kitty kitty fat cat

"Kitty kitty fat cat" is a nickname I have for this beast, our very mild-mannered feline companion. I picked up this basket at a yard sale, and Virgil has been sleeping in it regularly for the past few days (since it's been near the wood stove). Not usually in this position, but doesn't he fill it out nicely?

simple greener cleaners

Once again, I am somewhat famous. I was on Maritime Noon's call in this afternoon, as the subject was green living and I wanted to contribute. This is probably the 4th time I've called in (on different subjects) and in some ways I feel silly, but not really. Anyway, one of the things I shared today is a recipe for:

Natural Spray Disinfectant
2 cups water
2 tbsp dish soap (natural is best - Down East, Nature Clean, etc.)
a few drops tea tree oil

Pour into spray bottle and use on countertops, kid's toys, etc. Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant, also useful on skin blemishes!

Also, using a shaker bottle with baking soda and a spray bottle of vinegar is the best way I've found to clean sinks and the bathtub. Vinegar is also a wonderful natural cleaner, and it can be used with water to clean floors, full strength on mirrors or bathtub grime, as a laundry additive in the rinse cycle (especially great for new towels.) Happy (and safe!) cleaning!

Sandford

The Anne Isabella, my Dad's lobster boat, as reflected in the waters of the 'boat hole'.The Sandford drawbridge, the world's smallest! Rope in the water.

More whale-y goodness (or gross-ness)

Adam and I were watching 'Junebug' last night while eating supper (we still haven't finished it for reasons to be explained, but it's really good so far) when the phone rang. It was my Dad, telling us that another whale was in Sandford, this time floating in the water just off of the shore. He offered to take us out in his boat to go see it, which we gladly did. This thing is HUGE! It's longer than the Anne Isabella (Dad's boat) which is 45 feet long. We estimated it to be about 50. We think it's a fin whale... it looks sort of like a humpback, but the distinctive fins of the humpback were certainly not the fins on this one. It was floating upside down and was kind of bloat-y, so it was hard to tell. But it was the most beautiful evening imaginable to be on the water. There is nothing at all like that feeling of looking back at land from an entirely different vantage point. I imagine it's similar to flying.