Back to New England

Last weekend I made another trip to New England to visit the girls at school.  It was still fall-like in Connecticut with lots of brilliantly colored trees, but bare trees and snow flurries made New Hampshire and Vermont feel like winter.

In need of new quilting needles, I stopped at Pickering Farm Quilt Shop, housed in a restored 18th century barn in Richmond, New Hampshire.

It is right next to a lovely little apple orchard.

Their wonderful collection of traditional and reproduction fabrics were just too temptingly displayed for me to resist picking out some things for my stash.

The girls had classes on Monday so I ventured down the road to Turners Falls where I caught a stunning sunrise at the Gill-Montague Bridge along the Connecticut River.  Turners Falls, developed as a planned industrial community in the 1800s, retains many of its original brick structures which can be seen by strolling through town and along the canal's pedestrian and bike path.

Below the Gill-Montague Bridge

In the afternoon, frustratingly side-lined by a nagging injury, I watched, rather than ran, the Bemis-Forslund Pie Race and had to enjoy the fresh-baked apple pie prizes vicariously.

The 4.3 mile cross-country race is claimed to be the oldest foot race in the country, older even than the Boston Marathon. This year's winner, Mohamed Hussein, bested the previous course record by nine seconds -- two days after having won the New England prep school cross-country championship in a record-setting time.  Clearly  he is a runner to watch. 

Mohamed Hussein

Just as the last runners were finishing, the previously solid grey sky gave way to a bit of sun and a dramatic sunset.  A nice way to end the day.

Memorial Chapel

The Joys of Fall

I love fall!  It is a feast of color and scent.  We were lucky to be in New England in early October and were treated to some brilliant displays of color, first under crisp cerulean skies then in mist and rain and fog.

Into the woods at Northfield Mount Hermon

We took advantage of the girls' long weekend to make a trip to the White Mountains of New Hampshire for some hiking.  We chose the Ammonoosuc Ravine trail with hopes of reaching the summit of Mt. Washington. By the time we emerged from the protection of trees we were all soaked with sweat and so ducked into the emergency shelter at the Lakes of the Clouds hut to change out of our wet clothes and get fully suited up in our rain gear.  Though we were not in an emergency situation at that point, we would have been had we not changed our clothing.  The bad weather for which these mountains are so famous was in full force:  powerful winds, heavy rain, dropping temperatures and very limited visibility.

Steve and Isabel preparing to brave the weather

Once back on the trail I was really glad to have on dry clothes - and a new rain jacket.  I kept thinking that I could hear jets flying overhead, but no, it was just the wind screaming past the summit. I was blown right off of the trail a couple of times and sometimes had to use all fours to make any forward progress.  This photo gives an idea of how soupy it was.  You can just see Steve and the girls at the trail junction discussing whether to make the final push to the summit or to head back down. We played it safe and headed back down, thankful for the the cairns marking the trail.

Three tenths of a mile from the summit

Compared to the rocky upper elevations, the valley is remarkably lush and mossy and made me think of Hobbits. And the rich scent of pine was heavenly.

Along the Jewell Trail

When I came home I made a couple of pine sachets to remind me of our walk.

Bitten by the bug of fall colors, I took a day to drive around the Texas hill country west of Austin. Texas has its share of color, though it is more subtle than in New England, with the colors generally much deeper.  Bald cypress turn a lovely rusty brown, cedar elms a muted yellow and red oaks become a rich burgundy.  I don't have any photos of red oaks, though, because they won't be at their peak until the end of November or early December.  How lucky am I to experience such an extended fall?!

Bald cypress along the Blanco River

Bald cypress along the Guadalupe River

Sisterdale barn