A New England Life

Till we meet again

2011-10-28T07:15:00.006-04:00

When I first started blogging in 2008 I had no idea where it would take me or what to expect. Getting those first comments were so thrilling! After almost 3 1/2 years, thousands of comments, and many new friends later I am thrilled with the results of A New England Life! Your response has been overwhelming at times with many of you believing in my photography even when I didn't. It's always been exciting to show my viewers parts of New England that otherwise you might not see and I'm so glad you've tagged along, encouraging me the whole way.

Unfortunately I've been mulling it over for a while now and I do believe I am done here. Lately this blog does not leave me feeling fulfilled or happy so I've decided to move on.

However, I will be blogging over on The Sweetest Days, so if you'd like to follow along please feel free. The Sweetest Days more represents me and the type of photography and blogging I enjoy lately. Posting massive amounts of photos here (something I've imposed upon myself) is draining. On The Sweetest Days I may only post a photo or two but not much more. And they will not solely revolve around a New England theme.

Leaving here is very, very difficult. It's a decision I've been agonizing over for a while, but, I hope you've enjoyed our time together. I know I sure have!

I better post this quick before I change my mind . . .

Hugs, Sharon

Autumn Drive and Funky pumpkins

2011-10-18T21:58:00.002-04:00

I'm glad so many of you enjoyed the photos I posted from our trip up north last week! Goodness knows it was a beauty, that's for sure!

If you don't mind, here are a few more photos.

A little confession about our trip though. The day before we went, I had been to the doctor for sciatica and lower back spasms. Even though I was very uncomfortable, and just starting prednisone, I was determined to make the trip.

About an hour after I took these photos I was in absolute agony and wondering how I would get home, the pain was so bad. While we were on the Kancamagus highway I called the doctor and she told me to take 4 ibuprofen, which I did. My husband hightailed it back to Rt 93 as quickly as possible and the whole 2 hour ride home I had to lie down in the back seat. It was a real bummer end to what was supposed to be a fabulous day.

Now I'm in physical therapy 2x a week and slowly getting better! But sitting at the computer only makes it worse : (

Remind me never to take Prednisone again. Hate, hate, hate that stuff and now I'm having withdrawal symptoms.

This past Saturday we went to a local church in Portsmouth that sells all kinds of unique pumpkins. I like 'em white, striped, and wrinkly! They come at a cost though ... $28 for those three pumpkins! Holy cow!

A photo from up by the Flume. Last night I had all my hair cut off, like Halle Berry's. Short I tell ya', but I like it.

The display out by our front door. Soft and pretty.

I hope Autumn is bringing cooler temps and brighter colors your way!

Woodstock, NH, riverview

2011-10-11T21:05:00.001-04:00

Today my husband and I made the 2 hour trip up to the Lincoln, NH area. On the way we took a side road through Woodstock, NH. It was a fluke thing, asking my husband to turn around so we could 'take that little road back there'. I'm SO glad we did!

That little road turned out to be route 175 which runs along side Route 93. It's a nice scenic drive. I'm always a big fan of the road less traveled.

Wouldn't it have been perfect if the train were on the tressel? Now THAT would have been a picture! Sorry, I couldn't wait that long.

As you can see the foliage in the area was pretty much at peak

Hey, there's that train!

Actually I thought I saw the light through the trees as we were coming down the road. As hard as I tried, I literally had a second to get the shot. My camera wasn't on the right setting so it ended up a bit blurry since the car was moving. Oh well. Maybe next time.

Directly across the street from the river sat a home decorated for fall. I'll bet the lights on the fence are pretty at night. Living across the street from such a beautiful river must be nice, but it's so remote that I just couldn't handle it.

I hope to share more photos from our trip very soon.

Pumpkins, Roses, and Postalpix

2011-10-09T19:51:00.001-04:00

How was your Sunday? Did you have a good day?

We're having an Indian Summer here in the northeast. Good, but not good at the same time. Don't get me wrong, I would be happy to warm for the next 6 months! The trees, not so much. Usually by now we have had several hard frosts and the tree's are really beginning to change. Instead we've only had a couple of light frosts and many of the leaves are turning brown and falling off the tree's. It isn't pretty

Looking at the forcast this week there doesn't appear to be even one night at or below freezing. Very odd indeed for New Hampshire. However, we're still getting in the Fall spirit!

In honor of Char from Ramblins, who passed away unexpectedly, earlier this year, I've been wanting to photograph small white pumpkins. See the photo on the upper right side of my blog? I've always loved that photo and I told her so when she published it.

There are many of us bloggers out there that really miss Char. She was such a smart woman with an incredible talent for finding the right words to put with her amazing photos. She was a no-holds-barred kind of lady who told it like she saw it. When Char passed away in early June she left a huge hold in the blog world. We miss you dear friend.

* * * * * * * * *

Oh Instagram, you devil you! You're so addicting!

The big thing now is to order your Instagram images on Postalpix and then trade them with your Instagram friends. I swear, there's always something new coming along!

* * * * * * * * *

And now I'm off to bake an Apple pie. It's in my nature to bake at night, just like my mother always did. Does anyone else bake at night?

This is what it usually looks like just before the pie goes in the oven!

After time away, I bring you flowers

2011-10-01T21:47:00.000-04:00

After 3 weeks away it feels good to be back at my blog again. September was a month filled with emotional ups and downs, but today, the first day of October, there is peace. All I know is that some teenagers are more difficult than others, and we'll leave it at that ; )

I thought about posting beach photos but really felt like I needed to see something pretty-in-pink! And so, here you go, Gladiolus my daughter and I picked up for 'FREE' from a bucket on the side of the road. How lucky were we?! Actually they were covered in tiny ants and my daughter Elise was freaking out!!! We were picking the ants off and throwing them out the windows as fast as we could! LOL!

Gladiolus . . . sans the ants . . .

Several years ago I bought this petite book for the girls, titled: Believe in Yourself

Recently I brought the book out into the kitchen and leave it open to random inspirational quotes. The day I took the above photos this just happened to be the quote showing.

Beach Views

2011-09-07T16:23:00.001-04:00

Just a few more images from an early evening walk on the beach. The same evening I shot the photos for my 'It's a dogs life on the beach' post.

I know Autumn is knocking at the door but I refuse to embrace it until I'm forced too. Summer is my season. Something that is all to short for this born and raised New Englander.

A field filled with Sparkles

2011-09-01T22:34:00.000-04:00

Recently I happened upon a field absolutely filled, from one end to the other, with Queen Anne's Lace. Morning light is always best to show off the true beauty of nature. A little dew and a sunbeam or two helps things along.

These are but a few of the many, many photos I took. I hope you enjoy them.

* * * * * *

In conclusion: a happy little Katydid smiling down on my daughter and I this summer from the windshield of my car

Brushed by Irene

2011-08-29T15:15:00.002-04:00

Yesterday during the storm my daughter and I took a ride down along the beach. As would be expected many other people did too.

It was a bit chilly and very windy. There were even a few fools in the water. I tried to capture some of the more scenic views.

He's flying!

Actually he's just a jumper : )

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Can you see it?

Even a bad day at the beach is still a good day when you're a dog

The surf was rough and the gust of wind were strong, but quite frankly I've seen the waves much worse.

Out of all the people who lost power (and there were a lot), we were one of the fortunate ones to hold onto it, and let me tell you, in this neighborhood that is a rare occurance. Today was supposed to be the first day of school for my daughter but it was cancelled. She was so disappointed. Hard to believe it's that time already. I'll be posting photos of apples before you know it!

If you experienced the wrath of Irene I do hope you weathered it well.

Fuller Gardens, continued

2011-08-23T22:05:00.000-04:00

Although my days have been quite busy I wanted to share a few more photos from my trip to Fuller Gardens

Meanwhile my own gardens are fading fast. All the beautiful, bright yellow Daisy's I once had have pretty much died. Sunday afternoon I spent a lot of time cutting them back, along with the hosta flowers, hydrangeas, and other slightly misshapen plants. I really try to keep up with everything because I hate looking at dead flowers/leaves.

How about you? How is your garden looking?

Cool air is working it's way into New England during the evening. The flowers feel it. The birds feel it. The tree's feel it. And they are all reacting.

A few days in a row we had large groups of various Swallows swarming over our yard and surrounding fields, all feeding and gathering together to make the trip South. How can it be that time already??? A few orange leaves are popping out on the Maple trees. Early Macs are making their arrival known. Even the smell of the air seems a bit different.

And Monday my younger daughter heads back to school. Provided Irene doesn't give us flooding rains that is.

In the Japanese Garden: Overlooking the roses, and a heron statue in front of the Koi pond

In the Front Garden

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

I just wanted to say . . . I have been overwhelmed by the response to my post 'It's a dog life at the beach'. I honestly had no idea it would be so moving to so many of you, however, anyone who has loved an animal, and lost their beloved companion, knows that feeling of devastation.

Thank you to those who shared the post on facebook and through emails. As a blogger you just never know what type of emotion a post will evoke. I'm glad this particular post was accepted with grace instead of disapproval at photographing such a personal moment.

Fuller Gardens, North Hampton, NH

2011-08-15T08:17:00.001-04:00

What a beautiful day it was this past Saturday! The sun was shining between high, thin clouds, temps in the low to mid 80's, and the perfect day to make the trip to Fuller Gardens!

Fuller Garden entrance/garden shop

There are actually several parts to Fuller Gardens:
Side Garden (aka the Rose garden which you see in this post)
Lydia Fuller Garden
Japanese Garden
and the
Front Garden
as well as a Conservatory

The view overlooking the side garden, greenhouse conservatory, and carriage house

Commissioned in the 1920's by Alvan T. Fuller for his wife, Viola, the gardens were eventually opened to the public in 1958 per Mr. Fullers request following his death.

The bee's were a buzzin' and plenty of them too! I'm generally not a big fan of bee's but they wanted nothing to do with me, just the flowers.

Most of the statuary in the gardens was brought back from trips overseas by the Fullers, including the one on the left. A work done by one of Michelangelo's understudies, E. Zochie.

There were Dahlias, too!

The Love and Peace rose, and my husband amongst the roses

I look forward to sharing more photos with you from our visit!

If you're in the area and you'd like a nice way to spend an hour, bring your camera stop by
Fuller Gardens

It's a dogs life at the beach

2011-08-11T08:31:00.002-04:00

It's been a while since I've had the time to post but that doesn't mean I've stopped taking pictures! Summer has been a busy one in our house though I can't honestly say it's the summer I'd hoped for. Between my husbands extra long work days lately, the girls crazy schedules, and a 3 room makeover, I seem to keep busy but not often doing the things I want to do. However, I've made time for the evening walks along the beach. An absolute must for my sanity.

On this particular night I decided to photograph dogs for a change. The sun was getting low in the sky, the water was smooth, and the air was warm.

Seriously, every dog should come to the beach and be this happy!

An Arctic Tern perhaps?

I know, it's a sad, old, worn out dog but I had to post the photos.

You cannot imagine how much love and attention the owner was bestowing upon his companion. He took her down to the water and held her in the waves, letting the water wash over her body, lifting and lowering her as the waves came in and then subsided. He carefully guided her out onto shore, carrying her when necessary. At one time this was probably the place she loved being more than anything.

The owner then brought his dog up onto a blanket and gently laid her down, placing a pillow under her head. He stroked and kissed her, never leaving her side, all the while his wife played with their child in the sand and water. Although I cannot say for certain I had the feeling this was a last act of love.

As I walked away tears rolled down my cheeks. This man was probably about to lose one of the first loves of his life and you could tell he was cherishing every possible moment before letting go. It was a very touching scene.

This photo reminds me of my Lily at the beach ... running full speed, hair blowing in the wind, filled with a love of the moment. One thing that struck me was how many kids and dogs were playing together!

Next time I'll bring you with me Lily. I promise!

*Wow! Such a great response to the garden photos in my previous post! I only wish my garden looked as nice as the photos portray. In my own eyes there is still much work to be done and a lot more money to be spent. It's a lifetime project that never ends. About the time it looks pretty good, it's time for a change.

Thank you for always being so generous with your comments.

How does your garden grow?

2011-07-24T21:35:00.002-04:00

For 20 years I've been working on my gardens. Planting, fertilizing, ripping out, transplanting . . . I think I could work on them for 20 more years and still not be totally satisfied. Do you feel that way about your own garden?

And let's not forget, perfecting a garden is not cheap! I have always tried to buy my plants at the end of the season. I swear I've saved so much money, but every once in a while I see something that I cannot resist, like my Roses, or an amazing Hydrangea, so I suck it up and pay full price.

My poor husband, he's the one who usually has to dig things up while I give the instructions. Right now I'm on a kick to totally redo my shade garden and expand it, which involves a ton of work! That particular garden has become rather overgrown, especially by my enormous 7'-8' Hosta. Not sure I'm going to get my wish though.

This is the first year we've planted Zinnia's. My husband and I started them from seeds. Although they seemed to have a late start, suddenly they're taking off in full technicolor! Next year we will definitely be having more Zinnia's, but larger.

The above flower is a little deformed but of all the different colored Zinnia's coming into bloom, this particular color is my favorite. Like a simmering sunset on a hot summers evening.

It took 2 years before I finally had a bloom on my Josephine Columbine. This year I'll have five blooms.

I'd wait again

And today, the Monarchs showed up. Oh sweet summer, how I adore you with all my heart.

Linking up with Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

Sunset ~ Moonrise

2011-07-17T22:36:00.000-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I told my husband the only thing I wanted to do was watch the moon rise over the ocean. After dinner we headed to New Castle for an ice cream at the Ice House, with the intent of watching the moon come up by the Portsmouth Harbor lighthouse. Looking at the compass on my iPhone my husband didn't think we'd have an optimal view so he suggested we head down toward the beach.

Driving over the bridge next to the Wentworth by the Sea marina, I looked out towards Portsmouth to catch a spectacular sunset over the water. Just to the left of the sunset (I know it's hard to see the yellow house) sits the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion. A beautiful place to visit on a warm day.

Within a few minutes we were on Rt. 1a parked near Pebble Cove motel. From this beach you can walk along next to the ocean over to Odiorne Point. I thought it would be a great place to see the moon rise!

Looking south towards Rye

You can expect to see a lot more Queen Anne's Lace in coming posts. It cannot be helped.

Slowly but surely the sky was getting darker. Moonrise was supposed to be at 9:02 so we knew we'd have to wait a little bit longer.

8:30 . . . the mosquitos started attacking. My husband seemed to be the object of their affection too! With 1/2 an hour to go we just couldn't wait. The bugs were brutal.

Just another shot looking toward Odiorne state park on the left. Portsmouth Harbor lighthouse is on the right, identified by the little green light on the horizon.

Now we had to book it back to the car and try for the third time to find a place to view the moon!

As luck would have it we made it to Jenness beach in the nick of time. I jumped out of the car and started shooting. Most of my shots were pretty poor seeing as how it was now dark outside but I managed to get a few decent images. Here's one . . .

And yes, it really was that orange!

Thanks for coming along with us! I hope you enjoyed Saturday night all over again. The evening was so relaxing for my husband and I, and we needed a little 'us' time.

Did you see the full moon this week-end? I hope so!

Eden Climber Rose

2011-07-14T23:08:00.003-04:00

My mother and father in-law gave me money for my birthday so I thought I'd go buy a rose bush! Years ago there were roses here at the house when I moved in, but I had no idea how to take care of them and wasn't interested in learning.

Since I've been gardening for about 20 years now I figure it's about time to take on some bigger challenges, like roses.

I'd seen the Eden Climber in the Better Homes and Gardens magazine and thought it was the absolute bomb! (Pics of what it should look like when it grows up)

When I purchased the plant there were plenty of flowers and buds. Needless to say all the flowers are all dying and no new buds are appearing. After doing some research online I have found that the Eden Climber is not a big fan of the climate where I live, and doesn't winter well. Now I'm wishing I had bought the English Rose I had in my hands first. Hopefully, with a little bit of love and a lot of nurturing, this lemon will eventually turn into lemonade.

Anyway, here are a few before/after shots from my recent pruning.

My husband purchased a rose at the same time, a soft yellow Apertif. Wouldn't you know his plant is loaded with new buds. Oh well. At least I'll have one rose in the yard to photograph.

*In case you were wondering .... the pillows were purchased last year from the Christmas Tree Shop for $5 each, on clearance. Don't you just love a bargain?

* Several of you mentioned the frames I used around the photos in my last post, wondering where I found them. They were actually on the Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0 program I have. However, if you don't have PSE, you can find similar frames here. Katie Pertiet is the designer and you'll find pages and pages of them, and at reasonable prices! You can also follow Katie's blog for weekly freebie giveaways, updates on new products, and sales.

Thank you for stopping by!

The queen has arrived . . .

2011-07-10T22:00:00.000-04:00

Lately I'm relishing in all things pretty, lovely, summery, and white. It just makes me feel good.

My hope is that you too, are loving summer as well!

Summer, sweet summer

2011-06-30T22:00:00.001-04:00

For the first time in a while, tonight was quiet in our house for several hours. I was all alone, and loving it. No kids, my husband was working, no TV, no barking dogs, no music, . . . just the sound of birds, my own thoughts, a beautiful sky, still air, and the feel of summer. Finally.

What I'm loving ...

Instagram. My husband shot, and texted me, the two beach photos while out on a 45 mile bike ride this past Sunday. The rose and strawberry images are my own.

I love the smell of this candle. Actually everyone in my family loves it. It reminds us all of the beach.
I love colored canning jars. The above Lightening jar is an oldie my husband dug up out of a bottle dump, almost 30 years ago!

I love a pink sunset

And I love fresh summer flowers. These Sweet Peas are perfect, though I must confess I scoffed them up from someone else's garden. Honest to goodness they had hundreds of them so I figured they would never miss four ; )

I love the white christmas lights I turn on every night in our living room on my display table.

Tomorrow (July 1st) is my day and I hope it's a good one. A relaxing one. Maybe a day to walk along the beach.

Thank you all for stopping by. I keep saying I'm going to catch up on everyone's blogs but it's not happening. The days seem to be flying by lately. I swear I don't know where the time goes!

Afternoon by the ocean

2011-06-26T21:06:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I had to go out to run an errand. Seeing as how it was Saturday, and my husband and I hadn't spent any time together all week, he decided to join me. After finishing up my errand I said I'd like to take a drive along the beach. It had been over a month since I'd seen the ocean and that's way to long for this lady!

Driving past Rye Harbor we decided to stop and grab a bite to eat. A cup of clam chowder seemed to fit the bill. It was good and hot on a dismal, cloudy day.

~ A little coastal Instagram love ~

After enjoying the chowdah we continued along to North Hampton beach where there seemed to be a lot of surfers. More than usual, though you can't really tell by my photos.

How anyone could get in the New England ocean water this time of year, without a wetsuit, is beyond me!

I hope you enjoyed the afternoon with us. Wish you could smell the ocean. The salt air tends to have a healing effect on the heart and soul.

I'm linking up tonight with Mary's Little Red House blog for Mosaic Monday

Lemon-Blueberry Scones

2011-06-25T08:52:00.004-04:00

I found this scone recipe on Country Living. Since they were so yummy, and so very easy to make, I thought I'd share the recipe with my readers!

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut butter into several chunks and add to flour mixture. You may want to use a fork or your fingers to distributed the butter evenly through the flower mixture.
Add milk, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir until dough comes together. If dough seems too wet, add a little extra flour, about a Tablespoon or so.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for almost a minute. Add blueberries and gently mix in. Divide dough in half, roll into balls and press each one into a disc on the baking sheet. Cut disc's into 4 equal quarters and sprinkle with sugar for extra sweetness if you so desire.

Bake for 17-22 minutes, until scones are golden brown.

* I did not use the Lemon Glaze this time, instead opting out for Blueberry jam. Yum!

This, that, and ramblins

2011-06-22T20:54:00.000-04:00

I know it hasn't been that long but it seems like forever since I've posted on my blog. So much has changed since I was here last.

My older daughter went to the Senior Prom . . .

I swear she has never looked more happy or beautiful than she does in this picture.

And if that wasn't enough to pull at my heart strings . . .

She graduated. I thought I might cry a river but all I felt was joy and pride. High School was a bit more difficult for my daughter than it is for a lot kids, but she made it through and finished out the last two terms on high honors. Way to go girl!

Lets move on . . . to this:

I stripped the wallpaper off my kitchen and repainted it. Now I kind of wish I hadn't. The new color I painted on the walls is okay, (Sherwin Williams Ivoire) but it's not a favorite with anyone. Oh well, it's whats going to stay for the time being.

My parent's kittens.

The stray cat they took in had kittens almost 3 months ago. Two kittens went to a home but my parents are still holding onto four! Although they are planning on keeping two of the kittens, neither one of my parents can bring themselves to take the remaining two kittens to the SPCA. My mom dotes on them constantly, adoring them all. This isn't going to turn out good. We refer to her lately as 'The Cat Lady'

My husband installed new walkway lights and I love them. I'd seen them on my The Blue Ridge Gals blog a while ago and thought they were beautiful. Diane was kind enough to let me know the brand so we ordered them on eBay which was MUCH cheaper than in the store!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

In the midst of everything else I heard the news my dear friend, and fellow blogger, Char, passed away suddenly. When ever I think about it my heart feels such sorrow. Some people are taken far to soon and Char was definitely one of them. Her blog, ramblins, always evoked the feeling of a smart woman with deep thoughts. Char wrote about her daily life and travels, integrating her beautiful photography.

Back in January when my daughter had her tonsils out Char and I emailed back and forth as she told me about her own horrible experience with her tonsils. How I wish I still had those emails today.

One final note about Char's blog. On the side bar she has this quote:

When its all said and done,
all roads lead to the same
end, so its not so much
which road you take, as how
you take it.

~Charles de Lint

I hope Char would be happy with the road she chose. Her beautiful blog is a gift, left behind for all those who choose to embrace it.

* * * * * * * * * *

Viruses ... oh goodness my laptop had a major, horrible virus. The kind my husband spent hours trying to get rid of only to have it rear it's ugly head again and again. Finally, the best way to conquer the beast was to take the laptop back to factory settings and start over again. Luckily I have everything backed up!

After I began to reload programs I noticed Color Efex Pro 3.0 Wacom Edition would pop up every time I used Photoshop. I assume it came from my Wacom tablet but it's never worked before. I like it though! The picture above and below were both edited using Color Efex.

So that's about it for today. Although my plans were to blog about the farm I visited in Rhode Island, that will have to wait until another day. I hope you are all well and enjoying summer. We're having rain, once again. If only Mother Nature would take it someplace where it is truly needed, like Texas!

Thank you for stopping by!

Riptide Oysters

2011-06-13T22:33:00.002-04:00

Riptide Oysters in Westport, Massachusetts

Now this is one place I instantly felt at home. Anywhere near the ocean just feels right to me.

A young couple (on the upper right), Kerian and Kristin, own Riptide Oysters. They started the business without any competition in the immediate area. It's a tough business, working year round through all sorts of New England weather, but I imagine the independence is worth the trade off. On the bottom left is their little girl. Isn't she the cutest thing ever?!!! I could have photographed her all day long!

Kerian was an excellent speaker, giving us all the details of oyster farming and demonstrating where they live and grow

Above: Riptide's boat
Below: a view of some young oysters

I believe they said it takes 2 years for the oysters to fully mature before they can be harvested and sold. Hopefully I'm right on that. It was one of those moments where I really should have taken notes and didn't.

The whole day was overcast but once we arrived by the water the fog was rolling in.

The Paquachuck Inn

The Harbormaster building

As I said, I really loved this place. It almost pained me to leave because I wanted to walk around and take more pictures, but we had one last place to visit before the long drive home ... a local farm. That will be the last part of the tour. Phew! We packed in a lot of stuff in one day!

A visit to the Art Cafe

2011-06-07T07:52:00.001-04:00

Here we go again . . . off to visit someplace else! I told you it was a very busy day-trip to Rhode Island!

The Art Cafe is located next to the town square in Little Compton. Honest to goodness this place has such a quaint hometown feel. I just loved it.

Food, jewelry, art ... there's a little bit of everything in this shop!

I had a hot mocha-latte. My favorite.

Don't you wish you were there too? The town center is utterly adorable. There will be more pictures of that later on.

If only I lived closer, I'd stop in for a mocha-latte more often.

Almost directly across the street from the Art Cafe, about 12 feet up in an old tree, was a hive of honey bee's. I'm not a bee person at all so I was a bit freaked out. But, they are just honey bee's so I figured it would be okay.

A little fresh honey with your tea perhaps? Good luck!

*Still two more places to visit. I do hope you're enjoying the trip as much as I did.

Sakonnet Vineyards

2011-06-05T06:32:00.001-04:00

Picking up where I left off with my previous post ... we finished up browsing the shops at the Four Corners in Tiverton, now it was time to go back to the Provender, pick up our boxed lunch's, head out to Sakonnet Vineyards in Little Compton, and enjoy a delicious sandwich on the lawn of the Vineyard.

(Provender front porch)

Don't all the boxes look so wonderful? The ladies at the Provender did such a nice job. Inside was my yummy Turkey and Cranberry Chutney sandwich with sprouts, a Poland Spring water, and a fancy bag of chips, with a napkin of course.

After lunch we were invited inside to sample the wines. This is where I am lacking. Because I hadn't slept very well the night before (being away from home will do that to me), and I don't usually drink, I watched a video instead with a few other ladies about the vineyard. Which by the way can also be viewed on their website. The bar area was quite nice, making me wish I'd taken a few pictures so I could at least show you the vast selection of wines.

Being that it was the end of May, the berries were just starting to come to life. For a wine connoisseur, a trip along the Coastal Wine Trail in Massachusetts and Rhode Island would be one heck of a fun trip!

Tiverton Four Corners shops

2011-06-01T07:48:00.001-04:00

The Itinerary

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 - Welcome breakfast at Provender. (3883 Main Road, Tiverton, RI 02878-4843)

9:30 - 11:45 - Strolling through Tiverton’s charming shops.

12:00 - 1:00 - Picnic lunch and wine tasting at Sakonnet Vineyard.

1:15 - 2:00 - Coffee and dessert at The Art Cafe.

2:15 - 3:00 - Watch the catch come in at Westport Harbor.

3:30 - 5:00 - Survey the local food scene with tours of Silverbrook Farm and Round the Bend Farm.

5:00 Depart...exhausted, but thoroughly inspired!

As you can see by looking at the itinerary, our day spent along the Farmcoast was quite full, but I never felt rushed even for a moment. With so much to see and do I took over 400 pictures, which honestly I didn't think was that many considering how many shots turn out to be duds, and are deleted.

Usually I can make a post out of a simple jaunt to the beach, so how am I supposed to condense a non-stop day? For this post I'll show you some of the shops we visited before lunch.

Right from the get-go Christine had things organized. She made name tags, business card holders, had Farmcoast bags for all of us, and folders with maps and organized information from local businesses. All this and she has an infant!

A few of the ladies arriving from around New England at the Provender restaurant, located directly on Four Corners in Tiverton.

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After a delicious breakfast of coffee and a blueberry-lemon scone at the Provender it was off to our first shop: Nankeen

Beautiful bags, clutches, totes, etc., await you in this bright, fresh and modern store. Loved the hats too! All the fabric is hand printed from hand carved stencils. A historic and time consuming process.

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Because I love home stores, The Cottage was one of my favorite shops. I could have spent hours, and a ton of money in this store. Seeing as how I'm trying to be thrifty these days, and I had time constraints, I just took plenty of pictures instead. Wonderful products though, and so much more then I can show you here.

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Roseberry-Winn

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The other store I was head over heals for was the local flower shop:

Sayles Livingston
website
and
blog

The ladies were working on arrangements for an upcoming wedding and bat mitzvah. It smelled like heaven. Notice the woman who's arranging flowers with a baby in a front pack? So cute.

And I almost forgot, they gave us all free flowers too! Thank you, Sayles!

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* * * * * * * * *

Courtyards

I'm diggin' the green umbrella

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No small town would be complete in New England without at least one antique shop

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Milk and Honey Bazaar

I know I posted a lot of pictures, but there were several shops I never made it to. You'll just have to go there yourself, if you want to see them all!

More to come . . .

Old Tiverton Four Corners Schoolhouse No. 1

2011-05-28T08:15:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in my last post that I was invited to a Blogger Retreat in Rhode Island but didn't really say much else about it. I can tell you this, it was a wonderful experience! One I'll not soon forget.

My next few posts will most likely be about the Farmcoast area, where the ladies and I met up, and spent Thursday together. But first I wanted to show you where I was fortunate enough to be able to spend the previous night.

Four Corners Schoolhouse No. 1 is located in Tiverton, Rhode Island, and owned and operated by Adam and Kristin Salveira. The Salveira's, along with their 4 young children did ALL the renovation work themselves! Adam has a regular full time job, Kristin works part time, runs the kids around to all their activities, plus they have a farm! These are two on-the-go people!

Personally I could just move right in and be perfectly happy. I wish my husband could have made the journey as well I know he would have loved it. The house possesses clean, simple lines, nautical colors, and somewhat of a Pottery Barn feel.

Enjoy the photos!

Pull the rope and ring the schoolhouse bell! One of Kristin's children demonstrated this particular feature for me : )

All authentic/historic school items on the walls, and throughout the schoolhouse, were found by Adam, either on eBay or local antiques shops.

Awesome pump style faucet. The whole black and white scheme is outstanding. Unfortunately I didn't take a photo of the front of the cabinet but trust me, it was elegant.

A personalized greeting!

Okay, how come my house isn't this nice?

Talk about a quiet, peaceful view. There are plenty of fields and cows along the
Farmcoast so I suppose the name fits perfectly! The whole area seems like a cross between Vermont and Gloucester, Mass.

You can find the Schoolhouse on facebook (under their farm link), or for historic information as well as rental prices click here

Next up I'll be showing you some photos from my visit. Hope you can join me!

Prescott Park in the pink

2011-05-24T09:27:00.002-04:00

In the past 20 years the city of Portsmouth, NH has changed quite a bit. It's become more commercial, evidenced by the Gap (which not surprisingly went under) and Starbucks. The downtown has been completely renovated while still maintaining a sense of charming old New England. Tourists and residents alike have benefited from the results. (Exeter REALLY needs to do the same) More people have moved into the area as well so it's a much busier city than it used to be too. My daughter loves to eat at the Friendly Toast with friends, while my personal favorite cafe is still Popovers.

Portsmouth is a wonderful city to stroll through on a warm summers evening as it's not to large and fairly easy to get around. Many unique shops and art galleries have moved in, not to mention restaurants and places to get an ice cream. 20 years ago I was fairly hip to where to grab a bite to eat or go for dinner ... why the Rusty Hammer of course. Now, I don't even have a clue.

While there may be a lot that has changed in the city, one thing that hasn't really changed much in the past 20 years is Prescott Park. Oh how I adore Prescott Park. If you've ever been there during the height of the summer, when the gardens are in full bloom, then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

With all the rain we've received in the northeast, what little Spring we've had has been on the late side. Many tree's came into bloom only to have their delicate petals washed away before they could truly be savored. Luckily I managed to capture some blooms under overcast skies in between the rain drops.

This Thursday I, along with a handful of other New England bloggers, have been fortunate enough to have been invited to a day long Bloggers Retreat in Rhode Island and Massachusetts! Tomorrow afternoon I'll be driving down to Rhode Island to stay overnight at a lovely farm. Seeing as how it's a 2-1/2 hour drive, there's just no way I'd want to chance driving through Boston traffic Thursday morning and risk not getting there by the 9:00 am meet-up time.

When I come back you can be sure there will be plenty to tell you about!

Till then, here's hoping there's a little sunshine in your world. We're STILL hoping for some here in New England!

Spring in Newburyport

2011-05-17T20:59:00.001-04:00

All these photos were taken a week ago while I was in Newburyport, Mass. The rain had just let up and the sun was dancing in and out of the clouds. Perfect for photography.

Heavy rain pulled down blossoms that were already hanging by a thread

I such a sucker for a white picket fence

It's been raining here for days. I'm anxious to get out and take pictures but between work and this miserable weather the odds aren't in my favor. From what I understand many other bloggers are dealing with endless rain too. Here's hoping we all get a bit of sunshine soon!

A special evening

2011-05-16T21:58:00.000-04:00

For the most part I tend to shy away from posting family pictures lately, but my daughters looked so nice this past week-end that I thought I'd share a few photos.

Both girls were invited to the Jr Prom even though one is a freshman and the other is a senior.

♥ ♥ ♥

Can you tell how happy they were to be going together? I love that they get along so well. At least they usually do . . .

This is my younger daughter and her boyfriend who have been dating for a year and a half!

The senior and her boy-friend. As much as he likes her, she just wants to be friends. She will hopefully be headed off to college this fall anyway while he will still be in school. Both boys are such nice kids, they really are.

It was a magical day, between hair, make-up, friends, pictures, and the Grand March. In a couple weeks we get to do it all over again with my older daughter at the Senior Prom! I can hardly wait!!!

Tendercrop Farm

2011-05-08T21:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday afternoon I had the very good fortune to meet two other New England bloggers for lunch in Newburyport. Elaine from Cafe Chatelaine, and Susan of From Beyond My Kitchen Window. We had an absolutely lovely lunch at Michaels Harborside restaurant and chatted like old friends! Thank you ladies for such a wonderful time!!!

After lunch Susan had to go home so Elaine and I took a side trip to Tendercrop Farm in Newbury. As we were heading into the store we looked to the sky to see this:

Kind of freaky!

Other people were looking too. Who knew what was going to happen next, but there was definitely some swirling action going on.

As ominous as the sky appeared the clouds finally began to look somewhat normal, like just a regular storm. Phew!

iPhone Instagram photos from a recent visit with my husband

I'll confess, all I bought were fresh eggs and a muffin. Later on I wished I'd purchased the sign over on my sidebar. The one about being 'happy as a bird with a french fry'. A feeling I wish I subscribed to more often.

Did you have a good week-end? I had a very low key Mothers Day which is just the way I like it.

Linking up with Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday!

Sunset on the bay

2011-05-04T07:23:00.000-04:00

Hello all! How are things in your little corner of the world?

I've been pretty much straight out the past several days. Last week I finished up working at the beach house. A bitter sweet moment. It was sad to leave but time to move on. Saturday we took my daughter to visit a local college, which was pretty much a day long event. Sunday I took both my girls and their friends to an amusement park for my younger daughters birthday. Again, a day long event.

This week I've started a new job and I'm trying to catch up with all that needs to be done. The job is going well, the catching up, not so much. If you've sent me an email and I haven't responded I will try to do so in the next couple days.

I thought I'd share some sunset photos I took last week. There's quite a few of them so I hope you don't mind!

On the plus side of things, our Hummingbirds finally showed up last Wednesday. Such a treat! Other people said they had Baltimore Orioles but I just saw our first one this morning. Catbirds have been calling too.

Now if the sun would just continue shining and the temps would come up a bit. And the price of gas would go DOWN : /

Groundhog Day

2011-04-27T08:13:00.000-04:00

My husband just woke up and came into the kitchen and said, "It's like Groundhog Day. Every day I wake up it's just the same"

What he means is that it's either raining or foggy every single day lately. Luckily Mother Nature gave us a reprieve for Easter, but besides that it's been rather miserable. Supposedly we will see temps in the mid 70's today with partial sunshine. One can only hope! Especially since the kids and my husband are on vacation.

In the meantime one has to work with what one has been given, so that's what I've been doing. Fog it is, again.

No, that's not the moon. It's the sun coming up through foggy clouds. Something you don't see to often.

My husband loves this railroad shot. So much so that he asked me to print it so he can hang it in his office at work. He likes minimalism black and white so this image fits him perfectly.

When I turned to look down the tracks going the other way there happened to be a deer standing right there! I quickly raised my camera and tried to get the shot (which is quite blurry) but the deer jumped and started heading up the embankment. See it on the left? I sat waiting because where there's one deer there has to be more. Nothing.

Down by the bay: maple bud and a bump on a log

My husbands other favorite photo he wants printed for work. I have to say it was quite beautiful standing there looking out over the bay. I thought this photo almost had an Ansel Adams feel. Okay, not really, but kinda. Maybe? Just a little?

Lily, waiting rather impatiently. She does NOT like being left alone in the car but I had to bring her with me since it was 6:15 am when I left the house. If I leave her behind she'll bark her head off at me, waking everyone up. LOL!

Is it sunny where you are? If it is could you please send a little our way?

Tulips, Kalanchoe, and Thank-you!

2011-04-23T08:58:00.001-04:00

Here in New Hampshire we don't have much for flowers yet. Daffodils always lead the way and it's so nice to see their sunny faces. Forsythia are just starting to bloom, as are Tulips and Ground Phlox. The trees are budding, getting ready for the big show. I can hardly wait!

In the mean time I've been buying flowers for inside the house. Pinks and reds to stimulate my senses.

And now to my Thank-you ...

I'd like to send a sincere thank-you to my friend, Cindy, from Custom Comforts, for the lovely Ball canning jar! I just adore the jar and have kept flowers in it almost since the moment it arrived on my doorstep. I have one or two other canning jars but nothing as colorful as this one. If you look closely, as Phineas did, you'll also see an adorable, personalized note tied up in the box (Phin was a big fan of the raffia and tried to make off with the note). A sweet touch. Again, thank you Cindy. You are too kind.

Wishing everyone a lovely Easter. Do you have plans? We'll be going to my in-laws for a Roast Pork dinner. The weather is looking good too, and I'll tell you, we deserve it!

Fog, it's a beautiful thing

2011-04-17T08:24:00.000-04:00

I swear I could photograph the beach every single day of the year.

Sun, rain, fog, snow, and come what may it's forever changing.

Sweet little pond I drive past everyday on my way to work. It sits just across the street from the beach. Check out the little Eastern Pheobe perched on the old Cattails down in front. First one I've seen this year and it made me smile : )

Love this bird house. Love it.

Beach view ~ Gulls in the mist

It wasn't until I was about done working on this photo that I realized I had captured a tender moment on the rocks.

I should be working at the beach for a couple more weeks so it will give me more time to photograph dogs, people, waves, sunshine, gulls, and plenty of ocean side beauty.

I hope you enjoy these images.

Sweet floral mosaic ~ Instagram style

2011-04-10T21:03:00.001-04:00

Okay, I know Pioneer Woman is doing it, and Lisa Leonard is doing it too, but I really didn't pay much attention until my daughter mentioned it.

Instagram

And now I'm mildly addicted.

Above are a few images I've Instagrammed over the past couple days. It's just so much fun!

Unfortunately it's also an iTunes app so if you don't have an Apple product you're pretty much out of luck. At least for now anyways. Instagram is working on an app for Droids, as well as a desktop version.

The good news is that you don't have to have an app to see someones photos! Here is a link to my images, here are PW's images, and finally these are Lisa Leonards!

Linking up with Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

Rainy day at the beach ...and my kitchen

2011-04-06T07:35:00.001-04:00

I'm glad so many of you enjoyed my last post with photos of my kitchen! It's actually been about 10 years since we remodeled so the appliances are definitely looking a bit dated. The microwave should be sputtering out any day now and the dishwasher died long ago, thankfully.

We used to have harvest gold counter tops with dark pink cabinets. Now it's a grey speckled laminate with white painted cabinets and crystal knobs. Best thing I ever did! After 10 years the cabinets could definitely stand to be repainted.

Here are pictures from right after it was completed. Note, I wasn't much of a decorator back then . . .

Remember, this was 10 years ago. Needless to say a few things have changed decor wise, and it does have more personality than when I took these photos, but I am thinking it's time for the brass bin pulls and crystal knobs to go!

A few of you mentioned my sink, which I still love after all these years. It's the Hartland sink by Kohler and you can find it here. I don't think the price has changed much. What blew me away when we bought it was the price of the basin racks, over $30 each! However, they have saved my sink from being ruined by scratches. To keep it white and shiny I clean it with straight bleach or Clorox Clean-up.

A few of you also mentioned the valance over the sink. I made the 2 in the kitchen, along with most of the valances in my house. It's much cheaper, and more custom, than buying from a store.

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Okay, on to today's post!

I took all of these photos this past Monday, in the rain. Before posting them I added a touch of Cross Processing in Picnik to each image, for added interest.

See, rainy days and Mondays really aren't that bad.

They aren't if you're at the beach anyway ; )

A tree lined road that I think is so pretty. Many of the homes that reside on this street are historic. Just behind me is the end of Jenness beach in Rye. Hopefully I'll remember to come back and photograph this street in the late spring when all the leaves are coming out.

Finally our temperatures are looking up!!!

YIPPEEE!!!!

Sunday sunshine!

2011-04-03T20:15:00.001-04:00

Our snow is g-o-n-e . . . for now. The forecast is for some snow mixed with rain tomorrow morning but thankfully without any accumulation. Spring is definitely a bit late this year!

All I know is that today was an incredibly sunny, blue sky kind of day and I embraced it.

This morning I was up at 5:50, the norm. At 8:00 I was washing windows, inside and out. The sun was so bright and I needed as much light to shine in as possible. My Sunday would have been perfect had it not been for the wind. I'd love to rake out the garden but the wind was blustery and rather bitter. The poor peepers aren't ever going to be able to peep!

Yesterday while at TJ Maxx I purchased the flower holder behind the sink (my faucet is rather ascew). It's au naturale and desperately needs to be painted. Since it was mixed in with a beach display at the store it's supposed to look like raw, weathered wood. I'm not a fan. I'll have to give it a rubbed look around the edges after it's' painted.

All of these photos were taken today, including Miss Luna

And this is my new iPad 2. Last Wednesday I just happened to get lucky and find one at a local Walmart. My girlfriends husband ordered one from Apple and they said it would be an 8 week wait! Holy cow!

While my husband and I were at TJ Maxx yesterday I found some several carrying cases to choose from in all different fabrics. I couldn't decide which one to choose so I bought two! They were only $9.99 each so that's not bad. The orange for Summer and blue for Winter. Or whatever. Now I just need to find a cover for the iPad itself before it gets broken. I still haven't taken the plastic cover off it for fear of scratching it.

When it comes to expensive electronics I really try to take good care of them and with good reason. My mom recently dropped my iPhone into a bucket of water at work. YIKES!!! Luckily I had the best Otterbox cover on it you could get or it would have been ruined. And with teenagers in the house, well, you probably know how that goes when it comes to electronics.

So that's my Sunday! That and a nap.

What did you do today? Was it warm where you are?

I hope so cause I just might come visit ; )

No joke!

2011-04-02T07:58:00.000-04:00

If you follow any other New England blogs then you know we had a snow storm yesterday. A pretty good one too! About 6" of wet, sticky snow.

It's funny how the Bluebirds only show up when they are really hungry, and I knew yesterday morning they would be here like clockwork. Sure enough . . .

At this point it had started to rain and sleet. Then back to snow, and finally rain in the end.

They appear a bit flummoxed about the situation, like they were hoping for meal worms at the very least!

There were so many birds coming in to eat, including a Song Sparrow. What a delight to listen to him sing! He was here first thing this morning, but the Bluebirds have disappeared once again.

A small, local pond and shed I've photographed in the past

And swimming in that pond, as fast as they could to get away from me, a pair of Hooded Mergansers. Something you don't see every day!

Sorry about the obscene post on April 2nd ; )

Beach blues

2011-03-31T20:35:00.000-04:00

I've been working (interior painting) at a house on the beach for the past 2 weeks. I'm telling you, there is almost nothing better. Every day the view is dreamy. The water and sky never stop changing, meshing, and amazing me. Even the bad days are a work of art to behold.

Low tide, high tide, seaweed, deep blue waters, turquoise waters, white gulls diving back and forth, black rocks jutting out for the seals to bask upon. Yes, yesterday I actually saw Harbor seals sunning themselves! It's always an adventure at the beach.

One thing I love about the beach is people watching. This couple was so cute. They stood there for quite a while, snuggling. Most people are walking dogs though. It always makes me wish I could bring Lily to work with me, but that definitely isn't an option at this house.

a long gone-by beach rose berry/the most gorgeous turquoise waters with gulls, and dark seaweed lying just below the surface

Looking out towards the Isles of Shoals with a billion diamonds/an almost petrified dead rose berry

I've noticed these rocks seem to be a favorite place for gulls to hang out, probably because there are plenty of crabs and other shell fish hanging about. Star Island looms large in the background

And though this really has nothing to do with the beach ... the other day I came home to Turkey Vultures circling our house and the surrounding vicinity. Turns out there was something dead in the field behind our yard.

Lily does NOT like TV's and let's them know in no uncertain terms. When they get this low she chases them and barks like a mad woman. The bird looks terrified doesn't it? I mean just look at those eyes! Ha ha! More than likely it's wondering where the Pug is ; )

Gulls in the field

2011-03-25T21:30:00.004-04:00

It's funny but when I was a kid I don't recall seeing Gulls, or as we always called them (and most people still do), 'Seagulls', anywhere but at the beach or the dump. Back then the landscape was so much more pristine without all the fast food joints. How I loath the the trash they spawn.

I'm not here to trash fast food restaurants, but that's usually what brings the mass amount of gulls inland. Another draw are cornfields.

This cornfield sits right next to Pete's Sugar Shack. Which by the way he was boiling syrup tonight as I drove by. There were quite a few cars there too! He picked a great spot next to a very busy road.

Anyway, in the spring the gulls come into the fields to eat the left over corn from last Fall. Huge flocks of gulls. This poor guy above was limping pretty badly but he looks healthy and could still fly.

It's a big line up. They all land at the same time in the same general area, and all take off at the same time.

I actually shot these images 2 years ago, about a month after I bought my camera. I'm hoping to get back this Spring when it finally warms up, and photograph the gulls once again.

Here we go!!!

Pretty cool, huh?

And these shots don't show even close to how many gulls there actually were.

* I don't know why but for some reason Blogger emailed out an old post of mine to subscribers this morning. The post was from December, titled 'At Rest'. I don't think that's ever happened before. Sorry!

This and That

2011-03-23T21:52:00.001-04:00

Oh my goodness, I did NOT expect the response I had to my most recent post! Thank you all so much! I have resolved not to put so much pressure on myself or my photography. Just try to enjoy blogging and work around life's daily issues.

So nice that you all enjoyed the little Sugar Shack. I never mentioned where it's located and I know someone asked. It's in Stratham, NH. Sugaring is coming to and end though as we are nearing the end of March.

A couple weeks or so ago I brought in some Forsythia branches to force. At first I wasn't sure they would bloom but low and behold they look gorgeous. The Double Flowering Cherry branches I cut haven't been nearly as cooperative. They still look like sticks.

On Sunday the girls and I went over to my parents to see the stray cat they just took in. Lucy is absolutely adorable but unfortunately she's pregnant. They've been feeding her for a year and have never been able to get close, but finally she relented and came in their house. Not a moment to soon either seeing as how she's due in 3 weeks. Sweetest thing ever. Luckily she is finally getting the vet care she needs, along with a warm place to sleep at night. I swear I don't know how she made it through the winter.

While we were there I walked down through the back field just to get out. This picture was taken from about half way down to the woods. If I walked far enough I could go to the local reservoir but it was to muddy.

In the vegetable garden is a huge Curly Willow. My mom took a small piece from an arrangement delivered to their house years ago when my uncle died. That cutting took off, big time!

The rhubarb is coming up! I can hardly wait for strawberry-rhubarb pie!

Sunday into Monday we had an inch or so of snow. The next morning it was melting fast with water dripping off all the trees and bushes.

If we had just one decently warm day I'm sure this Daffodil would bloom! Instead we're expecting a bit more snow tonight with cold temps in the 30's tomorrow. Where are you Spring???

I missed shooting the supermoon this past week-end but I caught a bit of it Monday morning.

Just a little this and that of my life in the past few days.

Today my husband and I went to Portland, Maine. First we visited the Apple store (it was a rather intoxicating and I wanted one of everything!), lunch at Panera (always a good meal), next up, Whole Foods (pricey but we liked the variety), and finally Trader Joe's (great prices). It was a good day and it gave us a chance to feel like 'us' instead of parents. That doesn't happen to often it seems.

I hope you had a good Wednesday. It will be Friday before you know it!

Call me fickle . . .

2011-03-20T21:54:00.001-04:00

Because that's what I am! But honest to goodness I just couldn't resist showing you this tiny, local maple sugar shack!

Not to mention my husband about had a fit when I said I was done blogging. He just couldn't believe I would ever do that. I said, 'believe it.' Even Jay got after me! Which by the way, you should stop by and see his moon images from last night. Make sure to click on the last one to enlarge it! Amazing!!!

Since things are calm around here ... for the moment ... I figured I'd whip a few images out of my own. I hope they make you feel a little bit closer to New England this Spring. Unfortunately I cannot bring you the smell of maple syrup boiling, but trust me, it's amazing.

This little sugar shack is owned, and was built by Pete T. Nicest guy. A true New Englander too. He's been boiling for 15 years. Back then he says hardly anyone around was boiling. Now there's quite a few.

When I was there last night he said he'd produced a total of about 29 gallons over the last week and a half. Needless to say there wasn't a lot left on the shelves. He said it had been real busy. The syrup I bought had just been bottled and was still hot. Holy Cow! I came home and poured it over Vanilla ice cream, after my husband and I ate Seafood chowder from Peteys. I'm tellin' ya, that's some good eats!

There was so much steam inside it was dripping off the rafters.

Pete works at the Stuart Farm at the end of this long, tree lined driveway. My hope is to one day spend some time photographing around the farm. First I have to find an 'in'.

How I enjoy my real maple syrup every, single morning. Have you ever had Maypo? It's the bomb!

I'll try to keep blogging but if I don't ... well, you know.

Hydrangea bliss

2011-03-07T18:32:00.002-05:00

I've had so much fun photographing Hydrangea's this winter!

All the colors, the magical backgrounds, the different kinds and sizes of flowers ... who knew they could be such a delight!

The flowers look particularly lovely with a bit of a snow cap. Just enough to frost the ever fragile petals.

Now the flowers are starting to fall off the stems and roll around like tumbleweed. Out with the old, in with the new! Kind of like my blog.

Lately, as I've been looking around at other blogs, there was one thing that struck me: white, just white. No distracting backgrounds or busy headers. One blog that really caught my eye was Garden by the Sea, and if you haven't stopped by, you really should. Though I usually try to do my own thing when redesigning my template, I love Lupen's simple style so much that I decided to try my own variation of her design.

Maybe it's Spring, maybe it's age, I don't know, but lately I feel the need to de-clutter when ever I can. It probably won't last, but for now I hope you enjoy the new look. One thing I do miss is seeing all my favorite blogs on the side bar, but, I hope visitors will still go see them from the Blogs icon.

Winters hanging on here in the Northeast

2011-03-03T21:00:00.001-05:00

This past week-end we had another snow storm. It was a perfect day to go out and do a little shooting. Actually I did quite a bit! The snow was a bit sticky which is excellent for winter photos.

Winter is still trying to hold on, but spring is right on it's heels.

I'm hoping to go to a sugar shack this spring and smell the sap cooking. It's true nostalgia, reminding me of when I was a kid and my mom would put real maple syrup on toast for me. Or ice cream. Yum....

Oh yeah, saps a runnin' baby. Has spring sprung where you are?

Bluebirds!

2011-02-28T22:04:00.001-05:00

I'm totally thrilled! A few days ago a pair of Bluebirds showed up on our back deck. Since the other birds eat there, they must have figured there would be food for them to eat too.

Unfortunately Bluebirds are rather picky eaters and they weren't interested in the suet or safflower seed I had out. And of course they weren't go to go eat from the regular feeder.
Bluebirds aren't big fans of sunflower seed either.

The next morning they were back again! I knew I had to do something to keep them hanging around, and do it quick. Zick Dough to the rescue!!!! I've never made it before but it only took me a few minutes to cook it up. Since I didn't have lard or chick starter, I used shortening and ground up peanuts. Since then I've made a new batch with lard, but I'm still using peanuts.

Needless to say they know a good thing when they see it. A Yellow Rumped Warbler (Butter Butt) has decided to join them. He too loves the Zick Dough! Unfortunately so do the Starlings. Argghhh!!!

I think this is what drew them to my back deck in the first place, the peanut feeder. She eats off it but I've yet to see him on it. This morning there were 2 females eating peanuts at the same time!

No matter the weather they keep coming back. Last night the Mrs. must have called up her girl friends because this morning there were 4 females all having breakfast together! Hopefully they'll stick around a while!

Small town winters day

2011-02-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

I must confess, my name is Sharon ... and I'm a bad blogger.

As of late I've hardly visited anyone's blogs, haven't responded to emails, and haven't posted. My excuses? I'm back at work, painting, sanding, scraping 4 layers of wallpaper off walls ... yuk ... and my hands are sore. Not to mention my old daughter keeps me in an almost constant state of 'What the hell where you thinking?' mode. Sometimes I'm just not sure I was cut out for this parenting thing. It's way to stressful! All that said, occasionally I just need to unplug.

One thing I DID do, and I'm kind of excited about it, is to finally purchase my domain name! Look UP! No more mynewenglandlife.blogspot! For a long time I had hoped the person who had anewenglandlife.blogspot would give it up, seeing as how they haven't used it in a few years, but I never received any response to my inquiries.

Recently my husband was watching the Superbowl and saw the GoDaddy commercial. He mentioned that maybe I should have my own domain name, but I didn't think to much of it. Turns out you can get it cheaper through Blogger (who apparently has a deal with GoDaddy).

If you're interested in having your own web address go to: Dashboard > Settings > Publishing > Buy One Now > then Check Availability. It's only $10 a year (less than a $1 a month!) and you really don't have to do much of anything. Just make sure to check the box so blogger can redirect your followers. The url switch takes about 3 days but you'll never know anything has happened.

Yippeee!!!!

And now onto a wonderful old red barn I photographed last week.

I had to stand on the edge of snowbank right next to the road and hope no one hit me! Looking closely you can see the road at the end of their driveway running past the front of the house. One of the biggest challenges of shooting in the winter in New England, on a country road, is having no place to park or stand without risking life and limb.

Slowly our snow seems to be dwindling. There's still plenty to be had as most spots are over a foot deep, but there is bare ground to be found here and there. They're talking about heavy rain on Monday which will help bring the snow pack down even further, but it's not good for basements, rivers, and streams. Or skiing, of which my younger daughter is planning on doing with friends both Monday and Tuesday.

Love this old shed

These photos were taken in East Kingston, NH. I'm not sure what this building used to be but currently it's a book store. In the distance is the United Methodist Church.

How I adore small towns that still retain some history. Who knows what type of future they face but for now I feel lucky to be able to travel through them.

As always thank you for stopping by. It still thrills me that so many of you enjoy seeing the world through my lens!

Lily's day!

2011-02-20T23:18:00.003-05:00

What do you do on a warm, 60 degree, February afternoon when the sun is shining and there's not a cloud in the sky? Why go to the beach, of course! After all, that's where all the cool dogs are hanging out!

When we arrive Lily is so excited she can barely contain herself. LOL! She really loved the yellow lab, but not enough to follow him into the water. Unless it's an exceptionally warm day Lily will have nothing to do with going into the ocean. Maybe a dip of the toes but that's it.

Honestly, I'm not sure I'd be chasing a dog with those teeth!

I want to have this much fun with my friends!

I love this dog more than you could ever know. We adopted Lily as a puppy, in 2004, from a local rescue group after she had been shipped north from Virginia, a common practice in New England. A couple years ago I was so excited to finally have her breed tested with a blood sample using the Wisdom Panel *Professional test. Several weeks later my vet called and left a message saying I was never going to believe the results.

Lily's 2 main breeds are:
Rottweiler and American Eskimo

Her 2 secondary breeds are:
Afghan and German Shepard

I know, it's crazy! But as my vet said, it just goes to show, what you see on the outside of a mixed breed dog isn't necessarily what's on the inside. I can definitely see the American Eskimo in her personality (the girl can dance! and she's a big time barker), and the Afghan in her coat. She's very protective and devoted to me but I think most of those breeds have the same traits. Many people think she's part Wheaten but that breed didn't show up in the testing. Either way, no matter what, I love her like one of my own kids.

After a LOT of running it was time to go back to the car, get a drink, and head home. What a day!

check out that kong flying through the air

In a couple weeks or so I'm going to working in one of the homes on this very beach. I cannot wait! The interior painting job is extensive so I'll be there a while. Glorious I tell you, glorious.

Love don't cost a thing

2011-02-14T10:43:00.001-05:00

I was wavering between JLo's 'Love Don't Cost a Thing' and Air Supplies 'Making Love Out of Nothing at All' as I put this post together because everything I photographed literally cost next to nothing ($1 items at Target, except the cake), and I'm sure it shows. LOL!

Red Hot Love

Sweet Love

Chocolate Love

Love Hearts

Snow White Love

I hope your day is sweet no matter what. You don't need a significant other to give or receive Love.
Just ask Phin.

Postcard to Summer

2011-02-13T09:00:00.004-05:00

I miss . . .

Lilacs and Lily's footprints in the sand

Ducklings and Dragonfly smiles

Butterflies and Beaches

Shopping at the local Farmers Markets

I even miss Bugs!

. . . insert image of bug here because I can't find any . . .

And I NEVER miss Bugs so you know it's got to be bad.

If only it weren't the middle of February in New England with 2 feet of snow on the ground. One thing I never miss in Summer, is Winter.

What do you miss?

It's Mosaic Monday over at Mary's Little Red House. Stop by this evening and check it out!

Time changes everything

2011-02-11T21:55:00.000-05:00

This morning I was on another New England blog (Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes) and she was showing her outside walkway before all the snow we've had this year, and after. It got me to thinking about our own walkway and wondering if I had any similar photos.

Sure enough I do! Darn if we haven't had some serious snow this year!

This was our walkway last week-end, and believe me it hasn't changed much since then. You're looking at at least 2'-3' (feet) of snow!

Exactly 2 months from today, April 10th, this is what it will look like: rainy, dreary, raw, and small sprouts of my man-eating, enormous Hosta will have just started to emerge. At this point the Peepers will also be peeping, bless their tiny hearts : )

There's nothing like a garden filled with perennials to make life a little easier. My hope is to add Hellebores this year, if I can find any I like.

my giant Hosta measures almost 8' across in summer

And 2 months after that ... around June 10th ... the above and below photo. These are my favorites, of course.

who doesn't love Peonies?

I sure don't want to wish my life away but at this point I'm starting to itch for a warm day. Only 1 month (March 13th) until we Spring forward!

A snowy winters day

2011-02-10T21:40:00.000-05:00

How lovely that so many of you enjoyed the photos of Phin! I really didn't expect his handsome self to be so well received. Yes Kristine, I will try to post some images of Winston sometime soon. Maybe I should just bring him over for you to see up close and personal! Ha!

* * *
I hope you all enjoy these images I shot during one of our many recent snow storms.

If you've ever been to New England then you've seen the endless granite stone walls lining fields and property lines, running along the sides of roads. I always wonder how land owners had time to build so many miles of them. It had to be a huge undertaking. Photographers, tourists, and locals everywhere are just so glad they did.

A lovely lady and a lucky shot through the railings on my back deck

So many times I've stopped at the gate to see the Buffalo at a local farm. Everytime I come up empty handed or with a photo of a dot on the horizon. For once they were actually within viewing distance but difficult to see through the heavy snow. On the left is a single Buffalo, on the right are several of them standing just behind the hill.

The one on the left kind of looks like Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street.

Skating on Mill Pond, and a birds nest

I felt so bad for the Gulls. Weather like this is stressful on the wildlife.

I love it when the snow falls. The air feels fresh, crisp, and easier to breathe. It makes everything look pure and beautiful, especially the old, dirty snow. At this point we don't have any storms in our future and I'm a-ok with that. With a 1-1/2 to 2 feet of snow on the ground I do believe we are all set for a while!

Mr Blue Eyes

2011-02-06T20:53:00.003-05:00

I know not everyone who comes to my blog likes cats, but it's Phineas, and I love him.

The other day he was sitting on the sofa looking so darned sweet, and the light was good, so I just started shooting.

Shhhh .... I won't tell Phin about his crooked chin if you don't. It's rubbery too so I like to give it a gentle squeeze every now and then, just because I can. hee hee

He and Luna must have been rough housing shortly before this because he wasn't opening his right eye all the way. He's okay though.

Phin's fur has so many color variations, so I always find him an interesting subject.

I love Phin's foot-long tail . . .

. . . because you never know where it's going next

Winter photos: Enfield, NH

2011-02-01T23:02:00.003-05:00

I would just like to start by sending a brief message to the person who left the hurtful, anonymous comment on my Vlogging post last week:

I would appreciate it if you would no longer visit my blog, you are not welcome here. Your message might have only been one word but it stung. Please, just go someplace else.

***********************************************************************

Below are a few photos I took this past Sunday while my husband, daughter, and her boyfriend were skiing at Whaleback Mountain in Enfield, NH

There was a light dusting of snow falling for much of the day. Perfect for the Queen Anne's Lace

One lucky Crow I'd say!

Looking out over the Lake Mascoma

The best way to go sledding ... with a snowmobile to take you back up the hill!

Enfield was originally a Shaker Village

The Enfield Shaker Museum, which seems totally out of place in this NH town. For more info click HERE

My husband, daughter Elise, and her boyfriend, Logan

Maybe next time I'll go skiing too! Maybe . . .

As always, thank you for stopping by : )

My day in pictures

2011-01-21T16:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday (Thursday, 1/20/11) was the date of my daughters Tonsillectomy. As per the norm the animals all woke me up at 5:45 am because they wanted to eat. I came out in the kitchen, started the coffee, and let the dogs out, only to see the moon sinking low in the sky.

If only I could drive down to the bay, or to a field, to photograph it. Instead I stood on my back deck and watched it sink rapidly out of sight below the tree line.

We had to be at the hospital by 8:15, and I had yet to take a shower. In the mean time my husband was driving my younger daughter to school when she starts texting me . . .

her: you should see the moon!
me: I know it's beautiful
her: go photograph it!
me: I can't. We have to go to the hospital
her: go, go go!!!
me: I really wish I could but I have to get ready. There will be other moons. Maybe next month

(Speaking of texting, have you seen this site? When Parents Text Love it!)

It was such an incredible morning for photography, with fresh snow and a beautiful blue sky and a brilliant sun. Some things are more important than others though.

The surgery went well. It was quick and the doctor was pleased with how the tonsils looked. He said they were large, but spongy, and they didn't appear suspect. However, he sent them off to be tested anyway. We'll know the results in about a week.

We were only at the hospital a few hours before they sent us home. Andria was anxious to get into her own bed.

I had been eying the Hydrangeas, wanting to photograph them early in the morning with the sun shining on the snow. They still looked pretty in the early afternoon so I grabbed a few shots. This was my favorite.

Shortly after we arrived home I had to go pick up meds. Here we are at the grocery store parking lot. Seriously. I tell you, you just never know where your next shots will come from! These tree's sticking up out of the snowbanks were to pretty not to photograph.

Our regular pharmacy didn't have enough Roxicet (liquid percocet) so I had to go someplace else. The other pharmacy had the meds but wouldn't take our insurance so I ended up paying cash. My daughter couldn't wait any longer while I ran to yet a 3rd pharmacy. Needless to say my husband was a little ticked off after he had already called our insurance co and was told the second place WOULD take our insurance.

Looking out from our back deck once again at the end of the day.

My daughter seemed to be doing really well, but around 8:30 she became very sick to her stomach and felt awful the rest of the night into this morning. Finally, this afternoon she is showing signs of improvement. Hopefully she is almost through the worst of it.

And that was my day in pictures! I appreciate all the incredibly kind words you all left for me and my older daughter on the last post. It was of great encouragement for this nervous mom!

Today we had another big snow storm. Again, no time for photography as I had to take care of things in the house. Maybe tomorrow I'll get out and about if I can leave the girls alone for a bit. It's supposed to bitter cold though, which does not exactly inspire the photographer inside of me.

*I can't lie, I did take pictures of my daughter at the hospital. It wasn't pretty. We'll leave those out for now, okay? Especially since she's being so nice to me, and with a teenager you don't want to rock that boat ; )

Oxbow Farm

2011-01-16T09:04:00.001-05:00

Another wonderful, old, local farm

In the past month or so I've taken very few photos. My photography mojo has been lacking due to all that's been going on in my life. Soooo, these photos are from last winter! Not that it really matters, right? Good, because I have a lot more images from the past two winters.

I had to take all these shots from my drivers seat as I stopped in, or on the side, of the road. No one has lived in the house for quite some time now so the driveway wasn't plowed. Not that I would EVER stop in someones driveway, get out and start shooting.

Just a week or so ago I drove by and noticed a SOLD sign out front. I do hope the new owners maintain the integrity of the farms history.

I think there may have been a few flakes on the lens

My two favorite shots, above and below. The red, the snow, the granite, the fence ... it's a perfect winters day. All we need are a few cows! Moooo!!!

Don't you wish you lived in New England? Maybe just for a day ; )

* I just have to say thank you for all your previous comments and words of encouragement. As I said in my previous post, January has not been that kind. Last Wednesday, in the middle of a major snow storm, we took my older daughter to see an ENT (ear, nose, and throat specialist). This Thursday she will be having her tonsils out. They have been an issue in her mouth for at least a month now, but she has never had any pain which is the weirdest thing. After she has her tonsils removed the doctor is sending them for a biopsy to check for Lymphoma. He said it's a small chance, but it is a chance. We are thinking positive though!

So that's where my head it at right now. The drama never ends *sigh*

The Sweetest Days

On this day . . .

2011-01-09T21:34:00.001-05:00

. . . I awoke to the sound of snow plows going up and down our street. Since I had to bring my daughter to work at 7 am, and there was a fresh inch of snow on the ground, it seemed like the perfect time to get out and take a few photos.

Lily, and a wonderful tractor I've been eying for a while

Hydrangea in my garden, with the lights on the arbor shining in the background

A wonderful old door in downtown Exeter along String Bridge/another hydrangea leaning into the arbor

Although I had planned on posting a bit more this past week, life had other plans. Since the 1st day of the year there have been issues to attend to which has taken all my emotion to deal with. Tonight's post makes me happy, and that's the only reason to ever share any of my photos, because they bring me joy, and I hope in turn they will bring you joy too : )

Linking up with Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday!

Red

2010-12-31T22:00:00.000-05:00

~ Red ~

Though I cannot say I know this horses name I always referred to it as Red

It was a perfect snowstorm on a perfect winters day early in January, 2 years ago. These are some of the very first images I shot with my current camera. She took the photos of the cow.

As we drove by a field next to the barn we stopped to look up at a handsome horse. He too found us rather interesting and trudged down through the snow to get a closer look. In the final photo I think he thought he might be hiding behind the small trees. So cute!

Thank you all for your warm comments and emails after my last post. I will do my best to respond to as many as possible. When I told my husband I was thinking of giving up my blog he looked at me and said, 'You can't do that!' So here I am.

My hope is that you all have/had a safe and comforting New Years. It's just about 10 pm and I'm headed to bed. Night!

If you're interested . . .

2010-12-28T21:28:00.001-05:00

. . . you can find me here, also.

Lighthouses on the coast

2010-12-27T21:47:00.001-05:00

Did you think I wasn't coming back? I wasn't so sure either. Lately every time I post on my blog I wonder, "will this by my last time?". December has taken a toll on me and it seems when ever I sit down at the computer to look at my photos I just go blank. Sorting them, deciding which ones to use for a post, editing, trying to find the words ... nothing seems right. Hopefully the new year will give me some renewed energy because right now I'm sorely lacking.

Though I normally photograph something almost every day, lately my camera usually sits on the counter, all by it's lonesome. My new job is still causing me some insomnia so I imagine that's not helping the situation.

Anyway, enough about all that. Last week, on my way to go Christmas shopping, I decided to take a detour and head to New Castle Commons in hopes of lifting my spirits. The view was so lovely but it was so cold at the same time. I stayed inside my car for all of the shots below.

No, this home isn't located at New Castle Commons but it was so quaint I had to pull over and take a shot or two. If it's this adorable on the outside don't you wonder what it looks like on the inside? I do!

Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse

It was a good thing I took these shots when I did because the snow had all but melted in the next couple hours.

Immature Ring-billed Gulls just chillin', literally

Whaleback Lighthouse

Like the most of the east coast we received a pretty decent snow storm last night into today. It was supposed to be a blizzard with 10"-18" but with all the blowing and drifting I don't know if we even had 7". For those of us expecting 'the big one' it was a rather weak storm. It's probably just as well seeing as how my daughter has to drive in it.

Do you have plans for New Years Eve?

Hearts and lights, with just a little Christmas

2010-12-19T21:16:00.002-05:00

Recently, while visiting one of my favorite blogs, Georgianna Lane, she brought to mind using a heart shaped filter. Although I'd seen the results before I'd never tried photographing with one. I won't lie, it's a challenge! At least it was for me.

Right after I started practicing I became distracted with dinner so my younger daughter took over and started shooting every Christmas light she could. Below are the results.

Elise had quite a few cool looking shots but these were a few of my favorites. The top photo was taken of a reflection of lights in the window on a rainy night. Such a cool result.

Interested in trying it yourself? Do a Google search for Heart Shaped Bokeh. I liked this tutorial!

We don't have a big house so I don't have many decorations. This is one of the spots that stands out so I try to make it look pretty for the holidays. I've had the feather trees for several years and still love them!

5 days until Christmas. Can you believe it? Me either. I'm not ready yet but I will be. Tomorrow morning I'll make my final list and head out for all the little things I still need. Here's hoping I can actually accomplish what I've set my mind too!

I'm hooking up with Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

Full moon rising over York Beach

2010-12-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

Below is a time elapsed Full Beaver moon (aka Frosty Moon) rising over Long Sands in York, Maine on November 21st of this year.

Nubble Lighthouse

After moving down the beach . . .

This woman was actually out there doing yoga in the moonlight, and it was bitterly cold. Oh but what a moment to live in.

The Nubble

2010-12-10T21:39:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been here?

My husband and I went to the Nubble/Sohier Park on our first date. We sat there looking out at the lighthouse engaged in awkward conversation for a little while before we decided to leave. Although we actually shared our first kiss in the parking lot of where we worked (romantic, huh?), the Nubble will always hold a special place in my heart.

You may have noticed the new header, above. I shot it late last year, in December. Because of the snow there were quite a few photographers standing around just waiting for the lights to be turned on at 5:00 pm. It was a rather cold evening but worth every degree. Hopefully I'll be able to get back there on another snowy night this winter before the lights go out on January 1st. So far the ground is bare though.

If you miss the lighting in the winter then maybe you can check out Christmas in July. The lights come on around 9:00 pm from July 29th-August 7, 2011. There's more information available on the official Nubble Lighthouse website below.

Boon Island Lighthouse

The Nubble website

Looking south towards Long Sands

The reason I went to Cape Neddick on this particular night was to shoot the full moon rising. I was trying to figure out where it would be coming up by looking at where the sun was setting. The moon had to be rising opposite the sun, right? Suddenly I realized I wasn't in the right place. The moon wouldn't come up behind the lighthouse, so I took a few shots and headed for Long Sands beach. I'll show you some of the moon photos next time.

Poinsettia Open House

2010-12-06T21:35:00.001-05:00

On Saturday morning I went to a Poinsettia Open House at UNH. There were 102 different varieties of plants! One section of the greenhouse had plants for sale but the majority of the Poinsettia's were strictly for observing and judging. I didn't judge, I observed. And photographed.

There were actually 2 different greenhouses and a long entryway filled with hundreds of Poinsettia's. It was a nice way to spend an hour or so, just browsing amongst the gorgeous colors of salmon, red, burgundy, pinks, roses, whites, and everything in between.

I spoke with the professor and he said the new varieties are genetically made in Mexico. From there the cuttings are sent up to the United States to big rooting companies. The rooting companies choose only the best and most hardy varieties to keep producing. Overall it is a very long process and can take years for one single variety.

Many of the varieties on display will never be seen at your own local greenhouse because they are too difficult and time consuming to grow. The greenhouse's could never make a profit. New varieties ARE making their way onto the market though. We just bought a red and white speckled Poinsettia at the local grocery store. I liked that it was a bit different looking.

I liked the deep red of the Cortez Burgundy. There were some orange Poinsettia's too but I didn't think they were very appealing.

Sonora White Glitter looks just like the plant I bought.

I took a LOT of pictures so trying to choose which ones I liked best was a challenge.

Thank you for visiting. Lately I'm trying to post photo's that are a little different than what I normally post. Other blogs have been inspiring me to look at my images a bit differently. I also am enjoying photos with color! This is such a blah time of year now that all the leaves have fallen but I'm determined to look outside the box. Of course I won't always hit the mark but for right now I'm liking the end results. I hope you do too!

I also wanted to thank all of you who left such heartwarming words on my post titled: At Rest. Sometimes I feel pressured (by myself) to blog more often but then I tell myself, you can only do what you can do. Anymore than that and it won't be true to who I am.

Festival of Trees

2010-12-03T20:57:00.000-05:00

Last night my daughter asked me to take her to the annual Festival of Trees in Exeter. I really didn't want to go but knew it would be a nice opportunity for some evening photography. Luckily it wasn't to cold outside, though I did have to step into a store to warm my camera up for a moment. After that I kept it inside the front of my jacket.

The town seemed to have a pretty good turnout. As usual most people were ...

a) waiting to visit Santa
b) waiting for a horse drawn hayride
or
c) waiting in line to get a look at the 50 decorated trees in the Town Hall that were up for auction

The lines were long. Real long. I'm not a big fan of lines. Just as I decided to leave I bumped into my next door neighbor and her sister. We chatted for a few minutes, then along comes my daughter and her boyfriend. He's an Exeter native and told us how to sneak into the Festival of Trees through a side door. He says his family does it every year. Actually it's the entrance to the art show they were having upstairs but it also goes right into where the tree's are.

Yeah, we're bad. We did it. I only stayed about 5 minutes though while my neighbor and her sister lingered a bit longer.

So many gorgeous trees decorated by local businesses and organizations were up for bid! Each tree had a # and a corresponding sheet where you could write down a bid, just so long as it was higher than the previous bid. Most starting bids were around $25-$40 depending on how elaborate the tree was decorated. The highest bid I saw on any of the tree's was $250! All the money goes to help local children in need so it is a very good cause.

The holiday season can be such a beautiful thing

At rest

2010-11-30T21:59:00.002-05:00

Welcome back everyone

I hope you are all doing well. Can you believe December is on our doorstep?

Morning light for Mosaic Monday

2010-11-22T00:15:00.002-05:00

The colors, shades, and textures of the new day are all around us to be savored and enjoyed. No matter where you live the first morning light is inspirational.

When you arise in the morning,
think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."

~Marcus Aurelius

Broken, devoured clams lay out along the beach wall. Evidence that the Gulls have had a morning meal to fill their bellies.

'Seagull you fly across the horizon into the misty morning sun
Nobody asks you where you are going
Nobody knows where you're from . . .'

I'm linking up with Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

Waking up with the Gulls

2010-11-17T14:50:00.002-05:00

Sunday, November 14, 2010
Hampton Beach, NH
Time: 6:08 am

Driving towards the beach, looking at what lies ahead of me, and knowing it's going to be a glorious sunrise

Arriving just in time with my suspicions confirmed. The Gulls were taking flight, ready to start a new day of scavenging.

6:15 am

Can you think of a better view to wake up to as a bird? Or even as a person. Oh yeah, that's the good stuff.

6:27 am . . . and rising

A mirrored reflection to another sunrise. Do you think they have shades?

The surf has so many textures and colors as the sun rises. From deep pinks and purples to radiant golds and browns.

There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope

~ Bern Williams

* more to come . . .

Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, continued

2010-11-10T21:46:00.002-05:00

A few more photos from the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion in Portsmouth, NH

In the Spring the Lilacs are supposed to put on quite a show here. Ahh, the smell of sweet, salty air . . .
Not to mention the sight of purple flowers contrasting against the golden mansion. It seems like a place I'd truly like to be come late May- early June. You should join me!

Looking out over the water towards New Castle. Just beyond the island and to the left of the bridge sits the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel.

This anchor sits down by the water in front of the Mansion. Honestly I'm not sure what it symbolized. Yeah, bad reporting/blogging. Forgive me.
On the top of the anchor where the two cables crisscross sat a horrid spider. I refused to photograph it so Elise did instead. She was insistent, so here you go. Sorry about that.

And as I had mentioned before, here are some impromptu photos I took of Elise under that big, golden maple tree.

She's such a willing and playful model, I just love it!

After wards she took a few photos of me. My leaves-in-the-air didn't go as well as hers!

What a fun time the two of us had. I hope you enjoyed tagging along!

Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion

2010-11-07T20:02:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago my daughter, Elise, got out of school early for a dentist appointment. There wasn't much to go back to school for so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity and drive to Portsmouth and New Castle. The foliage was still beautiful and you never know what photo opportunities might present themselves. Plus we're both adventurers.

My husband and I had visited the Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion about a month or so ago but the weather wasn't the greatest so we didn't walk around. The day Elise and I visited the weather was perfect and there wasn't anyone else there. Perfect!

Located in Portsmouth with views of New Castle it's a picturesque place I tell ya. Just look at all the golden leaves. Not to mention I do love a yellow house!

It was a little overcast but not to bad

The house was built c 1753 and is where the Royal Governor Benning Wentworth resided until his death in 1770. The house and it's contents were auctioned in 1816, and it was sold again in 1886 to J. Templeman Coolidge.

After Coolidge died, in 1945, his wife offered the mansion and remaining property to the State of New Hampshire. The state has since restored the building to it's historic state.

I think this would be an amazing place to get married! Or visit in the winter after a newly fallen snow. I'll have to remember that . . .

As we headed back towards the parking lot and that gorgeous, golden, maple tree on the left, I asked Elise if I could take a few pictures of her. She almost never turns me down!

In the next post I'll show you the rest of the photos, along with a couple she took of me!

A couple of side notes:

* I found it amazing that no one else had seen a Sabastopoal Goose (the photos on this link are seriously beautiful!). Do you think my husband would notice if I snuck one into the backyard? I know Lily and Winston would!

* I so enjoyed reading all the comments about your animals in my last post. Obviously we have a lot in common! There's nothing like the love, and child-like quality of an animal to share your life.

And as always, thank you so much for stopping by : )

Sharon

In the Pink

2010-11-03T17:48:00.002-04:00

I cannot image my life without animals in it. There may be days when they're tearing up the furniture, scratching the floors, chewing up a sock, stealing food, throwing up, or worse, but the joy they bring to my heart on a daily basis far out weighs the challenges.

I love Lily and Winston.

My Girl

Lily's absolutely favorite ball in the world, the Squeaker ball. There can be a whole bag full of tennis balls and this is the one she will sniff out and find . . . every, single, time.
You can buy them in a 4-pack at Target.

. . . and that's the truth.

* Do you feel the same way about your dogs/cats?

Sheep and Geese for Mosaic Monday

2010-10-31T21:36:00.001-04:00

These sheep and geese live on a small parcel of land near downtown Portsmouth. A very odd sight indeed! I painted in a house nearby and for the longest time couldn't figure out where the baaa-ing was coming from.

Just a small bit of country tucked into an historic city. I like it.

I loved the big fluffy Sabastopol geese, though I kept my distance because the with geese, no matter how pretty they are, well you just never know!

It appears Halloween has come to an end and we are headed towards another month and another holiday. My daughter was kind enough to inform me this evening that's it's only 1 month and 24 days until Christmas. Oh for goodness sakes.

Mosaic Monday at Mary's Little Red House

Autumn done just right

2010-10-30T20:38:00.002-04:00

Have you ever taken a bunch of pictures then come home, pulled them up on the computer and one really grabs your eye? You think, 'oh yeah, this is beautiful'. That's what this picture did for me. The scene looked better than I remembered when I shot it this afternoon.

Windows on an autumn view

2010-10-27T21:35:00.001-04:00

I love looking out the windows lately. The Maple trees are a gorgeous golden color, though they are quickly losing their leaves. Within the next week most all of them will be on the ground but you know what? That's when the fun begins. Leaf piles!

The past several days there's been a Purple Finch hanging about. No mate, just him.

And oh my goodness, the flocks of Grackles are out of control! They fly through by the thousands, literally, sometimes landing just long enough to clean out the bird feeder. Rats in the sky.

. . . and the trees.

They may act like rats but they sure are vibrant and gorgeous!

We have so many Cardinals right now. At last count 6 males and 3 females. Most of them are juveniles. I guess it was a prosperous year.

She looks so forlorn

Every morning and evening I put out Safflower seeds on the railing just for the Cardinals. It's a great way to begin and end the day.

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In case you didn't notice I added a little section on the upper right side of my blog. Seems I keep finding so many wonderful blogs lately that I thought I'd try to highlight 1 or 2 a week. Some are new bloggers, some have been around a while. I hope you'll visit them!

A day well deserved ~ Mosaic Monday

2010-10-24T15:12:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday my husband and I took a drive up to Wolfeboro. We hadn't been in a couple years so I was anxious to go back. My one regret while we were there is that I didn't take any pictures in town. I don't know why, I just didn't.

On our way there we drove near Lake Wentworth . . .

We followed a sign that was supposed to take us to the historic site of Governor John Wentworths home. You can see the dirt road we drove down in the upper left corner. When we arrived at our destination it was a plaque on a rock and an old stone foundation. That's about it. He didn't have the best view either because it didn't even overlook the lake with his namesake!

In the two bottom photos: A tree growing right up over a big rock, and Lake Wentworth on a very calm, cool, and quite autumn day.

The view out our window during lunch in Wolfeboro: A squirrel eating his meal of Maple Tree seeds.

Above and below: Views from the dock over looking Lake Winnepesaukee

My husband catching a few rays

An old wooden boat cruising across the lake. It must have been cold out there!

A Loon weathervane on Alton Bay

And finally a bad picture of us that I tried to salvage with textures and such. I used the timer, and we took several shots, but they all came out horrible. This was the best of the worst.

We had an excellent day. Wolfeboro was glorious as always. As we made our way back to the car we happened to walk past Jimmy Fallon who was about to enter Garwoods Restaurant with an older couple, possibly his parents, who knows. Being that it was such a quiet day, no one else was around, just us. We didn't say anything to him though, just stared like crazy and walked on by. Kind of a weird moment that took us both by surprise. He was awesome on the Emmy's!

After taking a week off I'm going to try to get back in the blogging groove. Pretty soon I'll be starting a new job which I hope will give my life the shot in the arm it desperately needs right now. As much as I was dreading going back to work I think my spirit needs the distraction.

Mosaic Monday at Mary's Little Red House

Mid October Mosaic Monday

2010-10-16T22:50:00.001-04:00

A local farm on a bright, autumns day

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And since it's Sunday, and Mosaic Monday is fast approaching, I thought I'd submit a few photos.

I'm not sure what the Chickadee found so enticing about the Mum but it returned several times
Who doesn't love a Wooley Bear in the Fall
A Dandelion ready to hand itself over to winter
Autumn leaves reflected in our birdbath

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Mosaic Monday @ Mary's Little Red House

Heron on the green

2010-10-12T21:34:00.004-04:00

I haven't been shooting much lately but I still try to photograph something most every day. Usually while I'm out running an errand I look around for something special to show you. Something that catches my eye. I have this horrible fear of running out of photo's to publish! Ha ha!

Today I went to apply for another job. On my way there I looked for places to stop on the way home. I love this local river and had hoped I'd see someone out wading through the water, fly fishing, but there wasn't a soul around. I scooted down towards the water just a little more to look under the bridge and this is what I saw . . .

Many of the leaves here still haven't changed. You can see the green reflecting down onto the water giving it a very interesting color. I just thought it was really something special!

When I went up onto the bridge and looked down, the water looked black. How you look at things in life can make all the difference.

* * * * * * * *

So who's watching the Chilean miner rescue efforts? Oh my gosh, it's so exciting! I can't imagine if it were my husband down there. What really freaks me out is that capsule. Nothing like being wrapped like a sausage for 15 minutes . . . shudders . . .

Autumn splendor for Mosaic Monday

2010-10-10T20:14:00.001-04:00

I thought I'd give the Storyboard action from The CoffeeShop Blog a try and this is what I came up with.

A mish-mash of different views. All of these are photos from 2 years ago.

Top left to right:

Scarecrows from Wolfeboro, NH
White Birch in the White Mountains
Pumpkin bins from a local farm stand
Mums from my own front yard
A view of Lake Winnipesaukee from Mount Major on Columbus Day

The foliage this year is less than stellar so I had to dig into the archives.

We have gorgeous yellows but the reds and oranges just aren't there like they usually are. Still, it's a nice Autumn. My husband had the week off and I wish I could say we did something special, like a trip to the mountains, or lunch at the beach, but it didn't happen. We weren't feeling it, plus the weather wasn't all that great.

Well, we did do one special thing ... we rushed the Pug, aka Winston, to the Emergency Vets on Tuesday night for vomiting and diarrhea. Yup, that was a fun one alright. The boy ate mushrooms in the yard and ended up so sick he was hemorrhaging blood. The vets wanted him to spend the night, to the tune of $1,200, but we decided to bring him home (around 1:00 am) at a 1/3 of the price. He was quite tired the next day but fine. We kept an eagle eye on him in case he needed fluids.

Tomorrow my husband goes back to work, the girls have the day off of school because of Columbus Day, and I'll be going to an interview in the morning for a j-o-b. Hubby thinks I'm going to sabotage the interview on purpose so I don't have to work. Heee heee . . .

I hope you have some beautiful colors where you live. If only the mental stimulation brought on by Fall could carry us through the long, and cold, and brutal New England winter that lies ahead!

Guess what! It's Mosaic Monday over at Mary's Little Red House!

Falling for Fall food

2010-10-08T22:07:00.000-04:00

Don't you just love the foods of fall? Rich flavors, good color, and lots of cinnamon!

It was so nice to make my first Apple pie of the season. By the time I photographed it there was already a piece missing.

Today I made my second apple pie and it's almost gone this evening. The girls always want me to make Apple Crisp instead but Pie is just, well, it's Pie! And I love Pie!

Roses my husband gave me for our anniversary last month. They don't have much to do with food, or fall, but they're beautiful and the rich colors blend nicely.

I've been grazing my favorite magazines fall editions, like Yankee, Victoria, Southern Lady, and Better Homes and Gardens. Simple, light reads that have wonderful decorating ideas that I'll never replicate. But the photography is a soothing sight at the end of the day. It takes me away from it all for a moment and lets me dream of what could be.

Looking for a simple idea for lunch?

This is it! One slice of bread, deli turkey, a thick slice of garden tomato, muenster cheese, pepper, and oregano. Put it all under the broiler until it bubbles and you have an excellent lunch! Or go vegetarian and omit the turkey. It's just as yummy.

And my favorite pie of all . . . Pumpkin pie. I could eat the whole thing by myself so I try not to make it to often.

Nothing goes better with a slice of pie than a hot cup of coffee. My husband has an affinity for his Zebs coffee mug he purchased this summer during our trip to North Conway, NH. Have you ever been to Zebs? It's an awesome little store packed with goodies from your past, and products from around New England.

What are some of your favorite fall foods?

'I Do's' with an ocean view

2010-10-04T23:14:00.001-04:00

So the other day I showed you some images from our walk along the York Harbor cliff trail. Well instead of going back the way we came we decided to take a little trail that brought us up to York Street/Route 1A. We thought it might be nice to walk along the main road and look at a few houses. So glad we did.

One of the first homes we walked past was this one. It's located right on the ocean and we figured at least 150 years old. They have their own tennis court, and from what I could see, a second home, which is probably a guest house.

We also went past the beautiful York Harbor Reading Room (a must see). If you remember from my previous post we had to walk up some stairs along the path. They're located just over there on the other side of the fence.

And what do you know, there was a wedding about to take place right there in the yard overlooking the ocean! Several people had stopped to watch, waiting for the bride to make her appearance. After about 5 minutes she came out of a home across the street and looked stunning.

I love the simplicity of her gown, not to mention she is absolutely glowing. Thankfully the rain cleared out the night before and it was a perfect day for an outside wedding.

Just face it, you know you're envious. At least I am!

She finally met up with her groom while dad shakes the JP's/ministers hand

Beautiful bouquets tied to the gates the bride walked through after she crossed the street. From there it was onto the private club for the reception. If my husband weren't with me I would have stayed to watch the ceremony, but you know how that goes.

What a day!

Under Construction

2010-10-03T19:21:00.000-04:00

I'm giving my blog a mini makeover. In the mean time please excuse the mess.

I'm working on fixing all the glitches!

It may take a while : /

York Harbor Delight

2010-10-02T21:08:00.000-04:00

This is where my husband and I went today. Wish you were there too!

Enjoy the views!

Stairs along the beginning of the path

Many Monarch butterflies had gathered among the purple flowers. I couldn't help but wonder if they were gearing up for the big journey South. I hope so because it's awfully cold here tonight!

If you look from left to right you'll actually see 4 Monarchs!

Oh and the Dragonflies ... they were HUGE and everywhere! However, they refused to settle down and cooperate for a photo opp. I thought my husband might catch one for me because he's good at that kind of stuff, but he didn't.

Thanks for coming along, even if it was a virtual tour ; )

A golden glow

2010-10-01T13:16:00.001-04:00

Just a few simple photos taken in my own yard. Nothing fancy.

Just a little, teeny hole to let the sunlight through.

It seems there's plenty of yellows and golds this year, but reds are starting to make an entrance.

For the container next to our front steps I used a mixture of left over summer plants and added the Kale and Mum. It looks good to me! I've yet to buy any decorative pumpkins but since my husband is on vacation next week you can bet we'll be making a trip to a local pumpkin grower!

Or maybe we'll go to the church I went to last year . . .

American Mink

2010-09-28T21:19:00.001-04:00

Have you ever seen one of these? In person? Alive???

I hadn't until this morning. And even then I wasn't quite sure what I was looking at. First I thought it was a Weasel but after doing a little research I realized it was actually an American Mink.

It's so cute! If you'd like to know a little more about them you can click here. I will tell you that they can spray like a skunk. Yikes!

They can also dive up to 16 feet deep! He left a little bubble trail every where he went.

A lunch date

2010-09-26T08:28:00.002-04:00

A few weeks ago, on a hot, late-summers afternoon, my husband and I finally visited a local restaurant I had been coveting for sometime now. Actually for about 2-3 years!

Was it worth the wait? Well . . . .

It's a cute, dreamy little worn down seafood shack that's been open since 1965. I mean, after 45 years of business how can you go wrong, right?

And the view, oh I love the view, even though my husband was less than impressed. I told him it's because he takes the view for granted, considering he's seen it a million times.

For lunch we both had Lobster rolls. Unfortunately they were not all we hoped for.

For dessert we decided to order some pie to perk up our taste buds. After all, the sign (top mosaic) says 'Baked Here' so we assumed they were homemade. Baked Here and Homemade are two different things.

Overall the meal was over priced meal and less than stellar. Sorry restaurant. The service however, was excellent. Our waitress was very pleasant.

Again, the view . . .

My husband, lurking in the background

I realized after my husband took the picture that this was actually someones home. Some of these old colonials are open to tour, but this house if private. I'm sure I wasn't the first to sit on their bench though.

Man, was it hot that day, and at this point we were thinking about what's for dinner, still we had a nice time. Let's face it, as the kids get older almost any time alone is usually nice.

I'll be linking up with Mary's Little Red House later on today for Mosaic Monday

New Hampshire beauty

2010-09-24T18:48:00.000-04:00

Today while I was out and about I decided to take a few back roads to see what I could come across to photograph. After all, that's how I usually find the best stuff!

A wonderful old gem sitting in someones yard, up on a hill. Love this.

Autumn's colors are coming along slowly but most tree's are still green. Because it was such a dry summer many leaves are turning brown and dropping. This was an awfully pretty tree at the end of someones driveway. If you look closely you'll see a red reflector sticking up so the plow guy doesn't hit the rock wall in the winter.

Wouldn't you love to sit on the front porch of this house and watch the world go by on a warm summers day? The house, barn and property are like a little piece of New England heaven. I want to live there.

The barn that goes with the house is fantastic! On the left portion you'll notice they actually have a shoppe, but it didn't appear to be open today or I definitely would have stopped. And who knows, maybe it hasn't been open in years.

The red sign says Dow Farm Shoppe

Out in back, around the corner from the white flowers, on the left, is a chicken coup built onto the side of the barn. It can only be seen after you drive by. Even the coup looked immaculate! Lucky chickens!

So there you go, a few random photos. And speaking of random, thank you all for the wonderful and sincere words of encouragement you left me yesterday. It lifted my spirits and was just what I needed! Who knows, maybe Random Thoughts will be a regular addition to my blog.

Random Thoughts

2010-09-23T09:29:00.001-04:00

I need something to move me in the right direction. Anything to recharge my blogging battery.

Maybe some random thoughts for today will do:

Getting through the teenage years is not for the faint of heart, or mind. It feels like a love/hate relationship most of the time. Going both ways. Though some kids seem to produce much more stress than others.
I wish my hands didn't ache so much. It even hurts to drive
Comment Verification or Word Verification. Please, pick just one.
Sometimes I feel like the Gull in the photos: alone, swimming in the dark, and like the rings are life are moving around me while I just watch.
The death of 3 teenagers in one school district, in one year, is just too much
Man, I'm a downer this morning!

On the up side . . .

I love a good haircut! (thank you, Nancy)
Pulled Chicken sandwiches with Sweet Potato fries for dinner rocks!
I have the day off. Actually I have every day off right now, which quite honestly should NOT be on the up side, but I love it anyway.
I'm so appreciative for all the people who follow my blog! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!
Autumn is now officially upon us and it feels good.
The Goldfinches are singing up a storm!
(((I love my family)))

That’s all I have for the moment. The photos you see above were taken early this morning after I dropped my daughter off at school. I hope the Gull found a little breakfast to start his day off right.

Do you have any random thoughts you would like to share? Up or down!

White church and a splash of color

2010-09-19T09:30:00.003-04:00

The past couple weeks I've had the good fortune of driving by this local church, to and from work. Yesterday I finished up the job so on the way home I finally stopped to take a few pictures.

I swear, next year I'm growing Zinnia's in my garden!

I like the Bumble. He stopped by for just a second but I caught him!

I'll be linking up with Mary's Little Red House a little later on today for Mosaic Monday!