Savoring Fall

Last night I woke several times to roaring wind and rain buffeting the side of our house. This morning brought still more wind accompanied by an occasional rain shower. The worst part though? Leaves. I love the leaves when they're in the trees but once they fall, which the inevitably do, they like to stick to our paved roller ski track at 10th Mountain. Wet leaves are slippery, creating the fall version of icy trails, so this morning's interval workout was tough, to say the least. This afternoon Seth headed back to the mountain to finish removing three downed trees that fell on or near the roller ski loop during last night's wind storms.

While I don't like slippery leaves, I do enjoy fall. The temperatures are finally bearable again and I can sleep with the window open without an air conditioner in it. I can wear a long sleeved shirt or capris to training and I don't drown in my own sweat. Unfortunately all this also means that our daylight is shorter each day which is kind of a bummer but I can't really complain because it also means that

WINTER IS COMING! 

Yes, I am that person who absolutely loves winter. I'm sorry for those of you out there who can't stand it, that's truly unfortunate for you. You should learn to ski, maybe then you'll like it better!

A sunflower in our neighbor's garden, hanging on through fall's first cold evenings and frost warnings.

Fall also means Harvest. Harvest break, the two or three week break the school kids up here in the County get to help with the potato harvests, although we all know that most of them are just getting an extra school vacation. I've been enjoying the harvesting of our own carrots, beets, parsnips and rutabagas so far. Best of all though, our neighbor Cleveland grew a bunch of cucumbers and isn't using them so I've collected a massive bag and started making pickles! I found a simple recipe for small batches that you can make in the microwave and only takes about twenty minutes, cutting, mixing, and all! And they're soooo good! They're not canned though so we have to keep them in the refrigerator.

Lots of cucumbers!

Freshly cooked and still warm! 

Ready to eat: yummmm!

And then it was fall.

Yes, fall is really here for good. It's been in the forties at night here in Fort Kent for the last week or so and this evening, while preparing dinner with Seth I glanced outside and thought, "geez, it got dark fast!" A quick look at the stove confirmed that yes, it was pitch black outside at just 7:09 tonight! While it seems like the summer went by much too quickly this year, I can honestly say that I can't wait for it to snow. I like fall. It's nice when the weather cools off and training doesn't leave me drenched in my own sweat, but I love winter. 

This evening I'm sitting upstairs in our little house listening to the wind howl against the screens. There's a big storm looming across much of New England and we're starting to get the edges of it. It's looked like rain all day here but we've had nothing yet so I'm hoping I can get this blog written and posted before the skies open up. We lose power often when heavy winds and storms hit The Valley (St. John Valley...where Fort Kent is) so my computer is preemptively unplugged just in case! 

First, some pictures that I've come up with from others dating to the last blog period when I inadvertently erased my entire camera: 

Seth competing in the citizen's biathlon event in Jericho. He took second place in the "elite" category after chasing down someone he thought was ahead of him but was actually shooting in the "beginner" category (they shoot prone only and all on standing targets - much easier!). 

Just prior to a kayaking adventure down the Pemi with Seth, Patick, Corrine, and Hannah. 

Dinner in Easton during my camp with the US Women's B team... Kabobs. So good.  

Seth and I both raced in the Gilford Old Home Day 5k and we both won our respective age categories. He was 4th overall. Here he's getting his sock prize from my former ski coach at Gunstock Nordic Association, Nina. 

And some more pictures from my last few weeks in The County:

I've been working a lot on standing shooting lately... 

Flowers...

Echinacea.  

Hay bales and a gorgeous view in New Canada. 

I planted little pumpkins (gourds really) this summer and they're coming along nicely. Hopefully they'll ripen before the local deer population discovers them. 

A pretty sunset in Fort Kent.

Daigle Pond at sunset. 

Last night we closed out the summer in fine form with a lobster bake at the Farmhouse (a MWSC athlete house in Caribou). Check back soon for pictures from that....

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