I like good coffee. I mean I really like good coffee. ☕️ We enjoy Peet’s at home, and our coffee machine can grind beans, and it makes good coffee.
Sometimes we’re out and about and want to grab a quick iced coffee and stop at a local Dunkin. The challenge these days is that it has to close mid afternoon because of lack of staff.
I spent many years in Human Resources doing, well, what HR people do – recruit and retain. That’s a real problem in NH right now because unemployment is under 3% and businesses are having to close early because of lack of staff. Other stores nearby are having to close at 6 p.m. instead of 9 p.m., and almost all of our stores and restaurants are confronted with staffing issues.
Low unemployment rates are challenging, but when it affects being able to grab a coffee, it becomes serious. 🙂
Over the weekend, I picked up some delicious Macoun apples at a local apple farm and some fresh eggs from a farmer friend. As soon as I hit the publish button on this, I’ll be in the kitchen making an apple crumb pie. Nothing smells better than apple pie baking on a cool fall day. I may also need to have another cup of coffee to go with that first slice later on today. 🙂
Once the pie is safely out of the oven, I’ve got some perennials to divide, cut back others, and move some around. Moving around is what we gardeners do best as we strive to get it just right.
I have a half a dozen Knockout Roses in a variety of colors, and they love the cooler fall weather and really put on a show this time of year.
We are enjoying fall color in our immediate area. I know it is more intense north of us, but it’s still looking pretty good down here in the southern part of the state.
Happy mid October! Stay well, enjoy the cool temps, and by all means stop and smell the roses. 🙂
Judy, thanks for sharing your glorious fall colors this morning!
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I didn’t have to go far to find it, but it would be even better if I mosey a little further north. 🙂
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Your colors are way ahead of ours, Judy. Thanks for sharing them. IT sounds like you have a busy day ahead. Maybe it will be cool enough for you to grab a quick cup of coffee and a piece of that apple crumb pie as a reward.
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I worked hard this morning. Then it was inside, clean up, and enjoy lunch, pie, and coffee. 🙂
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Excellent!
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Other than a branch here or there, we haven’t had leaf color yet. Your photos are beautiful! I remember the plant moving. I always skootched things around my pond looking for the “just right” placement. I swear they (the plants) held their breath when they saw me come with a spade. Yes on good coffee too. Locally our Starbucks has been having shorter days and I suspect it’s staffing issues. There are help wanted signs everywhere. I’m hoping some immigrants move into our area. We’ve had great results in the past as they are grateful to work any job.
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I’m not sure why every fall a gardener looks around and thinks s/he can get it just right by dividing and/or moving, but this one does. It always gets better, but there is always something that has gotten too big for its spot or hasn’t grown at all. I guess it keeps us busy. I’m not sure how open positions are going to be filled. The employment business seems to get different each year with people gravitating towards computer jobs and those that can be done from home. I’m not sure who will be around to fix our coffees in the future.
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Stop and look at the Fall Leaves too! Beautiful Judy!
Hope the pie was delicious!
Happy Monday!
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Yes, the leaves are beautiful. The pie was delicious, and there is plenty of leftover for another day and another cup of coffee.
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Not much color in lower MI yet. Today the temp is supposed to be 80! I have garden cleaning to do too but it seems to warm to be cutting back plants. My knee is also an issue. Walking over uneven ground and climbing the LITTLE hill my garden is set on causes some hurting. I’ll get it done soon. Enjoy that pie. I usually make applesauce this time of year but haven’t been to the orchard yet to purchase apples.
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I cut some daylilies down because they looked so bad, but they sprouted back up, and I trimmed them again. This weather is crazy. Be careful with your knee. I like applesauce too, but I’ve been enjoying these Macouns just sliced. Well, and the pie was good too. 🙂
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Oh, your colors are gorgeous!! You have the reds that we do not. Out here in the west we have yellow and just a wee bit of orange in places. I don’t drink coffee often so rarely stop for a cup, but we drove through a Burger King a couple of weeks ago to grab a quick lunch on the way home from Baby Girl’s and they were closed b/c there was only one person there to work and she wasn’t able to do it all. It was nuts!
Baby Girl is in HR recruiting and is really struggling to fill positions. She said no one wants to work!
I don’t get it. There are signs saying, ” We’re hiring!”, all over here and in CO. where I just got back from too. What ever the govt. is paying people it’s not enough to get ahead and go on a great vacation and have a retirement account built up. What are people thinking?
It’s really cold here right now so, I’m sure all the plants will be going to sleep after this week.
I’ll be pruning, and bringing in the outdoor cushions for the season…oh! He-Man just said it’s supposed to warm up next week maybe we’ll keep the cushions out a week longer. 😂
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The reds sure do shine. I feel great sympathy pains for your daughter because this has to be one terrible situation for HR folks. Yes, what are they thinking while taking advantage of programs that provide compensation for staying home today but definitely not enough to save, buy a condo or house, vacation, or retire on. I can’t even imagine where this situation is going, but the days of fast foods and drinks may be history because of no workers. Even if they automate some of those jobs, there still have to be some humans. It boggles my mind. I brought in half my chairs and left half out. I didn’t want to miss any good weather opportunities either. 🙂
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Vermont’s unemployment rate is at 3% too, and there are signs in just about every business looking for help. I’m sure Covid is at least partly responsible as I don’t see the foreign workers except in the agriculture industry.
I’m still waiting for color here too! We’re right on the river and always a bit late, but this year, later than usual. But I only have to drive about 15 minutes to see lovely color! Enjoy the crumb pie, brew some coffee, and have a beautiful October week!
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I think you are right that Covid did have an impact. Hope your colors set in soon. Yes, that pie is good and so was the coffee. You have a good week too because our weather is suppose to be warm and sunny.
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I went out to run errands, and the color is starting to be beautiful!
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Thanks for the lovely images this morning Judy. And that would include the fresh apple pie. I am about half way through my garden moves. And I am watching the burning bush slowly change from green to red. Happy Monday.
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Good luck on your garden moves. I know I cannot even imagine how involved it is. In the midwest, we had a couple of burning bushes, and they were always gorgeous this time of year. A piece of NH trivia for you – they are considered invasive here. Who knew?
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Now this is why we blog: so someone can bring the beauty of autumn color and eggs and roses and then — I swear I can smell it — the fragrance of apple crumb pie and freshly ground Peet’s wafting right out of our computers. If this isn’t what heaven is about, I don’t want to go there. Thanks, Judy!
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We definitely need dessert and good coffee on our blogging cloud when we get to heaven. We can even throw in some good tea for our friends who drink tea. 🙂
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We barely have any color here yet, but lots of leaves on the ground that will never have a chance to strut their stuff in the color department. Sigh….Your images are gorgeous.
I love coffee but I don’t drink it because it doesn’t like me! 😢 I salivate every time I pass a place where coffee is brewing. Terri and Bill went apple picking. Terri came up Saturday with an apple crumb cake that was mind blowing!
Signs looking for help in my area are more plentiful than the political signs for local elections…. and those signs are stuck in every inch of real estate available. I don’t understand this either. Doesn’t anyone have a work ethic any more or pride in themselves and their ability to support themselves and their family? What kind of person is content to sit on their bazonger all day long and live off the backs of hard-working people? It’s disgraceful.
Have an enjoyable week, and relish every bite of your apple crumb pie! Especially when you’re wondering why your jeans feel so damn snug!😂😂
Ginger
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I just noticed we’re getting some political signs too. I could really do without them. Ooh, apple crumb cake, now that sounds delicious, and you didn’t have to make it so it’s even sweeter plus you had good conversation. Win – Win. My jeans are okay, but I’m still gardening a couple of hours every morning. Now, when I stop, there may be a problem. 🙂
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Beautiful, beautiful in your area! I LOVE Macoun apples. I’ll be picking some up this weekend.
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Happy eating. I think they are best!
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Staffing shortages, eh?
Well,…… I have a new career. No, not staffing the scale house on the farm. I am still doing that, but I have embarked upon a new occupation. Hog herding. I have been helping out in my brother-in-law’s hog barns.
I remember back in high school when the guidance counselor called me in and asked. “Have you considered a career in hog-herding?”
“No.”
“You should.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Just looking at you.”
So, after many decades as a data architect, fate has finally found me.
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Almost Iowa, you made me chuckle. Fortunately, I had swallowed that sip of coffee.
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That is the honest truth. 🙂
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I am so glad I didn’t have anything in my mouth even gum because I would have swallowed it laughing. Oh my gosh, I hope you know we all miss you. July 8 is a long time ago. Yes, I looked it up. 🙂 Hope you are well and that you’ve had a good summer even if you hadn’t caught us up on the mosquito refuge or what Stan is doing. Take care of yourself, and it was worth writing this post just to have you stop by. 🙂
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I have no explanation either to describe the mechanics of unemployment rate swings. Just a few years back there were no jobs for teenagers at fast food places because adults took them all. Every second house on the street was for sale….many in “short sale” status. Now there are bidding wars for the rare listing that goes on the market. The resulting puzzlement is good reason to just disengage and open your posts and revel in the lovely photos! Any attempt at figuring out economics is well above my pay grade….but I, too, am familiar with a good cup of coffee and a slice of warm apple pie on my deck in balmy autumn weather! Wish I had the color you do to admire, but it’s all oaks in back….fun watching the squirrels scramble from branch to branch grabbing acorns, though! I love fall, and can tell that you savor it too!
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Our real estate is crazy. They list a house on Friday and have open house on Saturday and take bids. On Sunday they review the bids and usually take one that is over the asking price with no mechanical inspection or anything. I guess I find it interesting because of my HR background, but I sure don’t understand what’s going on. I will ship you some color if I can throw in a few squirrels. We have a LOT. 🙂
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Lovely fall colours. Such a beautiful time of the year. (Suzanne)
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It is a pretty time of year in New England with all the color shining forth. Thanks for stopping.
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Thanks for the colorful views of New England, Judy. We don’t see that kind of color here in autumn. I remember Macoun apples from back east, but can’t seem to get any here. They were good! Plenty of other varieties,though.
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McIntosh use to be the go to apple up in this area, and many people still love them. The Macoun are sweet but really crisp when you bite into them making for a great combo. Yes, bottom line, it is apple season so enjoy fresh local varieties.
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I love both coffee and fall in New England. Thank you for the beautiful photos. Usually, we only see yellow and brown here, but we did a “leaf peeper” tour over the weekend along the St. Croix River (divides and WI) and were amazed at the colors.
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We love coffee too!! Our autumnal colours have as yet to really get started.
You sound in the same dire straits with staffing problems as we have here. our useless government decided to leave the EU after an election based on lies, so Brexit has made everything in our country even worse.
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You always have coffee and cake when you visit gardens, and I’m always envious because that is something we do not do here. I’m sorry you’re experiencing some of the same issues only for a different reason. I guess that’s why we spend so much time in our gardens – plants we understand. 🙂
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Happy to supply some color and coffee talk. 🙂 I’m glad you caught some color in your area too. The leaf peepers are keeping the roads busy here right now. Hope your coffee is good and hot this morning. I’m enjoying my first cup while I chat with you – both good things. 🙂
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Or smell the coffee as it were. 😉 My wife is permanently in a coffee state of flux. She’s seemingly never happy with what she buys at the store (Peet’s, Starbucks, Seattle’s Best, etc). So she ends up buying from expensive sources online, and then complains about how much she’s spending on only slightly better quality. I meanwhile will drink either what she makes or get gas station coffee and never complain about it. It makes for some odd conversations around here.
The employment imbalance at the moment is unfortunate. Everywhere there are signs up in windows advertising openings. It would seem that applicants could ask for the moon and receive it, but that doesn’t appear to be true either. I sure hope things normalize by next year.
Please save me a slice of that pie. 🙂 – Marty
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It is funny the varieties of coffee available at the stores and online, and we’re always looking for that next ‘good’ cup. Probably the only kind of coffee I would steer away from is instant. 🙂 Yes, there is a piece of that pie with your name on it, and it turned out mighty good. 🙂
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Good coffee, apple crumb pie, and autumn colors… yummy! A lot of people are scratching their heads about the lack of work applicants. I don’t think that, all of a sudden, people have gotten lazy. It’s probably happening for a combination of reasons and my guess is that things will never return to pre-pandemic levels. Interesting times, for sure.
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The lack of applicants is definitely not a one answer fits all, and I think you’re right about it not returning to pre-pandemic levels. I’m not sure where that leads us, but I guess we’ll see as time passes. Fascinating times we’re living in right now.
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We did similar on Sat., stopping at the local orchard to pick up apples and indulge in cider donuts, a must-do ritual. Applesauce, crisp and butter made.
Where did all the workers go? 3% unemployment rate is misleading, as there are many who can no longer collect as their benefits have expired. So how are they earning money? E-bay, Amazon Marketplace? Making do on only one income? It does make one wonder.
The temps and weather should be perfect this week as we come into peak foliage. Enjoy the beauty!
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Thank you for the reminder to grab some cider donuts. We have a favorite farm a short ride away where we pick up a dozen and freeze them. They are a real treat to pull out on a weekend morning. I think some have gotten very creative in designing their own way in the world. I guess we’ll have a front row seat over the next couple of years to see where it all leads us. Happy Fall, Eliza.
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Thank you for the freezing tip – great idea!
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Thanks for sharing the fall colors that I miss. I also miss the variety of apples I used to get in both Illinois and Ohio!! I made applesauce all the time during apple season and then froze or canned most of it.
I’m getting a hankering for a mocha so I may have to do a coffee stop one day this week, although it’s a rather full week. We’re having cooler weather, which I absolutely love. It was in the mid-fifties this morning when I went out for my walk just after dawn and although it got into the mid-eighties, that’s a lot better than 100+!! 🙂
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Oh, I like a good Mocha too. It’s kind of like liquid dessert. Mid-fifties you say? Wow – I bet you are enjoying that.
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I am!
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Well I wish I was at your house eating apple crumb pie with a good cup of coffee, it is a cold rainy spring day here, and would be perfect for pie and coffee.
We are also moving plants around, and enjoying new spring flowers. Your autumn trees are just lovely, I love the different coloured reds in particular.
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I know one thing for sure – we would have one great conversation over pie and coffee. 🙂 I dug up two good sized shrubs today that I remember planting about three years ago and thinking they were in the perfect spot. Now, I’m trying to figure out where the next perfect spot for them is which is pretty funny except I’m getting too ‘mature’ for this. 🙂
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No you’re never too mature to move plants around!
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Those trees in their autumn colours are just beautiful. I am going to google the recipe for apple crumb pie. It sounds very tasty.
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The colors are doing well. Here’s the recipe I used: https://momspark.net/sweet-treat-dutch-apple-pie/. I’ve made it before, and it turns out good.
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Thanks. I’ll look it up.
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Yes to a good cup of coffee … and I really need the caffeine boost this morning! But I’ll hold on the apple pie. I’m more of a cake person 😉
We’re also seeing a lot of Help Wanted signs, but it never occurred to me to link it to the shorter hours experienced at the various stores and restaurants. This pandemic just keeps on giving.
We’re seeing a lot of colour here now and I’ll be heading out shortly for a hike to a location with a great lookout. This is definitely my favourite time of year!!
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My husband is a pie person, and I’m a cake person, but I must admit I’ve never met a dessert I didn’t like. 🙂 I went into a local hardware store yesterday. There was one young man working in the entire store. He helped me find what I was looking for and then checked me out. I commented about him being there by himself, and he said that just can’t find anyone to hire. He said he didn’t get it, but he needed money to live. So, I found myself thanking him for working so I could buy the tool. Who knew we’d be thanking people for working. Strange times.
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Wow. And inevitably that one person will get chewed out by someone because of ‘bad’ service.
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Those colors are amazing! I was recently sick and threw up coffee one morning, I literally thought to myself, “That’s actually not terrible” and was back drinking it the next day.
Can’t keep coffee drinkers down! 😛
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Thank you for the hearty laugh here. I’m sorry you were sick, but that’s a funny line. Yes, you can’t keep coffee drinkers down, and I’m still chuckling.
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Haha, you’re welcome. I was sure you would appreciate it. 😉
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I miss New England so much! Thanks for the beautiful photos. We’re way behind with color here in Central PA, and restaurants, especially the small local ones, are truncating hours right and left, and even closing completely, for lack of staff. It’s heartbreaking.
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Glad to share the color. Yes, it is heartbreaking to watch the store and restaurants close. Up north there is The Brick Store that has been there since the early 1800’s. It closed for a while when the pandemic started but never opened again because they can’t find anyone to work there. A friend stopped at a diner up north, and the owner is the only employee and is trying to sell it because she just can’t keep up. I sure don’t know where this is all going, but I don’t think it’s going to be a story with a happy ending.
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Judy, I agree. Very worrisome.
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We are going to try to get to the orchard tomorrow it being Owen’s day off. Didn’t those colors hit suddenly? One day it was all green then wow! Your second photograph is almost identical to one of mine, right down to the floating leaves. The rivers are wider than I thought 😀
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Happy apple buying. They are really good this year. We live close to a reservoir and can find photos on a couple of different roads/bridges that cross it. I don’t have to go far for color. The higher one was from a golf local course. Happy October!
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Such lovely autumn colours.
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Thank you. Hope all is well with you and yours.
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Oh, two things I love: Apple pie/apple crisp and fall colors! Ours have barely started, and am so afraid they are going to fall before it gets real colorful!
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Hope you get some pretty color as you and hubby are out riding about. Happy quilting.
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Oh, how I agree when you say: “Nothing smells better than apple pie baking on a cool fall day.” Our autumn colours are a bit more advanced than ours, but we’re close behind.
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I don’t think I’d made an apple pie since last fall, and I’m wondering why I waited so long. 🙂 Happy leaf peeping.
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Thanks, Judy. Happy pie-baking. And leaf-raking? We have so many trees here that I see my future very clearly….
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Hi Judy! I have a question for you. What do you like about Peet’s coffee? My favorite is a WI roaster called Wonderstate, but I often see Peet’s on the shelves of the local grocery stores. Is it a smooth cup?
As for staffing issues, I hear about it and see it all over. My favorite coffee shop closed because of it and another had to close its kitchen for a day as the kitchen staff didn’t make it to work. It will be interesting, and perhaps frustrating, to see what happens to the workforce in the years to come.
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I think you used the right word – Peet’s seems smooth to me, and it is consistent. We can buy it here in NH and when we go to SC, we can pick it up there if it’s not sold out. Certain brews sell out fast. It just is sad to see some of the shops close due to no fault of their own. Yes, it is certainly going to be interesting and is going to impact us all.
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I too love coffee Judy – but if I drink it later in the day I’m up all night! So 2 cups when I start my day and that’s it although I’d love more. My husband loves the Starbucks brand. It’s not my favorite but he wakes before I do and the coffee is always ready for me so I don’t complain 😊.
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Hot coffee already brewed in the morning is a good thing, but Starbucks is a little stout for me. I like Starbucks mixed drinks I just can’t do their regular coffee. I guess that is why there are so many brands on the shelf so we can each find the perfect blend. 🙂 I’m with you on how late in the day I can drink it. I have an early afternoon cup but I usually make it 50/50 decaf.
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I agree about it being “a little stout” Judy, but Im willing to go with it since my husband does all the work LOL.
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