It's Fall Already?

 

The Youngstrom's Annual Garden Party - group shot. It includes Scott's brother Brent, his wife Wilma and their daughter Wandi (over on the left middle row). 

The Gareden Party table set with a side
dish pot luck. Our 
hosts made turkey, lamb and salmon,

Heather and Phyllis, our neighbor and friend,

This summer went by so fast and now it's September. I feel though that the fall doesn't really begin until after Labor Day so here's a scattering of pictures and stories to fill you in on what's been happening since my last post which mostly covered through July. 

Scott, Rowan, Will and James - dinner at our RV
during the Birthday Party weekend.  We 
stayed at a KOA in Northampton. 

Scott's cousins Eric and Lisa with Aunt Muriel at
Lisa's Birthday Party at their home in Amherst, MA 

Yosi, Lisa's partner doing a "Saturday Night 
Fever" dance. He kept this elaborate party a
secret from Lisa until the last minute!

Sean, Kolya, Rowan and Morgen at our RV

Lisa, Sean and Rowan

On the positive side the highlights would be the Blueberry Festival at Pierce's, the Northeast Organic Farming Assoc cookout at Evening Song Farm here in Shrewsbury,  the Youngstrom's Annual Garden Party, "Rent" at the Weston Theater, a Dinner Party at David & Silvana's, Scott's cousin Lisa's 65th Birthday Party, the Champlain Chamber Music festival, the Shrewsbury Library Haystack Dinner & Dance, and a Lobster Fest.  Plus Scott's brother Brent came up from N.J. with his wife Wilma and daughter Wandi for a week. Scott's cousin Lisa joined us for 3 days as well. 

Heather at Pierce's Store. She does 2 four
shifts a week as a volunteer.

Bone Builders is a national exercise program for Seniors, run by volunteers. Scott and I go twice a week at our Meeting House. It's a one hour workout with weights. 

The cast of Fiddler on the Roof posing outside the Opera North tent on the Connecticut River. We are long time subscribers to their 3 shows every summer. It's held at the Blow Me Down Farm, a National Park Service Historical Park. It's the former home of the Cornish Colony.  Opera North presents 2 operas and one musical

We also go north to the Champlain Chamber Music festival in Shelburne, VT. Here's the view over Lake Champlain to NY from the venue. 

On the negative side in brief, I had a third melanoma removed, which got infected, and continued problems with bursitis, but HEY that's getting off lightly at my age. And of course our usual preoccupations - Pierce's store, the library, Bone Builders, Book Clubs, Bridge Club, Rutland Garden Club, the Farmer's Food Center, my garden, and politics (especially for Scott).  And Scott and I belong to The Mint, a Rutland Maker Space that houses artists, craftspeople, start-up companies etc. It is totally volunteer run after losing their staff when grant money ran out (under current administration). 

The Mint - One small corner of the huge facility

The main entrance with distinctive mural

Heather's small 8 x 8 studio at the Mint. She's working on a 
painting for Rowan's room, one of two featuring Sean & Will's
favorite characters from books and film.