Signs Of Fall...

Our hike today revealed signs of fall...hooray!!  As we gained in elevation the trees are beginning to show their color. There were a lot of leaves on the trail making that crunching sound as you walked along.   I'm ready for some cool crisp weather.

taking a break at Deep Gap shelter on the Appalachian Trail

tree with a nose

Fall At The Farmers Market

I love our new farmers market...so many fresh vegetables, fruits, homemade jellies and bread.  It's a great place to go if you are too lazy to have a garden of  your own.

Take Time To Notice The Little Things...

We took a hike to Ravin Cliff Falls yesterday.  The whole hike was along side a stream.  The 2 and a half mile hike to the falls was done in record time for me.  I guess you could consider it an aerobic workout.  The trouble with walking so fast is that many things go unnoticed.  But I got caught up with the group and was swept along.  I tried to make note of things I wanted to take pictures of because I had already made up my mind that I would have a very lazy walk back out.  Unfortunately I was unable to recall the exact location of that "special scene".  Several times the thought came to me...am I on the right trail...I don't remember this log bridge or this stream crossing.  That was a silly thought because there was only one trail in to the falls.  I had walked so fast going in that I didn't remember these things.  They went unnoticed like I'm sure a lot of those "special things" in nature do when you don't walk slow and take in your surroundings. You're too focused on the end result. 
I wish I could have captured the sound of the rushing stream...it was so soothing and relaxing.  I guess you can say I had both an aerobic workout and that "ahh" moment...the time to enjoy nature and God's beauty.

Heritage Festival...

Our hertiage festival depicts local life from the early 1800's.  An original homestead was taken apart and reconstructed on site.  It's complete with a black smith and farm animals that are on display behind the museum. People from the historical society are dressed in period clothes and tell the story of how life was during that time.  It was a hard life, but a very simple life.  I think I should have been born during that era. I have such fascination for that period of time.

restored 1860's cabin

A family of 7 shared this small cabin, approximately 20' squared.  The parents bedroom, fireplace, eating and living space was the main area of the cabin.  The loft above is where their 5 children slept.  The cabin was sparse, but adequate.  Not like today where everyone has their own bedroom.

September, the harvest month...summer is over and autumn has arrived...

Autumn to winter, winter to spring,
Spring into summer, summer into fall---
So rolls the changing year, and so we change;
Motion so swift, we know not that we move.
                                                                ...Dinah Mulock Craik


We have come full circle since we retired. So many things
have happened...new friends, new ideas, new thoughts on life.
Like the poem...our life has been so swift that we didn't notice the changes...even the little suttle ones. It's been the beginning of a new life.