Nearly 90 degrees...again!

Summer is hanging in there. It will be close to 90 degrees again today.  The good part is that the humidity is low and the nights cool off.  And summer isn't really over until next week.

There were opportunities for photos everywhere the past few weeks. My own thought is that we won't have a pretty fall.  We are in "moderate drought" conditions in southern New England.  It simply doesn't rain and when it does, it is has just been a light sprinkle and not a soaking rain.

I will let the pictures do the  pictures do the talking

...Mystic, CT...Newport RI 

and other places here in CT

 

 

Of course there were creations along the way...mostly done in an air conditioned room!  A few dolls came to stay and a few left the realm. My birthday came and went, we dined in some wonderful restaurants, saw a Van Gogh exhibit in MA, and just think!  Another week of summer left!

 

 

Hoping that summer has treated you well!

 

Looking forward to fall,

 

as always and until next time,

 

enjoy the day!

 

Ready for the Mayflower II?

The Mayflower II is in need of restoration and made its way from Plimoth Plantation to Mystic Seaport this past weekend.  It was a sparkling blue day and almost 50 degrees!  We followed the ship from New London to Noank to Mystic and it was so much fun!

Here are a few photos...more to follow as I edit them.

 

The Mayflower II is a replica of the original Mayflower. The original Mayflower that sailed to Plymouth in 1620 no longer exists. Plimoth Plantation's full-scale reproduction, Mayflower II, was built in Devon, England and crossed the Atlantic in 1957.

It is truly hard to imagine  making a long voyage across a vast ocean in such a small ship.  If you want to know more about Mayflower and Mayflower II look  here.  You might be very surprised how little you know and how much you can learn.

Lots of Christmas & holiday lights and decorations around...more than the past few years. New England looks beautiful in every season and wonderful when deocrated with greens and garlands and wreaths.

On a different note, it has been busy in this household but we are never too busy for a long ride and a cup of coffee!  We don't do a lot of shopping or entertaining but we enjoy what is at hand.  I actually did find myself at a mall more than once---a rarity for me!  Once a super shopper...now not-so-much.

What have you all been up to?  Hope you are staying well and in good spirits. The holidays can be stressful even in good times. It can be a poignant time as well. Be well, be happy.

To my friends who are celebrating...

And to all, happy seasonal greetings.  Christmas is right around the corner and the next thing you know?  It will be another year!

As always,

enjoy the day!

Autumn in Connecticut...

As autumn progresses, with its own unique beauty, it is a season of change that I welcome.  The colors of the season are so beautiful... and the weather is some of the best of the year!

We have been going to soccer with the grands for nine years but this year we have a new sport to attend...crew!  Our grand-daughter is on a crew team and I must say we loved our first regatta!

Autumn harvest are spectacular this year!  The bright sunny days of August and September have been quite wonderful compared to other years of super humidity and high temperatures. We ate the best produce ever this summer.  And now?  The fruits of autumn are with us!  These photos were taken at one of our favorite places, Staehly Farms.

The Connecticut shoreline is always at its finest in early fall. Bright blue skies, cool breezes and sparkly water views call to us.  As a bonus, the shoreline is less crowded as far less summer visitors fill the streets... the mood is more relaxed.This is a marina in Mystic, CT, where we observed the train bridge swing around to let the high masted boats get through.

I leave you with this quote:

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, 

summer an oil painting, and autumn 

 a mosaic of them all. " ~ Stanley Horowitz.

Enjoy the season...and and as always, 

enjoy the day!

Take me to the River...Mystic, that is...

The heatwave is still with us but might depart tonight when the dew-point is supposed to drop and the subtropical climate will take a break for a few days. This past weekend has been very humid.  We took a trip down to the shore to Mystic Seaport.

We are members there and wanted to see the Charles Morgan in the water. It's the very last wooden whaling ship and has just been refurbished. It was christened on Sunday.  Here is a photo journey of our time at the seaport... that's the Charles Morgan in black.

 

It was a bit cooler near the water.   As you can see in the above photo, there was line of boats waiting to come under the Mystic Bridge.  Did you see the movie "Mystic Pizza" by any chance?  That is the bridge in the movie.

The nasturtiums were looking quite pretty on this warm day.  They are one flower that seems to thrive in bad conditions, high heat and dry soil.

Next time I will show you another favorite  place in the area.  We just might get that cooler and dryer weather so keep your fingers crossed!

Hope that you are staying cool if you are in a summer zone...the USA has had a VERY hot summer.  As always,

Enjoy the day!

A quick hello...

Greetings from hot and steamy Connecticut!  We have had 4 small tornadoes here since July 1. Nobody hurt  (thank goodness) but lots of damage and ancient trees falling over.

We were traveling around Massachusetts the other day and stopped into a fabric store that I like very much. It has a wonderful ambiance and feels like fabric stores of yore. I purchased a some fat quarters and a long quarter. How delightful to see how it was bagged.  Look at this:  a charming fabric bag! When I exclaimed delight, the salesperson said, "to let the fabric breathe."

What remains of the Quoketaug Hill house built by Elias Brown in Old Mystic Village, CT, is a ghost of times gone by and always makes me stop and look. Once a palatial summer home it was ravaged by fire in 1924 and has basically stayed like this ever since.  It is so beautiful just as it stands...

Bike racks are appearing everywhere these days and that's so great to see.  Even downtown Mystic has provided bikers with stands...near one of my favorite bookstores in the world. 

Meanwhile I have to say that I am rather perturbed. My phone is no longer a phone!  I caved in and upgraded my flip phone to a smartphone.  It is fantastic except it is not exactly a phone...it is a computer... that is now attached to the end of my arm.  Welcome to the world of texting.  What was I thinking? And to make my life just a tad more complicated, I chose an android phone when I have been using an iPad for years and have to learn new navigation. Technology is great but it is not necessarily universal in how it works.

Making LOTS of art and art projects.  Thankfully, staying cool and creative with the help of air conditioning.  How is your summer going?  Are you having extreme weather? Ah, to be young again and enjoy the summer with abandon!

As always,

stay cool...

enjoy the day!

Happy to say...

After so much bizarre (and unreasonable)  weather, I am happy to report it returned to summer for a few days here.  This gave that foot of snow we had a chance to melt. It also gave me the chance to wear summer clothes for a day or two as the temperatures rose to almost 70 degrees Fahrenheit!

We traveled down my the shore where great progress has been made in the clean up after the hurricane.

 Mystic Seaport was back to its normal peaceful looking state...

 Unfortunately, there used to be a lovely large 

 dock here in Noank, CT, but it is gone....

 

 Down in Saybrook,  we passed by a window

that needed a second look...

 

 Will have to check it out sometime

when it is open...

Speaking of miniatures...a few weeks ago I went to a doll show and came home some very small items...the golliwog is only 3 inches tall and the felt Christmas stocking is 5 inches long. The wonderful bear is made from mohair and is on wheels and just stands about 4 inches tall.

Bet you think I forgot about dolls...but I didn't! I just forget to photograph them.

The weekend is upon us!  But next weekend is Thanksgiving weekend.  Christmas is not very far after that.  The world spins on with problems and wonder...and the seasons pass rather quickly these days.  

As always,

have a safe and happy weekend,

and as always,

enjoy the day!

Dream boats...

When we returned to Mystic Seaport the following weekend, we were absolutely dazzled by the vintage and antique wooden boat show.  It was a walk through history and glamorous times.

The craftsmanship and amenities...amazing!

Many with Persian carpets...

 

 Comfy!

 Notice the champagne bucket...

fresh flowers...

The above boat is my dream boat!

Fine craftsmanship...

As often as we visit the Seaport, we never see all there is to see.  While were cruising on the Steamboat Sabino, it began to rain and was very beautiful out on the water looking back at the shore.

It is almost the weekend again...

so as always,

happy weekend 

and enjoy the day!