AUTUMMN ADVENTURES

From watching wild turkeys in our neighborhood, to taking Mina on a picnic,to playing in the leaves with Dakota, to fall hikes enjoying wildlife and autumn colors, it was a spectacular fall!  Winter’s coming – we’re ready!

GIRLFRIENDS

Life in Ohio is good – and just recently got better when my girlfriends came to visit!  Unfortunately, Holly couldn’t make the trip but as you will see she joined us in a unique way.  The weather was a little rainy but we managed to play hard anyway.  We even got Alina to church!!

Picked up Alina at the airport and Holly on a stick arrived, too!

 

Next, Carolyn arrived!

Cocktails at Casa  Connelly

Susan Bigley arrives for dinner and finally meets Holly!  

Jack carving pork tenderloin

Holly joins us at the head of the table for dinner!

Hanging out in downtown Cleveland

The Arcade

It got cold.  We had to put a hat and scarf on Holly

 

Jack takes Holly to Sarah’s Vineyard.  Wine on tap!!! and yuumy food

 

Sunset over the vineyard

Cleveland’s famous Westside Market

 

Shopping!

Tea for 4 – Holly got her own cup!!

 

Apple Picking!

Sushi!

 

Come again, girls!  it was wonderful to see you!  Love you!

SUMMERTIME FUN!

We have had a wonderful summer in our new home.  From outdoor concerts, to hiking, to festivals and fairs, to picnics, to Indians games we have loved every minute!  Our yard offered up many surprises.  Remember, we bought the house in autumn and moved in December so we had no idea what spring and summer would bring.  What it brought was something different blooming every time I looked, a rippling brook and a peaceful fountain, too many  birds to count , a gazebo and lush green grass.  A yard worthy of a garden tour!  We also bought a share in an organic farm which means every Thursday morning from June through September we go to the farm and get 12-14 pounds of fresh organic produce!  We  have enjoyed everything from beets and turnips to lettuce, potatoes, swiss chard and herbs.  Right now we are smacking our lips over fresh tomatoes and sweet corn!  Yum!  I have done some canning and put sweet corn in the freezer (along with cream and butter)  thinking it will taste good come January/February!  We fill in what else we need at the Saturday morning Farmer’s Market in Medina Square – which reminds me – the gazebo in our square has been selected to be made out of roses for the Rose Bowl Parade as the prettiest gazebo in America!   Watch for it.  And Ohio Magazine has just named Medina the top spot to live in NE Ohio!  We do love it here!  Come visit and see why!   I continue to indulge my addiction to spinning and pilates.  I wish I could tell you it keeps me thin but, alas, it just makes it possible to keep eating and drinking!!  Jack had the pleasure of sailboat racing every Sunday this summer.  Unfortunately there are no pictures but he had a great time being “crew” and his boat, the Ancient Mariner, came in first in just about every race!  I joined them one weekend and loved being back on Lake Erie!  We are now starting to see subtle signs of autumn and are looking forward to what that season has to offer! 

 

 

Go Tribe!!

Sunset over Lake Erie from Progressive Field.

Sunset over Lake Medina.  Dakota goes here every afternoon to play and swim!

Beautiful Dakota Kate

Jack installed a new flag pole in front of Hunting Run

I can’t possibly tell you about all the hiking we did this summer.  But I will tell you about the wonderful park system here.  Besides the Cuyahoga Valley National Park being in our back yard we have to explore what Clevelanders call the Emerald Necklace – a park system that encircles the borders of Cleveland on both sides for miles and runs South almost as far as Medina!  What a treasure. Here are pictures of just 2 areas.

The Ledges

Brandywine Falls

Blueberry jam, Ohio peaches ripening for preserves and cobbler and sweet corn awaiting the freezer

 

We took Dakota to try out for Dock Dogs – she loved it!!

The Medina County Fair

Fair food!

The Dock Dogs performed at the fair!

 

 

Turkeys putting on a show!

Goat dress up contest – no, Tammy – you can’t make this up!!

Square dancing!

The BIG draft horses were our favorite!

Best bale of hay?????!!!!!

Zucchini wins a purple ribbon!!! 

Vegetable dress-up contest???!!!!  Why, it won a purple ribbon!! 

 

Whew! 

Quite a full day at the fair!

 

If you remember, I posted a blog in January about reasons why we moved to Ohio -  seasons, friends,  the Cleveland Museum of Art….  Blossom Music Center is another reason.  Blossom is the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra.  It’s an outdoor pavilion in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park– a beautiful setting.  Just across the street from the entrance to Blossom we discovered a sweet little winery.  They have tapped the barrels in their cellar so they have wine on tap – yay! - along with delicious, light food.  We purchased a book of tickets for the summer  concerts and dined early at the winery.  We heard John Schissell conduct a celebration of America on the Fourth of July, Yo Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble (took our breath away), the Canadian Brass, Jahja Ling conducting Tchaikovsky, plus one night of music from Broadway and another night the Festival Orchestra played music from the Greatest Generation.  We also had season tickets for a summer full of Country Music at Blossom – from Sugarland and Brad Paisley to Trace Adkins, Tim McGraw and Brooks and Dunn.  We learned lots about classical music at the orchestra’s events and danced the night way under the stars and sometimes a full moon at the country venues!

  

Here’s one of the parks in the Emerald Necklace – Hinckley.  Great for picnics and hiking!

Soon it will be time to visit the pumpkin patches and go apple picking!!