On the way from Northampton to Casco (Sunday May 24) we went north on I-91 to Greenfield to get on route 2. We had told Jo and Lorenzo how easy it was to be in several states in a day in the northeast. In the western US, where states are bigger, it’s unusual to be …
Author Archives: deanb
Reptile report
On my way bicycling (for the first time in several weeks) to work yesterday, I saw a big snapping turtle in the parking lot by the canoe launch area in Nahanton Park. It wasn’t really remarkably big for a snapping turtle, maybe with a shell the size of a dinner plate, but even that’s much …
Summary update
Last weekend Arlene and I went with my mom and two of her neighbors to her 70th college reunion. Let’s see — Thurs 21 May – drive from Newton to Northampton via Lexington, Concord, Greenfield. Fri – attend alumnae college classes in AM, go to Old Deerfield in PM. Sat – alumnae parade and meeting …
Moosewood whistles
When I was a kid the cub scout handbook had directions for making a willow whistle. The idea is that the bark will slip right off a willow stick, and from there you can go on to make a whistle. I never met a willow tree that I could cut a branch from, and never …
Orchard Expansion 09
Maybe it would still really be spring even if I weren’t planting more fruit trees. I’m still a glutton for punishment in the form of tree planting, though. I have, however, found that a mattock is a good supplement to a spade for digging holes to plant in, especially in northern New England ground. I …
Gadget Show link
Charley sent me this link to a British video about a hi-tech unicycle. It’s too much fun not to post! The presenter rides up to a marina somewhere in Italy for a demo of an electric powered unicycle that’s only a little harder to ride than a Segway scooter, and maybe more comfortable because you …
Adinkra shirt update
Here’s an update on the discharge-printed shirt I’m working on. I took a break this weekend to work on income tax, but after two nights of printing during the week the front is all done. Remind me to zigzag around the edges before I work on the back; washing the shirt in between bleaching sessions …
Spring grilling
Two weekends ago it was the second day of spring. I was set to grill supper even though there was a foot of snow on the deck in Casco. Arlene shoveled a path to the grill. The best part was, usually I set that charcoal starting chimney down on three pieces of firebrick to cool …
Sewing projects
Last weekend, I mean March 21-22, I started a short sleeve shirt out of some of the least expensive yardage I’ve bought off the bolt in years, indigo cotton called “homespun” from the Windham Wal-Mart. We bought four yards of it when we bought four yards of black “Cotton Club” there for Arlene’s discharge printing …
1776
Saturday night we went to see the Windham Community Stage Theatre production of the musical 1776. At the cost of being patronizing, I need to say that I was impressed by how much better it was than several community theatre productions we’ve seen in Needham and Newton. Maybe it’s because they have a professional as …