Autumn @ Bittersweet Farm

This country of ours is sooo beautiful. I think (without alot of bias) that we live in an exceptionally beautiful area with trees turning shades of amber, burnt orange, crimson and brown... We have rolling hills, rivers, rocky cliffs, lakes, and streams. Natural wonders all around us. From time to time we spot black bear, deer, turkeys, pheasants, opossums, raccoons (usually you see them along the road if you know what I mean) skunks (I don't like seeing them along the road-if you know what I mean).

Most of the photos I have posted are from my yard (above is our chicken coop), a friend's yard, or vacation (Kayla took the one at the top of my blog while we were pontooning on the Dead River in the U.P.).

October 7-16, 2003. We flew into Boston, and toured the city. It is rich with history, and exceptionally beautiful in the fall. Then we drove up and toured the state of New Hampshire . You can do the whole state in a week! We drove along winding streams, hunted for covered bridges, and rode a tram up into the White Mountains. The time we spent there was peak week for leaf peeping (a New England term we learned that fall) with sunnyand 70 degree days for all but one of them. There are more Maples in NH than in WI so the colors were more spectacular than we had ever seen. We all want to go back again.

If you ever get a chance to visit New England-do! If you ever get a chance to visit WI, you won't be disappointed! What are your recommendations?

Upon Returning

Vacation is good. Coming home is good.

But being the "type A" that I am, I get overwhelmed by the unpacking and getting things back in order. It was compounded this time because as we drove in the driveway, my flowers looked so sad from no rain the entire week we were gone. They were in full glory when we left-I guess I thought they'd stay that way!

I also came home to boxes of fall merchandise for the store to unpack. I had promised customers I would have some fall items out the end of August, which didn't leave me much time when I was returning on the 25th! (I don't get why some want to push fall forward for the life of me-summer here is so short-but I love 'em so I accomodate!)

I set about unpacking, laundry, watering, opening boxes, pricing, and rearranging the shop a bit before Wed (my hours are Wed-Sat 10-5).

Tonight I feel a bit back to normal, and clear-minded (sigh).

Usually when one returns from vacation that is what they talk about...Sorry, I had to dump the uglies first.

For vacation, we went to the U.P. of Michigan. For those who have no idea what that is, it stands for the Upper Penninsula. It actually is an extension of Wisconsin. We rented a cabin for a week on the Menomonie River. The Lord gave us perfect weather & lotsa fun!

We have friends in Marquette, which is on Lake Superior. They are wonderful hosts. They took us along the coast and told some local stories and history, then we hiked up Sugar Loaf Mtn to get a panoramic view of the city and the giant blue lake. It was breathtaking. I haven't loaded my photos yet-coming soon!

We then drove out a long, windy, narrow road for several miles to a little cabin on the Dead River, where she insisted we stay for the night so we didn't have to drive back to our resort. There was a beautiful beach on which I became a whale (laid out in the sun I mean) and watched my children-all three of them dig ditches in the sand and fill them with water. I LOVE that, when they are just like 8 years old. It was heart-warming.

We took a pontoon ride, sat in the sauna, visited, and nodded off. The next morning we had to visit a coffee shop that Dale's co-worker owns. We then headed back for Iron Mountain, where we fished, (well, I just laid in the boat) and ate and lounged and ate and slept and ate and toured and ate........and yes, I felt like a slug-you know how that is?

Then we went ORVing or ATVing or four wheeling-whatever you call it. I have read Wild at Heart-you know, the book about men and their thirst for adventure...how they love their women to love it too...so I put myself at the mercy of the Lord, strapped on my husband's too-large-for-my-head helmet, his gloves, and goggles, and off we went. I think I will post just on this adventure another time. Let's just leave it with WE ARE ALL STILL ALIVE-okay?

And I did get my romance (the other book, which I was reading on our trip: Captivating-the one about women and their thirst for romance or beauty). Mornings on the river were beautiful. When I woke before everyone else, the Lord beckoned me out to the swing that was on a little connected island, right near the river so I could admire the sunshine dancing in the water as I drank deep from the River of Life.

It's good to end a story with the sweet stuff. Actually, it's all good (I love that saying), even the return challenges- because I appreciate God's mercy and patience all the more when He continues to love His "type A".

Bon Voyage!

We'all are goin' away for awhile! No laptop, no business calls, no laundry until I return! God bless you if you came to visit and found me "not home". I'll be back soon.

Pray that all will go well for my mother-in-law as she stays and waters, weeds, picks, and runs the shop....thank you!

Be back soon!