An All American Fall Day: Day 216

This weekend we went kayakinq both Saturday AND Sunday because the weather was so stinkin' qorqeous. Sunny, 70's, 0% humidity...one of those last weekend days of the summer-headinq-into-fall where you wish this weather lasted all year. Yesterday we qot up, popped the kayak on the car, plopped Mikko in the backseat and headed out...stopped at DD for coffee and baqels to qo. We headed out to our favorite down the road spot..the Mill Pond and Scantic River just north of here. We spent a couple of idyllic peaceful hours on the river (drinkinq our coffee and eatinq our baqels in the boat) and didn't see a sinqle soul until we were almost back at the boat ramp.

It was supposed to be a repeat of the weather today, so we made plans last niqht to head out aqain...but today was more of a leisurely start..Jim made some cranberry pancakes for breakfast and we read the paper before we left. Our destination today was Eaqleville Pond and the Willimantic River...our first time there. Minutes after we headed out...we saw an enormous blue heron.

Isn't he (or she?) breathtakinq?

Another 25 feet and we saw these beautiful birds..not sure what they are...but they were so cute...they let us qet really close before they took off...but when they did, they RAN on the lake..takinq qiant runninq steps before they took off...it was so cool.



More scenery as we headed down the river...


Can you see the Kinqfisher?
We loved this place...we can't wait to come back.

We stopped on the way home to pick up some Mums at the Cohen Farm...they qrow the most beautiful plants...huqe huqe blooms, lush qreen plants...they are so qorqeous and only $7 each.

They also have pumpkins, qourds, hay bales, and cornstalks but we didn't have room in the car for anythinq else after we bouqht 5 mums!

See what I mean?

Since we had some steaks waitinq at home for us, we decided to stop at the local farm on West Rd. and pick up some corn... Jim loves this place because you can shuck the corn riqht at the stand.

A quasi-self portrait!

We finished our beautiful day with a traditional American feast....steak on the qrill, corn, baked sweet potato, salad with local tomatoes....yummy.

Tit for Tat: Day 214

Remember this post from last April?

Click here: Joe

School is SO very tirinq when you have to awaken at 6am every day and your bioloqical clock is set to wake much much later. Even non-nappers (Taylor) succumb once in a while...without even knowinq!

A Cooking Tuesday: Day 211

Decided to cook up a week's worth of lunches today....so I started with 4 bean soup. Chic peas, black beans, red beans and refried pintos...together with chicken broth, 2 cans of tomatoes, 1 bag of frozen corn and plenty of spices...mmm-mmm. A delicious lowfat steaming bowl of goodness... Next up was an attempt to replicate a delicious Waldorf Chicken Salad that we had from the VT Deli this past weekend...I knew I could come close....and make it low fat in the process.

I started by poaching some chicken thighs I found in the freezer...into the pot went the chicken, celery, onions, carrots, all poached in chicken broth until tender.

Meanwhile, I chopped up scallions, celery/celery leaves, red and green grapes, and apples... also added some dried cranberries and 1 T of sunflower seeds.

Once the chicken was cooled, I pulled the chicken off the bones, discarded the skin and chopped it into small pieces. Threw it into the bowl along with dill, lemon pepper, salt, light sour cream and a little bit of lite mayo.


When I finished, it looked like this....

When Jim got home and took a taste..."This is the greatest chicken salad I've ever had! It blows away the VT Deli's!!" Wow..high praise indeed. Can't wait to have a sandwich tomorrow.. mmm...

Vermont Overnighter! :Day 209

Jim and I headed to VT for 24 hrs to celebrate our 29th anniversary....no definite plans...just wanderin'...Our first stop was the VT Deli...a favorite stop for years and years...we had pesto pasta, roasted pumpkin and black eyed pea salad, and Waldorf chicken salad..mm-yum. They were fantastic as usual.


From there we drove north...headed to Winhall Brook to camp. Once we arrived, however, we decided instead to try someplace new, and continued farther north.

Our next stop was here...another favorite.
We purchased a couple of little trinkets, sampled some cheese (but no candy:( ) and then headed due west toward Emerald Lake State Park to set up a camp. We FINALLY arrived-took a while, as we drove all around before we finally found it. It was wet and there were lots of mosquito's but...we set up the tent and started to blow up our mattress..until we noticed a very monstrous hole in it....bummer. After a try to repair it with electrical tape (no success) we decided to head south toward Manchester, VT and look for a hotel/inn to stay at. However, all we found we ones we couldn't afford, and then the ones we didn't want to stay in. We headed further south towards Bennington, VT....at this point we had had nothing to eat since the cheese sampling at VT Country Store, so we were famished. We found a nice little bar and grill on Main St. in Bennington and asked the waitress for suggestions on a place to lay down our heads for the night. She told us about the new Hampton Inn just up the road, and after dinner we headed...it was lovely...just perfect for what we wanted.

She also gave us a great tip for a wonderful breakfast at a place with a funky name.. can you read it below? It's called Allday's and Onions. Funny name, but we had a wonderful breakfast..homemade scones with maple butter, and brie, bacon and apple omelets with homemade sourdough bread..delish.

We walked around Bennington after breakfast..we were so full we needed to! We checked out some shops...and a river trail...kiss kiss :)

We were heading due east now...back toward Brattleboro and I-91. We stopped at a "junk" aka a General Store in Wilmington on the way, and then jumped on 91. We impulsively decided (well I talked Jim into it I have to say) to stop and check out Yankee Candle, their flagship store (city-sized) in Deerfield, MA. Wow..a HUGE HUGE place.. We bought one candle on clearance..lol...you should have seen the grocery carts full of stuff we saw people buying..a big moneymaker there for sure. The grounds of the Yankee Candle were beautiful..the flowers were also huge and very lush. Pretty place to poke around for the day sometime (without Jim!) as it is so much more than candles.

Our last stop, but no pictures was Amherst, MA...cute college town...got an ice cream cone for lunch, walked around a bit and found a great little Newbury Comics store where they had cool posters on sale. Made Taylor and Joe happy with a poster for each of them. We headed south again, this time straight for home...where we were glad to be. A fun, romantic adventure we had...but it was good to be back!

Happy Anniversary, honey. I love you 29x29x29x29x29.........:)

Books & Excitement: Day 206

This week we had our Annual Book Club Book Picks. Once a year we all bring book suggestions (this year we had about 25) and after perusing book descriptions of all the books, we vote on our 12 favorites. Ultimately we now have 12 wonderful books to read 0ver the coming 12 months.

For the next couple of weeks, I will be highlighting ONE book every day that we will be reading this year so that those people who read this blog and are not in our group have a chance to read the book and comment on the book if one chooses. I would also recommend joining http://www.bookmovement.com/ (it's free!) which will give you almost unlimited access to an amazing amount of great book titles.

The first book I will be highlighting (click on the title to go to Amazon.com) is none other than the famous title Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. This book was chosen for our October discussion, and all of our members are looking forward to reading and discussing this great book.

Here is a short synopsis of the book....


In an unnamed South American country, a world-renowned soprano sings at a birthday party in honor of a visiting Japanese industrial titan. His hosts hope that Mr. Hosokawa can be persuaded to build a factory in their Third World backwater. Alas, in the opening sequence, just as the accompanist kisses the soprano, a ragtag band of 18 terrorists enters the vice-presidential mansion through the air conditioning ducts. Their quarry is the president, who has unfortunately stayed home to watch a favorite soap opera. And thus, from the beginning, things go awry.
Among the hostages are not only Hosokawa and Roxane Coss, the American soprano, but an assortment of Russian, Italian, and French diplomatic types. Reuben Iglesias, the diminutive and gracious vice president, quickly gets sideways of the kidnappers, who have no interest in him whatsoever. Meanwhile, a Swiss Red Cross negotiator named Joachim Messner is roped into service while vacationing. He comes and goes, wrangling over terms and demands, and the days stretch into weeks, the weeks into months.
With the omniscience of magic realism, Ann Patchett flits in and out of the hearts and psyches of hostage and terrorist alike, and in doing so reveals a profound, shared humanity. Her voice is suitably lyrical, melodic, full of warmth and compassion. Hearing opera sung live for the first time, a young priest reflects:
Never had he thought, never once, that such a woman existed, one who stood so close to God that God's own voice poured from her. How far she must have gone inside herself to call up that voice. It was as if the voice came from the center part of the earth and by the sheer effort and diligence of her will she had pulled it up through the dirt and rock and through the floorboards of the house, up into her feet, where it pulled through her, reaching, lifting, warmed by her, and then out of the white lily of her throat and straight to God in heaven. Joined by no common language except music, the 58 international hostages and their captors forge unexpected bonds. Time stands still, priorities rearrange themselves. Ultimately, of course, something has to give, even in a novel so imbued with the rich imaginative potential of magic realism. But in a fractious world, Bel Canto remains a gentle reminder of the transcendence of beauty and love.

Joe/College Layout!: Day 202

Here's another digital layout (2-pager) that showcases Joe's first day at Marist!

Last swim: Day 199

Mom's pool at her townhouse is closing for the season on Sunday, so Taylor and I headed over to have a last swim of the summer. It was very hot out (90 degrees) so it felt SO refreshing. One of her friends at the pool (Dick) offered to take a picture of the three of us when he saw me taking pictures of Mom (Dabi) and Taylor....he did a great job!

Transitions: Day 198

Well, back to school for me today...no more lazy summer mornings reading the paper out on the deck...sigh. This school year I moved to another classroom, leaving the teacher I have worked with for 9 years.

My class has 11 adorable little preschoolers so it should be a fun year, but it will be different.

Jim just moved his office to another building a few miles from the main plant that he has been at for 33 years. They needed more room, so away they moved. He is leaving behind wonderful friends that he played cards with every lunch...:(

Taylor is back to school with a vengence...a few hrs of homework already, Drama meetings after school tomorrow, and she starts her first "real" job at the Big Y on Saturday.

Joe has the ultimate transition: new friends, new home, new school, new job, new routine.

Lyndsay is beginning online applications and first round interviews for her post-college career she will start in January after graduation this December. She is anticipating a move to the midwest upon graduation.

Independence. Careers. New Jobs. New Digs. New Settings.

Wow.

Lots of changes in the Mills Family.