Summery Fall Days

Here we are in the very midst of Fall Foliage Week - Monday was Walden's day to host, Tuesday was Cabot's.  For the first time is a while, the weather was super nice for both Walden's and Cabot's activities.  It's not unusual that there is rain, or sometimes even snow flurries; but this year not only has the weather been perfect, but the foliage is just about peak in our area. 

On Saturday, we took advantage of the chicken pie supper in North Danville, and it was delicious; last night, we got take-out turkey dinners at Cabot - and everything was super good.  Church suppers are only one aspect of autumn in Vermont, but they are exceptional.  Some of our neighbors joined us last night for the turkey - it's become sort of a tradition for the past few years to order take-outs and have them at our house. 
 
 Fred took this picture yesterday when he went to Cabot to get the dinners.  It's the Foster Bridge across the road from the Plains Cemetery.  On Sunday when I went that way for a meeting in
Cabot, there were six or eight cars parked along the road and people taking pictures in every direction.  Further down the road at the Burtt Farm, cars were lined up from their sugar house to the Abbott's, and parked on their lawn and driveway while people milled about at their farm stand, buying apples, corn and other vegetables.  It's been a good year for apples - and most vegetables, too, I guess.  And it's a good year for tourists - they seem to be everywhere on our back roads.  The picture above is the road just above the Burtt sugar house, showing some nice color.

I had an e-mail from Marty Talbot recently - she and David are in Ireland with 12 students.  I believe they will be there until about Christmas - one semester.  Marty has started a blog, and it's very interesting.  There are lots of differences to get used to, but it sounds as if they are thoroughly enjoying their adventure.  Check it out:  Marty and David in Ireland.

And now, with Woody curled up on the desk beside me, I need to check my e-mail one more time before I call it a day.  Poor cat has a hard time dividing his naps between favorite spots, but nearly every night he come into my office, usually just before I'm getting ready to sign off for the night.  He gets all comfy, hind feet firmly braced against my arm (I think that's a security thing), and then I turn off the computer and leave.  I feel bad, sometimes, about leaving him - he's so happy to be there - but then I remind myself he's a cat, after all, and cats really don't need people - just staff.  But with Woody it's different - he's definitely a "people cat."  If he were just a tad smart, he'd have figured out by now that he could come in earlier each of these warm nights and get more nap time by my side.  I guess I can't complete with his hunter instincts.