Scenes from the Side of the Road

A favorite pastime of DH and I is going for a drive. No place special - just following the roads wherever they lead us. I have learned to take my camera to preserve some of the treasures we have discovered. The other day, we wandered over the border into Maine and passed this lovely old church on the side of a dirt road.

 We found her on Porter Road in Brownfield, Maine.

The belfry on the weathered tin roof protecting the old church bell.

 Imagine the tolls of the bell from days gone by, signaling the time to worship.

 'Christ's Church' - pretty much says it all.

A view through the window - hence, the glare. This tiny space holds everything a church could need.

 A place to gather and give praise. Such a sweet reminder of a simpler time.

It seemed only fitting that during the same drive, we spotted one of God's creatures.

We never know where our travels will take us or what wonders we will see. That is what makes our drives so special to us.

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Summer on the Mountain

We are in the midst of a beautiful 'Summer on the Mountain' and I am savoring every moment.

The sun rises over Ossipee Lake signaling the start of a new day.

Morning clouds settle over the lake.

Mother Nature in all her glory!

There is something about a misty morning.

Silver Lake has a morning blanket as well.

A fresh new day is upon us.

A quiet place to sit and reflect about days gone by.

 Charlie - the 'Lion King' stands guard over his mountain.

My oh-so-clever husband built this swing set a few years ago.  It is made from telephone poles and is simply massive. 

To give you an idea of its size, the tire is from a large tractor. The swing set is about 20' high. 

The pointed mountain peak you can see from the swing is Mt. Chocorua. Read about its legend here.

The view from our old weathered picnic table.

 Delila shares guard duty with Charlie.

A patch of wildflowers grows along side the granite outcroppings.

All living things on the mountaintop have to be strong and hardy to survive, but can still have a delicate side to them.

Speaking of delicate....Our Sophie. I have such a soft spot for this girl. She has the saddest looking eyes, but she is actually just the sweetest thing you could ask for. She has such a gentle nature. Her favorite time is spent running free on the mountain.

The screen porch is surrounded by the Ossipee Mountains.

Everything just tastes better out here!

Another day is coming to an end.

A perfect end to another perfect day - Summer on the Mountain!
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Co-hosting the Blog Hop with Knick of Time

Angie at Knick of Time is celebrating her 1 year blogiversary with a blog hop party and I am joining in on the fun and hope you will too. This is a great way to discover some wonderful blogs and gain new followers.

You are welcome to "co-host' this party with me too!

Here's what you need to do:

1) Create a post announcing the blog hop!
2) Add the Party Graphic (above).
3) Grab the code at the bottom of this post and add it to the bottom of your post (in html mode).
4) Follow the hosts of the party - Angie at Knick of Time and Suzanne at Pieced Pastimes
5) Visit lots of people, follow new blogs and make new friends!

Let's get this party started!

Summer 2012 Mantel

I wanted our 'Summer 2012 Mantel' to be fresh and simple and this is what I came up with. This is the dumbwaiter side of the mantel. I made a few subtle changes from our Spring Mantel.

 A single rosette is set beside a gathering of juniper with an empty frame as a backdrop.

Antique mason jars - such a beautiful way to bring in a touch of color!

 Time worn books with their bindings turned to the back and stacked to add height.

 The built in cubby under this section of our long mantel can be a difficult spot to fill.

For this display,  I added some vintage wooden rulers, a rusty bed spring and a few old glass insulators.

 In case you were wondering, we have a pair of antique wagon steps mounted under the mantel.

More canning jars. I love finding these at the antique shops and seem to always find a use for them.

This is the other side of the mantel - above the firebox.

Vintage jars are placed on an antique wood box with some juniper branches added for a bit of bling.

My 'Ruffled Dropcloth Wreath' is hanging inside a nicely weathered frame.

This is a shot of the full length of the mantel with it's gathering of found objects that sing to me.

 I hope it sings 'summertime' to you!

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Fabulously Creative Friday Linky Party