Friday! And the end of September which totally just blows my mind. This month really did fly by. So much has happened this month and I feel like Autumn is well on the way to being even busier than the end of Summer was.
Let's pause, take a few moments to find the blessings in the week and share FIVE of our FAVES. Susanne is the host for this gratitude post and you can link your own post up at her site.
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| SEPTEMBER SUNDAY SUNRISE |
- SUNDAY SUNRISE! Saturday and Sunday had spectacular sunrises. Saturday was a day where I was running around getting last minute stuff done early in the morning before my day trip to Vermont, but Sunday I spent sitting on the chilly deck watching the sun rise and drinking a steaming mug of coffee before getting ready for the early service at church. This photo was taken at about 6:40 am or thereabouts. I love the purple and pinks with the slight orange. I'm very thankful that God is a master Artist and that we can enjoy the beauty of the Creator.
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| Early Autumn on the deck |
- PUMPKINS! Some of the local farm stands have had pumpkins out so I stopped and bought a few small ones as well as a very large one for the front flower bed. These 2 here are similar in size to 2 I have on the front stoop: an orange one and also a white one. I also have a decorative white pumpkin on the front stoop decorative bench that says in black print "trick or treat". I've painted each real pumpkin with hot sauce to keep the squirrels and chipmunks from nibbling at them, too. I'm thankful for the new season of Autumn and all the colors that go with life in the Northeast.
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A typical New England church
in downtown Middlebury, VT |
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| Middlebury Falls at Otter Creek |
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| Fish Sculpture in the public Gardens |
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| Claire and Courtney in Middlebury |
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| wildflowers in the Gardens |
- ANNUAL AUTUMNAL ADVENTURES! Since October 2011, my sister Joy (a single mom of one son) and I and my youngest girl Claire have chosen a different town to explore in either Vermont, MA, or NY. We call it our Girls Day Away or our Annual Autumnal Adventure. We did this because Claire was missing her big sister when Courtney went off to Gordon College in August of 2011. Claire was just a 13 year old and in junior high when Courtney left. Each year we have gone and then it was our turn to do so with Courtney when Claire went off to UNH. Now that both girls are out of college, we are continuing the tradition because my sister says she needs some time with her nieces. We chose Middlebury, Vermont this year and had a blast. We shopped in all the little store on Main street, had lunch at this fantastic tavern, and then did some more shopping which included Xmas shopping and pumpkin picking. I'm thankful I had this time with both daughters and my sister and that the weather was picture perfect.
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| image courtesy of shugarysweets website |
- MEAL PLAN! I finally had a meal plan made up on Sunday for the week. I had decided to go grocery shopping for the week on Sunday evening and what a vastly different experience from going after work during the week. Less crowded and I was in and out in less than an hour! Monday was Enchilada Soup (minus the chicken and pictured above) and Dinner Rolls and apple pie for dessert; Tuesday was Linguine with Garlic Red Sauce and plant-based meatballs and a tossed salad; Wednesday was Chicken and Jasmine rice with steamed broccoli and carrots (tofu for Claire); Thursday was Plant-based burgers, Tomato Salad, Green Beans and Chia Seed-Quinoa tortilla chips; tonight is homemade veggie pizza (vegan pizza for Claire unless she goes out with friends) and Salad with dairy free peanut butter chocolate ice cream for dessert. I'm thankful I planned easy meals for after work especially because it's getting dark earlier and easy means I can power walk either before or right after dinner.
- CHURCH CHATS! Dave and I attended our early service (9 am) on Sunday and afterwards, we spied our dear friend Dave M. Dave's wife Hope used to be a member of my small group and we used to hike together. Her daughter used to be a good friend of my youngest until the girls went their separate ways for college. Dave caught us up on the family news and I was able to share our family news with him. Then my Dave and I ran into another couple (James and Jeanie) we've been friends with for over 15 years yet rarely see to chat with. Their daughter is our youngest daughter's best friend from youth group and again, both girls went their separate ways for college but still do keep in touch and get together a few times a year. We were able to recommend the roofing company to them that we used and Jeanie said she would hike with me tomorrow!! I'm so thankful for long-term friendships especially the ones where we are united in Christ.
There were so many more things to be grateful for: sunshine and cooler temps at night to make sleeping with the windows open so pleasant; phone calls with best friends; hugs from my youngest girl; sitting in the backyard after work; reading good books; National Coffee Day and free coffee!
ENJOY the weekend!
9 comments:
How lovely to be able to spend a day together in such a picturesque part of NE! I remember my French teacher in high school who sort of took me under her wing and since I really loved learning the language, suggested a college in Middlebury where she attended. I lost interest in French and never went. I hope she forgave me! LOL Menu plans are such a good idea. With my diabetic numbers up, I'm going to need to do that to plan things better. My social circle is at church, and I love sending time with friends there. I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Enjoyed reading your Friday favorites, what a great week you've had! I just love getting out and exploring as well, and so wonderful that you live close enough to those beautiful states to be able to visit! I love your sister/daughter tradition, that is wonderful that you are able to continue this! The pictures are beautiful, someday I would love to visit Vermont :) I hope you have a wonderful hike with your friend that you just met. Such a blessing to be able to meet old friends and reconnect! Having a menu is also a great feeling. I tend to cook a large meal on Sunday with a big amount of meat, and then I plan meals off of that for the week. Roast chicken = chicken dinner, then chicken soup, and perhaps either a pot pie or enchiladas. Roast Beef - roast beef dinner, then a soup made with the leftovers, or a shepherd's pie. Yum! Hope you have a marvelous weekend!
Glad you had a nice week. The trip to Vermont was great. Sounds like you have some good friends at church. Beautiful sunrise picture. I hope you have a good weekend. See you again soon!
The girls day sounds like so much fun, and what a beautiful place to spend it in. I feel so much better when I have a meal plan. That's half the battle. I really enjoy cooking; planning not so much.
I love the tradition of the girls day out. Such fun. It's always good to catch up with friends. What a gorgeous sunrise in the first photo.
That girls day tradition always makes me smile, every year. It is good that your daughters love it too.
Those dinners last week make me hungry! One night this week our younger daughter made breakfast for dinner for everyone. Pancakes!!
It is great to run in to longtime friends and catch up with them.
Have a good weekend!
What a fun tradition with the girls and your sister! Love that! Good for you for your meal planning. I have tried that so many times and do it for a while and then fall off the wagon. I'm very much a fly by the seat of my pants type of cook during the week depending on what I feel like eating hence why my instant pot gets a lot of use. LOL. The sunrise is gorgeous.
That's a great tradition to have with your daughters and sister. Sounds like a good week and yes I think days go more smoothly when you have meals planned out in advance although shopping late on a Sunday wouldn't work here - most big grocery stores would be closed. That sunrise is lovely. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Wow! Your girls day out sounds fabulous. What a treasure. What great photos they sure were a treat to see.
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