Autumn Arrives

There is nothing like the smell of woodsmoke wafting across the back roads on my ride home, apples ready to be picked before they fall to the side of the road, and an icy frost to bite our noses as autumn makes her way into Vermont.

It seems as if most of us dread fall, and to be fair, it does mean the onset of winter.  And winter gets very tiring around January and February, when the cold is so brutal it cuts through the warmest clothing we own.  But between the foliage, apple picking, Halloween, and the various harvest markets, it's a pretty amazing time to be in Vermont.

My fiance and I just moved to Richmond, out of Montpelier where we lived downtown.  Although we both grew up in secluded, quiet locations, it seems that in only two years we've become used to the endless noises that flooded our tiny apartment.  Here in Richmond, we're just out of the way enough that the loudest things we hear are the cows in the pasture behind our condo mooing, or chewing their cud.  It's beautiful, and there is nothing better than a silence only filled with the constant hum of crickets.

We have a great view in the backyard (where the cows sometimes decide to roam), and a porch to sit on and enjoy it.

We've also gotten all of our "stuff" set up; and there was a lot of stuff! There were a few things that took me two weeks to even get the motivation to put together.  Mostly things that involved family heirlooms and antiques; like my mom's china cabinet (from her great aunt Laudie) and my mom's china (from my dad's great grandmother).  Then there's the room divider.  I had been looking for a big wooden chest and upon finding one this weekend (for twenty dollars, no less) I was finally able to finish unpacking all the "other things" - curtains, chair pads, extra quilts, blankets, sheets - the usual "shove it in the closet" type of things. 

My proudest moment was putting the last teacup in the cabinet - my grandmother's two teacups from China, with the lovebirds to match.  It seemed appropriate, in an overly-sappy sort of way.

But all is not done yet.  The trim still needs to be painted.  I'm sure the washer needs to be fixed, and the dryer vent is in desperate need of cleaning.  The gutters overflow.  The overhead light and fan in the guest bedroom don't work.  A light went out in the hallway.  I could keep complaining, but I'm extremely happy with my new little home - and all my little ridiculous trinkets and hand-me-downs.  I even found this necklace today (an heirloom passed down in my family for generations), which I had forgotten I had.

All in all, autumn always seems to be the best time of year.