Even though we had a wonderful trip, there's no place like home! It felt so good to come in and see my house all decked out for fall. There is nothing like being away for several days and then coming home and seeing your own home again. I love how it is almost like seeing it with different eyes. I love it!I have to tell you all, I MISSED YOU! I plan to take some time this week to catch up on everything you have been up to. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend full of good fall things. I did sneak a few peeks at a few blogs when DH was watching the Red Sox but typing on his laptop drives me nuts so leaving messages was just not an option, I am sorry. I could never use a laptop all the time!
Despite a little drizzle and clouds here and there, for the most part the weather was perfect. Cool and crisp and OH MY, the foliage was just gorgeous!!! I have plenty of pictures to share with you. Driving in NE in the fall is just the best. At every single twist and turn, hill and valley, the colors just surround you. Every shade of red, orange, yellow, and green are the backdrop for everyday views such as a 4 way stop, the local gas station, or an abandoned barn. Some how the most mundane settings become works of art. It is as if God has taken a paintbrush to the landscape. It is a visual treat before the long and gray winter begins. We did a lot of back road driving. We often would plug an address into the GPS and then chose the LEAST USE of FREEWAYS option and that is the way to see NE!!
On Thursday, we headed north to Wolfeboro, NH and stopped by the dock on Lake Winnepesauke. It was a little cloudy and gray but the views were wonderful. We had our picnic lunch on a bench overlooking the lake. See the mountains in the distance? Every time we head north to the White Mountains, I get goosebumps when we first see them.
We then continued a bit north to the town of Tuftonboro to Apple Hill. I have wanted to get to this shop ever since I learned about it 2 years ago. I was not disappointed. When you approach the shop, it and the owners home sit a top a little hill on the corner of two roads. Just so inviting. The shop is in the red barn on the left and the house is to the right.
As you enter the barn on the right, this is the welcoming entrance.
I didn't take any pictures inside because you can see it all on the website - it's wonderfully colonial. I got the cutest mustard cubby and some wax corn. I love that both are made by NH artisans. This is the gorgeous garden between the house and the shop. So well done! I will definitely put this on my "must see again" list!
After we left Apple Hill, we headed to the Kancamagus Highway and here are several pictures of the foliage as we drove up and down in the mountains and along the river. In some pictures you can see the water rushing over the rocks. It is always so pretty.
This next one is pretty close to what we saw most of the ride. It just takes my breath away!
Can you see it reflected on the hood of my car?
I'll have more of our trip and eventually get to the treasures I took home in my next post. DH was very sweet and because we were on such a relaxed schedule and driving back roads, and because he got a side trip to the ocean, he was more than agreeable in letting me stop at some prim shops. Because he was so sweet, I kept my buying down to a minimum. I did my part to boost the economy while being vigilant about our retirement funding! More on those treasures next time when I get pictures of them.So without further adieu, I wanted to let you in on that big news!! Some of you guessed it right off- the clue was right there for all to see...
YES!! Our home will be featured in the Fall 2009 issue of Mercantile Gatherings! I am soooo excited! A few weeks ago after I posted the pics of our home all decked out for fall, Tiffany Carnal (aka Twigs), the editor emailed me and asked if I would be interested. Well you know me and fall, and to have our home showcased during my favorite season is just such an honor. You see, this house is by no means my 'dream house'. It is not even close. When we bought it in 1986 it was much bigger than our small ranch with the ever wet basement (underground streams). We have a lot more land with a pretty private lot, a brook and woods behind us yet it is close to the highway for DH. This town has top notch schools and town services - like our own private cable and TV and electric company with great rates. It is just a great town to live in. We have 2 really good sized bathrooms for a house of this size and age. Lots of great closet space even in the kids bedrooms (now my office and DH's office). A huge garage, and a really big family room downstairs. The bedrooms are much bigger than in our previous home, and we have both an eat in kitchen and formal dining room unlike our old home. The hardwood floors upstairs were pristine and I saw a lot of potential in decorating here and I knew this would be a great place to raise our family. Of course in the last 22 years there were many times that I dreamed of buying up or building something more colonial, but in our area, that is really big bucks - and just not something we ever decided we had to do. It was more important to save for the kids college education, and for our retirement. So instead, I did as much as I could to give the inside the look I wanted, while compromising with DH and his likes. ( I STILL want to paint the kitchen cabinets!!) I did it because it liked doing it. I wanted a certain look and I liked the crafts and projects it took to get to where it is now. It is still not perfect and certainly would never be mistaken for an old home, but it is much closer to my dream house than I ever thought it could be. So to now be honored to be featured in two wonderful magazines that often showcase real old homes, or homes that have been significantly altered to look old, is such a dream come true. When I walked into our house late yesterday and saw it with those refreshed eyes, I was struck at how much it has become my dream home. Maybe not in size, and I don't have antique pine wide pine floors or the walk in beehive oven I dream about, but I am blessed with a lovely home, in a lovely neighborhood in a lovely town close to our family and friends. It is just about paid off and as we get very close to an early retirement for DH, there is something to be said about that too. I am truly blessed!
I have been busy taking lots and lots of pics for Twigs and I have to finish sorting through them and send them on to her soon. That's a 'must do' on my list this week. That and catching up with all of you! And today, I really must get some food in this house so I can feed my hardworking hubby who makes all of this possible. Thanks honey!
So until next time - hugs, Linda
