Halloween 2021

Our first Halloween in this house.

We have not had trick or treaters since we lived in our house in Columbia, MD.  We moved from there in June 2003 to an apartment while we built a house, The Lodge, in the woods in Baltimore County.

We never had trick or treaters at the Lodge nor at Vantage House, the retirement community, once we moved there in 2016.

This fall I purchased three pumpkins to carve - one for each granddaughter.  They drew faces on paper for me to follow.

Below is granddaughter #1's.

Granddaughter #2's,

Granddaughter #3's (who will be trick or treating in Buffalo).

I'm told there will be lots of children coming by as where we live has the highest concentration of houses. The local school even collects candy that is then distributed to those who will be answering their doors tonight between 5 & 7pm.  We bought two extra large bags just in case.

We also signed up to be a Teal Pumpkin house, distributing non-food treats.  The PTO provided that too!

I think we're ready to welcome trick or treaters for the first time in 19 years!

From White to Yellow

 

 Above photo taken Oct 31, 2020 when we had the house inspection before settlement in December.

Below is photo taken today, Oct 29, 2021.

Here is move in day December 15, 2020.

Today.

A snowy day last February.

June of this year.

Backyard this summer after deck completed and new flower beds made..

The barn before renovations.

and in progress.

Now.

We are hoping the barn whisperer sees that the painting is complete and will come to put doors on the barn.

All Done

House painting is complete!

Pictures to follow once the sun comes out of the morning mist coating everything with frost.

The view out my desk window is lovely now. 

Autumn Changes

 Starting on September 13th, I took a morning photo of the view from the deck.  I wanted to capture the change that happens in autumn.  I didn't manage a photo every day and didn't include all the photos I took because some were just too dark.  

As you scroll through what changes jump out for you?

The last photo was taken Sunday October 24th - our first frost day.  Temperatures registered 29º.

One thing I noticed was the photos taken earlier in the morning captured the yellow morning light that isn't there as the sun gets higher in the sky.  It gives the trees the yellow cast even though the leaf colors are still green.

What did you notice?

Painting Update

 The painter had great weather all last week but unlike what you'd expect from a contractor, he was rarely here more than 5 hours and 4 was much more normal.  He didn't come on Saturday though at first he said he would.  Sunday he said he'd be here at 9:30 am (he never arrived that early) then said 11:30 and actually was here at 11:35.  He has never ever arrived close to the time he said he'd be here.

They worked (he has one guy helping him) until 5:30 but didn't finish.  Doors, storm doors, lattice work under porch, water sealing of two porches and some touch up around the windows yet to be done.

Weather has been foul since Monday and as I write this Tuesday we are due to get a nor'easter or a bomb cyclone tonight.  Thursday is to be a clear day and since he took the inserts to the wooden storm doors home, both screen and glass, he expects to finish by the end of the day Thursday.

I promise a reveal set of photos once that happens.

My shutter is back on the porch for now.

Postscript: Once this painting is done we will start wondering if the barn whisperer will return to put doors on our barn before winter sets in.

Welcomed Guests

 Writing this on Monday after taking friends from Maryland back to Manchester Airport.  They arrived on Thursday, mid-day for a nice long visit with us.

They have a bucket list of sorts to visit state capitols and since Concord was on our way home we stopped there for lunch and a tour of the capitol.

Will and Dan walking to the capitol.  Below is a significant milestone though I do believe that Maryland holds the record for the oldest capitol in continues use. 

An old print of the capitol.

Most capitols that I've visited required strict security checks before entering.  Nothing like that in sight for New Hampshire.  Here's the entry hall.

In the  visitor office I had my photo taken with President Biden and Vice President Harris.

The wall is covered with presidential bumper stickers.  NH has the first primary in the country so everyone entering the presidential race makes at least one visit here.

Besides being a Revolutionary War hero, Stark's claim to fame is the NH motto "Live Free or Die".  It comes from a toast he sent to a reunion gathering to mark the Battle of Bennington.  Poor health prevented him from attending.  The full toast was:

"Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils."

Here's the Senate chamber in the capitol with four large murals marking events in New Hampshire.

This is the Executive Council Chamber.  NH is unusual in that besides electing representatives (400 of them), senators (a whole lot fewer), and governor, there are 5 executive council members elected from 5 districts. It's to act as a check on the governor.  They were in the news recently for voting not to accept a lot of federal money to help with getting the Covid-19 vaccine more widely disseminated and to support health care workers.  It was recommended by the Health Department and supported by the governor but they voted 4-1 against it. As you'd expect it was 4 Republicans voted no and one lone Democrat voting yes.  

Here is the representative assembly room.  Seats are assigned.  Most business happens in committees and comes here for final votes.

Daniel Webster is a native son of NH. Though he later served as a senator from Massachusetts he was born and raised here.

Our sightseeing travels with our friends also took us to Patch Farm for the view, Woodstock, VT (at their request), St. Gaudens National Historic Site,  Mac's Maple for maple creamees, and locally to the meeting house, historical society and library.

Thank you for visiting Janet and Will!