Here in New England

This is the view from my front window..........I know, hard to tell were the driveway ends and were the street starts, right? We've been getting a ridiculous amount of snow. Wish it would go up to the mountains but, seems it's vacationing at the coast this year. So what can you do but, make the most of it.First and foremost we make sure we have heat, batteries and candles.......well, we don't really need the candles but, they add a nice touch.Flashlights are a little harsh.Next I checked the fridge to see what I could make that wouldn't require my going out in this weather.

 Yes, there is always a good supply of local eggs and mixed with a bit of slivered onions and chopped olives this will make a great lunch.

I think this will get us through the afternoon. Chips would be nice. Maybe I'll make some. Homemade chips are pretty awesome. Burgers in the freezer so guess what we are having for supper. Well can't chat now I'm off to make those chips and hoping for a break in this snowstorm............said the hobbit

Finally......back to the Farmer's Market

Do you have a Farmers Market?Here in New Hampshire we are lucky enough to have one going on 52 weeks a year. Hard to believe that just a few short years ago , the thought of going to the market meant your local grocery store.Our area has managed to make supporting our local farmers and crafter something that can happen every weekend

Look at this place just filled to the gills with stuff I really need

Not only that,but, they are there to help you with gardening questions , information on composting, local yarn,freshly made cheeses, desserts, breads and even handmade chocolates.In the summer everyone has their own local Farmers Market ,however, come winter it's like a traveling show.You get to met Farmers and crafters from surrounding communities that you didn't even know were out there. 

This week I purchased freshly roasted coffee from a roaster in Newmarket.........they will even ship your coffee to you if you want. This time I was happy to run into them at the Market and picked up my purchase there. They even knew my name.............how cool is that.

Potatoes, baby spinach...........just picked and homemade apple cider doughnuts for the ride home I know, I just had to taste while setting up my purchases for a photo shoot. They are yummy! Good thing Riverside is not next door.Their Farm is in Berwick Maine. Sounds far but, only 15 miles from my house.

I made Lamb stew for my "soup People" Isn't it amazing that I could get it raised and even ground just the way I needed. Riverslea farm is in Epping NH and also about 15 miles from my home.

Needing soap this week but, unable to get to my usual supplier, I could rest assure that Jesta Farms would give me a product that would satisfy my needs.All these farms are within an easy drive from my home BUT, all are in different directions. I was able to do one stop shopping and meet and great friends at the same time.

Pretty neat ..............said the hobbit

Busy week with the family

The girl cousins in my family started getting together a few years back.Such fun. Visits are always too short and we so enjoy seeing each other. Plenty to catch up on but, I think we are still working on the late 50's early 60's I know,I know. What can I say we like to go into detail.

Manage to find time to have lunch with Aaron always a great time.

And now we are getting ready to gather my husbands clan for a Chowder Fest. Daughter Renee is the mastermind for this one.......June 28th is the date and it will be fun to see how many will be getting together. Hubby is a little older that I so I best get brushed up on my 1940's stories.....

Just kidding ...........said the Hobbit

Building a community

I have a circle of friends that get together to knit and I refer to them as my "pond".We are from several different towns yet, we consider ourselves neighbors...........all have similar yet different interest and we support each others efforts.It takes work and patience to develop such a community but, the rewards are so worth it.

One of my daughters has taken this to another level.She lives in a small N.H. town that once was thriving and oh so proud of it's people. Time has taken it's toll and like many small towns all over the country, people have forgotten how to be neighbors.Leave it to the younger people to come up with a plan.

A few years ago one of her friends started a tea shop were people could get together and talk about what they wish for the community. There were many naysayers but, he hung in there and kept taking baby steps with his project. He is committed to the project and now..........local musicians pop in to entertain on a regular basis.

Young people come to  share their hopes and dreams for the town and no one thinks that a plan is too small or too big to give it a try.Daughter Sarah (in red) waits her turn to explain her plan to bring DANCE to the area.

A local photographer put together these photos of her company.What started as a conversation with friends is now becoming a reality.

Of course there is always time for a little whimsy and I had to take a picture of these creations from the HEADHUNTER series of Mugwump Made. Artist Kay Koczarski had her knitted works on display,yes,those teeth are knitted.The tea shop is currently closed...........no they haven't given up. They need a larger location to move forward with "the plan". It amazes me what these young people have accomplished. Can't wait to see what the next year brings...........................said the Hobbit

out the window

Thing change so quickly in New England......

Looking out my kitchen window I thought the Hobbit's dwelling appeared to look like something from the 1930"s So I grabbed my camera a took this shot. Always good to take a second picture.

In the time it took to press for another photo the wind was whirling and I could barely see the little house.

Within the next 30 seconds things started to calm down and the sun was once more visible
They say ...........if you don't like the weather in New England .......just wait 5 minutes and it will change.
Taking a ride to one of my "soup peoples" home by the Bay, Things looked a lot more pleasant.










Maybe I should move to the Bay?...........said the Hobbit

Day dreaming

Our weather in New England has been pretty nasty for the past 10 days.Nothing like the mid-west but, enough to keep us in the kitchen by a warm oven or bundled up on the couch with our knitting. 

It doen't take much to give me cabin fever and my husband and I took a little drive on the back roads of our neighborhood to see how everyone else was managing.

About 15 miles from our home we saw these horses out for the afternoon just enjoying the day.I think this one was happy to see someone drop by.

I guess we interrupted lunch and this fellow had no intention of being social. He never did raise so much as an eyebrow to see who was watching him.Someday I plan on taking a few lessons and and enjoy the thrill of being up on one of these mighty steeds. Maybe this will be the year?

Looks like my grand daughter is dreaming the same thing. I can hear her now saying "Jayne ......when you grow up ,I'm going to ride you into the wind"
                           Can't wait to see that..................said the hobbit

What did I learn this week

This year I have been making an effort to learn something new every week and try to stay out that rut that we all seem to slip into every now and again. Well maybe not you, but, there are times when I find myself doing pretty much the same thing on a most regular basis.

So, as I  sat on my front porch watching the world go by ,I picked up my favorite magazine

 MARY JANE FARMS  knowing that I would be sure to find a piece of knowledge that would be most useful to me.Nothing complicated,just some useful bit of information.

Of course there was much to learn but, here is what made me stop in my tracks. Just a small article that asked the question "HOW OLD IS THAT APPLE?" I was introduced to Kristen Michaelis of

FOOD RENAGADE she helps guide people  back to real food by educating them on the handling and processing that our market foods my have endured. When we started eating we had one new food introduced at a time...........I think it's best to re educate ourselves the same way. She has brought it to my attention that most apples at the market are at least 1 year old.They are picked before fully ripe ....sprayed with a chemical preservative, waxed , boxed, and refrigerated till they are called upon to make their appearance at the local grocers.Needless to say the much sought after antioxidants that we are hoping to ingest are long gone by the time we purchase the lovely fruit. What to do? Find a local farm that will let you pick your own. Enjoy the fruit while in season. Make a few quarts of applesauce to tide you over till the next fresh fruit is available. Not sure you have a farm? Check with THIS website They can get  started on your quest for real food. Or , call your local 4H club. They will be so happy to hear from you.

Well, the simple apple has taken me down a road that should make my great grandparents give me an approving nod. That would be them, so proud of their new home when they left Michigan and came to New Hampshire. The smiling daughter on the left is my grandmother..........year is possibly 1900/1904 Note the gun in his hand. I'm guessing no one would sell him a bad apple...........said the hobbit

The rest of the story

Coming out of the conservatory as they refer to it.Seems pretty stuffy,doesn't it? I spotted this rose.

The flowers are about the size of my palm and just perfect. The sun was very bright and I was unable to capture the different shades in this bloom. The outer petals were a delicate blue and changed to a soft lavender shade.

It was marked as the Blueberry Hill. In springtime they have a plant sale. I wonder if this will be one of the species available. If it is I hope to get one.

Leaving another rose area we are confronted by the tempting pool. We behaved.....honest.We then walked under an archway of what I thought were dead trees.

I'm not sure what they are but, they have no leaves or bark,and were surrounded by lush green bushes that blocked most rays from the sun. We thought we might have taken a wrong turn but,soon came upon a lovely pool...............

filled with goldfish that had to be 24 inches long.
As I watched them swim in and out of rocks and scurry under wooden footbridges I again thought of being in the cool refreshing water.

Out of the dark and into a carpet of tickseed. This would be great for my yard also.

A final goodbye from the band and we were almost done.

But , not until our eyes were drawn to the opposite side of the path and saw the most beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean.How can you not love it.All this ,no more then 35 minutes from my door. As we left and shared parting words with the keeper, we were surprised to hear that the Fullers rarely went into the garden.Can you imagine having such beauty on the other side of your driveway and you only walked it 5 or 6 times in 30 years............. it amazes me..............said the hobbit.

In the greenhouse

Ok Here I am back to tell you more of my trip to a local rose garden.In case you forgot I was visiting FULLER GARDENS , A Victorian garden created by Mr Fuller for his wife at their summer home.After walking through a gorgeous rose garden the path led me to a tropical conservatory filled with succulents.

I have to tell you ........If I was to make a list of my favorite plants,these would be a little low on the list. They often look like they came from another planet............don't you think? 

This particular plant was the Aconium Arborium

Their tentacle like stems reached about 4 to 5 feet into the air.Although they had flowers crowning them ,it was so high up that I could not see them to appreciate their glory.

I know , this garden  was constructed  for everyone not just me and  I needed to explore  every nook and cranny.It was rather humid in the greenhouse and I walk  briskly, so sure I wouldn't see anything that would stop me in my tracks.

Then I saw this little jewel.......never say never. It looked like delicate little aqua bubble bursting from  tiny corn like pebbles.Although everything to this point had be labeled, I was unable to find any information on this plant.

Leaving the conservatory I spotted this one flower heading toward the door.

It probably wanted to jump into this fountain which faced the exit. Temperature were 90+ that day so I think all living things were looking for a little relief.

Walking a few more feet was this tempting water pool. Why is it that people can't see standing water without throwing in their pocket change? Am I missing something here? No one was around and my husband and I seriously thought about dipping our toes in this refreshing oasis.But , so much more to see......we decided to move on. I hope to get back and tell you the rest of the story.......soon, really,...........said the hobbit.

What's in my area?

This year hubby and I thought it would be a good idea to visit a few places close to home. We always hop in the car ,ride for about 2 hours, struggle to find a wonderful place that we have read about , and sometimes get there a little too late to enjoy it. Ask my children............sometimes Hubby would say "Who wants to go for a ride?" And they would run for the hills. Children have left the nest now,but, hubby still likes to get in that car and ride.......First on our places to visit wasFuller Gardens This is a turn of the century garden created by  a loving husband for his dear wife Olivia.

 It's a little more formal then I would have in my backyard but, still so much that we ooh'd and aah'd about. Hubby feel in love with this tree. He could see himself sitting in an Adirondack chair and taking a little siesta

Turns our it was a magnolia tree.Now he's on the lookout at our local nurseries in hopes of finding the perfect one.

 Every bush was a different rose. I had never seen so many in one place.

 Some had already passed there bloom but, many were picture perfect.

All were marked with their names.Something I should do in my garden. Seems I can't remember from year to year what I planted.Have more to show you. ...........maybe tomorrow............said the hobbit

Getting back in the saddle.

Ok ..........I know I've been MIA and I hope to get back to normal. I have no serious excuse for my behavior. It just seems that I've been too busy to get back in the groove of blogging . First my computer was misbehaving, then it was time to garden and just as I got started we had a few nights of freezing temp. unlike the 90+ that we are experiencing now..My Google Reader is no more so I have switched toa new reader Unfortunately I keep calling it freely because it has no fee and it takes me about 30 minutes to find the blogs that I am currrently following.It's not them it's my extreme dislike of change.

Well things seem to be sailing a bit more smoothly now so hopefully the new schedule that I have made for myself will feel a bit more natural.Still adjusting to having three cats,a part time tenant and a great grand baby coming soon. OK now that I have used every excuse in the book I promise to make an effort to get back in the groove and stop my daydreamimg. Keep your fingers crossed for me. 

Bad habits are hard to break..........said the hobbit

IT'S SUNDAY....WHAT'S HAPPENING

Coming down from the cellar stairs for a breath of air. Still hoping to make some kind of progress up there. Still looks the same to me.My brother is playing with his bagpiper friends today so,he will be stopping by to tell me about the 11 new lambs that were born on his farm.......looks like I won't be able to work on it all day as planned......so sad.

 This project could be a long one. April 20th is "shredding day" at my credit union. That means you bring all sorts of paper "stuff" in boxes and you can watch them shred the contents to smithereens.....very  satisfying!!

Of course not as much fun as walking along one of our beaches. Another week should make this a real possibility..............said the hobbit