Embracing Autumn

I have been so busy lately that I haven't had time to get out and enjoy the lovely fall landscape. After I dropped my daughter off at kindergarten, I took a drive around Lancaster County Park...

Rock Ford Plantation...

I parked at the covered bridge and took a little hike...

Then I went to Woodward Hill Cemetery in Lancaster. I've always wanted to check it out. 

President James Buchanan is buried there. 

I was underwhelmed by his grave.

I liked this grave site better. 

I think the lady above looks a bit sadder than the lady below. 

The one below has a slight Mona Lisa smile.

Since I saw Buchanan's grave I thought I should go get a better look at his house, Wheatland.

The back was just as nice as the front and had a nice little veggie garden growing too. 

And some lovely trees.

Just what I was looking for...

Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.  

~George Eliot

Landis Valley Critters

Zoe and I spent the afternoon at Landis Valley Museum today.

Want to come along?

Not a great photo but it was really fun watching this chipmunk climb up the wheat.

Soft, velvety Clydesdale nose.

Tunis sheep, someone escaped the shears.

Sparrow in the nasturtiums (my favorite photo of the day).

Tanya Turkey

The Road Home

I've lived in Lancaster County, PA since I was 19. It is a beautiful place to live and not for a minute do I forget that. One of the most scenic drives is on route 896, the road I take to get to my Mom's house. You often pass more Amish buggies than cars. On Easter Sunday, as we drove back home to East Petersburg, the skies were dark and gloomy. Of course I had to get out my camera for some quick shots while we were dodging the raindrops and buggies.

And this one just makes me chuckle...

Here's a photo I took last fall from my Mom's garden.

And one I took while standing in her driveway last spring.

The girls are planting tobacco.

Not the most exciting place to grow up, surrounded by farm fields.

I appreciate it more now:)



Wordless Wednesday: Landis Valley Today

Pumpkin Farm

I recently discovered that an Amish farm about 3 miles down my road sells a wide variety of pumpkins in the fall. I knew this place selled dried gourds year round but I had no idea that they had so many for autumn decorating! Needless to say I was in pumpkin heaven (an the prices were great too). I love how they've set up their displays from the pumpkins in the barn windows to the big curly tree branch in on old milk can to the stack of crates with different varieties of gourds labeled for curious minds like me. So if you're in Lancaster County, check it out. It's on Landisville road between Landisville and East Petersburg, right around the corner from Roots Market.