A Covered Bridge or Paying it Forward

~my view~

When the sun struck my neighbor's tree and I saw this view yesterday morning, I thought, "Today is the day!"

Allow me to back up just a bit...

~Great-Grandparents' Home~

Earlier in the fall, I received some photos from my dear blogging buddy Pamela Gordon who blogs at Playing with My Camera. She was going to be in Moncton, New Brunswick and so she drove by and took photos of my great-grandparents' home where Nan had grown up. I was so pleased. Pam had been worried that I would find the house too shabby. It is a bit overgrown since I last saw it, though that makes little difference. Would you believe that the last time I saw this bungalow it had been painted white? It was always a little brown bungalow with no white trim, well groomed plantings, and a proper English garden in the back. I'm actually delighted to see it brown again. Pam's gift touched me so...thank you, Pam!

 ~The Old Neighborhood~

The neighborhood minus a lot of trees that used to line the streets...true of many neighborhoods now, I suppose.

So what has all this to do with the remainder of my post? A lot! While I was still thinking of the Moncton house and Pam's gift, I learned from Sandy that her husband's family had hailed from my not-too-far corner and that, in fact, there was a covered bridge somewhere that was named for the family. Oh really? I wanted to put my Nancy Drew shoes on immediately, though you know how well the weather has cooperated this month (not at all). 

Peak foliage lasted for 2 minutes and 35 seconds on a rainy Wednesday afternoon last. We'll have to take leftovers, but that will be fine on such a pretty fair to middlin' day.

Past country homes and rock walls...

a view of the White Mountains in the distance looking west...

and Sebago Lake beyond looking south.

We had sketchy directions from the internet (we have no GPS) and, after wandering around in circles too many times, John suggested taking this picture because he was thinking it's a new bridge and perhaps something had happened to the covered bridge.

I dutifully snapped the shot and the one below showing the river flowing beneath...

~Stream as Autumn Wanes~

~PicMonkey Help~

Then we decided to ask. Just ask! A young clerk working at a convenience store said that she had never heard of Babb's Bridge, but she did know where the covered bridge was. How many could there be? She gave excellent directions even writing them down for us.

Getting closer!

And closer!

Eureka! A covered bridge with people already there looking around. Is it the bridge?

~Official!~

The way we'd come...

The way we'll go...

I might be tempted to wish that we had been there on a brighter autumn day, but we were just glad to be there at all.

Lovely reflections...

Something has his attention! See the canoers?

Sweet old shed...hope that it can be rescued...as we climbed the hill on the other side of the bridge. Yes, we did cross over in our vehicle.

This post is dedicated to Sandy Babb of Quill Cottage. Thank you for the fun, adventure-filled day, Sandy!

Delights from Quill Cottage

Remember when I was having fun while participating in Miss Sandy's Challenge at Quill Cottage? I won the challenge...not based on the product, no, no, based on a draw. In fact, all the participants won something that day. Miss Sandy is generous to a fault. You should hang out there!

I apologize in advance for the light quality. It was evening by the time I received my package...it was brought to me while I was napping in fact. And this morning has brought gray, rainy skies. You know when I pull out Photoscape's Gradient 6 that I'm trying to make a not-so-good photo better.

The Prize

Beautiful Collage

 Exquisite Details

 Harness Your Dreams

 Write a Book

 More Gifts

Dreamy Ephemera

Darling Tag

Never has a gift more perfectly expressed such lofty thoughts and goals. Our dreams, those things which we think of most often, are God-given. Did you know that? We do not dream without His having placed it in our hearts. So we must pay close attention to our dreams. 

Thank you, Miss Sandy, for your incredible generosity of talent and spirit. I ♥ you!

So, have you guessed that my dream is to write a book? I'm not even concerned about publishing it, I just want to finish it. More on that another day. What dream are you holding dear?

Dare to Dream Different Art Challenge~Quill Cottage

This art challenge has taken me way beyond my comfort zone so I am sitting here chuckling at myself. I am not by nature a creative person. Not.at.all.

When Miss Sandy *first mentioned her challenge,* I had just posted about my word for the year, which is "stretch." Somehow I thought that it would be a good way to practice. And it proved so true. I have stretched — hours and hours of stretching.

The challenge, as I understood it, was to create a tag or a piece of "art" using any of the images that Miss Sandy provided and the word "dream."

Let's have at it, shall we? My picture story...

***

***

So I learned a few things. I am learning that it takes layers and layers of practice. 

And I learned that one can take a sad song tag and make it better. 

Thanks so much, dear Miss Sandy, for encouraging me to try something new. I  had fun! 

Please visit Quill Cottage and see what others did with the same images. 

I Think I Can

Did I get my meatloaf, baked potatoes, veggies, and salad? No, no, I did not. Nothing ever really goes as planned now, does it? Poor John. Between directions written in six different languages and in small print and with pieces missing...well, it's a blessing we got these.

I told my darling that 25 years from now I expect him to know what we baked first. He said that it would be easy to remember Christmas cookies. We'll see. ;>

So many of you have chosen a "word" for 2012. They are unique and meaningful to each one and I wanted a word, too. I was jealous for a word. It came a few days ago while wondering why everyone else could have a word and I could not. My word is Stretch. This means that I am to literally stretch my body — stand straight and reach for the sky kind of stretching and bend low to touch my toes kind of stretching.

My kind of stretching usually consists of playing with the camera as you see in the mosaic below.

Trying to get a better, more clear photo or an interesting shot is about the outer limit of my comfort zone. Ha!

This Stretch also includes the figurative meaning. Though I assured myself that I wasn't going looking for any stretching opportunities; nevertheless, if they came to me...

Not three days later as I was visiting Miss Sandy at Quill Cottage, I found a stretching opportunity that consists of clouds and toes in a different way. You can learn the particulars of the Dare to Dream Different Stretch Challenge by clicking *here;* I also have a link in my sidebar. They are sweet particulars now let me tell you! Hope that you'll give it a whirl.

bird and tag created by Miss Sandy at the Quill Cottage studio

Having only made one or two simple tags before, I'm skittish. My problem is that I stop too soon. There are not enough layers and levels in my work. My hope is to do better and not do just enough to get by. That's what Stretching is all about. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

Do you have a word this year? Have you shared it?

It's Snowing!

It's snowing! I've been waiting. I was up early to get those blue haze/purple haze kind of pictures.

It may be that you'll think that I am the worst sort of prideful gal to show all these photos. True. Just for today. I bought this home nearly eighteen years ago when I was a struggling schoolteacher with two teenagers and a failed marriage. My former home had to be sold; things were bleak. That I was able to purchase this wee haven at all was something of a miracle. It served us well, though it had, and continues to have, some issues. So through all these years, I have lived in a home that looked shabby and forlorn. I did the best I could, though as John says you can't make a purse out of a sow's ear. Nevertheless, I certainly tried. (Thank you, Darling Man, for all that you've poured in to this place.)

One of my favorite things is to catch a glimpse of home when driving from the upper road. It lasts about two seconds, just long enough to know that she's sitting there. Yesterday, I walked up to see if I could capture it through the trees and across three neighbors' back lawns. I doubt you'll find it so lovely as I do. =)

From the Upper Road

Nestled at the Bottom of the Hill

Nestled in Snow This Morning

The New Storm Door, New Outside Light, Wreath on the Door At Last

Going In~Ivory Flakes Kind of Snow

That Lovely Light or A Chair Filled with Christmas Movies

Thank you for indulging me!

Another gift in the mail! Another gift from Miss Sandy@Quill Cottage! This little bird makes my heart sing. He arrived so beautifully presented.

And on the tree! He is such a handsome fellow...

You can find the directions for making him yourself right *here.* I'm going to begin early for next year having flopped this year. (I told Miss Sandy that there's no way this little bird is getting packed away for next Christmas. He's staying out all year. I have found him the perfect nest where he can observe all the goings on at our little haven.)

Now if you've the time, do tell me what's going on in your corner today!

Merry On!

Edited to Add:

♥ Caught! ♥

Because it is confusing, the first comment on this post was written by John. Laura said that at first she thought I was talking to myself. Believe me, Laura, it'd not be the first time someone caught me talking to myself!