My pic of the day!

Links for our Trip to Massachusetts in October!

Well, I've "narrowed down" some of my online research for our trip to MA next in mid October!

NEW ENGLAND/MA links:
~ http://www.newenglandtravelplanner.com/
~ http://www.mafieldtrips.com/
~ http://www.yankeefoliage.com/
~ http://www.lizzie-borden.com/
~ http://www.the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/


DANVERS links:
~ http://www.essexheritage.org/sites/rebecca_nurse.shtml
~ http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/Danvers.html
~ http://etext.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/Collection.html
~ http://www.gravematter.com/cem-ma-danvers.asp


LITTLETON link:
~ http://www.minutemancampground.com/default.htm


CONCORD links:
~ http://www.concordbookshop.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp;jsessionid=acb6YQKL-ATOy87kwRVWr
~ http://www.concordma.gov/pages/concordma_cemetery/sleepy
~ http://theconcordlife.com/2007/07/31/old-hill-burying-ground-concord-ma/
~ http://www.concordma.com/magazine/novdec01/sleepyhollow.html
~ http://www.concordma.com/magazine/spring08/toc.html
~ http://www.newenglandtravelplanner.com/go/ma/boston_west/concord/sights/authors_ridge.html
~ http://www.literarytraveler.com/travel/travel_tour_profiles/louisa_may_alcott_in.aspx
~ http://www.louisamayalcott.org/
~ http://www.hawthorneinsalem.org/Introduction.html


SALEM links:
~ http://www.hawthorneinsalem.org/Introduction.html
~http://www.literarytraveler.com/travel/travel_tour_profiles/nathaniel_hawthorne_in_salem.aspx
~ http://books.google.com/books?id=rK_6EycRyFwC&dq=Cemetery+where+Nathaniel+Hawthorne+is+buried+in+Concord+MA&pg=PP1&ots=shbnTI2JkD&source=citation&sig=Cs7L6PyWKwEK2cMawjAwjCs8jF8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=13&ct=result
~ http://www.7gables.org/
~ http://www.festivalofthedead.com /
~ http://www.hauntedhappeningssalem.blogspot.com/
~ http://www.myspace.com/hauntedhappeningssalem
~http://www.hauntedhappeningssalem.com/hauntedhappeningssalem_004.htm
~ http://www.salemwaxmuseum.com/halloween_2008/halloween_2008.html
~ http://www.salemwitchvillage.net/home.html
~ http://www.spellboundtours.com/spellbound_tours.htm
~ http://www.witchhistorymuseum.com/
~ http://www.witchescottagesalem.com/
~ http://www.salemweb.com/witchhouse/
~ http://www.salemhistoricaltours.com/
~ http://www.salemstrolls.com/
~ http://www.trolleydepot.com/
~ http://www.redssandwichshop.com/
~ http://www.newcivilitea.com/
~ http://www.cornerstonebooks-salem.com/
~ http://www.cornerstonebooks-salem.com/
~ http://www.myspace.com/salemhex
~ http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=289713892


MISC link:
~ http://www.literarytraveler.com/default.aspx

Of course we're not going to do everything here, there's just so much to look into and to chose from!

Autumn & Halloween Links!

I've got a new Links section just for Autumn & Halloween! Included are links for tracking fall foliage, autumn themed quotes and poetry, halloween history, ghost stories & shows, movies ~ all kinds of spookey fun!

Just scroll down & look for "This Way For Autumn & Halloween!" in the right hand column.

"It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!"

See what happens when I try to knit?!

It's was a busy morning of bringing the spare room's AC down to the basement and bringing the portable heater up! I also walked to the foodstore to get some odds and ends for dinner. Then I spent the rest of this cloudy, cool day typing out a short fiction piece I wrote this week and watching my newly purchased Sex and the City dvd movie and baking a pumpkin pie!

I started this scarf yesterday but didn't get very far today as you can see! Soon it'll be time to start making a chicken pot pie of sorts for dinner!

Supposedly we're supposed to get a Nor'Easter today - thought it should've been raining already. Up to 4 inches thru Saturday and lots of flooding, especially here on the coast. We'll see!

Calm before the storm

A beautiful Autumn day this is! (Must have been channeling Yoda there for a moment!) Sunny, breezy and cool. Why am I not outside?! This blasted cold has me feeling blechy!

Little by little I'm getting things ready for Autumn and Halloween, both inside and out!

Right now I'm taking a rest on the couch watching The Great Pumpkin after having creamy tomato soup and a toasted bagel with melted sharp cheddar cheese for lunch! YUMMY! YUMMY! YUMMY! Hopefully I've got time for a nap before running out to pick up our nephew!

Tomorrow a Nor'Easter is headed our way and thru Friday we're supposed to get up to 4 inches of rain, especially here on the Coast!

Let the Decorating Begin!

After doing this earlier today, I realized I forgot to put down a layer of Autumn garland, lights and decorations before putting out these Halloween decorations! (This way, once Halloween is over and the decorations come down, the Autumn decorations are still there and stay thru Turkey Day! So I only decorate once for this time of year, not twice). Ah well! Tomorrow's another day!

Let the Decorating Begin! Part 2 of 2

My pillow seems rather lumpy!

Our little patient, Ceasar, was a little frustrated that Victor took his place on the couch yesterday!

Last Wednesday, Ceasar had an localized aggressive cancer tumor removed. He's in perfect health otherwise but unhappy with having to wear that collar! We brought him home at 7pm after the surgery and by 7am he was up, running around and chewing out his stitches! He pulled out more than half so back to the vet he went to get re-stitched and hence the collar! And he's got to wear it until 10/1 when he gets his stitches out!!!

HAPPY AUTUMN!!!

In keeping with the season, I've changed my background here and the screen saver for our computer, pictured above!

For me, this is the most wonderful timw of year!

My goodies from this weekend!

See prev posts for specifics!

Ironic...

Our original purpose this weekend was to come here to the Cider Mill, which we did. I don't know if its because I'm tired from this cold I woke up with or because Hubbys tired or because it got a little hot or what, but the Cider Mill didn't live up to my expectations! (I hope my donuts and apple dumpling from their bakery do!) A tad disappointing but yesterday/ last night more than makes up for it!!!

And so concludes our weekend away!

While the B&B was pricey and we didn't get as much as you'd expect for that pricey-ness, I had a great time last night even though I awoke today with a blasted cold! No unexpected visitors in the middle of the night (unless a killer attack of the sniffles counts!) though I kept expecting to see something every time I woke up! Bought a neat pair of scarf knitting needles in town at The Spinnery and scored free Toile fabric at Grouse Antiques!

And so concludes our weekend away!

The rest of the B&B!

And so concludes our weekend away!

The Common Room in the B&B, aka the living room!!! (Yes, that is a real head stone to the right of the fireplace!)

Our Spur of the Moment Get - Away!

Tomorrow we are going on a day trip to the Black River Farms Cider Mill in Chester NJ. Early this afternoon after Hubby finished up odds and ends around the apt complex and with 3 new tenants moving in (today - yippie!), Hubby suggested getting away for the night if we could and suggested coming here to Frenchtown NJ. We found a room for the night at this B&B! We walked into and around town - I fell in love with a book store along the way called The Book Garden, housed in a beautiful Victorian and run by a wonderful woman! We walked across a bridge over the Deleware River (where Hubby gave me the surprise he bought me in the bookstore, the late Randy Pausche's book, who's Last Lecture and amazing soul touched me so) into Pennsylvania and back thru town, where we had dinner at an amazing little Italian restuarant! On our walk back to the B&B, I found what looks to be an amazing knitting shop which is thankfully open tomorrow! Once back up here in our room, we got comfy, popped open our complimentary wine (finished the bottle and neither of us is buzzed - disappointing!) and read thru the 2 room journals in which guests going back to the 90s have left messages about their stays in this room WHICH IS APPARENTLY HAUNTED BY AN INDIAN CHIEF, after whom the room is named! Yup, I'm a bit spooked! And of course I've got the outside of the bed and Hubby is against the wall in the corner!!! He's fast asleep now but I'm wide awake! (Damn wine!) Looking forward to the wonderful 3 course candlelit breakfast in the morning as well as the entertaining stories from the owners! Then its off to take some pics (both my cell and camera died earlier! Hhhhmmmm....), go to the knitting store and perhaps the bookstore to pick up a couple of interesting titles I saw this evening! After that we'll be off to the Cider Mill! (Can not wait to hit their bakery!!!)

Our spur of the moment get - away! Cont'd

We have a small room but it's cozy and comfortable!

Our spur of the moment get - away! Cont'd

These beautiful deer were out back along with a few others!

Simple Pleasures

I started this list of sorts as a result of a thread by Laura on GoodReads.com in the Chicks On Lit group about a local morning dj in her area asking for people's "simple pleasures." Today I kept going with this and below are all of my replies so far! I eventually want to add this as a side-bar to my blog here so they're always visible and I can add to it from time to time!

I likened this in a way to "Gratitude" journaling in that as I think of each one, I not only appreciate them but am thankful for having each experience!

Friday, September 19, 2008
Simple Pleasures:
The way Hubby talks softly & loving (& sometimes sexy!) in my ear each morning when he wakes

Watching a flowers 1st blooms open in my garden

A nice hot cup of tea when I've got a sore throat

A nice hot bath when I'm sick and/or in a lot of pain

When one of my favorite nephews called me Aunt Jo for the 1st time last week

The sight of the 1st Autumn and Halloween merchandise in the stores

Yarn

When the 1st leaves begin to turn and the evenings get cool

The scent of wood smoke in the air, a light breeze rustling the trees and standing under a bright full moon

A book that I can't help but read as much as possible because it's so good but yet I purposely slow down towards the end because I'm sad for it to be over already

Cloudy cool days, all the windows and doors open wide, candles lit, no tv, no radio, sometimes the sound of the rain

Care Bears!

My Little Pony!

Autumn

Halloween

The Moon

Watching the movies Little Women, Fried Green Tomato's & Coal Miner's Daughter

Spooking myself watching scarey movie marathons in October for Halloween!

Knitting and finishing a scarf

Going to Cape May after Labor Day! (October's the best!)

Going up to my Sister-in-law's cabin in PA where there's no tv, no landline phone and spotty cell service!

A glass of wine and watching Sex and the City, Roseanne or Grace Under Fire re-runs

The pungent scent of the flowers in my garden on a stifling humid day

Learning a new knitting stitch

The first pansy's and petunia's out for sale in Spring at the foodstore and garden center

The 1st time, as Summer ends and Autumn begins, when I can have a cup of tea at any time of the day and not break a sweat drinking it!!!

Sitting out on the front porch or in the back yard, in amongst the flowers & butterflies, listening to the crickets & birds chirping!

In early Summer, stepping outside just as dusk begins and watching lightning bugs coming up from the grass, taking flight for the evening, blinking greenish lights everywhere you can see!

Relaxing at Panera w/their wonderful teas, pastries, soups and sandwiches - made even better when I'm there with my BFF's Gillian and Brenda!

Looking in the mirror and seeing that I look skinnier instead of being bloated and chubbed out!

Experiencing some place new with Hubby

Seeing my Grand Niece Emily's entire 1 yr old little face smile when she smiles and holding her!

Discovering the Halloween and Christmas Charlie Brown specials on TV while randomly flipping channels!!!

The scent (thru the whole house!) of brownies baking in the oven!

My Day of Many Pics!

Out by the creek.

My Day of Many Pics contd!

Out by the creek.

My Day of Many Pics! Cont'd

Out front on the porch

My Day of Many Pics! Cont'd

Old Bridge NJ

My Day of Many Pics! Cont'd!

Out by the creek.

I Remember, I Hope You do too

I Remember and I Hope You Do too

Again, not the most flattering pic...!

But this is a better view than the one I took a few months ago during an iv treatment. This is me, in our bedroom, just before I went online during today's iv to host an Author Chat with Ann Hood on GoodReads.com. (Author of "The Knitting Circle.") I couldn't wait for today's iv - I've been so tired, stiff, swollen and in so much pain! At least I know the meds are working!

Looks like I'm not the only one scared during storms!

Forget about TS Hanna! Thunder storms today could be a lot worse!

Earlier this am, Ch7 advised to seek shelter immediately if the wind begins to pick up and stay away from windows and doors! 60 plus mile an hr winds, flooding rain, dangerous hail and lightning, not to mention possible tornado's!

The Weather Channel severe storm warning alert beep keeps sounding off every couple of minutes which honestly drives me nuts so I switched the channel!

The temps are supposed to drop and be in the 70s during the day and the 50s at night! Fall's a comin'!

We lost power for 2 hours yesterday because a pesky squirrel chewed thru a wire down the street - hope history doesn't repeat itself today with these storms!

HOLY !@#?!!! That bolt/ flash of lightning was so bright my eyes blinked! Storms tend to scare the ever living hell out of me! Good thing the laundry is already in the dryer and nearly done! (It will sit there till a break in the storm comes though!

A beautiful evening!

Yippie!

Looks like the gang is gonna be ok afterall! (See post before the My new spot posts!)

My new spot, Part 1

Switched out my little wooden chair (that Hubby broke over a month ago and stil has yet to fix) with my old rocker out on the front porch so I can sit outside in the evening and still see and be in the sun. Out back, the sun has already gone and it is darker out there than out front in the evening. Now I can sit and do whatever out here in the cooler evenings, in amoungst the crickets, my flowers and their wonderful scents!

My new spot, Part 2

The view from the front porch - not much but at least I get to bask in the evening sun!

So much for TS Hanna!

Other than 1 lg branch and a ton of leaves down out back, this, out front, seems to be the most damage we have, if it is even damage at all. When we got homw from taking Dad to a bbq, most of the Cosmos and Zinnia were wilted as though they needed to be watered! After all that rain yesterday?! Since the soil was a bit dry, (not a hot day but strong sun) I watered everything but the Cosmos and Zinnia are not perking back up yet! I hope they do since everything was so full and looking so lovely!

That kind of day!

Tropical Storm Hanna sure has taken her sweet ass time in getting here and passing through! It rained like hell at midnight and 2am this morning and we awoke to stifling humidity and fog! We took my Dad-in-law to breakfast, came back home and then I ran out to Foodtown to do our weekly shopping... You would have thought they were giving away free food or the blizzard of the century was about to hit with how many people were there! Traffic going down to the marina was also streaming down 1st Ave! (Not sure why! It was too foggy to see anything past the docks!) After bringing home the grocceries, Hubby and I ran out to the hardware store for a propane tank refill for the grill (in case we lose power - the stove is electric!) and asome odds and ends for the apt complex and the house. The rain finally started coming down pretty good around 1pm or so after sprinkling most of the day and the wind picked up. Since then it has been raining in waves of downpours and sprinkles, gusting now and again. The Weather Channel says we have had nearly 2 inches of rain so far but no flooding as of yet. I got some reading done this afternoon and popped a pot roast in the oven about 4pm that came out PERFECT! I love a day when I can hunker down inside for a while!

Here comes Hanna!!!

Our 1st tropical since November 2006!

My little escape

See my post entitled "How I've been feeling as of late" and this post makes sense! I was feeling a bit boxed in earlier and realized that I could sit outside in the back - DUH! (My father in law has been with us since Sunday and is staying until Sat 9/13!) It's beautiful & breezy out now though extremely dry & dusty. (No significant rain since July! But supposedly we're in for a tropical storm or hurricane this Fri & Sat). I'm feeling very out of sorts.

How I've been feeling as of late!

Thurs 8/28/08 10:49pm
I'm feeling very lacking, stuck, stifled, defensive, restless, boring, can’t breathe, frustrated, tired of struggling, distracted, average, exhausted, stung, beaten, pointless, anything but independent, angry, guilty, restless, defeated, hurt, boxed in, choked, insignificant, overwhelmed, stiff, inferior, resentful, trapped, skittish, aimless, undermined, drifting, suffocated, hopeless, ungrounded, not confident, powerless, creatively constipated, unfocused, clueless, worthless, no grasp on time… I don’t feel like a person, like a whole human being. I feel hugely inadequate and put down.

I want to feel and be unique, creative, strong, sassy, confident, accomplished, together… Someone people gravitate towards! Awesome to be around!

Friday, September 05, 2008 2:13pm
I wrote the above the Sunday night before last, in bed, when I couldn’t sleep. While it’s a bit redundant, it’s what I’ve been feeling as of late. I don’t know what it is really. A BIG part of it has to do with my being stuck (again) in my writing (since our friends’ son passed away in July). Some of it has to do with the way Hubby has been making me feel (though it’s unintentional). Some of it has to do with the pressures of my Mom and worrying about her. If there’s anything else, I don’t really know! I can’t even read a book as of late! And I was so excited the week before last about going to MA! (Salem, Danvers and Concord). I still can’t wait to go but I feel like it’s buried!

If my life as it is now is all that it’s supposed to be, that’s fine, I just wish I knew for sure!