Good Monday to all:
Fall has sprung in the Green mountains; it is a blustery high 40s this morning. The leaves are turning all kinds of hues and we are trying to figure out how to keep the house warm without using the furnace (huddled around the electric heater as we speak). Been on a bit of a photo ramp-up last two weeks- so as a change of pace, I am attaching below a small slide show of our doings (small compared to the usual vacation shot behemoths). So…in “blogging” about last couple of weeks- let’s go through the photos…..
Go to link to see slide show (only 62 fabulous photos- I’m becoming a minimalist, no?) http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=51a175f6e734a4716276141d224b0f78&sid=2CauG7RyxZMjq
Jenn celebrated her 50th birthday last weekend- and I flew up her sister Jane and good friends Jane and Karen as a surprise. Jenn almost collapsed at the surprise. We had a great weekend together and then sister Jane stayed an additional three days. We did an eight hour driving tour of north- central Vermont (was supposed to be 3-4 hours) that led us to the Sunday farmer’s market in Stowe, up scenic Route 100, over Smuggler’s Notch, to the wonderfully secret Bryant gallery/museum in Jeffersonville and finally to an exploration of the Italian dead at the extraordinary Hope Cemetery in Barre. We had a magnificent birthday dinner at the Castle Inn in nearby Proctorsville and talked for 48 hours about going over to see Lake Bomoseen (Bomoseen or bust) but never quite made it. The neighbors came up for desert on Saturday night and Elizabeth had made Jenn a whopping German chocolate Cake (nine sticks of butter, 10 pounds of sugar). She had also found out that I hailed from Jewish stock- so made a Challah (see photo) that was pretty dam Jewish- although she and her mom called at a “hal- oh”
On the update side- the pictures will show the tree outside out bedroom window is turning shades of colors each day, the pond is de-sliming itself, we have built a fire pit and had our roof leak fixed by the newest Daryl and Daryl…and we now have peace flags strung up by our barn…a great hit with the four wheelers that go by to head up the logging road. We have also discovered two new outside lights that we have no idea how to turn on and off- but are waiting for Karen to illuminate us and them.
Stu spent a few torrid days in Chicago this week and got back to three straight days of almost 80 degree weather- so we got out and picnicked, hiked and went to the beach at Lake Bomoseen- where Stu went in the icy waters (think Titanic). See photos of him catching dinner the old fashioned manly way. We went over to Hubbardston, where there is this eccentric hiking spot on private property; 500 pristine acres owned by and 89 year old gent originally from Ohio, that he maintains for public use. There is wonderful Japanese rock garden and then a series of trails that lead you to magnificent vistas in about a half hour. We went to Moot Point and ate lunch overlooking the Mad River valley. The last time we were there was 7-8 years ago and we knocked on his door for directions (he now has a caretaker and great signage) and he opened it up hanging upside down on a gravity pole in his Speedo (he was a much younger 82 then)…so it was a bit of a risk going aback, but we are adventurous. After the hike we went to the beach and then to the Lake House Grill where sat nursing two dollar beers at the end of their pier and watched the sunset…stopping in Rutland on the way home to buy mums, crab cakes and investigate more bedding.
Saturday night we went to the community supper at the Belmont Odd Fellows Hall (lots of odd fellows) and pigged out, and then on Sunday we drove up to Montpelier for the 251 Club annual luncheon. We were honored as “plus” members with 10-15 other pairs who had completed the quest of going to all 251 towns and villages in Vermont. As usual, we were the youngest people there by 10 years (maybe 20 for Jenn). We did a detour drive on way there- crossing over the Brandon Gap for the colors-which were pretty cool. While at the luncheon- we had our 10th and 12th desert of the weekend. We then rushed home to have our first dinner party with Tante Helen and Haldor and their neighbors John and Lydia . For the occasion , we opened up our living room for the first time (we treat it like a hidden sanctuary covered in plastic), and then ate in the formal dining room. Stu served soup from the 1890’s sideboard..a first for kid from the Bronx. Helen made her Austrian strudel and linzer tart cookies- so we had our 13th- 17th deserts of the weekend. You can see pictures of all of this splendor in the slide show.
Stu is off to Indianapolis this week (via the shuttle plane to Boston from our local airport for the first time) and then he is off from work travel for about a month- while we seriously pursue chasing the leaves. We have decided that just because we live in Vermont- that is no reason not to do our annual fall journeys- so we are doing 2-3 day trips for next four weeks to Adirondacks, down to visit George and Connie in sunny Brookfield, then up to the Islands (yes- we have islands) and finishing up in the remote part of Vermont along the Canadian border. We have discussed fishing- but will need to figure out how to bait the hook and get any possible caught fish off of it. We are searching for lessons and/or someone to go with us and do these tasks.
I hope you are all well and enjoying the autumn wherever you are…Garrison Keillor says we all think more clearly in the cold weather (and should move the government to Maine) so happy thinking.
Stu