Quechee, VT

Hubby and I did our annual fall trip this past weekend.  This year, it was to Quechee, VT.   Here are a few photos:

Our first stop was at Cider Hill Gardens.  Hubby found this place in his internet searching.  It had some interesting outdoor "scuplture" including this wooden lady flying between the trees.

 

We then went to Saint-Gaudens, which is the site of the home of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, a sculpture who produced such masterpieces as the "Seated Lincoln". 

 

The grounds were beautiful.

They had a reproduction of his studio

 



 

 

This sculpture is a reproduction of the one in Boston Common.

 

We saw a few of these in our travels.

 

There was a pathway about 1/2 mile long that led from our Inn to Quechee Gorge.  We walked it several times.

 

The Gorge from the top of the bridge.

 

 

When you get down to the bottom you can climb on the rocks.

View of the bridge from the bottom.

 



"The Thinker"

 



 

Hubby's Artsy Fartsy shot

Then we headed over to Billings Farm and Museum.  Quite the place. They were having a farm day.  Lots to see and do, including the museum which was quite extensive and well-done.

 



 

A little one-month old calf.

 

She likes me!

 

AND she likes the camera!

 

Jim and Joe, the drought horses.

 

Coming out of the Inn on Sunday morning, we heard a strange noise and looked up to see this!  We chatted with the balloon "chaser", who was following along to pick up the balloon and its passengers when it finally touched down.

 

Then we went for a ride on a train....not this one.

 

It was the "Green Mountain Flyer" and it took us to Cedar Circle Farm for a Fall Festival.

 

We spent most of the time listening to these guys.....The Wall Stiles

 

There was a hay ride

 



Hubby had fun on the tractor

Pumpkin Patch

Corn Maze....can you find Hubby?

 



And some entertainment on the train on the way back!

 



 

Stopped off at Cracker Barrel on the way home and that makes for a great vacation!!!

 

My English Garden

I've always wanted to have an English Garden.   I love the look of them.   Hubby pulled a huge shrub from the corner of our front yard, near the driveway.  It left a perfect-size area to put my garden.

Our plan had been to "steal" as many of the flowers as we could.   We see so many beautiful flowers along the highways and byways........brown-eyed susans, daisies, queen anne's lace.....we figured  we could just stop and put some in buckets we would conveniently keep in our car, and we'd replant them in the garden.....no one being the wiser.

But we waited a bit too long.  We can't see any flowers on the highways any more.  So, I got the bright idea to put an ad on Freecycle and see if anyone had perennials they wanted to get rid of.

And boy, did they!  I got about a half-dozen responses with long lists of flowers people were just dying to give me!  So I chose one person who was nearby and Hubby and I went over Sunday night.

Even this late in the year, I could see the beautiful extensive gardens this woman had.  She had already dug up dozens of flowers for me.   And we started putting them in the buckets we'd brought and putting them in the car.  

The woman was very knowledgable and told me the name and interesting facts about all the flowers she gave me.  Unfortunately, I don't rememeber most of what she said!  So I now have a garden with no idea what's planted in it!  

Of course, it doesn't look very sexy right now.  I do remember she told me not to cut back all the stems and leaves until they were dead.  So I have half-dead flower plants in the ground.   I guess it's going to be an interesting surprise to see what comes up next year!

With no idea what they are, I have idea how tall they get.  I tried to plant them based on how tall they look right now!  I'm sure there'll be some re-planting and rearranging next year when I see how this all looks.  

And tonight, I'm going to another person's house for some other flowers that she says she has available!  Oh my!

Sunday Night Chit Chat

My friend Joan over at "How to be a Housewife" put up a Meme called Sunday Night Chit Chat.  It's a fun way to get to know a little bit about everyone else. 

What are you.......

Reading?  Right now I'm reading the newest book out by Danielle Steel.   The title is "Friends Forever".  It's about five friends who meet in kindergarten and are friends for the rest of their lives.  I'm about halfway through.  I have to say, I liked Danielle Steel's books much more when she first started writing.  There were a couple of her books that I literally read from cover to cover without stopping.  Her newer books seem less involved, less personal, and almost read like someone else wrote them!   I can't help getting them out of the library, though, in hopes that she'll publish one just as good as her older ones.

Watching?  I'm happy to say my favorites are starting up again for the fall.  I've been a "Survivor" fan since day one.  I absolutely love the social interactions.   And I saw the first episode of the season for "The Amazing Race" last night.   Also, in the past year, I've become a huge fan of "Big Bang Theory."   That show is just hilarious!

Listening to?  Mostly, I listen to local artists who have published their own CDs.  My favorites are "Cooper and Kenneally",   Tom Smith,  "Two Cat Folk"   and Jon Swenson.

Cooking/Baking?  I've been trying to find things to make with the plethora of tomatoes we are harvesting from our garden!   I've made salsa, tomato and mozzarrella salad, pizza, eggplant w/tomato and  some very yummy chili to eat while watching the football game.  (Go Patriots!)

Happy you accomplished this week?    I finished a couple of sewing projects, and finally got my garden bed ready for my English Garden.   I went on freecycle and asked for some perennials, and got such a response, I have buckets of perennials to plant after work tonight!

Looking forward to next week?    Hubby and I are taking our fall vacation to Vermont!  We'll be staying at a bed and breakfast in Quechee Gorge.  We plan to visit a couple of farms for their fall festivals, visit a couple of botanical gardens/art galleries, and go on a train ride up to Thetford, VT.  I can't wait!!!!

Thankful for today?  I'm so thankful for the wonderful and generous friends who've been donating to my walkathon.  I walk each year at the Making Strides walkathon in honor of my Mom, who passed away two years ago from cancer.   Each donation feels like a great big hug from the people I love!

*** Bonus Question***
What is the grossest thing you ever ate?   I have to say, I don't really eat gross things.  I guess I'm smart enough to avoid anything that might taste nasty!!!

Leave me a comment here if you post this meme on your blog so I can come snoop read it, but also head over to "How to be a Housewife"  and leave a link to your post.

Thanks for playing, and have a great First Day of October!

The Big E

Hubby and I usually like to go to a fair in the fall.   This year we decided to try something new and go to the "Big E".   This fair is held in Springfield, MA.  We found out it's not the usual agricultural fair we're used to.  It has more commercial stuff than like, and not as many animals, prize vegetables and crafts.  But we had a wonderful time and it was a gorgeous day.

You have to love petting baby goats.

 

There was a midway with rides....we chose not to go on those.

 

Tons of food...yea, we ate  our way through the fair.

 

Hubby's favorite...the Clydesdales

 

 

Camel rides...again we chose not to

 

Circus tent with miniature circuses.  We didn't get to see the real circus...the tent was too full.

I thought the coolest thing was the Avenue of the States.  A replica of each of New England's statehouses.  Inside was everything pertaining to that state.....industry, food, claims to fame.  

 

Sheep shearing

 

Sheep herding

 

A parade in the afternoon including the Springfield High marching band

 

Clowns

 

Grown men wearing fezes driving miniature cars

More Clydesdales

 



 

Giant Pumpkins and Squash

 

Carved Pumpkin

 

Baby piggies

Apple Picking with Emily

Pepere and I started a tradition of taking Emily apple picking.  We all look forward to it - it's always been one of my favorite activities to do with kids.   We were excited to take her again this year.

Her favorite thing is the hay wagon ride......so we did it three times!

 

After the first time, we picked our bag of apples

 

 

It's always good to eat one as you pick

 

So many apples to choose from!

And what do you do when you have too many that won't fit into the bag?

 

 

 



 

Pepere teaches you how to store them in your pockets!

 

After the apple picking, it was time for another wagon ride

 



Then it's Memere's favorite part - snack time!

 

You just have to have those apple cider donuts, fresh out of the grease!

 

 

Emily chose popcorn......she didn't want the donuts.  (Are we sure she's MY granddaughter?)

 

After one more wagon ride, we picked pumpkins. 

 

 

 

 Pepere was very sad that he didn't get a single pumpkin out of his garden.  We chose three from the farm for our front porch. 

 

Emily felt so bad about Pepere's pumpkin patch, she made him a picture of it.