and here it comes.....

So, tomorrow is supposed to be the first big snow storm of the year. Up to 10 inches where I live and 30 MPH winds. We already have a few inches on the ground, but tonight I will spend the evening scrambling about the yard (because you are never as ready as you think you are) dragging in more firewood, tucking in all the covering over my plants and making sure the house is dampered down. You leave anything outside in weather like that and its gone until June!

I am sure I will spend all night peeking out the windows to see if the storm has arrived and surely I will wake up to a mess! I hate traveling my hour plus commute to work on ice and snow ridden back roads, so hopefully tomorrow will be so bad, I can take the day off and bum around the house in my pj's and load the woodstove all day. Maybe cook something fun on the stove and watch the snow pile up. But more than likely, I will be at my desk, at work, watching my car be covered up by Maines "welcome to winter" present. Ready or not, here it comes......

Into The Wild

Last night I watched an amazing movie, based on a true story, called Into The Wild. If you have not seen or heard of this movie, I highly recommend it. What a good reminder of the balance our lives need between self reliance and self indulgence. You'll find it particularly interesting if you have ever read the works of Henry David Thoreau.

While I have read some less than favorable reviews about the movie and the real life character Christopher McCandless, I think its safe to say most people saw the importance of the story line. If you have a good 2 plus hours to spare and are in need of a thought provoking movie, check this out.

www.intothewild.com

let it snow!

Its the time of year around here that you notice a ripple of prepardness sweep across the state. If you drive around and look at peoples yards its like a daily flipbook of changes. Wood is stacked. Leaves are raked. Windows are buttoned up. Bushes are covered. Driveways are sealed. Winter is coming!
I think this is funny to watch. I love to stand back in amazement as I look at my yard all tucked in for the winter.
I love this time of the year so much, I actually look forward to it. I know just what needs to be done. I know just what I need to buy. I think I may even take it a little too far. Not only is the outside of our house ready, but the inside too. I buy excessive amounts of groceries in the fall, everything from can goods to toilet paper. I make sure all the cuboards are fully stocked. I get out all the winter gear and organize it. I lay out the shovels, the sand, the rocksalt. It could be the ice storm of '98 all over again, you never know, and I want to be ready! The kinda sick thing for me, is that I actually hope I have to call on those rations. I love the thought that I am all ready to survive a massive snow or ice storm. I love the feeling of being self reliant. Most of all, I love the feeling of being trapped in my house watching the snow fall, cozied up with family, while dinner cooks on the woodstove.

the creation of a compound......and a blog

I have a facination with Maine. I love almost everything about it. The snow. The people. The woods. Even the tourists. But most of all I love living here.

I'm a college educated twenty something that has lived in Maine most of my life. Originally born in NH, my parents moved to Maine shortly after I was born. While most Mainers consider someone of my breed to be "from away" I consider myself a Mainer through and through! I love the lifestyle, enjoy the weather and never see myself leaving.

Today, I live in a small town in the Western Maine foothills. My husband and I own a 1880's federal style home that we share with our dog, Riley. Interestingly enough, over the summer, my sister purchased the house right next door. Disregarding the old saying "fences make good neighbors", we torn the fence down that seperated our yards the day she closed on the house. It has proved to be one of the best decisions we have ever made. We spent the entire summer cleaning up the two yards, removing hedges, planting gardens and burning brush. Now, the yards appear as one. A fence surrounds the exterior. Nestled in the center are the two houses. We've combined resources, joined forces if you will, to create the ultimate compound.

The goal of this blog is to share what we are working on, how we are saving money and just general details of our lifes here in Maine.