Autumn daytrip- Beverly and Hamilton

I have another catsitting assignment. The lovely Miss Tiger Lily is under my care for a few days. She lives in a gorgeous home. Here is the view from the dining room. The trees are still colorful around here. I love it!

Before deciding how to spend my day, I spent some time feeding and cuddling with Tiger.

It was Veteran's Day and so no work for me. I did not go to a parade but I certainly thought about our veterans today. My Father is a World War II veteran. He joined  the Navy at age 17 and I am very proud of him.

I decided to take a spontaneous daytrip to the North Shore. I wanted to go back to the Jolie Tea Shop to replenish my tea stash. My friend Debbi accompanied me.

We started with lunch at the Weathervane Tavern in Hamilton. Debbi had been there before. Cute from the outside.

The interior of the Tavern was cozy and comfortable. It was clearly a local hangout. There were not many tables in the place but we found a seat. It was late lunchtime.

Here's the dining area. Rustic decor. A very casual, unstuffy atmosphere. I had the baked haddock and salad. Debbi had the veggie wrap and we split a side order of sweet potato fries. It was all yummy.

The tea shop was closed. So we decided to take a ride to Beverly. The area was so beautiful and the trees were still colorful. A ride along the North Shore is the perfect thing to do on a day off.

We really had no destination in mind. I remembered visiting a cute shop called Sweetwater & Company last year and I knew it was in the area so out came the GPS and we were off to Beverly Farms. We found it!

It was just as cute as I remembered. Don't you love the pumpkin in the urn? It looks so pretty with the bittersweet draping around it.

Debbi loves swans. She photographs them in Melrose all the time so the minute I spied this sign I called her attention to it.

The Cygnet Restaurant was charming on the outside. I loved the choice of colors and the sign of course.

I opened the door so we could check it out. Simply gorgeous! Small sofas at some of the tables. Elegant but comfortable.

We checked out the menu and saw there were swan and cygnet sizes for some of the entrees.

The reception area  was decorated with pet photos. I will definitely have to try this place in the future.

We planned to go for a coffee later in the day so we found a bakery called Half Baked.We thought it would be a good place for coffee and dessert. It wasn't open but I just had to take a photo of this sign in their window.

As is my norm, I found a kitty to talk to. I do attract cats don't I? This big kitty came right over to us then went to the yoga studio where I presumed he/she belonged.

We were still searching for a coffee shop but the ocean beckoned. Yes it was chilly and windy but the sun was starting to set and it was oh so beautiful. This was the view from Lynch Park in Beverly.

The sky was dramatic. I told Debbi it's too bad I have to work and miss sunsets most days.

So on the way to the beach/ocean, I spotted a velvet sofa at the side of the road.  I have a gift for spotting roadside treasures. I pointed the sofa out to Debbi but then I said never mind we won't stop.

On the way back from the ocean, I decided to stop and take a look. We walked up to it. Well, there's no place to sit on this sofa! But isn't it magnificent? The sign stated it was not free. The seller wanted $50 for it. I took a look around the back of it. Cat scratched. I laughed out loud. I am quite familiar with cat scratched sofas.

I had to pass it up but I still think it was pretty. Debbi thinks I am a lunatic for even stopping. Perhaps I am.

One last look at the beautiful velvet sofa with no seating. I wonder how much it would cost to reupholster it?

Well, we finally found a local coffee place. Atomic Cafe on Cabot Street in Beverly did not disappoint. Debbi had the mocha chai latte. It looked spectacular.

I had a cappuccino and a ginger molasses cookie. The cookie was huge, perfectly chewy, and intensely flavorful. I knew when I looked at it that it would be delicious. It had those deep cracks in it and sugar you can see on the top. So yummy!

I drove Debbi back to her house and then I went back to give Tiger Lily her evening meal and her daily dose of lovins.

I had a perfectly wonderful day.

A Fall celebration- the Harvest Dinner

Saturday night I hosted my annual Harvest Dinner. We already had a pumpkin on the front steps and the leaves cooperated. They fell in all the right places. All I needed to do was add a dried hydrangea wreath to the front door.

I had just finished setting the table. As I admired my tablescape I decided to take a few photos. Percy, the champion photobomber decided to come for dinner.

A vintage tablecloth with lace edging was layered with a pumpkin colored lighted table runner. I love the pop of color and the ambiance the tiny lights create.

I bought pumpkins and some leaves from the Dollar Store. I use them in business too! The pumpkins were a takeaway gift for my guests.

One bouquet of Fall flowers from Trader Joe's became three small arrangements.Two floral arrangements in vintage bottles graced the table and a third in a mason jar was placed in the condo's common area.

I always use my green goblets for the Harvest Dinner. The table always needs a little green to break up the orange. Now you can see the tiny lights in the runner!

The menu was as follows:  turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce,  cream cheese mashed potatoes, butternut squash, apple pie, chocolate cake, pumpkin muffins, and maple leaf cookies.

One last photo. The party was over and time for a little rest before the cleanup. Time to put Harvest Dinner 2013 to bed.

“I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

I was going through some old photos on my computer and I realized yeah I really do love October. I have to agree with Lucy.  I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers because October is one of my favorite months.

I love to go on a short walk or a long daytrip with my camera in tow. I always find something interesting to photograph. It could be a new feline friend that I've made...

Or a leaf strewn walkway. Leaves are a favorite subject to photograph. After years of living in the same area, I know which trees are going to turn first and which ones will be the most brilliant.

Is there anything more quintessentially Fall than pumpkins?  Especially pumpkins and wagons. 

I admit to spying on other people's Fall decor. It's fun to see how the front doors are accessorized.

And in October we find the last of the Farmer's Markets. It's great to walk around the markets when the temps are nice and cool.

And I love, love, love to go into the courtyard of the Boston Public Library and look at the witches hats.

These are some downright fashionable witches hats. Much care has been taken to create them.

And then of course at the end of October, there's fright night or Halloween. I am always afraid of those things that go bump in the night at the condo!

Magic, pure magic out there in New England

Ok, I stole the title of this post. Anita of Castles Crowns and Cottages commented on my Hamilton Coaches post and she coined the phrase about pure magic. Anita's words are always pure poetry and so are the images she chooses. You need to visit her blog after reading this post. I think pure magic describes Autumn in New England perfectly. I have always felt it is magical here and especially in Autumn.

The photo above was taken at my favorite store, Nesting on Main in Concord. Yes, Nesting is heaven but Heaven right here describes my home state and it's surrounds. All the stores, like Nesting, are decked out in their Autumn finery inside and out. I just love all the vibrant colors.

At Zuzu's Cafe in Wakefield yellow leaves were everywhere on the outdoor patio. Inside it was nice and cozy.

Butternut squash apple soup, a staple of my diet this season. Pure magic! And who can resist the best grilled cheese in town? Half a sandwich and the soup is plenty enough for lunch.

You can find some of the best foliage in cemeteries in Autumn. This one was in Concord.

And this one was in Wakefield. This is close to my home so I go here often. It's by the lake which makes it especially nice.

This Wakefield cemetery had been moved from the town green to this section of land by the church and the lake. I am not sure why but I am always drawn to cemeteries in Autumn.

I was photographing this structure when an older man with long white hair and a straw hat approached me. He asked about my camera and what I was shooting. I didn't want to tell him that I was also using Instagram on my phone because I thought he would think I was cheating.

I asked about this stone structure. He said it was a very old burial crypt. The family, he said, had planted grass on top of it so as to disguise it. The left side door had been pried open a bit so there is a large piece of stone blocking the entrance. I thought the building was interesting and I tried to give it a romantic feel in my shot.

It's hard to imagine that some of these graves are from the sixteen and seventeen hundreds. They have certainly withstood some harsh Winters but their carvings remain in fairly good shape.

Amazingly, very few graves were broken. I think I only saw one completely cracked in half. The crunching of the leaves made spooky sound effects as the sun started to set.

The man in the straw hat said he had photographed the cemetery and the lake many times and he showed me where the light hits the trees at the end of the day.

And there was more magic going on in Concord. Drummer, the abused horse who was rescued by a nice Concord family, was having a great time in the Autumn sunshine. I am so happy to see him again. Last time I drove by his corral he was not there. But he's back and he has a friend. Good for him.

He has some nice scenery to look at all day. I guess he can take refuge in that building in the distance.

And speaking of horses, I don't think I shared this photo of these two beauties in Hamilton. Another shot with my phone.

After all that travel this weekend I stopped by a favorite coffee shop, Jitters Cafe, for an Autumnal favorite. No ones does a cinnamon mocha better than Jitters in Melrose.

Entering my driveway I see I have some raking ahead of me but it can wait.

I still have some magic to photograph.