A Very Happy Day, Indeed

I have been in a bit of a funk lately.  Depending on who you ask, a big funk.  Today, I feel like the sun rose brighter.  Seems that with the passing of hurricane Irene over my Massachusetts home and her departure during the night with a glorious day dawning this morning, my mood, too has passed and a sunnier disposition has risen in its place.  I hope the shift is here to stay.

I came downstairs this morning to the intoxicating scent of ripening peaches that I'd laid out on the dining room table on Saturday evening.  Near the end of every summer, I bring in a bushel or two of locally grown peaches to can for winter eating.  I call them jars of gold.  It is so satisfying to pull a jar or two out of the pantry on a snowy winter evening as an accompaniment to a dinner or on a Saturday morning as a key ingredient in homemade baked french toast.  This morning my dining room smelled so delicious, like candy coated sunshine.  I'm sure this heavenly scent and thoughts of jars of fresh canned peaches served to turn my mood to one of happy thoughts.

Today was also dairy day, the day I venture up to Temple Mountain in New Hampshire to the raw milk dairy to buy my week's supply of milk.  That is an errand I always enjoy.  Today, though as I approached the driveway to the farm, the road was closed and blocked off by fallen trees, knocked down in the storm yesterday.  I made the decision to continue on down the road to enjoy a little time in Peterborough in hopes the dairy road would soon reopen. 

I found my way to Rosaly's Organic Farm Stand, where they not only grow wonderful produce, but fields of flowers that you can cut yourself  to make beautiful bouquets.  I happened to have a jar in the car to transport them home in, so a picking I did go.  They are so beautiful.

The intricacy of each flower amazes me so!

Afterwards, I made my way to Twelve Pines in the center of Peterborough for a fresh steamed cup of cocoa and a slice of just baked blueberry coffee cake.  YUM.  After a little lolly gagging there, I ventured over to Bower Bird Antiques for a little poking and treasure hunting.  Next time I go, I'll snap some photos there to show you.  It's a lovely shop.

My last stop was at Twin Elm Farm for a quick hello to store owner, Louise, and a not so quick poke through the shop.  There too, some small treasures were to be had.  My greatest delight today, was while I was there at the shop, Louise shared her pleasure at my post on her shop on this blog and informed me that the local paper was interested in using some of my photos in the paper for her advertising.  While I was there, I  received a call from the gentleman at the paper, asking to do that very thing.  What a validating boost to my blog writing, picture taking ego!  Thank you!

I love these art deco letters and numbers from Bower Bird.

The beaker is destined to hold flowers on my windowsill; the bottle caps will become magnets and the vintage toweling will be made into tote bags.

I love the hand painted soda fountain sign.  It will look sweet hanging on a wall in my kitchen or dining room as well as serve as inspiration for the signs I make and sell.

Lastly, I leave you with a peek at some of the farm fresh bounty I was blessed with today.  It just says, "be happy," I think and as you can see by the milk bottles in the photo, the road to the farm did indeed reopen.  

Hope you are blessed with a happy day today as well.  Remember, it's all how you choose to look at it.