Monroe's Sugarin', Barton VT

It is our yearly passage of Spring to visit our friend's Sugar House up in Barton VT. Steve and Terri Monroe have become good friends of ours. Their Sugar House has been featured here on the blog on several occasions, and every visit is a very special time spent with some very proud Vermonters!

This year we were accompanied by Miss J, Steve, and Ryleigh. I love sharing all of our Vermont traditions with the newest generation of our family. xxx

The Sugar House is a very busy operation during the boil, but it never ceases to amaze me how well the whole operation works....like a fine oiled machine.....they work so well together and always know what needs to be tended to at the exact minute.

We were treated to a delicious dinner during our visit. The Vermont hospitality never ceases to amaze me! Now, let me first say that I am not a big fan of hot dogs. BUT.......Terri  boiled the hot dogs in maple sap......NOT syrup.....but fresh sap....and then put them on the grill for a few minutes and served them on toasted rolls. I have never in my life tasted anything so amazing!!!!

Genious!!!!

She also served us her homemade chili. Oh we were very happy visitors!!!! :-)

And the dessert!!!! Good Lord the deliciousness of the dessert!!!! There is nothing, and may I repeat nothing more delicious than a warmed raised donut dipped in freshly boiled maple syrup fresh out of the boiler. Not even chocolate is better than this. AMEN!

Thank you so much for such a fun evening to Terri, Steve, and Josie!!!! Good company, a hot dog cooked the Vermont way, homemade chili, and a beer. It doesn't get much better than that!!!

Praying that the weather allows you many more boils this year!!! xxooo

N and Melissa get Married!!!!

Last weekend was such a wonderful weekend for us. Our son N married Melissa, the love of his life. These two are meant for each other. They are both super amazing people who share the same ideas, morals, and are just the perfect soul mates. Their love for each other is so apparent and it is contagious.

Melissa asked me if I could shoot a few pictures of the guys at the hotel before the wedding. I had my makeup and hair done, was wearing sweats and sandals, and had lots of laughs with the guys just before I got dressed and left for the church. It worked out great!:-)

Here are both of my boys. I love this picture:

Nick wore a medallion with my mother's picture on his boutenniere, and there was also one on the flowers that I carried. Sigh....it was a surprise for me, and I can not tell you how much it meant to me. 

It was a beautiful mass and Melissa looked stunning!

Here are all of my "kids"....Steve with Miss J, Jay, N, and Melissa. I love them all soooo much

This last image says it all. 

Personally, it was a very emotional day for me. My Mom really wanted to be able to go to this wedding. I know she was there with us in spirit and I know how proud she is of N!!! My Dad also could not attend the wedding. He was in the hospital. Although it has been such a difficult couple of months for our family, this was a perfect day in every way. We are so happy and so blessed.

xxxxxooooo

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2014

Top of the Mornin' to you!!!! Oh, wait a minute. It's evening right now. But, that's ok because everything Irish goes today!!!
Miss J ran a road race in South Boston yesterday, before the big parade. This gave Mr. S and I the opportunity to babysit Miss Ryleigh, which gave me the opportunity to take some St. Patrick's Day images of this precious little Lassie!!!

*******Cuteness Alert****** :-)

I just love this one....

What a big girl!!!!! :-)

Ryleigh has not appeared on the blog for a while so I figured I'd let you know what is going on with her.
First of all, she sits up all by herself!!!! She also has already gotten her first tooth. She is eating baby food. Sweet Potatoes are her favorite. She is forever smiling and she is forever melting my heart.
This better not be the look to come whenever she sees Nana with her camera. It's kind of like an "oh no" look! *wink*

But naaaaah.......she loves Nana's camera and loves to give Nana her pretty smiles! :-)

These were taken this afternoon. Can you see the little bit of hair that's growing in? Can you see the color of her eye brows and eye lashes???? 

Did you know that only 1% of the population has red hair and blue eyes?????

I...........LOVE............HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Slater Mill, Pawtucket RI

I visited the Slater Mill site in Pawtucket RI on Saturday, with several members of my camera club. We arrived t 9AM for a private tour, as the museum opens to the public at 11 AM. Our first stop was the Sylvanus Brown House, which is furnished as an early 19th century artisan's house:

We also visited the Wilkinson Mill, which is a 19th century machine shop with a working water wheel. (Water was frozen during our visit so we could not see the water wheel in action)

And the Slater Mill which was the site of the first successful water powered cotton spinning factory in America:

A view of the Slater Mill from the Wilkinson House Mill:

We had a great time, and it was so nice to be back out shooting again!