exactly

~ Taken today at exactly four in the afternoon....I marked the exact spot in my mind's eye where I took the photo of this solitary tree...I want to go back every month at this time to seize the moment.

sunday

I'm so-hoping that you are not too weary of these woodsy walks as of yet.

We are desperately trying to squeeze the most out of this January before our landscape changes.

I am telling my family and friends that it is only a matter of time before Vermont experiences a blizzard of epic proportions.  We will be knee-deep soon, I can feel it coming.  Wait and see.

 We crossed this tottering foot bridge over the creek.  I held my breath the entire time.

The water below was as cold as steel and the exact same color.

We crossed the railroad tracks while mighty and colossal snowflakes began falling.

We were in a January mood with this burst of snow.

As quickly as it began the snow abruptly stopped and the sun shone.

We stopped for a snack I packed: Cabot cheddar, crackers, juice, a large orange.  Walter added a candy bar to the backpack.

It was another day of full of wonder.

This incredible January full moon rose right outside our window.  The January full moon is called the Wolf Moon. 

We spoke of the splendors of this day...the path, the bridge crossing, that sudden burst of snow, the snack we shared as if it were a day in the June sunlight, new discoveries, the sunset, and the full moon.

Then we settled in to watch our latest fondness on Sunday night television, Downton Abbey  Masterpiece Classics on PBS.  The characters, that British intrigue, the plots, and oh, my, those dresses, shoes, and hats.

saturday

We went out for another snow-less walk.

Of course, we did not stay on the trail.  We love to break the rules.

I have this new red hat.  It is a Stormy Kromer.  Walter has one, too.  "There's a lot more that goes into this cap than your head" the company states.  Each hat comes with a serial number that you register.  We bought them locally at this shop.   We are all about shopping in Middlebury and helping our local economy.

I am always looking for interesting things on these walks of ours.

The woods opened up onto this farmer's field.

I hope the woodland animals find the corn cob before the snow flies.

How wonderful it all is to live here...

in our amazing town.

blowing wishes

~photos taken November 2011 in Middlebury, Vermont on a lovely warm Sunday afternoon

green door

january flowers

We cannot seem to get enough of this snow-less Winter.  We walk and walk in the desolate woods exploring and discovering new paths that were once concealed by summery flora and cascading canopies of leaves.  The ground is still soft and my boots have a coating of mud  that I try to stomp off before getting back in the car.

After our wandering yesterday, we stopped by Walter's office.  Walter checked his emails and finished an on-line course.  I moseyed around outside studying the marble buildings and came upon a patch of hardy pansies.  Blooming flowers on January the second in Middlebury, Vermont!

walking

We spent most of the weekend walking around some favorite spots in town.  Come along, if you would like.  You don't even need to wear your boots.

The air was sparkling clean and smelled exactly like Christmas...evergreens, wood smoke, and woodsy spices.

We walked for a long time.  It was so quiet in the winter woods.  The only sounds were our footsteps.  I listened for birds but never heard a single one.  I'm still curious about that.

After miles we came upon a clearing and found this cottage and what remains of a truck.  Our noses were cold and all of my tissues were only shredded bits in my jacket pocket.  

Further down the path we could hear a waterfall.  It was beginning to get a bit dark and it was only three-thirty.  I wished it were Spring and there was more daylight.  I wasn't ready to call it a day quite yet.

Drops of misty water splashed on our faces.  The power of water always frightens me but draws me closer somehow.  We stood there as that blanket of darkness reached down lower mesmerized by the movements and our thoughts. 

happy new beginnings

May you all find that special light within your heart and soul this year.

Shine brightly.

What a year this has been, nothing but--the sweetest of arrivals and the saddest of departures.

I'm ready to attempt to make sense of it all through my writing and photos.

Wish me luck.  Thank you from the very bottom of my heart-of-hearts to all of you dearest ones who know exactly what I mean.

inspiration

I have been rather quiet for some time now, don't you think!  I read once that the quieter you become the more you can hear.  It is very true.  There is nothing at all wrong only lots of busyness.  Is it me or did Thanksgiving just sneak right up on us this year?  A friend told me yesterday that it is early because of the way the calendar worked out this year.  I could have used another week!  [Don't tell but I  am spending each and every last single free moment I have sewing up ✂ a storm for Christmas...I'm doing a mostly handmade Christmas this year ♥]


I love the above video and find inspiration from it.  I hope you will, also.  Love the message, the music, and the meaning.


Love, Mary Ann

sweetest♥day

Every third Saturday in October is Sweetest Day....fill yours up with the nicest of things.

XO,

a week❧

You know how they say, "What a difference a week makes." 

 I took this photo last Saturday and am noticing how it was still so green.  This week the colors popped out all over.  I've taken many paths this week and I'm venturing to catch-up a bit.  I'll be back with some new pictures and stories soon.

*the best to whatever path you're on right now*

friday❁flowers

Despite two nights of heavy frost much still remains in my garden.

 This morning I filled a vase with herbs and what nots still thriving...sage, oregano, peppermint, lavender, thyme, alpine strawberry [leaves, flowers, and fruits], flat leaf parsley, pineapple mint, and fuzzy weeds that look like caterpillars.

☀ the weather looks perfect for the next 5 days, we cannot wait to enjoy Fall to it's fullest this weekend, hope you have the time to see it all, too.

three on thursday

This photo is a  s-t-r-e-t-c-h  for me.  I am usually not drawn to things industrial and achromatic.  We were up in the Burlington, Vermont area recently and this structure piqued my curiosity and I found it's simplicity quite engaging.

the sky

      :: from the front yard

from the kitchen window

a rainy Sunday = 

the newspaper, socks, making pumpkin soup,

 beginning a new library book,

kitty-cat snuggling under a quilt, and tea

well hello there, october

good-bye september

Is it just me or did this month go by really quickly?

market

We are enjoying the Farmers Market.  They will be outdoors until the end of October.

finds::

So here are the fantastic finds from that Estate Sale yesterday.  They are antique metal type press numbers and letters.  I spent well over an hour sifting and digging through boxes and piles of quite heavy cubes to find these sets.  I worked with the nicest Kindergarten teacher while we tried to find our selections.  Our hands were completely covered in the black ink of long ago. 

I succeeded in finding the numbers from zero through nine.  That's all you need to make numbers to infinity, you know.  Just 10 simple digits.

I wanted to find our 3 Grandchildren's names but that nice Kindergarten teacher told me right from the onset that there weren't any letter A's left.  So, I decided to do their initials instead.  And, what-do-you-know but right after the K-teacher left I found an "A".  That changed my whole plan.  I gave the "A" to Grace because I thought the girls could have their entire name and Jack could have his initials because it seemed more masculine.  Hence, Grace, JRL [Jack Robert Leger], and Eve.  What a time I had in that old barn "down back".  Today, I scrubbed these pieces shiny clean and am beyond pleased to give these to our Grands to stamp away.  It makes me happy happy to present part of the past to them.  Love! 

the rain stopped

I took a series of photos at the lake near our home (Lake Dumore) while we watched this Sunfish sail away. I turned them into a little movie.

Hope you enjoy it. 

//saturdaying//

 On this rainy Saturday we found ourselves out and about in town.

We saw signs of Fall all around.  That's funny they weren't there just a few days ago.

What a great sale.  I'll show you what we got 'down back' tomorrow.

They're here.  The dirt is still clinging from the wet fields.

I took this from the car window as we drove by the farm.

The clouds covered most of the mountains today.

 There are mums every where you look.

 Hope you are having a beautiful weekend where you are.

{loving early Fall today}