It was a beautiful fall day here in New Hampshire. Temps in the state have dropped into the 20’s at night and 50-60’s during the day, the Jerusalem artichokes are blooming, and the leaves are still turning and falling.
A full season of wood pellets are stacked although there is a waiting list at almost every store. The workers are scheduled for next Wednesday to take the attic insulation R-value to 60.
Lots of fall work and raking left to do. I’m still been busy deadheading, pulling weeds, moving plants and tidying things up.
Volunteer church gardening found me in 
the neighboring town of Durham last week digging up a nice donation of Lady’s Mantle for planting around Mary’s statue at St. Joseph’s Church. The replanting is done, and it looks nice.
However, I swung by St. Mary’s Church to check on some transplanted phlox and what I saw there wasn’t so nice. Arson. The three-car garage intended to house a future food pantry had been set ablaze. As I stood there I kept wondering ‘why’ even though I knew there really wasn’t an answer.
Master Gardener volunteer gardening led me to the Lee Transfer Station last week. I was scheduled to work at the NH Native Garden where native plants are grown and labeled so that local grade school children can learn about natives.
I live in a town with a recycling center which means you pull up to a large can and dump. It is your basic place to deposit plastic, metal, iron, yard and construction waste and they aren’t resident friendly. So, I am always impressed with the neighboring rural town of Lee, population 4,300, and their modern transfer station which allows you to drive inside to deposit your various items, shovel your own wood chips, and visit their swap shop for recycled goodies.
Between gardening projects, sewing has kept me occupied. I made a couple of table rounds and a couple of aprons – one made out of a men’s dress shirt and one that wraps around the back. Next, I’ll work on creating the binding for the quilt being long arm quilted so that I’m ready when it is returned. I’m also thinking about some new fleece robes.
Baking lemon bars and freezing sugar cookie dough kept me busy this afternoon. I love having cookie dough in the freezer already to go on the pan and be baked up fresh and hot.
Life is good here. Here’s hoping your week is looking good as well. 🙂
Gosh, you have been busy Judy. I am sure we live parallel lives on different sides of the Atlantic – only the last time I did any quilting I was about 16 years old …. and that’s quite a while ago! I am sad to see that garage burned down. A tragic waste of what looked like an attractive building. Keep up the good work – thankfully there are thousands of good people like you to every one of the folk who needlessly set fire to things.
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I’ve been meaning to ask you a question about Martha. Does she play with dolls? Her favorite color? I’d like to send you a doll quilt for her if that would be okay.
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How lovely would that be! Yes, she is growing into dolls now. She has a Lucy and an Annie and one just called Bébé (the way she pronounces it!). She would love a quilt as she’s always putting the dolls to bed and tends to use my sister’s tea towels!! Thank you Judy 🙂
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You have been busy! We need more places like the food pantry…it makes me really sad to think someone would set it on fire just to watch it burn….
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Thanks for showing us what’s going on in your area Judy. A friendly recycling centre where you can swop things if you wish sounds brilliant. We don’t have anything like that. Fires often start accidentally… the person responsible may not even know. All it takes is a discarded cigarette and a windy night. I love the idea of freezing cookie dough until you need it. Do you have a special recipe for this?
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I do a basic sugar cookie, use a small ice cream scoop to make the balls, freeze the balls, then put them in a plastic bag. You can pull out a couple or a dozen when you need them and they are hot right out of the oven. They taste so much better than if you freeze the cookie itself. If you want a sugar cookie recipe, I’ll be glad to share. 🙂
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Thanks very much Judy. I have the basic cookie recipe. We usually just bake and eat straight away but I like your idea of keeping some in the freezer. We will make double and save half next time.
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You’ve been busy, Judy. I loved reading about your winter preparations. Except for cooler weather, it doesn’t seem much like fall here yet. I’m just enjoying the transition as it happens. Had a lovely three days in Philly where I appreciated the many things the city has to offer. But I’m glad I don’t live in a big city! The ‘burbs are good for me right now, especially where we are.
Such sad news about the garage for the food pantry. I often want to ask “Why?” about things and too often the only answer seems to be people simply being bad or even evil.
janet
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I’m exhausted just reading about all your activities! So sorry about the food pantry. Adversity has a way of bringing people together to raise projects from ashes. I hope that is the case here and that it is bigger and better than first planned.
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Wow! I thought I keep busy. You make me look like I’m standing still!! What a tragedy about the barn destined to be a food pantry. Whether arson or a careless accident, it’s so sad.
Cold nights/mornings here too, really warm afternoons. We’re as prepared for the coming winter as we can be, but definitely not looking forward to it. Beautiful season, but I still hate it!
So how about this? I’m gonna move in with you guys. Stay toasty warm under one of your gorgeous quilts. And I’d like tea with my cookies, pretty please!!
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That will work. You will have to bring your own tea because we’re coffee drinkers. I like tea when I drink it so maybe you’d convert me. 🙂
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Those New England winters are harsh but you do all you can to prepare for them. You make it almost sound like fun, even though I know it’s hard work! On top of all your provisions socked in to keep you healthy and warm, you also have Our Lady smiling down on you in appreciation of how nice you made her look all summer long!
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Oh, you made my day. 🙂 I am partial to the two gardens that encircle Mary at the two churches. 🙂
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Wonderful projects! I’ve long intended to make one of those shirt aprons 🙂
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I bought the shirt for $5 from Goodwill and went from there without a pattern. It took a couple of hours total. 🙂
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I enjoyed your post July, New England looks lovely in the fall. Also interesting to hear about your neighbouring town having a recycling centre. Our little city of Canberra has one now, and it is very popular. I like the idea of being able to donate things we don’t use anymore to someone who will use them…
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I think recycling and repurposing is well worth the effort, cost effective, and saves our landfills. 🙂 Glad you have one.
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I’m impressed with the number of things you have going on. R-60, that’s some serious insulation. I’ll be interested to hear what kind of difference that makes (just curious).
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Our heating and cooling ducts are all in the attic which tend to cause the vents in the rooms to be affected by the attic temperature. In the winter, we get a cold down draft when we are using the pellet stove and not the furnace so we’re hoping to see a major difference there. I’ll let you know how to goes. 🙂
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We have baseboard heat but AC ducts are in attic. We use the air handler to move woodstove heat around. We do loose a bunch of heat in the process.
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You have been busy. That’s too bad about the future food bank building being burned down. I just don’t get some people and their destructive tendencies.
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I love hearing about your days in New Hampshire, Judy! Our trees in Illinois haven’t begun to change yet. Our nights haven’t dipped down below freezing yet. I’m also busy weeding and deadheading flowers. It’s time to harvest herbs, too. I’m so sorry to hear about the fire! It’s interesting to read how different communities handle recycling. Our suburb has curbside recycling and yardwaste pickup. Electronics and paint must be taken to special drop-off places. I’m so impressed by the town of Lee and their facilities! What a great idea to have a place to swap recycled goodies. Your sewing and quilting projects are so inspiring, Judy! Have a great week! ♡
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Hi, Judy!
I see you were very busy, doing so many things. I love your aprons, interesting ideas. You’re raking, aren’t you? Here I am not, leaves mostly didn’t fall down, I think they need two weeks. Although forecast says first frost comes soon…
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I hope the group planning the food pantry will retrench and find another way. What a waste; I just don’t understand how some people can be so senseless. You, however, have been spreading good cheer…the thought of frozen cookie dough puts a big smile on my face.
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It was such a senseless thing to do, and I’m with you. I hope insurance provides an opportunity to rebuild. 🙂 Frozen cookie dough is a wonderful thing especially this time of year when you may already be using the oven and you can pop a few in.
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You are really energized by autumn!! What a lot you have going on, and so much of it sounds fun and interesting!
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I don’t know how you find the time to do so much AND keep up with your wonderful blog! When winter arrives you will be ready.
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I’m one of those strange people who likes to be busy all the time – both a blessing and a curse. LOL 🙂
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i remember your wood pellet shortages in years past. How awful that someone would burn that future pantry down! Your table toppers are so pretty and I know that you must be having fun with those aprons 🙂
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How wonderful! Being in the city I miss the country.
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Cozy Fall in New Hampshire, my toes are curling pleasantly in their socks with joy after reading this post. Thaks for sharing, xoxo Johanna
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Busy girl. There is something about the cool weather that energizes us. Enjoy your week.
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Wow, pretty chilly there already. I hope I’ve got a bit more time to enjoy the 50’s here. 😉
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Sorry about the arson, too bad. Is the structure salvageable? I love your quilts rounds, they’re make nice placemats (not sure how big they are).
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I haven’t heard whether it is salvageable or if it is coming down. The quilt rounds are about 15″ across. 🙂
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We are having a pastel autumn, so far. But the world could still turn. Look gorgeous up by you!
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It’s been a strange one. You drive down the road and see one spectacular tree and the rest are green. 🙂
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I want cookies! I also want one of those aprons made from a shirt. I think they are so cool and I love aprons. Your fall colors are beautiful. They are certainly one of the things I miss.
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I’ve been doing much of the same, autumn chores. I love being outside in the autumn regardless.
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Your autumn is really into full swing. Very little color here yet. So sad about the food pantry Judy.
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You are a busy lady! One fleece robe for me, please 🙂 lovely photos!!
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Do you want yours lined with flannel too? 🙂
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Oh most definitely! 😉
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