ABC Wednesday - R is for Road

This is an unusual kind of road.

A vehicle can travel on it, but it is mostly used by pedestrians.

Maintained by the flood control engineers, it is actually built along the top of a dam.

We have seen the peaceful calm waters of the reservoir it holds back, and we have seen those same waters high and fiercely flowing during spring floods.

Part of it is a state park that was abandoned several years ago after a really bad flood.

There are no funds to restore the park, and it was even mentioned one time of being put up for auction.

Not sure where it stands now, but it remains abandoned except for occasional hikers and dog walkers who don't mind the long walk to get to it.



This is the twelfth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details. 

ABC Wednesday - O is for Orchard

One of my favorite places to visit in the autumn is the apple orchard.

One is completely surrounded by the aroma of fresh apples.

The tree branches are heavy with them and they all are very tempting to pick.

Each one perfectly grown and they do taste the best when just picked from the tree.

The orchard we visit is on top of a hill that has beautiful views of the distant mountains - they even have a map that names each of the peaks for those curious visitors.

I have never been in the springtime, but that orchard must be something to see with all those apple blossoms on the trees!







This is the twelfth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details. 

ABC Wednesday - M is for Marigold

Marigolds are always a bright spot of color in the garden and I like to include them each year in mine.

I have never purchased them as plants because they are so easy to grow from seeds.

And the seeds are much cheaper than the plant flats.

They have a slight smell to them, but nothing as grand as the roses or lilies.

It isn't Marigold season here yet, but I do have my seeds already and they will go in the ground at the beginning of next month.

Spring is slowly making it's way to New England this year, and it's arrival is most welcome!





This is the twelfth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details. 

ABC Wednesday - L is for Ladyslipper

We still have quite a covering of snow in our area, but in another month and a half or so, these little beauties will be making their appearance.

I always look forward to finding them as we walk along our road.

Each year there are less and less, though, as they are a very delicate bloom that only grows in specific conditions which are fast disappearing.

There is one particular spot that they grow without anybody bothering them, and I take in their beauty as we drive by along the highway.

Stopping to admire them is difficult in this spot and I wouldn't want to draw too much attention to them from the passers-by.

I have loved them ever since I was a little girl, and they always bring such joy each spring, these pretty little Pink Ladyslipper Wildflowers.





This is the twelfth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details. 

ABC Wednesday - K is for Ketch

Ketch is the fancy name for a sailing vessel that has two masts.

Not too impressive while docked or on a mooring as this one is.

But when the the sails are up and they are billowing in the wind, a ketch is a beautiful thing indeed.

So quietly they glide over the water - reminiscent of days gone by when only sails were around.

Love those old boats, or Tall Ships, as they are called.

And a ketch is a mini version of those beauties that we get a glimpse of when we visit the ocean.




This is the twelfth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details. 

ABC Wednesday - J is for Jojoba

Jojoba oil - have you ever heard of it?

It was a couple of years ago that I first discovered it.

My nails, which have always been long and natural, were getting brittle and breaking, especially  during the winter with it's drying inside air.

I did a search for the best remedy and found many, but decided to try the jojoba oil.

Of all the moisturizing oils, jojoba is the closest to human sebum and the small particles in it's chemical make up allow it to pass through the nail and get absorbed.

Olive oil was a close second for my choice, but it didn't penetrate as well, and it leaves a very oily coating.

The Jojoba plant is native to the southwest area in the US and it has a rich history with the Native Americans who lived there.

The oil, which is actually a wax, is derived from the seeds of the Jojoba nut.

It used to be more rare and expensive, but with desert cultivation around the world, the cost of growing and harvesting the oil has come down, though it is still more expensive than many other oils.

I like the non-greasy feeling it leaves behind, and my nails and hands are back to being themselves during these dry winters.

Love these natural remedies that really work!







This is the twelfth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details. 

ABC Wednesday - H is for Health

Our health is something that most of us take for granted.

When it gets threatened, that's when most people start to pay attention.

I like to think of my main exercise, yoga, as a reward rather than a chore.

Sometimes it's hard to get into it or even start it.

But the rewards kick in after I'm finished.

Everything inside and outside feels so much better, physically and mentally.

And it only takes a half of an hour of time.

It's a treat that even sugar can't touch, and for me that's a tough one to beat!

This is the twelfth round of ABC Wednesday. If you would like to join in please visit this site for the details.