Getting In The Mood, Or The Long Way HomeMonday was a Holiday for many in this country, Columbus Day, the time of year when EVERYBODY and ALL their Relations want to come to New England to see the Famous Fall Foliage! But this year the weather has not cooperated, it is still warm out and the leaves are slow to turn, and the colors are not as Fierce as they are some years! Nonetheless, they ARE changing, and the Colors are Beautiful! For Some of you who will never see these leaves in person, this might look extraordinary. But those of us who live here get used to it, driving past every day, still hurrying from home to work and back again. But this last Monday, the highway I normally travel was so congested with traffic, (because of road construction and accidents) that I opted to take the LOOOONG way home! This took me down roads I had not traveled in years...
And I was reminded what an Amazingly beautiful part of the world I live in.... and I want to share that with you, Dear Readers!
To Begin with, this is the view from my place of work.... looking North to the Mountains....
This is the Main Building where I work ....The Maples have mostly turned Golden this year.....
The road I took to go home led me along the winding back roads through New Hampshire.....
Past Quintessential Old New England town commons.....with the Meetinghouse or Church....
And Old colonial era houses......
With Maple trees in the yard
And on every Town Common......
Some more brilliant than others....
And lining the road.....
which winds on and on, over the hills....
as the early twilight settles in.....and the first tentacled clouds of the next storm appear on the horizon.......
By the time I reach home there is still enough light to photograph the Maple in my Yard.... Golden this year......
Yesterday it was more Green than Gold......
Today it is more Gold than Green.....
Dropping it's golden leaves on my yard.... like gifts from heaven.......And THEN there was THIS Gift that arrived today.....
So MUCH more Golden than I ever expected.....!
From Dark Squirrel Victoria......So Beautifully wrapped.......
For Lucky ME!
She sent me her Candles and her Pumpkins........ dusted with Gold........!And they GLOW IN THE DARK!!!!
And she added this Fabulous Mysterious Dragon Scroll!They are SO MUCH MORE Beautiful than these pictures show!
How could they NOT put me in the MOOD.....(HOW do you photograph Glow-in-the-dark candles?)
It has been so hard to even THINK of Halloween........But with the days getting shorter.... Time is running out!
I just LOVE these candles.......
I had to find the Jack-o'lantern from last year.......
To keep Victoria's Pumpkins company.....
And as for the Dragon scroll......There is Surely some Witchy Magic in that.......
Look closely at that dragon.......
And then tell me if you think it looks a lot like......
THIS Dragon!
It was only a couple of weeks ago that I discovered there is an old hidden entrance to the Dungeons..... and the Dragons have Found their way in!
And WHO do you suppose will be the Next person to open that door.....?
Ahhh.... but THAT will have to be another Tale for another Time.......It may have been the Long way home.... but Truly it was a Gift!
A Detour And A Gift
Your Fall photos are beautiful! Our trees are really changing too. glad you like your goodies :) You need to expose the glow in dark clay to light in order for it to glow.
ReplyDeleteI love your dragon! I can't wait to hear the tale.
Hugs,
Victoria
What lovely autumn photo's!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd waht a wondrful gift did you receive! Love the candles!
And your dragon is beautiful.... can't wait until the story continues :-)
These long ways home are usually more interesting than the shorter ones;)Yours is just charming!:) I love your autumn's photos, Betsy.
ReplyDeleteAnd the gifts from Victoria are great!:) Lucky you!:)Great dragons, can't wait for more about the green one.;D
Can't wait for the glowing in the dark pumpkins' photo!:D
What a beautiful part of the country you live in - it looks so open.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Victoria! I LOVE the pumpkins and Candles and the Scroll is really inspiring! I guess I will have to let the candles sit in the direct light for longer.... I was impatient and then it took too long to get everything set up.... I'll give the glow-in-the-dark another try!
ReplyDeleteThanks Margriet! I am enjoying Victoria's creations! And the Dragon is telling me what to write.....
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ewa! And you are right that the longer way is more interesting..... but there is a reason we go the faster way... it took an hour of extra time! The Dragon story is getting more complicated by the minute.... and Victoria's Beautiful scroll is now going to have to be part of it......!
ReplyDeleteHi Irene! It looks more open than it is.... Right at the School we have open land on top of the hill so you see a Long way..... but so many of the farms are no longer being farmed and the meadows are all going back to forest. But it is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful drive. I'd go that way several times a month, when the weather's good. Yes, you do live in a gorgeous part of the world, even if pretty soon even the hilltops will be forested. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteDragons! Wow. What mischief will they think up?
Lots of love,
Mom
Lovely post. Thank you for following Merriman Park & I look forward to discovering more about 'Daydreamer!'
ReplyDeleteOh sigh. Your fireplace and jack-o-lanterns light up...wonderfulllll.
ReplyDeleteYour drive actually made me sad-not because it isn't beautiful, because is it ever, but because it reminded me so much of my childhood trips to Rockport in the fall. I remembered the way the air felt and the scent of leaves mixed with autumn rain-and all the reds and golds, the last deep greens, the blue sky vibrating against them. I miss those back roads so much, the bends in the road that went past houses with their own glorious trees. I've found joys particular to Florida here, but they will never replace fall. It's wonderful to see...
Hi Mom! You will have to wait to see the Dragon mischief..... but not too long.... Halloween is almost upon us!
ReplyDeleteThank you, John! Welcome to my Blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Amy... I was thinking of you, actually, as I made this post.... knowing that you were feeling the tug of the North.... but Hoping that a small trip through the back roads would help .... share the glory in a way.....
ReplyDeleteBut I know it is no substitute for those feelings of nostalgia that can be overwhelming at times...
Although I'm sure you remember that the Autumn is brief..... but the Winter is LOOOONG!
As for the working fire and jack-o'lantern.... when I decided to electrify the Lovely Old Dollhouse I was fortunate to have the advice of the wonderful Old Gentleman who runs the dollhouse store I go to... he could tell me exactly what I would need and answered all my beginner questions... some Before I asked them! So I got off to a good start.... but I will confess that all my wiring projects are incomplete with the wires still hanging off the back of the houses..... LOTS to learn still I guess!
Victoria, if you are reading this, your dragon scroll is a thing of beauty! And those candles, and golden pumpkins that glow, wow!
ReplyDeleteAnd Bets, I am so glad you shared these pictures. Such a charming and quaint place, where you work, where you live, where your roads connect. I have tried to imagine your home and the surrounding when I visit your blog but I never would have thought that you actually lived or worked in "Stars Hollow". Are the Gilmore Girls your neighbours? Maybe you can tell by now I love that quaint little town. :) And I think I can easily fall for that town of yours:).
Can't wait for more! Betsy I sent a short email to you:) Hugs
ReplyDelete