Welcome to a Beautiful World: an introduction...

Happy Trails

The Opportunity and good luck of being in New England at just the right time for glorious fall color was fantastic. Hey, I know some people actually LIVE there - but I don't. I'm posting many of the photos that I took on this blog for one reason - I want to share - This is such a beautiful world!

I've divided the pictures into types of photos...meaning what is in the photo besides leaves...rather than than sequentially - you'll see what I mean as you skim through.

My husband and I spent 9 days driving on little routes, (two lane roads) covering almost 900 miles. It was so beautiful - too glorious for words.

One sad thought is that I should have begged, borrowed, or may even BOUGHT a better camera - I like my camera, but a really good camera and maybe a tripod would have made much better photos - but it was fun taking them ~~Aleen



This photo nicely sums up what we saw during our trip: lots of lakes, quaint towns, villages and resorts - and hills full of color,color,color

Great Landing: See the bird landing on the lake - I didn't plan that!

We did have one day of showers - no RAIN - just showers and fog - it was lovely

Buildings, Barns, Covered Bridges & Graveyards

Buildings, Barns & Covered Bridges. We drove the 'routes' through small towns and villages.
Quiet & Quaint. Colorful & Crisp. Old & Serene.

"Life on the farm is kinda laid back"

How Many Graveyards

How many graveyards?
How many barns?
Countless wooden fences,
Quiet little farms.

Long covered bridges
Shielding from the rain.
Old decrepit buildings,
With wiggly window panes.

Here they sell you syrup,
That flowed from maple trees,
Here they sell you apples,
And how about some cheese?

Driving along the countryside,
Through tiny village towns,
Seeing all the autumn leaves
Tumbling, tumbling down.

'Tis the crowning glory
Now summer's at it's end,
I can't wait to see what's found
Waiting 'round the bend

~~Aleen Rockwood 2008

Chess Anyone? Ghostly Chessmen



ALL IN ONE: Graveyard - Chruch and Orange Tree






OUTSTANDING VALUE: this home is for sale

Getting ready for Halloween: SPOOKY

Almost makes you want to be a cow.....

A short covered bridge

An un-covered bridge

A long covered bridge

A New house for the TOLLS



Nice hotel for a windy autumn night - no we did not stay here.

Built in the 1600 but 'modenrized'.


This little barn is falling down, falling down, falling down.....

The Hills Are Alive: Photos of New England Mountains and Hillsidess

It is difficult to distinguish one beautiful mountainside from the next. It was also almost impossible to know when and where to take pictures - you could stop every five minutes to take another shot.

This section will have pictures from upstate New York,the western side of Vermont, Massachusetts,and Connecticut

We drove up the west side of the Hudson river to the Adirondack and then crossed over the river and drove down the east side. The leaves were at "peak" in every state: by the following week they were past peak and ten days later the snow was falling.

Colors of Fall New England 2008

GEOCACH PHOTOS: out-of-the way trails and parks we would not have seen if it had not been for my husband seeking out geocach treasures.
Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and support for the environment.

Taking pictures in the park while Jay hunts for treasure: Near Lake George

We had to cross a newly plowed farmer field to find this cache on the edge of a lake - Jay is trying to point to the find.



The lawn of this park had turned to gold - another cache was found










Walking to a Geocache in Lenox near "The Chapel on a Hill"




Jay Logs another find


TWO ROADS: This place reminded me of Robert Frost's poem - it was in a park not many miles from where Frost is buried. The park was huge - we saw some 1700 ruins and a beautiful view.




The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Lakes, Rivers, Favorites

One of the first pictures I took - it's in up-state New York looking across Mowhawk river. We were in Crescent Park, which is dedicated to those who worked on the Erie Canal.

Do you want to go fly fishing - this river even makes ME want to go fly fishing - fly fishing is a big deal around here. We visited the "flagship" store of Orvis - very comfortable and homey - fishing, men's outdoor clothing, hunting - all on the main floor - women and children had to go Upstairs!





Connecticut Color

A fishing town in Massachusetts




Give Said the Little Stream

Just a little babbling brook


River Lighthouse




"Going Down the River" - great way to see the turning of the leaves - this is near New York City where the leaves were just beginning to change.