Having lived in the Northeast all my life, I will admit to taking for granted, at times, the beauty of Autumn we experience every year. Now that I’m in New England and armed with my camera more often than not, it’s hard to ignore. Nor should I.
If winter is mother nature’s solemn, thoughtful child, spring her adventurous one, and summer her creative progeny, then autumn is surely her bold, rambunctious child. Always looking for attention, shouting ‘look at me, look at me’, and rightfully so.
As you may know, we live in a fairly remote area, where everything but for a small general store and a couple of not so great restaurants is at least 30 minutes away. A trip to the grocery store is a half day affair. That’s the bad news.
The good news is the drive to most places is downright meditative, so I thought you might like to accompany me on my recent sojourn.
As you leave and return to our community, this is what you see:
Just up the street, as you turn toward the main road that takes you to your destination, stands this lovingly restored home that was built in the 1700’s. For a couple of years it was languishing while it was on the market, but the new owners took great pains in restoring it back to its former glory. The outside has been impeccably done, and while it was being restored I caught a quick glimpse of the kitchen and it looked like they were keeping the authenticity of the home alive.
Across the street sits a sweet church (not functioning because they have no heat) and this gorgeous site!
So now we’re heading down the mountain. (Most of these photos were taken while I was in the car. Good thing I had a clean windshield!).
Now we’re on the main road, where endless, vibrant hues greet you at every turn. Sit back and enjoy!
There are two kinds of cemeteries along the drive…old and really, really old. The best kind :).
For this next photo, I drove up a small hill to a cemetery I’ve always wanted to visit. This is the view the departed enjoy.
Once again, back on the main road, heading towards town.
After picking up some groceries, I headed back home up the mountain.
Two days later I had an appointment on the other side of town in the opposite direction. As you can see, it’s equally as lovely.
Autumn’s beauty is like a perfect rose…stunningly beautiful, yet fleeting. How are the colors where you live? It’s past peak now, with as many leaves on the ground as the trees.
In other news…
I mentioned in my last post that we drove to Mt. Greylock with Sarissa & Josh, only to have zero visibility due to the weather.
On Tuesday we experienced record temps of the low 80’s, and we decided to try again on our own. At nearly 3,500 feet, it’s the highest elevation in the Berkshires, and this is the view from the top. Although it was a gorgeous day, some clouds seemed to interfere with the visibility and it wasn’t as vibrant as expected.
This cutie seemed to have disagreed with me. When she wasn’t being fed treats, she was enthralled with the view.
We’ve checked a few things off our list from the Project Wish List post in addition to painting the kitchen wall which I’ll share with you next time (nothing too exciting, but this post is already photo heavy so I’m holding off). I’ll also share some more pretty photos from our apple picking day with Sarissa & Josh. It’s fun to see such city slickers in the country!
If you enjoy Fall foliage, you won’t want to miss last year’s post when we visited Vermont during peak season. The colors were beyond amazing! Just click on the link here or below in the ‘featured’ posts section. (If you’re new here, you’ll notice in that post ‘househoneys’ was the watermark. That was the name of my blog before I changed it this past spring. I’m no longer watermarking my photos).
EDITED TO ADD: We no longer live in New England as of September, 2017, but now reside in the sunny, coastal area of Wilmington, NC and love it! Yes, for sure we will miss the glorious colors of Autumn, but everything in life is a trade off and this was one we were happy to make.
Emily says
Stunning, absolutely stunning! Doreen, I want to move to when you live, I would never leave. Your photographs are magazine worthy and oh that house, it’s my love house! What a grand view from the Berkshires, and the pup. This is the perfect post! I’ll go back for more of this tour………..
Poppy says
O. M. G…!!! You are one lucky lady to be living amid such stunning beauty! Simply breathtaking, Doreen. Your photos, I’m sure, do this landscape justice. I know you see so much more driving, but I would have to walk this paradise at least once a day during the fall, to hear that crunch under my step, to breathe in that crisp, cool air seasoned with a hint of those leaves that have already fallen and been bathed in autumn rain.
Have a cozy weekend,
xxx
Karen@ Beatrice Euphemie says
The beauty is spectacular! Every photo is jaw-droppingly beautiful! Thank you for taking us along…….I love the restored home, too 🙂 What a gorgeous drive to the grocery store! Nature’s way of giving us sweet memories for those long, cold months ahead. Sending hugs xo Karen
Rita C at Panoply says
So beautiful, Doreen! Every post or photo on FB I have seen of New England has shown a spectacular fall coloring this year. Sad to say, but our West Virginia colors are much less vibrant this year, except along the eastern portions of the state. I have seen some beauty captured there, but it was by professional photographers who waited out the natural light of days to do so. Still, the WV hills have my heart, and are still a sight to behold. Happy Saturday!
tammy j says
how I love your description of each season. and you’re right!
autumn is definitely “look at me! look at me!” LOLOL! love it!
you lucky girl.
and the beauty of you is that you know your good fortune and appreciate it.
and you SHARE it!
our autumn here is going to be just like last year. we’ve had no rain. the leaves have dried up and
turned brown and will fall off the trees that way. we’re expecting temps for days again in the high 80’s.
I guess I have to resign myself that our climate has definitely changed here. we no longer have an autumn season.
so your posts like this one mean even more to me! autumn lover that I am. I remember all my own days in the northeast.
and i’m heartened by your posts.
thank you dearest bean!!! XOXO♥
Marsha says
Gorgeous! I am in heaven. I absolutely fell in love. I would love to visit your area since I am always seeking out the best places to experience Autumn. So beautiful. I am happy you enjoy it each and every day.
Brenda Kula-Pruitt says
I can’t even imagine being able to envision such beauty on a daily basis in the fall! You are a lucky girl. What I’d give to take photos of the foliage and those old cemeteries. (I’m glad you’re not watermarking photos anymore. I never did. I think it takes away from the beauty of the photo. But I’m probably in the minority on that.)
Brenda
Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage says
Swooning as I was leaf peeping along your post. Ahhhhhhh the beauty of nature at it’s finest.
Happy Weekend.
Hugs,
Kris
Marilyn @ Pink Paper Cottage says
OMG….. gorgeous and stupendous…. I love the bits of lavender and purple dotting the hills with all of the oranges, yellows, reds and golds…. it’s well worth that 30 minute drive to town! I used to live about 12 miles out of town, along a river (in SW Washington) and my drive in the Fall was my favorite time of year… not quite as colorful as yours though, but the golds and yellows of the leaves just made it seem to glow. Here in central Oregon, we have NOTHING even remotely compared to your beauty there…. but if we take a drive to the west of us, up into the mountains (the Cascade Range) then we are treated with some glorious sights of golds, yellows and rusts.. maybe a pop of red here and there, but not much red in our landscape. Thank you for sharing! I do miss the color where I live! Marilyn
Jane says
Doreen,
I have one word for your pictures and your region: Glorious! And you are quite the accomplished photographer. These should be in a magazine or brochure for the Berkshires. I know zip about upstate New York and I couldn’t find you on a map. Since blogging and meeting you, I’ve also met a gal whose family spends time in the Adirondacks. Is that nearby?
I have the luxury of walking or driving a max of 1 minute to any sort of store I need. It has its plus points. At the lake I have to drive 45 minutes to find major shopping and restaurants (South Bend, home of Notre Dame). The route there and in surrounding Michigan and Indiana is beautiful. Not as flat as Illinois but definitely not as mountainous as your area. Wow…just can’t get over these views!!!
Good luck with your kitchen. I just want to hide under the blankets for the next few months with all the work we have at the lake, the holidays coming, babies…I think of that song by Zayn, Pillow Talk. “It’s a paradise and it is a war zone” Ha!
Jane
Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow says
Doreen I enjoyed all of these lovely scenic shots…just breathtaking beauty all around you! 🙂
SharonFromMichigan says
Wow! Just Wow Doreen! The colors are just breathtaking by you. In Michigan as we started to see all the pretty colors, a nice cold front came roaring through with good gusts of wind – now most of the pretty leaves are gone. I wonder if the people in the 1700s house would be willing to let you in to take a couple pictures. I’d love to see the inside of that house!
susan says
Thanks for taking us along on your ride, Doreen. The scenery is spectacular. We had so much wind last night that many of the leaves have fallen now, but I love watching them swirling up in the air and down the road. Mother Nature really knows how to put on a show.
kelly says
Wow! Fall in your area is much more beautiful than in mine! You have such bright colors everywhere. Spring is the prettiest here in GA. We have lots of flowering trees and bright green grass here. But, I’ve always loved Fall best because of the temps. The humidity is always a big problem in the south, so Spring just brings the humidity with it. But, Fall cools off and makes you want to stay outside all day. I will have to plan a trip up north some time during the Fall.
Cecilia says
I like bed leaf peeping with you! So beautiful. The leaves here are just barely starting to show signs of changing colors. Peak time is close to Thanksgiving providing we don’t get a freeze that turns them brown! We had nice crisp weather this weekend but temps will be back up during the week. Sigh. I think I’ll go browse through your pictures again.
Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse says
The colours are mesmerising, as if each leaf had been painted to create such beauty… And I’m in love with the 1700 house! I want to see the inside!
Cindy says
Doreen, you are so right, there is nothing close to the Northeast for fall. That home that was restored is spectacular.
We used to go apple picking all the time. It is such a fun thing to do
Cindy
Vera @ rowhomesandcobblestones says
Doreen,
Your photographs of painted leaves is so breathtaking it is beyond beautiful. Fall is colors so full of vibrancy they are hard to describe and impossible to forget.
xoxo,
Vera
Mary-the boondocks blog says
Doreen keep em coming! Just don’t stop taking photos. This is the best time of the year. I remember vividly one year walking around a nature preserve and looking down at the leaves which looked like nuggets of gold. Alas, we have too much green here but I am going to take a short trip up to the mountains with the hubby to see if we can find some real Autumn trees.
Kim says
Dreamy, Doreen. I’ll trade you my traffic for your lengthy trip to the grocery store? Looks like we both have a water view getting in and out of the neighborhood, so that part’s a fair swap. Unfortunately with all the crazy drivers and full roads, our trips can be anything but meditative. Grr. Thanks for the peek of your colorful little slice of charming small town heaven. Enjoy it!! 🙂
Jemma says
Wow!!! You are one fortunate gal to live in the midst of this glorious color and rolling terrain.
I love my Texas family…but moving to a place on this planet with a change of seasons is surely tempting.
Thank you for sharing this heaven sent scenery!
xo
Jemma
Carrie@northwoods scrapbook says
Sorry….I was just picking up my jaw from all those amazing colors!! I gobbled up EVERY SINGLE PHOTO!! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful world…it was like a gift and made my day. 😉
I love that you’ve been getting such wonderful time with your daughter and “grandbaby” and can’t wait to see the apple pickin’ pics!!
I’d say we’re in the same boat as you now – lots more leaves off of the trees and definitely past peak. I’m still trying to soak up what I can and resist the urge to go hot glue some leaves back on. ::sigh:: 😛
Blessings on the rest of your week Babes!! xoxo
AnnMarie says
I have had to rely on posts like yours with beautiful pictures because around here, it is just not peaking. There are some trees that are gorgeous but there isn’t a lot of color in the woodsy areas. We had 70+ days up until last week so the nights just weren’t cold enough. I have to get my fix for seeing those colors in person so I told my husband next Fall there will be a trip to the Adirondacks or perhaps the Berkshires. I remember one time I was horseback riding in the Berkshires and the leaves were pink and purple….gorgeous! Looking forward to seeing your kitchen wall 🙂
kim says
I hate to use the word ‘envy’ but I do in this case! Smashing colours, Doreen. I can relate to remote living and I love it myself, except when I have to drive five hours in the winter for a stinking Dr. appointment!
Amy says
Stunning, Doreen! What a treat to ride around your neighborhood with you! I can promise you that my drive to the grocery store looks nothing like yours, lol. You are so very fortunate to have such a beautiful backdrop to your everyday comings and goings. We’re having a strange fall down here — some trees have peaked, and the leaves have fallen; many others are still green.
Judy says
Oh, Doreen, words are not enough to say how beautiful it is where you are. I have seen pretty sunsets in Arizona and we are not too slouchy in that area either, but nothing can outdo you as far as I have seen. We have had some gorgeous changing trees but then we got rain and wind and they don’t last too long under those circumstances. I have a long drive to good shopping also but I would love to see sights like you do when I go there. Thank you for sharing your beauty spot with us..Have a wonderful rest of the week..Judy
Paula says
Beautiful! I would love to see the New England foliage. When I retire (I’m a teacher), I’m going to New England in the fall!
Dewena says
Doreen, this is my third time to come lose myself among your breathtaking scenery. You live in this gorgeous place that represents exactly why RH and I have subscribed to Yankee Magazine for decades. Amazing photography skills, Doreen, but you have a magnificent subject here.
I knew you lived in the countryside but didn’t realize it was that far to a shopping district. I bet you carry ice in a cooler to bring back ice cream, don’t you?
I can see why you don’t do your FL traveling in October!
Red Rose Alley says
Doreen, Autumn is absolutely gorgeous around your neck of the woods. These are truly great pictures, and I see a lot of the golds and the reds and the oranges, a variety of colors swirling around in nature. So beautiful. You do live in a remote part of the countryside, and I love that road picture with the golden leaves in the background.
And it is snowing now! I can’t wait to see your snow pictures, as we don’t get to see the snow much here where I live unless we go up in the mountains about an hour away.
~Sheri
ps I really wish you would submit some of these pics to a few magazines. They are wonderful.
feral turtle says
Gorgeous!!
Julie says
Hi Doreen, WOW those trees and the fall colors are just so pretty and amazing!! That is one of the things I love about fall and looking at the fall foliage. Hope you have a nice day and weekend.
Julie xo
the cape on the corner says
wow! and gorgeous! and all those sorts of words! this is on my to do list, and one year, i WILL do it, lol.
thanks for sharing these amazing pics. saw this featured at best of the weekend link party.
b
Valerie says
This would be a dream come true to see this. I grew up in a heavily treed area and it put on quite a show every Fall. Now where we live in the country the trees don’t turn that often. We are trying to add new colorful trees to our landscape.
You know the pics you took would be a perfect setting for family pictures.