayle bring pans of ziti to feed everyone! Santa got here a little later than usual, he had to stop and pull someone out of the ditch. He brings enough craft supplies to fill my cupboards for a year. After Santa leaves the children put on the nativity. Each year as they get older the play gets more elaborate. This year I used the same script to put on the program at church Christmas Eve. We've been going to the kid's homes since checking out Christmas gifts. The grownups had a Yankee swap one evening. Lots of the grandkids are grown ups now. We went to Doug and Nicole's one evening for their family Christmas. All nine of their kids were there and all but one of their grandkids. No one is complaining about missing Christmas and New Year's dinners this year, they are just glad to be working. We have Dinner on New Year's day for those in the family who aren't working. And send home leftovers to those who those who are.

I've planted begonia seeds. They take a long time and I have to mist them daily. I have shelves with lights set up in my laundry room so that I can be starting seeds through the month of January. In six weeks we will be starting the fires in the greenhouse. It gets warm enough on sunny days for me to spend time out there cleaning.

We got twenty go inches of snow with that last snow storm. Even though the warm weather and rain has settled the snow the perennials are still well protected. There isn't much we can do outside now. I've packed the snow around my fruit trees so the rodents can't tunnel under the snow to eat the bark. I'm hoping I can do some pruning even with the snow on the ground. But the weathermen are forecasting another significant storm for the coming week end. I'll spend my time planning gardens. If you are drawing up garden plans or even thinking of just a few shrubs make sure you take the full grown size into account. This is also a good time to be thinking of planting a wind break next year. I'm limited to what I can do for a windbreak because our septic system is on the north side of the house.

I finished decorating outside and did some more mulching. The weather pattern seems to be freezing and thawing, very hard on plants. By putting on mulch the ground stays froze. My problem with mulch here is that I have to put it on when it is raining or snowing. We have so much wind dry straw blows away. Now the straw has plenty of ice to hold it down. There was so much ice on our telephone line that a log truck took it out. The line caught the satellite dish and took it out. That caught the phone line going to the greenhouse and ripped it down. Fairpoint was right here yesterday afternoon because there were 40 people on Atkinson road with no phone. We had been told they wouldn't get to individual houses until Monday or later unless they were in the area. The phone man said many people were still without power and would be without for at least a few more days. There are so many pine branches broken off from the weight of the ice I'm thinking up ways to decorate with them. I think I'll put some behind the house on the banking. Red bows are 60% off at A.C.Moore, I'll get some to tie on the branches. I've already put some cull Christmas trees up to block the wind for the bird feeders but a couple of them could use some more protection. I have an old stoneware pitcher and wash basin. I'm going to put floral foam in the pitcher and make a centerpiece with the branches. If I keep the foam wet the branches should last. I have more ideas than I do time but I'm never bored! Why I'm writing this I'm helping one of my grand daughters make Christmas cards for her other grandparents.

Keep you eye out for a calendar with large spaces. As you read magazines and seed catalogs jot down ideas or jobs on the suggested dates. Cruise through seed catalogs with post it notes. Mark everything you might like. You can always pare down to what you have room and time for. You will get a lot more quality vegetables from a small well tended garden than a large weedy one. I'm checking my seeds now, I like to get my orders in by the end of the month so I don't get substitutions. I'll have Johnny's Seeds here next spring, at the same price as the seeds are in the catalog.

The only place we have to put up a tree in front of a floor register so we won't put it up until the end of the week. We always cut a few inches of the trunk so that there is a fresh cut for the tree to draw up water. The tree always seem to drink as much the first two days as it does the next two weeks. Did you know that if you are decorating an artificial tree you shouldn't be eating or drinking? Artificial trees shed lead so you should decorate the tree than wash up well before eating, especially children. From what I've read I'd change my clothes before I held a baby.

It is up to 25 out, heat wave! I think I'll go collect some pine branches. Sally

All seems to working. I just got home from church and want to put up Christmas decorations outside why it is nice out. I have Christmas trees, I got them from the same place as last year. They are very nice. At the moment I'm out of decorated wreaths (except for the ones I'm mailing tomorrow). Decorating wreaths will be a nice thing to be doing tomorrow when the weather is supposed to be so unpleasant. There is still time to order a wreath to be mailed to someone who would enjoy a bit of Maine for the holiday. I'll send it out the day after it is ordered, delivery time is about 4 days. Sally

My web host updated and I have been unable to get on the web for a month. He has been working on it today. I'm going to try to put this on the web before I write very much. Sally

We got a hard frost on the 18th. The ones that didn't get killed don't look too good. I haven't emptied the pots out yet, I'm trying to get everything harvested and put away. I'm empting the greenhouse. I don't have room for all the house plants I'd like to bring in. If you live close by and would like some houseplants I'd love to find a home for some. I've been potting up begonia tubers and putting them in the cellar. The glads are all dug, they will be going down cellar tomorrow. I'm going to dig up the rest of the celery. I think I've got three bunches. I'm going to plant them in a tub and see if they will stay crisp for awhile. Deer season starts on Saturday. Friends of Darel's will be here the first week, one from Conn. and one from. Penn. They hunted together in high school and still hunt together 55 years later! Pretty special. There are a couple of other men who went to college with them that often show up also. I didn't put all the apples in applesauce as pies and fresh rolls are a given. Don't forget the time changes Sunday A.M. Fall back in fall, so you make up that hour you lost last spring. I'm not sure when you will be reading this on the web page. Whenever my web master updates I have trouble getting on the web. Sally

My sister from New York made her annual visit to Maine over the holiday weekend so I spent most of the weekend visiting. My other sister lives here in Bradford.. We went shopping Monday and I did get some Christmas shopping done so I accomplished something. Donna has deer in her yard frequently so any plants I gave had to plants the deer didn't care for. I spent some time on the internet getting information on which plants deer don't like. This winter when I work on my catalog I'll mark the plants and shrubs. I'm almost through canning and freezing. I blanch small onions, small carrots and celery, putting them together so I can just pull a bag out of the freezer for stews and casseroles. I don't recommend planting now but I often do and I don't seem to lose plants. I think the extension office says we're ok until the 20th. The finches must have cleaned up the seeds in the liatris, they are eating the seeds in the agastache now. I have the anise and the gold, they seem to prefer the anise. Some people flavor baked goods with anise. We are being threatened with a frost Friday night. Will I lose my impatiens? I've been so fortunate to have my flowers so long this fall. Sally

Yesterday a customer and I walked out to look at the perennials. The liatris (blazing stars) were alive. Several gold finches were in them going up and down the spent blossoms eating the the seeds. I know they will be the last thing I'll trim! In fact I'll probably leave them until spring, though as many finches as there were working them over I'm sure all the seeds will be eaten soon. Sally

Many of us put plants in a dark cool part of the cellar for the winter. I cut them back, spray the with safer's soap and water them well. I read the other day that geraniums shouldn't be cut back until they show new growth in the spring. I often root cuttings in the summer and start new plants to carry over. The ones that I put in a sunny window I take cuttings of this winter. Sometimes my older plants just don't do well. I've never had any luck wintering over hanging petunias. I have houseplants for sale in the greenhouse. I don't heat the greenhouse very long in the fall. It is hard to believe that soon it will be time to be getting out my wreath making supplies. The wreathes we mail go out on November 24th. I'm digging more carrots today. I freeze my small carrots and onions with some celery so I can just take the bag out of the freezer and drop it in the stew. Celery can take some frosts so I have time to harvest it as I dig carrots. I don't have much luck trying to keep celery all winter and small carrots don't keep well. Six o'clock and not daylight yet. I'm glad it gets dark early, I'm ready to come inside and do up the vegetables but I'm always anxious to get going in the morning. Sally

It has been a long time since I did anything on my computer but check the weather. The summer has been good to our family, we are all healthy and bragging over the beauty of a new Great Granddaughter. There have been ups and downs in the garden . My son across the road and I got hit by tomato blight, another son just north of us didn't get it. From talking to people more got hit than didn't. The extension office says it is very important to get rid of all diseased tomatoes and vine. We are taking ours way down in the woods. They say never put any diseased plant or fruit in the compost pile, our piles don't get uniformly hot enough to be sure of killing everything. Our apple crop is very good so I'm putting up lots of apple sauce. I canned enough tomatoes before the blight got real bad to get by.

Sale of perennials and shrubs has been slow but I'm feeling fortunate as I talk to other greenhouse owners, my business has been better than many I have a lot of shrubs that would work in a windbreak. A good thing about last winter's snow, the snow piled up so the wind couldn't get in the cracks to blow the heat out. But we can't count on that much every winter.. Things were slow enough so I didn't hire extra help. That means I didn't get as much done in my flower gardens as I wanted. So I'll be planting this month. I don't recommend planting perennials after the 15th, but I plant right up to freeze up. I figure the plant will do better in the ground than it will do in a pot under my perennial tables or lined up behind the chicken house. I do mulch everything I plant. I think every plant should be mulched the first year. Mulching not only keeps the soil warm so the plants can put out roots longer but mulch prevents the ground from freezing and thawing. The freezing and thawing will heave the plant out of the ground and/or tear the tender new roots. We've had lots of rain. We got two inches today which was not in the forecast. We certainly have adequate moisture in the ground for winder. The sun is shining now and we have a pretty good wind. The way the chestnuts are coming off the horse chestnut tree it would not be wise to walk under it! I'm closed Sunday and Monday, open the rest of the week. If you don't see me please blow your horn. Not only do I want to plant but I've lots of clean up to do. I'm feeding lots of weeds to the chickens, they love the seeds. The seeds are out of my garden and it cuts down on my grain bill. The weeds should pull pretty easy today. Enjoy the beautiful colors, Sally

We have had some things, such as beans that haven't germinated. I read yesterday that if you live in a area where hard rains might cause the soil to crust it is helpful to plant three bean seeds together, skip 4 inches plant three more etc. It is easier for three plants to break through the crust than one. Also if you plant radishes with the carrots the radishes will break the crust for the carrot seeds.

The lily beetle, a ugly, bright orange beetle is on the oriental lilies. I spray them with an organic spry make from the neem tree. I use the same spray for thrips on our onion and glads. I carry neem and have some hand spray bottles to mix it in if you don't have a sprayer. I have lots of lilies for sale at $5.50 each. They have lots of buds. Our annuals are on sale also. I'm not through planting and I've weeding to do so I'm still plenty busy! Stop by and pick up some annual flowers for extra color in your perennial or vegetable garden and check our our perennial and shrub selection. The roses are starting to bloom. Sally

We are open all day today and tomorrow. I know the price of gas is keeping many of you home this week end and you would like to work in your garden. I have been repotting the perennials from last year, most of them came through the winter fine but the heavy snow crushed the pots. I have perennials I started from seed and purchased plugs of perennials I can't grow from seed. All told I have one of the nicest selections of perennials around. I also have a nice selection of shrubs. Yesterday my clematis came in, five different verities. I will try to get it potted today. Hoping to see you, Sally

The weather forecast for Bradford shows 40 degrees as the lowest temperature for the next ten days. I'm going to move my cucumber and squash hills out front for sale. The wind is supposed to be 12 to 14 miles per hour today (instead of the 25 we've had) and go to a stiff breeze the rest of the week. The fruit trees and shrubs came on Mother's Day. The trucker wasn't any happier than we were, he wanted to be home. He'd had a break down in Mass. I'm potting plants instead of planting onions and potatoes like I should be! Tomorrow! Sally

You haven't seen many notes in the journal because my web master went to a new server. Every time I tried to add to the journal the computer would tell me my server was invalid. He worked on my computer on May 2ed and we thought all was well until I tried to add to the journal a few days later. He has been here a couple of hours today and all the commands seem to have been synchronized. It is a cold raw day, not a day when people think of plants. I have beautiful selection of hanging plants. And a nice choice of bedding plants and plants for containers. The Sherman Nursery truck did not leave when it was supposed to, the nursery was afraid it would be sitting somewhere full of plants if the trucker's strike materialized. They said the order would be here by the end of this week, it isn't here yet. Over the years Sherman has been so dependable Neither I nor Ellis Greenhouse called on the order. If you have preordered anything I will call you as soon as I get it. I will also put a note here. Sally

4.6 inches of rain. It was a good rain for many of us. I question if the good balanced out the problems for the people in the flooded areas but now there is enough moisture in the ground to hold the warmth of the sun. The truck left Sherman Nursery with the fruit tress, small fruits and shrubs I ordered yesterday. The Johnny's Seed rack came in. The rack is mostly vegetable seeds with a few packages of flower seeds. We have packets of nitrogen fixing bacteria for your peas and beans. The bacteria makes nodules grow on the roots of the peas and beans. The nodules enables the peas and beans to pull nitrogen out of the air. The nitrogen enriches the soil while making the peas and beans produce more. The baby chicks came today. I'll go make sure the brooder is the right temperature, than to bed. i love this time of the year but my bed sure looks good come evening! Please come by, Sally

It has been so long since I wrote here. The garden show went very well, catch up has been hectic. I've been moving plants over and over. A week ago today we still had snow around the green house. Suddenly it was a large puddle. To get in the store with rubber boots on I had to walk very carefully so as to not get a boot full of water. When we got up Sunday morning the water was gone, the frost had gone out. I spent Sunday afternoon shoveling snow. off the pallet benches to put plants on them. My greenhouse and cold frames were overcrowded but I got away with overcrowding, my plants look great. Getting the plants out that can take the cold made them happier and made the ones left inside happier. I have snapdragons, pansies, alyssum, calibrachoa and some other petunias out. I'm putting flowers more outside every day, as fast as I can get the plants hardened off. My perennials came through the winter in great shape. Deer knocked the pots all around but didn't figure out how to get the plants out. I have a lot of perennials that I started from seed. Today I got five boxes of perennials that I can't start from seed. Many are propagated by cuttings. We will be potting plants from dawn to dusk.

I ordered a soil thermometer yesterday. The garden is dry enough to plant. .I think we are in for a dry spell so I am anxious to get things planted as soon as possible. But it does no good to plant anything before the soil is warm enough. Potatoes, onion and peas can go in cool soil but most plants need the soil warm to do well. I have onion sets and seed potatoes for you. The ten day forecast doesn't show any temperature below 36. But neither does it show any temperatures as high as last week. We'll be transplanting cole crops this weekend but it will be a few weeks before they are ready to set out. I'm starting cucumbers and squash family plants early as think we will be able to plant them earlier than usual. See you, Sally

The weather has taken up all of my time! We are blessed to have a snowblower but there is still lots of shoveling. We blow snow along the sides of the greenhouse. There is still 6 inches or so against the sides. Now that there are plants on the floor that sis inches must be shoveled away to let light in. greenhouse. For those reading this from away we have about five feet of very dense snow on the ground, in fact the are 4 different crusts in that 5 feet thick enough to support a person. Things are going great in the greenhouse. My organic fertilizer for the garden came yesterday in the middle of that storm. The driver said the roads had been ok until he got north of Bangor. If you are planning to have a garden of your own I will have a nice selection of Johnny's seeds in addition to the vegetable seedlings I start. I will have vegetables if you don't have your own. I hope all of you will busy as much of your food as possible locally. Not only will buying locally be a "green decision", as it won't have to be trucked in but you will know how your food has been grown.

I have had tulips along the side of the house for years. They bloom early in the spring because of the warmth from the house. I read a article today that said, "Do not grow tulip bulbs in the same place or sooner or later they may be attacked by a fungus disease called fire blight. Either change the soil or location, in other words, follow the principle of crop rotation." My tulips had run out as tulips do, so last fall I planted a lot of new bulbs. I used lots of compost. Compost is anti fungal. I hope they do ok. If you click on the Bangor Garden show make sure you go to 2008. Their web master is supposed to be fixing the page so 2008 comes up automatically. We'll all be ready to spend a day in spring come the first weekend in April! Sally

Does it seem like there are a lot of bad bugs lurking out there to attack your plants? At one time hedge rows provided an ample supply on insectary plants to feed and shelter a variety of beneficial insects to keep the "bad" bugs in check. We can plant a border that can be a landscape feature and provide the benefit of a hedgerow. Including plants of different heights is important. Ground beetles require the cover provided by low-growing plants. Lacewings lay their eggs in shady, protected areas and spiders like to live in mulch. Spiders are the number one beneficial insect, most spiders are so tiny you don't even see them. Some of the plants that attract beneficial insects include angelica, bee balm, calendula, candytuft, chervil, cilantro, clover, daisy, dill, evening primrose, fennel, goldenrod, gypsophila, lovage, mint parsley, Queen Anne's lace, Rue, sunflower, sweet alyssum, sweet cicely, thyme, and yarrow. you will notice these plants have many small blossoms Not all blooms are equal--large, nectar-filled blooms actually can drown tiny parasitoid wasps. Tiny flowers produced in large quality are much more valuable than a single large bloom. Not every plant in the border needs to be noted for harboring beneficial insects. You may include trees and shrubs. Shrubs can be chosen to attract birds. Birds are very helpful controlling pests. I like to put up birdhouses to help attract them. Now I must put wood on the fires. It is a sunny day so it won't take much to heat the greenhouse. I do enjoy the stronger sun and longer days. Sally

Tomorrow we start the greenhouse fires. I have a lot of plants started in the house that needs the light and space of the greenhouse. Usually there is a period during the afternoon this time of year when it is safe to move plants over to the greenhouse. The forecast looks too cold for next several days. Greenhouse people, including our suppliers are complaining about the shortage of sun. Their plants are behind because of so many gray days. BUT Spring is coming!! I've been transplanting flowers for the Bangor Garden Show and digging other plants out of the cold frame to force for the show. From listening to everyone's plans it sounds like it will a wonderful show Plan to set aside a day during the first weekend in April to go to the show. Not only will you enjoy stepping into summer but you will get many ideas you can use in your own yard.

Speaking of your yard, I have been inventorying plants that are attractive to birds and butterflies. The common milkweed is host to the Monarch butterfly. Milkweed is a noxious weed for farmers and they work hard to eliminate it. There are flowers in the milkweed family that are not invasive weeds for the farmers. I will have some of them this year for you to put in your flower beds. You can provide food for the Monarchs with out hurting farmers. I'll have garden plan for sun and shade that designed for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. As I look out the window at the ice building up on the branches I keep telling myself that there is no frost in the ground and once it starts to warm up spring will come fast. We've gained over an hour of daylight and are gaining more every day. The sun's rays (when we see them) have a lot more warmth than even a few weeks ago. Sally

The following is reprinted from the extension newsletter "Piscataquis Gardening". The extension workshops are usually very good. The extension service is such a good source for information that I have a link to both Penobscot and Piscataquis extension under links on the left of this page.

All gardeners are invited to attend Enjoy Your Garden With Containers and Raised Beds, a special day-long program on small scale gardening being held in several locations. The program is from 9am to 3:30 pm on the days listed. Pre-registration fee of $5 covers printed handouts and workshop materials. Gardeners should bring a lunch, beverages will be provided. A limited number of scholarships are available.

"This workshop is for gardeners who feel over whelmed with their past gardens and are looking for a quick and easy way to grow their own produce on a small scale." says Donna Coffin, Extension Educator. "Also, container and raised bed gardens are a great way for new gardeners to get started and have a successful year growing their own vegetables, fruits or flowers."

Pre-registration is required. All pre-registrations including your name, address, the location that you plan to attend, phone number, email and course fee should be sent to the Oxford Country Extension Office, 9 Olsen Road, South Paris, ME 04281-6402. Below I have listed two locations near Bradford. To request more information, find out where the other 9 locations are or scholarship information please call 1-800-287-1482 or email bmurphy@umext.maine.edu

bmurph Some sites have limited seating so please get your pre registration soon.

I've been making garden plans. There are many plans available in gardening magazines but often the chosen plants don't do well in Zone 5a let alone Zone 4. My plans will do well here, I'll have the plans and plants available for you here at Country Junction this spring. I've been learning about "rain gardens". A rain garden is a depression, filled with attractive plants, that captures all or part of the stormwater falling on a property so it can seep into the ground. In urban areas 50% of the pollution in stormwater comes from the activities of individual homeowners. Even if the runoff is clean it is a problem. As we have developed land that was once a water absorbing space the amount of stormwater entering streams has increased dramatically. High water erodes steam banks and scour stream beds, compromising habitat for aquatic plants and animals. Rain Gardens are a great way for individuals to make a positive impact on the environment while beautifying their properties. A rain garden needs to be at least 10' from the house so water will not seep back toward the house. If the garden is further away from the house it the garden may absorb water from the driveway and lawn. It should not be placed over a septic tank or within the root zone of an established tree (building the garden bed might damage the tree's roots). For more information you can contact your local extension office. I can help you design a simple attractive rain garden for your yard. In just seventeen days I will be starting the fires in the greenhouse. Starting the week of the 18th I will be here most of the time. It would be well to call before you stop by. Sally

This is the time to get your hand tools ready to go. The first step is to clean them. Sand off rust spots and wipe the tools down with oil. Vegetable oil works fine. Linseed oil rubbed into the handles will make them seem like new. Tighten ant loose bolts and sharpen ones that need sharpened. Use a ten inch single cut file, always filing in the same direction. Clamp smaller tools in a vice so they don't wiggle. I have one round pointed spade that I keep an edge on to cut off burdock. When I cut the root 4 or 5 inches underground they don't grow back. This is also a good time to clean plant pots and containers. After you wash them rinse them out with bleach, one part bleach to nine parts water. Recycling is good for the environment and for the pocketbook. I accept used pots and tray. I clean them and reuse them as much as possible. It isn't very efficient labor wise but plastic comes from oil. It is supposed to be very cold this weekend but than the temperature is supposed to gradually moderate. We see a big difference in the angle of the sun already, now the greenhouse warms up on a sunny day. Keep warm, Sally

Another nor'easter! Our plants are well protected this year. I stomped the snow down around some of my fruit trees why it was warm. I'm worried this snow will protect the mice from predators and they will eat the bark on my trees.

An in depth long term study of some people with high blood pressure showed that the dosage of blood pressure lowering medication could be cut by 30% for those who gardened when gardening season arrived.

If you've made a plan for your yard it is time to decide which area you want to do first. Trying to do the entire yard will be too much work and you will probably get discouraged. You might plan to do a perennial border with some shrubs in it. If you put in some iris and day lilies in a few years you probably can divide them, having some plants to put elsewhere. If you need trees plant them as soon as you can. It is wise to plant shrubs such as lilacs as soon as you know where you want them. Most shrubs bloom every year including the year you plant them. If you mulch them they are pretty much carefree. One of the first things I planted in my back yard was a honeysuckle bush and some winterberry bushes to give the birds shelter and food. Because of the septic system I can't plant a northwest wind break. So Darel puts in a couple of fence posts every fall that I tie evergreens to. I know some people who stretch a fence between two posts and weave evergreens in the fence. Windbreaks make a difference in how many birds I attract. My sons' bring me their Christmas tress when they are through with them.

I sent in my Fedco seed order today. I can't add to that order but there are a couple of other places I can still order seeds from if you have a request for a plant I'm not growing. Just e-mail me on the link in the yellow to the left. Sally

A feeling of enclosure makes a outdoor room seem to have more seclusion and privacy. If you have a view you want to hide 4' by 8' sheets of lattice work wonders, so much can be done with a wall like that. To provide a sense of enclosure without shutting everything out some posts set 4 feet apart with vines growing up them work well. A border of large plastic planters filled with plants of different heights helps define an area. Making a bed of gravel, river rocks or even mulch to set the planters makes the planter border easy to maintain. I love using sunflowers as a cheerful border. When I plant my sunflowers for cutting I plant them so there is a room in the middle with a path going to it. My grandchildren love that. The sunflowers are in the garden making it easy to know what the children are doing when I'm weeding. I buy cheap arbors at the dollar store and attach them to rebar painted to match driven in the ground for strength. I have also painted an old bed spring black and attached it to rebar. It was cheaper than lattice and looked great with black-eyed Susan vine growing on it. A relaxing nook needs a place to sit with some shade. With some imagination you can make an inexpensive arbor sturdy enough for annual vines. Grape arbors need to be sturdy but they provide you with grapes as well as shade. We carry grapes that do well here. I want an arbor covered with wisteria. It must be a strong one. I have found a wisteria that is supposed to do well here, I'm very anxious to see how it has wintered. If it winters over in pots I know it will do well in the ground.

I'm making myself anxious for spring. I have to remind myself everything doesn't have to be done at once. If have a plan I can do some in May, some next fall, some next year And knowing me I'll still be doing some the next year! Happy planning, Sally

Are spending these cold nights thinking about the ways you are going to improve your yard next summer. Cost of living isn't going to change It is time to cocoon! To be happy with your end results you should plan ahead. Sketch your yard. What areas are sunny? Shady? Both? What areas do you do what in? ( Dog run, Children's sand box and play area, picnic table, Just relax.) What is the primary purpose of your back yard? Your front yard? What view do want to enhance? What do you want to hide? Are there damp areas or places that are always wet? Do you want a vegetable garden or do you just want to mix some vegetables and herbs in your flowers? Do you like bouquets of flowers in the house? Plant a garden of flowers for cutting. Do you want to attract hummingbirds and butterflies? If you enjoy birds you can plan a yard that attracts them. I plant a lot of sunflowers, many more than I can sell (they are a popular cut flower). In the fall I cut the plants and tie them together like the farmers used do with corn. All winter the birds have been on the sunflower heads. The seeds are pretty well eaten now. If you have comment or questions e-mail me, I'd love to hear from you, Sally

Are you receiving lots of seed catalogs in the mail? The catalogs are a reminder to inventory your left over seeds. It is also a good time to see how viable they are. Take 10 seeds of each variety you want to check and place them between sheets of damp paper towels. Place them in a plastic bag and put the bag in a warm place. Check the seeds in 8 to 14 days. You will know how good the seeds are by the number that sprout. I recommend Maine's Fed Co catalog in Waterville, ME. Call 207-873-7333 for a catalog. The other catalog I recommend is Johnny's in Winslow, ME. To get a Johnny's catalog call 877-564-6697. Both catalogs offer a wealth of information as well as an excellent seed selection. You may also click on their web page under my links.

This is also a good time to e-mail me with any questions you may have. I will be updating my catalog next month but if there is something you will be looking for in the spring please contact me now so I can have it in stock.

It is January 1st.After I invited you to e-mail me I got to thinking I hadn't gotten an e-mail in quite some time so I checked it and found the link wasn't working. It has taken this many days to get it working . Now I'll add this to the journal and look forward to hearing from you. Sally

I left the computer for something and when I got back to entering in this journal the computer kept telling me I was trying to commit an illegal act. I finally uninstalled my web page and started over. I had to work with dell support. I found it amazing to have someone from far away controlling (and changing) the settings. Older people are advised to stretch their minds to prevent Alzheimer's. Setting up this computer has given me plenty of exercise along that that line! Especially when we were celebrating Christmas at the same time.

Nearly all our Maine family were able to be with us yesterday, twenty-six of us. I am blessed by a daughter-in-law who makes a wonderful ziti. On the 24th she makes great large pans of it. All I do is make yeast rolls. Santa Claus always shows up while we are eating and takes Mrs. Claus a pan of ziti and some rolls. Yesterday my three year grand daughter pointed out to Santa that he still had his sneakers on. Than we light the advent candles and the grand children do a nativity pageant, costumes and all. Than we pass out gifts. All day (except during the pageant) we were on the phone taking turns talking to our family in Alaska. We spent today visiting and now, after a wonderful Christmas, I'm ready to get started on the 2008 season.

There has been a long time between journal entries because of a dying computer. I have a new computer.

We haven't had a frost yet. I'm still picking tomatoes, it is a rare day that something tomato isn't cooking on my stove. Nights I can while I go through the seed catalogs. We have a wood cook range that heats our water and the house as well as always being hot to cook on. So it is economical for me to put lots of food up for the family. Though jar lids do run into money. I'm so glad I cut back my delphiniums. They have rebloomed so well I've been able to have bouquets of them in the house. It pays to cut back delphiniums, the campanulas, foxglove and balloon flower (platycodon). When they rebloom their blues are a nice foil for fall's customary oranges and yellows. I shear back nepteta and veronica for fall too.

Most of my gardening consists of weeding. I don't want to let a single weed go to seed in my garden or nursery pots. I'm also planting tulips. I usually wait until after frost because I hate to tear out blooming flowers, but even the impatiens are still blooming. Tulips seem to start to run out after three or four years so I add more bulbs to the bed. Mallow reseeds itself in the tulip bed covering the tulip foliage When the mallow starts looking rough in early fall I cut it and plant mums. Along the porch where it is shady I plant some impatiens and house plants that spend the summer outside. Houseplants should all be back inside now, They have a harder time adjusting to the indoor climate when nights are dropping in the low forties. Enjoy the weather, it is supposed to be a beautiful week with the sun shinning on fall's jewel colors. Sally

We had a wonderful time Saturday celebrating our anniversary. It rained off and on but the boys ( I still call our sons 'the boys') had put up pop-ups and a large hay tarp plus all the room in the house and garage. Our best man surprised us by coming. All three of the guys that Darel roomed with in collage were here. Two of them hadn't seen each other since graduation.

That rain and the other rain we have gotten in recent weeks have caused weeds to sprout everywhere including in every crevice in the nursery walkways and all the pots of perennials. So I have lots of weeding to do. It is important not to let any weeds go to seed in the flower beds, there is enough weed seeds in the ground without allowing any more to be added. We haven't gotten a frost yet so I am still selling glads and other cut flowers. The flowers in my back yard are so pretty. The morning glories are all twinned around my bird feeder poles. I never get tired of watching the gold finches and other birds among the flowers. I have more birds than usual for this time of the year. I think the dry weather affected nature's seed production.

I raise lilies to sell for cut flowers. Especially my Oriental lilies suffered from the dry weather this year. Lilies and Iris need well drained soil but they also nee consistent moisture. This fall I'm going to run soaker hose down the rows and mulch them well. I brought some neem this fall to make sure I have it to spray with the first sign of the lily beetle. Lily and Iris blossoms get smaller as the years go by and crowding occurs. This is a good time to divide them. I soak the plant the day before and cut any foliage back to six or eight inches. to reduce water loss and make the clump easier to handle. I'm careful to keep the divisions moist and in the shade until they are replanted. I cut the clumps apart with a spade. I separate the iris into divisions of rhizomes with one or two fans of leaves I add some compost to the soil. Next spring I'll add a little fertilizer I'll close now, in addition to the weeding dividing I want to plant perennials, there are not enough hours in the day to do all I want to do!. I'm putting up apple and grape juice and canning tomatoes. I just cut peppers up and freeze them in sandwich bags. I have a rack over my wood cook range to dry herbs. Enjoy this beautiful weather. Sally

We have gotten some rain! I'll enjoy the beautiful forecast now that we have a little moisture in the ground. It is time to start bringing house plants in, the nights are getting quite cool. I'll be potting some plants up and putting them in the greenhouse for sale if you don't have some. Plants brighten the winter and are nature's air fresheners. I have scented geraniums to brush against instead of spraying from a can.

Plants that bloom in late summer usually do best divided in spring. Most people get the new bed ready in the fall and divide as soon as the ground can be worked the spring. I am so busy I divide now. I make sure I keep the plants watered and I mulch them so the ground doesn't freeze as fast and they have more time so settle in. The hardest thing is, the blooms should be cut off. I never can bring myself to cut them.

On September 14 Darel and I will be married 50 years. On Saturday, the fifteenth our children are having an open house here at the farm from 10:A.M. until. No gifts please, just having our friends come by to celebrate with us will be wonderful. We hope to see you, Sally

Frost warnings the middle of August! There is not enough moisture to hold the warmth. The ten day forecast say no frost the week before the full moon on August 28th. But I'll sure be keeping an eye on the weather the first week in September. It's time to prune your tomatoes. The plants don't have time to produce new tomatoes, they need to grow and ripen the little tomatoes that have already set on. There aren't as many cabbage moths around as some years but Nicole is spraying the cole crops with Bt, a natural bacteria that eliminates the little green worms we find in broccoli and cauliflower heads. I'm starting to pot up some house plants .I'll have several to sell come October when we want to bring some summer inside. The mums are about to bloom if you have some spots you want to brighten up this fall. Now that it is easier to keep things water I'm planting perennials. I'm trying to think of a place to plant the pink hydrangea, Endless Summer. ( The blossoms would be blue if I watered the plant with miracle-gro's acid fertilizer. Please stop by, Sally

I never thought I'd be watching tropical depressions to see if they might bring us some rain. we got a little out of the recent showers. Monday I was in Bangor. It rained as far as Hudson, than all dry roads. The cooler temperatures have made it so I can keep up with the watering so I'm starting to plant some perennials. In July I didn't dare plant anything for fear I couldn't maintain what we had and water new plantings. We have lots of vegetables. We are still not getting enough tomatoes to keep from running out by the end of the day. We have lots of sunflowers, the glads are doing well and we have some other cut flowers ready for you to cut. I got some new delphiniums that were bred in Australia this year. I also got a few of the favorite Pacific Giants because I thought no new delphinium could match the colors. The new ones are a hybrid with the P.G. as a parent and the colors are beautiful. They are much sturdier plants, from now on they are the only kind I will carry. I'll plant the old ones in my cut flower garden with posts and a fence to stake them. I also got some hybrid columbine that bloomed into August. They had plenty of water and partial shade, even so I've never seen a columbine bloom so long.. I still have some white ones. I'll try to get more colors next year. I have to have my 2008 greenhouse supply order in today. Thanks to so many of you returning the plastic containers it will be a smaller order. I know why many greenhouses don't take them, sorting and bleaching them probably doesn't pay but plastic is made of oil so I feel we must reuse as much as possible. It is not a quality of plastic that can be recycled. Hoping to see you, Sally

The good news is, "We are finished haying.." The last field is all picked up and on wagons headed home. All but one wagon, last trip of the season and it has a flat tire. Doug is changing it, as many stories as we've heard this year of disappearing bales we don't dare leave a load in the field We still have no rain. Some of the potato farmers are having their irrigation ponds dry up. I sell; lilies as cut flowers. We haven't been able to water them. Between the hot days and lack of water they look like they have been in a vase for a week when the blossoms first open. If we can't soak the ground down a good eight inches we don't try to water We're having to be choosy about what gets watered. Here come the wagons, time to put supper on the table. Take care, Sally

We have gotten an inch and one tenth of rain in the last seven or eight weeks. A long ways from the inch a week that is considered best for garden vegetables. I do very little overhead watering. I'm watering each perennial or shrub by hand. We have soaker hose on most of our vegetables we are watering. We have a good well but we are using so much water that we feel we need to be very careful not to waste any. If you planted any new shrubs or trees don't forget to water. Mulch is great at conserving water. Many storms have gone around us. If you have caught some of these storms you are probably in better shape for moisture. However it can rain very hard, making lots of puddles and only be a tenth or so of an inch. A rain gauge is a good investment if you are gardening. Some of our root crops, cabbage and tomatoes will split if it has been dry and we suddenly get a lot of rain.

We are closed on Sunday and Monday now. If we are here we are glad to help you. I still have some pretty flowers and very nice planters. This is a good time of the summer to walk through the perennials to see which you may want to add . Hoping to see you. Sally

It has been a long month. fortunately I've had a great season with the greenhouse business. Thanks! The unfortunate part is that I lost a lot of perennials last winter I have decided they drown. Plants in 4 in. pots lived where the same variety died in the larger pots. I think they lived because they were in racks off the ground ( for the winter I set the pots off the benches onto the ground, out of the wind.). We had so much rain in late winter that the ground froze and the plants were in puddles. In some places the snow drifted, than in April we got a few inches of rain that saturated the drifts. The plants under those drifts all died, mostly bleeding hearts, ferns and primroses. I have some of nearly everything else listed, just not as large an inventory. Many plants came up very late.. Many of my customers said the same. A lot of people lost perennials, I suspect saturated ground was one of the reasons. The other was the strange weather we had last winter, plants didn't get their usual 'hardening off time'. I started many perennials from seed last December so I have lots of plants to choose from. Sally

I have heard many people say, " At least with this rain we don't have to water our hanging plants or containers of flowers." True, but remember we've had enough rain to leach the nutrients out of the pot. Next time you do water make sure to give the plants some plant food. As heavy feeders as wave petunias are they should get plant food next few times you water if there has been a lot of rain. Sally

I'm going to work on potting up my herbs this week. I'm a great believer in lots of mulch. I put down a layer of newspapers and than put straw or cedar mulch over the newspapers. I prefer straw but it is expensive and needs to be soaked right away so it doesn't blow away. But herbs like lavender, thyme and sage don't do well with mulch. I mulch them with sand. Two perennials that don't seem to do well with a lot of mulch are dianthus and penstemon. It is time to plant fruit trees. They love mulch. Mulch all the way out to the edge of the leaf line but keep the mulch three or four inches away from the trunk so it can breath and rodents and bugs can't hide in the mulch and nibble the bark. I don't mulch crops that like it warm until the soil warms up as mulch keeps the soil cool. Clematis likes its roots cool.

I repeat this over and over. but it is so important. When planting a perennial, shrub or tree don't plant it any deeper than it is planted in the pot or if it is bear root any deeper than the soil line. Make the hole wide so that the roots can be spread out. If they come out of the pot curved gently straighten them out. If they continue to grow in a circle they will eventually choke on themselves. Happy planting, Sally

This is the time of the year when I say I must not grow and order in so many plants next year! The perennials I've grown need to come out of the greenhouse and go into larger pots. And every day or so I get some bare root plants of perennials I can't start myself. My front display of annuals is bright with color. The 10 day forecast doesn't show any frost but I think there is still cause for concern. We probably won't get another frost up here on this hill, just the wind. Even so we won't be planting tomatoes yet, even if tomatoes don't get frosted they stop growing when the temperature is below 50 for very long and it takes two weeks of warm temperatures to get them going again. Nicole has the onions all planted. I'm going to put my shrubs out today and plant wisteria, I've found a variety is supposed to do well in zone 4. Enjoy this wonderful weather and remember the fire danger is very high. Some rain would be good. Sally

Our apple and pear trees are here. One verity of plum is here, you need to plant two kinds for pollination. Another shipment is coming next Wednesday. The standard size P.J.M. rhododendron is coming on that shipment too. I have some Stanley plums which are self pollinating and the dwarf rhododendron for planting under windows. Now is the time to start planting. Sally

We seem to have gone from winter to late spring. Last week there was a foot or more of snow on the mulch, now the plants need to be uncovered today so they can grow! Many of my herbs are outside hardening off, they can take a few frosts. It's time to plant new herbs and I can't even tell which ones made it through the winter yet. Are you as hungry for blooms as I am? I have some columbine coming into bloom. Next year it won't bloom for you until late May but you can enjoy some flowers now if you plant it. I'm hardening off some hollyhocks. As soon as the lawn dries up enough so I can drive my little tractor to the flower bed so I can clean up the dead stuff from last year in I'm going to plant some hollyhocks. This year I'm going to water them with manure tea to see if I can be successful in preventing rust. It is time to get the bird house ready, I've seen a few swallows. I'm putting up some blue bird houses this year Enjoy, Sally.

I can't believe it has been a month since I've added to the journal! The garden show went very well but left me way behind in the greenhouse as always. Roger Swain said the quality of the Bangor show made it the best show he'd been to this spring.

Usually I start putting flowers out in cold frames the first week in April. Not this year, too much cold and snow. Eighteen inches of snow one week, nine or ten the next. So my greenhouse was over crowded and I spent my time moving plants around so they could all get a turn at air and sun. I kept extra fans running. It was worth it, all the plants look good. Yesterday I trudged though the snow filling one cold frame. Usually I move the plants in a wagon but pulling a wagon though ten inches of soft snow wasn't very feasible. Today Darel helped me put pansies and other flowers that can take the cold in the unheated greenhouse. (There are no below freezing temperatures in the ten day forecast, I'm planning to plant pansies at the church Friday.) His tractor won't fit between the greenhouse but it would go through snow so the plants got a farm tour to get from one greenhouse to the other. A large north easter is coming in tonight. At the height of the storm tomorrow I've got two racks of pre planted pots coming. I have a place to put them, now we just have to get them from the truck to the greenhouse! As soon as the storm passes I'll put petunias out in the other cold frame. They seem to do better at cooler temperatures than marigolds, tomatoes and peppers do. Plus I can spread them out so they will be thicker plants. Last year I sold out of tomatoes and pepper plants. I have more plants this year and more varities of tomatoes. I"m going to put wood on the fires and go to bed. We've got everything ready to hook to the generator, hoping we don't need to use it. The power went off during the last two storms so with the high wind forecast we aren't very hopeful. Sally

The scent of lilac's fills my home. They are supposed to be blooming for the garden show but the many sunny days we've had have brought them into bloom faster than last year. My house is cooler than the greenhouse. I hope to slow them down by bringing them in. An added bonus is the fragrance. Many of my flowers are chosen for their scent. This week I'll be starting nicotianas. They reseed all over the flower bed but I plant new plants each year so I'll have early blooms. Besides some of the plants that are volunteers don't mature enough to set seed. Hummingbirds love nicotiana too. I've had people tell me that hummingbirds were hovering over them as they planted their nicotiana. They are also one of the last flowers to succumb to frost. I even carry the old fashioned white nicotiana. I plant it under our bedroom window as it is most fragrant at night. We have a lot of wind here so I have to plant scented plants in an area where the breeze won't disperse the fragrance. Sonata, a white double petunia , is loved not only for it's looks but for its fragrance. Carpet of snow, a white alyssum that can be planted early in the spring smells good too. With any luck in a month we can set out some pansies. Last week that was hard to believe, but this weekend's temperatures are wonderful. The snow is melting fast. Soon we can prune our berries. If you didn't get your grapes done in early February they should be first, than blueberries and raspberries. Fruit trees can be done now. I just stuck my tools in the shed. I should sharpen my hoes and check all my tools. I did put stabilizer in the mower and rototiller. Don't forget the Bangor Garden Show, March 23rd, 24th and 25th. at the Civic center. Sally

I'm finally caught up in the greenhouse. I start most of our plants in my laundry, I have shelves of 4' shop lights. But I can't start everything so I buy it started from Jolly Farmer. Usually I spread shipment out over a month. Because of the cold weather we had they combined my order and sent it on their own heated truck instead of DSL. So I was overwhelmed with tiny plants that needed to be planted. One flower I can't start myself is Bacopa. It has a lovely cascading habit, excellent for hanging baskets and planters. Last year I planted it around the little pond I have outside my kitchen window. It was pretty all summer, green and full, covered with little blooms,. It was the last thing to freeze. I grew Diascia for the first time last year and I will use a lot more of it. It also likes the cool weather, even more than Bacopa. It was covered with bright blooms all summer. It is a sun loving flower that gracefully cascades from window boxes and planters. I used it as a border in front of my sweet peas where it mounded in a heap of pink blossoms covering the leggy bottoms of the vines. Today I am planting non stop begonia tubers I brought in last fall. I'll let you know how they turn out. Sally

We had two nice days, now it is cold and the snow is blowing! My suggestion is that you curl up by the fire is and plan your "other room". Spring will come and you will enjoy your yard. My son in Alaska has a fire pit surrounded by log seats in his yard. He also has a frame he puts tarps on to make a shelter for a summer kitchen. ( He uses green tarps, says they blend in with the flowers better than the blue). If you do have to go out come visit me in the greenhouse. It's warm, green and smells like spring. Sally

A herb garden is a pleasant addition to the kitchen. Because it is a addition to the kitchen the herb garden wants to be as close as possible so the cook can slip out and cut some fresh herbs to flavor what's cooking easily. Herbs require lots of sun and good drainage. The most popular culinary herbs need average or better fertility but in general they are not as demanding as vegetables. I have some herbs that I use fresh close to the house. Others that I dry are in the garden. It is easy to make a pretty garden by adding variegated leaf herbs and light and dark green kinds of herbs. Some herbs have textured leaves, and then there is purple basil. Some herbs are fragrant , some have pretty flowers. I plant scented geraniums in my herb garden. I will have small plants available as well as larger ones for those who want an instant herb garden. Start small, keep it simple and you're sure to be delighted by the fantastic flavors of your kitchen herbs. Sally

More on garden rotation. I think a 3 year plan is a minimum plan, a five year plan is better and easier. Plants in the same family have the same nutritional needs and the same pasts so should be grouped together. Plot one could be the cabbage family, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, the oriental greens and turnips. We plant a lot of gladiolus. There has to be three years between the cabbage family and planting glads. A root worm may be in the ground following cabbage that damages glads. In the second plot ( which will move to plot one next year) is the tomato group-tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and egg plant-and the root crop group-carrots, beets, Swiss chard, parsnips, celery and parsley. Plot 3 has the squash group: summer and winter squash, melons, cucumbers, and zucchini. Plot 4 would be the onion. Leeks and garlic are in the onion family. The fifth plot would be the legumes. Beans, both bush and pole and the different kinds of peas are all legumes, as well as okra (if you wanted to try some)* Remembering that corn should never follow corn and that it is a heavy feeder put it wherever it fits. The problem with corn is that is tall and may shade nearby plants. Squash and pumpkin take up so much room that we often plant them in the barnyard. making sure not to plant them in the same place every year. Now you see why I suggest graph paper and a three ring notebook. Enjoy your planning, remember you get more from a well cared for small garden than a large one that gets away from you! Sally

*Legumes share in the ability to absorb nitrogen from the air and add it to the soil. Because soil bacteria help in this nitrogen accumulation, you may want to use a preparation containing these bacteria call inoculant. It can be purchased where ever you buy seeds.

Many of us have dealt with frozen pipes, me among them. This fall when it rained so hard water apparently seeped in the basement, soaked insulation and it fell down. Its all replaced with dry and lots of snow shoveled against the house. Have you checked your seeds? This is the kind of weather to curl up with seed catalogs. I look at lots of different catalogs but when it comes to buying seeds I order from Fedco and Johnny's Seeds. Both seed companies are located in Maine and put out wonderful catalogs. Even more important their seeds are top quality and grow like they claim. The catalogs give excellent instruction and lots of tips I put a link to both places below. We plan our garden out on graph paper, keeping it in a 3 ring note book The garden is planned a few years ahead so that we don't plant the same thing in the same place. We try to take notes during the summer. It is amazing how easy it is to forget things. Happy planning, Sally

From the looks of things outside I don't think any of us will be pruning blueberries for awhile. I'm glad to see some snow before the bitter cold that is forecast the next few weeks. Plants and grasses will welcome the protection and I'll be glad to shovel some snow up against the house.

Do you have seeds left from other years. Try this germination test to find out if leftover seeds are viable before you spent time planting them. Place ten seeds inside a damp folded paper towel. Place the paper towel inside a plastic bag closing the bag part way. Place the bag in a warm place and check daily to maker sure the towel stays moist. After seven to fourteen days count the number of seeds that germinated. Than decide if the seeds are fine (8-10 germinated) or just ok (5 or 6 germinated) If five or six germinated you can plant thicker. If even fewer germinated you have to decide if you want to bother with those seeds. Now I must get busy transplanting some plants. Sally

You can prune blueberries now thru early March. Blueberries should be pruned every year to keep them producing high quality fruit. For the first two years after planting just prune any dead branches and spindly growth. For older plants prune out weak, short canes. Than books say prune all canes over six years old. I prune the thickest canes if they are gray and the bark is peeling. The canes need to be cut to the ground unless there are only a few canes. If there are only a few canes I cut them back to about eight inches and hope they will sprout new fruit buds. Thin any remaining canes, leaving those with the most vigorous growth( long thick branches with good fruit buds) Most fruit is produced on vigorous one year shoots on healthy canes. The fruit buds are large and shaped like teardrops. Each bud will produce a cluster of five to eight flowers. The smaller pointed buds are leaves. Blueberries are such good "duel duty" plants, producing fruit and a beautiful landscape plant with glossy green leaves in summer and brilliant red in fall.

It is also time to prune grapes. I'm not very happy with the pruning job I've done on my grapes. I will try to find some clear pruning directions and pass them on to you. Raspberries are pruned in late winter or early spring. Sally

I think we'll see a frost Thursday and Friday nights. The ten day forecast shows some chilly nights but no frosts after Friday. I have some flowers so pretty I'll try to protect them. I'm never really ready to welcome season's end.

Spinach has been in the news. The average dairy farm in California is larger than Maine's largest dairy. Manure and run off is a tremendous problem. Not only is there a lot of manure but it is much higher in e-coli than most manure in Maine. Cows fed a rich diet with little pasture or hay have been proven to shed large numbers of e-coli. In addition to the high risk of the irrigation water or wash water being contaminated there are many more steps the California spinach goes through on its way to the supermarket. Each step is an additional opportunity for contamination.

Even though our manure has less e-coli we put manure on in the fall. No bacteria lives through winter. We also compost our manure, letting it heat up enough to kill the weed seeds and anything else. We like to take a section of the garden and put down newspapers. Next we put down a foot of manure and cover it all up with hay. It heats up and the worms sped the winter turning it into soil. The weeds and grass become worm feed too.

I have several house plants for sale. I will pot up some herbs too. Or if you have your own pot I have some herbs left. Some plants like a sunny window, others do well in low light. Take time this week to enjoy the beautiful fall colors. Sally

Still no frost but if you are bringing plants inside for the winter they need to be potted up. I like to condition them by moving them to a sheltered place for a few days before I bring them in. And I always dunk them in soapy water and spray with insecticide soap.

Do you have a slug problem? Don't stop trying to to get rid of them. They are laying eggs for next year. I don't like to leave my soil bare but if they are a serious problem leaving the soil exposed will kill a lot of them. If you are cleaning up some weeds that got away from you cut the ones that still have flowers or seeds first and gently (so as not to scatter the seeds) get rid of them. Unless your compost pile gets hot enough to kill the seeds don't put weeds with seeds in it.

I'm still planting perennials. They will put out roots until the soil temperature drops to about forty. This is a good time to divide peonies and iris. I mulch everything to keep the soil warm longer and to prevent heaving when it starts freezing, The ground often freezes and thaws which is very hard on plants. Don't forget to water everything you planted this year. Enjoy this lovely fall weather and take time to appriciate fall's beauty. Sally

It is said "Life is hard by the yard, by the inch it is a cinch" The same is true in our gardening. There is so much I need to do and so much I want to do that I get overwhelmed. I find that if I will settle for doing just a little patch eventually I'll have a "whole quilt",. a whole section of garden.

We escaped frost, I hope the same for you. The weatherman doesn't forecast another frost for several days. I need lots of tomatoes, many of you have asked for canning tomatoes. I hope I will have enough for all of us. We still have another couple of weeks to plant perennials. I always mulch most of my perennials so that the freezing and thawing we seem to get in the winter doesn't tear the roots or even worse heave the plants out of the ground. Mulching is especially important for perennials planted this year. Happy Gardening! Sally

The days are getting shorter and the nippy mornings tell us fall is near. It looks like we are going to escape a frost for awhile. Even if we were to get a frost there is plenty of time to plant some perennials. But if you are like me and want to bring some plants in for winter cheer it is time to do so. Some plants I pot up, others I take slips of. The ones I pot up I leave out for awhile longer, just bring them in on cool nights. I usually prune them back. Several of my house plants that I put out last spring have grown so that I will divide them and have some to sell. I have geraniums, flowering maples, impatiens, coleus, ivies and several others. I also pot up some herbs. We are at the end of the sweet corn season. I have lots of other vegetables. My tomato crop is nothing to brag about but I do have some. Please stop by, Sally

We got phone calls from three of the Katrina people who stayed with us last fall. The musician called just to say thanks and tell us he kept a suitcase handy with some essentials stored in it. Two of the people who stayed here have married and called to say they now had a baby boy, mother and son were doing well. We hear from them about once a month. They pretty well have their lives together. He was from a town on the delta south of New Orleans that no long exists. They are in northern Louisiana now. Fema financed a nice trailer for them. There was no down payment and the total cost was less because of a bulk purchase of trailers by Fema.

This cooler weather is great for planting perennials. I have some pear trees left. There is a twenty per cent discount on the trees. As always whatever you plant needs water, but the sun is lower in the sky so the plants can concentrate on putting out roots. I am making up my orders for next year. Is there something special you would like? E-mail me or stop by. If you call please leave a message. I spend a lot of time in the garden picking vegetables out of reach of the phone Tomatoes are coming on very slow. I have dill if you are making pickles. Also basil for pesto. Hoping to see you, Sally

Wednesday Kathy and I took the bus supplied by Griffin Greenhouse supply to a greenhouse expo held at the site of the Eastern States Fair in Springfield, MA. We left here at five and got to the expo close to eleven. Too many stops! The bus was leaving to return at three-thirty so we had a lot to look at in a hurry. I spent my time talking to irrigation and fertilizer salesman. I have hopes of having mire time to spend on plants instead of watering and a bonus of healthier plants because the plants are getting a sufficient, even water supply. I spent quite a bit of time today working with the Griffin consultant on a fertilizer program for petunias and other heavy feeders. I hope next spring my petunias will be dark green! Speaking of petunias, many people are unhappy with their waves. Once a week feeding isn't enough when it is so hot that plants need watered twice a day. All the good gets washed out of the pot. They told me today that the waves probably needed to be fertilized every other day. Speaking of needing to be fed the haying crew just pulled in so I must close and get food on the table. Take care, Sally

We homesteaded in Alaska in 1957 and lived there until November of 1976 when we moved here. All of our sons moved to Maine with us but the two older ones went back to Alaska. Not only was Alaska "home" but they both could get good jobs as they were known there. They married, had children and built homes. They have come to Maine to visit several times but we never went to visit them. They wanted to show us there homes and the grandchildren wanted us to come see them so they sent us first class tickets to fly up. We had a wonderful time visiting the boys and their families. We raised Darel's neice and we hadn't seen her since 1979. She took the two weeks off. Not only did we have a wonderful time visiting but she cooked all kinds of marvelous food. It was "open house'" all the time we were there. Many friends we hadn't seen in thirty years took advantage of our sons" hospitality and came to visit.

Both homes are nicely landscaped. Keith and Tami have made their six acres into a park Rise' has several different flower beds, berries and trees. Her delphinium's were nice and green. Like ours they had started to turn brown. She sprayed them with compost tea and they came right out of it. I haven't tried it on mine yet. Both the delphiniums in my gardens and the plants for sale are a brown mess so I need to try the tea. None of the weeds had any problems why I was gone! In fact I was pretty discouraged for a bit but I'm starting to get a few places clear of them. The vegetables are doing good. we only have a few tomatoes but lots of everything else. The hot weather and rain has made for delicious sweet corn.

Next Wednesday, the 16th Kathy and I are going to a New England greenhouse and garden expo in Springfield, Mass. at Eastern States. As always the vegetables are self-service. You are welcome to walk around and look at the perennials but there may not be anyone here to sell them to you. We are closed Sunday and Monday now, though with weeds and vegetables to pick I'll probably be here. Please honk your horn or come look for me (and look at plants) If it is Tuesday thru Saturday I will be here except for the 16th. Hoping to see you, Sally

This time of the year there is always something that should have been done yesterday, but at least I'm getting to the point where there aren't too many things that should have been done last week! A lady came looking for white cone flower. After she left I kept looking. Finally I found the pots labeled white cone flower, but no cone flowers. Many of you have told me there is nor rhyme or reason to which plants made it through the winter. I must agree. Why I was looking for the cone flower I noticed that the Sweet William's were only a quarter of an inch high. I had been going to dump those pots. Now, just a week later they are 3 or 4 inches high. My luxuriant bleeding heart is still coming up, I have several nice sized plants, some a few inches tall and others just starting. The weeds in my perennial pots and my garden are doing just fine! All this rain hasn't slowed my garden down. People, plants and Places, early summer edition, magazine has a very interesting article about a diet supplement that successfully prevent a dog's urine from burning spots on the grass. The same magazine talks about hibiscus, I have some left that are for our zone, zone 4. Take care, Sally

Liners: What the nursery calls the trays of 3 inch pots that shrubs are sold in. I brought Purple Sand Cherry, Bailey's Red Twig Dogwood, Cranberry Cottoneaster, Annabelle Hydrangea, PeeGee Hydrangea, Goldflame Spirea, Pink Beauty Potenilla, McKay' White Potenilla and Froebeli Spirea in liners this year. These shrubs are $3.99 each in the 3 inch pots. These shrubs will double in size by fall and double in size again by this time next year. If you have a lot of landscaping to do or are on a limited budget these plants are the way to go. Peonies are about to bloom. My plants are large plants that will bloom this year. This week my white peonies are on sale for $9.99. I am sold out of buttercup squash plants but I still have some butternut. I also have cucumbers, green and yellow zucchini, and yellow squash plants. I have tomato plants also including three varieties of heirloom tomatoes if you would like to try something different. We have a nice selection of annuals and hanging baskets. Hoping to see you, Sally

We have all read about the problems southern New England and other parts of the country have had with Lyme disease. The carrier has gradually been moving north and the mild winter hastened its arrival in our area. The deer tick is much smaller than the common black wood tick. It is brown with some black marking and several legs. The most important thing to know about deer ticks and lyme disease is: If a person is bitten by a deer tick infected by Lyme there is almost always a red bulls eye with a white spot in the center at the site of the bite. If you get a bulls eye on your body, even if you don't see the tick it is very important that you get on a ten day course of antibiotics. Several years a go when building fence in Conn, Darel spotted a bulls eye on his waist and went to a clinic. The doctor agreed that it was a infected deer tick bite and put him on the antibiotics. He has never had any Lyme symptoms. A few weeks a go he found an imbedded tick on his shin with the bulls eye. He called our family doctor and was prescribed the antibiotics. The antibiotics cost nine dollars. The doctor said if you get on the medicine within 3 or 4 weeks of the bite you will not develop lyme.

Now to our gardens and greenhouse. All of our single foliage and flower plants are $1.50. We still have a nice selection if you have some containers to plant. Or if you want to use some waves for ground cover. We also have the yellow impatiens this year. We have a nice assortment of ferns. The hay scented fern makes an excellent ground cover on a partly shaded slope. The pume-like fronds of the ostrich fern make a stately background to your hosta and astilbe. American Iris, Jacob's ladder and foam flower are some plants that do well in a shaded border. Looking forward to seeing you, Sally

The last ten days have sort of run into each other. We've been very busy helping our customers, planting and watering. Some of the perennials that winter in the pots are just now coming up. Jacob's ladder blooms early in the summer, I thought it should have been up a few weeks ago, it is about an inch high.. Many of you know that my fruit trees weren't leafing out. I called the nursery. They explained that the trees had been in a controlled climate (winter) until April 29th when I received them. Because our early May weather was cooler than average the trees just hadn't leafed out yet. I was afraid they weren't good trees and stopped selling them. However the company was right, the leaves have popped out with this warm weather and the trees look great So I still have lots of fruit trees to sell. I have lots of other nice plants as I try to stagger my planting so I'll have plants for people moving to camp. Hoping to see you, Sally

We had better not complain about the weather, we could be in southern Maine. So far the weatherman is saying the storm is supposed to keep moving when it gets here. Even so the next several days are supposed to be cloudy and we are past the full moon. I don't think there is any hurry to plant warm weather plants but if the only opportunity you had to plant was now I think its safe to plant. But even though it isn't supposed to get cold I don't seen any real warm temperatures. Just good black fly weather! So far my bug magnet isn't working very well. But my son's and my granddaughter's are. It is wonderful weather to plant flowers and shrubs, we don't have to water them. Keep dry, Sally

The ten day forecast for Bradford shows tonight's temperature low at 40. The next lowest temperature forecast is 44. I'm going to gamble that we won't have another frost and put in petunia's and some other flowers that aren't too sensitive to cold. I'm going to plant tomatoes and cucumbers but I'm going to cover them. I don't think there is any advantage to trying to hurry them if they don't have extra heat. This week we brought a bug magnet that use propane, $295 at home depot. We would have liked to have gotten a larger one but the cost and not being sure of how effective it will be made us go for a small one. Everyone we know who has one swears by it. I'll keep you posted, we put it in the perennial display. Many plants and some herbs (sage) are very late showing green even in a early year like this. Peach trees and oak put out leaves about the same time. there is a saying, "Don't plant tender plants until the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear." With that I'll leave you and go gamble, Sally

We're supposed to get an inch of rain tonight and tomorrow morning. Not only will that help the fire danger but it always seems that we need a good rain before things warm up. Maybe we need the moisture for a heat sink. Rhododendrons are never shipped bare root. Because of high trucking costs they were shipped in such small pots that they need to be repotted soon. The endless summer hydrangea came in a very small pot too. We are selling them for four dollars off if you buy them this week before we get them repotted. Today we are planting peas, onions and beet greens. Tomorrow we have to pot up our lilies and start our cucumber and squash plants. I've been so tempted to start the cucumber and squash early but it doesn't pay to plant them so early they get chilled and they don't do well if they are very large when we put them out. Starting this week we are open 9 to 6 and 6and a half days a week. We are closed Sunday morning so we can attend church. With so much to do we are here most evening, just stop by or call to make sure if you are coming a distance. Our number is 327-1398. See you, Sally

Our spring shipment of woody ornamentals and fruit tree are here. we have a nice selection for you to check out and we are adding plants every day. We have a assortment of ferns for that shady or moist spot. Some can take a dry location, some can take some sun. Ferns are listed under perennials Come by and get some creeping phlox for $3.99, we have 4 colors, some are showing color. Please don't forget that the fire danger is very high. Sally

April showers bring May flowers. We enjoyed some beautiful weather but we needed this rain. Things should dry up fast. Gilbert and Barbie planted peas and onions last night, Now that he has the tiller on the tractor I want to work up some ground and get mine in. Every day I put a few more flowers out to harden off. Many perennials and shrubs are showing green. On Thursday my truck shipment of trees and shrubs are arriving. If you want to buy any for 15% off this weekend please call 327-1398 and ask us to set them aside. We want to have the plants potted up by Sunday evening, To see what is coming click on fruits and woody ornamentals. Take care, Sally

This isn't later in the week, it's later the next week! We have plants that we started that need transplanting as well as shipments of plants that I can't start myself. Everything needs to be taken care of in a timely manner to be the best it can be. And there are only 24 hours in a day! Our bare root shipment of shrubs and fruit trees comes in on the 27th. Anything brought bare root is 15% off the price listed on the web page. All shrubs and trees can be planted now. By April 30th everything will be potted. Some shrubs that are carryovers or I brought as small plants are available now.

Many of you know that my husband and son build fence. They build fence to keep animals in and animals out. Some fences are around a garden to keep deer out and some are a couple of miles long to keep deer or other animals in or deer out. One of the booths I did at the flower show was for Allenfarm fence. Darel refers a lot of fences to Allenfarm fence and vice-versa. We do not do vinyl fence and they build high quality vinyl fencing. Since they manufacture the vinyl fence at their plant in Bangor they can custom design your fence. They also build decorative wood fence, gates, arbors and pergolas. Allenfarm's web address is www.allenfarmfnce.com www.allenfOur greenhouse is open if you would like to look around or want to plant some pansies. Some other cold hardy plants can be planted as soon as we get them hardened off. We try to sell only flowers that are hardened off so you can take them right home and plant . Hoping to see you, Sally

The 2006 garden show is history. A lot of work and a lot of good times, Later in the week I'll write up more about it with some pictures and links. Now it is time to transplant vegetables and marigolds in the greenhouse. We have several different marigolds. For tomatoes we carry several old favorites and heirlooms. Later this week I'll plant pansies and have them out on the benches for sale. I want to get all our perennials listed and some of our annuals. We have so many I probably not get all of them entered this week. As i update the our web page I'll list the updates in this journal. So check the journal in a few days. Sally

In case we forgot that it was still early spring last week this week's weather is reminding us! You can beat the weather by going to the Bangor Garden Show this weekend. I hope to see you there.

This week's journal is a day late. Sunday night the frost free water spigot started shooting out water from a "solid" connection that had a large crack in it. We got a new spigot and had it fixed by ten a.m., but the greenhouse was already so dry that it took a long time to get everything watered. I'm thankful it didn't happen Wednesday or Thursday when I was at the auditorium planting for the show. It is time to take the wrap off fruit trees so they have plenty of room to grow this summer. Wrap left on provides a place for bugs to hide and fungus to grow. While I'm at it I'll finish the pruning that should have been finished last month. Any suckers growing up from the bottom part of the truck need to be removed. They are less likely to grow back if you can pull them off instead of cutting them. I'm taking the mulch off my perennials next week. I already took it off my tulips. If your strawberries are showing any growth the mulch should be moved off the plants. Ornamental grass should have the old brown grass cut off before any green starts to show. Remember the fire danger is high. Take care, Sally

We are potting creeping phlox. As soon as the frost goes out I plan to plant some on the east side of the greenhouse so we can enjoy them this spring. The frost will be going out soon, the ten day forecast only show two more nights in the high twenty's, than above thirty nights and up to fifty several days. Bleeding hearts and Iris are early bloomer that I'm anxious to plant, I'm just getting anxious period. And I'm really not ready, it was so wet last fall that I've lots of cleanup that should have been done then. Onions, lettuce and peas can be planted as soon as the ground can be worked, but don't get in a rush to work up all your garden. Over worked soil loses its structure, the ability to move air and water in a manner beneficial to growing plants. Several flowers can take the cold, especially pansies, down to 25 degrees. Snapdragons and million bells petunias can take a light frost. Make sure any plants you put out have been hardened off. The cold and wind can shock plants newly out of the green house. Don't forget to plan to go to the garden show, Sally

First day of spring and its cold and windy, but warmer and less windy than yesterday, each day is supposed to improve a little. Past weather patterns show that when winter has a hard time coming it often has a hard time leaving. I hope that pattern doesn't extend to summer. It is drying up fast. When it warms up we will be able to clean up winter's debris, but fire danger will probably be to high to burn trash. I have gotten confirmation on my spring shipments. I ordered twenty of the new "Endless Summer" hydrangea that has been bred for our Zone 4. (Most of this area is a Zone 4, closer to Bangor a Zone 5, some maps show Bradford as a Zone 5. I'm very careful where I put anything listed for Zone 5.) "Endless Summer" blooms all summer with pink or blue blossoms depending on the soil. I will also have the new "Sensation" lilac, it has purple blossoms with a white border. "Sensation is a Zone 3. I'll also have the "Hyacinth" lilac that is so fragrant. It blooms early and comes in white or purple. *Hyacinth" lilacs are good down to a Zone 2 My shrub order is coming the last week in April, as soon as I have a firm date I will post it. It is nice to get shrubs planted as soon as possible, before we get busy with other spring plantings. Its sunny and warm in the green house which means I must get out there and water. Have a good week, Sally

Last week was not a good week for the journal! Two times I wrote it and twice it went somewhere besides on the web page. I tried a third time and couldn't even get the computer to print anything. On Friday my web host made a house call and got me back on track (I hope)! It is taking me a long time to get all my plants entered on the web page. I'm up to liatris (blazing star) on the perennial pictures. Please be patient.

Do you have seeds left from years past? Many seeds stay viable for years if kept cold and dry. Other should be brought new nearly every year. I check my seeds by placing ten in a moist paper towel. I put the towel in a plastic bag in a warm place (70 to 75 degrees) and start checking them in a week. Most good seeds will have germinated by two weeks. I count the number of seeds that germinate to decide how many to plant in a row or if I should buy new seeds. We don't carry seeds. I recommend Johnny's or Fedco. Johnny's phone# is 1-800-854-2580 or on the web, Johnnyseeds.com Fedco's phone # is 207-673-7333 or on the web, fedcoseeds.com Both places are very generous with information and carry seeds that do well in our climate. And now I must get busy planting seeds that need to be started now to be ready for us to plant when it warms up. More flowers. tomatoes and peppers. Take care, Sally

It is hard to think spring when the temperature is is in the single numbers at noon and a north wind blowing. But it is warm and green in the greenhouse. We have so many plants in the greenhouse it is easier to keep the temperature even this week. I'll be starting flowers like begonias this week. Unlike petunia and pansies they can't go outside until there is no chance of frost but they need several weeks of warmth before they bloom. Pansies can a take temperature as low 25 degrees, snapdragons and petunias won't be hurt until the temperature goes below 28. Wave petunias don't seem to be able to take as much frost as other petunias. I've got two days before I need to start transplanting again, two days to add the plants I planted last week. I'm still not very fast on my computer so I'd best get at it! Keep warm, Sally

We kept the greenhouse warm during the wind and cold buy just barely. We are set up with generators to keep fans running (and the water pump and the light bulbs to keep the water from freezing in the barn) so the greenhouse cover would stay inflated. But it took putting wood on the stoves every two hours to keep it warm! As the floor gets warm it will be easier. I've been planting wave petunia seeds. The purple waves for the hanging pots are all up but there are so many other wave colors and so many ways to use them. They are a wonderful ground cover and go well with so many other plants. There are many colors of petunias that mix well with the wave colors. Sweet potato vine is a lush fast growing vine that makes a lovely contrast when it mixes in.. Petunias can be planted earlier than the vine but it grows so fast it catches up. Petunias can take a light frost, sweet potato vine can't take any frost. I saw wave petunias spilling off a deck. In the ground around the deck hostas were planted with some coleus mixed in. Very striking! My crew is here. There is no school this week so my grandchildren are all working in the greenhouse. Keeping them all busy keeps me hopping! Do stop by if you are in the area. Sally

It is snowing, the wind is blowing and it isn't very warm in the greenhouse. Winter came just as we started our greenhouse so we not only have to warm up the greenhouse, it is cold outside. We are putting wood on the stoves every three hours. By Tuesday when plants come in we should be able to keep the temperature at 70. The forecast say it will be warm enough Wednesday afternoon to move plants out of the house. By next weekend it will be spring in the greenhouse if you have time to stop by. With so much to do we are usually here but until we officially open in April you might want to call to be sure we are here. Our number is 327-1398. Speaking of next weekend. I have the web address for information on the Great Backyard Bird Count. The address is http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc. Keep warm, Sally

Did you know that if you start using a tablespoon of locally produced honey daily your immune system will become used to the local pollen in it and won't kick into overdrive this summer causing sneezing and wheezing? We sell our honey by the pint, quart or gallon.

February 17th thru the 20th is the weekend of the annual North American bird count. Data from the count give scientists information about the currant year's seasonal movements., changes in number and distribution of species, and the impact of climate change. It also provides updates on the effect of diseases like West Nile virus. Information on how to participate should be in this Saturday's paper. I'm going to find out more about it and will have more information in next week's journal.

I'll be starting the fire to warm up the greenhouse Saturday. The first warm day after the greenhouse is warm I'll be carrying seedlings out The past two days would have been perfect1 Here's hoping for some snow to protect the plants in the ground and bank the greenhouse. Take care, Sally

Winter is the time to look at seed catalogs and dream. Thanks to our extension service it is also time to find out how to extend our gardening season. There will be a free program on extending the growing season presented by Donna Lamb, extension educator. The same program will be held at three different places, March 12th at SeDoMoCha, Dover Foxcroft: March 13th at PCHS Guilford: and March 14th at PVHS, Milo. You are requested to call the site coordinator so they will have enough materials for each person attending. Dover Foxcroft, Diane Salisbury 564-6525: Milo, Stephanie Sally 943-7317: Guilford, Kelly MacFadyen 876-3577.

A tree fruit growing class will be held this spring by Dave Olmsted of Olmsted's Orchards in Charleston. The 16 hour course covers all aspects of growing trees and is designed for the noncommercial grower. Four books are included in the $125.00 fee. For more information contact Dave Olmstead at 285-3426.

The Penobscot County Master Gardener Program starts February 7th, 6 to 9 PM in Bangor. The class is a 13 week series and a wonderful class. For more information call Gleason Gray, extension educator at 942-7396 or 1-800-287-1485.

Would you like to plant your own containers of flowers for your deck or yard? If you would be interested in a class on container planting to be held in May ( when containers could go outside without fear of frost) please call me at 327-1398.

Please check this space each Monday from now on. Even if there isn't much gardening new I will be mentioning different events of interest coming up. Sally

About US

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Route 11
1204 Main Road
N. Bradford, ME 04410
Phone: (207) 327-1398
(leave a message)
Fax: (207) 327-2076
Email: countryjct@gmail.com

Our Farm Journal

2/15/11

About US

Gardens Greenhouse Annuals

Frost Planting Date Fruits PerennialsVines Woody Ornamentals Farm Journal Fresh Vegetables Furniture Gifts Wreaths Directions & Map Links Promote Your Page Too

Route 11 1204 Main Road N. Bradford, ME 04410 Phone: (207) 327-1398 (leave a message) Fax: (207) 327-2076 Email: countryjct@gmail.com

Our Farm Journal

2/15/11

Gardens
Greenhouse
Annuals

Frost Planting Date
Fruits
Perennials
Vines
Woody Ornamentals
Farm Journal
Fresh Vegetables
Furniture
Gifts
Wreaths
Directions & Map
Links

Promote Your Page Too

Route 11
1204 Main Road
N. Bradford, ME 04410
Phone: (207) 327-1398
(leave a message)
Fax: (207) 327-2076
Email: countryjct@gmail.com