Uno, Dos, Tres Gates!: Leaf Peeping

On Friday we packed the car and hit the road for Burlington, Vermont to visit friends and enjoy the fall foliage. I have longed to see Vermont in the fall since we married (I lived in Vermont for the other three seasons) and this year we were determined to make it happen. And everything worked out beautifully! We stayed with our wonderful friends, the Loeschers, whom we both lived with at different points in time while in Burlington. It was so much fun to spend time with them and to see how much the kids have changed since our last visit two years ago. Micah loved playing with Peter, Elise, and Teddy and they introduced him to all kinds of fun things: their pet bunnies and chickens, how to make a fort, and how to kick a soccer ball. He had a blast.

On Saturday we hiked at Shelburne Farms, a national historic landmark and environmental education center situated on the shores of Lake Champlain. It is is an amazing property of nearly 400 acres of walking trails along with a children's farmyard and restored historic inn. We joined with good friend Greg Kriger and Peter Loescher, hiking for over 3 hours—picking carrots and raspberries along the way and taking in the fall beauty all around us.

On Sunday we visited our old church and enjoyed seeing the pastor and friends. Unfortunately most of the women were on a women's retreat so I didn't get to catch up with too many people, but it was fun to see those that were present. From there we headed to Al's French Fry, one of our favorite spots in Burlington, where we enjoyed some greasy burgers and french fries. Micah was a big fan of the french fries. No surprise there. We ended our time in Burlington watching Peter play soccer and walking on Church Street (another one of my favorite spots).

From Burlington, we travelled to Plymouth, Massachusetts where we visited with Brian (college friend) and Anne and their sweet baby girl, Cassie. We had a great time catching up with them, exploring Plymouth, and attending a fall festival nearby. It was fun to see how Micah reacted to all the pumpkins compared to last year where we had to prop him up against them and hope he didn't topple over! He loved banging on the pumpkins and playing in the dirt.

Our last stop on the way home to PA was Newport, RI where we enjoyed a great Irish pub meal and walked along the Cliff Walk, which was designated as a national recreation trail in 1975 and runs 3.5 miles. We enjoyed walking along the coast admiring God's creation and the amazing architecture of the historic mansions along the coast.

Phew, we sure did pack a lot into 5 days! We came home tired but rested in our spirits. There's nothing like being out in the crisp fall air taking in all the smells and colors of the season. I am feeling quite refreshed...