Zipping Right Past Fall

Lunch at the diner with my Gram

 Bear with me while I cast a quick, backwards recap of a few glimpses of fall. I love the moon, this was after midnight on a full moon - all that was missing was the howl of a coyote, but I didn't stay out there long enough to catch that.

My Gram is quite a gal, pretty sprite for 96! We often pop in to the historic Miss Bellows Falls Diner it is #771 from the Worcester Diner Car Company.

Millie & Cowboy
siblings and partners in crime

country roads take me home

can you spot the deer?

 We had quite a dry spell, before the heavy fall rains came. Not sure why, but we are often compelled to see how much water is going over the dam.


An afternoon trip into Bellows Falls, VT. It certainly is a pretty little village.

Lola

 The 8th annual Susan G Komen Vermont Ride for the Cure 10/9/17
My Mom is the Chairperson of this amazing event. It is humbling how many survivor stories there are; and sadly we all know too many who were not as fortunate.

pinkest youth duo

pinkest team

ladies that have participated each time

Fairy House Tour
September
Grafton, VT

hay...

Last trail race of the summer season

I walk, while the kid runs

 I love these adventures with my kid, traipsing off to a running event, a cross country skiing event - generally an hour or two from home. The atmosphere is always fun, the competition can be stiff, but fair and supportive of all.

fun junk shop find

 Okay, I have to admit, I might have a problem... I need to declutter my house but if I set foot in an antique or junk shop, I always find something irresistible, and seriously, when would it be found again?

 The red maples in low, wet areas change color 1st. This year wasn't as bright as some years, but always a joy that never grows old. Great fun driving around, taking it all in.

Eclipse from Gramma's porch. One kid viewed it from a welding helmet at work, the other hiked a mountain with friends. They took along homemade viewing materials, but in the spirit of folks that hike, people that had the proper glasses shared with everyone else up on top.

Harness Goat Fun

 Team Snazzy Goat (check out their web site and/or Facebook page) came to the Southern Vermont Dairy Goat Association this summer to do a demonstration and hands on clinic.

We had a wonderful time and learned a lot! Several of us hope to make it to the fiber festival to see Miss Ingerman, Harry and David again.

It was amazing to take a turn driving this well trained team. I have taken the reins with a team of draft horses in the past, and this pair of cashmere boys was extremely responsive, and like a car with a short wheel base, they can turn quite tightly as you might imagine.

Time to buckle down, and see what I can accomplish with my own boys!

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this book is available on the
Team Snazzy Goat
website

Girls Escape to Maine

 Each summer, I escape for the day with one of my oldest, dearest, goofy friends. She is a quilter so we bop around exploring fabric shops! The last couple years we have focused on Maine. Since this was a big birthday year for both of us, we made it a two day extravaganza! She did all the research & planning (good thing haha).

It was a fabulous adventure, perhaps the new tradition will be a two day version. We sure did not let any grass grow under our feet! We toured six shops participating in the Row by Row Experience. We found some great prints and some excellent bargains. Our fabric stashes have expanded for sure.

Visiting the ocean is good for the soul and hanging out with true friends nurtures the spirit. Already looking forward to next year!

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

 On the deck at a fantastic sea food restaurant in New Harbor

best scallops EVER

 The hotel is gorgeous, and the staff super helpful and friendly. The inside is charming, with lovely antique decor. The porch was even more inviting than the photo. It was just a short walk to the ocean, lighthouse and the blue building below had yet another restaurant and excellent gift shop. The part to the far right is the dining room, overlooking the ocean. Pretty sweet spot to enjoy our breakfast.

 The stairway up to the lighthouse light is simply beautiful, it looked a bit precarious, although sturdy, we wondered how going down might be after we were up there, haha, but it wasn't bad at all. The view was great, even for an overcast day. The light itself was quite fascinating, I very much wanted to touch it, but we were not supposed to, so I did not. I imagine it has a special coating on it. You can see a bit of rainbow effect. The gentleman inside was quite informative and helpful. As you can imagine, lots of people wanted to go up.

great fun exploring the rocks off to the side

one fabric shop had many antique sewing machines all around the shop

last stop on the way home, the outlet area of Freeport, ME
and happened to walk right past this Buick

This Week of Summer

two of my landscapers, Maurice & Cowboy

Summer - deliciously anticipated, hoping you are enjoying yours! Cheers to the beauty and small wonders that surround us and make us smile.

soft evening sky

Taking a trail through the woods, a friend and I found many interesting mushroom types. Not a subject I know much about, but they sure are interesting and some quite beautiful. Can't help but think of fairies :)

in Manchester, Vermont, our annual stop following the
Komen Race for the Cure

 Natural beauty feeds the soul - from a high spot in New Hampshire, looking into Vermont

Blue and Green
my Gram has said she did not think she could wear those colors together,
I always wondered how she could look outside and still think that...

March

March is often time for goat kids, and while I'm not expecting any at my house, many of my friends are! These two little ones are a day old in the photo. Both Nigerian Dwarfs at Featherstone Farm.

expectant does relaxing in the sunshine

 This is Consider Bardwell Farm in Vermont. They raise Oberhasli goats, and make specialty cheese. There are also pastured pigs, chickens and ducks - they sell to local markets as well as NYC.

I had never seen a brick corn crib, elegant in its' simplicity.

The main farmhouse is in the back of the lower photo, 1814 it says at the top. The building in the foreground was the blacksmith shop, now living quarters.

Great business field trip with a friend, I was curious to see this farm I had heard wonderful things about, and I've had Oberhaslis on my wish list for quite some time, so it was lovely to see a fine herd of them.

NH had a warm February, and a snowy March, looks like right to the end, as the forecast is calling for another foot or so as March goes out and April arrives. No complaints from my Nordic skiing daughter! She loves to ski, she trains all year to stay in shape for her first love. She saves all the money she earns or gets as a gift to buy her own gear. It is fun to see her grow and improve at something she enjoys so much. She is blessed with outstanding coaches and a wonderful, tightly bonded team. Here she is at a championship race in Maine.

Back in the day, I joined my high school XC team, just so they would have enough kids to race, I was no where close to as good as my daughter is, but I enjoyed it and had a lot of fun! I've been on skis occasionally, but not in a couple years - but this weekend, when I took some girls to ski, I rented a pair; and since Viking Nordic was selling some of their older rental equipment, I bought them! I can't tell you how excited I was! I have only ever taken a few "selfies" and this is one. I had a blast out on the trails.


Spring is still coming, folks are making maple syrup, red winged blackbirds, some hawks. ducks, geese & turkey vultures are back. goldfinches are turning yellow, pussy willows are out - new signs of spring every day

Diana on skis