Take Your Pick

 I'm in the mood for pie.

All The Leaves Are Brown

And the sky is grey...

Stick season is here. It's cool today and the stove is fired up. My best friend is filling up the barn with the last of the seasoned firewood. Storm windows are on, garden beds are tucked in and the valley is quiet.

Source

Perfect for a Sunday afternoon and a good book.

"The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country slowly changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools."-   Henry Beston, Northern Farm

Going Truckless in Vermont

We are a truck free family for the first time in 30 years. Toyota called us this summer asking to play "Let's Make A Deal". Their offer: take this envelope over here in exchange for your trusty rusty taco (warning: do not drive your taco Tacoma one more mile) or let us (Toyota) replace the taco's holey frame with a new one.
Let's see; bald tires, cracked windshield, squirrelly brakes, leaky exhaust and 2 weeks left on the inspection sticker... we take the envelope.

So what does my best friend bring home today?

"This is not a truck!" I shout exclaim.

"But honey, she's a diesel," he grins.

"But honey! Can she bring in the firewood, take out the garbage, cover the garden with loads of compost, move the kid's belongings from one home to another, and gather up treasures after a good day perusing yard sales?
"Can she carry our bikes, the skis, the canoe... our important STUFF?" that's what I'd like to know.

A truckload of important stuff!

She is small, kind of loud and rather stinky. However, she averages 40+ miles to the gallon. I reckon she will stay... as long as she carries her weight and then some.

A Place To Wander

A Place of Wonder

Our backyard (plus a few or hundred acres) is a wooded wonderland. I've heard old timers refer to it as Mill Hill and lately it has picked up the name Wu Ledges. Our backyard will take you from here to; Ralston Rd, the Lareau swimming hole, the Purple Moon Pub, around Double Trouble and down Ol' Mossy, the old fair grounds, Denny Land, Hastings Rd, The Ledges, and back home again. Okay, not all of it is our backyard... but we can dream.

The owners of the items below, not to worry, you can retrieve your belongings at lost and found, better known as the Valley Transfer Station.

It's a Wutiful day...even in the rain.

I Vowed

To never own a fry daddy.  My quill of kitchen gadgets would not be accessory to a wounded heart.

I've changed my mind. Or should I say, Cheryl Sternman gave me a very persuasive shove. Upon returning home from his early morning bike ride my best friend dropped a beauty of an apple (picked right off Arthur's tree) onto my desk the very moment 5secondrule.typepad.com landed in the inbox. With her photo staring me in the face... I knew it was a sign.
See for yourself: For when you need a sophisticated accessory.

Who doesn't like accessorizing? Keep up with the current trends, that's what my grandkids do for me (yes, Justin Bieber is on my ipod). Listen to any well versed foodie; the talk is all about moderation. Well I don't know about you but I haven't had any (we're talking fried food here people) in a way, way long time.

Here I go.

And just so you know, all of the ingredients in these scrumptious fried apple rings of bling are organic and, exclusive of the powdered sugar, vanilla, and transfat free oil, localvore. That should count for something. Ah heck, whose counting.... have another one. 

An apple a day...

Get Outside

I know, it's cold and damp and dreary. Go on now, grab that fleece hanging up by the back door and slip on those muck boots on your way out (you might want gloves and a hat).

Yes, it is still cold and damp, but not so dreary after all.