April Planner

April is here. It started with a big snow storm...I wonder how it will end? Time will tell. In the meantime, I've got a busy month planned...

• Plant easter grass. Yea, I was supposed to do that last month. Didn't get to it. Is there still time?
• Attend the Maine Fiddler's Concert. This concert (now in its 11th year) takes place at The Chocolate Church Arts Center in Bath, Maine and is, in part, a fundraiser for Maine Fiddle Camp. It is a ball...and always makes me want to re-engage in learning to play my fiddle.
• A Psyanky date with my husband. I know, sounds kinky, huh? Not to worry, Maine-ly Home remains a family-friendly blogsite. But, I've been dying to give this wonderful craft another try since my friend Jeanne graciously taught me last April. And, my husband has agreed to do it with me.
• Visit some baby lambs. I must take my lamb-lovin' toddler to see some baby lambs. Oh, how I can't wait!
• Find some forsythia for a little spring forcin'. 
• Make a birthday crown for my baby who is turning 2!?! 
• Start thinking about a yard sale for MayFair Weekend.
• Find some new mud boots. Cause it's clear it's going to be a very muddy season. Maybe the muddiest yet.

What's on your planner?

January: A Planner

Okay, I'm not off to a good start. It's January 5th and I actually have no planner yet (it's my idea of forcing myself to abandon my paper planner and use Google tools on my Smartphone)...but, here's a list of the things I'm hoping to do this month:

• Ice skate. A lot. Maine is notorious for ice rinks. Sure, there are some of those fancy kind with zambonis and all. But, more often than not you'll find towns flooding their recreation field or town green to make way for ice skating. And, many a Maine-r floods their own backyard. The rationale? It's cold here - make the best of it! If you live in Maine and are looking for a place to skate, check out this listing of known Maine ice rinks (indoor and out).
• Sled. A lot. Again, it's cold and snowy in Maine. We could sit inside and feel sorry for ourselves, or get out and enjoy it. 
• Ski. Again....I grew up skiing in Maine. Largely at Mt. Abram and Sugarloaf (and, please don't even think of letting that news about the lift collapse intimidate you - it is a fabulous ski resort). My new favorite ski destinations? Saddleback Mountain and Camden Snowbowl. Saddleback, thanks to its recent change of ownership, has become a super family-friendly mountain with a fantastic ski lodge. The Camden Snowbowl? Well, maybe not the best skiing in the world. But, it's the United States' most eastern ski resort - and you can see the ocean while you ski. It's where the mountains meet the sea--and, I'm not sure if you've picked up on this or not, but that's a theme in my life (my husband is from the mountains; and I'm from the sea).
• Cook. Again, the cold theme kicking in here. :) I love to cook soup and my inlaws got me a cookbook I've been dreaming of. Sunday Soup: A Year's Worth of Mouth-Watering, Easy-to-Make Recipes Organized by season, the book is full of yummy sounding soups. And, the ingredient list won't send you scurrying around from store to store.
• Knitting or Felting or Something. Man, it feels like months since these hands have done anything but write, change diapers and fold laundry. It's time to dig into a project.
• Finish my daughters' Shutterfly calendar (again, not a good sign...). Each year I make a wall calendar that features photos of that month from the year before. It's my version of a scrapbook. And, please don't tell my kids about scrapbooks, 'else they'll be sorely disappointed because I'm not doing any.

What's on your January Planner? And, speaking of planners...what do you use as a planner?

December: A Planner

December is one of my favorite months. Especially in Maine. Maine is just SO Christmas-y. Even my husband, a die-hard western mountains guy, will agree. Even though we're always trying to simplify and scale back, our December is busy. Really busy. Here are just some of the things we have planned:

• Cutting winterberry so I can make wreaths, fill baskets, etc. My husband hates this tradition as it involves making him trudge (usually when he's not prepared) into marshy areas to snip many, many branches. For extra fun, I make him hold the winterberry as I make wreaths.
• Heading to Wolfe's Neck Farm for their annual Night Tree Event. It's a wonderful event that includes hanging out in a barn listening to a reading of Eve Bunting's Night Tree, making animal-friendly ornaments and then taking a short hike into the woods to hang the ornaments and enjoy cocoa and cookies around a bonfire. Good old fashioned fun, if you ask me. Last year I missed this event - a real favorite - and, instead, we organized one of our own. It was a dreamy evening in the snowy woods, decorating ornaments for the animals, standing around a fire eating nuts, date rolls and homemade bread.
• Cutting our own Christmas tree. If you have never cut your own, try it. It's a great tradition. This site will help you find Christmas Tree Farms in Maine (and I'm certain other states offer similar resources) if you don't have your patch of evergreens to peruse.
• Christmas Carolling on The Bath Trolley. Yup. It's true, in this little town of ours, you can go carolling on the trolley (our public transportation). Every Friday night between now and Christmas.
• Planting Paperwhite and Amarylis bulbs so I'll have something to enjoy come January. How-to in days to come!
• Shopping. I don't have a huge list because we have scaled back giving -- and sought out alternatives to gift giving - in recent years. But, still there is shopping to be done. I hope to include an Old Port Portland shopping trip in the mix -- and maybe even use my daughters as an excuse to ride the horse drawn carriages around the holiday lit streets.
• Decorating. Greens. Winterberry. Candles. Cranberries. Simple and festive.
• Riding the Candy Cane Train. A benefit for Tri-County Literacy, this train ride from Bath to Wiscasset is about as charming as can be. Carolers. Santa. Storytelling. Hot cocoa and cookies. And, a view to boot. 
• Making cinnamon ornaments with my girls. How-to will follow in the days to come.
• Sing! One of our favorite events in Bath, Sing! is a free community sing at the Chocolate Church for Performing Arts.
• Baking cookies. Oh, how I'd hoped (could I still pull it off?) to host a cookie exchange with girlfriends.
• Addressing holiday cards.
• Celebrating the Solistice. Not sure how yet. But, I'm thinking of creating a new tradition for my family.
• Making cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. I love the King Arthur Flour dough mix. And, it is super cute to make it one of their paper forms.
• Creating simple Christmas magic.
• Spending lots of time with friends and family.
• Drinking prosecco with pomagranate seeds and juice. That was oddly (?) placed after spending time with friends and family.

What do you have planned!?!

October: A Planner

So, I'm feeling a little gun shy this a.m., putting together my October Planner when I haven't finished the items on my September Planner.

But here goes...

...here are some of the things I have planned for October:

• Making applesauce. Have I mentioned that I have 40 lbs of apples awaiting...? :)
• Checking out Damariscotta's Pumpkin Festival. It's famous. It's all about pumpkins. Contests for size, contests for carving. Pumpkin food. Pumpkin parade. They even have a regatta (both motorized and unmotorized) in the harbor with boats made out of ginormous pumpkins.
• Mums. I need to purchase mums for my porch. But, first, the painters need to finish painting it (my porch, that is). 
• Knitting.
• Going camping with my family. We're headed to Baxter State Park this time.
• Pumpkin picking (location to be determined) and pumpkin carving. 
• Baking goodness with pumpkins.
• Costume making. Butterfly. Caterpillar. Flower. Butterfly catcher. Oh my. (Ideas welcomed.)

I just know there is much, much, much more I want to do in October. But, think I'll still with this list for now.


What do you have planned for October?

September: A Planner

I do love summer, but quite honestly, September is my favorite month. The month usually (hope I'm not jinxing myself here) has lovely weather--warm days and crisp nights--and it is filled with subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) changes. Of course, I've also learned now that I have school-aged children, that September can be an exhausting month as new routines are figured out. But, here's what I'm hoping to do this month.

• Snip hydrangeas from my neighbor's yard (don't worry, he knows!) and put them around the house. They are so lovely dried--and a reminder of summer.
• Enjoy as many days and/or evenings at "camp" as possible!
• Pick apples. My favorite pick-your-own apple farm is in Turner, Maine. It grows organic apples--and is a beautiful setting. 
• Go to the beach. The beach, in my opinion, is good just about anytime of year. September beach days can be chilly...but nevertheless wonderful. And, the light -- oh the light!
• Make applesauce. There is nothing better than homemade applesauce--especially in the mid of winter. I have great memories of watching (and helping) my mom and dad make applesauce. And, now it's a tradition I carry on. 
• Go to the Common Ground Fair. I will dedicate much blog space to this--this IS one of my favorite events. What isn't to love about an organic fair!?!? Oh, the fiber! And, let's not forget the buy local, eat veggies kid parade.
• Go camping somewhere in the north--perhaps one our favorite spots at Baxter State Park.
• Harvest herbs from the garden. Usually I make a lot of pesto with the basil and then the others just die away until next summer. But, my aunt has challenged me to figure out how to effectively dry herbs. So, stay tuned.
• Make (eek!) rose hip jam. Always wanted to do it. Will this be the year?
• Put mums in my window boxes and on the granite stoop. (This is earlier than usual -- but this exceptional summer has put all of our gardens and garden containers ahead of schedule...and they are looking might ragged at the moment.)

What's your September planner look like?

August: A Planner

Honestly, how did it become August already? For those of us that live in northern climates, the 1st of August is always a wake-up call--the season will be a-changing before we know it. Truth be told, Fall is actually my favorite season -- but, Summer is a close second. And, because it is such a short season in these parts, there is a-whole-lotta-living to be done in a short window.

So, here's what I've got planned (so far) for August:

• Going to Circus Smirkus. Uncertain about whether to put this on your calendar? Read.
• Spending time at our family "camp" (that's what Mainers call summer cottages/cabins). Playing games. Harvesting mussels. Picnics on the shore.
• Checking out the Maine Fiber Arts Tour where I'll no doubt pick up some new fiber for knitting, felting and, well, filling the baskets around my house! :)
• Taking my little fairy lover to the legendary Maine Fairy Festival.
• Frequenting Bath Farmer's Market weekly to experience Maine's summer bounty.
• Grilling with my husband - and friends - on our deck. Must say, I had some of the best tasting grilled haddock ever last weekend. Purchased the haddock from Port Clyde Fresh Catch while they were at the Bath Farmer's Market. Honestly, the best flavored fish ever! It isn't too late to participate in their "farm share". Check it out! Oh, and, if you are in Connecticut or New York, you are in luck - they deliver there, too!
• Picking and freeze more blueberries so summer's goodness can be had come winter.
• More visits to Five Islands Lobster Company for steamed lobster and clams.
• Baking and eating more cupcakes in a mason jar - because my first batch was a huge hit!
• Taking a Maine Foodie Tour. I was given tickets by 101MaineThingstoDo and am so excited to take my favorite little foodie (my daughter) and experience some of Portland's culinary faves behind-the-scenes.
• Swimming in our secret and not-so-secret swimming holes.

What's on your planner for the month of August?