Ah Ha! The first signs of Fall!

We've all been expecting it, but still, I wasn't really prepared today as I walked up the hill near our house on my usual daily "hike."  I had my smiley-face umbrella and was enjoying the steady patter of rain overhead while I stayed reasonably dry, when right there if front of me loomed the big old maple tree next to my neighbor's driveway, and it had a tinge of orange!  As I got closer, I could see more patches of yellowing leaves - the poor old thing was obviously a bit stressed - what could one expect when we've had unusually hot weather, then drenching rains, back to steamy hot days and uncomfortable chilly nights?  

Just yesterday I was looking at our grape vine, but again this year there are no grapes.  Last year at least we had some small ones that just dried up on the vine and remained small as peppercorns; this year I haven't seen a single green grape of any size, let alone any turning purple.  However, there are choke cherries galore this year.  The birds should be able to find plenty of food well into winter.  I happen to like choke cherries.  They pucker your mouth and probably don't have much value as food for us humans, but I still like them, and can spit a cherry seed a respectable distance after I've cleaned it of fruit pulp.  The leaves are toxic to animals such as horses and cows, but I've read the fruit makes pretty decent wine, and the Indians used the bark to make medicine to ward off colds. 

Anyway, I got excited about the leaves having begun to turn, and seeing all those lush choke cherries (or bitter berries), and after I'd finished climbing the hill, went home and got the camera.  This short slide show may not excite you, but with everything so wet, what colors there are show up better than even on a sunny, dry day, and adds an extra sheen to the subjects.

Jeannie Johnson just posted the events for Old Home Week, so here they are:

Event starts August 10 at 9:00 AM

OLD HOME WEEKEND AT CABOT UNITED CHURCH AND ON THE COMMON
AND LAWN SALES AROUND TOWN

Saturday 9-3 at Cabot United Church and on the Common (Main Street, Cabot)
Homemade Bake Sale
Grilled Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, drinks and all the fixings
Old-Fashioned Flea Market

Also, lawn sales around town:
On the Common (Christ Covenant Church)
3253 Main Street (Thompson)
3558 VT Route 215 North (Scholz)
5531 VT Route 215 North (Codling)
171 Deeper Ruts Road (Metcalf)

Sunday at 10:00 a.m. at Cabot United Church
Church Service with Pastor Christina Findlay
Lunch to follow. All are welcome.

Come visit with old friends and meet some new ones.