Another Adventure

All summer we take our morning coffee out on the porch which is in the front of the house. But this particular morning was a bit chilly, and I decided to take my coffee on the love seat in the kitchen (the back of the house) and saw this. So beautiful. It was the sun coming up through the trees and the fog. It felt like a gift. 

It has been far from chilly the past few days 97 on the bank sign today and HUMID. I am so looking forward to fall. 

 

I got a couple of walks in. I saw this jewel weed. It usually grows where poison ivy grows. Jewel weed can help with the rash that poison ivy gives. But look at that bloom it looks like an orchid. 

Monday my friend called, and we walked down to Squam Lake for a swim then out for drinks and nachos. A really pleasant afternoon. 

Today we went to a "famous" diner for breakfast. I do not think we will make a return trip, but it was still a nice day we went to Enfield NH to the shaker village. And as usual that happens to us it was closed but we walked around a bit. Look at this crazy amazing building!!! It is built with granite blocks.

One house was under repair but still old and beautiful. 

Founded in 1793, this village was the ninth of 18 Shaker communities to be established in this country. At its peak in the mid 19th century, the community was home to three “Families” of Shakers. Here, Brothers, Sisters, and children lived, worked, and worshiped. Here, they practiced equality of the sexes and races, celibacy, pacifism, and communal ownership of property.

Striving to create a heaven on earth, the Enfield Shakers built more than 100 buildings (including the Great Stone Dwelling, the largest-ever Shaker edifice), farmed over 3,000 acres of fertile land, educated children in model schools, and followed the “Shaker Way” of worship.

                                                    We will return when they are open. 

We were also in Norwich VT. This is the Norwich Inn. A lovely old building. 

In total awe of the fence, the curve of it ...

and how it gracefully turns the corner just lovely. 

But you know what else is in Norwich VT? King Arthur Flour home store. I love to walk around get wonderful ideas and maybe treat or two. I bought some powdered cheddar cheese for my bread making this fall and winter. Husband bought a few chocolate Croissants to bring home.

And speaking of baking I used my garden's garlic, tomatoes, and zucchini to make a yummy casserole. I added a few cheeses rolled the zucchini around the cheese and covered with my sauce and more cheese into the oven. It really was so tasty.  

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I am on my new med who knows if it is working yet but I do have more energy. I do get a test once a year for my thyroid levels. This happened in a 9-month span since my last blood work. Who knows why after 26 years it changes???

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Have a wonderful week!

Pickety Place

On Tuesday, husband treated me to Pickety Place in Mason NH.

It is 2 hours southwest of us. 

The likeness of the house was painted for a Little Red Riding Hood golden book in 1948. The house itself was built in 1786

They have run a restaurant of sorts out of this building for many years. I have been here a couple of times with girlfriends. 

Each month they come up with a 5-course menu based on what is available in their gardens. That menu stays all month you have a choice of vegetarian or meat but that is it. You can look up the menus to know what they are serving that month. 

We had their own crackers with cheese spread, a cold melon soup, a caprese salad, pork loin saltimbocca, blueberry/rhubarb pie with cinnamon mint whipped cream. Each plate was decorated with fresh herbs and eatable flowers. It was all delicious!

They have extensive gardens that were in very bad shape from the lack of rain and heat this summer. that part of the state they are in are in a severe drought. (We are abnormally dry) This was a drying shed 

it is old and leaning but cute. 

It had great windows. 

They had a carved stump turned into a free library. 

The stained-glass window in the back when you opened it was lovely.

And some carved owls kept guard.

I was such a lovely afternoon. We are trying to do more things like this before the winter closes in and to get us out of the house a bit. 

***

This summer I have not been able to focus on anything no reading, no hooking and some other things cropped up. I had to see the Dr for a checkup, so I talked to him about it. He wanted to take more blood work before we did anything else. Well, my thyroid med I have been on for years is way too much now. He is cutting it back and hopefully it makes a difference. I was shocked I have been on that same dose for years! 

***

Bad thunderstorms predicted for later today with maybe hail I sure hope not my tomatoes are really producing right now. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

A Visit

We have not seen our grand much this summer. There has either sickness or she was just too busy. But when we got our hands on her!

There were trail rides.

With Pepe (in the back) She loved it!!!

And crafting lots and lots of crafting. 

Painting,

Sewing, 

And lots of fairy houses for our waterfall area. 

Pep even showed her how to use a jig saw and a band saw.

I had to leave the workshop I was so nervous! But she loved it!

And we even wore her out Lol that was right after she wore us out. 

What a complete joy she is. We are so blessed to have time with her. 

School will start soon so she will be very busy. 

As I have said before I am thinking of retirement in the spring.

I have had huge anxiety about it. I just need to do it and not back out. and be firm that all will be well, and I will be glad I did. 

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A nice gentle rain tonight just what we needed. I am sure it is early to bed tonight as we up and out for another adventure tomorrow. 

Have a wonderful week. 

GLO-RI-OUS!

Thursday night after I work, I headed for Maine and to my sweet friend's lovely beach house. It was the sturgeon super moon. We walked the beach and took pictures. We haven't seen each other much at all this summer. I have missed her. 

Sat morning up and out on the beach early for sunrise. 

It did not disappoint. It was so beautiful, 

We went out and about late morning shopping and walking. 

This is Perkins Cove Ogunquit. Such a sweet little village. 

We ate lobster rolls and walked around looking in the shops. 

 

At the end of the day, we walked the beach and watched the sun go down. We ate great food, put the music up loud and dance around the kitchen. I am so blessed to have wonderful friends my friend CW and I have been friends for 30 years. May we have 30 more!

When I got home the berries were loaded and so were my tomatoes 

It is so relaxing to wander the garden and pick. 

As of Friday, the weather has been glorious. So glad that horrid humidity is gone! I baked a spinach, ricotta, bacon quiche. It was completely delicious!  

And well if you are going to have the oven on and make a crust.

you might as well make a blueberry tart. yummy. 

No sign of the bear for few days. Hopefully he has gone on to the woods where he belongs. 

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Have a wonderful week!

Animals!

This describes our house perfectly. Last night I thought I heard something on the porch I look and husband is up and in the kitchen. 

He has a horrid habit of having bowl of cereal during the night at times. So, I thought the noise I heard was him and went back to bed. 

No, the bear made it onto the porch! Because there is no food left out he didn't do much except rip open a bag of charcoal. Because fish and game are not available on weekends ??? we called the police, and they will contact the fish and game. This bear has been in one house at least 2 times (second time her fault) another neighbor said he pushed the door open she caught it and slammed it. They were just sitting down to dinner. and there are countless other stories about his escapades! fish and game will try to live trap him and move him out of the area. I guess he is not afraid of people either! Never good.

34 years here never a problem. We always had bear around, but they never tried to get in the house.   

Sitting on the porch I look up and what the heck? Red fox with my deer off canister in his mouth? 

Here he is spying on the birds in the bird bath. 

There will be no birds eaten here thank you very much. 

This is what the bear walked by to get to our porch. Not a very smart bear. 

****

This a passage from Tuck everlasting 

author Natalie Babbit

it describes this week in august perfectly. 

We have been so hot and humid I am so looking forward to fall.

I had a birthday last week a friend from work walked in with a huge bouquet! I made 3 different bouquets and put them through the house really made my day. I also got phone calls, cards, texts, and facebook messages. It is so nice to be remembered. And if the stars align, I will get a wonderful weekend in Maine at the beach starting Friday! 

Have a wonderful week!

BEARS,WITCHES,AND BLUE TREES!

For the first time in the 34 years, we have lived here a bear has tried to enter our house! We are VERY careful about food we know what it can lead to. No birds are being fed. Nothing left outside except our grill which never got touched and our blueberry bushes never got touched! we eat dinner on the porch, and I wipe the table down with Clorox spray and sweep the floor by the table and yes, he tried that door as well but not quite as bad as the back door. 

It happed overnight and I was more than glad our door was locked!

If we have another problem, we will have to inform fish and game.

****

Now on to Salem Mass...

We spent a lot of time in the cemetery. While no one accused of being a witch and hanged for it are buried here. (They have no idea where they are buried as mostly, they were thrown in a crevice. Some of their families under the cover of darkness would retrieve their bodies to bury with no head stones.) There are memorials to the women and men hung as witches.

The stones are old and hard to read but still lovely and peaceful to walk through. The Salem witch trials began in Feb of 1692.

Between 1692 and 1693 over 200 people were accused. 

14 women and 5 men were hanged. 5 died in jail

and Guiles Cory was pressed to death because he refused to plead

In 1693 the governor's wife was accused and arrested for witchcraft.

He ordered an end to the witch trials. 

In the early days the people accused had little or no power. 

They were never able to defend themselves. Such a sad history. 

My mother always said to look at the trees in a cemetery they hold the souls of those that passed. This is a good tree!

We toured the witch house, which really was not a witch house but a judge house. It was owned by the judge who presided over the witch trials. Chief Justice Willam Stoughton

I loved this hand carved cupboard. 

Remember at this time we were still under England's rules and laws.

After dinner a walk to see the sun set over the ocean. This boat was in for repairs so lovely.

I believe she was called the friendship.

It was warm all day with a breeze coming off the ocean just at the right time to cool you off. But the evening turned chilly with a good wind. We put sweatshirts on for our evening walk. 

Today off to the house of the 7 gables. Nathanial Hawthorn wrote a fictional book about his cousin's house. She inherited the house when her father and brother were both lost at sea. Of course, in the 1800s a woman could not inherit so she fought through the courts and won! She never married as she knew that her husband would have full control over her money. She took her inheritance and used it to make herself very wealthy. 

The gardens are just so lovely here and it is right on the ocean. 

The dining room (no flash was allowed)

This would be called the living room today. Very colorful and the original wallpaper was found and reproduced through the whole house. 

Well, yes, I would like a closet like that! So pretty. 

And yes, I would not mind waking up to that view in the morning. 

They also moved Nathanial Hawthorn's home where he was born to the site in the 50s. He only lived there 3 years as his father was lost at sea and they had to move in with relatives. There was a copy of the promissory note his mother signed to pay all his father's debts.

Life was not easy. 

There are lots of lovely streets with very old homes. And wonderful gardens. 

Little pocket gardens everywhere! Homes are very close together there.

Blue trees!?

This is an artist protest of the deforestation of the world. 

At least you think about it when you see the trees. 

While I feel that Salem was very much a tourist attraction

I did find people to talk to about their city. I found a lady who makes brooms and has classes on them. While I missed out on the classes I bought her kit. She has a web site with a video to help. If I have a problem, call her! A waitress who told me about a woman who told the future. Well, she didn't believe in that sort of thing she said but her place of business got flooded and the owner let her set up in the restaurant to tell fortunes, and well the waitress is now a believer. I asked another local what we should see her reply "the ocean" she is right. 

It was a lovely couple of days, husband made all the reservations which he usually does not. He did a great job.

Now back to work tomorrow. 

Have a wonderful week!