If you aren't living in or visiting the Northeast Kingdom, you should be.  The foliage has popped in just the last couple of days and is very close to peak, I'd say, just in time for the Fall Foliage Week.  Not only that, the weather has been spectacular and will be for the next several days, except for a couple of showers perhaps on Monday and Tuesday.  I'm hoping there won't be much rain - Walden has the first day to celebrate Fall Foliage (Monday) and they've had bad luck weather-wise far too many years.  I was thinking today that I've done tours on Cabot's Fall Foliage Day in snow flurries.  True, it only happened a couple of times, and always when we were on the Plain by the cemetery, but nonetheless, it was impressive.  Those hardy -- well, some weren't that hardy -- tourists toughed it out and stayed with me for the whole tour.  There were a few who gave in to personal comfort and after a couple of stops standing in cold rain, high-tailed it back to their hotel or maybe the nearest bar, I don't know.  I mostly did the tours by caravan, i.e., they followed my car in their own.  Some of those cold trips I'd start off with six or eight cars in my group and by the time we'd arrive back in Cabot there would be only one or two.  I couldn't blame them.  Usually these folks are totally unprepared for anything but warm sunny days.  When the weather was nice, it was a pleasure to show them around our area.


Here's a picture I got last night as the sun was going down.  It was another of those moments when the whole back yard seemed to glow with color.  When the sun is just right, the foliage is spectacular.  There are beautiful photo ops everywhere.

Some of you know that Garey Larrabee, our West Danville postmaster and owner of Hastings Store has been in the hospital this week.  His son-in-law, James told me today Garey will be home tomorrow and he's doing just fine.  I think Garey's retirement date is coming up soon, so hopefully he'll be able to ease up a bit - perhaps he and Jane will become snowbirds and take off for someplace warmer this winter.  He hasn't mentioned anything like that, but winters here can be hard and maybe they both need a break.

Pond water level has not changed except to become a little lower, perhaps.  We haven't had any rain to speak of to raise it even a little bit. Even the puddle by our mailbox has dried up.  There are still a couple of frogs hanging out on the bank, but their "pond" is now just mud and drying out more every day.  We've spotted quite a few wooly caterpillars lately though - sorry, I didn't pay attention to the size of the black band on them that's supposed to indicate whether the winter will be unusually cold or just normal.

Now I just want to thank some folks.  We've had several items come in for the Silent Auction on October 18th (Cabot Historical Society benefit, Apple Pie Festival) and I'm very grateful to friends who have read the blog and responded.  We have some really nice items and in a wide value range, so I think the auction will be lots of fun for everyone.  We'll have some things for children, lovely hand-made items, and hopefully some antiques for the adults.  Several businesses have donated gift certificates, and those are always great to have.  So if you have something that is new or gently used you aren't using, give me a call or drop it off at my house.  And mark your calendar so you won't forget to come join the fun on the 18th.  If you feel like making a pie for the contest, that would be super. Or one to sell - we need lots of pies!