Waterfront Property

On the banks of the Green River in Greenfield, Massachusetts,

this woodland cabin is in need of major TLC...

along with the little shed that sits next to it.

The Watcher In The Woods

Mr. Squirrel

I walked alone among the trees...
feeling eyes stare down at me,
Leaves crunched, twigs snapped...
I carried on,
Then looked up...
and he was gone!

~SRD

Lucky Me!

Photo by Dan Felstead

Recently, one of my favorite bloggers, Dan Felstead at Wood and Pixels Narratives held a contest in celebration of his Blog's First Year Anniversary. Dan, who is an excellent photographer, posted a series of clues and in order to win you had to be the first to identify the picture the clues related to. If you were the first person with the correct answer, you could choose any of Dan's photographs. Quite a generous prize!

I seldom win anything, so you can imagine my delight when I learned that I had won. As any of you that follow my blog knows, I love barns, so it didn't take long for me to select the photo I would like.

The day before Thanksgiving, my 'prize' arrived, beautifully matted in black. I will honestly tell you, no picture does true justice to how this looks in person, and unfortunately, no picture does justice to how great this looks framed.

If you get a chance, be sure to check out Dan's work, his photos and narratives are very enjoyable.

Thank you Dan.

This looks so much nicer in person, I love it!

No Dogs Allowed

Acting as the self-appointed greeter, at the drug store

in Shelburne Falls, this Springer Spaniel sat

patiently waiting for his owner's return.

He also was a bit of a ham in front of the camera.

From Me To You

"When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty
my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup."
~ Sam Lefkowitz

Whether Thanksgiving is part of your tradition or not,
may you have a blessed and peaceful day.

Fit For A Hobbit

1753 House

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Constructed for the Williamstown Bicentennial, using tools

and materials used in 1753, this little house sits on the town green.

From The Front Porch

November Sunrise

Got no mansion, got no yacht,
Still I'm happy with what I got.
I've got the sun in the morning
And the moon at night.
Sunshine gives me a lovely day,
Moonlight gives me the Milky Way.
~Irving Berlin

Crescent Moon

Out Of Order

Abandoned
Guilford, Vermont
Whirling in November winds...
whispering of days gone by.

Tribute

Wigwam

Colrain, Massachusetts

Off the Mohawk Trail, this small wigwam sits on a hillside

overlooking the valley. It appears to belong to a nearby farm,

and strikes me as a tribute although its actual

history is unknown to me.

A Sign Of The Times

Cichy's

Williamsburg, Massachusetts

Remember when neon signs were so popular?

They're still around but not like they used to be.

Cichy's Garage sign really brightens up a gray day.

Down On The Farm

Meadow Barns
Heath, Massachusetts

"Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil,
and you're a thousand miles from a corn field."
~Dwight D. Eisenhower

Down In The Valley

Warding Off The Chill
Buckland, Massachusetts

Down in the valley
is a quiet place,
Where life moves
at a slower pace,
Letting the rats
win the race.
~SRD

Bad Hair Day

It was almost the end of the day, and I had taken

a different road home...

as I came over the crest of the hill, I spotted these
two cows munching on a bale of hay...

As far as I know, these are Galloways, one of
the oldest breeds known and believed to have originated
in the Highlands of Scotland.
They were both extremely cute with their unruly locks.
Photographed in Shelburne, Massachusetts

Cat Nap

Lilly

When cats sleep
do they dream?
of catnip fields,
and seas of cream?

Or maybe places
warm and nice
with comfy beds,
and lots of mice?

And humans at
their beck and call
or maybe cats,
don't dream at all.
~SRD

Moving On

Steady Lane Barn

Ashfield, Massachusetts

Fallen leaves and skies of gray,
birds of summer fly away
To longer days with sunshine bright,
where daylight stays well into night.

In springtime when the days grow long,
we'll listen for familar song
And welcome back our feathered friends,
rejoying at the winter's end.
~SRD

Hilltown History

Field Memorial Library

Conway, Massachusetts

When I first saw this library, located in the small farming

town of Conway, I was totally intrigued as its architecture really

stood out in the center of town. After a little research I discovered

that Marshall Field, founder of the Chicago based department store

Marshall Field and Company was born in Conway in 1834

and donated the library to the town.

Marshall Field's department stores were acquired by Macy's in 2005.

An added note of interest; due to his innovations in

customer service, Mr. Field is attributed with the quote,

"The customer is always right."

Leaf Me Alone

Hanging On
Rowe, Massachusetts
While November winds had swirled most leaves to the ground...
a few seemed suspended in time...

still clinging to the green of summer...
and, ignoring Autumn's kiss...
hung on for dear life.

Empty Nesters

With the kids grown and flown...

the rest of the family had headed south...

in search of trees that still had leaves.

Mousers

Barn cats patiently wait...

listening for the scurry of tiny feet...

announcing that dinner is served.

Thank You

"Freedom is Never Free"

~Author Unkown

To all who served and who are serving my heartfelt

gratitude and respect.

Thank You.

578 Squadron - RAF
My Dad 5th from left.

In Peace in Shadows
My Father-In-Law's Grave Marker - US Navy

France

My Uncle's Grave - RASC

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch, be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
~Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

Barnboard Beauty

The Barn

Conway, Massachusetts
This barn has been well taken care of;
it could be converted into a beautiful home.
Look closely and you will see the door from yesterday's post.

Broad Side Of A Barn Door

Barn Door

Conway, Massachusetts

Eye On The Sky

Day's End

Amherst, Massachusetts

(Click to enlarge.)

A Barn Yarn

The other day, I took a shortcut, and got lost temporarily misplaced.
To my delight, I stumbled across this lovely barn.

You don't see a lot of metal cupolas, especially with
a charming cow weathervane.

Sitting next to the barn in the first picture, was another barn
with a second story door.

This barn had a more traditional cupola.

I think this is called 'natural air conditioning'.

Both barns sit very close to the road.

Of course, I had to take a peek out back, and discovered this delightful scene.

These barns are located in Colrain, Massachusetts.

"To find the universal elements enough;
to find the air and the water exhilarating;
to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter...
to be thrilled by the stars at night;
to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring
- these are some of the rewards of the simple life."
~John Burroughs

Freaky Friday

Humungous Pumpkin

Ashfield

This pumpkin was as big as a VW Bug...almost!

Hoosac Tunnel

Florida, Massachusetts

The Tunnel is considered one of the most haunted

places in Massachusetts, and these beams of light added to eerie feeling.

Raising A Family

Ashfield

As I rounded a corner, I came across this Halloween display,

and I thought it was kind of freaky.

Hmm, I hope it was a Halloween display!

Pea Soup
Shelburne
The more that you study this picture, the more details

you will notice, like the white windows.

This is the thickest fog I've

seen since moving from the ocean.

Yankee Hoedown

Deerfield

This trio is so lifelike, they really are freaky!
This animatronic display performs at the Yankee Candle Village.

Always Look Up...Always Look Down

Watch where you're going but take time to look up.

This glorious sky hung over the valley as I ran errands.

But don't forget to look down.
I found this little flower hiding beneath the leaves while raking.

I raced up the mountain to catch the sunset,
but I was a little late for all its glory.

In the woodlands behind my house, I looked down to discover

this old tree stump providing a home for these mushrooms.

Fall's Farewell...Almost

Gone With The Wind

Ashfield, Massachusetts

Autumn Reflections
Leeds, Massachusetts

Bare Beauties
Guilford, Vermont

Barn In Fall
Deerfield, Massachusetts

"The leaves fall, the wind blows,
and the farm country slowly changes
from the summer cottons into its winter wools."
~Henry Beston, Northern Farm