My Hermit Haven

July 29, 2023

Good morning on this beautiful Saturday morning.

Looks like we are coming into the best weather of the year today, so great! Temps are supposed to be between 50-75 all this coming week, so we'll be quite a bit more comfortable sans air conditioning. 

Plant talk today will be the story of two tiny trees.

Approximately 5 years ago, I bought two additional stone pines for the Vermont property. I had this vision that they would grow big and beautiful and strong, and shade the root cellar somewhat. I put them in two half-whiskey barrels, flanking a weeping Mulberry (also in a half-whiskey barrel). The two pines down below that I'd already had for a few years (also in half-whiskey barrels), didn't seem bothered by anything, so I thought maybe these would not be, either. Unfortunately, even though I know the Deer come right down in the yard there, these three trees got chomped, repeatedly. Who can figure out why they would bother these and not the others? Proximity perhaps? Or the age of the trees? We know that they love the tender young bark and branches and leaf tips of the baby trees, but why would they bother these and not the ones closer to the house? I mean, it's only a matter of feet, really. It's so strange to me, but not to them, I guess. It is a bit more isolated from view up there in the back of the property, but we can still see it from the house, so that seems an illogical assumption....well, I just don't know, so I pulled these poor little stragglers out last time I was there, and brought them here, where I can tend them a little easier. I will be building hardware cages for them, before I leave this fall. 

They look very stunted, but I have learned with trees, that if they have a stout and robust root ball, and even the minimal foliage, they can survive almost anything; so I never chuck trees out, no matter how bedraggled they may look up top. I once read in the book: "What do Trees Talk About?" that most of the essence of a tree is actually underground, and all  we usually see is the top 1/3 of the tree. I find that utterly fascinating and an alert to all we tend to miss, as humans. 

I have another fascinating story of a plum tree I planted in Vermont; but that is a story for another day....so back to the matter at hand. 

I bought these Stone pines from One Green World (out in Oregon), when shipping prices were still reasonable (pre-pandemic), and they weren't exactly cheap, so I am invested in rejuvenating them and watching them make a healthy comeback. If they do revive, they will likely bear pinenuts before the other (older) ones, because they will likely have a much stauncher resilience. I also read in that same book, that some trees can and do, produce and send out toxins to prevent further nibbling on their tips. I am not sure if this species does that, but I just know in my bones that if they make it, they will be quite fruitful. 

I also read in Samuel Thayers new tome, that Sweet Fern likes to have red pine as a buddy, and even though we cannot grow red pine here, I am hoping that the lone Comptonia will like the stone pines flanking it. I mean, I fully realize that they are only distantly related, but It's the best I can do, so I pray that it's enough. 

Well, on that note, here are the two very small stone pines; I cannot remember exactly, but I believe they were/are called: Korean Stone Pine, I couldn't say for sure without looking up the records....

The little chunks of things hanging on them are small squares of Irish Spring Soap. I know some folks think that is an old wives tale (mostly just the young prigs), but I have found that not only does it keep the Deer from noshing, but it acts as a soap spray for bugs. If you string one around the top of each branch and also at the top of the tree, whenever it rains, the soap dissolves and runs down the stems and coats the leaves. Some ends up on the ground, which acts to control the ground pests (after all, nobody likes a faceful or mouthful of Irish Spring), I swear. lol So, you are getting a triple whammy of protection for not very much money and only a little time, invested.  Since I've lately had more time then money, it works well, for me. I will circle around and take follow-up photos in a future blog...so stay tuned. 

On that note, I will close with: Be Kind, always.

My Hermit Haven

 July 28, 2023

Good Morning from Hermit Hill, looking like its gonna be another scorcher this fine Friday, whewy. Supposed to cool off a tad after this, though. We are coming into some of the finest weather of the year, now. Yay.

Wasn't planning on doing much work today, but I did find my stencils so I decided to paint the privy. Need to make a note to self, never to buy another metal popup shed. Rich and I still have cuts and scratches from assembling it a month ago. There were many other problems with it, too. The roof was so badly done that we had to retrofit it with a piece of pt board that we had laying around. Then, in the next ten days of rain, the roof held, but the floor leaked like a sieve, with an actual puddle inside, despite Rich's several attempts at caulking it. We should have, in retrospect, tilted the deck towards the front, so this couldn't happen. Eeesh. In any case, our third attempt at waterproofing was mostly successful, with only a small spot of water coming in, which can be dealt with with some toweling (temporary) and some more silicon caulking for a longer term fix. Honestly, upon reflection, with the amount of time and money we have into this thing, it probably would have been better to just build a wooden one, which we plan to do when the snow and wind takes this one out. (Not much faith it will even get through the next winter). This is a good example of hindsight being 20/20, hey? I most definately do not recommend buying these to save time....because theyjust don't. lol

On a happier note, when I got up to let the divas out to do their thang, the Catbirds were ganging up on the blue birdbath I put out, which makes me quite satisfied. I do not doubt their intelligence at all. Last year, when I was staying in the camper, I would pick BB's first thing every day, and last thing at night. They must have been taking notes, because this year, the berries ripening in the a.m., are gone before I even get up....I suspect there will be p.m. berries to get, so there should be enough to go around (at least, I sure do hope so). The blacks are starting to come in and I am looking forward to eating my fill; I'm pretty sure they are, too. Learning how to co-exist is quite the mostly fulfilling experience!

Anyhow, here is a picture of our cob-job on the roof of the privy, and here is my paintjob. I am not a painter, as you will see. I know there are folks who actually like painting, I am not one of them. I try and do my best, with my limited skills in certain areas, and that's all I can do. As Rich often says: "It's progress, not perfection, Dear." And so it is. 

In closing, I will say, Try and Just Be Kind, always. Or as the Dalai Lama says, "If you can't help, at least don't hurt." Which has pretty much been my lifelong goal. 

My Hermit Haven

 July 27, 2023

Good morning from Hermit Hill, this very fine Thursday.

Its not overbearingly hot today, on account of the cloud cover, my Iwatch is telling me that it's only 70 degrees at 9:00 a.m. Yay.

I don't have much to report, plantwise, except to say that the purple spiked plant I was trying to figure out yesterday, was indeed Spirea, as Plant Snap indicated. Spirea Tomentosa, in fact.  I am glad that Plant Snap was right, once again, as I have found it quite useful in the past and the price was right (Free). I know loads of folks don't like it, but I suspect it's due to user error, on account of, you have to have really great pics to get accurate results. Good Pictures are hard to get; I know this from trying to snap my art, the results never do it justice! 

I really despise using any of the groups on Facebook, however; like the Plant ID groups, because they so quickly devolve into sarcasm and belittling, just because folks are anonymous and can get away with it. That's the number one reason I have this haven. It's because if folks CAN get away with being belligerent, without recourse, then they will do so readily. It's been my personal life experience that people in groups will almost always stoop to the lowest common denominator, especially if there is zero accountability. I believe it's called Mob Mentality. I spent most of my childhood dealing with this crap from all 5 of my siblings; I witnessed and experienced first hand, just how much harm this can do to the innocent. 

It took me many, many years, just to recover from the ensuing PTSD, and achieving one of my dreams of getting a higher education; which I finished the year I turned 50. I don't think I will ever get on top of the PTSD, but I have learned to mitigate it through tons of self work. I now have a pretty solid and regular meditation practice, and being here really helps me stay on an even keel, emotionally. It's just so expansive, in general, in Maine, because it's such a wide state, geographically. 

Vermont has become so congested that people go nuts there, on a pretty regular basis.Both Burlington and Brattleboro (the two largest towns), have crimes of homicide on a regular basis; often for no real coherant reason. 

I am not sure the interstate has helped the State, to any degree, because it's only served to make it way more accessible to an enormous amount of mostly unsavory individuals.It's a well known societal trend that the more people there are, in a small area, the more crime increases. Is it the ensuing congestion that causes the trend, or is it something else? Who knows for sure?

In any case, It's fairly obvious to me, whenever I go back, that the roads were not built for the amount of vehicles that use them, and that that is only one rather large problem the state has. I believe the other large problems are only compounded by the poor factions living on top of each other, and the folks who arrive to exploit them. But it's soooo greeen, ma! lol. Reminds me of the James McMurtry lyrics: I'm not from here, I just live here". 

The state is, in fact, at the Govermental level, run by mostly imports who do not have a clue what it takes to actually live there if you are poor and/or disabled. Even Bernie Sanders, who has done an awfully lot of good, is not from there. I don't hold it against him, but I also know that he is not in his job, just for altruistic reasons; but rather for the "charge" that wielding loads of political power gives him. On a good note, however; he is likely the ONLY senator in the entire USA who has an on-the-ground office that any citizen can walk into and ask for (and receive) help, so he at least understands that it's the little guy who props up the states economic substructure.

Well, I wasn't going to talk politics on my blog, but there it is. I often look through a sociological lens when reflecting, which it seems like a good thing to do on a rainy day.

On a different note, and back to the purpose of this blog, let's get back to plant talk! 

Here is the lovely Spirea that is all over the property. It has many names, apparently (most plants do), including SteepleBush, Hardhack, Rosy Meadowsweet, etc. etc. Here also is a lovely little passage from Robert Frost, that a person left on my FB post, and for which I am most charmed and thankful.

At the present rate it must come to pass,/And that right soon, that the meadowsweet/And steeplebush, not good to eat/Will have crowded out the edible grass.

And here she is, in all her glory:

On a final note, I noticed that both the Bees and Hummingbirds just adore her, so I will be marking all of the scattered volunteers so I can move them into the protected space behind the cabin. I am pretty excited to be able to have enough space to grow flowers here. (I only concentrated on edibles in Vermont, because of space constrictions = only 1/3 acre). 

My inner Bear is so very grateful. I may even keep bees again, someday......I can dream here.....lol

My Hermit Haven

 July 26, 2023

Good morning from Hermit Hill this very fine Wednesday.

The temps are only in the 70's this a.m., which seems like the days work may just be comfortable.

I noticed the other day when I was pulling weeds, that the sprinkling of white pines we have, all over the lot, are besieged with something that is making the tops curve over, and there's a fair amount of white fungus like sap, all over the stem. I immediately thought fungus, but upon further investigation, it turns out to be a nasty little weevil. Apparently, it doesn't kill the tree, but does confuse it, causing it to send out lost leaders. I will need to keep an eye on it and prune away, so that it doesn't get too bushy. (Pic #1, below). More information: https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/white-pine-weevil-5-606/

As it happens, when I was pulling rather tall green plants which I thought were golden rod, turns out I was mistaken. They were actually evening primrose, which I spied blooming today. The flower cluster is a dead give-away, as there is nothing else quite like it. It IS an invasive, and is the first time I have seen it here. It is so pretty, I'll likely leave a few because invasives are only invasive if they go uncared for. (Pic #3, below).

It's so much fun to watch a succession forest make a comeback. The first year we were here, (maybe a year after it had been logged), there was Ironweed just everywhere! The next year, it was New Jersey Tea. The year after, it was Horsetail and now it's Evening Primrose. I just love observing all the changes and the avian visitors that come in response to the food and nesting sites (lots of deadfall and plenty of brush piles). I finally got the Merlin App on my iphone and at any given time, there are at least 10-20 species calling outside the cabin. We even had a Whipperwill earlier this summer, and that's at the bottom of our property (southernmost, which I refer to as downtown); whose to say how many there are, uptown (where the camper is). lol

In any case, microclimates are pretty fascinating. There is just enough altitude between downtown and uptown to make for quite the eclectic mix of creatures. For instance, I haven't seen the beetle damage on the Blacks uptown, that I've seen downtown. There are two white pines up top (that I found, and left alone) that have zero weevil damage, as well. And even the critters are different. We have many pairs of nesting Doves down here, as well as the Woodpeckers thriving (on all those bug populations, presumably). The turkeys love the edges down here and the more solitary birds love the top acreage, where there is less disruption. I haven't got up to the camper yet this summer, mostly because of the rain. When I was up there last fall, I saw a fox walk right across camp one morning and Toodles and I watched a Fisher cat come out of its den, cleaning house. Who knew they cleaned their digs, first thing every day? These are the kinds of jewels I am utterly entranced with, because it's never the kind of thing you read about, even in Northern Forest (a great magazine that I highly recommend). 

Whoever built our driveway, to do the logging, created so many edges, that it's like living in an unfenced zoo. Everything loves edges!

Speaking of which, the Catbirds are already scoping the Blacks up top because there are a lot less down here this year. I adore Catbirds, even if they are considered a nuisance bird. They make so very many sounds that it's just plain good fun to get a squeaking competition going, which I often do. And there are still so many loads of berries up top, that its likely enough to be fruitful for everyone.

I forgot to mention the biggest come back trees.....pin cherries are absolutely everywhere, and man do all the birds just love them! We have been able to watch all of the avian visitors constantly visit between the cherries and honeysuckles for some time, now. I wasn't going to leave the Honeysuckles because they are also considered invasive, but man do the birds love them! Supposedly, they don't have much nutrition, but I am assuming that the cherries do, so since there is a pretty equal balance of both, I am hoping it's a non-issue. In any case, as the rest of my planted saplings grow and produce fruit, I will be weeding out the Honeysuckles over time. 

Todays challenge is to Id the purple being (pic#2, below). Newcombes is less then helpful and Plant Snap thinks its a Spirea, which I highly doubt, so if anyone can help a girl out, you'll get a cup of tea, on me. (I feel like I've ID'd it before, but I am suffering from O.L.D. so my memory just ain't what it used to be!). lol.

And that's likely enough plant talk for today. 

In closing, I would just say, "Be kind, always".

My Hermit Haven

 July 25, 2023

Welcome to Hermit Hill this very hot Tuesday.

My Apple watch tells me its already 90 degrees at 9:00 a.m. Whewy, its shaping up to be a hot one!

No matter, I prefer the heat over 20 below, since I can just spray down myself and the divas with the hose periodically, and be quite comfortable. 

Yesterdays giant rain storm, late in the day, means I didn't get a proper shower, so I probably am not going anywhere today, even though I DO have errands to run. I guess they can wait until later in the week. I do, after all, have the little mini washer so i can scrape by until then. Plus, I am tired after working 4 hours yesterday, on the soon to be, domesticated blackberry patch. 

As it happens, this southernmost patch of berries was laying on the ground directly. With the rain and all of the foliage over there, it got knocked pretty hard with beetles, so never put out any fruit, as it just had to keep trying to re-foliate. I cut and cut and am going to be stringing up the new growth next spring on wire and cedar posts. I don't really need to move too many of them, and I have learned to work smarter, rather then harder, in my old age, so hopefully, next year, there will be a fine crop of blacks to sell. I may have to spray, as I suspect the beetles laid eggs in the soil, but I really hope I won't have to. Guess we'll see.

The piles are quite tall and there's nothing that our Avian friends like better then brush piles. They have been in and out all morning, and have found the bird bath I put over there, which makes me really happy.

I also found the loveliest little nest on the ground so its become a decoration in the landscape. Everytime I find one, I feel like I have hit a gold patch. This one is just so perfect.

In closing, I am reminded of the Warren Zevon song: Splendid Isolation. It is definately how I feel, most days, hence the name: Hermit Haven. Its all too much to delve into on a blog (although I might, someday), but just suffice it to say that I am the happiest I have ever been, on our little patch of paradise. 

My inner Bear is grateful.

In closing, I would say, Be Kind, Always.

My Hermit Haven

 Good morning and welcome to Hermit Hill. (July 24, 2023).

What a lovely Monday morning. I have decided to start this week on a good note; I really need to stop scrolling mindlessly and get back to blogging about my adventures here in Maine. 

As you likely all know, we purchased a logged 25 acre parcel of land in Western Maine, in 2017. 

The main goal is to eventually replace many of the trees (with fruit trees) and create a creature haven, like I did in Middlebury, only on a much larger scale. So far, so good. To date, I have planted 19 Paw-Paw saplings, which I grew from seeds off of our Vermont trees. There are 3 pears (one of which I have to move), 2 Apricots, 6 Mulberries, 3 walnuts, and 2 Hazelnuts. There is also one lone Apple up in the top orchard, as I keep forgetting to get a matey for it. It's just as well, as it also needs moving, because the Deer just will not leave it alone, despite the sledge piles up there.  I also planted many redbuds, along skid row (which will eventually serve as the wildfood path), just because I love their flowers. As for bushes, well, it seems as though I am only going to end up with a single Spicebush here, just like I only ended up with a single one in Vermont. The Goddess does speak in mysterious ways, doesn't she? lol. 

But, I also have planted 12-15 blueberry plants and at least that many Honeyberries. I think my berry planting is done for the near future as I am slightly worried about the Spotted Fruit fly invasion. I read in Samuel Thayers new tome, that they may be less vigorous if there are only a couple different berries in an area. I guess we'll see. The lot is rife with so many blackberries that it may serve as an income in the coming years, and there will be more then one section of them, so maybe that will help. Gosh knows that I really don't need Apple or Blueberry plants, as this state is chock-a-block full of orchards, still.

Someday, I hope to woodburn all of my planted greenery with their latin names on a small spare board (left over from construction purposes). It's definately a winter sort of project, but is part of my secondary goal of creating wild food walks to also educate humans about the food all around us. It can only help to make folks aware enough to practice ethical conservation. 

In any case, the work will never be done, so blogging in the morning is something I can and should, be doing. We kept no before and after records of all our work in Vermont, and I do not wish to make the sme mistake here. Plus, marking is a vital goal of education, since I can't be available all of the time.Not to mention that education is not something I love, or am particularly good at, so self hikes by donation, might and probably will be, the outcome.

So, on that note, I will leave this mornings meanderings with a final note: 

Be Kind, always. 

Springtime in Vermont (at our place, anyway).

April 19-24, 2020.

Well, spring has certainly sprung at our place, here in Vermont.

I have to say that our yard is cleaner then it has been, since its inception from dream to reality, two decades ago. With the Pandemic and Rich home from work, we've managed to rake, dig and hoe, our way around the 1/3 of an acre that we call our yard.

All of the early spring lovelies (with the exception of a couple of late bloomers) have sprung. We also set up some grow lights inside to begin some starts, which is a first. We usually buy starts but who knows if the farms will even be open, so we started them since we were all set up anyhow.

These are some bulbs of Siberian Scilla that a previous tenant threw out in the yard, which I rounded up and put in my memory garden. The bees absolutely love them!


Bleeding hearts making a showing up back........

Lots of garlic mustard growing and spreading quite willingly, which I am in favor of. Yes, I do know it's supposed to be invasive, but it's one of the best early spring greens in my mind. I don't love dandelion or burdock greens, and I suspect them to be bio-accumulators anyhow, so I would only avail myself of them in the deepest emergency(s). I have a soaking bucket of burdock root that I dug from my strawberry bed this year and will likely dry some of those for medicine making (Essiac).

This is a patch of day-lilies that has been here since before I came (in 2002); which, as I just found out a few years ago, are quite edible in the shoot stage (1-4"). 

I planted a bunch of False Solomon's seal on the edges of the DL patch. I rescued these from the neighbors horrendous knot weed patch, in early spring a couple of years ago. They appear to be keeping the DLs in check. I also just moved some up back, near some other volunteer DL's, to also keep them in check. They (the FSS), are great medicine and food, as well as the DL's. 

There's also two Korean pine nut trees, in the center of the bottom most DL patch (in the half whisky barrels). They have not begun to bear pine-nuts yet, but I am so very glad I planted them, as the price of pine-nuts has gone through the roof. Maybe this year, so here's to hoping!

I also planted honey berries several years ago; honey berries are a cross between honeysuckle and blueberry, and grow in Siberia, from what I'm told. Even the late-blooming ones are a bit early blooming for our area, though, as there aren't many pollinators around in late April, but they have borne fruit b4. Unfortunately, we've never covered them, so the critters have eaten them b4 they can even ripen. We're hoping, based on the flowers on this one (the largest of 8) that it will bear fruit that we can harvest, since I aim to cover them as soon as the fruit sets. The flower is not a showy one and resembles honeysuckle more then a blueberry, in my mind.

We also have bloodroot that I transplanted about 3 years ago (another rescue from the neighbors knot weed). It's the loveliest little thing, isn't it? So pretty and medicinal. I have not made anything from it, as yet, as I want it to get well established. It does seem to be filling in quite nicely in front of the lone birch tree which makes a nice centerpiece in our yard. There's also clematis in the bed, but that is another late bloomer. So stay tuned for that!

 This is a cold frame that we built about 10 years ago. We had over-wintering spinach this year......it looks just fine. :) Another early spring green that I just love!

 It's been so cool that I've had to literally start my ladies three times, as they died the first time from damp rot, and the second time, from squirrels feeding(in the attic) . They are downstairs now, with me and doing quite well. I forget from year to year, just how much care and nurturing seedlings require........ah, well. So it goes. So many plants, so little time! lol.