pluviometer

Sometimes a word comes along and it's love at first...uh...sound? A word that just feels good in your mouth when you say it. Well, "pluviometer" did it for me. Actually, it was something I'd been wishing for, but I thought I was just wishing for a rain gauge. Turns out it has a great name. Of course, I was wishing for one not made of plastic, because if we ever have hot sun again, the plastic won't last long. So my sweetheart gave me one, very pretty and made of glass and brass. The wrapping was lovely - check it out:

Notice the sailors hanging their legs over the side of the box? And pointing to the hunk? So, anyway, there on the box it said "A Portable Pluviometer." I went to the dictionary, and there was "pluvial", the perfect word for the weather we've been having for the past...hmmm, how long has it been raining, anyway? A month or so? I'm not complaining, mind you, but a lot of people are. I am one for cozy weather, though I do love a little sun now and then. And here's the definition of "pluvial" - "a: of or relating to rain, b: characterized by abundant rain," or as a noun, "a prolonged period of wet climate." That would be us.

Late last night we had a powerful thunderstorm which was close by and a bit scary, and it brought another 2 - 2 1/2 inches of rain. (I can't tell you exactly how much rain, because the pluviometer was still on the kitchen table, nice and dry. Instead I measured the old-fashioned way - put my hand in a tub of rainwater to see how high up my hand the water came.) And the weather forecast for today was: "fog and drizzle will give way to a chance of showers and thunderstorms." For some reason that cracked us up.

I went off to my gardening job as usual, in rainpants...rubber boots...and slogged in the mud for the day. And then...the sun came out!!!!! Around 4 pm it got bright and warm and the next thing I knew I was in shorts and bare feet and feeling fine. Bluebirds swooping nearby, and butterflies. The bees came back to the roses. The sky had some blue - oh, how beautiful!

moments before the monsoon...

We drive half an hour to nearly everything we do, but we are ever so lucky to live near an organic pick-your-own strawberry farm. This morning we had a waffle breakfast date with a few of our favorite people (two small ones and their mother) then picked some delicious strawberries together, almost finishing before the daily downpour. Picking strawberries with a 4 and a 6 year-old is my cup of tea, as in "Look! This one has a nose! I ate his nose and his eyes and now he can't see!" The little ones headed home with mom, I finished filling my flat, and F. kept on picking as though it was a lovely summer day until his 5 gallon bucket was nearly full - his sights were set on the strawberry wine he plans to make, and it would take more than a little old downpour to dampen his spirits. It felt so heavenly to come home to dry clothes and a woodfire with a hot cup of tea. Stay tuned on the wine...he plans to mash the berries with his feet.

need I say more?

hello again!

What incredible beauty I'm finding in the yard, now that the rain has taken a break. Such splendor in bloom. Apparently there's more rain in the forecast for the next ten days...?! The Summer of Slugs. It reminds me of the summer that a friend had moss growing in the door frame of her car, which was quite pretty to those of us who love moss.

It's such a pleasure to be back. The good doctor cured the computer of more than 1,000 viruses. Yikes! I'm ever so grateful to him.

I wish I could give you some pictures from the past week, when I was lucky enough to help with an art camp for children 4 - 8 years old. They did printmaking each day with a visiting artist, and then baked, felted meteor balls, helped with a puppet show, did some watercolor painting, cranked homemade ice cream, played and ate delicious food and had a lot of fun. Dearest Miss M. who organized and hosted the week in her usual beautiful, calm way, won the hearts of children and parents alike, who went home with lots of beautiful artwork and tears in the eyes of the adults, sad to say good-bye.

Now that art week is over, I'm looking forward to gardening once again, up the road at an amazing farm. Off the grid...organic...humming with bees...orioles begging for oranges, and bluebirds nesting nearby...a soothing and inspiring place to spend the day, with a Master Gardener whom I'm quite fond of. Also two great dogs, and two very sociable cows whose faces are often inches away from mine on the other side of the fence, and when I straighten up there's a big wet muzzle right in my face and a wet lick on my sweaty cheek!

Interspersed with gardening there will be my weekly Master Gardener volunteer time at the Pine Tree State Arboretum, and an afternoon of learning to make cheese. What a life, eh?

Some puppet shows are coming up - "A Fairy Went A-Marketing" in Lincolnville at their Strawberry Festival July 11th, then the Martha's Vineyard Puppet Festival July 18th and 19th, when M. and I will perform two puppet shows at the Polly Hill Arboretum, followed by the Fairy show again at the Coastal Maine Botanical gardens on August 9th for their fairy weekend.

Busy, busy, and it's all so good.

the computer's vacation

Hello out there...I'm still here. I wish I could show you in pictures what's new, but the computer fell ill with 148 (!) viruses! It's been on sick leave with a wonderful computer doctor for a bit now, but might be released tomorrow. (I'm posting this from a borrowed laptop.) There's so much that I want to show you...hopefully soon. Check back, please! And thanks so much for stopping by! I've missed you.

a glimpse at June's beginning

Well, here is the latest sweetness from my homeschooling handwork group. One fairy is missing from the group picture - maybe next week she'll make an appearance. Didn't they do an amazing job for 5, 6 and 7-year-olds with only a little help from adults?! Apparently these fairies are already starring in many home puppet shows, which melts my heart.

This maple was put here as a wee thing by F., and look at it now!

And this is what the kitchen table looks like today. A momma pig in the making for a summer story, as well as a bird cage for a fairy's pet bird, and for distraction, a great book on pruning.

how the other half lives

Here is F's first attempt at winemaking. Dandelion, after two weeks. Add the airlock, and spend the rest of the day watching the bubbles slowly rise...one...after...another...

And this picture...well, someone at our house said "Do you think perhaps it's time to take the Christmas tree down? It could leave a nice space on the porch for sitting and looking at the garden over morning tea and coffee." And the husband said, "But I'll miss the lights, which I put on to get us through the dark time of the year." And the wife said, "I unplugged them a week ago." "Oh, you did?" So off went the tree, back to the woods from whence it came.

And finally, woodworking projects from the fifth grade with a peek at a six-grade project off in the corner. Another school year creeps to a close.