A Haven for Vee

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Glorious, Fun, Too

So there we sat looking out at the golden light when Laurel suggested a leaf peeping drive. Yippee!

We looked for bittersweet...it's almost ready. Laurel liked this twirly piece of twig so now I have it.

Regular readers have seen this home before in snow.

Laurel has a new car and the foliage was perfectly captured in reflection so I had to take a picture.

Oh, what's this? A call to Starbucks? Things are really looking up. Apparently, Laurel has them on speed dial.

It's even pretty waiting at Starbucks drive-through.

Now what?

What's in the bag?

Doughnuts! Specifically, apple cider doughnuts fresh from the vat.

Looking at the Presidential Range in New Hampshire some fifty miles away.

And typical of what the season is like...one tree with leaves nearly gone and the other with green leaves that haven't yet turned. Oh good. More to look forward to!

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Don't shoot me now. I didn't have as much to share as I thought because I have already used a few of the pictures from my sister's. A wooded foliage scene, which is actually her west lawn and the wood boiler shed. I don't remember what else.

^Just a few little scenes I thought were cute from inside.

^This is what is keeping her husband Steve busy, the living room addition. He is hurrying to get it socked in before winter so that he can work on it over the winter from the inside. That fireplace will become a kitchen fireplace...how cozy! I'd show you from the inside, but it might be best to describe it. The mantle and one side houses all of Steve's movies. He is thinking about better storage. The other side is blocked by a giant screen tv, which my father dearly loves. This will all change once the new living room is up and functioning.

^After I saved the collage before the one above, I returned to find that PicMonkey had done this one for me. Never had that happen before, but didn't want to waste their work and it shows a slightly different perspective.

Some readers may remember that my sister allowed me to come and take several boxes of perennials from her yard several years ago. She had some beautiful gardens now taken over by the addition. I hope that I rescued a lot. ☺ Anyway, she and her husband enjoy a quiet country setting and a lovely yard. My dad has enjoyed knowing that some of his Pilgrim ancestors settled in this town nearly two hundred years ago.
Now, come back tomorrow and I'll share the leaf peeping tour my darling daughter took me on. It will be picture dense and word light.
Have a wonderful day!

Monday, October 17, 2016

All Around Robin Hood's Barn

Is it time for a chatty post yet? You have no idea how difficult it is for me to let my words be few. If I were talking about politics, I'd fail. Trust me. Blessed you! I am not talking about politics...today. I'm chatting about chilly mornings, basil harvesting, window washing, The Ponderosa, and missing John, in that order.

~the woodsmoke smells so good~

My! The mornings have become chilly. I check my weather app every night deciding if I need to cover flowers or bring them in. Some nights, like last night, I take my chances as the temps did not go below 50°F.

The photo above is of my sister and her husband's wood boiler shed. It's also my answer to prayer as I have so many papers that need destroying. I save as many of John's papers as I can, but bills and receipts saved from the beginning of time come here. Tomorrow, I hope to share more of the projects going on at Kim's so come back if you were one of those who wished to see more after the post on her new pantry.

~flowers going strong~
A few weeks ago I was reading this post at Mama's Mercantile where she showed how she was drying basil. Now I have had lots and lots of basil and have already mentioned basil bombs. I didn't want to waste these herbs that have blessed me by growing prolifically all summer and fall long.

The basil has been cut way back.

The lunch bags finally purchased.

The basil got a nice bath.

The holes got punched.

The basil drying

and drying...

Not sure how much I'll get and can't remember how long it must dry... Must check the link.

Over the weekend, I tackled the windows, which has always been a joint venture with John on the outside and me on the inside. We could usually turn a tedious job into a fun time. With no one to grin at through the glass, it was back to tedious.

Well I did grin at the camera straps looking like suspenders.

My time at The Ponderosa is drawing to a close. Mary (John's sister) and I pushed hard last week because I had rented a dumpster. We had it for a week. On the last night that it would be there, a friend of Mary's climbed up into the loft to haul out a twin mattress set. It was all very exciting. Alas, Mary took a tumble from the third step of the ladder and now has a compression fracture in her spine. Please pray for her. She is an active gal and does not much like being laid up. We are grateful that it is not worse, but it is a rough way to end the time there.

My grandson spent some time with me a week ago. It's always good to have someone here. He found no cookies in the cookie can. Never good. He told me very honestly that he didn't like my house very much now that John isn't here. Can't argue with that. I don't either. It isn't the same and can never be again. Then he asked me the question that most people avoid, "So how is it here for you all alone?"
I hope that I didn't look too startled. I told him that I do get lonely, but that even when I am feeling lonely, I am not really alone because God is with me and, when I feel sad, I ask Him to help me and He does. He nodded his head thoughtfully and seemed satisfied with the answer. That may be too simplistic, but is true. I know that my grieving time is coming through the long, cold winter when I have time to devote to that work, which is one of the reasons why you have seen so much of me lately. I am trying to hold my bloggy footprint so that I have something else to focus on besides pain and loss.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for a few pics from Kim's place. Wonder if she has a name for her home... Do you have a name for your home? What is it?

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Clapping Their Hands

My friend Mel once told me that if God revealed His great love for us in all its fullness that we would keel over because these mortal bodies could not handle the intensity of such a revelation. This past week, I have thought the same of beauty. God is coming very close to swamping me with the beauty of this October. ☺

~Isaiah 55: 12~
It is a time when familiar roads become new again because the views change with each twist and turn of the drive. Trees that were yellow last year are red this. I am sure that there is some science behind this, but I do not know it. All I know is that my heart swells. He is an awesome God to create all this for us.

Sometimes it is music; sometimes it is nature; sometimes it is a loved one's face: beauty — it is all around us. Let us praise The Lord!

Comments closed. A lovely Sunday to you...

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Fun and Games

Before another week goes by and things get out of hand, I'll post the events of last Saturday. Just documenting, but you are always welcome to peek in on us. Last week, I mentioned that Laurel (my daughter) only wanted a BBQ and a wiffle ball game for her birthday. She received both.