~ Of changing Seasons & Times~

(This is the picture I took standing at the top of the mountain...our driveway is where you see the white * in the center of the picture...you can click on the photo's to see them better)

Yesterday afternoon Mark & I, Mark's sister Stephanie & her son...our nephew, Adam went for a hike....the mountain we hiked up is part of Stephanie & Rick's farm...the farm is just down the road from our house..and the mountain we hiked up sits directly across from our house..I love looking over at the mountain and seeing the cows grazing.....just little white dots scattered on the hillside. There were quite a few trees up on top of the mountain with their leaves just turning from yellow to orange..soon the entire mountainside will be bathed in gorgeous color. We are going to hike back up in the fall..so I can get some pictures of it. Mark wants to camp up there next summer...but I'm not sure I want to pitch a tent up there...first of all....the cows graze in that field..we were constantly stepping over cow patties..I'm not sure I want to camp in cow patties...plus...that mountain is full of coyotes....bobcats...and bears..people have even seen a mountain lion in this area..so I'm thinking...no at this time :). But I'm sure he'll talk me into it before next summer rolls around.

(Another view from the top..the red barn you see belongs to the farm next door to our house)

....Fall will be here in the blink of an eye and we will all shake our heads and wonder how Summer passed so quickly. I think about how fast time goes by allll the time..do you do that ..... ponder on how quickly things change???? I do......I look back at what I was doing last week, last month....or last year at this time...what the weather was on those days...what was happening in our life at the time..who was there...things like that...for example.......last weekend..we went to the Woodsmen Field days in Boonsville..and it was so hot and humid it was unbearable...the weather this weekend is completely different..and it's only been a matter of days...it's crazy how fast time goes by and how quickly things change isn't it. Last year at this time we were getting the kids settled into their dorms...Jenna for another year.....Kurt for his first...there was the craziness of signing in...getting the room assignment...rushing to the book store for books..getting all the necessary schedules, passes, rules and keys....Gosh this year is so different...Kurt is living off campus this year....sharing the house that Jenna & Ben live in...It will be wonderful...they will both be in the same place..so when we visit...it will be easier and nicer......but....due to the fact that he wasn't going to be living in the dorms..he needed a lot less stuff...and he knows the routine of all that needs to be done at Paul Smith's for his signing in and such.....for returning students it's much quicker and easier.....we didn't go up for the "Official" check in day.....and...I kinda..well..to tell the truth..not kinda....I feel lost....like I don't know what to do with myself.....I feel this overwhelming feeling that there is something I should be doing....but I'm not. Classes start tomorrow...and I don't have any lunchboxes to get ready!!!!!!!!

It seems like yesterday they were in grade school..and there was school clothes shopping to be done....school supplies to be purchased...backpacks to get ready...snacks and lunch stuff to buy and lunchboxes to prepare.....I loved all of it...I'm not saying I don't love where my children are now....they are both SO happy......living on their own....loving college......loving their lives and are both in wonderful relationships with fantastic people...it's a good feeling when you know...your kids are grown...... they are happy, healthy, wonderful people...and that you must have done it right...BUT....(Jenna...2 years Old..my favorite picture from when she was young..look at that face!!!)

(Jenna...age 22 & her friend Jules (Jenna is on the right).....I love this picture..she still has that same wonderful smile!)
(Kurt...1 year old!!! Oh my gosh..what a love!!!..this is my favorite baby picture of Kurt!)

(Kurt....age 20....my baby is all grown up!)


....... you will never forget..and feel just a little bit sad for those days when they would come bounding into the house with dirty faces and red cheeks flushed from bike riding asking what's for dinner...knowing that after bath's and stories..they would be safely tucked into their beds under your roof that night!

Have a good day everyone,

Doreen

New Things In The Works

Good afternoon.....I am trying to teach myself to cross stitch....it is NOT as easy as one might think....I definitely need a pair of magnifying glasses..and a better lamp...and the proper fabric always helps.....I was attempting to do my first project on tightly woven linen..and it just was not working for me...but with some MUCH appreciated help from Wendy of Pineberry Lane, I think I've got it figure out....well, I hope so anyway..we shall see when it's done I guess.....Anyway...What a sweetheart Wendy is..she is so helpful and I absolutely LOVE her website and her designs..they are fantastic!! Stop by & see her when you have a moment :).

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Here are the new "Milk Paint" Acrylics I found in a wonderful shop here in the area..they are made to replicate the old milk paints. I am using these on my newest CatchPenny Village home and I LOVE how they look...very, very colonial and true to the era! They also have indoor and outdoor latex paints..and I found a perfect one for our living room..which I am really hoping to get painted soon.

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Here is a photo of some gorgeous linen napkins and some great cheese cloth I got while we were on vacation. The linen napkins were from an estate sale ..Mom found them & picked them for me..she's always getting me great stuff like this at yard sales, auctions and estate sales...:)she's so great! The cheese cloth is different than I've ever found...its actual "Cloth" in that it's not flimsy like the usual cheesecloth I have found around here..it is thicker and heavier...kinda like muslin..:)I can't wait to use it. I purchased it at a wine and beer making shop! The napkins I will be making into undergarments for a couple of ladye's I have begun and the cheese cloth will aprons and such...:)

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We FINALLY have some pumpkins coming in the pumpkin patch....we didn't think we were going to have any this year..we've had so much rain that our vegetables were rotting on the vines..but we've had hot and dry weather for the last 2 weeks and everything is coming along wonderfully now..which is a very pleasant surprise....I found this little guy and one other one in the patch yesterday morning and I was most happy to see them...these are pie pumpkins...yum!!!

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Now I'm headed down to the farm to bring Mark some more water..he's raking hay again today...I went with him for three hours yesterday...it was 90* out..not a cloud in the sky and no breeze! Now you all know..I usually LOVE to do hay....not yesterday I didn't....it was so damn hot .....I swear to you..you could have fried an egg on the fender I was sitting on..and after three straight hours..my butt hurt so bad I was wishing I was anywhere but there.....I wanted to leap off that tractor and run home!!! My clothes were absolutely drenched through.....And..to top it all off...one of my flip flops fell off (most likely from the river of sweat pouring off of me) and is now raked up somewhere in the hay and will become part of a square bale of hay later this afternoon...never to be seen again..except maybe by a cow or horse while they are enjoying their dinner!!!!!!!!!! They'll probably eat the flip flop..develop a stomach issue and die..and I'll be haunted by it for the rest of my life!!!!!

Thankfully my sweet husband took me out for Martguerita's, nacho's and pizza last night....which helped me forget all about my overheated day :)

Have a great afternoon, Doreen

Camping On Lake Champlain

(Our spot for the week)

HI! Tis a hot and sticky day here in Vermont .......... the smell of corn is floating so strongly through the air that it is as if I have a corn scented candle lit in the house. The air certainly is different here at home than it was last week while we were camping...we had such perfect weather and such a perfect trip. I had never been to Ausable Point, ny before this (Osprey nest ...there are several of them in the campsite)

year, Mom & Dad and my brother and his wife and their friends have camped at this campground for years and they absolutely love it...and now we know why..what a beautiful place....it's truly like staying at the ocean.....the lake itself is very wavey..which makes for fun kayaking (if you are brave.) and beautiful breezy days lounging on the beach! The only bummer on this trip was that Jenna & Ben were hoping to get over and spend the night with us but....Jenna ended up getting called in to work on one of her days off and Ben's parent's came up to visit during her other days......so it didn't work out this time...but there is always next year...........but Kurt and Aneesa were there with us for the whole week and we had such a great time!!!

(Kurt & Aneesa taking a spin in the Kayak's)

We did have bear warnings while we were there..which made me a little nervous while sleeping in the tent at night.......I don't think a nylon tent will really protect you from a bear attack...lol................but we were careful with all our food and coolers and never saw even a trace of a bear...

(Kurt & Aneesa)
You could walk for 1/2 a mile or more...on a sandbar.....and still the water would not be over your head...of course..you were walking on a sand bar and you really had to pay attention because there were steep drop offs and before you know it..... you would be under water...but as long as you can swim....there was nothing to worry about :)

(Kurt heading back in after a swim)

It was just so nice to hang out and relax and not have a set schedule..we sat around the campfire talking well after dark...then went into the tent and read for a while......(Kurt & Aneesa sailing)

....woke up and had our coffee by the lake....The kids went sailing....we all went swimming and kayaking..ate lots of smores...it was great!!!!

(Kurt & Aneesa by the lake just before dark)

The next time we go....I'm going to have someone follow me around with a camera and take lot's of great pictures of Mark & I! I LOVE taking pictures of my children...can you tell?

Now it's back to work for me...lot's of orders to fill and new creations to get started on...I won't be having any new offerings on the 15th of the month.....I just don't' have the time right now..but I'll have a bunch of new things on September 1st.

Have a great day everyone! D