French Country Style from the Foot of the Rockies: October 2017

Friday, October 27, 2017

Return to the Country

A visit to the country is always a welcome relief from busy city life

but it's especially nice when the country is my sister's farm in rural Ohio.

Jan, Ron and their son Brad call it the Dead End Ranch.

I love farm animals and this goofy goat seemed to be saying "Welcome!"

The views on the farm were never ending

and I could feel my shoulders relaxing a bit more each day I was there.

One can't help but take a deep breath looking out over the fields.

You know you're in the country when you're awakened by a crow instead of an alarm clock.

As peaceful as the farm was I couldn't wait to explore the countryside a bit.

The usual fall display of colors was sadly missing this October

but the massive old barns dotting the rolling hills made up for it.

Along the way, we saw some charming old vine-covered buildings,

an old spring house along the road where people still fill their jugs,

and an abandoned church with an old cemetery.

I couldn't get enough of these sweet funny farm animals and wanted to "play" with them all day.

Relunctantly we moved on as there was more awaiting us as we drove into Amish country.

Once you get away from the touristy main street, this area is magical.

I just loved the pristine farms. Everything was so clean and tidy . . .

even the furry cows looked like they'd just had a shampoo!

But the real treat was spotting an Amish horse and buggy. These horses were magnificent

and the buggies made you feel like you'd stepped back into a simpler time.

The horses and buggies even had their own parking spots.

I was careful not to photograph any of the Amish people as they prefer not to

have their pictures taken. That didn't stop me from snapping the beautiful horses and buggies.

It made sense there would be buggy and carriage shops in this part of the state.

Wish I could have bought this sign!

We finally said goodbye to Amish country and headed back to the farm . . .

where my sister's peaceful farmhouse awaited our return.
The best part of this trip was, of course, spending time with family.

It was good to be home.

***

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Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Blue Willow House, Little Farmstead, Rustic & Refined, Dwellings,
Between Naps on the Porch, Coastal Charm, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style,
A Delightsome Life, Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, 21 Rosemary Lane, Katherine's Corner,
My Thrift Store Addiction, French Country Cottage, Designthusiasm

Friday, October 20, 2017

Falling for an Old Mining Town

When I have an opportunity to climb up from the foothills into the real mountains,

I can't wait to throw a jacket, my binoculars and a camera into the car and hit the road.

Fall is the best time to visit the mountains when the rocky hills are glorious,
dressed up in their autumn gold, and the air is crisp and the sky is brilliant blue.
Weekdays are ideal when most people are working and kids are in school.
Ain't retirement great?

We drove about an hour from Denver to the charming old mining town of Georgetown
nestled in rugged Clear Creek Canyon.
Georgetown is home to a large big horn sheep herd and are often spotted along the highway
but not today.

Soon, we found ourselves strolling down picturesque side streets to see
some really outstanding Gothic Victorians.

Georgetown, dubbed the Silver Queen of the Rockies, features numerous original buildings
from the silver boom of the 1860s.

This simple beauty is one of my favorites.

Wouldn't you love to have this pretty house with its very own rushing stream?

Stopping for lunch at the Happy Cooker was delicious . . .

and made even better because it was warm enough to eat outside on the patio.
What a perfect spot to watch the world go by and imagine what it
must have been like 150 years ago . . .
ladies in their swishy long skirts and men shuffling by in heavy worn boots,
perhaps leading a tired burro laden with mining tools.

After lunch we strolled down the main street of Georgetown
and admired the famous Hotel de Paris.
This elegant European hotel, which opened in 1875, was built by a mysterious Frenchman named
Louis Dupuy. It was later revealed that Dupuy was a refugee journalist from Paris and London.

Although there are some shops in Georgetown, this town is more about absorbing
the history and beauty of a fascinating time period in the Colorado Rockies
when fortunes were made and lost overnight.

Further down the Main Street we saw an original 1870s grocery/hardware store . . .

and some stately architecture against craggy mountains, reminiscent of a western movie set.

As the sun began to slide behind the surrounding steep mountains,
the sound of the Georgetown steam engine called us into the hills
just in time to see it pull into the station.

Visitors lined up for boarding.

The train makes it way past several gold and silver mines
on its way to the next mining town, Silver Plume.

The sound of this massive steam engine chugging up the valley gives me chills
as I think of the miners who lived and died here in Georgetown, the Silver Queen of the Rockies.

***

If you enjoyed your visit, I hope you'll follow me by email.
Just subscribe (it's FREE) in the upper right column of this page.
You can also follow my Pinterest boards to see all my favorite photos.
Thanks so much!

***

Linking with:
Shabby Art Boutique, Blue Willow House, Little Farmstead, Dwellings, Between Naps on the Porch,
Coastal Charm, Stone Gable, A Stroll Thru Life, Savvy Southern Style, A Delightsome Life,
Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, 21 Rosemary Lane, Katherine's Corner,
My Thrift Store Addiction, French Country Cottage

Friday, October 13, 2017

Taking a Break

Hi Friends!

I'll be taking a short break from my blog this week as I'm going home to Ohio

to visit my sister and her family on their beautiful farm.

We'll be taking walks around their farm and checking out their handsome new rooster.

Jan has discovered a new antique mall that we'll definitely explore and, of course,

we'll find time for some serious Scrabble games in front of the wood stove.

I'll be back next week when I'll share a recent trip to an 1880s mining town

with a fancy French hotel! You won't want to miss it.

Meanwhile Ron and Roxy have assured me they'll be on top of things at home

while I'm gone and all will be well.

It's good to be home.

Hugs, Pat

Friday, October 6, 2017

French Country: Get Galvanized for Fall

What is it about galvanized buckets, cans and vases that we love so much?

Is it because they remind us of rustic farmhouses or quaint French flower markets?

Is it that rustic patina that gradually turns a shiny finish into a muted gray
that captures our hearts?

Galvanizing is a process of coating zinc to steal or iron to prevent rusting.

That's perfect for a rough and tumble existence outdoors but we who love antiques
and vintage don't mind a little rust in the right places at all, do we?

It's that lovely faded sheen of galvanized metal that is a perfect foil for fall decorating.

I started collecting galvanized items this year
and my hoard has gradually grown until my patio baker's rack is overflowing.

New galvanized items of all sorts are inexpensive but they're practically giving them away
at estate and yard sales. I've purchased most of my items for just a couple of dollars.