Saturday, October 25, 2014

Halloween preseason

The fun begins. Naturally, at the last minute, Reid opted for the plasticky thrift shop muscle suit find (see below), rather then the gorgeous hand me down, homemade Batman suit a friend gave us, but really this is just the preseason. We are just getting warmed up. Happy Halloween!

Tonight we snuck around like ninjas in the dark and delivered  cookies to neighbors with signs like these, made by Liam:
Sneaking around in the dark with little people is a ton of fun! We are "SO" stealthy!

Friday, October 24, 2014

Trail Crew!

A few weekends ago, we took the kids from Quaker meeting out to the Orono Land Trust trails to do some trail improvement.  Was awesome.  We saw (I only heard) a great horned owl:
 We dug rocks while small ones looked on:
 We rolled the rocks to the side.
 Took a breather, and repeated.  Then we filled the wholes with other soil and smaller stones.  Katie and Laura and Mike are not pictured, but did a lot of this work.
 Mike Opitz on the left, our leader.  And a whole pile of kiddos.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Liam's first piano recital

First, we get ready.
Some of us are excited.


 The University's recital hall is something else!

Liam waits in the front row with other performers while we read our books.

Liam is #3 on the list, and brings his music to meet Sierra, his teacher, at the piano.

Nice posture. And lovely music.  He memorized the melody of Cruella de Ville.

While we wait for all the other very good performances Reid and I play finger games.

The ages ranged from 13 to 7.  There were only 3 8 year olds, and only one 7 year old.  Can you pick him out?

Ta da!

I see a lot of Baker/Waring in that little face!

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Batman Beedo



Reid at a Franco American party on campus after Michelle Obama came to town for a rally. The photo was taken by Steve Roberts of UMaine and the gorgeous costume was sewn and handed down to us by our friends Aaron and Susan. Needless to say, the costume makes Reid feel REALLY good.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Leonard Mills - wow!

Wow!  This place is just across the river?

Our good friends the Smiths let us know about the Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley, ME [Facebork]. They had said it was not to miss.  Oh wow, were they ever right. Just start with exhibit A, here:
That's a old water mill.  But it works.  It cut's logs.  With water power.  It's amazing and gorgeous.  (video coming). Then there is this beauty here.  This is a Lombard Log Hauler.  A cross between a tank and a snowmobile and a steam-powered locomotive, this thing is 90hp, and quite a sight.  This will probably be as close as I get to steam-punk heaven, but it is waa-aa-aaaay closer than I ever expected! (video coming there too!)

 The Lombard has a train whistle which can kill a man at 50 paces.  Hence the kids' response:

Reid helped saw some logs with a vertical 2-man saw:
 We watched this man bake an apple pie.  See it there?  It's in the pot with the coals on top. He may change the coals once.
 We were enthralled, as always, by the blacksmith.
 And by our friends the Smiths, Michell, Alasdair and Jeremy, by name:
 Liam threw a tomahawk, and with help suck it into this old stump.
 Alasdair looked on while Liam worked the shuttle and the treadles of a beautiful old loom under the skillful guidance of an expert weaver.
 A spinning wheel.  Out of the picture: a harp, also in active use.
 A carriage ride pulled by spotted draft horses.
 Reid and Daddy.
 The covered bridge.
Not pictured: the civil war encampment and actors, the candle making the cider making, the shingle making, the various houses, the bean hole beans, the biscuits, the inside of the mill, the homestead, the trappers encampment, the forester's house, the other buildings, and on and on...