Being away from home can be disconcerting at times. Especially when it is frequent.  I love to travel, but I also like to be home.  I guess I’m kind of a homebody at heart.  When the opportunity presents itself, however, to go somewhere else, I generally seize the moment.  I always think, ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained,’ and no matter what, after going away, I more and more realize that if I don’t do something when I can, I would undoubtedly regret and wonder what I had missed out on. I don’t want to miss out on anything!

With all that said, it’s always good to come back, to sleep in my own bed and to be in familiar surroundings. After 35+ years in New England I would say I have become somewhat of a Yankee, though you can’t take the Midwestern soul out of my core.

A visit to this Raspberry Farm put my mind in motion about how good it is to explore the places in my own back yard.  I stopped in on the way back from errands.  I’ve passed it frequently and always wanted to pay a visit. That I did!

I went into the shop with the big ‘Welcome’ sign up. Generally, this is a place where you can pick your own, but on account of the rains the night before, the patch was closed, so instead, I bought a small box of raspberries and some vegetables, tomatoes, raspberry jam made on the place, and some local honey.  I even grabbed a few recipes they had hanging on the door.

On my way out I thought to ask the saleslady if I could take some pictures of the farm.  It is impressively well run, and obvious the owners put their everything into keeping it nice for the public.  The pictures show how well run it is.  Curiously the varieties are given French names, as you can see in the photos.  Prelude is the only raspberry bush still producing.  It gives two crops of fruit, one in the early summer, and again in August/September.  I presume in October, they die out.

I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful blue sky and white fluffy clouds to bring out the late summer cheer of the the day.  Bittersweetly the Autumn’s tune was playing in the air.  Must enjoy the days, as short as they may be getting to be, and take in the transitions of a new season to come.  They all have some beauty to share.