How I feel about winter's arrival

This horrifically awkward photograph of Prince Charles and the lovely late Princess Di succinctly captures my feelings about the inevitable arrival of winter. As I sat in my kitchen drinking my morning tea, I watched as a never ending shower of leaves cascaded onto the roof of my car. Leaf peeping was fun while it lasted but now its time for the trees to make like a passenger going through airport security. {sigh}

But how fabulous are her digs? Hunter green wellies and a pink fair isle sweater! It seems that yellow lab shares my sentiments and wants to get the hell out of that awkward encounter...

{Photo via A Cup of Jo}

I miss Paris

{Perched on top of Notre Dame with the gargoyles}

{The Eiffel Tour all a twinkle}

{Parisian boulevard}

One month ago Joe and I were walking the streets of Paris arm in arm. A warming memory on a chilly late fall Monday in Massachusetts.

Atkins Farms

Shortly after moving to the Amherst area, my brother, who is a proud alum of Amherst College, sent me a great list of his favorite sites and restaurants. While chatting with him on the phone about his recommendations I took away two very important pieces of information: Amherst is pronounced "AmERST," the h is silent, and I'd better learn to say it properly to avoid sounding like an uneducated ninny in my new home, AND, more importantly, Atkins Farms is famous for their cider donuts. The very next day I was on my way, mouth watering for this undiscovered delicacy.
On my way into the market I spotted some colorful leaves of the countryside surrounding Hampshire College and Atkins Farms and
some cute as a button, sugar pumpkins. These adorably charming distractions only briefly deterred me from my goal. The glorious cider donuts...
I also acquired some pumpkins and a little gourd. But oh joy, the cider donuts. Soft, sugary rings of wonder. Very similar to cinnamon sugar cake donuts but with a tang of apple cider. So delicious. Ziggy was very jealous as I dug into the appley goodness on the porch. Later, I gave her some cat nip and she forgave me, for now.

Cool runnings

Weather conditions may not permit these late afternoon runs much longer but I sure am enjoying them while the cool, not yet cold, temperatures last. About a half mile from our front door is a fantastic biking/running trail that offers stunning vistas of the fall foliage...

...the Connecticut River...
...the trail...
...and the gorgeous cloud dotted sky. I'm hoping for a tardy winter arrival so I can enjoy more of these outstanding runs.

Thin blood

After a 28 years living in a) SW Florida; b) Central Florida; or c) Southern California, I finally find myself in a locale that enjoys the weather of all four seasons.  Today was the first day since we've arrived in Western Massachusetts that the sun didn't at least cast me a loving ray.  And I'm scared.  The fall foliage is as glorious as a technicolor dream coat but the chill in the air has me shivering in my ballet flats and breezy cardigan.  I think it's time to upgrade my winter wear...I'm loving this Northface Woman's Brooklyn Jacket and these very warm yet chic looking duck boots from L.L. Bean.  

New new England

We made it. After months of waiting, anticipating, procrastinating, saying our farewells, packing, a trip to Paris, and a vicious cat bite later, we made it. Northampton is the now the city listed on our return addresses. First impressions: super friendly folks, lotsa restaurants--representing all regions of the globe, a dabble of independent movie theaters, a scant array of music venues with nicely varied lineups, and most importantly, all the fresh air we can suck into our heads. The air people, my toes, the AIR is so CLEAN. If the air in LA is a gritty industrial paper mill, the air in Northampton is the exhalation of a million peonies. I feel like President Skroob inhaling the canned Perrier oxygen in Spaceballs.
Now I'll leave you with a little taste of what I'll be posting about in the coming week. The utter adorableness of my new house and all the decorating I'll be doing. Check out the heart on the door knob!