We’ve been out trippin’ for the last week, and I just downloaded (or uploaded, whichever it is) 491 photos into my computer! I will do you the supreme favor of not showing you all of them (have to save some for WILLARD), just a few, to catch you up on where we are and what we’ve been doing so far! You know what?  Taking pictures doubles the pleasure! I’ve had so much fun looking at them this morning!  MUSICA!

It’s October, Girlfriends, rabbit-rabbit, big time. ♥

It’s been wonderful out here on the road.  We’ve driven across Massachusetts, up through Vermont to Lake Champlain, and now we’ve arrived in Meredith, New Hampshire ~ in two cars, with our friends Lowely and John.  Here are a few road photos so you can see a little bit of what happens in New England in the fall.

Scarecrows, cute ones, decorate roadsides . . .

And there are apple trees EVERYWHERE.  Aren’t they gorgeous?  I bet 300 of my pictures are of apples! I can’t help it. I think you can see why!

And of course, Vermont is famous for its covered bridges . . . which we brake for like crazy!

This one had windows inside, and this is the view.  Lowely and I are looking out this window and thinking how much we want to take a walk next to that river ~ so we pick a spot further down and ask the boys if they would meet us there with the cars.

And of course, they say yes . . . there goes Joe!

So here we are, on our little woodsy path next to the river. That’s Lowely.

She needs to get just the right shots so she can paint some of these scenes when she gets home.

We’re going to meet the guys on the other side of that bridge . . .

Here we are on the bridge with the lapping little stream running beneath us . . . 

And there they are, in the ancient, classical pose of men waiting for women . . . how we love them!

So off we go again, through hill and dale . . . and everywhere there are American flags flying . . . and trust me, although I haven’t put up pictures of us eating, don’t worry, we definitely ATE.

There was just enough color to satisfy the soul, but much more to come for New Englanders!  This is just the beginning.  (Uh oh, we better catch up with their car, they’re getting ahead of us!)

John lived in Vermont when he was in college, so he knows all the best back roads . . .

But then I try to take a picture of it to Tweet on Twitter, but no service!

That’s okay I just save the pics for later . . . can you see the cows?  I am SUCH a barn person!

All these country scenes make me think of paintings like this one.

More flags!  A good red tree over there too!

More flags, and of course, since this is Vermont, it’s “Bernie Sanders country!”

The last of the season hydrangeas are worth their weight in gold.  Picket fences too . . . Everything has been so clean, no trash on the sides of roads . . . beautifully kept.

We went to a graveyard to lay flowers on the grave of Lowely’s grandmother. . .very lovely, of course, quiet, blowy and chilly, wonderful.

And then we’re off again . . . to Lowely’s grandmother’s house, to see where her mom grew up (the house has been made into a B & B) where we got to see this . . .

The eclipse!  Ooooo, eerie and cold night, leaves blowing and this red moon! The last time we had a moon like this was in 1982, the year I moved to Martha’s Vineyard. ♥ Perfect timing for a revisit!

Trees blew in front of it . . . I wished it was Halloween and this was our moon! All of us under this moon together! So lucky!

Lowely put us in the bedroom belonging to her grandparents . . . we had a fire.  Do not fear for us out here no matter what the weather, because wherever we’ve gone, we always seem to find a cozy fireplace!

Here we are at the Shelburne Museum yesterday, which I will tell you more about later, but I just had to take a photo of this little pile of leaves blowing around the corner of one of the Museum houses.

And this is today! From the deck of our room here at the hotel in Meredith this morning, beautiful sky, but cold out there!

B r r r r ♥ 

Here’s another shot, looking down. We seem to be “lake hopping!”  This is Lake Winnipesaukee. When I get done here, we’re going out for a walk in the woods!

And, as you might imagine, when it comes to the new book, the fairy tale continues.♥ I think the very last of your books went out yesterday and we already have 12 lovely five-star reviews on Amazon!!!!!! It’s really hard to believe. I know it’s you ~ and I can’t thank you enough!♥

Reviews are also starting to trickle in to Goodreads too ~ also wonderful comments, but a couple of readers mentioned  discomfort with having to read about the sad parts of my life. But I have to say, I’m not sure if I would have ever made it to this kind of happy if I hadn’t had that heartbreak too. It’s bringing yourself out of sadness that is the true accomplishment in anyone’s life (I think). And it’s true life. It can’t all be candy canes and butterflies! But it’s YOUR reviews I’ve been loving.♥ If you would like to read what our Girlfriends have been saying, just click on “comments” at the bottom of my last post and they are all there. Even on this trip, I’ve been reading them and telling my heart to “be still” every day. Not easy! Too good! Thank you all so much!

Writing about the back roads of England is one thing, writing about yourself is something very different!  I didn’t realize HOW different until it was too late!!! So thank you! XOXO 

And darling pictures are coming in too . . . this is our Girlfriend Michele Morgan and her new book . . . a fairy tale girl if I ever saw one!

And this one came from, you guessed it, a teacher Girlfriend of ours from Indiana named Lori Hibbard who wrote “to give the book an A+.”  I felt just like a kid with a really GOOD grade!

Here are the girls we have to thank for the monumental job of getting your books to you . . . from left, that’s Sherie, then Kellee, Bonnie, Robin, and Sharon.  And they’re still smiling! 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Here’s Kellee, who makes all the hard decisions! ♥

I’ll say goodbye and leave you with some more hearts ~ ones we found on the beach, and another bigger black-and-white heart named Girl Kitty.  Out here in the world, no kitties for me!  It will be good to get home!  But tomorrow, Saturday, October 3, I get to meet lots of you at Innisfree Books, between 11 am and 1pm.  I hope, if you’re in the neighborhood, you can make it.  After Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams (book two) comes out, Joe and I will get in the van and cross the country and try to see the rest of you!   That’ll be next May! I have to get home and finish painting for the second one (SO much more to show you)! Until then, any of you who ordered a book but haven’t gotten it, you should have it very soon now!  Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Have a fabulous day! Love you! XOXO